PODCAST · health
Divergent Conversations
by Megan Anna Neff & Patrick Casale
Dr. Megan Neff and Patrick Casale are two Neurodivergent therapists in a neurotypical world. During this podcast, they’ll talk about their own personal experiences as Autistic-ADHDers. They will reflect on their lived experience as AuDHD mental health professionals, and entrepreneurs, as well as offer clinical guidance, and support. Episodes will be conversational in nature, and they’ll interview other ND Folx to amplify the voices of other neurodivergent advocates and individuals as they share their authentic stories. New episodes will come out weekly, on all major platforms. Megan told Patrick, ”I’ll bring the chaos, You organize it.” This perfectly sums up their working relationship and friendship. Reflections of two neurodivergent clinicians. Raw, Vulnerable, Affirmative As Hell. Follow on instagram.com/divergentconversationsTopics include Autism, ADHD, Sleep struggles, Chronic Illness, RSD, Alexithymia, Autistic burnout, Intersectionality, Neuroqueer, Creativity, OCD, Neurodiverg
Episodes
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Episode 144 (Season 5): Neurodivergent Advocacy in Turbulent Times and The Future of Divergent Conversations
Living through uncertain times as a neurodivergent person can feel overwhelming, with the world constantly shifting and the weight of global and personal challenges piling up. In moments like these, knowing how to show up, preserve your energy, and find a sense of agency can be both confusing and...
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Episode 143: FLASHBACK — Chronic Health: All Brains Belong [featuring Dr. Mel Houser]
Neuroimmune systems often intertwine with chronic health and neurodivergence, leaving neurodivergent individuals grappling with things like energy management, chronic fatigue, or other long-term health conditions. In this flashback episode, Patrick Casale and Dr. Megan Anna Neff, two AuDHD mental...
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Episode 142: FLASHBACK — AuDHD Burnout City: How Autistic and ADHD Burnout Collide and Compensate
ADHD and Autistic burnout can feel like an endless cycle of overwhelm, exhaustion, and frustration—especially for those who live at the intersection of both identities. Many AuDHD individuals struggle to distinguish between ADHD burnout and autistic burnout, but understanding their overlap and...
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Episode 141: FLASHBACK — OCD: I-CBT and Neurodivergent Approaches to OCD [featuring Brittany Goff]
Neurodivergent individuals often find mental health topics like OCD, autism, and ADHD intertwined in ways that can complicate their personal narratives and self-identity. In this flashback episode, Patrick Casale and Dr. Megan Anna Neff, two AuDHD mental health professionals, discuss with…
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Episode 140: FLASHBACK — Giftedness: Navigating Giftedness in Marginalized Communities [featuring Sheldon Gay]
As a gifted, BIPOC individual, it can be uniquely challenging to navigate day-to-day experiences and find meaningful connections, especially prior to the discovery of giftedness. In this flashback episode, Patrick Casale and Dr. Megan Anna Neff, two AuDHD mental health professionals, along with...
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Episode 139: FLASHBACK — Autistic Grief and Wellness: Holding Space for Hard Emotions
Grieving the loss of a beloved pet or navigating collective trauma can feel overwhelming, especially for neurodivergent individuals who experience heightened attachment and sensitivity. This episode highlights the raw realities of grief, loss, and emotional processing, and explores the…
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Episode 138: FLASHBACK — Neurodivergent Realities, Rupture & Repair, and Podcast Updates
Prioritizing wellness and authentic connection is essential for neurodivergent individuals, especially during times of low energy or change. This episode highlights how embracing interdependence, rest, and honest communication can support deeper well-being and resilience within both friendships…
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Episode 137: FLASHBACK — Autistic Burnout City: Perpetual Sensory Hell
Living with perpetual Autistic burnout can feel like navigating a world that’s always just a little too overwhelming, exhausting, or out of sync. For neurodivergent people, teasing apart burnout from depression and understanding how chronic sensory and emotional overload shapes daily life is not...
