Creative Mind Audio

“It makes us feel very alone, isolated, different, less than.”

Jeffrey Rutstein continues, “That’s one of the things that also makes anxiety so hard to bear. So many of us not only struggle with anxiety, but we blame ourselves for being anxious:

‘I know better, I shouldn’t be anxious here.

‘I teach my patients how to relax, I shouldn’t be anxious.

‘I’m a meditator. I shouldn’t be anxious.’

He notes, “And lots of people get feedback from other people: ‘You’re too anxious. You worry too much. You’re too sensitive. You think too much.’ Which, by the way, doesn’t help anyone and you can’t stop doing this.”

Dr. Jeffrey Rutstein, PsyD is a clinical psychologist and expert in the treatment of trauma. This audio is from a Sounds True video excerpt from his Navigating Anxiety program.

He comments about his program:

“In this workshop, we’re going to show you ways you can intervene with your anxiety and also free yourself from viewing your anxiety, fear, and worry as your fault.”

Navigating Anxiety program - Insights and Practices to Heal Your Nervous System and Restore Emotional Well-Being.

~~~

"When we are storing these emotions in our body and they become stuck, they are preventing us from having the clear, clean, energetic flow through our muscles, glands and organs that we should.

"I believe that that is essential for physical health. And I also believe that when we hold emotional blocks, it blocks the energy of our spirit.

“It blocks who we are from expressing that out into the world."

Amy B. Scher is "an energy therapist who helps people break through blocks...the author of the How to Heal Yourself series and other books, and endorsed by notable authors such as Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray Love; Dr. Sanjiv Chopra, Harvard Medical School; and more." (From a Sounds True profile.)

▶️ Amy Scher Course: Stop Feeling Like Sh*t - From Depression to Creative Expression: Lifting Depression for Writers and Creatives.

~~~

This audio is a brief excerpt from “Releasing Emotional Blockages” - an episode of the Insights at the Edge podcast by Sounds True, hosted by Tami Simon.

From the longer Sounds True interview:

Tami Simon: And then you mentioned the second step when we’re done with that is to install positive emotions. Talk me through that because once again, this is where my critical mind kicked in. It’s like, do I really want, it’s one thing, yes, I want to release things, but do I really want to install things really?

Amy Scher: So you do want to install things if they’re positive. And there’s a reason I work a lot with clients with depression and anxiety, and I can’t tell you how many times they start to feel better, meaning less anxiety, less depression, and then they tell me they feel like there’s something missing.

Something’s missing, it feels like something could be wrong. It feels like I feel a little empty or I feel a little ungrounded. And it’s because when we release something that we’ve been holding for so long, we can feel a little imbalanced.

And installing positive emotions are my way of helping bring something good into the body to almost complete the healing process. The other reason is because all emotions have an energetic vibration. And I feel like in the same way, it lifts us up to be around positive people or friends that help us laugh or have fun.

…

To hear full episode and others, see the page of Amy B. Scher books and programs, and click "Podcast" at bottom.

Book promo with voice of Amy Scher:

~~~

Related:

~~~~~~~

Empaths and highly sensitive people "aren't just open to trauma. They're open to everything, and it can feel traumatic when you're young and don't have any guidance." - Dr. Judith Orloff

"Our nervous system is picking up more information, receiving information that others don't, feeling things that others don't, which means sometimes having an uncontrollable body response to imperceptible changes in the environment." - Dr Aimie Apigian

Therapist Julie Bjelland, LMFT: “While this sensitivity can feel overwhelming, it’s important to recognize it as a natural part of how your brain works—not a flaw.”

~~~~

This audio is an excerpt from the biology of trauma podcast (episode #102 Strategies for Empaths: How to Navigate Sensory Overload, Shame & Trauma), with trauma recovery physician Aimie Apigian talking with empathic psychiatrist Judith Orloff about some of the many aspects of being exceptionally responsive to emotions and sensory information for those of us who have a highly sensitive nervous system.

Dr. Aimie Apigian, MD, MS, MPH, is an author, speaker and founder of Trauma Healing Accelerated.

» Trauma recovery program by Dr Apigian: TheFoundational Journey for addressing stored trauma in the body.

More of her resources:

📖 The Essential Sequence - How to Release Stored Trauma - free guide.

📖 Attachment Pain Guide for Healing - free guide.

