AuDHD Flourishing

Time the body needs to transition, meet needs, rest and recover is NOT wasted time! I don't know that it's even possible to "waste time" outside of ableist capitalist structures. If you still have ableist thoughts, that's okay. We all do! It's worth resting anyway.Resources mentioned: Neuraluxe's post about parentificationCar fundraiser for DV survivor (my sibling)When your abuser threatens suicide articleNote about that paid Substack link:"If you are in an abusive relationship or other crisis and truly cannot afford to pay for a paid membership—not just would prefer to get content for free, but actually cannot pay—I offer no-questions-asked paid access to anyone who emails me. Please email [email protected], and put “Substack scholarship” in the subject line. If you use any other subject line, I may not see your email. You do not need to tell me anything specific—just that you cannot afford to pay! Please note that subscription applications can take several weeks to process."Resources:Transcript DocEmail Newsletter: Nothing Wrong With UsLike Your Brain community space (Patreon) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you have multiple interests, realistically you probably don't have enough time to develop all of them to the degree that you'd like. And even with more targeted pursuits, many of us are busy because of real life and capitalism.What this means is that we have to make tough choices. I talk about some of the ways I've worked through this, where I'm at with it currently, and some questions to ask yourself to guide your own process.Also, it's the 100th episode!I'm committed to not running ads on this podcast (for a lot of reasons).If you'd like to support the podcast, the best ways to do so...Support the podcast & creation of free resources: One-time donation on Venmo (email [email protected] for other methods)Wish list itemsPatreon podcast support tierResources:Transcript DocEmail Newsletter: Nothing Wrong With UsLike Your Brain community space (Patreon) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To change something, I've been playing with telling myself I'll do "a little more or less." It is less exciting than a huge plan... but also easier on my nervous system!Love Your Brain course info & live round updateResources:Transcript DocEmail Newsletter: Nothing Wrong With UsLike Your Brain community space (Patreon) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This year I've been trying to meet my intensity needs in more "healthy" ways, while also recognizing that sometimes that doesn't feel possible. And that's okay!Love Your Brain course info & live round updateResources:Transcript DocEmail Newsletter: Nothing Wrong With UsLike Your Brain community space (Patreon) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vanessa Gorelkin is an Occupational Therapist who often works with ND folks. She shares about compassionate approaches to daily life tasks.The main tool she shared is creating a crisis kit to use when experiencing distress in public, at work, or anywhere that you can't be fully unmasked. List of suggested items below.Crisis kit items suggested in episode:alcohol swabs (to smell for state change)instant ice packsextreme sour candieslemon juice packethot sauce packet (mustard is Mattia's)distress card requesting using the bathroom (or whatever's helpful for you)Connect with Vanessa: Her website, vanessagorelkin.com@otwhisperer on TikTokLove Your Brain course info & live round updateResources:Transcript DocEmail Newsletter: Nothing Wrong With UsLike Your Brain community space (Patreon) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Reflecting on the interview with Anna, who shared about accommodations for her students and herself. Learning how to build our own systems/structures is often more useful than being handed a system. Because no matter how much dopamine we get initially from a new tool or system, it inevitably becomes stale. Instead of throwing the whole thing out the window every time, I've learned how to pull forward elements that are still working. This continuous process of experimenting and tweaking (with rest/recovery interspersed, of course!) has made my life so much easier. Last 10m of the episode is about why I'm doing the work I'm doing, and the live round of LYB:Love Your Brain course info & live round updateResources:Transcript DocEmail Newsletter: Nothing Wrong With UsLike Your Brain community space (Patreon) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anna is an educator who has developed an incredible approach with accommodations at the core (for the student AND herself!). It makes sense pedagogically, and it's working! With a core of psychological safety, students are able to explore writing and language with their own goals in mind.We've also known each other since I was 15... so we talk a bit about the mysterious backstory of living in a Christian sorority ;)Resources Anna mentioned:Her English 101 Online TextbookWorkshopping: Liz Lerman's Critical Response ProcessAll My Relations podcastLove Your Brain course info & live round updateResources:Transcript DocEmail Newsletter: Nothing Wrong With UsLike Your Brain community space (Patreon) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Coping mechanisms can be a pathologizing term. What's the difference between coping mechanisms and intensity or interests?This episode also touches back to the interview on sobriety with Amy in ep. 92. As well as this note on a positive AA experience from a listener.Resources:Transcript DocEmail Newsletter: Nothing Wrong With UsLike Your Brain community space (Patreon) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thanks Eric Tivers for interviewing me & allowing me to share the full episode here as well. His show notes:In this episode of ADHD reWired, Eric Tivers is joined by Mattia Maurée, an award-winning composer, poet, and host of the AuDHD Flourishing Podcast. Mattia shares their insights into the unique challenges faced by neurodivergent (ND) individuals, particularly those with ADHD and autism, as they navigate trauma, self-expression, and what they describe as “attention tunnels.”Mattia opens up about their personal journey, discussing the impact of complex PTSD, disordered eating, and their late diagnoses of ADHD and autism. They explain how monotropism—having a narrower field of focus—shapes their experience as a ND person. Through the lens of monotropism, Mattia explores how being stuck in an attention tunnel can make transitioning to different tasks or social situations feel overwhelming and distressing.Eric and Mattia dive deep into the intersections of trauma and neurodivergence, examining how ND brains may be more easily traumatized, especially in environments that fail to meet their unique needs. They discuss the profound impact of ND parents raising ND children and the challenges of navigating systems that don’t support their differences.This conversation also highlights the importance of self-expression in healing and flourishing. Mattia explains how self-expression, rather than achievement, has become central to their definition of success, emphasizing the importance of creating work that resonates emotionally, even if it doesn’t fit the traditional metrics of success.Other topics discussed include:The connection between hyperfocus and monotropism in ADHD and autismHow Mattia balances creativity, self-care, and flourishing as a ND individualThe complexity of navigating trauma in ND familiesThe importance of community and support systems for ND creatives and entrepreneursThis episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in understanding the complex interplay of trauma, neurodivergence, and flourishing. Whether you identify as ND or are simply curious about these experiences, this conversation offers valuable insights into the importance of creating space for self-expression, healing, and growth.Resources:Transcript DocEmail Newsletter: Nothing Wrong With UsLike Your Brain community space (Patreon) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thank you to guest Amy Knott Parrish for sharing about her unusual journey with sobriety. When she realized what her future was going to look like, she... stopped drinking. Because it wasn't about the drinking, it was about the problem that the drinking was self-medicating.After nine years of continuous sobriety, her therapist insisted that she try AA, but it wasn't the right fit.As with many institutions, it wasn't built for her!The giftedness/intensity piece adds another layer—we talk about how we sometimes just need the psychoeducation on certain topics, not necessarily the emotional excavation approach. (I could talk about that for hours.)Find Amy: https://www.rebelling.me/Sobriety blogA pro-AA AuDHD story (anonymously shared by a listener)Resources:Transcript DocEmail Newsletter: Nothing Wrong With UsLike Your Brain community space (Patreon) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

(Part 2 of 2. Part 1 here)Being AuDHD + gifted is being an outlier of outliers. I'd guess most of us feel like aliens.And even when we start to understand the shape of our experiences, it can feel overwhelming to even begin to order our understanding in a satisfying way. (Autoethnography, anyone?)Our depth and intensity needs can be quite challenging to meet, especially if we have lower physiological capacity due to trauma/CPTSD, and other intersectional identities that are often marginalized/mistreated.Mentioned in episode: 1. Some giftedness models:Rainforest mindRuf's 5 levelsInterGifted & HEPG"Dabrowski’s Theory and Existential Depression in Gifted Children and Adults"2. Living With Intensity book*3. Neurocomplexity & PDA as existential intelligence4. Autism/ADHD/Gifted Venn Diagram5. Overexcitabilities & being "too much"6. Ember Green's