The Hot Topic is back! In this return episode, Jordan James and Simon Scott react to actor Tom Hardy publicly revealing that he is neurodivergent.

The conversation explores why representation matters, especially when someone as widely respected and traditionally “masculine” as Tom Hardy openly discusses being on the spectrum, as well as Tom Hardy’s collaboration with Tatami Fightwear on a new neurodiversity-themed jiu-jitsu clothing range, with profits supporting autism charities.

A funny, passionate, and honest return for the Hot Topic episodes — exploring celebrity representation, neurodivergent identity, and why visibility still matters.

Our Sponsors:

🧘‍♀️ Ashley Dupuy – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy

• → https://bit.ly/ashleynde

🤝 Sophie James - Neurodivergent Mentoring

• → sophiejamesndmentoring.com

🔗 Stay Connected

• Instagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepod
• Facebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook page
• YouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperience
• TikTok: @neurodivergentexperience

🎧 The Neurodivergent Experience is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

🔔 Turn on notifications for new weekly episodes

🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at AutisticCulturePlus.com

🌐 Visit www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this meeting of The Late Diagnosis Club, Dr Angela Kingdon welcomes Danielle Procope Bell, PhD, an Autistic Black feminist scholar and Assistant Professor of Africana Studies at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Danielle shares how she knew from early childhood that she was different, finding other children chaotic, preferring books and structure, and feeling an invisible glass wall between herself and others.

Like many late-identified adults, Danielle’s recognition journey deepened after her son’s Autism diagnosis, when family patterns suddenly came into focus and helped her understand herself in a new way.

This is a conversation about identity, lineage, belonging, and what becomes possible when you finally see yourself clearly.

🪑 Attendees

Chair: Dr Angela Kingdon — Author, community-builder, and Autistic advocate

Guest: Danielle Procope Bell, PhD. — Scholar, professor, and Black feminist thinker

You: The Listener!

🗒️ Meeting Agenda

• Opening remarks from the Chair
• Member introduction: Early difference, late recognition
• Discussion: Hyperlexia, gifted programs, and childhood belonging
• Family neurodivergence and being accepted at home
• Son’s diagnosis and family pattern recognition
• Race, gender, and what gets missed in Autism conversations
• Autigendering and Black feminist theory
• Key learnings
• Club announcements

🧾 Minutes from the Meeting

1️⃣ Opening Remarks

Angela introduces Danielle Procope Bell, PhD, whose work sits at the intersection of Autism, Black feminism, gender, and identity.

2️⃣ Member Introduction: Danielle’s Story

Danielle recognised from kindergarten that she related differently to the world. While other children felt unpredictable and chaotic, she preferred reading, routine, and solitary play.

Her traits were interpreted as shyness and giftedness rather than Autism. She was moved into a gifted program, but the transition also brought racial and class isolation.

Later, after her son was diagnosed as Autistic, Danielle began to recognise familiar patterns in herself, her father, and wider family members — leading to her own formal diagnosis.

3️⃣ Discussion Highlights

• Kindergarten awareness: Knowing early that other children felt chaotic
• Hyperlexia signs: Reading from age three and a deep love of books
• Son’s diagnosis: Recognition through seeing herself reflected in him
• Representation gap: Autism narratives dominated by white male stereotypes
• Traits misread: Black Autistic traits interpreted as aggression or defiance
• ODD pipeline: Black children funnelled into behavioural labels instead of support
• Medical privilege: Access to quality adult assessment shaped outcomes
• Black feminism as home: Intellectual spaces that affirmed difference before diagnosis

4️⃣ Key Learnings

• Many Autistic people know they are different long before they know why.
• Diagnosis journeys are shaped by race, gender, and class.
• Traits are often interpreted differently depending on who displays them.
• Representation changes who gets recognised and supported.
• Identity can be built through community as much as through medicine.

📌 Notice Board

• The Department of Africana Studies at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Black, White, and in Colour: Essays on American Literature and Culture by Hortense J. Spillers
• Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler
• Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches by Audry Lorde
• The users of the erotic - centring your internal experience by Audry Lorde
• Sula by Toni Morrison
• The Deep by River Solomon

📣 Club Announcements

🎧 The Late Diagnosis Club is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

💬 Join our online meetups and community at latediagnosis.club.

