The Divergence Department – Details, episodes & analysis

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The Divergence Department

Science

Frequency: 1 episode/14d. Total Eps: 15

Welcome to the show where two neurodivergent neuroinclusion consultants pull apart the world of work, identity, culture and “professionalism” with brains that refuse to stay in the lines. We’re not here to “explain autism” or sprinkle your ADHD with empty positivity, we’re here to expose the systems, decode the social myths and laugh through the chaos of being different in a world built for sameness. If you’re craving honesty and connection without the clichés, then join us at the Divergence Department - where tangents are a love language.

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Apple

Data updated on 14/07/2026

Recent rankings

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Apple Podcasts

🇬🇧 Great Britain - Social Sciences
25/06/2026
#80
🇬🇧 Great Britain - Social Sciences
24/06/2026
#84
🇬🇧 Great Britain - Social Sciences
23/06/2026
#65
🇬🇧 Great Britain - Social Sciences
22/06/2026
#46
🇩🇪 Germany - Social Sciences
23/03/2026
#89
🇩🇪 Germany - Social Sciences
22/03/2026
#77
🇩🇪 Germany - Social Sciences
21/03/2026
#60
🇩🇪 Germany - Social Sciences
20/03/2026
#42
🇩🇪 Germany - Social Sciences
13/02/2026
#89
🇩🇪 Germany - Social Sciences
12/02/2026
#74

Spotify

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Score global : 28%

Publication history

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15: You can't ask for what you don't know you need - Neurodivergence in the workplace

Season 1 · Episode 15

Tuesday, June 23, 2026 • Duration 51:31

The other week we got into childhood memory: how we form it, what we hold onto, and what we're genuinely not sure about. This week, we're following the thread into adulthood.

If you never had the chance to just be yourself, to practice knowing what you need, how do you ask for it in a workplace? And what happens when organisations are built on the assumption that people will speak up, when most won't?

Luisa brings her 15 years of recruiting experience to the table, and it turns out good interviewing and neuroinclusion have more in common than you'd think. We talk about competency-based interviewing, why "just ask" isn't an inclusion strategy, the very fine legal tightrope of asking about needs during a hiring process, and why clarity — for everyone in the room — changes everything.

We also get into: road signs and what marrying someone after one meeting has to do with hiring.

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14: Where did I put my childhood? On neurodivergent memory

Season 1 · Episode 10

Tuesday, June 9, 2026 • Duration 50:32

Kerri and Luisa dig into how ADHD and autism shape the way we form, store, and retrieve memories and why some of us remember the exact texture of a carpet from 1994 but not what we had for breakfast, why so many childhood memories arrive as feelings or sensations rather than scenes, and what it means to look back at your childhood and suddenly understand it differently.

They get into the way masking can leave gaps in your autobiographical record and why journaling might be doing more neurological heavy lifting than you'd expect.

Plus: Inside Out, Series of Unfortunate Events, Bügelperlen beads, and the surprisingly emotional experience of finally having language for who you've always been.

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13: Stop being so serious - A business case for messing around

Season 1 · Episode 13

Tuesday, May 26, 2026 • Duration 33:43

In this episode, Luisa and Kerri make a very compelling case for bringing more joy, play, and shameless enthusiasm into your everyday life. Yes, even at work. Turns out, adulting doesn't have to mean becoming terminally serious.They dive into why embracing your inner child (the curious, giggly, easily-distracted-by-dandelions one) can actually make you more creative, more empathetic, and way better to be around. You'll hear why joy and passion are contagious, how playfulness builds stronger teams, and why creating space for genuine enthusiasm at work isn't "unprofessional".Whether you're a buttoned-up boardroom type or already doing cartwheels in your home office, this one's for you.

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12: Don't ask us what we're reading - A very neurodivergent reading list

Season 1 · Episode 12

Tuesday, May 12, 2026 • Duration 59:54

This week we sat down with the best of intentions: recommend a book each. Simple, right? Reader, it was not simple. Picking just one book turned out to be its own whole thing, and what followed was less a polished recommendation list and more a live, unfiltered demonstration of what it's actually like inside our brains when faced with too many options and not enough certainty.

We spiralled, we second-guessed and we went on tangents. We talked about books we loved, books we abandoned three chapters in, and books that have been sitting on our to-read pile since approximately forever. But sometimes, this is what neurodivergent decision-making actually looks like so if you've ever spiralled trying to pick a single favourite anything, you're going to feel very seen this episode.

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11: Is professionalism dead?

