Episode 99: Reflexive Reactions: Sick Day! Reactive Reflections on Illness
It’s that time of year when bugs and viruses and bacteria skulk around and infect the unsuspecting. Grab a box of tissues and join us as we spill the tea on 90s sick day nostalgia, our tips and tricks, embarrassing moments, and some good old-fashioned complaints.
98: Games for People Like Us: Finding the Bright Side: A Playful Take on Shifting Perspective
Things have been rough for so long that it’s hard to remember when they weren’t. Walking through the world feels a bit like getting a scrub down with coarse grit sandpaper. If you’re feeling a little raw too then join us for a cognitive restructuring game where we look for the silver linings and seek out some meaning in the misery.
Episode 97: Coping Case Files: Ghosted by Halloween: Where Has the Spirit of the Season Gone?
Is it just us or has Halloween ghosted everyone this year? Join us as we talk about where the spirit of the season may have disappeared and how we can get it back before the candles in the jack-o-lanterns burn down and flicker out completely.
Episode 96: Reflexive Reactions: Living by My Cycle: My Experience with Hormone Regulation and Cycle Awareness
If you’ve ever been curious about what it might look like to live according to your cycle, we hope you’ll join us for this discussion. We break down what’s supposed to be happening with your hormones at different stages of your cycle and how that can manifest in your body and mood. We also explore some of the diet and activity recommendations for each week. And finally, we discuss Ivy’s personal experience with living this lifestyle.
Episode 95: Games for People Like Us: Taking Off the Mask: A Neurodivergent Tabletop RPG
If you’re an OG listener, you’ll remember a couple of years ago when we played a game we made to encapsulate the neurodivergent social experience. Well, for our first installment of Games for People Like Us, we decided to revisit this game and see if it was just as fun as it was the first time. We had a blast, and we hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we did.
94: Try This Maybe: Reality Checks: Cognitive Tools to Break the Spiral
In this episode, we’re discussing the concept of cognitive restructuring, a valuable tool that can help you hit the pause button on anger, fear, and rumination so that you have the opportunity to positively shift your perspective and your responses to daily life stressors.
Episode 93: Pet (& Feral) Theories: Too Tired to Relax: Why Rest is Exhausting
If you find it easier to multi-task a dozen projects than to relax for even 10 minutes then this episode is for you. Join us as we discuss: why rest can be so difficult; how to take the pressure off with a shift in perspective; and possible solutions that address some of the root causes of restlessness.
Episode 92: Coping Case Files: Mindfulness: Does It Suck or Am I Just Doing It Wrong?
In this episode, we’re exploring the idea of mindfulness on a personal level as we try to understand why Autumn has such a contentious relationship with it, and we seek to troubleshoot ways that the practice could be adapted to be more user-friendly for an individual.
Episode 91: Reflexive Reactions: Stayin’ Alive: When Pollyanna and Spite Just Aren’t Enough
Join us as we react to some of the advice the internet has to offer about how to find a reason to keep going and give our opinions on whether or not it’s actually effective. There will be some serious discussion, some heartfelt moments, and a little bit of gallows humor, and we hope it will help you feel less alone and less stigmatized.
Announcement
It's time for a candid talk about where the podcast has been and where it's headed. We'll be taking off the month of July so that we can reset, recalibrate, and make some important changes happen.
Episode 90: Too Bright, Too Loud, Too Much: A Neurodivergent Tour of the 5 Senses
Join us for a romp and a rant through the five senses and explore with us all of the various ways we can become overloaded by our sensory experience of the world. If you’ve ever been treated like a crazy person for feeling overwhelmed by sights, sounds, and textures that other people don’t even seem to notice then this is the episode for you.
Episode 89: The Movement Mindset: Choosing Fitness Activities That Fit You
Join us as we discuss some answers to physical fitness questions; and explore a few different types of exercise, along with their various benefits and warning labels. If you’ve ever been overwhelmed, confused, or possibly even triggered by the mere idea of exercise, we’re here to help make it all a little less daunting.
Episode 88: Connected, Not Consumed: 8 Tips for Digital Detox
We don’t want to villainize all technology, but we do still need to admit that there are some real downsides to being constantly barraged by screens at every turn. So how do we pull back a little from our digital dependency? Join us as we discuss some realistic tips and tricks that will enable you to find more balance and engage more actively with the people and world around you.
Episode 87: Pet (& Feral Theories): Autism
We’re seeing a resurgence of people pathologizing the autistic experience and reinforcing social stigmas and negative stereotypes. Yes, autism comes with its challenges but to demonize it is nonsense; it’s fear mongering from people who have clearly never truly known or loved an autistic person. Join us for this episode as we explore some social and experiential theories around autism.
Episode 86: Futile or Functional: ADHD Life Hacks
We’re back again with another installment of Futile or Functional, where we explore the usefulness of the internet’s suggestions for our mental health. Join us as Ivy and Jake try to determine whether these hacks are futile or functional, and hear Autumn’s amusing observations as an outsider looking in on some common ADHD conundrums.
Episode 85: The Serenity Prayer: Acceptance vs Change
We’ve all heard some iteration of the serenity prayer, but what does that actually look like? What does it mean to accept the things you can’t change and work toward changing the things you can? How do you even decide what to change and what to accept? Join us as we discuss how living by the serenity prayer can positively impact your life.
Episode 84: Sounds of Strength: 90s Songs That Help Us Cope
Yes, there was a lot of fun, fluffy pop music like any other decade, but the 90s also produced a lot of deeply meaningful and often cathartic songs. For those of us who grew up in the 90s, the music of that era made us feel seen and understood; it got us through hard times; and it built the people we’ve become. Maybe it’s time to revisit these songs and let them bolster our strength again for the challenges ahead.
Episode 83: Self-Care Soundtrack: Modern Melodies for Mental Wellness
Whether you use it to help you calm down, vent your frustrations, have a good cry, or find hope on the darkest days music is a fundamental part of our self-care regimen. Join us as we examine some of the songs that are keeping us going and explore how we use music as a coping skill.
Episode 82: ADHD Tourism: What Post Concussive Syndrome Taught Me About ADHD
While the research on the topic is still in largely in its infancy, there is a notable correlation between the symptoms of ADHD and those of traumatic brain injuries. Join us as we discuss our experiences with post-concussive syndrome and everything it taught us about ADHD symptomology.
Episode 81: The Game of Love: Rants, Rambles, and Random Thoughts on Valentine’s Day
Join us as we play a little word association game, taking Valentine’s themed vocabulary words and cramming as much unhinged rambling about each one as we can in our allotted amount of time. Hold onto your little heart-shaped butts because we get a little wild, a tiny bit spicy, kinda creepy, and sometimes even sickeningly sentimental.