Podcast
Neurotypicals Don't Juggle Chainsaws
Hosted by Nic King and Kate Fox · EN
Embark on a whimsical exploration of neurodiversity with "Neurotypicals Don’t Juggle Chainsaws," hosted by Nic King and Kate Fox. This podcast series delves into neurodivergent experiences, from the origins of its unique title to the personal journeys of its hosts. Through candid discussions, Nic and Kate challenge societal norms, advocate for neurodivergent affirming practices, and celebrate the beauty of being different. Each episode promises humour, heart, and enlightening insights, inviting listeners to rethink what it means to live beyond the neurotypical checklist.
23episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Word Stims
6d ago00:30:44Tap to summarizeHow many things do you do every day without realising they might actually be stims? In this episode, Kate returns from running a neurodivergent writing retreat in Scotland after accidentally blowing everyone’s minds with a session on language stims. What starts as a chat about repeating words quickly turns into a much bigger conversation about humming, echolalia, accents, family phrases and all the small things people do to regulate themselves without even noticing. Kate and Nic talk about the ways stimming gets misunderstood through a diagnostic lens, why so many people grow up hiding it and how certain phrases, songs and repeated words can become their own form of comfort. There’s also a genuinely brilliant detour into musicals as communication, the phrase “hydrate or die straight”, and an unexpected history lesson on the gin crisis. If you’ve ever repeated a word because it sounds satisfying, communicated entirely through song lyrics or suddenly realised your family all hum, whistle or bounce in their seats… this one might feel very familiar.
Transcribe →Big fish, Little Fish, Autistic Box: Our Delayed April Episode
2w ago00:31:53Tap to summarizeA quick note before this one: this episode was originally recorded as the April podcast for Autism Acceptance Month, but due to an upload error, it’s now landing in May. So if you hear Nic and Kate referring to “this month”, that’s why. They also kick things off with a reminder that their live show is happening this Thursday, 21st May at Gosforth Civic Theatre, where you can see them in the flesh! This episode tackles the growing conversations around overdiagnosis, “profound autism” and whether the spectrum has become “too wide.” Kate and Nic unpack why these debates can feel so exhausting for the neurodivergent community and why dividing autistic people into smaller and smaller categories helps systems far more than it helps actual people. At the heart of this episode is a simple message: autistic people are not boxes. They’re people.
Transcribe →Education Systems in England in 2026
Mar 2600:30:27Tap to summarize🎤 Live show news! Kate and Nic are bringing Neurotypicals Don’t Juggle Chainsaws to the stage for a live podcast recording at Gosforth Civic Theatre on Thursday 21 May 2026. You can book your tickets here!After spotting a Department for Education video claiming to show an “inclusive classroom”, Kate and Nic unpack what inclusive education actually looks like versus what systems say it looks like. From SEND funding structures and EHCP realities to home education fears, tribunal delays and impossible academic expectations, this episode explores the gap between policy language and lived experience for neurodivergent young people and their families. This isn’t a doom-and-gloom episode though. Alongside the realities, they also explore what is within people’s control: community, knowledge, self-understanding and support networks and why those things may matter more than any official system.
Transcribe →To Chuck or Not to Chuck, That is the Question
Feb 2600:31:19Tap to summarizeMoving house has sent Kate into a deep, all-consuming hyperfocus on getting rid of stuff. Not the moving part – the chucking part.In this episode, Kate and Nic talk about why letting go of objects can be surprisingly hard for neurodivergent people, from sentimentality and anthropomorphising things, to executive function, recycling rules, inherited scarcity thinking and the sheer logistics of “doing the thing”.They explore hoarding versus minimalism, ADHD deadlines, Swedish death cleaning, archive boxes (yes, archive boxes), and why knowing something is there can be just as stressful as seeing it.Along the way, they share practical reflections, gentle validation, and a few new mantras for life, including:If in doubt, hoy it out.If you don’t know, let it go.As ever, this isn’t about doing decluttering “right”. It’s about being kind to yourself while navigating change, overwhelm, and the complicated emotional lives of objects.
Transcribe →Burnout of Illness?
Jan 2900:33:24Tap to summarizeIt’s 2026, Kate is in a teddy bear onesie, and we are asking a big question: am I actually ill, or is this burnout in disguise? In this episode, Nic and Kate talk about that fuzzy overlap between being physically unwell and being completely out of spoons. Kate shares how a virus forced her to confront her own ideas about rest, why staying in bed with comfort TV can still feel like a battle, and how Claude the AI ended up giving very sensible sick day advice. If you have ever wondered whether you are allowed to stop, or felt guilty for not being “ill enough”, this one is for you.
Transcribe →Autistic Christmas Carol
Dec 2500:30:35Tap to summarizeIt’s Christmas Day and Nic and Kate are taking a festive detour: re-imagining A Christmas Carol through a neurodivergent lens. Inspired by a brilliant story written by Nic’s child when they were 10, this episode explores the ghosts of Autistic Past, Present, and Future: from Victorian institutions and ABA therapy to today’s endless diagnosis debates and the worrying rise of “neurodiversity-lite.” Nic and Kate talk about what a truly autistic-friendly future could look like, why advocacy feels like it’s at a crossroads, and how hope still sits underneath all the frustration. Perfect listening if you’re hiding in the bathroom for a sensory break, escaping the dinner table, or just fancy spending Christmas with two familiar voices. Merry Christmas!
Transcribe →Autistic People and Employment
Nov 2700:29:14Tap to summarizeOnly 3 in 10 autistic people are said to be in work, but that statistic hides a much bigger story. In this episode, Nic and Kate talk about how “voluntary experience” can sometimes slide into unpaid labour, why big corporations need to stop treating autistic workers like charity projects, and how employment systems often reward masking over merit. Expect honesty, humour, and a few choice words for capitalism along the way. ⚠️ We’re now on a monthly schedule: new episodes land on the last Thursday of each month. Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss the next one.
Transcribe →Are Autistic People Psychic?
Oct 3000:29:10Tap to summarizeDo autistic people just notice more… or is there something genuinely spooky going on? In this Halloween-timed episode, Nic and Kate pick apart the myths and reality around “psychic” autistic people; from Trump’s Tylenol claims and paracetamol panic to pattern-spotting, vibes, Hitler’s chair, and the infamous Telepathy Tapes. They share their own uncanny experiences, how hyper-awareness can look like mind-reading, and why even sceptics sometimes find themselves spooked. ⚠️ We’re now on a monthly schedule: new episodes land on the last Thursday of each month. Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss the next one.
Transcribe →People Who Think They're Helping and They're Not
Sep 2500:34:05Tap to summarizeSometimes the hardest thing about being neurodivergent isn’t the challenges themselves, it’s the people who think they’re being helpful but really… aren’t. In this episode, Nic and Kate talk about the red flags to look out for, from outdated language like “with autism” to tokenistic “neurodiversity light” initiatives, and the all-too-familiar superpower clichés. They share their own experiences of what actually feels supportive, what definitely doesn’t, and why good intentions aren’t enough without genuine understanding. Reminder: we’re now on a monthly schedule, with new episodes out on the last Thursday of every month. Subscribe so you don’t miss the next one.
Transcribe →House of Cards
Aug 2800:31:12Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Neurotypicals Don’t Juggle Chainsaws, Nic and Kate talk frankly about the feeling that life is held together with wobbly scaffolding and what happens when it all falls down. It’s also about recognising when the systems that are meant to help often just add to the load and how hard it is to keep advocating when you're already running on empty. Important note: we’re moving to a monthly schedule, with new episodes released on the last Thursday of each month. Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss the next one.
Transcribe →