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What happens when fitness stops being punishment and becomes a way of coming home to yourself? In this conversation, Kristin Walker sits down with longtime friend, fitness coach, podcaster and mental health advocate Aline Duriaud for a wide-ranging conversation about late-identified neurodivergence, menopause, strength training, Muay Thai, mental health, coercive control, unmasking, and the extraordinary experience of finally understanding the operating system you've been living inside all along. Aline talks candidly about receiving an ADHD diagnosis in midlife and more recently beginning to understand herself through an autistic lens. She and Kristin explore the grief that can accompany late identification, but also the enormous possibility that opens when years of therapy, self-knowledge and lived experience suddenly have a new organizing framework. They also talk about bodies.Aline shares how she moved into fitness professionally in her late 40s, becoming a certified personal trainer and later pursuing specialist training in menopause and mobility. What began as a desire to become physically strong during an extraordinarily difficult period of her life eventually led her into bodybuilding, coaching, mobility work and, in her 50s, Muay Thai. The conversation gets into something rarely discussed in conventional fitness culture: movement as nervous-system regulation. For neurodivergent women especially, physical training can offer a place to put enormous mental energy, reconnect with a body that may have felt unsafe or disconnected, learn complex systems through movement, and experience strength without turning exercise into another form of punishment. Aline also speaks openly about her own experiences with coercive control, difficult coaching relationships, mental health treatment, DBT, burnout and the danger of handing too much authority to someone simply because they call themselves a coach. The result is a thoughtful discussion about agency, boundaries and finding forms of movement—and relationships—that actually fit the person you are.And then there is Muay Thai. Aline describes what it is like to become a beginner again in her 50s, learning an intricate combat sport with an ADHD coach who sometimes explains body mechanics using kebabs, baseball bats and imaginary iron testicles. Somehow, it works. Because perhaps the point isn't perfect discipline. Perhaps the point is discovering the kind of movement that makes you want to return to your body. About Aline DuriaudAline Duriaud is a London-based certified personal trainer, fitness coach, mental health advocate and founder of Rise Strong Fitness Collective, where her work centers particularly on helping women over 40 build strength, mobility, confidence and sustainable relationships with movement. Her professional study includes personal training, strength and resistance training, menopause-focused coaching, mobility for strength and injury prevention, body composition and functional training. Her own evolving practice also includes bodybuilding and Muay Thai. Aline is the host of Flex and Flow with Aline, a podcast exploring the intersection of fitness and mental health through conversations with coaches, athletes, mental health professionals and people whose lives have been changed by movement. She also created Beyond the Borderline, a peer-focused mental health podcast that has accumulated more than 80,000 downloads.Her newest writing explores menopause, neurodivergence, fitness and her experience of learning Muay Thai in her 50s. Find AlineSubstack — Menopause & Muay Thai https://substack.com/@menopauseandmuaythai Instagram — Aline Duriaud https://www.instagram.com/aline.duriaud Rise Strong Fitness Collective https://www.instagram.com/risestrongfitnesslondon/ Flex and Flow with Aline — Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/flex-and-flow-with-aline/id1788533409 Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mental-health-news-radio--3082057/support.

What happens when decades of clinical experience meet lived experience? In this episode of Mental Health News Radio, Kristin sits down with licensed clinical social worker and educator David Glick for an expansive conversation about late autism diagnosis, ADHD, masking, personality disorders, police psychology, trauma, psychotherapy, and why movies often teach us as much about human behavior as textbooks do. Dave shares stories from over 30 years in clinical practice, his work training law enforcement across the country, and how his own neurodivergent journey shaped the way he approaches therapy today. Together, Kristen and Dave explore why so many adults—especially women—are finally discovering they're autistic, how personality disorders are often misunderstood, and why curiosity always beats certainty. They also discuss their work on Holmes Cinema Clues, where psychology, neurodiversity, and film intersect to reveal hidden layers inside the stories we love. Learn more about Dave Glick and Triad Psych: https://triadpsych.org Explore Holmes Cinema Clues: https://holmescinemaclues.substack.com/ Topics include: • Late-diagnosed autism and ADHD • Masking and identity • Personality disorders vs. neurodivergence • Police psychology • Pop culture as therapy • Richard Jewell, Jaws, Rocky, Speechless, and What's Eating Gilbert Grape • Why trends in mental health deserve careful examination • Grace, curiosity, and meaningful human connection If you enjoy conversations that go beyond labels and into genuine understanding, be sure to subscribe. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mental-health-news-radio--3082057/support.

