Neurodivergent Strategies for Late-Diagnosed Adults: Find Your Divergent Path

What does secure attachment actually look like in real life?For many late-diagnosed neurodivergent adults, the idea of a “secure relationship” can feel almost mythical. If you grew up masking, overthinking every interaction, or bracing for rejection, emotional safety may not have been something your nervous system learned early on.In this episode of Divergent Paths, Dr. Regina, Ph.D. and Russ explore what secure attachment really means and why it’s not about having perfect communication or conflict-free relationships. Instead, secure attachment is something you can build over time as your nervous system learns that connection can survive misunderstandings, difficult conversations, and moments when things go a little wrong.Dr. Regina walks through five practical steps that help move relationships toward greater emotional safety:• Recognizing your attachment patterns • Learning to regulate your nervous system before reacting • Naming your needs without apology • Practicing repair after conflict or misunderstanding • Choosing relationships that support security and mutual respectIf you’ve ever wondered whether secure attachment is possible for you—or how to move toward relationships that feel calmer, safer, and more supportive—this episode offers a compassionate roadmap.Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights!Book a Clarity Call with ReginaAbout Dr. Regina McMenomy, PhDRegina is a neurodivergent coach and educator who helps late-diagnosed adults unmask, heal from burnout, and build lives aligned with how their brains work. She founded Divergent Paths Consulting to provide the type of coaching and support that late-diagnosed nerdy neurodivergent folks in educational leadership and tech fields need when they receive their late diagnoses.

Many people think perfectionism is about ambition or high standards. But for people with anxious attachment, perfectionism can be something else entirely: a strategy for protecting connection.In this episode of Divergent Paths, Dr. Regina McMenomy, Ph.D., explores the powerful link between anxious attachment and perfectionism, especially for late-diagnosed neurodivergent adults. When your nervous system is constantly scanning for signs of disconnection, getting everything “right” can start to feel like the safest way to keep relationships stable.Dr. Regina shares personal stories about how anxious attachment can show up as over-performing, self-monitoring, and trying to prevent conflict before it happens. She also explores how ADHD, rejection-sensitive dysphoria (RSD), and years of masking can intensify this pattern.If you’ve ever felt pressure to manage everyone else’s emotions, apologize first, or get things exactly right in order to feel secure in a relationship, this conversation will help you understand why.Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights!Book a Clarity Call with ReginaAbout Dr. Regina McMenomy, PhDRegina is a neurodivergent coach and educator who helps late-diagnosed adults unmask, heal from burnout, and build lives aligned with how their brains work. She founded Divergent Paths Consulting to provide the type of coaching and support that late-diagnosed nerdy neurodivergent folks in educational leadership and tech fields need when they receive their late diagnoses.

Do you crave connection but panic when you feel vulnerable?In this episode of Divergent Paths, Dr. Regina McMenomy, Ph.D., and Russ unpack fearful avoidant attachment (also called disorganized attachment) through the lens of late-diagnosed neurodivergence. If your inner world feels like a constant push-pull between “Don’t leave me” and “Don’t get too close,” this conversation will feel familiar.Fearful avoidant attachment combines the fear of abandonment seen in anxious attachment with the fear of intimacy common in avoidant attachment. For neurodivergent adults, especially those diagnosed later in life, this pattern can intensify due to chronic misattunement, masking, rejection sensitivity, and years of being corrected instead of understood.In this episode, we explore:How fearful avoidant attachment shows up in ADHD and autistic adultsWhy hypervigilance, hyperindependence, and masking amplify attachment anxietyThe connection between rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) and attachment patternsWhy stability can feel suspicious when inconsistency was your normHow impulsivity and nervous system activation drive relationship decisionsWhat it actually looks like to move toward secure attachmentDr. Regina shares a vulnerable, real-life example of how past relational trauma can hijack present-day decisions and how repair and regulation create real safety.If you’re a neurodivergent adult trying to untangle relationship patterns in real time, this episode offers both clarity and compassion. Your attachment style isn’t a character flaw. It’s information. And your nervous system can learn new patterns of safety.Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights!Book a Clarity Call with ReginaAbout Dr. Regina McMenomy, PhDRegina is a neurodivergent coach and educator who helps late-diagnosed adults unmask, heal from burnout, and build lives aligned with how their brains work. She founded Divergent Paths Consulting to provide the type of coaching and support that late-diagnosed nerdy neurodivergent folks in educational leadership and tech fields need when they receive their late diagnoses.

