Clinically Awkward

Alyssa Zimmerman
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  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Clinically Awkward is the podcast for the wonderful weirdos. Hosted by an AuDHD therapist, this show dives into the neurodivergent experience with candid conversations, laugh-out-loud moments, and unapologetic honesty. Here, we embrace the “awkward” and celebrate the “overshare,” because around here "too much" is exactly enough.

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    Pain Is Inevitable. Suffering Is Optional. ACT for Neurodivergent Brains.

    In this episode of Clinically Awkward, I sit down with Dr. Paige Victorine, a clinical psychologist and co-owner of Novo Psychological Wellness in Arlington, Virginia, to break down Acceptance and Commitment Therapy — what it actually is, why it's spelled ACT and not A-C-T, and why it might be one of the most neurodivergent-friendly therapeutic modalities out there. We get into the passengers on the bus metaphor, why "acceptance" is one of the most poorly named concepts in mental health, and the difference between radical acceptance and just giving up. We talk about values versus goals, what it actually looks like to connect with your values when you're in survival mode, and why your special interests might be hiding the most important information about who you are. We also cover defusion, psychological flexibility, and why you do not need a quiet mind to have a peaceful life. We get into the evolutionary reason your brain generates catastrophic thoughts, why ACT doesn't ask you to think positively, and what it looks like to use ACT specifically with neurodivergent clients — including why standard mindfulness training makes both of us unreasonably angry. We close with the masking conversation I didn't know I needed, the concept of creative hopelessness, and how ACT approaches meaning and purpose in a way that actually works for brains that have spent years failing to meet standards that were never built for them. Dr. Victorine's practice, Novo Psychological Wellness, offers therapy and adult assessments across PSYpact states. Find them at nouveaupsychology.com and on Psychology Today. If you're an adult looking for therapy in New York, find me at alyssazimmerman.com. 00:00 What Is ACT? Understanding the Basics 06:15 Redefining Acceptance: Willingness vs Resignation 11:18 Changing Your Relationship with Thoughts 16:05 Psychological Flexibility: The Core of ACT 22:09 Navigating Post-Diagnosis Identity & Masking Burnout 27:15 ACT for Clinicians: Working with Neurodivergent Clients 32:34 Masking as Choice: Context Over Rules 37:18 Coping Strategies & Creative Hopelessness 42:18 Meaning & Philosophy: ACT's Existential Foundation 44:42 What to Expect in ACT Therapy 50:42 Common Misconceptions and Finding a Therapist

    55 min

  2. 24 MAR

    Dungeons & Dragons Is Neurodivergent as Hell and May Actually Be Therapy

    On this episode of Clinically Awkward, I sit down with Michigan therapist Riann Tennyson to talk about Dungeons & Dragons through a neurodivergent lens — and why so many of us with ADHD and autism are a little too obsessed with playing pretend. We get into how D&D's mix of structure and chaos scratches a very specific ADHD itch, why character creation is basically a hyperfixation delivery system, how campaigns can become an accidental safe space for processing trauma and exploring identity, and why trying out different outcomes in a fantasy world is actually a pretty legitimate coping skill. We also cover late diagnosis, dice as fidget toys, the gender dynamics of D&D culture, how to get started when you have no friends who play yet, and why your expensive dice collection is not a problem. Riann Tennyson is a therapist practicing in Monroe, Michigan specializing in neurodivergence and late-diagnosed adults. Find her practice at Make Your Turn. If you're an adult looking for therapy in New York, find me at alyssazimmerman.com. 00:00 Dungeons & Dragons Is Neurodivergent as Hell and May Actually Be Therapy 03:43 From Terrified to Hyperfixated 07:26 Building Your Alter Ego (ADHD Style) 12:13 Dice as Fidget Toys & Organized Chaos 16:04 What If I Just Do It Impuslively But Fake? 19:56 Breaking Stereotypes (No Satan Worship Here) 25:20 When Your Character Reveals Your Therapy Homework 32:58 Fidgeting, Hyperfocus & The 10-Minute Chaos Rule 39:57 How to Find Your Party (Literally) 44:37 D&D vs Magic: It's About the Space, Not the Game 48:06 You Were Never Too Much 49:23 Find Your D&D Therapist

