Neurodiversity is the idea that human brains come in natural varieties, just like height, handedness, or eye color. There's no single "correct" way for a brain to work.

The term was coined in 1998 by Australian sociologist Judy Singer, who recognized that neurological differences aren't defects to fix but natural variations that make humanity richer. This perspective shifted the conversation from "what's wrong with you?" to "how does your brain work, and what do you need to thrive?"

Neurodivergent describes people whose brains work differently from the majority (neurotypical). This includes autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette syndrome, and many other variations.

Neurotypical describes people whose brains work in ways considered "typical" by societal standards.

Here's the key insight: Neurodivergent isn't broken. It's different. And different isn't less than, it's just different.

As someone living with AuDHD (autism + ADHD), I can tell you firsthand: my brain works beautifully. Just not the way schools, workplaces, and society expected it to. That's not my failure, that's a design mismatch. And that's exactly what Goliath Advocacy exists to address!

Neurodivergence is an umbrella term covering many variations. Here are some of the most common:

Autism (Autism Spectrum Disorder/ASD)

• Different social communication styles
• Sensory sensitivities (sounds, lights, textures)
• Strong interests in specific topics
• Preference for routine and predictability
• Often comes with exceptional pattern recognition and attention to detail

ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)

• Challenges with sustained attention and executive function
• Hyperactivity or restlessness (not always visible)
• Impulsivity and difficulty with time management
• Often comes with creativity, hyperfocus, and innovative thinking

AuDHD (Autism + ADHD)

• Yes, you can be both! (I am)
• Combines traits from both. Sometimes they conflict, sometimes they amplify
• Increasingly recognized as common co-occurrence

Dyslexia

• Difficulty with reading, spelling, and processing written language
• Often comes with strong spatial reasoning, creativity, and problem-solving

Dyscalculia

• Difficulty processing numbers and mathematical concepts
• Has nothing to do with intelligence

Dyspraxia/DCD (Developmental Coordination Disorder)

• Affects motor skills and coordination
• Doesn't affect intelligence or potential

Tourette Syndrome

• Characterized by tics (motor or vocal)
• Much more than the stereotypes suggest

And many others: OCD, synesthesia, sensory processing disorder, and more.

Important: Many people have multiple neurodivergences. That's normal, not "complicated."

You're not alone. You're part of a massive, vibrant community.

• 15-20% of the global population is neurodivergent (that's 1.4+ billion people)
• 1 in 36 children in the U.S. is autistic (CDC, 2023)
• 1 in 9 U.S. children has ADHD (2024 research)
• 10% of people worldwide have dyslexia
• 5-10% of people have dyscalculia
• 5-6% of people have dyspraxia/DCD

Why are these numbers growing?

• ✅ Better recognition across all genders and presentations
• ✅ Increased awareness reducing stigma
• ✅ Adults seeking diagnosis after years of struggling
• ✅ More inclusive diagnostic criteria

What this means: If you're neurodivergent, statistically you know dozens of other neurodivergent people, whether they've been diagnosed or not. We're everywhere. We always have been.

Sources: CDC, WHO, International Dyslexia Association, peer-reviewed research

Neurodivergent brains often come with exceptional abilities:

Pattern Recognition

• Spotting connections others miss
• Seeing systemic problems before they become crises
• Identifying trends in data, behavior, or systems

Hyperfocus

• Deep, sustained concentration on areas of interest
• Ability to work for hours without distraction when engaged
• Often leads to expertise in specialized fields

Creative Problem-Solving

• Thinking outside conventional boundaries
• Approaching challenges from unique angles
• Finding solutions others wouldn't consider

Attention to Detail

• Noticing inconsistencies, errors, or nuances
• Exceptional quality control
• Precision in work that matters

Innovative Thinking

• Challenging assumptions
• Disrupting industries
• Creating entirely new approaches

Honesty & Directness

• Cutting through corporate BS
• Saying what everyone's thinking
• Valuing authenticity over politeness

These aren't consolation prizes. They're genuine strengths that drive innovation in technology, arts, science, business, and every field you can imagine.

Companies like SAP and Microsoft have reported up to 30% productivity gains when they create neuroinclusive workplaces. That's not charity—that's recognizing talent.

Let's clear up some dangerous misconceptions:

❌ MYTH: Neurodivergence is a childhood condition ✅ REALITY: Neurodivergent children become neurodivergent adults. You don't "grow out of" autism or ADHD.

❌ MYTH: You need to be "low-functioning" to be neurodivergent ✅ REALITY: Functioning labels are harmful. Needs vary by context, not by person. I can run two businesses but struggle with phone calls.