📌 Check the LDC Notice Board for Member Contributions

💜 There is a small charge — but no one is turned away for lack of funds.

🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at AutisticCulturePlus.com

🌐 Visit www.autisticculturepodcast.com

📲 Follow us on Instagram: @autisticculturepodcast

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan James and Simon Scott are joined by author, advocate, and lived experience ambassador Paul Stevenson for a powerful conversation about Tourette’s Syndrome, ADHD, late diagnosis, masking, trauma, and finding strength through neurodivergence.

Paul reflects on growing up in a time when neurodivergence was misunderstood and punished, sharing how years of masking, shame, and feeling “different” shaped his life before eventually receiving diagnoses of Tourette’s Syndrome and ADHD later in adulthood.

Together, they discuss neurodivergent strengths, workplace accommodations, education reform, creativity, anxiety, community, and the importance of helping young neurodivergent people feel seen before life teaches them to hide themselves.

A deeply honest and inspiring conversation about resilience, self-understanding, and the power of opening doors for others.

About Paul Stevenson:

Paul Stevenson is a lived experience ambassador at Genius Within, international speaker, author, and advocate for neurodiversity and inclusion. He is widely recognised for his work raising awareness around Tourette’s Syndrome, ADHD, and neurodivergent lived experience.

Paul is the author of My Tics and Me, an educational children’s book designed to promote understanding and acceptance of neurodiversity from an early age.

3 Men with Tourette's go on holiday (National Geographic Taboo Series)

Our Sponsors:

🧘‍♀️ Ashley Dupuy – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy

• → https://bit.ly/ashleynde

🤝 Sophie James - Neurodivergent Mentoring

• → sophiejamesndmentoring.com

🔗 Stay Connected

• Instagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepod
• Facebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook page
• YouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperience
• TikTok: @neurodivergentexperience

🎧 The Neurodivergent Experience is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

🔔 Turn on notifications for new weekly episodes

🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at AutisticCulturePlus.com

🌐 Visit www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Warning: This episode includes discussion of terminal cancer, sudden bereavement, grief, burnout, and mental health struggles. Please listen with care.

In this meeting of The Late Diagnosis Club, Dr Angela Kingdon welcomes Scott Simpson, a late-identified Autistic and ADHD creator, former broadcast journalist, and widowed father who has been raising his son solo since 2016.

After decades working in radio, Scott’s life began to unravel through grief, burnout, and the collapse of the structures that had quietly supported him for years. What followed was a search to understand executive functioning, ADHD, and eventually Autism.

Together, Angela and Scott explore hidden support needs, burnout after loss, Autistic shutdown, identity through memoirs and community, and why many late-identified adults only recognise their needs once life’s scaffolding disappears.

This is a conversation about grief, structure, survival, and finally understanding yourself.

🪑 Attendees

Chair: Dr Angela Kingdon — Author, community-builder, and Autistic advocate

Guest: Scott Simpson — Content creator, former broadcaster, and late-identified AuDHD parent

You: The Listener!

🗒️ Meeting Agenda

• Opening remarks from the Chair
• Member introduction: Gifted kid, burnout, and late recognition
• Discussion: Special education and social confusion
• Widowhood, solo parenting, and hidden support needs
• Radio career collapse and autistic burnout
• ADHD diagnosis and later Autism recognition
• Structure, scaffolding, and unmet needs
• Key learnings
• Club announcements

🧾 Minutes from the Meeting

1️⃣ Opening Remarks

Angela introduces Scott Simpson, a creator and former radio professional whose late identification followed years of grief, burnout, and trying to understand why life had become so much harder.

2️⃣ Member Introduction: Scott’s Story

Scott was identified as “gifted” in childhood and placed into a specialist education program. While his intelligence was recognised early, his social struggles and deeper support needs were not.

As an adult, he built a long career in broadcasting, married, became a father, and later experienced profound loss when his wife died of cancer while their son was still young.

When career structure and family scaffolding fell away, Scott began exploring executive functioning, received an ADHD diagnosis, and later recognised Autism.

