Inside the Pickle Jar: Connecting with the Spectrum

If you’re autistic like me, your nervous system probably feels like it’s running Windows 95 on dial-up... during a thunderstorm. In this episode of Inside the Pickle Jar, I’m joined by Dr. Corinna Freitag — executive coach, fellow autistic adult, and someone who knows a lot about turning down the inner chaos dial.

We talk about:

• Why so many of us live in a constant state of “slightly freaking out”
• How autism shows up physically in the body (tummy feels, anyone?)
• Easy, doable techniques to ground yourself using your five senses
• What “mindfulness” actually means when your brain is doing cartwheels
• The power of building these tiny tools into your actual life — not just on calm days

This isn’t about becoming some zen monk who breathes lavender and speaks in mantras. This is about figuring out how to function, stay present, and not scream when someone’s chewing near you.

Whether you're autistic, love someone who is, or just need a better way to deal with sensory overload and everyday stress — this one’s for you.

Corinna’s links:

• Her website: https://www.corinnafreitag.de/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcorinnafreitag/
• Online tests for autism:  https://embrace-autism.com/raads-r/#test , https://www.autism360.com/autism-test-for-adults/

🎧 Tune in now and learn how to transform change into growth!

Connect with Me:

🥒 Grab something from the shop: https://shop.insidethepicklejar.com 

📬 Get "4 Things I Need the People in My Life to Know About My Brain" (free): https://www.insidethepicklejar.com 

💌 Join the Pen Pal Club: https://www.insidethepicklejar.com/the-jar/ 

🕸️ Website: https://www.insidethepicklejar.com & https://www.risingtidecoaching.org 

🚇 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TonyaWeaverCoach 

📸 Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/tonya_weaver_coach 

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/tonyaweaver606 

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tmweaver

Be gentle with yourself, pickle friend. I'll see you next time inside the jar. 💚

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Okay, you know that moment when you realize ohhhhhh this brain isn’t broken—it’s just wired differently? Yeah, Sarah Sparkman had that moment at 37, when she was diagnosed with ADHD. And let me tell you, her story is one a lot of us will relate to.

In this episode, I sit down with Sarah—who somehow manages to be a senior category advisor in dish care at P&G, a licensed attorney, and an advocate for domestic violence victims—all while figuring out what it means to live and work with ADHD.

We talk about:

• Masking through childhood (and, let’s be honest, adulthood too)
• How ADHD impacts everything from careers to relationships
• Why self-advocacy isn’t just a buzzword—it’s survival
• And how to find community when you feel like the odd pickle out (see what I did there?)

Sarah brings the kind of real talk and wisdom that only comes from living it. No fluff, no “productivity hacks”—just honest conversation about navigating neurodivergence as a grown woman in a world that’s just catching up.

Tune in, laugh a little, nod a lot, and maybe feel a little less alone.

Connect with Sarah: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahsparkman/

Connect with Me:

🥒 Grab something from the shop: https://shop.insidethepicklejar.com 

📬 Get "4 Things I Need the People in My Life to Know About My Brain" (free): https://www.insidethepicklejar.com 

💌 Join the Pen Pal Club: https://www.insidethepicklejar.com/the-jar/ 

🕸️ Website: https://www.insidethepicklejar.com & https://www.risingtidecoaching.org 

🚇 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TonyaWeaverCoach 

📸 Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/tonya_weaver_coach 

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/tonyaweaver606 

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tmweaver

Be gentle with yourself, pickle friend. I'll see you next time inside the jar. 💚

Enjoyed the episode?
Help us grow by leaving a review on your favorite podcast app! Your support helps us reach more listeners in the neurodivergent community.

Follow Inside the Pickle Jar for more stories, advice, and resources tailored for the neurodivergent journey.

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What happens when you hit burnout hard—and the workplace isn’t built to support you? In this episode, I’m continuing my conversation with the brilliant Mark Michaelis, a senior merchandising exec with 26 years in Fortune 500 companies and lived experience as an autistic professional.

