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Neurodiversity and the Myth of Normal
We’ve all been told, at one point or another, to "just be yourself." Whether you are starting school, beginning a new job, attending a party—anytime you are trying to find your place in a new or unfamiliar environment—well-meaning advisors offer this nugget of wisdom. But what if being your authentic self means you don’t fit in with what society or your peers may consider "normal"? What is "normal," anyway?
Join Dr. Kyler Shumway and Dr. Daniel Wendler to explore these questions and many others in Neurodiversity and the Myth of Normal. In six lectures, Dr. Shumway and Dr. Wendler will help you understand the nature of neurodiversity, a growing school of thought that seeks to embrace the range of differences in individual brain function and behaviors rather than "correct" them, with a focus on empathy, acceptance, and accommodation. To help you better understand neurodiversity, your instructors will guide you through three core concepts:
• Neurodiversity is a natural part of human diversity.
• Environment affects our definitions of ability and disability.
• It is possible to create environments that allow everyone to thrive, regardless of differences.
Once you have a better idea of what neurodiversity is and why approaching it with empathy and understanding is so important, Dr. Shumway and Dr. Wendler will dive into the specifics of the most common neurotypes that fall into the category of neurodivergent—autism and ADHD—followed by a look at learning disabilities, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and even psychosis. Along the way, your instructors will share what they’ve seen and learned as psychologists—and one of them will share his own experiences as a neurodivergent individual.
We often fear what we don’t understand. To combat this fear, the concept of neurodiversity can help us recognize the vast spectrum of human experience, embrace that people are people no matter how they are wired, and realize that there’s no such thing as "normal."
©2024 Audible Originals, LLC (P)2024 Audible Originals, LLC.
Join Dr. Kyler Shumway and Dr. Daniel Wendler to explore these questions and many others in Neurodiversity and the Myth of Normal. In six lectures, Dr. Shumway and Dr. Wendler will help you understand the nature of neurodiversity, a growing school of thought that seeks to embrace the range of differences in individual brain function and behaviors rather than "correct" them, with a focus on empathy, acceptance, and accommodation. To help you better understand neurodiversity, your instructors will guide you through three core concepts:
• Neurodiversity is a natural part of human diversity.
• Environment affects our definitions of ability and disability.
• It is possible to create environments that allow everyone to thrive, regardless of differences.
Once you have a better idea of what neurodiversity is and why approaching it with empathy and understanding is so important, Dr. Shumway and Dr. Wendler will dive into the specifics of the most common neurotypes that fall into the category of neurodivergent—autism and ADHD—followed by a look at learning disabilities, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and even psychosis. Along the way, your instructors will share what they’ve seen and learned as psychologists—and one of them will share his own experiences as a neurodivergent individual.
We often fear what we don’t understand. To combat this fear, the concept of neurodiversity can help us recognize the vast spectrum of human experience, embrace that people are people no matter how they are wired, and realize that there’s no such thing as "normal."
©2024 Audible Originals, LLC (P)2024 Audible Originals, LLC.
4 pages, Audible Audio
Published March 14, 2024
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238 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
June 26, 2024
Despite its short length, Neurodiversity and the Myth of Normal was a really shoddy presentation. While there was some interesting content presented here; mainly early on, there were some fairly sizeable structural problems with the overall presentation. More below.
Co-author Kyler Shumway a professional writer, and psychotherapy practice developer.
Co-author Daniel Wendler, MA is a doctoral student in Clinical Psychology and the founder of MarketingforTherapists.org.
Kyler Shumway & Daniel Wendler:
The book is an audio presentation, so I won't be including the quotes I typically add to my reviews.
It is also a shorter presentation; clocking in at a little less than 3 hours.
As the books title implies, the authors unfold a theory of neurodiversity. Although not summarized exactly this way here (and it should have been); the theory is that modern science does not know enough about the workings of the human brain to be able to tell what "normal" neural functioning looks like, compared with pathological functioning.
The authors talk about ADHD and autism a lot in the first part of the book, using these case studies to explain how people are differently wired.
Ok, so all good so far. Right up until they started editorializing... The authors are self-loathing leftist "progressives" who subscribe to Neo-Marxist "intersectionality." They have been thoroughly parasitized by the Woke Mind Virus. And, as is oh-so fashionable in 2024, they spare no opportunity to push their political narrative here; with frustrating results.
Many people on the autistic spectrum don't behave according to social norms. Autism is primarily a disorder associated with reduced empathy, so autistic people often miss the social cues that non-autistic people take for granted in their interactions with others.
