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In this episode of The Neurodivergent Creative Podcast, Caitlin talks about the reality of burnout when we're siloed because of hardcore survival mode—and how community helps keep us sane and ease the pressure when we're running on fumes."Once sleep and stress get all f****d up, the rest of you will get all f****d up. In fact, if you can prioritize improving like one aspect of your life , it should be sleep first." - Caitlin Liz FisherWhat You Will Learn: how capitalism thrives on our burnoutinput, output, and the value of quality restwhy community care alleviates the pressure

Everything has gotten more expensive, and young adults have made it clear that the cost of living has become increasingly harder to achieve vs their parents' generation. So, if money is available for us to earn, shouldn't we be working harder to make more?In this episode, Caitlin brain spiral is activated thanks to money trauma from the past. Again. Their thought gremlin clung to the belief that if they were not paycheck maxing, then they somehow didn't care about their financial goals and obviously deserved to be punished.But, of course, instead of letting the gremlins win, Caitlin uses their free will to launch a counterattack by identifying the neutral circumstances of their situation. What are the facts? What do we know about this situation that is true and measurable?If you've been kicking yourself in the butt for not being more productive in this capitalistic hellscape, then here's a much needed perspective on what it's like as a neuroqueer career human trying to live in a world that glorifies "normal," all while said world makes it almost impossible to survive with one paycheck.💬"At the end of the day, what even is normal? Like, we're all just existing on spectrums of lived experience and coping mechanisms and our own version of truth. The important thing is, like, what do you want to feel when this kind of thing happens?" - Caitlin Liz FisherWhat You Will Learn: How to re-center yourself using neutral thinking when money anxiety hits hardWhy working harder to earn more won't solve your money traumaWhy knowing more and better is not a foolproof way to feel safe and secureWhat "Being Good with Money" vs "Being Bad with Money" has taught us to believe about ourselves when no one is looking

Have you ever said “um” one too many times, forgotten a basic word, mixed up two sounds, or completely abandoned a sentence because your brain and mouth stopped cooperating?In this episode of The Neurodivergent Creative, Caitlin dives into the fascinating, funny, and surprisingly complex world of filler words, speech disfluencies, spoonerisms, verbal mix-ups, and the tiny linguistic detours our brains take while trying to communicate.From accidentally saying “fart cone” instead of “car phone” to getting trapped in a “once a ton of pine” loop, Caitlin explores why our words sometimes come out scrambled—especially when we are tired, distracted, stressed, excited, multitasking, or experiencing executive dysfunction.💬" We use filler words a lot, and they're normal, and they're not bad grammar, and they're not ignorant, and they don't mean that you are stupid or uneducated. They're a normal part of human speech." - Caitlin Liz FisherWhat We Explore in This Episode:- Why filler words are a normal part of human speech- The difference between spoonerisms, malapropisms, revisions, and repetitions- How burnout and executive dysfunction can affect word retrieval- What current research suggests about ADHD and speech disfluency- How filler words function as social and conversational cues- Why disfluencies are not personal failures that need to be eliminated

In this episode of The Neurodivergent Creative, Caitlin explores the psychology of secrecy, honesty, rumination, and the very neurodivergent pressure to be “fully transparent” all the time.Because sometimes keeping secrets is not dishonest. Sometimes, it is safe. Sometimes, it is healthy. Sometimes, it is necessary.Inspired by a Psychology Today article and research from Michael Slepian and Alex Koch, Caitlin unpacks why humans keep secrets, what kinds of secrets people commonly carry, and when secrecy becomes emotionally or physically harmful. They also share how OCD, black-and-white thinking, and burnout created a belief that being a good person meant being endlessly open, endlessly nuanced, and endlessly available. (Spoiler: it does not!)💬"Sometimes keeping secrets is a safety thing. You don't have to tell everybody everything about you." - Caitlin Liz FisherWhat We Explore in This Episode: The difference between privacy, secrecy, and dishonestyHow OCD and black-and-white thinking can create pressure to be “honest” at all costsWhy oversharing can become unsafe or unsustainableHow secrets can cause distress when they create shame, isolation, or uncertaintyWhy rumination is often more harmful than the secret itselfHow confiding in a safe, compassionate person can reduce the burden of secrecyThree questions to ask yourself when deciding whether a secret is harmful

