The Neurodivergant Connection / The Curious Storyteller

I Threw My Mask Away: Living AuDHD Out Loud with Nick Pagano

Masking nearly cost my guest his life — and his honesty about it changed everything. In this episode I talk with Nick Pagano about what happens when you stop pretending and start living as AuDHD.

I’ll share why this conversation matters: you’ll hear how chronic masking, suicidal thoughts, and unmasking intersect with work, relationships, and identity. Nick reveals the p...

Training for a World That Doesn’t Slow Down: Neurodivergent Tools, Food Rescue, and Real Vocational Pathways

What if the world didn’t have to slow down for us — we just needed better tools to meet it on our terms?

In this episode I talk with Shannon Dobbs about three decades of navigating disability, designing assistive tech, and building practical community systems that actually work. You’ll hear why Shannon built an AI-driven “...

About the Guest

Gary Martinez Jr. — autism parent, Manitou Incline devotee, and fundraiser for Kishami Academy. He averages multiple laps per day, uses the trail to raise awareness, and shares practical sensory strategies learned parenting his daughter.

Timestamps

• 0:04 - Episode open and intro to Gary's climb

• 1:19 - Gary explains the one-year Manitou Incline challenge

• 3:53 - Elevation, lap counts, and sponsor match

• 7:02 - Gary on...

When a Diagnosis Opens the Door: A Mother’s Story of Autism, School Battles, and Small Wins

I sit down with Anita G., a retired teacher and podcast host, to hear how one diagnosis changed everything for her family—and why that could matter to you.

In this episode I talk with Anita about recognizing subtle signs of autism, the relief and confusion that followed her son Tyler’s diagnosis at 10, and the ways schools and doctors some...

From Nightclubs to Food Justice: Shannon Dobbs on Neurodivergence, Disability, and Building Better Systems (Part 1)

What happens when a former nightclub owner rethinks food access, work, and learning through a neurodivergent lens?

In this conversation, I sit down with Shannon Dobbs—an Army vet turned nonprofit advocate—who shares how health scares, a late ADHD diagnosis, and hard-won lessons from the VA pushed him to redesign how com...

From Near-Fatal TBI to Helping Men Heal: Daniel’s Story of Grit, Care, and Possibility

A teenage car crash changed everything. In this episode, I sit with Daniel, an LCSW who turned his traumatic brain injury into a calling to support men facing trauma, PTSD, and TBI.

You’ll hear how he went from ICU and tinnitus-filled nights to guiding others through the fog—without losing himself in the process. I reveal the words that fueled ...

ADHD, Fear, and Finding Recovery: A Real Conversation with Chase Thayer

If school felt like quicksand and calm never lasted, this episode will feel like a breath you didn’t know you needed.

I sit down with Chase Thayer to talk about ADHD, fear, grief, and recovery—without sugarcoating. You’ll hear how early shame shaped his choices, why baseball became a lifeline, and the moment he realized substances weren’t the core issue. We get i...

Robert’s story starts with a simple question that changed everything: why can’t people talk to someone right at the point of purchase online? Back in the late ‘90s, he was building websites and saw firsthand how disconnected people felt behind their screens. That spark led him to invent web chat, a tool now woven into the fabric of daily life, and eventually build a multibillion-dollar company centered around making human connectio...

Neurodiverse Intimacy: Rethinking Sex, Consent, and Connection with Cheri

Intimacy isn’t “broken” when you’re neurodivergent—it just plays by different rules. In this episode, I sit down with Cheri, a couple sex therapist and relationship coach, to reframe sex, consent, and communication for neurodiverse couples.

You’ll hear how sensory sensitivities, masking, burnout, and mixed communication styles can shape closeness—and why th...

In this episode, you’ll hear Aisha open up about her journey with multiple mental health diagnoses and how she’s found ways to cope and thrive, even when things felt overwhelming. She shares real stories about what it’s like to juggle conditions like autism, anxiety, and depression, and how she learned to ask for help, set boundaries, and tune into her own needs instead of just powering through. Aisha’s experiences show you’re not ...

From Plaster Masks to True Voice: Neurodivergence, Burnout, and Finding Your Worth with Nikki (Dominique) Favreau

I thought helping others heal meant I was healed—until this conversation showed me what it costs to keep a mask on.

In this episode of the Neurodivergent Connection, I sit down with Nikki (Dominique) Favreau—former psychiatry and addiction nurse turned entrepreneur—who shares how a single moment in art therapy cra...

When Words Aren’t the Only Language: Parenting, AAC, and Advocacy with Jennifer McGee

What happens when a teen with profound autism joins your family—and words aren’t available? This conversation gets real.

In this episode, I sit down with artist and adoptive parent Jennifer McGee to talk about raising her nephew Isaiah, who is non-speaking, and how their family learned to listen beyond words. You’ll hear how she built trust,...

Real Talk for Special Needs Dads: Community, Communication, and Caring for Yourself

In this episode, I sat down with advocate and educator John Fella to talk candidly about fatherhood, support, and raising an autistic, nonverbal teen. This one’s practical, honest, and full of encouragement.

Key Topics Covered

• Why dads often feel isolated—and how to build intentional community that actually helps

• Supporting nonverbal communi...

Shadow Work, Ego Death, and Finding Bliss: Facing the Dark to Find Your Light with Annie

What if the parts of you you’ve avoided are the ones holding your wisdom? In this episode, I sit down with Annie to explore the real work beneath “love and light” — and why the dark isn’t something to fear.

You’ll hear how Annie created her approach, Awakening the Seeds, after more than 10,000 sessions, and why she calls herself an “ego d...

ADHD, Bipolar, and the 24-Hour Rule: Lessons From a Mental Hospital with Laura Greenberg Schiler

She went in scared and left with 10 life lessons—and a book. We unpack ADHD, bipolar, and the 24-hour rule.

In this episode, I sit down with Laura Greenberg Schiller, a former attorney, mom of three, and now author of Finding Flawless. Laura was diagnosed with bipolar at 39 and later with inattentive ADHD. Her time in a mental hospita...

Win Charles on Grit, Grief, and Raising Disability Awareness

Education changes everything—and Win Charles shows how it powers resilience, storytelling, and advocacy.

In this conversation, I sit down with Win Charles—author, podcaster, and disability rights educator—who was born with cerebral palsy and has built a life that challenges assumptions at every turn. You’ll hear how she turned grief into purpose, why she said yes to a K...

Autism Support That Actually Works Together: Multidisciplinary Care, Student Voice, and Real-World Coordination

What does true collaboration for autistic kids look like—and how do we keep their voices at the center?

In this conversation, I sit down with Leila Farshidi to unpack what happens when schools, clinics, and families stop working in silos. We talk about the real gap between theory and day-to-day care, why feeding and sensory...

Masking, Late Diagnosis, and Finding Yourself with Coach Tara Trievel

Late ADHD diagnosis, self-identified autism, and 25 years coaching—Tara and I get real about masking and identity.

In this episode, I sit down with parent mentor and social communication coach Tara Trievel to talk about what happens when you realize the people you’ve been helping are a lot like you. We get into what masking really looks like day to day, why it isn’...

Autism, Addiction, and Real Recovery: My Conversation with Dr. Robb Kelly

Autism and addiction aren’t separate battles. In this episode, I ask Dr. Robb Kelly how brain change meets real-life recovery.

I sit down with Dr. Robb Kelly to explore why masking can hide addiction, how trauma shows up differently for autistic people, and what actually moves the needle in recovery. We get into mindset vs. medication, the power of routine with...