If you’d like to listen to or watch our interview with Dayna, the episode is available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

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Summary

• Dayna Halliwell shares her multifaceted journey as a UK-based disabled actor, writer, theatre practitioner, and content creator, focusing on how her neurodivergence and chronic pain have shaped her path and public presence.
• Reflecting on her personal story, Dayna opens up about the lack of early diagnosis for her neurodivergent conditions, describing how it affected her education and self-awareness, especially highlighting the ableist challenges she faced, such as the pen license system in UK schools.
• A significant part of the interview explores how Dayna uses comedy as a vehicle for advocacy and education on social media, emphasizing its role in making her content engaging and accessible, not just to the neurodivergent community but to a wider audience.
• Dayna discusses the impact of finally receiving diagnoses for her conditions as an adult, shedding light on the profound sense of self-understanding and validation it brought her, alongside the challenges of navigating the medical system as a neurodivergent individual.
• The conversation delves into Dayna's creative process, detailing how she translates personal experiences and societal observations into comedic skits that challenge stereotypes and foster a deeper understanding of neurodiversity.
• Looking ahead, Dayna expresses excitement about her ongoing work with Purple Goat, a disabled-led organization, and the potential for future projects that further bridge the gap between neurodivergent content creators and mainstream representation, hinting at aspirations for podcasting and more inclusive campaigns beyond the disability narrative.

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Beaux: Hi and welcome to Brainstorm: Changemakers by Tiimo! In this series, we’re talking to experts, activists, and movers who are shaking things up in the neurodivergent space. My name is Beaux, my pronouns are they/them, and I’m the Inclusion and Belonging Lead at Tiimo, a Danish-based startup that gives neurodivergent people the planning power to take charge of their day. 

Today I have with me Dayna Halliwell! Dayna is a UK-based disabled actor, writer, theatre practitioner, and content creator. With a bachelor's in acting and a master’s in disability in the arts, Dayna bridges her theatrical experience with her advocacy and has amassed a following of over 130,000 people in under a year. Hi Dayna, we’re so happy to have you, welcome!! To start us off, I would love it if you just tell us a little bit about yourself! 

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Dayna: Yeah so I'm Dayna. I'm a digital content creator predominantly on TikTok, but I do other platforms too. And I'm also Autistic, dyslexic, dyspraxic, OCD, and have chronic pain. So, lots of different perspectives, and I make content in and around my life experience. I use a lot of comedy as a vehicle for that, which I'd like to think is refreshing in the social space. I can kind of educate people in a way that is engaging and educational. 

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Beaux: Mmm, yes. And growing up, were there any big moments that helped you kind of discover and later understand your neurodivergence and maybe your chronic pain?

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Dayna: Unfortunately, I think growing up, I didn't have access to diagnosis, so as part of that large group of people that didn't know that I was neurodivergent. But I was labelled a special kid and I always had what one on one support. So, basically had the practical care of being neurodivergent without any explanation, which can be really difficult when you're a child because you don’t understand why you’re different and it's very black and white. So, in terms of pivotal moments, I think they’re probably rooted in more negative experiences. 

In the UK, we have something called a pen license. I don't know if you've heard of that. It's so in primary school, all schools do it. You start with a pencil and you have to wait for your handwriting and spelling to be good enough to get a pen. And it's this big award that you get in front of your class. And I never got mine, so I never—I shouldn't legally be writing with a pen, but I distinctly remember, you know, obviously, that experience is inherent and very ableist. And I obviously, as a pivotal moment, that was something that really comes to the forefront when I think about my educational experiences as a child, those kind of key milestones that I just never hit. So sorry, it's more negative, but unfortunately, that is the life story, I'm afraid, in early education.

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Beaux: I’m wondering then what it kind of felt like to be diagnosed and to have the words to understand yourself like what changed for you? 

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Dayna: Like a massive thing. I mean, I so for context, I was diagnosed as dyslexic in my first year of university, so it's quite late. Dyspraxia I was already diagnosed with, but I didn't have the terminology until I was much older and basically got re-diagnosed with it and never looked at a medical history. It turns out I have been diagnosed as a child, but no one had actually educated and upskilled my parents in and around what it was. They just saw the word developmental delays and thought, well, that's because Dayna can't walk yet. So I had coordination issues and she'll grow out of it and, you know, inaccurate. But yeah, so and then I was diagnosed Autistic only last year. 

