The Misophonia Podcast

This week I’m very happy to bring back Lila, a past guest from August 2023. If you recall that interview, Lila had pretty severe misophonia and was even being triggered by a neighbor during our call. A lot has changed for her in the past couple of years - she is now on the other side of the world, back in the US. She tells her story of recently successfully overcoming misophonia. The modality she...

In this episode of Between Two Ears , I share highlights from my recent experience at MisoCon 2024 (The Misophonia Association convention in Atlanta). I discuss key presentations, including Dr. Jane Gregory’s insights on reframing sound experiences for managing misophonia and Jaelline Jaffe’s exploration of connections between childhood experiences and misophonia. I also reflect on the importance...

Paula is a psychology student in France.  Paula first noticed misophonia when she was 13 or 14 years old and felt intense emotions when hearing eating sounds. It took several years for her to discover that misophonia was a real condition. Paula's parents were supportive but initially didn't understand what she was going through. She coped by eating at home and avoiding triggering situati...

Rodrigo is a sales exec at a flower factory based outside of Mexico City. He shares his earliest memories of misophonia and how it escalated during college. Rodrigo discusses coping methods, a blow-up with a neighbor over a barking dog, and the impact of misophonia on his relationships with family and partners. Rodrigo shares his experience of finding relief and understanding through the misophoni...

Deb is a New Yorker who has just recently been starting to put together the story of her misophonia. We discuss many of her childhood experiences including some of the chaos that resulted in a lot of tension  in the house growing up. Deb also talks about her marriage and the lack of emotional connection she had with her husband. She reflects on the gifts of high sensitivity and the challenges of m...

Georgie is a recent neuroscience and psychology dual degree grad from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Georgie’s childhood shares many characteristics that I’ve found to be common among us, that is periods of walking on eggshells, turbulence and volatility.  She also mentions other sensory sensitivities, such as visual triggers and sensitivity to vibrations. Georgie talks about her coping meth...

Alana is a security intelligence professional, writer and coach and many other things that are too long to list, plus wife and mom of 3 based in Orange County California. She shares her experiences with misophonia throughout her life, as well other things she has experienced earlier in life including some rather traumatic experiences and an eating order. She discusses how misophonia has affected h...

Klaus is an executive in Germany. He shares his experience with misophonia and how it has affected his career and personal life. We talk about growing up in an early family life that was very old-fashioned and rigid, and where he also had a brother who presented signs of possible OCD, and parents who could not understand and were constantly trying to discipline. He discusses the challenges of work...

Tomasz is a primary care doctor from Poland, We talk about how misophonia is not well-known in Poland and is often misunderstood. Tomas explains that his triggers are mostly connected to people he knows well, such as family and close friends. He also mentions being triggered by eating sounds and labored breathing. Tomas discusses how he explains misophonia to others, often using a neurobiological...

Dr. Jennifer Brout, Mary, and Liz discuss their experiences as parents of children with misophonia and how they have preserved family relationships. They share their personal journeys of understanding and accepting misophonia, as well as the stages of grief and growth they went through. They emphasize the importance of accommodation, communication, and empathy within the family. They also discuss...

Tracey and Leah are a mother and daughter living near Philadelphia who both have misophonia, and in fact Leah attends the same school Tracey teaches at. We talk about their first triggers and how they were received across the decades. We talk about how Tracey’s misophnonia informs how she helps her daughter. Tracey also shares how Buddhism has helped her and Leah talks about accommodations she get...

Marina is originally from Romania and now lives in the UK. Like many others who have been on the podcast recently, Marina only recently found out about misophonia and has been learning as much as she can and has been diving into the book Sounds Like Misophonia by Dr. Jane Gregory and I. We talk about the challenging environment of her childhood with an alcoholic father, there is mention of abuse i...

