In this Hot Topic episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan James and Simon Scott respond to the growing media push to divide the autism spectrum — including a recent New York Times article that introduced the term “profound autism.”

They make it clear: the issue isn’t with autistic people who have higher support needs — it’s with the language, labels, and ableist frameworks used to define them. Jordan and Simon explore how separating the spectrum into categories like “high” and “low functioning” or “profound” and “mild” only deepens stigma, misunderstanding, and division within the autistic community.

Together, they discuss:

• Why the “profound autism” label is harmful and reductive
• The New York Times article that reignited this debate
• How language shapes perception, policy, and empathy
• The autism spectrum is an umbrella that unites, not divides
• Why all autistic experiences — regardless of support needs — belong together
• The need for compassion, inclusion, and respect across the entire spectrum

This episode calls out fear-based narratives and reframes the conversation around what truly matters: understanding, dignity, and unity for every autistic person — no matter where they sit under the spectrum umbrella.

Our Sponsors:

🧠 RTN Diagnostics - Right to Choose – Autism & ADHD Assessments (UK)

🧘‍♀️ Ashley Bentley – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy

• → https://bit.ly/ashleynde

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In this raw and heartfelt episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Simon Scott and Jordan James open up about their own school experiences and how they continue to shape their adult lives as autistic and ADHD men.

They reflect on the impact of early school environments, where misunderstanding and exclusion were daily realities, and how those experiences left lasting marks on self-worth, relationships, and identity. Moving between humour and heartbreak, Simon and Jordan explore the long-term effects of being misunderstood in classrooms designed for neurotypical minds.

Together, they discuss:

• How school systems, teachers, and peers often failed to recognise their needs
• The emotional and psychological impact of masking and self-blame
• The sensory and social overwhelm of neurodivergent childhoods
• How early school experiences influence adult confidence, connection, and trust
• What true understanding and support for neurodivergent students should look like

From detentions and misunderstandings to the quiet grief of being “the weird kid,” this conversation captures the lifelong effects of growing up neurodivergent in a system that was never built for you.

Our Sponsors:

🧠 RTN Diagnostics - Right to Choose – Autism & ADHD Assessments (UK)

🧘‍♀️ Ashley Bentley – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy

• → https://bit.ly/ashleynde

🔗 Stay Connected

• Instagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepod
• Facebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook page
• YouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperience
• TikTok: @neurodivergentexperience

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⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

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In this episode of Mindful Mondays, Ashley explores the art of release for the neurodivergent mind through the wisdom of nature’s changing seasons. Just as autumn trees shed their leaves, we too are invited to let go of relationships, routines, or identities that no longer serve us — not as a loss, but as a transformation.

Through personal reflections, Buddhist teachings on impermanence (anicca), and gentle neuroscience, this episode reminds us that every ending carries the seed of renewal. Ashley also shares how “noticing what you’re noticing” can reveal your mindset and bring you back to presence in even the messiest moments.

The practice concludes with a deeply hypnotic guided meditation, The Forest of Release, where listeners are invited to walk through an autumn woodland, surrender old burdens, and reconnect with the grace of change.

🎧 Listen now to rediscover the beauty in letting go.

❤️ Support the Show

If this episode resonated with you:

✅ Follow or Subscribe to The Neurodivergent Experience

⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

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Our Sponsors:

🧠 RTN Diagnostics - Right to Choose – Autism & ADHD Assessments (UK)

🧘‍♀️ Ashley Bentley – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy

• → https://bit.ly/ashleynde

🔗 Stay Connected

• Instagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepod
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In this Hot Topic episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Simon Scott and Jordan James react to the brand-new BBC Panorama documentary Autism, Schools and Families on the Edge, presented by EastEnders actor Kellie Bright.

The documentary follows three families fighting for EHCPs (Education, Health and Care Plans) for their autistic children and exposes the devastating impact of a broken SEND system in the UK. Drawing on their own lived experiences and community feedback, Simon and Jordan unpack why the system feels rigged against neurodivergent children and families — and why system reform is urgently needed.

Together, they explore:

• The uphill battle parents face to secure EHCPs for autistic and ADHD children
• How government underfunding and council gatekeeping harm children’s futures
• Why do so many families feel forced into private assessments or tribunals
• The emotional toll on both neurodivergent children and their parents
• The importance of representation and why documentaries like this matter
• Why real change needs more than awareness — it needs action, funding, and empathy

Watch the Documentary on BBC iPlayer here 🔗.

This is one of the most urgent conversations the show has hosted, highlighting both the failures of the SEND system and the resilience of the families fighting within it.

Our Sponsors:

🧠 RTN Diagnostics - Right to Choose – Autism & ADHD Assessments (UK)

🧘‍♀️ Ashley Bentley – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy

• → https://bit.ly/ashleynde

🔗 Stay Connected

• Instagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepod
• Facebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook page
• YouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperience
• TikTok: @neurodivergentexperience

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In this episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan James and Simon Scott sit down with filmmaker and educator Bret Malley to discuss his groundbreaking documentary, "The Divergent Gift: Unboxing Autism."

This film is particularly powerful because it was created entirely by neurodivergent people! From concept and filming to animation, editing, and storytelling. The project began as Bret’s personal response to his son Kellan’s autism diagnosis and grew into a global documentary that amplifies autistic voices of all ages and backgrounds.

