Neurodivergent Strategies for Late-Diagnosed Adults: The Divergent Paths Podcast

Having an anxious attachment isn’t about being “needy” or insecure. It’s about what happens when a nervous system learns that connection isn’t always predictable or safe. For many late-diagnosed neurodivergent adults, that lesson was reinforced for decades without ever being named. In this episode of Divergent Paths , Dr. Regina McMenomy, Ph. D., unpacks anxious attachment as it shows up in late-d...

There’s a lot of pressure to “push through,” be resilient, and just do the hard things especially for late-diagnosed neurodivergent adults. But what happens when pushing past your limits quietly starts to damage your nervous system, your relationships, and your mental health? In this episode of the Divergent Paths Podcast , Dr. Regina McMenomy, PhD, unpacks what overcapacity really looks like and...

The holidays demand more —more socializing, more masking, more expectations, more emotional labor. And for neurodivergent people, that pressure often leads to a very specific kind of burnout that doesn’t magically disappear on January 1st. In this episode of Divergent Paths , Dr. Regina McMenomy, Ph. D. explores holiday burnout through a neurodivergent lens , unpacking why the season is so depleti...

Why do so many capable, resilient people struggle to care for themselves? In this solo episode of Divergent Paths , Dr. Regina McMenomy, Ph. D. reframes self-neglect not as a personal failure, but as a learned survival strategy, especially for late-diagnosed neurodivergent adults who spent years masking, adapting, and pushing through. From skipping meals and ignoring pain to treating rest as somet...

Do you replay conversations long after an event ends, analyzing what you said, what you should have said, and how everything might have been perceived? In this episode of Divergent Paths , Dr. Regina McMenomy, Ph. D. unpacks post-event rumination , a common experience for neurodivergent people, especially those with ADHD and autism. Together with co-host Russ Catanach, Regina explains why the brai...

If you’ve spent your whole life being “the capable one”—the reliable friend, the problem-solver at work, the emotional anchor for everyone else—you’re not alone. Many late-diagnosed ADHD and autistic adults are quietly carrying this role, often without ever choosing it. And the cost? Chronic burnout, emotional exhaustion, resentment, and a complete disconnect from your own needs. In this episode,...

Neurodivergent folks are told constantly: “Just make it a habit.” But if that advice has ever activated your fight-or-flight response, you’re not alone. In this episode of Divergent Paths , Dr. Regina and Russ break down why traditional habit culture simply wasn’t built for neurodivergent brains and why it’s not your fault that the habit trackers, streaks, and “21-day rules” never stick. We dig in...

People-pleasing, self-abandonment, and unmasking are deeply connected, especially for late-diagnosed neurodivergent folk. In this solo episode of Divergent Paths , Dr. Regina breaks down how people-pleasing develops as a survival strategy, why it often leads to chronic self-abandonment, and what it really takes to unmask after years of shaping yourself around other people’s expectations. You’ll le...

Have you ever caught yourself saying, “I know I can do it… so why can’t I just make myself?” In this episode of Divergent Paths , Dr. Regina and co-host Russ unpack the crucial difference between what you’re capable of doing and what you actually have the capacity to do. From ADHD burnout to chronic overcommitment, we explore how late-diagnosed neurodivergent adults often confuse skill with bandwi...

Have you ever found yourself repeating the same story three times in a row—even to the same person—just trying to get it right ? You’re not being dramatic or forgetful. You’re doing a live edit and it’s a powerful, neurodivergent form of emotional processing. In this solo episode of Neurodivergent Solutions , Dr. Regina McMenomy breaks down why late-diagnosed ADHDers and autistic folks often retel...

Ever find yourself still furious about a group project from 25 years ago? You might be dealing with justice sensitivity : that intense gut-level reaction when something feels unfair. In this episode of Divergent Paths , Dr. Regina McMenomy, PhD—ADHD coach for late-diagnosed, nerdy neurodivergent women in higher ed and tech—is joined by co-host Russ Catanach to unpack why fairness feels so personal...

Grief is never simple but for neurodivergent folks, it can feel like trying to swim through wet cement. In this deeply personal solo episode, Dr. Regina McMenomy, PhD, shares her own experience of loss while exploring how grief collides with executive dysfunction, emotional numbness, and rejection sensitivity. If you’ve ever struggled to make phone calls, fill out forms, or even feel your emotions...

