Neurodiversity & Belonging

Honoring Diverse Brains in Schools, Work and Family Life

In 2023, I gave a talk on Neurodiversity, Mindfulness and Belonging. In the talk I shared how our world is full of neurodiverse thinking, but some of them are neurotypical and some are neurodivergent (thinking significantly differently than typical thinkers).

This talk was the first time I shared about my journey as an educator that’s worked with neurodivergent children across the globe and as a partner alongside my husband, diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. Being married to someone who is neurodivergent, and navigating his diagnosis, has created opportunity to grow my compassion and advocacy deeper.

Here’s what’s alive in me as I grow my commitment to the neurodivergent community:

• We ALL need safety to thrive and the way we experience the world is mediated through our nervous systems.
• Being neurodivergent is kind of like swimming against the current — it’s navigating schools, workplaces and a world full of systems not designed for you.
• Mindfulness is not a panacea. While it can be supportive for brains of all kinds it may also reinforce the status quo rather than liberating ourselves from oppressive systems.
• Neurodivergent perspectives invite us to question dominant ways of being and doing.

The journey of creating spaces that authentically embody a sense of belonging is an ongoing one, and each day unfolds new lessons.

How can we collectively elevate our consciousness and foster an inclusive mindset that not only accepts but celebrates the distinctive strengths and perspectives of every individual? It is through collective introspection and action that we can create transformative change.

In this powerful, short video below my colleague, Anne Childers, shares how our language can support more equitable learning environments. Grab some tissues, because this video is truly emotional! I included it in my keynote and there were hardly any dry eyes in the audience. Anne and I have been exploring how tenderness can support us in cultivating language that promotes belonging. She writes, “The deficit language in our educational systems, particularly in special education, shifts collaboration from stakeholders away from a strengths-based approach and creates social and emotional stress.” I invite you to also check out her reflections on her journey as an educator and parent of a child with ADHD. Finally, Anne turned me on to a great website with several FREE resources, Understood.org.

Author Bio: Meena Srinivasan is a contemplative leader, celebrated speaker, accomplished author, and visionary edupreneur. She is an educator-activist at heart, consistently championing the fusion of Mindfulness, Emotional Intelligence, and Belonging. Meena was featured as one of 2022’s 10 Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement in Mindful Magazine and is the Executive Director of Transformative Educational Leadership (TEL)™ an organization that supports educational leaders in building more compassionate and just schools. A former public school administrator and National Board Certified Teacher, Meena is the creative force behind the SEL Every Day Online Courses, an instructor of graduate level Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) courses at UC Berkeley and the CEO of Karuna Consulting, LLC, an organization that takes its name from the Sanskrit word ‘Karuna,’ signifying compassion. Karuna Consulting is a certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) driven by a profound mission: to foster a more compassionate world through Meena’s keynotes, professional learning, coaching, and consulting services. She is the author of numerous publications including Teach, Breathe, Learn and SEL Every Day. The latter was honored as one of 2019’s Favorite Books for Educators by the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley. Her TEDx talk on Tenderness is one of the most popular TEDx talks of 2024 (with over 2 million views). Meena has been practicing yoga and meditation for over 25 years, is an ordained Zen Buddhist and serves on the Board of the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation. Learn more at meenasrinivasan.com.