Mark shares what it’s like to work under unsupportive leaders, navigate career shifts, and advocate for real neurodiversity accommodations—not just surface-level policies. We talk about:

-His transition from corporate finance to merchandising
-Dealing with managers who just don’t understand neurodivergence
-Why companies need to educate their teams—not just “accept” neurodiversity
-Taking a medically approved mental health break—and why that pause was life-changing

Connect with Mark Michaelis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-michaelis/

Connect with Me:

🥒 Grab something from the shop: https://shop.insidethepicklejar.com 

📬 Get "4 Things I Need the People in My Life to Know About My Brain" (free): https://www.insidethepicklejar.com 

💌 Join the Pen Pal Club: https://www.insidethepicklejar.com/the-jar/ 

🕸️ Website: https://www.insidethepicklejar.com & https://www.risingtidecoaching.org 

🚇 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TonyaWeaverCoach 

📸 Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/tonya_weaver_coach 

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/tonyaweaver606 

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tmweaver

Be gentle with yourself, pickle friend. I'll see you next time inside the jar. 💚

Enjoyed the episode?
Help us grow by leaving a review on your favorite podcast app! Your support helps us reach more listeners in the neurodivergent community.

Follow Inside the Pickle Jar for more stories, advice, and resources tailored for the neurodivergent journey.

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What happens when a Fortune 500 leader brings his full neurodivergent self to work—and refuses to shrink to fit? In this powerful episode, Tonya sits down with Mark Michaelis, Senior Director of Merchandising and outspoken advocate for autism acceptance in the workplace.

Mark shares his journey as a neurodivergent professional, from childhood experiences to his success in Fortune 500 companies. He discusses the challenges of managing soft skills, dealing with workplace bullies, and the importance of neurodiversity acceptance. Mark also talks about his recent medically approved break to focus on mental health and his optimistic outlook on creating more inclusive workplaces.

Connect with Mark Michaelis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-michaelis/

Connect with Me:

🥒 Grab something from the shop: https://shop.insidethepicklejar.com 

📬 Get "4 Things I Need the People in My Life to Know About My Brain" (free): https://www.insidethepicklejar.com 

💌 Join the Pen Pal Club: https://www.insidethepicklejar.com/the-jar/ 

🕸️ Website: https://www.insidethepicklejar.com & https://www.risingtidecoaching.org 

🚇 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TonyaWeaverCoach 

📸 Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/tonya_weaver_coach 

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/tonyaweaver606 

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tmweaver

Be gentle with yourself, pickle friend. I'll see you next time inside the jar. 💚

Enjoyed the episode?
Help us grow by leaving a review on your favorite podcast app! Your support helps us reach more listeners in the neurodivergent community.

Follow Inside the Pickle Jar for more stories, advice, and resources tailored for the neurodivergent journey.

Support the show

Support the show

We’re back for part two with Beth Grimm! We’re talking hobbies, hyperfocus, and Harry Potter.

Beth is not just a brilliant compliance expert and neurodivergent advocate — she’s also a language-learning enthusiast with some truly creative strategies. In this episode, she shares how reading Harry Potter in different languages (yep, it’s called the Harry Poly Glot Method 👏) became a fun and accessible way to keep her brain engaged. We also talk about her love for Esperanto and what makes it such a unique tool for connection.

Along the way, we get into how neurodivergent traits show up in everyday life — from managing ADHD tax to impulsivity and all the quirks that come with turning a hobby into a coping tool.

If you’ve ever felt like your hobbies are more than “just hobbies,” this one’s for you.

Connect with Beth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drivingsustainablegrowth/

Base Lang for learning Spanish : https://baselang.com/

Connect with Me:

🥒 Grab something from the shop: https://shop.insidethepicklejar.com 

📬 Get "4 Things I Need the People in My Life to Know About My Brain" (free): https://www.insidethepicklejar.com 

💌 Join the Pen Pal Club: https://www.insidethepicklejar.com/the-jar/ 

🕸️ Website: https://www.insidethepicklejar.com & https://www.risingtidecoaching.org 

🚇 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TonyaWeaverCoach 

📸 Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/tonya_weaver_coach 

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/tonyaweaver606 

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tmweaver

Be gentle with yourself, pickle friend. I'll see you next time inside the jar. 💚

Enjoyed the episode?
Help us grow by leaving a review on your favorite podcast app! Your support helps us reach more listeners in the neurodivergent community.

Follow Inside the Pickle Jar for more stories, advice, and resources tailored for the neurodivergent journey.