~~~~

Dr Judith Orloff says "I love being an empath. Yes, it has its challenges but so what? Everything has its different challenges."

She adds that being highly sensitive, "You get to feel everything. I get to feel the flowers, feel nature, I get to feel deep love and connection with people.

“I get to be in touch with the mystery and you know the the gorgeousness of Life on such a deep level."

Escaping an angry, bullying, bossy person

In the podcast excerpt above, Dr Orloff recalls she was "in a situation recently with a group and this woman was trying to make a point and she got very authoritarian and loud and bullying and bossy.

"It was on a zoom call and I was supposed to be part of this meeting and I'm feeling, This isn't acceptable to me, and so I just told everyone have to leave."

[The image at lower right is a reference to a movie character like this: Miranda (Meryl Streep) in The Devil Wears Prada (2006).]

Self care and setting boundaries

Dr Orloff refers to self-care and emotional safety strategies, including setting boundaries.

"You want to find the triggers for your trauma and gently and sensitively deal with them, so you can take care of yourself. Self-care is so essential."

~~~

Dr. Orloff notes: "As a psychiatrist, I've worked with many empaths and sensitive people over the years.

“What I've seen is that they are especially vulnerable to becoming burned out from toxic relationships."

She adds, "These relationships can make you feel anxious, depressed, tired, and ill.”

⏩ Free webinar Being an Empath Today - Surviving and thriving with the gifts of sensitivity.

⏩ Understanding Narcissism Summit: "A Program to Empower Yourself in Relationships, Heal the Trauma of Narcissistic Abuse, and Shift Our Culture from “Me” to “We”... Dr Orloff's presentation: "The Toxic Attraction Between Empaths and Narcissists."

⏩ The Empath’s Survival Guide Online Course: Life Strategies for Sensitive People.

Psychiatrist and empath Judith Orloff, MD "shares an overview of the total experience of being an empath, both the blessings and the struggles. She then offers solutions to address the most common challenges so that empaths can become empowered in an often-hostile world."

~~~~

Therapist Julie Bjelland, LMFT: “While this sensitivity can feel overwhelming, it’s important to recognize it as a natural part of how your brain works—not a flaw.”

But she cautions, "Watching news visually can cause a lot more anxiety than reading it for most highly sensitive people. Take breaks from reading or watching the news."

Follow link above to post with audio excerpt from one of her free classes: Sensory Overload & Sensitivity.

~~~~

More related posts/podcasts

Dr Orloff also refers to a spectrum of abuse and childhood experiences impacting empaths and highly sensitive people.

One of my posts on adverse childhood experiences:

As Dr Orloff relates, being an adult and having to deal with a bully can be emotionally challenging.

Here is a related post:

Actor Millie Bobby Brown of Stranger Things:

Writer Emily Zemler comments: “Over the years, Millie has struggled to understand why being herself generates so much vitriol.

“It’s really hard to be hated on when you don’t know who you are yet,” she says.

Psychotherapist Mihaela Ivan Holtz helps creative people in TV/Film, performing and fine arts. She notes in an article of hers: “Many highly creative people have been bullied as kids... Perhaps you loved singing, writing poems, dancing, making fashion, or being innovative in other ways as a child.

"Though these aspirations brought you joy, they also made you the target of bullies who made fun of, mocked, or ridiculed you."

See more in the post, including comments by Robert Pattinson, Jameela Jamil, Donna Jackson Nakazawa.

~~~

Setting boundaries

The image at lower left (woman behind cloth) is from my post (on the Highly Sensitive site) How Can We Set Healthy Boundaries as a Highly Sensitive Person? It includes podcast episode by Sensitivity expert Julie Bjelland, LMFT.

