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As parents, educators, or managers, we often feel that advocacy means speaking up, pushing forward, and doing the work for someone else. But the real end goal of advocacy isn’t stepping in — it’s stepping back.

In this episode, Dr. Theresa Haskins explores one of the toughest transitions we face: learning when to shift from speaking for someone to preparing them to speak for themselves. From high school IEP meetings to college disability services, to the workplace where parent involvement isn’t tolerated, she unpacks what stepping back really looks like — and why it’s essential for building trust, independence, and self-advocacy.

You’ll walk away with practical ways to scaffold these conversations, model collaborative communication, and ultimately empower your teen, student, or employee to take ownership of their needs. Because real advocacy isn’t about fighting harder — it’s about setting up others for success.

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Fall is a season of fresh starts — but also one of the hardest times of year for life transitions. Kids head back to school, young adults leave for college or step into their first jobs, workplaces push toward year-end goals, and families juggle new routines. These transitions don’t just feel unsettling — they truly are hard. In this episode of Think Differently, Dr. Theresa Haskins unpacks the psychology of life transitions: what happens in our brains when routines shift, why these changes hit autistic and ADHD individuals especially hard, and how pausing, reframing, and the right kind of support can turn chaos into clarity.

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We like to think “neurodiversity” includes everyone — but in reality, some neurodivergent communities are unintentionally left out. As the movement grows, a clear pattern has emerged: the same shield that protects and expands rights for some can also, unintentionally, become a barrier for others.

In this episode, Dr. Theresa Haskins explores how and why this happens, drawing on lived experience, real-world examples, and the evolution of the neurodiversity movement. You’ll hear how well-meaning advocacy can create blind spots, why certain groups remain underrepresented, and what’s at stake if we don’t get it right.

If we want true neuroinclusion, it’s not enough to open the door — we have to make sure no one gets left standing outside.