Have you ever apologized just for being you?

In neurodiverse relationships, shutdowns and self-blame can quietly erode emotional safety, but they often come from deeper survival strategies.

In this episode of Love on the Autism Spectrum, Blaze explores what’s really happening when one or both partners begin to apologize for existing, whether through words, silence, or emotional withdrawal. You’ll hear the story of a couple navigating this dynamic and how they learned to slow down, name their patterns, and reconnect without shame. This is Part 1 of a 3-part series on healing in relationships

This episode is for both of you—the partner who shuts down and the partner who feels abandoned. You’ll learn how trauma, masking, and emotional overwhelm contribute to this pattern, and how to begin healing it through small, honest shifts in communication and pacing.

✨ Includes a reflective Home Play exercise to help both partners recognize when the urge to apologize is a signal for support.

🎧 Listen now to understand how to stop apologizing for who you are and start building a relationship that allows you to express your full humanity.

#LoveOnTheAutismSpectrum #NeurodiverseCouples #EmotionalShutdown #NeurodivergentHealing #AutismAndLove #ADHDCouples #TraumaInRelationships #RelationshipRepair

Visit https://www.loveontheautismspectrum.com/ or on Instagram @BlazeLazarony

Bonus Episode: Why I Own 5 Pairs of the Same Knit Skort (A Neurodivergent Spring Cleaning Story)

In this lighthearted bonus episode of Love on the Autism Spectrum, host Barbara (Blaze) Lazarony, LMFT, shares a funny and all-too-relatable story about spring cleaning, sensory fashion, and the art of buying five identical skorts.

Learn why sensory-safe clothing is less about style and more about survival—and why you should absolutely celebrate your collection of identical soft pants, hoodies, or perfectly non-itchy socks.

Blaze reminds us that honoring our sensory needs isn’t indulgent—it’s intelligent. Plus, she offers a playful homework assignment to help you appreciate your own nervous system-support wardrobe.

Take a break from heavy topics and laugh along with this cozy, affirming bonus episode!

#LoveOnTheAutismSpectrum #NeurodivergentLife #SensoryFriendlyFashion #SpringCleaningFails #NeurodivergentHumor

Visit https://www.loveontheautismspectrum.com/ or on Instagram @BlazeLazarony

In today’s episode of Love on the Autism Spectrum, Barbara Blaze Lazarony invites listeners to reimagine what empathy looks and feels like—especially in neurodiverse relationships.

Many neurodivergent individuals are deeply empathetic, yet their way of showing it may not match the neurotypical script. When empathy doesn’t come in the form of a hug, eye contact, or the “right” words, it can be misinterpreted as a lack of care. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Blaze unpacks the idea that empathy is not one-size-fits-all. She explores how differences in expression, processing time, and sensory regulation can all impact how empathy is offered and received. You’ll also hear reflections on how to move from misunderstanding to mutual appreciation—where both partners can feel seen, heard, and respected.

Whether you're neurodivergent yourself, in a partnership with someone who is, or supporting ND clients in your work, this episode is a gentle reminder: empathy isn’t always loud. Sometimes, it’s quiet, internal, and expressed in beautifully unique ways.

You’ll leave this episode with a broader, more inclusive definition of empathy—and hopefully, a deeper appreciation for how it lives in your own relationships.

#EmpathyRedefined

#NeurodiverseLove

#NDCommunication

#NeurodivergentEmpathy

#LoveOnTheAutismSpectrum

#NotOneSizeFitsAll

#NDRelationships

#EmotionalConnection

#DifferentNotLess

#NeurodivergentSupport #PodcastsOnAmazonMusic

Visit https://www.loveontheautismspectrum.com/ or on Instagram @BlazeLazarony

In this lighthearted yet insightful bonus episode, Blaze shares how an old comedy sketch from The Bob Newhart Show surprisingly mirrors a powerful mental health tool. The sketch features Newhart as a therapist giving unexpected advice to a fearful client: “Stop it.”

What sounds like a punchline turns out to reflect a real psychological concept: pattern interruption. Blaze breaks down how, for neurodivergent individuals especially, interrupting negative thought spirals with a gentle “stop it” can offer a much-needed pause—a brief return to calm.

