Neurodiverse Love with Mona Kay

Nicole Knowlton is a Marriage and Family Therapist who also has a  law degree.  During this episode. she talks about her work as a therapist and her own personal neurodiversity journey.  During Season 5, Nicole will be joining Mona as one of her "guest co-hosts "  on the podcast, so if you have any topics you would like Mona and Nicole to address in a future, please feel free t...

During this episode, Mona goes solo to talk about some of the confusing emotions both partner's may feel after learning they are in a Neurodiverse Love relationship.  In the discovery phase, each partner may feel some hope that they will move forward with more understanding for themselves, their partner and their relationship.  However, many times, after feeling hopeful, one or both part...

The Neurodiverse Love Conference will be held on February 14th & 15th, 2023.  Buy your ticket before February 11th at midnight EST, to get a 50% discount on your ticket.   Click here to learn more about the 27 conference presentations and to buy your ticket today!  All the sessions are pre-recorded, so if you are not able to join us live you will have up to 3 months to listen to...

I want to thank everyone in the Neurodiversity Love community who has been listening to the podcast. I also want to thank my previous co-hosts (Olga & Manecia), and all the guests who have been a part of this journey. We have listeners in more then 60 countries and have had about 70,000 plays of the podcast. In addition, since 2020, we’ve published more then 120 episodes. For Season 5, I will be r...

If you have already bought your ticket, OR you buy your ticket to the Neurodiverse Love Conference before 1/17/23 at Midnight (EST), you will be able to participate in a FREE live Zoom workshop on 2/21/23 at 7pm EST with the original co-hosts of the Neurodiverse Love podcast (Mona, Olga and Manecia). We will answer your questions and provide everyone with an update on where we are in our lives and...

 Tickets for the Neurodiverse Love Virtual Conference are available!!! The conference will be held on February 14th and 15th, 2023 from 11am-7pm EST.   If you'd like to access the link for a 50% discount on the ticket price , or learn more about the presenters, please visit www.neurodiverselove.com. ____________________________________________________________________________________...

The Neurodiverse Love Virtual Conference will be held on February 14th and 15th, 2023 and tickets go on sale on 1/2/23. If you are interested in learning more about the conference presenters, please visit www.neurodiverselove.com.  If you want to get access to more information about the conference, please sign up for the Neurodiverse Love newsletter . ______________________________________________...

The Neurodiverse Love Conference Virtual Conference will be held on February 14th and 15th, 2023 and tickets go on sale on 1/2/23.   If you are interested in learning more about the conference presenters please go to www.neurodiverselove.com.  If you want to get access to more information about the conference, please sign up for the Neurodiverse Love newsletter . ________________________...

Dr. Carrie Mitran has been in a neurodiverse relationship since 2007 and for more then 15 years she has been on a journey to discover the most effective tools and methods to help individuals and neurodiverse couples better understand themselves and each other.  Dr.  Mitran is an AANE Certified Therapist who has developed her own model for working with neurodiverse couples.  The Mitr...

Tim Donovan is a licensed certified social worker who has been in practice since 1992.  He is also  an AANE Certified Therapist who shares how important it was for him to update his approach to therapy to include a neurological lens. Tim shares some of the knowledge and strategies he learned from the AANE training and talks about how he has integrated this information into his therapy pr...

Remy Springer is a new mom and another AANE certified therapist who shares how parenting and pregnancy may impact a neurodiverse couple.  More specifically, we discuss how communication challenges can increase and how sleep deprivation and changes to routine can lead to more anxiety.  In addition, we address the importance of understanding what each partner needs to be fully present for...

During this episode I have a very important conversation with another AANE Certified Therapist, Dr. Alix Mansbach.  Alix provides a summary of the diagnostic evaluation process she conducts with those who are seeking an autism diagnosis.  The evaluation includes a 2 hour interview, 2 hours of testing and a 2 hour feedback session.  We discuss the importance of having an opportunity to talk to fami...

