Wired Divergent: Nervous System Regulation & Self Trust for Neurodivergent Brains

Jen deHaan
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Wired Divergent is a solo show about nervous system regulation for neurodivergent brains. Hosted by Jen deHaan, an autistic and ADHD Canadian who has spent close to 30 years working across creative technology, performance, fitness instruction, and podcast production. Most nervous system content assumes a neurotypical baseline. This show doesn't. Wired Divergent covers functional freeze, autistic burnout, sensory overload, ADHD paralysis, masking, interoception, and the somatic tools that actually work when your brain is wired differently. Episodes mix long form education with short, repeatable micro-rest and body double sessions you can use in real time for asyncronous support. The show is grounded in the Community Resilience Model (CRM), a skills-based, trauma-informed approach that treats regulation as something your body already knows how to do. Polyvagal theory gets discussed here too, but critically (basically, not as gospel but we'll take the pieces that work.) If you're a late-diagnosed or self-identified neurodivergent adult, an ADHD professional trying to get through your workday without crashing, a practitioner looking to make your somatic work more neuro-inclusive, or just someone who has given up on "just breathe" as advice, this show is for you. New episodes cover topics like: somatic exercises for ADHD, vagus nerve stimulation for sensory processing, the window of tolerance for neurodivergent adults, co-regulation techniques, stimming as a regulation tool, and why standard meditation fails neurodivergent brains. Created, written, and produced by Jen deHaan. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

Episodes

  1. Autistic Burnout and Neurodivergent Masking: Nervous System Tools That Help

    4h ago

    Autistic Burnout and Neurodivergent Masking: Nervous System Tools That Help

    If you are neurodivergent and you socialize, which you probably do, you probablly get hit with the social tax of social masking (or camouflaging) on an almost daily basis. It can lead to meltdown, shutdown, autistic burnout, and more because it is really hard on our nervous systems and body. Most conversations about autistic masking stay on the psychology, or in that "you shouldn't mask" or "hey, just unmask!") territory, so in this episode I cover the body side of things. We should be able to "just unmask". Sure, it would be so great! But the reality is we live in a world that still forces us to do this for safety or need. So until we can just unmask, this episode helps with things you can do in the moment in social situations, because sometimes we can't afford to not mask (for safety, for access, because of various marginalizations, etc). Social masking asks the autonomic nervous system to run a sustained performance for hours, and for a lot of neurodivergent people that load does not clear with a single good night's sleep. I walk through what happens physiologically when masking runs too long, and how it connects to allostatic load and what some autistic communities call masking debt. I also get into why the collapse that follows can feel so far out of proportion to the day, and why low interoception and alexithymia make the cost so hard to notice while it builds. Then I cover two nervous system tools, that I adapted for neurodivergent brains, that give you something concrete to do in the moment. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: How to tell when masking has pushed you past what your nervous system can recover fromWhy standard advice like "just unmask" or "give yourself permission to rest" does not reach the real loadThe body signals that show the cost is building before you hit collapseHow two CRM skills, reworked to be inclusive for neurodivergent bodies, fit into a heavy masking dayWhy this load can be difficult if you also code-switch or face dismissal in medical settings CHAPTERS: 0:00 The post-social collapse most masking talk skips 1:27 Why this one is personal 3:45 What social masking does to the nervous system 7:54 Why "just unmask" misses the actual problem 12:37 Allostatic load and the idea of masking debt 16:37 The body signals that show the cost is building 23:24 Why "give yourself permission to rest" rarely lands 25:00 Two CRM skills, adapted for neurodivergent brains 30:03 Building a masking-recovery practice that fits you 31:53 Coaching, newsletter, and where to go next SCIENCE: Studies on the costs of autistic camouflaging and masking: https://docs.autismresearchcentre.com/papers/2017_Hull_Putting-on-my-best-normal.pdf https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6483965/ https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/socwork_fac/378/ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1750946723001320 On why science doesn't support the biology claims of Polyvagal Theory, and why it is harmful for neurodivergent people (supported with science): https://jendehaan.com/blog/is-polyvagal-theory-debunked-2026/ and https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301051123001060 Community Resilience Model (CRM), Trauma Resource Institute: https://www.traumaresourceinstitute.com/crm RESOURCES & LINKS: Neurodivergent coaching (1:1): https://jendehaan.com/coaching Group practice: https://jendehaan.com/offscript/ (introductory program coming soon, check site for other options in future) Resources and blog posts: https://jendehaan.com Podcast version and regulation practice episodes: https://jendehaan.com/wired-divergent Newsletter signup: https://jendehaan.com/newsletters About Audio and VideoThis show is available as a video on YouTube and Spotify. The audio you are hearing in strategy episodes is taken from the video version, which is recorded both inside and outside, and why there are some changes in the microphone quality. NEURODIVERGENT RESOURCES FROM JEN:Neurodivergent coaching (1:1): https://jendehaan.com/coachingGroup Programs: https://jendehaan.com/offscript/ (introductory program coming soon, check site for other options in future)Newsletter signup: https://jendehaan.com/newslettersWired Divergent videos: https://youtube.com/@jendehaanResources and blog posts: https://jendehaan.com Support the showLike this episode or show and want more? Support us with a one-time tip: https://learn.improvupdate.com/products/supportWe love our podcast host Capitvate.fm! Contact to ask me anything, anytime. You can support the shows by signing up with Captivate here: https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=yzjiytzWe have our newsletters on Kit.com. We also have our tip form with them, and sell products on their platform. Easy, and they don't take a cut! Check Kit out and support the show using this: https://partners.kit.com/ijdkivtf8nddTranscriptions by MacWhisper. I use and love the Pro version (subscription free!) - you can get it too using this link: https://gumroad.com/a/20303251/ivpqkSchedule posts? We use Metricool (reasonable for multiple accounts/brands/shows). Support us using our link: https://f.mtr.cool/VZBOZR AboutThis podcast was created, written, and is hosted by Jen deHaan. Jen has certifications related to healthy communities (Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy), nervous system regulation and soon teacher training certification on community resilience. She has a BFA in teaching creative arts to adults. You can find her full bio here. This podcast was made in British Columbia, Canada by Jen deHaan. I respectfully acknowledge that I live and work on the unceded traditional territory of the Coast Salish peoples, and honour the homelands of the Qualicum First Nation and the Snaw-naw-as First Nation, as well as the ties of the Snuneymuxw and K'ómoks First Nations. I would like to express gratitude to these and all First Nations for their continued stewardship of these lands and waters where I create these episodes. DISCLAIMER:Wired Divergent is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. If you're in crisis or need clinical support, please reach out to a qualified professional. Crisis & Support Resources: https://jendehaan.com/mental-health-resources Full Disclaimer: https://jendehaan.com/disclaimer This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    33 min
  2. [Regulation Practice] A grounding practice for shutdown and overwhelm

