Shows
This Might Get MessySee, we all the same! - Unity in Diversity: The Universal Desires of HumanityIn a world that often highlights our differences, this episode delves into the core desires and needs that unite us all. Inspired by a simple yet profound observation, we explore how, despite our varied experiences and backgrounds, we all seek to be seen, heard, and understood. Join us as we uncover the shared human story beneath the surface, reminding us that at our core, we are all the same. Tune in to discover the common threads that bind us together in our quest for connection, belonging, and forgiveness.Chapters00:00 The Common Thread of Humanity2025-07-2914 min
Neurodivergent Report25: Creative Jack of All Trades Behind AuRTistic Expressions: Interview w/ Leigh Ann Marlar (GAL)What started as a simple podcast swap turned into a beautiful new friendship!This interview episode of The Neurodivergent Report is basically just three creatives hanging out! Featuring Gen X artist and peer burnout coach Leigh Ann Marlar, aka Gal, with hosts Sarah Russell (Millennial, aka Say-Rah!) and JQ Walker (Gen Z, aka QG Patooj 💜).Curious what’s inside:A breakdown of the difference between empathy and compassionDiscussion on how ADHD meds might hit different for autistic womenThe vision for a neurodivergent union (we’re manifesting it ✨)2025-07-2547 min
This Might Get MessyEmbracing Neurodivergence: Personal Journeys and InsightsWelcome to an eye-opening episode where we journey into the diverse world of Neurodivergence, spotlighting personal experiences and stories that inspire. In this episode, we sit down with Eva Wiebe to share their unique paths navigating life with ADHD, autism, and other neurodivergent conditions.Discover the challenges they face, from societal misconceptions to personal hurdles, and how they transform these into opportunities for growth and self-discovery. Eva opens up about their journeys towards understanding and embracing their identities, offering insights into the daily realities and triumphs of living as a neurodivergent individual.We delve into...2025-07-221h 20
This Might Get MessyBREAKING: Princeton Study JUST Dropped 4 Autism Subtypes - Here's What You Need to KnowNew Princeton Study Reveals 4 Distinct Autism SubtypesA revolutionary study from Princeton University has identified four biological subtypes of autism using data from over 5,000 children. This research could change how we understand, diagnose, and support autistic people.I spent a few days breaking down this complex study to understand what it really means. The findings are fascinating: genetic programs become active at different times during development, which corresponds to when autism symptoms appear clinically.The 4 subtypes:Social & Behavioral Challenges (37%)Mixed ASD with Developmental Delay (19%)Moderate Challenges (34%)Broadly Affected (10%)This isn't about "...2025-07-1522 min
This Might Get MessyWhat If They're Wrong About You?How exhausted are you from trying to be someone else?In this episode, Leigh Marlar explores why our culture's obsession with self-improvement is harmful and how shifting from "What's wrong with me?" to "What if nothing is wrong with me?" can transform your life.Topics covered:The exhaustion of trying to fit into the wrong moldEscaping toxic workplace environmentsBreaking free from generational trauma patternsThe difference between healing and "fixing" yourselfWhy sensitivity and differences might be strengthsPractical ways to ask better questionsPerfect for anyone who's felt different, struggled in systems designed for others...2025-07-0121 minThis Might Get MessyWhat Autistic Burnout Really Looks Like (And Why It's Different From Regular Burnout) Finally settled in the new house and ready to talk about something crucial - autistic burnout. This isn't your typical workplace burnout, and a weekend vacation won't fix it. I break down the real differences, share personal examples of sensory overwhelm, and explain why masking is so exhausting. If you've ever wondered why everyday tasks feel overwhelming while others seem fine, this episode is for you. My book "What If They're Wrong About You" launches July 1st! 