Differently Brained

Snuggle up with Cozy Gaming

It's getting colder out there, listeners, so why not curl up with an episode of Differently Brained and a cozy video game? Lachlan and Jacinta chat about what a cozy game is (and what it isn't), how they help us regulate and feel safe and calm, and some recommendations for you to try out.
Resources:Gaming statistics in Australia - Australia Plays 2023 Report - Interactive Games and Entertainment Association
Reuters article - Cozy comfort: new research backs up what games have thought for years: video games can be an antidote to stress and anxietyÖnnberg, M. (2024). Cozy games and their impact: An exploration study of coziness in games. - http://his.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2:1881616 Bowdidge, S. (2024). Cosy games: How games such as Animal Crossing help mental health, BBC News -  https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cglk8wl3lylo 
https://wholesomegames.com/ 
 
 

Dungeons and Dragons and Differently Brained (oh my!): Tabletop Roleplaying Games with Jess C Wheatley & Declan Nathan

You must listen to this podcast episode before venturing forth!Gather one and all and listen as Lachlan interviews Jess C. Wheatley and Declan Nathan about a hobby that is growing seemingly exponentially in popularity and accessibility - Dungeons and Dragons (or, more broadly, tabletop roleplaying games).We discuss how these games have helped people to express their creativity, explore their personalities, develop social skills and provide a safe space for many neurodivergent folks.BIOGRAPHIES:
Declan NathanDeclan has been dealing with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) and ADHD for his entire life. However, in the last ten years he got involved with his local tabletop role playing game community, and it has changed how he approaches stress and social anxiety. Jess C WheatleyJess was raised in the Hinterland behind Byron Bay. She is a regional writer and director who revels in rip roaring stories with supernatural twists and heart. Her award-winning short script, The Call Out, led to a spot in 2023’s WeScreenplay’s Shorts Lab, while her TV pilot Alternate was awarded an Ian Potter Emerging Artist Grant to attend the 2024 Stowe Lab Writers Retreat in Connemara, Co. Galway. In 2020 Wheatley was selected for Screenworks Career Pathway Program ‘Inside The Writers Room’ and the ‘Write From Home’ initiative run by Screenworks and the AISF. A production designer, illustrator and storyboardist, Jess also holds 1st class honours in her Masters of Screenwriting. When not writing, she works in disability education support and runs D&D on weekends for kids through an NDIS social hub.
Check out Jess's Portfolio here!Also check out her Instagram!
RESOURCES:AusCare Social Clubs
A brief primer if you want to know more about D&D

Reframing Success: Rejoicing in Rejection with Alaina Dean

Writer Alaina Dean joins Jacinta and Lachlan in "the studio" to talk about her approach to literary rejections. She has been undertaking a years long project to get her writing out to as many publications as possible and, in the meantime, accrue 100 rejections!Somehow Alaina managed to find a secret cheat code that allows her to re-frame what it means to succeed. Listen to find out!Resources:
https://www.instagram.com/alainaddream/?hl=en
https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/alaina-is-aiming-for-100-rejections-she-says-we-should-all-embrace-our-failures-20250402-p5logt.html
https://lithub.com/why-you-should-aim-for-100-rejections-a-year/
https://www.clippings.me/users/alainadean
https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/21194493.Alaina_Dean
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alaina-dean-93867b196/?originalSubdomain=au
https://www.goodfriendresumes.com.au/about-1

Smartphones: Keep 'em or Dump 'em? Part 2

Welcome back to the Differently Brained soapbox! We have started releasing these on a fortnightly basis, but it seems right to share this one with you all right off the back of part 1.We hope you didn't actually dump your smartphones after listening to the last episode. Especially because in this one Jacinta and Lachlan discuss how they might actually be, you know, kinda good for mental health. Maybe? Just a little? From accessibility, sensory regulation, and connecting to people when you feel isolated - many of these things are made so much easier with smartphones.Let us know what you think!

