In this episode of Clinically Awkward, I sit down with Dr. Paige Victorine, a clinical psychologist and co-owner of Novo Psychological Wellness in Arlington, Virginia, to break down Acceptance and Commitment Therapy — what it actually is, why it's spelled ACT and not A-C-T, and why it might be one of the most neurodivergent-friendly therapeutic modalities out there.

We get into the passengers on the bus metaphor, why "acceptance" is one of the most poorly named concepts in mental health, and the difference between radical acceptance and just giving up. We talk about values versus goals, what it actually looks like to connect with your values when you're in survival mode, and why your special interests might be hiding the most important information about who you are.

We also cover defusion, psychological flexibility, and why you do not need a quiet mind to have a peaceful life. We get into the evolutionary reason your brain generates catastrophic thoughts, why ACT doesn't ask you to think positively, and what it looks like to use ACT specifically with neurodivergent clients — including why standard mindfulness training makes both of us unreasonably angry.

We close with the masking conversation I didn't know I needed, the concept of creative hopelessness, and how ACT approaches meaning and purpose in a way that actually works for brains that have spent years failing to meet standards that were never built for them.

Dr. Victorine's practice, Novo Psychological Wellness, offers therapy and adult assessments across PSYpact states. Find them at nouveaupsychology.com and on Psychology Today.

If you're an adult looking for therapy in New York, find me at alyssazimmerman.com.

On this episode of Clinically Awkward, I sit down with Michigan therapist Riann Tennyson to talk about Dungeons & Dragons through a neurodivergent lens — and why so many of us with ADHD and autism are a little too obsessed with playing pretend.

We get into how D&D's mix of structure and chaos scratches a very specific ADHD itch, why character creation is basically a hyperfixation delivery system, how campaigns can become an accidental safe space for processing trauma and exploring identity, and why trying out different outcomes in a fantasy world is actually a pretty legitimate coping skill. We also cover late diagnosis, dice as fidget toys, the gender dynamics of D&D culture, how to get started when you have no friends who play yet, and why your expensive dice collection is not a problem.

Riann Tennyson is a therapist practicing in Monroe, Michigan specializing in neurodivergence and late-diagnosed adults. Find her practice at Make Your Turn.

If you're an adult looking for therapy in New York, find me at alyssazimmerman.com.

On this episode of Clinically Awkward, I sit down with pediatric neuropsychologist Rebecca Fontanetta to talk about criminology through a neurodivergent lens — and why so many of us with ADHD and autism are a little too obsessed with true crime.

We get into Rebecca's tree trunk theory of criminal behavior, why homicidal and suicidal behavior are less separate than most people think, how women offenders are consistently misread, and why neurodivergence in the prison population is far more common than anyone wants to talk about. We also cover autistic traits being misread as guilt, what the media gets wrong about postpartum psychosis, the ethics of true crime consumption, and why law enforcement training desperately needs a neurodivergence chapter.

Rebecca Fontanetta is a pediatric neuropsychologist practicing in New York and Connecticut. Find her at neuropsycholopedia.com and @the_neuropsycholopedia on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

If you're an adult looking for therapy in New York, find me at alyssazimmerman.com.