For our final episode of Season 6 we are thrilled to welcome Australian actor and vocalist Clare Bowen to the podcast, to chat with us about her experiences as an Autistic and ADHD woman. Clare has been in a number of wonderful films, series, and theatre productions both here in Australia and internationally, with her most recognizable role being Scarlett O’Connor in the American TV series, NASHVILLE. Clare is also a globally touring musician, and she currently makes music with her husband, Brandon Robert Young, as the duo – BOWEN YOUNG. The soul mates split their time in a tear in the fabric of reality, between Nashville, Tennessee and Yuin Country, Australia.

This episode is a winding route through Clare’s experiences as a neurodivergent woman, from a childhood coloured by cancer treatment to working as an internationally acclaimed actor and musician, we cover a lot of ground! Including:

- What neurodivergence means to Clare.

- Her path to discovering her neurodivergence.

- Navigating the neurodivergent duality of having areas of extreme strength and gifts and other areas of significant challenge.

- Understanding why her response to stress and trauma may be different to others.

- Finding deep connection with others and the power of nourishing relationship.

- What identification of her neurotype has meant for Clare.

- Clare’s special interests in music and medicine, and role these interests have served for her throughout her life.

- Clare’s message for others who may resonate with her story.

You can find Clare on Instagram @clarembee and @bowenyoungofficial, or through her website - www.clarebowenofficial.com. You can find her music under BOWEN YOUNG on Spotify or wherever you get your music.

Want polished copies of our episodes in beautiful and readable pdf article format? Grab them here.

Enjoyed the episode and want to support us further? Join our Patreon community! Patreon subscribers receive basic episode transcripts from Season 4 onwards, access to a monthly live zoom hang out, 50% off our episode articles, plus bonus monthly content (depending on subscription tier). Check out our Patreon page to support us, as we aim to make quality mental health care information accessible to everyone: www.patreon.com/ndwomanpod.

Contact us at ndwomanpod@gmail.com, or visit our website: www.ndwomanpod.com

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This week Monique interviews Dr. Jamie Marich (she/they) about dissociation. Jamie is a clinical trauma specialist, EMDR Consultant, expressive artist, recovery advocate, and author of many excellent books, including ‘Dissociation Made Simple’, and their latest book ‘You Lied to Me About God’ – a memoir of spiritual abuse and recovery. She is a queer woman in long-term recovery from an addictive disorder and lives with dissociative identities. Jamie unites all of these elements in their mission to redefine therapy.

Monique and Jamie cover:

1. What is dissociation and what is its purpose.
2. What are the different forms of dissociation and why does Jamie tend to avoid using a ‘continuum of severity’ framework when thinking about dissociation.
3. The history of ‘dissociation’ as a diagnostic concept.
4. What is dissociative amnesia.
5. Myths about dissociative conditions.
6. Jamie’s lived experience of dissociative identities and the role that expressive and martial arts has played in their own journey and in their therapeutic work.
7. How does dissociation fit under the neurodivergence umbrella, and what is the overlap of dissociative conditions with Autism and ADHD?
8. Ways that people can reduce the stigma of dissociative conditions and support others experiencing dissociative conditions.

See more of Jamie’s work through their website – www.jamiemarich.com. You can access their professional trainings through The Institute for Creative Mindfulness and resources of professionals and the public through Redefine Therapy.

Want polished copies of our episodes in beautiful and readable pdf article format? Grab them here.

Enjoyed the episode and want to support us further? Join our Patreon community! Patreon subscribers receive basic episode transcripts from Season 4 onwards, access to a monthly live zoom hang out, 50% off our episode articles, plus bonus monthly content (depending on subscription tier). Check out our Patreon page to support us, as we aim to make quality mental health care information accessible to everyone: www.patreon.com/ndwomanpod.

Contact us at ndwomanpod@gmail.com, or visit our website: www.ndwomanpod.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode we’re excited to welcome Dr. Megan Anna Neff to the podcast to chat with us about neurodivergence and self-care. Megan is a clinical psychologist, author, and the founder of Neurodivergent Insights. She’s written Self-Care for Autistic People and has a new book on autistic burnout coming soon. Megan discovered her own neurodivergence at 37, which sparked her passion for raising awareness around non-stereotypical presentations of autism and ADHD. Through her work, she creates resources to support the neurodivergent community and co-hosts the Divergent Conversations podcast.

On this episode we cover:

1. How Megan thinks about neurodivergence, including side quests into right brain / left brain ideas and the concept of time. (Trust us, it’s relevant!)
2. Megan’s path to discovering her own neurodivergence, and the relief and grief associated with that.
3. Understanding self-care within our socio-cultural context.
4. A re-imagined definition of self-care.
5. Examples of self-care strategies and ways that we can embed self-care into our everyday functioning.
6. Common blocks to self-care experienced by neurodivergent women, AFAB, and parents.
7. The experience of transitional identity for late diagnosed folks.
8. De-shaming from self-care strategies that may be perceived negatively or have unwanted unintended consequences.

Find Dr Neff’s work at her website - https://neurodivergentinsights.com/ - or listen to her on the Divergent Conversations podcast. She is also on Instagram @neurodivergent_insights. Follow her through your preferred medium to be notified when her new book on autistic burnout is released!

Want polished copies of our episodes in beautiful and readable pdf article format? Grab them here.

Enjoyed the episode and want to support us further? Join our Patreon community! Patreon subscribers receive basic episode transcripts from Season 4 onwards, access to a monthly live zoom hang out, 50% off our episode articles, plus bonus monthly content (depending on subscription tier). Check out our Patreon page to support us, as we aim to make quality mental health care information accessible to everyone: www.patreon.com/ndwomanpod.

Contact us at ndwomanpod@gmail.com, or visit our website: www.ndwomanpod.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.