Divergent Conversations

Identity is complex and interwoven into the world around us. But as Autistic individuals who wear a mask, identity is often not entirely shaped by ourselves. Late in life discovery of autism or ADHD can set off a cascading journey of self-discovery and identity exploration. Once we start to embrace our authentic selves and explore our identity, everything can change. In this episode, Patrick Casal...

Lived experience, awareness, self-identification, and self-diagnosis for autism and ADHD can have immense value, allowing us to connect with a community and share experiences that others may not fully comprehend. However, there are also risks of misdiagnosis and misinformation that can potentially cause harm. In this episode, Patrick Casale and Dr. Megan Anna Neff, two AuDHD mental health professi...

Self-disclosure of an autistic diagnosis in medical situations or even everyday life is a very vulnerable thing to do, and there are so many results that can come from it. Self-disclosure can result in both negative and positive experiences including everything from insurance challenges and negative societal assumptions to better accommodations for sensory issues in medical situations and quicker...

Do you ever feel like your immune system is working against you? You don’t know what’s wrong, no one else knows what’s wrong, you keep doing medical tests and it’s coming back normal or the pieces don’t add up. Autistic people often experience a myriad of chronic health conditions and nervous system dysregulation that leaves us feeling terrible, overwhelmed, and with tons more questions than answe...

There are a lot of nuances of Autistic masking, and it's become a sensitive and polarizing topic these days online and in social media. With all the various opinions, information, and anecdotes out there, it can be confusing to understand what masking is, and how privilege and different social identities intersect with the experience of unmasking. Masking and unmasking impacts mental health, ident...

Difficulty with unexpected changes or routine disruptions is a pivotal part of being Autistic and even small changes can result in a surge of irritation. In regards to routine or plan changes, Dr. Neff described her feelings as an Autistic person: "Once I'm, like, emotionally checked out of something, I'm out." Patrick Casale shared his experience saying that it's very hard to get back into a plac...

In this episode, we explore demand avoidance, a common experience among neurodivergent people. We delve into the factors contributing to demand avoidance, including executive functioning challenges, sensory issues, and a desire for autonomy. Additionally, we take a closer look at Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), also known as Pervasive Drive for Autonomy, a complex and often misunderstood subt...

Socializing in groups can feel exhausting and often adds an entirely different level of complexity to the sensory experience and challenges for autistic individuals. Patrick Casale, an AuDHD mental health therapist, shared his thought processes and some of the questions that run through his head when in group conversations, such as, "When do I interrupt? When do I not? When do I jump in? When do I...

Picture the immense amount of energy invested in analyzing your emotional responses to every social interaction, striving to decipher not only your own feelings but also how the other person perceived the conversation. Or imagine navigating through life with a constant undercurrent of irritability and anxiety, yet lacking a clear understanding of their origin. These experiences only represent a sm...

Travel and the act of experiencing people and places is something that is generally talked about with excitement, but for Autistic people, it can be a much more complex experience. Patrick, who hosts entrepreneurial retreats for therapists all over the world and travels often for extended periods of time, shared that despite loving to travel, the experience of hosting retreats and being away from...

Being an Autistic human often pairs with a complex relationship with emotions. Just the question, "How do you feel," can feel so uncomfortable and spark anxiety, panic, and avoidance, often resulting in pre-planned responses or an answer that makes you think, "What the hell am I saying right now?" In her initial session with a new therapist, Megan Anna, an Autistic psychologist, unintentionally ex...

Finding a neurodivergent affirmative therapist is important for individuals who are Autistic, have ADHD, or have another diagnosis. However, it isn't always easy to connect with a therapist who is willing to explore their client's special interests, even though it can help them feel more comfortable and relaxed during therapy sessions. There are some therapists out there who shy away from or just...

There can be a lot of stigma around autism and especially being an autistic therapist, which can make it even harder for autistic individuals to step into this career. They may even be told that they can't be empathetic or relate to others in a way that could help their clients, which is just NOT TRUE. If you are autistic and have been hesitating to step into the mental health field because of the...

For many adults who are diagnosed later in life, their diagnosis story often begins with a misdiagnosis story. It's not uncommon for these adults to go through childhood and some adult life just feeling like they are a bit more weird or different than a lot of the people around them. It can even be a somewhat painful experience as they try to find answers and explore the reasons  why  th...

For individuals who've wondered if they are autistic (or know they are but haven't been formally diagnosed), it can be a complex journey to first decide whether or not to seek a formal autism diagnosis and then to learn how to restructure the way they see and interact with the world. Getting diagnosed and embracing yourself as autistic can feel like tearing down a wall (or removing your mask). And...

Ever wake up in the middle of the night with the thoughts of “Damn. I’m not going back to sleep tonight” crossing your mind?  Sleep and neurodivergent brains have a complex relationship, and many neurodivergent individuals struggle with insomnia, restless sleep, sleep paralysis, being light sleepers, and having the weirdest sleep schedule in general, if you can call it a schedule at all.&nbsp...

Do you ever find yourself in a state of paralyzing burnout that can happen even when you're doing activities that you enjoy? Have you ever taken a vacation to fight the fatigue of life only to find that your post-vacation burnout-recovery state is reversed sooner and more severely than others? Do you wonder how you can reduce your burnout in a way that works and actually lasts? Then this episode i...

Have you ever felt like there was some big mystery that you could never solve as to why you acted and thought the way you did? Maybe you were told that you are neurodivergent but struggle to understand what that means for you. Do you feel tired of masking and don't know where to find a voice that will speak out, be supportive, and educate about neurodivergence? This episode is for you. Top 3 reaso...