Also see her related class “How to Set Healthy Boundaries and Why it’s Essential for Wellness as an HSP" in list of Free Classes for Highly Sensitive People.

~~~

The image at upper right (young woman feeling stressed from noise - AI image - DALL*E/Bing) is from my Substack post/podcast:

~~~~

Thanks for reading/listening. As with most of my posts here, the topics are of deep personal interest, and I will probably, over time, add more content.

~~~

Do you enjoy and benefit from my posts, podcast episodes, videos and more?

As a writer and content entrepreneur, I love researching, creating and publishing material here, and on other Creative Mind Sites, that can help creative people learn more and thrive more.

But creating and publishing is only free in some ways.

Consider supporting my work with a donation to help with costs.

One key tool is my desktop computer. (The image is for illustration, it is not mine and that is not me.) Your donation would help pay for a recent upgrade to a newer (still old, from 2017, but refurbished) iMac, which enables my ongoing work.

Other costs include hosting fees (over $120/mo) of my 7 personal sites, and other expenses including a podcast platform, video editor, digital production apps, and more.

I want to keep my sites uncluttered with ads. One of my sources of income is occasional commissions from promoting programs by therapists and teachers, but that income has dropped drastically.

Thanks for considering a donation to help. Much appreciated. author Douglas Eby

* GoFundMe

~~~

Psychologist Cheryl Arutt has found with her therapy clients that "Creative artists, actors and writers and people who do performances, have a different relationship with their trauma than regular people who don't consider themselves creatives."

She notes “Polyvagal theory is a new way of thinking about the autonomic nervous system…the part with the things that our body does all on its own without thinking about it, like breathing and heart rate.

“We've learned about things like the fight or flight response and the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system, where a lot of times people know that when they need to fight or run away from something it's their sympathetic, and when they're relaxed, it's the parasympathetic.

“But Polyvagal Theory takes things further.”

(See the transcript for more quotes.)

Dr Arutt is a licensed clinical and forensic psychologist, certified EMDR therapist, and media consultant, and specializes in trauma recovery and creative artist issues.

Some variety and level of trauma affects most people, perhaps especially those of us who are creative and neurodivergent, with intense nervous systems.

This Creative Mind audio episode includes edited clips from her interview for The Eating Disorder Trap podcast by Robyn Goldberg, episode 180: Polyvagal Theory and Trauma with Dr. Cheryl Arutt.

Sites of Dr Arutt:

* drcherylarutt.com

* thecreativeresilience.com

* Facebook page

~~~~

Related:

▶️ Online course: Finding Safety in Your Nervous System by Deb Dana

Deb Dana, LCSW notes "The pathways to safety aren't always visible, especially if your early life didn’t show you the way. When stress, trauma, or chronic overwhelm shape our nervous systems, feeling safe can seem unfamiliar or even unreachable.

"But our biology is not fixed. It’s fluid, adaptable, and always inviting us back home. With practice, we begin to notice the subtle signs of safety: a breath that softens, a moment of stillness, the gentle presence of connection.

"And over time, we learn to trust those signals. To return to them more easily. To anchor ourselves, not in avoidance or escape, but in the deep intelligence of the body that knows how to heal." [from her program Finding Safety in Your Nervous System.]

...

▶️ Deb Dana is speaking at the Trauma Skills Program by Sounds True on "From Activation to Regulation: A Polyvagal Guided Approach

"When we feel threatened, our defenses go up and our ability to regulate our nervous system seems to go out the window. As a result, our trauma responses can get stuck in our bodies.

"Polyvagal Theory helps us understand the ways trauma shapes our nervous system - and how to identify the pathways that lead us back to healing."

...

⏩ See more books, courses and audio programs in the Deb Dana Collection at Sounds True.

