PODCAST · health
Crazy Together
by Marcus & Esme O’Kayvius
If you’re sick and tired of listening to the negative talk track playing in your head, then why not listen to us instead? We are Marcus and Esme O’Kayvius (not our real names), a married, neurodivergent couple with a lot of experience managing our own mental health issues while raising a daughter and navigating the dystopic hellscape that is corporate America. Join us each week as we discuss trending mental health issues and explore how they impact our health and wellness. We’ll also examine the myths and misconceptions associated with mental health and what we can do about them. Visit our website: crazytogetherpod.com
Episodes
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149. HYPERFOCUS BONUS: Self-Care, Psychopathy, and Halloween Preparations
Esme’s back! And within the first few minutes of the episode, she confirms that: a) she’s doing what she needs to to take care of herself, b) Marcus is not a psychopath, and c) Canada’s worst export is the thistle weed which bears that proud country’s name. Marcus and Esme also discuss the amount...
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148. ADHD Under Pressure
Marcus is flying solo on this episode while Esme practices self-care. Today’s topic: Do people with adhd perform better under pressure? Spoiler alert: Yes, we do. However, this is very much one of those “double-edged sword” issues. Sometimes, being great at something is a real challenge if that...
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147. HYPERFOCUS BONUS: Book Wins and Football Losses
Marcus and Esme readily admit they are not perfect parents, but they do feel like they got at least one thing more or less right. They always prized, valued, and enjoyed time spent reading to their daughter. Eventually, their daughter learned to read on her own and, like most voracious readers,...
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146. ADHD Treatment Options
Marcus and Esme are alive and well and (mostly) disease free! To celebrate their newly recovered health and ADHD Awareness Month (Happy Hard, everyone!) they’ve decided to discuss ADHD treatment options. And not just any treatment options, mind you. They’ve decided to discuss the type of…
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145. HYPERFOCUS BONUS: Happy Hard Month 2026
In this week's Hyperfocus Bonus, Marcus and Esme pitch ideas to spice up ADHD awareness month. Then, Marcus identifies a plot hole in the 1990-something thriller The Fugitive, and Esme demands an end to the pumpkin spice- and apple cinnamon-bombardment of peoples’ olfactory senses during the fall...
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144. Whimsy Revisited
Sickness has descended on the O’Kayvious household again, and this time Marcus and Esme are both down for the count. However, because they felt like they could use a shot of something fun and enjoyable they decided to replay their episode about whimsy from earlier this year. Join Marcus and Esme…
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143. HYPERFOCUS BONUS: Church for Broads and the Fate of Principled Irish Musicians
Marcus and Esme make an effort to watch the same TV shows and movies together whenever possible. However, subject matter sometimes interferes and results in one of them begging out of the viewing experience. Case in point: Esme recently watched a program that Marcus noped out of in the first five...
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142. A Mostly Good News Story About Person-Centered Therapy: Part 2
MKULTRA, Human Potential Movement-inspired sex cults, and “The Troubles” in Northern Ireland . . . these are just some of the topics Marcus and Esme make passing reference to in this week’s episode, so don’t get your hopes up. Or, maybe you should get your hopes up! Because Marcus and Esme…
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141. HYPERFOCUS BONUS: Learning is Magical, Unless it's Scary or Boring
Some lessons have the power to open our minds, and to expand our understanding of the universe and the possibilities within it. Other lessons just scare the crap out of us. Or they reveal how something that seems pretty cool at first glance might actually be pretty stupid. Esme explains how she...
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140. A Mostly Good News Story About Person-Centered Therapy: Part 1
Marcus believes the Road Runner cartoons are some of the greatest existential and allegorical works of art ever created. While this might feel like more of a Friday topic, we assure you it is directly relevant to today’s discussion and will make complete sense if you listen to the whole episode.…
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139. HYPERFOCUS BONUS: Can’t Get Enough of Your Emotional Cues, Babe
September 12 is a very special date, because it was on that date in the year of our lord nineteen hundred and forty-four that a special man was born. A man whose bass-baritone voice, soulful grooves, and silky-smooth string arrangements would serve as the soundtrack for many a romantic evening.…
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138. False Memories, Abuse, and Power: Part 2
WARNING: It’s part 2 of Crazy Together’s exploration of the research and legacy of Elizabeth Loftus, PhD and emotions are running high! Loftus, as you’ll no doubt recall from last week’s episode, is best known for her contributions to our understanding of the malleability and fallibility of human...
