🗣️60% of people are either neurodivergent or highly sensitive - yet every space is designed for the other 40%.
Stephanie Lee Jackson is a sensory interior designer who creates spaces for people's actual nervous systems. She designs homes where Mom has ADHD, Dad codes from home, one kid is sensory-seeking, and another is neurotypical - all in one house.
Key insights:
🗣️ Fluorescent lights prevent many neurodivergent people from thinking - their brains can't create visual images under that flickering
🗣️Ambient noise makes conversation impossible for people who can't filter background chaos
🗣️Bars turn up music so you drink more (shouting makes you thirsty)
🗣️High-functioning autistic people hitting total meltdown in their 50s because masking energy finally caught up
🗣️Some people are "sensory seeking" - they NEED coffee shop noise or music to focus
Five principles for better spaces:
🗣️Indirect lighting (not recessed lights pointing down)
🗣️Sound baffling in open spaces
🗣️Neutral air quality before adding scents
🗣️Reduce visual overwhelm
🗣️Trust your body's signals
Resources:
Website: PracticalSanctuary.com
Book: "The Eccentric Genius Habitat Intervention" (September 5, 2024)
Free sensory cheat sheet available
Chapters:
[00:01] Introduction & Hosts Preview
[01:22] Meet Stephanie Lee Jackson
[01:29] What Is Sensory Interior Design?
[03:04] Why Designers Don't Think About This
[03:59] Neurodivergent vs Highly Sensitive
[05:23] Retail Store Example: Neurotypical vs Neurodivergent
[07:48] The Sensory Seeking Reality
[08:56] Real Family Design Example
[13:38] Zones for Different Neurotypes
[15:48] How She Got Into This Work
[16:52] Her Book: Eccentric Genius Habitat Intervention
[18:00] Why Febreze Is Evil
[19:33] Visual Overwhelm and Bookshelves
[20:55] Advice for Average Person
[22:25] The Five Key Principles
[24:55] Color and Lighting Advice
[26:06] How to Reach Stephanie
[26:53] Closing
📱 FOLLOW US:
📲 Connect with Our Hosts:
Stacey: https://www.instagram.com/staceymgrant/
Mark: https://www.instagram.com/mark_lubragge_onair/
⭐️ Watch/Subscribe to Gurus and Game Changers on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GurusAndGameChangers
⭐️ Listen on any podcast audio platform
✨ Subscribe for more game-changing conversations
✨ Hit the bell for notifications
✨ Share with someone who needs to hear this
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Bobby Bones Show
Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.