Hidden in Plain Sight

Extrovergent

Hidden in Plain Sight is a podcast about the parts of ourselves people don’t always see — beyond the coping mechanisms, expectations, burnout, masking, and pressure to always “have it all together.” Hosted by Extrovergent® | ADHD Brain, the show explores neurodivergence, mental health, identity, relationships, self-growth, and the everyday experiences that shape how we move through the world. Through honest conversations, humor, lived experiences, and unfiltered perspectives, Hidden in Plain Sight creates space for authenticity, self-awareness, connection, and the reminder that none of us are as alone as we think. Some episodes are deep. Some are funny. Some are uncomfortable. Some are healing. But all of them are real. No pretending. No perfect image. Just honest conversations about being human.

  1. 2d ago

    The Helper Needs Help, Too (ft. Apryl Schlueter)

    Why is it so hard to take your own advice? Coach and author Apryl Schlueter joins Extrovergent to explore burnout, self-care, work-life balance, and the productivity guilt that can make slowing down feel like failure. The Helper Needs Help, Too is an honest, funny conversation about staying accountable to your own wellbeing while helping others personally and professionally. Apryl shares the career she struggled to leave, the warning signs she couldn’t keep overlooking, and why knowing the tools didn’t stop her from overextending herself again. We discuss asking for help, setting realistic goals, and recognizing when your routines no longer fit your life. If you’ve ever told someone to rest while ignoring your own exhaustion—or called yourself lazy when you needed time to recover—this episode offers a chance to check in with yourself. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS Burnout warning signs: when ambition starts affecting your health and relationships.The discovery at a dermatologist appointment that made Apryl reconsider how she was living.Why asking for help can be difficult, even when helping others is your profession.What a five-year journal revealed about repeated patterns of exhaustion.Why a coach has her own coach—and how outside accountability helps.The text message that challenged Apryl’s description of an “unmotivated” week.A practical self-reflection process: awareness, reflection, and action.Along the way, we laugh about to-do lists, chasing the satisfaction of a check mark, and how easy it is to forget the advice we give everyone else. “Nobody is going to create that space for you. You’re gonna have to create it for yourself.” — Apryl Schlueter Watch the full conversation, share it with someone who needs room to breathe, and subscribe for more honest conversations about mental health, personal growth, and the parts of life people don’t always see. GUEST: Apryl Schlueter is a coach, author, and co-leader of the Accountability Success Circle. Website: https://thecheerfulmind.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecheerfulmind YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thecheerfulmindthecheerfulmind Apryl's Book: https://link.amazon/B09Nx7uJA Connect with Extrovergent: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@extrovergent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/extrovergent Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Extrovergent YouTube: https://youtube.com/@extrovergent #Burnout #SelfCare #WorkLifeBalance #ADHD #HiddenInPlainSight

    The Helper Needs Help, Too (ft. Apryl Schlueter)
  2. Oct 25

    The Pain Nobody Sees: When Common Doesn’t Mean Normal (ft. Dr. Eric Meyer)

    The Pain Nobody Sees: When Common Doesn’t Mean Normal | Dr. Eric Meyer, DC What if you’ve been living around pain for so long that you’ve stopped noticing what it has taken from you? You change how you sit. Plan how you stand. Stop doing things you enjoy. Eventually, “I’m just getting older” becomes the explanation for everything. In this episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Extrovergent® sits down with Dr. Eric Meyer, D.C., beginning with the question skeptical listeners may already be asking: Why should anyone listen to a chiropractor? Dr. Meyer shares his perspective on chiropractic care, patient trust, and the discomfort people routinely dismiss. Extrovergent opens up about scoliosis, back and hip pain, and realizing how much of life had quietly become organized around physical limitations. Together, they explore the difference between feeling better temporarily and reclaiming everyday function—and how invisible pain can affect relationships, confidence, enthusiasm, and connection. In this conversation: • Chiropractic skepticism, choosing a provider, and asking difficult questions. • Headaches, stiffness, recurring pain, and what we accept as “normal.” • Sleep, stress, long shifts, and making self-care manageable with ADHD or burnout. • Habit stacking and avoiding turning health into another full-time job. • Dr. Meyer’s approach to X-rays, referrals, and knowing when another provider is needed. • Rebuilding trust after feeling dismissed. “I work for you, not the other way around.” — Dr. Eric Meyer If you’ve ever looked fine while quietly giving things up because of discomfort, this conversation invites you to notice your experience and ask better questions about your care. LISTENER OFFER During the episode, Dr. Meyer offers listeners who mention Hidden in Plain Sight a complimentary initial examination and X-rays, plus a follow-up review of findings and a treatment plan, which he values at $450. Contact the practice to confirm eligibility, availability, and what is clinically appropriate for you. (OFFER EXPIRES 6/1/2027) *Offer may change. Care is the practice’s responsibility; results vary. CONNECT WITH DR. MEYER Kamper Chiropractic, a Palmercare Clinic Woodbridge, Virginia (703) 878-0700 https://woodbridge.palmercarechiropractic.com/ Connect with Extrovergent: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@extrovergent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/extrovergent Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Extrovergent YouTube: https://youtube.com/@extrovergent Discord Community: https://discord.gg/BChWyemFnT Join the mailing list for new episodes, reflections, and real conversations beyond the mic. https://PodcastByExtrovergent.com If this podcast has helped you feel seen, tips are optional but deeply appreciated and help keep these conversations going. https://podcastbyextrovergent.com/products/tip

