Nurturing Neurodiversity

Welcome to Nurturing Neurodiversity for 2024!

Sammy and Patricia are excited to continue this journey with you for our third year :)

We begin with an exploration of Emotion Regulation, what it means, what we often are actually referring to when we use this term, and what theorists and research are telling us about it. Sammy and Patricia discuss our personal philosophies and what is exciting us about more recent psychological research.

We discover similarities and differences in experiences of neurodivergence across the world, through our conversations in this series.

In this episode, we are joined by Haley Moss, a lawyer, neurodiversity expert, and the author of four books that guide neurodivergent individuals through professional and personal challenges. Haley shares her experiences growing up autistic in America, the changes in society's understanding across her lifetime, the balance needed between the medical and social model of neurodiversity, and her advice for other neurodiverse young people.

We discover similarities and differences in experiences of neurodivergence across the world, through our conversations in this series.

Through discussing culture, understandings, resources, assessment and therapy options; we discover similarities and differences in experiences of neurodivergence across the world.

In this episode we are joined by Nahid Hassan, a entrepreneur in the telecom industry, who has used her experiences as a mother to a non speaking autistic son to branch out into creating a vocational training and employment centre in the UAE for people of determination in her community.

We delve into Nahid's personal experiences with seeking assessment and support, flying internationally and borrowing money on the journey to discovering her son's needs. Her passion and dedication to supporting her son, as well as other autistic young people in her community, shines through her story.

**Trigger warning** This episode discusses some traumatic events experienced by Shangwe's autistic son. Please listen with discretion and should you need support, please reach out - in Australia you can call Lifeline 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636.

This series explores global experiences and perspectives on neurodivergence. Through discussing culture, understandings, resources, assessment and therapy options; we discover similarities and differences in experiences across the world.

We are joined for this episode by Shangwe Mgaya, founder of Living Together Autistic Foundation (Li-TAFO) and author of "The Victorious Journey of a Mother Raising a Child with Autism". She shares her journey through seeking out support and receiving a diagnosis for her son, her husband and his family's reaction and their subsequent divorce, the discrimination and violations experienced by her son within her community, and how it has all led to her advocacy work and mission to build a centre accepting and supporting neurodivergent people in Tanzania.

In this series we are exploring global experiences and perspectives on neurodivergence. Through discussing culture, understandings, resources, assessment and therapy options; we discover similarities and differences in experiences across the world.

In this series we are exploring global experiences and perspectives on neurodivergence. Through discussing culture, understandings, resources, assessment and therapy options; we discover similarities and differences in experiences across the world.

In this episode we are joined by Raelene Sebastian, advocate, speaker and podcast host. Rae describes her experiences being diagnosed as an adult, what the process was like, the reactions from her family being an Australian-born Filipino woman, how her ADHD diagnosis has changed her perspective and shaped her future goals.

In this series we are exploring global experiences and perspectives on neurodivergence. Through discussing culture, understandings, resources, assessment and therapy options; we discover similarities and differences in experiences across the world.

Patricia is joined by Karen Kehdy, health insurance expert turned neurodiversity advocate and writer, through her experience seeking a diagnosis for her daughter. Karen lives and works in Dubai in the UAE; and this conversation dives into what she describes as "before Karen and after Karen", the changes in her own perspectives after her daughters' diagnosis, and the impact this has had not only on her own life but on the lives of her family and wider community.

Introducing our latest series, where we explore global experiences and perspectives on neurodivergence. Discussing culture, understanding, resources, assessment and therapy options, we explore the differences and similarities in experiences across the world.

We begin this series with our very own Patricia Falcetta, talking us through her journey with her sons' diagnoses (which lead to her own) and the profound impact this has had, not only on her family's life, but her career direction also. During our chat Patricia mentions "energy accounting", which we dive into more detail on in our episode "Parenting Paradigm for Neurodivergence", if you'd like to learn more.

Feel free to let us know your thoughts!

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Join Sammy Anne (Map the Maze) and Patricia Falcetta (Social Living Solutions) as they discuss Nurturing Neurodiversity; all the ways we can create a truly inclusive society.

Our passion lies in supporting whole families to navigate the challenges and revel in the joys of their neurodivergent children. A big part of this support entails advocating for changes within our systems and society, to ensure our children grow up knowing and loving who they are. No matter our ability, race, gender, sexuality, beliefs – we all deserve to be loved and appreciated.

We aim to educate, connect and inspire. We do this by sharing with you our stories, experiences and relevant research, along with neurodivergent voices through interviews and quotes with permission. We open dialogue on what we can all do to create positive social change.

