NeuroSpicy At Work

Autistic Models of Success, Identity & Education — with Lara Schaeffer

In this episode, Duena speaks with Lara Schaeffer — autistic educator, advocate and creator of Neurodivergent Learning — about why real-life autistic role models are essential for ND children, teens and adults who are trying to understand themselves in a world that still gets autism profoundly wrong. Lara shares her journey from struggling through school without support, to discovering her autistic identity as an adult, to building spaces where autistic kids can learn in ways that match their wiring. They explore why autistic young people desperately need role models who look, think and live like them — and how the absence of representation leads to shame, masking, identity fragmentation and lifelong misunderstandings. Together they discuss: • Why autistic kids need autistic role models  • Identity, belonging and the formation of self  • Masking, shutdown and school trauma  • Why mainstream education fails autistic learners  • Spiky profiles & uneven academic performance  • RSD, overwhelm and emotional safety  • Realistic autistic success stories (not “inspiration porn”)  • How ND adults rebuild identity after late diagnosis  • Neurodivergent Learning as a model for autistic education  • What parents, educators & leaders must understand This is a powerful, emotionally grounded conversation about how identity forms, how systems harm, and how representation heals. ⭐ TOPICS COVERED autism, autistic education, ND role models, identity formation, late diagnosis, school trauma, masking, burnout, shutdown, overwhelm, RSD, spiky profiles, uneven performance, belonging, ND-friendly learning, neurodivergent parenting, representation, emotional safety, Human Debt, inclusion, autistic success. ⭐ CHAPTERS  00:00 — Intro & who is Lara Schaeffer 02:12 — Autistic childhoods & school trauma 05:40 — Masking, overwhelm & identity confusion 09:22 — Why autistic kids need autistic role models 13:48 — RSD, avoidance & emotional safety 17:20 — Spiky profiles & uneven performance 21:10 — Late diagnosis & rebuilding identity 24:55 — ND-friendly learning models 28:44 — Representation, belonging & self-worth 32:33 — What educators & parents must understand 36:20 — Final reflections ⭐ LINKS 🎧 Full podcast series: https://neurospicyatwork.com [https://neurospicyatwork.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] 🧠 Self-Assessment: https://amineurospicy.com [https://amineurospicy.com] 🌐 More about Duena: https://www.duenablomstrom.com [https://www.duenablomstrom.com] 🔍 Lara’s work: search “Lara Schaeffer Neurodivergent Learning” EPISODE_METADATA_START NeuroSpicy @ Work — Episode with Lara Schaeffer, autistic educator and creator of Neurodivergent Learning. Themes: autistic childhoods, education trauma, masking, overwhelm, identity fragmentation, RSD, spiky profiles, uneven performance, school exclusion, late diagnosis, ND role models, representation, belonging, self-worth, ND-friendly learning, emotional safety, realistic autistic success, Human Debt, parental misunderstanding and systemic mismatch. Guest: Lara Schaeffer — autistic educator, consultant and ND advocate. Host: Duena Blomstrom — autistic/ADHD author, Human Debt theorist, psychological safety researcher. Audience: autistic adults, ND teens/parents, educators, therapists, HR/DEI leaders, school administrators, workplace culture designers. EPISODE_METADATA_END