    The Pain Nobody Sees: When Common Doesn’t Mean Normal (ft. Dr. Eric Meyer)
  3. Oct 11

    My Brain Hit 2%: You Don’t Have to Do Everything

    What happens when nothing is technically “wrong”… but your brain has absolutely nothing left to give? In this solo episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, I get real about hitting a wall after a month of rapid change, disrupted routines, endless training, piling emails, and the kind of mental exhaustion that doesn’t always look like burnout from the outside. A work transition I genuinely wanted still came with a cost. Familiar routines disappeared. New systems, processes, logins, expectations, and hours of basic training took over. And when your brain is already trying to adjust, even “good” change can drain the battery. Eventually, everyday things started feeling harder. Motivation disappeared. Tasks piled up. Even things I normally wanted to do felt like too much. At one point, I started wondering if I needed medication, a nootropic, more caffeine, or something else to pull myself out of the funk. What actually helped? Support. Rest. Community. And body doubling. Sometimes self-care isn’t adding another tool, supplement, routine, or productivity hack. Sometimes self-care is admitting: I’m tired. My brain is tired. I need to recharge. In this episode, I talk about: Why even positive change can completely disrupt your routineThe hidden mental exhaustion of constantly adaptingWhat burnout can look like when you’re still functioningWhy boring or unstimulating tasks can feel disproportionately drainingWatching emails, responsibilities, and everyday life pile upWondering whether you need to push harder—or actually stopHow body doubling helped create momentum againWhy community and support can matter more than another productivity hackCreating systems that work with your brain instead of fighting itGiving yourself permission to leave something until tomorrowWhy rest doesn’t have to be earned through complete exhaustionYour phone hits 2% and you don’t yell at it to try harder. You plug it in. Maybe we deserve the same grace. You don’t have to catch up on your entire life today. You don’t have to do everything. And you don’t have to completely drain your battery before you’re allowed to recharge. Sometimes the thing hidden in plain sight is just how much energy it takes to keep going. Be kind to yourself. Give yourself grace. And remember to love yourself—just the way you are. Connect with Extrovergent: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@extrovergent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/extrovergent Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Extrovergent YouTube: https://youtube.com/@extrovergent Discord Community: https://discord.gg/BChWyemFnT Join the mailing list for new episodes, reflections, and real conversations beyond the mic. https://PodcastByExtrovergent.com

    My Brain Hit 2%: You Don’t Have to Do Everything
  4. Sep 27

    You Were Worthy Before You Proved Anything (ft. CL Palmer)

    What happens when productivity becomes proof that you’re worthy? In this episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Extrovergent® sits down with creator, strategist, author, and podcaster CL Palmer for an honest conversation about late-diagnosed ADHD, functional depression, creative burnout, identity, and the pressure to turn every gift into an accomplishment. CL shares how receiving an ADHD diagnosis helped him understand the distance between his ability and his output—and the grief that came from wondering what might have been different if he had known sooner. Together, CL and Extrovergent explore what it means to release inherited beliefs, separate personal worth from productivity, protect your attention, and rediscover who you are beneath your roles. They also discuss creating for joy, being fully present with family, embracing the interests that make you different, and why multi-passionate people may not need to fit inside an existing niche. Sometimes, you have to allow yourself to become the niche. In this episode The relief and grief that can follow a late ADHD diagnosisWhat functional depression may look like from the outsideSeparating your identity from your work, output, and responsibilitiesRecognizing beliefs you inherited but no longer believeWhy love, rest, respect, and joy do not have to be earnedProtecting your attention in an always-online worldCreating more while consuming lessFinding the connecting thread between seemingly unrelated skillsChoosing authenticity even when other people do not understand itGiving yourself grace while your path continues to unfoldA truth to carry with you Everything you have experienced and learned has helped shape the person you are today. The skills that appear scattered may eventually connect in a way that only you are qualified to bring together. You are not too scattered. You are not too different. You are not too late. Your worth was never dependent on how much you produced. Guest: CL Palmer Website: https://podtacts.com/home Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceezypodgang/ Connect with Extrovergent: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@extrovergent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/extrovergent Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Extrovergent YouTube: https://youtube.com/@extrovergent Discord Community: https://discord.gg/BChWyemFnT Join the mailing list for new episodes, reflections, and real conversations beyond the mic. https://PodcastByExtrovergent.com If this podcast has helped you feel seen, tips are optional but deeply appreciated and help keep these conversations going. https://podcastbyextrovergent.com/products/tip