    6d ago

    [Regulation Practice] A grounding practice for shutdown and overwhelm

    This is a grounding practice built for shutdown, the offline and quiet state where everything has become a lot and even small routine things feel impossible. The practice asks for almost nothing from you. You can stay lying down, seated, standing at a desk, or wherever you already are, with your eyes open or closed. Nothing has to change, and you can stay exactly as you are the whole time. KEY TAKEAWAYS:This practice is for shutdown states, when your system has gone offline and small tasks feel impossible.There is nothing you have to do, and you can stay in whatever position you're already in.The air on your skin, its temperature, and the texture of the surface under you are accessible exteroceptive starting points.If your body wants more input, pushing your palms into a wall, a doorframe, or your own lap adds pressure you can adjust as you go.Your nervous system was doing something the whole time, even when nothing felt like it shifted. CHAPTERS:00:00 Intro and safety reminder 00:53 Who this practice is for: shutdown and overwhelm 01:19 Practice 05:50 Returning your attention to the room 06:26 Closing reflection on what your nervous system was doing 06:37 Where to find more resources About Audio and VideoThis show is available as a video on YouTube and Spotify. The audio you are hearing in strategy episodes is taken from the video version, which is recorded both inside and outside, and why there are some changes in the microphone quality. NEURODIVERGENT RESOURCES FROM JEN:Neurodivergent coaching (1:1): https://jendehaan.com/coachingGroup Programs: https://jendehaan.com/offscript/ (introductory program coming soon, check site for other options in future)Newsletter signup: https://jendehaan.com/newslettersWired Divergent videos: https://youtube.com/@jendehaanResources and blog posts: https://jendehaan.com Support the showLike this episode or show and want more? Support us with a one-time tip: https://learn.improvupdate.com/products/supportWe love our podcast host Capitvate.fm! Contact to ask me anything, anytime. You can support the shows by signing up with Captivate here: https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=yzjiytzWe have our newsletters on Kit.com. We also have our tip form with them, and sell products on their platform. Easy, and they don't take a cut! Check Kit out and support the show using this: https://partners.kit.com/ijdkivtf8nddTranscriptions by MacWhisper. I use and love the Pro version (subscription free!) - you can get it too using this link: https://gumroad.com/a/20303251/ivpqkSchedule posts? We use Metricool (reasonable for multiple accounts/brands/shows). Support us using our link: https://f.mtr.cool/VZBOZR AboutThis podcast was created, written, and is hosted by Jen deHaan. Jen has certifications related to healthy communities (Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy), nervous system regulation and soon teacher training certification on community resilience. She has a BFA in teaching creative arts to adults. You can find her full bio here. This podcast was made in British Columbia, Canada by Jen deHaan. I respectfully acknowledge that I live and work on the unceded traditional territory of the Coast Salish peoples, and honour the homelands of the Qualicum First Nation and the Snaw-naw-as First Nation, as well as the ties of the Snuneymuxw and K'ómoks First Nations. I would like to express gratitude to these and all First Nations for their continued stewardship of these lands and waters where I create these episodes. DISCLAIMER:Wired Divergent is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. If you're in crisis or need clinical support, please reach out to a qualified professional. Crisis & Support Resources: https://jendehaan.com/mental-health-resources Full Disclaimer: https://jendehaan.com/disclaimer This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    7 min
  3. (Updated) Allostatic Load and the Impact on Neurodivergent Daily Practice & Habits