Emily lives in a small town in Georgia. She only recently learned about misophonia and that others share the experience she has felt most of her life. This is the first time she’s spoken with another misophone about it. She recalls the earliest triggers she experienced as a child from her brothers, and how she tried to suppress her reactions. We talk about common triggers like whistling and bounci...

Ben is from Kentucky and now lives and works in Indiana. This is the first time Ben has talked about misophonia and he shares a lifetime of experiences going back to his toddler years which had some very negative events and I want to just issue a content warning that there is some discussion of abuse at the hands of a babysitter. He discusses his early memories of being triggered by chewing gum an...

Jennifer is from North Carolina. We talk about her early memories from her toddler years. She talks about her journey of seeking therapy and eventually being diagnosed with ADHD, which provided some understanding and accommodations. We talk about the potential interplay between genetics, early childhood development, and trauma. How stress and cortisol levels may exacerbate symptoms, and even talk...

Rosie is based in Newcastle and heard about the podcast from Newcastle-based misophonia researcher Paris Ash. She first noticed it as a teenager with the sound of her mom’s chewing, later expanded to include other people and sounds. She struggled with guilt and shame and felt misunderstood by her family. Rosie found support from her understanding sister and her partner, who create spaces where she...

Bahar is a screenwriter and filmmaker based in Iran who created the short film 'Quarantine Redemption’, a 13-minute musical comedy with no dialogue about misophonia in an apartment during the COVID pandemic. We talk about her interest in exploring sound and psychology in her work. She explains that while she doesn't have misophonia herself, she believes that sound plays a significant rol...

Luis is a translator based in Puerto Rico. Luis’ misophonia came up actually since the pandemic and he discusses the triggers he faces, such as construction noises and noises in places he’s lived. We spend a lot of time talking about empathy, or lack thereof from friends, family, and workplaces, and the challenges of finding understanding and validation. We also talk about the potential overlap wi...

Maja is a college student in Connecticut studying psychology. We spend a lot of time talking about her past, and the strained relationships with her family members that she had growing up and how they were impacted by misophonia. We hear about her father’s volatility and trouble with alcohol, the difficulty in being understood and accommodated at home. We talk about life at school and with friends...

Rachel is a barista and bartender in Philadelphia. We talk about her early experiences with misophonia, coming at a young age which was a turbulent and volatile at home. We talk about how she has been unpacking a lot of this during her recent findings during her own therapy. She also talks about her college experience and the coping strategies she developed like breathing and meditation practices...

This week I’m bringing back a guest who has been one of the most popular guests on the show. Kresta is a trama therapist and founder of Misophonia Freedom Lab. If you recall Kresta had misophonia and says she has been able to overcome it. We talk about that of course, but we also focus on the idea of HSP, highly-sensitive people. There is overlap between the two and I think it’s always illuminatin...

Taylor is a project manager in California. Taylor talks about her home life and how growing up with alcoholic parents may have contributed to her misophonia. She also discuss their hypersensitivity and how it affects her relationships. She shares her experiences in school and the support she received from teachers along the way. She shares how she copes with triggers and the importance of supporti...

This week I'm talking to Bob, from Liverpool. He shares his experience with misophonia and how it has impacted his life. He discusses his early triggers and reactions, as well as the lack of understanding and resentment he felt from his family. Bob also talks about the expansion of his triggers and the sensory issues he faces. He explores the role of the amygdala in misophonia and the challen...

I’m excited to have back on the show, Dr. Jennifer Brout.  We discuss various aspects of misophonia, including family accommodations, coping skills, and the importance of research. Jennifer emphasizes the need for more research on family functioning and children's development in relation to misophonia. We also talk about the role of epigenetics in gene expression and the potential adaptive na...

Esther is a student in the UK. She talks about her journey of healing through prayer and the positive impact it has had on her misophonia. She discusses the challenges she faced in school and how she found relief through noise-canceling headphones. Esther emphasizes the importance of supportive relationships and understanding from family and friends. She encourages others to explore the connection...