Smartphones: Keep 'em or Dump 'em? Part 1

It's the 21st Century and Smartphones are commonplace. Perhaps TOO commonplace!In part one of this "deep dive" (into their own personal relationships with smartphones), Jacinta and Lachlan chat about just how much smartphones suck and what they do to their mental health.But we like to be fair (and balanced) at Differently Brained), so make sure to tune in next time for counterarguments to our own arguments.And if you're listening to the episode on your smartphone, wait until after you have finished listening before dumping it!

Doomscrolling: The Brain on Bad News

This is fine. Everything is fine.Doomscrolling -- the very contemporary phenomenon that so many of us just can help but fall victim to!
Jacinta and Lachlan chat about what Doomscrolling is, why we do it, what it does to the brain, and maybe how we can mitigate it.
 
RESOURCES:
Mayo Clinic Article: Doomscrolling: Stop the scroll, protect your mental health - Alisa Bowman
Wired Article: How to Stop Doomscrolling—With Psychology - Kenneth R Rosen
Sharma B., Lee, S. S., & Johnson, B. K. (2022). The Dark at the End of the Tunnel: Doomscrolling on Social Media Newsfeeds. Technology, Mind, and Behavior, 3(1: Spring 2022). https://doi.org/10.1037/tmb0000059
Dr. A. Shaji George, A.S. Hovan George, Dr. T. Baskar, & Dr. M. M. Karthikeyan. (2024). Reclaiming Our Minds: Mitigating the Negative Impacts of Excessive Doomscrolling. Partners Universal Multidisciplinary Research Journal, 1(3), 17–39. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13737987

Someone like Clem Bastow & Jo Case

Sorry for the delay with this one!Today, Jacinta and Lachlan are joined by two guests, the inimitable Clem Bastow and Jo Case!They have just released a beautiful new anthology titled Someone Like Me, which showcases works of creative nonfiction and memoir of Autistic women and gender-diverse people.It was a pleasure to chat with them, and we hope to have them back on the show some day!
 
Resources:
Clem's Bio
Jo's Bio
 
Blindboy Podcast (Episode featuring Paddy Considine)
 
Heartbreak High
 
The Boy Who Could Fly
 
Autistic Culture Podcast (Episode on Hans Christian Andersen)
 
Harriet the Spy - Louise Fitzhugh
 
Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
 
Little Women - Louisa May Alcott
 
The Good Place
 
Parks and Recreation
 

Attention Surplus Hyperactivity Awesomeness with Georgia Zentrich, the ADHD Educator

Are you in need of some education on ADHD? Or perhaps some advocacy and youth work? Or maybe even a DJ for your event?Well look no further - in today's episode Jacinta talks to Georgia Zentrich, The ADHD Educator. They discuss ADHD stigma, managing schedules, the challenges posed by the mental health care system, and more (including DJing)Georgia has an InstagramAnd you can find the resources mentioned in the episode below.REFERENCES:
 It's A Lot Podcast with Abby ChatfieldInterview with G-Flip
William Dodson - Interest Based Nervous SystemHow Simone Biles Turned ADHD into Her Superpower
Heartbreak High
Geek Girl

NeuroTrip: Jacinta's travels in Europe

This one is a bit late, apologies all!In today's episode, Jacinta tells us all about her recent journey through Europe. How did it affect her? How can neurodivergent people prepare themselves for travel? Was it worth it? Are Jacinta and Lachlan the most beautiful singers you've ever heard?
Jump aboard and find out!

The Cold Truth about tech, anxiety and writing with Ashley Kalagian Blunt

Join us in welcoming back Ashley Kalagian Blunt - author, podcaster and friend of the show.In this episode we chat about her brand new book, 'Cold Truth', a tech-noir crime thriller. The conversation delves into the writing process, cybersecurity, technology anxiety, crypto-currency warnings, and more!ASHLEY'S BOOKS:COLD TRUTH — Ashley Kalagian Blunt
DARK MODE — Ashley Kalagian Blunt
HOW TO BE AUSTRALIAN — Ashley Kalagian Blunt
MY NAME IS REVENGE — Ashley Kalagian Blunt
 
Also, check out the podcast James and Ashley Stay at Home
REFERENCES:The Age of Magical Overthinking | Book by Amanda Montell | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster