The Affirming Village Podcast

Dr. Destiny Huff & Lisa Baskin Wright

Two neurodivergent mamas — one Black, one White — with lived experience raising neurodivergent kids. One is still navigating IEPs and school calls; the other has walked the path into adulthood. Dr. Destiny Huff, LPC, a mental health therapist and advocate, and Lisa Baskin Wright, an educator and advocate, help families approach the IEP table with clarity, compassion, and power. They also train professionals on affirming practices for neurodivergent learners. This is The Affirming Village — where stories, strategy, and community meet.

  1. 8h ago

    When School Becomes the Barrier: Accommodations, Conditioning, and Access

    What happens when the very environment meant to support a learner becomes a barrier to their education? In this episode of The Affirming Village Podcast, Dr. Destiny Huff and Lisa Baskin Wright unpack the nuance of accommodations and how educational environments can unintentionally, or knowingly, condition neurodivergent and disabled learners to disengage from or avoid school. We explore the difference between accommodations being written into an IEP or 504 Plan and learners actually being able to access them. From inconsistent implementation and conditional supports to repeated experiences of overwhelm, distress, and unmet needs, we discuss how school experiences can shape a learner's sense of safety, trust, and ability to participate in their education. We also challenge the narratives of "school refusal," "noncompliance," and "avoidance" by encouraging families and educators to dig deeper, get curious, and consider whether the educational environment itself is contributing to the barriers learners experience. Because access is more than getting a learner through the school doors, and accommodations should never be something a learner has to earn.

  2. Oct 23

    PDA and Mainstream Schooling: Is It Really Possible?

    🎙️ Season 2, Episode 2 of The Affirming Village Podcast! PDA and Mainstream Schooling: Is It Really Possible? Can mainstream schools truly support learners with a Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) profile? Or are we expecting PDA learners to adapt to educational environments that were never designed with their needs in mind? In this episode, we're discussing the realities of mainstream schooling for PDA learners, including: ✨ The different types of schooling that have benefited PDAers in our advocate experiences. ✨ The importance of relationships for PDAers. ✨ The importance of autonomy, flexibility, collaboration, and nervous system safety. ✨ What meaningful inclusion and neuroaffirming support can actually look like. Because being physically present in a classroom does not automatically mean a learner has meaningful access to education. And the question isn't just whether PDA learners can attend mainstream schools. It's whether mainstream schools are willing and equipped to make the changes necessary to support them. 🎧 Tune in to Season 2, Episode 2 of The Affirming Village Podcast! 💬 We'd love to hear from you: What has your experience been with PDA and mainstream schooling? #TheAffirmingVillagePodcast #PDAAutism #PathologicalDemandAvoidance #PDAProfile #NeuroaffirmingEducation #NeurodivergentLearners #InclusiveEducation #AutisticLearners #SchoolInclusion #NeurodiversityAffirming

    PDA and Mainstream Schooling: Is It Really Possible?

  3. Oct 15

    “What the What?!”

    We're back for Season 2 of The Affirming Village Podcast! 🎙️💜 In this season premiere, Lisa and Dr. Huff sit down to discuss some of the common themes, challenges, and concerns they've been noticing as the school year gets underway. From navigating school systems to advocating for neurodivergent and disabled learners, they reflect on recurring patterns, the experiences of families and educators, and the importance of creating learning environments that prioritize access, belonging, and meaningful support. As always, the conversation centers on challenging traditional approaches, asking deeper questions, and recognizing that supporting learners requires more than simply checking boxes. Whether you're a parent, caregiver, educator, advocate, or professional, this episode invites you to reflect on what we're seeing in schools, what needs to change, and how we can collectively work toward more affirming educational experiences. 🎧 Tune in and join the conversation! Follow us on Instagram: @theaffirmingvillagepodcast #TheAffirmingVillage #NeurodiversityAffirming #SpecialEducation #IEPAdvocacy #NeurodivergentLearners #InclusiveEducation

    “What the What?!”

