260 Coping and Prepatory Strategies for Overstimulating Situations
Release Date: 07/22/2025
Unapologetically Sensitive
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The Holidays: A Group Project My Nervous System Didn’t Agree To In this New Year’s episode, Patricia Young (she/her) explores why the holiday season can be especially challenging for autistic, ADHD, and AuDHD nervous systems. Through personal stories about gift giving, overstimulation, masking, PDA, rejection sensitivity, and the need for sameness and predictability, she unpacks how small changes and social expectations can quietly dysregulate neurodivergent people. The episode also includes updates on her purple hair and tattoo, reflections on attunement and fairness, and a gentle...
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Keeping it Real During the Holidays: p.s. I Love the Grinch! Patricia (she/her) dives into the emotional and sensory whirlwind of navigating change as an AuDHDer during the holiday season. She unpacks the exhaustion that comes from shifting family dynamics, unpredictable routines, kitten chaos, people coming and going, and the desire to show up with more capacity than she actually has. Patricia speaks candidly about shutdowns, resentment, communication misfires and boundary-setting. This episode invites listeners to honor their own wiring, acknowledge their limits, and give themselves...
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Boring Means Stable: Learning to Love Ordinary Days In this honest, meandering, and heart-centered solo episode, Patricia Young (she/her) opens up about feeling “not enough,” while navigating overwhelm, managing PDA (Pervasive Drive for Autonomy. From decluttering and kayaking to the quiet comfort of boring days and the challenges of social invitations, Patricia invites listeners into the gentle, nonlinear process of living authentically as an AuDHDer. With humor and tenderness, she explores aging, family connection, holidays, and what it means to find peace amid imperfection. WHAT...
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No Room for In-Between: Literal Thinking and Communication Ruptures In this raw and honest episode, Patricia (she/her) shares her ongoing challenges with neurodivergent miscommunication, community rupture, and the emotional toll of being misunderstood. From neighborhood conflicts to horse training lessons, from cancel culture to navigating friendships and travel as an autistic person, Patricia opens up about the messy, contradictory realities of life, belonging, and growth. Listeners will walk away feeling less alone in their struggles with relationships, self-advocacy, and embracing both...
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Summary
In this episode, Patricia discusses her experiences with content creation, coping strategies for overstimulation, and managing sensory sensitivities during significant life events like weddings. She shares insights on emotional preparation, adjusting to changes in family dynamics, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance to prevent burnout. Throughout the conversation, she emphasizes the importance of self-care, embracing imperfection, and recognizing the rights of individuals to rest and be themselves.
HIGHLIGHTS
· I struggle with overstimulation at events.
· Earplugs help me manage sensory sensitivities.
· Having a plan can reduce anxiety before events.
· It's okay to slow down and take breaks.
· I feel a little jealous of my husband's attention to our kids.
· Managing workload is about finding balance.
· I have a right to rest and take care of myself.
· Sensitivity is nothing to apologize for.
· Embracing imperfection is key to self-acceptance.
SOUND BITES
"Done is better than perfect."
"It's okay to slow down."
"I have a right to rest."
SENSITIVITY IS NOTHING TO APOLOGIZE FOR; IT’S HOW YOUR BRAIN IS WIRED
· You have a right to rest.
· you have a right to push through.
· you have a right to be nervous and anxious and to overthink.
· You have a right to use tools that help you.
· You have a right to be stimmy and happy and loud and bouncy.
· You have a right to be quiet and reserved and to rest and to take care of yourself.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Navigating Content Creation Challenges
01:22 Coping Strategies for Overstimulation
05:35 Managing Sensory Sensitivities at Events
10:17 Emotional Preparation for Major Life Events
15:42 Adjusting to Changes in Family Dynamics
18:45 Work-Life Balance and Preventing Burnout
25:22 Overcoming Perfectionism and Embracing Imperfection
PODCAST HOST
Patricia was a Licensed Clinical Social Worker for over 17 years, but she is now exclusively providing coaching. She knows what it’s like to feel like an outcast, misfit, and truthteller. Learning about the trait of being a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), then learning she is AuDHD with a PDA profile, OCD and RSD, helped Patricia rewrite her history with a deeper understanding, appreciation, and a sense of self-compassion. She created the podcast Unapologetically Sensitive to help other neurodivergent folks know that they aren’t alone, and that having a brain that is wired differently comes with amazing gifts, and some challenges. Patricia works online globally working individually with people, and she teaches Online Courses for neurodivergent folks that focus on understanding what it means to be a sensitive neurodivergent. Topics covered include: self-care, self-compassion, boundaries, perfectionism, mindfulness, communication, and creating a lifestyle that honors you
LINKS
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