With backgrounds in the education and allied health industries, as well as experience working directly with families, we work within AND continually challenge the existing systems we all operate under. We wholeheartedly believe that if we can all open our minds and our hearts, share the message of love and equity for all, that we will be part of creating a truly inclusive world for generations to come.

We hope you will join us on our journey.

Want to share your story? Have a guest you’d love us to interview? Questions you’d like us to answer?

Get in touch with us via your preferred means below! :)

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Whilst we focus a lot on play for our children, the focus often shifts as they grow into adolescents and then into adulthood. This episode dives into play and its importance all throughout our lives, what it might look like and how it differs between neurotypical and neurodiverse people, how we can support our adolescents and young adults in refocusing on play when our culture has such a strong focus on productivity instead, getting into our flow state and allowing creativity and how this benefits learning, growth, health and wellbeing.

This is the final episode in our "Play as a Human Right" series; we hope you have enjoyed it and gained some insights as we have!

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Join Patricia Falcetta (Social Living Solutions) and Sammy Anne (Map the Maze) as they discuss Nurturing Neurodiversity; all the ways we can create a truly inclusive society.

Our passion lies in supporting whole families to navigate the challenges and revel in the joys of their neurodiverse children. A big part of this support entails advocating for changes within our systems and society, to ensure our children grow up knowing and loving who they are. No matter our ability, race, gender, sexuality, beliefs – we all deserve to be loved and appreciated.

We aim to educate, connect and inspire. We do this by sharing with you our stories, experiences and relevant research, along with neurodiverse voices through interviews and quotes with permission. We open dialogue on what we can all do to create positive social change.

With backgrounds in the education and allied health industries, as well as experience working directly with families, we work within AND continually challenge the existing systems we all operate under. We wholeheartedly believe that if we can all open our minds and our hearts, share the message of love and equity for all, that we will be part of creating a truly inclusive world for generations to come.

We hope you will join us on our journey.

Want to share your story? Have a guest you’d love us to interview? Questions you’d like us to answer?

Get in touch with us via your preferred means below! :)

Ange Anderson M.Ed opened and led an innovative specialist school in North Wales for 10 years, introducing over 25 different therapeutic and technological interventions to support pupils with learning differences. She has also authored and contributed to many books and articles across many topics in special education. Ange joins Sammy and Patricia for part 3 of our Play as a Human Right series, bringing all of her experience and wisdom in utilising play and various other therapeutic interventions to support children's wellbeing, which we know is a vital place to start if we hope to help them to learn. We loved hearing how focussing in on play, communication and meeting children's needs resulted in progress in their learning; as Ange quotes, "If a child is not learning the way we teach, then we need to teach the way they learn."

For our second episode in our Play as a Human Right series, we explore all the ways play serves as a catalyst for connection with our children.

Sammy and Patricia go deep into co-regulation; what it is and why it's important. We give a brief overview of attachment play and how effective it can be in our homes. We round out the episode discussing the differences between neurodiverse and neurotypical play, meeting our children where they are at and how we can create more equity in social skill development and expectations.

Welcome to 2023! Patricia and Sammy are so excited to kick things off with a series of episodes delving into Play as a Human Right, all the ways this intersects with neurodivergent rights and ways of being and how we can bring play into our every day practices.

Part 1 is all about Play as Learning; where we discuss play as a child's way of learning about the world, as well as how they learn to play with others. Sammy gets detailed about our National Curriculum Frameworks, whilst Patricia highlights differences for our neurodiverse kids in their experience of both play and learning. 

We also discuss the concept of "school refusal" and the ways our society individualises "problems and solutions", rather than questioning the systems we have and working out ways of collectively healing through holistic approaches. We rebel against the idea of "fixing" a child, and rather focus on the ways we can better support our children to thrive.

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Join Patricia Falcetta (Social Living Solutions) and Sammy Anne (Map the Maze) as they discuss Nurturing Neurodiversity; all the ways we can create a truly inclusive society.

Our passion lies in supporting whole families to navigate the challenges and revel in the joys of their neurodiverse children. A big part of this support entails advocating for changes within our systems and society, to ensure our children grow up knowing and loving who they are. No matter our ability, race, gender, sexuality, beliefs – we all deserve to be loved and appreciated.

We aim to educate, connect and inspire. We do this by sharing with you our stories, experiences and relevant research, along with neurodiverse voices through interviews and quotes with permission. We open dialogue on what we can all do to create positive social change.

With backgrounds in the education and allied health industries, as well as experience working directly with families, we work within AND continually challenge the existing systems we all operate under. We wholeheartedly believe that if we can all open our minds and our hearts, share the message of love and equity for all, that we will be part of creating a truly inclusive world for generations to come.

