Neurodiversity is bigger than autism and ADHD, and awareness alone is not the same thing as inclusion.
In this episode, Callie and Jayne kick off Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2026 by unpacking what neurodiversity actually means, why it is a social identity rather than a medical label, and why so many workplace conversations still flatten it into stereotypes, checklists, and entry-level training.
They talk about the problem with ‘autism and others’ thinking, why resist the list matters, and what happens when organisations say all the right things but their systems, culture, and leadership behaviours do not actually change.
They also answer a listener question about the difference between awareness and real inclusion in practice, exploring microaggressions, assigning intent, conflicting needs between neurodivergent people, and how to tell whether a workplace is genuinely trying to improve.
This one is part celebration, part side-eye, and part practical reality check.
In this episode
- what neurodiversity actually means
- why it is bigger than autism and ADHD
- why awareness without systems change falls flat
- resist the list: the problem with stereotypes and trait checklists
- how to tell whether a workplace is truly inclusive
- microaggressions, intent, repair, and real progress
- a quick look at the WILDly Neuro-inclusive Awards
Timestamps
- 00:11 Welcome and Neurodiversity Celebration Week begins
- 01:40 What this episode is really about: awareness vs inclusion
- 02:03 Neurodiversity is bigger than autism and ADHD
- 02:42 Neurodiversity as a social identity, not a medical term
- 05:24 Why the numbers are likely bigger than reported
- 05:53 DCA and AMAZE’s Neurodiversity at Work Guide
- 08:08 Diagnosis, identity, and barriers to being recognised
- 08:46 The problem with ‘autism and others’ training
- 10:04 Resist the List and why stereotypes are harmful
- 11:24 Why entry-level training misses too many neurodivergent adults
- 12:39 Perimenopause, nervous systems, and the broader neurodiversity conversation
- 17:22 Listener question: awareness vs real inclusion at work
- 19:24 Why systems, processes, and leadership matter
- 21:22 What happens when neurodivergent needs clash
- 22:34 Pain, perfection, and the pressure for workplaces to get it right
- 23:48 Assigning intent and stepping back from the moment
- 24:24 Microaggressions, trauma lenses, and ‘micro receivings’
- 25:42 Don’t let perfection get in the way of progress
- 26:01 What genuine effort actually looks like
- 27:37 Acknowledging mistakes, correcting, and moving on
- 29:47 Launching the WILDly Neuro-inclusive Awards
- 31:22 Hope, frustration, and the future of neuroinclusion
- 32:35 Follow, subscribe, and send us your ADHD tax stories
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AuDHD for grownups: honest, funny conversations about work, relationships, sensory overload, identity, and the stuff nobody explains after diagnosis.