Parenting in The NeuroDiverse Universe Sandra Littlejohn

John Brinson has spent the last 23 years working for nonprofit schools that focus only on Special Education. He has been a teacher and an administrator for two local private nonprofit schools in the Austin area. John has been the director for the Odyssey School for over 14 years. Odyssey focuses on students with learning disabilities. He has a B.A. from the University of Texas at Arlington, and he has an M.B.A. in nonprofit management from St. Edwards University in Austin, Texas.

Julie Burke is a licensed professional counselor in Austin, Texas.  She has over 10 years of experience working with teens and young adults with developmental disabilities and currently works part time at a private school and her own counseling practice; most of her work today involves working with neurodiverse individuals.  Outside of work, Julie enjoys spending time with loved ones, reading, and hanging out with her animals.  

Allie Duffy is an interventionist who has been teaching in Central Texas for the past 10 years. She has taught first grade and second grade as a classroom teacher, and currently divides her day between accelerating instruction for students who need extra support and supporting teachers. Allie believes in educating the whole child—socially, emotionally and academically, and is also passionate about developing and supporting teachers. 

Allie received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. In 2018, she was the district and Region 13 Elementary Teacher of the Year. She was also the recipient of the H-E-B Rising Star award. In her free time, Allie enjoys volunteering with Austin’s Mobile Loaves & Fishes.

Dr. Jennifer Trapani is a child and pediatric clinical psychologist practicing out of Austin Texas. She completed her undergraduate education at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana; her Masters and PhD at the University of Texas at Austin; and her internship and post-doctoral fellowship at Stanford university School of Medicine. Dr. Trapani's primary clinical focus is on children, adolescents, and families, with a specialty in working with issues related to intellectual giftedness, anxiety, depression, and other challenges related to neurobehavioral differences.

Welcome to Parenting in The NeuroDiverse Universe podcast.
We are a resource for parents, teachers and educators and professionals who are interested in learning more about neurodiversity. We define neurodiversity in this way. There is nothing wrong with our neurodiverse brains. We are wired differently on a biological, emotional and chemical level. Our needs and desires reflect that. We are simply trying to navigate our way in a world that is foreign to us. We seek respect and safety and have a deep desire to be heard and to feel connected.