Divergent Conversations

Discover the complexities of neurodivergent attachment styles and relationships as Patrick Casale and Dr. Megan Anna Neff share personal stories and insights. Learn about unique challenges, sensory impacts, and the importance of communication in fostering healthy connections.

Explore the challenges of navigating the holiday season as neurodivergent individuals. Learn strategies for managing stress, setting boundaries, and finding moments of connection. Discover the importance of releasing expectations and embracing individual experiences.

Sandra Coral, somatic therapist, founder of Neurodivergent Narratives, discusses the impact of labels on neurodivergent individuals and the use of somatic therapy. Topics include narratives, empowerment through personal exploration, the significance of somatic work, interpreting behaviors in educational settings, and navigating privilege and power.

Dr. Megan Anna Neff, a mental health professional specializing in AuDHD, joins Patrick Casale to dive deep into rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD). They explore how RSD is masked and its profound effects on shame and connection. The conversation also highlights the links between RSD, PMDD, and different perspectives from ADHD and autistic individuals. Plus, they share practical strategies for managing RSD to foster a nurturing environment and emphasize the importance of understanding core needs to break the cycle of shame.

If you struggle with rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD), navigating social media can be complicated. Social media is both a place where many neurodivergent individuals are able to find connection and be seen, but it can also be a place where impulsivity and reactiveness can run rampant, both on the giving and receiving end of online conversations and posts.In this episode, Patrick Casale and Dr. Megan Anna Neff, two AuDHD mental health professionals, delve deep into the complex relationship between social media, rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD), setting boundaries, and mental well-being.Top 3 reasons to listen to the entire episode:Understand how to address RSD burnout with social media, as well as the important role that boundary-setting plays in helping you show up online with reduced intensity of RSD.Hear about some ways that Autistic individuals may experience social media differently, and even more positively, than allistic people and neurotypicals.Learn some RSD-symptom-reducing strategies to check yourself and check in with others when you are struggling with fear of being misunderstood.As you navigate the complexities of social media, remember to check in with yourself and establish your boundaries for the way you interact with others online and who you allow into your space. Don’t be afraid to unfollow someone or snooze posts from a friend. Make it your priority to protect your mental well-being and engage in a healthier way.Resources plus Exclusive Coupon CodeDr. Neff's Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria Workbook Bundle (Clinical Use): https://neurodivergentinsights.com/neurodivergentstore/p/rejection-sensitive-dysphoria-clinical Dr. Neff's Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria Workbook Bundle (Personal Use): https://neurodivergentinsights.com/neurodivergentstore/p/rejection-sensitive-dysphoria-bundleUse Code: “DivergentConversationsListener” To get 20% off anything in the shop, including the RSD bundle. Dr. Neff's free blog posts on RSD: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/blog/category/Rejection+Sensitive+Dysphoria The EFT attachment infinity loop can be downloaded here: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/couples-resources ——————————————————————————————————🎙️Listen to more episodes of the Divergent Conversations Podcast here🎙️Spotify🎙️Apple🎙️YouTube Music▶️ YouTube——————————————————————————————————Mentioned in this episode:The Autistic Burnout WorkbookI'm Dr. Megan Anna Neff, owner of Neurodivergent Insights, and I'm excited to announce the release of my book, The Autistic Burnout Workbook. I'm running a special deal for those who support my work. After you order, you will get a coupon code that you can use toward our store for the same amount. For example, the workbook costs $18.99, so after purchase, you'd get a credit of $18.99 to use in our digital shop or in our Etsy shop, which gets you another digital workbook of your choosing for free. This is technically a pre-order promotion that was originally set to end on March 10th, but for listeners of the podcast, I'm going to extend this deal, so if you buy the book in the next month, you can also redeem this special. Thank you for supporting my work. It means so much to me and I hope that you will find this a helpful resource for you as you continue to build a life that is a bit more resilient to autistic burnout. Use the following link to grab this offer: https://neurodivergentinsights.notion.site/17ea17a4bb8b8034ab2bf9b03c560a64 After this deal ends, you can use this link to purchase this workbook: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Autistic-Burnout-Workbook/Megan-Anna-Neff/9781507223062

