Beyond 6 Seconds

As a young autistic girl, Swara Swami could sing before she could speak. Now Swara is a music therapist and singer who advocates for mental health and autism awareness on her social media. Swara has her Bachelors in Music Therapy from Berklee College of Music and is currently doing her Masters in Expressive Arts Therapy specializing in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Lesley University. She has worked with several well-known Indian musical artists as part of the Berklee Indian Ensemble, where she also performed on a Grammy-nominated album.   During this episode, you will hear Swara talk about: What it was like growing up as an autistic girl in India   How neurodivergence is viewed in India What inspired her to become a music therapist, and the challenges she has faced working in the music therapy field Her experience as a student who has studied and lived in several different countries Her singing experience, including her performance on a Grammy-nominated album Why she advocates for autism and mental he

Lydia Wilkins is a freelance journalist and author based in the UK who covers disability and social issues. Her work has appeared in publications such as The Metro, The Independent, Refinery 29, The Daily Mail and PosAbility Magazine. She writes a newsletter on Substack discussing the intersection between feminism and disability culture. Her debut book, “The Autism-Friendly Cookbook,” was published in November 2022. She is also an ambassador for AccessAble, an organization providing access guides across the UK. During this episode, you will hear Lydia talk about: Her experience working as an autistic journalist What inspired her to write “The Autism-Friendly Cookbook," and how her book makes cooking more accessible for autistic people How clear communication skills are both critical and underrated  The difference between asking informed questions and expecting emotional labor from people with disabilities  Content warning: occasional swearing, a reference to suicide Limited-time giveaway! Beyond 6 Seconds i

Elena Chambers is a disability advocate, writer, poet and photographer. On her blog, Dyscalculia Community, she writes about disability in a social context, societal-level ableism, and her personal experience of growing up with a learning disability. She also posts on social media about issues pertaining to disability justice, inclusion, and awareness. She currently works as a special education paraprofessional in the Ann Arbor Public Schools and will begin a Master’s in Social Work at the University of Michigan in September 2023. During this episode, you will hear Elena talk about: How she got diagnosed with dyscalculia at the age of 18 What dyscalculia was like for her as a child, and how it affects her now as an adult What led her to pursue a career in special education What inspired her to start blogging and sharing her experience with dyscalculia on social media To find out more about Elena and her work, you can follow her Dyscalculia Community blog, on Instagram @elenachambers.advocacy and on TikTok @

Maria Davis-Pierre is a licensed mental health counselor, autism awareness advocate and founder of the organization Autism in Black. As the parent of two autistic children, and being autistic herself, she uses her professional expertise to connect with and empower Black parents of autistic children. Through Autism in Black, she also provides essential training to organizations to help them serve the Black disability community more effectively. She has been featured for her work in Forbes, The New York Times, USA Today, Parents Magazine and on PBS, and has collaborated with Microsoft.   During this episode, you will hear Maria talk about: How she discovered that she is autistic and has ADHD, and what her life was like growing up and going to university before her diagnoses The massive challenges with getting an autism diagnosis and effective therapies for her daughter that inspired Maria to start Autism in Black How Autism in Black’s training, conference and podcast educate and equip organizations to better s

Sarah Brown is a New York City based podcast producer and editor. She has worked on shows such as Minority Korner, Get on Up, #Matter and Fixing the Future. She also produces her own show called The Queerience, which is a podcast all about the LGBTQIA+ community. Sarah has a genetic condition called Fragile X syndrome that manifests in her as ADHD. On this episode, Sarah talks about:  What Fragile X syndrome is, and what it was like for her growing up with Fragile X and ADHD Her podcasting work, and the types of topics and guests she has on her podcast, The Queerience How she uses routines and other strategies to manage her life with ADHD How neurodiversity has helped her understand herself more, and find communities of people with similar experiences Follow Sarah and her podcast, The Queerience, on Instagram at @sbrownsays and @thequeeriencepodcast and on Twitter @thequeerience. Watch the video of this interview on YouTube. Read the episode transcript. Follow the Beyond 6 Seconds podcast in your favorite p

