Try Easier, Not Harder: An Unapologetic Guide to Thriving for Neurodivergent Adults

It makes sense if you think trauma means something went wrong in your brain — but the truth is, your brain is doing exactly what it’s supposed to do. In this episode, Dr. Jess explains how trauma works, why neurodivergent people are more vulnerable to it, and why it’s not your fault if you’re still carrying what never should’ve happened.Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of trauma and PTSD with mentions of systemic harm, abuse, assault, war, disaster, mass casualty events, accidents, injury, suicide, and death. Disclaimer: The information and opinions shared in this content are for educational and informational purposes only. They do not constitute professional advice, personal coaching, psychotherapy, psychodiagnostic evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment, and are not a substitute for consultation with a qualified professional. Accessing this content does not establish a patient or client relationship. While efforts are made to ensure accuracy, no guarantees are made regarding this content’s completeness, reliability, or applicability to individual circumstances. Any application of or reliance on the information and opinions in this content is at the user’s own risk.

Most neurodivergent adults are carrying around labels that don’t really explain our problems and definitely aren’t helping us solve them — and isn’t that the point?  In this episode, Dr. Jess covers common misdiagnoses given to neurodivergent adults — Major Depressive Disorder, anxiety disorders, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, and Borderline Personality Disorder — and explains why these labels feel like they fit, but actually keep us stuck in a losing battle of applying the wrong solutions to the wrong problems.Content Warning: Brief mention of self-harming behavior.Disclaimer: The information and opinions shared in this content are for educational and informational purposes only. They do not constitute professional advice, personal coaching, psychotherapy, psychodiagnostic evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment, and are not a substitute for consultation with a qualified professional. Accessing this content does not establish a patient or client relationship. While efforts are made to ensure accuracy, no guarantees are made regarding this content’s completeness, reliability, or applicability to individual circumstances. Any application of or reliance on the information and opinions in this content is at the user’s own risk.

If you’re finally starting to feel like you’ve got a handle on your neurodivergence, but still can't figure out why you feel like an emotional tornado, that’s because the people who should know better usually don’t. In this episode, Dr. Jess reveals the connection between neurodivergence and emotional dysregulation, explains how almost all of us have Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, and why understanding RSD is probably what you’ve always needed to know you’re just fine — no matter what anyone says.Disclaimer: The information and opinions shared in this content are for educational and informational purposes only. They do not constitute professional advice, personal coaching, psychotherapy, psychodiagnostic evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment, and are not a substitute for consultation with a qualified professional. Accessing this content does not establish a patient or client relationship. While efforts are made to ensure accuracy, no guarantees are made regarding this content’s completeness, reliability, or applicability to individual circumstances. Any application of or reliance on the information and opinions in this content is at the user’s own risk.

Whether or not you think of yourself as “disabled,” internalized ableism is alive and well in your subconscious — and it’s probably what’s keeping you stuck. In this episode, Dr. Jess explains how it develops, gets stronger, and sabotages neurodivergent adults with deeply embedded beliefs about our abilities and obligations — without us even knowing it! Disclaimer: The information and opinions shared in this content are for educational and informational purposes only. They do not constitute professional advice, personal coaching, psychotherapy, psychodiagnostic evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment, and are not a substitute for consultation with a qualified professional. Accessing this content does not establish a patient or client relationship. While efforts are made to ensure accuracy, no guarantees are made regarding this content’s completeness, reliability, or applicability to individual circumstances. Any application of or reliance on the information and opinions in this content is at the user’s own risk.

As the current administration pushes to erase the histories, experiences, and rights of marginalized groups, many of us are feeling overwhelmed, powerless, and terrified — which is exactly what they want. In this episode, Dr. Jess exposes the ways we’ve been tricked into believing we’re “minorities” so we don’t recognize the truth: together, we are the majority — and it’s far easier to change our lives, and the systems that oppress us, than we’ve been led to believe.Disclaimer: The information and opinions shared in this content are for educational and informational purposes only. They do not constitute professional advice, personal coaching, psychotherapy, psychodiagnostic evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment, and are not a substitute for consultation with a qualified professional. Accessing this content does not establish a patient or client relationship. While efforts are made to ensure accuracy, no guarantees are made regarding this content’s completeness, reliability, or applicability to individual circumstances. Any application of or reliance on the information and opinions in this content is at the user’s own risk.

