Different Spectrums Podcast ™️
Welcome to the Different Spectrums Podcast — a dynamic mental health podcast that blends entertainment with education! Hosted by Dr. Nazeer Zerka, an autistic therapist, and Spencer Srnec, our hilarious and insightful co-host, we explore mental health, autism, neurodivergence, trauma, and relationships through the lens of popular movies and TV shows. 🎬🧠 Join our global cast of licensed therapists, neurodivergent voices, and special guests as we break down powerful scenes, normalize emotions, and unpack what healing really looks like in our communities.
Episodes
Today we’re joined by the bold, brilliant, and absolutely hilarious Rebecca Faith Quinn (aka @reberrabon_bon ) — actor, content creator, and proud neurodivergent advocate 💥🎭✨
We're diving into one of Rebecca’s all-time favorite movies: The Accountant starring Ben Affleck. Together, we explore what this film gets right (and real) about autism, masking, and low support needs — with plenty of laughs and unexpected nuggets (l...
Today we’re joined by a powerhouse in the neurodivergent mental health world — Lauren Howard, aka L2 (@elle_two), founder of a national mental health practice and co-host of the podcast Different Not Broken 💥🧠 @DifferentNotBrokenPodcast
Lauren joins us to talk about everything from autism advocacy to RFK Jr.’s harmful rhetoric, while also helping us break down one of the most beloved and autistic-coded characters in the MCU...
Today’s podcast is different. No movie, no TV breakdown — just a real, urgent conversation about advocacy, safety, and standing up for the autistic and neurodivergent community.
We’re joined by fellow therapist, social worker, and neurodivergent advocate Andrew Robinson (@MyADHDCounselor) — an autistic and ADHD-identifying clinician — to talk about recent political and health policy issues surrounding RFK Jr., the current Republ...
Today, we’re diving into a very important topic — what it means to be Black and autistic, and how that experience is represented through the character Billy in the 2017 film Power Rangers. Billy, portrayed as openly autistic and Black, brought visibility to a community that is so often left out of superhero narratives and mental health conversations.
🧠 Billy: A Black, Autistic Superhero
Billy’s character is nerdy, passionate, de...
Today we’re joined by a very special guest — Amber Moore, The Relatable School Psychologist 🧠✨. Together, we break down the powerful film Good Will Hunting, diving into what it really means to show up for someone — in therapy, education, and life.
💬 Connection & Affirming Care
We explore the emotional dynamic between Will and Sean — client and therapist, but also two men learning how to trust. Amber shares how real healing ...
Today's episode is an exciting deep dive into Shoresy, the hit Letterkenny spinoff now in its fourth season on Hulu. While there’s plenty to discuss about the show, we're focusing on two key themes: relationships and the show's autistic-coded characters.
Autistic Representation in Shoresy
Many of the characters display strong neurodivergent traits—whether it's in their mannerisms, speech patterns, repetitive behaviors, stoicism, or b...
We’re joined by Andrew Whitworth—a 16-year NFL veteran, Super Bowl champion, Walter Payton Man of the Year, multiple-time Pro Bowler, and future Hall of Famer! You’ve seen him dominate with the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams, and now you can catch him on Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime. But today, he’s here with us to dive into mental health, ADHD, fatherhood, and life beyond football.
🏈 What We Cover in This Episo...
Today, we're joined by a spooky (but amazing) therapist—the one and only Easin Beck, MFT! 👻🧠 Currently rocking redhead status, they’re a trauma-focused therapist specializing in high-control religious environments and religious trauma. And trust us—this conversation is one of our favorites this year! 💜
We’re diving into the Disney classic Tangled (streaming now on Disney+) to break down the toxic mother-daughter dynamic between ...
🎙️ Today on Different Spectrums Podcast, we're diving into the 1996 classic comedy Birdcage starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane! This hilarious and heartwarming film gives us a powerful lens to explore the complexities of masking, code-switching, and societal pressure to conform—especially for neurodivergent and queer individuals.
In the podcast, we explore how this theme of putting on a performance reflects real-life e...
🎙️ Today on Different Spectrums Podcast, we're diving into the Netflix hit Mo!