3️⃣ Discussion Highlights

• Gifted program: Early intelligence recognised, while deeper needs were missed
• Smart but struggling: Academic ability masking social confusion
• Relationship patterns: Trying hard without understanding the rules
• Sudden grief: Becoming a widowed father to a three-year-old
• Radio collapse: Career pressure, impossible demands, and burnout
• Hidden scaffolding: Job structure and parenting routines quietly sustaining life
• ADHD first: Executive functioning becomes the doorway to understanding
• Autism later: Shutdowns, overwhelm, and lifelong patterns making sense
• Memoirs mattered: Learning through Autistic voices and lived experience
• Support needs emerge: Struggles become visible once the structure disappears

4️⃣ Key Learnings

• High achievement can hide unmet support needs.
• Grief and burnout often expose needs that were once masked.
• Executive functioning struggles are often misunderstood as laziness or failure.
• Late recognition can come after life changes remove coping systems.
• Autistic voices and memoirs can be more powerful than diagnostic checklists.
• Support is often invisible until it is gone.

📌 Notice Board

Scott’s Website

Scott’s YouTube Channel

📣 Club Announcements

🎧 The Late Diagnosis Club is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

💬 Join our online meetups and community at latediagnosis.club.

📌 Check the LDC Notice Board for Member Contributions

💜 There is a small charge — but no one is turned away for lack of funds.

🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at AutisticCulturePlus.com

🌐 Visit www.autisticculturepodcast.com

📲 Follow us on Instagram: @autisticculturepodcast

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan James and Simon Scott explore the often-overlooked concept of boreout, and how it can feel almost identical to burnout, especially for neurodivergent people.

They unpack how under-stimulation, not just stress or overwhelm, can lead to symptoms like anxiety, low mood, apathy, fatigue, and loss of motivation. From feeling “sick with boredom” to questioning why nothing feels engaging, they reflect on how easy it is to mislabel boreout as burnout. The conversation breaks down the key differences: burnout driven by too much, boreout driven by too little — but both leading to similar emotional and physical exhaustion.

A relatable and eye-opening conversation about balance, stimulation, and why neurodivergent people often feel like they’re constantly walking a tightrope between too much and not enough.

We’re really excited to now be part of the Autistic Culture Podcast Network — a space dedicated to amplifying neurodivergent voices, lived experience, and real conversations. Being part of this network means we can reach more people and continue building this community together.

Our Sponsors:

🧘‍♀️ Ashley Dupuy – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy

• → https://bit.ly/ashleynde

🔗 Stay Connected

• Instagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepod
• Facebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook page
• YouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperience
• TikTok: @neurodivergentexperience

🎧 The Neurodivergent Experience is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

🔔 Turn on notifications for new weekly episodes

🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at AutisticCulturePlus.com

🌐 Visit www.autisticculturepodcast.com

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this meeting of The Late Diagnosis Club, Dr Angela Kingdon welcomes KW Raney, a therapist, creative, and podcast host who identified as AuDHD in adulthood after years of misdiagnosis, burnout, and self-blame.

As a child, KW was labelled with oppositional defiant disorder and grew up believing he was difficult, lazy, and broken. But decades later, recognition of ADHD, and later Autism, helped him reframe the struggles that had followed him since childhood.

Together, Angela and KW explore the cost of wrong labels, Autistic burnout, meltdowns mistaken for behavioural problems, sensory overwhelm, masking through work and education, and the long process of learning how to accommodate yourself instead of fighting yourself.

🪑 Attendees

Chair: Dr Angela Kingdon — Author, community-builder, and Autistic advocate

Guest: KW Raney — Therapist, creative, and AuDHD advocate

You: The Listener!

🗒️ Meeting Agenda

• Opening remarks from the Chair 
• Member introduction: Misdiagnosis, masking, ADHD discovery and later Autism recognition
• Discussion: ODD labels and childhood misunderstanding
• Burnout, depression, and reframing the past
• Meltdowns, sensory overwhelm, and self-accommodation
• Music, animals, and nervous system regulation
• Trusting your own internal compass
• Key learnings
• Club announcements

🧾 Minutes from the Meeting

1️⃣ Opening Remarks

Angela introduces KW Raney, who reflects on how years of wrong labels shaped his identity, and how discovering he was AuDHD helped everything begin to make sense.

