The Neurodive Podcast

The podcast is back! With monthly episodes featuring guests and Neurodive creator and coach Sam Harris sharing more personal stories, experiences and news from his work supporting Neurodivergent young people and their families. In this episode, Sam identifies some of the things that working with Autistic people taught him. Reflecting on the time being a nose hair away from a slide smeared with poo...

In this episode I have the privilege of sitting down and recording a chat with a young Autistic man called Zac, who I have supported for a number of years through his transition between mainstream school and into alternative provision. He is wonderfully open and honest about his experiences and able to articulate things that I feel many other Neurodivergent young people have been through, are goin...

In this episode I get the opportunity to interview Alfie Kohn, author of one of my favorite books 'Unconditional parenting' as well as 'Punished by rewards' and several other works. I must admit to being a little starstruck. His work is so important in not just outlining some of the key elements of my own approach to supporting Neurodivergent young people, but also in providing the research and ev...

It's been a while and so in this short episode, I explain future plans for the podcast and have a big announcement to make! Plus, I reveal the next guest I have lined up which for me is a huge one. Someone whose work and ideas follow a very similar perspective to my own and who since discovering, has also influenced it greatly. As a result, aside from the updates and news.....there's a fair bit of...

In this episode I chat with Eliza Fricker, creator, illustrator, advocate, blogger and now, in a much more proper sense then me, podcaster. In all of these areas she uses her own lived experience of Neurodivergence and parenting. Eliza's illustrations on her missing the mark facebook page and blog are widely recognised in the Neurodivergent advocacy community for there beautiful pathos and ability...

In this 2nd part of my journey to discover if rumours about my Neurodivergence are true, I outline my plan to go about a possible unofficial but thorough self-identification. I have chosen to enlist some help with the diagnostics from a friend who is a clinical psychologist and Dr of psychology, in order to combat my own potential bias if I looked at them myself. In this episode I also discuss som...

In this episode I am joined by Maddie Roberts, who contacted me regarding a petition to stop fines for school absences for parents of SEN children. I am so behind anything that looks at making a positive impact and change for families of Neurodivergent young people, that I wanted to get her on the podcast to discuss the petition and her own personal journey. I am sure many can find connection, val...

After lots of comments, self-relisations and connections and advice and support from the fantastic Neurodivergent people I am now fortunate enough to work with, it is time for me to explore my own possible Neurodivergence. To be honest. I am just not sure either way. In this episode [recorded at 4am in the gym with my mind whirring....not sure if this is a clue....] I outline what I intend to do a...

A bit of a shift from the usual content for this episode but one I am very proud to have on the podcast. Around this time last year I got chatting to a friend, Pete Howard. We talked and got onto the subject of mental health, of wanting to do something to raise awareness and money. Somehow, a year later we have just completed a marathon by alternatively piggy backing each other! So far we have rai...

Around a year ago I was made aware of a research paper and the work of a fantastic Autistic advocate, author and researcher by the name of Kieran Rose. Some of the connections his paper helped me make around the Autistic experience of masking where truly game changing for me. It helped me understand how stigma and prejudice around what is 'normal' and 'acceptable' in our culture plays a huge part...

I am joined in this episode by Linara Tyler, Autistic and PDA Self-Advocate, Relationship Consultant & Mentor. Linara is someone I have bene fortunate enough to run some webinars with and her area of focus is in Attachment styles and how understanding them can play a helpful part in improving your relationships. In this episode, Linara shared some of her own life experiences with me, as well as so...

I am joined by Author, Advocate, parent of 3 Autistic children and Autistic adult Jodie Isitt. Jodie is also the creator of the Nurture programme, an online programme for parents of Neurodivergent children and young people. In this episode, Jodie talks to me about her own diagnosis and reflects on how it impacted her childhood and in school. She shares some real insight into her own experiences of...

The BIS-pod is no more! Long live the Neurodive pod! Another great episode where I [Sam Harris in case you didn't know that bit] get to speak to the awesome Tigger Pritchard. Ignore the first few minutes as this was recorded a few months back in my transition from BISnet the Neurodive and Running Deer, so had to hold it back until I knew I would be able to re-brand the podcast. In this episode, we...

