On this episode of the Curious Incident Podcast, NYC special education attorney Adam Dayan sits down with Lisa Abbrecht, clinical psychologist and founder of New Orleans Anxiety and OCD, LLC. Together, they explore the everyday realities of living with anxiety and OCD, offering a clear, practical look at Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and how Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) deepens its impact. The conversation also addresses highly stigmatized experiences with nuance and clarity - emphasizing proper understanding, thoughtful treatment, and why healing is about changing your relationship with thoughts, not trying to erase them.

On this episode of The Curious Incident Podcast, NYC Special Education Attorney Adam Dayan speaks with TeachRock Executive Director Bill Carbone and Gina Machado, Director of Programs and Partnerships, about how their curriculum uses music to engage students in learning and combat school disengagement. Inspired by founder Stevie Van Zandt's own experience as a struggling student who found his path through music, TeachRock helps K–12 students connect core subjects. Bill and Gina share how music's abstract, identity-building nature makes classrooms feel safer, more inclusive, and more student-centered. The conversation also highlights TeachRock's commitment to teacher feedback, flexible scaffolding for students with disabilities, and creating simple, joyful tools that remind educators why they entered the profession in the first place.

In this episode of The Curious Incident Podcast, NYC special education attorney Adam Dayan sits down with educator and school founder Shirley Aninias—the visionary behind The Shirley Aninias School, a program for neurodiverse learners that blends academics, social–emotional learning, daily living skills, and naturalistic ABA. Shirley shares how a vibrant on-campus "town" fosters creativity, autonomy, and joyful learning while helping students discover how they learn best. Tune in to hear powerful stories of progress, inclusive education, and the small steps that lead to big, life-changing outcomes for neurodiverse children and their families.