Walking The Neurodiversity Path: Our Path in Parenthood & Self Discovery

Coming Back Differently: Neurodivergence, Change & the September Reset
After taking a step back over the summer, I’m returning to the podcast with a conversation about change, transitions, and the neurodivergent brain. Why can getting “back to normal” feel so overwhelming, even when the change is positive? We explore how transitions draw on executive functioning, why change can dysregulate our nervous system, and how there can be a sense of loss hidden inside even the most exciting new beginnings.
I also share three simple questions I’m asking myself as September approaches: What structure do I need back? What do I want to bring with me from summer? And what needs to change instead of simply returning to normal? Because maybe coming back doesn’t mean going back, perhaps we’re meant to come back differently.

What happens when a late neurodivergent diagnosis brings not only relief… but grief?
In this solo episode, Coty Walker explores the often unspoken emotional side of discovering ADHD or neurodivergence later in life, the mourning of the life you could have had if you had understood yourself sooner.
Together, we explore:
the grief of years spent masking and overcompensating
the shame many neurodivergent adults silently carry
mourning relationships, opportunities, and self-worth
the complicated emotions of parenting while unsupported yourself
anger, identity reconstruction, and nervous system exhaustion
and the healing that can begin when we replace self-judgment with compassion
If you’ve ever wondered:“Who would I have been if I had known sooner?” …this episode is for you. You are not alone. And it is not too late to rebuild your relationship with yourself from a place of awareness, compassion, and acceptance.
website: https://whatifyoufly.ca/Instagram: @what_if_you_fly_coachingLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cotywalker/

In this episode of Walking the Neurodiversity Path, Coty Walker sits down with UK based ADHD and dyslexia specialist, teacher, and neurodivergent parent Katie Bertie for an honest conversation about why so many girls and women with ADHD continue to go unnoticed, misunderstood, or misdiagnosed for years.
Together, they explore the hidden presentation of ADHD in girls, including masking, perfectionism, emotional sensitivity, people pleasing, anxiety, and the deep impact of growing up feeling “different” without understanding why. Katie shares insights from both her professional and personal experience supporting neurodivergent children, teens, and families, while Coty opens up a compassionate space for conversations many women are only now beginning to have later in life.
Whether you are a parent, educator, late-diagnosed woman, or someone trying to better understand the neurodivergent experience, this conversation offers insight, validation, compassion, and hope.
Katie is offering us a free 3 part parent guide: 3 simple steps you can take to support your ADHD/dyslexic teen fearlessly, so they can tackle school and life with confidence and joy.Dowload it here: https://gift.katiebertieeducation.com/coty
To learn more about Katie Bertie and her work, visit:Her website: www.katiebertieeducation.comSubstack: https://substack.com/@katiebertieLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiebertie/
 

In this candid and deeply personal episode, Coty sits down with her close friend Lotti to explore what it means to be diagnosed with ADHD later in life. Through honest reflections, moments of humor, and stories from their friendship, they unpack the complexity of identity, the realities of navigating stigma, especially as professionals, and the ongoing journey of making sense of yourself.
This conversation is a gentle reminder that understanding doesn’t happen overnight, and that self-acceptance is not a destination, but a process. If you’ve ever questioned how your brain works or felt like you’re figuring things out later than others, this episode will resonate.
 

In this honest and personal episode, Coty Walker explores how sensory overload and resistance to change can make even the smallest things feel overwhelming. From avoiding a new microphone to struggling with clothing tags, Coty shares her own experiences to uncover a deeper truth: when our nervous system is stretched, what looks like overreacting is often our brain trying to protect us.
This episode is a gentle reminder that you’re not alone and that instead of pushing through, there may be a different way forward. If you’ve ever felt stuck, overwhelmed by small tasks, or resistant to change, this conversation will help you better understand what’s really going on beneath the surface.website: https://whatifyoufly.ca/Instagram: @what_if_you_fly_coachingLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cotywalker/
 

In this episode of Walking the Neurodiversity Path, Coty Walker sits down with Registered Occupational Therapist and ADD coach Krista Van Iderstine for a deeply personal and thought-provoking conversation about what it really means to support ADHD.
Diagnosed as an adult, Krista brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work. Together, Krista and Coty explore the limitations of traditional ADHD approaches that focus heavily on behavior modification, productivity, and “fixing” challenges, often without addressing the inner emotional world.
This conversation invites a powerful shift: from constant correction to self-understanding, from pressure to compassion, and from relying solely on systems to developing a deeper relationship with yourself.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re working harder than everyone else just to keep up, or like the systems that are supposed to help you just aren’t enough...this episode offers a refreshing and validating perspective. You are not broken. And there is another way.
Krista Van Iderstine’s website-Befriending Your Brain OT & Coaching Services:https://www.kristaotcoach.com/index.html
For Krista’s meditations on Free Insight Timer app-her teacher profile coming soon and you will be able to search her name in the app
Krista Van Iderstine’s meditations on Free Soundcloud app:
https://on.soundcloud.com/vZWX07B7hA4WkWTo9o
Other resources mentioned during podcast
Kristin Neff self-compassion researcher website:
https://self-compassion.org/
Kristin Neff TED talk:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKEtknqHTjo

In this episode of Walking the Neurodiversity Path, Coty Walker explores how constant exposure to global crises, breaking news, and social media can deeply impact ADHD and other neurodiverse nervous systems. When the world feels overwhelming, ADHD brains (wired to respond to urgency and emotional intensity) can easily become caught in cycles of anxiety, hyperfocus on negative news, and emotional exhaustion.
Coty shares insights on why this happens, how it particularly affects teenagers whose brains are still developing, and what we can do to protect our mental and emotional well-being. Through practical strategies like setting boundaries with media, reconnecting with the body, and focusing on what we can influence in our daily lives, this episode offers compassionate guidance for neurodiverse individuals and parents navigating uncertain times.

February can be a heavy month for neurodivergent minds. The new year energy has faded, expectations are still loud, and exhaustion, self-doubt, and shame often begin to surface. If productivity feels harder than it “should” right now, you’re not imagining it, and you’re not failing. In this episode of Walking the Neurodiversity Path, Coty Walker invites you into a gentler, more honest conversation about productivity, one that offers relief rather than pressure.
This episode explores why traditional productivity systems were never designed for neurodivergent brains, the emotional cost of forcing ourselves to fit them, and how burnout often comes from working against our nervous systems. Coty shares compassionate reframes, gentle experiments, and a powerful reminder that rest is not a reward, it’s regulation. If you’ve ever wondered why things feel harder for you, this episode is here to remind you: you’re not broken, you’re navigating systems that don’t understand your brain.
 

January often comes with loud expectations: fresh starts, big goals, and pressure to begin the year at full speed. In this gentle solo episode, Coty reflects on starting the year sick and depleted, and how quickly one setback can turn into a story of failure, especially for neurodivergent nervous systems. Through personal insight and a neurodiversity lens, she explores why rigidity and productivity culture can be dysregulating for both kids and adults, and why winter invites rest, not pushing. This episode is a reminder that health is emotional and nervous-system based, micro-resets are always available, and gentleness is not giving up, it’s regulation. If your year hasn’t gone as planned, you haven’t failed. This is your micro-reset.

In this episode of Walking the Neurodiversity Path, Coty interviews her son Jayden about living with severe ADHD and the challenges of navigating engineering school.
Jayden speaks candidly about focus, hyperactivity, pressure, and what it feels like to learn in a system not designed for neurodivergent minds. This is not a how-to episode, it’s a compassionate conversation centered on understanding, dignity, and lived experience.
An important listen for parents, students, and anyone touched by ADHD.