2️⃣ Member Introduction: KW’s Story

KW was diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder as a child, a label that framed his distress and overwhelm as bad behaviour rather than unmet needs.

Despite academic success, he carried deep feelings of failure and self-blame into adulthood. It was only later, through recognising ADHD and then Autism, that he began to understand the lifelong patterns beneath those experiences.

3️⃣ Discussion Highlights

• ODD label: Childhood distress framed as defiance instead of neurodivergence
• Hidden struggle: Good grades masking internal overwhelm
• Adult ADHD recognition: A workplace conversation changed the lens
• Autism realisation: Later patterns are becoming clear through a new framework
• Burnout reframe: Depression and suicidality viewed differently in hindsight
• Meltdowns misunderstood: Pressure-valve overload mistaken for behaviour problems
• Self-accommodation: Learning to support needs instead of suppressing them
• Animal regulation: Comfort, pressure input, and nervous system calm
• Music as lifeline: Emotional release, identity, and connection
• Creative return: Rebuilding expression after burnout
• Inner compass: Learning to trust yourself over old labels

4️⃣ Key Learnings

• Wrong labels can shape identity for decades.
• Achievement does not cancel out struggle.
• Burnout is often misunderstood when neurodivergence is unseen.
• Meltdowns are overwhelm, not moral failure.
• Self-accommodation can be life-changing.
• Healing often begins when you trust your own experience.

📌 Notice Board

• https://substack.com/@mraskmore
• https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/203579170

📣 Club Announcements

🎧 The Late Diagnosis Club is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

💬 Join our online meetups and community at latediagnosis.club.

📌 Check the LDC Notice Board for Member Contributions

💜 There is a small charge — but no one is turned away for lack of funds.

🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at AutisticCulturePlus.com

🌐 Visit www.autisticculturepodcast.com

📲 Follow us on Instagram: @autisticculturepodcast

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this meeting of The Late Diagnosis Club, Dr Angela Kingdon welcomes Sha’mya Jones, a graphic designer and entrepreneur who was diagnosed as Autistic in early childhood — but didn’t learn about it until she was a teenager.

Sha’mya shares what it was like to grow up knowing she was different but not understanding why, navigating school, relationships, and identity without the language to describe her experience. From early academic success to social challenges and bullying, her story reflects the complexity of being both supported and left in the dark.

Together, Angela and Sha’mya explore masking, college burnout, creative identity, and what it means to build a life and business that reflects who you truly are.

🪑 Attendees

Chair: Dr Angela Kingdon — Author, community-builder, and Autistic advocate

Guest: Sha’mya Jones — graphic designer, entrepreneur, and Autistic self-advocate

You: The Listener!

🗒️ Meeting Agenda

• Opening remarks from the Chair
• Member introduction: Early diagnosis, late awareness
• Discussion: Childhood differences and school experiences
• IEP meeting and discovering her diagnosis
• Masking, bullying, and social challenges
• College life, burnout, and independence
• Art, identity, and creative expression
• Entrepreneurship and neurodivergent design
• Representation and visibility

🧾 Minutes from the Meeting

1️⃣ Opening Remarks

Angela introduces Sha’mya Jones, a graphic designer and entrepreneur whose work centres on neurodivergent and underrepresented communities, particularly entrepreneurs of colour.

2️⃣ Member Introduction: Sha’mya’s Story

Sha'mya was diagnosed as Autistic as a toddler, but her diagnosis was not shared with her until she was in high school during an IEP meeting.

Growing up, she sensed she was different, often finishing work early, helping classmates, and connecting more easily with teachers than peers. Despite having accommodations, she navigated childhood without the language to understand her experiences.

3️⃣ Discussion Highlights

• Early diagnosis, hidden identity: Diagnosed in early childhood but not told until high school
• Feeling different: Awareness of being out of step with peers from a young age
• Teacher connection: Easier relationships with adults than classmates
• IEP moment: Learning about her diagnosis during a school meeting
• Masking and bullying: Navigating teasing, social confusion, and self-protection
• Curiosity misunderstood: Being perceived as rude for asking direct questions
• College burnout: Over-involvement, pandemic disruption, and exhaustion
• Creative identity: Art as expression and pathway to career
• Entrepreneurship: Building a business centred on neurodivergent clients
• Representation: Highlighting Autistic women and people of colour

4️⃣ Key Learnings

• Being diagnosed early does not guarantee understanding or support.
• Without language, differences can lead to confusion and self-doubt.
• Masking and social challenges often emerge more strongly over time.
• Creative expression can provide clarity and identity.
• Representation matters — especially for marginalised Autistic voices.
• Self-understanding is an ongoing process, not a single moment.

