Nature, Nurture, and Neurodiversity w/ Dr. Jeff Karp (Season 1 Finale)

Mike and Chaya conclude Spark Launch's first season by sitting down with Dr. Jeff Karp, a biomedical engineer, Harvard Medical School and MIT professor, and passionate neurodiversity advocate. Dr. Karp shares how he went from struggling student to noted innovator with over 175 published papers and 100 patents, calling attention to the ways traditional educational systems fail to support ADHD children and how families can counteract it.

We Also Cover:

• Importance of daily rituals for mental wellness
• The vitalness of parental support for neurodivergent children
• Importance of personalized education
• AI tools for neurodiverse students
• The "Pendulum Lifestyle" for personal growth
• How to best nurture areas of interest in children
• Dr. Karp's "LIT: Light Ignition Tools" book and framework
• The significance of self-reflection practices
• Finding mental rejuvenation with ADHD
• Embracing the power of pausing

Quotes:

• "I feel like I was the kid who always had to work, like, two or three times harder than everybody else."
• "Someone asked me, 'Oh, what do you want to be when you grow up?' And I said, 'A doctor.' And they said, 'Oh, you better set your sights lower.'"
• "Once you can connect with what you naturally hyperfocus on what naturally excites you and what you don't have to force, that's where the magic starts to happen."

About Jeff Karp:

Dr. Jeff Karp is a professor at Harvard Medical School and MIT, with a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Toronto. His life experiences with learning differences, particularly ADHD, have deeply influenced his work and advocacy. He focuses on developing innovative solutions to medical challenges, applying nature-inspired strategies and fostering neurodiversity awareness in education.

Connect with Jeff:

• https://jeffkarp.com/
• Purchase "Life Ignition Tools": https://www.harpercollins.com/products/lit-life-ignition-tools-jeff-karpteresa-barker
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffkarpboston/
• https://www.karplab.net/
• https://x.com/MrJeffKarp
• https://www.instagram.com/mrjeffkarp/

As always, thanks for lending us your ears and keep igniting that spark!

Stay Connected:

• Website: https://sparklaunchpodcast.com/
• ADHD Coaching & Workshops: https://www.sparklaunch.org/
• Chaya on Instagram
• Mike on Instagram
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