Kaishawna is a 21 year old Deaf Black Autistic woman, clarinet player and college student who is studying to become an educator for neurodivergent and disabled students. She communicates using an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) text-to-speech app on her iPad, sign language, and sometimes unreliable vocal speech. She is a disability advocate and aspiring author who is working on two novels that feature disabled main characters. During this episode, Kaishawna discusses: Her experiences using AAC to communicate with others How she experiences playing music as a Deaf Autistic musician, and her love of music theory How she found out she was autistic, and how that led her to become involved with disability rights advocacy The difficulty she had finding community as a Deaf Black Autistic woman, and the racism and ableism she faces What she hopes to teach her students as an educator The two novels she is currently working on Follow Kaishawna on Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Watch the video of thi

Patty DeDurr is a mom, healthcare worker and award-winning author of two children’s books: "This Kid Can Hyperfocus" (a story about ADHD) and "This Llama Can Write" (a story about dysgraphia). She provides educational information and resources about supporting neurodivergent kids on her publisher's website, Sensing Greatness. Patty has ADHD and dysgraphia herself, and she’s determined to help reduce stigma surrounding neurodivergence by increasing representation in literature. During this episode, you will hear Patty talk about: What is dysgraphia, and what it’s like for her to have dysgraphia and ADHD  Why assistive technology is important for individuals with dysgraphia   What inspired her to write children’s books with neurodivergent characters, and how she came up with the plots for the stories The neurodiversity resources she provides for her advocacy work Learn more about Patty's books, This Kid Can Hyperfocus and This Llama Can Write. Get Patty's free resources for neurodivergent children on her webs

Content note: This episode describes instances of medical trauma and mental health crises, and mentions violence and death. Kate Wallinga is a forensic psychologist and crisis clinician by training, and currently hosts the podcast “Ignorance Was Bliss,” which has surpassed 1 million downloads. Kate has ADHD, epilepsy, and a traumatic brain injury (TBI) after having a near-death experience in childbirth and a grand mal seizure.     During this episode, you will hear Kate talk about: The origin story of the “Ignorance Was Bliss” podcast (and its tagline, “Didn't you feel better before you knew that?”) How her life, neurotype, cognition and family relationships changed after her near-death experience and traumatic brain injury – including her experiences with amnesia and aphasia  Why she describes herself as being broken, and why being broken is ok How her recovery means she has gotten to a new baseline, and doesn’t mean going back to the way she was How she learned to give herself grace in her life, after ever

Adam Mico is the Principal of Data Visualization and Enablement at Moderna. He is a Tableau Visionary, 3x Tableau Ambassador, an Advisory Board Member of the Data Leadership Collaborative, and a member of the Tableau Speaker Bureau. In his spare time, he blogs, produces data visualizations, travels, and networks with the larger data community. He is autistic and supports diversity and inclusion efforts, which includes neurodiversity.    During this episode, you will hear Adam talk about: His multi-year journey to recognizing and accepting his autism How he discovered Tableau and data visualization as a career interest His transformative decision to “bet on himself” and leave his public sector job after 22+ years to switch careers and industries Finding the Tableau community where, for the first time in his life, he felt supported and safe enough to start “unmasking” his autism as an autistic professional   The surprise and honor of being recognized for his contributions to the Tableau data community The “hap

Janelle Johnson, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), is a wife, mother, and Founder of Bridges Family Life Center, a Systemic Therapy and Consulting group practice near Raleigh, North Carolina. An award-winning educator and innovative mental health leader, she is often sought out for her social justice advocacy regarding intersectionality of ableism, sexism, and racism. She currently serves as President of the NC Association of Marriage and Family Therapy. A graduate of NC State University and Chapman University, she has returned to her first alma mater as a doctoral student in the Educational Equity program.    During this episode, you will hear Janelle talk about: How she discovered she was autistic during an interaction with one of her clients Her experience in school as an undiagnosed autistic child How the struggles of a family friend sparked her lifelong interest in psychology The importance of having Black and brown therapists who can support Black and brown clients How she became a doctora

