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The Neurodivergent Woman

The Neurodivergent Woman

By: Michelle Livock and Monique Mitchelson
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 A podcast for neurodivergent women, hosted by clinical psychologist Monique Mitchelson and clinical neuropsychologist Michelle Livock. Covering Autism to ADHD and everything in between, we aim to educate and inspire women who think differently.2025 Michelle Livock and Monique Mitchelson Social Sciences
Episodes
  • EDS, POTS, and MCAS with Dr Megan Thomas and Bianca Comfort

    EDS, POTS, and MCAS with Dr Megan Thomas and Bianca Comfort
    May 18 2025
    On this week’s episode Monique chats with two amazing guests – Specialist GP Dr Megan Thomas (she / they) and Clinical Psychologist Bianca Comfort (she / her) – about Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS), Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), and Mast Cell Activation Disorder (MCAS). Dr Megan is a queer, disabled, neurodivergent doctor with lived experience of EDS, POTS, MCAS, and related conditions. She is a GP Specialist and one of the Founding Directors of Connected Health Alliance, an EDS CORE Network of Excellence and health promotion charity working to improve the lives of hypermobile humans through the provision of interdisciplinary healthcare, clinician education, and research. Megan is a passionate advocate of holistic, trauma-informed, person-centred care that is affirming for people of all neurotypes, identities, and experiences. Bianca is a Melbourne-based neurodivergent Clinical Psychologist and is the Director of Comfort Psychology, a telehealth practice focused on chronic illness and neurodivergence. She is also the Vice President of the Australian Psychological Society (APS), and Co-Chair of the Australian EDS & HSD Network. Bianca's expertise lies in the intersection between neurodivergence and chronic illnesses such as EDS, POTS, and MCAS. Drawing from both her professional and lived experience, Bianca is a passionate advocate and educator. Monique, Megan, and Bianca cover: Megan and Bianca share what neurodivergence means to them, and their experiences as neurodivergent health practitioners with chronic illnesses.What are EDS, POTS, and MCAS, and how are these conditions diagnosed?Why do we see EDS, POTS, and MCAS commonly occurring together?How do these three conditions relate to Autism and ADHD?Factors to consider when managing multiple co-occurring conditions.The triple empathy problem.The types of supports people may need if they have these conditions.How to access support. Things we mentioned: The Beighton Score System for EDS and the Hakim 5 questionnaire for hypermobility can be found on the Ehlers-Danlos Society website.Mast Cell Mediator Release Syndrome Questionnaire.The EDS SocietyThe Australian POTS foundationThe Australian EDS and HSD NetworkThe Australian Mastocytosis SocietyStudies on the overlap between EDS, Autism, and ADHD: Cederlöf et al., 2016; Dogan et al., 2011; Shiari et al., 2013; Csecs et al., 2020; Csecs et al., 2022.Research on “clinician associated trauma” experienced by patients with EDS - Halverson, Penwell, & Francomano, 2023. Find Bianca at her clinic, Comfort Psychology, and on Instagram @comfortpsychology. Find Megan through her website, Dr Megan Thomas, or her clinic, Connected Health Alliance, and on socials @drmeganthomas and @connectedhealthalliance. Got questions for us?? Come along to our LIVE Q&A event! Held online on 27th June (with replay available to all ticket holders). Grab a ticket here and submit your question! Enjoyed the episode and want to support us further? Join our Patreon community! Patreon subscribers receive ad-free episodes, basic episode transcripts from Season 4 onwards, access to a monthly live zoom hang out, 50% off our episode articles, plus bonus monthly content (depending on subscription tier). Check out our Patreon page to support us, as we aim to make quality mental health care information accessible to everyone: www.patreon.com/ndwomanpod. Want polished copies of our episodes in beautiful and readable pdf article format? Grab them here. Contact us at ndwomanpod@gmail.com, or visit our website: www.ndwomanpod.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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    1 hr and 35 mins
  • Neurodivergent Stories with Jessica Horner

