Awe and Wonder Podcast Series 9
S9 E7: Neurodiversity in Education and Life with Lexi Ayars & Timothy Leslie
In this episode we are joined by two incredible guests who bring unique, lived experiences to the conversation: Lexi Ayars and Timothy.
12 year old Lexi, a thoughtful leader and passionate advocate, opens up about her own journey navigating the world as a neurodivergent individual. She shares invaluable advice on how to effectively advocate for others and breaks down the specific qualities that make a teacher truly helpful and impactful for neurodivergent students.
Timothy brings an equally important perspective as the older brother of a neurodiverse sibling. He candidly discusses the complexities of family dynamics. Timothy shares how his perspective has evolved over time toward profound understanding and patience, shaping his core belief in the need for individualized, relationship-centered approaches to support.
S9 E6: Neurodiversity in Education and Life with Ivanova Smith
In this episode, we sit down with Ivanova Smith, a fierce leader in the self-advocacy movement for over a decade and founder of the Nothing About Us Without Us Act. Ivanova opens up about her early years spending five years in a Latvian institution, her adopted family’s tireless fight for her to receive a full education, and the isolating experience of being what she calls the “hot potato sped kid” constantly bouncing between general and special education settings. Reflecting on her early lack of opportunity to connect with the disability community, Ivanova passionately discusses how youth can take a more active role in their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and shares actionable ideas to foster a genuine sense of belonging for students with IDD. Now serving as the Community Collaborations Program Manager for Developmental Disability Community Services, she breaks down what true person-centered policy looks like, powerfully reminding us that there should be “no policy without representation.”
S9 E5: Neurodiversity in Education and Life with Elizabeth Freund
In this episode, Elizabeth Freund joins us to explore the profound impact of neurodiversity-affirming processes in education and therapy. We dive into the beauty of child-led, exploratory therapy and practical approaches like “strewing,” which leverages a student’s natural pattern-seeking strengths to gently introduce new toys and activities. The conversation also highlights how to best support Gestalt Language Processors, exploring how recorded speech can encourage language growth while maintaining essential flexibility for the child. Beyond everyday strategies, we examine how our therapeutic approaches and relationships shift when we actively change the language and narratives we hold. As Elizabeth notes, “Use this [neurodiversity] movement as an invitation to reflect and think about …the narratives we have held and maybe the ones we want to foster instead.” Be sure to check out the handouts Elizabeth provides!
S9 E4: Neurodiversity in Education and Life with Emily Kircher Morris
Sarah and Brenda are thrilled to be joined by Emily Kircher-Morris, a clinical mental health professional, host of The Neurodiversity Podcast, and co-author of Neurodiversity Affirming Schools: Transforming Practices So All Students Feel Accepted and Supported. Drawing on her unique background as a neurodivergent parent, educator, and counselor, Emily explores how to build truly neurodiversity-affirming environments. We unpack the nuances of Autism levels, the importance of a “both/and” approach to support, and the vital shift from teaching rigid “social skills” to fostering flexible “social navigation.” Finally, Emily breaks down the purpose of stimming and how to scaffold authentic self-advocacy beyond simply asking for help.
S9 E3: Neurodiversity in Education and Life with Mateo Moreno
In this episode of the Awe and Wonder Podcast’s “Stories of Neurodiversity” series, Brenda and Sarah are thrilled to welcome Mateo Moreno, a passionate advocate who has used AAC since the age of four. Mateo shares his powerful journey navigating the world with his Saltillo NovaChat 8, offering unique insights into disability, inclusion, and the realities of being the only AAC user in the room. From presenting internationally to mentoring young communicators at Camp ALEC and even appearing on Disney+, his dedication to fostering confidence and kindness is truly unmatched. Join us for an insightful conversation as Mateo shares his invaluable recommendations for communication partners and his vision for a more inclusive world.
S9 E2: Neurodiversity in Education and Life with Lauren Enders Gonzales
What does the future of neurodiversity look like? In this episode, Brenda and Sarah sit down with Lauren Enders Gonzales to explore this idea and tackle the hard questions about how we support neurodivergent AAC users. Lauren unpacks how educators and therapists often project their own agendas onto device customization and implementation and shares how we can reintroduce authentic curiosity into our sessions. Featuring real-world examples from her own therapy practice, Lauren also breaks down how to write measurable goals that reflect what matters most to the student—leaving compliance-based metrics behind.
S9 E1: Neurodiversity in Education and Life with Sara Ayars
In episode S9 E1 of the Awe and Wonder Podcast, we sit down with fellow Speech-Language Pathologist Sara Ayars. Sara brings a beautifully unique perspective to the conversation, blending her professional clinical expertise with her personal journey as a parent to a neurodiverse child. She shares actionable, neurodiversity-affirming strategies—like the power of co-regulation and the shift toward declarative language—that are designed to support and empower both the child and the parent. Whether you are a therapist, educator, or parent, this episode is packed with deeply relatable and practical insights.
S9 E8: Staci Neustadt
Staci is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist with over 20 years of experience providing individual and group therapy, training, mentorship, and leadership. She discovered her life’s purpose at a young age while volunteering at The Arc in her home state of Wisconsin, supporting people with disabilities. Staci is an entrepreneur with creative, innovative solutions for supporting individuals by understanding and connecting with them.
In 2019, Staci joined Susan in developing the Neuro Strengths-Based Support for Autism framework. The NSBSA framework helps bridge the gap in how non-autistics view autism and how autistics view themselves, as well as understand the non-autistic way of thinking. Staci is passionate about NSBSA and believes this framework provides not only a positive experience for the person receiving therapy or support but also a sense of connectedness for the person providing support.
