This week, Megan and Michelle take a little detour from The Essential Guide to Raising Complex Kids because they landed on a topic that felt way too important to save for later. They start digging into sensory processing disorder, or SPD, and almost immediately the conversation turns into one of those Spicy Brain moments where a whole bunch of old experiences suddenly start making a different kind of sense. Not in a neat, wrapped-up, “we solved it” kind of way. More like, oh. Ohhh. This might explain some things.

What makes this episode so good is that they are not talking about sensory processing in some dry, textbook way. They are talking about what it feels like to actually live inside it. The aquarium shifts that are just too much. The clothes that never sit right. The lights that feel offensive. The sounds that do not just annoy you, but physically hurt. The perfect chip. The weirdness of loving certain sensations and being absolutely wrecked by others. And underneath all of it is this bigger realization that maybe “too sensitive” was never the right label in the first place.

There is also a really tender thread running through this one about language. Because once you have language, you can stop treating every struggle like a character flaw. Megan talks about chronic pain, body awareness, and how hard it can be to interpret what your body is even trying to say. Michelle keeps connecting dots between SPD, ADHD, anxiety, and the way people can get mislabeled when the real issue is that the world is just coming in way too loud, bright, itchy, crunchy, and much. That is the thing this episode keeps circling. It is not about collecting labels for fun. It is about understanding how your brain works well enough to stop shaming yourself for it.

And honestly, that is what makes this one feel so personal. It is not just a conversation about diagnoses. It is a conversation about accommodations, relationships, and what it means to be believed. Because if something really does hurt, overwhelm, or derail you, that matters whether or not somebody else would react the same way. This episode feels like the beginning of a new rabbit hole for Spicy Brain, and a really meaningful one.

If you want to follow along with the checklist then click here.

Favorite line from the episode: “Maybe I have a little bit of a 'tism' in me.”

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00:00 welcome back and why this is a detour episode

01:30 Michelle introduces sensory processing disorder

03:00 why ADHD did not feel like the whole picture

05:00 the sensory checklist begins

14:00 visual overload, stencils, puzzles, and the joy of sorting

24:00 auditory overwhelm and why background noise can be brutal

32:30 the checklist results and what they might mean

43:00 how sensory issues can affect daily life

51:00 why language and accommodations matter

55:00 should Spicy Brain keep going down this rabbit hole?

If this one hit something in you, especially if ADHD or anxiety has explained part of your experience but not all of it, you are probably not the only one. Sometimes just hearing your own life reflected back in a different way can take a little weight off your shoulders. We are really glad you are here while we figure this stuff out in real time. Stay curious, joyful, radically accepting. High kick.

sensory processing disorder, SPD, neurodiversity, ADHD, anxiety, sensory overwhelm, auditory sensitivity, light sensitivity, food texture issues, chronic pain, body awareness, highly sensitive person, HSP, neurospicy, Spicy Brain Podcast

This week, Megan and Michelle take a little detour from the parenting book because they stumbled into something that immediately felt too important not to talk about. The conversation starts with sensory processing disorder, or SPD, and pretty quickly turns into one of those Spicy Brain moments where a whole bunch of old experiences suddenly start making a different kind of sense. Not in a neat little “we solved it” way. More in a “wait a second, this might explain a lot” kind of way.

Michelle brings in what she has been reading about sensory processing disorders and the way the brain can struggle to receive, organize, and respond to sensory information like sound, light, texture, smell, and movement. And as they start talking through the examples, Megan just keeps having one of those "oh no, that’s me" moments. The long shifts at the aquarium. The way certain sounds physically hurt. The perfect chip. The manga scrolling at night. The food textures. The blinking lights. The chewing. The box paper. The moving chaos. Suddenly this old label of “too sensitive” starts looking a lot less like a personality flaw and a lot more like an actual pattern.

What makes this episode really interesting is that they are not talking about SPD in some detached, clinical way. They are talking about what it feels like to live inside it. What it feels like when a sensation does not just annoy you, but completely hijacks your ability to focus, connect, or stay regulated. Megan talks about pain, body awareness, and how years of chronic pain may have taught her to interpret every body signal like an emergency. Michelle starts connecting dots too, especially around auditory overwhelm and the way some people get mislabeled with anxiety when the real issue might be that the world is just coming in way too loud.

There is also a really tender thread running underneath all of it about language, accommodations, and what it means to be believed. Because if you do not know what is happening, you end up thinking you are dramatic, difficult, lazy, rude, or broken. And if the people around you do not understand it, then every request can feel like you are asking for too much. This episode does not wrap it all up in a bow, but it does open a really important door. Sometimes the diagnosis you already have is not the whole picture. Sometimes there is another piece of the puzzle, and finally seeing it can change everything.

