Celebrating neurodiversity: The importance of challenging stereotypes
We spoke with our Wisers to hear their personal perspectives on neurodiversity, address common misconceptions, and explore why embracing different ways of thinking is crucial for a more inclusive world.
What does neurodiversity mean to you, and why is it important to celebrate it?
Marleen: As someone who is neurodiverse, for me it means that our brain functions in a way that’s different from most others. Our brains use unique pathways to process information, resulting in us being seen as 'different’. And by 'different,' I mean someone who serves as a reminder of the complexity and beauty of the world we live in. We should celebrate this uniqueness, encouraging others to embrace their 'out-of-the-norm' qualities, as this is the only way to eliminate the very idea of 'out-of-the-norm’.
Nurmianti: Neurodiversity is about realizing that brains like mine — wired for creativity, deep emotions, and bursts of energy — aren’t broken, just different.
Celebrating neurodiversity matters because for so long, people like us have been told to fit in, to be “less” of who we are. But the world needs our unique ways of thinking, our passion, our ability to see what others miss. When we celebrate neurodiversity, we’re not just raising awareness; we’re affirming that people like me belong, just as we are.
Charles: To me neurodiversity means celebrating the various ways that people’s minds work, and how they approach the world through that uniqueness. It’s about cherishing different perspectives, learning styles, and perceptions, and embracing this diversity with inclusivity and empathy.
"If you've met one neurodiverse person, you've met one neurodiverse person. Neurodiverse brains are wired differently, and we have such a range of experiences, but just because we’re different, we are no less valuable. By celebrating our distinct ways of thinking, we show that we’ve always been here and can contribute meaningfully, especially when given the right support."
Emma-Jane Stogdon (She/Her/They/Them)
Content Senior Specialist,
London
What are some common misconceptions about neurodivergent individuals, and how can we challenge them?
Marleen: Neurodiversity doesn’t just mean having some specific neurodiverse traits; it’s much more complex. Many people aren’t aware that numerous neurodivergent individuals have co-occurring mental health diagnoses, such as depression or anxiety, or even co-occurring physical conditions like increased pain, hypermobility, and gastrointestinal problems. For example, I’ve dealt with anxiety and depression since I was 15, but it took me 10 years—and money out of my pocket—to receive an accurate ADHD diagnosis because my symptoms didn’t match the typical traits.
Don’t get me wrong, neurodiversity is its own separate thing, but several other conditions have a higher risk of occurring if you are a neurodivergent individual. Too often, doctors focus on individual symptoms rather than the whole person. This can lead to misdiagnoses or delays in treatment.
‘’Neurodiversity is often misrepresented in the media, with TV shows and movies typically portraying only the extreme cases. This leads to comments like 'you don’t look neurodivergent.' But in reality, when I’m watching media content, I see neurodiverse traits in many characters, even when they're not explicitly labeled as such.’’
Gabriella Szabó (She/Her)
Customer Support Training Specialist, Budapest
Emma-Jane: In my experience, a phrase I have heard from others a lot is “you don’t look autistic”. The fact is, there is no one way for an autistic individual to look or be. Another generalisation I hear is “oh, we’re all on the spectrum somewhere”. But when autistic people speak about being on the spectrum (the official diagnosis in the UK is Autism Spectrum Disorder) this is because there are many autistic people with varying experiences, we are all autistic but within the spectrum. When non-autistic people use this language and include themselves, it can unintentionally invalidate our lived experiences.
The most effective way to challenge these misconceptions is by explaining why such phrases aren’t helpful, but doing so with compassion and empathy. Many people genuinely mean well, and their intent is not to cause harm. It’s important to start from that understanding when addressing these issues.
Nurmianti: A common misconception is that neurodivergent people are 'less capable' or 'lazy.' ADHD doesn’t make me lazy or unfocused; it means my brain thrives on creativity, passion, and challenges. To challenge these misconceptions, we need to listen to lived experiences, not stereotypes. Instead of trying to 'fix' neurodivergent people, we should ask, 'How can we support you?’
What has been your proudest moment in Wise or your career to date?
Emma-Jane: Many things! Wise is a place I’ve been able to thrive because I’ve had a supportive, empathetic team who have taken the time to understand how I work, which means I’ve been able to contribute to so many interesting and exciting projects. Probably the most important (and personal) project for me so far has been the chance to steer and organise a Living Library event across multiple offices for Neurodiversity Celebration Week. It means a lot that I can get involved in neurodiverse initiatives alongside my SEO role of producing blog content that consistently ranks well on Google and makes a real impact.
How can Allies best support our neurodivergent community? For example, accessibility or accommodations?
Gabriella: Understand the different needs of neurodiverse people, such as sensitivity to lights and sounds. Many neurodivergent people learnt to hide their true selves from a young age, which is really exhausting, hence sometimes we get overly tired. When we can’t mask, we may become more irritable or less filtered, which can be misinterpreted as rudeness.