quick IQ doesn't exist overview + Aspie Supremacy deep dive (p.s. this video is 2 hrs long and made me cry a LOT bc of historical horrors... still worth it if/when you have the spoons)Resources:Transcript DocEmail Newsletter: Nothing Wrong With UsLike Your Brain community space (Patreon)*affiliate link Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Being AuDHD + gifted is being an outlier of outliers. I'd guess most of us feel like aliens. And even when we start to understand the shape of our experiences, it can feel overwhelming to even begin to order our understanding in a satisfying way. (Autoethnography, anyone?)Our depth and intensity needs can be quite challenging to meet, especially if we have lower physiological capacity due to trauma/CPTSD, and other intersectional identities that are often marginalized/mistreated.This became part one of two!Mentioned in episode: 1. Some giftedness models: Rainforest mindRuf's 5 levelsInterGifted & HEPG2. Neurocomplexity & PDA as existential intelligence3. Autism/ADHD/Gifted Venn Diagram4. Overexcitabilities & being "too much"5. Ember Green's quick IQ doesn't exist overview + Aspie Supremacy deep dive (p.s. this video is 2 hrs long and made me cry a LOT bc of historical horrors... still worth it if/when you have the spoons)Resources:Transcript DocEmail Newsletter: Nothing Wrong With UsLike Your Brain community space (Patreon) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emily Kircher-Morris is the host of the long-running and popular podcast, The Neurodiversity Podcast. (And she interviewed me last year.) She's a compassionate, incisive, and important voice in 2e and neurodivergent-affirming education. Also a delight to talk to!Building on what we talked about, she shared some additional resource links below.Connect with Emily & mentioned in episode:Emily Kircher-Morris, LPCThe Neurodiversity PodcastConnect with Emily on Facebook or LinkedInNeurodiversity UniversityNeurodiversity-Affirming Schools (new book)Neurodiversity-Affirming Schools: Transforming Practices So All Students Feel Accepted and SupportedTeaching Twice-Exceptional Learners in Today’s ClassroomRaising Twice-Exceptional Children: A Handbook for Parents of Neurodivergent Gifted KidsResources:Transcript DocEmail NewsletterLike Your Brain community space (Patreon) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr Chris Wells speaks & teaches about positive disintegration, Dabrowski's theory that (among other things) provides an alternate explanation for some mental illness. While the theory is not entirely about giftedness, it helps many gifted people make sense of their experiences.Dr Wells also talks about their journey, which included being on disability for many years. It's a reminder that while labels can change, they can also hold an enormous amount of power! Learn more about Chris & positive disintegration: Dr Chris Wells InstagramPositive Disintegration.orgThe Dabrowski Center & their InstagramPositive Disintegration Podcast InstagramLiving With Intensity book (affiliate link)Resources:Transcript DocEmail NewsletterLike Your Brain community space (Patreon) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sheldon Gay shares about giftedness, in particular the intersections of being late-identified as a Black man. He hosts the I Must Be BUG'N podcast (Black, Underrepresented/Unidentified, Gifted and otherwise Neurodivergent).I absolutely love his term of having a sparkly mind! We weave through many topics, including education and melanated & marginalized kids not having their needs met.This is the first of 5-6 upcoming episodes on gifted neurodivergent experiences.p.s. that "or, but anyway" that I didn't finish was that people experience my intensity as seeming like mental illness.Mentioned in episode & connect with Sheldon: Sheldon's websiteI Must Be BUG'N podcastOur Wild Minds (community for Black gifted adults)Dr. Joy Lawson Davis is a friend & mentor whom Sheldon would like to mention & point toward her website for her work with Black/BIPOC gifted advocacy: https://drjoylawsondavis.com/Living With Intensity book (affiliate link)Resources:Transcript DocEmail NewsletterLike Your Brain community space (Patreon) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