Do you ever feel like you are more sensitive to rejection, teasing, criticism, or your own perception that you have failed or fallen short? Or maybe you know someone who seems to be particularly hard on themselves and reactive to others?Everyone experiences some reaction to rejection, but individuals with RSD find themselves more likely to perceive harsh rejection and criticism where there might be none and can sometimes feel like they live in a chronic state of rejection.In this episode, Patrick Casale and Dr. Megan Anna Neff, two AuDHD mental health professionals, dive deep into the complexities of rejection sensitivity dysphoria (RSD) and its impact on neurodivergent individuals and the people around them.Top 3 reasons to listen to the entire episode:Understand the impact of RSD and how it can lead to chronic pain, affect relationships, and cause avoidance behaviors in professional and personal settings.Hear about some ways that RSD can impact relationship dynamics and major life changes and decisions.Learn about treatments and strategies to help with RSD, as well as ways to adapt therapeutic modalities to be more effective with neurodivergent individuals.Rejection sensitivity dysphoria can be difficult to navigate both internally and externally and can have a profound impact on the way you experience the world, but there are ways to address it that can help with reducing the intensity around feelings of rejection and finding ways to improve relationships through collaborative communication around RSD.Resources plus Exclusive Coupon CodeDr. Neff's Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria Workbook Bundle (Clinical Use): https://neurodivergentinsights.com/neurodivergentstore/p/rejection-sensitive-dysphoria-clinical Dr. Neff's Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria Workbook Bundle (Personal Use): https://neurodivergentinsights.com/neurodivergentstore/p/rejection-sensitive-dysphoria-bundleUse Code: “DivergentConversationsListener” To get 20% off anything in the shop, including the RSD bundle. Dr. Neff's free blog posts on RSD: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/blog/category/Rejection+Sensitive+Dysphoria The EFT attachment infinity loop can be downloaded here: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/couples-resources ——————————————————————————————————🎙️Listen to more episodes of the Divergent Conversations Podcast here🎙️Spotify🎙️Apple🎙️YouTube Music▶️ YouTube——————————————————————————————————Mentioned in this episode:The Autistic Burnout WorkbookI'm Dr. Megan Anna Neff, owner of Neurodivergent Insights, and I'm excited to announce the release of my book, The Autistic Burnout Workbook. I'm running a special deal for those who support my work. After you order, you will get a coupon code that you can use toward our store for the same amount. For example, the workbook costs $18.99, so after purchase, you'd get a credit of $18.99 to use in our digital shop or in our Etsy shop, which gets you another digital workbook of your choosing for free. This is technically a pre-order promotion that was originally set to end on March 10th, but for listeners of the podcast, I'm going to extend this deal, so if you buy the book in the next month, you can also redeem this special. Thank you for supporting my work. It means so much to me and I hope that you will find this a helpful resource for you as you continue to build a life that is a bit more resilient to autistic burnout. Use the following link to grab this offer: https://neurodivergentinsights.notion.site/17ea17a4bb8b8034ab2bf9b03c560a64 After this deal ends, you can use this link to purchase this workbook: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Autistic-Burnout-Workbook/Megan-Anna-Neff/9781507223062

Explore the unique experiences of Autistic individuals without ADHD, including switching between masked and unmasked selves, sensory issues, demand avoidance, and parenting challenges. Discover insights on late autism diagnosis, unmasking authenticity, shutting out visual stimuli, navigating routines and stress behaviors, special interests, managing criticism, and supporting neurodivergent parents.

Jennifer Agee, a neurotypical mental health professional, joins Patrick Casale and Dr. Megan Anna Neff to discuss the contrasting experiences of neurotypicals and autistic individuals. They cover topics such as small talk, communication in neurodiverse relationships, travel experiences, and daily life. With personal stories and insights, the episode offers a glimpse into diverse ways of perceiving the world.

Dr. Donna Henderson, a non-Autistic ADHDer psychologist, discusses the differences between non-Autistic ADHDers and Autistic ADHDers, including topics like executive functioning, sensitivity, working memory, and self-care. The conversation explores how Autism and ADHD influence communication, relationships, and self-awareness. Dr. Henderson shares insights on breaking generic standards of healthy living to align with individual needs.

Autism and narcissism can sometimes get lumped together in conversations, but despite there being some seemingly overlapping traits, it is important to not generalize all people with narcissistic traits as individuals with a narcissistic personality disorder.In this episode, Patrick Casale and Dr. Megan Anna Neff, two AuDHD mental health professionals, talk about the stereotypes, misconceptions, and misunderstandings surrounding autism and narcissism, as well as the traits that are often perceived to go with them.Top 3 reasons to listen to the entire episode:Understand how social media, a more polarized society with low tolerance for disagreements, and privilege have impacted and shaped the use of the terms Autistic and narcissistic.Identify some of the ways and reasons that Autistic individuals may face challenges in perceiving the world from someone else's perspective, leading to misunderstandings in relationships and conflict in the workplace.Learn how communication styles, the ways autistic individuals find connection, and alexithymia can lead to mislabeling autistic people as unempathetic or narcissistic.Both diagnoses are complex and multifaceted, so join us in unraveling some of the complexities of narcissism and autism.*DISCLAIMER: Due to the limited time available in a podcast episode, we were only able to scratch the surface of the many nuances and conversations surrounding these complex diagnoses. We also want to emphasize that there are a lot of people with narcissistic personality disorder who are doing the work to get insight into it, so we don’t have the intention of putting down anyone who has received this diagnosis.This is only a glimpse into the topic, so we encourage your questions and comments and will try to address them when we are able to do so or in a future podcast episode. You can reach out to divergentconversations@gmail.com.——————————————————————————————————🎙️Listen to more episodes of the Divergent Conversations Podcast here🎙️Spotify🎙️Apple🎙️YouTube Music▶️ YouTube——————————————————————————————————Mentioned in this episode:The Autistic Burnout WorkbookI'm Dr. Megan Anna Neff, owner of Neurodivergent Insights, and I'm excited to announce the release of my book, The Autistic Burnout Workbook. I'm running a special deal for those who support my work. After you order, you will get a coupon code that you can use toward our store for the same amount. For example, the workbook costs $18.99, so after purchase, you'd get a credit of $18.99 to use in our digital shop or in our Etsy shop, which gets you another digital workbook of your choosing for free. This is technically a pre-order promotion that was originally set to end on March 10th, but for listeners of the podcast, I'm going to extend this deal, so if you buy the book in the next month, you can also redeem this special. Thank you for supporting my work. It means so much to me and I hope that you will find this a helpful resource for you as you continue to build a life that is a bit more resilient to autistic burnout. Use the following link to grab this offer: https://neurodivergentinsights.notion.site/17ea17a4bb8b8034ab2bf9b03c560a64 After this deal ends, you can use this link to purchase this workbook: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Autistic-Burnout-Workbook/Megan-Anna-Neff/9781507223062