The authors talk about the "harm" caused by people trying to "mask" these abnormal behaviours; making a victimology claim. This may be true, but people are social animals. Every aspect of human behavior is strongly influenced by culture. All of our expectations, behaviours, decisions, and habits are strongly influenced by the group. Every society has norms and taboos. They are a foundational part of any social group. The authors don't seem to like this, and use magical thinking to wish that this wasn't so.
Encouraging autistic people to behave normally may cause them some distress, but encouraging them to not conform also has downsides. Namely; rejection and ostracism from the group; which is arguably more damaging than having to internalize your abnormal behaviour. It's not a black and white issue...
Ridiculously enough, these authors think that it is the entire world and the majority of people that need to change to accommodate everyone's specific preferences, and not the other way around. How would this even work in practice?? By definition, you can't please every minority group there is, because for every special need or preference that you accommodate, you'll end up displeasing someone else's needs or accommodations. This is not a feasible strategy. These two accredited academics don't seem to realize this obvious reality.
Also, unfortunately, there was a plethora of leftist newspeak in here. Terms like "starting a conversation" "creating space," "marginalized," and other assorted ideological language was liberally peppered in the writing. I really don't like political language in a book, as it typically indicates that the author has been ideologically captured. And these guys clearly have been.
They've got a ridiculous bit of writing saying "when we give someone the "psychosis" label, it makes it ok for the police to haul them off to jail." Umm, no. People are not just carted off to jail for no reason. They are taken to jail for criminal behaviour. If a psychotic person is arrested, it is because they are a threat to themselves or others. What should we do when someone who is detached from reality (the definition of a psychotic episode) is posing a danger to society? Just leave them alone and hope for the best?? This is airy-fairy utopian nonsense. Interestingly, most normal people wouldn't advocate for such nonsense. It takes a certain amount of education to become so stupid. “Some ideas are so stupid that only intellectuals believe them...”
The authors also have some garbage in here about gender ideology. They trot out the fact that there are intersex people as "evidence" for the fact that sex and gender are completely uncorrelated. Human beings are sexually dimorphic, sexually reproducing creatures, with 2 default phenotypes. The binary idea of sex is not flawed. The overwhelming majority of people are either XX or XY. Even when intersex and sex chromosome aneuploidies are taken into account, M-F still applies to ~99.9% of the population.
They also mention that brain scans show that the brains of trans people more closely resemble the brains of the sex they identify as, and cis people's brains more typically resemble the brains of their biological sex. The first problem with the entire "brain scan" line is thinking that there is a "male brain" and a "female brain." There are effeminate men, and there are masculine women. The amount of overlap between the brains of the sexes is so vast that trying to dichotomize the two is not workable. Disposition is not "gender." Dr. Kenneth Zucker, one of the world's leading gender researchers has a great bit of writing about this in Abigail Shrier's book Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters.
They trot out some stats that say that >20% of Gen Z, >10% of millennials, 4.2% of Gen X and only 2.6% of Baby Boomers identify as LGBT+. The authors say that this discrepancy is reflective of stigma. It doesn't seem to occur to them that this parabolic rise in these numbers over the last few decades may also have social influence as a causal factor. We get the result we want first, and then go backwards to establish causation. Great "science," guys.
They've also got a bit of writing in here about obtaining "enthusiastic consent" for sex. What the fuck does this have to do with neurodiversity?? Answer: ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. But, much like an evangelical Christian who never shuts up about Jesus, these people just can't help themselves. Ideology is a hell of a drug, kids...
Sadly, ideologues ramming their shit political takes down your throat has spilled out of academia and Hollywood, and is becoming more and more commonplace in books...
******************
I had high hopes for Neurodiversity and the Myth of Normal, but it ultimately fell way short.
I would not recommend it. There's not much real value here. Instead of using the <3 hours of this book's runtime to talk about the science of neurodiversity, the authors spend most of this short time evangelizing for a worldview. How tiresome...
1 star, and off to the return bin. Remind me to give a hard pass on anything else these guys produce.
Co-author Kyler Shumway a professional writer, and psychotherapy practice developer.
Co-author Daniel Wendler, MA is a doctoral student in Clinical Psychology and the founder of MarketingforTherapists.org.
Kyler Shumway & Daniel Wendler:
The book is an audio presentation, so I won't be including the quotes I typically add to my reviews.
It is also a shorter presentation; clocking in at a little less than 3 hours.
As the books title implies, the authors unfold a theory of neurodiversity. Although not summarized exactly this way here (and it should have been); the theory is that modern science does not know enough about the workings of the human brain to be able to tell what "normal" neural functioning looks like, compared with pathological functioning.
The authors talk about ADHD and autism a lot in the first part of the book, using these case studies to explain how people are differently wired.