~~~~

» Video list: Deb Dana, LCSW - Nervous System Health

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Related posts and podcasts

~~~

More related posts and resources:

…

…

» Page of Resources on How To Understand And Recover From Trauma - Summits, courses, videos and other material based on neuroscience research, body-based therapies, mindfulness and meditation, and other approaches to help recovery.

» Trauma Healing & Recovery videos (on my YouTube channel)

~~~~

~~~

Do you enjoy and benefit from my posts, podcast episodes, videos and more?

Help support my work here, and on other Creative Mind Sites, with a donation.

As a writer and content entrepreneur, I love creating and publishing material that can help creative people (including myself) learn more and thrive more.

But creating and publishing is only free in some ways.

One key tool is my desktop computer. (The image is for illustration, it is not mine and that is not me.)

Your donation would help pay for a recent upgrade to a newer (still old, from 2017, but refurbished) iMac, which enables my ongoing research, and publishing of posts, videos, podcasts and more.

Monthly costs of my 7 personal sites include hosting fees of over $120, and there are costs for a podcast platform, video editor, and some other production apps.

Thanks for considering a donation to help. Much appreciated. Douglas

GoFundMe

~~~

"Autism informs everything that I do - it's you know my processing unit so it's how the information goes in and out. So it's always informed me. Since being diagnosed, it's helped me understand that I'm not a rubbish person - I just think about things differently." Hannah Gadsby

"Autism doesn't define me." Kayla Cromer

"In the 60s doctors recommended to my mom to put me on some medications and institutionalize me, and I'm so thankful that she didn't." Daryl Hannah

"I was groomed from such a young age, to hide all of the strange peculiarities of even my autism." Sue Ann Pien

"Diagnostic criteria are developed using white boys and men, failing to serve many neurodivergent girls and women." Zhara Astra

"Past diagnostic criteria were inaccurate, particularly when it came to recognizing Autism in women, and estimates suggest that up to 80% of Autistic women may be undiagnosed..." Julie Bjelland, LMFT

~~~~~~~~

See page The Sensitive Autistic Neurotype: Autism Resources Page by Julie Bjelland, LMFT, specializing in Highly Sensitive People, Neurodiversity, and Autism in Women:

* Free Guide: Embracing Neurodiversity in the Workplace

* Autistic Energy Crash Recovery Guide (Free)

* Adult-Discovered Autism Group (inside community)

* Course: Discovering You’re Autistic As an Adult

* Autism in Women - information and research.

* Free Autism Quiz

* Autism Podcast Episodes

* Research: HSPs & Autism Similarities & Differences

… and more

~~~

"When somebody tells me to "stop being so sensitive", I feel a little bit like a nose being lectured by a fart. I am not the problem.”- Hannah Gadsby (from her special Nanette, on Netflix, 2018; meme by ifunny)

Ten Steps to Nanette: A Memoir Situation by Hannah Gadsby.

Her audio in this podcast episode is from this video: Hannah Gadsby Explains How Her Autism Informs Her Comedy | The View Mar 30, 2022.

Excerpt video:

Image of Hannah Gadsby (top left in collage) is from Vox podcast ep. Hannah Gadsby on comedy, free speech, and living with autism.

Kayla Cromer

"Autism doesn't define me. I want to be a part of different genres in film and bring light to different characters." From People article Kayla Cromer Opens Up About Breaking Boundaries on TV: 'Autism Doesn't Define Me'.

Audio is from video: Actress' leading role is a 1st for people on the autism spectrum, Good Morning America, May 2021.

Daryl Hannah

Audio is from this video: Autism and Women - Actor Daryl Hannah from interview with Dan Rather

Sue Ann Pien

Audio is from podcast: Cast Of "As We See It" Discusses Autism in Adulthood.

Image of Sue Ann Pien in collage (lower left) is from her imdb page.

Zhara Astra

article: We Need Better Diagnostic Tests for Autism in Women By Zhara Astra, Scientific American.

Her LinkedIn page.

My related podcast episode:

Julie Bjelland

Therapist Julie Bjelland, LMFT identifies as autistic, and writes:

"In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of Highly Sensitive women seeking and receiving Autism diagnoses in adulthood.

"Past diagnostic criteria were inaccurate, particularly when it came to recognizing Autism in women, and estimates suggest that up to 80% of Autistic women may be undiagnosed..."