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Episode 136: FLASHBACK — Autistic Burnout City: How Sensory Input Impacts Burnout
Burnout isn’t just about exhaustion—it’s a sensory experience that can leave neurodivergent people feeling stretched to the breaking point. When every sound, smell, or texture feels overwhelming, how do we navigate recovery and build resilience in a world that rarely slows down? In this flashback...
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Episode 135 (Season 4): Neurodivergent Identity Arc for Later-in-Life Discovery
The journey to understanding and integrating a later-in-life neurodivergent identity is often filled with relief, confusion, pride, growth, and other complex emotions—all woven together in a unique, personal arc. In this episode, Patrick Casale and Dr. Megan Anna Neff, two AuDHD mental health...
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Episode 134 (Season 4): Navigating Suicidality and Safety for Neurodivergent Minds
Content Warning: This episode talks about suicide and may be triggering. If you're in crisis or feeling unsafe, please reach out to a crisis line or local resources. We have provided some below. Suicidal ideation and risk are common among neurodivergent people, and talking openly about…
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Episode 133 (Season 4): Is Everyone a Little Bit ADHD?
The phrase "everyone’s a little bit ADHD" is coming up more and more lately—but for those who are genuinely ADHD, this can feel dismissive and invalidating. In a world speeding up with constant distractions and increasing demands, society has begun to blur the lines with what the actual…
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Episode 132 (Season 4): Is Everyone a Little Bit Autistic?
Hearing "everyone is a little bit Autistic" can feel invalidating and diminish the distinct experiences of Autistic individuals. These comments, often rooted in misunderstanding or attempted empathy, reveal how language shapes—and sometimes distorts—public understanding of Autism. In this…
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Episode 131 (Season 4): Why ADHD Isn’t About Being Lazy or Unmotivated
Struggling with being labeled "lazy" or "unmotivated" as someone with ADHD can fuel deep shame and misunderstanding. These stereotypes overlook the real challenges and complexities neurodivergent people face every day, especially when it comes to executive functioning and self-worth. In this...
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Episode 130 (Season 4): Intelligence Myths About ADHD and Autism
Challenging the stigma that ADHD and Autism are linked to intelligence is critical for fostering self-acceptance and equity in neurodivergent communities. Myths about intellectual ability not only misunderstand neurodiversity but also perpetuate harmful stereotypes and barriers to support. In…
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Episode 129 (Season 4): Breaking Down Language and Labels in Autism Advocacy
The language we use to describe Autistic experiences can shape not only how we see ourselves, but how our needs are understood—or overlooked—by others. In this episode, Patrick Casale and Dr. Megan Anna Neff, two AuDHD mental health professionals, discuss the topic of functioning labels in…
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Episode 128 (Season 4): Do Autistic People Want Social Connection?
Autistic people are often stereotyped as uninterested in social connection, but the reality is far more nuanced, and longing for connection can coexist with the need for isolation or sensory protection. Understanding your own capacity and motivation for relationships isn’t just helpful, it’s…
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Episode 127 (Season 4): Landmark College: Neuro-Inclusive College to Career Transitions [featuring Jan Coplan]
Navigating the transition from education to the workplace is challenging for anyone, but neurodivergent individuals face unique barriers, from inaccessible application processes to the pressure of masking during interviews and employment. Understanding what actually helps—and…
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Episode 126 (Season 4): Am I Still Me? Post-Diagnosis Identity Spiral
Discovering you're Autistic or ADHD as an adult can turn your whole sense of self upside down. Navigating the emotional aftermath—wondering, "Am I still me?"—often brings up more questions than answers, and can feel both destabilizing and deeply transformative. In this episode, Patrick Casale and...
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Episode 125 (Season 4): Hidden Shame of ADHD: Restlessness, Relationships, and Post-Discovery Impact
Discovering you’re ADHD later in life can be a profound and disorienting experience—especially when it means re-examining your relationships, identity, and even your sense of self. For many ADHD adults, the post-diagnosis journey brings unique challenges and unexpected waves of both relief and...
