The Neurodivergent Experience

In this rerun of our January series, we continue our series on The Anatomy of a Breakthrough, turning our attention to the first and most essential element of change: your state.Before we can rewrite our stories or find the right strategy, we need to understand the condition of our nervous system - because when we’re dysregulated, overwhelmed, or operating from threat, meaningful change simply can’t take root.In this episode, we explore nervous system regulation through a neurodivergent lens, including the often-overlooked (and heavily tied to masking) fawn response, the difference between reacting and responding, and why so many well-intentioned changes fall apart when our state isn’t supported.You’ll learn practical, body-based ways to regulate yourself - through breath, posture, movement, sensory input, and pace - and why working with the body is often far more effective than trying to think your way into calm.The episode closes with a gentle, grounding guided breathwork meditation, designed to help you settle your nervous system, return to safety, and reconnect with your capacity to respond to life with clarity and agency.Whether you’re neurodivergent, highly sensitive, or simply feeling stretched thin, this episode offers a steady reminder: real change begins not with effort, but with regulation.❤️ Support the ShowIf this episode resonated with you:✅ Follow or Subscribe to The Neurodivergent Experience⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify🔔 Turn on notifications for new weekly episodesOur Sponsors:🧘‍♀️ Ashley Bentley – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy→ https://bit.ly/ashleynde🔗 Stay ConnectedInstagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepodFacebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook pageYouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperienceTikTok: @neurodivergentexperience Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this rerun of our January series, Ashley Bentley introduces a compassionate, neuroscience-informed framework for breakthrough inspired by Tony Robbins’ work and refined through years of therapeutic practice.You’ll discover why lasting change doesn’t begin with strategy, willpower, or self-criticism — but with your inner state, your nervous system, and the stories you’re living inside. This episode gently reframes breakthrough as a learnable process, one that works with your sensitivity, depth, and pattern-recognition rather than against it.The episode closes with a richly immersive guided meditation designed to help your system soften, settle, and prepare the ground for meaningful change.This is the beginning of a different kind of January — one rooted in safety, self-trust, and real transformation.❤️ Support the ShowIf this episode resonated with you:✅ Follow or Subscribe to The Neurodivergent Experience⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify🔔 Turn on notifications for new weekly episodesOur Sponsors:🧘‍♀️ Ashley Bentley – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy→ https://bit.ly/ashleynde🔗 Stay ConnectedInstagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepodFacebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook pageYouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperienceTikTok: @neurodivergentexperience Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this important and compassionate episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan is joined by Ashley Dupuy for a powerful discussion on perimenopause, especially how it can uniquely impact neurodivergent women. Simon is taking time to rest and recharge, reinforcing the show’s message that rest is survival.Together, Jordan and Ashley explore why this stage of life is still so misunderstood and often overlooked — particularly for autistic and ADHD women whose symptoms may already resemble burnout, anxiety, brain fog, sensory overload, and emotional exhaustion.Ashley explains what perimenopause actually is, how it can begin years before menopause itself, and why hormonal changes can affect sleep, mood, memory, stress tolerance, energy levels, and physical health. This is a hugely valuable episode for women navigating perimenopause, neurodivergent listeners wondering why life suddenly feels harder, and partners wanting to better understand and support the people they love.❤️ Support the ShowIf this episode resonated with you:✅ Follow or Subscribe to The Neurodivergent Experience⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify🔔 Turn on notifications for new weekly episodesOur Sponsors:🧘‍♀️ Ashley Dupuy – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy→ https://bit.ly/ashleynde🔗 Stay ConnectedInstagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepodFacebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook pageYouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperienceTikTok: @neurodivergentexperience Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan and Simon are joined by musician and advocate Paul Stanworth, who shares his lived experience of growing up and navigating life with Tourette’s Syndrome and OCD.Together, they unpack how Tourette’s often overlaps with other neurodivergent conditions like OCD, ADHD, and autism — and why understanding these connections is so important. Paul opens up about his early childhood memories of tics, including the hidden and often misunderstood compulsions he learned to mask from a young age. He explains how Tourette’s is not just about visible or vocal tics, but a constant internal experience driven by overwhelming urges and rituals that can affect every moment of daily life.This episode is an honest, emotional, and ultimately hopeful conversation about understanding yourself, finding your path, and embracing neurodivergence — even when the world doesn’t yet understand it.