NACHOS: Neuro-Affirming Conversation Hour for Outreach and Support

Dr Adam “Dutch” Hazlett
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Weekly

A Neuro-affirming space where we cover the latest humanities-based research in a way the celebrates human difference.

  1. Jun 24

    NACHOS S4E21: The Beauty of Not Knowing

    What if not having all the answers isn’t a flaw, but a kind of freedom? In this season finale of NACHOS: Neuro-Affirming Conversation Hour for Outreach & Support, Dr. Hazlett reflects on the strange pressure so many of us carry to have life figured out—our future, our purpose, our next step, our healing, our timeline. But what if wisdom isn’t certainty? What if growth begins when we stop demanding perfect clarity from ourselves and start making peace with the unknown? In this episode, we explore the quiet courage of uncertainty, the difference between confusion and possibility, and why not knowing can sometimes be the very space where joy, healing, reinvention, and self-trust begin. Along the way, Dr. Hazlett weaves together reflection, affirmation, humor, and research in the way only NACHOS can—offering a finale that feels both grounding and gently liberating. Whether you’re in a season of transition, burnout, grief, reinvention, or simply trying to make sense of what comes next, this conversation is a reminder that you do not need every answer in order to keep going. Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is loosen your grip, take the next step anyway, and trust that clarity will meet you on the road. So take a breath, settle in, and join us for a finale about uncertainty, becoming, and the unexpected beauty of not knowing.

  2. Jun 24

    NACHOS S4E20: Kierkegaard, Anxiety, and the Courage to Become

    What if some of the discomfort you feel isn’t a sign that something is wrong—but a sign that you’re alive, growing, and standing on the edge of becoming? In this episode of NACHOS: Neuro-Affirming Conversation Hour for Outreach & Support, Dr. Hazlett takes listeners into the world of Søren Kierkegaard—the Danish philosopher who understood that anxiety, uncertainty, and the struggle to become yourself are not side effects of life, but part of the human condition itself. Together, we explore what Kierkegaard can teach us about fear, freedom, choice, authenticity, and the strange burden of being a person in a complicated world. This episode reflects on the tension between who we are, who we’ve been, and who we are still trying to become—and why growth so often feels uncomfortable before it feels meaningful. As always, NACHOS blends philosophy with lived experience, warmth, humor, and practical reflection, making big ideas feel personal, accessible, and deeply human. Whether you’re wrestling with anxiety, standing at a crossroads, trying to make peace with uncertainty, or simply craving a deeper conversation about what it means to live honestly, this episode offers a thoughtful companion for the journey. Join us for a conversation about Kierkegaard, courage, becoming, and what it means to keep choosing yourself—even when the path ahead isn’t clear.

  3. Jun 8

    NACHOS S4E19 - Self-Discovery is Bliss

    What does it really mean to “follow your bliss” when life is complicated, your nervous system is tired, and the world was not designed for every kind of mind or body? In this episode of NACHOS: Neuro-Affirming Conversation Hour for Outreach & Support, Dr. Adam “Dutch” Hazlett explores Joseph Campbell’s famous idea of “following your bliss” through a neuro-affirming, disability-conscious, and humanities-centered lens. This is not an episode about chasing easy happiness. It is about listening for the deeper things that call us back to ourselves: joy, meaning, purpose, connection, creativity, community, and the quiet reminders that we are still human. But we also ask the bigger question: Who actually gets the chance to follow their bliss? This episode connects self-discovery to universal design, academic ableism, accessibility, education, disability justice, and the ways our classrooms, workplaces, institutions, and communities often define success, intelligence, productivity, and “normal” too narrowly. We also move through ancient cuneiform tablets, visual art and wellbeing, parasocial relationships, online connection, YouTube communities, and the power of being seen. Along the way, we remember that human beings have always searched for meaning through stories, art, rituals, records, relationships, and spaces of belonging. Dr. Hazlett also discusses the upcoming Michigan Disability Empowerment Conference in Dearborn in October 2026 and the larger work of building a more neuro-affirming, accessible, and humane future. This episode is for anyone thinking about neurodiversity, autism acceptance, ADHD, disability justice, burnout, education, accessibility, self-discovery, meaning-making, or how to build a life that actually feels like yours. You are not a machine. Your worth is not your productivity. Rest is revolutionary. Access is love in action. Joy is not extra. And you are enough. Learn more, support the work, or connect with Humanities 101 Foundation: Humanities101.org #NACHOS #Neurodiversity #AutismAcceptance #ADHD #DisabilityJustice #UniversalDesign #Accessibility #SelfDiscovery #FollowYourBliss #AcademicAbleism #BurnoutRecovery #Humanities

  4. Jun 3

    NACHOS S4E18 - June Doorways and Softer Strength

    Strong Enough to Stay Soft In this episode of NACHOS, the Neuro-Affirming Conversation Hour for Outreach and Support, we begin at the edge of June with a gentle reflection on change, rest, routines, and the invitation to enter a new season without turning it into another pressure-filled self-improvement project. From there, we explore the idea of “true nobility,” not as being better than someone else, but as growing with grace beyond who we used to be. That reflection leads us into Disability Pride Month, the Breaking Barriers celebration on July 23, 2026, with MiDDC and Self Advocates of Michigan, and the larger work of disability empowerment, access, and belonging. This episode also connects to my upcoming Fulbright lectures on American culture and America’s 250th anniversary, my recently submitted book manuscript with my UK publisher, and the question of who gets included in the stories we tell about America, masculinity, disability, and community. A major focus of this episode is masculinity. We discuss recent research and cultural conversations about healthier masculinity, including how boys and men are shaped by emotional silence, rigid gender expectations, media representation, loneliness, shame, and the pressure to mask. We also talk about Gen Z and Gen Alpha’s desire to see more caring, affectionate, emotionally available men and fathers in movies and television. At the heart of the episode is a simple but powerful idea: boys and men should not have to choose between being strong and being soft. We also celebrate giving away two tickets to Kesha this week and remind listeners that the Summer Ticket Giveaway is still live at Humanities101.org/giveaway. Whether you are a student, parent, educator, self-advocate, neurodivergent adult, or someone trying to build a more compassionate world, this episode is an invitation to enter June gently and remember: You are not a machine. Rest is revolutionary. Access is love in action. Community is how we survive. And you are enough. Learn more and support the mission at Humanities101.org.