📚 - https://a.co/d/3tvKSzQBe on the podcast? Fill out the form and let's chat! - https...2025-06-2425 minThis Might Get MessyMessy, Brilliant, and Neurodivergent: Breaking Barriers, Building CommunityThree women. One messy, validating, and deeply hilarious conversation. Gal is joined by the hosts of the Neurodivergent Report podcast—Hind (medical graduate & future psychiatrist), JQ (writer, researcher, voice actor), and Sarah (ADHD coach & mom)—to explore neurodivergence, late diagnosis, workplace trauma, lived experience, and the radical magic of being truly seen.This one’s for the misfits, the masked, and the magnificent.🧠 Topics We Cover:ADHD and autism in women and girlsLate diagnosis and imposter syndromeCultural stigma and medical gaslightingFriendship as medicineResearch, rage, and real talkDrop...2025-06-171h 03This Might Get MessyShowing Up, Even When It's Just For YourselfAn impromptu episode recorded during the chaos of moving week. Bud and I share an unfiltered conversation about handling stress, life transitions, and finding humor in the mess. No agenda, no heavy editing - just authentic talk between friends navigating the beautifully imperfect reality of major life changes. Sometimes you just gotta show up as you are, because showing up is really all that matters.Join me on the podcast for a chat?https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScMUppJ0hHK4zNpRBuT5KXZUvLUOJGuy2GEC6kzEp1HyC4O2w/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=104076735903086824388C...2025-06-1018 min
Weird Darkness: Paranormal & True Crime StoriesTHE LONG HAUL TO HELL: Real Truck Stop Horror Stories | Paranormal and True CrimeAlone on dark highways and forgotten truck stops, drivers encounter chilling figures, vanishing women, and inhuman eyes staring back from the night—reminding us that not everything out there is flesh and blood.Join the DARKNESS SYNDICATE: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicateABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On...2025-06-041h 59This Might Get MessyWhen Dreams Die (And What Lives On)There's a particular kind of grief that comes not from what happened, but from what won't. The future you planned. The dream you nursed. The version of your life that once felt inevitable.In this deeply personal episode, I share the story of leaving Georgia and walking away from what looked like the "perfect life"—and learning to grieve a future that will never exist. This isn't about failure; it's about the courage to listen when your nervous system is telling you something isn't sustainable.Drawing from Søren Kierkegaard's insight that "the most painful sta...2025-05-2719 min
This Might Get MessyTone It Down, HeiferTwo people share identical advice online. One inspires you. The other makes you rage-quit Instagram. What's happening here? In "Tone It Down," I unpack our visceral reactions to different communication styles, especially in the personal development space. Through the lens of projection theory (and its limits), I examine why certain tones trigger us, when it's actually about us versus them, and what happens when you realize you might sound exactly like the person who annoys you most. This episode includes practical strategies for self-reflection, a reality check on the "brutal honesty" tr...2025-05-2019 min
This Might Get MessyStatistically Screwed: The ND & Disabled RealityThis episode takes a sharp look at the real stats behind the neurodivergent and disabled experience—burnout, bias, suicide, and the failure of systems that say they care.We’re not looking for pity. We’re asking for people to actually pay attention.📖 Full blog & transcript: https://aurtisticexpressions.com/blog/statistically-screwed-the-nd-amp-disabled-reality 🛒 Support the work: aurtisticexpressions.com/shopEmail: gal@aurtisticexpressions.com2025-05-1325 min
This Might Get Messy"Why me?" Is the Wrong QuestionWe've all been there. 3 AM. Wide awake. Asking "why me?" on repeat. But what if that question is actually keeping you stuck?In this raw and research-backed episode, we dive into:Why your brain gets addicted to "why me?" (and the neuroscience behind it)How victimhood can transform into identity—and even aggressionThe better questions that lead to post-traumatic growthA personal story about workplace bullying and the victim-to-bully pipelineThis is for anyone who's tired of living in the question but doesn't want to minimize their pain. Because you can honor what happened without being de...2025-05-0615 minThis Might Get MessyAuRTistic Expressions Website Launch!