38: Late realised AuDHD motherhood: From overstimulation to self-understanding with Samantha Johnson

38: Late realised AuDHD motherhood: From overstimulation to self-understanding with Samantha Johnson

What happens when motherhood becomes the catalyst for understanding your neurodivergence? In this deeply validating conversation, Laetitia sits down with Samantha Johnson, lived experience educator, content creator, and late-identified AuDHD mother, to explore the realities of neurodivergent motherhood. Together, they unpack overstimulation, executive functioning demands, sensory needs, identity shifts, and the grief that can come with late discovery. Samantha shares her own journey from feeling like she was "failing at motherhood" to understanding her AuDHD neurotype, and offers practical insights for mothers navigating the complex intersection of parenting, regulation, and self-discovery. This episode is a powerful reminder that you're not broken, you're not failing, and you're certainly not alone. ✨ Try Understanding Zoe free for 7 days [https://understandingzoe.com/signup] – the neuroaffirming app turning every report, observation and meltdown into an actionable next step. KEY TAKEAWAYS 👇 🧠 How overstimulation can be one of the first clues of neurodivergence in motherhood 🧠 Why executive functioning demands often become more visible after having children 🧠 The unique sensory challenges of parenting when your child has a different sensory profile to yours 🧠 Understanding grief after a late autism or ADHD identification 🧠 Why motherhood often becomes the tipping point for self-discovery 🧠 The impact of hormones, pregnancy, postpartum and perimenopause on neurodivergent women 🧠 How to identify and support your own needs after years of masking 🧠 Practical ways to reduce overwhelm through neuroaffirming adaptations 🧠 The healing power of parenting your child differently from how you were parented 🧠 Why community can be life-changing for late-realised neurodivergent mothers 💛 Love what you heard? Subscribe, share with your care village, and leave us a review so more families can find this support. 🔗 Try Understanding Zoe for free today [https://understandingzoe.com]  ABOUT THE GUEST 👇 Samantha Johnson is a lived experience educator, content creator, and late-identified AuDHD mother supporting fellow neurodivergent mothers to better understand their unique neurotype. Drawing on her own diagnosis journey, lived experience, and ongoing study, Samantha helps mothers navigate sensory differences, nervous system regulation, identity shifts, and the realities of neurodivergent parenting. Her work focuses on reducing shame, increasing self-understanding, and helping mothers create lives that feel sustainable, realistic, and aligned with their needs. Through workshops, resources, advocacy and social media, Samantha creates spaces where neurodivergent mothers can feel seen, supported, and empowered to adapt life in ways that work for them. 💻 Website: https://www.onwardsandupwardspsychology.com.auhttps://www.attemptingmotherhood.com/ [https://www.attemptingmotherhood.com/] 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onwardsandupwardspsych@samattemptsmotherhood [https://www.instagram.com/samattemptsmotherhood] 🎙️ Podcast: Attempting Motherhood [https://www.attemptingmotherhood.com/podcast] ABOUT THE HOST 👇 Laetitia Andrac (Autistic & ADHDer) is an award-winning entrepreneur, international speaker, and podcast host.  She is the bestselling author of Light It: How to Trust Your Intuition and Build a Thriving Business. With over 15 years of experience in consulting, strategy, and innovation, Laetitia has worked with industry leaders like Deloitte and Telstra.  Inspired by my journey as a neurodivergent parent, she co-founded Understanding Zoe, an AI-driven solution dedicated to supporting caregivers of neurodivergent children.  Her passion is creating a more neuroinclusive world, where everyone can thrive—whether in their homes, communities, or workplaces.

37: Supporting communication through connection with Alana Cameron

What if communication isn't about using the right words? In this insightful episode, Laetitia is joined by Alana, speech pathologist, neurodiversity advocate and founder of NeuroNurture. Together, they challenge common assumptions about communication and explore what neuroaffirming support really looks like when children are overwhelmed, dysregulated or unable to access spoken language. Drawing on both professional expertise and lived experience as a neurodivergent person, Alana shares why every behaviour is communication, how nervous systems speak before words do, and why connection is often more powerful than correction. From classrooms to family homes, this conversation offers practical insights for parents, educators and therapists who want to better understand and support neurodivergent children. ✨ Try Understanding Zoe free for 7 days [https://understandingzoe.com/signup] – the neuroaffirming app turning every report, observation and meltdown into an actionable next step. KEY TAKEAWAYS 👇 🧠 Why every behaviour is a form of communication 🧠 What people miss when they focus only on speech and words 🧠 Why "use your words" often doesn't work during dysregulation 🧠 How co-regulation supports communication more effectively than questioning 🧠 The importance of validation before problem-solving 🧠 How to recognise your own dysregulation cues as a parent or educator 🧠 Why nervous systems influence entire classrooms 🧠 The role of connection in creating safety, learning and belonging 🧠 Practical ways teachers can support neurodivergent students even in busy classrooms 💛 Love what you heard? Subscribe, share with your care village, and leave us a review so more families can find this support. 🔗 Try Understanding Zoe for free today [https://understandingzoe.com]  ABOUT THE GUEST 👇 Alana is a speech pathologist, neurodiversity advocate and founder of NeuroNurture — a practice she created after repeatedly seeing professionals who understood neurodivergence through textbooks but not through lived experience. As a neurodivergent person herself, Alana brings a neuroaffirming, safety-first lens to everything she does. Through her work with children, families, educators and fellow clinicians, she advocates for approaches grounded in connection, regulation and genuine understanding. Her mission is to transform how we support neurodivergent children — in clinics, classrooms and everywhere in between. 💻 Website: https://www.neuronurture.co [https://www.neuronurture.co] 📸 Instagram: @neuronurture.co [https://www.instagram.com/neuronurture.co/] ABOUT THE HOST 👇 Laetitia Andrac (Autistic & ADHDer) is an award-winning entrepreneur, international speaker, and podcast host.  She is the bestselling author of Light It: How to Trust Your Intuition and Build a Thriving Business. With over 15 years of experience in consulting, strategy, and innovation, Laetitia has worked with industry leaders like Deloitte and Telstra.  Inspired by my journey as a neurodivergent parent, she co-founded Understanding Zoe, an AI-driven solution dedicated to supporting caregivers of neurodivergent children.  Her passion is creating a more neuroinclusive world, where everyone can thrive, whether in their homes, communities, or workplaces.