    Jun 9

    (Updated) Allostatic Load and the Impact on Neurodivergent Daily Practice & Habits

    If you understand your neurodivergent nervous system better than most people you know and still can't make a daily practice or a new habit stick, there are still elements from your life that you can adjust to work with how your brain is wired. This episode breaks down why understanding alone doesn't change neurodivergent nervous system patterns, and some ideas that can lead to a personal system that actually helps. However... for late-diagnosed autistic, ADHD, and AuDHD adults, the problem is rarely a shortage of information. Allostatic load, predictive processing, and variable executive function all play into why it's hard to get something new to repeat day to day. I get into why a regulated state can feel wrong to a nervous system used to dysregulation, why conventional advice like "just do it every day" doesn't work for many of us, and how attaching a new practice to something your body already does can potentially make a difference for certain things. I also cover external scaffolding, body doubling, co-regulation, and the social baseline research behind why a safer person in the room changes how the nervous system regulates. CHAPTERS:CHAPTERS: 0:00 Why understanding your nervous system isn't enough 0:23 How naming the experience lowers self-blame 1:56 Allostatic load and the depleted resource pool 3:51 Why feeling regulated can register as wrong 5:20 Executive function as an unreliable daily resource 6:45 What helps, and why a few minutes daily beats one hour a week 8:00 The resilient zone 9:46 The water canteen experiment 12:14 Attaching practices to routines you already have 14:10 External scaffolding and relational support 17:31 Building this into your own life and where coaching fits RESOURCES & LINKS:More on what I found in polyvagal theory: https://jendehaan.com/blog/is-polyvagal-theory-debunked-2026/Neurodivergent coaching (1:1): https://jendehaan.com/coachingGroup Programs: https://jendehaan.com/offscript/ (introductory program coming soon, check site for other options in future)Resources and blog posts: https://jendehaan.comPodcast version and regulation practice episodes: https://jendehaan.com/wired-divergentNewsletter signup: https://jendehaan.com/newsletters About Audio and VideoThis show is available as a video on YouTube and Spotify. The audio you are hearing in strategy episodes is taken from the video version, which is recorded both inside and outside, and why there are some changes in the microphone quality. NEURODIVERGENT RESOURCES FROM JEN:Neurodivergent coaching (1:1): https://jendehaan.com/coachingGroup Programs: https://jendehaan.com/offscript/ (introductory program coming soon, check site for other options in future)Newsletter signup: https://jendehaan.com/newslettersWired Divergent videos: https://youtube.com/@jendehaanResources and blog posts: https://jendehaan.com Support the showLike this episode or show and want more? Support us with a one-time tip: https://learn.improvupdate.com/products/supportWe love our podcast host Capitvate.fm! Contact to ask me anything, anytime. You can support the shows by signing up with Captivate here: https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=yzjiytzWe have our newsletters on Kit.com. We also have our tip form with them, and sell products on their platform. Easy, and they don't take a cut! Check Kit out and support the show using this: https://partners.kit.com/ijdkivtf8nddTranscriptions by MacWhisper. I use and love the Pro version (subscription free!) - you can get it too using this link: https://gumroad.com/a/20303251/ivpqkSchedule posts? We use Metricool (reasonable for multiple accounts/brands/shows). Support us using our link: https://f.mtr.cool/VZBOZR AboutThis podcast was created, written, and is hosted by Jen deHaan. Jen has certifications related to healthy communities (Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy), nervous system regulation and soon teacher training certification on community resilience. She has a BFA in teaching creative arts to adults. You can find her full bio here. This podcast was made in British Columbia, Canada by Jen deHaan. I respectfully acknowledge that I live and work on the unceded traditional territory of the Coast Salish peoples, and honour the homelands of the Qualicum First Nation and the Snaw-naw-as First Nation, as well as the ties of the Snuneymuxw and K'ómoks First Nations. I would like to express gratitude to these and all First Nations for their continued stewardship of these lands and waters where I create these episodes. DISCLAIMER:Wired Divergent is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. If you're in crisis or need clinical support, please reach out to a qualified professional. Crisis & Support Resources: https://jendehaan.com/mental-health-resources Full Disclaimer: https://jendehaan.com/disclaimer This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    19 min
  4. Regulation That Starts Outside Your Body: Temperature, Sound, Pressure

