Episode 97: FLASHBACK — Navigating Neurodiversity in the Workplace: Crafting Safe Spaces [featuring Lyric Rivera]

A traditional workplace can be really challenging for neurodivergent individuals, and if a workplace culture is made to be one-size-fits-all, the chances are high that it won’t fit for many neurodivergent people.

In this flashback episode, Patrick Casale and Dr. Megan Anna Neff, two AuDHD mental health professionals, talk with Lyric Rivera, founder of NeuroDivergent Consulting, author, and later-in-life diagnosed AuDHD person, about how to create neurodivergent-affirming spaces, including in the workplace and in online communities.

Top 3 reasons to listen to the entire episode:

1. Understand the essential need to reframe our workplace cultures to not just accommodate but truly embrace the strengths that neurodivergent individuals bring to the table.
2. Discover the nuanced challenges adults face with a later-in-life neurodivergent discovery, including unraveling the web of self-deprecating beliefs to shift to self-compassion and understanding.
3. Learn how to implement neurodivergent-friendly practices in the workplace and communities that will lead to more open communication, allow people to play to their strengths, and give individuals the resources and environment they need to show up as their best.

There is still a lot of work to be done to create workplaces and other spaces that truly embrace neurodiversity and accommodate for the uniqueness of each individual, but by implementing Lyric’s suggestions in this episode, we can start leaning into people’s strengths and allow for more growth, better solutions, and spaces that feel safe and welcoming.

More about Lyric Rivera:

Lyric Rivera, founder of NeuroDivergent Consulting and author of the best-selling business ethics book Workplace Neurodiversity Rising, named “Trend for 2023” and praised in Forbes as “an excellent ‘how to manual’ based on lived Experience and professional competence.”

Lyric also runs the blog NeuroDivergent Rebel and is known as the pioneer of the #AskingAutistics hashtag, where simple questions prompt open-ended responses that Autistic people can quickly chime in with and invites participants to engage each other in conversations related to the topic. This hashtag connects people who would not otherwise have a reason to engage with each other and fosters a collective understanding of the Autistic Experience.

• Buy Lyric’s Book: books2read.com/neurodiversity-rising
• Website: neurodivergentrebel.com
• Facebook: facebook.com/NeurodivergentRebel
• Substack: neurodivergentrebel.substack.com
• Threads: threads.net/@neurodivergentrebel
• YouTube: youtube.com/@NeurodivergentRebel
• TikTok: tiktok.com/@.neurodivergentrebel

Resources:

• Check out Dr. Neff’s new book, Self-Care for Autistic People, here to learn more about the book: neurodivergentinsights.com/self-care-for-autistic-people

***This episode is the 7th of 10 episodes that Divergent Conversations is re-releasing for 2025. Please...