Ok, so all good so far. Right up until they started editorializing... The authors are self-loathing leftist "progressives" who subscribe to Neo-Marxist "intersectionality." They have been thoroughly parasitized by the Woke Mind Virus. And, as is oh-so fashionable in 2024, they spare no opportunity to push their political narrative here; with frustrating results.
Many people on the autistic spectrum don't behave according to social norms. Autism is primarily a disorder associated with reduced empathy, so autistic people often miss the social cues that non-autistic people take for granted in their interactions with others.
The authors talk about the "harm" caused by people trying to "mask" these abnormal behaviours; making a victimology claim. This may be true, but people are social animals. Every aspect of human behavior is strongly influenced by culture. All of our expectations, behaviours, decisions, and habits are strongly influenced by the group. Every society has norms and taboos. They are a foundational part of any social group. The authors don't seem to like this, and use magical thinking to wish that this wasn't so.
Encouraging autistic people to behave normally may cause them some distress, but encouraging them to not conform also has downsides. Namely; rejection and ostracism from the group; which is arguably more damaging than having to internalize your abnormal behaviour. It's not a black and white issue...
Ridiculously enough, these authors think that it is the entire world and the majority of people that need to change to accommodate everyone's specific preferences, and not the other way around. How would this even work in practice?? By definition, you can't please every minority group there is, because for every special need or preference that you accommodate, you'll end up displeasing someone else's needs or accommodations. This is not a feasible strategy. These two accredited academics don't seem to realize this obvious reality.
Also, unfortunately, there was a plethora of leftist newspeak in here. Terms like "starting a conversation" "creating space," "marginalized," and other assorted ideological language was liberally peppered in the writing. I really don't like political language in a book, as it typically indicates that the author has been ideologically captured. And these guys clearly have been.
They've got a ridiculous bit of writing saying "when we give someone the "psychosis" label, it makes it ok for the police to haul them off to jail." Umm, no. People are not just carted off to jail for no reason. They are taken to jail for criminal behaviour. If a psychotic person is arrested, it is because they are a threat to themselves or others. What should we do when someone who is detached from reality (the definition of a psychotic episode) is posing a danger to society? Just leave them alone and hope for the best?? This is airy-fairy utopian nonsense. Interestingly, most normal people wouldn't advocate for such nonsense. It takes a certain amount of education to become so stupid. “Some ideas are so stupid that only intellectuals believe them...”
The authors also have some garbage in here about gender ideology. They trot out the fact that there are intersex people as "evidence" for the fact that sex and gender are completely uncorrelated. Human beings are sexually dimorphic, sexually reproducing creatures, with 2 default phenotypes. The binary idea of sex is not flawed. The overwhelming majority of people are either XX or XY. Even when intersex and sex chromosome aneuploidies are taken into account, M-F still applies to ~99.9% of the population.
They also mention that brain scans show that the brains of trans people more closely resemble the brains of the sex they identify as, and cis people's brains more typically resemble the brains of their biological sex. The first problem with the entire "brain scan" line is thinking that there is a "male brain" and a "female brain." There are effeminate men, and there are masculine women. The amount of overlap between the brains of the sexes is so vast that trying to dichotomize the two is not workable. Disposition is not "gender." Dr. Kenneth Zucker, one of the world's leading gender researchers has a great bit of writing about this in Abigail Shrier's book Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters.
They trot out some stats that say that >20% of Gen Z, >10% of millennials, 4.2% of Gen X and only 2.6% of Baby Boomers identify as LGBT+. The authors say that this discrepancy is reflective of stigma. It doesn't seem to occur to them that this parabolic rise in these numbers over the last few decades may also have social influence as a causal factor. We get the result we want first, and then go backwards to establish causation. Great "science," guys.
They've also got a bit of writing in here about obtaining "enthusiastic consent" for sex. What the fuck does this have to do with neurodiversity?? Answer: ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. But, much like an evangelical Christian who never shuts up about Jesus, these people just can't help themselves. Ideology is a hell of a drug, kids...
Sadly, ideologues ramming their shit political takes down your throat has spilled out of academia and Hollywood, and is becoming more and more commonplace in books...
******************
I had high hopes for Neurodiversity and the Myth of Normal, but it ultimately fell way short.
I would not recommend it. There's not much real value here. Instead of using the <3 hours of this book's runtime to talk about the science of neurodiversity, the authors spend most of this short time evangelizing for a worldview. How tiresome...
1 star, and off to the return bin. Remind me to give a hard pass on anything else these guys produce.
April 16, 2024
Quick + free listen on audible advertising that is about neurodiversity but also had a random chapter on the LGBTQ+ community that I wasn’t expecting. I really resonated with the Neurodiversity chats and hope that I can remember the points made to help others understand what I learned. It started off strong with some dark twists here and there. Interesting convos but lost its focus along the way for me.