We hope you will join us on our journey.

Want to share your story? Have a guest you’d love us to interview? Questions you’d like us to answer?

Get in touch with us via your preferred means below! :)

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Join Sammy and Patricia as they discuss some common co-occurring conditions that can come with neurodivergence, stressing that even after you receive a diagnosis of autism, ADHD or both, these labels may not be the only answers you'll need.

We explore learning difficulties (dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia), mental health such as anxiety and depression, the varying types of ADHD, OCD, ODD, PDA and 2E (twice exceptional). We hope to highlight the intersectionality of different types of neurodivergence and mental health, which can affect people's experience of the world in many different ways. 

Always coming back to the "why" behind behaviour, will serve us all well in creating a truly inclusive world.

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Join Patricia Falcetta (Social Living Solutions) and Sammy Anne (Map the Maze) as they discuss Nurturing Neurodiversity; all the ways we can create a truly inclusive society.

Our passion lies in supporting whole families to navigate the challenges and revel in the joys of their neurodiverse children. A big part of this support entails advocating for changes within our systems and society, to ensure our children grow up knowing and loving who they are. No matter our ability, race, gender, sexuality, beliefs – we all deserve to be loved and appreciated.

We aim to educate, connect and inspire. We do this by sharing with you our stories, experiences and relevant research, along with neurodiverse voices through interviews and quotes with permission. We open dialogue on what we can all do to create positive social change.

With backgrounds in the education and allied health industries, as well as experience working directly with families, we work within AND continually challenge the existing systems we all operate under. We wholeheartedly believe that if we can all open our minds and our hearts, share the message of love and equity for all, that we will be part of creating a truly inclusive world for generations to come.

We hope you will join us on our journey.

Want to share your story? Have a guest you’d love us to interview? Questions you’d like us to answer?

Get in touch with us via your preferred means below! :)

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In this episode Patricia and Sammy share their thoughts, experiences and ideas around the most important job in the world - parenting!

We discuss the transition from old paradigm to new, the importance of meeting our children where they're at, some key strategies we can implement into our daily lives to bring some certainty to uncertain times, and the importance of giving to ourselves as much as we give to our children.

Please reach out to either of us if you'd like support to create and implement strategies specific to your family. We love helping families bring calmness and fun back to their daily lives - or as Patricia would say, back to their Family Joy!

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Join Sammy Anne (Map the Maze) and Patricia Falcetta (Social Living Solutions) as they discuss Nurturing Neurodiversity; all the ways we can create a truly inclusive society.

Our passion lies in supporting whole families to navigate the challenges and revel in the joys of their neurodiverse children. A big part of this support entails advocating for changes within our systems and society, to ensure our children grow up knowing and loving who they are. No matter our ability, race, gender, sexuality, beliefs – we all deserve to be loved and appreciated.

We aim to educate, connect and inspire. We do this by sharing with you our stories, experiences and relevant research, along with neurodiverse voices through interviews and quotes with permission. We open dialogue on what we can all do to create positive social change.

With backgrounds in the education and allied health industries, as well as experience working directly with families, we work within AND continually challenge the existing systems we all operate under. We wholeheartedly believe that if we can all open our minds and our hearts, share the message of love and equity for all, that we will be part of creating a truly inclusive world for generations to come.

We hope you will join us on our journey.

Want to share your story? Have a guest you’d love us to interview? Questions you’d like us to answer?

Get in touch with us via your preferred means below! :)

.

In our fourth installment of our education series we welcome Sam Pollock, Director and Inclusion Consultant for SP Specialist Inclusion Services. Sam supports children, families, teachers and schools in creating inclusive and supportive learning environments, through 1:1 work, group programs and professional development. 

Sam shares her passionate, grounded and research-based perspectives on our education system; relationship building between teachers, children and families; working with individual children's needs and balancing those within a classroom; the impacts we are feeling and some we are yet to fully experience from the pandemic; Universal Design for Learning and how it can shift our ideas on what it means to cater to individual needs.

In this episode we have a brilliant conversation with epic human Michelle Heriot - a dynamic and inspiring Thought Leader in the field of alternative and diverse education and wellbeing solutions for youth aged 6 to 18 years.

We dive into Michelle's E-Gen movement; her experiences as a student and then advocating for her child as a student in the education system; the alternative options we all have but may not know much about; some starting steps and advice for those considering home education; busting some common myths; and education ideology. 