Seven years after his original appearance on Mental Health News Radio, artist and author Motesem Mansur returns with an update on his life, his art, and the journey from surviving difficult environments to finding stability, purpose, and peace. He shares how leaving unsafe situations transformed his mental health, how becoming an artist-in-residence helped him rebuild his life, and why creating art remains one of the most important ways he regulates his mind and emotions. Together, we talk about autism, schizoaffective disorder, creativity, reality testing, faith, healing, family relationships, and the role that art plays in helping us make sense of our inner worlds. His work can be found through the Intuit Art Museum in Chicago, Illinois, where he donates artwork that is sold to support the museum's mission. Listeners can also learn more about him by searching his name online and exploring his connections with Intuit Art Museum and Sertoma Star Services. This conversation is a reminder that sometimes the biggest transformation isn't becoming someone new. Sometimes it's finally finding a place where you can safely be yourself. Motesem Mansur was born on January 28, 1986, in Chicago, IL. He was diagnosed with autism at the age of three. Motesem developed mental illness at the age of 12. He dropped out of high school at 16 after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Motesem chose art and writing after getting his GED at the age of 17. He describes himself as an outsider artist and an independent writer. He draws from fantasy and sometimes surprises people with captivating drawings, with excellent color schemes and details. He compares them to video and computer games. Motesem's writings are informal and told in his own words. He graduated from Sertoma Centre's PSR program in 2012. He was a self published author, but his books are no longer in print. He was a guest speaker for Illinois schools from 2011-17. From 2017-22, Motesem was hospitalized 11 times. Motesem talks about being let go from Project Onward, a studio he worked for from 2010-22. "The place was a rat race and a greed game with very low pay, I hated it. The staff didn't know what they were doing. When the studio that I worked for let me go, it was a blessing in disguise. Things got better. I've been out of the psych ward since 2022. I left an unhealthy environment. My mind is clear now, and I donate to charity and volunteer my time instead. I'm glad I left that horrible studio for good," Nowadays, he lives at Lakefront Nursing Home in Chicago, IL. He donates artwork to the Intuit Art Museum in Chicago. He also volunteers his time to Sertoma Star Services, donating raffle items for events. Motesem still fits in the autism spectrum criteria. Personal website: https://www.artpal.com/moe8628 Intuit Art Museum 756 N. Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60642 https://art.org [email protected] Sertoma Star Services Alsip,IL Matteson, IL https://sertomastar.org Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mental-health-news-radio--3082057/support.

For many of us, over-functioning doesn't look like a problem. It looks like competence. It looks like generosity. It looks like being the reliable one. In this candid conversation, Kristin and Julie Raines explore the hidden costs of becoming the emotional engine behind relationships, families, friendships, and entire social systems. Together they unpack how over-functioning becomes automatic, why many women were conditioned to equate worth with self-erasure, what happens when burnout removes the ability to keep carrying everyone else, and how nervous system healing changes the way we show up in relationships. They also discuss neurodivergence, hypervigilance, friendship, reciprocity, self-regulation, boundaries, diagnosis, masking, and the surprising challenge of learning how to support yourself instead of constantly supporting everyone around you. If you've ever been the fixer, the helper, the rescuer, the planner, the emotional regulator, or the person everyone depends on, this conversation is for you. Give yourself a gift and subsribe to Julie's writing at Substack. You can also find her on TikTok. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mental-health-news-radio--3082057/support.

What happens when hyperfixation, fandom culture, loneliness, attraction, projection, and neurodivergence all collide online? In this wildly honest episode, Kristin sits down with Alicia Deer to talk about fangirling, parasocial relationships, emotional attachment, identity performance online, masking, attraction, internet intimacy, and why neurodivergent people often experience connection so intensely. Funny, uncomfortable, self-aware, and surprisingly healing — this conversation goes way deeper than celebrity crushes. She describes herself as "like both of the Property Brothers in one lesbian body" with a BA in Creative Writing (FSU) and a Realtor since 2018. But also a Matrix Breaker & Systems Decoder. Find Alicia on TikTok at @alicioliofficial or just Google "Alicia Deer Realtor" because she is all over! Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mental-health-news-radio--3082057/support.