    50 min

  3. 17 MAR

    Accidentally Criminal: ADHD, Autism, and True Crime Obsession

    On this episode of Clinically Awkward, I sit down with pediatric neuropsychologist Rebecca Fontanetta to talk about criminology through a neurodivergent lens — and why so many of us with ADHD and autism are a little too obsessed with true crime. We get into Rebecca's tree trunk theory of criminal behavior, why homicidal and suicidal behavior are less separate than most people think, how women offenders are consistently misread, and why neurodivergence in the prison population is far more common than anyone wants to talk about. We also cover autistic traits being misread as guilt, what the media gets wrong about postpartum psychosis, the ethics of true crime consumption, and why law enforcement training desperately needs a neurodivergence chapter. Rebecca Fontanetta is a pediatric neuropsychologist practicing in New York and Connecticut. Find her at neuropsycholopedia.com and @the_neuropsycholopedia on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. If you're an adult looking for therapy in New York, find me at alyssazimmerman.com.   00:00 Who Are These Women and Why Are They Like This? 04:15 The Neurodivergent Therapist Pipeline 07:11 The Dark and Twisty Fixation Explained 09:18 The Tree Trunk Theory of Criminal Behavior 15:31 Psychopath Is Not a Diagnosis, Actually 17:29 Father-Daughter Murder Time a Very Normal Hobbies 25:17 Hyperfixation Grief Spiral 26:23 The Perpetrator Nobody Saw Coming 28:57 Undiagnosed, Unsupported, Incarcerated 30:26 "Acting Weird" Is Not Probable Cause, Actually 34:43 Oh, Look What Happened When They Didn't Believe A Woman 37:31 When "Acting Weird" and "Acting Guilty" Look the Same to Law Enforcement 40:33 The Ten Autistic Women Solution: True Crime Ethics 42:11 Your Local Child-Free Auntie Has Some Thoughts

    53 min

  4. 10 MAR

    Is Your ADHD Getting Worse? Perimenopause and the Neurodivergent Brain

    On this episode of Clinically Awkward, I sit down with Becca Block to talk about perimenopause and neurodivergence, and why this transition can feel especially chaotic for AFABs with ADHD and/or autism. We unpack what perimenopause actually is, how fluctuating hormones affect the brain, and why so many people start wondering if their ADHD symptoms are getting worse during perimenopause. Becca shares her experience recognizing her autistic and ADHD traits later in life after her child was diagnosed, which led her to dive deep into research on neurodivergence, hormones, and executive functioning. We talk about the five-to-ten-year transition before menopause when estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone fluctuate, and how those hormonal shifts affect neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, and acetylcholine, which influence focus, memory, motivation, mood, and sleep. We explore why perimenopause symptoms are often missed or misdiagnosed, especially when they overlap with ADHD symptoms like executive dysfunction, forgetfulness, inconsistent energy, and burnout. We also talk about sensory sensitivities, chronic migraines, mood dysregulation, and masking burnout, along with the mixed experiences people have with hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and hormonal birth control. We also discuss the psychological shift many people experience during midlife, including less anxiety about other people’s expectations and a growing DGAF  (Don't Give A F*ck) mindset. The episode closes with a conversation about self-advocacy with doctors, radical acceptance, and practical supports for navigating perimenopause with a neurodivergent brain. Becca Block works with neurodivergent adults on executive functioning, ADHD support, and sustainable productivity through her coaching practice. Learn more about her work at spicy-brains.com.   00:00 Perimenopause and Neurodivergence (Intro) 03:51 What Perimenopause Is and Why ADHD Symptoms Get Worse 06:21 Hormones, Dopamine, and the Neurodivergent Brain 10:44 Sensory Sensitivities, Autism, and Hormone Changes 18:22 Masking Burnout, Chronic Migraines, and Hormones 25:01 Perimenopause Rage, Mood Swings, and Emotional Dysregulation 30:22 Hot Flashes, Diet, and Perimenopause Symptom Hacks 34:36 Menopause as a Brain Reboot 42:27 Identity Shifts in Midlife and Neurodivergence 46:33 Self-Advocacy with Doctors During Perimenopause