Warning: During this episode we talk about masturbation, sex and porn addiction, and betrayal.  Julianne Cusick is a therapist and betrayal trauma specialist in Colorado and is also an AANE certified therapist.  Julianne shares a little about her personal story through betrayal trauma early in her marriage.  She also talks about how discovering her adopted daughter is autistic...

During this episode, another wonderful AANE certified coach and therapist, Barbara Grant, shares how both her personal and professional experience have helped her better understand the strengths, differences and challenges in neurodiverse relationships.  She talks about her first marriage that ended after 20 years, and how unknown neurodiversity impacted that relationship  She also provi...

Karen Watson is an AANE certified therapist who provides insight into her professional experience working with neurodiverse couples and her personal experience in a neurodiverse relationship.  During one of her therapy sessions, Karen's therapist suggested that she might be married to an autistic man and through that new lens, the way she viewed her marriage began to change.  Because of her person...

During this episode I have an opportunity to talk with another AANE Certified Therapist, Stephen Robertson.  Stephen talks about his own neurodiverse journey and some of the lessons he learned after his marriage ended.  He also shares how it took him a lifetime to get his Autism diagnosis and some of the challenges he had with therapy...until a therapist suggested he might be autistic. &...

During this episode I have an opportunity to talk with Laura Schreiner, another AANE certified therapist.  Laura is also in a neurodiverse relationship and when her and her spouse discovered he was on the spectrum, she began to ask herself "What About Me?"   That question led her to create a support group called "What About Me? (WAM) for neurotypical partners.  The group has be...

During this episode you will hear from another AANE certified therapist, Constanze Schwaerzer-Dutta.  Conni lives in Germany and shares her own self-discovery journey and what made her wonder if she might be autistic.  She shares about the challenges she was having in a training for family therapists that made her move forward on pursing an autism diagnosis.  As a trainer, consultant and therapist...

During this bonus episode of the podcast, 23 year old autistic filmmaker Louis Bennies talks about his neurodiverse journey.  He shares a little about some of the gifts and unique differences his parents saw in him that may have contributed to them moving forward on his ASD/ADHD diagnosis. Louis also shares how his college thesis focused on how autistic people are portrayed in film and tv.  Part o...

During this episode I talk with another AANE Certified Therapist, Kory Chase, LCSW.  Kory worked for the school system for 20 years before she started her private practice.  She specializes in conducting autism assessments and working with neurodiverse couples and individuals.  Kory shares a little bit about her family history with neurodiversity and the journey she was on to find a professional s...

Catherine Pfuntner is a certified AANE therapist, a licensed therapist in Hawaii, Massachusetts and New Hampshire and a coach.   During this episode Catherine shares the importance of both partners understanding they are "different" not "better" then each other. In addition, we address so many other  important issues that can help "build trust and connection" or lead to "misunderstanding...

During this episode, Laurie Budlong-Morse, another AANE certified therapist,  shares how she uses the Collaborative Therapy Model to help neurodiverse couples better understand each other and move toward creating a successful relationship. This model focuses on the importance of dialogue with respect and understanding for multiple voices, so that new possibilities can emerge that wouldn’t have hap...

Christa Marvenko-Athas is an AANE certified therapist,  licensed to provide therapy in Maryland.  Christa also provides coaching for neurodiverse couples and pre-marital coaching worldwide.  During this episode, Christa provides so much valuable information about how she uses the "development model" to help neurodiverse couples better understand themselves and each other.  More...

Greg Fuqua came into the counseling profession a few years ago after spending more then 20 years working as a professional artist and teaching at 10 different schools.  He is an AANE certified therapist and has been on his own neurodiverse journey for the past few years.  During this episode, Greg shares how Internal Family Systems has made a difference in his life and how he uses it to...

During this episode, Margy Wakefield, AANE Certified Therapist & Coach shares the steps neurodiverse couples can practice to improve communication by implementing "Island Visits".  This tool can be used after "de-escalation", when both partners have a relaxed nervous system.  The key principles and steps are provided below: Understand that on each island we speak "our own language"....