Neurodivergent Strategies for Late-Diagnosed Adults: The Divergent Paths Podcast

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Impulsivity isn’t just about skydiving on a whim or blowing your paycheck on shoes. For neurodivergent folks, it often shows up in subtle ways: cutting someone off mid-sentence, firing off a 2am text, or jumping to finish someone’s thought. In this episode of Divergent Paths, Dr. Regina McMenomy and co-host Russ Catanach delve into the neurological implications of impulsivity, examining how dopamine and executive function contribute to its manifestation, and why it’s not always a flaw. They share personal stories, pop culture examples, and practical strategies for pausing between urge and action, while still honoring the creativity and spontaneity that impulsivity can bring.

Whether you live with ADHD, autism, or are just curious about how neurodivergent brains work, this episode will change the way you think about impulsivity.

Want to dig deeper? Practice some healthy impulsivity by signing up for Regina’s free newsletter at divergentpathsconsulting.com for more stories, strategies, and resources.

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About Dr. Regina McMenomy PhD,

Regina is an educator, consultant, and founder of Divergent Paths Consulting. With over two decades of experience in higher education and instructional design, she now helps individuals create more inclusive, neurodivergent-affirming spaces. A late-diagnosed ADHDer herself, Regina blends academic insight, personal experience, and a healthy dose of nerdy joy to help others unmask, heal, and thrive.

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Unmasking as a neurodivergent adult isn’t about oversharing. It’s about finally showing up as your full self. In this solo episode of Neurodivergent Solutions, Dr. Regina McMenomy shares practical, compassionate unmasking strategies designed for late-diagnosed ADHD and autistic adults navigating work, relationships, and everyday life.

Learn how to recognize when you’re masking, stop performing to make other people comfortable and start honoring your real needs. From communication habits to self-accommodation, this episode offers small, actionable steps to help you unmask with intention—not fear.

Whether you’re just beginning to understand your neurodivergence or you’ve been on this journey for a while, this episode is a grounding, encouraging guide to reclaiming your voice, your energy, and your identity.

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About Dr. Regina McMenomy PhD,

Regina is an educator, consultant, and founder of Divergent Paths Consulting. With over two decades of experience in higher education and instructional design, she now helps individuals create more inclusive, neurodivergent-affirming spaces. A late-diagnosed ADHDer herself, Regina blends academic insight, personal experience, and a healthy dose of nerdy joy to help others unmask, heal, and thrive.

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Struggling to recognize when you’re hungry, tired, anxious—or even where your body is in space? You’re not alone. In this episode of Divergent Paths, Dr. Regina McMenomy and co-host Russ Catanach explore the often-overlooked sensory systems of interoception and proprioception—and why they’re especially important for neurodivergent folks.

We break down:

• What interoception and proprioception actually are
• Why body awareness feels harder for ADHDers and autistic people
• How these “hidden senses” impact emotional regulation, burnout, and self-care
• Personal stories of missed signals, sensory confusion, and learning to tune in
• Tools to reconnect with your body and support your nervous system

Whether you’re newly diagnosed or deep in your unmasking journey, understanding these internal sensory systems can be a game-changer. Your body’s been trying to talk to you—maybe it’s time to listen. So enjoy this episode we lovingly nicknamed, "Where did that bruise come from?"

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About Dr. Regina McMenomy PhD,

Regina is an educator, consultant, and founder of Divergent Paths Consulting. With over two decades of experience in higher education and instructional design, she now helps individuals create more inclusive, neurodivergent-affirming spaces. A late-diagnosed ADHDer herself, Regina blends academic insight, personal experience, and a healthy dose of nerdy joy to help others unmask, heal, and thrive.

Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights!

Is masking a sign of maturity—or a survival strategy? In this solo episode of Neurodivergent Solutions, Dr. Regina McMenomy challenges the idea that “professionalism” means suppressing who you really are. She explores how masking shows up in the workplace for neurodivergent adults, why it’s often misread as emotional maturity, and how that misperception leads to burnout, disconnection, and self-doubt.