    You Were Worthy Before You Proved Anything (ft. CL Palmer)
  5. Sep 13

    "I'm Fine" Is Sometimes The Biggest Lie

    In this solo episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Extrovergent challenges one of the most automatic answers we give every day: “I’m fine.” Because sometimes “fine” doesn’t mean okay. Sometimes it means, I’m functioning well enough that you can’t see what’s happening underneath. This episode explores the gap between looking fine, functioning fine, and actually being fine—and why we’re so quick to assume someone isn’t struggling just because they’re still showing up, smiling, working, parenting, socializing, or getting things done. Extrovergent shares personal stories about masking, burnout, financial hardship, grief, overstimulation, resilience, and the moments when nobody around him could tell what was happening internally. He also talks about the strange experience of being the person who always figures things out—and how that can make it harder to recognize when you need support yourself. The conversation also pushes back on the idea that mental health has only two settings: fine or crisis. There is a lot of space in between. You can be overwhelmed, lonely, anxious, overstimulated, burnt out, discouraged, or emotionally drained and still laugh five minutes later. A good moment does not erase a hard day. In this episode: Why “How are you?” often feels more like a social script than a real questionWhy visible distress is not the only kind of distressHow masking can teach people to assume you’re always okayThe hidden cost of functioning when you’re strugglingWhy resilient people may have a harder time asking for helpThe importance of having a support systemSimple ways to tell someone, “I really need you right now”Learning to recognize your own patterns before you reach a breaking pointWhy you don’t have to wait for a crisis before your struggle counts One of the biggest reminders from this episode: Being able to carry something doesn’t mean it isn’t heavy. Sometimes what’s hidden in plain sight is simply a person who has gotten really, really good at looking okay. Connect with Extrovergent: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@extrovergent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/extrovergent Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Extrovergent YouTube: https://youtube.com/@extrovergent Discord Community: https://discord.gg/BChWyemFnT Join the mailing list for new episodes, reflections, and real conversations beyond the mic. https://PodcastByExtrovergent.com If this podcast has helped you feel seen, tips are optional but deeply appreciated and help keep these conversations going. https://podcastbyextrovergent.com/products/tip

  6. Aug 30

    The Abuse Hidden Behind the Smile: Recovering from Covert Narcissistic Abuse (ft. Joy Larkin)

    Sometimes the person hurting you does not look cruel. They smile at you. They encourage you. They offer advice, support, resources, or help. They make you feel understood. Then, slowly, that support begins to feel like control. In this episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Extrovergent sits down with Joy Larkin of Live Narc Free LLC to talk about recovering from narcissistic and emotionally abusive relationships—especially the covert patterns that are much harder to recognize. Joy shares her lived experience with abuse in family, romantic, professional, and mentoring relationships and how manipulation can hide behind kindness, concern, generosity, and support. Together, we explore: • How support can slowly turn into control • Why covert emotional abuse can be difficult to recognize • Gaslighting and losing trust in your own memory • Why some people make you feel like you need their approval • ...and much more This conversation is not about diagnosing people from a distance. It is about recognizing harmful patterns, understanding their impact, and helping people feel less alone. Because sometimes the hardest abuse to recognize is the kind everyone else thinks looks like love, support, or kindness. And sometimes healing begins with one simple realization: You do not need a perfect memory to know something repeatedly made you feel unsafe, confused, or disconnected from yourself. If this episode feels personal, take your time with it. We end the conversation with a grounding exercise to help listeners return to the present after a difficult and potentially triggering discussion. Learn more about Joy and her work at LiveNarcFree.com. Be sure to mention Hidden in Plain Sight Podcast by Extrovergent. Give yourself grace. Be kind to yourself. And remember to love yourself, just the way you are. Guest: Joy Larkin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livenarcfree.llc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoyL444 YouTube: https://youtube.com/@LiveNarcFree Connect with Extrovergent: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@extrovergent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/extrovergent Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Extrovergent YouTube: https://youtube.com/@extrovergent Discord Community: https://discord.gg/BChWyemFnT Join the mailing list for new episodes, reflections, and real conversations beyond the mic. https://PodcastByExtrovergent.com If this podcast has helped you feel seen, tips are optional but deeply appreciated and help keep these conversations going. https://podcastbyextrovergent.com/products/tip

