Different, not broken

Lauren "L2" Howard
  • 4.0 (20)
  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

You’ve spent your whole life feeling like something’s wrong with you. Here’s a radical thought: what if you’re not broken - just different? Welcome to Different, Not Broken, the no-filter, emotionally intelligent, occasionally sweary podcast that challenges the idea that we all have to fit inside neat little boxes to be acceptable. Hosted by L2 (aka Lauren Howard), founder of LBee Health, this show dives into the real, raw and ridiculous sides of being neurodivergent, introverted, chronically underestimated - and still completely worthy. Expect deeply honest conversations about identity, autism, ADHD, gender, work, grief, anxiety and everything in between. There’ll be tears, dead dad jokes, side quests, and a whole lot of swearing. Whether you're neurodivergent, neurotypical, or just human and tired of pretending to be someone you’re not, this space is for you. Come for the chaos. Stay for the catharsis. Linger for the dead Dad jokes.

  1. You're Not Broken. You Were Taught Harmful Theology!

    1D AGO

    You're Not Broken. You Were Taught Harmful Theology!

    You’re not broken. But a lot of us were taught to believe we were. Hi, I’m Lauren Howard. You can call me L2. Like other people do. And in this episode of Different, Not Broken, I’m talking with Libby Alders, a pastoral chaplain who works at the intersection of faith, trauma, and identity, about what happens when religion stops being a source of comfort and starts quietly doing damage. We get into how harmful theology gets lodged in your nervous system, why so many neurodivergent and LGBTQIA people grow up feeling fundamentally wrong, and how community can heal or harm depending on who’s allowed to show up fully. This isn’t a debate about belief. It’s a conversation about safety. About moral injury. About certainty being weaponised. And about finding ways to make meaning without being told who you’re allowed to be. There’s swearing. There’s honesty. There’s a surprising amount of warmth for a conversation that doesn’t pull its punches. Once you’ve been inspired to brag, here’s where you can do it! https://differentnotbrokenpodcast.com/voicemail Useful stuff Stuff that helps you become awesome even if you’re different: https://stan.store/elletwo My grown up job: https://lbeehealth.com/ Timestamped summary 00:00 “You’re Not Broken. You Were Taught Harmful Theology” 04:18 Certainty, faith, and why curiosity matters 09:32 Religion, trauma, and moral injury 14:41 Neurodivergence, queerness, and conditional belonging 20:06 Losing faith without losing yourself 26:55 Finding safer community and meaning Mentioned in this episode: Build Your Better course Build your better course - https://stan.store/elletwo/p/build-your-better Wanna sponsor this podcast http://differentnotbrokenpodcast.com/sponsors Sponsor Different Not Broken

    41 min
  2. Can somebody please explain this timeline to me?

    6D AGO · BONUS

    Can somebody please explain this timeline to me?

    Can somebody please explain this timeline to me? Because I have a confession. Last week — not even sure which day, definitely one of the days ending in “y” — something happened. And I have no idea how.

    3 min
  3. I Survived the Flight and Still Won’t Load the Toilet Roll

    JAN 7

    I Survived the Flight and Still Won’t Load the Toilet Roll

    Flying makes me anxious. Not the mild kind. The walls-closing-in, I-need-control kind. Hi, I'm Lauren Howard. You can call me L2. Like other people do. And in this episode of "Different, Not Broken" I talk about what it was like flying with someone who supported me without making a thing of it. No fuss. No questions. No spotlight. Just quiet, steady presence. We get into why that kind of support works so well, especially for anxious and neurodivergent people, and why “are you okay?” is often the least helpful thing you can say. Once you've been inspired to brag, here's where you can do it! - https://differentnotbrokenpodcast.com/voicemail Useful stuffStuff that helps you become awesome even if you're different: https://stan.store/elletwo My grown up job: https://lbeehealth.com/ Timestamped summary00:00 "Therapist as Emotional Support" 05:49 "Calm Support During Turbulence" 07:26 "Weird Ears and Airplanes" 12:32 Toilet Paper Holder Frustrations 16:49 "Outgrowing Expectations and Tolerance" 18:46 Sibling Conflict and Resolution Mentioned in this episode: Build Your Better course Build your better course - https://stan.store/elletwo/p/build-your-better Wanna sponsor this podcast http://differentnotbrokenpodcast.com/sponsors Sponsor Different Not Broken Brag on yourself Wanna brag on yourself for something you've done which you're proud of? https://differentnotbrokenpodcast.com/voicemail

    24 min
  4. What If This Is It?

