S1 - E5 - UNLEARNING THE HIDDEN CURRICULUM with Dr. Alex Harrison

UNLEARNING THE HIDDEN CURRICULUM with Dr. Alex Harrison

Welcome back to Left Unattended, the podcast where we pull back the curtain on what it really means to be neurodivergent in the workplace. I’m your host, Ron Sosa, neuroinclusive leadership coach and advocate, and today I’m joined by Dr. Alex Harrison.

Alex is a profoundly deaf veterinarian, consultant, and founder of an equity-focused consultancy dedicated to building veterinary workplaces where everyone belongs. He is the 2025 Australian Veterinary Association President’s Award recipient, recognized for shifting the Overton window of what the profession sees as possible in equity, accessibility, and inclusion.

Together, we dive into:

• Alex’s journey as Australia’s first profoundly deaf veterinary graduate and what it meant to practice without disability representation or support 25 years ago.
  
  
• How burnout and cognitive load impact marginalized professionals, especially when masking or “passing” becomes a full-time job.
  
  
• Why intersectionality matters and how collaboration across disability, neurodivergence, chronic illness, and queer identity creates stronger advocacy.
  
  
• The power and danger of the hidden curriculum in veterinary training and workplaces, and why unlearning outdated norms is essential for retention.
  
  
• How strengths-based design outperforms deficit-based thinking and outdated expectations of “omnicompetent clinicians.”
  
  
• The need for systems-level change instead of individualized “self-care fixes,” especially when mental health struggles stem from structural issues.
  
  
• Why diagnosis delays, especially for neurodivergent women, are reshaping the mental health narrative in the profession.
  
  
• How curiosity, cultural humility, and repair can transform leadership and create psychologically safe veterinary teams.
  
  

Alex leaves us with one truth he wants the world to understand: We cannot solve these challenges in silos. Unlearning, humility, and cross-pollination across identities and across countries are how we move the profession forward.

Connect with Dr. Alex Harrison

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-harrison-263b69107/
• Equity consulting: www.vetquity.com.au
  
  

Connect with Ron & Keep Exploring

If this conversation resonated with you, let’s go deeper together:

• Join the Left Unattended Newsletter: weekly insights on neuroinclusive leadership and thriving as your full self → https://www.syn-apt.me/newsletter
  
  
• Work with Me 1:1 or in Groups: learn more about coaching → coaching.syn-apt.me
  
  
• Connect with Me on LinkedIn: join the conversation on neuroinclusive leadership → www.linkedin.com/in/ronald-sosa-cvpm-ccfp-pgd-cld-53453797