❌ MYTH: Neurodivergent people lack empathy ✅ REALITY: Many neurodivergent people have INTENSE empathy—we just express it differently. This myth is particularly harmful to autistic people.

❌ MYTH: ADHD means you can't focus on anything ✅ REALITY: ADHD is misnamed. It's not a deficit of attention—it's inconsistent regulation of attention. We can hyperfocus intensely on things that engage us.

❌ MYTH: Neurodivergence can be "cured" ✅ REALITY: Neurodivergence is a different operating system, not a disease. You can't cure it, and why would you want to?

❌ MYTH: Accommodations are "special treatment" ✅ REALITY: Accommodations level the playing field. Glasses aren't "special treatment" for people with poor vision—they're tools that enable participation.

❌ MYTH: Everyone's "a little bit ADHD/autistic" ✅ REALITY: No. Everyone procrastinates sometimes. Neurodivergent people have neurological differences that significantly impact daily functioning.

Here's why neurodivergent-led advocacy is different, and better.

For decades, neurodivergent people were talked ABOUT but not listened TO. Professionals studied us like specimens. Agencies created services FOR us without asking what we actually needed. Therapies were designed to make us act "normal," not to help us thrive.

That era is ending.

The neurodiversity movement is built on a simple principle: "Nothing about us without us." Disabled people, especially neurodivergent people, should lead conversations about our own lives, needs, and futures.

Why this matters for you:

When you work with Goliath Advocacy, you're not working with neurotypical professionals who read about autism in textbooks. You're working with people who LIVE this.

• I'm AuDHD. I know what sensory overload feels like. I understand executive dysfunction from the inside.
• My business partner is autistic with ADHD. She's raised two neurodivergent sons. She's fought the same battles you're fighting.

We don't guess what you need. We know. Because we've been there. We ARE there.

This isn't just empathy. It's expertise born from lived experience. And research shows that peer support and neurodivergent-led services produce better outcomes than traditional models.

You deserve advocates who get it because they live it.

You don't "age out" of being neurodivergent.

One of the most harmful myths is that neurodivergence is a childhood issue. Schools focus on kids. Pediatricians diagnose kids. Services are designed for kids.

Then what?

Neurodivergent children become neurodivergent adults. We don't grow out of autism, ADHD, dyslexia, or any other form of neurodivergence. Our brains don't magically become neurotypical at age 18.

What DOES change:

• ✅ We develop coping strategies (some healthy, some not)
• ✅ We learn to mask our differences (often at great cost)
• ✅ We build lives around our strengths and accommodate our challenges
• ✅ Some of us get diagnosed for the first time as adults

Late diagnosis is INCREDIBLY common, especially for:

• Women and girls (who mask more effectively)
• People of color (who face diagnostic bias)
• People who did well academically (masking their struggles)
• People told "you can't be autistic/ADHD because you [succeeded at something]"

If you're an adult just figuring out you're neurodivergent: You're not broken. You're not making it up. And it's never too late to understand yourself better and find support that actually works.

At Goliath Advocacy, we support neurodivergent people of ALL ages, because your needs don't disappear when you turn 18.

Most neurodivergent people don't have just one thing. And that's completely normal.

The medical model loves clean categories: "You have autism" or "You have ADHD." But brains don't read diagnostic manuals. Real neurodivergent people often have multiple overlapping conditions.

Common combinations:

Autism + ADHD (AuDHD)

• 50-70% of autistic people also have ADHD traits
• Sometimes they conflict (autism craves routine, ADHD gets bored easily)
• Sometimes they amplify (both come with sensory sensitivities)

Neurodivergence + Anxiety/Depression

• Not because neurodivergence causes mental illness
• Because living in a world not designed for you is EXHAUSTING
• Masking, rejection, and systemic barriers take a toll

Dyslexia + ADHD

• Both affect executive function and processing
• Often co-occur and compound challenges

Autism + Dyspraxia

• Motor coordination challenges common in autism
• Can affect handwriting, sports, daily tasks

Multiple learning differences

• Dyslexia + dyscalculia
• Dysgraphia + dyspraxia
• These often travel together

Here's what this means:

You're not "complicated" or "difficult." You're human. And humans are complex.

At Goliath Advocacy, we don't treat you like a diagnosis. We treat you like a person with a unique constellation of strengths, challenges, and needs. Because that's what you are.

Masking is exhausting. And you don't have to do it anymore.

What is masking?

Masking (or camouflaging) is when neurodivergent people hide their natural behaviors to appear neurotypical. It's a survival strategy developed in response to rejection, bullying, or simply not fitting in.

