Welcome to my Blog

Thank you for stopping by. This space is where I share research, reflections, and practical tools drawn from my experience as a marriage and family therapist.

Are you a couple looking for clarity? A professional curious about the science of relationships? Or simply someone interested in how love and resilience work? I’m glad you’ve found your way here. I can help with that.

Each post is written with one goal in mind: to help you better understand yourself, your partner, and the hidden dynamics that shape human connection.

Grab a coffee (or a notebook), explore what speaks to you, and take what’s useful back into your life and relationships. And if a post sparks a question, or makes you realize you could use more support, I’d love to hear from you.

Be Well, Stay Kind, and Godspeed.
~Daniel

P.S.

Feel free to explore the categories below to find past blog posts on the topics that matter most to you. If you’re curious about attachment, navigating conflict, or strengthening intimacy, these archives are a great way to dive deeper into the research and insights that I’ve been sharing for years.

 

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Gender Expansive Behavior and ADHD: A Neurodevelopmental Perspective

The intersection of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and gender-expansive behavior has garnered increasing attention in clinical and academic research.

ADHD, a neurodevelopmental disorder marked by impulsivity, executive dysfunction, and emotional dysregulation, appears to have a notable correlation with gender variance, including gender nonconformity, nonbinary identities, and gender fluidity.

This paper explores the research linking ADHD to gender identity development, highlighting neuropsychological, social, and emotional factors that contribute to this phenomenon.

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Stimulant medications lower depression risk in children with ADHD

A meta-analysis of studies on children and adolescents with ADHD found that they are at an increased risk of depression and anxiety disorders.

However, taking stimulant medication for ADHD was associated with a reduced risk of depression.

The paper was published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects attention, impulsivity, and activity levels.

Kids with ADHD tend to struggle with staying focused, following instructions, or controlling impulses. It is commonly diagnosed in childhood (usually at the start of school) but can continue into well into adulthood.

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What is an HSP? The Highly Sensitive Person and the Neurodiversity Spectrum

We seem to be living in an age in which resilience is championed and emotional toughness is often equated with success.

In such world, high sensitivity can feel like a liability.

But for an estimated 15–20% of the population, sensitivity is not just a temperament—it’s a neurobiological reality (Aron, 1997). These individuals, known as Highly Sensitive Persons (HSPs), experience the world more intensely than their peers, processing sensory input, emotions, and social cues at a much deeper level.

But what exactly makes an HSP different? Is high sensitivity a disorder, an advantage, or simply a variation of normal human neurobiology? And how does this trait intersect with other forms of neurodiversity, such as autism, ADHD, and giftedness?

This post will take a deep, research-backed dive into the world of HSPs, exploring their biological underpinnings, their connection to other forms of neurodivergence, the challenges they face, and the ways they can harness their unique strengths to thrive.

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Neurodivergent Task Management: Overcoming Procrastination, Task Paralysis, and Energy Crashes

For many neurodivergent people, task management isn’t just about “getting things done”—it’s about navigating executive dysfunction, time blindness, rejection-sensitive dysphoria (RSD), and sensory needs in a world that assumes productivity is one-size-fits-all.

The struggle isn’t laziness or lack of discipline—it’s a mismatch between traditional productivity systems and how neurodivergent brains actually work.

ADHD brains might crave dopamine-driven motivation but get stuck in task paralysis. Autistic brains might experience black-and-white thinking, making tasks feel either all-consuming or completely inaccessible.

Sensory sensitivities, emotional dysregulation, and decision fatigue further complicate the process.

Instead of forcing neurodivergent minds into neurotypical models, this guide dives deeper into why procrastination happens, how task paralysis forms, and how to create a task system built for neurodivergent cognitive styles—not against them.

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Neurodiversity and Productivity: Rethinking Focus, Motivation, and Getting Things Done

Productivity advice is everywhere—morning routines, deep work strategies, time-blocking hacks—but for neurodivergent minds, these techniques often feel like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.

A brain that struggles with executive function, time blindness, or sensory sensitivities won’t magically start working like a productivity guru’s just because they set up a bullet journal or downloaded a new task manager app.

Neurodivergent productivity isn’t about “working harder” or “pushing through.”

It’s about understanding how different brains process time, focus, and motivation, and designing systems that work with, rather than against, these differences.

In this post, we’ll explore the science of neurodivergent motivation, executive function, sensory-friendly work strategies, and sustainable productivity hacks that actually work.

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Neurodiversity and Emotional Regulation: Why Big Feelings Hit Harder and How to Cope

Ever had an emotion hit so hard it felt like a tidal wave?

Or struggled to put your feelings into words, only to realize what you were feeling hours later? Maybe you’ve been told you “overreact” to small things—or that you seem “too distant” when emotions are expected.

For neurodivergent people, emotional regulation can feel like navigating an unpredictable landscape.

Some emotions arrive too intensely, while others seem delayed, muted, or confusing. This isn’t a lack of effort or self-awareness—it’s the way some brains process emotions.