You’ll learn:

• What masking looks like for ADHD and autistic professionals
• Why emotional suppression is not the same as emotional intelligence
• Three safer ways to begin unmasking at work
• How to shift workplace expectations without putting yourself at risk

Whether you're navigating a corporate job, academic space, or creative field, this episode will help you recognize the hidden costs of masking—and offer tangible ways to honor your authentic self on the job.

Book a Clarity Call with Regina

About Dr. Regina McMenomy PhD,

Regina is an educator, consultant, and founder of Divergent Paths Consulting. With over two decades of experience in higher education and instructional design, she now helps individuals create more inclusive, neurodivergent-affirming spaces. A late-diagnosed ADHDer herself, Regina blends academic insight, personal experience, and a healthy dose of nerdy joy to help others unmask, heal, and thrive.

Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights!

Why do so many late-diagnosed neurodivergent adults feel like frauds—even when they’re thriving? In this episode of Divergent Paths, Regina McMenomy, Ph.D., unpacks the neuroscience behind imposter syndrome and explains why it hits harder for people with ADHD, autism, and other forms of neurodivergence.

With co-host Russ Catanach, Regina shares personal stories, expert insights, and practical strategies to help you recognize imposter syndrome for what it really is: a stress response shaped by masking, rejection sensitivity, and years of chronic invalidation.

Whether you’ve ever thought “I don’t deserve this” or struggled to believe your own success, this conversation will help you reframe self-doubt and start building confidence from the inside out.

Book a Free Clarity Call with Regina

About Dr. Regina McMenomy PhD,

Regina is an educator, consultant, and founder of Divergent Paths Consulting. With over two decades of experience in higher education and instructional design, she now helps individuals create more inclusive, neurodivergent-affirming spaces. A late-diagnosed ADHDer herself, Regina blends academic insight, personal experience, and a healthy dose of nerdy joy to help others unmask, heal, and thrive.

Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights!

Rest isn’t a reward, it’s a requirement. In this solo episode of Neurodivergent Solutions, Dr. Regina McMenomy explores why rest is essential for neurodivergent bodies and brains, and why our cultural beliefs about laziness, productivity, and burnout often fail those of us with ADHD, autism, and other neurodivergences.

Regina shares personal stories and hard-won insights about redefining rest—not as a failure to hustle, but as a radical act of self-preservation and nervous system regulation. You’ll learn how masking, hyperfocus, and chronic stress lead to burnout, and why intentional rest might be the most productive thing you can do.

If you’ve ever cursed your “lazy” self or struggled to stop when your body is screaming for a break, this episode is for you.

Book a Free Clarity Call with Regina

About Dr. Regina McMenomy PhD,

Regina is an educator, consultant, and founder of Divergent Paths Consulting. With over two decades of experience in higher education and instructional design, she now helps individuals create more inclusive, neurodivergent-affirming spaces. A late-diagnosed ADHDer herself, Regina blends academic insight, personal experience, and a healthy dose of nerdy joy to help others unmask, heal, and thrive.

Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights!

Struggling to manage your time, stay on schedule, or even feel the passing of time? You’re not alone. In this episode of Divergent Paths, host Dr. Regina McMenomy and co-host Russ Catanach unpack the neuroscience behind time blindness, a common experience for people with ADHD and autism.

We explore:

• What time blindness really is (hint: it’s not just poor time management)
• Why ND brains perceive time differently
• Shame-free strategies that actually work

Whether you’re neurodivergent yourself or supporting someone who is, this episode will help you understand the why behind the chaos—and how to work with your brain, not against it. Plus, Regina shares personal stories, practical tools, and accommodations she uses to stay anchored in time.

Book a Free Clarity Call with Regina

About Dr. Regina McMenomy PhD,

Regina is an educator, consultant, and founder of Divergent Paths Consulting. With over two decades of experience in systems thinking, higher education, and instructional design, she now helps individuals create more inclusive, neurodivergent-affirming spaces. A late-diagnosed ADHDer herself, Regina blends academic insight, personal experience, and a healthy dose of nerdy joy to help others unmask, heal, and thrive.