Ben VanHook is an autistic master’s degree student studying public policy at George Mason University, with the hopes of reforming employment and education policy to make them more inclusive for neurodivergent individuals. Ben's passion for creating a more inclusive world stems from his own experiences as an autistic Jewish Asian American adoptee and has led to him speaking and presenting to employers, professors, researchers and self-advocates in the United States and abroad. During this episode, you will hear Ben talk about: How he learned he was autistic while he was in high school The challenges he faced coming from China to the United States as an adoptee His insights about the intersections of his identities as an autistic, Jewish, Asian American adoptee How posting on LinkedIn led him to become a neurodiversity advocate and public speaker on the intersections of autism, race and religion His role in a TV documentary about intersectionality between race and autism  His thoughts on supporting neurodiverg

Jordyn Zimmerman earned her bachelor's degree in Education Policy from Ohio University and her Masters of Education at Boston College. As a nonspeaking autistic student who was denied access to effective augmentative communication until she was 18, Jordyn has personal experience challenging the educational status quo. Her experience is featured in the 2021 documentary, “This Is Not About Me.”  Technology helped open Jordyn's world, and she began advocating for students. She has keynoted and presented at conferences around the world, is on the board of CommunicationFIRST, works as Director of Professional Development at The Nora Project, and has been featured by prominent media outlets. Recently, Jordyn was appointed to serve on the President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities. Jordyn is passionate and determined to make a difference in the world of education — making sure every student can access effective communication and exercise their right to a truly inclusive education. During this ep

After working as a gifted education teacher, Emily Kircher-Morris became a clinical mental health counselor who supports gifted and twice-exceptional (gifted + neurodivergent) children. She is also the host of The Neurodiversity Podcast and the author of several books, including "Teaching Twice-Exceptional Learners in Today's Classroom" and the revised edition of "A Parent's Guide to Gifted Children." She has three neurodivergent children and is neurodivergent herself. During this episode, Emily talks about: What her life was like as a twice-exceptional student (gifted and ADHD)   Her experience as a teacher of gifted and twice-exceptional children, and why she decided to become a clinical mental health counselor The importance of neurodiversity-affirming therapy, and what it looks like in practice What inspired her to start The Neurodiversity Podcast The story behind the books that she wrote Find out more about Emily and her work at these links: Twitter: @EmilyKM_LPC The Neurodiversity Podcast Neurodiversi

How do you get an education when you cannot speak, and the school system does not understand your abilities or support your needs? This was the experience of Ben Breaux, a 22-year-old nonspeaking autistic man with epilepsy who uses a letterboard and a text-to-speech app on his iPad to communicate.  Ben is an aspiring journalist who feels it is very important that non-, minimal- and unreliably speaking autistic people have equal rights, opportunities, and voices in society. He writes and advocates on these topics and more on his public Facebook Page, for numerous autism advocacy groups worldwide, and on advocacy boards and committees in his home state of Virginia and nationally.  During this episode, Ben discusses: What life was like before he learned how to communicate using a letterboard The struggles he faced to earn his education The advocacy work he does for nonspeaking autistic people with two nonprofit organizations, NeuroClastic and CommunicationFIRST    What inspired him to start sharing his writing

Note: This episode contains occasional swearing (coprolalia). Monica Nguyen is a 20-year-old disability advocate who lives in Sydney, Australia. Monica began sharing her experiences online after facing a lot of discrimination from people who don’t understand her Tourette Syndrome. Her goal is to inspire, educate and empower. During this episode, you will hear Monica talk about: What her life has been like with Tourette’s, as someone living in Australia who is part of a Vietnamese family The discrimination she’s faced in public because of her tics and coprolalia, including a confrontation at a train station that compelled her to start sharing her life experiences with Tourette’s online The positive community she has built on TikTok by creating videos about her life with Tourette’s The goals she has for her advocacy Follow Monica on TikTok @meowmons and Instagram @ticswithmon. This episode features a promo from the Psychocinematic podcast, which discusses the representation of disability and mental health con

