What happens when the parent of a non-speaking autistic child enters a workplace that still can’t talk about neurodiversity honestly? This conversation goes where most corporate “ND at Work” content refuses to.
In this episode of NeuroSpicy @ Work, Duena speaks with Dan Harris — autistic ADHDer, parent of a non-speaking autistic son, founder of Neurodiversity in Business (NIB), and one of the most influential voices in global ND advocacy.
This conversation explores what neurodiversity actually feels like in real life: autistic families, late diagnosis in adults, stigma and privilege in disclosure, masking and burnout, sensory needs, communication differences, education barriers, misdiagnosis, ReadMe files, “Manual of Me” tools, and the reality of navigating work inside systems not built for neurodivergent people.
Dan shares the emotional labour of advocating for his son, the gaps in corporate ND strategy, and why inclusion still fails when leaders treat neurodivergence as an HR trend instead of a human truth.
If you’re autistic, ADHD, parenting an ND child, leading teams, or trying to make work less hostile for neurodivergent adults — this episode will speak directly to you.
About the Host
Duena Blomstrom — autistic/ADHD author of People Before Tech, Tech-Led Culture, Emotional Banking; creator of the Human Debt framework; and late-diagnosed researcher of workplace culture, psychological safety, and neurodiversity.
NeuroSpicy @ Work — Season 1, Episode 3. Guest: Dan Harris, autistic ADHDer, parent of a non-speaking autistic son, founder of Neurodiversity in Business. Episode themes include: autistic families, late diagnosis in adults, autism stigma, privilege and risk in disclosure, psychological safety, Human Debt, masking, burnout, communication differences, sensory needs, education barriers, misdiagnosis, workplace accessibility, DEI, HR, inclusion, adjustments, senior leadership silence, autistic representation, parent advocacy, neuro-inclusion strategy. Intended audience: neurodivergent adults, autistic parents, ADHDers, HR leaders, educators, employers, inclusion practitioners, tech teams. Host: Duena Blomstrom.
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Full archive + transcripts:
https://neurospicyatwork.comDuena’s research, books and Human Debt work:
https://www.duenablomstrom.com00:00 — Intros & why this conversation matters 02:12 — Autistic families & real-life ND parenting 05:01 — Why disclosure is still dangerous 08:35 — Masking, burnout & the emotional cost of “coping” 11:58 — Systems not built for us & what ND adults need next
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