Many late-diagnosed neurodivergent adults carry a quiet, persistent fear: What if I’m too much? In this episode of Divergent Paths, Dr. Regina PhD explores why that fear shows up so strongly for folks with ADHD in their relationships. Emotional intensity, rejection sensitivity, and years of masking can create a painful pattern of overthinking, apologizing, and shrinking after moments of intense expression. Instead of rehashing social scripts, this episode zooms out to examine the nervous system roots of the “too much” story and why it’s often less about personality and more about protection. You’ll learn: How rejection sensitivity amplifies everyday social ambiguity Why masking trains you to self-edit in real time The link between attachment anxiety and post-conversation shame Practical ways to regulate before you repair If you’ve ever wished you could take up less space, this episode offers a different way to understand what’s happening and how to stay true to yourself without shrinking. Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights! Book a Clarity Call with Regina About Dr. Regina McMenomy, PhD Regina is a neurodivergent coach and educator who helps late-diagnosed adults unmask, heal from burnout, and build lives aligned with how their brains work. She founded Divergent Paths Consulting to provide the type of coaching and support that late-diagnosed nerdy neurodivergent folks in educational leadership and tech fields need when they receive their late diagnoses.

Have you ever sent someone a meme, a song, or a random TikTok… and then immediately spiraled when they didn’t respond?If you’re neurodivergent, those tiny “this made me think of you” moments aren’t random. They’re emotional bids for connection.In this episode of Divergent Paths, Dr. Regina McMenomy, Ph.D. explores why ADHD brains are wired for micro-connections and why something as small as an unread message can activate rejection sensitivity, anxious attachment, or demand avoidance.You’ll learn:Why associative thinking makes memes feel meaningfulHow ADHD object permanence impacts relationshipsThe difference between healthy micro-connection and hidden reassurance-seekingWhat happens when your “pebbling style” doesn’t match someone else’sHow anxious attachment and RSD can escalate tiny moments into big spiralsWe also talk about how entire friendships can grow from small, consistent bids for connection and why this style of relating isn’t childish, clingy, or too much.If sending a meme feels easier than saying “I miss you,” this episode will help you understand what your nervous system is really doing and how to make your bids for connection land in a healthy way.Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights!Book a Clarity Call with ReginaAbout Dr. Regina McMenomy, PhDRegina is a neurodivergent coach and educator who helps late-diagnosed adults unmask, heal from burnout, and build lives aligned with how their brains work. She founded Divergent Paths Consulting to provide the type of coaching and support that late-diagnosed nerdy neurodivergent folks in educational leadership and tech fields need when they receive their late diagnoses.

Ever been in a relationship that feels intense because one of you pulls away and the other feels compelled to move closer? Same, boo, same. In this episode of Divergent Paths, Dr. Regina McMenomy, Ph.D. breaks down the anxious–avoidant cycle through a neurodivergent lens, explaining why this dynamic can feel especially destabilizing for autistic, ADHD, and late-diagnosed adults.You’ll learn why avoidant withdrawal isn’t a lack of care, why anxious pursuit isn’t “too much,” and how sensory overload, emotional dysregulation, masking fatigue, and rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) can supercharge this cycle. Instead of blaming communication styles, this episode reframes the anxious–avoidant pattern as a nervous-system mismatch and offers compassionate, practical ways to slow the spiral without forcing closeness or silence.If you’ve ever felt panicked by distance, overwhelmed by pursuit, or stuck in a push-pull dynamic you can’t seem to escape, this episode will help you understand what’s happening beneath the behavior and why neither side is broken or unlovable.Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights!Book a Clarity Call with ReginaAbout Dr. Regina McMenomy, PhDRegina is a neurodivergent coach and educator who helps late-diagnosed adults unmask, heal from burnout, and build lives aligned with how their brains work. She founded Divergent Paths Consulting to provide the type of coaching and support to late-diagnosed nerdy neurodivergent folks in educational leadership and tech fields that she needed when she got her late diagnosis.