Season 1 · Episode 11

Tuesday, April 28, 2026 • Duration 34:14

Is professionalism actually about doing great work or just playing the part? In this episode, Luisa and Kerri get into the messy reality behind workplace “norms,” from dress codes and hierarchy to the subtle pressure to mask who you really are. They unpack where these ideas came from, who they benefit, and why they might be holding us back especially when it comes to neurodiversity. If the future of work is about authenticity, is professionalism due for a complete rewrite?

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10: Running on a treadmill vs running from a bear (clearly not the same thing)

Season 1 · Episode 10

Tuesday, April 14, 2026 • Duration 59:57

We all adjust who we are depending on the situation… but when does that stop being social awareness and start becoming something else?

In this episode, we take a deep dive into neurodivergent masking — what it is, why we do it and what it actually costs. Using recent comments from Uta Frith as a starting point, we unpack how masking has been (mis)understood in autism research, how it can act as a survival strategy and why the line between adapting and losing yourself isn’t always clear.

Join us as we question some of the science and sit with the uncomfortable bits — like how masking can shape identity, impact mental health and quietly show up in workplaces that claim to be inclusive. Along the way, we bring in our own experiences of masking and unmasking - because we definitely know that if there’s a manual for being yourself, it’s not exactly user-friendly.

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9: Neurodiversity Index Report 2026 - A Slightly Unfiltered Review

Season 1 · Episode 9

Tuesday, March 31, 2026 • Duration 47:47

We read the Neurodiversity Index Report 2026 so you don’t have to… but also, we think you really probably should!

In this episode, we dig into the UK’s latest Neurodiversity Index — a report designed to measure how neurodivergent people are actually experiencing work, and how organisations are showing up when it comes to inclusion. It looks at everything from awareness and workplace practices to that ever-present gap between what companies say they’re doing and what people actually feel day to day.

And as it turns out, awareness is doing great. The rest… is a bit more complicated.

We talk through what the report is really telling us (and what it isn’t), where it reflects reality, and where it feels slightly… optimistic. From the often-quoted “20% neurodivergent” figure to the ongoing conversation around adjustments, flexibility, and what inclusion looks like beyond a policy document, we unpack it all in a way that’s honest, reflective, and occasionally a little bit side-eye-y.

Along the way, we bring in our own experiences, question a few assumptions, and gently challenge the idea that progress on paper always translates to progress in practice.

Because a report can measure a lot of things — but it can’t quite capture what it feels like to exist in those systems.

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8: I came, I saw, I needed a break

Season 1 · Episode 8

Tuesday, March 17, 2026 • Duration 54:32

In this episode, Luisa and Kerri unpack the reality of navigating parties, networking and connection as neurodivergent people. From surprise plans to post-COVID shifts and the pressure to “show up” a certain way.

We explore creative, low-pressure ways to gather (yes, including PowerPoint and pizza parties), how to make networking actually human, and why shared purpose matters more than small talk.

If you’ve ever left a social event feeling drained or out of place then you're among friends.

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7: Standardised Tests for Unstandardised Minds

Season 1 · Episode 7

Tuesday, March 3, 2026 • Duration 41:54

What if you weren’t “bad at school”… school was just bad at you?

In this episode, we’re joined by our intern Charlotte to gently interrogate the systems we were told just needed a bit more effort. From classrooms to boardrooms, we explore what actually makes learning and working hard for neurodivergent people and why it’s rarely about intelligence, motivation or “trying harder.”

We chat teacher-student dynamics, the invisible rules no one explains and what happens when you build environments that work with neurodivergent brains instead of against them. Expect real talk about systemic barriers, the training educators aren’t getting, and practical tools for self-regulation, learning, and navigating adulthood without burning out.

Whether you’re an educator, parent, neurodivergent adult, or recovering former “problem student,” this episode might just reframe your entire school narrative.

Because when we redesign the system, suddenly a lot more people start to thrive... who knew?

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6: The Mutual Misunderstanding Club (Population: All of Us)

Season 1 · Episode 6

Tuesday, February 17, 2026 • Duration 47:42

Think autistic people lack empathy? Spoiler: that’s a myth, one baked into decades of research. In this episode, Luisa and Kerri dig into the science (and the research that got it wrong), unpacking how early studies misread social differences as deficits.

Enter the Double Empathy Problem: a game-changing idea showing that communication isn’t one-sided. Misunderstanding happens both ways and recognizing that flips the script on everything we thought we knew about empathy.

Luisa and Kerri break down the research, share real-world examples, and explore why neurodivergent perspectives have been left out of the conversation for far too long.

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The Divergence Department – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

The Divergence Department – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Similar podcasts and content

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify