Beyond 6 Seconds: Neurodiversity stories from neurodivergent people
Psychology & Relationships
About
First impressions can take only 6 seconds to make! But if you're neurodivergent, those quick judgments about you can be misleading.That's where the Beyond 6 Seconds podcast comes in! Join me, Carolyn Kiel, as I talk with neurodivergent entrepreneurs, creators, advocates & more about their lives and identities. Their stories shatter misconceptions, break stigma and showcase the vibrance of neurodiversity.
Episodes
- Learning to read at age 32 – with Oliver James, author of Unread
Oliver James is a California-based personal trainer, motivational speaker, literacy activist, and influencer. He has been featured by Today, NPR, the Jennifer Hudson Show, the Los Angeles Times, Newsweek, Rachael Ray, and ABC News, among m…
- Art and Disability Advocacy – with Justin Valenti
Justin Valenti is an artist and disability advocate. He enjoys creating artwork in his home studio and at the VisAbility Art Lab at VisArts in Rockville, Maryland. He is also the business owner of Artistic Expressions by Justin K Valenti,…
- Sharing autistic people's stories – with Amy Richards of the Squarepeg podcast
Amy Richards is a queer autistic podcaster and business owner from Cardiff in the UK. Amy became self-employed in 2015, after multiple burnouts culminated in a breakdown that ended her previous career as a high school English and Media tea…
- From Undercover Boss to children's book author – with autistic advocate Pastiche Graham
Pastiche Graham is a proud autism advocate, emerging motivational speaker, children's book author and powerhouse for change and inclusion. After being featured on the CBS Television show Undercover Boss in 2022 (Season 11, Episode 4), Past…
- Connecting disabled leaders and advocates – with Max Barrows
Max Barrows is an award-winning disability rights leader and advocate based in Vermont. As the Outreach Director for Green Mountain Self-Advocates, Max mentors people with developmental disabilities to speak up for themselves and become le…
- Neurodivergence and corporate leadership – with Kirsty Cullen-Campanelli
With a career across media, tech, and entertainment, Kirsty Cullen-Campanelli has held roles at the BBC, Netflix and Apple. Her experience as a corporate executive and a late-diagnosed Autistic woman with ADHD have shaped her neuroinclusiv…
- Fashion model & artist with Down syndrome - Sania Khimji
Sania Khimji is an accomplished artist, model, influencer, and international beauty pageant winner based in India who continues to redefine boundaries and inspire inclusivity in every space she enters. Living with Down syndrome, Sania cele…
- Addressing food insecurity with Meals in the Meantime – A special Podcasthon episode with Kevin M. Yates
This is a special Beyond 6 Seconds episode for Podcasthon, where for one week, thousands of podcasts are highlighting a nonprofit of their choice, to raise awareness and encourage support for charities around the world. The focus of this e…
- Living with Dyscalculia – with Ivy Rizzo
Psychotherapist Ivy Rizzo has a master's degree, speaks multiple languages, and owns her own business... but she struggles with doing basic math, remembering important dates, and recalling events in chronological order. Dyscalculia is ofte…
- Schizoaffective disorder – with Sonido Reyes
Sonido Reyes is an award-winning and bestselling author who is best known for tackling difficult topics through a hopeful lens. They write stories celebrating their own queer and Mexican identities, including The Lesbiana's Guide to Cathol…
- Neurodivergent communication differences – with Patti Kasper
This episode is a special collaboration between Beyond 6 Seconds and the Living with FASD podcast hosted by Patti Kasper. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are lifelong conditions caused by prenatal alcohol exposure that can impact p…
- Disability Community for Democracy – with Nieta Greene
Nieta Greene is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Disability Community for Democracy, Inc., an organization focused on safeguarding the rights of individuals within the disability community and providing a platform for political e…
- 2025 year-end episode
In this year-end solo episode, I celebrate some big milestones that Beyond 6 Seconds achieved in 2025, highlight the variety of topics that my guests and I discussed on my podcast, and share what podcasting-related things I've been up to t…
- The Introverted Misfit – with Caroline Smith
Caroline Smith founded her business, The Introverted Misfit, to help shy, awkward introverts become socially confident versions of themselves so they can have healthy, manageable social lives. Because of her experience with being autistic,…
- Deafness, Disability and Mental Health – with Kellina Powell
Kellina Powell, known as the Deaf Queen Boss, is a podcast speaker, best-selling author, and passionate advocate for the deaf and disability communities. She empowers young adults with disabilities to chase their dreams, breaks down barrie…
- A Day with No Words – Nonspeaking autism representation with Tiffany Hammond