    53 min

  5. 3 MAR

    Your Nervous System is Just Trying to Help You

    In this episode of Clinically Awkward, I sit down with Psychiatric PA Laura Hope Hobson to talk about body-focused repetitive behaviors, or BFRBs, like hair pulling, skin picking, nail biting, cheek chewing, and tongue biting. Laura shares her late ADHD realization and her long-hidden trichotillomania, and we immediately get into the thing most people miss: these behaviors are usually regulation. Not self-harm. Not a moral failure. Not proof that you lack discipline. Your nervous system is trying to manage something, even if the strategy is leaving you frustrated, embarrassed, or Googling “why can’t I just stop.” We talk about why “you’ll grow out of it” is still somehow floating around as ADHD advice, and how that myth keeps people confused and unsupported for decades. We unpack why shaving your head does not magically solve hair pulling, why behaviors tend to redirect when the underlying dysregulation is still there, and why “just stop” might be the least helpful sentence in the English language. We also dig into the shame spiral, especially for women who are expected to look polished and put together at all times, and how that pressure quietly fuels secrecy and self-criticism. Laura explains how BFRBs often co-occur with ADHD and how they can soothe both under-stimulation and over-stimulation. We differentiate BFRBs from self-harm and OCD compulsions so we can be precise about function instead of layering on more stigma. And we talk about what actually helps: habit reversal training, ARC as in awareness, regulation, compassion, IFS-informed parts work, and building regulation strategies that are tailored to your specific nervous system instead of some generic “try a fidget” solution. This episode is about shifting from judgment to curiosity. It is about understanding unmet needs and dysregulation instead of attacking yourself. It is about learning that you cannot shame yourself into long-term change, and you do not have to hate yourself into healing. Laura’s resources, including her free guide, are available at hopeandhealingcoach.com. 00:00 – It Was ADHD the Whole Time 04:23 – The “You’ll Grow Out of It” Era 06:16 – Hidden in Plain Sight 14:50 – Why “Just Stop” Fails 16:41 – The Regulation Connection 18:55 – The Shame Spiral 22:34 – Not Self-Harm. Not OCD. 26:35 – Beyond Fidgets 29:20 – ARC: Awareness, Regulation, Compassion 39:28 – Finding Your Fire Department 48:58 – Permission to Not Hate Yourself 54:56 – Redefining Recovery .

    57 min

  6. 24 FEB

    Neurodivergent Women Analyze HBO's Girls

    In this episode of Clinically Awkward, I, Alyssa Zimmerman, sit down with trauma therapist Carly Falk to unpack surviving your twenties through the chaotic millennial time capsule that is HBO’s Girls.   We get into trauma work, EMDR, and why I don’t believe embarrassment belongs in therapy. Substance misuse, hypersexuality, sensory seeking, and messy friendships aren’t moral failures; they’re data about unmet needs. Neurodivergent women deserve care that is holistic, honest, and shame-resistant.   Then we use Girls as a neurodivergent case study. Ray’s rigidity and info-dumping. Shoshana as the masked, competent autistic little professor. Hannah’s chaotic hyperbole, glossed-over OCD, and relationship dynamics that still make me wince. We revisit our millennial youth, six-beers-is-fine culture, warehouse parties, and the normalization of self-destruction in your twenties. And yes, my special interest, the Enneagram, inserts itself. I cannot watch fictional characters without typing them. Hannah as a Four as so is Jessa and they’re both spiraling into sabotage. Marni’s need to be chosen as intergenerational trauma. Shoshana’s possible Six energy sending me into a live wing crisis. We also touch on AuDHD patterns versus borderline personality disorder, including the difference between a “favorite person” and a “safe person,” and why black-and-white thinking hits differently in different neurotypes. We close with a radical idea: friendships can end without anyone being the villain. Sometimes growth looks like letting go. Carly shares about her practice, Lotus Embodied Counseling in Columbia, Maryland, and as always, I’m just out here saying what I needed to hear at 25.   0:00 - Welcome to Clinically Awkward: Quarter-Life Crisis Survivors (Feat. Carly) 3:54 - Therapist Origin Stories: The Practice I Accidentally Built 9:42 - Girls as a Neurodivergent Case Study (Respectfully) 15:46 - Millennial Optimism: Dollar Ubers, Chunky Necklaces, and Hipster Vibes 19:35 - Your Boyfriend Owns One Towel: Dating in Your Twenties 23:36 - We're Talking Too Much About Men Again (Derogatory) 27:22 - Shoshana, Masking, and the Little Professor Pipeline 32:30 - Hannah: Hyperbole, Bad Choices, and the Audacity of It All 37:01 - Shoshana's Six Energy & My Live Seven Wing Crash Out 41:10 - Jessa Is a Four and It's Not Fun: Chaos as Self-Sabotage 47:44 - Marnie Would Rather Be Chosen Than Be Okay 51:14 - Justice for Noreen: Second Adolescence, Please 52:51 - Okay We Have to Stop: Carly's Info + Emotional Aftercare

