This episode is deeply personal. As both a mental health professional and someone who’s spent years being called “weird,” “nerdy,” “odd,” and even “evil” — not because of who I am, but because of the horror films and music I love that don’t match my facade — this episode is a reclamation.

You’ll hear:

• 🧠 A crash course on the topic of neurodiversity. I try very hard to be fair about my experience and respect the spectrum of lived experience that individuals have.
• 💬 My personal and clinical reflections on diagnostic language. I found it impossible to talk about neurodiversity without also talking more about this topic
• 🕷️ Thoughts on being cast as “weird” and how that shaped my sense of identity (among other factors)
• ⚖️ A short sidebar on Eddington and the relationship between neurodivergence and social justice
• 🎥 A spoiler-tinged breakdown of Longlegs, especially the character of Lee Harker
• 🪞 A raw take on masking (aka blending in, adopting identities, making others feel comfortable around you, fitting into social norms...that's what it means to me): how it’s protected me, how it’s cost me, and what it means to live more authentically

🎧 Note: I’m still working on improving the podcast — from sound quality to editing flow — and I appreciate your patience as it grows. There are so many threads I could have woven together, including how neurodivergent folx often gravitate toward social justice (sound familiar for me and Lee?) as well as the comfort of special interests (that'd be horror for me). Tried to keep this episode at a reasonable length!

This episode’s a little different (and a bonus one for this week based on some questions / input I've gotten the last few weeks). I’m sharing my own story. You’ll hear how I found my way to becoming a mental health counselor in more detail from some pretty unexpected detours to deeply personal turning points.

Before the therapy office, there were overseas adventures and offshore platforms. (Yes, those steel-toed boots had a front-row seat to some soul-searching.) I’ll talk about the places I’ve lived, the jobs that shaped me, and the studies that helped me understand how to be with people in their hardest moments.

🛤️ What I cover:

- Cross-cultural living and how it rewired my perspective

- My time working offshore—and what it taught me about isolation and resilience

- The educational path that led to clinical work

- My experience and trainings that guide how I show up with clients

- The values at the center of my practice: curiosity, compassion, and honest conversation

Whether you're in the field, on your own healing journey, or just curious about how this all came to be (or just wondering about me)—this one’s for you.

In this special episode, Jamie is joined by her husband Ryan to explore the tangled roots of childhood fear and the unexpected catharsis found in horror. With the podcast’s upgraded (but still evolving) format, they unpack Ryan’s personal journey of confronting early anxieties by watching A Nightmare on Elm Street as a child. By deliberately exposing himself to a source of terror, Ryan found not only empowerment—but a lifelong passion for horror films. Together, they reflect on how fear, when faced head-on, can be transformed into fascination and even joy.

In this episode, I discuss Eden lake. Trigger warnings: violence, child death, and mention of suicide. I weave in concepts from Internal Family Systems, Psychodynamic Theory, Generational Trauma with some mentions of existential, developmental, and behavioral themes. I want to acknowledge that this feels like an overly lengthy and “quiet” episode, so for the next one I’m going to work on getting the voice louder and focusing in even more on important themes. But for those who know me know I struggle to make a long story short, so feel free to leave your feedback!!!!

Photo Credit to Laura Velazquez 2006

Learn a bit about me and what this podcast will be about!