    Jun 9

    Regulation That Starts Outside Your Body: Temperature, Sound, Pressure

    If you've sat through a body scan or regulation practice that didn't seem to work for you or your nervous system, or got asked to find an emotion in your chest and felt only nothing or experienced uncertainty or confusion or something similar to that, there are REASONS! And possible solutions, too. This is the what-to-do follow-up on interoception, and it walks through a body awareness practice that can start from a signal you can actually detect. Tuesday's episode (linked below) covered interoception, the nervous system's ability to read internal signals like heartbeat and hunger, along with alexithymia, the difficulty around identifying and describing emotions, both of which can run differently for a lot of neurodivergent people. Today is about what to do when your body doesn't hand over those signals in a usable form. I explain why the standard "notice it, then name it" instruction doesn't work well for brains with low interoceptive accuracy, and I walk through Tracking, a skill from my CRM (Community Resilience Model) training that doesn't include emotion-labelling by default and asks only whether a sensation is pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral. I also cover how to adapt it to external signals like temperature, sound, and pressure when internal ones aren't available or arrive late. CHAPTERS:0:00 The body scan that comes up blank, and why 0:35 Recap: interoception and alexithymia from Tuesday 1:24 Today's question: what to do when signals aren't usable 1:43 What the standard instruction actually asks of you 2:55 Why the body scan stalls for a structural reason 3:43 The shift from CRM training: Tracking 4:33 Dropping the emotion label, noticing pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral 5:29 If this resonates, a different starting point 6:14 Adapting tracking: external signals, working inward, late signals 8:35 What still works when the inward route doesn't, and where coaching helps 9:22 A guided temperature version, plus practice coaching RESOURCES & LINKS:Tuesday's episode on interoception and alexithymia (video) https://youtu.be/ZIVvkk6eMQIPractice coaching and booking link: https://jendehaan.com/coachingBlog posts: https://jendehaan.comWired Divergent podcast (guided temperature-based practice): https://jendehaan.com/wired-divergentNewsletter signup: https://jendehaan.com/newsletters About Audio and VideoThis show is available as a video on YouTube and Spotify. The audio you are hearing in strategy episodes is taken from the video version, which is recorded both inside and outside, and why there are some changes in the microphone quality. NEURODIVERGENT RESOURCES FROM JEN:Neurodivergent coaching (1:1): https://jendehaan.com/coachingGroup Programs: https://jendehaan.com/offscript/ (introductory program coming soon, check site for other options in future)Newsletter signup: https://jendehaan.com/newslettersWired Divergent videos: https://youtube.com/@jendehaanResources and blog posts: https://jendehaan.com Support the showLike this episode or show and want more? Support us with a one-time tip: https://learn.improvupdate.com/products/supportWe love our podcast host Capitvate.fm! Contact to ask me anything, anytime. You can support the shows by signing up with Captivate here: https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=yzjiytzWe have our newsletters on Kit.com. We also have our tip form with them, and sell products on their platform. Easy, and they don't take a cut! Check Kit out and support the show using this: https://partners.kit.com/ijdkivtf8nddTranscriptions by MacWhisper. I use and love the Pro version (subscription free!) - you can get it too using this link: https://gumroad.com/a/20303251/ivpqkSchedule posts? We use Metricool (reasonable for multiple accounts/brands/shows). Support us using our link: https://f.mtr.cool/VZBOZR AboutThis podcast was created, written, and is hosted by Jen deHaan. Jen has certifications related to healthy communities (Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy), nervous system regulation and soon teacher training certification on community resilience. She has a BFA in teaching creative arts to adults. You can find her full bio here. This podcast was made in British Columbia, Canada by Jen deHaan. I respectfully acknowledge that I live and work on the unceded traditional territory of the Coast Salish peoples, and honour the homelands of the Qualicum First Nation and the Snaw-naw-as First Nation, as well as the ties of the Snuneymuxw and K'ómoks First Nations. I would like to express gratitude to these and all First Nations for their continued stewardship of these lands and waters where I create these episodes. DISCLAIMER:Wired Divergent is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. If you're in crisis or need clinical support, please reach out to a qualified professional. Crisis & Support Resources: https://jendehaan.com/mental-health-resources Full Disclaimer: https://jendehaan.com/disclaimer This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    10 min
  5. [Regulation Practice] Temperature awareness, an accessible interoception practice

    Jun 9

    [Regulation Practice] Temperature awareness, an accessible interoception practice