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137. HYPERFOCUS BONUS: British Things That Do or Don’t Deliver
There is a strong connection between dopamine and the things we find entertaining. Our brains release dopamine when we anticipate we’re going to enjoy something, like playing a game or watching a movie. It pushes us to take action. When we find something we like, we get another little shot of...
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136. False Memories, Abuse, and Power: Part 1
How would you react if someone told you they could link such seemingly disparate topics as the Satanic Panic of the 1980s and ‘90s, the discrediting of a once popular form of psychotherapy, and the criminal trials of Robert Durst, Harvey Weinstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell all in one podcast…
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135. Movie Night: Title Redacted!
It’s time for another Movie Night! What are Marcus andEsme watching, and why have they decided to leave the name of the film out of the episode title? Well, it’s not that they don’t trust you. They are just a little worried that their audience, who they know to be educated, refined, and highly...
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134. HYPERFOCUS BONUS: Going All in on Watercolors and Medieval Lore
What does it mean to go all in on something? Well, sometimes you have to go all in if you want to get all out. And even though the previous sentence made absolutely no sense whatsoever, we’re keeping it in the description because writing introductory paragraphs can be difficult. In this week’s...
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133. The Rise and Fall of Positive Psychology: Part 2
WARNING! This episode discusses the positive psychology movement’s fall from grace. As such, listeners who have endured the “horrors” wrought by positive psychology in schools and in the workplace might feel some degree of Schadenfreude, a fancy German word that means you’re happy because someone...
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132. HYPERFOCUS BONUS: When Two Things are the Same Thing but Different
In defiance of the laws of grammar and common sense, Marcus and Esme ask the question, “What is the difference between two things that are very similar to one another, except in the ways in which they are different?” In Esme’s case, she explores the ways in which two activities (watercolor…
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131. The Rise and Fall of Positive Psychology: Part 1
Do you feel pressured to maintain a super positive attitude in the workplace? Are you sick of engagement surveys? Do you wish that the word “grit” was only used to describe the relative coarseness of sandpaper? If you answered yes to any of the questions above, you might have a bone to pick with…
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130. HYPERFOCUS BONUS: Glitzy Travel Journal Raises Questions About Esme’s Street Cred
Has Esme been lying about an important biographical detail? Longtime listeners will know that Marcus and Esme both come from the same county in southeast Pennsylvania, but they grew up on “different sides of the tracks.” For her part, Esme grew up in a part of Delaware County she lovingly refers…
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129. Psychedelics and Mental Health Treatment
Is it possible that the same mind-altering drugs you turned down in college because you hated jam bands (or the drugs you gladly accepted because that’s what college is for) could have tremendous potential as treatments for a whole host of mental health issues and challenges? As it turns out…
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128. HYPERFOCUS BONUS: HYPERFOCUS BONUS: We Saw the Summer Blockbuster Everyone is Talking About and it’s Okay!
What happens when you mix epic poetry, big budget filmmaking, a huge marketing budget, and the very loud opinions of some of the internet’s dumbest trolls? You get The Odyssey, a 3-hour long action-adventure extravaganza from the reigning champion of summer blockbuster movies Christopher Nolan....
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127. Is Workday’s AI Making Biased Hiring Decisions?
This episode is dedicated to anyone who has submitted a job application through Workday. Marcus and Esme want you to know they see you. All 100,000 or 500,000 or several million of you (it’s difficult to say exactly how many people have used the platform, but it’s safe to say it’s a lot).…
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126. HYPERFOCUS BONUS: Bad Audio, Compassionate Drill Sergeants, and Brave Admissions
Marcus and Esme continue to persevere in the face of unanticipated audio issues that may or may not be supernatural in nature. Anyone who knows of a good AV tech /Exorcist is encouraged to reach out to the show with their contact information. Marcus and Esme share some highlights of a recent trip...
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125. What If We Are Not a Glitch in the System?
What if neurodivergence isn’t some sort of genetic glitch? What if our facility with hyperfocus, pattern recognition, and rapid threat detection are actually vital survival advantages that have enabled the evolution of all people? What if, against all odds, we are the linchpin of human survival?…
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124. The Bottom-Up & Top-Down Thinking EXTRAVAGANZA
Why do neurodivergent and neurotypical people often think and behave differently from one another, and why do they struggle to see things from each other’s perspective? While there are a variety of reasons that might explain these differences, Marcus and Esme explore one that they think is...
