NeuroDivergent Relationships Podcast with Kathy Marshack, Ph.D.

This episode is about the raw, tender miracle of finding people who see you.

Using the holiday season as a magnifying glass, Dr. Marshack shares how her Friendsgiving revealed a profound truth: NeuroDiverse individuals often depend entirely on their NeuroTypical partners to carry the emotional load of social settings. 

You’ll hear a story about a hidden wink at a quiet table, a chance encounter with a homeless cousin in a red s...

This episode dives into a difficult topic for the holiday season: Narcissism is a Choice, and so is Radiant Empathy.

We talk about narcissism not as a textbook disorder, but as a defense—a fortress built around a deep wound and terror. You'll learn how emotional burnout in NeuroDivergent relationships often drives both NT and ND partners into these defensive patterns. 

Dr. Marshack reveals that Radiant Empathy is your only true opt...

This episode is about survivor's guilt—the quiet ache in your heart after losing someone you love, even if they are still alive. Dr. Marshack shares her reality as an alienated parent with grown daughters and grandchildren she’s never met.

You'll learn that the grief is real, but it is possible to live a beautiful life anyway. This episode gives you permission to embrace joy, explaining why living fully is not a betrayal; it is a...

This is the story of the hardest choice Dr. Marshack ever had to make: the choice to protect herself, even when it meant letting go of the people she loved most.

This raw episode details the chaos of a high-stakes, NeuroDivergent divorce involving parental alienation, overwhelming meltdowns, and total betrayal. You'll hear the agonizing truth of being threatened with arrest while trying to protect her Autistic daughter. 

Dr. Ma...

If you grew up in a NeuroDivergent household, you know the longing for a hug and the confusion of being met with practical solutions instead of emotional connection.

In this deeply nostalgic and honest episode, Dr. Marshack reflects on her childhood with a brilliant, thrifty, and emotionally distant mother who was likely on the Autism Spectrum. 

You'll hear how her mother's quirky love—from dresses made of flour sacks to lesson...

This episode dives into the extremes of the Empathy Dysfunction Scale—EMD 0 (the Autism end) and EMD 5 (the highly empathic end)—and explains why neither represents true Radiant Empathy on its own.

You’ll learn how EMD 0 struggles with alexithymia and the reflex to shut down, while the highly sensitive EMD 5 often falls into the trap of codependent fixing. 

Dr. Marshack shares how her own therapy work embodies the key lesson: R...

Litigation, denial, invisibility—these struggles feel unique, but they are all the same fight: the fight to have your truth recognized.

In this powerful episode, Dr. Marshack shares her own journey through conflict (like fighting for her health against contaminated water) and connects it to the emotional neglect and invisibility heard from so many NeuroDivergent couples. 

You'll learn to rise to Radiant Empathy, the moment you reco...

Forget the fairy tales. In real life, Happily Ever After is about finding a way to thrive, even when faced with intolerable situations.

Using the dysfunction of a Homeowners Association (HOA) as a metaphor, Dr. Marshack explores the creative and sometimes radical adaptations she has seen in NeuroDivergent relationships. You’ll hear about couples who live in separate houses, use structured agreements, and even move apart—all while...

It's one of the simplest yet hardest truths to live by in a NeuroDivergent relationship: You have the right to make mistakes and to correct them.

In this episode, we talk about the tragedy of transactional thinking, where mistakes are treated like mortal sins and are never forgiven. Dr. Marshack shares personal stories of being confronted and marked for life by loved ones and shows you how to fight back with simple assertive righ...

This is the question that won't go away: Why is it so hard for my ASD partner to take responsibility for their actions?

It feels like they’re refusing to see your pain, leaving you alone in life. This episode moves beyond the blame game. Thanks to the insights of NeuroDiverse men like Richard and Rob, we now have a powerful path forward: Empathy Triad Engaged.

This isn't about giving anyone a free pass. It's about demanding mut...

Belief is the quiet power that makes it easier to keep going.

In this powerful episode, Dr. Marshack shares how her own journey, sparked by a profound moment with the Statue of Liberty's poem, led her to found Team Light. 

You’ll learn that belief is an act of Radiant Empathy and courage, especially in NeuroDivergent partnerships where clarity and connection can feel impossible. 

This isn't about being perfect; it's about holding t...

In the fictional world, the brilliant NeuroDiverse woman gets the standing ovation. But what about real life?

This is a deeply personal story about the raw love, grief, and confusion of raising an Autistic daughter in a world with no manuals, no support groups, and no models for success. 

Dr. Marshack shares the intense struggles, from sensory battles and bullying to depression and alienation, that occur when the world expects a gi...

Have you ever shared a personal story only to have a loved one respond with a debate or an ill-timed laugh?

In this episode, Dr. Kathy Marshack introduces the concept of Conversational Aspergian to help you decode these moments and understand the emotions beneath the surface. 

Using a deeply personal story about her mother and other real-life examples, she explains how neurodiverse individuals often use humor, logic, or avoidan...

How do you move forward when so much has been taken from you? In this episode, Dr. Kathy Marshack talks about the power of writing your own ending. 

She shares a deeply personal story of loss, betrayal, and the profound lesson she learned from a FedEx driver that the truth has a way of finding the people who need it most.

This episode is about reclaiming your story and leaving a legacy beyond your losses. You’ll learn that your pai...

Dr. Kathy Marshack's health crisis began with a simple problem: contaminated water from an uphill neighbor. But her healing journey uncovered a profound truth: we are all interconnected systems.

In this deeply personal episode, Dr. Marshack shares her story of chronic illness and recovery, revealing how our bodies are systems of systems, all nestled within our relationships, communities, and environment.

Using an ancient Greek blu...

Inch by inch, stress does kill. In this raw and deeply personal episode, Dr. Kathy Marshack pulls back the curtain on the hidden costs of emotional erasure in NeuroDivergent relationships. 

She shares her own story of chronic illness, undiagnosed struggles, and the breaking point that forced her to listen to her body's signals.

You’ll discover why emotional invisibility isn't just painful, it's physically dangerous. Dr. Marshack sh...

When the rules of engagement seem to be written in another language, you might be on what I call Aspie Planet.

This episode explores the Apple TV+ series, Mythic Quest, as a powerful allegory for life in a culture governed by the intense logic, passions, and unique communication styles of those with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

You'll learn how to recognize the markers of this world—from transactional communication to obsessive lo...

Navigating a NeuroDivergent relationship can feel like a journey into a foreign land, where the maps you've always used just don't work.

In this episode, we're exploring how to bridge the empathy gap and foster deeper connection, even when communication feels "off."

You’ll discover how to navigate the "uncanny valley" of relationships, understand differing emotional expressions, and challenge your own assumptions to build a shared ...

When love begins to drain your health, something needs to change.

In this episode, we’re uncovering the hidden physical toll that NeuroDivergent relationships can take when chronic stress goes unchecked. 

You’ll learn why empathy should never mean sacrificing yourself, how to recognize emotional exhaustion and gaslighting, and the practical steps you can take to protect your well-being.

If you’ve ever felt like your body is paying ...