Think Differently with Dr. Theresa Haskins

Send us Fan Mail Communication seems simple. We talk. People listen. They understand. Except that's not always what happens. In this episode of Think Differently, Dr. Theresa Haskins talks about how the same words can carry completely different meanings depending on who's hearing them—and why that matters more than most of us realize. If you've ever given advice that backfired, mana...

Send us Fan Mail Many of us spend years adapting to the people and environments around us. But there is a difference between adapting, hiding, and masking—and understanding that difference may change how you think about yourself, your workplace, and the people around you.  In this episode of Think Differently, Dr. Theresa Haskins explores the hidden costs of fitting in, why some adaptations help u...

Send us Fan Mail A new manager arrives. Your work gets reduced to your current role. Your history, your ideas, your potential — invisible. In this episode, Dr. Theresa Haskins names what's really happening when leadership stops seeing you — and why it's not a verdict on your talent, even when it feels that way. Drawing on nearly three decades of corporate experience, she shares two real...

Send us Fan Mail We're often told that inclusion starts with awareness and empathy. But what happens when the people we love most are the same people our systems would quietly screen out?  In this episode, Dr. Theresa Haskins explores the uncomfortable gap between loving neurodivergent people personally and creating real opportunities for them professionally. From hallway conversations with p...

Send us Fan Mail We’re often told that when everything slows down, we should feel better. That once the deadlines are over and the pressure lifts, relief will follow. But what if that’s not actually how it works? In this episode, Dr. Theresa Haskins explores what happens in the space between high pressure and supposed rest—when the structure that’s been holding everything together suddenly disappe...

Send us Fan Mail We’re often told that if we work hard, follow the process, and do everything “right,” opportunity will follow. But what if that’s not actually how it works? In this episode, Dr. Theresa Haskins explores the gap between effort and access—the reality that some opportunities don’t come from the path at all, but from being seen by the right people at the right time. This is especially...

Send us Fan Mail We've all heard it. Try harder. Work harder. Push through. And sometimes that's true — effort matters. But for a lot of people, especially those with ADHD, autism, or different neurological wiring, trying harder isn't the problem. It never was. In this episode, Dr. Theresa Haskins makes the case that when effort stops producing results, it's rarely about capabi...

Send us Fan Mail We say we value difference. But when someone works differently than we do, we often treat it as a problem. In this episode, Dr. Theresa Haskins explores why “different” so quickly becomes “deficient” in the workplace — especially when we over-index on process, presence, and personality instead of outcomes. Autism isn’t ADHD. ADHD isn’t PTSD. Yet the leadership practices that suppo...

Send us Fan Mail The word neurodivergent is everywhere — in research, in workplaces, in identity conversations. But what do we actually mean when we use it? In this episode, Dr. Theresa Haskins explores the tension between umbrella language and lived experience. While neurodivergence connects many cognitive profiles, shared divergence does not automatically mean shared needs, accommodations, or st...

Send us Fan Mail Most people don’t ask questions when expectations are unclear. They pretend they understand. In this episode of Think Differently , Dr. Theresa Haskins explores pretending — or masking — as a rational response to ambiguity in workplaces, schools, families, and relationships. Rather than framing silence and assimilation as personal shortcomings, she examines how systems reward appe...

Send us Fan Mail When something goes wrong, the focus often shifts quickly to the individual — their judgment, their awareness, their ability to “read the room.”  But what happens when expectations were never made clear in the first place? In this episode, Dr. Theresa Haskins names “you should have known” culture —the unwritten rules and implicit expectations that quietly shift responsibility to i...

Send us Fan Mail We often look forward to time off — especially during the holidays — expecting rest and relief. But for many people, unstructured time doesn’t feel restorative at all. It feels disorienting.  In this episode, Dr. Theresa Haskins explores why holiday downtime can trigger anxiety, low mood, and a sense of drift, particularly for neurodivergent individuals and those with executive fu...