Our second episode in our education series sees us welcome Jennifer Rickard, Executive Officer of APFACTS, which is the peak body of parents with children in non-government schools in the ACT, Australia. APFACTS contributes to shaping educational policy and practice, raising issues from parents' perspectives with stakeholders, political and government representatives, advocating for fairness and equity and improving educational opportunities for all children attending non-government schools.

We go deep into the possibilities for education, creating truly equitable practices and accessible environments. We discuss the powerful role we have as parents in children's education, not only for our own children but for all children. This is a deep and uplifting conversation!

Our next topic of focus is education; and we kick off this series with an incredible teacher, exceptional needs specialist, mental health and neurodiverse champion - Kristen Eccleston, The Neurodiverse Teacher.

*CONTENT WARNING: Towards the end of this episode we discuss mental health impacts and this includes discussion around suicidal ideation and adult content being accessed by children online. Please go gently with yourself and if this is not something you can hear right now, know we send our love and support. Please reach out to a trusted loved one or a support line in your country (in Australia: Lifeline 13 11 14 or Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800)

Kristen has the knowledge, the practical wisdom and personal experience to bring some poignant insights into our exploration of inclusive education. Join us as we explore: Kristen's journey to a diagnosis of ADHD; the experiences of some of our children in the current education system; changes we need to make globally, especially in westernised countries, to move towards truly inclusive education; supporting school avoidant students and their families; and the impacts, both seen and unseen, of the pandemic on our children. 

We couldn't have an employment series without welcoming back Jonathan Laloz, founder and CEO of Self Plus Plus (see Episode 9 for our first chat)!

With 22 years of experience in the small business, corporate and government sectors, Jonathan combines this with his understanding and lived experience of neurodiversity to support autistic people from teens to adults gain meaningful employment (or to create their own).

In today's episode we discuss: some common obstacles that prevent neurodiverse people from gaining employment; how this changes or amplifies for long term unemployed people; a range of benefits that come from hiring neurodiverse people; big (and small) changes we can make in the employment industry and more generally, in order to create more inclusivity and improve accessibility; and key information about Jonathan's upcoming Autism Employment Accelerator program, which you don't want to miss!

In this episode Patricia welcomes David Smith, founder of Employ For Ability. 

David is an Autism and Neurodiversity employment specialist and advocate. Since 2016, David has been focused on helping organisations become more inclusive by hiring Neurodiverse staff to gain competitive advantage. A leader in his field, he brings many years of experience, education and knowledge to our employment series!

We dive into the following ideas: the value of following your purpose; the main barriers to gaining and then maintaining employment for our neurodiverse people; the misnomer of functioning labels; the double empathy problem; masking and autistic burnout; societal changes we can make to increase accessibility; a key policy change required in education to allow access to work experience for all our young people; and opening ourselves up to choosing a non-traditional path when it comes to educational and employment options.

Our second interview in our employment series sees us welcome Charuni Weerasooriya, founder of EDII (Engage, Design, Innovate, Improve).

Charuni brings a wealth of experience and wisdom to her current work with our teens and young people, supporting them to develop skills and understanding that will set them up for a successful future. We were fortunate to tap into this wisdom throughout this episode!

Some of the key concepts we explored were: design thinking and how it can reshape our approach to learning and education; the question "what is an education worth having?"; connecting education to future skills for either entrepreneurship or employment; and some sage advice for our young people (and all of us, really).

Welcome to the first in our series of interviews focussing on employment.

In this episode we chat to Jodie Stephenson from Kirribilli Partners - and we cover plenty of conceptual and practical ideas to create true inclusion within the workplace.

Some key points we cover: starting with safety and respect; building relationships and balancing strengths within a team to bring out the best in people; bridging the communication gap between neurodivergent and neurotypical people; changing our expectations and adjusting our societal norms to better reflect where we are as a society (hint: no longer in the industrial age!)

Find out more about Jodie (or secure her services for your workplace!) here: http://www.kirribillipartners.com.au/

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Join Patricia Falcetta (Social Living Solutions) and Sammy Anne (Map the Maze) as they discuss Nurturing Neurodiversity; all the ways we can create a truly inclusive society.

Our passion lies in supporting whole families to navigate the challenges and revel in the joys of their neurodiverse children. A big part of this support entails advocating for changes within our systems and society, to ensure our children grow up knowing and loving who they are. No matter our ability, race, gender, sexuality, beliefs – we all deserve to be loved and appreciated.

We aim to educate, connect and inspire. We do this by sharing with you our stories, experiences and relevant research, along with neurodiverse voices through interviews and quotes with permission. We open dialogue on what we can all do to create positive social change.