May 30, 2024
This short but wonderful audiobook could have done me some good, had I read it ten years ago.
I am not autistic, nor do I have ADHD, which are the two prime focuses of this book. But I guess I would have to say I am neurodivergent to the extent that I have been through hell and back in learning to live with my OCD.
It would feel narcissistic of me to spend too much time writing about my own journey, so suffice to say that for me, the real thing truly is no joke, no mere eccentric preference for things being ordered and such, as many blissfully ignorant people jokingly identify with.
I felt so heard reading the more informed segment on OCD in these lectures. Thank God, I have come a long way in learning to live with my own disorder. I still have my ups and downs, and sometimes - particularly when anything else causes my anxiety to be higher than usual - it does affect me more than at other times. But it has never again even come close to the terrible state it reached in 2016, when my life, for several months, was practically brought to a standstill, and I lived a secret half-life, entangled in severely harmful delusions and pointless rituals.
This audiobook, or lecture series, is great for anyone who is, to whatever degree, neurodivergent, and of course anyone else who wishes to gain more of an understanding for how they can be more supportive friends, employers or whatever else for people who do not qualify as what popular society would consider "normal".
I am not autistic, nor do I have ADHD, which are the two prime focuses of this book. But I guess I would have to say I am neurodivergent to the extent that I have been through hell and back in learning to live with my OCD.
It would feel narcissistic of me to spend too much time writing about my own journey, so suffice to say that for me, the real thing truly is no joke, no mere eccentric preference for things being ordered and such, as many blissfully ignorant people jokingly identify with.
I felt so heard reading the more informed segment on OCD in these lectures. Thank God, I have come a long way in learning to live with my own disorder. I still have my ups and downs, and sometimes - particularly when anything else causes my anxiety to be higher than usual - it does affect me more than at other times. But it has never again even come close to the terrible state it reached in 2016, when my life, for several months, was practically brought to a standstill, and I lived a secret half-life, entangled in severely harmful delusions and pointless rituals.
This audiobook, or lecture series, is great for anyone who is, to whatever degree, neurodivergent, and of course anyone else who wishes to gain more of an understanding for how they can be more supportive friends, employers or whatever else for people who do not qualify as what popular society would consider "normal".
May 28, 2024
Neurodivergent and the Myth of Normal
Free with Audible membership
Narration: B+
Content B
Best Aspect: The message that normal does not exist and we need to be more sympathetic to those in a minority for any reason.
Worst Aspect: There is one part about being open to helping all types of people who are neurodivergent, but the authors didn’t cover what happens when you hurt a person may be abusive because of a disorder. I wished they covered this and stated that there may be a time to stop helping others if they are hurting you.
Recommend: Yes.
Free with Audible membership
Narration: B+
Content B
Best Aspect: The message that normal does not exist and we need to be more sympathetic to those in a minority for any reason.
Worst Aspect: There is one part about being open to helping all types of people who are neurodivergent, but the authors didn’t cover what happens when you hurt a person may be abusive because of a disorder. I wished they covered this and stated that there may be a time to stop helping others if they are hurting you.
Recommend: Yes.
April 13, 2024
Audible - 4
A collection of lectures read by the authors about neurodiversity. I always like to listen to or read different perspectives on topics, whether or not I have personal or existing experiences about them.
A collection of lectures read by the authors about neurodiversity. I always like to listen to or read different perspectives on topics, whether or not I have personal or existing experiences about them.
May 7, 2024
Neurodiversity - good concept!
tl;dr
Autistic-spectrum people:
* might have a smaller cerebellum (making it harder for them to have good dexterity - cooking food is hard for them)
* might have better memory
* might have skills that they are really really good at, far better than a "normal" person
* don't get the concept of "looking into someone's eyes"
* they need to "stim" (stimulate) in order to calm down. It feels really rewarding to them
ADHD people:
* Their brain needs more stimulation
* They might be very creating
* They might be able to reach deep focus state faster and for longer than "normal" people
The part about gender words:
I do not agree with the author that "there isn't such a thing as normal". Yes there is! Society needs to maintain a fresh supply of humans - and the most efficient way to do that so far is through "normal" people's "normal" attraction mechanism.
Other than that, sure there can be x-sexual people. The x-sexual people are in no way good or bad, but they are not the majority, they probably never will be, and though they deserve the same level of respect as any other person, not being heterosexual will ensure their genes are less likely to be found in the next generation. Not everyone cares about this, but ultimately, that's a very important thing to happen if we value having humans.
