E23 - A Cat in A Swimming Pool: Neurodivergence, Disability, and Autism with Dr. Joanna Grace
April 8, 2025
Have you heard the term neurodivergent but haven’t been sure what it means? Have you ever wondered if you are autistic? In this episode of Everlutionary: Healing and Transforming the World, our host, Hawah Kasat, sits down with Dr. Joanna Grace, the Founder of The Sensory Projects, to explore groundbreaking approaches to understanding neurodiversity, autism, disability, sensory storytelling, and identity. Dr. Grace challenges our assumptions about intelligence and reveals how curiosity and acceptance can transform care practices.
Have you heard the term neurodivergent but haven’t been sure what it means? Have you ever wondered if you are autistic? In this episode of Everlutionary: Healing and Transforming the World, our host, Hawah Kasat, sits down with Dr. Joanna Grace, the Founder of The Sensory Projects, to explore groundbreaking approaches to understanding neurodiversity, autism, disability, sensory storytelling, and identity.
What You’ll Learn:
- How sensory storytelling creates meaningful connections with people who have profound intellectual disabilities
- The clear distinction between autistic and non-autistic individuals
- The fundamental difference between seeing neurodiversity as behavior versus neurotype, and why it matters
- Why prejudice against intelligence remains one of society's last acceptable forms of discrimination
- How to create inclusive environments by understanding different neurotypes rather than trying to change behaviors
- The importance of recognizing all forms of human experience as equally valid, regardless of intellectual ability
- How to move beyond behavior-based interventions to environment-based support for neurodivergent individuals
- Autism
Dr. Joanna Grace is the founder of The Sensory Projects and a recent PhD graduate from the University of Southampton, where she focused on identity and belonging for people with profound and multiple learning disabilities. As a celebrated TEDx speaker and international conference presenter, she specializes in sensory storytelling and developing innovative approaches to include individuals with complex disabilities in research and society. Her groundbreaking work challenges traditional assumptions about intellectual capacity and advocates for more inclusive approaches to understanding neurodivergence and neurodiversity.
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Resources to Learn More About Neurodiversity, Autism, and Sensory Storytelling:
1) What exactly is Neurodiversity?
2) Discovering Sensory Stories with Joanna Grace
3) Inclusion: for pity’s sake? | Joanna Grace & Chloe Salfield | TEDxTruro
4) Expanding Possibilities for Inclusive Research: Learning from People with Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities and Decolonising Research
1) What exactly is Neurodiversity?
2) Discovering Sensory Stories with Joanna Grace
3) Inclusion: for pity’s sake? | Joanna Grace & Chloe Salfield | TEDxTruro
4) Expanding Possibilities for Inclusive Research: Learning from People with Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities and Decolonising Research
Learn More About Dr. Joanna Grace:
1) Joanna’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannagracethesensoryprojects
2) Joanna’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoannaGraceTSP
3) Joanna’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesensoryprojects.co.uk
4) Joanna’s X: https://x.com/jo3grace
5) The Sensory Projects Website: https://www.thesensoryprojects.co.uk
6) Joanna's YouTube channel: youtube.com/@TheSensoryProjects
1) Joanna’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannagracethesensoryprojects
2) Joanna’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoannaGraceTSP
3) Joanna’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesensoryprojects.co.uk
4) Joanna’s X: https://x.com/jo3grace
5) The Sensory Projects Website: https://www.thesensoryprojects.co.uk
6) Joanna's YouTube channel: youtube.com/@TheSensoryProjects
Social Links for Hawah Kasat:
1) Linktree - https://linktr.ee/everlutionary
2) Website - https://hawahkasat.com/
3) Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/hawahkasat
4) Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/everlutionary
5) Substack - https://everlutionary.substack.com
6) YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@everlutionary
1) Linktree - https://linktr.ee/everlutionary
2) Website - https://hawahkasat.com/
3) Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/hawahkasat
4) Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/everlutionary
5) Substack - https://everlutionary.substack.com
6) YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@everlutionary
Previous guests include Radha Agrawal of Daybreaker and Ofosu Jones-Quartey, an artist and musician (under the name BORN I) and healer.
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