Content warning: This episode mentions emotional abuse. Tessa McEvoy is autistic, has a speech disability called Oral Motor Apraxia, and was recently diagnosed bipolar. She talks about her experiences on her popular Facebook page, Apraxia Story, and advocates for autistic, bipolar, abuse survivors and apraxic individuals online. In 2022 she wrote, illustrated and published her book called “What is it like Living with Depression?” During this episode, you will hear Tessa talk about: What inspired her to start sharing her apraxia story online The difficulties she’s faced as a neurodivergent person with a speech disability, including being judged, abused and isolated Why she advocates for disabled people who are experiencing abuse The inspiration and motivation behind her book Sharing her life experiences to help people in similar situations feel less alone Follow Tessa on Facebook at Apraxia Story, join her Patreon community and check out her book, “What is it like Living with Depression?" on Amazon. Watch th

Rickey Z is a Pre-K Special Education teacher who started her podcast management business in 2020. She is a co-host on Woe Nelly Media's "Geekin' Out" and is in partnership with ADHD + Black, an up-and-coming organization whose mission is to provide support and resources for the Black neurodivergent community. Rickey Z was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 30 while in the process of coming to terms with untreated depression and anxiety. During this episode, you will hear Rickey Z talk about: How she discovered that had ADHD at the age of 30 What it was like growing up as a Black girl with undiagnosed ADHD Why she thinks boys are identified as neurodivergent at younger ages than girls are How realizing she has ADHD impacts how she views and manages her depression and anxiety Managing her life as a special education teacher, mother and owner of a podcast management business How her partnership with ADHD + Black creates resources to support Black neurodivergent people You can find out more about Rickey Z and h

Jeremy Andrew Davis is a screenwriter, film director, and consultant for disability representation in media. He describes himself as multi-disabled with several neurodivergencies as well as chronic illnesses. As a recognized name in disability, he became one of 12 LinkedIn Top Voices of Disability Advocacy of 2022. Jeremy is also a social media influencer with more than 100 million video views across his career, including a TikTok channel that grew to almost 300,000 followers after only six months. During this episode, you will hear Jeremy talk about: How he discovered his neurodivergencies later in life The types of stories he has been telling through his filmmaking, starting from a young age His processes for writing characters – and how he writes diverse casts of characters outside of his own identities and lived experiences What’s required to make media that’s authentically representative of people with disabilities (it’s more than just hiring a disability consultant!) His thoughts on the representation

Diane J. Wright is a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility media consultant working in film and television. She is also the founder of Autastic.com, which provides resources and community for late-identified autistic people of color and their allies. During this episode, you will hear Diane talk about: How burnout led her to discover that she is autistic and has ADHD Why it is difficult for her to detangle the intersections of her racial, gender and neurodivergent identities What inspired her to create Autastic.com How the Autastic community encourages meaningful conversations and connections among late-identified autistic people of color and their allies The valuable curated resources for late-diagnosed autistic adults on Autastic The life-changing impact that Autastic has had on its community members Her hope for more Black and brown autistic people to find each other, feel less alone and less vulnerable Visit www.autastic.com for more information about Autastic and check out www.autastic.com/su

Dr. Lola Day is a multi-passionate busy mother of 3, a pediatric cardiologist, podcaster and ADHD trained life coach and productivity strategist for women. She is also the CEO and Founder of LollieTasking, a coaching and consulting firm that teaches high achieving, easily distracted professional women how to accomplish their goals without overwhelm or their brain sabotaging their efforts. During this episode, Lola talks about: How she learned she had ADHD while in medical school How she compensated for the challenges and leveraged the strengths of her ADHD, even before getting her diagnosis The systems she put in place – the processes, people, structures and more -- that helped her succeed How she became an ADHD trained life coach to help people lean into their interests and build their own systems for success Why coaching that works for neurotypical people may not work for people with ADHD – and what techniques people with ADHD may want to try instead Find out more about Lola on her podcast, LollieTasking