Living With an Invisible Learning Challenge

Jennifer Purcell

Have you ever wondered what it is like to live with an invisible learning disability? Well then, step into my and others’ world of Living with Multi-Learning Differences (MLDs). I want to provide a podcast for nuerodivergents or someone who knows them and wants to help improve their life. Awareness about MLDs should be raised because the public needs to be more knowledgeable about them. This can be hard to do because many of the learning disabilities that someone can have aren't obvious.

  1. 6d ago

    Getting Unstuck as a Family (Without More Pressure)

    If you or someone you love is navigating NVLD, you already know how exhausting it can be to keep trying the same things and getting the same results. The stuck feeling is real. The conflict cycles are real. The gap between knowing what needs to change and actually changing it is real. That is exactly what this workshop is designed to address. Reset: Getting Unstuck as a Family (Without More Pressure) is an in-person, one-day intensive experience in Boulder, Colorado, on July 16th, with an optional bonus mindfulness day on July 17th. It is small by design. It is warm, practical, and nothing like a clinical seminar. And it is one of the only experiences of its kind created specifically for the NVLD population. This is not individual coaching. There is no pressure to commit to anything beyond the two days. It is simply a chance to step out of your normal environment, get into a room with people who genuinely understand, and do something that actually moves the needle. Here is what you will walk away with: Clarity around the patterns that keep showing upAt least one concrete strategy you can use immediatelyA stronger sense of connection, whether you come with a family member or on your ownRenewed energy and momentum, without added pressureParents, young adults, or both are welcome. Some people are coming as a family. Others are parents coming solo to get a new perspective. Others are young adults attending on their own. All are equally welcome and will get real value from the experience. A few spots remain at $250 per person, which includes both the full workshop day and the optional bonus mindfulness day on July 17th. Early bird pricing has already sold out! If you have been waiting for the right time to do something different, this is it. Boulder in July, a small group of people who get it, and two days that could genuinely shift something for your family. Register here:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfASW5X7rOusVaBgpzBIWEY8LhUpv2v2hSrNWTj2FgMs-hXaw/viewform If you have questions, please let me know, and I can put you in contact with Christinia Cummins. Thanks.

    1 min

  2. 6d ago

    The Inner Light: NLD, Neurodivergence & Resilience

    In this episode, The Inner Light: NLD, Neurodivergence & Resilience, the host explores how living with Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NLD) and other neurodivergent traits can bring both challenges and hidden strengths. Drawing from personal experience and research, the episode discusses how differences in social interpretation, sensory processing, and daily adaptation can shape resilience, creativity, empathy, and problem-solving abilities. It highlights how masking and navigating systems not designed for neurodivergent minds can be exhausting but may also lead to unique coping strategies and deeper self-awareness. The concept of the “inner light” represents the insight, adaptability, and emotional strength that emerge through these experiences. Connecting this idea with the “Everchanging Butterfly,” the episode emphasizes that resilience is not constant productivity or perfection—it is a cycle of growth, rest, recovery, and transformation, encouraging listeners to embrace their strengths and recognize the value in their unique way of experiencing the world.

    11 min

  3. Jun 12

    Your Wings, Your Way

    Not all advice fits every brain. In this episode, we explore how neurodivergent individuals can use critical thinking, self-awareness, and lived experience to evaluate advice instead of accepting it automatically. From neurodivergence and comorbidity to resilience and the “Inner Light” philosophy, this conversation is about finding what truly works for you. Use this link to find my other podcasts, Etsy Shop, and Tailored Tech Services: https://linktr.ee/JenniferPTTS?utm_source=linktree_profile_share

    15 min

  4. May 22

    Interview with Dr. Barnes and Me, Part Two

    In Part Two, Jennifer continues her conversation with Rev. Dr. Xenia Barnes, exploring how workplaces and healthcare systems often fall short for those with neurodivergence and chronic conditions. They discuss the gap between performative inclusion and real accessibility, the toll of masking, and outdated productivity standards. The episode also highlights the added barriers faced by Black women and calls for more flexible, compassionate, and individualized approaches to support. To find out more about Rev. Dr. Xenia Barnes, visit this link: https://rdbspeaks.com/. Use this link to find my other podcasts, Etsy Shop, and Tailored Tech Services: https://linktr.ee/JenniferPTTS?utm_source=linktree_profile_share