So that that was quite pivotal in terms of that diagnosis because before that I'd had I've been diagnosed with OCD for a couple of years and it was actually a therapist that I saw that was a specialist in OCD that said to me, Dayna, I think you're Autistic. Not, I mean, I've got OCD as well. They are separate things. But the way I was engaging with therapy to them was signs that I was Autistic. And and I was so obviously that that changed a massive thing in terms of understanding myself and how I operate and the things I struggle with and knowing that it's not just me being like, like not functioning like other people because I would always be so jealous. Like, how are you able to do all this stuff? Like how you able to hold down a job and like, do all these things? And it turns out it's because I'm neurodivergent and obviously I've ended up building a career based on a special interest, which is disability. So which I think a lot of neurodivergent folks and disabled people do because it's where we find comfort. So it kind of helps me harness that and it's basically driven my whole career. I mean, I wouldn't be here if I wasn't neurodivergent or disabled. I wouldnøt be doing this podcast. So yeah, it's it changed an awful lot in terms of understanding. 

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Beaux: And yeah, you kind of just started sharing about this but how did going through the school system, the medical system shape you into the person we kind of know from your social media today? 

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Dayna: Well, I think so. I have a master's degree in neurodiversity and it was actually during that I did it during COVID. So I was a very solo learner, which I actually loved. I hate going into uni and I actually progressed quite high up in terms of grades just bathed in special interest, kind of navigate what I wanted to navigate. But I actually made my first TikTok video as a result of reading an awful lot of research and being like, How is this? Like, did you have disabled people in the room when you did this? Like then just reading like the tonality and, and actually seeing that like my experiences whilst they are individual to me, there is a lot of statistics to back up to other people go through the same thing. So like I always thought a teacher whispering in my face about being taken out of the classroom was isolated to my experience and it turns out that when I actually made a video and did that, it's not.

So it's really comforting to be honest, to kind of take those statistics and actually put a story to them in terms of what it can look like in real life. In terms of medical stuff, because the slightly different pathways, the medical field, I find a lot more difficult to navigate. And that's because for a long time, everything was just blamed for the fact there was Autistic. And it can be really difficult being Autistic and trying to explain what pain is and how it sits in your body. And also like common what's not a common fact, it's actually is a fun fact that dyspraxia it can be really difficult to identify pain until it’s really bad because dyspraxia is all about pathways brains in the brain. So you know I would often let things get really bad infections get really bad until it was bad enough for somebody to really notice. So I think in terms of that, I've learned to advocate for myself more and try to recognize with my therapist, try to recognize what those feelings of pain mean to me and how I can communicate them. But I'm still kind of on that journey. If I'm totally honest. It's not really reached a point where I could give any groundbreaking advice, and the medical system is inherently quite behind in terms of how they approach neurodivergent people, especially A&E departments, which is why spend a lot of time. So yeah, I think that answered your question. Sorry if that was a bit of a long-winged response, then kind of two pathways.

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Beaux: Yeah it was a long question as well, so. How has comedy helped you understand more about yourself and your identities? 

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Dayna: My gosh, like so much like I was an actor, a theater major for a long time and I had to unfortunately leave the industry because I just couldn't function in it, which is really sad, but it just wasn't accessible to me at the time. And I hope there is a day when it's accessible but comedy was always something I absolutely loved. And when I found the space on TikTok where I was able to kind of create content that I wanted to create at a pace that worked for me, and I  don’t think I ever inherently set out to make it funny. I think I just made it obvious, which is an Autistic trait. And it was funny because it's so absurd that this happened like, you know, like and I think that's why that's what I try to do my content like if something happens to me, my day-to-day life and I'm like, hang on a minute.

Things that just like kind of skirt under the surface, like really highlighting them and bringing them to the forefront, it makes it comedic because it is ridiculous that these things happen like they shouldn't happen. So I find a lot of healing from the content I make and I'd like to think that other people have similar interactions with it. In the comments.

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Beaux: Absolutely, as someone who watches your videos very much. So what’s the value of comedy in really understanding and expressing yourself but also have you found community kind of through creating this content?

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Dayna: Yeah, I mean, the community online, particularly the disabled, and neurodivergent community, it's amazing. I do think social media has been—it gets a lot of negative press, but in terms of like marginalized groups and people being able to connect with people like themselves and seeing themselves reflected in content is super important across the board. And social media does amplify those voices. And that is really important. In terms of comedy, it's like I said, I think it's kind of like a natural bypass of what I do. I don't sit down and think I'm going to make a really funny video, but what I do like about my content and what I would like to think does happen is nondisabled and non-neurodivergent people engage with it because they don't. I think it kind of tricks them into watching the video because it's engaging and then they're like, it's a disabled person. Whereas I think sometimes that kind of traditional kind of activism space of like face to camera that like non-disabled and non-neurodivergent people can look at and go, Well, this isn't for me, but actually it's totally for them because it's how they engage with people in our world. So I'd like to think that comedy is kind of a vehicle for all people to engage in my content, even if it means I bear the brunt of discriminatory language and hate comments, you know? So that's kind of how I try to navigate that social space. 

