Mrinal Gokhale is an author, speaker and creative consultant based in Wisconsin. She has collaborated with organizations and media outlets such as Brown Girl Magazine, ADDitude Magazine, Medical College of Wisconsin, and more. Her most recent book is titled “Taboo: South Asian Mental Health Stories.”

During this episode, Mrinal talks about:

• What inspired her to write about mental health in South Asian communities
• How she found people to interview for her book
• Common mental health themes that she noticed in her interviews
• How her own mental health journey inspired her writing and advocacy

Find out more about Mrinal and her writing on her LinkTree page.

Watch the video of this interview on YouTube.

Read the episode transcript.

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*Disclaimer: The views, guidance, opinions, and thoughts expressed in Beyond 6 Seconds episodes are solely mine and/or those of my guests, and do not necessarily represent those of my employer or other organizations.*

CW: Mentions of suicidality

Crystals Multifaceted is the founder of Multifaceted Journeys, where they use their lived experience of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) / plurality and healing with complex trauma and dissociation, to bring education to providers and facilitate groups for plurals. Crystals has a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology.

They serve as a moderator on The Refractory, a think tank for clinicians, researchers, peer support workers and coaches with lived experience of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), Other Specified Dissociative Disorder (OSDD), and Plurality. They have been a keynote speaker for the Plural Positivity World Conference.

Crystals’ podcast and Substack blog, both titled “Therapist Interrupted,” highlight stories related to getting through life’s interruptions, living with trauma and dissociation, and other topics related to multiplicity.

During this episode, you will hear Crystals talk about:

• How they discovered they have DID
• What it feels like for them to interact with the world as a DID system
• Where they have found support for their healing journey
• What inspired them to start Multifaceted Journeys, and the types of services they’ve created for the Plural community
• The biggest misconceptions about DID

Connect with Crystals on their website, Substack, Patreon or through email at crystalsmultifaceted [at] protonmail [dot] com .

Watch the video of this interview on YouTube.

Read the episode transcript.

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*Disclaimer: The views, guidance, opinions, and thoughts expressed in Beyond 6 Seconds episodes are solely mine and/or those of my guests, and do not necessarily represent those of my employer or other organizations.*

Kala Allen Omeiza is a prolific author at the intersection of race, culture, and autism. Her latest book, "Autistic and Black: Our Experiences of Growth, Progress, and Empowerment," has received widespread acclaim for its in-depth exploration of the unique challenges and triumphs faced by autistic individuals of minority backgrounds. She has also worked on various research projects on neurodiversity and mental health at Harvard, Duke, Harvard Medical, and as a US Fulbright scholar in Nigeria. She is a graduate of Miami University and a masters graduate of Psychological Research from the University of Oxford.

During this episode, Kala discusses:

• What inspired her to write “Autistic and Black” and share the experiences of Black autistic people across the African diaspora
• How she uses the Kwanzaa principle of Ujima to bring the stories in the book together
• Her experience interviewing nonspeaking autistic individuals
• Writing about her own life experiences as a Black autistic woman

To find out more about Kala and her work, you can visit her website, subscribe to her newsletter, and buy her book "Autistic and Black: Our Experiences of Growth, Progress, and Empowerment".

Watch the video of this interview on YouTube.

Read the episode transcript.

Follow the Beyond 6 Seconds podcast in your favorite podcast player.

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Support or sponsor this podcast at BuyMeACoffee.com/Beyond6Seconds!

*Disclaimer: The views, guidance, opinions, and thoughts expressed in Beyond 6 Seconds episodes are solely mine and/or those of my guests, and do not necessarily represent those of my employer or other organizations.*

Aashna Parikh is a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) consultant and inclusive marketing specialist based in India. Living with cerebral palsy and learning disabilities, she has consulted and collaborated with Forbes-listed and Fortune 500 companies across diverse sectors such as Fintech, Sustainability, Agriculture, and Technology. A strong advocate for neurodiversity, disability, and gender, she examines these issues through an intersectional lens.

During this episode, you will hear Aashna talk about:

• What was it like growing up and going to school with cerebral palsy and learning disabilities
• Living with disabilities in a world where people tell her she “doesn’t look disabled”
• The type of work that she does as a DEI consultant
• Her thoughts on DEI through an intersectional lens
• How DEI is addressed in different countries
• Her advice for requesting accommodations at work and in job interviews

Connect with Aashna on LinkedIn or via email at aashnacparikh at gmail.com .

Watch the video of this interview on YouTube.

Read the episode transcript.

Follow the Beyond 6 Seconds podcast in your favorite podcast player.

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Support or sponsor this podcast at BuyMeACoffee.com/Beyond6Seconds!

*Disclaimer: The views, guidance, opinions, and thoughts expressed in Beyond 6 Seconds episodes are solely mine and/or those of my guests, and do not necessarily represent those of my employer or other organizations.*

Martina Kuzenski is a late-diagnosed autistic woman who received her autism diagnosis at age 28 near the end of her Master’s degree program. She is an IT Specialist for the U.S. federal government. She shares her experiences as a Black autistic woman in tech as a mentor for the Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) program and as a co-author of the best-selling book “Ladies in Tech: Sharing Expertise for a Successful Career”.

