Beyond 6 Seconds

Jack RH O'Sullivan is an award-winning independent filmmaker and film director based in London. He is autistic, has Tourette Syndrome and OCD. He has directed ten short films including “Tourettes & I”, a coming-of-age drama about his own experiences with Tourette’s. With this film, he intends to raise awareness about Tourette Syndrome, so others don't have to go through the tough childhood of bullying and misinformation he went through. During this episode, you will hear Jack talk about: His late diagnosis of Tourette’s, autism, and OCD and how that affected his early life in school The negative and misleading depictions of Tourette’s in the media, and the authentic representation that “Tourettes & I” brings to the big screen Casting an actor with Tourette's in the film's lead role  How the UK charity Tourettes Action supported the film The film's impact on audiences and at film festivals Learn more about “Tourettes & I” and Jack’s other films on Movie Making Media's website, Facebook, Instagram

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month, and I'm excited to host my first podcast guest who is talking about Down syndrome! Mary Borman is an ambassador for Down syndrome and 2018 Self-Advocate of the Year for the National Down Syndrome Society. We recorded this episode a few weeks ago, while Mary was preparing to compete at the Down Syndrome World Swimming Championships in Portugal this month. We talk about several of Mary's accomplishments, which include: Swimming competitively and winning medals at the Special Olympics National Games and Down Syndrome World Swimming Championships Modeling in Northwest Arkansas Fashion Week Lobbying for disability rights and legislation Speaking to organizations across the U.S. about Down syndrome Learn more about Mary and her work at MaryBorman.com and follow her on Instagram and TikTok. Watch the video of this interview on YouTube! Subscribe to the FREE Beyond 6 Seconds newsletter for early access to new episodes! Support this podcast at BuyMeACoffee.com/Beyond6Seconds

Miya Sae is an autistic Christian, blogger, and aspiring author. Through her writing, she strives to help bridge the neglected gap between autism and Christianity, while bringing hope and encouragement to other misunderstood neurodivergent Christians like herself. During this episode, you will hear Miya talk about: What her life was like before her autism diagnosis How her views of her own autism and her relationship with God changed over time The initial conflict she felt between her faith and her secular special interests, and how she feels about her special interests today The advice that she has for other neurodivergent people who are struggling with their faith You can find more about Miya and read her writing at MiyaSae.com, and follow her on Instagram and Twitter. Watch the video of this interview on YouTube! Subscribe to the FREE Beyond 6 Seconds newsletter for early access to new episodes! Support this podcast at BuyMeACoffee.com/Beyond6Seconds and get a shout-out on a future episode! Read the epis

"You can choose to keep living your life in isolation... Or, you can break yourself out of that isolation and start to own the things that make you, you. One of which is having Tourette's, right?" Kevin Helgren's mom shared these encouraging words with her son after seeing him struggle with his Tourette Syndrome diagnosis in middle school. This conversation helped give Kevin the confidence to talk about his Tourette's and start accepting it as a unique and authentic part of himself. Last year, Kevin shared his story in a keynote speech at Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he recently got his MBA. His speech, called “You're Scaring the Bears: The Power of Tourette's,” helped him educate even more people about Tourette's when it was published on YouTube. In this episode, Kevin talks about living with Tourette's and sharing his experiences publicly, where the unique name of his speech comes from, the importance of leaning into your authentic self, and the intersection of his identities as a neurodiverg

Lee Chambers is a business psychologist and the founder of Essentialise Workplace Wellbeing, which helps organizations design and deliver well-being and inclusion strategies. He is the current Great British Entrepreneur of the Year for Service Industries and can be often found speaking on gender equity and menopause in the workplace. During this episode, you will hear Lee talk about: Getting his autism diagnosis as an adult His experience growing up as an undiagnosed autistic Black boy, including his struggles to fit in and find role models His eclectic career path that led him to entrepreneurship How he helps organizations improve employee well-being in the workplace – what that means, why it’s important for employee retention, talent development and a healthy workplace culture – and why organizations need to “Show, not Tell” when it comes to inclusion The connection between menopause and talent management that's often ignored To find out more about Lee and his work, you can find him on his official websit

