I’m excited to introduce you to a speech therapist whose work is informed by the autistic community and her personal experience in identifying as twice-exceptional. Her heart and passion are to help give a voice to those who can’t speak for themselves. Join us! Mara McLoughlin has over ten years of professional experience working with autistic and other neurodivergent people and their families. She has been a student and teacher of yoga and mindfulness for over 25 years, knowing that building th...
Jul 19, 2021•42 min
A while back I had seen a lot of posts about the overlap and similarities between ADHD and Autism, and it got me thinking about some observations I’d made both personally and professionally testing neurodivergent kids over the years. I posted this tweet asking folks the following questions : Curious with the #Autism vs. #ADHD discussions recently, if you have one or both, what do you relate to more: Big Picture vs. Details Order vs. Chaos Think in Words vs. Pictures Acquired Knowledge vs. Novel ...
Jul 13, 2021•27 min
I met today’s guest through the neurodivergent community on Twitter. Join us to learn more about his inspiring story. Joseph Gitau is a writer, singer, and blogger who has been diagnosed with ADHD and Bipolar I. With his childhood and youth being spent between his native Kenya and the US, he has a unique perspective about how neurodivergence is treated differently in both countries. Joseph uses his talents to promote mental health throughout his creative outlets. Show Highlights: Why Joseph is i...
Jul 05, 2021•1 hr 5 min
Today’s conversation is with a creative who has overcome obstacles to find her place in the world where she isn’t afraid to be seen and heard. She helps others connect and engage, no matter how they have been “othered” by society, and she has learned how to effectively use her superpowers. Join us to learn more about making the world a brighter place for us all. Jen Sujin Yoon is a creative consultant, storyteller, people-connector, and future-builder. We met on TikTok and immediately vibed with...
Jun 28, 2021•49 min
We had our first neurodivergent book club on Saturday, and one of the things we talked about was the complexity of labels. On the one hand, they serve as a tool to get information, support and connect with others, but it can also serve to separate us into "us and them" if we're not careful. In this episode: Why I avoided using the terms gifted and twice exceptional for so long, and why it's helped to finally use them. Just because we can get by without a label, doesn't mean it wouldn't be helpfu...
Jun 15, 2021•19 min
Today’s show is all about taking a holistic approach to achieve balance and take back control of your life. Join us to learn more. Zarya Rubin is a physician and functional medicine health coach. She is a formerly stressed-out mom who now helps women in mid-life get to the root of their health issues and manage their stress to take back control of their lives. Show Highlights: What is stress? The relationship between stress, control, and our response to stressors The body’s primal response: figh...
Jun 07, 2021•50 min
The foundation of my work on my blog and podcast has been about intensity, and it's origins came from my work on excitability, also known as over excitability. Excitability is when you receive and respond the world more intensely than others. In this episode: Excitability as a sign of high developmental potential The 5 areas of excitability Using your strengths Links: Free workbook on Harnessing the Power of Your Intensity ! Embracing Intensity Community...
May 31, 2021•14 min
Today’s show is with yet another intriguing person I met on TikTok. I’m especially interested in her experience with twice-exceptionality and the work she’s doing in TV. Shadi Petosky is an Emmy winner and Wendy’s Employee of the Month-winning TV showrunner. She co-created and showran the Emmy-winning Danger and Eggs for Amazon Prime Video, which was also a Critics Choice and GLAAD nomination. She executive produced Twelve Forever for Netflix and the upcoming live- action, gender-bending sci-fi ...
May 24, 2021•53 min
I once again had other plans for this episode but I realized I've hit survival mode for the school year. Every year since 8th grade, I've had what I called Spring Fever when I'd crash at the end of the school year. I've come to realize that it's the fatigue that comes from over taxing my executive functioning skills for too long. Add a pandemic, last minute taxes, aging hormones, unfavorable med change and adapting to my son's new schedule getting up earlier Mondays, and my brain's pretty much t...
May 18, 2021•14 min
Today’s guest had all the markers of traditional success, an Ivy League Education, letters after her name and a well paying career, but she realized she was miserable because she was not being authentic to herself. She broke out of the medical system to help people in a more holistic way. Join us! Dr. Zarya Rubin is a Harvard-educated physician and certified health and wellness coach who is passionate about helping people heal through functional medicine. She partners with her clients to get to ...