    This is a five minute guided temperature awareness practice. Standard body scans ask you to find sensations that some neurodivergent people genuinely cannot locate, and that gap can make the whole exercise feel useless. Temperature gives you something concrete to work with. We move through the hands, feet, forehead, chest, and stomach, and at each region we check two things: whether the temperature is warm, cool, or neutral, and whether it feels pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral. Neutral counts as a real answer, and noticing nothing counts too. The external regions like your hands and the air on your forehead are a legitimate place to stay, and a single check-in can build into more capacity with daily repetition. KEY TAKEAWAYS:Temperature is one of the most accessible interoceptive starting points when body scans give you nothing to work with.At each body region you can notice two separate things: the temperature itself, and whether it feels pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral.Neutral is valid information, and noticing nothing at all is also valid information.External sensations like the temperature of your hands or the air on your forehead are a legitimate entry point you can stay with for as long as you want.Daily repetition is how one short check-in turns into more familiarity with your own signals over time. CHAPTERS00:00 Intro and safety reminder 00:53 What temperature awareness is and why it works for low interoception 01:23 Practice 04:59 Returning your attention to the room 05:45 Why external sensations are a legitimate place to stay 06:29 Where to find more resources About Audio and VideoThis show is available as a video on YouTube and Spotify. The audio you are hearing in strategy episodes is taken from the video version, which is recorded both inside and outside, and why there are some changes in the microphone quality. NEURODIVERGENT RESOURCES FROM JEN:Neurodivergent coaching (1:1): https://jendehaan.com/coachingGroup Programs: https://jendehaan.com/offscript/ (introductory program coming soon, check site for other options in future)Newsletter signup: https://jendehaan.com/newslettersWired Divergent videos: https://youtube.com/@jendehaanResources and blog posts: https://jendehaan.com Support the showLike this episode or show and want more? Support us with a one-time tip: https://learn.improvupdate.com/products/supportWe love our podcast host Capitvate.fm! Contact to ask me anything, anytime. You can support the shows by signing up with Captivate here: https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=yzjiytzWe have our newsletters on Kit.com. We also have our tip form with them, and sell products on their platform. Easy, and they don't take a cut! Check Kit out and support the show using this: https://partners.kit.com/ijdkivtf8nddTranscriptions by MacWhisper. I use and love the Pro version (subscription free!) - you can get it too using this link: https://gumroad.com/a/20303251/ivpqkSchedule posts? We use Metricool (reasonable for multiple accounts/brands/shows). Support us using our link: https://f.mtr.cool/VZBOZR AboutThis podcast was created, written, and is hosted by Jen deHaan. Jen has certifications related to healthy communities (Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy), nervous system regulation and soon teacher training certification on community resilience. She has a BFA in teaching creative arts to adults. You can find her full bio here. This podcast was made in British Columbia, Canada by Jen deHaan. I respectfully acknowledge that I live and work on the unceded traditional territory of the Coast Salish peoples, and honour the homelands of the Qualicum First Nation and the Snaw-naw-as First Nation, as well as the ties of the Snuneymuxw and K'ómoks First Nations. I would like to express gratitude to these and all First Nations for their continued stewardship of these lands and waters where I create these episodes. DISCLAIMER:Wired Divergent is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. If you're in crisis or need clinical support, please reach out to a qualified professional. Crisis & Support Resources: https://jendehaan.com/mental-health-resources Full Disclaimer: https://jendehaan.com/disclaimer This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    7 min
  6. Listen to Your Body? What Interoception Looks Like for Autistic and ADHD Brains