Whether it’s the emotional intensity of ADHD, the delayed processing of autism, or the deep empathy of highly sensitive people, understanding neurodivergent emotional regulation can make a huge difference in managing stress, relationships, and overall well-being.

In this post, we’ll explore why emotional regulation works differently in neurodivergent brains, common challenges, and strategies for managing emotions in a way that actually helps.

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3 Reasons Why Burnout Feels Different for Neurodivergent People

Burnout isn’t just feeling tired or needing a vacation—it’s hitting a wall so hard that even basic tasks feel impossible. For neurodivergent people, burnout isn’t just about work stress or too many deadlines.

It’s the result of constantly adapting to a world that wasn’t designed for their brains—masking traits to fit in, pushing through sensory overload, or battling executive dysfunction while juggling responsibilities.

Unlike regular exhaustion, neurodivergent burnout can last for weeks, months, or even years, leaving people mentally drained, emotionally detached, and physically exhausted.

The worst part? Most traditional self-care advice—"just rest,” “take a break,” “practice mindfulness”—doesn’t actually help.

In this post, we’ll explore why burnout hits harder for neurodivergent people, how to recognize the signs before a full crash, and what actually helps with recovery.

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Neurodiversity and Parenting: Raising Kids Who Think Differently

Parenting is already a rollercoaster—full of love, joy, and the occasional existential crisis when a toddler demands to know why the sky is blue for the hundredth time. But raising a neurodivergent child? That’s a whole different ride.

Maybe your kid hyperfocuses on dinosaurs for months, memorizing every species and correcting strangers at the museum.

Maybe they struggle with transitions, melting down when it’s time to leave the playground. Maybe their brain is a whirlwind of ideas, but sitting still for more than five minutes feels impossible.

Neurodivergent kids see and interact with the world in their own way, which means traditional parenting advice doesn’t always work.

The good news? With the right tools, support, and mindset, you can create an environment where they thrive—not just survive.

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Neurodiversity and Relationships: Love, Friendship, and Connection in a Different Key

Relationships are complicated enough when two people think alike. But when neurodivergence is part of the mix, things can get even more interesting—sometimes in the best way, sometimes in ways that leave one person wondering, Wait, did I just say something wrong?

Maybe you have a friend who never replies to texts but will send a five-paragraph email about their latest obsession.

Or a partner with ADHD who swears they’ll clean the kitchen but somehow ends up reorganizing the bookshelf instead. Neurodivergent brains experience love, friendship, and connection in ways that don’t always follow the expected script, but that doesn’t make those relationships any less deep, meaningful, or important.

This post explores what happens when different neurotypes try to build relationships together—the challenges, the strengths, and the best ways to foster connection without frustration.

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Cultural Perspectives on Neurodiversity: A Global View

Imagine a world where being neurodivergent isn’t just accepted but celebrated—where an ADHD brain’s creative bursts are revered, autistic communication styles are the norm, and dyslexia is seen as a different way of thinking, not a “reading problem.”

Depending on where you live, that world might already exist—or it might feel like a distant dream.

Neurodiversity isn’t just a biological reality; it’s also deeply shaped by culture.

Some societies embrace neurological differences as valuable, while others still frame them as disorders to be fixed.

In this post, we’ll explore how different cultures perceive and support neurodivergent folks, how these perspectives influence education and employment, and what we can learn from societies that do it well.

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Neurodiversity and Technology: Bridging the Accessibility Gap

Ever tried typing an email while someone blasts music in the background, your phone won’t stop buzzing, and the office lights flicker like a haunted house?

Now imagine that’s your brain, all the time. Welcome to the reality of many neurodivergent individuals, for whom the modern world can feel like an overstimulating, unaccommodating tech labyrinth.

But here’s the twist: technology, when designed thoughtfully, can also be the great equalizer.

The right tools can help neurodivergent individuals thrive—whether it’s speech-to-text software for dyslexic students, noise-canceling apps for autistic professionals, or AI-driven time management tools for those with ADHD. The challenge?

Much of today’s technology is still built for neurotypical brains, leaving a huge accessibility gap.

This post explores the intersection of neurodiversity and technology, highlights existing barriers, and showcases innovations that are making digital spaces more inclusive for all minds.

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The Role of Neurodiversity in Mental Health: A Paradigm Shift

For years, the mental health field has treated neurodivergence like something to “fix.” ADHD?

Medicate it. Autism? Make it blend in. Dyslexia? Remediate it as quickly as possible. But what if we’ve been thinking about this all wrong?

The neurodiversity movement challenges the idea that brain differences are defects. Instead, it argues that conditions like autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and others are variations of human cognition—each with its strengths and challenges (Silberman, 2015).

This shift in perspective has huge implications for mental health: instead of forcing neurodivergent souls to conform, what if we designed mental health support systems that actually work for their unique brains?

This post seeks to explore the complex relationship between neurodiversity and mental health, highlighting both the challenges neurodivergent individuals face and the promising new approaches that embrace, rather than erase, their differences.

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