On today’s episode we’re excited to welcome Dr. Megan Anna Neff to the podcast to chat with us about neurodivergence and self-care. Megan is a clinical psychologist, author, and the founder of Neurodivergent Insights. She’s written Self-Care for Autistic Peopleand has a new book on autistic burnout coming soon. Megan discovered her own neurodivergence at 37, which sparked her passion for raising awareness around non-stereotypical presentations of autism and ADHD. Through her work, she creates resources to support the neurodivergent community and co-hosts the Divergent Conversations podcast. 



On this episode we cover:
How Megan thinks about neurodivergence, including side quests into right brain / left brain ideas and the concept of time. (Trust us, it’s relevant!)
Megan’s path to discovering her own neurodivergence, and the relief and grief associated with that.
Understanding self-care within our socio-cultural context.
A re-imagined definition of self-care.
Examples of self-care strategies and ways that we can embed self-care into our everyday functioning.
Common blocks to self-care experienced by neurodivergent women, AFAB, and parents.
The experience of transitional identity for late diagnosed folks.
De-shaming from self-care strategies that may be perceived negatively or have unwanted unintended consequences.



Find Dr Neff’s work at her website - https://neurodivergentinsights.com/ - or listen to her on the Divergent Conversations podcast. She is also on Instagram @neurodivergent_insights. Follow her through your preferred medium to be notified when her new book on autistic burnout is released!



Want polished copies of our episodes in beautiful and readable pdf article format? Grab them here. 



Enjoyed the episode and want to support us further? Join our Patreon community! Patreon subscribers receive basic episode transcripts from Season 4 onwards, access to a monthly live zoom hang out, 50% off our episode articles, plus bonus monthly content (depending on subscription tier). 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.com

On today’s episode we’re excited to welcome Dr. Megan Anna Neff to the podcast to chat with us about neurodivergence and self-care. Megan is a clinical psychologist, author, and the founder of Neurodivergent Insights. She’s written <a href="https://neurodivergentinsights.com/self-care-for-autistic-people">Self-Care for Autistic People </a>and has a new book on autistic burnout coming soon. Megan discovered her own neurodivergence at 37, which sparked her passion for raising awareness around non-stereotypical presentations of autism and ADHD. Through her work, she creates resources to support the neurodivergent community and co-hosts the Divergent Conversations podcast. 
 
On this episode we cover:
<ol>
<li>How Megan thinks about neurodivergence, including side quests into right brain / left brain ideas and the concept of time. (Trust us, it’s relevant!)</li>
<li>Megan’s path to discovering her own neurodivergence, and the relief and grief associated with that.</li>
<li>Understanding self-care within our socio-cultural context.</li>
<li>A re-imagined definition of self-care.</li>
<li>Examples of self-care strategies and ways that we can embed self-care into our everyday functioning.</li>
<li>Common blocks to self-care experienced by neurodivergent women, AFAB, and parents.</li>
<li>The experience of transitional identity for late diagnosed folks.</li>
<li>De-shaming from self-care strategies that may be perceived negatively or have unwanted unintended consequences.</li>
</ol>
 
Find Dr Neff’s work at her website - <a href="https://neurodivergentinsights.com/">https://neurodivergentinsights.com/</a> - or listen to her on the Divergent Conversations podcast. She is also on Instagram @neurodivergent_insights. Follow her through your preferred medium to be notified when her new book on autistic burnout is released!
 
Want polished copies of our episodes in beautiful and readable pdf article format? Grab them <a href="https://www.ndwomanpod.com/transcripts">here</a>. 
 
Enjoyed the episode and want to support us further? Join our Patreon community! Patreon subscribers receive basic episode transcripts from Season 4 onwards, access to a monthly live zoom hang out, 50% off our episode articles, plus bonus monthly content (depending on subscription tier). Check out our Patreon page to support us, as we aim to make quality mental health care information accessible to everyone: <a href="http://www.patreon.com/ndwomanpod">www.patreon.com/ndwomanpod.</a>
 
Contact us at <a href="mailto:ndwomanpod@gmail.com">ndwomanpod@gmail.com</a>, or visit our website: <a href="http://www.ndwomanpod.com">www.ndwomanpod.com</a>

A podcast for neurodivergent women, hosted by clinical psychologist Monique Mitchelson and clinical neuropsychologist Michelle Livock. Covering Autism to ADHD and everything in between, we aim to educate and inspire women who think differently.

