182 Breath, Burnout, and Beginning Again: Syed Abbas on Meditation, Disability, and Healing
Non Linear Learning - Rethinking Education for Neurodivergent Learners
Release Date: 06/13/2025
197 Beyond Burnout: GABA Support, Mitochondria, and Realistic Help for Parents of Autistic Kids
Non Linear Learning - Rethinking Education for Neurodivergent Learners
If you're parenting an Autistic child and living in a state of constant alert (sensory overwhelm, dysregulation, sleepless nights, meltdowns, and the never-ending to-do list), this episode gives you a concrete biochemical map for how to get back to baseline. In today’s conversation,I’m joined by Dr. Scott Sherr board certified internal medicine physician, certified practitioner of Health Optimization Medicine, and COO of Troscriptions, a company making physician formulated, precision-dosed buccal troches for focus, stress, sleep, and immune function. We talk about: What is the...
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196 Oxytocin, Autism, and how Autism Research works
Non Linear Learning - Rethinking Education for Neurodivergent Learners
In this episode, psychiatrist and researcher Dr. Eric Strobl joins Dr. Vaish Sarathy to talk about a new re-analysis of the SOARS-B trial on oxytocin and autism. While earlier studies found no clear benefit, Dr. Strobl’s fine-grained, item-level analysis using machine learning uncovered consistent evidence that oxytocin can enhance social-emotional reciprocity the ability to engage, connect, and respond in social contexts. Together, they discuss: Why most autism drug trials fail to show benefit What “blunt outcome measures” really mean in clinical research How machine...
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195 What’s Your Excuse? Lessons on Problem-Solving, Asking for Help, and Doing the Next Thing
Non Linear Learning - Rethinking Education for Neurodivergent Learners
This may be the most heartfelt episode I’ve ever recorded. In this deeply human conversation, Maxwell Ivey: The Blind Blogger, and I talk about what it means to keep moving when life doesn’t hand you easy options. Maxwell lost his sight as a child, taught himself to code, built a business, and learned to ask for help without shame. We talk about the quiet power of asking, the courage to act before conditions are perfect, and a rare take on gratitude-not as politeness, but as the willingness to use what’s been given. Somewhere along the way, we find ourselves...
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194 Every Skill Can Be Built: Inside Non Linear Education with Daria Kotenko
Non Linear Learning - Rethinking Education for Neurodivergent Learners
before doors close (Friday 11:59 PM PT)
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193 The Myth of Readiness: Why Waiting Holds Our Kids Back
Non Linear Learning - Rethinking Education for Neurodivergent Learners
How long have you been waiting for your child to be ready? Ready to sit still, focus, or “start learning”? In this episode, Dr. Vaish Sarathy dismantles one of the most persistent myths in special education: the idea that readiness must come before learning. Drawing on neuroscience and real-world experience, she explains experience-driven neuroplasticity how the brain builds readiness through meaningful action, not waiting. You’ll learn 3 practical ways to start teaching complex ideas right now no perfect calm, no perfect focus required. If you’re ready to move from waiting to...
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192 The Cost of Low Expectations (and the #1 Shift to Break Free)
Non Linear Learning - Rethinking Education for Neurodivergent Learners
The biggest barrier in your child’s education isn’t Autism, Down syndrome, or even learning disabilities. It’s low expectations. When a 12-year-old is handed board books or toddler math, the hidden message is: “This is all I think you can do.” That belief shapes motivation, behavior, trust, and hope for the future. In this episode of Non Linear Learning, Dr. Vaish Sarathy unpacks the true cost of low expectations and shares the #1 shift to break free: speaking to your child with age appropriate language. You’ll hear: Why “presuming competence” isn’t enough How low...
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191. When Compliance Fails: Dr. Robin Harwick on Democratic Education for Neurodivergent Teens
Non Linear Learning - Rethinking Education for Neurodivergent Learners
In this episode of Non Linear Learning, Dr. Vaish Sarathy speaks with Dr. Robin Harwick, founder of , a groundbreaking online school designed for teens who don’t fit into traditional education especially autistic, ADHD, and otherwise neurodivergent learners. Together, we explore: Why compliance-based systems harm learning (and why they persist) How democratic education gives back autonomy, voice, and safety What it actually looks like to co-create curriculum with neurodivergent students How to spot when your child’s IEP is a red flag, not a lifeline Why some students with PDA or...
