Nicola Rose is the writer and director of the beautiful new movie, Magnetosphere, about a 13 year old girl discovering her neurodivergence. Magnetosphere (which I'm naming the best middle school girl slumber party watch or "how do I make neurodiversity come alive for my students?" movie of the year) is available for streaming many places, including Amazon Prime https://www.primevideo.com/detail/Magnetosphere/0MZX0SOLUZELZH8XZZRWMSBV8V"
Nicola's IMBD profile is here https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7384184/
The Rotten Tomatoes critics review of Magnetosphere (certified fresh!) https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/magnetosphere
The book that inspired many aspects of the movie is Synesthesia by Dr. Richard Cytowic. An easier read is VS Ramachandran's The Telltale Brain, which has a fascinating chapter devoted to synesthesia.
Every child needs a champion who sees their strengths first.
In this episode, Barry Davis, Head of the McLean School of Maryland, and Cathy Patterson, Director of Enrollment, discuss how bright students with learning differences can thrive when education emphasizes their abilities rather than their deficits. They emphasize the importance of building confidence, celebrating talents, and sharing test results openly so that students understand both their strengths and challenges. Small class sizes, strong teacher-student relationships, and safe, supportive environments are presented as essential for encouraging risk-taking and growth. The guests also explore evidence-based literacy instruction, such as Orton-Gillingham, explicit writing instruction, handwriting, and word study, alongside mindfulness practices that reduce anxiety and open space for learning. Enrichment opportunities in arts, sports, and robotics further allow students to shine, while testing is framed as a tool to guide instruction and help children face challenges with optimism.
Tune in and learn how to unlock the potential of twice-exceptional learners through strengths-based education, evidence-based practices, and meaningful connections!
Resources:
Claire's Website https://www.lernerchilddevelopment.com/
Follow Claire's blog: A library of over 130 articles that address the range of challenging behaviors—relevant to kids birth to 10 years. https://www.lernerchilddevelopment.com/mainblog
LCD Newsletter: Free bi-monthly email that includes my most current blog and links to additional resources. This is the best way to keep abreast of Claire's content. https://www.lernerchilddevelopment.com/lcd-membership
Claire's Upcoming Book: Big Reactors: Practical Strategies for Supporting Highly Sensitive Children (available for preorder; pub date- 10/2/2025) and her first book: Why Is My Child In Charge? A Roadmap to End Power Struggles and Increase Cooperation.
Follow Claire on Instagram for tips and encouragement! https://www.instagram.com/lernerchilddevelopment/?hl=en
Join Dr. Rebecca Resnik, Licensed Psychologist, for practical advice and inspiration from renowned experts in parenting, education and psychology.
https://www.resnikpsychology.com/
Lee Norwood is founder of Annapolis College Consulting, a business with over 50 years of collective experience and over 500 college visits.