We’re focusing on some powerful themes around immigration, Palestinian rights, and the complex realities of seeking asylum or a green card in America. But since this is an autistic podcast, we're taking a deeper look at how autism and mental health challenges are experienced within immigrant and Arabic families.
✨ Key Themes:
How autism...
In today’s episode, we’re diving into the season finale of Netflix’s Cobra Kai. We’ve talked about Cobra Kai before, along with The Karate Kid, but this time, we’re breaking down the final scenes and why they hit so hard emotionally.
First up, we explore dreams—their meaning, their intensity, and how they affect us. Daniel's dream sequence, where he faces literal skeletons from his past, mirrors what so many neurodivergent folks ex...
We made it through another year, everyone! 🏆 This is our second annual awards show, where we celebrate some of our favorite guests and highlight the highest-rated and most-loved episodes.
First and foremost, we want to express our deep appreciation for every single guest who has joined us. It’s been an absolute honor to speak with such incredible individuals, and we’re grateful to each of you for sharing your time, energy, and sto...
Hey everyone! In today’s episode, we set out to explore ADHD and negative thoughts through the lens of Deadpool & Wolverine—but as we got into it, we realized this film is really about trauma, PTSD, and grief. So, we took a deep dive into how both characters process pain in different ways and what that says about real-life mental health struggles.
💀 Deadpool: The Jokester with a Guarded Heart
Deadpool uses humor as a shield—keep...
Today, we’re taking an educational deep dive into Get Out with our special guest, therapist, and friend, Jessica Doran! 🎙️ Together, we’ll unpack several key themes in the film, focusing on the myths and weaponization of therapy, how mental health systems have historically harmed Black and Brown communities, and the ongoing appropriation of healing practices.
Jessica walks us through the dark origins of therapy, including how it wa...
Today, we have an incredible guest—Stephanie Rovetti, a 🥉 2024 Paris Olympics bronze medalist in rugby and soon-to-be occupational therapist! We share an exciting, hilarious, and deeply emotional discussion about the powerful film Peanut Butter Falcon (now streaming on Netflix), starring Shia LaBeouf, Dakota Johnson, and Zack Gottsagen. Stephanie’s connection to this film is personal—her brother, like Zack’s character, has Down sy...
🎙️ Today, we bring you an intense yet hilarious episode featuring our special guest, forensic clinical psychologist Dr. Lina Haji, as we dive into The Silence of the Lambs starring Anthony Hopkins. This conversation was so rich and layered that we had to break it into two episodes! In the first episode, Dr. Lina shares her unique experiences in maximum-security correctional facilities, dealing with crimes ranging from robbery to m...
🎙️ Today, we bring you an intense yet hilarious episode featuring our special guest, forensic clinical psychologist Dr. Lina Haji, as we dive into The Silence of the Lambs starring Anthony Hopkins. This conversation was so rich and layered that we had to break it into two episodes! In the first episode, Dr. Lina shares her unique experiences in maximum-security correctional facilities, dealing with crimes ranging from robbery to m...
🎙️ Today's podcast features the rugged and inspiring collegiate strength and conditioning coach, Matt Sagar! Together, we dive into Rocky 3—specifically the iconic scene where Apollo Creed tells Rocky, “There is no tomorrow.” We break down what this means, why it’s such a powerful message, and how to deliver this mindset in coaching and life. From Matt’s perspective as a coach, we explore the nuances of motivating athletes and how...
🎙️ Today, we’re joined by the hilarious and brilliant Dr. Funnies, the creator of Mental Health Funnies on Instagram and an incredible therapist. In this episode, we break down the classic 1984 film The Karate Kid 🥋, diving into mentorship, resilience, and how those who guide us can change our lives—for better or worse.
We explore Danny’s journey with Mr. Miyagi, who teaches him patience, discipline, and the value of building a ...
We’re excited to welcome Carolyn Kiel, host of the award-winning Beyond Six Seconds podcast, to discuss neurodivergent representation in media through the lens of Phoebe from Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Together, we explore how Phoebe’s dry humor, masking, and unique way of connecting reflect authentic autistic experiences.
Carolyn also opens up about her own journey of discovering she was autistic later in life and how interviewing n...
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