Why do so many neurodivergent people struggle in the workplace; even when they are highly capable?

In this episode, Sonia speaks to workplace strategist Rich Rowley about why modern workplaces value one narrow style of thinking, and how that can leave ADHD, autistic and dyslexic employees exhausted, ashamed and underperforming.

Rich argues neurodivergent people are not simply workers who need accommodations and support; they’re an untapped valuable resource for organisations.

Neurodivergent minds often excel at complex problem-solving, and workplace culture can either unlock or suppress that potential. Rich says that when organisations get this right, every metric improves - including the bottom line. Because true neuroinclusion benefits everyone.

Guest: Rich Rowley

For more on Brainbadge go to ​​https://neurofusion.co.nz/

In this episode:

• Why ADHD, autistic and dyslexic employees often struggle in traditional workplaces
• The hidden toll of masking, burnout and “fitting in” at work
• Why neurodivergent people may excel at solving complex problems
• How businesses may be overlooking their most valuable thinkers
• The Values–Decisions Gap
• Why psychological safety is the foundation of true neuroinclusion
• How better workplace design can benefit all employees

No Such Thing as Normal is made with support from NZ On Air

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Isabella* is just 22, but she’d been living with severe contamination OCD for eight years. It had taken over her life - touching people, objects, even parts of her own home, felt dangerous. Every interaction came with a cost: hours of cleaning, sanitising and rituals.

In this episode we follow Isabella’s story. From a life ruled by OCD to her experience with a revolutionary therapy: the Bergen 4 day Treatment (B4DT).

Over 100 thousand New Zealanders are estimated to suffer from OCD and access to treatment is difficult. Thanks to the charity Open Closed Doors the B4DT had it’s first New Zealand trial in January of this year. And the results were phenomenal.

Guests:

Isabella*

Dr Bjarne Hansen

Dr Marthinus Bekker

Emma Chapman

Mihi Gillies

To find out more, or to support the charity go to Open Closed Doors.

Resources:

Open Closed Doors.

Fixate - FB group

In this episode:

• Isabella’s story: what OCD feels like from the inside
• The hidden cost of OCD: intrusive thoughts, compulsions, and the exhausting mental load
• Why OCD is so often misunderstood, and why logic alone doesn’t work
• The impact on families, relationships, and daily life
• The gold-standard treatment: Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and its limitations
• The first New Zealand trial of the Bergen 4-day Treatment (B4DT) - an intensive four-day therapy
• Insights from co-founder Bjarne Hansen on anxiety, intention, and “cracking the code”
• Willingness: the key predictor of recovery
• A strengths-based reframe of OCD: these traits are not weaknesses.
• “Don’t feed the cat”. Learning to respond differently to intrusive thoughts
• What recovery looks like in real life.
• Honest reflections on early recovery, the highs, the doubts, and what comes next
• Practical insights for parents and families: supporting without reinforcing OCD

No Such Thing as Normal is made with support from NZ On Air

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ADHD is being talked about more than ever. But for many, life still feels harder than it should. Even with a diagnosis there can be a lingering sense of “Why is life still so difficult?”

In this episode, Sonia speaks with ADHD coach Alex Campbell, to find out what we’re missing.

Alex says ADHD brains are motivated by interest, not importance. But the world expects the opposite, and that’s the where issues arise.

People often develop hidden systems to try to meet life’s demands - hypervigilance, hyper-independence and a harsh inner-critic. But these come at a cost. Their are high rates of burnout and exhaustion for those with ADHD.

This conversation explores a different way forward: understanding how your brain works, and learning how to work with it, rather than constantly pushing against it.

In this episode:

• How interest acts as the fuel for focus and executive function
• Why simple tasks can feel disproportionately hard to start
• How the brain creates stimulation when things feel boring
• Negative interest: why anxiety and urgency often become the default fuel
• The hidden coping systems (hypervigilance, masking, hyper-independence)
• The role of the inner critic
• The long-term cost: exhaustion, stress and burnout
• Internal vs external hyperactivity.
• ADHD and emotional intensity
• Spiky strengths: brilliant in some areas, challenged in others
• Practical ways to begin working with your ADHD brain, rather than against it
• The value of connection
• Identifying strengths, and using them to get activated

Guest: Alex Campbell ADHD Coach
Alex’s book ADHD… Now What? Is available here.

Resources:
VIA Character Strengths
ADHD NZ

No Such Thing as Normal is made with the support of NZ On Air

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.