Lee's group is dedicated to revolutionizing the college consulting industry https://annapoliscollegeconsulting.com/
College Sharks, the online mentorship and support program Lee has created to guide you through the college admissions process https://collegesharks.com/
Lee on social media:
*Instagram https://www.instagram.com/collegesharks/
*Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/annapoliscollegeconsulting/
*Tiktok @collegesharks
To access the common data set for your college of interest, start here: https://commondataset.org/
Lee recommends having your student listen to the Moth podcast by NPR to get good at telling your story https://themoth.org/listen
and finally, the clip from Ozark about Wyatt's College essay https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjWRks7hsGA
● Website: https://www.launchpadforlife.org/
● LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janesingleton/
● Instagram: @launchpadforlife
● TikTok: @launchpadforlife
Jeff Selingo's website, https://jeffselingo.com/, is full of resources for parents and professionals alike https://jeffselingo.com/resources as well as a page to sign up for his Next newsletter https://jeffselingo.com/next-newsletter
Be sure to get a copy of Jeff's new book, Dream School: Finding the College that's Right for You https://www.amazon.com/dp/1668056208/?bestFormat=true&k=dream%20school%20jeff%20selingo&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-pd-bk-d_k0_1_17_de&crid=16TQ9SC9PY55D&sprefix=dream%20school%20jeff
And I highly recommend his 2020 best seller, Who Gets in and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Z43V2RY/?bestFormat=true&k=who%20gets%20in%20and%20why%20a%20year%20inside%20college%20admissions&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-pd-bk-d_k0_1_16_de&crid=1826NP62BTFVB&sprefix=who%20gets%20in%20and%20
Iuri's website is chock full of videos, podcasts, advice, and positive wisdom for your whole family https://www.iuritmelo.com
Both parents and educators can sign up for School Pulse, a phone based mental health intervention for teens that combines clinical expertise with cool tech https://schoolpulse.com/
Iuri's books--Mind Over Gray Matter: Training the Mind to Heal the Brain and Know Thy Selfie: Tips, Tricks and Tools for an Awesome Life (for teens)
Iuri and I also discussed the powerful ideas of Dr. John and Julie Gottman. The Gottmans were pioneers in studying relationships, and what specifically makes them positive or negative. Check out their parenting website https://www.gottman.com/parenting/
We also mentioned a fabulous book called The Anxious Generation by Dr. Jonathan Haidt, a must read for every post pandemic parent!
The University of Chicago https://www.uchicago.edu/en
Wesleyan University https://www.wesleyan.edu/index.html
Beth Felsen's information and resources are at Spectrum Transition Coaching https://spectrumtransitioncoaching.com/ Her course, College 101 and other online courses can be found here https://spectrumtransitioncoaching.com/courses/ A treasure trove of resources for families https://spectrumtransitioncoaching.com/the-ultimate-guide-for-parents-of-autistic-high-school-students/
The book you heard me mention is called A Spectrum of Solutions For Clients with Autism by Rachel Bedard and Lorna Hecker (Eds.) Another great source of information is thinkcollege.net and the K and W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Differences https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Colleges-Students-Learning-Differences/dp/0525567895
Here's the website for Educational Connections, Ann's tutoring company https://ectutoring.com/
Ann Dolin's webpage where you can book her to speak https://anndolin.ectutoring.com/
Her book, Getting Past Procrastination is great and available on Amazon.com https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Past-Procrastination-Organized-Motivated/dp/1721938478/ref=sr_1_1?crid=386TRTUHBPTNU&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.q3bjNBZmK5S71pzz2uNkWRTCvB6PAGRtSPMZG96N84f_5L2uVTxMKriH4rP3WeC-gXAir3lP3bwrryDNcuDuGFVJ-sUp9V0-92o9cNSmksmh4F0Q1pYV9TqBLLp4vS_L.Du67RLTAv-sADzzGq5auoJ7r4sjFnAHWoYBAQkMFM2c&dib_tag=se&keywords=ann+dolin&qid=1752522055&sprefix=ann+dolin%2Caps%2C108&sr=8-1
Learn more: www.WithUnderstandingComesCalm.com where you can find a bunch of videos, blog posts, resources and a link to Julie's newsletter. She also has information about her services for gifted and 2E adults.
