The Divergence Department

10: Running on a treadmill vs running from a bear (clearly not the same thing)

59 min · 14 de abr de 2026
portada del episodio 10: Running on a treadmill vs running from a bear (clearly not the same thing)

Descripción

We all adjust who we are depending on the situation… but when does that stop being social awareness and start becoming something else? In this episode, we take a deep dive into neurodivergent masking — what it is, why we do it and what it actually costs. Using recent comments from Uta Frith as a starting point, we unpack how masking has been (mis)understood in autism research, how it can act as a survival strategy and why the line between adapting and losing yourself isn’t always clear. Join us as we question some of the science and sit with the uncomfortable bits — like how masking can shape identity, impact mental health and quietly show up in workplaces that claim to be inclusive. Along the way, we bring in our own experiences of masking and unmasking - because we definitely know that if there’s a manual for being yourself, it’s not exactly user-friendly.

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13 episodios

episode 12: Don't ask us what we're reading - A very neurodivergent reading list artwork

12: Don't ask us what we're reading - A very neurodivergent reading list

This week we sat down with the best of intentions: recommend a book each. Simple, right? Reader, it was not simple. Picking just one book turned out to be its own whole thing, and what followed was less a polished recommendation list and more a live, unfiltered demonstration of what it's actually like inside our brains when faced with too many options and not enough certainty. We spiralled, we second-guessed and we went on tangents. We talked about books we loved, books we abandoned three chapters in, and books that have been sitting on our to-read pile since approximately forever. But sometimes, this is what neurodivergent decision-making actually looks like so if you've ever spiralled trying to pick a single favourite anything, you're going to feel very seen this episode.

12 de may de 202659 min
episode 10: Running on a treadmill vs running from a bear (clearly not the same thing) artwork

10: Running on a treadmill vs running from a bear (clearly not the same thing)

We all adjust who we are depending on the situation… but when does that stop being social awareness and start becoming something else? In this episode, we take a deep dive into neurodivergent masking — what it is, why we do it and what it actually costs. Using recent comments from Uta Frith as a starting point, we unpack how masking has been (mis)understood in autism research, how it can act as a survival strategy and why the line between adapting and losing yourself isn’t always clear. Join us as we question some of the science and sit with the uncomfortable bits — like how masking can shape identity, impact mental health and quietly show up in workplaces that claim to be inclusive. Along the way, we bring in our own experiences of masking and unmasking - because we definitely know that if there’s a manual for being yourself, it’s not exactly user-friendly.

14 de abr de 202659 min
episode 9: Neurodiversity Index Report 2026 - A Slightly Unfiltered Review artwork

9: Neurodiversity Index Report 2026 - A Slightly Unfiltered Review

We read the Neurodiversity Index Report 2026 so you don’t have to… but also, we think you really probably should! In this episode, we dig into the UK’s latest Neurodiversity Index — a report designed to measure how neurodivergent people are actually experiencing work, and how organisations are showing up when it comes to inclusion. It looks at everything from awareness and workplace practices to that ever-present gap between what companies say they’re doing and what people actually feel day to day. And as it turns out, awareness is doing great. The rest… is a bit more complicated. We talk through what the report is really telling us (and what it isn’t), where it reflects reality, and where it feels slightly… optimistic. From the often-quoted “20% neurodivergent” figure to the ongoing conversation around adjustments, flexibility, and what inclusion looks like beyond a policy document, we unpack it all in a way that’s honest, reflective, and occasionally a little bit side-eye-y. Along the way, we bring in our own experiences, question a few assumptions, and gently challenge the idea that progress on paper always translates to progress in practice. Because a report can measure a lot of things — but it can’t quite capture what it feels like to exist in those systems.

31 de mar de 202647 min