Being neurodivergent is like being bilingual, we learnt to speak neurotypical, and it would be great if others learned the 'neurodiverse' language too.
‘’Be open minded and don’t assume - ask questions and listen!"
Marleen Kuusik (She/Her)
Vulnerable Customer Consultant, Tallinn
Emma-Jane: We are all different, please don’t make assumptions. That said, for me personally, I can outwardly seem like I’m fine, when actually I’m an anxious mess on the inside. Simply checking in and asking how I am means a lot, especially when there are big meetings or events like Mission Days coming up.
‘’Being open to the needs that others communicate to you, and not reducing the severity of someone’s need because it does not affect you. A good example of this can be found when some neurodivergent people communicate that they are overwhelmed, a sound is too much, or lights are too bright. It is important to take these as legitimate issues for those people, and not diminish them because you yourself may not be impacted in the same way.’’
Charles Rider (He/Him)
Engineer,
Austin
One of our 13 global DEI Communities at Wise is the Diverse Ability Network. We offer company wide Disability & Neurodiversity Inclusion training curated and co-facilitated with our network members. We collaborate together so that Wisers have accommodations and the support they need to do their best work — whether that’s quiet spaces, flexible working, or anything else that helps them thrive.
Tags
Roles you might be interested in
Salary
10000 - 12000 BRL Monthly
Location
São Paulo
Team
Customer Support
Locations
São Paulo
Description
Your mission is to provide leadership to the Customer Support Team establishing and maintaining high levels of quality, efficiency and other processes required for an exceptional level of customer sup
Reference
0a2b6c62-ac61-4b9f-afd2-bea35ed8ebbb
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
8000 - 12000 BRL Monthly
Location
São Paulo
Team
Operations
Locations
São Paulo
Description
As a FinCrime Operations Investigator, you will play a critical role in safeguarding Wise and its customers from financial crime. You will be responsible for investigating and analyzing customer accou
Reference
3de6e194-9574-4394-a923-292e99482144
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
166000 - 256000 AUD Annual
Location
Sydney
Team
Risk and Compliance
Locations
Sydney
Description
Salary: AUD 166000 - 240000 annual + superannuation + RSUWe’re looking for a Senior Regulatory Compliance Manager to join our growing Regulatory Oversight Compliance team in the Pacific region located
Reference
c9e498d5-e2aa-4540-a47e-4d63ccfc2d1d
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
6,150 - 7,000 SGD + RSUS
Location
Singapore
Team
Customer Support
Locations
Singapore
Description
Wise is looking for an experienced and driven leader to join our Business Customer Support team in Singapore. The ideal candidate will help us maintain and enhance our reputation for customer service
Reference
b6aa576f-5985-4c5e-9ead-6df32070da13
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
€4,250 - €5,550 per month + RSUs
Location
Tallinn
Team
Technology
Locations
Tallinn
Description
About the roleWe're looking for an experienced Software Engineer - Productivity Tooling to join our dynamic Productivity Engineering team. Our team is at the heart of ensuring our employees have the b
Reference
408c2134-60d1-4017-babf-6ce440fc06e1
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
2,100,000 - 2,600,000 HUF Monthly + RSUs
Location
Budapest
Team
Technology
Locations
Budapest
Description
The Team You’ll Be Working With: Customer ActivationAt Wise, we’re on a mission to make financial services faster, simpler, and more accessible for everyone. Our team plays a critical role in this mis
Reference
2b707904-aca7-4062-b94a-b8f8729158d4
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
8,400 - 9,600 SGD Monthly + RSUs
Location
Singapore
Team
Analytics
Locations
Singapore
Description
Salary Ranges: 8,400 - 9,600 SGD Monthly + RSUsWe’re looking for a Senior Product Analyst who is passionate about our mission of Money Without Borders to partner with our product and operational teams
Reference
4738e9e1-2cc9-408c-8c3f-2f524a3b807e
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
Starting from 2150000 INR Annual
Location
Hyderabad
Team
People
Locations
Hyderabad
Description
We’re looking for a Employee Relations Specialist to join our People Services team in the India office. This role suits someone who is passionate about all things ER, but also wants the unique opportu
Reference
e17bceca-bad9-4290-9df0-5607cdfa2683
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
100000 - 125000 GBP Annual
Location
London
Team
Technology
Locations
London
Description
About the role:We are looking for a passionate Engineering Lead to join the Pricing Platform team and take ownership of the core critical business functions served by the team.In this role, you will b
Reference
65e095dc-08e6-498c-b0d8-fbb03839b361
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
85000 - 105000 GBP Annual
Location
London
Team
Technology
Locations
London
Description
We are looking for a Senior Cloud Network Engineer to join our Cloud Foundations team. You will support designing, operating and maintaining our multi cloud network infrastructure. You will leverage y
Reference
59e57f73-ab4f-4584-a98b-81aac5d88cff
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Articles you might like
+(1).png)
Teaser
People profileContent Type
BlogPublish date
08/07/2025
Summary
Smrithi Ravi, APAC Head of Engineering, shares her journey of leading Wise’s expansion across the Asia Pacific, from building innovative teams to launching our new hub in Hyderabad 🇮🇳

