Beauty in the broken pieces – TBI, epilepsy and ADHD with Kate Wallinga
Beyond 6 Seconds: Neurodiversity stories from neurodivergent people
05/01/23
•44m
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Content note: This episode describes instances of medical trauma and mental health crises, and mentions violence and death.
Kate Wallinga is a forensic psychologist and crisis clinician by training, and currently hosts the podcast "Ignorance Was Bliss," which has surpassed 1 million downloads. Kate has ADHD, epilepsy, and a traumatic brain injury (TBI) after having a near-death experience in childbirth and a grand mal seizure.
During this episode, you will hear Kate talk about:
- The origin story of the "Ignorance Was Bliss" podcast (and its tagline, "Didn't you feel better before you knew that?")
- How her life, neurotype, cognition and family relationships changed after her near-death experience and traumatic brain injury – including her experiences with amnesia and aphasia
- Why she describes herself as being broken, and why being broken is ok
- How her recovery means she has gotten to a new baseline, and doesn't mean going back to the way she was
- How she learned to give herself grace in her life, after everything she's been through
Listen to Kate's podcast "Ignorance Was Bliss" at IWBPodcast.com or on your favorite podcast player.
Follow Kate on Twitter, Instagram, Mastodon and TikTok.
Listener shout-out! A big THANK YOU to Buna, a Beyond 6 Seconds listener, for supporting this podcast on BuyMeACoffee.com!
Support this podcast at BuyMeACoffee.com/Beyond6Seconds and get a shout-out on a future episode!
Watch the video of this interview on YouTube!
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*Disclaimer: The views, guidance, opinions, and thoughts expressed in Beyond 6 Seconds episodes are solely mine and/or those of my guests, and do not necessarily represent those of my employer or other organizations.*
Previous Episode
Autism, community and the DataFam – with Adam Mico
April 24, 2023
•39m
Adam Mico is the Principal of Data Visualization and Enablement at Moderna. He is a Tableau Visionary, 3x Tableau Ambassador, an Advisory Board Member of the Data Leadership Collaborative, and a member of the Tableau Speaker Bureau. In his spare time, he blogs, produces data visualizations, travels, and networks with the larger data community. He is autistic and supports diversity and inclusion efforts, which includes neurodiversity.
During this episode, you will hear Adam talk about:
- His multi-year journey to recognizing and accepting his autism
- How he discovered Tableau and data visualization as a career interest
- His transformative decision to "bet on himself" and leave his public sector job after 22+ years to switch careers and industries
- Finding the Tableau community where, for the first time in his life, he felt supported and safe enough to start "unmasking" his autism as an autistic professional
- The surprise and honor of being recognized for his contributions to the Tableau data community
- The "happy accident" that led him to the opportunity to write a published book
- How he mentors neurodivergent data professionals
- His advice on how to connect to the Tableau community online and join the #DataFam
Follow Adam on LinkedIn and Twitter and get his book "Tableau Desktop Specialist Certification: A prep guide with multiple learning styles to help you gain Tableau Desktop Specialist certification" on Amazon.
Are you an autistic person who works in the corporate world? Join the new LinkedIn Group for Autistic Corporate Professionals, a place to share advice and experiences with navigating corporate jobs, careers and workplaces.
Watch the video of this interview on YouTube!
Subscribe to the FREE Beyond 6 Seconds newsletter for early access to new episodes!
Support this podcast at BuyMeACoffee.com/Beyond6Seconds and get a shout-out on a future episode!
*Disclaimer: The views, guidance, opinions, and thoughts expressed in Beyond 6 Seconds episodes are solely mine and/or those of my guests, and do not necessarily represent those of my employer or other organizations.*
Next Episode
Patty DeDurr is a mom, healthcare worker and award-winning author of two children's books: "This Kid Can Hyperfocus" (a story about ADHD) and "This Llama Can Write" (a story about dysgraphia). She provides educational information and resources about supporting neurodivergent kids on her publisher's website, Sensing Greatness. Patty has ADHD and dysgraphia herself, and she's determined to help reduce stigma surrounding neurodivergence by increasing representation in literature.
During this episode, you will hear Patty talk about:
- What is dysgraphia, and what it's like for her to have dysgraphia and ADHD
- Why assistive technology is important for individuals with dysgraphia
- What inspired her to write children's books with neurodivergent characters, and how she came up with the plots for the stories
- The neurodiversity resources she provides for her advocacy work
Learn more about Patty's books, This Kid Can Hyperfocus and This Llama Can Write.
Get Patty's free resources for neurodivergent children on her website, Sensing Greatness.
Follow Patty on Facebook and Instagram.
Watch the video of this interview on YouTube.
This episode features a promo for Differently Brained, the podcast where no brain is the same.
Follow the Beyond 6 Seconds podcast in your favorite podcast player!
Subscribe to the FREE Beyond 6 Seconds newsletter for early access to new episodes!
Support this podcast at BuyMeACoffee.com/Beyond6Seconds and get a shout-out on a future episode!
*Disclaimer: The views, guidance, opinions, and thoughts expressed in Beyond 6 Seconds episodes are solely mine and/or those of my guests, and do not necessarily represent those of my employer or other organizations.*
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