    Jun 9

    Listen to Your Body? What Interoception Looks Like for Autistic and ADHD Brains

    Book with me! https://jendehaan.com/coaching "Listen to your body" shows up everywhere in wellness advice, and for about half of autistic adults it asks for something the nervous system might not be delivering in a usable format. Elevated in the ADHD community too. This is a look at interoception, alexithymia, and why body awareness instructions can leave some of us feeling kinda left out. I spent close to twenty years trying to feel what teachers, guides, and books kept describing, through meditation, yoga, mindfulness classes, and somatic workshops, and nothing transferred into a sensation I could locate or name. There's a reason for that, and it has a name. Interoception is how the nervous system detects and interprets internal signals like heartbeat, hunger, thirst, temperature, and the physical sensations we sometimes label as emotions, and it can run quite differently for a lot of neurodivergent people. In this episode I walk through the three dimensions of interoception, where alexithymia fits, what some of the research suggests about autism and emotion, and one small entry point you can try if "notice what's happening in your chest" has never worked for you. CHAPTERS: 0:00 Why "listen to your body" assumes something 0:33 Twenty years of trying to feel something 2:27 What interoception is and its three dimensions 4:59 How raw body data becomes emotion, and where alexithymia fits 7:47 A somatic class where I still couldn't do the thing 9:14 Why standard body awareness advice leaves some of us out 10:42 Seeing myself in the research, and what I can sense 12:48 An invitation to notice one signal you can detect 13:21 What's next, plus practice coaching RESOURCES & LINKS: 2015 study identifying three dimensions of interoception (accuracy, sensibility, awareness) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301051114002294Study on fewer than one in four healthy adults reliably detecting their own heartbeat under lab conditions https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309019285_Towards_a_psychophysics_of_interoceptive_processes_The_measurement_of_heartbeat_detection2019 meta-analysis on alexithymia rates in autistic and ADHD adults https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S09249338183017792016 data on matched alexithymia samples and interoceptive accuracy https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010945216300594Alexithymia associated with interoceptive differences https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5824617/Wired Divergent podcast (guided regulation practices) https://jendehaan.com/wired-divergentPractice coaching and booking link https://jendehaan.comNewsletter signup https://jendehaan.com/newslettersCoaching for neurodivergents! https://jendehaan.com/coaching About Audio and VideoThis show is available as a video on YouTube and Spotify. The audio you are hearing in strategy episodes is taken from the video version, which is recorded both inside and outside, and why there are some changes in the microphone quality. NEURODIVERGENT RESOURCES FROM JEN:Neurodivergent coaching (1:1): https://jendehaan.com/coachingGroup Programs: https://jendehaan.com/offscript/ (introductory program coming soon, check site for other options in future)Newsletter signup: https://jendehaan.com/newslettersWired Divergent videos: https://youtube.com/@jendehaanResources and blog posts: https://jendehaan.com Support the showLike this episode or show and want more? Support us with a one-time tip: https://learn.improvupdate.com/products/supportWe love our podcast host Capitvate.fm! Contact to ask me anything, anytime. You can support the shows by signing up with Captivate here: https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=yzjiytzWe have our newsletters on Kit.com. We also have our tip form with them, and sell products on their platform. Easy, and they don't take a cut! Check Kit out and support the show using this: https://partners.kit.com/ijdkivtf8nddTranscriptions by MacWhisper. I use and love the Pro version (subscription free!) - you can get it too using this link: https://gumroad.com/a/20303251/ivpqkSchedule posts? We use Metricool (reasonable for multiple accounts/brands/shows). Support us using our link: https://f.mtr.cool/VZBOZR AboutThis podcast was created, written, and is hosted by Jen deHaan. Jen has certifications related to healthy communities (Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy), nervous system regulation and soon teacher training certification on community resilience. She has a BFA in teaching creative arts to adults. You can find her full bio here. This podcast was made in British Columbia, Canada by Jen deHaan. I respectfully acknowledge that I live and work on the unceded traditional territory of the Coast Salish peoples, and honour the homelands of the Qualicum First Nation and the Snaw-naw-as First Nation, as well as the ties of the Snuneymuxw and K'ómoks First Nations. I would like to express gratitude to these and all First Nations for their continued stewardship of these lands and waters where I create these episodes. DISCLAIMER:Wired Divergent is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. If you're in crisis or need clinical support, please reach out to a qualified professional. Crisis & Support Resources: https://jendehaan.com/mental-health-resources Full Disclaimer: https://jendehaan.com/disclaimer This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    15 min
  7. [Regulation Practice] Regulate Before You Engage: 5-Minute Guided Resourcing

