Understanding Motivation and Burnout in 2e and Neurodivergent Learners with Dr. Megan Anna Neff

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In our community survey, motivation emerged as the number one topic of interest among families of 2e learners. Many parents see their bright, capable child struggling to engage with schoolwork and wonder why typical incentives - grades, rewards, or praise - don’t seem to work.

In conversation with the REEL team, Dr. Megan Anna Neff will explore motivation through a neurodiversity-affirming lens, introducing the concept of the interest-based nervous system and unpacking why ADHD, autistic, and gifted learners often arrive at motivation through very different pathways. She’ll explain how spiky cognitive profiles, sensory processing differences, and chronic stress or burnout can all shape how a child approaches tasks.

As Dr. William Dodson notes, “If I can get engaged, I can do anything", and yet for many ND learners, that sense of engagement can be hard to access. Dr. Neff will share compassionate, practical strategies families can use to support curiosity, energy, and emotional well-being at home and in school, helping kids reconnect with authentic motivation rather than compliance-driven effort.

Dr. Megan Anna Neff is a licensed clinical psychologist, author, and educator who specializes in neurodivergent-affirming care. As a late-identified autistic and ADHD psychologist, she blends clinical expertise with lived experience to help families, educators, and clinicians understand neurodivergent inner worlds with nuance and compassion. Through her work at Neurodivergent Insights, she creates widely used tools, courses, and frameworks that translate complex psychology into accessible, empowering resources for everyday life.