🎉 Welcome to the official *AuRTistic Expressions* website launch episode! 🎉 Today, I'm walking you through everything you can find on our brand-new site — from free resources and creative challenges to full courses, coaching opportunities, and a growing community built for neurodivergent creators and allies.Whether you're here to heal, to make messy art, or to find your people, AuRTistic Expressions is your space to do it.💥 **Special Announcement: We're looking for 10–15 Ambassadors!** 💥 If you love what we're building and want to be part of it from the ground floor, I’m offering ONE YEAR of free members...2025-04-2923 minThis Might Get MessyEveryone Serves A Purpose - Remembering KimThis episode explores the profound impact of someone society might overlook. Kim, who lived with severe mental disabilities, lived a life of pure love and joy, and she shaped my understanding of human worth.When policymakers and society measure value by productivity or economic contribution, we miss the deeper truth: every person serves a purpose transcending conventional metrics. Kim's life—filled with simple pleasures like church, dogs, and peanut butter sundaes—created ripples of compassion and understanding that continue even after her passing in 2022.This deeply personal narrative challenges you to recognize that human worth isn't defined by a...2025-04-2515 min
This Might Get MessyPlaygrounds to Paychecks - Bullies Don't Age Out⚠️ Content warning: Discussion of workplace trauma, bullying, and mental health They said bullying would end at graduation. They lied. In this fierce episode of This Might Get Messy, Gal gets uncomfortably real about her two-year journey through workplace hell—and why adult bullies are just schoolyard tormentors with fancier titles and HR departments that protect them. From being the fat kid watching classmates bounce out of lunch table seats to navigating a workplace where toxic leadership thrives on "plausible deniability," Gal breaks down: -Why neurodivergent professionals become prime targets for professiona...2025-04-2233 min
Weird Darkness: Paranormal & True Crime Stories“THE DANGER OF DEALING WITH CHARLIE CHARLIE” #WeirdDarknessRadio WEEK OF APRIL 20, 2025HOUR ONE: Just because the Ouija board is made by a board game manufacturer does not mean it should be treated like a toy – as many have discovered. *** The similar game, Charlie Charlie seems more innocent – but is so dangerous that in one school where children were playing it, they had to call in an exorcist. *** And you never know when playing any of these types of games what kind of spirit you might be inviting into our realm – but I can tell you this…. It’s never good. They might pretend to be good, but that’s far from the truth. A...2025-04-212h 42
This Might Get MessyThe Power of Defining Personal Core ValuesDiscover who you are at your core through the transformative process of defining your personal values. Join me as I share my journey of uncovering the principles that truly matter—beyond the masks we wear and the expectations we face. Whether you're navigating a late autism diagnosis like me or simply seeking greater clarity in life's decisions, this podcast offers a practical framework for creating your personal North Star. Learn how to identify, organize, and articulate the values that will guide your choices, align your actions with your deepest truths, and ultimately lead to a more intentional, fulfilling life. It...2025-04-1824 min
This Might Get MessyPanic Isn’t Weakness- Science-Backed Tools That Actually WorkIn this raw and grounded episode, I share science-backed tools for managing panic that actually work—not vague advice, but practical techniques developed through neuroscience, trauma therapy, and clinical practice.When panic strikes—that tight-chested, overstimulated spiral—your body isn't broken. It's responding to perceived danger. This episode breaks down what's really happening in your nervous system during panic moments and offers immediate relief strategies that interrupt the pattern.Learn five powerful in-the-moment tools including the physiological sigh, grounding techniques, and cold exposure methods that reset your nervous system when you're in crisis. Plus, discover six long-term strate...2025-04-1518 min