Julie's Book, Gifted and Distractible https://www.withunderstandingcomescalm.com/gifted-and-distractible/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/withunderstandingcomescalm
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julieskolnick/
Twitter: @JulieSkolnick
LinkedIn: Julie Rosenbaum Skolnick
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JulieSkolnick
Dr. Plucker's JHU homepage https://education.jhu.edu/directory/jonathan-plucker-phd/
The Center for Talented Youth at JHU (highly recommend this program for accelerated learners!) https://cty.jhu.edu/
The Belin Blank Center https://belinblank.education.uiowa.edu/
The Davidson Institute https://www.davidsongifted.org/
The National Association for Gifted Children https://nagc.org/
Dr. Russell T. Warne's website https://russellwarne.com/
His books, In the Know: Debunking 35 Myths about Human Intelligence and Statistics for the Social Sciences: A General Linear Model Approach https://russellwarne.com/books/
Want to take an online IQ test for adult that is actually well researched and scientifically validated? Or have a less biased tool to assess your employee or future employee's capacity for solving complex problems?Check out the RIOT https://www.riotiq.com/
Dr. Jeremy Sharp, Licensed Psychologist, is Director and founder of the Colorado Center for Assessment in Fort Collins, Colorado https://www.coloradocac.com/ His popular podcast, The Testing Psychologist Podcast, includes information all about psychological/neuropsychological testing, different psychological/neuropsychological conditions (such as learning disabilities, Autism, and ADHD), and also valuable information about building a mental healthcare business https://www.thetestingpsychologist.com/ Dr. Sharp is also a Private Practice Coach https://www.thetestingpsychologist.com/consulting/ who helps other mental health professionals develop and grow their practices without sacrificing work-life balance.
Did you know that there are now post secondary college options neurodiverse students cropping up all over the country? College is now a dream that can come true for students with Autism, LD, Executive Functioning challenges and Intellectual Disability, but planning can get overwhelming! Our guest, Dr. Laura McKenna, Transition Specialist, Consultant, and parent, and I discuss different programs, how to plan for transition, and what Laura wishes she could go back in time to tell herself as she embarked on her journey. Learn more about Laura and her upcoming book, The Autism College Connection at https://lauramckenna.com/ If you're in the DC Metro area and are seeking a transition focused psychological evaluation for your high school student, connect with Dr. Resnik and Associates at www.resnikpsychology.com or listen to my interview about Transition on The Testing Psychologist Podcast https://www.thetestingpsychologist.com/456-transition-related-resources-w-dr-rebecca-resnik/
Dr. Jonathan Singer's Loyola University of Chicago Website https://news.luc.edu/stories/faculty-experts/jonathan-singer/ Here's the link to his wonderful podcast, The Social Work Podcast https://socialworkpodcast.blogspot.com/ Dr. Singer's book, Suicide in the Schools is a MUST READ for everyone who works with kids or works in a school https://www.amazon.com/Suicide-Schools-Practitioners-Intervention-School-Based/dp/0415857031 If you're looking to start an evidence based suicide risk reduction program in your school, here's a link to information about the Signs of Suicide (SOS) program https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/about-us/collaboratory/mental-and-behavioral-health/sos
Dr. Shreya Hessler, Licensed Psychologist, is owner of the Mindset Center in Bel Air, MD (just north of Baltimore) https://mindsetcenter.com/shreya-hessler-psy-d/ Dr. Hessler is a nationally recognized specialist in anxiety disorders, evidence based treatment, and wellness. She and her colleague, Casey Giovanazzi Kutner, founded Person Before Player, a nationwide consulting practice promoting the mental health and resilience of student athletes. Through PBP, she and Casey support schools, athletes, coaches, and parents in their shared goal of helping athletes thrive. Her book, Bianca Finds Her Bounce, is a beautiful, optomistic children's book about coping with anxiety https://www.amazon.com/Bianca-Bounce-Psy-D-Shreya-Hessler/dp/0998681148 Dr. Hessler is also a widely sought after speaker and provider of continuing education to psychologists and other healthcare providers.
Ever wondered what elite college admissions coaches teach their student clients? Join expert Katherine Howitt as she gives you the inside scoop on how she helps her clients become more independent, select extracurriculars, and prep for standardized tests on their journey towards selective college admissions.
Katherine Howitt, Academic Coach
Website: https://www.katherinehowitt.com/academic-consulting
Join me for a deep dive into how gifted and high achieving kids learn, early signs of giftedness, characteristics of gifted learners, and specifics about what these kids need to thrive at school. I also get you up to speed on key vocabulary you'll need to know for successful advocacy. Plus, I alert you to common obstacles you're likely to encounter from people who don't grok giftedness!