Clinically Awkward

In this bonus episode of Clinically Awkward, I, Alyssa Zimmerman, your local stressy messy AuDHD therapist and self appointed Snake, join Rain Glenn, the Baby, to celebrate our unlikely friendship built entirely on the Game Changers universe, a completely normal and healthy bonding experience.

We spiral about our 50 day and counting Heated Rivalry hyperfixation and everything we know about season two adapting The Long Game, includi...

In this Eating Disorder Awareness Month episode of Clinically Awkward, I, Alyssa Zimmerman, stressy messy AuDHD therapist, am joined by Bailey Pilant to talk about disordered eating in neurodivergent people, especially binge eating disorder, with guest appearances by bulimia and ARFID. We explain why “just listen to your body” is wildly unhelpful advice when your hunger cues are basically non existent, and how restriction, calorie ...

As an offshoot of my ongoing Heated Rivalry hyperfixation, I, Alyssa Zimmerman, LCSW, am joined by sexologist Dr. Samia Khan for a candid conversation about queer and neurodivergent sexuality. We talk about the stigma around different types of pleasure, why the prostate has a PR problem, and how shame tends to ruin perfectly good curiosity. We also get into consent, communication, aftercare, kink, ethical non monogamy, and why diff...

In this episode of Clinically Awkward, I, Alyssa Zimmerman, your friendly neighborhood stressy messy AuDHD therapist, sit down with author Maria Ingrande Mora to talk about our shared and deeply unhinged hyperfixation on hockey. We unpack our hockey origin stories, including nostalgic and occasionally wacky adolescent fandom, how our relationship with the sport has evolved, and what neurodivergent joy, intensity, and identity look...

In this episode of Clinically Awkward, I, Alyssa Zimmerman, AuDHD therapist, am joined by Dana Cea, a therapist from North Carolina, to explore the unique challenges neurodivergent individuals face around hair care and hygiene. Dana shares insights into their own neurodivergent identity, the impact of social expectations on appearance, and practical ways to make hair care routines more manageable. The conversation bal...

In this episode of Clinically Awkward, I, Alyssa Zimmerman, your favorite stressy, messy AuDHD therapist, chat with Colette Bennett, a journalist, author, and Cohost of Colette and Matt Have Entered the Chat. Colette discusses how she turned her love for video games into a profession. She recounts her journey from geeking out over an Atari at age five to working in a high-speed newsroom. They laugh about ADHD mishaps,...

In this bonus, supersized, and increasingly unhinged episode of Clinically Awkward, Rain Glynn and I discuss our current hyper-fixation, the Canadian “hockey” show Heated Rivalry. We dig into the show's character portrayals of neurodivergence, trauma, and interpersonal relationshiops. We dissect moments of clear autistic behavior, the show's handling of trauma and mental health, and the authentic representation of que...

In this episode of Clinically Awkward, join me, your. Favorite stressy messy AuDHD therapist, Alyssa Zimmerman as I sit down with Danielle Procope Bell, an Assistant Professor of Africana Studies at University of Tennessee and

expert in Black Feminism and Critical Autism Studies. Danielle shares her journey as a late-diagnosed autistic woman and her special interest in chess, diving into how it has shape...

In this episode of Clinically Awkward, I, Alyssa Zimmerman, your favorite AuDHD therapist, am joined by the hilarious Rain Glynn to yap about equine therapy. We chat about all things horses, because who knew horses could be therapists too, right? Rain breaks down therapeutic riding, horsemanship, and equine-assisted psychotherapy, and we touch on how horses are basically huge emotional sponges. You'll hear wild storie...

Join me, Alyssa Zimmerman, your favorite Stressy, Depressy, AuDHD therapist, as I chat with Blair Buckley, a social worker and therapist from Denver. Blair dives into her journey of dealing with late-diagnosed ADHD, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, POTS, and MCAS, while navigating the complex healthcare system as a neurodivergent woman. We discuss the unique challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals in medical settings, t...

In this episode of Clinically Awkward, I’m joined once again by friend-of-the-pod Sidrah Kahn as we unpack our shared experiences with aunthood, messy family dynamics, and what it means to be the resident child-free women holding the emotional scaffolding together. We talk about the joys and chaos of being an aunt, swap stories about our nieces and nephews, and get into the very specific kind of care child-free women ...

In this episode of 'Clinically Awkward,' host Alyssa Zimmerman welcomes singer, songwriter, and therapist Cassandra Holt Kimball to discuss her journey with neurodivergence and her passion for gardening. They explore Cassandra's diagnosis journey to discovering CPTSD and autism, and how this has influenced her therapeutic approach. The conversation touches on the role of specialized therapy, cultural identity, and the...

In this episode of 'Clinically Awkward,' host Alyssa Zimmerman speaks with guest Katy Raileanu, a therapist diagnosed with ADHD, who discusses her journey with the diagnosis and experience as a neurodivergent therapist. Katy delves into her lifelong special interest in horses, sharing insights into horse breeds, their personalities, and why horses might attract neurodivergent individuals. The conversation also touches...

This week on Clinically Awkward, I’m diving deep into the world of Taylor Swift with licensed professional counselor Sidrah Khan. We talk Swifties, limerence, parasocial heartbreak, and how Taylor’s music hits different when you’re neurodivergent. From hyper-specific memory quirks to the chaos of the Eras Tour, we unpack the patterns, the rage, and the unapologetic feelings that make Swifties feel seen.

Expect oversharing, laughs, ...

In this episode, we go behind the scenes of the mental health system through the eyes of AuDHD clinicians. From navigating burnout and boundary-setting to the frustrating inefficiencies of working in inpatient and outpatient settings, we break the 4th wall to reveal what it’s really like to be a neurodivergent therapist. Expect candid stories, unfiltered reflections, and insights into how neurodivergence shapes both the work and th...

Ever wonder why some people are so irresistible to us while others push all of our buttons? Alyssa Zimmerman chats with fellow neurodivergent therapist Lauren Evans to break down the Enneagram in a way that’s practical, funny, and unapologetically real. We dive into each of the nine types, explore wings and growth paths, and share stories about embracing quirks, contradictions, and all the “too much” parts of yourself. Whether you’...

In this episode of Clinically Awkward, Alyssa Zimmerman sits down with Bailey Pilant, an AuDHD Licensed Mental Health Counselor, to explore the experiences of neurodivergent women navigating diagnosis, societal expectations, and hyperfixations. From the invisible struggles of late-diagnosed ADHD and autism, to the unique challenges of beauty pageants and conventional attractiveness, Bailey shares how masking, rejection sensitivity,...