📌 Notice Board

• Sha’mya’s LinkedIn
• Prisma kind Design Newsletter
• Prisma Kind Design Website
• Ko-Fi (for tipping)
• Brand Check-In Survey
• Free Brand Clarity Checklist 
• Brand Calm-Down Kit (paid audit and reset)
• Signature 2-tiered Brand Package (currently looking to book 3-4 beta clients to test and improve her offer) 

📣 Club Announcements

🎧 The Late Diagnosis Club is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

💬 Join our online meetups and community at latediagnosis.club.

📌 Check the LDC Notice Board for Member Contributions

💜 There is a small charge — but no one is turned away for lack of funds.

🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at AutisticCulturePlus.com

🌐 Visit www.autisticculturepodcast.com

📲 Follow us on Instagram: @autisticculturepodcast

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this meeting of The Late Diagnosis Club, Dr Angela Kingdon welcomes Daria Brown, creator of Affect Autism and host of the We Chose Play podcast.

Daria shares her journey from parent advocate to late-identified Autistic adult, reflecting on the decade between her son’s diagnosis and her own. What began as a search for how to support her son eventually led to a deeper understanding of herself, reframing lifelong traits, parenting experiences, and ways of relating to the world.

They discuss DIR Floortime, rejecting compliance-based approaches, and the role of connection, regulation, and play in both parenting and personal growth.

This is a conversation about unlearning, identity, and what happens when the lens finally shifts.

🪑 Attendees

Chair: Dr Angela Kingdon — Author, community-builder, and Autistic advocate

Guest: Daria Brown — Parent advocate, podcaster, and late-identified Autistic adult

You: The Listener!

🗒️ Meeting Agenda

• Opening remarks from the Chair
• Member introduction: Parenting, advocacy, and late self-recognition
• Discussion: Son’s diagnosis, seizures, and early understanding of autism
• Medical model, ableism, and the “fixing” mindset
• Discovering Autistic voices during the pandemic
• Questioning identity and the late diagnosis journey
• DIR Floortime, connection, and rejecting compliance-based therapy
• Key learnings
• Club announcements

🧾 Minutes from the Meeting

1️⃣ Opening Remarks

Angela introduces Daria Brown, a long-time parent advocate and creator of Affect Autism, whose work focuses on supporting families through DIR Floortime and neurodiversity-affirming approaches.

2️⃣ Member Introduction: Daria’s Story

Daria’s journey into the autism world began with her son’s diagnosis following a serious medical event involving seizures and brain inflammation. At the time, her understanding of autism was shaped by ableist narratives and a belief that her role was to “fix” her child.

Over the years, as she supported her son and connected with other families, Daria became deeply involved in advocacy and alternative approaches like DIR Floortime.

A decade after her son’s diagnosis, Daria received her own autism diagnosis, reframing her identity and life experiences.

3️⃣ Discussion Highlights

• Early assumptions: Autism initially understood through an ableist, deficit-based lens
• Medical trauma: Son’s seizures, hospitalisation, and lasting impact on parenting
• DIR Floortime: Choosing connection and co-regulation over compliance
• ABA tension: Navigating systems that prioritise behaviour over individual needs
• Late recognition: Seeing lifelong traits through an Autistic lens
• Imposter syndrome: Questioning identity despite strong resonance
• Reframing traits: From “bossy” or “controlling” to regulation and coping strategies
• Special interests: Intense projects, creativity, and lifelong patterns
• Community: Finding belonging through shared neurodivergent experiences

4️⃣ Key Learnings

• Understanding autism often begins with outdated or ableist assumptions that require unlearning.
• Parenting a neurodivergent child can reshape identity and self-understanding.
• Connection and co-regulation are foundational to both parenting and personal growth.
• Traits once labelled negatively may be reframed as adaptive or regulating.
• Community plays a crucial role in reducing isolation and building self-acceptance.