Tiffany Hammond is a New York Times bestselling author, speaker, and disability advocate. She is the author of A Day with No Words, a picture book about a Black mother and son who use a tablet to communicate with each other and the world a…
- Advocating for dyslexic students – with Sabrina Fandell
As a dyslexic child, Sabrina Fandell had to sit in her school's book closet for her reading lessons. Now she sits on the Board of Directors of the International Dyslexia Association - Dallas Branch. She is passionate about fostering inclus…
- Ava N. Simmons — STEM entrepreneur and toy designer with dyslexia and dysgraphia
Ava N. Simmons, also known as Ava The S.T.E.M. Princess®, is a 12-year-old S.T.E.M. Ambassador, Entrepreneur, Toy Designer, Author, and the creator of educational toy brand Team Genius Squad. Diagnosed with dyslexia and dysgraphia in 2021,…
- Deaf and OCD representation in audio drama — with Caroline Mincks of Seen and Not Heard
Caroline Mincks is a writer, director, and voice actor who is best known for their audio drama "Seen and Not Heard," which is about navigating hearing loss as an adult. Seen and Not Heard features disability representation, including deaf,…
- Living with schizoaffective disorder – with Sally Littlefield
Content note: This episode describes my guest's experience with psychosis, delusions, and suicidality / suicide attempts. Sally Littlefield is a national speaker and mental health advocate dedicated to changing how the world understands sc…
- Identity, horror and artistic expression – with Tas The Artist
Content note: This episode discusses abuse in a religious cult, gender dysphoria, body dysmorphia, and the negative impact of U.S. current events on marginalized people. Tas The Artist is an autistic, queer, disabled and deaf graphic artis…
- Dyspraxia, dyslexia and autism – with Charis Hawkley
Charis Hawkley is an award-nominated disability advocate with dyslexia, dyspraxia and autism. She enjoys discussing her experiences as a neurodivergent woman through writing articles, guesting on podcasts and speaking at events. She has be…
- Life as a neurodivergent preemie – with Preeti Kalra
Preeti Kalra is a Hospital Clinical Pharmacist with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, as well as a Bachelor's degree in Biology and a Masters in Health Administration. She is the Director of Partnerships and Communications and Chicago Network L…
- Space To Exhale – with Lisa Hurley
Lisa Hurley is an Anthem award-winning activist and author of the new book, "Space To Exhale: A Handbook For Curating A Soft, Centered, Serene Life." She is also the Founder of The Great Exhale, a serene virtual community focused on sister…
- Down syndrome advocacy – Matthew Schwab Speaks
Matthew Schwab is a 27-year-old North Carolina native with Down syndrome who has his own public speaking business, Matthew Schwab Speaks. In 2019, he gave a TEDx talk about the importance of employing people with intellectual and developme…
- Cerebral palsy and disability in the entertainment industry – with Abbie Hills
Abbie Hills is a UK-based talent agent, producer, writer, and passionate disability advocate with cerebral palsy. Abbie founded The Dazey Hills Company in 2019 to promote diversity and inclusion in the entertainment industry, representing…
- Social media marketing for queer business owners – with Rylan Hoffman
Rylan Hoffman, the founder of Hoff Social, is a transmasculine and neurodivergent marketing strategist and content creator who has spent 14+ years building online communities. With over 100 million organic views, they know the power of vis…
- Autism Inclusion in the Christian Church – with Sunita Theiss
CW: Eating disorder, death of a parent. Sunita Theiss is an autistic, ADHD and PDA* parent, writer, and advocate. A second-generation Indian American, she has a rich background in communications, marketing, and storytelling, and has found…
- Tourette syndrome community and research - with Dr. Daniel P. Jones
Dr. Daniel P. Jones is a Creative Practitioner, Disability Scholar, and Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Sheffield in the UK. Daniel specializes in inclusive research methodologies, focusing on the embodied experiences…
- Dyslexia advocacy in Nigeria – with Oladoyin Idowu
Content warning: This episode mentions physical and verbal abuse in school, suicidal ideation and a suicide attempt, and drug use. Oladoyin Idowu is a pioneering dyslexia advocate and mental health professional dedicated to bridging the ga…
- Memoirs of a Neurodivergent Latina – with Lya Batlle-Rafferty
Lya Batlle-Rafferty, an MIT graduate with a degree in Cognitive Science, has had a career focused mostly on technology. She has often been a trailblazer as the only woman in a large company performing that type of work. She hosts her podca…
- Trans and ADHD inclusion – with Trystan Reese
Trystan Reese is an award-winning author and facilitator dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion, with nearly two decades of experience in the trans community. He also has ADHD and identifies as neurodivergent. Trystan founded Collab…
- Neurodiversity-affirming support for autism and ADHD – with Samar Waqar of Kind Theory
This episode is part of the 3rd edition of Podcasthon: a global effort among 1000+ podcast hosts to raise awareness and support for important causes by highlighting a charity of their choice during the same week (March 15-21, 2025). Today'…
