Spicy Brain

Spicy Brain Season Two kicks off with Anna Archer!  Host Lara Sullivan sits down with vlogger, business owner, investor and running community favourite Anna Archer, who spent 24 years not knowing she was autistic and ADHD. From the outside, Anna's life looked sorted. The vlogs, the running community, the friendships, the business. Underneath it was a very different story. Anna opens up about growi...

Spicy Brain Season Two Teaser | Behind the Scenes with Producer Vickey Spicy Brain is back! In this Season Two teaser, host Lara Sullivan is joined by Spicy Brain producer Vickey from Voices & Visuals for a behind-the-scenes chat about how the podcast came together, how they met, what Season One taught them both, and what listeners can expect from the brand-new season. From the very first nerv...

In this special season one finale of Spicy Brain, host Lara Sullivan reflects on the journey of creating the podcast, from overcoming her own fear of being in the studio to building a community where neurodivergent people can share their experiences openly and without judgement. Lara revisits the conversations and key lessons from guests exploring everything from workplace accommodations and late...

Why are safe foods so often beige, and what does that tell us about neurodivergence? In this episode of The Spicy Brain Podcast, host Lara Sullivan sits down with ADHD nutrition coach Amber Macintosh to explore the complex relationship between neurodivergence, food and nutrition. As an autistic and ADHD woman herself, Amber shares her journey to diagnosis and how understanding her own sensory need...

Can you still be autistic if you're the funniest person in the room? In this episode of The Spicy Brain Podcast , host Lara Sullivan sits down with award-winning comedian, writer, neuroscientist and late-diagnosed autistic woman Ria Lina for an honest and hilarious conversation about what autism really looks like beyond the stereotypes. Together, they explore why comedy can be the perfect home for...

What happens when OCD and autism overlap – and no one recognises either? In this episode of The Spicy Brain Podcast, host Lara Sullivan sits down with comedian, author and neurodiversity advocate Joe Wells to unpack the realities of living with OCD and autism. From childhood intrusive thoughts and compulsions to receiving an autism diagnosis later in life, Joe shares his personal journey with hone...

What happens after a late autism diagnosis? In the second episode of this two-parter special of The Spicy Brain Podcast , host Lara Sullivan continues her conversation with renowned neuroscientist and author of The Lost Girls of Autism , Professor Gina Rippon , exploring what life looks like after a diagnosis and why understanding autistic women goes far beyond outdated stereotypes. Together, they...

Why are girls and women with autism so often diagnosed late? In this episode of The Spicy Brain Podcast , host Lara Sullivan sits down with renowned neuroscientist and author of ‘ The Lost Girls of Autism’ , Professor Gina Rippon , to explore why so many autistic girls and women have been overlooked, misdiagnosed, or diagnosed far later in life. Together, they unpack how decades of autism research...

Late Diagnosis, Masking & Redefining Neurodivergent Masculinity In this episode of The Spicy Brain Podcast , host Lara Sullivan sits down with Tom Gilding , a late-diagnosed autistic and ADHD man, to explore the realities of discovering your neurodivergence later in life and what it means to rebuild your identity after diagnosis. Tom shares his personal journey of seeking answers after a rise...

Building Neurodivergent-Affirming Therapy: Identity, Masking & Mental Health In this episode of The Spicy Brain Podcast , host Lara Sullivan sits down with Kyra Hall-Gelly , founder and CEO of Neuro Tribe , to explore what truly neurodivergent-affirming mental health support looks like—and why so many traditional therapy models fall short. Drawing from both personal and professional experience...

Living with ADHD as an Adult: Insights, Strategies, and Neurodivergent Representation In this episode of The Spicy Brain Podcast , host Lara Sullivan is joined by forensic psychologist and 2024 Big Brother winner Ali Bromley for an in-depth conversation about adult ADHD, her personal journey, and her experiences in the public eye. Lara and Ali explore how ADHD can present differently in adults, pa...

Navigating Non-Speaking Autistic Children, Parental Grief, and Finding Connection Beyond Words  In this episode of the Spicy Brain Podcast , host Lara Sullivan is joined by author of Love Needs No Words and founder of Stories About Autism , James Hunt . He shares his deeply personal journey as the father of two non-speaking autistic sons, Tommy and Jude , opening up about the emotional complexity...

Rethinking Autism at Work: Accommodations, Inclusion, and “Autistic Courtesy” In this episode of The Spicy Brain Podcast , host Lara Sullivan welcomes Dr. Luke Beardon , a leading autism expert, for a focused conversation on autistic experiences in education and the workplace, and what meaningful inclusion actually looks like in practice. Lara and Dr. Beardon explore how understanding of autism ha...

Late Autism Diagnosis in Women: Identity, Burnout, and Finding Your Voice In this episode of The Spicy Brain Podcast , host Lara Sullivan shares her deeply personal story of being diagnosed with autism at the age of 27, reflecting on the experiences that led her to seek answers and how that diagnosis reshaped her life. Lara begins by exploring her time during the COVID-19 lockdowns, where she foun...