On the Verge

Episode 5: Growth Through Mission-Driven Work with Dave Thompson

Dave Thompson has been an educator, innovator, and advocate in the field of Neurodiversity Employment since 2010. As Director of Strategic Programs for Potentia Workforce, Dave supports companies in becoming more neuroinclusive through training on best practices, as well as recruiting and providing ongoing support to ND professionals. Hosts Robin Kacyn and Rachael Brusic spoke with Dave about supporting younger generations of neurodivergent people, bringing best practices for neuroinclusion to the workplace, the future of neurodiversity, and more. Topics Being the person you needed when you were younger - 01:00 Neurodiversity & a strengths-based lense - 06:30 Support for younger generations - 8:30 Potentia's work - 13:05 Implementing best practices - 17:45 Supporting neurodiversity in the workplace - 21:40 Neurodiversity @ Work Roundtable & Playbooks - 24:34 Hope for the future of neurodiversity - 28:30 Aftershow - 53:55 Resources ⁠Potentia⁠ Thank you for listening! Keep up with Aspiritech and the On the Verge team by ⁠⁠⁠⁠subscribing to our newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Episode 4: Practical Magic Healing with Sue Cook

Sue Cook is an acupuncturist and licensed social worker. As an integrative practitioner at Chicago's Practical Magic Healing, Sue specializes in supporting neurodivergent and/or queer emerging adults as they navigate the anxieties and stressors of late-stage capitalism. They are proud to be queer, agender, disabled, and autistic. Hosts Rachael Brusic and Robin Kacyn spoke with Sue about advocacy, abolitionism, changing therapeutic approaches, and more. Topics Practical Magic Healing origins - 01:52 Cannabis industry & disabled community - 09:40 Transition to social work - 12:50 Autism realization & disability advocacy - 19:05 Writeups & meltdowns - 29:45 Working with neuroqueers - 33:01 Changing the therapeutic approach - 37:40 Self-preservation on & off the job - 45:00 Aftershow - 53:55 Resources Practical Magic Healing Thank you for listening! Keep up with Aspiritech and the On the Verge team by ⁠⁠⁠subscribing to our newsletter⁠⁠⁠.

Episode 3: Autistic Representation with Scott Steindorff

Scott Steindorff is a film and television producer, writer, and autism advocate known for such works as Station Eleven, Love in the Time of Cholera, Chef, and The Lincoln Lawyer. His latest film, Understanding Autism, is a documentary featuring an array of interviews with people on the autism spectrum. Hosts Rachael Brusic and Tara May talked with Scott about autistic representation in Hollywood and the continued need for change, acceptance, and understanding in the culture at large. Topics Scott's story - 0:45 Understanding Autism - 4:14 ABA therapy & forced masking - 5:38 Creativity & struggle in an autistic world - 13:40 The need for change & understanding - 20:04 Shame & stigma vs. empathy & opportunity - 22:32 Autistic representation in entertainment - 24:40 From Station Eleven to an autism documentary - 29:40 Resources Understanding Autism on PBS Thank you for listening! Keep up with Aspiritech and the On the Verge team by ⁠⁠subscribing to our newsletter⁠⁠.

Episode 2: Sensory Gated Art with Amanda Hebert Hughes

Amanda Hebert Hughes is an openly autistic painter and author located in Charlotte, North Carolina. She is the founder of Sensory Gated Art, a new art genre featuring carefully curated selections of clean lines, cohesive colors, and enriching textures that strategically remove sensory overload stimuli and create a calm, enriching sensory experience. Amanda spoke with hosts Robin Kacyn and Rachael Brusic about her work, finding the neurodivergent community, and her creative drive. Topics Getting started as an artist - 1:34 Sensory Gated Art - 6:08 Finding the neurodivergent community - 12:38 Sensory Gated Art Design for interior spaces - 13:55 Being autistic in the art community - 20:50 Drive and navigating difficulty - 26:45 What's next for Amanda - 32:26 Sharing our gifts - 35:09 The aftershow - 42:25 Resources Amanda's website Aspiritech office tour Thank you for listening! Keep up with Aspiritech and the On the Verge team by ⁠subscribing to our newsletter⁠.

Episode 1: The Neurodiversity Employment Landscape with Rebecca Beam

Rebecca Beam is the founder and CEO of Zavikon, an employment agency and consulting firm whose mission is to match qualified candidates with disabilities or those who are neurodivergent with employers who believe inclusion is the future. She took some time to talk with hosts Tara May, Rachael Brusic, and Robin Kacyn to discuss how Zavikon's dedication to changing how neurodivergent employees are supported in the workplace and how universal design can be good for everyone. Topics Zavikon's origins and approach to solving neurodivergent unemployment and underemployment - 1:42 The global workplace neurodiversity movement and Neurowrx - 6:30 The future neurodiversity employment landscape - 8:00 Neurodivergent diagnosis as an adult - 11:49 Challenges and partnerships - 16:20 Identifying how people work best - 19:14 Resources Zavikon ⁠Auticon⁠ Neurowrx Thank you for listening! Keep up with Aspiritech and the On the Verge team by subscribing to our newsletter.