Aaron Bouma, diagnosed with Asperger's at 12 and now an advocate in Canada, discusses how his love of military history and model building has blossomed into a career.
Bob Sornson, Ph.D. discusses the flaws in the educational system that can cause neurodiverse students to be poorly served, and gives tips on how to improve it.
Alina Pacheco discusses growing up with a hearing impairment, and navigating the social difficulties that can come with a disability that hampers communication.
Advocate Anita Lesko describes the experience of addressing the United Nations on World Autism Day, and the work being done to help those on the spectrum around the world.
Dr. Brian Udell discusses a surprising new study that suggests there is no correlation between language deficits in children on the autism spectrum and their propensity to have meltdowns or perceived misbehavior.
Ira Bedzow discusses the benefits of integrating neurodiverse individuals into corporate environments, and how employees with different brains create stronger teams.
Oliver Thornton discusses his own diagnosis with Asperger's syndrome, and how he hopes his new venture, Coding Autism, can help others on the spectrum find meaningful employment.
Steven Dinnen discusses the importance of exercise for anyone that may have a different brain, and the fitness challenges neurodiverse conditions can present.
Tammy Elkon discusses how the journey through finding proper educational assistance for her son led her to develop a tool for assessing the abilities of those with different brains.
Jackie M. Marquette discusses the adversity that has touched the life of a close friends with autism, and offers tips for supporting a person on the spectrum that may be facing life changes.
Megan Baksh details her recent experiences using essential oils to relieve her insomnia, as well as recent studies that suggest the value of aromatherapy as an alternative treatment for the condition.
Debbie Hampton discusses how what might look like impulsive, irresponsible, selfish, disorganized, or unmotivated behavior may actual be a result of a problem in the brain.
Angela Mahoney, M.Ed. discusses the importance of developing vocational skills for those of us with different brains, and lists simple starting points to put individuals on the path to finding employment.
Giuliana Fenwick discusses neuropsychology, maps out the various sections of the brain that play a roll in what we consider "neurodiversity", and offers some head massage methods she believes can reduce the symptoms of autism and similar diagnoses.
Tom McGranahan Jr. discusses the challenge of a parent with epilepsy sharing their diagnoses with their children, and gives advice on how best to do so.
Lacey Craddock discusses the challenges a child with a neurodiverse diagnoses can face while growing up, and the concern parents can have in safeguarding their children through that process.
Lynn Harrelson, Pharm. B.S., FASCP looks at how the interactions between patients and prescriptions have changed over the years, and highlights risks everyone should be aware of.
Cheryl Checkers, M.S. outlines how weaknesses in the executive functions of the brain can create problems for the neurodiverse, and reviews strategies for how to improve those functions.
In his first blog for Different Brains, David A. Grant tells the story of how having a traumatic brain injury has not only changed his life, but his perspective on society.
Roland Jung continues the story of his personal journey with ADHD. In this installment, he discusses going from self-diagnosis to receiving a real assessment.
Tom McGranahan Jr discusses common misconceptions about how to help someone that is having a seizure, and the importance of education for those caring for someone with epilepsy.
Giuliana Fenwick discusses the executive functions of the brain, and how she believes directed massage can aid in mitigating issues with cognitive control.
Rebecca Witonsky recounts her history as a woman on the autism spectrum seeking employment, and discusses some of the tips others have proposed to improve job prospects for the neurodiverse.
Sarah Howard, a woman with autism who wasn't diagnosed until the age of 29, discusses the inherent challenges in facilitating social events for women on the spectrum.
Denise Resnik discusses First Place Arizona, and how their recent groundbreaking marks a personal milestone of progress for helping people on the autism spectrum achieve independence.
Lynn Harrelson, Pharm. B.S., FASCP discusses the need for prescription safety, and taking precautions to avoid negative interactions between medications.
In our final blog of 2016, Different Brains founder Hackie Reitman, M.D. discusses the problem of isolation when dealing with a diagnosis, and the way individuals and all of society can benefit when all of us come together for our common goals.
Giuliana Fenwick discusses the amygdala, a part of the brain that rules emotion and sensory stimulation, and how some massage techniques can alleviate related stressors.
Audiologist Constance Metropulos discusses how some anxiety-inducing social misunderstandings can be avoided this holiday season by making sure your hearing is properly assessed and cared for.
In her first blog for Different Brains, advocate Rebecca Witonsky tells the story of how receiving her autism diagnosis changed her life, and her career prospects.
Dr. Jackie M. Marquette discusses the challenges and methods of helping individuals on the autism spectrum recognize, appreciate, and utilize their unique abilities.
Giuliana Fenwick discusses how the gut, also known as the enteric or second brain, is also a main production line for producing and storing neurotransmitters, most of which are identical to those found in the central nervous system
In this blog piece, Thomas J. McGranahan Jr discusses his personal struggles with epilepsy, and the importance of staying strong in the face of adversity.
Disability advocate and champion J.R. Harding tells the story of how, after he became quadriplegic, accepting and asking for help proved a difficult challenge.
In this special text-only interview, Dr. Hackie Reitman speaks with Dr. Bankole A. Johnson, who heads the Brain Science Consortium Unit at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and is one of the world’s leading authorities on the subject of addiction.
From my own viewpoint as a performing musician, there is surely no better way to advocate for the benefits of music in the brain than by presenting a unique chamber music concert specifically designed to emphasize these benefits.
After three years of operations, Rob & Denise Resnik offer their perspectives on the productive and dedicated SMILE team- a company of talented young people on the autism spectrum.
Dr. Jennifer Jo Brout speaks with Dr. Dorita Berger about the various benefits music therapy can have on people with autism, ADHD, PTSD, and many other diagnoses.
As parents, we all want our kids to grow up to have a great work ethic and understand the value of a dollar. But things don’t just happen; unless we make them happen.
Mari Nosal discusses the fear parents have of their children aging-out of the system, and what society needs to do to aid the success of the neurodiverse as they venture into adulthood.
Just a few simple massage techniques will bring someone back into the "parasympathetic" state where the heart rate slows, blood pressure lowers and breathing is deeper and calmer.
If you have a child with a communication impairment you know you are probably their best translator. It’s frightening for both you and your child to be separated on those first days of school, but there are things you can do to make that transition easier.
Authenticity is one of the most beneficial skills any parent, therapist, or instructor can teach a child. And if you are autistic, authenticity is one of the most important gifts you can give yourself.
Martha Summa discusses the important role music can play in therapy for the neurodiverse, and offers insight in to how different tempos can help different conditions.
The next time your child or client reacts in a way you don’t understand, try to see through their eyes. Ask what and why, before presuming their behavior is inappropriate.