Struggling to get things done doesn’t mean you’re lazy, undisciplined, or broken. In this episode, Dr. Jess spells out what makes task completion so challenging for neurodivergent people and what you need to know to stop fighting yourself and start finishing what matters by working with your neurodivergence — not against it.Disclaimer: The information and opinions shared in this content are for educational and informational purposes only. They do not constitute professional advice, personal coaching, psychotherapy, psychodiagnostic evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment, and are not a substitute for consultation with a qualified professional. Accessing this content does not establish a patient or client relationship. While efforts are made to ensure accuracy, no guarantees are made regarding this content’s completeness, reliability, or applicability to individual circumstances. Any application of or reliance on the information and opinions in this content is at the user’s own risk.

None of the popular books, guidance, or advice feel like they fit for neurodivergent parents or parents of neurodivergent kids — and that’s okay! In this episode, Dr. Jess describes the real challenges of parenting as a neurodivergent adult, parenting neurodivergent kids, and doing both in a world built on neurotypical expectations. If you’ve ever wondered why “normal” parenting advice doesn’t work for your family, this one’s for you.Content Warning: mention of increased suicide ratesDisclaimer: The information and opinions shared in this content are for educational and informational purposes only. They do not constitute professional advice, personal coaching, psychotherapy, psychodiagnostic evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment, and are not a substitute for consultation with a qualified professional. Accessing this content does not establish a patient or client relationship. While efforts are made to ensure accuracy, no guarantees are made regarding this content’s completeness, reliability, or applicability to individual circumstances. Any application of or reliance on the information and opinions in this content is at the user’s own risk.

People may have called you out for making things happen the way you want them to, but their discomfort with what works for you isn’t your responsibility. In this episode, Dr. Jess explains the patterns behind neurodivergent adults being misunderstood as controlling or perfectionistic, how to tell the difference between self-protection and personal preference, and what it looks like to let go of patterns that may be costing you more than you realize. Disclaimer: The information and opinions shared in this content are for educational and informational purposes only. They do not constitute professional advice, personal coaching, psychotherapy, psychodiagnostic evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment, and are not a substitute for consultation with a qualified professional. Accessing this content does not establish a patient or client relationship. While efforts are made to ensure accuracy, no guarantees are made regarding this content’s completeness, reliability, or applicability to individual circumstances. Any application of or reliance on the information and opinions in this content is at the user’s own risk.

If you’ve spent your life chasing self-improvement harder than anyone you know — but feeling like you can’t even catch up with people who aren’t trying at all — the problem isn’t you. In this episode, Dr. Jess exposes the ways mainstream self-improvement strategies trap neurodivergent adults in unwinnable wars against ourselves, and explains how real improvement comes from giving yourself permission to be who you are.Content Warning: single mention of decreased life expectancies and increased suicide ratesDisclaimer: The information and opinions shared in this content are for educational and informational purposes only. They do not constitute professional advice, personal coaching, psychotherapy, psychodiagnostic evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment, and are not a substitute for consultation with a qualified professional. Accessing this content does not establish a patient or client relationship. While efforts are made to ensure accuracy, no guarantees are made regarding this content’s completeness, reliability, or applicability to individual circumstances. Any application of or reliance on the information and opinions in this content is at the user’s own risk.

Do you ever feel like you’re dropping every ball for no reason at all, and ask yourself, “What the hell is wrong with me?”, then go on a mad hunt to find THE answer — the one that will finally tell you what you need to know to “fix” yourself? In this episode, Dr. Jess reveals how overlapping factors — from neurodivergence to trauma responses to systemic inequity — shape how we function (or don’t), and why trying to find answers is what’s keeping you stuck.Disclaimer: The information and opinions shared in this content are for educational and informational purposes only. They do not constitute professional advice, personal coaching, psychotherapy, psychodiagnostic evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment, and are not a substitute for consultation with a qualified professional. Accessing this content does not establish a patient or client relationship. While efforts are made to ensure accuracy, no guarantees are made regarding this content’s completeness, reliability, or applicability to individual circumstances. Any application of or reliance on the information and opinions in this content is at the user’s own risk.

What happens when the people in power use false information to justify policies to address what they think is wrong with us? In this episode, Dr. Jess dismantles RFK Jr.’s distorted rhetoric about neurodivergence, explains why framing neurodivergent lives as “tragedies” harms and endangers real people, and offers guidelines you can follow to manage your response.Disclaimer: The information and opinions shared in this content are for educational and informational purposes only. They do not constitute professional advice, personal coaching, psychotherapy, psychodiagnostic evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment, and are not a substitute for consultation with a qualified professional. Accessing this content does not establish a patient or client relationship. While efforts are made to ensure accuracy, no guarantees are made regarding this content’s completeness, reliability, or applicability to individual circumstances. Any application of or reliance on the information and opinions in this content is at the user’s own risk.