    55 min

  7. 19 FEB ·  BONUS

    BONUS: A Snake and a Baby Review: The Long Game

    In this bonus episode of Clinically Awkward, I, Alyssa Zimmerman, your local stressy messy AuDHD therapist and self appointed Snake, join Rain Glenn, the Baby, to celebrate our unlikely friendship built entirely on the Game Changers universe, a completely normal and healthy bonding experience. We spiral about our 50 day and counting Heated Rivalry hyperfixation and everything we know about season two adapting The Long Game, including the Spring 2027 release and the deeply suspicious six episode order that we do not trust. We mourn the loss of the gladiator butt plug Halloween scene, celebrate Shane coming out to a teammate, and present a professional “please don’t cut this” list featuring the kitchen scene, couch and ice cream, phone smut, the Pike Kids wedding, and more jealous Ilya. We campaign for maximum Yuna Hollander, debate the plane crash monologue logistics, defend Shane from the “he’s an a*****e” discourse, analyze Ilya’s dad coded energy, and accept that waiting until 2027 is now part of our personality.   00:00 50 Days Deep in the Hyperfixation 00:49 Heated Rivalry Season 2: What We're Gaining, What We're Losing, and Why We're Devastated. 02:38 Montreal Metros Beef: Hayden Discourse and Team Rage 04:01 Scenes We Actually Need to Continue Living, Yuna Hollander Supremecy, Ending Therapist Misrepresentation 09:18 Ilya’s Soft, Smushy Soul & Girl‑Dad Energy 13:46 The Pike Kids Wedding Must Happen 16:33 Supportive Neighbors & Bobblehead Solidarity 19:23 The Plane Crash That Broke Us 21:15 He's Not a Dick, He's Just Autistic 23:28 Troy & Harris: The Skip of Season Two 27:36 Svetlana Already Knows & The Jealous Ilya We Want to See 32:06 Season Split: A Hope & A Fear 36:57 Man Buns, Trip-and-Falls & Other Crimes Against Canon 41:02 Trophy Room: Layers Upon Layers 42:42 That Wedding Song Was a Choice & Man in the Crease Trash Talking 46:07 Luca Haas and Our Queer Agenda 49:48 Coping with the Dopamine Crash of a Six Episode Season

    52 min

  8. 17 FEB

    The Food Rules are Fake

    In this Eating Disorder Awareness Month episode of Clinically Awkward, I, Alyssa Zimmerman, stressy messy AuDHD therapist, am joined by Bailey Pilant to talk about disordered eating in neurodivergent people, especially binge eating disorder, with guest appearances by bulimia and ARFID. We explain why “just listen to your body” is wildly unhelpful advice when your hunger cues are basically non existent, and how restriction, calorie tracking, nighttime binges tend to show up together. We get into the AuDHD mechanics behind it all, including executive dysfunction, hyperfocus, sensory issues, dopamine seeking, medication effects, and the fear of being perceived. We also talk about why shame and punishment don’t actually change behavior, despite diet culture’s strong insistence otherwise. We challenge food rules like earning meals and labeling foods good or bad, share realistic strategies for getting fed when functioning is low, and discuss sensory barriers, clothing, body changes across life stages, and the emotional experience of weight fluctuation. We close with thoughts on self compassion, appreciating what bodies can do.  00:00 Welcome to Clinically Awkward + ED Awareness Month (Content Warning) 01:47 What Is Binge Eating Disorder? 03:37 Calorie-Tracking, Restriction, and Executive Dysfunction 17:37 Diet Culture, “Good vs Bad” Foods, and ‘Just Get Fed’ Strategies 20:22 Food Hyperfixations, Saving Calories, and Breaking the Food Rules 27:54 Sensory Issues, ARFID, and Being Perceived 32:31 Bodies Change Over Time. That's Normal. 38:09 Leggings vs Jeans, and Why Your Body Isn’t the Problem 41:39 Eating Disorder vs Disordered Eating 44:36 ARFID Tools: Cooking Shortcuts and Experimenting with Texture  49:22 Spaghetti Defeats Food Moralizing, and What We’d Tell Our Past Selves

    56 min
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About

Clinically Awkward is the podcast for the wonderful weirdos. Hosted by an AuDHD therapist, this show dives into the neurodivergent experience with candid conversations, laugh-out-loud moments, and unapologetic honesty. Here, we embrace the “awkward” and celebrate the “overshare,” because around here "too much" is exactly enough.

Information

  • Creator
    Alyssa Zimmerman
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Clinically Awkward

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