  4. Aug 7

    Starting the school year with support, not compliance

    Starting the school year with support, not compliance A successful school year shouldn't require your learner to mask, push beyond their limits, or adapt without support. In this episode, Dr. Destiny Huff and IEP Coach Lisa Wright break down how parents and educators can enter the new school year focused on true collaboration, clear communication, and affirming care. What we cover in this episode: 💡 Why traditional compliance falls short and how to pivot to genuine support📄 Creating a simple, effective 1-page "All About Me" / "IEP at a Glance" for teachers and staff🍃 How to translate subtle behavioral and sensory cues before overwhelm sets in🫱🏾‍🫲🏻 Navigating school events, open houses, and team dynamics after a tough year Hit play to discover practical, actionable ways to advocate for your child and set up a supportive, affirming school environment this year! 🎧✨ Follow & Connect: 🎙️ The Affirming Village Podcast with Dr. Destiny Huff & Lisa Wright #SpecialEducation #IEPCoach #BackToSchool #NeurodiversityAffirming #ParentAdvocate #AffirmingVillagePodcast #IEPTips #AutismSupport #ADHDSupport #InclusiveEducation #SensorySupport #ChildAdvocacy #NeurodivergentLearners

    Starting the school year with support, not compliance

  5. Jul 24

    Advocating While Black: What Black Parents Experience in Special Education

    Episode 5: Advocating While Black: Systemic Bias, Special Education, and Intersectionality with Cheryl Poe In this powerful episode of The Affirming Village Podcast, host Dr. Destiny Huff, LPC, and Lisa Baskin Wright, IEP Coach, are joined by special education expert and researcher Cheryl Poe, MA, Founder and Executive Director of Advocating for Kids, Inc. (A4K). Together, they dive deep into the groundbreaking report, Advocating While Black: Black Parents' Experiences with Special Education in Virginia, unpacking the heavy realities Black families face when navigating the special education system. "Advocating While Black": Why special education advocacy spaces remain white-centered and how intersectionality changes the experience for Black families. DisCrit (Disability Critical Race Theory): How racism and ableism overlap to create distinct structural barriers for Black neurodivergent learners. Intent vs. Impact: Dismantling "the good educator binary" and checking ego at the IEP table. Weaponized Language: Calling out coded labels like "aggressive" and the adultification of Black students. Centering Parent Authority: How advocates can build momentum without taking the mic away from parents. 💡 Enjoying the podcast? Leave us a 5-star rating and share this episode with an educator, parent, or advocate in your village!

    Advocating While Black: What Black Parents Experience in Special Education

  6. Jul 17

    "Monitor, Monitor, Monitor": Breaking Down the OSERS Briefing

    Officials said everything is fine, the law is still on the books, and we just "moved down the street." But is it reassurance, or is it a masterclass in gaslighting? In this episode, we are breaking down the July 9th OSERS Partnership Briefing and pulling back the curtain on the smoke-and-mirror show of "Returning Education to the States." While federal reps smiled and told parents to "monitor, monitor, monitor," they conveniently left out the reality of a gutted infrastructure, a staggering drop in OCR enforcement, and the dangerous shift toward a medical model for special education. We’re diving deep into: The 6-Agency Split: Exactly where your child's K-12 programs, civil rights protections, and student funding are actually being sent. The Circular Logic of HHS Training: Why "HHS staff training HHS staff" on educational policy completely misses the mark. The Evasion of Real Accountability: How the federal government is shifting the massive burden of oversight entirely onto already exhausted families. Where We Find Hope: Why hyperlocal politics, school boards, and granular, collaborative team relationships are our best weapons right now. The system might be fracturing, but the village isn't going anywhere. Tune in as we break down what was said, what they refused to answer, and exactly what families need to watch next. What were your thoughts on the webinar? Let us know in the comments below!