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) – with Jessica Birch
Jessica Birch is a national advocate and speaker living on the South East Coast of Australia. Since her late diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) at the age of 33, she has turned her attention to awareness building and educa…
- Chinese New Year, filmmaking and autism acceptance with Beatrice Leong
Content warning: Death of a pet, mentions of institutionalization and electroconvulsive treatment Beatrice Leong is a Malaysian entrepreneur and documentary filmmaker. After a lifetime of mental health challenges and misdiagnoses, she was…
- Adin Boyer - American Idol, autism and anti-bullying advocacy
Diagnosed with autism at age 2, Adin Boyer grew up struggling with being bullied, making friends and accepting himself. He finally began to flourish while attending a performing arts middle and high school, when he faced less bullying and…
- 2024 year-end episode
In this year-end solo episode, I celebrate some big milestones that Beyond 6 Seconds achieved in 2024. I also share my views on how major politicized social issues impact the disability community, some actions we can take to advocate for o…
- Inclusive education and Down syndrome advocacy – with Sheri Brynard
Content warning: This episode discusses forced sterilization / removal of reproductive rights. Shéri Brynard is the only person with Down syndrome in South Africa with a tertiary education diploma in Educare. She achieved this without any…
- Fighting stigma about schizophrenia - with Michelle Hammer
Content warning: This episode discusses suicidality, paranoia, hallucinations and delusions, and mentions drug use and homelessness. Michelle Hammer is a schizophrenia activist who spends her time passionately fighting stigma. She is a New…
- Inclusive education – with LeDerick Horne, dyslexic poet and advocate
CW: Mentions of suicidality. In the third grade, LeDerick Horne was labeled as "neurologically impaired" – a label that followed him through his schooling until he was eventually diagnosed with dyslexia. Today, LeDerick is a dynamic spoken…
- Work experience in an autism employment program -- with Jack Pabich
Jack Pabich is a Quality Assurance Support Analyst who found his current job through an autism employment program run by CAI Neurodiverse Solutions. He is responsible for processing requests of potential conflicts of interest, ensuring par…
- Epilepsy advocacy
Amee is a dedicated health care provider known for her expertise and compassionate care. Beyond her professional achievements, she is a passionate mental health advocate and openly shares her personal journey living with epilepsy on her In…
- Autistic-led autism research - with Dr. Kana Grace
Dr. Kana Grace is a research psychologist, advocate, Specialist Mentor, and educator, specializing in the mental and physical health of neurodivergent people. Currently, Kana is an Honorary Research Fellow at the Centre for Research in Aut…
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) - with Patti Kasper
CW: Mentions of suicide and experiences with the criminal justice system as it relates to FASD. Patti Kasper is a Neurobehavioral Coach and Trainer who provides staff development training and coaching services to support people affected by…
- Celebrating Neurodiversity, Beauty, and Belonging - Art Heals All Wounds podcast
In this episode, I'm sharing an interview from the podcast Art Heals All Wounds, where host Pam Uzzell talks with her daughter Allegra about Celebrating Neurodiversity, Beauty, and Belonging. I also added a short intro to this episode wher…
- Working in the creative industry with Tourette's – with Ian Otto
Ian Otto is a Senior Producer with experience in animation, motion design, immersive, visual effects (VFX) and post production. After working in Berlin for many years, Ian now lives in Copenhagen, Denmark, where he is Senior Producer with…
- South Asian Mental Health Stories – with Mrinal Gokhale
Mrinal Gokhale is an author, speaker and creative consultant based in Wisconsin. She has collaborated with organizations and media outlets such as Brown Girl Magazine, ADDitude Magazine, Medical College of Wisconsin, and more. Her most rec…
- Dissociative Identity Disorder – with Crystals Multifaceted
CW: Mentions of suicidality Crystals Multifaceted is the founder of Multifaceted Journeys, where they use their lived experience of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) / plurality and healing with complex trauma and dissociation, to bring…
- Autistic and Black – with Kala Allen Omeiza
Kala Allen Omeiza is a prolific author at the intersection of race, culture, and autism. Her latest book, "Autistic and Black: Our Experiences of Growth, Progress, and Empowerment," has received widespread acclaim for its in-depth explorat…
- Living with cerebral palsy and learning disabilities – with Aashna Parikh
Aashna Parikh is a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) consultant and inclusive marketing specialist based in India. Living with cerebral palsy and learning disabilities, she has consulted and collaborated with Forbes-listed and Fortune…