This Might Get MessyWords Are HardWords are hard—and not just because we forget them sometimes.In this deeply personal episode, I open up about what it’s like to live with dyspraxia, executive dysfunction, and the silent, invisible struggle of speech that most people don’t see. This isn’t about shyness or stage fright. This is about the neurological lag between what I know and what I can say—and how exhausting, frustrating, and isolating that can be.I share what speech difficulty actually feels like, how social media warps our idea of “good communication,” and why I believe...2025-04-1133 min
This Might Get Messy56:20 You'll Never Get Back (ft Bud!)-Uncut, Awkward, and REALIt starts out slow, but hang in there. I guarantee at least one chuckle, or your money back. Sorry, time is nonrefundable. Join me and my husband, David (Bud? Ser Davon? Bueller?) while we....just be us. There are weird words, dog hacks (literally hacking), relationship advice (seriously, the little things matter), story time, one lie, and a lot of laughs (for us).Also featuring:🌍 Technical Glitches🖥️📣💬Bud's computer notifications🚀 Word processing lag👽 Why you should support 'AuRTistic Expressions' and the disabled community in general💌 How we keep choosing each other, even when we’re not spea...2025-04-0756 minThis Might Get MessyBattle of the Brains – Consistency, Curiosity, ADHD, and the Chaos of Starting SomethingIf your brain feels like a pinball machine every time you try to start something—this one’s for you.In this episode, we’re talking about what it’s really like to build a creative project, business, or life path when your mind is a beautiful swirl of curiosity, ADHD, burnout, brilliance, and chaos. We’ll explore the myth of consistency, the guilt of unfinished ideas, and the power of listening to your gut even when it doesn’t make logical sense.I’ll share my own behind-the-scenes story about scrapping the episode I planned and fo...2025-04-0318 minThis Might Get MessyThings I Wished I Could Say Out Loud (But Will Now)In this episode, I’m talking about the truths I’ve carried for years—the ones I’ve swallowed to keep the peace.Being “the smart one” and how that stole my supportBeing kind—and mistaken for manipulativeHigh performance & burnout cultureThe heartbreak of caring about fairnessBelieving people… and being let downLiteral thinking & the gaslighting of nuanceAnd why finally saying it out loud mattersIf you’ve ever been called too much, too sensitive, too intense, too soft, or just too honest—this on...2025-04-0219 minThis Might Get MessyAutistic, Artistic, and Unapologetically WeirdIn this very first episode, I get real about who I am, why this podcast exists, and how nearly losing myself helped me finally find the truth. We’re talking late-diagnosed autism, ADHD, masking, art as survival, and what it means to be a little too loud, too weird, too emotional—and done apologizing for it.If you’ve ever felt like you don’t fit the mold (or want to smash the mold entirely), this one’s for you.Learning curve, grace, and all that jazz on this one, y'all? Audio is MUCH better after this...2025-04-0119 min
AllegedlyDon't Look in the TruckA wild journey from an injury to a very delicate area, to selling drugs, to what was supposed to be a legitimate tow truck job. Only it turns out... tow trucks are great for selling drugs. Allegedly is a production of Voyage Media. The series is produced by Nat Mundel, Robert Mitas, and Dan Benamor, in association with Darren Marlar’s Weird Darkness. This episode, “Don’t Look In The Truck” was directed and produced by Dan Benamor. Written by James LaRoche. Edited by Thomas Culeton. Original music by Derlis Gonzalez. Starring Ben Van Diepen, as James, David Pinion a...2022-07-0534 min
#Yesterday#sang=By#Jeanne Meisenzahl“THE FORGOTTEN MURDER OF BONNIE LEIGH SCOTT” and 4 More Strange True Stories! #WeirdDarkness“THE FORGOTTEN MURDER OF BONNIE LEIGH SCOTT” and 4 More Strange True Stories! #WeirdDarknessThe story of Bonnie Leigh Scott is a forgotten Chicago tragedy. Bonnie vanished on September 22, 1956. That evening, around 6:30 p.m., she left the home where she lived in Addison, Illinois, and told her grandmother that she was going out to look for a blouse. Bonnie lived with her aunt and uncle, Mrs. Robert Schwolow; their daughter, Sue, 15; and Bonnie's maternal grandmother, Mrs. Doris Hitchins. Her parents were separated and in the midst of a divorce. Bonnie was an ordinary girl, a sophomore at York Community High Scho...2018-11-0758 min