I'm not advocating we should do anything about non-heterosexuals. I am advocating that we use the words "man" and "woman" as we'd expect if we knew nothing about non-heterosexuals. We can use other words for non-heterosexuals.
tl;dr
Autistic-spectrum people:
* might have a smaller cerebellum (making it harder for them to have good dexterity - cooking food is hard for them)
* might have better memory
* might have skills that they are really really good at, far better than a "normal" person
* don't get the concept of "looking into someone's eyes"
* they need to "stim" (stimulate) in order to calm down. It feels really rewarding to them
ADHD people:
* Their brain needs more stimulation
* They might be very creating
* They might be able to reach deep focus state faster and for longer than "normal" people
The part about gender words:
I do not agree with the author that "there isn't such a thing as normal". Yes there is! Society needs to maintain a fresh supply of humans - and the most efficient way to do that so far is through "normal" people's "normal" attraction mechanism.
Other than that, sure there can be x-sexual people. The x-sexual people are in no way good or bad, but they are not the majority, they probably never will be, and though they deserve the same level of respect as any other person, not being heterosexual will ensure their genes are less likely to be found in the next generation. Not everyone cares about this, but ultimately, that's a very important thing to happen if we value having humans.
I'm not advocating we should do anything about non-heterosexuals. I am advocating that we use the words "man" and "woman" as we'd expect if we knew nothing about non-heterosexuals. We can use other words for non-heterosexuals.
May 9, 2024
Short and to the point
March 25, 2025
Think of this as a series of lectures rather than a book. Some readers seem to expect citations to scientific fact rather than personal opinion. But, when you attend a course the professor doesn't stop to give a citation to everything they say. Rather, you accept what they say because they are educated expert teachers and it is their classroom and you are the student. There is a lot of interesting information here from the personal experience of two PhD experts, one of whom lives with autism and the other of whom has extensive experience with autistic people. And, yes, they throw in some science too. I find the first hand approach enlightening. Sadly, many of the positive things these two saw happening for autistic people at the time of these lectures have now been erased by a political movement that does not believe in accommodations. Instead, disabled people and anyone who is not "typical" are seen as "losers" by ridiculously wealthy leaders who will never need any accommodations because they really don't need to work and can buy anything they need to make their own lives better.
September 9, 2024
I probably wouldn’t have finished this if it wasn’t so short.
I went in wanting to learn more about Neurodiversity and individuals in the spectrum.
Most of the lecture is opinion based form the person experience of the individuals and very little studies are used or sighted.
There is also a lot to talk of what is done wrong and not a lot of conversation on what can be done to make changes or what is currently being done to progress. Yes, they do list some but I feel like the examples were poorly delivered.
Many of the examples used also didn’t make sense to me, why was being left handed compared to being autistic so many times?
I just have a lot more questions than answers and don’t feel like my mind was opening or that I was able to reach a deeper understanding.
I went in wanting to learn more about Neurodiversity and individuals in the spectrum.
Most of the lecture is opinion based form the person experience of the individuals and very little studies are used or sighted.
There is also a lot to talk of what is done wrong and not a lot of conversation on what can be done to make changes or what is currently being done to progress. Yes, they do list some but I feel like the examples were poorly delivered.
Many of the examples used also didn’t make sense to me, why was being left handed compared to being autistic so many times?
I just have a lot more questions than answers and don’t feel like my mind was opening or that I was able to reach a deeper understanding.
October 5, 2024
Light and enjoyable. Doesn't go in depth, but has some worthy insights, analogies and point of views
April 15, 2024
Great book! Informative, interesting, changes your perspective.
June 2, 2024
BRILLIANT! I absolutely loved this book. I enjoyed the matter of factness and the stories. When reading this, it felt like an older, much wise person talking with me to gently and completely understand.
June 17, 2024
I went into this without a solid expectation for the discussion however, I was disappointed quickly. The discussion relies heavily on social issues and constructs along with author/presenter opinions (who have first hand knowledge with some of the diagnosis). Medical research is a minimally discussed (with limited sources cited) and only a small portion of the presentation focuses on biology, neuroscience, and diagnostic criteria from the DSM-5. If you have a general understanding of mental illness and diagnosis’ that are hot topics in society, I don’t think you will lean anything new from this discussion; I didn’t.
But what truly cemented my 1 star rating is the comment made saying: parents kill their children diagnosed with ADHD, “it’s rare but it happens. Google it.” Yes, they actually said this.
Despite the few facts on neurological functionality, the final section offering coping considerations for individuals with the presented diagnosis was worthwhile. However, on multiple occasions I almost stopped listening to the presentation far before this section due to the many weaknesses of the material.
