A profound shift from a lifetime of self blame & shame.

The podcast and the community has provided the single most powerful shift: validation. Hearing others articulate my exact experiences was like finally finding the missing pieces to a lifelong puzzle. It has allowed me to reframe my traits not as personal failings being weird or shameful a feeling rooted in difficult childhood experiences, but as the natural function of a neurodivergent brain. This move from self blame to self understanding is the foundation of my improved mental health. It confirmed that my need for quiet and specific sensory environments and more is okay, that I am okay and I am not alone in those needs.

It's given me connectedness and a feeling of reduced isolation. It’s made me feel like there are people out there just like me, and I’m not alone. This community has broken down the feeling of growing up alone. Of never fitting in. As an adult not having many real life close friends....

It provides a sense of belonging, space where I don't have to mask or over explain. Knowing there are others who are also late discovered and perhaps parenting neurodivergent children creates an immediate, effortless connection that is deeply restorative. It's also had a direct Impact on my parenting and my well being.

My insights gained from the community have directly improved my parenting of my son, who has a PDA profile of autism. Because I understand my own sensory and emotional regulation needs better, I can better understand and support his. I've learned how to be a language detective for his communication style (echolalia, scripts) and how to model language from his perspective. This understanding has reduced my frustration and his, leading to a calmer, more connected relationship. I am more confident in supporting him through his challenges, such as his anxiety when playing with his best friend or navigating questions about his father, because I am now operating from a place of self knowledge and community support, not confusion and deficit.

In summary, the community's impact has been a profound shift from a lifetime of self blame, shame and confusion to one of self validation and celebration.