Hamish Hallett is a podcast host and journalist who creates online content about auditory processing disorder (APD). He wants to help those with learning difficulties not to feel limited and to embrace what they have, rather than feel ashamed of it. During this episode, you will hear Hamish talk about: His childhood and school years with auditory processing disorder (APD) The importance of neurodivergent kids having support in schools How an essay assignment helped him see his university experience in a new light What inspired him to start creating content about APD His opinion about calling learning disabilities “superpowers” or “special needs” What it’s like hosting his interview podcast, In Pursuit of Passion, as a host with APD His advice for people with APD Follow Hamish on Instagram and TikTok and listen to his podcast, In Pursuit of Passion. Watch the video of this interview on YouTube! Subscribe to the FREE Beyond 6 Seconds newsletter for early access to new episodes! Support this podcast at BuyMeAC

Madge Woollard has run her own business teaching piano and keyboard since 1994. Madge was diagnosed autistic in 2016 at the age of 44. She lives in Sheffield UK with her wife who is also late-diagnosed autistic. A graduate of Cambridge University, she teaches children and adults, privately and in schools, and is keen to specialize in working with neurodivergent students. She is also a member of Spectrum Theatre company, which features neurodivergent and neurotypical performers. During this episode, you will hear Madge talk about: How she and her wife got their autism diagnoses How she struggled to find a teaching job and decided to start her own business instead Her success with teaching piano to autistic and non-autistic students Finding a sense of belonging within local autistic communities, including the Autscape conference and the Spectrum Theatre company The intersections of autistic and LGBTQ+ identities Madge also wrote a chapter for the book “Learning from Autistic Teachers: How to Be a Neurodiversi

Quincy Hansen is a young autistic activist, writer, public speaker and college student from Colorado. He is the author of the new book “Shake It Up! How to be Young, Autistic, and Make an Impact” and writes a blog at SpeakingOfAutism.com. During this episode, you will hear Quincy talk about: Being known as the “bad kid” in school whose struggles were seen as behavior problems -- until he found the right educational environment where he could thrive How connecting with other autistic people online inspired him to blog about his experiences and helped build his self-confidence How his blog grew in popularity after one of his early posts went viral: “How do I get an autistic person to X?” – You’re asking the wrong question. How his blog led to other advocacy opportunities, including writing his new book, “Shake It Up!” The importance of practicing self-care so that you can sustain your advocacy His advice for advocates and content creators You can find Quincy’s writing on his blog, SpeakingOfAutism.com, and fo

Mads Johan Øgaard is an award-winning artist, filmmaker and public speaker. He is known for his animated short films about being a neurodivergent child: the multi-award-winning “I AM DYSLEXIC” (based on his own school experiences) and “WITH THE UNIVERSE IN MY SUITCASE” (based on the experiences of people with ADHD who worked on the film with him). During this episode, you will hear Mads talk about: Receiving his dyslexia and dyscalculia diagnoses as a child How drawing helped him focus and learn in school, where he had to advocate for his own learning needs What led him to create his film “I AM DYSLEXIC” while at university, and the international impact it has had since he released it Why he was asked to make a film about ADHD Watch Mads’ films: “I AM DYSLEXIC” and “WITH THE UNIVERSE IN MY SUITCASE” (about ADHD) Get Mads’ book: “Hacking the Code: The Ziggety Zaggety Road of a Dyslexic Kid” Find Mads through his website www.madsjohanogaard.com and follow him on Instagram and TikTok. Watch the video of this

Brianne Leeson is a writer, artist, and voice actor from Dallas, Texas. She is the creator of the queer supernatural comedy audio drama, “Today’s Lucky Winner.” Brianne was diagnosed as autistic and with ADHD at age 30, and she has since become a passionate advocate for autism acceptance and representation in media. During this episode, Brianne talks about: How she got her autism and ADHD diagnosis during the pandemic, when her world was turned upside down How her diagnosis helped her reassess and reframe her past struggles with mental health Why an experience with hot sauce removed any doubt in her mind about her autism diagnosis How she realized she had written her own neurodivergence into the two main characters of Today’s Lucky Winner Why she decided to explicitly mention during the show that these characters are neurodivergent – and the positive impact this has had on the show’s fans How writing helped her process her diagnosis For more information about “Today’s Lucky Winner”, check out the links belo

