S2 EP 18 - Neurodivergent Perseverance: I Need a Hero
2/12/202615 min
Heroes aren’t always loud—and they don’t always wear capes.In this episode of Middle School Mary Poppins, Suzanne M. Swain explores what heroism really looks like in the real world: persistence, joy, empathy, and showing up as yourself—even when it’s hard.Inspired by the Winter Olympics, beloved pop-culture heroes, a surprising animal rescue, and the power of team culture, Suzanne reframes heroism for kids, parents, and educators—especially those supporting neurodivergent learners.This episode is a love letter to:quiet braverykids who feel differentteams that thrive on joy and belongingand the truth that you fall down nine ti...
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSuzanne M. Swain· Host0:00
[upbeat music] Well, hey, y'all. It's a beautiful day to bust some cognitive distortions. My name is Suzanne M. Swain, EDS, LMSW, an educational specialist and child therapist here out in rural Tennessee. So welcome back to Middle School Mary Poppins. I am so stoked that you're here today. We are gonna be talking about heroes, sheroes, weroes, what makes somebody a hero, and how we should be looking to our neurodivergent kids for a few answers. So lately, I've been realizing something about myself. I, I feel like I need a hero right now. N- I mean, not like a superhero, not someone fictional. I don't need capes and explosions and spandex and perfect endings and all that stuff. I, I need someone real, someone, like, wholesome and who does hard things on purpose, and someone I can watch and think, like, "Whoa, humans are incredible," and look at this example of just incredible human strength and power and perseverance. So I've been watching the Winter Olympics. Love, love. Have you all seen these people? Oh, my lord. Gosh. Folks, ugh, first of all, like curling, I didn't know that was a sport, so I learned all about that. Oops, sorry. But, you know, the luge and then the skeleton, those sleds where you have to ride really close to