What happens when we reframe neurodivergence not as a deficit, but as a natural variation in brain architecture? Sarah Eagle, founder of Joy Diving Australia and late-diagnosed autistic woman with ADHD, offers a refreshing perspective that celebrates brain differences rather than pathologizing them.
After losing her brother Ben during a psychotic episode in 2001, Sarah channelled her grief into walking 600 kilometres along Western Australia's Bibbulum Track to raise awareness for mental health. Years later, following her own neurodivergent diagnosis, she created Joy Diving Australia—a name inspired by both her love of scuba diving and her mission to help others discover what brings their unique brains joy.
Sarah speaks candidly about the shame many late-diagnosed adults carry after years of being told they need to be "normal." Through her work, she helps clients develop what she calls "sensory lifestyle medicine"—practical adjustments to their environment that support nervous system regulation. For families, she introduces polyvagal theory as a framework to understand behaviours as communications of the nervous system, fostering non-blaming language around regulation and dysregulation.
The conversation explores how workplaces can better accommodate neurodivergent employees, with Sarah highlighting the importance of environmental adjustments and the new psychosocial legislation that can support these changes. She's developing resources to help neurodivergent individuals navigate workplace accommodations and financial challenges, recognising that many late-diagnosed people face significant economic disadvantages.
Perhaps most touching is Sarah's ability to approach her own neurodivergent experiences with curiosity and compassion rather than shame. She shares a story about mistaking an optical illusion for a glass door—a perceptual "glitch" that she views not as a deficit but as a fascinating insight into how her brain works.
Listen to discover how understanding and embracing your unique brain type can transform your experience of life, reduce shame, and open doorways to joy you never thought possible. How might your life change if you approached your own brain differences with curiosity instead of judgment?
danabaltutis.com, mytherapyhouse.com.au, https://mytherapyhouse.com.au/your-childs-therapy-journey/ https://www.danabaltutis.com/services
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