But what truly cemented my 1 star rating is the comment made saying: parents kill their children diagnosed with ADHD, “it’s rare but it happens. Google it.” Yes, they actually said this.
Despite the few facts on neurological functionality, the final section offering coping considerations for individuals with the presented diagnosis was worthwhile. However, on multiple occasions I almost stopped listening to the presentation far before this section due to the many weaknesses of the material.
May 16, 2024
It was short at under three hours so the lack of depth was to be expected. I was looking for free books on mental health and ways of thinkings and even if the topic of neural diversity wasn’t my interest I was open to an adjacent topic. I don’t think I would be classified as neural divergent but we can also see certain tendencies when we are being honest that are much lesser degrees. Understanding more obvious expressions of factors and experiences we all have just helps the less sophisticated observer start to make connections and strategies.
Two pieces hit a nerve more than others:
1. How we create and follow rules and expectations and then feel guilty when we don’t live up them and his example about what is exercise and the gym.
2. When it described how someone can go through a situation that easy for someone else yet to them it feels like they are trying to do it while be constantly jabbed with a stick. That person is capable of the same events or experiences if we can just figure out what they need to stop the stick poker. Other times it will be to figure out how to create a poke free environment so they have a break. Look for and notice that struggle so that I can help break that stick.
Two pieces hit a nerve more than others:
1. How we create and follow rules and expectations and then feel guilty when we don’t live up them and his example about what is exercise and the gym.
2. When it described how someone can go through a situation that easy for someone else yet to them it feels like they are trying to do it while be constantly jabbed with a stick. That person is capable of the same events or experiences if we can just figure out what they need to stop the stick poker. Other times it will be to figure out how to create a poke free environment so they have a break. Look for and notice that struggle so that I can help break that stick.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2024
This lecture series balances an academic and conversational style to present psychological theories and research in layman’s terms. The authors establish that normal social behavior and rules are not one-size-fits all while emphasizing the importance of social structure. They then dedicate lectures on autism as well as ADHD to explain their unique neurological patterns, the pressure society puts on them to conform, and the impact of social conformity on their mental health. Throughout the lecture, they use personal stories and metaphors to illustrate their point.
In their lectures, they appeal to neurodivergent people, neurotypical, people, and organizations that mix both. They end the lectures with research on how allowing neurodivergent people to work according to their specific needs despite the norm has promising benefits on an organization’s productivity, how to accommodate neurodivergent people in society, and lastly, how neurodivergent people who have suppressed their needs for many years to fit the social norm can start to find themselves.
In their lectures, they appeal to neurodivergent people, neurotypical, people, and organizations that mix both. They end the lectures with research on how allowing neurodivergent people to work according to their specific needs despite the norm has promising benefits on an organization’s productivity, how to accommodate neurodivergent people in society, and lastly, how neurodivergent people who have suppressed their needs for many years to fit the social norm can start to find themselves.
March 11, 2025
Neurodiversity and the Myth of Normal is a book that grabs you by the guts and holds on tight. it’s worth it. It took me on this wild, nostalgic ride—old talks, people , life , all flashing back with new weight. It’s got this fierce, loving way of smashing the dumb idea there’s a “normal ”
out there—no nonsense, just real talk with science, stories, and a big, bold mirror to a world including me that judges too quick.. These minds bring stuff like crazy creativity and grit that’ll floor you, if we’d just open our eyes. It’s not pretending it’s all sunshine—it knows the struggle’s real—but it’s shouting, kind and strong, that nobody’s gotta prove their mind’s okay.
That hit me like a ton of bricks, and it’s got heart and muscle to back it up.
It’s not flawless—sometimes it repeats itself and drags, and while it’s killer at shredding “normal,” it doesn’t always say what’s next. Still, it’s a warm, firm shove to see people for who they are, with real hope that dares you to feel it.
PS : a lot of life in a short book , a lot left to explore!!
out there—no nonsense, just real talk with science, stories, and a big, bold mirror to a world including me that judges too quick.. These minds bring stuff like crazy creativity and grit that’ll floor you, if we’d just open our eyes. It’s not pretending it’s all sunshine—it knows the struggle’s real—but it’s shouting, kind and strong, that nobody’s gotta prove their mind’s okay.
That hit me like a ton of bricks, and it’s got heart and muscle to back it up.
It’s not flawless—sometimes it repeats itself and drags, and while it’s killer at shredding “normal,” it doesn’t always say what’s next. Still, it’s a warm, firm shove to see people for who they are, with real hope that dares you to feel it.
PS : a lot of life in a short book , a lot left to explore!!
