What if nothing was ever wrong with you or your child, just misunderstood?
In this episode, Laetitia Andrac shares how late autism and ADHD diagnosis reshaped her identity, parenting, and mission to build truly inclusive systems for neurodivergent children.
Laetitia Andrac is a five-time founder, bestselling author, and CEO of Understanding Zoe, an AI-powered platform helping parents, educators, and therapists better support neurodivergent children. Late diagnosed autistic and ADHD, she brings lived experience to systems-level change in education, healthcare, and leadership.
Episode Highlights00:00:41 — Discovering neurodivergence through motherhood Laetitia explains how concerns raised about her daughter’s development triggered a deeper exploration of autism and ADHD in her family. What started as advocacy for her child became self-discovery.
00:03:00 — Late autism diagnosis and reclaiming identity After initially dismissing autism, Laetitia describes the moment everything clicked. The diagnosis brought relief, validation, and self-compassion.
00:06:11 — Childhood exclusion and autistic burnout She shares early experiences of rejection sensitivity, boredom at school, and later autistic burnout in high-pressure consulting roles. These patterns only made sense in hindsight.
00:08:42 — From lived experience to systemic change Understanding Zoe was born from the desire to prevent children from growing up confused and unsupported. The goal is shared understanding, not constant parental advocacy.
00:09:14 — Why diagnosis should never feel like being “broken” Laetitia emphasizes choosing neurodiversity-affirming clinicians. Diagnosis should explain, not pathologize.
00:14:00 — When unmasking is not safe Unmasking is personal, but environments are not always ready. She describes shutdowns caused by neurotypical networking expectations.
00:17:56 — Hyperfocus as a real strength Her ability to solve complex problems quickly powered her consulting career. Without recovery time, however, it also led to collapse.
00:22:38 — How Understanding Zoe reduces parental load The platform centralizes assessments, therapy notes, and insights so educators and carers can support children consistently.
00:29:17 — Productivity through agile, not pressure Letitia explains why agile ways of working suit neurodivergent brains better than rigid schedules.
Connect with Laetitia:
Websites:
https://understandingzoe.com/
https://www.essentialshift.co/
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/understandingzoe
https://www.linkedin.com/company/essential-shift/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/understanding.zoe
https://www.instagram.com/essential.shift
Connect with Jeremy:
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/nageljeremy
Email: jeremy@focusbear.io
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Episode 121