"Learn more about my research in understanding traits that overlap in high sensitivity and Autism in women, join my Autistic Women’s Support Group, or learn more about getting an Autism Assessment with the updated criteria!"

See her posts "Navigating the Challenges of Autism Diagnosis as an Adult Woman" and "Unmasking Autistic Traits in Women: Could You Be Autistic?" in her HSP Blog.

Also see her page Resources for Autistic HSPs - includes Autism Education, Support Group for Autistic Women, Autism Quiz, Research: HSPs & Autism Similarities & Differences, and more.

~~~

Related resource page:

~~~~

…

Emily Fletcher – founder of Ziva Meditation – notes “Stress is actually keeping you from performing at the top of your game.

“I tend to work with a lot of high performers.

“My CEO clients will say ‘Emily, my stress is the thing that gives me my cutting edge, that’s the thing that keeps me, you know, competitive and in the game’ – and my actors will say to me, ‘Emily, I need my stress…this is where my art comes from.’

“But here’s the news – stress is not helping you in the performance department.

“As a matter of fact, stress makes you stupid.”

She adds, Meditation is "a tool to help de-excite your nervous system & get rid of stress, which is going to help you perform at the top of your game...I found meditation during my 10-year career on Broadway.”

~~~

Learn more in her free class: Secrets to Reduce Stress, Overcome Anxiety, and Improve Sleep.

The audio here comes from three of her videos:
Stressed on Broadway
Why We Need to Stop the Glorification of Busy
Meditation for Better Productivity

See the videos and much more in article Learn how to live with less stress and more creative accomplishment - Ziva Meditation.

...

View selected episodes and articles with more resources: The Creative Mind Audio Podcast page on the main site.

This audio is from the video version of an episode of the podcast ("Why Isn't Everyone Doing This?") by Emily Fletcher - the episode is titled "Embracing Your Emotions with Travis Van Winkle."

Host Emily Fletcher: "I am so delighted to share this conversation with you - today's guest is one of my new favorite people. He and I met at a friend's birthday party and we were stunned with how much we had in common - we both practiced the same style of meditation, we both studied in Rishikesh, India, we both used to be actors.

"He is still an actor, and happens to be a star of the Netflix series FUBAR with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

"Today we're gonna go deep into why isn't everyone training their emotions - something Travis Van Winkle has been doing for the past 20 years.

"Emotional training does not just have to be for actors it's actually something that all of us can do."

Fletcher says she is striving to "take these sacred potent ancient tools and make them more attractive and accessible to a mainstream audience."

~~~~

"Ancient wisdom with modern science to help you get better at life."

Founded by Emily Fletcher, The Ziva Technique provides "mindfulness, meditation and manifesting. We believe that practicing these 3 M’s makes us better partners, colleagues, friends and citizens. Our 50,000+ students agree."

Emily Fletcher has taught at Apple, Google, Harvard, and more. She says "We meditate to get good at life, not to get good at meditation."

Mark Hyman, MD notes "Meditation is widely recognized as providing powerful health benefits... I am addicted to Ziva Meditation. I love how rejuvenated I feel afterwards. My recovery time is faster and I feel more grounded. Anxiousness I didn’t even know was there, is gone.”

Dr. Hyman is a New York Times bestselling author, and Director of The Cleveland Clinic for Functional Medicine.

~~~~~~

"Wild animals go through traumatic events all the time but they don't [usually] develop PTSD.

Elizabeth Stanley, PhD adds, "Each time through this cycle [trauma and recovery] they add to their toolbox of survival skills and they widen their window.

"In humans however, we have a thinking brain that can override this automatic process controlled by the survival brain and nervous system, and we often impede this recovery process."

Those comments are from her online program Mindfulness-based Mind Fitness Training (MMFT).

» Free video webinar with Dr. Stanley, an excerpt from her MMFT program: "Why You Can’t Just ‘Push Through’ Stress—And What Actually Works Instead".