Connection isn’t just nice to have; it’s one of the strongest predictors of happiness, health, and success, but true connection is often hard to come by for neurodivergent adults. In this episode, Dr. Jess explains why authentic connection is so important and how neurodivergent adults can build real relationships with people who value and support us for who we are.Disclaimer: The information and opinions shared in this content are for educational and informational purposes only. They do not constitute professional advice, personal coaching, psychotherapy, psychodiagnostic evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment, and are not a substitute for consultation with a qualified professional. Accessing this content does not establish a patient or client relationship. While efforts are made to ensure accuracy, no guarantees are made regarding this content’s completeness, reliability, or applicability to individual circumstances. Any application of or reliance on the information and opinions in this content is at the user’s own risk.

Do you ever feel like something inside you is telling you to ‘Just Say No,’ and seems to push you to NOT do things — for no apparent reason?  In this episode, Dr. Jess cuts through the noise about what PDA is, why it’s not pathological, and how it affects your ability to follow through — even when you want to!Disclaimer: The information and opinions shared in this content are for educational and informational purposes only. They do not constitute professional advice, personal coaching, psychotherapy, psychodiagnostic evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment, and are not a substitute for consultation with a qualified professional. Accessing this content does not establish a patient or client relationship. While efforts are made to ensure accuracy, no guarantees are made regarding this content’s completeness, reliability, or applicability to individual circumstances. Any application of or reliance on the information and opinions in this content is at the user’s own risk.

When we feel like we can't do something anymore, why does everyone recommend we do more? In this episode, Dr. Jess explains why the real solution to burnout isn’t another plan for being more productive or time-blocking rest; it’s finally understanding why nothing like that ever worked for you in the first place. Disclaimer: The information and opinions shared in this content are for educational and informational purposes only. They do not constitute professional advice, personal coaching, psychotherapy, psychodiagnostic evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment, and are not a substitute for consultation with a qualified professional. Accessing this content does not establish a patient or client relationship. While efforts are made to ensure accuracy, no guarantees are made regarding this content’s completeness, reliability, or applicability to individual circumstances. Any application of or reliance on the information and opinions in this content is at the user’s own risk.

You weren’t born believing that the only way you can be happy is to change yourself. In this episode, Dr. Jess breaks down how you were misled to believe you had to meet one-size-fits-all standards, what it’s cost you, and why it’s time to stop paying.Disclaimer: The information and opinions shared in this content are for educational and informational purposes only. They do not constitute professional advice, personal coaching, psychotherapy, psychodiagnostic evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment, and are not a substitute for consultation with a qualified professional. Accessing this content does not establish a patient or client relationship. While efforts are made to ensure accuracy, no guarantees are made regarding this content’s completeness, reliability, or applicability to individual circumstances. Any application of or reliance on the information and opinions in this content is at the user’s own risk.

Misdiagnosed, mislabeled, or totally missed...How the hell is that the story of so many smart, capable neurodivergent adults? In this episode, Dr. Jess tears into the systems that got it wrong and reveals why knowing you’re neurodivergent is only the beginning. If you've never been diagnosed, were misdiagnosed, got a diagnosis way too late, or know your diagnosis doesn’t explain everything, hit play.Disclaimer: The information and opinions shared in this content are for educational and informational purposes only. They do not constitute professional advice, personal coaching, psychotherapy, psychodiagnostic evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment, and are not a substitute for consultation with a qualified professional. Accessing this content does not establish a patient or client relationship. While efforts are made to ensure accuracy, no guarantees are made regarding this content’s completeness, reliability, or applicability to individual circumstances. Any application of or reliance on the information and opinions in this content is at the user’s own risk.

This is not just another mental health podcast. Keep scrolling if you’re looking for ways to be less you. In this intro, Dr. Jess explains why neurodivergent people can't “fix” themselves ~ and don’t have to! Disclaimer: The information and opinions shared in this content are for educational and informational purposes only. They do not constitute professional advice, personal coaching, psychotherapy, psychological evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment, and are not a substitute for consultation with a qualified professional. Accessing this content does not establish a patient or client relationship. While efforts are made to ensure accuracy, no guarantees are made regarding this content’s completeness, reliability, or applicability to individual circumstances. Any application of or reliance on the information and opinions in this content is at the user’s own risk.

This teaser introduces a bold new show for neurodivergent adults who've finally realized they'd rather be happy than keep trying to be what everyone else wants them to be.