The Neurodivergent Woman

Self Care with Dr Megan Anna Neff

Announcing our first bundle sale!!



From Friday 29th of November to Monday 2nd of December you can access all 30 of our transcript articles for 50% off! (or 75% off if you’re part of our Patreon community).



So... what's a transcript article??



The transcript articles are about enhancing the accessibility of our content – we know that some people much prefer to read information rather than listen to it, and so these articles are fully edited and readable copies of our episodes, with hyperlinks to the research and key concepts we mention, space for reflections and notes, and a list of reflection questions at the back (from Season 6) to support you to think deeply about the content. Written resources like this are also an easier way of sharing our content with family, or your health care team, or with your clients / in trainings if you’re an allied health professional!



Mark your calendars for the 29th November—this offer is only available for a few days, and we’re so excited to share it with you!



Check out our socials or sign up to our mailing list to get notified as soon as the sale is live!!

Announcing our first bundle sale!!
 
From Friday 29th of November to Monday 2nd of December you can access all 30 of our transcript articles for 50% off! (or 75% off if you’re part of our <a href="patreon.com/ndwomanpod">Patreon community</a>).
 
So... what's a transcript article??
 
The transcript articles are about enhancing the accessibility of our content – we know that some people much prefer to read information rather than listen to it, and so these articles are fully edited and readable copies of our episodes, with hyperlinks to the research and key concepts we mention, space for reflections and notes, and a list of reflection questions at the back (from Season 6) to support you to think deeply about the content. Written resources like this are also an easier way of sharing our content with family, or your health care team, or with your clients / in trainings if you’re an allied health professional!
 
Mark your calendars for the 29th November—this offer is only available for a few days, and we’re so excited to share it with you!
 
Check out our socials or <a href="https://www.ndwomanpod.com/">sign up to our mailing list </a>to get notified as soon as the sale is live!!

Would you prefer to READ our episodes?? 

This week on the pod we chat with Marie Masse (pronounced ‘moss’) about special interests and creativity. Marie is part of our little ND Woman Pod team, and she has been the creative genius behind pretty much everything except the actual episodes themselves, so if you follow us on socials, or you’ve checked out our website, or you’ve downloaded one of our gorgeous PDF episode articles, you’ve definitely seen her work!



Marie is a late-identified 2e AuDHDer with two neurodivergent kids, navigating life with OCD and chronic health conditions —mostly from her creative sanctuary: a little cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains in the USA. During a period of trauma and burnout, Marie lost access to her most sacred interest—her creative process—but has since reclaimed it, proving that healing and recovery are possible. Since 2013, she has crafted over 300 creations—articles, digital tools, guides, books, podcast episodes, and transformative programs centred around story work. Her creations invite others to stay awake to the tiny stories that shape their lives and use them as opportunities to heal, thrive, and live fully expressed.



On this episode we cover:
 How Marie thinks about neurodivergence and her path to discovering her own neurodivergence.
How ‘special interests’ manifest for Marie.
The difference between Autistic, ADHD, and AuDHD special interests.
The centrality of special interests as an ‘organising force’ for autistic folk.
Marie’s experience of losing access to her creative process (her special interest).
The difference between living a ‘balanced’ life for neurotypicals, versus what ‘balance’ can look like for neurodivergent people.
Marie’s experience of her special interests in childhood.
How the internet has made interests and interest-based connections more accessible for neurodivergent folk.
Neurotypical special interests.
Marie explains ‘story work’.  



You can find Marie’s work through her website – www.dangerouslygoodstories.com – on Instagram @dangerouslygoodstories and @myneurodivergentjoy, or through her Substack (Live Like You Mean It).



Want polished copies of our episodes in beautiful and readable pdf article format? Grab them here. 



