Embracing Intensity

This week on Embracing Intensity, we share an enlightening conversation with award-winning author and licensed educational psychologist, Christine Fonseca. In this episode of our podcast, our host, Aurora, delves into an enriching conversation with Fonseca, exploring her insights on emotional intensity, mental health, giftedness, and our inherent human complexities.  Fonseca, a gifted adult herself, opens up about her experiences, passions, and various interests that set her apart. The discussion probes the depths of dealing with intense emotions, overcoming personal challenges, and handling burnout. The highlight of the conversation is Fonseca's perspective on the full spectrum of human emotions and the importance of dissecting, understanding, and accepting them as part of our unique individual journeys. She also talks about the necessity of open cross-disciplinary communication within the fields of mental health and related sciences to facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of the human condition.  J

In this episode of the Embracing Intensity Podcast, we bring you an inspiring conversation with Cosette "Coco" Leary. Coco’s gripping story takes us on a journey from her days as a welfare recipient to eventually becoming a celebrated motivational speaker and entrepreneur. Her story is laced with determination, resilience, and overcoming adversity to redefine herself on her own terms. Join us as we delve into Coco's remarkable life journey. Coco candidly shares her life from being a welfare recipient to ascending to the realms of high-profile activism and motivational speaking. We learn about her early struggles with poverty, systemic barriers, and personal hurdles that conditioned her resilience and determination to achieve her dreams. Coco speaks passionately about her staunch belief in the power of perseverance, community, education, and self-belief. She beautifully illustrates how she transformed a life limited by societal expectations into a path teeming with promise and endless potential. Coco’s inspiri

In this episode of the Embracing Intensity Podcast, host Aurora interviews Kaitlin Smith, a scholar, facilitator, and founder of Our Wild Minds. Kaitlin shares her journey as a gifted BIPOC individual, her work in supporting gifted adults, and her research on the history of mind sciences. Join Aurora and Kaitlin as they explore the intersections between intensity, cultural dynamics, and personal growth. In this interview, Aurora and Kaitlin delve into Kaitlin's experiences as a gifted BIPOC individual, the challenges she faced growing up, and the cultural factors that affected her self-expression. They discuss how Kaitlin uses her intensity to make a positive impact and navigate the complex dynamics of the workplace. Kaitlin also shares her insights on harnessing the power of intensity and helping others do the same through her community platform, Our Wild Minds. Join Aurora and Kaitlin as they delve into the complexities of intensity and its transformative potential in this thought-provoking episode of the E

In this age of rapid and overwhelming information, how does one choose what is important to learn? Opportunities to play are opportunities to learn. Play allows us to imagine ourselves in different realities, in different worlds where the rules are different, where we can be different. In these alternate worlds, we can demand more for ourselves. In these worlds, we can identify our needs and build rules and systems to meet our deepest needs. Just as someone imagined the world you see around you right now; the one in which neurodivergent needs go largely unmet - through play, we can imagine a world in which neurodivergent needs are met. In this episode of the Embracing Intensity Podcast, host Aurora and Dr. Kimberly Douglas discuss the power of play in decolonizing neurodivergence. Dr. Douglas shares her insights on the relationship between play, imagination, and decolonization, and how they intersect in the context of gaming and world building. They discuss the power of immersion, imagination, and safety in f

Are you a gifted or neurodivergent perfectionist struggling to overcome the damaging effects of perfectionism?  In this episode of the Embracing Intensity podcast, host Aurora Remember Holtzman invites special guest Aileen Kelleher, a therapist and life coach, to delve into the topic of overcoming perfectionism. Together, they explore the intersection between perfectionism and giftedness and discuss the various ways in which perfectionism can impact our lives. From high expectations and low self-esteem to time limits and parental expectations, Aurora and Aileen shed light on the challenges faced by perfectionists and provide practical strategies for managing perfectionistic tendencies and fostering self-compassion. Join the Embracing Intensity community at embracingintensity.com to dive deeper into understanding and overcoming your own perfectionism. Gain access to courses, tools, and support from like-minded individuals who appreciate and celebrate the power of high personal standards. You can also, explor

In this episode of the "Embracing Intensity" podcast, host Aurora brings on a special guest, Cate Osburn, better known on social media as Catieosaurus. As a certified sex educator with an emphasis on neurodivergency and intimacy, Cate sparks much-needed conversations, tackling topics others often shy away from. With her unique insights drawn from personal experiences and her role as a sex educator, she brings a nuanced understanding of how neurodivergency can interact with intimacy and sex. Throughout the episode, Cate and Aurora, among other topics, delve into the intersection of neurodivergence and intimacy, discuss the impacts of societal norms on sex and relationships, and provide tangible strategies to navigate through intimacy issues. Cate advocates for self-advocacy, shedding light on the importance of open and honest communication within relationships. In a world that rarely discusses the intersection of intimacy and neurodivergence, this conversation with Catieosaurus is a breath of fresh air providi