    12/31/2025

    What If This Is It?

    Nobody tells you this part about being a parent. That every boundary you set comes with a quiet, gnawing guilt. Needing space. Wanting quiet. Asking not to be touched for five minutes. And immediately wondering if you’ll regret it forever. Hi, I'm Lauren Howard. You can call me L2. Like other people do. And in this episode of Different, Not Broken, I talk about the constant tug-of-war between your needs as a human and your guilt as a parent. Because even when your kids are healthy, safe, loved, and thriving, it can still feel like you’re failing someone all the time. Usually yourself. Sometimes them. Often both. I get into overstimulation, sensory overload, and why tiny, almost invisible things can feel completely unbearable when your fuse is already short. And I talk about that thought parents torture themselves with over and over again. What if this is the last time? This is a conversation for parents who love their kids deeply and still sometimes need room to breathe. Useful stuffStuff that helps you become awesome even if you’re different: https://stan.store/elletwo My grown up job: https://lbeehealth.com/ Timestamped summary00:00 The chaos nobody prepares you for 01:00 When your fuse feels dangerously short 03:03 Overstimulation and sensory overload 06:20 The tiny thing that breaks you 10:45 “What if this is the last time?” 14:50 The moment I knew I’d done something right 27:30 Recording while being a parent Mentioned in this episode: Wanna sponsor this podcast http://differentnotbrokenpodcast.com/sponsors Sponsor Different Not Broken

    27 min
  5. The super secret Christmas episode

    12/25/2025 · BONUS

    The super secret Christmas episode

    Shhhhh! Come in and have a listen to your gift. Don't tell anyone....

    4 min
  6. Are You an Order Muppet or a Chaos Muppet?

    12/24/2025

    Are You an Order Muppet or a Chaos Muppet?

    Nobody really explains this part of relationships either. That a lot of the friction isn’t about love, or communication, or effort. It’s about order. And chaos. And which one of you is quietly losing your mind because the other one will not, under any circumstances, make a plan. Hi, I’m Lauren Howard. You can call me L2. Like other people do. And in this episode of Different, Not Broken, I introduce you to the single most accurate relationship framework I’ve ever found. It comes from the greatest relationship philosopher of our time. Jim Henson. I’m talking Order Muppets and Chaos Muppets. Who they are. Why they keep finding each other. And why once you see it, you genuinely can’t unsee it. We get into partners, kids, siblings, colleagues, and the moment when an Order Muppet finally snaps and goes full feral Kermit. We talk about why chaos isn’t a flaw. Why order isn’t control. And why most conflict is really just two nervous systems speaking completely different languages. There’s also a listener question about masking. What it costs. Why it’s exhausting. And how to start noticing who you actually are underneath all the coping. It’s funny. It’s unreasonably accurate. And it will absolutely ruin the way you look at the people in your life, in the best possible way. If you’ve ever thought “why am I the only one holding this together?” Or “why does this person make everything harder?” Congratulations. You’re probably a Muppet. Let’s figure out which kind. Useful stuffStuff that helps you become awesome even if you’re different: https://stan.store/elletwo My grown up job: https://lbeehealth.com/ Timestamped summary00:00 Are You an Order Muppet or a Chaos Muppet? 02:18 Jim Henson’s accidental relationship genius 05:04 Why opposites don’t just attract, they survive 08:41 Families, kids, and chaos tolerance 11:22 When Order Muppets finally lose their shit 13:09 Listener question: masking and exhaustion 14:05 How to start unmasking without blowing up your life Mentioned in this episode: Build Your Better course Build your better course - https://stan.store/elletwo/p/build-your-better Brag on yourself Wanna brag on yourself for something you've done which you're proud of? https://differentnotbrokenpodcast.com/voicemail Wanna sponsor this podcast http://differentnotbrokenpodcast.com/sponsors Sponsor Different Not Broken

    17 min
  7. Embracing The Gift of Nothing and Why Modesty Hasn't Helped Your Career!

