The Neurodivergent Creative Podcast

Caitlin Fisher
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The podcast for creatives of all types (and neurotypes) to celebrate passion and creativity, stop hiding your unique brilliance, and embrace what makes your mind and spirit come alive! Previously known as Run Like Hell Toward Happy, this show is hosted by Caitlin Fisher, a writing and creative coach who helps neurodivergent, chronically ill, and/or queer folks connect with their most passionate lives.

  1. MAY 1

    Why You Crave Attention (And Why It’s Not Bad) | #210

    Attention is not just about being seen. It’s about being known. The people closest to us are close because they notice us.  They pay attention to our needs, our moods, our patterns. Giving our attention says: This matters to me. And when that’s missing, it can shape how we show up in relationships—whether that looks like avoiding needs altogether or longing to be noticed without knowing how to ask.In this episode, Caitlin explores something many of us quietly wrestle with: our very human need for attention. They also introduce us to a psychological concept called the Spotlight Effect, which explains why we tend to overestimate how much people notice us. This conversation reframes attention not as something shameful, but as something we need to feel seen, held, and understood.“We are shaped and molded by people around us. But at the end of the day, like we have to know ourselves and we have to know how to take care of ourselves. So like your world should include other people, but it cannot revolve around other people because then you are losing yourself."What We Explore in This Episode Why needing attention is a fundamental human experienceThe difference between healthy attention and shame-based narrativesHow trauma can push us to center others and abandon ourselvesBecoming the center of your own world (without losing connection)The “spotlight effect” and why people notice you less than you thinkReframing attention as intimacy, care, and mutual recognition

    19 min

  2. APR 17

    Autism, Masking, and Moral Rules About Honesty | #209

    In this super short episode, Caitlin reflects on masking, honesty, and the complicated relationship many neurodivergent people have with truth, safety, and self-expression.💬" You can't just academically study yourself, right? You're still living a life. So it's very hard for me to like be able to talk about the effects of masking if I am like constantly demanding of myself that I never mask." - Caitlin FisherThrough the lens of a romance novel character perceived as “difficult,” we’re invited to question our assumptions about behavior. Because WHAT IF what looks like dishonesty or harshness is actually someone creating distance to feel safe?And while masking can be exhausting, this episode also gently reframes it as something more nuanced:Masking can be a boundary.Masking can be a shield.Masking can be survival.Tune in as they explore what it means to protect your peace, even when that means not being fully “honest” all the time.What we learn in this episode:- What masking actually is (beyond the usual definition)- Why honesty can feel like a moral obligation- The link between neurodivergence and black-and-white thinking- How to choose safety without guiltThings to reflect on:- Where am I demanding total honesty from myself in ways that feel unsafe?- Who in my life has earned access to my full, unmasked self?- Where can I offer myself more flexibility instead of rigid rules?

    8 min

  3. APR 10

    Joy is The Gift You Give That Keeps Giving | #208

    It's Caitlin's Birthday Month and we are celebrating with an episode that talks about enjoying your special day, asking for what you want, and finding delight in being the kind of person other people feel safe to share their wants and needs to.💬" I'm allowed to do things I like without having to earn it or qualify it or justify it."If you've ever felt like you had to downplay your joy or not ask for nice things just to fit in the mold and be taken seriously, then this is your wake up call to STOP DOING THAT! The people who love you will be so pleased to have a roadmap directly to your heart. Got it? Kthxloveyoubye!What You Will Learn:- The work of enjoying little things- Why we end up expecting judgement on what we ask for- Practicing how to ask for what you want- The people who love you actually want to know what you want

    25 min

  4. APR 3

    Burnout, ADHD & Creating a Life That Feels Good (Without Guilt) | #207

    In this episode of The Neurodivergent Creative Podcast, host Caitlin Liz Fisher (they/them) shares a deeply personal update on their burnout recovery journey—what happens when you slow down, stop forcing productivity, and start letting yourself want things again.From writing 18k words in a romance draft to redecorating their home for joy instead of necessity, this episode explores what it really means to build a life that supports your nervous system, your creativity, and your happiness.If you’ve ever felt stuck between exhaustion and desire, this one’s for you!What We Explore in This Episode ADHD burnout and what it feels like when you’ve been moving too fast to notice itWhy slowing down can actually bring your creativity backThe difference between doing what’s “functional” vs. what brings you joyRedecorating your space as a form of nervous system support and healing🌈Support the ShowIf this episode resonated, tell me. Seriously. Leave a comment. Send a DM. Tell me what this podcast has meant to you.Affirmation helps me keep showing up.You can also: Join The Creatives Rebellion on Patreon (tiers start at $3)Download the Audacity Bill of Rights at audacityarchives.comLeave a 5-star review on Apple PodcastsYou don’t need to wait until something breaks to change it.You don’t need to justify joy.You don’t need to earn a life that feels good.You’re allowed to build it—slowly, gently, and on your own terms.Now, go make something weird! Stay hydrated. I love you.💜

