Embracing Intensity

In this engaging conversation, Aurora sits down with the multi-talented Princess Fortier, a beacon of inspiration in the journey of embracing one's intensity. Princess shares her remarkable story, from neuroscientist to singer and model, highlighting how music became her tool for healing and transforming her life. Together, they delve into the themes of harnessing personal intensity, pursuing pass...

In this thought-provoking podcast episode, Jeff and Aurora delve deep into the topic of dismantling patriarchy through play. They explore the impact of societal norms on individuals, the role of neurodivergence in challenging the status quo, and the importance of celebrating uniqueness. Through personal anecdotes and insightful discussions, they highlight the power of embracing one's intensity and...

This week on Embracing Intensity, we share an enlightening conversation with award-winning author and licensed educational psychologist, Christine Fonseca. In this episode of our podcast, our host, Aurora, delves into an enriching conversation with Fonseca, exploring her insights on emotional intensity, mental health, giftedness, and our inherent human complexities.  Fonseca, a gifted adult hersel...

In this episode of the Embracing Intensity Podcast, we bring you an inspiring conversation with Cosette "Coco" Leary. Coco's gripping story takes us on a journey from her days as a welfare recipient to eventually becoming a celebrated motivational speaker and entrepreneur. Her story is laced with determination, resilience, and overcoming adversity to redefine herself on her own terms. Join us as w...

In this episode of the Embracing Intensity Podcast, host Aurora interviews Kaitlin Smith, a scholar, facilitator, and founder of Our Wild Minds. Kaitlin shares her journey as a gifted BIPOC individual, her work in supporting gifted adults, and her research on the history of mind sciences. Join Aurora and Kaitlin as they explore the intersections between intensity, cultural dynamics, and personal g...

In this age of rapid and overwhelming information, how does one choose what is important to learn? Opportunities to play are opportunities to learn. Play allows us to imagine ourselves in different realities, in different worlds where the rules are different, where we can be different. In these alternate worlds, we can demand more for ourselves. In these worlds, we can identify our needs and build...

Are you a gifted or neurodivergent perfectionist struggling to overcome the damaging effects of perfectionism?  In this episode of the Embracing Intensity podcast, host Aurora Remember Holtzman invites special guest Aileen Kelleher, a therapist and life coach, to delve into the topic of overcoming perfectionism. Together, they explore the intersection between perfectionism and giftedness and discu...

In this episode of the "Embracing Intensity" podcast, host Aurora brings on a special guest, Cate Osburn, better known on social media as Catieosaurus. As a certified sex educator with an emphasis on neurodivergency and intimacy, Cate sparks much-needed conversations, tackling topics others often shy away from. With her unique insights drawn from personal experiences and her role as a sex educator...

This week on Embracing Intensity, I share my experience with the physical and emotional exhaustion that comes with severe burnout. In this episode, I share updates on my personal life that have contributed to burnout, dive into my recovery process and discuss how to overcome burnout symptoms. I also share a preview of what I have coming up as I recover from burnout this summer! Burnout can affect...

This week, we talk with Arianna Bradford, an ADHD productivity coach, about the best ways for adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder to boost productivity in their daily lives. We cover a range of topics, from common symptoms of ADHD and organizational strategies to productivity hacks and the Pomodoro technique. Arianna shares her expertise on how to set specific goals and prioritize...

Never Leave the Playground In this episode, where we delve into the importance of self-care in our daily lives. Whether it's through mindfulness practices, physical exercise, or leisure time activities, taking care of our emotional and physical health is crucial for a better quality of life. From diaphragmatic breathing to bike rides, we explore different self-care practices that can help us manag...

Seeing Life Differently In this episode, Zaakirah Muhammad joins us to discuss mindfulness, gratitude and how these practices can help to craft a more meaningful life in her talk on Seeing Life Through a Different Lens: Mindfulness and Gratitude as a Creative. She talks about how one can use visualizing, setting goals and forming a strong support system to help achieve their dreams. Zaakirah also...