May 10, 2021•39 min
I've observed a lot of themes around integration and disintegration recently so I thought it would be a good time to do a quick overview of Kazmier's Dabrowski's theory of Positive Disintegration. You can find a more comprehensive overview on ep. 154: On Positive Disintegration with Chris Wells , and my Blog Post “Finding Treasure in Ruins.” Dabrowski believes that intensity/excitability is a sign of high developmental potential, and neuroses, which we might call neurodiversity, anxiety, existen...
May 04, 2021•13 min
Today’s show focuses on strategies for success. My guest combines her late-in-life diagnoses, training, and experience to help clients accomplish their goals. Maaya Hitomi is an ADHD coach and academic strategist who supports ADHD, autistic, and otherwise neurodivergent clients to build strategies for better coping. At Structured Success, Maaya’s own coaching and consultation practice, she builds upon her Master’s training in psychology, her experience as a coach, and her lived experience as a n...
Apr 26, 2021•30 min
I’m super thrilled to share the recording of Nneka Coxeff’s talk on Writing to Heal from this month’s guest community call! You can find the full discussion in the Embracing Intensity Community ! The wRITE to Heal Project was developed by founder and editor-in-chief of BLP magazine, Nneka D. Coxeff. As a Master Life Coach and Empowerment Practitioner, she offers transformative writing classes, workshops and wellness retreats to gently guide clients through the raw emotions of grief caused by los...
Apr 20, 2021•30 min
Have you ever felt like you were taking up too much space? My guest today shares how he moved from talking up space wherever he went to channeling his own unique powers to bring out the best in others. Join us! Landon Young is someone I met on TikTok, which is unique as a social media platform that allows people to connect across social groups that might not normally interact. Landon describes himself as a “regular guy” who enjoys what he does as a North American Digital Brand Manager at Nike. S...
Apr 12, 2021•38 min
This week is a bit late and short again, but it's for a great reason! I hyper focused on a project the last two days that's ready to share as a collaborative effort! The 2E Hub! A place for gifted, creative and twice exceptional folks to share, learn and explore! Links: 2E Hub Free Workbook on Harnessing the Power of Your Intensity...
Apr 06, 2021•9 min
My guest today shares the keen awareness he’s developed of his ADHD diagnosis and how it impacts his life. Join us to hear the story of the good he’s doing in the world. Ross Watt hosts the International ADHD Party on Twitter and is one of the ADHD-Hub co-creators. He’s working hard to make a difference for kids and adults with ADHD. Show Highlights: Why Ross is intensely passionate about ADHD, writing poems, and encouraging others How Ross’ personal brand of intensity means being hyper-focused ...
Mar 29, 2021•1 hr 7 min
This week I get to share the talk from our March guest call is on Honoring Your Sensitivity with Leah Walsh. You can find the full discussion and video in the Embracing Intensity Community ! In Sanskrit there are 96 words for love. I seriously wish we had that many words in English for the word sensitivity! A word whose origins mean "capable of feeling and sensation," what does being sensitive mean in today's culture? Join us for this creative exploration of sensitivity, how sensitivity is a sha...
Mar 22, 2021•33 min
Today’s show focuses on support for highly sensitive and introverted leaders. Join us to learn more! Leah Walsh is a speaker and life coach who is motivated by the desire to support conscious and creative people in uncovering their potential and bringing their light into the world. Leah sees every human as a beautiful and unique flower in life’s garden, but she knows that being your own flower can be hard work. It means cultivating a strong mind, deep roots, and a clear heart to allow your flowe...
Mar 15, 2021•54 min
This week's episode is a fairly quick one as I got inspired for a new project this week and went down a hyper focus rabbit hole for days! In this episode: Update on my latest project & upcoming course. Do it yourself mentality. Being a maker, not a marketer. Links: Free Harness Your Power Workbook Adult Learning Assessment Embracing Intensity Community Community Events Calendar...
Mar 09, 2021•13 min
Today’s guest launched into the world of twice-exceptionality because of the unique strengths and challenges that came with parenting her two sons, now teenagers. Her work now meets the needs of kids like her sons, along with helping other parents and educators through her therapy practice, support groups, and parenting programs. Join us to learn more! Debbie Steinberg Kuntz is the founder of the Bright & Quirky Summit, which features fantastic guest speakers and leading experts on “everythi...