~~~~

Directing our attention

Dr Stanley: "Where we direct our attention, consciously and unconsciously, has profound ripple effects on our brain, nervous system and body.

"With MMFT [Mindfulness-based Mind Fitness Training], you can learn to direct your attention with more precision.

"And by developing attentional control, we can deploy our attention consciously where we want.

"Attentional control is a foundational skill that supports enhanced situational awareness, better decision making, better self regulation and resilience, and ultimately better performance."

From video:

~~~~

This Creative Mind Audio episode is an excerpt from the Untangle Podcast, hosted by Patricia Karpas, who starts by asking Dr. Stanley about her personal journey leading into her writings and teachings on trauma recovery and resilience.

» Hear the full (47min) "Episode 500 Can You Rewire Your Brain and Train Yourself to Be More Resilient? With Dr. Elizabeth Stanley" in Meditation Studio (choosemuse.com/pages/meditationstudio).

Meditation Studio is part of the site of the main site of Muse EEG headband.

Muse co-founder Ariel Garten explains how the EEG headband works:

“Muse tracks your brain activity...the headband is like a heart rate monitor. As it tracks your brain activity, it sends that information to your computer, smartphone or tablet, where you can do exercises that track your brain activity in real time, and give you real time feedback to teach you how to calm and settle your mind.”

Learn more at the Muse Amazon page.

~~~~~

øø This article continued below with video "Wild animals may recover from stress better than humans do. Why?" with Dr Stanley, plus part of the transcript from the Untangle Podcast, plus article excerpt: "You Can Train Your Brain To Thrive During Trauma & Stress — Here's How."

“When we're regulated, we're more likely to find agency and access choice in every situation, no matter how challenging, stressful, or traumatic it might be."

"Have you heard the statistic that neurodiverse employees are 90 to 140% more productive than non-neurodiverse? Isn't that amazing?"

Therapist Julie Bjelland, LMFT from "Episode 192- Embracing Neurodiversity with Julie and Willow" of her HSP and Neurodivergent Podcast. (Follow link to her site & find her Downloadable Guide for Organizations and Individuals under the autism tab.

She is probably referring to a case study by JPMorgan Chase in its Autism at Work initiative; see article below.

Short clip from the video version of her podcast episode:

The second section of this Creative Mind Audio is an excerpt from the Neurodiversity Podcast by Emily Kircher-Morris, Episode 122: Attorney, Author, Artist, Autistic.

From the show notes: "A three-year-old with an autism diagnosis is looking at a completely different future than someone who has masked their neurodivergence for years.

"We talk with Haley Moss, an attorney, author, and consultant, who helps companies create a neurodiversity-friendly atmosphere. She was diagnosed at age 3, and now has strong opinions about what it takes to move the world in the right direction..."

Haley Moss comments "I think self-diagnosis is extremely valid and a very powerful tool for a lot of people to discover something about themselves especially if they knew that they seemed different but didn't really know why."

[Photo at top: Astrid Nielsen, left, is a consultant to a Paris police department in the French tv series "Astrid et Raphaëlle" in which she teams with Raphaëlle Coste, a neurotypical police detective. See more below.]

øøø

Haley Moss is "a lawyer, neurodiversity expert, and the author of four books that guide neurodivergent individuals through professional and personal challenges. She is a consultant to top corporations and nonprofits that seek her guidance in creating a diverse workplace..."

Haley Moss website haleymoss.com

book: Great Minds Think Differently: Neurodiversity for Lawyers and Other Professionals by Haley Moss.