September 8, 2024
This is a great short listen, both for neurodivergents and neurotypicals, to learn more about the statistics, stigmas, triggers, and accommodations around neurodiversity. Drs. Daniel Wendler and Kyler Shumway explain the shift in perspective towards, rhetoric on, and treatment for those on the spectrum. The scope of this piece focuses on autism and ADHD in the United States.
I really appreciated the metaphors of left vs. right handedness and good vs. bad dogs to bring listeners into their argument. These psychologists are well positioned to give these Great Courses lectures, and their personal experiences with autism and bullying deepen these relatable discussions. I'm glad I gave this a listen, I recommend it to all those interested, and I look forward to learning more about these topics.
I really appreciated the metaphors of left vs. right handedness and good vs. bad dogs to bring listeners into their argument. These psychologists are well positioned to give these Great Courses lectures, and their personal experiences with autism and bullying deepen these relatable discussions. I'm glad I gave this a listen, I recommend it to all those interested, and I look forward to learning more about these topics.
October 25, 2024
This audiobook provided some thought-provoking insights into the experiences of neurodiverse individuals, which were easy to understand due to having people in my life that are neurodiverse. Most of the information provided wasn't new to me but still provided an insteresting listen. The lectures covered a range of topics related to societal perceptions of normalcy and how these perceptions affect those who think and experience the world differently. I appreciated the focus on celebrating neurodiversity and challenging the traditional narratives around it. I didn't agree with everything discussed in the audiobook based on personal views and values and ended up skipped over them to move on to the next discussion point.
Read more here: https://annietheinkdrinker.wordpress....
Read more here: https://annietheinkdrinker.wordpress....
August 15, 2025
A pretty good overview of the challenges faced by people who are not “Neurotypical“, rather they are “neurodivergent”. Both of the authors of the lecture themselves fall into that category.
The biggest challenge facing people who are neurodivergent is how they are treated in school, by their peers, and how they get along at work. Bullies often feed on them.
I recommend listening to this. The only problem I see with it is that there are vast numbers of Americans that won’t embrace the notion of neurodiversity. They buy into the myth of “normality”, and are often violently opposed to any pushback. The authors give some excellent tactics for allowing for inclusivity of neurodivergent people, but I fear these will only work in liberal/progressive enclaves. Cracking the prejudices of America is a very difficult thing to do.
The biggest challenge facing people who are neurodivergent is how they are treated in school, by their peers, and how they get along at work. Bullies often feed on them.
I recommend listening to this. The only problem I see with it is that there are vast numbers of Americans that won’t embrace the notion of neurodiversity. They buy into the myth of “normality”, and are often violently opposed to any pushback. The authors give some excellent tactics for allowing for inclusivity of neurodivergent people, but I fear these will only work in liberal/progressive enclaves. Cracking the prejudices of America is a very difficult thing to do.
April 30, 2024
A very short, free Audible production put together by two clinical psychologists who work in the neurodiverse community. One is on the autism spectrum and one is not, but had experience with bullying as a child. They give simple examples to help a lay audience understand what different types of neurodiversity exist... Autism, ADHD, Other neurotypes, and even a chapter on gender. All are focused on different ways a brain may differ from neurotypical, creating challenges for individuals that are usually able to be overcome if little changes from typical environments and expectations are made. It was a good update on some of the more recent terminology and understandings, especially of autism and ADHD. It was all very respectful and enjoyable.
June 19, 2024
This is a good quick overview of some common types of neurodiversity and how they are experienced. I would particularly recommend this to folks newly diagnosed with autism or ADHD or particularly to loved-ones, friends, and colleagues of someone recently diagnosed with ADHD. It will debunk some of the misconceptions you might have about these diagnoses, and give you some good tips about how to deal more constructively with your own or others' neurodiversity.
This isn't a deep dive into the scientific research on these disorders, and given both the limited length of this audiobook and the evolving state of the science, I'm sure some nuance has been skipped over. This is a very good first read on neurodiversity, but it probably shouldn't be your last read on the topic.
This isn't a deep dive into the scientific research on these disorders, and given both the limited length of this audiobook and the evolving state of the science, I'm sure some nuance has been skipped over. This is a very good first read on neurodiversity, but it probably shouldn't be your last read on the topic.
February 17, 2025
"sure, why not" kinda book
My main problem with audibles is illustrated in this title specifically: overuse of stories and lack of real depth, I thought it was quite surface-level it literally felt like watching a tiktok video (especially with the lowkey cringy metaphors such as: imagine a big burly bear. Now imagine its in a HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT!??? now what if... just imagine...). and the "how to accommodate slash improve urself" was interesting but stuck in its finitude like bro why are you telling me this when theres 5 min til the end?