What masking looks like:

• Forcing eye contact even though it's uncomfortable
• Suppressing stimming (hand-flapping, rocking, fidgeting)
• Scripting conversations to sound "normal"
• Hiding special interests because they're "weird"
• Pretending to understand social cues you don't actually get
• Working twice as hard to produce the same results as neurotypical peers

Why people mask:

• To avoid bullying or social rejection
• To get or keep jobs
• To be taken seriously
• To protect themselves
• Because they've been told their natural behavior is "wrong"

The cost of masking:

• Burnout: Physical and mental exhaustion from constantly performing
• Loss of identity: Not knowing who you are without the mask
• Anxiety and depression: From suppressing your authentic self
• Delayed diagnosis: Especially for women and girls who mask effectively
• Physical health problems: Chronic stress manifests in the body

Here's what I want you to know:

You don't have to mask with us. At Goliath Advocacy, stimming is welcome. Scripted conversation is fine. Direct communication is preferred. You can be yourself, fully, authentically, without apology.

Because the goal isn't to make you act neurotypical. The goal is to help you thrive as yourself.

When workplaces embrace neurodivergent talent, everyone wins.

For too long, workplaces were designed by and for neurotypical people. Standard office environments, open floor plans, fluorescent lights, constant meetings, and unclear expectations are often actively hostile to neurodivergent brains.

But forward-thinking companies are changing that.

Companies with neuroinclusive hiring programs:

• SAP
• Microsoft
• JPMorgan Chase
• EY (Ernst & Young)
• Freddie Mac
• Many others

What they're reporting:

• Up to 30% productivity gains when neurodivergent employees are properly supported
• Higher innovation rates when diverse thinking styles collaborate
• Better retention when people can be authentic at work
• Improved team dynamics when neurodivergent perspectives are valued

What neurodivergent employees often need:

• Clear, direct communication (not hints or "reading between the lines")
• Quiet workspaces or noise-cancelling headphones
• Flexible schedules (not everyone works best 9-5)
• Written instructions in addition to verbal
• Accommodations for sensory sensitivities
• Understanding that "different" doesn't mean "less capable"

What neurodivergent employees often bring:

• Exceptional attention to detail
• Pattern recognition that catches errors
• Creative problem-solving
• Honesty and directness
• Deep expertise in specialized areas
• Fresh perspectives that challenge groupthink

At Goliath Advocacy, we help neurodivergent individuals advocate for workplace accommodations and support employers in creating neuroinclusive environments. Because everyone deserves to work in a place where their strengths are valued and their needs are met.

 

Practical guidance for families, employers, educators, and allies.

✅ DO:

Listen to the person

• They know their needs better than you do
• Ask "What would help?" not "What's wrong with you?"
• Believe them when they tell you something is difficult

Provide accommodations without judgment

• Noise-cancelling headphones aren't "special treatment"
• Fidget toys aren't "distracting"—they help concentration
• Written instructions aren't "babying"—they reduce anxiety

Communicate clearly and directly

• Say what you mean
• Avoid hints, sarcasm, or "reading between the lines"
• Be explicit about expectations

Respect differences

• Not everyone wants eye contact, and that's okay
• Stimming (hand-flapping, rocking) is self-regulation, not misbehavior
• Special interests aren't obsessions, they're areas of passion and expertise

Celebrate strengths

• Focus on what people CAN do, not just challenges
• Recognize that different doesn't mean less than
• Value the unique perspectives neurodivergent people bring

❌ DON'T:

Don't assume you know best

• "I know what's best for you" is patronizing
• Neurodivergent people are experts on their own experiences

Don't use functioning labels

• "High-functioning" dismisses support needs
• "Low-functioning" dismisses capabilities
• Needs vary by context, not by person

Don't force neurotypical behavior

• Eye contact isn't more respectful—it's just different
• Making someone stop stimming doesn't help them focus—it harms them
• ABA and compliance-based therapies often cause trauma

Don't compare to neurotypical standards

• "You're so smart, you can't have ADHD" is dismissive
• "You don't look autistic" isn't a compliment
• Success doesn't erase neurodivergence

Don't make assumptions based on stereotypes

• Not all autistic people are math geniuses
• Not all people with ADHD are hyperactive
• Not all dyslexic people struggle with all reading

The golden rule: Presume competence, provide support, respect autonomy.

 

Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN)

• autisticadvocacy.org
• Led BY autistic people FOR autistic people
• Gold standard for autistic advocacy

CHADD (Children and Adults with ADHD)

• chadd.org
• Evidence-based ADHD resources and support

International Dyslexia Association

• dyslexiaida.org
• Research, resources, and advocacy for dyslexic individuals

Neurodiversity Hub

• neurodiversityhub.org
• Resources for neurodivergent individuals and families