The Neurodivergent Experience

Hosted by Jordan James & Simon Scott

Episode: Feeling at Home Away From Home: A Neurodivergent Weekend With Friends
Date: December 4, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, hosts Jordan James and Simon Scott share a candid and relatable account of their recent neurodivergent weekend together in Liverpool. Rather than focusing strictly on advocacy or technical advice, the episode provides listeners with a genuine, firsthand view into what it is to be neurodivergent while socializing, traveling, and sharing space with friends. The discussion covers travel anxieties and planning, navigating new environments, the sensory and social experiences at the Beatles Story Museum, cultural differences, masking and unmasking, and what true inclusion and comfort feel like for neurodivergent people among friends.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Traveling as Neurodivergent Adults

(Starts ~03:00)

• Distance & Preparation: The hosts discuss their physical separation (“a four-hour drive apart at best” – Simon, 03:37) and the neurodivergent need for detailed preparation when traveling.

  • Jordan’s Travel Routine: Hyper-organization, making digital folders, and planning multiple contingencies for anxiety management.

    "I am Leslie Knope. Right. I am Binders and folders. But it's all on my phone." — Jordan (07:15)

• Perceptions & Stereotypes of Liverpool: Jordan expresses initial nervousness about visiting Liverpool based on outdated stereotypes and media portrayals of the city ("Trepidation of Liverpool stems from the 80s and 90s" — Jordan, 04:22). Simon offers historical context regarding the city's complicated reputation and highlights its recent transformation.

• Coping with New Environments: Both hosts relate to having travel anxiety and scanning for negatives, with Simon describing “bottom up processing”:

  “Your brain is gonna scan the entire situation and take in the negatives.” — Simon (09:05)

2. Anxiety Management & Hyperfocus

(~09:50–12:00)

• Hyperfocus is framed as both a coping mechanism and superpower:

  “It’s almost like you visually see past all the haphazardness, all the trepidation, all the possible things that can go wrong because you’re like, I’m so hyper focused that whatever happens, I will just deal with it.” — Jordan (11:00)

• For Jordan, the anticipation of the Beatles Story Museum became such a strong focus that it significantly reduced his usual travel anxiety.

3. First Impressions of Liverpool

(12:26–14:33)

• The hosts praise the city for being “lovely,” with open, breathable spaces, fewer crowds than London, and a laid-back vibe.
• Sensory Environment: Busy areas felt manageable, with Liverpool’s open outdoor shopping centers and fresh air from the Mersey described as more pleasant and neurodivergent-friendly than London.

4. The Beatles Story Museum: A Neurodivergent Haven

(14:33–17:05; 19:36–23:59)

• Sensory Accommodations: Upon arrival, the museum’s structure is highlighted as especially neuro-affirming.

  • Timed entries reduce crowding, and the use of headphones makes the experience immersive and comfortable for neurodivergent visitors.

    “I’ve never been to a museum that’s just focused on a band before but I was absolutely blown away by it. ... It was very neuro-affirming as well.” — Simon (14:33)

• Freedom to Navigate: Guests can move at their own pace, take breaks when needed, and revisit favorite exhibits without pressure (“You could sort of do it in whatever order you wanted to, really.” — Simon, 22:26).

• Immersive Storytelling: The museum recreates the Beatles’ story as a "living documentary,” which deeply engaged both hosts, particularly Jordan who became hyper focused on the Yellow Submarine exhibit.

• Nostalgia and Shared Knowledge: Discussion of how almost everyone knows the Beatles, even without consciously learning their music.

  “Everybody knows the words, but nobody can really tell you when and where they learned the words. We’ve all grown up with the Beatles in our lives.” — Simon (16:08)

5. Everyday Neurodivergent Experiences in a Friend’s Home

(24:20–36:20)

• Cultural Navigation: Jordan and his wife experience new shops (e.g., Home Bargains, Greggs), different local accents, and the north’s more relaxed pace.
• Masking/Unmasking: The hosts contrast the experience of visiting a home where you feel compelled to “perform” versus one where you can be unmasked and authentic.
  • Jordan: “I don’t really like going to stay at other people’s houses... but it just went really brilliant. And I think that that’s a sign of, like, how close we are as friends.” (37:56)
  • Simon: “At no point did I feel like I had to entertain you, if that makes sense... It was so nice having you guys here on a Friday.” (38:38)
• Kitchen Comfort: Both note the comfort found in exchanging favorite TV shows and just being together, rather than feeling pressured to socialize or be “on” all the time.