What if intimacy isn’t primarily about sex — but about safety, presence, vulnerability, and finally feeling at home inside your own body? In this deeply honest episode, Kristin sits down with intimacy practitioner and surrogate partner therapist, Andre Lazarus, for a powerful conversation about touch, nervous system regulation, neurodivergence, masking, dissociation, body image, trauma, and what it actually means to feel emotionally safe with another human being. Andre shares how his work helps people reconnect with themselves through breath, somatic awareness, relational safety, and compassionate presence — especially those navigating late-diagnosed autism, ADHD, trauma histories, body dysmorphia, intimacy challenges, and emotional shutdown.  Together they explore: • Why so many neurodivergent people struggle with intimacy and physical connection • The relationship between masking and disconnection from the body • Dissociation, vaginismus, shutdown, and nervous-system protection • Why intimacy is often about vulnerability more than sexuality • The importance of communication over “mind reading” in relationships • Somatic intuition and learning to trust the body’s signals • Emotional safety, touch, and relational healing • Why compassion matters more than performance This episode is gentle, grounded, emotionally rich, and deeply validating for anyone who has ever felt “too much,” disconnected, guarded, touch-starved, or unsure how to fully let another person in. About Andre Lazarus: Andre Lazarus is an intimacy practitioner, sex educator, and surrogate partner therapist specializing in sacred intimacy, somatic connection, vulnerability, emotional healing, and relational growth. For over a decade, he has worked with individuals and couples navigating intimacy challenges, trauma, body image struggles, neurodivergence, emotional shutdown, and physical connection through a deeply compassionate and human-centered approach. Find Andre at: www.coming-closer.com Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mental-health-news-radio--3082057/support.

In this episode, Kristin sits down with cohost Julie Raines (enjoy her gorgeous writing at https://substack.com/@julesraines) and guest Jeff Thompson for a raw, unfiltered conversation about late-diagnosed autism, identity collapse, and what happens after the mask falls off. Jeff shares his powerful story—from being labeled with multiple diagnoses and told something was “wrong” with him, to discovering autism later in life and finally understanding himself. That single word reframed everything: not broken, just different—and wired for something specific. Together, they explore:The fallout of late diagnosis on relationshipsThe “mask collapse” moment and why there’s no going backSuicidal ideation, burnout, and rebuilding from zeroWhy helping others became Jeff’s form of medicineHow neurodivergent traits can become real-world strengthsThis isn’t theory—it’s lived experience. And if you’ve ever felt like you were the only one… this conversation will hit. About Jeff Thompson: Jeff is an entrepreneur, autism advocate, and founder of a clinic for children with autism in Missouri. After decades of misdiagnosis and internalized shame, a late autism diagnosis transformed his life and purpose. He now focuses on helping neurodivergent individuals build businesses, understand their wiring, and create lives that actually work for them. Websites: jeffthinksdifferently.com and genesisstpeters.com Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mental-health-news-radio--3082057/support.

What happens when an oil rig engineer walks away from “safe,” follows curiosity, tears his Achilles (literally), and accidentally builds a multi-million follower neurodivergent ecosystem? In this episode, we sit down with Jason Iyeke... founder of NeuroJumpstart and the mind behind several ADHD and autism platforms reaching over 2 million people... to talk about diagnosis, identity, masking, grief, and what it actually means to find your lane as a neurodivergent human. We get into: The messy reality of late diagnosis (and why it’s not a “happily ever after”)The tension between “superpower” narratives and lived struggleAudHD and the internal tug-of-war between chaos and orderWhy belonging... not pathology... is driving the explosion in self-identificationHow neurodivergent minds may be uniquely wired for the AI eraIt’s funny, honest, occasionally chaotic, and exactly what happens when two high-processing brains stop pretending to be normal and just…talk. Connect with Jason: Website: https://www.neurojumpstart.com Email: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adhd_todayhttps://www.instagram.com/autism_feedhttps://www.instagram.com/adhd_elitehttps://www.instagram.com/neurodivergent_minds Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mental-health-news-radio--3082057/support.

In this episode of Mental Health News Radio, I sit down with therapist and somatic practitioner Cody Gauthier to explore something we almost never talk about—the moment therapy starts to work. What happens when a client begins to change, set boundaries, and show up differently in their life… and it feels uncomfortable, destabilizing, or even worse than before? We talk about the lived reality of growth from the therapist’s chair: – why change often feels like something went wrong – what happens when clients hit their goals and it’s time to let go – the attachment that forms in therapy—and how to navigate ending well – why understanding something cognitively is not the same as embodying it – how trauma lives in the body, and what it takes to actually release it – the evolving role of men in relationships, emotional expression, and therapy This is a grounded, human conversation about healing that doesn’t skip the messy middle. Connect with Cody Gauthier: Website: Cody Gauthier Therapy (South Bay, CA) TikTok: @codygauthier Board Member: South Bay Eating Disorder Coalition Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mental-health-news-radio--3082057/support.

