The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast

Welcome to the very first Neurodiversity Voices Mini! In this special short-form episode, host Paul Cruz shares reflections from the Employ to Empower Summer Make Change Market held on May 28 at Bentall Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia. This community-focused event brought together advocates, employers, organizations, and community members committed to creating more inclusive opportunities fo...

What if burnout wasn't the end of your story—but the beginning of becoming who you were meant to be? In this episode of  The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast , host Paul Cruz sits down with Lisa Richer, a neurodivergent success partner, consultant, advocate, and former elite gymnast whose work helps people navigate what she calls "the messy middle." Lisa shares her personal journey through burno...

We've been taught there's a "right" way to think, communicate, and behave. But what if that assumption is the problem? In this episode of  The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast , host Paul Cruz sits down with Justine Jecker to explore how neurodiversity is reshaping our understanding of communication, systems, accessibility, and human difference. This conversation goes beyond awareness. It challe...

What if what looks like "attitude" is actually miscommunication? In this episode of  The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast , host Paul Cruz sits down with Felicia M. L. Davis to explore how autism and ADHD show up in everyday conversations, workplaces, and relationships—and why so many neurodivergent people are misunderstood. From literal thinking and missed social cues to masking, burnout, and w...

What happens when a society decides your value is measured solely by what you produce? In this thought-provoking episode of  The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast , host Paul Cruz sits down with Helena St. George to explore the powerful themes behind her novel  Shattered but Not Silenced —a dystopian story that asks difficult questions about productivity, autonomy, human worth, and belonging...

What happens when you spend years advocating for your autistic child—only to discover that you're autistic too? In this special April episode of  The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast , host Paul Cruz sits down with Julie Green to explore late autism diagnosis, motherhood, masking, identity, and the journey toward self-understanding and acceptance. This episode marks two important milestones: • T...

What happens when you realize the problem might not be you—but the system you're trying to exist inside? In this reflective episode of  The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast , host Paul Cruz sits down with Zack Yarde, neurodiversity researcher, systems thinker, and longtime leader in human services, to explore a question many neurodivergent people quietly carry throughout their lives. Too often,...

At what point do you stop asking,  "What's wrong with me?"  and start asking,  "What's wrong with the system?" In this special trailer episode of  The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast , host Paul Cruz previews an upcoming conversation with Zack Yarde, a neurodiversity researcher, systems thinker, and advocate for more inclusive workplaces and communities. Together, they explore on...

People aren't broken. They need systems that work for their brains. In this episode of  The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast , host Paul Cruz sits down with Lisa Shanken, executive functioning coach and founder of Social Bloom, to explore what executive functioning really looks like in everyday life. Executive functioning isn't just about staying organized. It's about emotional regulation, follo...

What happens when a late diagnosis doesn't just explain your past—it reshapes how you move through the present? In this powerful and deeply personal episode of  The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast , host Paul Cruz sits down with Erica Settino to explore late-identified autism, ADHD (combined type), neuroqueerness, alexithymia, and the ongoing journey of unmasking. Erica shares the validation an...

What happens when losing everything becomes the beginning of discovering who you really are? In this deeply honest and expansive episode of  The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast , hosts Paul Cruz and Tegan sit down with musician, advocate, and neurodivergent entrepreneur Jon Hart to explore identity, late diagnosis, burnout, creativity, and the ongoing process of unmasking. Jon shares his journe...

What becomes possible when students are truly seen, valued, and supported? In this inspiring episode of  The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast , host Paul Cruz is joined by educator, advocate, and self-described "Neurodiva" Dr. Shani Challenor for a deeply personal conversation about neurodivergence, education, faith, belonging, and the power of human connection. Dr. Shani shares her journey as a...

What if your many interests, unfinished projects, and non-linear path aren't signs of failure—but evidence of a different way of moving through the world? In this episode of  The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast , host Paul Cruz sits down with Nathan Stafford-King, a storyteller, photographer, theatre director, and lifelong explorer whose journey has taken him across the UK, Germany, Denmark, In...

What if the challenge isn't a student's ability to learn, but the tools they're being given to learn? In this practical and empowering episode of  The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast , host Paul Cruz sits down with Dr. Emily Levy, founder of EBL Coaching, to explore research-based strategies that help neurodivergent learners build confidence, independence, and academic success. Drawing on years...

What does it truly mean to see a child—not just their behaviour, but the brain and experiences underneath it? In this powerful episode of  The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast , host Paul Cruz is joined by educator, author, and advocate Jeff Brown, a high school teacher with more than 25 years of experience and lived experience as an autistic and ADHD adult. Together, they explore how slowing do...

What happens when a parent's search for answers becomes a mission to help other children feel seen, understood, and celebrated? In this episode of  The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast , host Paul Cruz sits down with Lynn Greenberg, a former family law attorney turned children's author, to discuss dyslexia, ADHD, advocacy, and the importance of recognizing neurodivergent strengths from an early...

Guest: Kiran Rodriguez joins Paul to share the personal story and mission behind NeuroMatch—a new platform that creates safer, Neurodiversity-Affirming spaces for dating, friendship, and community. We delve into feature choices such as chat prompts, voice notes, dyslexia-friendly colour settings, and verification; why starting local in Hampshire is important; and how the team is addressing safety,...

Guest: Andrew Letchuk—an autistic, disabled, and neurodivergent advocate, writer, and podcaster—to explore disability justice, representation, and what true access can look like in everyday life. Andrew shares his journey through special education, diagnosis, and post-secondary accommodations, and how those experiences shaped his identity as a disabled person and pushed him into advocacy. Together...

Guest: Nellie Nakhel — author, advocate, and founder of Lovely Life Library, a creative space that celebrates neurodiversity and inclusion through children's stories. Diagnosed with dyslexia at a young age, Nellie transformed what once felt like a barrier into her greatest creative strength. Through her storytelling and teaching, she's helping kids and adults alike see that thinking differently is...

What happens when the answers you've been searching for arrive later in life? In this episode of  The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast , host Paul Cruz sits down with Dr. Gregory James Skinner, M.D., a Calgary-based family physician and leading advocate for accessible adult autism diagnosis. Together, they explore the growing need for adult autism assessment, the barriers many autistic adults fa...

“Sensory is not a reward. Sensory is a human need.”  — Cynthia Miller-Lautman In this episode of  The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast , host Paul Cruz sits down with occupational therapist, educator, and  Swinging Upside Down  host Cynthia Miller-Lautman to explore how sensory science can help create more inclusive, supportive, and neurodiversity-affirming environments. Drawing o...

What happens when you finally understand yourself after years of feeling misunderstood? In this episode of  The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast , Paul Cruz is joined by Gabe Galand and Stacey Smith, two individuals who found clarity, validation, and self-acceptance through later-life ADHD and autism diagnoses. Gabe, a producer from Vancouver who grew up in France, shares how years of misunderst...

How do we explore emerging autism research while respecting the complexity of neurodivergent lives? In this episode of  The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast , host Paul Cruz speaks with Nuriye Sinem Berthier, a scientist with a background in chemistry, pharmacology, genetics, and biochemistry, as well as lived experience as a parent navigating autism. Sinem introduces her  Autism Cascade Hy...

What happens when people tell you what you can't do—and you decide not to let that define your future? In this inspiring episode of  The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast , hosts Paul Cruz and Gino Akbari sit down with Michelle Steiner, a writer, photographer, paraeducator, and disability advocate who lives with an invisible disability. Michelle shares her journey of overcoming low expectations,...

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