  5. May 26

    NACHOS S4E17 - The Rough Winds of May

    In this episode of NACHOS, we begin with Shakespeare’s line, “Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,” and use it to reflect on growth, tenderness, dignity, and what it means to remain human in a world that often asks us to rush, produce, and perform. We discuss the HUM 101 midterm film Crip Camp and why disability history is also human history. From there, we explore human dignity in the age of artificial intelligence, including the importance of protecting judgment, care, access, and connection in a rapidly changing world. We also spend time thinking about summer as an invitation to reconnect with our humanity through simple, meaningful practices that do not have to cost money: rest, movement, conversation, laughter, time outside, and moments of joy. This episode is a reminder that we are not machines. We are bodies, minds, stories, relationships, and communities. We deserve access, dignity, rest, connection, and joy. Students: remember to comment on this week’s video for participation and prepare for the midterm by watching Crip Camp. Learn more about the Humanities 101 Foundation and the Summer Concert Ticket Giveaway at humanities101.org/giveaway.

  6. May 18

    NACHOS S4E16 - Summer, Serotonin, and the Science of Being Human

    In this episode of NACHOS, Dr. Dutch reflects on the unofficial start of summer, the importance of joy, and the deeply human question: What support is missing? Starting with Memorial Day weekend and a perfectly cheeky Mark Twain quote about summer, this episode explores how seasons, stress, environment, and expectation shape the way we move through life. From there, Dr. Dutch connects joy, music, community, and summer memories to larger conversations about neurodiversity, self-care, anxiety, serotonin, aging, movement, universal design, and what it really means to be human. This episode also looks at recent science stories about brain chemistry, human evolution, biological aging, anxiety, and exercise, while asking how we can move away from shame and toward support that actually fits real human beings. Dr. Dutch also shares updates about upcoming work at Yale, the PB&J framework of Predictability, Balance, and Joy, preparation for a Fulbright American culture lecture tour in Central Asia, and the Humanities 101 Foundation Summer Concert Ticket Giveaway. For Humanities 101 students, this episode includes the weekly participation question and reminders about Google Classroom, weekly videos, Crip Camp, and course expectations. Participation question: What is one small support, adjustment, or source of joy that might help you feel more balanced this summer? Learn more about the Humanities 101 Foundation and the summer concert ticket giveaway at Humanities101.org/giveaway.

  7. May 11

    NACHOS S4E15 - Curiosity over Cynicism

    What if real education is not about memorizing information… but about becoming more human? In this episode of NACHOS, Dr. Dutch Hazlett explores curiosity, neurodiversity, burnout, accessibility, universal design, and the kind of world we are actually building together. Using new research on autism and higher education, this conversation examines the growing “clinical-support gap” between empathy and actual environmental change in schools, workplaces, and society. This episode explores: • Curiosity vs. perfection • Neurodiversity and inclusion • Universal Design for Learning (UDL) • Burnout culture and human flourishing • Accessibility and micro-accommodations • “Refer out” vs. “adjust in” • Human-centered systems • Building the world we actually want to live in Because awareness alone is not transformation. And curiosity may be one of the most human things we have left. Welcome back, Nachonauts.

  8. Apr 7

    NACHOS S4E12 - Think Different, Love Different: Building a World That Understands

    Think Different, Love Different | Autism Acceptance Month | NACHOS Podcast What does it really mean to “think different”? In this Autism Acceptance Month episode of NACHOS (Neuro-Affirming Conversation Hour for Outreach and Support), we explore autism not as a deficit, but as a difference in communication, perception, and design—and what happens when we choose compassion, curiosity, and understanding over correction. Inspired by Apple’s “Think Different” campaign, this episode reframes the idea of the “misfit” and asks a deeper question: why do we celebrate difference in hindsight, but struggle with it in real time? We also explore a powerful real-world story of transformation, where compassion and respect helped someone leave a hate group and begin a journey toward self-discovery, accountability, and change. Grounded in recent research, this episode breaks down: • Why communication differences between autistic and non-autistic people are mutual, not one-sided • How breakthroughs in science often come from rethinking assumptions • Why systems fail when signals are not recognized • How change happens in layers, not overnight This is not just a conversation about autism. It is a conversation about how we build a more human world. Key Themes: Autism acceptance vs awareness Neurodiversity and universal design Communication and the double empathy problem Compassion and transformation Identity, growth, and layered change PBJ Framework (Predictability, Balance, Joy) Weekly Reflection: Think about a time you encountered someone who saw the world differently than you. What did that bring up for you, and how might curiosity and compassion change your response? NACHOS is a neuro-affirming podcast focused on inclusion, mental health, and building systems that work for more people through the PBJ Framework: Predictability shows respect. Balance shows care. Joy shows connection. Subscribe or follow for weekly conversations on neurodiversity, inclusion, and human connection.

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A Neuro-affirming space where we cover the latest humanities-based research in a way the celebrates human difference.

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