Building Belonging Through Games: Social Cipher’s Mission for Neurodivergent Youth with Lucy Stevens and Vanessa Castañeda Gill

Oct 8, 2025

Vanessa Castañeda Gill, CEO of Social Cipher and an autistic/ADHD Latina, teams up with Lucy Stevens, the Creative Director, to create engaging social-emotional learning games for neurodivergent youth. They discuss how their lived experiences shape game design, focusing on authentic representation and strengths-based approaches. The duo highlights feedback from players, emphasizing the importance of belonging in mitigating youth anxiety. They also explore the integration of their curriculum in schools, making a significant impact on students' self-advocacy and connection.

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ANECDOTE

Play Revealed Real Trust Patterns

A middle-school player with ADHD repeatedly trusted an untrustworthy NPC, explaining she 'felt bad for him' and wanted to help.
That behavior revealed vulnerabilities in neurodivergent girls and opened therapeutic discussion points for counselors.

ADVICE

Run Neurodiverse Teams Explicitly

Manage neurodiverse teams by explicitly documenting priorities, roles, and the 'why' behind tasks to boost clarity and motivation.
Use team members' lived experience in product, sales, and resources to create authentic outreach and materials.

ADVICE

Adapt Meetings To Work Styles

Ask teammates explicitly how they work best and adapt workflows (e.g., swap one 30-minute weekly check-in for two 15-minute standups).
Build trust by matching task presentation to strengths and adjusting handoffs to reduce stress and missed deliverables.

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Vanessa Castañeda Gill, CEO and Co-Founder of Social Cipher and Lucy Stevens, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Social Cipher, lead a majority-neurodivergent team creating social-emotional learning video games that help neurodivergent youth build self-understanding and connections; inspired by Vanessa’s experiences as an autistic/ADHD Latina, their games and curriculum are now used in 200+ schools and therapy centers across 8 countries, earning recognition from Forbes 30 Under 30, MIT Solve, and the LEGO Foundation.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode

Using games to build belonging and self-advocacy for neurodivergent students
Authentic representation and storytelling in SEL game design
Insights teachers and therapists gain from playtesting
The impact of a majority-neurodivergent team on product and mission
Connecting SEL games to IEP goals and today’s mental health needs

✨ Episode Highlights
[00:03:08] Vanessa on founding Social Cipher from her autistic & ADHD experience
[00:06:05] Lucy on designing nuanced neurodivergent characters
[00:12:37] Feedback from students and educators that changed the game
[00:18:21] Lessons from managing a majority-neurodivergent team
[00:26:25] Pairing the game with SEL curriculum in schools
[00:33:52] Why schools adopt games to solve urgent SEL challenges
[00:41:55] Tackling youth anxiety through meaning and belonging
[00:47:15] How Social Cipher views AI in education and gaming
[00:48:50] Using SEL games to support IEP goals

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