With grounding breathwork, a short guided reflection, and just the right amount of humor, this episode reminds listeners that while healing is serious work, the tools we use don’t always have to be. Sometimes simplicity is exactly what we need.

If you’ve been stuck in your head lately, this 15-minute episode will help you laugh, breathe, and try something new. Because you’re not broken—you’re just wired differently. And even your anxiety deserves kindness.

🎧 Listen now at LoveOnTheAutismSpectrum.com

📺 Watch the original skit here: YouTube

Visit https://www.loveontheautismspectrum.com/ or on Instagram @BlazeLazarony

In this episode of Love on the Autism Spectrum, Barbara Blaze Lazarony dives deep into the complex dynamics of intimacy within neurodiverse relationships. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the closeness or unsure about how much space you need, you're not alone. Blaze explores the very human, very real phenomenon of the “push-pull” — the innate dance between wanting connection and simultaneously fearing it.

Drawing from personal and professional experiences, Barbara highlights how sensory sensitivities, communication differences, and unspoken expectations can influence this push-pull dynamic for neurodivergent individuals. You’ll learn why some people may crave closeness and suddenly withdraw, and how partners can respond with curiosity rather than confusion.

Blaze also offers practical insights and gentle guidance for how to navigate these moments of closeness and retreat without shame or blame. Whether you’re someone who pulls away or the one feeling pushed out, this episode will help you understand what’s really happening underneath the surface and give you tools to cultivate compassion in your relationship.

Tune in to gain clarity, feel seen, and walk away with supportive tools to deepen connection—without sacrificing your sense of self.

🧠 For ND individuals and couples who want real talk about love and emotional healing—this one’s for you.

#NDIntimacy #PushPullDynamic #EmotionalCloseness #NeurodiverseLove #AttachmentAndAutism #LoveOnTheAutismSpectrum #NDRelationshipSupport #PodcastsOnAmazonMusic

Visit https://www.loveontheautismspectrum.com/ or on Instagram @BlazeLazarony

In this special bonus episode of Love on the Autism Spectrum, Blaze explores the wildly grounding quote by Darby Hudson:

“We are stardust, and poop particles. Don’t get ahead of yourself.”

It’s an episode about humility, humor, and radical self-acceptance. In a world that pressures us to constantly improve, perfect, and perform, this episode invites neurodivergent listeners to pause — and remember that being human is messy, magical, and meaningful, exactly as it is.

Blaze walks listeners through what it means to live as both brilliant and bodily, as both philosophical and physical. Through a short story about a client who found their most spiritual moment in a not-so-glamorous place, we are reminded that true love of self doesn’t come from escaping the mess — it comes from embracing it.

This episode offers simple self-reflection prompts, affirmations, and a whole lot of permission to be human. Loudly. Softly. Fully.

If you’ve ever felt like you needed to “clean up” your humanity before being worthy of love — this episode is your cosmic permission slip.

#SelfLoveForND #NeurodivergentHealing #WholeSelfAcceptance #MessyAndMagic #DarbyHudsonQuote #RadicalSelfCompassion #LoveOnTheAutismSpectrum #YouAreEnough #PodcastsOnAmazonMusic

Visit https://www.loveontheautismspectrum.com/ or on Instagram @BlazeLazarony

In this validating and steady episode of Love on the Autism Spectrum, Barbara (Blaze) Lazarony invites listeners to explore a tender truth: there is nothing wrong with your pace. Your rhythm — how quickly or slowly you process, connect, speak, or feel — is not a flaw. It’s part of your neurodivergent wisdom.

Blaze speaks to the real-life impact of mismatched rhythms in relationships, and how rushing, freezing, or disconnecting often isn’t resistance — it’s regulation. With grounded compassion, she offers specific examples for both autistic and ADHD expressions of relational rhythm, highlighting how each pattern is worthy of understanding and respect.

You’ll also be gently guided through a reflective moment and a practical “home play” prompt to notice where you may be rushing yourself in love — and how to begin reclaiming your own pace.

This episode will help you:

• Recognize and honor your own nervous system’s natural rhythm
• Understand your timing as a form of emotional intelligence
• Move from self-judgment to self-acceptance in relationships
• Communicate your needs with greater clarity and compassion



Love doesn’t require you to sync perfectly with others. It asks you to move honestly, safely, and gently — in rhythm with your own truth.