During this episode, Martina talks about:

• Discovering that she is autistic in her late twenties, and what her life was like growing up
• How she got into a tech career
• Her experience of not being “seen” in the tech industry as a Black autistic woman
• The importance of mentorship, and why she decided to become a P-TECH program mentor
• The challenges she has faced when trying to find leadership programs for neurodivergent people
• Why she doesn’t feel “autistic enough” in autistic spaces, and the flaws she sees in the neurodiversity movement

Connect with Martina on LinkedIn and read her writing on
Diary of Self (Martina's blog posts about neurodiversity) and her book "Ladies in Tech: Sharing Expertise for a Successful Career."

Watch the video of this interview on YouTube.

Read the episode transcript.

Follow the Beyond 6 Seconds podcast in your favorite podcast player.

Subscribe to the FREE Beyond 6 Seconds newsletter for early access to new episodes.

Support or sponsor this podcast at BuyMeACoffee.com/Beyond6Seconds!

*Disclaimer: The views, guidance, opinions, and thoughts expressed in Beyond 6 Seconds episodes are solely mine and/or those of my guests, and do not necessarily represent those of my employer or other organizations.*

Joshua Hoskins is a 25 year old man with Down syndrome who lives in Tamworth, England with his parents. He loves his family and friends, and his hobbies are horse riding, boxing, musicals, supporting Newcastle United Football team, going out on trips and going on holiday.

Josh has two jobs: he loves them both and has great buddies at each place. Josh’s Mum Debbie helps him create posts on LinkedIn every week, because Josh wants to help other people with Down syndrome to get a job if they want to.

During this episode, you will hear Josh and Debbie talk about:

• How he had found his job at Marshall Fleet Services with WorkFit, and how the Down's Syndrome Association in the UK prepared him for the role
• What he does in his role with Marshall Fleet Solutions, and what he likes the most about it
• How LinkedIn helped him find his second job at Movianto
• What inspired him to write about his life and work on LinkedIn
• How work has helped him grow as a person, build positive relationships with his coworkers, and support his local community
• Why employers should consider hiring people with Down syndrome, and how employers can include them in their companies

Follow Joshua Hoskins on LinkedIn to read his weekly posts.

Watch the video of this interview on YouTube.

Read the episode transcript.

Follow the Beyond 6 Seconds podcast in your favorite podcast player.

Subscribe to the FREE Beyond 6 Seconds newsletter for early access to new episodes.

Support or sponsor this podcast at BuyMeACoffee.com/Beyond6Seconds!

*Disclaimer: The views, guidance, opinions, and thoughts expressed in Beyond 6 Seconds episodes are solely mine and/or those of my guests, and do not necessarily represent those of my employer or other organizations.*

Grace Liu is an autistic author, blogger, speaker and pet portrait artist based in the Midlands of England. Grace's book, “Approaching Autistic Adulthood: The Road Less Travelled,” was published in October 2021. She blogs about autism, neurodiversity, diversity and inclusion, as well as her life as a biracial (British/Taiwanese) autistic gay woman, and has delivered multiple talks about autism and diversity. Grace has received many commissions for her pet portrait drawings, especially over the past year. She is a dedicated owner to four cats, having had an autistic interest in cats from a very young age!

During this episode, you will hear Grace talk about:

• Her early life after moving from Taiwan to the UK at the age of four, and how she and her family discovered that she is autistic
• How she got started with her long-running blog back in 2013
• Her experiences with racism, and with “coming out” as gay and autistic
• Becoming an author and public speaker

Find out more about Grace and her work at the links below:

• Book: artistic-autistic.co.uk/approaching-autistic-adulthood
• Blog: unwrittengrace.wordpress.com
• Art: artistic-autistic.co.uk/pet-portraits

Watch the video of this interview on YouTube.

Read the episode transcript.

Follow the Beyond 6 Seconds podcast in your favorite podcast player.

Subscribe to the FREE Beyond 6 Seconds newsletter for early access to new episodes.

Support or sponsor this podcast at BuyMeACoffee.com/Beyond6Seconds!

*Disclaimer: The views, guidance, opinions, and thoughts expressed in Beyond 6 Seconds episodes are solely mine and/or those of my guests, and do not necessarily represent those of my employer or other organizations.*

Content note: This episode mentions thoughts about suicide and self harm.

Shayonee Dasgupta is a Mumbai-based freelance writer and editor who initially pursued a career in law, working with corporate law firms in India. She found out she's autistic and has ADHD in her 30s, prompting a transformative journey of self-discovery and learning to navigate life anew.

During this episode, you will hear Shayonee talk about:

• What it was like growing up before her diagnosis
• How the challenges she faced working as a lawyer led to her burnout
• The struggle she faced to get the right mental healthcare and support after her burnout
• How she received her autism and ADHD diagnosis
• Her decision to start a new career as a freelance writer
• Handling expectations from both her extended family and Indian society
• How she defines success in her own way

To find out more about Shayonee and her work, you can connect with her on LinkedIn.

Watch the video of this interview on YouTube.

Read the episode transcript.

Follow the Beyond 6 Seconds podcast in your favorite podcast player.

Subscribe to the FREE Beyond 6 Seconds newsletter for early access to new episodes.

Support or sponsor this podcast at BuyMeACoffee.com/Beyond6Seconds!

*Disclaimer: The views, guidance, opinions, and thoughts expressed in Beyond 6 Seconds episodes are solely mine and/or those of my guests, and do not necessarily represent those of my employer or other organizations.*