You ever open your calendar and wonder who signed you up for all this—only to realize it was you? In this episode of Divergent Paths , Dr. Regina McMenomy, PhD, and co-host Russ Catanach dive into the exhausting cycle of masking through overcommitment . It's a familiar pattern of saying yes to everything just to look capable, helpful, or “normal.” Together, they unpack why neurodivergent people of...

Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights! If the sight of a form to fill out or bills you need to pay makes you want to crawl under a blanket, you’re not alone. In this episode of Neurodivergent Synthesis , Dr. Regina breaks down why paperwork — those endless forms, emails, and administrative tasks — can feel like an impossible boss fight for neurodivergent brains. P...

Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights! Unmasking isn’t about ignoring others or living without filters. It’s about finally showing up as your real self instead of a version built to keep everyone else comfortable. In this episode of Divergent Paths , Dr. Regina McMenomy, PhD, and co-host Russ bust the biggest misconceptions about neurodivergent unmasking. They unp...

Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights! Perfectionism doesn’t always show up in spreadsheets and checklists. In this solo episode of Neurodivergent Solutions , Dr. Regina McMenomy Ph. D. explores how the drive to be perfectly understood shapes her writing, her identity, and her unmasking journey. Drawing from her background as a poet and her late auDHD diagnosis, R...

Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights! Why do neurodivergent brains often wait until the last minute to get things done? In this episode of Divergent Paths , Dr. Regina McMenomy, Ph. D. and co-host Russ Catanach unpack urgency bias: the tendency to focus only on what feels immediately urgent. From procrastination and crisis-mode productivity to burnout and emotion...

Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights! What happens after you unmask and suddenly realize you’re not sure who you really are? In this solo episode of Neurodivergent Solutions , Dr. Regina McMenomy, Ph. D. explores the identity crisis that often follows late-diagnosed ADHD or autism, and why not knowing who you are without the mask is completely normal . Regina sha...

Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights! In this special episode of Divergent Paths , Dr. Regina McMenomy Ph. D. and co-host Russ Catanach take you inside their live panel at Rose City Comic Con: “Neurospicy Brains, Found Family, and Fandom… Oh My!” Recorded in front of nearly 400 attendees, this conversation highlights how fandom communities — from cosplay to comic...

Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights! Masking isn’t a lie—it’s a life skill. In this solo episode of Neurodivergent Solutions , Dr. Regina McMenomy unpacks why neurodivergent people learn to mask from such a young age and why it’s not a failure of authenticity but a tool for safety and belonging. Drawing from her personal experience as a late-diagnosed ADHD adult...

Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights! Impulsivity isn’t just about skydiving on a whim or blowing your paycheck on shoes. For neurodivergent folks, it often shows up in subtle ways: cutting someone off mid-sentence, firing off a 2am text, or jumping to finish someone’s thought. In this episode of Divergent Paths , Dr. Regina McMenomy and co-host Russ Catanach del...

Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights! Unmasking as a neurodivergent adult isn’t about oversharing. It’s about finally showing up as your full self. In this solo episode of Neurodivergent Solutions , Dr. Regina McMenomy shares practical, compassionate unmasking strategies designed for late-diagnosed ADHD and autistic adults navigating work, relationships, and ever...

Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights! Struggling to recognize when you’re hungry, tired, anxious—or even where your body is in space? You’re not alone. In this episode of Divergent Paths , Dr. Regina McMenomy and co-host Russ Catanach explore the often-overlooked sensory systems of interoception and proprioception —and why they’re especially important for neurodi...

Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights! Is masking a sign of maturity—or a survival strategy? In this solo episode of Neurodivergent Solutions , Dr. Regina McMenomy challenges the idea that “professionalism” means suppressing who you really are. She explores how masking shows up in the workplace for neurodivergent adults, why it’s often misread as emotional maturit...

Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights! Why do so many late-diagnosed neurodivergent adults feel like frauds—even when they’re thriving? In this episode of Divergent Paths , Regina McMenomy, Ph. D., unpacks the neuroscience behind imposter syndrome and explains why it hits harder for people with ADHD, autism, and other forms of neurodivergence. With co-host Russ Ca...