Support the show

Support the show

This week, I’m chatting with Beth Grim, a total rockstar in aerospace and digital safety who also happens to be a passionate voice for neurodivergent leadership.

She opens up about being diagnosed with ADHD and autism later in life, how that’s shaped her world, and what it really feels like to navigate work and relationships when your brain works differently. We also get into masking (ugh, so exhausting) and even how language learning ties into neurodivergence, it’s fascinating.

If you’re neurodivergent or just want to understand it better, this one’s for you! Stay tuned for the next episode where we finish the conversation.
Connect with Beth Grimm!

Connect with Me:

🥒 Grab something from the shop: https://shop.insidethepicklejar.com 

📬 Get "4 Things I Need the People in My Life to Know About My Brain" (free): https://www.insidethepicklejar.com 

💌 Join the Pen Pal Club: https://www.insidethepicklejar.com/the-jar/ 

🕸️ Website: https://www.insidethepicklejar.com & https://www.risingtidecoaching.org 

🚇 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TonyaWeaverCoach 

📸 Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/tonya_weaver_coach 

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/tonyaweaver606 

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tmweaver

Be gentle with yourself, pickle friend. I'll see you next time inside the jar. 💚

Enjoyed the episode?
Help us grow by leaving a review on your favorite podcast app! Your support helps us reach more listeners in the neurodivergent community.

Follow Inside the Pickle Jar for more stories, advice, and resources tailored for the neurodivergent journey.

Support the show

Struggling to stay on task? You’re not broken, your tools just need an upgrade.

In this episode of Inside the Pickle Jar, host Tonya Weaver shares how neurodivergent brains can thrive with the right support systems. From gamified task apps like Todoist and Habitica to virtual reality platforms like Florio that help build social confidence, Tonya explores tools designed with your brain in mind.

She also dives deep into the life-changing strategy of body doubling: what it is, why it works, and how platforms like Focusmate, Flown, and Deep Work are helping people around the world get more done with less stress.

If traditional productivity hacks have never worked for you, this episode will show you why and what to try instead. These aren't just tips. They’re game changers for navigating daily life with ADHD, autism, or other neurodivergent experiences.

🎧 Listen now to learn how to work with your brain, not against it—and finally make productivity feel doable.

The Root Coworking: https://therootcoworking.com/

Flown: https://flown.com/

Focusmate: https://www.focusmate.com/

Deepwrk: https://www.deepwrk.io/

Connect with Me:

🥒 Grab something from the shop: https://shop.insidethepicklejar.com 

📬 Get "4 Things I Need the People in My Life to Know About My Brain" (free): https://www.insidethepicklejar.com 

💌 Join the Pen Pal Club: https://www.insidethepicklejar.com/the-jar/ 

🕸️ Website: https://www.insidethepicklejar.com & https://www.risingtidecoaching.org 

🚇 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TonyaWeaverCoach 

📸 Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/tonya_weaver_coach 

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/tonyaweaver606 

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tmweaver

Be gentle with yourself, pickle friend. I'll see you next time inside the jar. 💚

Enjoyed the episode?
Help us grow by leaving a review on your favorite podcast app! Your support helps us reach more listeners in the neurodivergent community.

Follow Inside the Pickle Jar for more stories, advice, and resources tailored for the neurodivergent journey.

Support the show

Why being “wired differently” isn’t a disadvantage – it's the future.

In this episode of Inside the Pickle Jar, Tonya Weaver returns to the vital conversation around neurodiversity and mental health, first sparked in back in episode 13 titled The Connection Between Mental Health and Neurodiversity. From boardrooms to behavioral health conferences, the recognition of neurodivergence is gaining momentum.

Tonya unpacks how the mental health system still often fails neurodivergent individuals, why affirming care is essential and how we can reframe “difference” as an asset, not a diagnosis. This isn’t just about awareness; it’s about action.

🎧 Tune in to explore:

• How neurodiversity is reshaping workplaces and health systems
• The evolving definition of “inclusive care”
• Why neurodivergent voices must lead the change

This episode will leave you thinking differently about what mental health should look like in a neurodiverse world.

🎧 Tune in now and learn how to transform change into growth!