Favorite line from the episode: “How does that help me right now?”

00:00 welcome back and why this is a detour episode

01:30 Michelle introduces sensory processing disorder

02:30 aquarium shifts, overwhelm, and Megan realizing this sounds familiar

04:30 the perfect chip and food texture rules

06:30 pain tolerance, bruises, and body awareness

09:00 chronic pain, PT, and learning the difference between pain and sensation

10:30 why SPD often gets mislabeled as anxiety

14:00 the manga scrolling at night and visual overwhelm

17:30 why ADHD alone may not explain the full picture

20:00 moving boxes, paper, smell, and sensory overload

24:30 auditory overwhelm, chewing, and needing quiet to think

27:00 acting school, sense memory, and “the body of your nature”

32:30 the sensory checklist and where they want to go next

If this episode hit something for you, especially if you have ever felt like ADHD or autism explained part of the picture but not all of it, you are probably not alone. Sometimes just having language for what is happening takes a little weight off your shoulders. We are really glad you are here while we keep following this rabbit hole in real time. Stay curious, joyful, radically accepting. High kick.

sensory processing disorder, SPD, ADHD, neurodivergent, sensory overwhelm, sensory issues, auditory sensitivity, food texture sensitivity, chronic pain, body awareness, anxiety and sensory processing, neurospicy, Spicy Brain Podcast

This week is a follow-up from the moving trenches, and honestly, it feels like the exact episode that had to happen after 104. Megan and Michelle circle back now that the boxes are inside, the furniture is technically here, and the nervous systems are finally starting to come down off the ledge. If you have ever moved with an ADHD brain, or loved someone through a move with an ADHD brain, this one will probably feel a little too familiar in the best possible way.

They talk about the weird truth that both progress and total despair can exist at the same time. Megan can feel how much has changed. Her anxiety going into this move was lower. Her body held up better. She did not spiral the way she would have in past moves. And still, once the adrenaline dropped, the swirly brain, the exhaustion, the irritation, the broken stuff, the dog peeing on the couch, the flickering lights, the broken dishwasher, and the maintenance chaos all came crashing in at once. Which is funny because sometimes you think you are done with the hard part, and that is exactly when the real overwhelm taps you on the shoulder.

There is also a really good thread here about body sensations and how Megan is starting to separate pain from other signals her body gives her. That turns into a bigger conversation about discomfort, neurodivergence, and the way complex brains can interpret every sensation like an emergency. Michelle connects that to learning, stress, and the fact that we are all maybe a little too trained now to expect instant fixes and tiny bite-sized answers instead of real trial and error.

And underneath all of it is this bigger question of what it means to live with another spicy brain while both of you are maxed out. Megan and Brian are not reacting to the move in the same way, and that means the real work is not just unpacking boxes. It is compromise. It is pacing. It is figuring out whose version of “just get it done” is running the room at any given moment. It is also radical acceptance at a truly unreasonable level.

Favorite line from the episode:

“The radical acceptance we are needing right now is very great.”

00:00 welcome back and a moving follow-up

02:30 ten days of total executive function overload

06:30 the “you’re highly sensitive” moment

09:00 progress, anxiety, and how this move felt different

11:00 physical stamina, PT, and not throwing out her back

13:00 learning the difference between pain and sensation

15:00 when the adrenaline wore off and everything hit at once

17:30 moving with two different kinds of neurospicy

19:00 the drill sergeant voice and not feeling allowed to rest

21:00 dog pee, broken appliances, and the maintenance spiral

27:00 old games, problem solving, and why discomfort matters

31:00 extreme radical acceptance, boxes, and the aftershock of moving

If you are in a season where every single executive function demand is showing up at once, this episode is a good reminder that doing better does not always look graceful. Sometimes it looks like making real progress and still feeling like you are one broken dishwasher away from losing it. That does not erase the growth. It just means you are human and probably very, very tired. We are glad you are here with us in the messy middle of it. Stay curious, joyful, radically accepting. High kick.

ADHD moving, executive function overload, neurodivergent move, moving stress, ADHD and anxiety, radical acceptance, body sensations vs pain, nervous system crash, ADHD relationships, neurospicy burnout, complex brains, Spicy Brain Podcast

This week’s episode is a little different. No chapter breakdown. No strategy deep dive. Just two sisters sitting down in the middle of real life while Megan is about to move out of her house the next morning.

