Listen to Your Body: Sensory, Nervous System & Neurodiversity

In this episode, we sit down with Lori Crowley, a California-based counselor specializing in somatic and sensory-informed approaches to mental health. Lori brings a unique blend of professional expertise and lived experience as a neurodivergent parent, making this conversation both deeply insightful and refreshingly relatable.We dive into polyvagal theory — what it actually means, how our nervous system moves between states of safety, fight-or-flight, and shutdown, and why understanding this can be a game-changer for neurodivergent individuals and their families. Lori breaks it down in a way that is easy to understand and immediately applicable to everyday life.We also explore sensory integration — how the way we process sensory information shapes our emotions, behavior, and overall well-being — and why this is especially important for autistic individuals and those with sensory processing differences.Lori shares her work as the creator of the Ability Awareness Program and the founder of the ExP Therapy approach, both rooted in embodied awareness and practical, body-first support. Whether you are a parent, educator, or clinician, this episode is packed with tools and perspectives to help you better understand and support the neurodivergent people in your life.Resources we mentioned in this episode:https://monadelahooke.com/beyond-behaviors/https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/whatispolyvagaltheoryhttps://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/professional-practice/double-empathyhttps://shop.adapted4specialed.com/products/neurodiversity-training-handbook-resource-toolkit?variant=44603861795073Email: [email protected]: www.exptherapy.com