Episode 333: Why Forced Transitions Dysregulate the Autistic Brain with Pete Wharmby

"A child in intense focus isn’t ignoring you, they’re traveling at full speed on a mental motorway that needs a safe ramp to exit."

Autism, ADHD, Education, NeurodiversityDave MorrisSeptember 23, 2026autism, neurodiversity, education, adhd, pete wharmby, monotropism, thin-slice judgments, late-diagnosed adhd, autistic masking, transition scaffolding

Episode 332: The Myth of the Uncoachable Athlete

"A player who is struggling to move isn't unmotivated, they simply haven't been given instructions their nervous system can activate."

ADHD, Autism, Executive Functioning, NeurodiversityDave MorrisSeptember 16, 2026neurodiversity, executive function, adhd, autism, courtney edman, 2tametheshame, neurodivergent athletes, coachability, uncoachable

Episode 331: Understanding Yourself: A Process to Finding the Person Inside (reprise)

When a child gets a diagnosis of a neurodivergence, how do we help them understand what it means?

ADHD, Anxiety, Assessment, Autism, Counseling, Neurodiversity, Parenting, Self-AdvocacyDave MorrisSeptember 9, 2026neurodiversity, self-understanding, self-care, self-advocacy, assessment, parenting, counseling

Episode 330: The Wall of Awful: Why Starting Feels Impossible

"Task initiation isn’t a test of willpower; it’s an emotional hurdle that requires pre-work before the actual work can begin."

ADHD, Emotional Regulation, Executive Functioning, Neurodiversity, EducationDave MorrisSeptember 2, 2026ADHD, emotional regulation, education, brendan mahan, adhd essentials podcast, overcoming the wall of awful, task initiation

Episode 328: Neurodivergent Capacity: Why Can They Do It Sometimes But Not Every Time?

"When a child behaves differently at home than at school, both versions are completely real."

Education, Emotional Regulation, Neurodiversity, ParentingDave MorrisAugust 19, 2026Dr. Emily King, learn with Dr. Emily, the neurodivergent learner, task initiation, emotional dysregulation

Episode 327: Learning Differences And Emotional Well-Being Aren't Separate, and Here's Why

"A child who struggles with learning isn't unmotivated, they are overwhelmed by a system that wasn't built for them."

Education, Emotional Regulation, Executive Functioning, NeurodiversityDave MorrisAugust 13, 2026Dr. Karen Wilson, Diverse Thinking Different Learning Podcast, Self-Determination Theory, Executive Functioning, Task Initiation

Episode 326: The Evolution of Assessment: It's More Than Just a Score

"Masking isn’t intuitive social fluency; it’s high-level pattern recognition and problem-solving."

Autism, Education, Executive Functioning, Neurodiversity, AssessmentDave MorrisJuly 29, 2026Dr. Jeremy Sharp, The Testing Psychologist Podcast, Colorado Center for Assessment, Pattern Recognition Processing, Cognitive Fatigue, Subclinical Autistic Traits, Intensity and Exclusivity of Interests, Social Fluency Masking

Episode 325: Autistic Girls Are Going Undiagnosed or Misdiagnosed

Autistic girls are facing obstacles, often from unlikely sources.

ADHD, Autism, Counseling, Education, Neurodiversity, ParentingDave MorrisJuly 23, 2026autism, adhd, holly blanc moses, parenting, education, autism in girls

Episode 324: The Right to Be Heard: Reclaiming Communication Autonomy

"True communication is not about proving you know the right answer; it’s about sharing what you actually want to say."

Assistive Technology, Education, Neurodiversity, TechnologyDave MorrisJuly 16, 2026Brenda Del Monte, Sarah Kinsella, Technically Speaking AAC, Believe Beyond Ability, Special Education Technology Center, Awe and Wonder Podcast, Eye-Gaze Integration, Dwell Time Calibration, Educational Access Boards, Training Communication Partners, Inclusive School Modeling

Episode 323: What We’re Learning About (Pervasive) Pathological Demand Avoidance

"You can’t get enough of something you don't need."

Emotional Regulation, Education, Neurodiversity, Parenting, PDADave MorrisJuly 8, 2026neurodiversity, sandra mcconnell, pda mama bear, pervasive demand avoidance, pathological demand avoidance, school avoidance, task resistance, burnout

Episode 321: The Rewards and Punishment Paradox with Alfie Kohn

"Rewards are just sugar-coated control."

Emotional Regulation, Education, Neurodiversity, ParentingDave MorrisJune 17, 2026Alfie Kohn, punished by rewards, schooling beyond measure, alfiekohn.org, token economies, extrinsic motivation, school burnout

Episode 320: Educator Burnout: Why "Remember Your Why" Isn't Enough

"Burnout isn’t a trait; it’s the cost of navigating chronic stress without a toolkit."

Education, Emotional Regulation, Executive Functioning, NeurodiversityDave MorrisJune 12, 2026Katrina G. Huels, Cognitive Reframing, Cumulative Occupational Stress, Educator Detachment, Box Breathing

Episode 317: Understanding ADHD Children

"Sometimes we’re too close to our kids to see them for who they are."

ADHD, Education, Counseling, Neurodiversity, ParentingDave MorrisMay 14, 2026Sharon Saline, ADHD

Episode 316: From Special Ed to Law School: Redefining Autistic Potential

"Accommodations should be a step toward a bigger goal, not a ceiling on a student's potential."

Autism, Education, Neurodiversity, Self-AdvocacyDave MorrisMay 7, 2026David Rivera, Mentoring Autistic Minds, UC Berkeley, Soft Bigotry of Low Expectations, IDEA, Autistic Socialization, masking, peer rejection

Episode 315: The Secret Ingredients for Emotional Regulation

"The greatest intervention we can give to our children and our adolescents is to do our own work."

Education, Emotional Regulation, Neurodiversity, ParentingDave MorrisApril 29, 2026Lori Desautels, Butler University, Body and Brain Brilliance, co-regulation, nervous system awareness, universal design for learning, Emotional Dysregulation

Episode 314: Beyond Motivation: Why We Struggle to Start

"Motivation comes from the emotion of the future."

Executive Functioning, ADHD, Education, NeurodiversityDave MorrisApril 23, 2026Sarah Ward, 360 Thinking, Cognitive Connections, Time Horizon, time blindness, procrastination, task initiation, task persistence, working memory, situational awareness, self-regulation, 2e, classroom accommodations

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The Neurodiversity podcast is a production of the neurodiversity alliance and Morris Creative Services