    Jun 9

    [Regulation Practice] Regulate Before You Engage: 5-Minute Guided Resourcing

    Your body is already bracing for a conversation that hasn't started yet. This 5-minute guided resourcing practice helps you regulate your nervous system before a meeting, phone call, or any interaction your body is anticipating. Resourcing is a skill from the Community Resilience Model (CRM) that uses a positive memory, person, place, or activity to shift your nervous system toward steadiness before you need it. In this guided practice, you'll ground yourself by noticing physical contact with surfaces around you, bring a resource to mind, track what happens in your body, and anchor that sensation so it's available to you during the conversation itself. No breathwork, no visualization, no sitting still with your eyes closed required. This is an educational self-care practice. You know your body better than anyone, so modify or skip anything that doesn't work for you. About Audio and VideoThis show is available as a video on YouTube and Spotify. The audio you are hearing in strategy episodes is taken from the video version, which is recorded both inside and outside, and why there are some changes in the microphone quality. NEURODIVERGENT RESOURCES FROM JEN:Neurodivergent coaching (1:1): https://jendehaan.com/coachingGroup Programs: https://jendehaan.com/offscript/ (introductory program coming soon, check site for other options in future)Newsletter signup: https://jendehaan.com/newslettersWired Divergent videos: https://youtube.com/@jendehaanResources and blog posts: https://jendehaan.com Support the showLike this episode or show and want more? Support us with a one-time tip: https://learn.improvupdate.com/products/supportWe love our podcast host Capitvate.fm! Contact to ask me anything, anytime. You can support the shows by signing up with Captivate here: https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=yzjiytzWe have our newsletters on Kit.com. We also have our tip form with them, and sell products on their platform. Easy, and they don't take a cut! Check Kit out and support the show using this: https://partners.kit.com/ijdkivtf8nddTranscriptions by MacWhisper. I use and love the Pro version (subscription free!) - you can get it too using this link: https://gumroad.com/a/20303251/ivpqkSchedule posts? We use Metricool (reasonable for multiple accounts/brands/shows). Support us using our link: https://f.mtr.cool/VZBOZR AboutThis podcast was created, written, and is hosted by Jen deHaan. Jen has certifications related to healthy communities (Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy), nervous system regulation and soon teacher training certification on community resilience. She has a BFA in teaching creative arts to adults. You can find her full bio here. This podcast was made in British Columbia, Canada by Jen deHaan. I respectfully acknowledge that I live and work on the unceded traditional territory of the Coast Salish peoples, and honour the homelands of the Qualicum First Nation and the Snaw-naw-as First Nation, as well as the ties of the Snuneymuxw and K'ómoks First Nations. I would like to express gratitude to these and all First Nations for their continued stewardship of these lands and waters where I create these episodes. DISCLAIMER:Wired Divergent is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. If you're in crisis or need clinical support, please reach out to a qualified professional. Crisis & Support Resources: https://jendehaan.com/mental-health-resources Full Disclaimer: https://jendehaan.com/disclaimer This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    7 min
  8. Functional Freeze or ADHD Paralysis? How to Tell Which One You're Actually In

    Jun 9

    Functional Freeze or ADHD Paralysis? How to Tell Which One You're Actually In

    Functional freeze and ADHD paralysis look almost identical from the outside, but they involve completely different biological mechanisms, and fixing one the wrong way can make the other worse. This episode breaks down how to tell which kind of stuck you're actually in and what to try for each. If you've ever googled "why can't I move" while lying in that same spot on the couch, you might already know that the standard advice (make a list, start small, go outside) doesn't seem to help. That's because functional freeze is a nervous system shutdown response driven by cumulative stress, while ADHD paralysis is an executive function overload in the prefrontal cortex. They feel different on the inside, they respond to different strategies, and applying the wrong one can actually increase the threat signal or starve your brain of the stimulation it needs. This episode covers the biology behind each state, how interoception challenges make self-assessment harder for neurodivergent people, external markers you can use instead of internal check-ins, and specific approaches grounded in the Community Resilience Model (CRM) for each state. If you're AuDHD and experience both at the same time, that's covered too. Also, the Polyvagal Theory often mentions these states, and this biology, but a lot of that has come into scientific scrutiny. The theory is also has significant problems around neuro-inclusivity. You can find out more information on that here: https://jendehaan.com/blog/is-polyvagal-theory-debunked-2026/ TIP: If this helps you, put this video on 1.5 or 2x speed using the toggle on the screen! I speak at a cadence where this video should still be legible at a faster speed. CHAPTERS:0:00 I thought being stuck was one problem 2:29 What is Wired Divergent 3:10 What actually happens during functional freeze 6:48 What ADHD paralysis looks like in the brain 10:18 Why the wrong strategy makes things worse 11:24 Interoception and why "check in with your body" can feel fake 13:06 External markers for telling the two states apart 14:41 When both states fire at the same time (AuDHD) 16:27 What to try when you can't tell which state you're in 18:40 CRM strategies for freeze 20:19 Strategies for ADHD paralysis 22:24 The question that might help you figure it out CATS:Short Stack & Dr. Crepes. RESOURCES & LINKS:Article for this episode: https://jendehaan.com/blog/functional-freeze-vs-adhd-paralysis/Show notes and blog posts: https://jendehaan.comPodcast version: https://jendehaan.com/wired-divergentNewsletter signup: https://jendehaan.com/newslettersTrauma Resource Institute (CRM): https://www.traumaresourceinstitute.com/Interoception accuracy study: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11842156/Autism and ADHD shared pathways: https://childmind.org/blog/new-study-finds-novel-link-between-shared-brain-gene-patterns/ About Audio and VideoThis show is available as a video on YouTube and Spotify. The audio you are hearing in strategy episodes is taken from the video version, which is recorded both inside and outside, and why there are some changes in the microphone quality. NEURODIVERGENT RESOURCES FROM JEN:Neurodivergent coaching (1:1): https://jendehaan.com/coachingGroup Programs: https://jendehaan.com/offscript/ (introductory program coming soon, check site for other options in future)Newsletter signup: https://jendehaan.com/newslettersWired Divergent videos: https://youtube.com/@jendehaanResources and blog posts: https://jendehaan.com Support the showLike this episode or show and want more? Support us with a one-time tip: https://learn.improvupdate.com/products/supportWe love our podcast host Capitvate.fm! Contact to ask me anything, anytime. You can support the shows by signing up with Captivate here: https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=yzjiytzWe have our newsletters on Kit.com. We also have our tip form with them, and sell products on their platform. Easy, and they don't take a cut! Check Kit out and support the show using this: https://partners.kit.com/ijdkivtf8nddTranscriptions by MacWhisper. I use and love the Pro version (subscription free!) - you can get it too using this link: https://gumroad.com/a/20303251/ivpqkSchedule posts? We use Metricool (reasonable for multiple accounts/brands/shows). Support us using our link: https://f.mtr.cool/VZBOZR AboutThis podcast was created, written, and is hosted by Jen deHaan. Jen has certifications related to healthy communities (Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy), nervous system regulation and soon teacher training certification on community resilience. She has a BFA in teaching creative arts to adults. You can find her full bio here. This podcast was made in British Columbia, Canada by Jen deHaan. I respectfully acknowledge that I live and work on the unceded traditional territory of the Coast Salish peoples, and honour the homelands of the Qualicum First Nation and the Snaw-naw-as First Nation, as well as the ties of the Snuneymuxw and K'ómoks First Nations. I would like to express gratitude to these and all First Nations for their continued stewardship of these lands and waters where I create these episodes. DISCLAIMER:Wired Divergent is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. If you're in crisis or need clinical support, please reach out to a qualified professional. Crisis & Support Resources: https://jendehaan.com/mental-health-resources Full Disclaimer: https://jendehaan.com/disclaimer This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    23 min
  9. Wired Divergent: nervous system regulation for neurodivergent brains (trailer)