We had a few [well.....2] requests to hear more about my professional journey. I don't need much excuse to talk about myself and at the same time, Craig Bowden of CEDA and his brother Chris, a CEDA service user, wanted to interview me for their show on Access all Ariel's radio station. Feel free to skip this one.....I am a little concerned I have over shared.....let's hope my Mum doesn't listen to...

In this episode Sam is joined by the awesome Tigger Pritchard, creator of The Autism Coffee shop and Tigger Training. He is someone with a wealth of experience supporting Autistic people and in particular Autistic people with a PDA profile. During Lockdown, Tigger came to a realisation about his own Neuro-diversity. Something he talks really wonderfully, openly and honestly about in this episode....

The group pick up the conversation around socialising and NT expectations as opposed to 'the right way to socialise,' the value of silence and being comfortable with awkwardness. They then discuss value of the Autistic experience over Autism research and how this should shape all support and services for Autistic people, as well as the mistake people make in not asking Autistic people for their pe...

In part 1 of this 2 part episode, host Sam is joined by Harry Thompson, Mollie Sherwin and Chloe Farahar. Three Autistic adults with a huge depth of knowledge and experience, making this an absolute must listen for anyone supporting or working with Autistic people. In part 1, they discuss terminology and Harry and Chloe educate Sam in the most current and acceptable terminology in the Autistic com...

In this episode, host Sam Harris talks with Harry on the ever shifting roles an Autistic person with a PDA profile might give themselves, the automatic nature of a demand avoidance response and how backing off can sometimes be enough to allow the demand avoidance to reduce, priming virtues rather then demanding help-fullness for the sake of it. The need for a more in-depth understanding of some ge...

In this episode of the podcast, host Sam Harris is joined once again by PDA Extraordinaire Harry Thompson, author of 'The PDA Paradox.' They discuss current ideas, opinions and diagnostic influences on terminology surrounding PDA. Harry also helps Sam understand the difference between demand avoidance in general and for an Autistic person with a PDA profile, as well as several other fascinating an...

In this episode, host Sam Harris is joined again by Special educational needs specialist Fintan O Regan, author of Can’t learn, won’t learn, don’t care and creator of the SF3R model. They discuss the current state of support for young people with additional needs in the current education system as well some ideas and advice for parents and professionals working to support these young people.

Harry Thompson is a public speaker, PDA Emissary and Consultant, and the author of The PDA Paradox. He was diagnosed with Pathological Demand Avoidance as a teenager and in this episode of the podcast, he gives host Sam Harris some insights into how he experiences the world, demands and anxiety. They also discuss supportive approaches that are used and how feel to a person with PDA, plus Sam gets...

Heidi Slatter received an Autism diagnosis later on in her life. She has since gone on to become a public speaker and advocate for Autism. Using her own experiences to give others insight, understanding and acceptance. In this episode, Heidi talks to host Sam about the work she does now, her own experiences of diagnosis and is very open and honest about her challenging time at school. To find out...

In this episode host Sam speaks to Edie, a young Autistic lady he has worked with for a number of years and who writes her own blog 'Autism & Me.' In this episode, Edie talks about her experiences as an Autistic young person. How she remembers getting diagnosed, how Autism effects her and her experience of anxiety. Edie also tells us about her blog and her and Sam talk about the work they do toget...

Host Sam Harris is joined by Fintan O Regan, an expert in the field of challenging behaviour, ADHD, oppositional behaviour and conduct disorder. Fintan is an SEN and behaviour consultant for the schools network and someone with a wealth of experience working with young people as well as support others to work effectively with them. He has written several important and extremely useful books includ...

BISpod host and BISnet manager Sam Harris sits down to catch up with Jake, a young person he worked with over 5 years. Jake has a diagnosis of Autism with Demand Avoidance and is someone Sam often refers to as the person who challenged him most to adapt and find new ways to support him. Whilst also being someone who taught him an awful lot about the importance of a flexible and self reflective app...