With backgrounds in the education and allied health industries, as well as experience working directly with families, we work within AND continually challenge the existing systems we all operate under. We wholeheartedly believe that if we can all open our minds and our hearts, share the message of love and equity for all, that we will be part of creating a truly inclusive world for generations to come.

We hope you will join us on our journey.

Want to share your story? Have a guest you’d love us to interview? Questions you’d like us to answer?

Get in touch with us via your preferred means below! :)

.

This episode is taken from a series of Facebook Lives Sammy and Patricia presented in 2021. Although you may notice some of our language has changed, the strategies offered throughout this episode are still very relevant and helpful in 2023.

From supporting our children through the use of visuals, routines and plans, to taking small moments throughout the day to check in with ourselves and provide for our own needs, you'll find plenty of tips to work through feelings of anxiety and overwhelm, especially as they relate to returning to school. 

If you would like further support or are interested in the visuals mentioned in this episode, please reach out to either Patricia or Sammy via your preferred means below. We look forward to hearing from you!

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Join Sammy Anne (Map the Maze) and Patricia Falcetta (Social Living Solutions) as they discuss Nurturing Neurodiversity; all the ways we can create a truly inclusive society.

Our passion lies in supporting whole families to navigate the challenges and revel in the joys of their neurodiverse children. A big part of this support entails advocating for changes within our systems and society, to ensure our children grow up knowing and loving who they are. No matter our ability, race, gender, sexuality, beliefs – we all deserve to be loved and appreciated.

We aim to educate, connect and inspire. We do this by sharing with you our stories, experiences and relevant research, along with neurodiverse voices through interviews and quotes with permission. We open dialogue on what we can all do to create positive social change.

With backgrounds in the education and allied health industries, as well as experience working directly with families, we work within AND continually challenge the existing systems we all operate under. We wholeheartedly believe that if we can all open our minds and our hearts, share the message of love and equity for all, that we will be part of creating a truly inclusive world for generations to come.

We hope you will join us on our journey.

Want to share your story? Have a guest you’d love us to interview? Questions you’d like us to answer?

Get in touch with us via your preferred means below! :)

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As we round out 2021, this is an episode not to be missed! Jodie is a parent coach, passionate about emotional awareness, communication skills and questioning the things we often take for granted in our society. 

These themes are weaved throughout our conversation, as we dive into the following topics:

* key tips and strategies for the upcoming holiday season, in particular navigating extended family relationships

* working with and through different perspectives and opinions between parents, especially for separated and blended families

* supporting your child to navigate different environments (including family, community and school)

* communication tips for parents advocating for their child in a school setting

* Jodie's Top 3 Tips for parents

Take some time for your self care by grabbing your favourite beverage and soaking up Jodie's wisdom!

This episode is the audio from a Facebook Live hosted on Sammy's page, Map the Maze, titled "From Busy to Being". 

Michelle Heriot from E-Gen joins Sammy for an insightful conversation full of tips and strategies you can utilise for yourself and for your children, all about emotional intelligence, becoming aware of your "stuff", discovering your values and strategies for regulating ourselves, so we can then be more effective at supporting our children to regulate.

Michelle has had a diverse range of experiences in her working life, home schools her neurodivergent teen and is neurodivergent herself, thus she brings an immense amount of wisdom to share with us in this session. She has a passion for educating young neurodiverse people and is a big part of the changing landscape of education.

Follow the latest in the E-Gen movement here: 

April Mack is a Strategic Business Consultant, a Trainer and Mentor, who lives in Canberra, Australia. Just as importantly, she is a parent to two beautiful people aged 11 and 9.

Join Patricia and Sammy as they dive into April's journey through the assessment process, diagnosis and beyond for her 9 year old son. We cover a range of topics, many of which will be familiar to our listeners who have also been through this journey, including: managing different expectations and approaches amongst family members; the relief and the fear that can be felt when receiving a diagnosis and what we can do about changing that experience for future generations; the challenges faced in our education system and the changes we would all like to see; balancing the household with neurodiverse and neurotypical family members; the changes we need in our medical and allied health systems and so much more.

This is a real and raw look into what so many families experience and provides lots of wisdom for those at any stage of their journey. 

Find April at the links below and discover more about what she offers in the business and spiritual intelligence spaces:

***CONTENT WARNING: In this episode we discuss child abuse, exploitation and predatory behaviour. Please use caution when considering if this episode is right for you. We believe it's vital to discuss these issues and bring them into our collective awareness, in order to better protect our children. We do cover key child safety themes and strategies, and we also encourage you to reach out for professional support.***

Caroline Ellen is a social worker and parenting coach, who believes all children deserve a childhood free to play and discover. With her raw, real and relatable style; she combines her personal and professional experience to help connect parents back to themselves and their children. 