    "Monitor, Monitor, Monitor": Breaking Down the OSERS Briefing

  7. Jul 10

    What Children Can Access When Support, Demands, and Environments Change

    What Children Can Access When Support, Demands, and Environments Change The Affirming Village Podcast • Episode 3 When school ends, does a learner lose skills, or have the supports around them just shifted? ☀️ In this episode, Lisa Wright, IEP Coach, and Dr. Destiny Huff, LPC, explore what summer break reveals about access, support, and fluctuating capacity. Instead of focusing on skill loss, we reframe the summer break around curiosity and information gathering: • What became harder when school supports disappeared?  • What improved when demands decreased?  • How can this inform what your learner needs for the upcoming school year? We discuss:  • The Duality of Summer: Balancing rest, recovery, and lower pressure with the potential challenges of a lost routine. • Reframing Accommodations: Why support, joy, and rest are human needs, not rewards to be earned. • Bridging Home & School: How natural home supports (like movement input or low-demand setups) can map directly onto an IEP. • Building Respite: The vital role of decompression moments during the school day for both students and staff. Listen in to learn how to turn your observations this summer into powerful, collaborative advocacy for the school year ahead! Love the episode? Don't forget to follow the podcast, rate us 5 stars, and share with a friend!

    What Children Can Access When Support, Demands, and Environments Change

  8. Jul 3

    When Family Doesn’t Understand: Boundaries, Scripts, and Protecting Your Learner’s Needs

    ☀️ Family gatherings and community events are major hallmarks of the summer season. But for parents of neurodivergent children, these spaces frequently introduce an unlisted layer of stress: managing the misconceptions, unsolicited advice, and expectations of the adults in the room. In this episode of our Summer Series, Lisa Wright and Dr. Destiny Huff provide a professional framework for navigating complex interpersonal dynamics. They address the exhaustion of constantly defending your child’s sensory, communication, and regulation choices, and offer practical, clinical insights on how to establish healthy boundaries to protect your family's peace. Whether you are dealing with generational parenting gaps, navigating shifting friendships post-diagnosis, or learning how to communicate firm feedback to well-meaning relatives, this episode provides the strategy, validation, and professional tools you need to curate your own affirming community. ✨ In this episode, we discuss: • Managing adult misconceptions regarding sensory overload, headphones, and social expectations. • Dissecting generational parenting shifts and communication frameworks across Boomer, Gen X, and Millennial dynamics. • Strategies for delivering constructive, honest feedback to grandparents and extended family caregivers. • Navigating undiagnosed neurodivergence across generations and bridging the understanding gap. • Analyzing shifting friendship dynamics and evolving social circles post-diagnosis. • Clinical perspectives on how autistic learners framework social connection and view peer relationships. • Recognizing clinical indicators of social burnout and managing a child’s sensory battery. 💬 We want to hear from you. How do you handle unsolicited parenting advice or set firm boundaries with extended family during summer gatherings? Connect with us on social media or leave a review to share your thoughts. If you found this episode helpful, please rate and follow the podcast so you never miss an episode of our Summer Series! #NeurodivergentParenting #ParentingBoundaries #NeurodiversityAffirming #AutismSupport #IEPAdvocacy #FamilyDynamics #ClinicalParentingSupport #AffirmingVillagePodcast

    When Family Doesn’t Understand: Boundaries, Scripts, and Protecting Your Learner’s Needs
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About

Two neurodivergent mamas — one Black, one White — with lived experience raising neurodivergent kids. One is still navigating IEPs and school calls; the other has walked the path into adulthood. Dr. Destiny Huff, LPC, a mental health therapist and advocate, and Lisa Baskin Wright, an educator and advocate, help families approach the IEP table with clarity, compassion, and power. They also train professionals on affirming practices for neurodivergent learners. This is The Affirming Village — where stories, strategy, and community meet.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Destiny Huff & Lisa Baskin Wright
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    33
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Dr. Destiny Huff & Lisa Baskin Wright
  • Show Website
    The Affirming Village Podcast

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