This week on Embracing Intensity, I share my experience with the physical and emotional exhaustion that comes with severe burnout. In this episode, I share updates on my personal life that have contributed to burnout, dive into my recovery process and discuss how to overcome burnout symptoms. I also share a preview of what I have coming up as I recover from burnout this summer! Burnout can affect every aspect of your life, from your job to your personal relationships. It's important to recognize the signs of burnout early on and take the necessary steps to address it. Whether it's through improving your work-life balance, seeking social support, or making small changes to your daily routine, there are ways to recover and find relief from burnout. Recent research has shown that burnout is not just a result of long hours and excessive stress, but also a combination of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion. It can take a toll on your physical health, immune system, and even your mental well-being. That's wh

This week, we talk with Arianna Bradford, an ADHD productivity coach, about the best ways for adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder to boost productivity in their daily lives. We cover a range of topics, from common symptoms of ADHD and organizational strategies to productivity hacks and the Pomodoro technique. Arianna shares her expertise on how to set specific goals and prioritize tasks, as well as how to use the right tools and resources to get the most out of your work mode.  We also discuss the importance of taking breaks and transitioning between tasks, as well as how to manage ADHD symptoms in the workplace or in your personal life. Whether you're a project manager, creative professional, or simply looking to be more productive, this episode has something for everyone. So grab a cup of coffee, find a quiet spot, and join us as we explore the world of ADHD productivity with Arianna Bradford. In this episode Arianna Bradford, an ADHD productivity coach, shares her tips for building produ

Never Leave the Playground In this episode, where we delve into the importance of self-care in our daily lives. Whether it's through mindfulness practices, physical exercise, or leisure time activities, taking care of our emotional and physical health is crucial for a better quality of life. From diaphragmatic breathing to bike rides, we explore different self-care practices that can help us manage daily stressors and negative emotions without relying on prescription medication. We also discuss how self-care can benefit young people, families, and individuals with mental illnesses. Join us as we share new ideas and small steps towards creating our own self-care regimens and personal commitments. From transition rituals to champions of the shengha, we explore the full range of emotions and the importance of social interaction and sense of independence in our self-care plan. So, grab your lunch break or end of the day, and tune in to learn how self-care can positively impact our physical and emotional well-bein

Seeing Life Differently In this episode, Zaakirah Muhammad joins us to discuss mindfulness, gratitude and how these practices can help to craft a more meaningful life in her talk on Seeing Life Through a Different Lens: Mindfulness and Gratitude as a Creative. She talks about how one can use visualizing, setting goals and forming a strong support system to help achieve their dreams. Zaakirah also shares some of her personal stories and how she has worked to create meaningful relationships and find her true self. In addition, she talks about the role of culture and how one can use their cultural values and traditions to drive their motivation and set SMART goals that are qualitative and quantitative. Ultimately, this podcast episode encourages listeners to take small steps, stay mindful of their wants and needs, and form relationships with both family, friends and even strangers, to ultimately achieve a life of purpose and passion. By engaging in the practices of mindfulness and gratitude, one can find a clear

Overcome Burnout Welcome to From Burnout to Brilliance, a talk that explores the best ways to manage work-related stress and overcome burnout. In this episode, we have the privilege of speaking with Dr. Zarya Rubin, a Harvard trained MD turned functional medicine health coach, who will be sharing her insights and expertise on this important topic. With the World Health Organization recognizing job burnout as a medical diagnosis, it's more important than ever to pay attention to the signs of burnout, particularly for those in stressful jobs such as health care workers and first responders. With long hours, heavy workloads, unreasonable time pressures, and a lack of self-care, it's not surprising that many people experience burnout. But it's not just work-related stress that can contribute to feelings of burnout. The household chores, long shifts, and a lack of much free time can also play a role. How to Deal With Burnout We will take a closer look at the effects of burnout, including physical symptoms, mental

Exploring Gifted Kid Burnout Gifted kid burnout affects many smart kids and former gifted students who were once in gifted programs. As young adults, they often share a common theme of feeling burnt out and struggling with unrealistic expectations. The pressure to always achieve gold star grades and be at the top of the class can be overwhelming. Gifted programs, often found in grade schools and even at the national level, focus on high achievement and a fixed trait of being "gifted." But what happens when these young adults, who were once in gifted classes and AP classes, are faced with the reality of adult life and the expectations of society? They may struggle with a lack of motivation and a harmful perfectionism that can lead to chronic stress. This phenomenon, known as "gifted kid burnout," was first identified by Professor Carol Dweck, author of "Mindsets," and has been studied by the National Association for Gifted Children. It is a result of the fixed trait mindset that is often placed on gifted child

The importance of neurodivergent community Neurodivergent individuals are those who think, process information, and experience the world in ways that differ from the neurotypical (i.e., not neurodivergent) population. The neurodiversity movement advocates for the recognition and celebration of neurodiversity as a natural and valuable form of human diversity, similar to cultural, racial, or gender diversity. Neurodivergence is an important facet of the human race. It seeks to create a more inclusive and accepting society for neurodivergent people. Finding neurodivergent community can play a crucial role in connecting with other like-minded folks. There are many different ways to be neurodivergent, and neurodivergent people may have unique ways of perceiving, learning, communicating, and interacting with the world. Neurodivergence can affect various brain functions such as attention, memory, and executive function, and can manifest in neurodevelopmental conditions such as ADHD, dyslexia, autism, and more. These

