AuDHD Flourishing

Multiple times in the past week or two, clients have felt like they're failing miserably. But it turns out they're in complex, difficult, multifaceted situations that don't have an easy answer. Plus, it's easy to feel like we're never doing enough, or the right thing. If we're solving personal problems, world events loom large. If we're addressing world events, it feels like a drop in the bucket. Capitalism tells us that there's a straightforward, purchasable solution for every problem. That's a lie. You're probably doing really well relative to all the complicated issues you face, and the overall lack of support and resources most of us encounter. And if you really believe that's not true... this episode is especially for you! Link: Sign up for General Strike in US!Resources:Like Your Brain community spaceTranscript DocEmail Newsletter

Big feelings may be harder for monotropic people to handle. And if you have significant sensory sensitivity, the physical sensations can be overwhelming as well. This episode covers some of the ways I've been approaching grief and helplessness about Gaza. Links mentioned in show: Episode 15, How Feelings WorkLisa Feldman Barrett's book How Emotions Are MadeAl Jazeera article, ‘It’s not human’: What a French doctor saw in Gaza as Israel invaded RafahMacklemore song Hind's HallSign up for General Strike in US!Resources:Like Your Brain community spaceTranscript DocEmail Newsletter

You'll rarely catch me using the term "hack." But this concept around demand avoidance is working great for me, so far... TLDR: Shortcutting the PDA brain's ability to use pattern recognition to avoid tasks early in a sequence. Here's the Instagram video by Kristy Forbes that inspired this episode. While she suggests introducing new sensory details, I'm going the route of sincerely telling myself that we don't need to do the final thing. We're just gonna do this step. Note: even if this or Kristy's suggestion works for you, there's a good chance you'll get used to it in some form eventually! And that's okay. Sometimes we just have to keep finding new ways to work with our pattern-seeking brains. Resources:Like Your Brain community spaceTranscript DocEmail Newsletter

Wow, over 100K listens! People talk a lot about feeling safe being visible—being seen and heard either literally or through putting your work into the world. While I've done a lot of personal work being comfortable while visible, the Guardian article was a huge bump in visibility. To be fair, the "bad day" I reference was also the kidney infection kicking into full gear (see "Don't Die" a couple episodes ago). It's also a lot easier to be "brave" being visible when you get almost entirely positive feedback! That usually changes with more visibility. Enjoying this particular phase and trying not to worry about the next one. The Guardian article, "The sudden rise of AuDHD"

Answering a listener question about how to handle meltdowns and shutdowns at work, and around people you don't trust. This episode covers a few ways to both plan for, push away, and handle meltdowns once they're happening in a public place. Previous episodes about meltdowns: 13 Autistic Meltdowns & Shutdowns23 You Are Not a Burden (Mattia talking about a specific meltdown they had)6 Healing Relational Trauma (guest Pasha and Mattia talk about recent meltdowns around our partners)Resources:Like Your Brain community spaceTranscript DocEmail Newsletter

I almost died two weeks ago. It's easy to miss symptoms when one has low interoception and a high pain tolerance. Episode is around the difficulties seeking care... and why it's very worth it sometimes!p.s. episodes are coming out on Saturdays nowResources:Like Your Brain community spaceTranscript DocEmail NewsletterUK study questioning the oft-quoted statistic about autistic people living 16 years less long than allistic people. TLDR: Autistic people do seem to live less long on average, but as many people are undiagnosed, it's hard to get an accurate number.

Yes, still on about money. In this case, how we're sold the idea that it will exempt us from human suffering... but it will not! What would you do with your time if money truly were not an issue? Do you have any access to that now? Even if it looks different than you think it's supposed to? What's enjoyable, outside of the paradigm of earning or mastery?

Genevieve Joy and I have a lot in common, including excruciating childhoods that led to chronic pain. Both of us also healed that chronic pain through hypnosis and are now enthusiastic about the possibilities of working with the unconscious.Content note: There are no graphic depictions of trauma in this episode! However, the way we talk about our own healing journey could be triggering to someone who's in extreme pain at the moment. This is in part because we don't go into the nitty gritty details... it could sound dismissive because we're focusing on the "after." Please trust your body and stop listening if it's not for you at the moment.Connect with Genevieve: Her website, iamgenevievejoy.comHer podcast, Become Your Own SaviorResources:Like Your Brain community spaceTranscript DocEmail NewsletterHuberman Lab podcast about Placebo Effect on Biology & PhysiologyTry Hypnosis / Learn Self-Hypnosis

Fixing can be a trauma response. You don't need to heal everything! Especially in our very fixing-oriented culture that will sell you a solution to problems you didn't even realize you had.Body-based modalities and working with the unconscious (including hypnosis) are just tools. Just because the tool exists doesn't mean you have to use it. Because someone else healed from something doesn't mean you have to. This episode touches on some issues around working with the unconscious, including: You can work with your unconscious on your own Self-trust can be complicated if you have sensory issues or traumaExpectations matter a lot, including the vibe with the practitioner Demand avoidance and "tricking" the unconscious ND traits are not blocks to be fixed!Try Hypnosis / Learn Self-HypnosisResources:Like Your Brain community spaceTranscript DocEmail Newsletter