24:23 to skip specific American politicsIn this episode:Mutual aidLocal connectionsSurveillance & privacy considerations for devicesResistance is workingGeneral strike & Mar 15 shutdown (#Shutdown315)Emotional survival: monotropic reset, alpha brain wavesBeing careful whom you listen to (accompanying Emily Science Journalism ep 82)Links mentioned:Surveillance guide for devicesHow to change Meta settings to limit tracking (note there is no way to make Messenger app safe)Ad-blocking guide (note that I haven't vetted all their recommendations, though I do use one of them already)General Strike USAMarch 15 2025 general shutdown in US #Shutdown315The Open-Focus Brain by Les Fehmi is the book I don't automatically recommend bc of offensive disability language, plus I personally didn't find the exercises as helpful as when another ND person led me. That said, the book may still be helpful to you. There are hundreds of open focus exercises on YouTube, and I may try to find one that I like and link it here at some point.Article, "My problems with the Constructed Theory of Emotions," (the critique of How Emotions Are Made) Andrew Huberman is a liar articleNot in episode, but I adore this takedown of Matthew Walker's book Why We SleepDe-GooglingOther links shared on the Discord recently:Article: sabotaging DOGE Simple Sabotage Field Manual from above articleHelping trans people leave the USMI, MN, NY, VE, WA EDL (drivers license for land & sea entry)Actions for protecting disability rightsSmall actions to take nowResources:Transcript DocEmail NewsletterLike Your Brain community space (Patreon) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mini episode on my experience with intrusive thoughts and how/when they stopped being distressing.Monotropic brains tend toward thought loops and thus can make intrusive thoughts pretty easily.In my case, I think my brain was in part trying to generate interest when my needs were not being met. Dopamine is also a learning chemical that tells the brain to pay attention right now.This is just my experience... Please seek professional help if you're having distressing intrusive thoughts!Crisis Resources:USA-based anonymous crisis chatInternational crisis linesVarious types of crisis resources in about 10 countries Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week I was interviewed on WHYY, Philly's PBS/NPR radio station, about the rising diagnosis rates of Autism & ADHD. Here are a few additional thoughts and my favorite moments, and you can find the full interview belowMentioned in episode: YouTube PBS interview (& Patreon post about it)WHYY.org page with the audio only versionPublic Patreon post w YouTube link if you'd prefer to comment there (link coming soon)Readwise/Reader tool (affiliate link gives you 60 days free)Resources:Transcript DocEmail NewsletterLike Your Brain community space (Patreon) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr Matt Zakreski is 2e (ADHD & gifted) and also a clinical psychologist supporting neurodivergent folks.His recent book, The Neurodivergent Playbook, aims to meet that social gap in which we often feel we missed the "instruction manual" for how to approach people.Connect with Dr Matt: The Neurodiversity Collective for therapy & assessments Dr Matt's website for speaking engagementsFacebook Instagram @drmattzakreskiResources:Like Your Brain community spaceTranscript DocEmail Newsletter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As I describe at the beginning, this goes along with episode 83 about AI & tech tools.The latter 15m of this episode was an AI "podcast conversation" based on AuDHD Flourishing principles and my overall work and approach.I was impressed by how it was pulled together, as well as pronouncing my name & getting pronouns right!Note: if you have misophonia, you may find the AI vocal artifacts irritating... heads up!If you're curious:The web pages used by Notebook LM: AuDHD Flourishing home pageHow it WorksAbout/bioFAQsProducts & Services (note that I'm going to be updating this soon, so if you're looking at this after Jan 2025 it will be different than what was pulled into the episode)TestimonialsLove Your Brain (course)Resources:Transcript DocEmail NewsletterLike Your Brain community space Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's okay to have strong feelings about AI! Yes, we touch on ethics in this episode.It's also okay to use accommodations and tools that work for you, especially in the short term to feel better first.This episode covers a number of AI and tech tools suggested by other AuDHDers.When there's a blog post to go through all of them (plus any others added in the meantime) I'll add that link below as well.AI & Tech mentioned in episode: Notebook LMAutektik AILLMs ChatGPT and ClaudePoised ShortcutList of AI Tools for Designers & MarketersFree course: Using Fandoms + AI to Developing Coping Skills for Neurodivergent KidsReadwise/Reader (affiliate link gives you 60 days free)Goblin Tools & my blog post about itPerplexity Pro (link is to free version)The convo on Patreon, free with loginResources:Transcript DocEmail NewsletterLike Your Brain community space (Patreon) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emily is a science writer, AuDHDer, and ND-affirming coach.They share online about neurodivergence topics and accuracy in science journalism as The Neurodivergent Well.In this episode, we talk about best practices as a consumer of science info online, especially via social media. If you don't have time or capacity to read journal articles, what CAN you do?Emily shares