Featuring: Struan Mackenzie, former UK civil servant & creator of the YouTube channel Am I Neurodivergent?

This is a conversation about burnout, identity collapse, and rebuilding from the inside out.

In this episode, we explore:

• The Late Diagnosis: From stress breakdown to rabbit-hole of autism research... suddenly realized his entire life made sense.
• The Identity Reformation: Another non-linear story of diagnosis. From ASD, to combined-type ADHD, to discovering AuDHD; Struan shares how each diagnosis both clarified and destabilized his sense of self... including deconstructing internalized ableism.
• Protecting Your Peace: From scripting work meetings for hours during COVID to redefining his relationship with alcohol and social energy, Struan shares how he’s learning to honor his nervous system instead of pushing through it.
• The Unexpected Human Detail: Childhood quirks (i.e. lining up toy cars in perfect order, or hiding inside a bookcase) behavior no one recognized at the time, but now reads like a neon sign for autism.

Key Questions Answered in the Audio:

1. Why were so many high-achieving neurodivergent adults missed in childhood, especially in the 70s, 80s, and 90s?

2. What does cyclical burnout actually look like & where does it come from?

3. How does alcohol uniquely affect autistic and ADHD nervous systems & why does the crash hit so hard?

Looking for Struan?

youtube.com/@amineurodivergent

Connect With Us:

ndreportpod.com

@NDreportpod on all the socials!

Featuring:

Jonathan Katz-Ouziel, autistic accessibility consultant and founder of Opossum House Accessibility

What happens when autism is diagnosed early, supported well, and allowed to stay joyful — and how OCD complicates (and sometimes sharpens) everything that comes after

In this episode, we explore:

• Early Diagnosis Moment: what it was like being diagnosed autistic at age three in the 1990s, and how access, parental belief, and early support shape sense of self

• The Identity Shift: From masking in a conformist school system to reclaiming autism as something fun, social, and deeply human — while naming the privilege baked into his journey

• Creating Workarounds & Framework: How OCD-driven rituals around time, sleep, and lists evolved into autistic-friendly executive function systems that actually support his work

• Calming Sensory Needs: Why unmet sensory needs can amplify OCD, how light and heat regulation matter, and what it means to design life around nervous system safety

• Random moments: Eggplants are botanically berries, opossums are the ultimate autistic mascot, and leaning into “cringe” is a survival strategy

Key Questions Answered in the Audio:

1. How do autism and OCD interact — and when does one help or hinder the other?

2. What does accessibility actually look like beyond ramps and compliance checklists?

3. Is starting a business as a neurodivergent person empowering or a fast track to burnout?

Resources Mentioned:

Opossum House Accessibility (Jonathan’s consulting practice) >>>https://www.opossumhouseaccessibility.com/

Jonathan Katz-Ouziel on LinkedIn >>>https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-katz-ouziel-cpacc-6b098334/

Connect With Us

>>>⁠https://www.ndreportpod.com/

⁠Follow @ndreportpod on your social platform of choice

Ft: Karen Kossow, disability advocate, neurodivergent parent, and co-founder of Faircare Idaho

What happens when parenting, disability, hormones, and burnout collide — and the systems meant to support you quietly disappear?

In this episode, we explore:

• Brain Fog + Burnout = Breaking Point

  Sarah gets vulnerable about worsening brain fog and fatigue, opening a larger conversation about perimenopause, disability, and survival under constant strain.

• Late Recognition & Reframing Expectations

  Karen talks parenting autistic kids, navigating Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and the loss of access of familiar coping mechanisms during perimenopause.

• The Reality of Caregiving Without Support:

  Why paid family caregiver programs matter, what happens when they’re cut, and how unpaid labor props up broken socioeconomic systems.

• Develop Self-Care Rituals:

  Learning to read non-verbal body signals, prioritize finite energy, and practice nervous system rest & regulation instead of pushing through.

Key Questions Answered in the Audio:

1. How do I know I’m doing too much?

2. Why are families expected to survive without real systemic support?

3. What practical nervous system grounding tools actually help when you’re already overwhelmed & over-scheduled?

Resources Mentioned:

Karen Kossow’s Substack — Self-Care Support Squad https://karenkossow.substack.com/

Faircare Idaho (family paid caregiving advocacy) https://faircareidaho.substack.com/

Connect With Us

⁠https://www.ndreportpod.com/

⁠Follow @ndreportpod on your social platform of choice