If you have ever moved with an ADHD brain, you know what a monster of executive function that can be. Lists. Logistics. Packing. Decision fatigue. And the emotional chaos of knowing your life is about to be packed into boxes by strangers. Megan and Brian are heading into a military move, which means movers, temporary lodging, and the classic military mystery of when your stuff might actually show up again. Add two pugs and a fourteen year old cat to the mix and you start to see why this could easily become a full meltdown situation.

Except something surprising is happening.

Michelle notices it first. Normally a move like this would trigger what Megan calls a “quick quit.” The overwhelm hits, the shutdown follows, and the shame spiral arrives right behind it. But this time that pattern never fully shows up. Megan is still tired, still juggling a giant whiteboard of tasks, still navigating the chaos of military moving logistics. But she keeps coming back to the work instead of walking away from it.

And that shift opens up a bigger conversation about ADHD confidence. Megan talks about how the podcast itself has quietly changed the way she sees herself. Instead of assuming the move will fall apart, she is trusting that she will figure it out. Not perfectly. Just enough. The strategy this time is surprisingly simple. Ask for help. Write everything down. Notice when overwhelm is coming and say it out loud before the “quick quit” takes over.

There is also a side quest into what Megan calls “popcorn brain.” That frantic, buzzy feeling that happens when too much short form content and phone time starts taking over your attention. In the middle of preparing for the move, Megan deletes the puzzle games that were quietly eating hours of her day. It turns out that removing one tiny distraction can give an ADHD brain a surprising amount of breathing room.

The whole episode feels like sitting on the couch with two sisters while life is actively happening around them. No polished lesson. Just the real time realization that sometimes growth looks like trusting yourself a little more than you used to.

Favorite line from the episode: “I trust myself that it will get done.”

Timestamp highlights:

00:00 welcome and why this is a different kind of episode

02:00 the military move and temporary lodging chaos

04:30 why movers can be stressful and unpredictable

07:30 Michelle notices something different about this move

09:00 the role confidence and the podcast have played in Megan’s mindset

11:30 whiteboards, lists, and organizing the chaos

13:30 the “quick quit” moment and catching overwhelm early

16:30 realizing how much physical progress Megan has made

19:00 prioritizing tasks and trusting the process

20:30 deleting the puzzle apps and getting time back

22:00 popcorn brain and short form content overload

27:00 analog crafting and why cross stitch helps regulate attention

Spicy Brain moment

When Megan realizes she has been through an entire move preparation without a single “quick quit” meltdown and both sisters pause for a second like… wait… is this what growth feels like?

If you are in the middle of your own chaotic season right now, this episode is basically permission to show up imperfectly and keep going anyway. Life is life-ing. ADHD brains are doing their best. And sometimes the biggest win is simply trusting that you will figure it out as you go. If this felt like a cozy little check in, we are really glad you were here with us. Follow or subscribe wherever you listen so you can keep hanging out with us each week. And if the show has helped you feel a little less alone, leaving a review helps other neurospicy humans find their way here too. Stay curious, joyful, radically accepting. High kick.

ADHD move, neurodivergent moving, ADHD executive function, military move stress, ADHD overwhelm, popcorn brain, phone addiction and ADHD, neurospicy podcast, Spicy Brain Podcast, ADHD self trust, ADHD organization strategies

This episode starts in that place a lot of parents know too well. You want peace. You are tired. Your brain starts writing the worst possible future for your kid, and suddenly you are spiraling all the way to “homeless and shooting heroin into his eyeballs.” It is funny because it is so uncomfortably real. That moment when fear turns into judgment, and judgment turns into control, and then you are mad at yourself because you promised you were going to be the calm, positive parent.

Michelle and Megan keep working through The Essential Guide to Raising Complex Kids by Elaine Taylor-Klaus, and this time the big idea is a coaching approach to parenting. Not controlling your kid, but teaching them how to take control of themselves, step by step, in a way that actually fits a complex brain. There is this underlying theme that people are not broken. They are creative, resourceful, and whole. And that sounds lovely until you remember you are also a person, and your own fear and old patterns are sitting in the front seat with you.

Megan and Michelle brings in their coaching training and reframes what coaching really is. It is not having the perfect advice. It is listening, asking the questions that help the noise quiet down, and letting the other person find what they already know inside themselves. Which is the part that gets tricky with parenting because you spend years being the expert, and then one day your kid is asking for independence while also begging you to tell them exactly what to do.

