The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast

At what point do you stop asking "What's wrong with me?" and start asking "What's wrong with the system?"

In this episode, Paul sits down with neurodiversity researcher Zack Yarde to unpack one of the most important mindset shifts for neurodivergent individuals: you are not the problem.

Zach shares powerful insights on self-acceptance, the pressure to fit "typical" presentations of neurodivergence, and why organizations often...

Guest: Lisa Shanken, Executive Functioning Coach & Founder of Social Bloom

Executive functioning isn't just about staying organized — it's about emotional regulation, follow-through, cognitive flexibility, and how we move through the world.

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, Paul Cruz sits down with Lisa Shanken, executive functioning coach and founder of Social Bloom, to explore why implementation is harde...

What happens when a late diagnosis doesn't just explain your past — it reshapes how you move through the present?

In this episode, Paul Cruz talks with Erica about late-identified autism and ADHD (combined type), alexithymia, and the layered experience of unmasking while parenting a neurodivergent child. Erica shares the validation and clarity that came with diagnosis — alongside the grief for the younger self who navigated with...

In this deeply honest and expansive conversation, Paul and Tegan sit down with musician and advocate Jon Hart to explore identity, late diagnosis, burnout, creative processing, and what it means to unmask in an industry that often rewards performance over wellbeing.

Jon shares his journey from building and losing a music business to experiencing a mental health crisis that ultimately led to discovering his ADHD and autism. What ...

Guest: Dr. Shani Challenor. In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz is joined by educator, advocate, and "Neurodiva" Dr. Shani Challenor for a deeply personal and powerful conversation about neurodivergence, education, faith, and what becomes possible when people are truly seen.

Dr. Shani shares her journey as a trained dancer, special and general education teacher, adjunct professor, and mom—along w...

Guest: Nathan Stafford-King. Paul sits down with Nathan, a storyteller, photographer, and theatre director whose life has unfolded across the UK, Germany, Denmark, India, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Mexico, and now Canada. Together, they explore how ADHD can be misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and masked, especially when moving through different systems and cultures. Nathan opens up about early signs in childhood, the impact of a la...

Guest: Dr. Emily Levy, founder of EBL Coaching, to unpack practical, research-based strategies that help neurodiverse students thrive. From time management and organization to reading, writing, and math, Dr. Levy shares powerful tools rooted in executive functioning and multisensory instruction. You'll learn how techniques such as ET vs. AT time-tracking, the three-tiered organization system, visual brainstorming webs, and Orton-Gi...

Guest: Jeff Brown. What does it truly mean to see a child — not just their behaviour, but the brain and experiences underneath it?

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz is joined by educator and author Jeff Brown, a high school teacher with over 25 years of experience and lived experience as an autistic and ADHD adult. Together, they explore how slowing down our perception can transform classrooms,...

Guest: Lynn Greenberg is a former family law attorney turned children's author. She shares the powerful story behind the Creative Cab Company, the award-winning book series she co-created with her son. Lynn opens up about advocating for neurodivergent kids, recognizing early signs of dyslexia and ADHD, and transforming her family's journey into characters like Robbie the Dyslexic Taxi and Susie the ADHD Taxi—a heart-opening convers...

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, moderation, and crisis signposting...

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, they unpack the difference...

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 isn't a limitation — it's a superp...

Guest: Dr. Gregory James Skinner, M.D., a Calgary-based family physician and leading advocate for accessible adult autism diagnosis.

Dr. Skinner shares his remarkable journey through international medical training, his personal connection to autism, and the challenges he faced building one of the few medical practices in Canada specializing in adult autism assessment. His story highlights the urgent need for better access, valid...

Guest: Cynthia Miller-Lautman – Occupational Therapist, Educator, and Host of Swinging Upside Down

In this episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul Cruz sits down with occupational therapist Cynthia Miller-Lautman, whose work bridges sensory science and neurodiversity-affirming practice.

Cynthia shares how early clinical experiences, parenthood, and work in diverse communities taught her to "watch the perso...

Guests: Gabe Galand and Stacey Smith — two individuals who found clarity and self-acceptance later in life through their ADHD and autism diagnoses.

Gabe, a producer from Vancouver who grew up in France, shares how years of being misunderstood shaped his sense of self — and how an ADHD diagnosis at 29 helped him rewrite his story.

Stacey, diagnosed autistic at 35, reads a heartfelt letter to her younger self about masking, sen...

Guest: Nuriye Sinem Berthier. With a rich background in chemistry, pharmacology, genetics, and biochemistry, and personal experience as a parent navigating autism, Sinem offers a unique lens on child development, neurodiversity, and the microbiome.

She introduces her Autism Cascade Hypothesis, highlighting how early-life environmental factors—including birth method, feeding choices, and gut health—may influence neurodevelopment ...

Guest: Michelle Steiner, a writer, photographer, paraeducator, and disability advocate who lives with an invisible disability.

In this powerful and inspiring episode of the Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, hosts Paul Cruz and Gino Akbari sit down with Michelle Steiner.

Michelle shares her deeply personal journey of being told what she couldn't do—only to go on and earn her college degree, publish widely, advocate for students w...

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Guests: Janelle Peters (Mental Health Counsellor) and Amy Bujak (Social Worker) from Coast Mental Health's Brain Training Team. Together, they explore how cognitive remediation and neuroplasticity enable individuals to overcome challenges related to attention, memory, and executive functioning. From practical compensatory strategies like mental retracing and task linking, to stigma-smashing art pop-ups and the power of group connec...