Working with People with Brain-Based Conditions and Respecting Neurodiversity with Debbie Stanley

11/25/20 • 42 min

‘Brain-based conditions’ is a catchall phrase that encompasses a broad set of conditions that impact cognition, emotion, socialization, or behavior. Here to shed light on the phenomenon and how organizers can best work with those who might fall within the definition is Debbie Stanley. Debbie has been a self-employed organizational consultant since 1997. She has degrees in journalism, industrial and organizational psychology, and mental health counseling and enjoys translating the eye-glazing rhetoric of her scholarly education into concepts that make sense in everyday life. In this episode, we talk about what brain-based conditions typically are and the importance of reframing people’s struggles. Organizers can get clients to understand how their perceived weaknesses are, in fact, strengths, removing much of the shame and stigma people may be feeling. We talk about what it means to be sensitive and how to create shared spaces where everyone feels their needs are met. There will always be a range of sensitivities and sensory experiences, which is why organizers – who are trained to anticipate needs – can be so helpful. Working with those who have brain-based conditions should not be taken lightly. As organizers, we are not clinical professionals, which is why, as Debbie highlights, it is vital to learn as much as you can to be sensitive and ensure the outcomes

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Banishing Your Inner Critic with Denise R. Jacobs

Have you got a voice inside your head, telling you that you’re not right for the job; you don’t have the skills; somebody else would do far better, and that you’re terrible at this? Today we sit with Denise R. Jacobs who tells us why this voice is real and more importantly, why it’s wrong about you. As a speaker, author, and creativity evangelist who speaks at conferences and consults with companies around the world, we open the show by exploring Denise’s professional background. We then chat about the inspirations behind her new book Banish Your Inner Critic. Denise explains that she was in a constant battle with a critical voice in her head, which told her she was a fraud and too inexperienced to write with authority. Stay tuned, and you’ll hear how that all changed for her, and how Denise managed to come to grips with negative self-talk. Deeper into the episode, we discuss the importance of creativity, what true genius is, and how successful companies are often the most creative, irrespective of their line of work. Together, we also discover the value of the inner critic, understand where it comes from, and why it’s impossible to rid it from your mind forever. Throughout the episode, Denise walks us through science-backed exercises designed to ease anxiety and tame your inner critic. These are techniques that you can do on your own, every day, and with ease. Be sure to tune in with us for this insightful and reassuring episode.

Key Points From This Episode:

Introducing today’s guest, Denise R. Jacobs.
Hear about Denise’s inspiration for writing Banish Your Inner Critic.
How Denise grappled with self-doubt while writing her first book.
What led Denise to realize that she was capable of more than she gave herself credit for.
When Denise decided that she really wanted to be teaching people.
Denise tells us why creativity is so important.
How creativity can help companies solve problems.
Where the inner critic came from and why it can be useful.
How your inner critic lives in a part of your brain responsible for implicit memory.
Exercises you can do to get in touch with your inner critic and understand it.
Find out how the pandemic should be approached from a mental health point of view.
Denise gives us a practical lesson on how to manage anxiety.
Hear about how you can use something called a ‘swipe file.’
How Denise’s techniques are backed by science.
Why the goal isn’t to completely rid yourself of your inner critic.