Caroline is the founder of Safer, Stronger Kids and is on a mission to improve children's physical and emotional safety, through stronger parent-child relationships.

We really go to all the places in this interview; from the journey of Safer, Stronger Kids and it's key theme of body safety education for parents, to emotion coaching and the steps involved, to creating a family culture where no topic is "taboo", key safety tips to prevent child abuse and exploitation, in real life and online, what we really mean when we say our child needs to be "more resilient" and how we can foster their development in this area, and finally the changes Caroline would love to wave her magic wand to create in our education and allied health systems.

It's a long one, and we promise it is SO worth it! ;)

Find Caroline here: 

Joanne Holbrook is an author, professional keynote speaker, parenting advocate and entrepreneur. Through her friendships, book and speaking events, she shares parenting stories to help build positive, values-based families around the world.

Having lived in 5 different countries and across several states in the U.S., Joanne has a broad range of experiences and immense wisdom to share, especially when it comes to how much our similarities as parents outweigh our differences.

Join us in this rich and diverse conversation, as we explore how to have more curiosity and value that over judgement, how to understand our personal values and combine with those of our other family members to create a strong values-based family culture, why comparison is a waste of time and many other lessons from Jo's life!

We highly recommend seeking Jo out in all the places, find some handy links here:

Bec McFarland is a career and business coach and the owner of Pop Your Career and Pop Your Business. She is passionate about helping you find your own personal flavour of fulfilment, whether you’re a business owner or in a more traditional career.

It was our absolute pleasure to welcome Bec to our podcast and explore a previously (publicly) unspoken part of her story; her diagnosis and journey with ADHD.

We also explore "Imposter Syndrome" and it's widespread effects, in particular how it may show up for neurodiverse people; as well as Bec's work in the LGBTQI community and how to create more inclusion, especially in the business and recruitment space.

Bec is so approachable and wonderful to connect with, so don't hesitate to do so here:

In this episode we meet Natalie Charlotte, Paediatric OT and Piano Teacher for neurodiverse and highly sensitive and/or energetic children.

Our conversation is jam-packed full of wisdom and learnings from Natalie, who shares her experience following many breadcrumbs over the years from music student to now changing the game in allied health service delivery.

We delve into what's beneath not only our children's behaviour, but our own, and how being continually curious about the why behind it all can lead us to a much greater understanding of ourselves and others.

Natalie is passionate about truly holistic health, delivering support in ways that deeply resonate with her clients, and working towards a world with no labels or boxes required.

There is so much valuable information in this episode - so grab yourself your preferred beverage and take some time out to listen in!

Find Natalie here:

Jonathan is the founder and CEO of Self Plus Plus, a coaching and mentoring service for people 15 years or older seeking employment, housing or other life skills support.

In this episode, Jonathan shares his journey to self diagnosis of Autism and ADHD, and how, along with supporting a young person with autism, it inspired him to create Self Plus Plus. 

We also cover a myriad of topics ranging from finding our place in the world, teaching people how they need to learn, finding your "ikigai" and some common myths around hiring neurodiverse or disabled people.

You can find Jonathan at any of the places below:

Yenn is a generous, open-hearted truth teller; and the depth of our conversation in this episode will attest to that.

Exploring topics from function labels, masking, rejecting diagnoses to embracing discovered identities, gender diversity and the correlation to neurodiversity, to the myth of autistics being "rule followers" - this episode is jam packed with wisdom and thought provoking ideas. Yenn combines their lived experience and personal journey with years of working with and listening to others' experiences.

It's not to be missed!

Yenn Purkis is an autistic and non-binary author, public speaker and community leader who also has a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Yenn has written nine published books and is a regular blogger. Yenn was the 2016 ACT Volunteer of the Year and won the 2019 ACT Chief Minister’s Inclusion Award. Yenn has also presented at TEDx Canberra and as a keynote speaker at a number of events.

Find Yenn:

This episode explores listening therapy with the learning difficulty expert, Harry Armytage. 

In case you haven't heard of listening therapy before, we dive into who and how it can help; it is a brilliant option for those facing difficulties with auditory processing. We also delve into Harry's ways of being with his clients, with his motto being "start from safe". He describes listening as a pathway to the brain.

As some added inspiration, we get to hear Harry's journey from economist to listening therapist, showing us that following your joy is an option at any stage of your life!

Not only is Harry brilliant, caring and dedicated; his voice is also very calming to listen to. So sit back, relax and enjoy this episode.