    Neurodivergent Stories with Jessica Horner
    May 11 2025
    Hey everyone, just a heads up that in this episode Jessica mentions times in her life when she was suicidal. If this brings up anything for you, please reach out to someone you trust, or contact one of the support lines we’ve included in the show notes. Take care of yourselves, and feel free to pause or skip this one if you need to. This week we are chatting to Jessica Horner about neurodivergent stories. Jessica is a proudly AuDHD and disabled woman and she works as a policy advisor with People With Disability Australia. She has previously worked as a journalist at the ABC, where she focused on the experiences of late diagnosed Autistic adults across Australia and wrote, among other pieces, a long form feature article called “A Rich New Lens”. She would later be nominated as a finalist for this article, alongside her producer, for the Media Diversity Australia Award, issued by the Walkley Foundation in 2023. She has also written for ABC Everyday, ABC News, Reframing Autism, Yooralla, and others. In this episode we deep dive into how neurodivergent stories are told, by whom, and for what purpose, and unpack to impact of this on the neurodivergent community. We cover: How Jessica thinks about neurodivergence.Jessica’s experience of her neurodivergence, and how this evolved over time along with her sense of self and identity.What are stories, why do we tell stories, and why are stories important?How power dynamics become embedded in cultural stories and ways we can work to shift this.Unpacking how neurodivergent stories are told.What does trauma-informed journalism and storytelling look like?Jessica’s current hyperfixations and a personal story on how Autism can show up for her. You can find Jessica through her website, Spoonfuls of Whimsy, or on Instagram and Facebook @spoonfuls_of_whimsy Looking for mental health support? Try these resources: Immediate Support Lifeline Australia — 13 11 14 (24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention)Suicide Call Back Service — 1300 659 467 (24/7 telephone and online counselling for people affected by suicide)Beyond Blue — 1300 22 4636 (24/7 support for anxiety, depression, and suicide prevention)Kids Helpline — 1800 55 1800 (24/7 free, private, and confidential phone and online counselling for young people aged 5 to 25) Additional Resources headspace — Support for young people aged 12–25, with mental health, physical health, work, and study support.SANE Australia — Support for people living with complex mental health issues and their families.13YARN — 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support line run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people)QLife — 1800 184 527 (Support for LGBTQIA+ people, available every day from 3pm to midnight) Got questions for us?? Come along to our LIVE Q&A event! Held online on 27th June (with replay available to all ticket holders). Grab a ticket here and submit your question! Enjoyed the episode and want to support us further? Join our Patreon community! Patreon subscribers receive ad-free episodes, basic episode transcripts from Season 4 onwards, access to a monthly live zoom hang out, 50% off our episode articles, plus bonus monthly content (depending on subscription tier). Check out our Patreon page to support us, as we aim to make quality mental health care information accessible to everyone: www.patreon.com/ndwomanpod. Want polished copies of our episodes in beautiful and readable pdf article format? Grab them here. Contact us at ndwomanpod@gmail.com, or visit our website: www.ndwomanpod.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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    1 hr and 21 mins
  • High Support Needs and Autism with Sienna Macalister

    High Support Needs and Autism with Sienna Macalister
    Apr 27 2025

    This week Monique chats with Sienna Macalister (they/them), who listeners may know by their Instagram handle @sienna.stims, about being an Autistic person with high support needs. Sienna is a non-binary, ‘unreliably speaking’ Autistic advocate, diagnosed with Autism Level 3. They are multiply neurodivergent and have a number of co-occurring health conditions, including Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS), Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), and Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1). Sienna is passionate about creating a world where Autistic people are not just accepted but celebrated, with a deep affinity for exploring neurodivergence with nuance.

    Monique and Sienna cover:

    • What does ‘unreliably speaking’ mean?
    • What neurodivergence means to Sienna and the importance of understanding the term to mean more than just Autism and ADHD.
    • Sienna’s experience of early diagnosis of Autism and the diagnostic overshadowing this led to, particularly around diagnosis of their health conditions.
    • The evolution of Sienna’s neurodivergent identity.
    • Sienna’s experience of using mobility, communication, and health and wellbeing supports.
    • Support needs, disability, and therapeutic intervention as a valid part of the neurodivergent experience, and the difference between affirming and non-affirming therapies.
    • The role of lateral violence and internalised ableism in excluding people with higher support needs from the cultural conversation on Autism.
    • Sienna’s suggestions to increase inclusion and representation for Autistic people with higher support needs.
    • Sienna’s current special interest – budgie breeding!

    Find Sienna on TikTok and Instagram @sienna.stims, on their professional Instagram @sienna.macalister_media, or on YouTube @sienna_stims.

    Sienna’s writing is features in the anthologies Someone Like Me, edited by Clem Bastow and Jo Case, and Hyperfocus, edited by Spectrum Writing.

    Got questions for us?? Come along to our LIVE Q&A event! Held online on 27th June (with replay available to all ticket holders). Grab a ticket here and submit your question!

    Enjoyed the episode and want to support us further? Join our Patreon community! Patreon subscribers receive ad-free episodes, basic episode transcripts from Season 4 onwards, access to a monthly live zoom hang out, 50% off our episode articles, plus bonus monthly content (depending on subscription tier). Check out our Patreon page to support us, as we aim to make quality mental health care information accessible to everyone: www.patreon.com/ndwomanpod.

    Want polished copies of our episodes in beautiful and readable pdf article format? Grab them here.

    Contact us at ndwomanpod@gmail.com, or visit our website: www.ndwomanpod.com

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
    Show more Show less
    59 mins
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I have learned a great deal listening to this podcast, and that's saying something after the extensive research I have already done. I am self diagnosed Autistic and working toward an official diagnosis. I have neurodivergent family members as well. I appreciate the inclusion of both neurotypical and neurodiverse viewpoints. The topics are fascinating and presented incredibly well.

Best of Both Worlds

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Thank you for helping me understand myself and my daughter. I feel like we are part of a secret club.

Once you know it is ok to run with your special interests. and learn new tools for your weaker parts it opens up a door for your super power to start to shine.

Refreshing

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