    23 min

  5. MAR 27

    You Don’t Have to Suffer to Be Worthy | #206

    What if your creativity didn’t have to come from burnout?In this episode of The Neurodivergent Creative Podcast, Caitlin Liz Fisher reflects on safety, burnout, and the quiet, radical act of stepping away from work that no longer feels aligned. Through an oracle card pull and honest storytelling, Caitlin explores what it means to choose rest, reconnect with desire, and unlearn the belief that suffering makes you more valuable.This is an episode about permission.To pause. To not know.And to choose yourself anyway.Because creativity doesn’t come from pressure or urgency. It comes from safety. From having enough space to listen to yourself again.What We Explore in This Episode Taking a business sabbatical and choosing not to decide from burnoutThe sneaky belief that you have to suffer to be valuable (and why that’s… cuckoo banana pants)Navigating being good at something vs. being called to itThe difference between neurotypical vs. neurodivergent workplacesHow honesty can either break trust or build it (depending on the environment)Expanding beyond black-and-white thinking into third options🌈Support the ShowIf this episode resonated, tell me. Seriously. Leave a comment. Send a DM. Tell me what this podcast has meant to you.Affirmation helps me keep showing up.You can also: Join The Creatives Rebellion on Patreon (tiers start at $3)Download the Audacity Bill of Rights at audacityarchives.comLeave a 5-star review on Apple PodcastsYou don’t have to earn your rest.You don’t have to justify your joy.You don’t have to turn everything you love into labor.You are allowed to be a whole, happy person.🍄

    21 min

  6. MAR 20

    Wanting Things, Letting Go, and the Courage to Be Messy | #205

    ⚠️TW: Quick content note before we start, this episode includes discussion of abusive relationships, trauma, and healing. Please listen with care and take breaks if you need to.In this episode of The Neurodivergent Creative, Caitlyn explores what it means to want something, and why that can feel so complicated when you’ve been shaped by trauma, control, and fear.Starting with an Oracle card pull (because sometimes the universe really does have jokes), this episode unfolds into a conversation about control vs surrender, karmic release, and the quiet, radical act of letting yourself live without micromanaging every possible outcome.💬"You cannot learn in advance what you need to learn from experience." - Caitlin Liz FisherMarch holds weight. It marks the anniversary of their leaving an abusive relationship, and with that comes reflection—not just on what happened, but on how much has changed since. And maybe more importantly: how much has been reclaimed.What We Explore in This Episode The idea that you cannot learn in advance what you need to learn through experienceWhy trying to control everything can disconnect you from your own desiresThe difference between wanting something and controlling othersHow trauma can make desire feel dangerous or morally wrongRelearning how to trust yourself after years of self-abandonmentThe impact of abusive relationships on decision-making and autonomyThe slow, brave process of becoming yourself again🌈Support the ShowIf this episode resonated, tell me. Seriously. Leave a comment. Send a DM. Tell me what this podcast has meant to you.Affirmation helps me keep showing up.You can also: Join The Creatives Rebellion on Patreon (tiers start at $3)Download the Audacity Bill of Rights at audacityarchives.comLeave a 5-star review on Apple PodcastsYou don’t have to get it right before you begin. You don’t have to control everything to be safe. And you don’t have to earn your way back into your own life.Go make weird art. Stay hydrated. And let yourself want things again!💜