In this Pride Month episode of The Neurodivergent Creative, Caitlin Fisher dives into bisexuality, queer history, compulsory heterosexuality, and the social systems that taught us to treat straightness as the default.💬" Heterosexuality as norm is a social construct. Without hierarchy, it's all just neutral behavior." - Caitlin Liz FisherThey also explore the Kinsey Scale, its historical importance, its limitations, and why newer models of sexuality offer more nuance. Caitlin connects this conversation to queer erasure, religious and patriarchal control, colonialism, defunded queer research, and the ways queer history has been intentionally suppressed.At the heart of this episode is a liberating reminder: human sexuality is fluid, layered, and far more expansive than the rigid categories society often tries to enforce.What We Explore in This Episode:- Compulsory heterosexuality and how it shapes self-understanding- Bisexual erasure, queer gatekeeping, and the fear of not being “queer enough”- The Kinsey Scale as an early model of sexual orientation and where it falls short- Alternatives to the Kinsey Scale, including the Klein Grid, SASO, and MSS- Queerness in animal behavior and why “natural” is not synonymous with heterosexual- How religion, patriarchy, colonialism, and political power have shaped sexual norms- The intentional erasure of queer history and queer researchMentioned in this episode:- Episode 167: Why We Are 60 Years Behind on Queer Rights: https://youtu.be/YM24FA_s9lg- Episode 168: Pride, Bisexual Erasure, and the Harm of Queer Gatekeeping (with Bailey Merlin): https://youtu.be/f7JBJYXAC44- Alfred Kinsey and the Kinsey Scale - https://bi.org/en/famous/alfred-kinsey/- The Klein Sexuality Grid - https://bi.org/en/bi-101s/kinsey-klein/- The Sell Assessment of Sexual Orientation - http://www.lgbtdata.com/uploads/1/0/8/8/10884149/ms003_sell_details.pdf- The Multidimensional Scale of Sexuality - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2230111/- Queerness and bisexual/homosexual behavior in animals - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexual_behavior_in_animals- History of Human Sexuality - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_human_sexuality#Religion_and_sex

It’s Pride Month, and Caitlin is kicking things off with a very queer, very passionate, very neurodivergent deep dive into Heated Rivalry—the gay hockey romance that has officially become a hyperfocus.💬"If we didn't have the hetero patriarchal state that we live in that just assumes straight is the norm, people would be so much more fluid and open and just not scared of their own sexualities." - Caitlin Liz FisherThis episode begins with a Pride Month PSA about visibility, queerness, shame, and the ridiculous amount of work people do to avoid accepting the full spectrum of human sexuality. Caitlin reminds listeners that Pride is not about “shoving sexuality in people’s faces.” It is about being alive, being out, and refusing to disappear in a world that still tries to push queer people back into the closet.What We Explore in This Episode: Why Pride Month is about survival, visibility, celebration, and resistanceThe shame and fear many people carry around sexuality and same-sex attractionHow heteronormativity limits people’s ability to explore their own desireWhy Heated Rivalry became Caitlin’s latest hyperfocusWhy slow-burn enemies-to-lovers stories can feel so emotionally powerfulThe risks Shane and Ilya face as queer athletes in a deeply unsafe worldHow fear, secrecy, intimacy, and longing shape the central romanceQueer media resources mentioned: Heated Rivalry: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt35495073/Game Changers book series by Rachel Reid: https://www.goodreads.com/series/245053-game-changersSchitt’s Creek: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3526078/

In this episode, Caitlin reflects on nervous systems, shame, emotional safety, and what happens when we finally experience relationships where we don’t have to suppress ourselves to be loved.💬"If somebody's shaming you and telling you to, like, 'Shut that up and get a handle on it,' I don't think they have your best interests at heart. I think they have their best interests at heart, and their best interests are, 'You don't make them deal with anything.' And part of humanity is dealing with each other, right? That's community. That's love. That's relationship."Through stories about startling easily, autistic burnout, relationships, and midnight dog walks, this conversation explores how healing often begins when our reactions stop being treated like inconveniences.What We Explore in This Episode How shame can train us to suppress normal human reactionsWhy safe relationships can reveal old wounds and triggersThe difference between being told you're safe and actually feeling safeNervous system healing and learning that you do not have to carry everything aloneWhy healthy relationships create room for your full humanity