This is not a story about something that happened once. This is a story about what the body carries when the mind cannot. In this episode, Aspen Michael shares his lived experience of memory returning in midlife—after decades of success, stability, and a life that, by all appearances, was fully intact. At 52, everything changed. What had been held outside of awareness began to surface through the body, through collapse, through fragments that refused to stay buried. What follows is not a linear narrative, but a reconstruction of self. Aspen speaks to the reality of sexual abuse and institutional harm within the Catholic Church—not as theory, not as commentary, but as something he lived through, survived, and later pursued through legal channels. He describes what it means to have memory come back in pieces, to navigate dissociation, to lose the structure of a life that once made sense, and to rebuild without a clear map. This conversation does not rush to resolution. It moves through what it actually takes to face something the mind once protected you from—the disorientation, the physical toll, the unraveling of identity, and the long, deliberate process of putting yourself back together. There is no performance here. No clean arc. Only a man speaking from the place where healing becomes a daily decision. We talk about the nervous system, about fragmentation, about what it means to reclaim your body after it has held what you could not name. We talk about support, about the difference between surviving and actually healing, and about the quiet, often invisible work required to come back to yourself. And underneath all of it, there is something else: Not redemption. Not resolution. But a refusal to disappear. Aspen Michael is a former Chief Technology Officer turned trauma survivor, advocate, speaker. and healer also focused on his own healing, memory recovery, and nervous system restoration. Today, Aspen shares his lived experience to help others understand complex trauma, dissociation, and the long path back to wholeness. His work centers on the power of daily healing practices, supportive community, and reclaiming personal agency. In addition to his advocacy, Aspen is also a jewelry designer and founder of energyoftribe.com, where he creates handcrafted pieces infused with intention, grounding energy, and symbolic meaning. His designs draw from natural stones, numerology, and personal resonance—offering wearable reminders of presence, strength, and self-connection.  You can learn more about his work at: energyoftribe.com aspenmichael.com Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mental-health-news-radio--3082057/support.

Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming part of how people think, reflect, and process their lives. But what role should it actually play in mental health? In this episode, Kristin Sunanta sits down with therapist and technology expert Jeremy G. Schneider to explore the evolving relationship between AI and therapy. Jeremy is a licensed marriage and family therapist, trauma-informed mental health coach, and former chief technology officer who now works at the intersection of emotional wellness and human-centered technology. Together, they explore how tools like ChatGPT can function as a kind of “thinking mirror” — reflecting our thoughts back to us and helping us notice patterns in the way we process emotions, relationships, and decisions. Rather than replacing therapists, AI may become a powerful companion tool for reflection, journaling, and practicing psychological skills like self-awareness and boundaries. Kristin and Jeremy discuss the opportunities, the risks, and why learning to use AI with intention and agency may become an important part of mental health in the years ahead. In this episode they explore: • how AI can support emotional reflection and interactive journaling • why some therapists are wary of AI — and why that may change • the concept of AI as a “thinking mirror” for understanding our own minds • how people can use AI safely while maintaining self-awareness and agency • how emerging tools may reshape therapy and personal growth Jeremy also hosts free educational classes on Meetup where he teaches people how to thoughtfully and safely use AI tools like ChatGPT for reflection, emotional insight, and personal growth. He also writes about artificial intelligence, therapy, and mental health for Psychology Today. Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/buildonyourstrengths/events/313301636/ Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/contributors/jeremy-g-schneider-lmsw-mft Learn more about Jeremy’s work, workshops, and writing: https://buildonyourstrengths.com Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mental-health-news-radio--3082057/support.

What happens when a mother and daughter go no contact for four years — and actually find their way back? In this powerful and unfiltered conversation, I sit down with authors Leslie and Lindsey Glass, co-creators of The Mother-Daughter Relationship Makeover: 4 Steps to Bring Back the Love and its companion workbook for lasting change. Together, we dive deep into addiction, recovery, enmeshment, control, accountability, anger, forgiveness, and the cultural rise of estrangement between mothers and adult daughters. Lindsey shares how her journey through addiction recovery, therapy, EMDR, Al-Anon, and deep self-inquiry helped her understand her role in the breakdown of their relationship. Leslie speaks candidly about micromanagement, control masked as care, and the painful realization that “helping” can sometimes feel like domination. We explore: • The epidemic of no contact in women  • The difference between toxic danger and reactive pain • Negotiated separation vs. total cutoff • How addiction and family trauma distort memory and identity • Why anger is often unprocessed hurt • What real accountability looks like on both sides This isn’t about blaming mothers or daughters. It’s about doing the work. You can learn more about Leslie and Lindsey Glass, their books, articles, and resources at reachoutrecovery.com — where they offer over 2,000 articles on addiction recovery, mental health, and family healing. This is a conversation about self-discovery, letting go, and what becomes possible when both people are willing to evolve. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mental-health-news-radio--3082057/support.