Jennifer Opal is a DevOps Engineer with the HelloSign Team at Dropbox, a multi-award winning neurodiversity & inclusion advocate, blogger & keynote speaker. She also has dyslexia, dyspraxia and ADHD. Jennifer has worked with clients such as Bloomberg, Google and HackAJob, providing insight on being a neurodivergent queer Black woman engineer in tech, in the hopes of educating & inspiring others. During this episode, you will hear Jennifer talk about: How she got diagnosed with dyslexia, dyspraxia and ADHD as a university student What inspired her to get into coding and tech as a career The challenges she’s faced as a neurodivergent employee, and as the only Black person at one of her first tech jobs The importance of inclusive work environments How she shares her story and tech career journey to educate and inspire others To find out more about Jennifer and her work, you can follow her on LinkedIn, Twitter, and TikTok. You can also find her on JenniferOpal.com.   This episode features a promo fo

On this special solo episode for Autistic Pride Day, I talk about how I got my autism diagnosis as an adult. Please note that this is not meant to be medical or professional advice of any kind. It’s just my own personal experience! Your experience may vary.   Resources I mention during this episode: My 12/20/22 episode where I describe what led me to pursue an assessment.  Autism assessment provider directory (crowdsourced map on Autastic.com).    Subscribe to the FREE Beyond 6 Seconds newsletter for early access to new episodes! Click here for the episode transcript. *Disclaimer: The views, guidance, opinions, and thoughts expressed in Beyond 6 Seconds episodes are solely mine and/or those of my guests, and do not necessarily represent those of my employer or other organizations.*

Haley Moss is a neurodiversity expert, public speaker and author of four books that guide neurodivergent individuals through professional and personal challenges. We talk about Haley's latest book, "The Young Autistic Adult’s Independence Handbook,” which shares the “unwritten rules” of adulthood and life advice for autistic young adults. Haley also talks about her own experience as an autistic child and adult: How she learned she is autistic at the age of 9, and gave her first public talk about autism at age 13 Her career journey to become the first openly autistic lawyer in Florida Why interdependence and asking for help are important parts of young adulthood The power of being an advocate in your local community Find out more about Haley and her work on HaleyMoss.com, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Special offers for Beyond 6 Seconds listeners: Enter to win a copy of Haley's latest book! (U.S. listeners only) Check out the June 14, 2022 Instagram post at @beyond6seconds to learn how you can enter to w

Britney Wolf is a passionate Tourette Syndrome advocate who is trying to beat the stigmas surrounding the disorder. Through social media, speaking events and more, she takes every opportunity to let the Tourette Syndrome community know that they aren’t alone and teach those outside of the community what the disorder is actually like to live with. During this episode, you will hear Britney talk about: Her experience growing up with Tourette's How she became an advocate for Tourette Syndrome during her school years, and then on social media How she responds to people online who accuse her of faking her Tourette’s Some of the biggest stereotypes about Tourette Syndrome Her experience with OCD and anxiety What inspired her to write her new book, “Ticcing My Way Through Life” For more information about Britney and her work, you can find her on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok and learn about her new book, Ticcing My Way Through Life. Watch the video of this interview on YouTube! Subscribe to the FREE Beyond 6 Sec

Content warning: Mentions of racism/racist language, suicidal thoughts and auditory hallucinations Peter Zhao grew up in Nanjing China and then in Bayside Queens, New York. Now he lives in Long Island, New York, works in Healthcare, and is a husband and father of two sons. Peter has Tourette Syndrome, ADHD and OCD, and recently got his bipolar diagnosis. He started to advocate for Tourette’s after he fought back against bullies in 7th grade and continues to advocate for Tourette Syndrome awareness and mental health every day. During this episode, you will hear Peter talk about: The different cultural expectations he faced in China and the US regarding his tics and mental health How he finally received his bipolar diagnosis as an adult His experience with managing his tics and mental health, both with and without medication His journey of becoming an advocate for Tourette Syndrome and mental health, starting from 7th grade into adulthood Connect with Peter on social media: IG: @fabulously_tourette TikTok: @f

