When we share our neurodivergence with the people closest to us, it can feel incredibly vulnerable. These are the people whose opinions matter, whose reactions carry weight, and whose understanding we hope for. And yet, even with loved ones, sharing a diagnosis can stir up old fears, not because the diagnosis is frightening, but because of the history that came before it. Many people who identify as neurodivergent, whether through ADHD, autism, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, sensory

Labels, what do they mean? Why I’m On My Soapbox About This I’ve found myself on my soapbox more than usual lately, because the word disorder continues to shape how people are understood, dismissed, or overlooked in ways that no longer make sense. After years of working with trauma, neurodiversity, and nervous‑system patterns and after being personally told I couldn’t be autistic because I was “too professional” and “too social” I’ve seen how language creates stigma, fuels s