❤️ Support the ShowIf this episode resonated with you:✅ Follow or Subscribe to The Neurodivergent Experience⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify🔔 Turn on notifications for new weekly episodesOur Sponsors:🧘‍♀️ Ashley Dupuy – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy→ https://bit.ly/ashleynde🔗 Stay ConnectedInstagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepodFacebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook pageYouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperienceTikTok: @neurodivergentexperience Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Hot Topic episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan James and Simon Scott react to new research linking children’s social media use with anxiety and depression in their teenage years.They unpack the study’s findings — particularly the link between increased screen time, reduced sleep, and poorer mental health — but question whether the issue is really that simple. For both hosts, the conversation quickly moves beyond screen time into something deeper: what children are actually consuming online.❤️ Support the ShowIf this episode resonated with you:✅ Follow or Subscribe to The Neurodivergent Experience⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify🔔 Turn on notifications for new weekly episodesOur Sponsors:🧘‍♀️ Ashley Dupuy – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy→ https://bit.ly/ashleynde🔗 Stay ConnectedInstagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepodFacebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook pageYouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperienceTikTok: @neurodivergentexperience Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan James and Simon Scott explore hyperfixations and how they can impact relationships, through a relatable Reddit story about a man whose obsession with pro wrestling begins to take over his marriage.They unpack how hyperfixations can feel all-consuming, especially when you’re “in it,” and how difficult it can be to recognise the impact on the people around you.The conversation highlights the tension between passion and overwhelm — how something that brings joy, regulation, and identity can also lead to conflict, miscommunication, and emotional distance in relationships.Jordan shares how collecting and past hyperfixations have affected his relationship, including a recent moment of conflict at home, while Simon reflects on finding balance, compromise, and communication within his own relationship.A relatable, honest conversation about intensity, identity, and learning how to enjoy your interests without losing the people around you.❤️ Support the ShowIf this episode resonated with you:✅ Follow or Subscribe to The Neurodivergent Experience⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify🔔 Turn on notifications for new weekly episodesOur Sponsors:🧘‍♀️ Ashley Dupuy – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy→ https://bit.ly/ashleynde🔗 Stay ConnectedInstagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepodFacebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook pageYouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperienceTikTok: @neurodivergentexperience Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Hot Topic episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan James and Simon Scott react to recent comments made by the President of the United States targeting California Governor Gavin Newsom’s dyslexia.As two dyslexic hosts, they share their personal perspective on the remarks — unpacking why equating learning differences with intelligence or leadership ability is not only inaccurate, but deeply harmful.The conversation explores the wider impact of this kind of rhetoric, particularly on young neurodivergent people who may already struggle with confidence, identity, and feeling “less than.” They reflect on how public figures shape perception — and why statements like this don’t just target individuals, but entire communities.A raw and unapologetic discussion about ableism, misinformation, and why neurodivergence should never be used as a political weapon.❤️ Support the ShowIf this episode resonated with you:✅ Follow or Subscribe to The Neurodivergent Experience⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify🔔 Turn on notifications for new weekly episodesOur Sponsors:🧘‍♀️ Ashley Dupuy – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy→ https://bit.ly/ashleynde🔗 Stay ConnectedInstagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepodFacebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook pageYouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperienceTikTok: @neurodivergentexperience Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Mindful Mondays, we continue our exploration of the senses by turning toward something deeply personal and often overlooked: touch and movement.For many neurodivergent and highly sensitive people, the body can feel confusing, overwhelming, or even unsafe at times. And yet, movement and touch are not optional extras - they are fundamental ways the nervous system orients, regulates, and makes sense of the world.In this episode, Ashley explores:* How touch can regulate the nervous system - from weighted blankets to co-regulation* Why movement is one of the most powerful (and underrated) forms of medicine* The reality of sensory sensitivities - from textures and hugs to proprioception and coordination* The overlap between neurodivergence and chronic conditions like hypermobility and Ehlers–Danlos Syndrome* Why “clumsiness,” rushing, and discomfort in the body are not personal failings - but nervous system information* How small, gentle movements can help shift both physical and emotional stucknessThis episode also includes a guided practice to help you reconnect with your body through tiny, accessible movements and gentle awareness, meeting yourself with curiosity rather than pressure.Movement doesn’t have to be intense to be meaningful.Touch doesn’t have to be complicated to be regulating.Sometimes, the smallest shift is enough to remind your system:You are here. You exist. You belong to this moment.If you’d like to explore this work more deeply, Ashley is currently accepting expressions of interest for a final round of one-to-one journeys (May–July), as well as upcoming group coaching programmes.