You can find Harry at the links below:

In this episode we have a deeply thought provoking conversation with the wonderful Carlie Maree, which can be best summarised with her brilliant quote "the land of plenty lies outside the cage of conditioning."

Carlie is a writer of world-changing words, leader of life-changing online experiences and personal mentor to a select few superstars. She is also an incredible mother to two children, one of whom is neurodiverse, and they home educate.

Sammy and Patricia dive into everything with Carlie, from her perspective altering concept "Soul Modes", to her journey with neurodiversity and learning from her daughter, to the decision to home school/home educate and the differences between this and our current education system.

A trail blazer in the online business space, Carlie is passionate and dedicated to creating inclusive, healing and transformative experiences for people - and she brings this home to her family too. We highly recommend you seek her out by your preferred means here:

With estimates of 50-70% of autistic people also experiencing mental health conditions, this episode centres around the individual, diagnostic and systemic reasons this may be.

Initially delivered live on Facebook, Patricia and Sammy have a passionate discussion exploring both what may be causing such a high rate of mental health conditions and also, how we can move towards greater support of our neurodiverse people. 

Noting that, by creating a world where neurodiverse people are loved and accepted for who they are, we all get to feel loved, accepted and supported.

Reaching out for help is important for all of us - some numbers that may come in handy for our Australian listeners are: Lifeline 13 11 14; Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800; Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636. You can also send either Patricia or Sammy (or both!) a direct message for support with neurodiversity in your family.

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Join Patricia Falcetta (Social Living Solutions) and Sammy Anne (Map the Maze) as they discuss Nurturing Neurodiversity; all the ways we can create a truly inclusive society.

Our passion lies in supporting whole families to navigate the challenges and revel in the joys of their neurodiverse children. A big part of this support entails advocating for changes within our systems and society, to ensure our children grow up knowing and loving who they are. No matter our ability, race, gender, sexuality, beliefs – we all deserve to be loved and appreciated.

We aim to educate, connect and inspire. We do this by sharing with you our stories, experiences and relevant research, along with neurodiverse voices through interviews and quotes with permission. We open dialogue on what we can all do to create positive social change.

With backgrounds in the education and allied health industries, as well as experience working directly with families, we work within AND continually challenge the existing systems we all operate under. We wholeheartedly believe that if we can all open our minds and our hearts, share the message of love and equity for all, that we will be part of creating a truly inclusive world for generations to come.

We hope you will join us on our journey.

Want to share your story? Have a guest you’d love us to interview? Questions you’d like us to answer?

Get in touch with us via your preferred means below! :)

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CONTENT WARNING: During this episode the topic of "conversion therapy" comes up, in relation to LGBTQIA+ people and their mistreatment. We send our love to those who are not able to engage in this content at this time, and encourage you to reach out to Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 if you are in Australia (or your country's equivalent service).

One of the more controversial topics of conversation in the neurodiverse space, this episode dives into the opposing arguments both for and against early interventions, specifically ABA (Applied Behaviour Analysis) therapy.

Initially delivered live on Facebook, Sammy and Patricia discuss the pros and cons of ABA - and just whose pros and cons they may be. With our signature tangents into the education institution, this episode will hopefully get you thinking about where our social "rules" and "norms" come from and whether you continue to choose to prescribe to them or not.

TRIGGER WARNING: Towards the beginning of this episode the conversation turns to discussing sexual abuse. We send our love and compassion to you and understand if this is something you may not wish to hear. We encourage you to reach out to Lifeline 13 11 14 or 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) if you are in Australia, or your country's equivalent.

Diving into the topic of Social Skills sounds a little different to what you might "typically" expect!

Initially delivered live on Facebook, Patricia and Sammy explore how "Social Skills" are often framed as something Neurodiverse people need to learn or "get better at", but that true inclusion can only come from neurotypical people developing a greater capacity for understanding and learning different ways to connect and communicate.

Featuring some background noise and occasional interruption from Sammy's young child - hopefully this does not take away from the overall message!

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Join Patricia Falcetta (Social Living Solutions) and Sammy Anne (Map the Maze) as they discuss Nurturing Neurodiversity; all the ways we can create a truly inclusive society.

Our passion lies in supporting whole families to navigate the challenges and revel in the joys of their neurodiverse children. A big part of this support entails advocating for changes within our systems and society, to ensure our children grow up knowing and loving who they are. No matter our ability, race, gender, sexuality, beliefs – we all deserve to be loved and appreciated.

We aim to educate, connect and inspire. We do this by sharing with you our stories, experiences and relevant research, along with neurodiverse voices through interviews and quotes with permission. We open dialogue on what we can all do to create positive social change.

