The Neurodivergent Woman

Welcome to Season 3 of the pod! In this episode Michelle and Monique discuss the overlap and the differences between Autism and ADHD. We cover the differences in presentation of the two, and what it looks like to have both an Autistic and ADHD brain, across executive functioning, special interest, social processing, and sensory processing domains. We also explore the diagnostic criteria for both Autism and ADHD; what is being measured through these criteria and what are other possible explanations for Autistic and ADHD traits.   Want polished copies of our episodes in pdf article format? Grab them here.   Enjoyed this episode and want more content? Join our Patreon community! Patreon subscribers receive ad-free episodes, basic episode transcripts from Season 4 onwards, 50% off our episode articles, plus access to a huge backlog of bonus content, including bonus episodes, access to online courses, tip sheets and workbooks, and guided meditation practices. Check out our Patreon page to support us, as we aim to make quality mental health care information accessible to everyone: www.patreon.com/ndwomanpod.   Contact us at ndwomanpod@gmail.com, or visit our website: www.ndwomanpod.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Annie Crowe, a neurodivergent lawyer, discusses her late diagnosis and struggles with disordered eating. The podcast explores the overlap between neurodivergence and eating disorders, barriers to effective treatment, and the importance of tailored support for neurodivergent individuals.

This week we chat about interoception and alexithymia. We unpack what these concepts mean, and the difference between the two, including understanding our embodied experiences and emotional awareness. We describe some activities to build interoceptive awareness.    A handout detailing the interoceptive activity described on the podcast will be available on our Patreon this month!   Want polished copies of our episodes in pdf article format? Grab them here.   Enjoyed this episode and want more content? Join our Patreon community! Patreon subscribers receive ad-free episodes, basic episode transcripts from Season 4 onwards, 50% off our episode articles, plus access to a huge backlog of bonus content, including bonus episodes, access to online courses, tip sheets and workbooks, and guided meditation practices. Check out our Patreon page to support us, as we aim to make quality mental health care information accessible to everyone: www.patreon.com/ndwomanpod.   Contact us at ndwomanpod@gmail.com, or visit our website: www.ndwomanpod.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest this week is Paige Krystal Wilcox. Paige is an award-winning activist and author, and she uses the Intentional Storytelling method to create compelling stories that counter unhealthy or unhelpful bias, tropes, and stereotypes in mainstream media. Paige is a neurodivergent woman who was assigned male at birth, and she does not use the labels trans or transgender.   In this episode we discuss the power of stories as a communication tool and the importance of representation in media. Paige shares with us her method for creating complex and diverse characters. We unpack ‘intersectionality’ and what this has meant for Paige throughout her life, and the personal strengths and challenges that have come from her neurodivergences and life experiences. Finally, Paige shares some of the accommodations she has in the workplace and she extols the benefits of spreadsheets and walking!  Paige’s books: My Life Most Memoirable  Before We Pulled The Trigger    Paige’s podcasts: Listen More with Page Krystal Wilcox  Paisal: A True RomCom   Want polished copies of our episodes in pdf article format? Grab them here.   Enjoyed this episode and want more content? Join our Patreon community! Patreon subscribers receive ad-free episodes, basic episode transcripts from Season 4 onwards, 50% off our episode articles, plus access to a huge backlog of bonus content, including bonus episodes, access to online courses, tip sheets and workbooks, and guided meditation practices. Check out our Patreon page to support us, as we aim to make quality mental health care information accessible to everyone: www.patreon.com/ndwomanpod.   Contact us at ndwomanpod@gmail.com, or visit our website: www.ndwomanpod.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we discuss some of the strengths and challenges in parenting neurodivergent kids, whilst being neurodivergent yourself. We talk through the heritability of neurodivergence, intergenerational impacts of this, and the importance of knowing yourself to best know and support your child. We address boundary setting, managing conflicting sensory needs, teaching interoception, and managing expectations.   Want polished copies of our episodes in pdf article format? Grab them here.   Enjoyed this episode and want more content? Join our Patreon community! Patreon subscribers receive ad-free episodes, basic episode transcripts from Season 4 onwards, 50% off our episode articles, plus access to a huge backlog of bonus content, including bonus episodes, access to online courses, tip sheets and workbooks, and guided meditation practices. Check out our Patreon page to support us, as we aim to make quality mental health care information accessible to everyone: www.patreon.com/ndwomanpod.   Contact us at ndwomanpod@gmail.com, or visit our website: www.ndwomanpod.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week’s episode we interview clinical psychologist, Amanda Donnet. Amanda works at the intersection of infant feeding, mental health, and early parenting, and she works from a Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) framework. She champions finding solutions that honour the needs of both parents and baby, bringing fierce compassion to perinatal mental health.   In this episode we discuss common mental health challenges in the perinatal period and the intersection of society, gender, and neurodiversity in the perinatal mental health space. We unpack some common CFT-based frameworks and approaches in this space, and talk though loads of practical strategies, coving maternal rage in the perinatal period, managing sensory and executive functioning load, and how to manage both mother and baby’s needs during this time.   This episode is packed with information! This month our Patreon subscribers receive a tip sheet detailing many of the great strategies mentioned in the episode. Check out our Patreon page for this and more exclusive additional content: www.patreon.com/ndwomanpod   Want polished copies of our episodes in pdf article format? Grab them here.   Enjoyed this episode and want more content? Join our Patreon community! Patreon subscribers receive ad-free episodes, basic episode transcripts from Season 4 onwards, 50% off our episode articles, plus access to a huge backlog of bonus content, including bonus episodes, access to online courses, tip sheets and workbooks, and guided meditation practices. Check out our Patreon page to support us, as we aim to make quality mental health care information accessible to everyone: www.patreon.com/ndwomanpod.   Contact us at ndwomanpod@gmail.com, or visit our website: www.ndwomanpod.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This podcast delves into the complexities of chronic disordered sleep, discussing its impact on emotional regulation and its connection to trauma, anxiety, depression, and pain conditions. Monique explains how sleep disorders are assessed and treated, touching on the sleep drive and sleep consolidation for better sleep. Strategies for overcoming insomnia, managing arousal state, enhancing sleep quality, and seeking professional help are also explored.