See more titles in my Amazon book collection Highly Sensitive / Neurodivergent People.

~~~

TV Series ‘Astrid’

Photo at top of this article: Astrid Nielsen, left, is a criminal records archivist and consultant to a Paris police department in the Frech tv series "Astrid et Raphaëlle" in which she teams with Raphaëlle Coste, a neurotypical (and often impulsive) police detective. They not only work together, but value each other as friends.

At the beginning of the series (one of my favorite shows), Raphaëlle - along with her other police officers - are wary, even dismissive, of this 'weird' person, Astrid, but come to respect her encyclopedic knowledge and intuitive insights for solving complex crimes.

The show and its characters may be fictional, but also acclaimed for its portrayal and respect for neurodivergent people: Astrid and other characters.

My query on on search engine Perplexity for "is astrid french series a good depiction of autism" shows this summary, with links to articles:

"Yes, the French crime drama series "Astrid et Raphaëlle" (known as "Astrid: Murder in Paris" in English) is widely praised for its authentic and thoughtful depiction of autism through the character of Astrid Nielsen, played by Sara Mortensen.

Astrid is openly identified as being on the autism spectrum from the very beginning. Her autism is treated as an integral part of her character rather than just a quirk or plot device.

Mortensen's performance as Astrid is lauded for capturing the nuances of autism, such as stimming behaviors, difficulty with eye contact, need for routine, and challenges with social interactions.

The show doesn't sensationalize or mock Astrid's autism. Instead, it highlights her exceptional memory, pattern recognition skills, and different way of perceiving the world as assets for solving crimes."

~~~

Benefits of neurodiversity in the workplace

From article by employee experience platform Culture Amp; see article for links to related articles.

“Neurodivergent employees aren’t just positive additions to the workplace but a proven competitive advantage.

Neurodivergent individuals have been found to possess some of the most sought skills in today’s world of work, including:

Greater than normal ability to process information. Research has found that autistic employees “have a greater than normal capacity for processing information even from rapid presentations and are better able to detect information defined as ‘critical.’”

Creative thinking. Many of the symptoms of ADHD – creativity, risk-seeking, high energy, and the desire to multitask – can become key strengths when leveraged the right way, in the right job, and in the right organization. Meanwhile, individuals with dyslexia are “often capable of seeing connections that others cannot and create narrations which can simplify complex tasks or products.”

Elevated productivity. A case study by JPMorgan Chase found that professionals in its Autism at Work initiative made fewer errors and were 90% to 140% more productive than neurotypical employees.

Ability to take a different perspective. Because neurodiverse people are “wired” differently from neurotypical people, they often bring innovative ways of thinking and problem-solving to their teams and organizations.

Reminder: The list above is far from exhaustive, and not every neurodivergent individual will exhibit all or any of those specific qualities.

Every person is unique, neurodivergent or not.

Organizations must avoid hiring neurodiverse employees expecting them to, for example, fit the stereotype of an “autistic savant” who exhibits exceptional, genius-level abilities in one or more domains.

Moreover, prioritizing neurodiversity in the workplace also significantly benefits key business metrics like:

Team productivity and performance. According to a Deloitte report, “research suggests that teams with neurodivergent professionals in some roles can be 30% more productive than those without them.”

This is likely because of neurodiverse employees’ unique skills and cognitive abilities, allowing them to solve problems and approach tasks differently than their team members.”

From article Neurodiversity in the workplace: Why it matters, By CultureAmp.

~~~

A note on labels - 'neurodiverse' and 'neurodivergent'

A search on perplexity for query 'is neurodivergent different than neurodiverse' shows this summary, with links to articles:

“Yes, neurodivergent and neurodiverse are different terms with distinct meanings.

Neurodivergent refers to an individual whose brain functions differently from what is considered "typical" or "neurotypical". It describes someone whose neurological development and cognitive functioning diverge from the norm, such as individuals with conditions like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, or Tourette's syndrome.

Neurodiverse, on the other hand, refers to the diversity found among all people in terms of how their brains function and process information. It encompasses both neurodivergent individuals as well as neurotypical individuals.”

...

But there seems to be an evolving conception of these terms.

For example, another sources note “Neurodiversity” is a word used to explain the unique ways people's brains work. While everyone's brain develops similarly, no two brains function just alike. Being neurodivergent means having a brain that works differently from the average or “neurotypical” person."

From article: Neurodivergent: What It Is, Symptoms & Types - Cleveland Clinic.