Neurodivergence, Kindness & Radical Acceptance — with Nick Dean

In this episode, Duena sits down with Nick Dean — autistic/ADHD executive coach, speaker and creator of “The Kindness Revolution” — to explore what radical acceptance really looks like for neurodivergent adults. Nick shares his journey through late discovery, autistic burnout, emotional overload, rejection sensitivity, internalised shame and the long road toward self-kindness. Together they discuss why ND people struggle with boundaries, why masking corrodes identity, how RSD narrows a life down to survival, and what happens when neurodivergent adults finally stop performing and start living as themselves. This is a gentle, compassionate and deeply grounding conversation about identity, safety, trauma recovery, kindness as a survival strategy, and the emotional cost of trying to adapt to systems that do not understand ND brains. A vital episode for ND adults navigating burnout, masking, shame, boundaries, self-forgiveness and rediscovering who they are. Topics Covered • Radical acceptance for ND adults  • RSD and emotional pain cycles  • Autistic & ADHD burnout  • Masking fatigue & identity collapse  • Internalised shame & ND trauma  • Self-kindness & recovery pathways  • Belonging vs performance  • ND emotional regulation  • Workplace mismatch & Human Debt  • Boundaries, honesty & nervous-system safety Resources and Links 🎧 Full series: https://neurospicyatwork.com [https://neurospicyatwork.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] 🧠 Take the ND Self-Assessment: https://amineurospicy.com [https://amineurospicy.com] 🌐 More about Duena: https://www.duenablomstrom.com [https://www.duenablomstrom.com] 🔍 Find Nick: search “Nick Dean Neurodiversity Coach” on LinkedIn ⭐ CHAPTERS  00:00 — Intro & who is Nick Dean 02:15 — Late discovery & internalised shame 05:42 — Autistic/ADHD burnout & collapse 09:20 — RSD & emotional pain cycles 12:55 — Masking, identity loss & self-erasure 17:10 — Radical acceptance: what it really means 21:35 — Kindness as a survival tool 25:48 — Boundaries, truth & nervous-system safety 29:55 — ND strengths, work & belonging 34:22 — Final reflections EPISODE_METADATA_START NeuroSpicy @ Work — Episode with Nick Dean, autistic/ADHD executive coach and advocate focused on radical acceptance and kindness-based recovery. Themes: late diagnosis, autistic and ADHD burnout, masking, identity collapse, internalised shame, RSD, emotional pain cycles, ND trauma, nervous-system safety, boundaries, belonging vs performance, Human Debt, workplace mismatch, lived ND identity, recovery frameworks and compassionate self-acceptance. Guest: Nick Dean — autistic/ADHD coach, speaker and creator of The Kindness Revolution. Host: Duena Blomstrom — autistic/ADHD author, Human Debt theorist, psychological safety researcher. Audience: ND adults, H/DEI leaders, educators, therapists, workplace culture designers, late-diagnosed autistic/ADHD individuals. EPISODE_METADATA_END

Becoming Happier (While NeuroSpicy) at Work — with Aoife O’Brien

What does it actually take for neurodivergent adults to feel safe, supported and happier at work? In this episode, Duena sits down with Aoife O’Brien — autistic/ADHD founder, workplace culture expert and host of Happier at Work — to explore the emotional reality behind ND wellbeing in modern organisations. Together, they unpack the difference between autistic burnout and general burnout, masking and identity collapse, ADHD impulsivity, impression management, and why ND people are so often misunderstood at work. They look at belonging vs inclusion, corporate trauma, the cost of “performing professionalism,” and what it really means for ND people to build workplaces that don’t demand self-erasure. A reflective, validating and deeply practical conversation for autistic and ADHD adults, HR leaders, DEI practitioners, founders, and anyone trying to create ND-friendly work. Topics Covered • Autistic vs general burnout • Masking, suppression & identity loss • ADHD impulsivity & emotional regulation • Corporate trauma & the cost of neutrality • Belonging vs inclusion • Impression management & authenticity • ND-friendly wellbeing • Psychological safety for ND teams • Why ND happiness looks different • How workplaces can actually adapt More Full podcast series: https://neurospicyatwork.com [https://neurospicyatwork.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Self-Assessment: https://amineurospicy.com [https://amineurospicy.com] Duena’s work: https://www.duenablomstrom.com [https://www.duenablomstrom.com] EPISODE_METADATA_START NeuroSpicy @ Work — Episode with Aoife O’Brien, autistic/ADHD founder and workplace culture advocate. Core themes: autistic burnout vs general burnout, masking, identity collapse, ADHD impulsivity, impression management, belonging vs inclusion, psychological safety, workplace trauma, Human Debt, ND wellbeing, emotional regulation. Host: Duena Blomstrom — autistic/ADHD author, Human Debt theorist, psychological safety researcher. Audience: neurodivergent adults, HR/DEI leaders, managers, educators, founders. EPISODE_METADATA_END

