The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast

In this “Share Your Voice” episode of The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast, host Paul welcomes Gabe Galand and Stacey Smith — two individuals who found clarity and self-acceptance later in life through their ADHD and autism diagnoses.

Gabe, a producer from Vancouver who grew up in France, shares how years of being misunderstood shaped his sense of self — and how an ADHD diagnosis at 29 helped him rewrite his story. Stacey, dia...

Hosts Paul and Gino sit down with scientist and independent researcher Nuriye Sinem Berthier. With a rich background in chemistry, pharmacology, genetics, and biochemistry, and personal experience as a parent navigating autism, Sinem offers a unique lens on child development, neurodiversity, and the microbiome.

She introduces her Autism Cascade Hypothesis, highlighting how early-life environmental factors—including birth m...

Hosts Paul Cruz and Gino Akbari interview Michelle Steiner, a writer, photographer, paraeducator, and disability advocate who lives with an invisible disability.

Despite being told what she couldn’t do, Michelle has forged her own path—earning her degree, publishing widely in outlets like The Mighty and Word Gathering, and building a career supporting students with disabilities. Through resilience, creativity, and self-advo...

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Hosts Paul Cruz and Gino Akbari sit down with Janelle Peters (Mental Health Counsellor) and Amy Bujak (Social Worker) from Coast Mental Health’s Brain Training Team. Together, they explore how cognitive remediation and neuroplasticity empower individuals to overcome challenges with attention, memory, and executive functioning. From practical compensatory strategies like mental retracing and task linking, to stigma-smashing...

Host Paul Cruz sits down with poet and mental health advocate Samantha Merz. Samantha shares her journey of discovering poetry at 19, how her neurodivergence influences her creative process, and how writing became a powerful outlet for expressing emotions like loneliness and resilience. From her published collections, Kazoo and Meadowlite, to her newest book, Only You Will Do, Samantha opens up about the challenges and tri...

Hosts Paul Cruz and Gino Akbari sit down with filmmaker Nicola Rose—an accomplished director, producer, and writer—to discuss her new feature film Magnetosphere.

The film follows 13-year-old Maggie as she navigates her first crush, a big family move, and her unique way of experiencing the world through synesthesia, all set against the backdrop of the magical Hale-Bopp comet in 1997. With a cast including Colin Mochrie, Patr...

Student leaders from the Neurodiversity Students Association (NDSA) at Toronto Metropolitan University — Jenna Ignaczak, Malka Finkelstein, and Maddie Sardone — discuss what it truly means to be a neurodivergent student in post-secondary education today.

Together, they share stories of inclusion, moments of isolation, experiences with ableism, and insights into how universities can better support neurodivergent students. Th...

Angus Chan turned his early academic struggles into a mission to redesign education for everyone.

Angus Chan shares his deeply personal journey through higher education as a neurodivergent student and how those early struggles shaped his commitment to equity, inclusion, and educational reform.

We explore the evolving nature of autism understanding and why honouring cultural identity, holistic wellness, and student voice ...

We explore the intersection of leadership, inclusion, and informed decision-making within higher education. Building on our previous conversation with Dr. Craig Wells — where we unpacked self-discovery and communication in neurodivergent experiences — this episode shifts the lens to institutional systems.

Join us as we examine how leadership philosophy influences access, belonging, and the success of neurodivergent stud...

Healing begins with self-discovery, and unmasking may be the most powerful step of all.

Dr. Craig Wells, D.O., explores the complex realities of neurodivergent living, emphasizing the lifelong journey of self-discovery, healing from trauma, and reclaiming personal identity. Drawing from his lived experience and professional practice, Dr. Wells discusses how effective communication, intentional parenting, and burnout recover...