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Beaux: Yeah and how does content kind of challenge the stereotypes that folks may have about what neurodiversity and disability looks like and is?

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Dayna: I think there's a massive focus on my content about hidden disability because I think because of the way as a society we've built up disability and people, if they’ve not engaged with it, they think it looks one way and I think in terms of neurodiversity, like I'm a massive advocate for celebrating neurodiversity, but also not using the celebration as a way to not give access and recognize it as a disability like my Autism does disable me.

And whilst I am proud to be Autistic, you know I struggle and that is and that is the bottom line. So I think it's like striking the balance on social media between I'm proud of who I am and I wouldn't change it. But equally, let's not pretend like I'm not disabled in the world we’ve built. 

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Beaux: Like it’s a superpower. 

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Dayna: Yeah, that narrative at the bit is a bit touches a bit sensitive for me because like I said, I'm all about pride and I think if it's done in the right way, like through things like this then that's great, but I think it could be, it could be weaponized. And I think we have to be careful of that as a community to make sure that it's not just like what superheroes, it's not a struggle. It's like, no, no, no. You're misunderstanding. Some of the traits make me think differently and make me produce things in a way that you wouldn't think of. But do I still get overstimulated and, you know, struggle to regulate my emotions? Yes. So kind of a balance. I think. 

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Beaux: Yeah, it’s a neutral term and like identity, yes. Absolutely. And so how do you find the balance between you know comedy and being sensitive that this can be like a hard thing for folks, especially when exploring you know maybe the challenges of being neurodivergent? 

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Dayna: I think I only ever speak for my experience. And that's something I've always look with in my content. When you've met one neurodivergent person, you've met one neurodivergent person. I think that's initially an Autism saying, but I think it's across the board. So even though like, you know, people are always surprised to know that I have a master's degree in it, but I very rarely put that the forefront of my content because from engaging in that research, I know that's what's what's missing is individual voices. So the way I manage the sensitivity is purely speaking for my own experiences and things that have happened to me. I would never want to speak for the full community. And obviously the goal is that people resonate with it. But I try to avoid like brush statements or, you know, things that will clump us together as a stereotype or create a new stereotype. That's how I experience neurodiversity and disability will be different from some other people, so I don't think I've ever given it a lot of thought, but that is the driving force. I think I always say, Well, if it's authentic to me, then it's sensitive because I'm sensitive to myself.

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Beaux: Absolutely, 100%. You know you shared a bit about your background and what you do, but how do you balance having a full-time job and content creation while still actually like having time to care for yourself and your needs? 

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Dayna: Honestly, working with a disabled-led organization. So before I worked at Purple Goat, I couldn't really maintain a job, even though I'm highly qualified and skilled in my area and I'd have a lot to give, it just wasn't an accessible environment. Fortunately for me, Purple Goat and my manager is, well, 50% of the team have a disability or have lived experience with neurodiversity like. So we are very progressive in terms of how we handle and and support people in the workplace. One of the main things that were a remote- first agency, so obviously that ticks a lot of box and boxes in terms of flexibility, working hours, being able to have heat packs all over your body should you need them in a call, you know, it's things like that. So I think I would say that in terms of how I manage it, I think it's the circumstances I built and not just because I could do any job and also because it's a special interest. So talking about disability day in, day out is, you know, even though it brings big feelings, it's I could bathe in it so it's it's okay in terms of self-care and then kind of navigating the campaign side, my job is obviously influencer marketing and I'm a content creator.

So I actually end up working with a lot of my friends. So it's always a weird dynamics that, Hi, like, yes, I'm at this event, but I'm here with Purple Goat or, yes, I'm working on this campaign, but I'm with Purple Goat. But I actually think it's a good bridge between agency and creator, I'd like to think I bring to the table. So they kind of inform each other in terms of like campaigns and ads that I do. I do think that's a little bit more separate, and that is something that is quite draining on me because when I've been in work all day and I've done meetings to to bring myself to record, to speak is can be very challenging. And again, I'm fortunate enough that I have them, I have an agent that is will have those difficult conversations. So I'm not at the forefront of saying actually Dayna’s is not like we need to push this deadline. And he and he advocates for me, like with brands. So yeah, there's a lot of people behind the scenes that make my life work. Basically, it's what I'm saying for a lot of support. So yeah, and then in terms of self care, honestly, it's rooted in it's rooted in routine. So I have a partner at home and they have very set routines in terms of food, things I eat, how we have our evening, how we have our mornings and I think those things for me are really important that kind of keep me somewhat level and put me on a good a better stead, but also have a dog. So that's it's great.