Enjoyed the episode and want to support us further? Join our Patreon community! Patreon subscribers receive basic episode transcripts from Season 4 onwards, access to a monthly live zoom hang out, 50% off our episode articles, plus bonus monthly content (depending on subscription tier). 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.com

This week on the pod we chat with Marie Masse (pronounced ‘moss’) about special interests and creativity. Marie is part of our little ND Woman Pod team, and she has been the creative genius behind pretty much everything except the actual episodes themselves, so if you follow us on socials, or you’ve checked out our website, or you’ve downloaded one of our gorgeous PDF episode articles, you’ve definitely seen her work!
 
Marie is a late-identified 2e AuDHDer with two neurodivergent kids, navigating life with OCD and chronic health conditions —mostly from her creative sanctuary: a little cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains in the USA. During a period of trauma and burnout, Marie lost access to her most sacred interest—her creative process—but has since reclaimed it, proving that healing and recovery are possible. Since 2013, she has crafted over 300 creations—articles, digital tools, guides, books, podcast episodes, and transformative programs centred around story work. Her creations invite others to stay awake to the tiny stories that shape their lives and use them as opportunities to heal, thrive, and live fully expressed.
 
<hr>
On this episode we cover:
<ol>
<li> How Marie thinks about neurodivergence and her path to discovering her own neurodivergence.</li>
<li>How ‘special interests’ manifest for Marie.</li>
<li>The difference between Autistic, ADHD, and AuDHD special interests.</li>
<li>The centrality of special interests as an ‘organising force’ for autistic folk.</li>
<li>Marie’s experience of losing access to her creative process (her special interest).</li>
<li>The difference between living a ‘balanced’ life for neurotypicals, versus what ‘balance’ can look like for neurodivergent people.</li>
<li>Marie’s experience of her special interests in childhood.</li>
<li>How the internet has made interests and interest-based connections more accessible for neurodivergent folk.</li>
<li>Neurotypical special interests.</li>
<li>Marie explains ‘story work’.  </li>
</ol>
<hr>
 
You can find Marie’s work through her website – <a href="http://www.dangerouslygoodstories.com">www.dangerouslygoodstories.com</a> – on Instagram @dangerouslygoodstories and @myneurodivergentjoy, or through her Substack (Live Like You Mean It).
 
Want polished copies of our episodes in beautiful and readable pdf article format? Grab them <a href="https://www.ndwomanpod.com/transcripts">here</a>. 
 
Enjoyed the episode and want to support us further? Join our Patreon community! Patreon subscribers receive basic episode transcripts from Season 4 onwards, access to a monthly live zoom hang out, 50% off our episode articles, plus bonus monthly content (depending on subscription tier). Check out our Patreon page to support us, as we aim to make quality mental health care information accessible to everyone: <a href="http://www.patreon.com/ndwomanpod">www.patreon.com/ndwomanpod.</a>
 
Contact us at <a href="mailto:ndwomanpod@gmail.com">ndwomanpod@gmail.com</a>, or visit our website: <a href="http://www.ndwomanpod.com">www.ndwomanpod.com</a>

Special Interests and Creativity with Marie Masse

Today’s guest is Jess Rowlings. Jess is the CEO and co-founder of Next Level Collaboration, as well as a qualified speech and language therapist. She also works as a researcher at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education, and previously Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. Jess is an adult diagnosed AuDHDer and has a lifelong love of games, both of which inform her work and research. As a researcher, she is passionate about the use of digital games-based learning to promote inclusion and a sense of belonging, and her work has included developing and running a dedicated Minecraft server to support neurodivergent girls and women.



Monique and Jess cover:
Jess’ path to identifying her own neurodivergence.
Her research on gaming and neurodivergence.
How gaming can support both sides of the AuDHD brain, what it can tell us about a person’s problem-solving style, and how it can promote collaborative problem-solving skills.
Jess’ relationship to gaming throughout her life, and the purpose gaming has served for her.
Gender in gaming, including the popularity of gaming amongst adult women, blocks to gaming accessibility for girls, women, and AFAB folk, and Jess’ suggestions around what parents and adult gamers can do to have safer and more accessible gaming spaces.
The huge variety of experiences and play options that come under the ‘gaming’ umbrella and how this has evolved over time.
Discussion on the potential negative effects of gaming, including recognising active vs. passive screen time, the balance of gaming with other life activities, and what parents and adult gamers can do to support healthy gaming activity.
The importance of taking kids’ interest and strength in gaming seriously.
The many benefits of gaming for neurodivergent folk.





You can find Jess on LinkedIn or Twitter @JessRowlings, or through Next Level Collaboration. Jess has also co-written a book with Matthew Harrison - Press B to Belong – on creating inclusive Esports programs for school communities.



This episode with Jess is kicking off a little mini-series we have planned for you on neurodivergent joy; next week we’ll be talking about special interests and creative expression, followed by self-care and self-nurturance. We hope you enjoy!



Want polished copies of our episodes in beautiful and readable pdf article format? Grab them here. 



Enjoyed the episode and want to support us further? Join our Patreon community! Patreon subscribers receive basic episode transcripts from Season 4 onwards, access to a monthly live zoom hang out, 50% off our episode articles, plus bonus monthly content (depending on subscription tier). 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.com

Today’s guest is Jess Rowlings. Jess is the CEO and co-founder of Next Level Collaboration, as well as a qualified speech and language therapist. She also works as a researcher at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education, and previously Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. Jess is an adult diagnosed AuDHDer and has a lifelong love of games, both of which inform her work and research. As a researcher, she is passionate about the use of digital games-based learning to promote inclusion and a sense of belonging, and her work has included developing and running a dedicated Minecraft server to support neurodivergent girls and women.
 
Monique and Jess cover:
<ol>
<li>Jess’ path to identifying her own neurodivergence.</li>
<li>Her research on gaming and neurodivergence.</li>
<li>How gaming can support both sides of the AuDHD brain, what it can tell us about a person’s problem-solving style, and how it can promote collaborative problem-solving skills.</li>
<li>Jess’ relationship to gaming throughout her life, and the purpose gaming has served for her.</li>
<li>Gender in gaming, including the popularity of gaming amongst adult women, blocks to gaming accessibility for girls, women, and AFAB folk, and Jess’ suggestions around what parents and adult gamers can do to have safer and more accessible gaming spaces.</li>
<li>The huge variety of experiences and play options that come under the ‘gaming’ umbrella and how this has evolved over time.</li>
<li>Discussion on the potential negative effects of gaming, including recognising active vs. passive screen time, the balance of gaming with other life activities, and what parents and adult gamers can do to support healthy gaming activity.</li>
<li>The importance of taking kids’ interest and strength in gaming seriously.</li>
<li>The many benefits of gaming for neurodivergent folk.</li>
</ol>
 
 
You can find Jess on LinkedIn or Twitter @JessRowlings, or through <a href="https://nextlevelcollaboration.com/">Next Level Collaboration</a>. Jess has also co-written a book with Matthew Harrison - <a href="https://bookstore.emerald.com/press-b-to-belong-hb-9781804559277.html">Press B to Belong</a> – on creating inclusive Esports programs for school communities.
 
This episode with Jess is kicking off a little mini-series we have planned for you on neurodivergent joy; next week we’ll be talking about special interests and creative expression, followed by self-care and self-nurturance. We hope you enjoy!
 
Want polished copies of our episodes in beautiful and readable pdf article format? Grab them <a href="https://www.ndwomanpod.com/transcripts">here</a>. 
 
Enjoyed the episode and want to support us further? Join our Patreon community! Patreon subscribers receive basic episode transcripts from Season 4 onwards, access to a monthly live zoom hang out, 50% off our episode articles, plus bonus monthly content (depending on subscription tier). Check out our Patreon page to support us, as we aim to make quality mental health care information accessible to everyone: <a href="http://www.patreon.com/ndwomanpod">www.patreon.com/ndwomanpod.</a>
 
Contact us at <a href="mailto:ndwomanpod@gmail.com">ndwomanpod@gmail.com</a>, or visit our website: <a href="http://www.ndwomanpod.com">www.ndwomanpod.com</a>

Self Care with Dr Megan Anna Neff

The Neurodivergent Woman

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