NeuroDivergent Relationships Podcast with Kathy Marshack, Ph.D.
A podcast show with Dr. Kathy Marshack on ”Asperger Syndrome” and navigating NeuroDivergent Relationships.
Episodes
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 ...
Fear has a way of creeping into our relationships, especially when NeuroDivergence is part of the picture. But what if you could replace fear with faith?
In this episode, I’m diving into the biological roots of fear, the fears that come with meltdowns, and how those fears can silently shape your connection.
You’ll also learn simple daily practices to shift away from fear and strengthen your relationship through faith, understandin...
Power reveals who we really are, especially in relationships where love and control can become tangled.
In this episode, we’re exploring how power plays show up in NeuroDivergent relationships and what they do to trust, connection, and empathy.
From HOA battles to divorce disputes, we’ll look at how manipulation, false compromise, and emotional dismissal quietly erode bonds.
Most importantly, we’ll talk about how to break free fro...
Is your NeuroDivergent relationship thriving, or just surviving?
In this quick episode, we’re diving into what comes after the podcast—the Podcast Afterparty.
If you’ve ever wished for a space to process what you’ve heard, ask questions, or just connect with people who truly get it, the Afterparty was made for you.
It’s a live, confidential discussion space for neurotypical and neurodiverse individuals navigating relationshi...
Understanding each other can feel impossible when you’re not wired the same way.
This episode dives into the emotional complexity of NeuroDivergent relationships, especially where trauma, identity, and communication collide.
We explore the overlap between PTSD and autism, how language can both connect and divide us, and why honoring differences matters more than ever.
Plus, a first look at the Radiant Empathy video game - an immer...
Standing up for the truth can come at a cost, and it’s not always one you see coming.
This episode dives into the emotional and psychological fallout that often follows when you speak up against injustice, especially when power is involved.
From smear campaigns and online harassment to legal threats and professional sabotage, we explore what retaliation really looks like and how to survive it. If you've ever felt like telling ...
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