Mar 01, 2021•34 min
I’m excited to share our first guest call for the 2021 season in the Embracing Intensity Community with Brendan Mahan, of ADHD Essentials, on the Wall of Awful! From Brendan’s website : “Everyone fails. Some, like those with executive function challenges, fail more than others. Each failure brings negative emotions – guilt, disappointment. These smaller emotions become stronger feelings of anxiety, shame and even loneliness if one is repeatedly rejected because of their errors. Each time these n...
Feb 23, 2021•49 min
I found today’s guest in a most unusual place! It was on TikTok that I first noticed her work with gifted and twice-exceptional people, and I knew I had to get her on the show. Dr. Kimberly Douglass is president and CEO of Remote Learning Solutions. She coaches neurodivergent PhDs/EdDs on the personal, social, and technical aspects of career and entrepreneurship. In addition to moving clients from deficit-based to strengths-based thinking, she helps PhDs/EdDs develop content across a range of su...
Feb 15, 2021•1 hr 15 min
I've been hearing a lot more comments lately along the lines of "I relate to your work, but I'm not really gifted." In this episode of Embracing Intensity, I discuss why gifted folks might not recognize their own gifts and some resources to explore if you suspect you might be gifted. In this episode: 5 Reasons gifted folks might not think they are really gifted. My own experience and why I actually believed it despite underachievement. 3 of my favorite books & resources to explore potential ...
Feb 09, 2021•15 min
I’m excited to share today’s show with you. My guest has an interesting perspective as an obviously gifted person who has dyslexia. Her experience is fascinating, but there is so much more to her story and work. Join us! Brenda Bryan is a kickass inspirational speaker and The Diviner of Human Potential. As a transformational coach and Mastermind facilitator, she supports women to unmask and nurture their genius, empowering them to live in the strength of their passion. Teaching through the Raise...
Feb 01, 2021•36 min
A couple of weeks ago I participated in an event called Camp ADHD, where folks around the world shared talks and discussion on topics related to ADHD. I spoke about twice-exceptionality, specifically as it relates to ADHD, and the topic seemed to resonate with a lot of folks, so I decided ot share it on the podcast as well! In this episode: Why the topic of twice exceptionality is important to me. Why it’s important to talk about twice exceptionality. Why it often goes overlooked. How to recogni...
Jan 26, 2021•22 min
My guest today is twice exceptional and was recently diagnosed with ADHD. She’s super vocal about many things, including social justice, dressing up as Elsa for storytime, and showcasing her great style. Fortunately for me, she lives in my area, so I hope to meet her in person very soon! Dusti Arab is an entrepreneur and writer who leads the reinvention co., a boutique marketing agency specializing in building platforms and courses for mission-driven women. Dusti is currently writing a book, Bra...
Jan 18, 2021•27 min
This week I wanted to take a moment to share about the upcoming plans I have for the year to help gifted, creative and outside the box thinkers connect and realize their potential. In this episode: Upcoming topics and speakers for the Embracing Intensity Community. Refreshing my website Adult Learning Assessment and Coaching information. Creating lots of fun and hopefully useful content. Links: My first Comic! Embracing Intensity Community Patreon Free Harnessing the Power of Your Intensity Work...
Jan 12, 2021•3 min
Today’s show focuses on highly sensitive people. My guest loves helping HSPs uncover the layers of conditioning put on them by society and bloom in their uniqueness. Join us to learn more. Julia R. Wild is a bestselling author, spiritual teacher, and trauma educator with a Master’s degree in psychology. She’s also a writing, creativity, and life coach. Her first self-help book for sensitives became an Amazon #1 bestseller, and she’s a TEDxMileHigh Blogger. Julia loves helping highly sensitive an...
Jan 04, 2021•36 min
This is the final rerun episode for December before we launch into a new season of interviews, solo episodes and amazing guest speakers! Love is the very fabric of the universe, and I get so excited when I see someone using their intensity to spread the love around. My guest this week is Alexandra Loves, and I actually approached a year ago to be on the show. I’m so glad we decided to wait until now, because my connection with Alexandra has grown and bloomed during that time, giving us plenty to...
Dec 29, 2020•1 hr 19 min
This December I’m sharing reruns of some of my favorite episodes from 2018. This one is from one of my all time hero’s René Brooks of Black Girl, Lost Keys. She was super amazing when I interviewed her and since then her following has absolutely blown up! I remember being excited for her last Christmas time when she hit 10 K followers on Twitter and now she’s grown exponentially with over 36 K. She’s also lined up a book deal and has a ton of other amazing projects in the works. She’s also creat...
Dec 23, 2020•57 min