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Episode 124 (Season 4): Epiphanies and Apologies: Processing Life After Autism and ADHD Discovery
After discovering you’re Autistic or have ADHD, you most likely started to re-examine the past—and the realization of missed cues or misunderstood moments can bring up nostalgia, relief, and even regret. Revisiting friendships, relationships, and life events through a newly understood...
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Episode 123 (Season 4): Not an Epidemic: Behind the Rise in Autism Diagnoses [featuring Dr. Donna Henderson]
Language matters, especially when it shapes how we, as neurodivergent people, are seen and understood. Conversations about an alleged "Autism epidemic" are everywhere—and can lead to misinformation, stigma, and feelings of shame for Autistic people and families. This episode aims to untangle the...
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Episode 122 (Season 4): Claiming Your Neurodivergent Identity: Discovery and What Comes Next
Learning you’re Autistic or ADHD—whether through diagnosis, self-identification, or discovery—can spark relief, uncertainty, and a cascade of new questions. Navigating not only the process of finding out, but also what happens next, is a profound and often emotional journey for many…
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Episode 121 (Season 3): Burnout City: Burnout Symptoms at a Cellular Level [featuring Dr. Mel Houser]
Understanding the root causes behind Autistic burnout symptoms can feel confusing, especially when physical symptoms are present but dismissed or misunderstood. Many in the neurodivergent community face not only emotional exhaustion but a web of hidden medical conditions that often go…
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Episode 120 (Season 3): Burnout City Finale: Boundaries, Self-Advocacy, and Accommodations
Advocating for your needs and setting boundaries as a neurodivergent person can be incredibly challenging—especially in environments that don’t always understand or prioritize accommodations for invisible disabilities. Navigating burnout and building a life that supports your well-being is not…
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Episode 119 (Season 3): AuDHD Burnout City: How Autistic and ADHD Burnout Collide and Compensate
ADHD and Autistic burnout can feel like an endless cycle of overwhelm, exhaustion, and frustration—especially for those who live at the intersection of both identities. Many AuDHD individuals struggle to distinguish between ADHD burnout and autistic burnout, but understanding their overlap and...
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Episode 118 (Season 3): Autistic Burnout City: Life When the Mask Comes Off
Burnout can hit hard for late-diagnosed autistic and ADHD adults, especially when the energy cost of masking becomes too much to bear. Dropping the mask and stepping into authenticity brings both relief and upheaval, raising new challenges that aren’t always easy to navigate alone. In this…
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Episode 117 (Season 3): Autistic Burnout City: Energy Limits and Management
Autistic burnout can feel like you’re running on empty: emotionally, physically, or both. Managing energy, burnout, and self-acceptance in a neurotypical world can be exhausting, especially for neurodivergent people navigating chronic fatigue, sensory overload, and internalized expectations. In...
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Episode 116 (Season 3): Autistic Burnout City: The Sensitive Nervous System
Burnout can feel relentless for Autistic people, especially when our bodies and minds seem to react more intensely to stress than those around us. Understanding how our nervous systems work—and why we may struggle with regulation—can transform self-blame into self-compassion and change the way we...
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Episode 115 (Season 3): Autistic Burnout City: How Sensory Input Impacts Burnout
Burnout isn’t just about exhaustion—it’s a sensory experience that can leave neurodivergent people feeling stretched to the breaking point. When every sound, smell, or texture feels overwhelming, how do we navigate recovery and build resilience in a world that rarely slows down? In this episode,...
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Episode 114 (Season 3): Building Burnout Recovery City: When Your Dog Pees on You and You Don’t Care
Navigating Autistic burnout can feel overwhelming, especially when recovery advice is often oversimplified or disconnected from the realities of daily life. For many Autistic people, finding real, sustainable strategies to move through burnout isn’t just about willpower; it’s about understanding...
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Episode 113 (Season 3): Autistic Burnout City: Perpetual Sensory Hell
Living with perpetual Autistic burnout can feel like navigating a world that’s always just a little too overwhelming, exhausting, or out of sync. For neurodivergent people, teasing apart burnout from depression and understanding how chronic sensory and emotional overload shapes daily life is not...