36: Challenging autism myths and reclaiming autistic identity with Jocelyn Green

What happens when autistic people take back the narrative around autism? In this thought-provoking episode, Laetitia is joined by Jocelyn, the creator behind @audhd_academic, an Autistic and ADHD student dedicated to making autism information more accurate, accessible and inclusive. Through her advocacy, Jocelyn challenges misinformation, amplifies marginalised voices, and encourages deeper conversations about identity, intersectionality and representation within online autism spaces. Together, they explore the impact of stereotypes, the harm caused by misinformation, and why centring lived experience matters. They also discuss the importance of recognising the diversity within the autistic community and how we can move towards more nuanced, affirming conversations about neurodivergence. Whether you're autistic, ADHD, parenting a neurodivergent child, supporting neurodivergent people, or simply wanting to learn more, this episode offers valuable insights into what true understanding and inclusion can look like. ✨ Try Understanding Zoe free for 7 days [https://understandingzoe.com/signup] – the neuroaffirming app turning every report, observation and meltdown into an actionable next step. KEY TAKEAWAYS 👇 🧠 Why autistic voices must be centred in conversations about autism 🧠 The dangers of misinformation in online autism spaces 🧠 Understanding intersectionality within the neurodivergent community 🧠 Why there is no single autistic experience 🧠 How stereotypes can silence and exclude autistic people 🧠 The importance of accessible, evidence-informed autism education 🧠 How social media can be used as a force for advocacy and change 🧠 Building a stronger autistic identity through community and representation 💛 Love what you heard? Subscribe, share with your care village, and leave us a review so more families can find this support. 🔗 Try Understanding Zoe for free today [https://understandingzoe.com]  ABOUT THE GUEST 👇 Jocelyn is an Autistic and ADHD student, advocate and creator behind @audhd_academic. Through her educational content, Jocelyn works to provide accurate and accessible information about autism and ADHD while highlighting intersectionality and amplifying the voices of marginalised autistic people. She is passionate about correcting misinformation, challenging harmful narratives and creating online spaces where neurodivergent people can feel seen, understood and respected. Her advocacy focuses on promoting nuanced conversations about neurodivergence and encouraging a more inclusive understanding of autistic experiences. 📸 Instagram: @audhd_academic [https://www.instagram.com/audhd_academic] 🔗 Website: https://linktr.ee/audhd_academic [https://linktr.ee/audhd_academic?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=6ed221df-3050-4c3e-aa52-0f0d4b0f0de4] ABOUT THE HOST 👇 Laetitia Andrac (Autistic & ADHDer) is an award-winning entrepreneur, international speaker, and podcast host.  She is the bestselling author of Light It: How to Trust Your Intuition and Build a Thriving Business. With over 15 years of experience in consulting, strategy, and innovation, Laetitia has worked with industry leaders like Deloitte and Telstra.  Inspired by my journey as a neurodivergent parent, she co-founded Understanding Zoe, an AI-driven solution dedicated to supporting caregivers of neurodivergent children.  Her passion is creating a more neuroinclusive world, where everyone can thrive—whether in their homes, communities, or workplaces.

35: Making the invisible visible: Disability representation that matters with Simone Eyles

What happens when disabled people are missing from the stories, brands and campaigns we see every day? In this powerful episode, Laetitia is joined by Simone Eyles, founder of Disinfluencer, a social enterprise on a mission to take disability mainstream through representation, talent and education. Together, they explore why authentic visibility matters, the hidden cost of exclusion, and how brands can move beyond tokenism towards genuine inclusion. Simone shares the deeply personal story behind Disinfluencer, inspired by her son Josh, and explains why creating pathways for disabled talent is about so much more than marketing. It is about belonging, employment, visibility and changing the way society sees disability. Whether you are a parent, educator, marketer, business owner or advocate, this conversation will leave you thinking differently about representation and the power of making the invisible visible. ✨ Try Understanding Zoe free for 7 days [https://understandingzoe.com/signup] – the neuroaffirming app turning every report, observation and meltdown into an actionable next step. KEY TAKEAWAYS 👇 🧠 Why authentic disability representation matters for children, families and communities 🧠 The hidden impact of never seeing yourself reflected in media and marketing 🧠 Why tokenistic inclusion is not enough 🧠 The importance of making invisible disabilities visible 🧠 How brands can create genuine inclusion rather than performative diversity 🧠 Why representation creates belonging, understanding and social change 🧠 How employment pathways for disabled talent can transform lives 🧠 The role of community, connection and visibility in reducing ableism 💛 Love what you heard? Subscribe, share with your care village, and leave us a review so more families can find this support. 🔗 Try Understanding Zoe for free today [https://understandingzoe.com]  ABOUT THE GUEST 👇 Simone Eyles is the founder of Disinfluencer, a social enterprise taking disability mainstream through images, talent and education. Working at the intersection of inclusion and marketing, Simone helps brands show up more authentically by creating opportunities for disabled talent to be seen, heard and represented. Through stock imagery, talent representation, education and advocacy, she is building practical pathways between disability and the commercial world. Driven by both lived experience and professional expertise, Simone is passionate about challenging stereotypes, increasing visibility and ensuring disability representation becomes part of everyday culture rather than an afterthought. 💻 Website: www.disinfluencer.co [http://www.disinfluencer.co] 📸 Instagram: @disinfluencer.co [https://www.instagram.com/disinfluencer.co/] 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simoneeyles/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/simoneeyles/] ABOUT THE HOST 👇 Laetitia Andrac (Autistic & ADHDer) is an award-winning entrepreneur, international speaker, and podcast host.  She is the bestselling author of Light It: How to Trust Your Intuition and Build a Thriving Business. With over 15 years of experience in consulting, strategy, and innovation, Laetitia has worked with industry leaders like Deloitte and Telstra.  Inspired by my journey as a neurodivergent parent, she co-founded Understanding Zoe, an AI-driven solution dedicated to supporting caregivers of neurodivergent children.  Her passion is creating a more neuroinclusive world, where everyone can thrive—whether in their homes, communities, or workplaces.