In this episode, Caitlin Fisher reflects on trauma responses, people-pleasing, relationship conditioning, compulsory heterosexuality, polyamory, patriarchy, and the surreal realization that maybe… not everything is her fault.💬"I'm constantly blaming myself for emergencies and problems that have not even occurred yet. I'm just walking around with a little sign above my head that says, 'You can blame me for that.' And I've been giving that away for free to people. I've just been giving them a get out of accountability free card... We're not doing that anymore because I'm tired, and I have better things to do with my life, such as living a life." - Caitlin Liz FisherWhat begins as a story about running out of whipped cream spirals into a layered conversation about nervous system healing, accountability, toxic conditioning, queer identity, relationship structures, and the strange cultural expectations we absorb without realizing it.And honestly? Sometimes healing looks like sitting in your kitchen realizing someone said “damn it” and your body didn’t immediately prepare for a full on emotional battle.What We Explore in This Episode How trauma can create hypervigilance and chronic self-blameThe emotional relief of realizing you are not responsible for everyone’s feelingsCompulsory heterosexuality and questioning relationship normsPolyamory, kitchen table dynamics, and relationship hierarchyPatriarchy, gender conditioning, and why hygiene somehow became “feminine”The relationship escalator and why default societal scripts deserve questioningHow nervous system safety changes the way we experience conflict and mistakes

In this episode, Caitlin reflects on taking their first in-person drawing class in years and accidentally stumbling into a bigger realization about creativity, friendship, perfectionism, and neurodivergent self-worth. What starts as a story about pencils, charcoal, and sensory nightmares slowly unfolds into a conversation about being perceived, finding safe people, and realizing that maybe making friends isn’t about performing correctly after all.💜💬“Apparently all you have to do is just be yourself, and the people that like that will come sit by you.” - Caitlin Liz FisherWhat We Explore in This Episode Perfectionism and the fear of “wasting” good art suppliesAuDHD work experiences and supportive workplacesFriendship, authenticity, and accidental community-buildingLetting hobbies exist without monetizing or mastering themReconnecting with the crafty, playful parts of yourselfGentle Reminders From This Episode Your hobbies do not need to become productive to matter.Warm-ups count.Tiny creative crumbs count.You do not have to earn the right to use nice materials.Friendship is often less complicated than trauma taught us it would be.Accommodating yourself is not failure.Your human experience is worthy of the paper.

Attention is not just about being seen. It’s about being known. The people closest to us are close because they notice us.  They pay attention to our needs, our moods, our patterns. Giving our attention says: This matters to me. And when that’s missing, it can shape how we show up in relationships—whether that looks like avoiding needs altogether or longing to be noticed without knowing how to ask.In this episode, Caitlin explores something many of us quietly wrestle with: our very human need for attention. They also introduce us to a psychological concept called the Spotlight Effect, which explains why we tend to overestimate how much people notice us. This conversation reframes attention not as something shameful, but as something we need to feel seen, held, and understood.“We are shaped and molded by people around us. But at the end of the day, like we have to know ourselves and we have to know how to take care of ourselves. So like your world should include other people, but it cannot revolve around other people because then you are losing yourself."What We Explore in This Episode Why needing attention is a fundamental human experienceThe difference between healthy attention and shame-based narrativesHow trauma can push us to center others and abandon ourselvesBecoming the center of your own world (without losing connection)The “spotlight effect” and why people notice you less than you thinkReframing attention as intimacy, care, and mutual recognition

In this super short episode, Caitlin reflects on masking, honesty, and the complicated relationship many neurodivergent people have with truth, safety, and self-expression.💬" You can't just academically study yourself, right? You're still living a life. So it's very hard for me to like be able to talk about the effects of masking if I am like constantly demanding of myself that I never mask." - Caitlin FisherThrough the lens of a romance novel character perceived as “difficult,” we’re invited to question our assumptions about behavior. Because WHAT IF what looks like dishonesty or harshness is actually someone creating distance to feel safe?And while masking can be exhausting, this episode also gently reframes it as something more nuanced:Masking can be a boundary.Masking can be a shield.Masking can be survival.Tune in as they explore what it means to protect your peace, even when that means not being fully “honest” all the time.What we learn in this episode:- What masking actually is (beyond the usual definition)- Why honesty can feel like a moral obligation- The link between neurodivergence and black-and-white thinking- How to choose safety without guiltThings to reflect on:- Where am I demanding total honesty from myself in ways that feel unsafe?- Who in my life has earned access to my full, unmasked self?- Where can I offer myself more flexibility instead of rigid rules?