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Episode 112 (Season 2): Rethinking Higher Education for Neurodivergent Learners [featuring Adam Lalor]
Navigating higher education as a neurodivergent student can often feel isolating and overwhelming in a system not designed for neurodivergent minds. For many, finding an affirming academic environment that truly recognizes and supports neurodivergent strengths, and not just challenges, can be...
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Episode 111 (Season 2): Not Your Neurotypical Wellness: Adaptations and Reflections
Navigating wellness advice as a neurodivergent person can often feel invalidating, overwhelming, or just plain inaccessible. So much of what’s recommended—from meal prep to journaling—assumes executive function, sensory profiles, or social fluency that simply aren’t universal. However, the right...
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Episode 110 (Season 2): Neurodivergent Wellness Tips That Backfire and How to Adapt Them
Typical wellness advice is often made to sound simple on the surface, but it can feel alienating, frustrating, or downright unhelpful in real life for many neurodivergent people. For many Autistic and ADHD adults, tips like “just relax,” “try meditation,” or “write in a gratitude journal” can…
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Episode 109 (Season 2): The Power of Play: Holding the Heavy with Laughter and Connection
Finding joy and playfulness can feel complicated when the world feels heavy and overwhelming. For neurodivergent people, accessing moments of laughter and lightness—especially while navigating guilt or social pressure to be productive—becomes an essential, yet nuanced, form of self-preservation…
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Episode 108 (Season 2): Using Creativity to Anchor into Aliveness and Humanity
Creativity isn’t just a spark or a talent—it’s a vital tether to our humanness, especially in a world that can feel overwhelming or isolating for neurodivergent people. Whether you feel energized and alive, or stuck in a season of fatigue, the pursuit and practice of creativity can connect us to...
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Episode 107 (Season 2): Curating Connection: Neurodivergent Communities Online and In-Person
Finding real connection and community as a neurodivergent person can be both beautiful and complicated. We often long for community that gets us, but knowing where to look or how to show up as ourselves can feel uncertain. Having spaces where we feel seen, supported, and not too much isn’t just...
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Episode 106 (Season 2): Not Your Neurotypical Wellness: Connection, Consumption, and Self-Care
Navigating constant news cycles and the pressure to engage with digital content that often changes by the minute and is expressed with different narratives can be uniquely challenging for neurodivergent individuals. Finding authentic ways to support your mental health, honor limited energy...
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Episode 105 (Season 2): Autistic Grief and Wellness: Holding Space for Hard Emotions
Grieving the loss of a beloved pet or navigating collective trauma can feel overwhelming, especially for neurodivergent individuals who experience heightened attachment and sensitivity. This episode highlights the raw realities of grief, loss, and emotional processing, and explores the…
more -
Episode 104 (Season 2): Neurodivergent Realities, Rupture & Repair, and Podcast Updates
Prioritizing wellness and authentic connection is essential for neurodivergent individuals, especially during times of low energy or change. This episode highlights how embracing interdependence, rest, and honest communication can support deeper well-being and resilience within both friendships…
more -
Episode 103: Navigating Core Beliefs and Self-Worth
Struggling with feelings of not being “good enough” or questioning your legitimacy, even as your achievements grow, is a common but often isolating experience for neurodivergent professionals. In this episode, Patrick Casale and Dr. Megan Anna Neff, two AuDHD mental health professionals, discuss...
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Episode 102: FLASHBACK — OCD (Part 3): Differentiating OCD, Autism, and Tourettes Behaviors and Enhancing Healthcare [featuring Dr. Stacy Greeter]
Navigating the healthcare system and advocating for needs can be a frustrating and invalidating experience, especially for neurodivergent individuals who exhibit interwoven behaviors associated with OCD, autism, or Tourettes. In this flashback episode, Patrick Casale and Dr. Megan Anna Neff, two...
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Episode 101: FLASHBACK — Chronic Health (Part 1): Biopsychosocial Approach to Chronic Health Issues
Dealing with chronic health issues can often feel like a neverending battle, especially when it seems like there’s no clear path to improvement. In this flashback episode, Patrick Casale and Dr. Megan Anna Neff, two AuDHD mental health professionals, discuss their personal battles with chronic...