by
Verona Hasani
+(1).jpeg)
Teaser
People profileContent Type
BlogPublish date
08/04/2025
Summary
🔍 Wondering what a Solutions Engineer at Wise does? Ritika Sehijpal, Solutions Engineering Lead, gives us the inside scoop. “If you’re looking for a place to grow, learn from tale

by
Verona Hasani
.jpeg)
Teaser
Diversity Equity & InclusionContent Type
BlogPublish date
07/29/2025
Summary
Our Wise Parents and Carers Community recently brought everyone together for a 'Connecting Our Wise Parents on Leave' event 🎉 Check out their insights from the event ⬇️ Annika Teede, o

by
Verona Hasani

Teaser
People profileContent Type
BlogPublish date
07/28/2025
Summary
Caroline Corbett-Thompson, ESG Manager, dives into the meaningful work happening behind the scenes at Wise ⬇️ “Collaboration and patience are vital if you're looking to make a real

by
Verona Hasani
.jpeg)
Teaser
People profileContent Type
BlogPublish date
07/22/2025
Summary
Amani, Engineer in our Budapest office, has transformed her passion for problem-solving into a vital role supporting our FinCrime teams 🚀Learn how Amani's journey at Wise is making a meaningf

by
Amani Albertsen
.jpeg)
Teaser
People profileContent Type
BlogPublish date
07/03/2025
Summary
From being a customer of 11 years to making a real impact as an Engineering Lead, Emanuele Blanco shares his journey to joining Wise, what keeps him motivated, and his advice for anyone lookin

by
Verona Hasani

Teaser
People profileContent Type
BlogPublish date
06/27/2025
Summary
We sat down with SK Saraogi, Head of Expansion APAC, to discuss our strategic expansion into Hyderabad, India 🇮🇳Read more to discover why Hyderabad is the perfect location for our second glo

by
Verona Hasani

Teaser
People profileContent Type
BlogPublish date
06/06/2025
Summary
Driven by a passion for growth and team development, discover how Anna Pavlics advanced from Agent to Team Lead in Wise's Fraud Prevention team 🚀 "We put tremendous effort into bui

by
Verona Hasani
.jpeg)
Teaser
Our cultureContent Type
BlogPublish date
05/21/2025
Summary
At Wise, we’re committed to supporting each other—through the wins, the tough days, and everything in between. That’s why we have a network of Mental Wellbeing Champions who are crucial in fos

by
Amani Albertsen
.jpeg)
Teaser
People profileContent Type
BlogPublish date
05/21/2025
Summary
Ilya Leyrikh, Senior Product Director at Wise, shares how he transforms customer experiences with innovative financial solutions 💰🔍 “Wise genuinely prioritises solving customer pr

by
Sapphire Birmingham