📌 Notice Board

Affect Autism Website

Kieran Rose, The Autistic Advocate

Kathleen Platzman, PhD

We Choose Play Podcast

The Neurodivergent experience Podcast

📣 Club Announcements

🎧 The Late Diagnosis Club is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

💬 Join our online meetups and community at latediagnosis.club.

📌 Check the LDC Notice Board for Member Contributions

💜 There is a small charge — but no one is turned away for lack of funds.

🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at AutisticCulturePlus.com

🌐 Visit www.autisticculturepodcast.com

📲 Follow us on Instagram: @autisticculturepodcast

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this meeting of The Late Diagnosis Club, Dr Angela Kingdon welcomes Shyloe Fayad, a late-diagnosed Autistic school counsellor and somatic experiencing practitioner based on the stolen land of the Syilx people of the Okanagan in Canada.

Shyloe works both within schools and in private practice, supporting neurodivergent people, mixed race communities, and teens and adults navigating depression and anxiety.

Together, Angela and Shyloe explore sensitivity, boundaries, and the quiet but radical act of honouring your own needs in a culture that often teaches you not to.

🪑 Attendees

Chair: Dr Angela Kingdon — Author, community-builder, and Autistic advocate

Guest: Shyloe Fayad — Late-diagnosed Autistic School counsellor and somatic experiencing practitioner

You: The Listener!

🗒️ Meeting Agenda

• Opening remarks from the Chair
• Member introduction: Learning to trust your own needs
• Discussion: Sensitivity, boundaries, and self-trust
• Late diagnosis and identity integration
• Cultural conditioning and productivity expectations
• Emotional processing and internal timing
• Accountability vs compassion
• Key learnings
• Club announcements

🧾 Minutes from the Meeting

1️⃣ Opening Remarks

Angela welcomes Shyloe Fayad to the club, introducing a conversation centred on emotional sensitivity, self-trust, and rebuilding your relationship with yourself after a late diagnosis.

2️⃣ Member Introduction: Shyloe’s Story

Shyloe was raised in environments that prioritised productivity, deadlines, and external expectations over internal needs. Over time, this led to a disconnection from her own timing and instincts, something she began to recognise and unlearn following her late Autism diagnosis.

Her work as a counsellor and somatic practitioner informs this perspective, grounding the conversation in the body, nervous system, and the lived experience of navigating a world that often teaches people not to trust themselves.

3️⃣ Discussion Highlights

• Sensitivity: Experiencing the world deeply and needing space to process
• Self-trust: Relearning how to listen to internal signals
• Cultural conditioning: Being taught your needs are “less important”
• Productivity pressure: Deadlines overriding well-being
• Women and masking: Social expectations shaping behaviour
• Accountability vs compassion: The tension between rules and humanity
• Black-and-white thinking: Wanting clear rules in complex social situations
• Community: Drawing strength from like-minded people
• Emotional care: Protecting your “sensitive heart”

4️⃣ Key Learnings

• You have been taught not to trust your needs — and that can be unlearned.
• Sensitivity is not a weakness, but something to be protected.
• There is no perfect rulebook for being human — only ongoing adjustment.
• Accountability and compassion must coexist.
• Late diagnosis is the beginning of rebuilding self-trust.
• Community can help you navigate a world that feels misaligned.
• Honouring your needs is a practice, not a one-time decision.
• You can start again — as many times as you need.

📌 Notice Board

• Contact Shyloe: [email protected]
• Shyloe’s Instagram
• Radical Wondering Instagram
• Facebook: Shyloe Fayad

📣 Club Announcements

🎧 The Late Diagnosis Club is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

💬 Join our online meetups and community at latediagnosis.club.

📌 Check the LDC Notice Board for Member Contributions

💜 There is a small charge — but no one is turned away for lack of funds.

🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at AutisticCulturePlus.com

🌐 Visit www.autisticculturepodcast.com

📲 Follow us on Instagram: @autisticculturepodcast

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this meeting of The Late Diagnosis Club, Dr Angela Kingdon welcomes Carolyn Kiel, host of the award-winning podcast Beyond 6 Seconds, who discovered she was Autistic not before, but through her podcasting journey.

