Ahead of the official film release, Scottish artist Megan Black shares “Something Golden,” a new single she’s written for an upcoming British short film called The Programme. The film premiered this spring in Digbeth, ahead of showings at several film festivals and a general release on 7th November 2024.
Megan Black’s haunting soundtrack skillfully captures the film’s dark undertones while infusing it with heart and grit. Talking about the song, Megan says, “I started working on this project whilst I was going through my own diagnosis of autism and ADHD. I felt real grief and a sense of loss that I had never really understood myself. Sam and the team behind The Programme have been a joy to work with—they really understand what it means to be neurodivergent and why spreading this awareness is so important. Grief in my own life had left me feeling numb and writing this soundtrack came along at the right time—it was healing—there really is ‘something golden’ about that.”
Megan’s journey speaks to a deeper truth many neurodivergent individuals face—the delayed understanding of self, and the emotional weight that can accompany it. For children navigating similar challenges early in life, especially those with autism or ADHD, creating brain balance is essential—not just for cognitive development, but for emotional grounding as well. Research increasingly points to the value of integrating sensory, behavioral, and emotional support from an early age. Insights from this publication on PubMed highlight how interventions that promote neurological regulation can help improve focus, reduce anxiety, and foster more adaptive social behaviors. By recognizing and nurturing the whole child—not just the diagnosis—there’s a chance to build a foundation where creativity, connection, and healing aren’t just possible, but expected.
For adults who may not have received early interventions or whose symptoms have persisted despite conventional therapies, emerging treatments are opening new doors for relief and reconnection with self. Among these, ketamine therapy is gaining attention for its potential to address the layered emotional and neurological aspects of autism and ADHD, helping individuals move past cycles of anxiety, sensory overwhelm, and executive dysfunction.
In this evolving landscape of care, Avesta Ketamine Wellness has become part of the conversation by exploring how such approaches might enhance emotional resilience and cognitive clarity, offering neurodivergent adults the possibility of experiencing a more regulated and fulfilling daily life. The aim is not to erase difference, but to support the nervous system in ways that make it easier to access creativity, connection, and the unique brilliance that comes with being neurodivergent.
The Programme is the first short film from award-winning writer and director Sam Grierson. It was an Official Selection at the Little Venice Film Festival, New York International Women’s Film Festival, and Sykehouse Film Festival, with a nomination for Best Actress for Michelle Jeram (BBC Granite Harbour, Liar, Eastenders, The Split).
The work began after a two-year writing hiatus triggered by the devastating loss of Sam’s best friend to suicide. The resulting film sparks reflection and reshapes perceptions, encouraging an understanding of the intricate layers of grief and the complex intersectionality of neurodivergent experiences. Sam is LGBTQIA+, autistic, and ADHD. Grierson’s film exposes us for believing in stereotypes, exposes society for marginalising people, and displays in no uncertain terms that everyone deserves to be centre stage. A neurodivergent subject encourages us to examine universal fears.