    33 min

  5. May 15

    The Mask We Wear

    This episode explores how people with invisible learning challenges use “masking” and perfectionism to hide struggles rooted in shame—a concept defined by Brené Brown as feeling unworthy of belonging. It explains how repeated experiences of misunderstanding turn mistakes into identity, leading to exhaustion and disconnection. The podcast encourages embracing vulnerability, normalizing needs, and making small, intentional “reveals” to replace shame with empathy and authentic connection. Use this link to find my other podcasts, Etsy Shop, and Tailored Tech Services: ⁠https://linktr.ee/JenniferPTTS?utm_source=linktree_profile_share

    18 min

  6. May 9

    The Narrator Inside My Neurodivergent Mind

    The Narrator Inside My Neurodivergent Mind explores what it’s like to live and work with multiple learning differences and chronic migraines, using the narrator in your head as a metaphor for constant mental juggling. It highlights the balance between productivity and health, the tools and strategies that help, and the shift from self-criticism to self-support—reframing challenges as strengths. Use this link to find my other podcasts, Etsy Shop, and Tailored Tech Services: https://linktr.ee/JenniferPTTS?utm_source=linktree_profile_share

    18 min

  7. May 1

    Interview with Rev. Dr. Xenia Barnes and Me (Part 1)

    This episode features a conversation with Rev. Dr. Xenia Barnes exploring lived experiences of neurodivergence and chronic conditions, and how systems—especially workplaces and healthcare—often fall short in supporting individual needs. Together, they examine the gap between performative inclusion and true accessibility, highlighting how rigid, one-size-fits-all policies, complex accommodation processes, and a lack of empathy create real barriers. The discussion also addresses the emotional toll of masking, outdated productivity measures that prioritize presence over results, and the discouragement many face when seeking support. These challenges are further compounded for Black women, who experience additional stigma and inequities in accessing mental health resources and accommodations. Ultimately, the conversation calls for more flexible, personalized, and compassionate approaches that normalize support, embrace neurodiversity as a strength, and foster more inclusive and effective workplaces. To find out more about Rev. Dr. Xenia Barnes, visit this link: https://rdbspeaks.com/. Use this link to find my other podcasts, Etsy Shop, and Tailored Tech Services: https://linktr.ee/JenniferPTTS?utm_source=linktree_profile_share

    32 min

  8. Apr 24

    Seen, Not Understood: Neurodivergence & Chronic Pain

    This episode explores awareness vs. acceptance through the lens of neurodivergence and chronic pain. It reflects on living with invisible challenges, the impact of being misunderstood, and how a diagnosis can bring clarity. Ultimately, it highlights that acceptance—not just awareness—is what creates real support and self-understanding. https://linktr.ee/JenniferPTTS?utm_source=linktree_profile_share⁠ Here are the articles/sources I used, in simple form: Autism Awareness vs. Acceptance collection (April 2026) from Medium Autistic Self Advocacy Network (acceptance and neurodivergent advocacy) National Autistic Society (masking, misunderstanding, burnout) Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (diagnosis and self-understanding) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (autism prevalence context) Harvard Business Review (workplace and neurodivergence) Plus my own lived experience, especially from The Tangled Knot of My Learning Differences, which is a core part of the episode.

    11 min
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About

Have you ever wondered what it is like to live with an invisible learning disability? Well then, step into my and others’ world of Living with Multi-Learning Differences (MLDs). I want to provide a podcast for nuerodivergents or someone who knows them and wants to help improve their life. Awareness about MLDs should be raised because the public needs to be more knowledgeable about them. This can be hard to do because many of the learning disabilities that someone can have aren't obvious.

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