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Beaux: Got a lot of, got a good routine. I heard there’s an app for that, actually. I’m also wondering, at Purple Goat how you know being in a diverse and inclusive team has helped you feel like more of a sense of belonging and safety at work and maybe how that differs from past roles that you’ve had?

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Dayna: Oh my god yeah. I mean, I could preach Purple Goat’s praises all day long, like basically what you see on the outside is absolutely how they are and on the inside. Like it's, you know, it's not like it's not tokenistic. It's absolutely like what you see is what you get in terms of inclusivity. I mean, for me, it's been the upskilling and education around other people in the team because obviously I'm not the only one that's disabled or neurodivergent and kind of understanding the nuance of the disabled. The neurodivergent experience for me has been really like because obviously I'm a content creator. So I talk about I'm so used to talking about my life and how I struggle, but obviously there are disabled people that it's a lot more insular and that's totally okay too, and how they talk about that. So I think one thing that Purple Goat does just really well is there's no kind of like, well, you have to tell her your disabled to get this access. It can just be, hey, like, I don't know, I don't know how I feel, but I'm not feeling very good right now. Could I take a break? Absolutely. Take the time you need. Those kind of things. And I think it's those like little and I think it's rooted in management, if I'm totally honest. I think it's how it produces more productivity. Like we're so productive as an agency because we're flexible and how and we trust our employees to to know how to work for themselves. And everybody's really invested in what we do and the mission behind it, which is getting more disabled representation in the media, which of course we want. So yeah, I think I think that's kind of I could go on for ages talking about Purple Goat. They really are a great employer. 

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Beaux: I’m so glad that you found that space. 

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Dayna: And they’re not paying me to say that. 

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Beaux: This is not sponsored! But I’m so glad to hear that you’ve found that space to work in. Yeah, guide us a bit through your creative process. You know, from the idea to posting - what does that process look like for you?

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Dayna: Um honestly like 99.9% of my stories are things that happened. So it won't necessarily translate into a video straight away. It could, but most of the time something will happen that will cause a bit of trauma and I'll be really upset about it. And then a couple of days later I'll be like, actually somebody asking, saying I don't look disabled when I'm with a blue badge in the disabled parking bays is like really weird like that is odd behavior.

And then I'll kind of start to ideate and kind of amplify the characters in it because for me, I always like to like I said, I like to make it obscure, like I like to make it look ridiculous. So I always make sure there's like glasses balanced on my nose and like different costume choices and then from there I sometimes I'll write a script. I think it depends on how complex the idea is. But most of the time I honestly, I just set up my camera and give it a go. And then as I do it and I kind of shift the pictures and storyboard with like the clips that I'm making I’ll like re- film them. If I didn't quite say something the way I would say, I'll be like, Actually, I'm missing something, then I'll redo it. So yeah, I think the turnaround time pretty much like something will happen a couple of days reflection, period, filming, review, posting, and then there's a whole other kind of experience that happens once you post it and people take you on as their own. 

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Beaux: How do you true to yourself in your content while adapting to the social media landscape that is simply constantly changing? 

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Dayna: So I am not a trends person. If you go to my page, you won't really see I don't have the capacity as a neurodivergent or disabled person to be trying to hit trends. I would like to think that I just stay really authentic to experiences I've had, and that's pretty much where it starts and finishes. I try.

I have in my in the past convinced myself that I need to post this many times a day and do this and do that and actually like there's no hard and fast rule with content. I think particularly in the disabled, neurodivergent content creating space. I think creators need to give themselves a break like I like. It's create a statute that works for you. Don't try and fit these like theories on social media telling you to post four times a day, because also if you're posting about your own life and your disability, neurodiversity, like that's a lot. That's a lot of yourself to give over. And like it's not anybody's job to educate or upskill. It's a choice and you can. But you don't have to know, not every day, all day, like, one of my main pieces of advice when I meet followers in person is like, It is not your responsibility to educate other people, but it's a choice you make.

But Google's free like protect your brain. And I think that's the same with social media. Don't fall into that trap of thinking you've got to post loads of times a day because it's different when you're a disabled, neurodivergent creative because you're making content that is your life. Like, it's and there is a lot of trauma around it. So, I just honestly, the advice is to ignore any kind of trend that's my advice. 

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Beaux: How do you yeah how do you kind of balance being authentic in your content and also like protecting your energy and like yeah, not like sharing too much of yourself where it feels harmful?

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(interview continues below)