Michelle shares a moment that honestly felt like the whole episode in one tiny text message. She was frustrated, worried, and ready to send a very different kind of message. Instead she rewrote it four times and chose relationship over control. She checked in, offered support, and gently named what needed to happen next. That is what growth looks like sometimes. Not a perfect parent. Just a parent doing the internal work and trying again, even when it is messy.

They also talk about the “four phases” idea in the book and why it can feel like you are going backwards when your teen needs more structure again. Megan pushes back on the whole linear model and lands on something more human. If something is brand new, you might need an introductory phase again, even as an adult. That does not mean failure. That means learning. And for neurodivergent brains, new things can be thrilling and brutal at the same time, especially when you are not instantly good at them.

Favorite line from the episode: “He will end up homeless and shooting heroin into his eyeballs.”

00:00 welcome and why we are still in this chapter

01:40 losing hope and the fear spiral parents do

03:30 “complex kids are complicated” and why that is both true and annoying

06:30 the coaching approach and Megan’s coach training reveal

08:00 people are creative, resourceful, and whole

12:30 ownership of the agenda and why fear-based parenting fails

16:30 curveballs, routines, and why everything falls apart after schedule changes

23:30 Michelle’s rewritten text and choosing relationship

30:00 the four phases of parenting and why “going back” is not failing

37:00 Meisner listening and responding in real time

42:00 new things need an introductory phase, even for adults

If you are parenting a complex kid and you are exhausted, I hope this episode felt like a hand on your shoulder. Not in a fake inspirational way. In a real way where we can admit that fear shows up, we rewrite the text, we breathe, and we try again. And if you are parenting your inner child through all of this, you are not behind. You are learning. Come hang out with us for the next one, because it is going to be a little ABO episode during moving chaos, and honestly that might be exactly what your brain needs. Stay curious, joyful, radically accepting. High kick.

parenting complex kids, neurodivergent...

This week we kept sitting in Chapter 3 of The Essential Guide to Raising Complex Kids and somehow ended up talking about adulting, perfectionism, boundaries, and why confidence feels like something you have to build brick by brick. It started with a Maya Angelou quote about success being liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it. And honestly, that one hits different when you are parenting a complex kid or trying to reparent yourself with an ADHD brain.

Megan shared the story of her “I Love Me” book, which began during a really hard season when she realized she did not even like herself. What started as a way to survive slowly became something softer. Over time it turned into proof that joy could exist without perfection. And then, ten years later, she added a page just because it made her happy. No fixing. No compensating. Just joy. Which is funny because sometimes the most radical thing you can do as a neurodivergent human is glue down a slightly crooked photo and let it be crooked.

Then the conversation shifted to being a specialist in a generalist world. What happens when your ADHD brain does not write in five paragraph essays and the world insists that it should. What happens when you are the generalist inside a family of specialists. Michelle talked about her “Aunt Mimi brain,” loving structure, loving preparation, and realizing that organization for her is not perfectionism. It is ease. That is the thing. Our struggles are not always the same as our kids’ struggles. And sometimes the growth is simply saying out loud, this is what I need.

We circled back to parenting and that sneaky habit of tying your sense of self to your child’s hardest day. Oof. The reminder here was that confidence is a muscle. You practice it when you choose not to jump in and fix everything. You practice it when you ask for help. You practice it when you ask your partner to gush about the fact that you did nothing, because doing nothing was actually the hardest thing.

Favorite line from the episode: “I need you to gush.”

00:00 welcome and what we are unpacking in Chapter 3

03:30 redefining success and the Maya Angelou quote

05:30 the origin of the I Love Me book

11:00 green tasks and pure joy

14:30 big life changes and saying no to the old job

20:30 specialists living in a generalist world

23:30 Aunt Mimi brain and boundaries

46:30 getting curious instead of nagging

52:00 parenting perfectionism and worst day thinking

58:30 boundaries, help, and building confidence

If you are in a season where you are second guessing yourself as a parent, or just trying to figure out how to like yourself a little more, I hope this one felt like sitting on the couch with us. We are all building this confidence muscle in real time. If this episode meant something to you, come hang out again next week. Share it with someone who needs to hear that they are not alone in this neurospicy life. Stay curious, joyful, radically accepting. High kick.

ADHD, neurodivergent parenting, complex kids, confidence building, parenting perfectionism, radical acceptance, boundaries, self parenting, adulting, Elaine Taylor-Klaus, The Essential Guide to Raising Complex Kids

This week’s episode dives deep into what it really means to support neurodivergent minds. Whether you're parenting a complex kid, managing your own ADHD, or trying to break the cycle of “fixing it” for everyone else, this one is for you.