With backgrounds in the education and allied health industries, as well as experience working directly with families, we work within AND continually challenge the existing systems we all operate under. We wholeheartedly believe that if we can all open our minds and our hearts, share the message of love and equity for all, that we will be part of creating a truly inclusive world for generations to come.

We hope you will join us on our journey.

Want to share your story? Have a guest you’d love us to interview? Questions you’d like us to answer?

Get in touch with us via your preferred means below! :)

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This episode explores the topic of Empathy, busting the myth that neurodiverse people do not have the capacity to experience empathy.

Initially delivered live on Facebook, Sammy & Patricia discuss some common reasons why empathy may look different on the outside for our neurodiverse population, to what we might generally expect. 

Including bonus tangents into the systems that continue to perpetuate this stereotype! Let us know what you think.

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Join Sammy Anne (Map the Maze) and Patricia Falcetta (Social Living Solutions) as they discuss Nurturing Neurodiversity; all the ways we can create a truly inclusive society.

Our passion lies in supporting whole families to navigate the challenges and revel in the joys of their neurodiverse children. A big part of this support entails advocating for changes within our systems and society, to ensure our children grow up knowing and loving who they are. No matter our ability, race, gender, sexuality, beliefs – we all deserve to be loved and appreciated.

We aim to educate, connect and inspire. We do this by sharing with you our stories, experiences and relevant research, along with neurodiverse voices through interviews and quotes with permission. We open dialogue on what we can all do to create positive social change.

With backgrounds in the education and allied health industries, as well as experience working directly with families, we work within AND continually challenge the existing systems we all operate under. We wholeheartedly believe that if we can all open our minds and our hearts, share the message of love and equity for all, that we will be part of creating a truly inclusive world for generations to come.

We hope you will join us on our journey.

Want to share your story? Have a guest you’d love us to interview? Questions you’d like us to answer?

Get in touch with us via your preferred means below! :)

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Our first episode delves deeper into the movement that is "Neurodiversity", as opposed to the medical model of "Autism Spectrum Disorder", amongst other "disorders". 

Initially delivered live on Facebook, Patricia & Sammy share details about what the medical model really means, as well as our reasons behind subscribing to the neurodiverse view of the world.

As is our way, there's a few tangents thrown in for good measure! We'd love to hear from you so feel free to send us your feedback.

Join Sammy Anne (Map the Maze) and Patricia Falcetta (Social Living Solutions) as they discuss Nurturing Neurodiversity; all the ways we can create a truly inclusive society.

Our passion lies in supporting whole families to navigate the challenges and revel in the joys of their neurodiverse children. A big part of this support entails advocating for changes within our systems and society, to ensure our children grow up knowing and loving who they are. No matter our ability, race, gender, sexuality, beliefs – we all deserve to be loved and appreciated.

We aim to educate, connect and inspire. We do this by sharing with you our stories, experiences and relevant research, along with neurodiverse voices through interviews and quotes with permission. We open dialogue on what we can all do to create positive social change.

With backgrounds in the education and allied health industries, as well as experience working directly with families, we work within AND continually challenge the existing systems we all operate under. We wholeheartedly believe that if we can all open our minds and our hearts, share the message of love and equity for all, that we will be part of creating a truly inclusive world for generations to come.

We hope you will join us on our journey.

Want to share your story? Have a guest you’d love us to interview? Questions you’d like us to answer?

Get in touch with us via your preferred means below! :)

Join Sammy Anne (Map the Maze) and Patricia Falcetta (Social Living Solutions) as they introduce themselves and their "why" behind their new podcast, "Nurturing Neurodiversity".

Our passion lies in supporting whole families to navigate the challenges and revel in the joys of their neurodiverse children. A big part of this support entails advocating for changes within our systems and society, to ensure our children grow up knowing and loving who they are. No matter our ability, race, gender, sexuality, beliefs – we all deserve to be loved and appreciated.

So, we decided to start a podcast, with the aim to educate, connect and inspire. We do this by sharing with you our stories, experiences and relevant research, along with neurodiverse voices through interviews and quotes with permission. We open dialogue on what we can all do to create positive social change.

With backgrounds in the education and allied health industries, as well as experience working directly with families, we work within AND continually challenge the existing systems we all operate under. We wholeheartedly believe that if we can all open our minds and our hearts, share the message of love and equity for all, that we will be part of creating a truly inclusive world for generations to come.

We hope you will join us on our journey.

Want to share your story? Have a guest you’d love us to interview? Questions you’d like us to answer?

Get in touch with us via your preferred means below! :)