Through lived experience and innovative filmmaking, The Divergent Gift: Unboxing Autism reframes autism beyond stereotypes, celebrating its diversity, challenges, and beauty while centring autistic perspectives at every stage of production.

Jordan, Simon, and Bret explore:

• How The Divergent Gift: Unboxing Autism began as a family story and became a powerful advocacy tool
• Why authentic representation and autistic voices are essential in storytelling
• The role of animation and creative filmmaking in capturing sensory and emotional experiences
• How media can either perpetuate stigma or foster empathy and understanding
• Early reactions to screenings and the film’s impact on communities and families
• Why autistic-led creative projects are so vital for meaningful change

This episode is a celebration of storytelling, representation, and the power of film to reshape cultural conversations about autism.

Our Sponsors:

🧠 RTN Diagnostics - Right to Choose – Autism & ADHD Assessments (UK)

🧘‍♀️ Ashley Bentley – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy

• → https://bit.ly/ashleynde

🔗 Stay Connected

• Instagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepod
• Facebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook page
• YouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperience
• TikTok: @neurodivergentexperience

❤️ Support the Show

If this episode resonated with you:

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In this episode of Mindful Mondays, Ashley explores how nature helps us move through overwhelm and restore balance. From the science of the “happiness chemicals”—dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins—to the practices of grounding and awe, discover how the natural world regulates our nervous system and reconnects us with presence and purpose. This week’s guided meditation, Walking Off the Storm, takes you on a deeply descriptive, awe-filled journey through nature to release stress and return to calm.

Ashley Bentley is an integrative coach, breathwork facilitator, and clinical hypnotherapist. She is also the in-house therapist for The Neurodivergent Experience podcast and a teacher on Insight Timer, where she shares meditations, courses, and live events to support presence, resilience, and connection.

✨ Connect with Ashley:

🔗 Website: www.integrativeiom.co.uk

🔗 Facebook: Integrative IOM

🔗 Insight Timer: Ashley Bentley

❤️ Support the Show

If 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

Our Sponsors:

🧠 RTN Diagnostics - Right to Choose – Autism & ADHD Assessments (UK)

🧘‍♀️ Ashley Bentley – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy

• → https://bit.ly/ashleynde

🔗 Stay Connected

• Instagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepod
• Facebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook page
• YouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperience
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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Hot Topic episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan James and Simon Scott unpack sensationalist headlines, genetic blame narratives, and the ongoing misinformation war around autism.

From genetic blame and parental guilt to Trump’s Tylenol claims and Facebook “science,” they expose how bad headlines spread faster than real research — and why this matters for autistic people and their families.

Jordan and Simon also explore:

• Why autism isn’t a disease with a “cause,” but a form of neurodivergence shaped by synaptic development
• The harm caused by framing autism through deficit-based narratives and severity labels
• How pseudo-scientific headlines fuel ableism and self-blame in parents
• The difference between genuine research, sensationalist headlines, and clickbait “Facebook science”
• The need to shift funding from “preventing autism” to supporting autistic people who already exist
• Why blanket statements about autism erase the vast diversity of lived experiences

This is a fiery, passionate conversation that blends science, personal experience, and sharp critique of ableist rhetoric.

Our Sponsors:

🧠 RTN Diagnostics - Right to Choose – Autism & ADHD Assessments (UK)

🧘‍♀️ Ashley Bentley – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy

• → https://bit.ly/ashleynde

🔗 Stay Connected

• Instagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepod
• Facebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook page
• YouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperience
• TikTok: @neurodivergentexperience

❤️ Support the Show

If this episode resonated with you:

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⭐ Leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

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In this episode of The Neurodivergent Experience, Jordan, Simon, and Ashley explore the powerful relationship between nature, neurodivergence, chronic pain, and seasonal change. Recorded after a neurodivergent getaway in the Lake District, the trio reflect on the healing power of natural environments, the sensory overwhelm of urban life, and how embracing seasonal rhythms can support mental health and regulation for autistic and ADHD adults.

Through candid storytelling and humour, they unpack the challenges of pain management, executive dysfunction, and winter transition, and share personal rituals, mindset shifts, and unexpected joys found in the natural world.

Together, they explore:

• How nature acts as a powerful regulatory tool for neurodivergent brains
• Why modern urban environments can overwhelm autistic and ADHD sensory systems
• The role of barefoot grounding, light exposure, and circadian rhythms in daily wellbeing
• Practical strategies for navigating winter transitions, layering, and seasonal overwhelm
• Pain, fatigue, and adapting outdoor experiences to fit different physical needs
• Using photography, VR, and creative rituals to stay connected to nature indoors
• Embracing cosiness, Christmas lights, and simple joys during the winter months

Whether you find winter draining, chronic pain exhausting, or city life overstimulating, this episode offers practical strategies and heartfelt conversation to remind you that neurodivergent people aren’t broken—the environments we live in often are.

Our Sponsors:

🧠 RTN Diagnostics - Right to Choose – Autism & ADHD Assessments (UK)

🧘‍♀️ Ashley Bentley – Integrative Coaching, Breathwork & Hypnotherapy

• → https://bit.ly/ashleynde

🔗 Stay Connected

• Instagram: @theneurodivergentexperiencepod
• Facebook: The Neurodivergent Experience & Jordan's Facebook page
• YouTube: @TheNeurodivergentExperience
• TikTok: @neurodivergentexperience

❤️ Support the Show

If 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.