Together, Angela and Carolyn explore late discovery through connection, the limits of traditional narratives around autism, workplace misunderstandings, and how language and self-understanding can transform everyday life.

🪑 Attendees

Chair: Dr Angela Kingdon — Author, community-builder, and Autistic advocate

Guest: Carolyn Kiel — Host of the Beyond 6 Seconds Podcast

You: The Listener!

🗒️ Meeting Agenda

• Opening remarks from the Chair
• Member introduction: Discovering autism through podcasting
• Discussion: Representation, stereotypes, and lived experience
• Late diagnosis and identity integration
• Self-identification vs formal diagnosis
• Post-diagnosis adjustments and accommodations
• Autistic joy and special interests
• Key learnings
• Club announcements

🧾 Minutes from the Meeting

1️⃣ Opening Remarks

Angela introduces Carolyn Kiel, host of Beyond 6 Seconds, a long-running podcast exploring human experiences and neurodiversity. Carolyn shares how her podcasting journey began as a creative outlet, and unexpectedly became the pathway to discovering her own Autistic identity.

2️⃣ Member Introduction: Carolyn’s Story

Carolyn began podcasting in 2018 to build creative expression and practise one-on-one conversations. As an introverted and self-described shy person, interviewing others about their passions offered a structured way to connect.

Through her podcast, she encountered members of the disability and neurodivergent community, including Autistic creators. Hearing their experiences, particularly how autism felt rather than how it was externally described, led to a growing sense of recognition.

After further research, particularly around how autism presents in women, Carolyn began to question whether she might be Autistic. She later pursued a formal diagnosis in her mid-40s, which confirmed her understanding and led her to pivot her podcast toward neurodivergent voices and intersectional experiences.

3️⃣ Discussion Highlights

• Discovery through others: Recognising yourself in the lived experiences of others
• Beyond stereotypes: Moving past narrow 80s/90s definitions of autism
• Self-identification vs diagnosis: Barriers, access, and validity of both paths
• Social confusion: Difficulty navigating conversations, timing, and group dynamics
• Communication shifts: Learning to verbalise internal processing needs
• Accommodations: Fidgets, earplugs, sunglasses, and sensory awareness
• Podcasting as control: Creative ownership, structure, and autonomy
• Intersectionality: Exploring neurodivergence across race, gender, and identity
• Corporate navigation: Developing “scripts” to survive workplace culture

4️⃣ Key Learnings

• Late diagnosis can emerge through connection and shared stories, not just clinical pathways.
• Understanding internal experience is often more powerful than external definitions.
• Self-identification is valid, particularly where diagnostic barriers exist.
• Giftedness and competence can mask significant support needs.
• Small accommodations can meaningfully improve daily life.
• Workplace challenges are often rooted in misunderstanding, not inability.
• Identity integration is an ongoing process, not a single moment of clarity.

📌 Notice Board

• Beyond 6 Seconds: Neurodiversity stories from neurodivergent people
• Recommended Episode: Interview with Tiffany Hammond (A Day With No Words)

📣 Club Announcements

🎧 The Late Diagnosis Club is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

💬 Join our online meetups and community at latediagnosis.club.

📌 Check the LDC Notice Board for Member Contributions

💜 There is a small charge — but no one is turned away for lack of funds.

🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at AutisticCulturePlus.com

🌐 Visit www.autisticculturepodcast.com

📲 Follow us on Instagram: @autisticculturepodcast

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this meeting of The Late Diagnosis Club, Dr Angela Kingdon welcomes Michael Kelly, a late-diagnosed Autistic artist and recent PhD graduate in design whose work explores how art can help us think about thinking.

Michael’s path to diagnosis began unexpectedly during his wife Susie’s autism assessment. After sitting in on several sessions as her carer, the clinician suggested that Michael pursue an assessment as well, leading to his own diagnosis a year later.

Together, Angela and Michael explore childhood solitude and special interests, creative practice as a way of understanding the mind, and how art can disrupt the systems that shape our thinking.

🪑 Attendees

Chair: Dr Angela Kingdon — Author, community-builder, and Autistic advocate

Guest: Michael Kelly — Autistic artist, designer, and researcher

You: The Listener!