multiple approaches to being a better online citizen when we take in and share information.There's also a lovely bit about the complexity of identity, and whether the labels we use are accurate and useful.p.s. Emily has a doctorate in the Philosophy of Science, and over 10 years professional experience in writing and editingFind Emily online: The Neurodivergent Well websiteMedium writingInstagram @the.neurodivergent.wellTikTok @the.neurodivergent.well (posting this Jan 18th so we'll see...)Mentioned in the episode: The small Case Western study that found a 42% increase in resting info rate in autistic brains (with 19 children)An article about the DSM disorders disappearing in statistical clustering of psych symptomsExperimenting Your Way to an Extraordinary Life (course)Resources:Transcript DocEmail NewsletterLike Your Brain community space Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I pushed my body way too far, even though I was having trouble parsing that in the moment. The story is also a great analogy for how other ND internal needs feel (including PDA).Even with all the info, self-kindness, and support, I still struggle to find that exact line of capacity. It's okay that it's hard to figure out!This is the perfect and slightly ironic follow-up from last week's episode about giving up on NT/ableist expectations ;)Mentioned in episode: wish listExperimenting Your Way to an Extraordinary LifeComparative Grammar of Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and French (affiliate link)Mackareth's Neurocomplexity model (& affiliate link if you want to sign up)Resources:Transcript DocEmail NewsletterLike Your Brain community space Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is this the year to give up on neurotypical and ableist nonsense that is causing you harm??I hope so, for all of us. There are so many layers to unraveling internalized ableism. Here's your permission to do that a little more :)p.s. of course you know I never mean to give up on life ;) If you're in crisis, there are crisis links below <3 Links mentioned in episode: Psychology Today article on Relational Trauma: Beyond Adverse Caregiver ExperiencesNeuroLaunch article on Relational Therapy: A Comprehensive Approach to Healing Through Connection7 Signs of Internalized Capitalism by Lindsey Mackereth at Method Creative Referral link to Lindsey Mackareth's Neurocomplexity SubstackCrisis Resources:USA-based anonymous crisis chatInternational crisis linesVarious types of crisis resources in about 10 countriesMy Medium article, "Please Stay, We Need You"Resources:Transcript DocEmail NewsletterLike Your Brain community space Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's okay if your sleep and energy vary wildly during the seasons! Or at least... it's okay with me ;) Obviously there can be real world effects to having a chronotype outside of the 9-5.But if your body is going to make you rest anyway... may as well enjoy it and get the most out of it, in my opinion!Resources:Transcript DocEmail NewsletterLike Your Brain community space Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the follow-up episode to deepen ideas in the interview with Danielle Aubin last week on Autistic Therapy. Especially focused on this idea of relational trauma, and relational healing that addresses it. In my experience, relational healing ends up being woven throughout all other healing. Or, sometimes it's the "boss battle" to put what I've integrated into practice. Because emotional regulation during conflict with someone you care about is a whole new level! While I didn't use the words "community model of healing" or "relational healing" when I was starting the Like Your Brain community over a year ago, they were certainly on my mind. More on that in the episode as well. There are so many layers to relational healing. Wherever you're at with it is totally fine! And there are many ways to approach it. Animals are also a lovely way to experience relational healing. My first cat cured like 60% of my relational trauma <3 Resources:Transcript DocEmail NewsletterLike Your Brain community space Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Danielle Aubin is an autistic therapist who works with autistic clients. And also shares about Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) and how it's strangely compatible with capitalism because of its orientation toward achievement. Other big topic is community building, and how it can be healing even when it's uncomfortable (in the right way). Relational healing is necessary for relational trauma, whether in the therapeutic relationship, or in a group setting! Connect with Danielle:Website: myautistictherapist.comTikTok @myautistictherapistCommunity: Late-Discovered Autistic Support & Learning Group Resources:Course: Experimenting Your Way to an Extraordinary LifeTranscript DocEmail NewsletterLike Your Brain community space Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A few ideas for accommodating your brain & needs around gift-giving and the holidays. Fun fact: Many of us have gone through a big minimalism stage! Please take care of yourself this season, whether that looks like unmasking or grey rocking ;)p.s. I have a public wish list and absolutely love practical gifts! It's a fun way to support the podcast :)Resources:Transcript DocEmail NewsletterLike Your Brain community space Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You deserve to survive this. Please stay.And if staying out of spite helps you, it has gotten me through some tough times.My Medium article, "Please Stay, We Need You"Crisis Resources:USA-based anonymous crisis chatInternational crisis linesVarious types of crisis resources in about 10 countriesResources:Transcript DocEmail NewsletterLike Your Brain community space Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you absorbed the cultural idea that you "should" be able to be "present" without sensory aids? Fuuuuuuck that shiiiiit! Also been playing with sensory seeking (& its opposite) during moments of transition, and it's helping a LOT!Been considering the earplugs I mention, Loops? They're my fave currently. (Note: if you don't like anything in your ears, you won't like these, either.)They have some deals right now, and you can support the podcast by using my affiliate link here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thinking seasonally about gratitude in the context of..... everything happening right now.It's easy for my brain to want to solve every problem in the world. But I don't want to do the opposite of becoming entirely insular and only focusing on myself.I've found gratitude to be a way I can be more deeply interconnected (and in my case, add more reasons to want to live).Mentioned in episode:Ep 25 The Power of Honest GratitudeEp 72 Feeling Safe in Uncertainty & ChaosUnmasking Autism book by Devon Price (affiliate link)Resources:Transcript DocEmail NewsletterLike Your Brain community space Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

AuDHDers often end up partly or fully self-employed. It can be due to desire, or out of necessity.Either way, this episode covers some tips to think about before starting. It may also be helpful if you've started businesses before and fallen for some bad advice (which I have).Mentioned in Episode: The interviews with Zann and Sam about their businessesThe book Profit First (ebook & audiobook) - affiliate links Course: Experimenting Your Way to an Extraordinary LifeResources:Transcript DocEmail NewsletterLike Your Brain community space Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feeling worried about the future? Uncertainty can be especially difficult for Autistic nervous systems.Today I go into more detail about WHY & HOW safety in the body can be a foundational practice for healing and wellness.At the end, I share the audio of a practice that is also on YouTube here if you'd like to follow along with visuals.The questions answered in this episode:What is safety in the body?Why is it so important, and what does it do?What does it feel like?How does it relate to stress?What's my experience of safety been?What are the long-term effects of consistently reinforcing embodied safety?Mentioned in episode: YouTube video showing me doing the embodied practice& explanation video + visuals (audio also from this episode)Gymba balance board & travel Bosu ball (affiliate links)Resources:Like Your Brain community spaceTranscript DocEmail Newsletter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sam Cooper is an AuDHD coach and generally awesome human. When we met in person, we bonded over having worn the wrong size shoes for years, which led to the title of this episode.Sam shares about building a small business, and the upsides and downsides of a coaching business in particular.Sensory needs and discovering support tools.They also have an incredibly compassionate approach to their own journey.Connect with Sam: Sam's websiteSam's Instagram @unconventionalmindsadhdResources:Like Your Brain community spaceTranscript DocEmail NewsletterNew course: Experimenting Your Way to an Extraordinary Life Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zann's artist business is one of the easiest things she's ever done. And it's not even her main passion! Her deeply relatable history includes ten years of feeling like failure soup. It didn't feel like progress or learning, just failure. But it ultimately led her to figure out what does NOT work. She shares amazing ideas and practical advice.... this will be a great one to listen to more than once!Connect with Zann: Paws by Zann websiteZann's blogYouTube art tutorials & BTSResources:Like Your Brain community spaceTranscript DocEmail NewsletterNew course: Experimenting Your Way to an Extraordinary Life Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you