Education, Misdiagnosis & ND Career Journeys — with Craig Cockburn

Growing up autistic in a system that didn’t understand, and how that shaped career choices, confidence and the courage to self-advocate. In this episode, Duena speaks with Craig Cockburn — autistic advocate, technologist, author and creator of “high-performance autistic” frameworks — about what happens when you grow up undiagnosed in an education system that misunderstands everything about your brain. Craig shares his lived journey from early school struggles, sensory overwhelm, misinterpretation by teachers, and repeated failure in rigid learning environments — all the way through to discovering his autistic identity in adulthood. Together, Craig and Duena explore: • Autistic childhoods in undiagnosed generations  • How schools misinterpret autistic learning styles  • The damage of being labelled “disruptive,” “lazy,” or “not applying yourself”  • Why autistic people excel in some subjects but crash in others  • Sensory overload, anxiety & shutdown in school environments  • How misdiagnosis affects confidence, self-esteem & identity  • Autistic strengths: logic, pattern-recognition & deep-focus learning  • Why ND people succeed in tech but struggle in corporate politics  • Job interviews, hiring bias & workplace mismatch  • How self-knowledge transforms career choices  • What parents, teachers & leaders MUST understand This episode is deeply validating for late-diagnosed autistic and ADHD adults who realise only decades later that nothing was actually “wrong” with them — the system simply had no idea what it was looking at. Craig’s story is powerful, intelligent, and wide-reaching — a must-listen for autistic adults, parents, educators, and leaders trying to understand ND learning and working patterns. Guest: Craig Cockburn — autistic technologist, consultant, author and ND advocate. Host: Duena Blomstrom — autistic/ADHD author, Human Debt theorist and workplace culture researcher. ⭐ TOPICS COVERED autism, late diagnosis, education trauma, misdiagnosis, sensory overwhelm, autistic learning styles, high-performance autistic, ND strengths, identity formation, burnout, hiring bias, ND-friendly careers, Human Debt, workplace culture, psychological safety, disclosure, autistic adulthood. ⭐ CHAPTERS  00:00 — Intro & who is Craig Cockburn 02:10 — Childhood signs & early school struggles 05:28 — Misdiagnosis, misunderstanding & behavioural labels 08:52 — Sensory overwhelm in classrooms 12:20 — Subject-specific strengths & uneven performance 15:44 — Anxiety, shutdown & survival-mode learning 19:15 — Discovering autism in adulthood 22:30 — Career choices, tech roles & autistic strengths 26:45 — Hiring bias & interview challenges 30:12 — Corporate environments vs ND brains 34:25 — Self-knowledge, self-advocacy & identity 38:40 — Advice for parents, educators & leaders 41:15 — Final reflections ⭐RESOURCES Listen to all episodes: https://neurospicyatwork.com [https://neurospicyatwork.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Take the NeuroSpicy Assessment: https://amineurospicy.com [https://amineurospicy.com] Learn more about Duena: https://www.duenablomstrom.com [https://www.duenablomstrom.com] Learn more about Craig: search “Craig Cockburn Autism” on LinkedIn EPISODE_METADATA_START NeuroSpicy @ Work — Episode with Craig Cockburn on autistic childhoods, education trauma, late diagnosis, sensory overwhelm, misinterpretation by teachers, ND learning styles, identity, uneven performance, high-performance autistic, workplace mismatch, hiring bias, interviews, burnout, Human Debt, ND strengths and career paths. Guest: Craig Cockburn — autistic technologist, consultant, author and ND advocate. Host: Duena Blomstrom — autistic/ADHD author, Human Debt theorist and psychological safety researcher. Audience: autistic adults, ADHD adults, parents, teachers, HR/DEI leaders, workplace designers, educators and allies. EPISODE_METADATA_END