Overcome Burnout Welcome to From Burnout to Brilliance, a talk that explores the best ways to manage work-related stress and overcome burnout. In this episode, we have the privilege of speaking with Dr. Zarya Rubin, a Harvard trained MD turned functional medicine health coach, who will be sharing her insights and expertise on this important topic. With the World Health Organization recognizing job...

Exploring Gifted Kid Burnout Gifted kid burnout affects many smart kids and former gifted students who were once in gifted programs. As young adults, they often share a common theme of feeling burnt out and struggling with unrealistic expectations. The pressure to always achieve gold star grades and be at the top of the class can be overwhelming. Gifted programs, often found in grade schools and e...

The importance of neurodivergent community Neurodivergent individuals are those who think, process information, and experience the world in ways that differ from the neurotypical (i.e., not neurodivergent) population. The neurodiversity movement advocates for the recognition and celebration of neurodiversity as a natural and valuable form of human diversity, similar to cultural, racial, or gender...

As neurodivergent creatives, we often find ourselves overwhelmed with too much stuff both in our environment and in our minds. We may be overrun with office supplies, craft supplies, and/or miscellaneous things that support our hyperfixations or latest hyperfocus. The ADHD brain is especially prone to mental clutter, and when our environment is a mess it's even harder to quiet our thoughts. On our...

Building Self-Advocacy This week on Embracing Intensity, we share our talk with Dr. Matt Zakreski on self-advocacy skills. Self-advocacy is an important skill that can help you take charge of your own life and move toward greater freedom, fulfillment, and happiness. In this episode, we'll explore the concept of self-advocacy and how it can help us feel more empowered in our own daily life. The goa...

I am so thrilled to get to share Dr. Kimberly Douglass' talk on Decolonizing Neurodivergence! From Violence to Love Do you ever wonder why we get into loops on social media platforms when we talk about neurodivergence? We have convinced ourselves this conversation is just about validating each other and understanding the traits of various conditions. The very definition of what it means to be neur...

Taking a little pause to focus on moving & back end stuff.

Today's episode is a recording of our talk with Leela Sinha on the intersection of neurodivergence and gender. This is definitely not an "inside-the-box" topic. You can find the full discussion in the Embracing Intensity community at community@embracingintensity.com .   Show Highlights: The overlap between autism and gender diversity How neurodivergence is defined as a very broad umbrella term for...

We all have our "beyond our wildest imagination" dreams that we never realistically hope to achieve. This is not true for today's guest. She truly is living her dream in a place she never thought possible, and she's teaching others to reach for the unimaginable also. Join us to learn more! Sadie Smiley created Passive Income Pathways, where she gives expert advice about online businesses and how p...

Today's episode is a recording from last fall about time management from a neurodivergent perspective. We are joined on the guest call by Emily Roach-Griffin, who is ADHD and gifted, and her insights resonate soundly with many of us. She is a business coach and speaker at BizBFF who loves helping business owners and those with an entrepreneurial spirit to build businesses and lives they love. Join...

Today's show carries a timely message for those of us who returned to work or school after the anxiety-ridden shutdown of the pandemic. As we try to move forward, many of us still face anxiety and burnout. My guest's message of tapping into your intuition and doing things outside the box is relevant to almost everyone. Join us to learn more!   Cam Werley-Gonzales is an intuitive, living visionary,...

Today's episode is the Embracing Intensity Community Call with guest speaker Alexandra Loves. The topic is Drama vs. Passion, which is highly relevant to intense people. I'm excited to share this with you! You can find the full discussion at www.community.embracingintensity.com . As I'm working hard to finish out this school year, I am busy behind the scenes with some great projects planned for th...

Imposter syndrome is something that most people have felt at some point or another. Intense people may feel this in magnified ways, as the world tells them they are not welcome as they are. Join us on this guest call to learn more! Kate Arms is a return guest to the show, and I'm thrilled to welcome her back for this guest call. Kate is a classic overthinker, high achiever, and multipotentiality w...