What if your life isn’t happening to you — but for you? In this New Year’s Eve conversation, Kristin sits down again with evolutionary astrologer Robin Jillian, revisiting a dialogue that first took place years ago during a shared Dark Night of the Soul. This time, the lens is wider, deeper, and more precise. Together, they explore evolutionary astrology as a map of the soul’s long arc — not predictive, not hierarchical, and not about “what’s coming next,” but about why your soul chose this life, these patterns, and these turning points. This conversation moves through Pluto as the great initiator, shame as a form of amnesia, surrender as courage (not collapse), and the profound difference between spiritual bypassing and true embodiment. They speak candidly about trauma, relationships as mirrors, soul contracts, neurodivergent sensitivity, and what happens when your inner scaffolding can no longer hold who you’re becoming. This episode is for anyone who has outgrown surface answers, quick fixes, and performance-based healing — and is ready to sit inside the deeper truth of transformation. About Robin Jillian Robin Jillian is an evolutionary astrologer, author, and guide whose work focuses on soul evolution, Pluto dynamics, and embodied transformation. Her memoir, Hugging Trees in the Dark: Finding Courage to Free the Heart, chronicles her own Dark Night of the Soul and the rebirth that followed. Website: www.robinjillian.com (Book available via her website and Amazon. Sessions can be requested directly through her site.) Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mental-health-news-radio--3082057/support.

In this episode of Mental Health News Radio, I sit down with Dr. Judith Orloff — psychiatrist, bestselling author, and lifelong advocate for empaths — to talk about her beautiful new children’s book, The Highly Sensitive Rabbit. This story is written for every child who has ever felt “too sensitive,” “too much,” or like they didn’t quite fit the mold. Judith and I explore why sensitive kids struggle in today’s world, how parents can support them, and why empathic children are poised to become some of our most grounded future leaders. We talk boundaries, overstimulation, emotional safety, and the quiet magic of helping kids stay connected to their innate gifts without pathologizing who they are. Learn more about Dr. Orloff’s work: https://drjudithorloff.com Get the book on Amazon: The Highly Sensitive Rabbit — https://www.amazon.com/dp/1683649536 Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mental-health-news-radio--3082057/support.

In this unfiltered, soul-resonant episode of Mental Health News Radio, Kristin Sunanta Walker, sits down with her dear friend Chaya Mallavaram—artist, technologist, and founder of Spark Launch, the company behind the neurodivergent-centered platform Sparkade. What begins as a casual reconnection blooms into a radiant, multidimensional conversation about art, grief, ADHD, cultural legacy, and the spiritual technology of the body. Early in the episode, Chaya shares that her late mother’s name was Sunanda—a revelation that strikes Kristin deeply, as her own Thai name is Sunanta. This name resonance becomes a symbolic thread, weaving their shared lineage, creativity, and healing paths together across continents and generations.  These are two neurodivergent women who both run their own companies and genuinely dig each other's company. This episode is a reminder of how people like us actually speak—luminous, layered, nonlinear, and fully alive. Chaya Mallavaram is a technologist, professional artist, and advocate who brings her own life experience to the heart of neurodivergent empowerment. For more than two decades, Chaya thrived in the software world — not despite her ADHD, but because of it. Her creative problem-solving, pattern recognition, hyperfocus, and nonlinear thinking weren’t obstacles. They were assets.​Everything shifted in 2020, when her son was diagnosed with ADHD. That moment brought not only clarity, but a calling: to build the kind of support system she wished she and her son had growing up. Today, Chaya leads Spark Launch with a rare blend of technical expertise, artistic vision, and deep personal insight. Whether she’s developing tools, leading strategy, or co-hosting the Spark Launch podcast, she’s creating spaces where neurodivergent minds are seen, heard, and celebrated. Her work is rooted in one belief: When we stop trying to fix neurodivergent people — and start designing systems that work for them — everyone benefits. www.sparklaunch.com Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mental-health-news-radio--3082057/support.