🗒️ Meeting Agenda

• Opening remarks from the Chair
• Member introduction: Growing up as the “weird kid” and finding refuge in books and ideas
• Discussion: Philosophy, art practice, and early adult burnout
• Psychosis, misdiagnosis, and years labelled as anxiety
• Autistic masking, sensory overwhelm, and family patterns
• Art as inquiry: performance, sculpture, and metacognition
• Artificial intelligence, normativity, and the role of artists
• Key learnings
• Club announcements

🧾 Minutes from the Meeting

1️⃣ Opening Remarks

Angela introduces Michael Kelly, a late-diagnosed Autistic artist and newly minted PhD graduate whose research explores how art can help us understand thinking itself, particularly in the context of emerging technologies and artificial intelligence.

2️⃣ Member Introduction: Michael’s Story

Michael describes growing up as “the weird kid,” finding comfort in solitary interests like books, dinosaurs, comics, and drawing. As an only child, he often retreated into imagination and reflection. Experiences that, in hindsight, align with Autistic ways of engaging with the world.

After studying philosophy at Durham University in the UK, Michael pursued creative work and eventually a career in advertising before experiencing severe burnout and psychosis in his mid-20s. For years afterwards, he lived under an anxiety diagnosis without understanding the deeper neurodivergent context behind his experiences.

3️⃣ Discussion Highlights

• Only-child solitude: Safe space for imagination, reading, and deep thinking
• Early interests: Dinosaurs, comics, drawing, theology, and philosophy
• Advertising burnout: Workplace pressure and sensory overload leading to psychosis
• Misdiagnosis: Years labelled with anxiety before autism was considered
• Partner recognition: Sitting in on Susie’s autism assessment sparked Michael’s own
• Masking and sensory overwhelm: Eye contact, social performance, and inherited patterns
• Art as inquiry: Performance art, sculpture, and artistic experiments exploring the mind
• Metacognition: Using art to examine how humans think about thinking
• AI and normativity: Concerns about artificial intelligence reinforcing “average” thinking

4️⃣ Key Learnings

• Late discovery often begins with recognition by someone close to us.
• Years of anxiety or other diagnoses can obscure underlying neurodivergence.
• Creative practice can become a powerful tool for understanding internal experience.
• Masking and sensory overwhelm often shape lifelong coping strategies.
• Artists may play an important role in questioning the systems and technologies shaping our future.

📌 Notice Board

• Michael’s Website

📣 Club Announcements

🎧 The Late Diagnosis Club is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

💬 Join our online meetups and community at latediagnosis.club.

📌 Check the LDC Notice Board for Member Contributions

💜 There is a small charge — but no one is turned away for lack of funds.

🌈 Celebrate autistic voices with early access, ad-free listening, and our full archive at AutisticCulturePlus.com

🌐 Visit www.autisticculturepodcast.com

📲 Follow us on Instagram: @autisticculturepodcast

🎙️ Executive Producers: Amy Burns, Anamaria B Call, Andrew Banner, Anna Goodson, Ashley Apelzin, Audrea Volker, Ben Coulson, Brian Churcek, Cappy Hamper, Carley Biblin, Charlene Deva, Chloe Cross, Clay Duhigg, Clayton Oliver, Danny Dunn, Daria Brown, David Garrido, Emily Burgess, Eric Crane, Erik Stenerud, Fiona Baker, Grace Norman, Helen Shaddock, Jaimie Collins, Jason Killian, Jen Unruh, Jennifer Carpenter, Julia Tretter, Kathie Watson-Gray, Kenneth Knowles, Kira Cotter, Kristine Lang, Kyle Raney, Llew P Williams, Laura Alvarado, Laura De Vito, Laura Provonsha, Lily George, Nelly Darmi, Nigel Rogers, Rachel Miller, Tim Scott, Tyler Kunz, Victoria Steed, Yanina Wood.

🎧 Producers: AJ Knight, Bobby Simon, Da Kovac, Eleanor Collins, Emily Griffiths, Hannah Hughes, Jennifer Kemp, Jonas Fløde, Kate F, Katie N Benitez, Kendra Murphy, Lisa Dennys, Logan Wall, Louise Lomas, Melissa Nance, Nicola Owen, Rebecka Johansson, Sam Morris, Sarah Hannah Morris.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.