Michelle and Megan reflect on Chapter 3 of The Essential Guide to Raising Complex Kids by Elaine Taylor-Klaus and tackle the emotional reality of the moment when you’ve “tried everything and nothing seems to work.”

Megan shares the surprising emotional growth that came from finally cleaning out her garage. (Yes, the whole thing!) with the support of a neighbor. From “deferred decisions” to letting go of past selves, she walks us through the mindset shift that made it possible. Michelle brings the parenting perspective, offering insights from conversations with Josh and the complexity of offering support without over-controlling.

Together, they explore what it means to parent ourselves, our children, and our relationships through big transitions with grace, curiosity, and a little spicy humor.

Favorite line from the episode:

“I had to build this muscle little piece by piece… which is why sometimes I get hard on Elaine Taylor-Klaus, because nothing she says is simple. But it is worth it.”

00:00 welcome and the pressure to do “the right” kind of parenting

05:00 defining success and dealing with feelings of failure

10:30 Megan’s garage cleanup breakthrough (and how it really wasn’t about the garage)

15:00 honoring relationships over tasks

23:00 relationship fatigue and letting go of control

35:00 your child is not your resume

42:00 redefining “adulting” and giving yourself time

49:00 trusting the long-term “stock market” of parenting

56:00 the importance of curiosity and repair in relationship-building

If you’ve ever felt stuck in the chaos of parenting a complex kid, or parenting yourself through the mess, this is your sign to pause, breathe, and trust the process. We’re so glad you’re here with us. Make sure to follow or subscribe on your favorite podcast app, and if you’re enjoying the show, leave us a review or rating. Doing that really helps other neurospicy folks find their way here too. And hey, what’s your version of the garage you’ve been avoiding? Share it with us on Instagram or leave a comment. Until then, stay curious, joyful, and radically accepting. 🎧💖

ADHD, complex kids, parenting, executive function, burnout, emotional regulation, relationships, radical acceptance, garage metaphor, sensory overload, letting go, adulting, redefining success, shoulds, transitions

From a messy start in temporary lodging to a full-blown neurospicy podcast, Michelle and Megan are celebrating 100 episodes of The Spicy Brain Podcast. What began as a casual sisterly experiment has evolved into two years of laughter, learning, and radically honest conversations about ADHD, emotions, burnout, masking, relationships, parenting, and healing.

In this milestone episode, they reflect on how far they’ve come both personally and professionally. Michelle talks about releasing the need to “have all the answers,” and Megan shares the unexpected confidence she's gained in learning how to embrace her ADHD identity. They revisit key concepts like executive functioning (aka "The Butler"), internal shame spirals ("The Drill Sergeant"), Pomodoro sessions ("Tomatoes"), and good old-fashioned sibling bickering over puzzles. It’s a heartfelt look back filled with listener shout-outs, behind-the-scenes memories, and a whole lot of gratitude.

This episode is both a love letter and a permission slip—for you to be exactly who you are, wherever you are in your neurodivergent journey.

Favorite line from the episode: “I am the adult I’m supposed to be.”

00:00 – Kicking off episode 100: reflections and ramblings

02:15 – Why we started this podcast and how it’s evolved

06:10 – ADHD and the emotional layers we didn’t expect

10:55 – The Great Puzzle Showdown (Michelle’s Nightmare Puzzle)

16:40 – Megan on releasing shame and gaining confidence

18:50 – Listener shout-outs and community gratitude

22:20 – Defining our Spicy Brain glossary: Butler, Drill Sergeant, Flap, Tomatoes

34:30 – Strategies we’ve loved: balance, breaks, and reframing

38:50 – Radical Acceptance… High Kick!

44:00 – What belief did we lose after 100 episodes?

47:00 – Curiosity over perfection—what parenting and podcasting taught us

54:15 – The joy of Twitch-mom-ing and finding community

58:20 – Looking ahead to the next 100 episodes

ADHD, neurodivergent podcast, radical acceptance, executive function, masking, sibling podcast, emotional regulation, ADHD strategies, humor and ADHD, women with ADHD, self-acceptance, parenting neurodivergent kids, Twitch and ADHD, burnout recovery, shame, podcast reflections, ADHD support, mental health, puzzle metaphor

Thank you for being part of this wild, wonderful ride with us. If The Spicy Brain Podcast has helped you feel seen, laughed a little louder, or shed a should or two—please follow or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform, and leave us a review! It really helps more neurospicy folks find our little corner of the internet. And if you're new here, welcome! You've got 99 other episodes waiting to be discovered.

Until next time, here’s to curiosity, joy, and a whole lot of radical acceptance… high kick!