About Russ Catanach

Russ is a marketing executive, podcast host, and longtime friend of Regina’s who brings curiosity, candor, and levity to every conversation. As the co-host of Divergent Paths, Russ plays the role of thoughtful interviewer and relatable everyman, helping unpack complex topics in a way that’s both grounded and accessible.

Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights!

Why do so many neurodivergent adults resist going to bed even when they're exhausted? In this episode of Divergent Paths, Dr. Regina McMenomy and co-host Russ Catanach explore the psychology and neuroscience behind revenge bedtime procrastination, a common but misunderstood behavior where people delay sleep to reclaim autonomy and personal time.

This episode explores why neurodivergent brains often don’t "power down" like those of neurotypical individuals and what we can do about it. Learn how overstimulation, delayed melatonin release, and unmet emotional needs fuel this cycle, and why rest is more than a luxury—it’s a right.

Plus, Regina shares gentle, practical strategies that support your nervous system without relying on shame or willpower.

Book a Free Clarity Call with Regina

About Dr. Regina McMenomy PhD,

Regina is an educator, consultant, and founder of Divergent Paths Consulting. With over two decades of experience in higher education and instructional design, she now helps individuals create more inclusive, neurodivergent-affirming spaces. A late-diagnosed ADHDer herself, Regina blends academic insight, personal experience, and a healthy dose of nerdy joy to help others unmask, heal, and thrive.

About Russ Catanach

Russ is a marketing executive, podcast host, and longtime friend of Regina’s who brings curiosity, candor, and levity to every conversation. As the co-host of Divergent Paths, Russ plays the role of thoughtful interviewer and relatable everyman, helping unpack complex topics in a way that’s both grounded and accessible.

Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights!

Is it emotional immaturity or the long-term impact of masking, trauma, and survival mode? In this heartfelt episode of Divergent Paths, Dr. Regina McMenomy explores how neurodivergent individuals often experience delayed or disrupted emotional development, not because they’re broken, but because they’ve been adapting to environments that never fully accepted them. Co-host Russ Catanach asks the big questions as Regina shares lived experiences, cultural insight, and unfiltered emotion, including tears on the mic for the first time. If you’ve ever felt behind in your emotional growth or misunderstood for your reactions, this episode will make you feel seen.

Book a Free Clarity Call with Regina

About Dr. Regina McMenomy PhD,

Regina is an educator, consultant, and founder of Divergent Paths Consulting. With over two decades of experience in higher education and instructional design, she now helps individuals create more inclusive, neurodivergent-affirming spaces. A late-diagnosed ADHDer herself, Regina blends academic insight, personal experience, and a healthy dose of nerdy joy to help others unmask, heal, and thrive.

About Russ Catanach

Russ is a marketing executive, podcast host, and longtime friend of Regina’s who brings curiosity, candor, and levity to every conversation. As the co-host of Divergent Paths, Russ plays the role of thoughtful interviewer and relatable everyman, helping unpack complex topics in a way that’s both grounded and accessible.

Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights!

What exactly is a special interest and why are they so essential to neurodivergent people? In this episode of Divergent Paths, Dr. Regina McMenomy breaks down how special interests go far beyond hobbies. From emotional regulation to identity formation, we explore the deep role these passions play for ADHD and autistic folks. Joined by co-host Russ Catanach, Regina shares personal stories, clinical insights, and cultural observations about how special interests fuel joy, soothe overwhelm, and sometimes become lifelines. Whether yours is dinosaurs, data, or DIY crafts, this episode validates why it’s more than “just a phase.”

Book a Free Clarity Call with Regina

About Dr. Regina McMenomy, Ph.D.

Regina is an educator, consultant, and founder of Divergent Paths Consulting. With over two decades of experience in higher education and instructional design, she now helps individuals and organizations create more inclusive, neurodivergent-affirming spaces. A late-diagnosed ADHDer herself, Regina blends academic insight, personal experience, and a healthy dose of nerdy joy to help others unmask, heal, and thrive.

About Russ Catanach

Russ is a marketing executive, podcast host, and longtime friend of Regina’s who brings curiosity, candor, and levity to every conversation. As the co-host of Divergent Paths, Russ plays the role of thoughtful interviewer and relatable everyman, helping unpack complex topics in a way that’s both grounded and accessible.