6. Minor Mishaps & Social Energy

(31:07–34:16)

• A fire alarm goes off during breakfast due to a forgotten extractor fan—a minor incident that becomes a moment of shared, light-hearted embarrassment and empathy (“There’s nothing worse than going to someone else’s house and setting off a freaking fire alarm.” — Jordan, 32:26).
• Validating Neurodivergent Habits:
  • The group allows for time alone, no pressure to constantly interact, and is accepting of decompression after moments of overwhelm.

  "Don’t make them feel bad because they’re doing their own thing, because that’s when we get our energy back." — Jordan (54:49)

7. Navigating Social & Sensory Overload in Public

(51:34–53:18)

• On walking through busy parts of Liverpool (e.g., Matthew Street, the Cavern Club), Jordan’s ADHD hyperfocus helps him enjoy the environment, while Simon and Sylvia become overwhelmed by crowds and noise. They accommodate each other’s needs and respect boundaries around when to stay or move on.

8. Practicing Neuro-affirming Hospitality

(54:25–55:54)

• Both hosts highlight the importance of respecting each other’s alone time (e.g., Jordan on his tablet in the morning) and offering invitations without demanding participation.

  “As long as you encourage somebody to join in, don’t always expect them to join in, and don’t blame them if they don’t want to join in, but always make them welcome when they do want to join.” — Jordan (54:25)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Stereotypes:
  “If you’re a US listener, the closest thing that I can say Liverpool is, is like—it’s like the New Orleans of the UK. So it has an amazing culture and history, but it also has a history of being a bit rough around the edges.” — Simon (05:07)

• On Planning:
  “Have a file, have a folder, just organize your trip, everything." — Jordan (08:03)

• On Hyperfocus as a Superpower:
  “It’s almost like you visually see past all the haphazardness, all the trepidation, all the possible things that can go wrong because you’re like, I’m so hyper focused that whatever happens, I will just deal with it.” — Jordan (11:00)

• On The Beatles’ Ubiquity:
  “I don’t know anybody that doesn’t [know a Beatles song], to be honest. ... We’ve all grown up with the Beatles in our lives. It’s just, like, it’s not an uncommon thing.” — Simon (16:08)

• On Neuro-affirming Space:
  “Every museum should be like that...the attention to detail and the immersiveness and the fact that it wasn’t crowded...was so neuro affirming.” — Jordan (23:11)

• On Unmasking at Home:
  “In your house, it’s an ability.” — Jordan (42:38)

• On Hospitality:
  "You want the remote? Fucking hold the remote. I don’t care. And it was so nice to sort of let go." — Simon (50:27)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro & Banter – 02:15–03:00
• Travel Anxiety & Planning – 03:00–09:05
• Hyperfocus & Anxiety Management – 09:50–12:00
• Impressions of Liverpool – 12:26–14:33
• Beatles Story Museum Experience – 14:33–23:59
• Adapting to Home & Local Culture – 24:20–36:20
• Fire Alarm Mishap & Hospitality – 31:07–34:16
• Masking, Comfort, & Decompression – 37:56–54:25
• Accommodating Differences & Needs – 54:25–57:18

Concluding Reflections

• Both hosts conclude that the ability to unmask, respect boundaries, and accommodate the various needs of friends—without judgment—creates an authentically neurodivergent-friendly environment.
• The “relaxed fit” of the episode is itself a statement about neurodivergent reality: that sometimes the best advocacy is honestly sharing lived experience and celebrating the joy found in connection, comfort, and belonging.

Final Words:

“I got a lot more energy from it than I lost. And that's exactly what, you know, accommodating new affirming friendships and spaces that we create together should be.” — Simon (57:18)

[End of Summary]