About Us
What is neurodiversity? What makes a practice neuroaffirming?
First of its kind in the region, the Neurodiversity MENA Podcast is dedicated to raising awareness, promoting understanding, and reducing stigma around neurodiversity. Hosted by a team of neurodivergent adults, advocates, and parents of neurodiverse children, we bring you lived experiences of autism, ADHD, PDA, and more. We firmly believe that there are no one-size-fits-all solutions. Through this show, our goal is to highlight best practices that affirm all neurotypes. Whether you’re navigating neurodiversity yourself, advocating for a loved one, looking to make your practice neuroaffirming, or just curious to learn more, join us as we debunk myths and question the norms.
Our Team
Heidi Frost
Heidi is a child rights advocate, parent, autistic person, and a writer. Her fiction has appeared in the National, the Blotter, and her articles have appeared in several lifestyle magazines and the Emirates Airlines Festival of Literature blog. She has done research, content curation, editing, and proofreading for a number of publications across the globe.
Hina Shahzad
Hina has done her MBBS from Islamabad, Pakistan. As a doctor, Hina has worked as an ICU Medical Officer in Pakistan. She is a mother of one, pursuing her Masters NLP certification in Dubai, UAE, as well as volunteering for Educast, an online medical platform in Pakistan. Hina is passionate about spreading awareness about mental health and neurodiversity, and helping neurodivergent families advocate for themselves.
Karen Kehdy
Karen is a self-identified neurodivergent, parenting two neurodivergent children. She is a health insurance expert by profession but her journey has evolved since the diagnosis of her child into that of a Neurodiversity Advocate, Community Engagement Specialist and Neuro inclusive Education Advocate. Karen holds a BA in Journalism and Radio/TV from the Lebanese University and a Special Education Diploma, which further strengthens her ability to advocate for neurodivergent children and their families.
Piya Jayarajan
A former content marketing professional, Piya is now a stay-at-home parent to two children, one of whom is neurodivergent. A passionate reader, she enjoys researching and reading about neurodiversity. Her interactions with like-minded parents and learning about uniquely wired children have inspired her to empower and advocate for them.
Shija Sapru
Shija is a parent to two neurodivergent children and is passionate about unconventional schooling using strength-based approaches, customizing their education to fit her children’s strengths and interests. She collaborates with parent groups to support neurodivergent children and mentors parents one-on-one, while supporting her family business.
Sona Yusefzai
Sona is a mother of three children, one of whom is neurodivergent. She believes in teaching through a natural environment-led approach and body-mind coordination, which has really helped her son achieve his goals. Sona is actively involved in setting up all of her son’s physical, educational, cooking, and art activities. She holds a BSc (Hons) in Psychology and is currently working on obtaining a PhD in Psychology.
Sylwia Van Baig
Sylwia is a neurodivergent mum, artist, and Polish-qualified art therapist, as well as the author and illustrator of Luna the Curious Cat, a neurodiversity-affirming children’s book. With a background in psychology, neuropsychology, and art therapy, she uses creativity as a tool for connection, self-expression, and inclusion.