34: Online safety and connection with neurodivergent kids with Shadia Hancock

How do we create online safety for neurodivergent children and young people without turning online spaces into something to fear? In this thoughtful and nuanced episode, Laetitia is joined by Shadia Hancock, autistic and ADHD speech pathologist, advocate, educator and founder of Autism Actually. Together, they unpack the complex conversations around online safety, digital connection and what online spaces can mean for neurodivergent individuals and families. Shadia shares their lived and professional perspective on how online spaces have historically created belonging, community and accessibility for autistic people, while also exploring how families can navigate safety through curiosity, connection and understanding rather than fear and restriction. Whether you’re a parent wondering about screen time, a professional supporting neurodivergent young people, or someone trying to understand digital life through a neuroaffirming lens, this conversation offers a fresh perspective. ✨ Try Understanding Zoe free for 7 days [https://understandingzoe.com/signup] – the neuroaffirming app turning every report, observation and meltdown into an actionable next step. KEY TAKEAWAYS 👇 🧠 Why online spaces have historically been important for autistic community and connection 🧠 How online communication can create accessibility for neurodivergent people 🧠 Why online spaces are not inherently “good” or “bad” 🧠 How curiosity creates more safety than restriction 🧠 Why understanding why children engage online matters 🧠 The importance of collaborative conversations over control and punishment 🧠 How online spaces can support regulation, autonomy and belonging 🧠 Why there are no one-size-fits-all rules for neurodivergent families 💛 Love what you heard? Subscribe, share with your care village, and leave us a review so more families can find this support. 🔗 Try Understanding Zoe for free today [https://understandingzoe.com]  ABOUT THE GUEST 👇 Shadia is the proud owner and founder of Autism Actually and enjoys presenting, consultancy and advocacy work. They are also an ambassador for Yellow Ladybugs, an autistic-led organisation supporting autistic girls, women and gender-diverse individuals. A Certified Practising Speech Pathologist (CPSP), Shadia completed a Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours) and a Cert IV in Animal Behaviour and Training. Their professional interests include autism, multimodal communication supports, animal-assisted services and language. Formally identified as autistic at age three and ADHD at 23, Shadia proudly embraces their intersectional identity as an autistic, ADHD and queer individual. They are passionate about sharing neurodiversity-affirming perspectives and creating conversations that challenge traditional views of autism. 💻 Website: https://www.onwardsandupwardspsychology.com.auhttps://www.autismactually.com.au/ [https://www.autismactually.com.au/] 💻 Next Level Collaboration: https://nextlevelcollaboration.com/ [https://nextlevelcollaboration.com/] 📸 Instagram: @autismactuallyau [https://www.instagram.com/autismactuallyau] ABOUT THE HOST 👇 Laetitia Andrac (Autistic & ADHDer) is an award-winning entrepreneur, international speaker, and podcast host.  She is the bestselling author of Light It: How to Trust Your Intuition and Build a Thriving Business. With over 15 years of experience in consulting, strategy, and innovation, Laetitia has worked with industry leaders like Deloitte and Telstra.  Inspired by my journey as a neurodivergent parent, she co-founded Understanding Zoe, an AI-driven solution dedicated to supporting caregivers of neurodivergent children.  Her passion is creating a more neuroinclusive world, where everyone can thrive—whether in their homes, communities, or workplaces.