I did actually enjoy the book though not trying to hate, the chap about masking was the one that stuck out the most to me, and the authors seem like genuinely nice people
My main problem with audibles is illustrated in this title specifically: overuse of stories and lack of real depth, I thought it was quite surface-level it literally felt like watching a tiktok video (especially with the lowkey cringy metaphors such as: imagine a big burly bear. Now imagine its in a HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT!??? now what if... just imagine...). and the "how to accommodate slash improve urself" was interesting but stuck in its finitude like bro why are you telling me this when theres 5 min til the end?
I did actually enjoy the book though not trying to hate, the chap about masking was the one that stuck out the most to me, and the authors seem like genuinely nice people
July 2, 2025
This is an extremely simplistic presentation on the subject of neurodiversity. It appears to be geared toward either 1. children or 2. neurodivergent people who desire to be superficially jazzed up about their particular brand of neurodiversity. The main point of the course is "be free to be who you are." There is a wayward lecture about LGBTQ folks that is confusingly and clunkily sandwiched in and really doesn't belong in an audible about neurodiversity. I never write reviews, because I can usually see the value in the production even if I didn't think an audible was totally successful. But this one is a real stinker, folks!
August 5, 2024
Carte audio 2,5 ore
Informații utile pentru toată lumea fără să conțină în exces date sau să sune ca un curs plictisitor.
E pentru toți cei care sunt etichetați ca fiind diferiți sau pentru toți cei care vor să înțeleagă.
Normalul este o construcție socială care îți salva viața pe vremuri, deși mulți îl mimau…
Diferiți au existat de când e lumea și vor exista până la final - Biologie.
Când vor înțelege acest lucru marea majoritate a oamenilor, vom vedea cum dispar termenele normal/diferit şi vom putea să ne numim doar oameni. Lots of flavors and colors🌍
Informații utile pentru toată lumea fără să conțină în exces date sau să sune ca un curs plictisitor.
E pentru toți cei care sunt etichetați ca fiind diferiți sau pentru toți cei care vor să înțeleagă.
Normalul este o construcție socială care îți salva viața pe vremuri, deși mulți îl mimau…
Diferiți au existat de când e lumea și vor exista până la final - Biologie.
Când vor înțelege acest lucru marea majoritate a oamenilor, vom vedea cum dispar termenele normal/diferit şi vom putea să ne numim doar oameni. Lots of flavors and colors🌍
August 15, 2025
This is a solid introduction to many ways of being neurodiverse. It doesn't include giftedness, which I have seen listed elsewhere, but does cover autism, ADHD, OCD, as well as gender identity. It is a bit on the basic side, but is mainly meant as an introduction, I feel, which doesn't really rely upon you having prior knowledge. I have been looking into these things for some time, so I knew a lot about many of the topics covered. They did a good job of covering most things, covering topics clearly and with compassion.
June 30, 2024
In learning, there’s assimilation and accommodation: assimilation involves acknowledging a new piece of information and then reverting back to one’s original perspective position, whereas accommodation is about changing practical behaviors and mental processes in light of that new information. Traits effective in one environment can be alienated in another environment: including social constructs and external conditions. Environments hospitable to neurodiverse individuals benefit all people.
July 17, 2024
As someone who grew up not knowing much about what mental health was, let alone that I was Autistic, I definitely has some personal connection to a lot of what was said in this. I too was made fun of for things that I did because it was seen as not normal.
I did really enjoy it, but I personally think I might want to listen to it at least one or two more times to be able to retain the message they're trying to send.
I did really enjoy it, but I personally think I might want to listen to it at least one or two more times to be able to retain the message they're trying to send.
September 8, 2024
It's okay to be different from what society considers "normal." After all, what is a “normal" person? We all face challenges in one form or another—family responsibilities, job demands, societal pressures. When you add personal trauma to the mix, it's easy to feel like you're falling short compared to everyone else. This book serves as a reminder that it's perfectly fine to be your authentic self and show compassion to others who are also navigating their own struggles.
May 26, 2024
As an OG neurodivergent from the 80’s, these essays made me feel seen. If I had access to these lectures when I was growing up, I would have had a much softer view of myself and far more understanding for myself than I did.
These 6 essays are short and to the point. No fluff or fuss. Just good inclusive information for everyone to more like themselves and not push themselves to be ‘normal’.
These 6 essays are short and to the point. No fluff or fuss. Just good inclusive information for everyone to more like themselves and not push themselves to be ‘normal’.
October 7, 2024
Yeah, not entirely sure how i feel about the fact that very bold statements are thrown out there with very little scientific backing. Apparently people with OCD are "born that way" (with a very loose explanation about brain imaging studies) and there is a particulary strange chapter about LGBTQ individuals with very little connection to the neurodiversity topic.
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