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123. HYPERFOCUS BONUS: Be quiet and don’t shop drunk (or lessons learned in Paris)
She’s back! Esme and Marcus continue the discussion about the Power of Novelty (episode 122) as they recall some of the lessons they learned on a trip to Paris. Later, Esme shares a recommendation for a book series about a group of witches, vampires, and demons who make a solemn pact to keep…
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122. The Power of Novelty
Esme-heads: prepare to be disappointed. Or, prepare to be delightfully surprised! Such is the power of novel experiences. Marcus is flying solo this week. And while he realizes the throngs of Esme fans out there might be loath to listen to him meander his way through an episode without the…
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121. HYPERFOCUS REWIND: Who’s That Lady (Doing All That Sewing)?
Just because Marcus and Esme are taking a little bit of time off to celebrate the Fourth of July weekend doesn't mean they have forgotten about you, dear listener. To ensure you get your weekly fix of their unique brand of neurodivergent meandering, they've decided to replay one of their most...
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120. When Neurotech met Neurowellness (I’ll have what she’s having)
What do you get when you cross peer-reviewed, academically rigorous neuroscience with the super-squishy feels-based world of wellness? A lot of FCC compliant (but not FDA approved) devices, a little bit of hope, and, sadly, far too many broken promises. Marcus and Esme discuss the burgeoning…
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119. HYPERFOCUS BONUS: There is crying in both baseball and Regency era England
Is there crying in baseball? As it turns out, yes. And Marcus tells the tale of how he learned you absolutely cannot weaponize a legendary player’s emotional farewell against a rival team’s fan base, no matter how much they might deserve it. Also, Esme reveals the two key lessons at the heart of...
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118. What Does it Mean to be a Protector?
“Do you really think you’re tougher than Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt or Lord of Winterfell, Ned Stark?” This is the seemingly nonsensical question Marcus and Esme pose to their male listeners in this week’s episode (Please note: This question will make sense once you listen to the episode). One of...
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117. HYPERFOCUS BONUS: The Joys and the Horrors of Family Game Night
Is the nighttime truly the right time for boardgame-based family fun? For the average person with ADHD, whose attention span is largely dependent on medications they take during the daytime, the answer might be “no.” That’s the conclusion Marcus and Esme have come to after a recent family game...
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116. Don’t Walk Away: An Unlikely and Refreshingly Positive Story About Life with Dementia
What if our assumptions about the inner lives of loved ones who are living with Alzheimer’s and dementia are wrong? What if the people we love are still very much there? These are the questions raised by today’s guest, Marilyn Raichle. Marilyn is author of Don’t Walk Away: A Care Partner’s…
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115. HYPERFOCUS BONUS: Esme goes Full Hepburn and Marcus takes on Bloodsport
Esme battles an old foe en route to restoring the O’Kayvious household’s gardens to their former glory: the sun. Will cosplaying as an ultra-refined Bryn Mawr graduate give her the tactical edge she needs? Also, Marcus courts controversy by revealing the one thing Donald Trump does right – if...
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114. Attachment Styles: How We Learn to Love and How We Can Change
“Can you blame your boyfriend’s mom for making your boyfriend a bad boyfriend?” This is the hypothetical question Marcus poses at the start of the episode. Fortunately, Esme is there to ask questions and figure out what Marcus is talking about. It turns out that Marcus wants to discuss Attachment...
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113. HYPERFOCUS BONUS: City-wide betrayal and the revenge of Mary Bennet
HYPERBOLIC TITLE WARNING: This episode does not feature stories of ACTUAL betrayal or revenge. However, it does attempt to answer the following questions: Does a former college basketball star have an obligation to his alma mater to ensure his son does not play for that school's hated rival?...
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112. Why is Whimsy Trending?
Internet and social media trends come and go, and many of them are pretty stupid. But could it be true that there is one current trend that might actually be somewhat beneficial for our mental health and well being? Join Marcus and Esme as they discuss whimsy, the rare social media trend that...
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111. HYPERFOCUS BONUS: Voices in our ears and directors in our neighborhood
Are the narrators of audiobooks the final authority on how to pronounce the names of people and places in sci-fi/fantasy novels? What is the likelihood a noteworthy director of independent cinema has moved to Marcus and Esme’s small town in southeastern Pennsylvania? And what does it mean if…
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110. The Cerebellum’s Surprising Role in Mental Health
Is it possible that the cerebellum plays a much larger role in our mental health than was previously known? And if so, what are the implications for the future of how mental health and neurodivergent conditions are diagnosed and treated going forward? Well, after an exhaustive review of recent...
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109. HYPERFOCUS BONUS: Never gonna resolve musical differences
Most great works of art defy simple interpretation. Some pieces are so complex and so deeply rousing that two people (who are otherwise very much alike in temperament and tastes) can walk away from the same composition with very different interpretations. Such is the case with the timeless...
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108. Object Permanence and the Neurodivergent “Identity”
Do neurodivergent people really struggle with object permanence? Generally speaking, no. Babies and dogs may struggle to understand that something still exists even if they can’t see it anymore (which explains the rush babies get playing peek-a-boo). However, most older children and adults –...
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107. HYPERFOCUS BONUS: A flower with mature themes and a national treasure
All Esme wanted to do was pay homage to one of her favorite flowers. Unfortunately, Marcus had to go and ruin it with some inappropriate giggling just because the name of the flower sounds a little bit like a certain defining aspect of the male anatomy. It was childish and disrespectful and…
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106. Why Identity Matters
Have you ever felt like you’ve changed so much you barely recognize yourself? If so, you might be experiencing an identity crisis. Identity crises are pretty common, but they might be an indicator that you could benefit from some professional medical assistance. In this episode, Marcus and Esme...
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CT 105 - HYPERFOCUS BONUS: I might have mentioned them in therapy, but . . .
In honor of Mother’s Day and his dad’s birthday, Marcus shares some fond remembrances of his parents. It’s an important reminder that we all end up talking about the people we love in therapy. It’s only natural, because they’re usually the ones who have made the biggest impacts on our lives. Life...
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104. Bottom-Up Thinking, Part 2: Saving top-down thinkers from themselves
In this episode, Marcus and Esme ask a very important question: can’t we be optimistic about the future AND do something about the man-eating tiger that’s stalking us? It’s a metaphorical tiger, but it’s an important question, nonetheless. Marcus and Esme continue their exploration of bottom-up...
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103. HYPERFOCUS BONUS: Leather goods and hair products will survive us
Marcus reveals that he used to be a pretty big fan of post-apocalyptic movies. They were a lot more fun in his youth, when he could more easily ignore the many real-world fears and anxieties that were the constant sub-text of the genre (e.g., nuclear holocaust, fossil fuel scarcity, climate…
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102. Bottom-Up Thinking, Part 1: Thinking bottom-up in a top-down world
This is the episode Marcus has been dying to make for a long time now (at least three weeks). Marcus and Esme discuss bottom-up and top-down processing: two different thinking styles that influence how people take in information and make sense of the world around them. Even though most people are...
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101. HYPERFOCUS BONUS: Important updates re: bats, Elizabeth Shue
As a follow-up to the “Very Special and Horrifying Announcement” released earlier this week Esme provides some much needed perspective. According to her, there’s a slight possibility that Marcus was misrepresenting the immediate danger to Crazy Together studios and the family as a whole. It turns...
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A Very Special and Horrifying Announcement
Something is lurking within the walls of the O'Kayvius household. Neither Marcus or Esme has spotted the beast yet, but they have heard it's frantic scratching. While Esme isn't prepared to hazard a guess as to the genus or species of their wall-dwelling intruder, Marcus is almost certain it's a...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
If you’re sick and tired of listening to the negative talk track playing in your head, then why not listen to us instead? We are Marcus and Esme O’Kayvius (not our real names), a married, neurodivergent couple with a lot of experience managing our own mental health issues while raising a daughter and navigating the dystopic hellscape that is corporate America. Join us each week as we discuss trending mental health issues and explore how they impact our health and wellness. We’ll also examine the myths and misconceptions associated with mental health and what we can do about them. Visit our website: crazytogetherpod.com
HOSTED BY
Marcus & Esme O’Kayvius
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Crazy Together have?
Crazy Together currently has 100 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Crazy Together about?
If you’re sick and tired of listening to the negative talk track playing in your head, then why not listen to us instead? We are Marcus and Esme O’Kayvius (not our real names), a married, neurodivergent couple with a lot of experience managing our own mental health issues while raising a daughter...
How often does Crazy Together release new episodes?
Crazy Together has 100 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Crazy Together?
You can listen to Crazy Together on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Crazy Together?
Crazy Together is created and hosted by Marcus & Esme O’Kayvius.
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