Continuous Improvement, ADHD & Nonlinear Careers — with Chris Stone

How ADHD shapes careers, self-worth, failure cycles, and the philosophy of continuous improvement. In this episode, Duena is joined by Chris Stone — agile coach, ADHD adult, continuous improvement practitioner, and the creator of The Coaching Culture Club. Together they explore what it really means to build a life, career and identity around an ADHD brain that never stops moving. Chris shares his journey through school failures, exam panic, inconsistent performance, burnout cycles, and the constant tension between “high potential” and “self-destruct mode.”  hey discuss rejection sensitivity, spirals of self-doubt, hyperfocus traps, and the way ADHD adults often oscillate between brilliance and collapse — all inside systems not built for nonlinear minds. Duena and Chris unpack: • Growing up ADHD without diagnosis  • Shame, self-blame & internalised failure  • The transition from burnout to clarity  • ADHD career patterns: boom-and-bust productivity  • Continuous improvement as a survival tool  • Why ND adults struggle with traditional education & corporate systems  • Agile mindsets as ND-friendly models  • Identity, confidence & the fear of slowing down  • What leaders need to know about ADHD workers  • How community, belonging & honesty transform everything This is a powerful, practical conversation about ADHD as a lived experience — not a bullet list of symptoms — and how continuous improvement becomes a philosophy of survival and growth. ⭐ TOPICS COVERED ADHD, adult ADHD, late diagnosis, burnout, hyperfocus, shame cycles, rejection sensitivity, career transitions, nonlinear paths, continuous improvement, agile culture, psychological safety, Human Debt, workplace trauma, identity collapse, ND coaching, self-worth, productivity, masking, ADHD overwhelm. ⭐ CHAPTERS  00:00 — Intro & who is Chris Stone 02:12 — ADHD childhood, school struggles & early shame 05:40 — Burnout cycles & the double-life of ADHD adults 09:20 — Hyperfocus, overwhelm & identity collapse 12:55 — Continuous improvement as survival 16:40 — Agile mindsets & ND-friendly work 20:25 — Nonlinear careers & self-worth 24:15 — RSD, spirals & emotional volatility 28:40 — Corporate systems vs ND brains 32:10 — What ADHD adults need to thrive 36:00 — Final reflections & advice Resources Listen to all episodes: https://neurospicyatwork.com [https://neurospicyatwork.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Take the NeuroSpicy Assessment: https://amineurospicy.com [https://amineurospicy.com] Learn more about Duena: https://www.duenablomstrom.com [https://www.duenablomstrom.com] Find Chris: search “Chris Stone Agile Coach ADHD” on LinkedIn EPISODE_METADATA_START NeuroSpicy @ Work – Episode 8 with guest Chris Stone. Core themes: ADHD, adult ADHD, burnout cycles, hyperfocus, overwhelm, rejection sensitivity (RSD), nonlinear careers, self-worth, continuous improvement, agile coaching, identity formation, emotional regulation, Human Debt, workplace culture mismatch, ND-friendly leadership.  Guest: Chris Stone – ADHD adult, agile coach, continuous improvement advocate, community leader, host of The Coaching Culture Club.   Host: Duena Blomstrom – autistic/ADHD author and Human Debt theorist, psychological safety researcher, workplace culture expert.   Audience: neurodivergent adults, ADHD adults, late-diagnosed individuals, HR/DEI, coaches, educators, therapists, agile practitioners, ND parents, workplace culture designers. Anchor concepts: ND identity, ADHD philosophy, burnout loops, recovery, modern work, learning models, lived experience, meaning-making, ND strengths. EPISODE_METADATA_END