When David Kessler and Isabelle Richards first met at a group therapy practice, they quickly realized they shared not just a profession, but a calling. What began as case consultations and hallway conversations eventually blossomed into Something Shiny: ADHD & Life — a podcast that has become a lifeline for thousands navigating neurodiversity. (Including people like myself – I was just diagnosed with ‘Inattentive ADHD’ at a very late age.)
But before the podcast came a moment of recognition that changed everything.
Richards still remembers the first time she heard Kessler speak during a staff training on ADHD. Unlike the clinical, detached presentations she had sat through before, Kessler spoke with honesty and vulnerability, drawing not only on his training as a therapist but also on his own lived experience with ADHD. For Richards, it was like seeing her own life reflected back at her.
She found herself approaching him again and again, consulting on cases, asking questions, and exploring the connections between his words and her own experiences. Then one afternoon, standing in the hallway of their office, she couldn’t hold it in any longer. With tears running down her face, she blurted out: “David, I think I have ADHD.”
Kessler’s response was immediate and compassionate: “Oh my God, I know. Welcome to the tribe.”
That exchange — vulnerable, human, and profoundly affirming — became the spark for a mission they would later pursue together. The relief they both felt in understanding themselves became the foundation of a show designed to help others feel the same.
From Shame to Strength
For many, a diagnosis of ADHD or autism comes after years of confusion and self-blame. Kessler knows this from experience. “Because increased understanding reduces suffering,” he explains, quoting his brother. “ADHD is invisible, and people will believe they’re wrong, or broken, or deficient. Learning what it is, understanding your brain, actually helps you feel better about who you are.”
That reframing — from brokenness to belonging — is the heartbeat of Something Shiny. It’s why the podcast resonates so deeply: it reminds people that being different doesn’t make them deficient.
Why a Podcast, Not a Book
Before launching the podcast, Kessler was already traveling the country speaking on neurodiversity and trauma. The demand was real, but access was limited. “There was this growing discomfort around a paywall that was being created around access to health, and neurodivergent information, and ADHD information…you had to be living near me in a place where I could drive, or be able to afford to fly me out.”
Richards offered a solution: why not create a podcast?
Kessler immediately embraced the idea. “I think I turned into a bunch of sparkles and a rainbow and agreed with you immediately. People are always asking, David, can you do a book? And Isabelle’s like, let’s do a podcast. And I’m like, that’s an accommodation for a book.”
It was the perfect medium: accessible, conversational, and free. Instead of gatekeeping information behind conference fees or medical jargon, Something Shiny could bring empathy and insight directly to anyone who needed it.
Making Neurodivergence Something to Celebrate
Richards recalls how often clients had lived with a diagnosis for years yet still carried shame or misunderstanding. “I cannot tell you how many humans we’ve worked with collectively…who have had the diagnoses for years, and are shocked to learn, wait a minute, that explains that? It doesn’t have to be boring. It doesn’t have to be, in bold letters, ‘I have ADHD.’”
From the beginning, they wanted the podcast to feel approachable, even joyful. Humor, compassion, and playful branding helped create a space where listeners felt safe — and even proud — to embrace their identities.
A sweatshirt or podcast logo wasn’t just merchandise; it was a badge of belonging. What sports fans find in a jersey, many listeners found in Something Shiny: proof that they weren’t alone.
Kessler calls this “herd safety” — the profound comfort of realizing you’re part of a community.
A Movement Gaining Momentum
Kessler believes the cultural conversation has changed dramatically in recent years. “What I’m noticing now is the evolved thought is turning into a belief in a general acceptance that neurodivergence exists. And the conversation now shifts to how do we best accommodate it versus does it exist?”
And it’s not just younger generations leading the way. Richards adds: “It’s not just rooted in the youths…folks well into their 70s and 80s, across generations, are joining the culture and the community.”
That ripple effect is powerful. Awareness is becoming acceptance — and acceptance is becoming advocacy.
The Workplace: Hiding in Plain Sight
Despite progress in schools and culture, the workplace remains one of the toughest places to be open about neurodivergence.
Kessler explains: “We see a lot of advocacy for school accommodations…we have very little modeling that it’s okay to ask for accommodations outside of school.”
The irony, he points out, is that most adults are already accommodating themselves — they just don’t call it that. “It’s the way they externalize their thoughts in text messages, the way they use their calendar, the way they have AI send out an email. Those are accommodations. People are doing them all day long to be successful.”
But without validation, many see these strategies as “cheating” or weaknesses. Richards stresses that leaders can change this. “They create the permission for others to feel safe enough to state what their needs are. Asking for an accommodation doesn’t have to be a legal, official, binding thing. It can literally look like giving people a glimpse into how you do what you do without necessarily attaching any judgment to it.”
Imagine a workplace where a manager admitted they need reminders or struggled to track long calls. That small act could make it safer for someone else to say, “Me too.”
Listening In
For those ready to explore further, Something Shiny offers practical strategies, humor, and real-life stories. Three episodes in particular highlight how accommodations can reshape the way we work:
Episode 007: Isn’t There a Right Way of Doing Things?
Learning to separate the task from the emotions around it. Why building accommodation strategies isn’t cheating – and why imposter syndrome often hides real resilience.
Episode 012: All About ADHD – Part V
How relational strategies function as accommodations – and how to rework them to reduce frustration. Plus, moving from seeing ADHD as something to fix toward repairing self-esteem and self-worth.
Episode 018: All About ADHD – Part IV
Accommodations for neurodivergence aren’t one size fits all. Being different does not make you deficient. To advocate for yourself, you first need to build your own “user manual” through metacognition.
Tools for Advocacy
To make the message more practical, Richards and Kessler created the Something Shiny Focus & Flow Finder — a free interactive guide that helps people identify the accommodations they already use. By naming these strategies, individuals can advocate more confidently for themselves at work, in school, or in daily life.
A Human Reminder
At its core, the Something Shiny story isn’t about diagnoses or productivity. It’s about humanity. It’s about the relief of finally hearing, “You’re not broken.” It’s about the courage to say the words out loud in a hallway — and the joy of being welcomed in reply: “Welcome to the tribe.”
As Kessler reminds us again: “Increased understanding reduces suffering.”
That truth belongs in every classroom, every workplace, and every home. And for leaders especially, it’s a reminder that when you create spaces where people can show up as themselves, you don’t just reduce suffering — you unleash potential.