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Episode 100: FLASHBACK — Chronic Health (Part 4): All Brains Belong [featuring Dr. Mel Houser]
Neuroimmune systems often intertwine with chronic health and neurodivergence, leaving neurodivergent individuals grappling with things like energy management, chronic fatigue, or other long-term health conditions. In this flashback episode, Patrick Casale and Dr. Megan Anna Neff, two AuDHD mental...
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Episode 99: FLASHBACK — Neurodivergent Entrepreneurs (#4): Rewiring Beliefs to Face Your Inner Critic [featuring Yunetta Smith]
Neurodivergent individuals can sometimes feel overwhelmed by emotions or struggle to understand their own stress responses, and entrepreneurship can add another level of intensity to this experience. In this flashback episode, Patrick Casale and Dr. Megan Anna Neff, two AuDHD mental health...
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Episode 98: FLASHBACK — In-Between Phase of an Autism Diagnosis: From Asking to Assessment [featuring Jak Levine-Pritzker]
For adults who are questioning if they are Autistic, ADHD, etc., there is often an exploratory and somewhat confusing phase where they feel in between two different identities. In this flashback episode, Patrick Casale and Dr. Megan Anna Neff, two AuDHD mental health professionals, talk with Jak...
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Episode 97: FLASHBACK — Navigating Neurodiversity in the Workplace: Crafting Safe Spaces [featuring Lyric Rivera]
A traditional workplace can be really challenging for neurodivergent individuals, and if a workplace culture is made to be one-size-fits-all, the chances are high that it won’t fit for many neurodivergent people. In this flashback episode, Patrick Casale and Dr. Megan Anna Neff, two AuDHD mental...
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Episode 96: FLASHBACK — Sensory Shutdowns and Meltdowns: Navigating Neurodivergent Experiences
Sensory meltdowns and shutdowns can be deeply misunderstood and unsettling experiences, whether you've faced them personally or seen a loved one struggle. For many Autistic individuals, dealing with overwhelming sensory stimuli is a recurring battle. The space between feeling in control and...
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Episode 95: FLASHBACK — “What is Autism?” (Part 4): Special Interests and Complex Sensory Experiences
Navigating a world packed with all sorts of seemingly mismatched sensations, either overstimulating or understimulating, and having passionate interests that can appear as all-consuming to others, can be challenging and greatly impact the way we build relationships and even just get through the...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Dr. Megan Neff and Patrick Casale are two Neurodivergent therapists in a neurotypical world. During this podcast, they’ll talk about their own personal experiences as Autistic-ADHDers. They will reflect on their lived experience as AuDHD mental health professionals, and entrepreneurs, as well as offer clinical guidance, and support. Episodes will be conversational in nature, and they’ll interview other ND Folx to amplify the voices of other neurodivergent advocates and individuals as they share their authentic stories. New episodes will come out weekly, on all major platforms. Megan told Patrick, ”I’ll bring the chaos, You organize it.” This perfectly sums up their working relationship and friendship. Reflections of two neurodivergent clinicians. Raw, Vulnerable, Affirmative As Hell. Follow on instagram.com/divergentconversationsTopics include Autism, ADHD, Sleep struggles, Chronic Illness, RSD, Alexithymia, Autistic burnout, Intersectionality, Neuroqueer, Creativity, OCD, Neurodiverg
HOSTED BY
Megan Anna Neff & Patrick Casale
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Divergent Conversations have?
Divergent Conversations currently has 143 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Divergent Conversations about?
Dr. Megan Neff and Patrick Casale are two Neurodivergent therapists in a neurotypical world. During this podcast, they’ll talk about their own personal experiences as Autistic-ADHDers. They will reflect on their lived experience as AuDHD mental health professionals, and entrepreneurs, as well as...
How often does Divergent Conversations release new episodes?
Divergent Conversations publishes regularly with 143 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Divergent Conversations?
You can listen to Divergent Conversations 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 Divergent Conversations?
Divergent Conversations is created and hosted by Megan Anna Neff & Patrick Casale.
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