📩 integrativeiom@gmail.comMore details will be available soon at:🌐 www.integrativeiom.co.ukIf you enjoyed this episode, please follow, share, and leave a review — it helps this work reach more people who need it.And remember…We’re all just walking each other home.❤️ Support the ShowIf this episode resonated with you:✅ Follow or Subscribe to The Neurodivergent Experience⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify🔔 Turn on notifications for new weekly episodesOur Sponsors:🧘‍♀️ Ashley Dupuy – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy→ https://bit.ly/ashleynde🔗 Stay ConnectedInstagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepodFacebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook pageYouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperienceTikTok: @neurodivergentexperience Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan James and Simon Scott explore the reality of accommodations as neurodivergent adults, from legal rights in the workplace to the everyday challenge of asking for support in social situations.Simon shares his experience travelling abroad with a group, navigating pain, overwhelm, and the difficulty of explaining invisible disabilities to others. From subtle judgment to moments of genuine support, the trip highlights how hard it can be to advocate for your needs, especially around people who don’t fully understand.Jordan reflects on his own experiences in work and travel, including crowded trains, workplace training, and the contrast between being accommodated as a known advocate versus others who go unseen. Together, they unpack the emotional weight of masking, guilt, and the pressure to “keep up” in environments not designed for neurodivergent people.A grounded, honest conversation about what it really means to advocate for yourself, and why accommodations are not special treatment, but essential support.❤️ Support the ShowIf this episode resonated with you:✅ Follow or Subscribe to The Neurodivergent Experience⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify🔔 Turn on notifications for new weekly episodesOur Sponsors:🧘‍♀️ Ashley Dupuy – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy→ https://bit.ly/ashleynde🔗 Stay ConnectedInstagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepodFacebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook pageYouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperienceTikTok: @neurodivergentexperience Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Hot Topic episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan James and Simon Scott respond to the controversial article “Uta Frith: why I no longer think autism is a spectrum.”Reading and reacting to sections of the interview, they unpack the claims that rising autism diagnoses are a problem and that the label of autism should be restricted to those diagnosed in early childhood with more significant support needs.They discuss how diagnostic frameworks like the DSM are still heavily based on studies of white boys, leaving many autistic women and late-identified people overlooked. The conversation explores the tension between scientific authority and lived experience — and why many autistic people feel that research about them is often conducted without their voices being heard.They also reflect on how media narratives and policy discussions can influence public perception, particularly when rising diagnoses are framed as a “problem” rather than evidence that more people are finally being recognised and supported.In this episode, they discuss:The article “Why I No Longer Think Autism Is a Spectrum”Scientific bias in autism researchThe history of autism research and diagnostic frameworksLate diagnosis and autistic womenMasking and overlooked presentations of autismMedia narratives about rising diagnosesAutistic lived experience vs academic authorityWhy autistic voices must be included in researchA passionate discussion about autism research, representation, and the ongoing tension between scientific narratives and neurodivergent lived experience.Our Sponsors:🧘‍♀️ Ashley Dupuy – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy→ https://bit.ly/ashleynde🔗 Stay ConnectedInstagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepodFacebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook pageYouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperienceTikTok: @neurodivergentexperience❤️ Support the ShowIf this episode resonated with you:✅ Follow or Subscribe to The Neurodivergent Experience⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify🔔 Turn on notifications for new weekly episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Ashley is prioritising her health, so please enjoy this re-run of Episode 7 of Mindful Mondays.In this episode of Mindful Mondays, we explore what it means to truly allow — to let life, emotions, and even other people simply be as they are.Spiritual teacher, Ram Dass, once observed that when we look at trees, we accept them - crooked, bent, imperfect, yet utterly beautiful. But when we look at people and ourselves, we judge. In this episode, Ashley explores how we can return to that same compassionate seeing toward others and toward ourselves. Blending mindfulness, neuroscience, and psychology, we explore how allowing what is can reduce anxiety, soften resistance, and bring peace to the neurodivergent mind and body.Ashley also shares a modern Buddhist parable and Jon Kabat-Zinn’s timeless reminder:“Give yourself permission to allow this moment to be exactly as it is,and allow yourself to be exactly as you are.”The episode closes with a deeply hypnotic guided meditation - a forest journey into self-acceptance and inner stillness.