Content note: This episode mentions thoughts about suicide and self harm.  Shayonee Dasgupta is a Mumbai-based freelance writer and editor who initially pursued a career in law, working with corporate law firms in India. She found out she's autistic and has ADHD in her 30s, prompting a transformative journey of self-discovery and learning to navigate life anew. During this episode, you will hear Shayonee talk about: What it was like growing up before her diagnosis  How the challenges she faced working as a lawyer led to her burnout The struggle she faced to get the right mental heal ..read more

Nick Heaney is a resident artist and co-founder of Artnova Gallery in Chatham, Massachusetts. Nick has always found art to be his most authentic way of connecting with the world around him. He was diagnosed with dyslexia during elementary school. He struggled with written language, but found a connection through art. Nick went on to study graphic design and fine art, earning a BFA in graphic design from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.  At the age of 26, Nick came out as gay to his friends and family. However, he still felt a sense of disconnect with the people around him, which ..read more

David Egan is a leader and advocate who promotes the causes of people with disabilities. He is the first person with Down Syndrome to serve as a Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Public Policy fellow on Capitol Hill and with the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS). As a Special Olympics athlete and International Global Messenger, David has traveled extensively and speaks to diverse audiences, including the U.S. Senate, United Nations, and various universities, nonprofit and for-profit companies.  David has also received many awards throughout his career. He was honored by NDSS for his legacy, prese ..read more

Katie York (aka The Distracted Autistic) is a late-diagnosed Autistic who also has ADHD. They are currently program coordinator at the Community College of Baltimore County in Baltimore, Maryland. Katie is also an advocate and community organizer. In 2022, they founded Harford County Neurodivergents to build a network for neurodivergent adults & provide neurodiversity-affirming resources and education. Katie is a member of Harford County Public Schools Special Education Citizens Advisory Committee and a proud board member of Upper Chesapeake Bay Pride. During this episode, you will hear Ka ..read more

Born and raised in Costa Rica, Claudia Scott was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome in her early teens. Now she lives in the U.S., where she is the Capital Access Manager for Kiva Northwest Arkansas (NWA) at Startup Junkie and an advocate for Tourette's education and support. Claudia uses her experiences to support people with Tourette's, especially in Spanish-speaking communities. During this episode, Claudia talks about: How she discovered she had Tourette’s when she was growing up in Costa Rica Her experience of how Tourette’s is viewed by the general public in Costa Rica and the United Stat ..read more

Jenn Grindeland has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership. She is also a multiple brain injury survivor. With this background, she teaches leadership skills designed to support equity and inclusion for employees with non-apparent, invisible disabilities. During this episode, Jenn talks about: How her life changed when she had her first traumatic brain injury (TBI) Why inadequate job accommodations during her TBI recovery hurt her relationships at work How she teaches teams to better support employees who are neurodivergent and/or have non-apparen ..read more

Miles Levin is a filmmaker and public speaker living with epilepsy. His short film “Under the Lights” starring Pearce Joza and Alyssa Jirrels has become a beacon for epilepsy representation in movies. The film has inspired people to create daily fan art, learn more about epilepsy and open up about their disabilities. He is now making the full length film of Under the Lights, in an effort to create the single biggest epilepsy awareness campaign in history.  During this episode, you will hear Miles talk about: How his life experience with epilepsy inspired Under the Lights The powerful imp ..read more

Swarit Gopalan is a 12-year old autistic nonspeaker who uses a letterboard to spell and a keyboard to type to communicate. He lives with his family in Florida and goes to Invictus Academy for school. Swarit is a talented writer and poet who shares his writing on Facebook and Instagram. He is also a passionate advocate for other nonspeaking people.  During this episode, Swarit talks about: Learning to communicate using a letterboard and keyboard  What inspired him to start writing about his life experiences on social media How he defines dysregulation and how it affects his life Goin ..read more

In this year-end episode for 2023, host Carolyn Kiel reflects on the big milestones that Beyond 6 Seconds achieved in 2023 and some of her goals for the show in 2024. Below are links to the resources mentioned in this episode. How you can support Beyond 6 Seconds! Follow and share the podcast Visit my website at beyond6seconds.net Play episodes in your favorite podcast app Watch episodes on YouTube Social media: Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Subscribe to my email newsletter to get new episodes delivered to your inbox Support this podcast with a donation or advertisement Let me know by ema ..read more

Aditi Gangrade is a film director and writer based in India. She is autistic and has ADHD and PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder). She is the co-founder of Much Much Spectrum, an inclusive storytelling content and insights wing of Much Much Media, a Mumbai-based boutique studio that has worked with brands like Netflix, Instagram, Google and Coca-Cola Foundation. Through Much Much Spectrum, Aditi is working to mainstream stories and representation of mental health, neurodiversity, and disability. During this episode, Aditi talks about: How she discovered that she is neurodivergent What her ..read more