Dr. Destiny Huff, a late-diagnosed autistic and ADHD military spouse, therapist, and special education advocate, joins Lily and Erin for a powerful conversation on parenthood, identity, and reimagining advocacy. As the founder of Destiny Huff Consulting, she works with families across the U.S. to make education systems more responsive, compassionate, and effective for neurodivergent learners.
In this episode, Destiny shares how her own diagnosis transformed the way she supports families and children. She explains what it means to build neuroaffirming practices, from presuming competence and honoring autonomy to designing goals that match real learner needs.
Destiny also breaks down what an IEP really is; a program, not a plan, and how parents can ask for meetings, request changes, and find collaboration instead of conflict. The discussion explores bias in diagnosis, barriers faced by Black and Brown families, and how educators can check their assumptions to better support every student.
Key Moments
00:00 Tribute to Alice Wong
08:13 "Advocacy and Neurodivergence Insights"
15:24 "Neuroaffirming Special Education Handbook"
19:17 Centering Voices in Autism Advocacy
22:37 "Advocating for Diverse Learners"
30:17 "Focus, Educate, and Understand Intentions"
34:06 "Parenting Autism: Struggles and Strengths"
41:46 "Building Bridges, Not Burning Them"
48:30 Hesitation in Disclosing Diagnoses
50:43 "Embracing Accurate Labels and Support"
55:36 Bias in Disability Labels Explained
01:02:21 "Lessons on Rest and Renewal"
Connect with Dr. Destiny Huff
HRG Counseling: https://www.hrgcounseling.com/