❤️ Support the ShowIf this episode resonated with you:✅ Follow or Subscribe to The Neurodivergent Experience⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify🔔 Turn on notifications for new weekly episodesOur Sponsors:🧘‍♀️ Ashley Dupuy – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy→ https://bit.ly/ashleynde🔗 Stay ConnectedInstagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepodFacebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook pageYouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperienceTikTok: @neurodivergentexperience Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan James and Simon Scott explore why neurodivergent people can be more vulnerable to negative influence.Growing up feeling different often leads to masking, people-pleasing, and a fragile sense of identity. When belonging has felt conditional, it can become easier to agree, adapt, and absorb the views of others just to avoid rejection.Jordan shares a recent experience of being let down by someone he trusted, while Simon reflects on a past friendship that crossed into manipulation and exploitation. They unpack how loneliness, burnout, justice sensitivity, and the need for certainty can leave neurodivergent people more susceptible to toxic dynamics.The conversation also dives into social media, echo chambers, and algorithm-driven radicalisation, and how validation, moral clarity, and belonging can feel regulating even when the influence itself is harmful.In this episode, we discuss:Masking and weakened identityPeople-pleasing and toxic friendshipsJustice sensitivity is being exploitedLoneliness and manipulationSocial media echo chambersDoom-scrolling and radicalisationBurnout and impulsive decisionsKnowing your vulnerable seasonsAn honest episode about influence, autonomy, and learning to protect yourself without losing your openness.Our Sponsors:🧘‍♀️ Ashley Bentley – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy→ https://bit.ly/ashleynde🔗 Stay ConnectedInstagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepodFacebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook pageYouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperienceTikTok: @neurodivergentexperience❤️ Support the ShowIf this episode resonated with you:✅ Follow or Subscribe to The Neurodivergent Experience⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify🔔 Turn on notifications for new weekly episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Hot Topic episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan James and Simon Scott react to major BAFTA wins for I Swear — including Robert Aramayo taking home Best Actor and the EE Rising Star Award.After previously calling it a “travesty” that Aramayo wasn’t Oscar-nominated, Jordan reflects on why this win feels so significant — not just for the actor, but for neurodivergent representation in film.They unpack why I Swear works: it doesn’t reduce Tourette’s to a stereotype, it tells the story of one human being. The film focuses on John Davidson’s life, not just his diagnosis — showing difference without pity, and representation without forcing a message.The conversation expands into a wider discussion about authentic storytelling vs performative diversity, why some representation feels natural while others feel manufactured, and how shows like Malcolm in the Middle, The Simpsons, Stranger Things, Bob’s Burgers, and Rick and Morty have portrayed neurodivergent-coded characters for decades without making diagnosis the sole narrative.Note: This episode was recorded before wider discussion emerged regarding a moment during the BAFTA ceremony involving an involuntary vocal tic from John Davidson. We recognise the complexity and sensitivity of the situation. Our discussion here focuses specifically on the significance of authentic neurodivergent representation in film.This episode discusses:Robert Aramayo’s BAFTA winWhy I Swear resonates so deeplyAuthentic vs forced representationTourette’s, autism, ADHD and coded charactersThe legacy of Rain Man and stereotypesWhy storytelling should centre the person, not the conditionHow powerful representation builds confidenceNeurodivergent “goggles” and seeing ND traits everywhereWhy natural inclusion works better than box-tickingA passionate, funny, and thoughtful reaction episode about film, advocacy, and why authentic representation matters more than ever.Our Sponsors:🧠 RTN Diagnostics - Right to Choose – Autism & ADHD Assessments (UK)🧘‍♀️ Ashley Dupuy – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy→ https://bit.ly/ashleynde🔗 Stay ConnectedInstagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepodFacebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook pageYouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperienceTikTok: @neurodivergentexperience❤️ Support the ShowIf this episode resonated with you:✅ Follow or Subscribe to The Neurodivergent Experience⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify🔔 Turn on notifications for new weekly episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.