It's Caitlin's Birthday Month and we are celebrating with an episode that talks about enjoying your special day, asking for what you want, and finding delight in being the kind of person other people feel safe to share their wants and needs to.💬" I'm allowed to do things I like without having to earn it or qualify it or justify it."If you've ever felt like you had to downplay your joy or not ask for nice things just to fit in the mold and be taken seriously, then this is your wake up call to STOP DOING THAT! The people who love you will be so pleased to have a roadmap directly to your heart. Got it? Kthxloveyoubye!What You Will Learn:- The work of enjoying little things- Why we end up expecting judgement on what we ask for- Practicing how to ask for what you want- The people who love you actually want to know what you want

In this episode of The Neurodivergent Creative Podcast, host Caitlin Liz Fisher (they/them) shares a deeply personal update on their burnout recovery journey—what happens when you slow down, stop forcing productivity, and start letting yourself want things again.From writing 18k words in a romance draft to redecorating their home for joy instead of necessity, this episode explores what it really means to build a life that supports your nervous system, your creativity, and your happiness.If you’ve ever felt stuck between exhaustion and desire, this one’s for you!What We Explore in This Episode ADHD burnout and what it feels like when you’ve been moving too fast to notice itWhy slowing down can actually bring your creativity backThe difference between doing what’s “functional” vs. what brings you joyRedecorating your space as a form of nervous system support and healing🌈Support the ShowIf this episode resonated, tell me. Seriously. Leave a comment. Send a DM. Tell me what this podcast has meant to you.Affirmation helps me keep showing up.You can also: Join The Creatives Rebellion on Patreon (tiers start at $3)Download the Audacity Bill of Rights at audacityarchives.comLeave a 5-star review on Apple PodcastsYou don’t need to wait until something breaks to change it.You don’t need to justify joy.You don’t need to earn a life that feels good.You’re allowed to build it—slowly, gently, and on your own terms.Now, go make something weird! Stay hydrated. I love you.💜

What if your creativity didn’t have to come from burnout?In this episode of The Neurodivergent Creative Podcast, Caitlin Liz Fisher reflects on safety, burnout, and the quiet, radical act of stepping away from work that no longer feels aligned. Through an oracle card pull and honest storytelling, Caitlin explores what it means to choose rest, reconnect with desire, and unlearn the belief that suffering makes you more valuable.This is an episode about permission.To pause. To not know.And to choose yourself anyway.Because creativity doesn’t come from pressure or urgency. It comes from safety. From having enough space to listen to yourself again.What We Explore in This Episode Taking a business sabbatical and choosing not to decide from burnoutThe sneaky belief that you have to suffer to be valuable (and why that’s… cuckoo banana pants)Navigating being good at something vs. being called to itThe difference between neurotypical vs. neurodivergent workplacesHow honesty can either break trust or build it (depending on the environment)Expanding beyond black-and-white thinking into third options🌈Support the ShowIf this episode resonated, tell me. Seriously. Leave a comment. Send a DM. Tell me what this podcast has meant to you.Affirmation helps me keep showing up.You can also: Join The Creatives Rebellion on Patreon (tiers start at $3)Download the Audacity Bill of Rights at audacityarchives.comLeave a 5-star review on Apple PodcastsYou don’t have to earn your rest.You don’t have to justify your joy.You don’t have to turn everything you love into labor.You are allowed to be a whole, happy person.🍄

⚠️TW: Quick content note before we start, this episode includes discussion of abusive relationships, trauma, and healing. Please listen with care and take breaks if you need to.In this episode of The Neurodivergent Creative, Caitlyn explores what it means to want something, and why that can feel so complicated when you’ve been shaped by trauma, control, and fear.Starting with an Oracle card pull (because sometimes the universe really does have jokes), this episode unfolds into a conversation about control vs surrender, karmic release, and the quiet, radical act of letting yourself live without micromanaging every possible outcome.💬"You cannot learn in advance what you need to learn from experience." - Caitlin Liz FisherMarch holds weight. It marks the anniversary of their leaving an abusive relationship, and with that comes reflection—not just on what happened, but on how much has changed since. And maybe more importantly: how much has been reclaimed.What We Explore in This Episode The idea that you cannot learn in advance what you need to learn through experienceWhy trying to control everything can disconnect you from your own desiresThe difference between wanting something and controlling othersHow trauma can make desire feel dangerous or morally wrongRelearning how to trust yourself after years of self-abandonmentThe impact of abusive relationships on decision-making and autonomyThe slow, brave process of becoming yourself again🌈Support the ShowIf this episode resonated, tell me. Seriously. Leave a comment. Send a DM. Tell me what this podcast has meant to you.Affirmation helps me keep showing up.You can also: Join The Creatives Rebellion on Patreon (tiers start at $3)Download the Audacity Bill of Rights at audacityarchives.comLeave a 5-star review on Apple PodcastsYou don’t have to get it right before you begin. You don’t have to control everything to be safe. And you don’t have to earn your way back into your own life.Go make weird art. Stay hydrated. And let yourself want things again!💜