~~~

» post - People with Autism Turn to ChatGPT for Advice on Workplace Issues - "A new Carnegie Mellon University study explores how people with autism interact with ChatGPT and similar artificial intelligence tools for help and advice as they confront problems in their workplaces."

~~~

Related posts / episodes:

…

…

~~~~

Do you enjoy and benefit from my posts, podcast episodes, videos and more?

As a writer and content entrepreneur, I love researching, creating and publishing material here, and on other Creative Mind Sites, that can help creative people learn …

“I was in a situation where I loved and trusted this person more than I trusted myself.” Anna Kendrick

"Was I raised so that I was always trying to win their love?" Judith Orloff

"HSPs tend to be over-givers and toxic people tend to be over-takers.” Julie Bjelland

"That dysfunction can give us the message that I am not okay." Donna Jackson Nakazawa

….

Actor Anna Kendrick talked about her own experience in a toxic relationship, which she explored in her movie Alice, Darling.

Hear some of her comments in the podcast, and more in this video [audio]:

~~~~~

Narcissistic Parenting, Toxic Relationships - understanding and recovery

Psychiatrist Judith Orloff, MD suggests: "Backtrack to your upbringing. Did I have a narcissistic mother or father? Was I raised so that I was always trying to win their love?"

As for adult relationships with narcissists, Dr Orloff recalls that "Somebody I was working with had all the traits I had never experienced before...and he was so intelligent, brilliant, could talk with me about all the deep levels and all the deep things and go places with me and then no contact crumbs, the whole thing..."

~~~~~~

This Creative Mind Audio episode include excerpt of this HDP Podcast.

Notes page for the original "Episode 104: How to Avoid and Heal From Toxic Relationships, with Julie and Willow" (link in Resources) includes:

"HSPs tend to be over-givers and toxic people tend to be over-takers. This dynamic has been played out for many of us either in our families, friendships, romantic relationships, or even with work colleagues.

Recognizing Red Flags in Toxic Relationships

They might be very self-absorbed, not attentive, and have a sense of entitlement, and require excessive admiration

They put you down, you don’t feel good about yourself when with them

Monopolize conversations or look down on people

Ignore your needs" … See the episode page for more.

~~~~

How can toxic relationships impact our sense of self, our healthy self-regard?

~~~~

Image collage: Girl holding Teddy Bear is from podcast "Overcoming Adverse Childhood Experiences" with science journalist Donna Jackson Nakazawa.

She comments about some early adverse experiences, such as Narcissistic Parenting, that so many of us have: "Our little brains are so active and so busy trying to help us.

"But instead of saying 'My situation is not okay' - our developing brain doesn't have the wherewithal to do that - instead we go, 'I am not okay in who I am, in my body, in my being - I'm wrong, I'm terribly terribly wrong.'" » See link in resources below.

Image of a woman gesturing to 'stop' is from post 'What Are You Tolerating? How to Identify What’s Draining You' By Terri Cole (on her site). She is presenting on "Decoding the Connection Between Narcissistic Parents and Partners" at the Understanding Narcissism Summit. » See link in resources below.

~~~~~~~~~

RESOURCES

» Understanding Narcissism Summit by Sounds True: "Features 20 Sessions of Insight and Guidance from Leading Experts in Psychology & Spirituality." (Judith Orloff, MD is a speaker.)

» Enjoy the full length original "Episode 104: How to Avoid and Heal From Toxic Relationships, with Julie and Willow" on the Sensitive and Neurodivergent Podcast on the Sensitive Empowerment site of Julie Bjelland, LMFT - where you can find many more of her articles, books, courses, Sensitive Community and other resources.

» Free class by Julie Bjelland: "How to Set Healthy Boundaries and Why it’s Essential for Wellness as an HSP" - See list of her free webinars.

» audio podcast (on Substack): "Overcoming Adverse Childhood Experiences" with science journalist and speaker Donna Jackson Nakazawa.

» More posts and podcasts on toxic relationships.

…..

National Domestic Violence Hotline offers free, confidential support and many resources to help at thehotline.org.

~~~~~~~~