    30 min

  7. MAR 13

    Relationship Skills I Accidentally Learned From Romance Novels | #204

    ⚠️Trigger Warning: This episode discusses past abusive relationships, stalking/harassment by an ex-partner, trauma recovery, family estrangement, and mental health topics including anxiety and OCD. Please listen with care and take breaks if needed.In this episode of The Neurodivergent Creative, Caitlin shares how romance novels have unexpectedly helped her heal from relationship trauma and emotional abuse.March marks the anniversary of leaving an abusive marriage, which brings up a lot of memories and emotional triggers. But instead of viewing healing as a straight line, or assuming that getting triggered means you're back at the beginning, Caitlin introduces a powerful idea: Healing is a spiral staircase.You may encounter the same triggers again and again, but you are meeting them from a different place each time.This episode explores how trauma healing unfolds in layers, how safe relationships can help rewire the nervous system, and how romance novels can model communication, repair, and emotional safety in ways many of us never experienced growing up.What We Explore in This Episode: Trauma healing and the spiral staircase metaphorWhy triggers changing over time is actually evidence of healingLeaving an abusive marriage and rebuilding safetyThe role of romance novels in reshaping beliefs about love, repair, and communicationHow fiction can model safe relationships when real life didn’tThe emotional power of dual POV romance and seeing care from both sidesQueer identity, bisexual visibility, and romance representationLearning to communicate needs in a healthy relationship after emotional abuseWhy “use your words” can feel revolutionary when you’ve been trained not toReflection Questions Where in your life are you assuming that being triggered means you’re “back at the beginning”?What would change if you viewed your healing as a spiral instead of a straight line?Are there stories, books, or characters helping you imagine safer ways of being loved?What small communication need have you been sitting on because part of you still expects punishment? 🌈Support the ShowIf this episode resonated, tell me. Seriously. Leave a comment. Send a DM. Tell me what this podcast has meant to you.Affirmation helps me keep showing up.You can also: Join The Creatives Rebellion on Patreon (tiers start at $3)Download the Audacity Bill of Rights at audacityarchives.comLeave a 5-star review on Apple PodcastsGo make weird art. Use your words. Let yourself be loved safely.And remember, the fact that it still hurts sometimes does not mean you aren’t healing.I love you! There’s nothing you can do about it. 💜

    25 min

  8. MAR 6

    Trauma, Identity, and Learning to Be Yourself in Relationships | #203

    ⚠️Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of abusive relationships and trauma recovery. If these topics are difficult for you, please listen with care.---In this episode of The Neurodivergent Creative, Caitlyn explores Erik Erikson’s psychosocial stage of Intimacy vs. Isolation, the developmental stage that typically happens in our twenties.Through the lens of psychology, trauma recovery, and personal storytelling, Caitlyn examines the cultural script many of us grow up believing: Meet someone → date → move in → marry → build a life. This “relationship escalator” can feel like the default path to adulthood, especially when you’re young and still figuring out who you are.If you’ve ever found yourself twisting into pretzels to keep a relationship, losing yourself in the process, or staying because you’re afraid to be alone—this episode offers both validation and perspective.💬" If you are twisting yourself up into pretzels and walking on eggshells and like trying to stay safe in a relationship by being what they want you to be, and you're not your real self, maybe you don't even know who your real self is, choose isolation for a minute. Get to know yourself. Be on your own. Figure out who you are when you're single." - Caitlin Liz FisherWhat We Explore in This Episode Erik Erikson’s psychosocial stages of developmentThe stage of Intimacy vs Isolation and why it defines your twentiesHow childhood shame, guilt, and role confusion shape adult relationshipsThe pressure of the relationship escalator and cultural scripts about marriageWhy fear of being alone can keep people in unhealthy relationshipsThe difference between performing a personality vs. being your real selfHow safe relationships feel different from survival relationshipsReflection Questions Are you being your real self in your relationships?Where might you still be performing safety instead of authenticity?What would it look like to get to know yourself outside of relationships?Are you staying somewhere because it’s right or because it’s familiar?🌈Support the Show!If this episode resonated, tell me. Seriously. Leave a comment. Send a DM. Tell me what this podcast has meant to you.Affirmation helps me keep showing up.You can also: Join The Creatives Rebellion on Patreon (tiers start at $3)Download the Audacity Bill of Rights at audacityarchives.comLeave a 5-star review on Apple PodcastsGo make weird art. Stay hydrated. Have the audacity to be yourself. I love you and there’s nothing you can do about it!💜

    26 min
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About

The podcast for creatives of all types (and neurotypes) to celebrate passion and creativity, stop hiding your unique brilliance, and embrace what makes your mind and spirit come alive! Previously known as Run Like Hell Toward Happy, this show is hosted by Caitlin Fisher, a writing and creative coach who helps neurodivergent, chronically ill, and/or queer folks connect with their most passionate lives.

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