#NeurodivergentLove #NDCouples #RelationshipRhythms #AuthenticConnection #LoveOnTheAutismSpectrum #NDIntimacy #NeurodiverseLoveStories #PodcastsOnAmazonMusic

Visit https://www.loveontheautismspectrum.com/ or on Instagram @BlazeLazarony

In this tender, non-linear bonus episode of Love on the Autism Spectrum, Barbara (Blaze) Lazarony offers a soft welcome to those standing at the threshold of self-recognition — those who’ve just discovered (or are starting to suspect) that they are neurodivergent.

Whether you’re autistic, ADHD, AuDHD, sensory-sensitive, or trauma-wired — this is your invitation to slow down, breathe, and honor what’s unfolding.

This isn’t a teaching.

It’s a witnessing.

Because with discovery often comes a swirl of feelings: relief, grief, rage, hope, exhaustion, and the longing to understand everything right now.

Blaze reminds you:

You are not late.

You are not broken.

You are not alone.

You’re becoming — and that is holy.

Inside this episode:

• A grounded reflection on identity, grief, and self-discovery
• A guided moment to remind your body: you are right on time
• A home play practice: no pressure, just presence

You don’t have to rush this becoming.

You are allowed to be with it — gently, slowly, and in your own rhythm.

#NeurodivergentDiscovery #LateDiagnosis #UnmaskingAutism #NDIdentity #SelfAcceptance #ADHDJourney #LoveOnTheAutismSpectrum #YouAreNotBroken

Visit https://www.loveontheautismspectrum.com/ or on Instagram @BlazeLazarony

In this heartfelt episode of Love on the Autism Spectrum, Blaze Lazarony invites us to pause the usual relationship advice and focus on what truly matters first: emotional safety.

Too often, couples are encouraged to “communicate better” without understanding that no strategy can land if a nervous system is overwhelmed, shut down, or frozen. Blaze shares the tender story of Maya and Eli — two people caught in a moment of misattunement, not from lack of love, but from fear, overwhelm, and past experiences living in their bodies.

This episode is a compassionate reframe: what looks like disconnection is often two people doing their best to stay safe in love. When we stop blaming and start understanding what’s happening inside our bodies, real connection becomes possible.

You’ll learn:

• Why emotional safety must come before communication tools
• How shutdown, freeze, or emotional blankness are protective — not personal
• What safety actually looks like for neurodivergent nervous systems
• A home play practice to identify and share what helps you feel safe

You are not broken for needing space, time, or quiet to regulate. That need is not a flaw — it’s a doorway to deeper connection.

#EmotionalSafety #NeurodiverseRelationships #NDCommunication #LoveOnTheAutismSpectrum #AutismTherapy #RelationshipHealing #FeelSafeFirst #PodcastsOnAmazonMusic

Visit https://www.loveontheautismspectrum.com/ or on Instagram @BlazeLazarony

In this tender bonus episode of Love on the Autism Spectrum, Blaze Lazarony speaks directly to the hearts of parents raising neurodivergent children — whether their child is autistic, has ADHD, sensory differences, learning challenges, or has experienced trauma.

This is not an episode filled with strategies or diagnoses. It’s a soft place to land. A moment of rest. A reminder that you’re not failing — you’re learning how to love your child in the language their nervous system understands.

Blaze validates the lived experience of parenting a child who may not meet cultural norms but who holds deep beauty and brilliance. She names the exhaustion, the invisible labor, and the unmatched love — and offers both acknowledgment and a path back to self-regulation.

Inside this episode:

• Reframing “behavior” as nervous system communication
• Why your presence, not perfection, is what your child needs
• A gentle home practice to support your nervous system

If you’ve ever felt alone in parenting, judged by outsiders, or unsure if what you’re doing is enough — this episode will remind you that you are already loving in ways that truly matter.

#NeurodivergentParenting #NDChild #ParentingOnTheSpectrum #YouAreEnough #NeurodivergentFamilies #AutismParentSupport #LoveOnTheAutismSpectrum #PodcastsOnAmazonMusic

Visit https://www.loveontheautismspectrum.com/ or on Instagram @BlazeLazarony