Daniel's blog

Behavioral Health Tech

Connect with Me:

🥒 Grab something from the shop: https://shop.insidethepicklejar.com 

📬 Get "4 Things I Need the People in My Life to Know About My Brain" (free): https://www.insidethepicklejar.com 

💌 Join the Pen Pal Club: https://www.insidethepicklejar.com/the-jar/ 

🕸️ Website: https://www.insidethepicklejar.com & https://www.risingtidecoaching.org 

🚇 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TonyaWeaverCoach 

📸 Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/tonya_weaver_coach 

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/tonyaweaver606 

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tmweaver

Be gentle with yourself, pickle friend. I'll see you next time inside the jar. 💚

Enjoyed the episode?
Help us grow by leaving a review on your favorite podcast app! Your support helps us reach more listeners in the neurodivergent community.

Follow Inside the Pickle Jar for more stories, advice, and resources tailored for the neurodivergent journey.

Support the show

In this episode, I’m sharing my personal journey with bullying - both what I experienced growing up and what I’ve seen as a parent of a neurodivergent child.

We’re diving into what bullying really looks like, how to spot the signs early, and what you can do if your child is being targeted. I’ll walk you through practical ways to advocate for your child at school, build their confidence at home, and connect with other parents who just get it.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, angry, or just unsure of how to help your child navigate bullying - this one’s for you. You’ll walk away with tools, support, and hopefully a little hope too.

You’re not alone in this. We’ve got each other. 💛

Resources:

Elizabeth Laugeson, PsyD on responding to bullies

Author/Speaker Brooks Gibbs speaks on Dominance Behavior

ND Kids more likely to receive bullying

Connect with Me:

🥒 Grab something from the shop: https://shop.insidethepicklejar.com 

📬 Get "4 Things I Need the People in My Life to Know About My Brain" (free): https://www.insidethepicklejar.com 

💌 Join the Pen Pal Club: https://www.insidethepicklejar.com/the-jar/ 

🕸️ Website: https://www.insidethepicklejar.com & https://www.risingtidecoaching.org 

🚇 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TonyaWeaverCoach 

📸 Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/tonya_weaver_coach 

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/tonyaweaver606 

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tmweaver

Be gentle with yourself, pickle friend. I'll see you next time inside the jar. 💚

Enjoyed the episode?
Help us grow by leaving a review on your favorite podcast app! Your support helps us reach more listeners in the neurodivergent community.

Follow Inside the Pickle Jar for more stories, advice, and resources tailored for the neurodivergent journey.

Support the show

Ever felt like talking to a financial advisor is way more overwhelming than it should be? You're not alone. In this episode of Inside the Pickle Jar, I break down the biggest challenges neurodivergent folks face when dealing with financial professionals - think executive function struggles, sensory overload, and the general chaos of money talk.

I’ll walk you through practical ways to make these interactions smoother, from setting clear expectations to advocating for what you need. Plus, if you're a financial advisor, I’ve got some tips to help you better support neurodivergent clients (because trust me, small adjustments can make a huge difference).

Whether you’re trying to get your finances in order or just want to feel more confident in those money conversations, this episode is packed with strategies to help you take charge. Let’s make financial planning work for you, not against you.

Resource on how to better serve Neurodivergent Clients: https://www.ifa.com.au/news/35454-just-different-how-to-better-serve-neurodivergent-clients?form=MG0AV3

🎧 Tune in now and learn how to transform change into growth!
Connect with me:

🥒 Grab something from the shop: https://shop.insidethepicklejar.com 

📬 Get "4 Things I Need the People in My Life to Know About My Brain" (free): https://www.insidethepicklejar.com 

💌 Join the Pen Pal Club: https://www.insidethepicklejar.com/the-jar/ 

🕸️ Website: https://www.insidethepicklejar.com & https://www.risingtidecoaching.org 

🚇 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TonyaWeaverCoach 

📸 Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/tonya_weaver_coach 

🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/tonyaweaver606 

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tmweaver

Be gentle with yourself, pickle friend. I'll see you next time inside the jar. 💚

Enjoyed the episode?
Help us grow by leaving a review on your favorite podcast app! Your support helps us reach more listeners in the neurodivergent community.

Follow Inside the Pickle Jar for more stories, advice, and resources tailored for the neurodivergent journey.

Support the show