    May 25

    Wired Divergent: nervous system regulation for neurodivergent brains (trailer)

    Wired Divergent is a show about nervous system regulation built specifically for neurodivergent brains. If you've ever been told to close your eyes, take a deep breath, and check in with where you feel emotions in your body, and it made you feel worse instead of better, this show is about why that happens and what you might want to try instead. Jen deHaan is autistic and ADHD, and she's spent years studying and certifying in nervous system regulation, the Community Resilience Model, and neurodivergent somatics. The thing she kept running into was how many of the tools and frameworks in this space were designed for nervous systems that work differently from hers. The show covers functional freeze, autistic burnout, sensory overload, and the exhaustion that comes from a full day of pretending to be wired like everyone else, along with exercises designed for people who can't always sit still, close their eyes, or label their emotions. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Many standard nervous system regulation tools were designed for neurotypes that process differently from autistic and ADHD brains.Wired Divergent covers what the research supports and also what the research doesn't support.Episodes include follow-along exercises built for people who struggle with stillness, eye closure, or emotion labelling.The show covers functional freeze, autistic burnout, sensory overload, and masking exhaustion. CHAPTERS: 00:00 When "check in with your body" makes things worse 00:27 What Wired Divergent is about 00:53 Topics the show covers 01:15 What the exercises are designed for 01:36 How to subscribe and find transcripts RESOURCES: Community Resilience Model (CRM): https://www.traumaresourceinstitute.com/ Full show with transcripts and companion articles: jendehaan.com DISCLAIMER: Wired Divergent is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. If you're in crisis or need clinical support, please reach out to a qualified professional. Crisis & Support Resources | Full Disclaimer. qmBDnlNXU6ek3mtbRMUu This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    2 min

Trailer

About

Wired Divergent is a solo show about nervous system regulation for neurodivergent brains. Hosted by Jen deHaan, an autistic and ADHD Canadian who has spent close to 30 years working across creative technology, performance, fitness instruction, and podcast production. Most nervous system content assumes a neurotypical baseline. This show doesn't. Wired Divergent covers functional freeze, autistic burnout, sensory overload, ADHD paralysis, masking, interoception, and the somatic tools that actually work when your brain is wired differently. Episodes mix long form education with short, repeatable micro-rest and body double sessions you can use in real time for asyncronous support. The show is grounded in the Community Resilience Model (CRM), a skills-based, trauma-informed approach that treats regulation as something your body already knows how to do. Polyvagal theory gets discussed here too, but critically (basically, not as gospel but we'll take the pieces that work.) If you're a late-diagnosed or self-identified neurodivergent adult, an ADHD professional trying to get through your workday without crashing, a practitioner looking to make your somatic work more neuro-inclusive, or just someone who has given up on "just breathe" as advice, this show is for you. New episodes cover topics like: somatic exercises for ADHD, vagus nerve stimulation for sensory processing, the window of tolerance for neurodivergent adults, co-regulation techniques, stimming as a regulation tool, and why standard meditation fails neurodivergent brains. Created, written, and produced by Jen deHaan. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

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