Emotional Contagion and Alexithymia: Feeling Everything, Naming Nothing

Do you ever feel emotionally overloaded without knowing why? Or find yourself mirroring someone else's mood without realizing it? You’re not alone—and you’re not broken. In this episode of Divergent Paths, Dr. Regina McMenomy and cohost Russ Catanach unpack two powerful but often misunderstood neurodivergent experiences: emotional contagion and alexithymia.

You’ll learn what these terms mean, how they often show up together, and why they’re so common among ADHD and autistic individuals. Regina explains how catching someone else’s emotions (emotional contagion) can collide with difficulty naming your own feelings (alexithymia), creating what she calls “emotional static.” From personal stories to practical insights, this episode helps you build emotional fluency, set better boundaries, and stop absorbing what doesn’t belong to you.

Key topics:

• What emotional contagion is and why it hits neurodivergent folks hard
• Understanding alexithymia and the difference between thinking and feeling emotions
• How these experiences impact relationships, parenting, and workplace dynamics
• Practical tools for checking in with your body and reclaiming emotional clarity

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Regina McMenomy, PhD Regina is a neurodivergent leadership consultant, podcast host, and systems thinker who helps organizations build workplaces where everyone can thrive. With a background in higher education and a passion for inclusion, she brings insight, empathy, and a lot of lived experience to every conversation.

Russ Catanach Russ is a marketing professional, speaker, and co-host of the DIY for Business podcast. Known for his humor and clarity, he brings a grounded, real-world lens to workplace challenges and personal growth conversations.