struggle to figure out what to focus on with bigger goals, you're not alone! Here's one approach I've come up with for my own annual goals in particular. And some thoughts on decision making, since that's part of it.Wish List for bday (or whenever) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I failed my first driving test! On a technicality! Ah, the frustrations of begging to exist in structures not built for us. Three quick stories about bureaucratic bullshit in a single week, and how it fits into my own big ball of yarn. It's okay that the stuff that's hard for us is probably never going to be fun or easy.We need support and RESOURCES that work for us! More on finding good resources in the episode... librarians are often a great place to start. Resources:Like Your Brain community spaceTranscript DocEmail NewsletterNew course: Experimenting Your Way to an Extraordinary Life Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The autistic / AuDHD self-discovery journey can feel like finding out that you've been hammering screws this whole time. You never learned how to use the right tools. You may not have been given the right tools at all! A few thoughts on the grief inherent in the process, and how to equip your personal toolbox now that you know what's up.Resources:Like Your Brain community spaceTranscript DocEmail NewsletterNew course: Experimenting Your Way to an Extraordinary Life Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Weeks and months are staples of scheduling systems. But they tend not to work well for me as units of time. My personal ideal is two days on, two days off, though that's impractical. Instead, I talk about the various workarounds I've found, including intentionally scheduling rest (and how if I don't have time for that, I need to decrease demands). If weeks don't work well for you, how can you find what does?Resources:Like Your Brain community spaceTranscript DocEmail NewsletterNew course: Experimenting Your Way to an Extraordinary Life Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is about both why it's so hard to get help as an AuDHDer,and some of the broad steps I see working for us.It can help to have a view of your "big ball of yarn" i.e. complex and interrelated problems or life areas.It can also help to start addressing your sensory needs, core needs, and just live your life while you take a break from big processing.Please take care and be gentle to yourself!Links mentioned:New course: Experimenting Your Way to an Extraordinary LifeYour Core Self Care Need episodeThe 4 steps I talked aboutCrisis Resources:USA-based anonymous crisis chatInternational crisis linesVarious types of crisis resources in about 10 countriesResources:Like Your Brain community spaceTranscript DocEmail Newsletter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What NOT to do in your AuDHD discovery process is just as important as knowing what to do! This episode interweaves nicely with last week's episode about what AuDHDers need.This is hardly an exhaustive list, but it covers many of the patterns I've seen and heard in the community.Links mentioned:InterGifted: What is Giftedness?Autistic Culture PodcastFree Office Hours call (p.s. being a free Patreon member is the best way to get updates/reminders about these calls)Crisis Resources:USA-based anonymous crisis chatInternational crisis linesVarious types of crisis resources in about 10 countriesResources:Like Your Brain community spaceTranscript DocEmail Newsletter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do AuDHDers need (beyond the obvious needs all humans have)? And why do those needs matter?This episode covers some important ones:Being able to engage with our interests (in a particular way)Executive Function support, without trying to make the hardest things easy or enjoyableAutonomyTrue restThe narrow path of just enough stimulationProcessing timeTo be witnessed in just the right wayRecognition that our needs vary quite a bit day to dayComing to terms with disabilitySpace and time throughout our self-discovery journeySafe enough spaces to explore what it means to be ourselfLinks mentioned:Executive function test post if you want to ask Qs or share your experienceExecutive Skills Questionnaire Revised (ESQ-R)Unmasking Autism book (affiliate link)Crisis Resources:USA-based anonymous crisis chatInternational crisis linesVarious types of crisis resources in about 10 countriesResources:Like Your Brain community spaceTranscript DocEmail NewsletterLove Your Brain course Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Almost all of us consider formal diagnosis in our AuDHD discovery journey. Whether it's ADHD-focused for medication, or Autism-focused for validation or accommodations.Knowing why you want the diagnosis goes a long way in figuring out what to pursue. The main options as I currently see them are:full formal neuropsych