The Big Bears Podcast: A Two-Eyed Seeing Approach To Neurodiversity
Mission:
To explore the intersection of neurodiversity through a Two-Eyed Seeing lens, blending Indigenous and Western perspectives to share 30 minute stories of challenges, resilience, and growth.
The "Two-Eyed Seeing" approach is a concept originally developed by Mi'kmaq Elder Albert Marshall. It refers to combining the strengths of both Indigenous knowledge (often holistic, relational, and interconnected) and Western scientific or academic knowledge (which tends to be more analytical, reductionist, and linear). In the context of neurodiversity, a Two-Eyed Seeing approach would involve integrating both traditional knowledge about neurodivergence (perhaps from Indigenous worldviews on differences in cognition, brain function, and personhood) and contemporary Western science-based understandings of conditions like ADHD, Autism, Learning Disabilities, and co-occurring mental health challenges.
Through the power of story telling, we will be exploring how neurodiversity impacts youth and adults through their lifespan, so there will be something that everyone can relate to:
High School Students
College/University Students
Trades People
Career
Entrepreneurship
Ageing
Parenting
Life
Episode format:
2.5 minute intro
10 minutes - Invite guest to talk about a challenge they have had in their life
10 minutes - Guest talk about how they have got through or are getting through that challenge and share strategies and stories of resilience that others can learn from.
10 minutes - Guest talk about their goals and dreams for the future
2.5 minutes - We summarize the nuggets of learning and close the show
The Big Bears Podcast: A Two-Eyed Seeing Approach To Neurodiversity
We Share Upcoming Guests, Tech Lessons, And Why Joy And Grit Belong Together
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Start here if you want a grounded, human look at neurodiversity that honours where we live and how we learn. We root the conversation on Mi’kmaq territory and carry that respect into a two-eyed seeing approach, weaving Indigenous and Western perspectives to make sense of struggle, resilience, and growth. This update pulls back the curtain on our process, our next set of guests, and the creative choices that help us tell better stories.
We share a production win—moving from a tablet to a proper studio rig—that cuts friction and lets us focus on people, not buttons. Then we walk through the upcoming line-up: Joy Day, a sheriff in Halifax and Dartmouth, opening up about ADHD at work and the tools that turn pressure into performance; Robbie Vino, a local fixture on Argyle Street, offering a Love story that speaks to belonging and identity; and the Bagel Man, a beloved bakery owner whose big suit and bigger spirit remind us to keep humour close to the hard parts. It’s a mix by design: workplace realities, community ties, and entrepreneurship as a neurodivergent path.
We also talk about using AI to support creative work, from scripting to short-form videos featuring Grizzly Bear Bunker. Think practical prompts, fast iteration, and accessible storytelling that meets listeners where they are. These 24-second hits—motivation, quotes of the day, and bite-size reflections—help new folks sample our tone and values before diving deeper. Along the way, we reflect on why small wins matter, how better tools can lower cognitive load, and why laughter belongs next to lived experience.
Got a story of your own? We’re inviting guests with real-life lessons, messy middles, and clear takeaways. Head to our Linktree on Instagram to pitch your angle, then subscribe and share to bring more voices to the table. If this resonated, leave a review and tell us: which guest should we host next?
Welcome And Land Acknowledgement
Keith "Polar Bear" GelhornWelcome to the Big Bears Podcast, co-hosted by Chad Grizzly Bear Bunker and Keith Polar Bear Gellhorn. We would like to acknowledge that we are in Mi'kmaq, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi'kmaq people. The people of the Mi'kmaq Nation have lived on this territory for millennia, and we acknowledge them as past, present, and future caretakers of this land.
Mission And Listener Support
Keith "Polar Bear" GelhornOur mission is to explore the intersection of neurodiversity through a two-wide seeing lens, where we share stories of struggle, resilience, grit, and growth. We would appreciate it if you could listen, subscribe, engage, and share this podcast. Now on to today's episode.