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190. Exploring the science of Failure for you and your Autistic learner
Non Linear Learning - Rethinking Education for Neurodivergent Learners
In this edition of Non Linear Learning, Dr. Vaish Sarathy and co-host Searmi Park unpack the buzz around “productive failure”and flip it on its head for neurodivergent learners. Inspired by Manu Kapur’s work and , Vaish and Searmi explore when failure can deepen learning, when it harms, and why the word we’re actually looking for is exploration, not failure at least for this audience. In this episode Productive failure what we think it means Why we don’t “design failure” for autistic students Parents as the ones who “fail productively” Real-life stories A...
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189. What Dyslexia Research Can Unlock for YOUR Autistic Learner
Non Linear Learning - Rethinking Education for Neurodivergent Learners
When we think of dyslexia, most people imagine a reading problem. But the real story is far more complex and non linear - and the lessons from dyslexia research can open new doors for autistic learners (yay!). In this episode, I talk with Russell Van Brocklen, founder of and known as The Dyslexia Professor. Russell shares why dyslexia is less about reading and more about how the brain organizes ideas - and how strategies that work for dyslexic learners may also translate to autistic students who think and learn in unique ways. We explore: Why dyslexia is not just a reading issue but a...
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188 Rethinking College Readiness: Why Life Skills Aren’t Enough for Students with Disabilities
Non Linear Learning - Rethinking Education for Neurodivergent Learners
In this episode of Nonlinear Learning, we challenge the conventional path parents often take when preparing children with disabilities for higher education. We discuss why focusing solely on life skills, physical independence, and basic academics can leave students unprepared for the real demands of college. Instead, I outline the true foundation that fosters genuine readiness for higher education and guess what - there is a key factor there - MOTIVATION. How do we build that? Tune in to learn more. You’ll discover: Why physical independence, while valuable, doesn’t guarantee...
info_outlineIn this deeply honest episode, I talk with Syed Abbas—global meditation teacher, disability advocate, and father—about how a life-altering diagnosis of muscular dystrophy pushed him into the world of breathwork, mindfulness, and inner transformation.
We talk about:
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His journey from depression and chronic medication use to mental clarity and peace
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What it’s like to live with a progressive disability—and find pride and power in it
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The science and simplicity of breathwork
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Why caregivers, especially parents of children with disabilities, are stuck in constant fight-or-flight—and what they can actually do about it
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How just a few deep breaths can shift your nervous system, your energy, and your life
🔗 Resources Mentioned:
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Learn Sudarshan Kriya (SKY Breath Meditation): https://www.artofliving.org/us-en/sky
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Sahaj Samadhi Meditation course info: https://www.artofliving.org/us-en/meditation/sahaj-samadhi
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Upcoming in-person event with Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in the Bay Area (July 2025):
https://event.us.artofliving.org/us-en/lp1/sfba/wellness-with-gurudev/
🧪 Studies & Science Behind Breathwork and Pranayama
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Breath-based meditation can reduce anxiety and enhance well-being:
Streeter, C.C., et al. (2020). Effects of Yoga on the Autonomic Nervous System, Gamma-aminobutyric-acid, and Allostasis in Epilepsy, Depression, and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11: 782.
Read the full study on PubMed Central -
Pranayama improves cardio-respiratory efficiency and endurance in healthy young adults:
Satheesh, R., & Bindu, C.B. (2020). Pranayama improves cardio-respiratory efficiency and physical endurance in young healthy volunteers. International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 8(7), 2421–2425.
Read the full article on MSJOnline.org -
Pranayama and aerobic exercise enhance heart rate variability and VO₂ max in sedentary middle-aged men:
Hariprasad, R., Prabhu, N., & Karishma, S. (2024). Effect of Aerobic Exercise and Pranayama on Heart Rate Variability and Maximal Oxygen Consumption in Sedentary Middle Aged Males. International Journal of Current Medical and Applied Sciences, 42(2), 20–25.
Read the full article on IJCMAA