Living with Dyscalculia – with Ivy Rizzo

Beyond 6 Seconds: Neurodiversity stories from neurodivergent people

03/09/26

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42m

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Psychotherapist Ivy Rizzo has a master's degree, speaks multiple languages, and owns her own business... but she struggles with doing basic math, remembering important dates, and recalling events in chronological order. Dyscalculia is often dismissed as just being "bad at math," but for Ivy, it has a wide-ranging effect on her life.

In this episode, Ivy talks about:

How the severity of her dyscalculia impacts her math, memory and sequencing skills
What it was like for her growing up with dyscalculia in the 1980s-1990s
How dyscalculia impacts her adult life, including work, parenting and friendships
Her viral post about how she visualizes the months of the year
The shame of being misunderstood by educators and supervisors, who misinterpreted her dyscalculia in traumatic ways
How her neurodivergence helps her support and strengthen her client relationships
Using her strengths and tech tools to help accommodate her dyscalculia

To find out more about Ivy and her work, visit her website and follow her on Threads.

If you enjoyed this episode about dyscalculia, you may also enjoy my episode about dyscalculia education and advocacy with Elena Chambers (episode 190).

Watch the video of this interview on YouTube.

Read the episode transcript.

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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. These episodes are for informational purposes only and do not substitute for professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional or healthcare provider if you are seeking medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment.*

Previous Episode

Schizoaffective disorder – with Sonido Reyes

February 23

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27m

Sonido Reyes is an award-winning and bestselling author who is best known for tackling difficult topics through a hopeful lens. They write stories celebrating their own queer and Mexican identities, including The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School, The Luis Ortega Survival Club, The Broposal, and The Golden Boy's Guide to Bipolar. They also have contributed short stories to the anthologies Transmogrify! and For the Rest of Us.

Sonido is also the vice-president of My Galvanized Friend, a nonprofit focused on providing access to and amplifying LGBTQ+ writing, art, and creators.

During this episode, you will hear Sonido talk about:

How they were diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder
What life was like growing up with schizoaffective disorder
How manic episodes have affected their writing
What they want people to understand about schizoaffective disorder
How they choose the topics of the stories they write
The importance of representation in books
How they became involved with the nonprofit My Galvanized Friend

Visit SonidoReyes.carrd.co for links to Sonido's website, writing and social media.

If you enjoyed this episode, you may also enjoy my conversation about schizoaffective disorder with Sally Littlefield on episode 243 of this podcast.

This episode is sponsored by Tas Kronby, Accessibility Consultant & Designer: Parallax scrolling, scroll bar hijacking, flickering, and neon colors are ruining your design—they trigger dizziness, migraines, and vertigo. You've audited for vision and hearing compliance. But does your online content make people sick? Tas Kronby offers Vestibular Accessibility Audits that go beyond compliance. Learn what you need to make your business truly inclusive. Tas will help you Design with All in Mind. Visit TasTheArtist.com/design-services/ to schedule your free consultation.

Watch the video of this interview on YouTube.

Read the episode transcript.

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Next Episode

Addressing food insecurity with Meals in the Meantime – A special Podcasthon episode with Kevin M. Yates

March 16

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16m

This is a special Beyond 6 Seconds episode for Podcasthon, where for one week, thousands of podcasts are highlighting a nonprofit of their choice, to raise awareness and encourage support for charities around the world. The focus of this episode is Meals in the Meantime, a nonprofit organization addressing food insecurity in the Chicagoland south suburbs. Meals in the Meantime provides free, fresh, healthy, high-quality grocery bags of food at drive-thru, pop-up food pantries.

I interviewed Kevin M. Yates, President and Founder of Meals in the Meantime, about:

What inspired him to start Meals in the Meantime
How Meals in the Meantime achieves its mission of "filling the food gap with nourishment and dignity"
How the nonprofit's philosophy of "What Would You Eat" (WWYE) influences the types of foods that Meals in the Meantime provides
Why Meals in the Meantime is different from other types of food banks and food pantries

Learn more about how you can support Meals in the Meantime at MealsInTheMeantime.org and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.

Visit podcasthon.org to discover charities featured by podcasters from around the world.

Support or sponsor this podcast at BuyMeACoffee.com/Beyond6Seconds!

Watch the video of this interview on YouTube.

Read the episode transcript.

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.