This week Monique and Michelle interview neurodivergent woman, epidemiologist, and mental health researcher, Dr Holly Erskine. Holly’s PhD research focussed on the global epidemiology of ADHD and conduct disorder as well as the long-term outcomes associated with these. She now leads an international project looking at mental health in adolescents in Kenya, Indonesia, and Vietnam.   In this episode we discuss with Holly her experience of synaesthesia and she explains to us just how grapheme-colour synaesthesia works. Holly also describes her research on ADHD epidemiology, including prevalence data, long term outcomes for ADHDers, and the surprising (or maybe not!) connection between ADHD and driving accidents. We discuss disability and disorder terminology versus ‘difference’, and unpack some of the intricacies and inadequacies of language.   To explore more about GBD data visit GBD compare at: https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-compare/   A caveat: Dr Holly Erskine is not associated with the Deloitte report mentioned in the episode.   Want polished copies of our episodes in pdf article format? Grab them here.   Enjoyed this episode and want more content? Join our Patreon community! Patreon subscribers receive ad-free episodes, basic episode transcripts from Season 4 onwards, 50% off our episode articles, plus access to a huge backlog of bonus content, including bonus episodes, access to online courses, tip sheets and workbooks, and guided meditation practices. Check out our Patreon page to support us, as we aim to make quality mental health care information accessible to everyone: www.patreon.com/ndwomanpod.   Contact us at ndwomanpod@gmail.com or visit www.ndwomanpod.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode we discuss the overlap between neurodivergence, chronic pain, and autoimmune conditions. We review information on the prevalence of chronic pain and autoimmune conditions in neurodivergent women and discuss what can contribute to these conditions in neurodivergent women. Finally, we go through some strategies on how to manage the ‘boom and bust’ of chronic health conditions.   Enjoyed this episode and want more content? Join our Patreon community! Patreon subscribers receive ad-free episodes, basic episode transcripts from Season 4 onwards, 50% off our episode articles, plus access to a huge backlog of bonus content, including bonus episodes, access to online courses, tip sheets and workbooks, and guided meditation practices. Check out our Patreon page to support us, as we aim to make quality mental health care information accessible to everyone: www.patreon.com/ndwomanpod.   Contact us at ndwomanpod@gmail.com or visit www.ndwomanpod.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week is part 1 of a two-part sleep series. We discuss sleep cycles, common sleep issues and sleep disorders in neurodivergent people, and what can contribute to or cause sleeping issues. We go through some strategies to support healthy sleep, and what to do if you’re worried about your sleep.   In part 2 of the sleep series, to be released on 21st March, we will dive into clinical sleep disorders and how to treat them.   Enjoyed this episode and want more content? Join our Patreon community! Patreon subscribers receive ad-free episodes, basic episode transcripts from Season 4 onwards, 50% off our episode articles, plus access to a huge backlog of bonus content, including bonus episodes, access to online courses, tip sheets and workbooks, and guided meditation practices. Check out our Patreon page to support us, as we aim to make quality mental health care information accessible to everyone: www.patreon.com/ndwomanpod.   Contact us at ndwomanpod@gmail.com or visit www.ndwomanpod.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.