As neurodivergent creatives, we often find ourselves overwhelmed with too much stuff both in our environment and in our minds. We may be overrun with office supplies, craft supplies, and/or miscellaneous things that support our hyperfixations or latest hyperfocus. The ADHD brain is especially prone to mental clutter, and when our environment is a mess it's even harder to quiet our thoughts. On our last guest call, Nadja Carghetti shared how you can use Marie Kondo's approach to tidy your brain! Many people think you are either tidy or untidy, but the good news is that tidying is something you can learn! In Marie Kondo’s book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, she shares how we can systematically tidy our space by getting rid of things that don't spark joy. Marie Kondo’s method of tidying can be applied to your mind as well as your stuff and help prioritize the things we spend our mental energy on. On this episode of Embracing Intensity, we share our talk with Nadja Carghetti, former tidying coach and hos

Building Self-Advocacy This week on Embracing Intensity, we share our talk with Dr. Matt Zakreski on self-advocacy skills. Self-advocacy is an important skill that can help you take charge of your own life and move toward greater freedom, fulfillment, and happiness. In this episode, we’ll explore the concept of self-advocacy and how it can help us feel more empowered in our own daily life. The goal of self-advocacy is to actively advocate on your own behalf to get your needs met. To be a strong self-advocate, you have to have a clear understanding of your own needs. This is important because it will determine your goals and how you will achieve them. If you have a goal in mind, you need to have a plan to get there.  The first step to positive change is to know what you are good at and what you are not good at. Explore how you can use your strengths to your advantage, and use your weaknesses as opportunities for growth.  When you’re trying to make a change, bringing in allies is powerful because it can give

I am so thrilled to get to share Dr. Kimberly Douglass’ talk on Decolonizing Neurodivergence! From Violence to Love Do you ever wonder why we get into loops on social media platforms when we talk about neurodivergence? We have convinced ourselves this conversation is just about validating each other and understanding the traits of various conditions. The very definition of what it means to be neurodivergent is rooted in colonialist thinking and behavior. It’s clear to me: we don’t want to talk about the hard changes we have to make to ourselves, to our self-image; the hard changes we should demand from our society. We keep the conversation at the level of defining a problem; defining ourselves as the problem. We are willing to be the problem as long as we don’t have to challenge ourselves, other people, our families, our employers, our communities, our worlds. You are not a problem!!! Write this down: YOU ARE THE WAY!!! But, you know we talk about neurodivergence in ways that allow the powerful to hold on t

Taking a little pause to focus on moving & back end stuff.

Today’s episode is a recording of our talk with Leela Sinha on the intersection of neurodivergence and gender. This is definitely not an “inside-the-box” topic. You can find the full discussion in the Embracing Intensity community at community@embracingintensity.com.   Show Highlights: The overlap between autism and gender diversity How neurodivergence is defined as a very broad umbrella term for the different ways that people’s brains function Why the definition of queerness has changed over time but is still used as an umbrella term The overlap between queerness and neurodivergence How growing up with a different sense of known reality will cause attitudes and moves of self-protection How deconstruction occurs in society and feels “right” to stigmatized people Why identifying as non-binary or trans has become trendy as people have become more aware of their options for exploration Challenges in the non-binary gender spaces because of bias even in inclusion views How a fully nourishing environment helps neu

We all have our “beyond our wildest imagination” dreams that we never realistically hope to achieve. This is not true for today’s guest. She truly is living her dream in a place she never thought possible, and she’s teaching others to reach for the unimaginable also. Join us to learn more! Sadie Smiley created Passive Income Pathways, where she gives expert advice about online businesses and how passive income can help achieve your wildest goals. She pushes people to learn how to make full-time money with part-time work, teaching them to “create, sell, kick ass, and repeat.”   Show Highlights: Why Sadie is intensely passionate about helping people make money beyond their wildest dreams The key to Sadie’s success: networking with others with different superpowers as a trade-off for the things she doesn’t love to do How Sadie’s personal brand of intensity in being “too much” means that she submerges herself 100% into whatever she does Why a time audit color code can be a game-changer for entrepreneurs How to c

Today’s episode is a recording from last fall about time management from a neurodivergent perspective. We are joined on the guest call by Emily Roach-Griffin, who is ADHD and gifted, and her insights resonate soundly with many of us. She is a business coach and speaker at BizBFF who loves helping business owners and those with an entrepreneurial spirit to build businesses and lives they love. Join us to hear Emily’s nuggets of wisdom about practical time management strategies!   Show Highlights: Journaling prompts about what’s most difficult about time management Why time management should be thought of as “task management” Why we need to unravel and untether ourselves from much of our traditional thinking about productivity and self-worth The importance of a toolbox of strategies, realizing that different tools may be effective on different days: Tools to help with “time blindness” and time awareness, like a timer and to-do list Tools to help with being on time, like an app  Tools to help with tasks, like