  7. Aug 16

    Punished for Being Myself: Learning to Play Again with Gary Ware

    What happens when being yourself gets punished so deeply that you learn to hide the most natural parts of who you are? In this episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Extrovergent® sits down with Gary Ware of BreakThrough Play for a powerful conversation about masking, childhood wounds, corporate survival, and learning to play again. Gary opens up about how early experiences can teach us that joy, silliness, curiosity, and self-expression are not always safe. From there, we explore how masking can become protection, how people learn to become the “acceptable” version of themselves, and why success can still feel heavy when it requires hiding who you really are. This conversation is about the playful parts of us that go quiet. The parts that learned to be careful. The parts that still want to breathe, connect, create, laugh, and be seen without fear. Together, we talk about why play is not just for kids, how it connects to safety and trust, and what it can mean to slowly return to yourself after years of performing for survival. This episode is for anyone who has ever wondered: “Was I too much… or was I just not safe to be myself?” The playful part of you may not be gone. It may just be waiting to feel safe. In this episode, we talk about: How masking can begin as protectionWhat happens when play gets punishedThe difference between being childish and being childlikeWhy serious spaces can make people shrinkHow play connects to trust, connection, and emotional safetyThe cost of performing the acceptable version of yourselfLearning to be seen without feeling punished Mentioned in this episode: Gary Ware’s book, Playful Rebellion: Maximize Workplace Success Through the Power of Play. Link: https://amzn.to/4zlgx6K Guest: Gary Ware Website: https://www.breakthroughplay.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/garyware/ Connect with Extrovergent: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@extrovergent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/extrovergent Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Extrovergent YouTube: https://youtube.com/@extrovergent Discord Community: https://discord.gg/BChWyemFnT Join the mailing list for new episodes, reflections, and real conversations beyond the mic. https://PodcastByExtrovergent.com If this podcast has helped you feel seen, tips are optional but deeply appreciated and help keep these conversations going. https://podcastbyextrovergent.com/products/tip

  8. Aug 2

    Surviving While Looking Fine (ft. Dr. Sarah Glasco)

    How many people are surviving while everyone around them thinks they’re doing just fine? In this episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Extrovergent sits down with Dr. Sarah Glasco—neurodivergent educator, author, and co-host of the ADHD PeriPunks podcast—for an honest, funny, and deeply human conversation about masking, burnout, hormones, and the cost of appearing capable while quietly struggling underneath. Sarah shares why she left a tenured academic career with no backup plan, what it meant to finally honor her actual capacity, and how years of perfectionism, sleep deprivation, and internal pressure pushed her toward a breaking point. Together, they explore when masking stops being protection and starts becoming a cage, why looking functional is not the same as feeling okay, and how neurodivergent people can lose themselves while trying to meet everyone else’s expectations. The conversation also examines the intersection of ADHD, perimenopause, menopause, and changing hormones—along with why so many women and gender-expansive people are diagnosed later in life. Sarah discusses her new book, The Neurodivergent Hormonal Survival Toolkit, created to help neurocomplex people and their partners better understand their bodies, advocate for individualized care, and find affirming support. They also talk about hyperfocus, self-care, inclusive education, medication, community, and the upcoming Neuropause Collective. Most importantly, this episode is a reminder that you are not too much, not broken, and not alone. You do not have to earn rest or wait until everything falls apart before choosing yourself. Guest: Dr. Sarah Glasco Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarcrasstic.self.care Substack: https://substack.com/@sarcrassticselfcare ADHD PeriPunks Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/14I7K9GycsH4YdN1d5pxwy?si=3de9a2ea03dc4475 Items Mentioned in Episode: Book: The Neurodivergent Hormonal Survival Toolkit - https://link.amazon/B04O1zc6g Connect with Extrovergent: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@extrovergent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/extrovergent Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Extrovergent YouTube: https://youtube.com/@extrovergent Discord Community: https://discord.gg/BChWyemFnT Join the mailing list for new episodes, reflections, and real conversations beyond the mic. https://PodcastByExtrovergent.com If this podcast has helped you feel seen, tips are optional but deeply appreciated and help keep these conversations going. https://podcastbyextrovergent.com/products/tip

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5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Hidden in Plain Sight is a podcast about the parts of ourselves people don’t always see — beyond the coping mechanisms, expectations, burnout, masking, and pressure to always “have it all together.” Hosted by Extrovergent® | ADHD Brain, the show explores neurodivergence, mental health, identity, relationships, self-growth, and the everyday experiences that shape how we move through the world. Through honest conversations, humor, lived experiences, and unfiltered perspectives, Hidden in Plain Sight creates space for authenticity, self-awareness, connection, and the reminder that none of us are as alone as we think. Some episodes are deep. Some are funny. Some are uncomfortable. Some are healing. But all of them are real. No pretending. No perfect image. Just honest conversations about being human.