Nadine Drummond is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker from London with roots in Jamaica. A former producer and reporter at CNN and Al Jazeera, she now develops media and content strategy for 14 African countries in her role at the United Nations. Nadine is also dyspraxic. She struggled growing up pre-diagnosis. When her disability was finally diagnosed in college, she denied and hid her dyspraxia at first, then came to accept it and eventually talk about it publicly in a LinkedIn post that went viral in 2021. Nadine wasn’t supposed to be a journalist. She was supposed to be a lawyer – that was the career path her family picked for her. After realizing she hated law school, though, she broke away from her family’s expectations. She left her home country to build her career in journalism – a profession where she uses her dyspraxic strengths to improve and save the lives of people around the world. On this episode, Nadine shares all of these stories and more. Her experience is a testament to how working i

This podcast was recorded live at the Intersectional Infinity Summit on 3/30/2022. Ky Kennedy is a mother, lactation consultant, author and autism advocate. After seeing a need for an autistic founded and ran organization, Ky and their sister founded Autistics Unmasked (AU). Now Ky and the rest of the team at AU are well on their way to providing educational resources to schools, employers and family members of autistic people across the nation. During this session, we discuss: Ky’s experiences as an undiagnosed autistic child and their self-diagnosis in adulthood Why Ky and their sister founded AU to support BIPOC and queer autistic people Some of the challenges that autistic BIPOC face in society, and how AU is addressing these challenges through educational curriculums for first responders and schools The exciting work AU is doing now and planning for the future! Learn more about Autistics Unmasked at www.AutisticsUnmasked.org. Learn more about the Intersectional Infinity Summit on Twitter @NINE_On_Can.

Noah Seback cannot speak -- however, he has a lot to say. Noah is a nonspeaking autistic young man with apraxia, which has made it impossible for him to communicate reliably for most of his life. Then, at the age of 16, he learned how to use a letterboard to spell out the words he wanted to say -- and his entire world opened up. As Noah described it to me, "it was nirvana!" Since Noah is nonspeaking, he is joined on this episode by his communication regulation partners, David and Nadine Seback (who are also his parents). During this episode, you’ll hear David and Nadine read Noah’s responses – which means you’ll be hearing Noah’s words through David and Nadine’s speaking voices. During this episode, Noah shares: How his life completely changed after learning how to communicate using a letterboard at age 16 The importance of presuming competence of nonspeaking people How he responds to people who don’t believe that letterboard spelling is a valid method of communication How he began to overcome and heal from

Photographer Joseph Hill is known as the “unofficial mayor” of Southern Pines, North Carolina. He’s currently the exclusive photographer for the Southern Pines Welcome Center, where many of his pictures are available for purchase as postcards. His work has been featured in PineStraw Magazine and on the front page of The Pilot newspaper.  Joseph also has autism, and he's on a mission to spread positivity and encourage other entrepreneurs like himself. (Note: I'm using person-first language like "has autism" for Joseph at his request.) During this episode, you will hear Joseph talk about: What it was like growing up with autism How his parents and family friend have helped him develop his passion and career as a photographer How he finds and captures the beauty of everyday things in his photography The photograph that helped kickstart his photography career His mission to spread positivity and encouragement For more information about Joseph and his photography, you can find him on his official website, Facebo

Kori Tomelden is a late diagnosed autistic ADHDer, life strategist for autistic and ADHD women & a transformational purpose coach. She lives in Albany, NY where she is raising a neurodivergent family. Her older daughter is non-speaking autistic (and also has ADHD and anxiety) and her youngest daughter is HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) and gifted. Kori brings her own life experiences as an empathic, intuitive autistic woman, mother and entrepreneur to her coaching work and her “Authentically Autistic and ADHD” podcast. During this episode, you will hear Kori talk about: Her multi-year journey to discover she is an autistic ADHDer, which started while she was looking for resources to support her autistic daughter How her special interest in understanding human behavior shaped her chosen career How her first-hand experience with autism and ADHD has influenced her coaching What inspired her to revamp her podcast, and how she’s using it to “unmask” herself Learn more about Kori at her links below: YouTube Po