Send us Fan Mail People often assume that gifted kids work harder, learn faster, or simply absorb more. But for profoundly gifted and twice-exceptional kids, their abilities often appear suddenly — without the effort-based story the world expects. And that mismatch creates a kind of emotional strain most people never notice. In this episode, Dr. Theresa Haskins shares what it’s really like for twi...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when extraordinary starts to feel like constant pressure — when potential becomes performance, and brilliance turns into burden? In this episode of Think Differently, Dr. Theresa Haskins explores the world behind the “gifted” label — and how well-intentioned excitement can quietly reduce exceptional people to their output. Through personal stories, research, and refle...

Send us Fan Mail What if intelligence isn’t the effortless advantage we think it is? In this episode, Dr. Theresa Haskins explores the hidden challenges faced by gifted and twice-exceptional individuals — from burnout and loneliness to perfectionism and overlooked support needs. You’ll hear why being smart doesn’t always mean having it easy, and how brilliance can mask deeper struggles. Whether yo...

Send us Fan Mail Psychological safety is more than a buzzword—it’s the missing link in many well-intended neuroinclusion efforts. In this episode, Dr. Theresa Haskins explains why many workplace strategies fail to succeed, despite the presence of accommodations and flexible policies. Through a practical lens, she examines how environments built on compliance rather than care often overlook the roo...

Send us Fan Mail When someone you love receives an autism or ADHD diagnosis, you expect clarity. But what often follows is a tidal wave of opinions, advice, and pressure — from doctors, family members, social media, and even strangers. In this episode, Dr. Theresa Haskins explores the emotional aftermath of a diagnosis, the weight of conflicting information, and the quiet grief that we rarely disc...

Send us Fan Mail As parents, educators, or managers, we often feel that advocacy means speaking up, pushing forward, and doing the work for someone else. But the real end goal of advocacy isn’t stepping in — it’s stepping back. In this episode, Dr. Theresa Haskins explores one of the toughest transitions we face: learning when to shift from speaking for someone to preparing them to speak for thems...

Send us Fan Mail Fall is a season of fresh starts — but also one of the hardest times of year for life transitions. Kids head back to school, young adults leave for college or step into their first jobs, workplaces push toward year-end goals, and families juggle new routines. These transitions don’t just feel unsettling — they truly are hard. In this episode of Think Differently, Dr. Theresa Haski...

Send us Fan Mail We like to think “neurodiversity” includes everyone — but in reality, some neurodivergent communities are unintentionally left out. As the movement grows, a clear pattern has emerged: the same shield that protects and expands rights for some can also, unintentionally, become a barrier for others. In this episode, Dr. Theresa Haskins explores how and why this happens, drawing on li...

Send us Fan Mail We like to believe good intentions are enough and lead to desired outcomes. But when it comes to neuroinclusion, even the most well-meaning actions can quietly create barriers that lead to exclusion and lost opportunities. In this episode, Dr. Theresa Haskins explores how protection, bias, and fear—often under the guise of care—can hold neurodivergent people back at work, in schoo...

Send us Fan Mail For many neurodivergent individuals, small, everyday moments can become overwhelming events. Something as simple as ketchup on a plate can derail an entire meal. We often talk about sound and light sensitivities—but rarely do we talk about other challenges, like Misokinesia and Misophonia. In this episode, Dr. Theresa Haskins shares the invisible labor behind navigating sensory se...

Send us Fan Mail Hearing “no” shouldn’t define a life—but for neurodivergent individuals and families, those no’s start early and repeat often. In this Season 3 opener, Dr. Theresa Haskins explores the barriers behind the no’s, why they persist, and what it takes to push past them. The fight for possibility isn’t over—it’s only just beginning. 

Send us Fan Mail Achieving neuroinclusion shouldn’t be hard—but systemic barriers, outdated policies, and gatekeepers continue to block access to education, employment, and opportunity. In this season finale, we explore the roadblocks standing in the way, who’s upholding them, and what it will take to break them down. The fight isn’t over—it's only just beginning.

Send us Fan Mail ADHD support has long focused on childhood interventions, therapy, and medication. But for many teens and adults, these traditional approaches don’t always provide the real-world strategies needed to navigate workplaces, schools, and daily life. So what’s missing? In this episode of Think Differently , Christal Wang , founder of Shimmer ADHD Coaching , joins Dr. Theresa Haskins to...