Host Check-In And Studio Update
SPEAKER_01Hi, how are you doing today? My name is Chad. I am the co-host of the Big Bears Podcast, a two-wide scene approach to neurodiversity, where we blend Western and Indigenous perspectives in a two-wide scene lens so that we can discover different parts of journeys and people's lives, different stories, people can come together and and relate. And we can change the world a little bit at a time. So on today's episode, we are gonna be doing just a little update on what's been happening, and lately I have been taking more over the business and trying to learn how to use everything in the studio, and it's it's been interesting considering it's a lot better when you have a computer and not a tablet, and you're trying to edit and delete stuff, and it's not as stressful as it usually was there for the last few weeks when I was doing on tablet, so definitely a blessing today having to be in here in studio and recording. So
Upcoming Guest: Joy Day On ADHD
SPEAKER_01the newer upcoming episodes that we're gonna be recording with, new guests are gonna be Joy Day. She is sheriff in department here for Halifax and Dartmouth. She is gonna be discussing and talking about how ADHD affects her and her work life. So it's gonna be very exciting and interesting to hear what she has to what's what she has to say about that coming from a different perspective. So very interested and can't wait to
Upcoming Guest: Robbie Vino’s Love Story
SPEAKER_01hear it. So our next episode after that is gonna be filmed with Robbie Vino, and he's a really well-known guy here in the city, and amongst Argyll Street and other bars here in the city. So he has got one Love story to share with us, too. So I cannot wait for that one. He's been a long time in the process
Upcoming Guest: The Bagel Man
SPEAKER_01with him. So our third episode is gonna be with the bagel man, and he's a very well-known guy here in the city, he runs his own bakery. I think it's East Coast Bakery, I can't remember. So he would have to look it up. The Bagelman, he wears a huge like two-piece suit, and there's baggles all over it, and it's one hell of a good time to talk with him. He's a good guy, really funny. Cannot wait to have him on the podcast.
Balancing Serious Stories With Laughter
SPEAKER_01We're gonna try to, you know, get a different vibe of people coming on the podcast all the time. We don't want to make it always so serious, so we do want to have some laughing in there and some good character and some good stories too.
Call For Guests And How To Apply
SPEAKER_01So, you know, it's it's all about allowing everybody to come together as one and share stories with the world and about difficult times in their life when they were going through something with their disability and how you know how hard that was for them, and we want to know how they got through it and what they're doing nowadays and what their future goals are. So if you feel like you are one of those guests who wants to come on and share your story with the world and you want your voice to be heard, please reach out to the Big Bears Podcast online. We have our own website off of Linktree. You can go to Instagram and find it if you want, it's a lot faster. Just click on the link and then put your name in and email us. So would love to have you on to the Big Bears Podcast.
Learning AI And Creative Wins
SPEAKER_01Keep an eye out on some AI videos that I've been posting, and I've been learning AI for the last two months and becoming a little bit of a wizard with it. Using Chat GPT has made my life a lot easier when it comes to designing videos of what I'm looking for. So I've been trying to make longer videos, which I made my first 24-second video with a free app. So very excited about that. It was one hell of an accomplishment and felt just as good as when I did lift it 600 pounds raw. So, you know, it's there's other positive outlets in life that can cause the same feeling of excitement when you achieve something. It's it's really, really magnificent. It's really changed my life for the better. So it allows me to have something positive to do, and always using up my time and a good time, always trying to better myself every day.
AI Shorts And Daily Quotes
SPEAKER_01So you may see some AI videos of me as Grizzly Bear Bunker, and I'll be talking about you know, just one-liners and some quotes and maybe quotes of the day to help you get through your day. So they're they're really fun to do, and it's really fun advertising the podcast in such a cute, adorable little way. So coming from a really big guy, so that's what's so funny about it.
Feedback Request And Closing
SPEAKER_01Anyway, so that's it for the upcoming new episodes. So I would like to hear back from anybody if they get any advice or you know, feedback from episodes that they really enjoy listening to. Please let us know and we'll be chatting. Have a good day.
Keith "Polar Bear" GelhornThank you for listening to the Big Bears Podcast, a two eyed seeing approach to neurodiversity. We would appreciate it if you could listen, subscribe, engage, and share this podcast. Tune in every second Tuesday at 7 a.m. Atlantic time for a new episode.