What does it mean to receive an autism diagnosis in your 40s? Today’s guest, Katie Rose Guest Pryal, J.D., Ph.D., shares her unique journey of navigating life with a late autism diagnosis—an experience surprisingly common, particularly among women. Katie is an accomplished author, mental health advocate, professor, and mother who brings a rich blend of personal and professional expertise to the conversation. Diagnosed with both bipolar disorder and autism, she has become a powerful voice in the mental health and neurodiversity communities. Katie has authored several influential books, including A Light in the Tower: A New Reckoning with Mental Health in Higher Education and Even If You’re Broken: Bodies, Boundaries, and Mental Health, both of which have won prestigious awards. Her newest work, Parenting Neurodiversity: An Insider’s Companion, is forthcoming from Johns Hopkins University Press and provides a firsthand perspective on raising neurodivergent children. She is also an author of fiction books, including The Hollywood Lights Series. 
 
In addition to her writing, Katie is a sought-after keynote speaker and educator who draws on her academic and lived experiences to shed light on mental health, disability, and neurodiversity. As an adjunct professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she combines her academic background with her passion for advocacy, frequently contributing to national publications like The Chronicle of Higher Education and Psychology Today. In this episode, Katie talks candidly about the intersection of gender, identity, and neurodivergence, drawing from her experiences growing up in the 1980s, navigating societal expectations, and parenting a neurodiverse child. Katie also delves into her work within the equestrian world, where she founded the NeuroEq show team to promote awareness and accommodation for neurodivergent riders. Join us as we explore the complexities of autism, neurodiversity, and identity through the lens of Katie's remarkable journey, learning from her insights into how we can all better understand and support neurodivergent individuals in every aspect of life. 
 
Topics Discussed in This Episode 
 

• Katie's journey of receiving an autism diagnosis in her 40s and the high rate of undiagnosed autistic women and girls 

• The high rates of non-binary and queer identification within the autistic community and their vulnerability 

• Katie's reflection on her upbringing as an autistic girl in the 80s and the struggle to conform to societal norms 

• The intersection between gender identity and neurodivergence 

• Parenting a neurodivergent child with comorbidities and its impact on family dynamics 

• The influence of Katie's own diagnoses on her treatment compliance 

• The importance of incorporating neurodivergent characters in fiction and how Katie's books reflect neurodiversity 

• The effort to raise awareness and gain accommodations for neurodivergent individuals in the equestrian world 

 
Resources 
 

Katie Rose Pryal