testingprovisional diagnosis with a shorter screening testa formal letter requesting accommodations from your providerself-diagnosiscommunity diagnosisThis episode talks aboutThe upsides and downsides of diagnosis in generalMy personal diagnosis experience (two full rounds of neuropsych testing)Options to approach decision-making for yourselfHow to get started if you do want diagnosisQuestions from the longer decision-making process in the episode are in the Transcript DocCrisis Resources:USA-based anonymous crisis chatInternational crisis linesVarious types of crisis resources in about 10 countriesMonotropism resources:Monotropism Questionnaire and more info about itMonotropism explainedFergus Murray's 6 Starting Points for Understanding Autism034 Monotropism Might Explain Everything with Fergus Murray035 How Much Time Does Creating Take?039 Autism "Levels" and MonotropismOther Links mentioned:Devon Price's post about Autism diagnosis pros n consThrow Away the Masters Tools: Liberating Ourselves From the Pathology Paradigm by Nick WalkerAuDHD Flourishing Resources:Like Your Brain community spaceTranscript DocEmail Newsletter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bonus drop from The Curiosity Cure podcast:Today's conversation with Mattia takes us through their journey with chronic pain, feeling better, and the ways they navigate their inner mindbody conversation as someone with AuDHD + PDA. We touch upon themes of neurodivergence, gender transition, resourcing inner + external safety. We chat about using hypnotic techniques to decrease a sense of threat/unsafety that may accompany disorders like ehlers-danlos syndrome and POTS. Thanks to Deb for sharing this episode: full show notes hereThe show notes link above has many resources about successful healing from related conditionsThe Curiosity Cure podcast site Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm taking the last two weeks of August off, and will be back in September with a "back to the basics" series about things like diagnosis, what to do when you first discover your AuDHD identity, etc! In the meantime, you can check out...Like Your Brain community spaceTranscript DocYouTube: The Longer Road, Mattia guesting on other pods Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are many reasons we experience loneliness. There's a particular existential loneliness I experience when I feel like it's not possible for anyone to understand me. And much of that emerged from a lifetime of ableism. Being in AuDHD community has been incredibly healing. Thank you for being here!Also... as of today we're over 200,000 downloads... thanks for listening!! Resources:Like Your Brain community spaceTranscript DocEmail Newsletter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Working memory may be a main reason we feel so exhausted... we're doing so many things manually that are habits for non-AuDHD brains.Using a working memory file as we go can help a lot and massively reduce overwhelm and cognitive fatigue. Cal Newport uses a digital file for this during computer work. I've been using post-it notes so I can carry them around with me.There are many benefits I talk about in the episode, and the main one for me is being able to track decisions as I go so I don't keep trying to make them over and over!Resources:Like Your Brain community spaceTranscript DocEmail NewsletterLove Your Brain course Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I had several moments of autistic joy (sometimes called "glimmers") that were also great examples of mindfulness. But mindfulness in a way that works for my sensory experience!Reminder that our brains are also quite capable of delight in little things.Resources:Like Your Brain community spaceTranscript DocEmail Newsletter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Quitting can feel amazing, especially when it's a clear self-protection move. And when we haven't waited until it becomes so terrible we have to get out.But the decision-making process can feel slow!This episode covers three ways I've decided to quit things:Big emotions / the thing got really badMath-y pros and cons approach (slow but effective)Getting somatic info from my body#3 is great... but at the same time, I've done years of building safety around receiving and integrating information from my body! It's not just about the technique itself.Resources:Mentioned the DEAR MAN skill from DBTLike Your Brain community spaceTranscript DocEmail NewsletterLove Your Brain course Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I recently took the laziest vacation I ever have, and it was a revelation.Also, there are usually so many external factors we're not considering while laying on the couch feeling too "lazy" to do something! There are layers.Resources:Like Your Brain community spaceTranscript DocEmail NewsletterLove Your Brain course Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.