    12/17/2025

    Embracing The Gift of Nothing and Why Modesty Hasn't Helped Your Career!

    Nobody tells you this part about being an adult. That most of your energy gets burned on decisions. Small ones. Constant ones. What to eat. What to say. How to say it nicely. Who not to upset. When to apologise. Again. Hi, I'm Lauren Howard. You can call me L2. Like other people do. And in this episode of "Different, Not Broken" I talk about the real gift overwhelmed people actually want. Not stuff. Not experiences. Not another thing you’re supposed to be grateful for. Just nothing. Relax, there's logic in here if you listen. I also get into something we’ve been quietly taught for years: that staying modest, keeping your head down, and not bragging will somehow pay off. To be honest, it usually hasn’t. And pretending otherwise hasn’t helped anyone. This is a conversation about decision fatigue, invisible labour, and why being good at things isn’t something you should apologise for. It’s funny, sharp, honest, and probably a bit too relatable if you’re the person everyone relies on. If you’re tired, capable, and done pretending you’re not — this one’s for you. Once you've been inspired to brag, here's where you can do it! - https://differentnotbrokenpodcast.com/voicemail Useful stuffStuff that helps you become awesome even if you're different: https://stan.store/elletwo My grown up job: https://lbeehealth.com/ Timestamped summary00:00 "What I Really Want"* 05:46 "Craving Decision-Free Solitude" 06:18 "Adulting is Meal Planning" 10:11 "Garbage Day Struggles" 15:44 Boundaries on Personal Questions 16:25 "Pets as Family" Mentioned in this episode: Wanna sponsor this podcast http://differentnotbrokenpodcast.com/sponsors Sponsor Different Not Broken Wanna learn to write like me? Here's how you can! Writing Course Build Your Better course Build your better course - https://stan.store/elletwo/p/build-your-better

    23 min
  8. Justice for Kevin McCallister!

    12/14/2025 · BONUS

    Justice for Kevin McCallister!

    I need to go on the record. The Wet Bandits are NOT the villains in Home Alone. This episode is a full rewatch reckoning. The kind that hits you sideways once you’re an adult and can’t unsee what’s actually happening on screen. And we’re meant to call it festive. This is not a cosy nostalgia episode. It’s time to get a little uncomfortable and understand what's really going on with this movie and why I think it's more of a horror movie than a Christmas film. Merry Christmas, you filthy animals.

    3 min
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About

You’ve spent your whole life feeling like something’s wrong with you. Here’s a radical thought: what if you’re not broken - just different? Welcome to Different, Not Broken, the no-filter, emotionally intelligent, occasionally sweary podcast that challenges the idea that we all have to fit inside neat little boxes to be acceptable. Hosted by L2 (aka Lauren Howard), founder of LBee Health, this show dives into the real, raw and ridiculous sides of being neurodivergent, introverted, chronically underestimated - and still completely worthy. Expect deeply honest conversations about identity, autism, ADHD, gender, work, grief, anxiety and everything in between. There’ll be tears, dead dad jokes, side quests, and a whole lot of swearing. Whether you're neurodivergent, neurotypical, or just human and tired of pretending to be someone you’re not, this space is for you. Come for the chaos. Stay for the catharsis. Linger for the dead Dad jokes.

Information

  • Creator
    Lauren "L2" Howard
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    47
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Lauren "L2" Howard
  • Show Website
    Different, not broken

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