What if pulling away after connection isn’t so much about emotional unavailability but nervous system protection?In this episode of Divergent Paths, Dr. Regina McMenomy, Ph.D. unpacks avoidant attachment styles through a neurodivergent lens, exploring why closeness can trigger overwhelm instead of comfort for people with ADHD and autism, especially those who were late diagnosed.You’ll learn how avoidant attachment develops as a survival strategy rooted in independence, how masking and delayed emotional processing intensify the need for space, and why neurodivergent adults often experience a “being seen overload” after moments of vulnerability. We also explore how avoidant and anxious attachment styles can unintentionally lock people into a push-pull cycle that leaves both partners dysregulated and misunderstood.This conversation reframes avoidance not as coldness or detachment, but as a learned nervous-system response and offers practical language for naming the need for space without creating rupture. If you’ve ever been labeled “too distant,” “too rigid,” or felt the urge to disappear after emotional closeness, or love someone who feels this way, this episode will help you understand what’s really happening.Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights!Book a Clarity Call with ReginaAbout Dr. Regina McMenomy, PhDRegina is a neurodivergent coach and educator who helps late-diagnosed adults unmask, heal from burnout, and build lives aligned with how their brains work. She founded Divergent Paths Consulting to provide the type of coaching and support to late-diagnosed nerdy neurodivergent folks in educational leadership and tech fields that she needed when she got her late diagnosis.

When you have an anxious attachment style, friendships can feel uniquely destabilizing, especially if you’re neurodivergent. A delayed text, a shift in tone, or a little extra space can send your nervous system into overdrive, even when nothing is actually wrong.In this episode of Divergent Paths, Dr. Regina McMenomy, Ph.D. explores how anxious attachment shows up in neurodivergent friendships, not just romantic relationships. She breaks down why friendships often feel more ambiguous and triggering, how ADHD hyperfocus can turn one person into a primary regulation anchor, and why that dynamic creates so much pressure for you and for the relationship.You’ll learn why anxious attachment isn’t about being “needy,” but about seeking safety and connection with a nervous system shaped by inconsistency. Regina introduces the Power of the Pause, a practical, compassionate framework for interrupting panic-driven reactions before they turn into spiraling texts, shame, or self-blame.If you’re late-diagnosed ADHD or autistic, struggle with anxious attachment in friendships, or constantly worry that people are pulling away, this conversation will help you choose regulation over reassurance and create space for connection to grow.Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights!Book a Clarity Call with ReginaAbout Dr. Regina McMenomy, PhDRegina is a neurodivergent coach and educator who helps late-diagnosed adults unmask, heal from burnout, and build lives aligned with how their brains work. She founded Divergent Paths Consulting to provide the type of coaching and support to late-diagnosed nerdy neurodivergent folks in educational leadership and tech fields that she needed when she got her late diagnosis.

Having an anxious attachment isn’t about being “needy” or insecure. It’s about what happens when a nervous system learns that connection isn’t always predictable or safe.For many late-diagnosed neurodivergent adults, that lesson was reinforced for decades without ever being named. In this episode of Divergent Paths, Dr. Regina McMenomy, Ph.D., unpacks anxious attachment as it shows up in late-diagnosed ADHD and autistic adults.She explores why anxious attachment isn’t a personality flaw, but a nervous system pattern shaped by inconsistency, masking, and years of subtle rejection. You’ll hear how ADHD pattern recognition, rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD), perfectionism, and people-pleasing all feed the cycle and why masking makes anxious attachment feel so much more intense.Most importantly, this episode offers practical, neurodivergent-affirming tools to interrupt the spiral: pausing before panic-texting, grounding through the senses, naming what your nervous system is doing, and learning to ask for space without apologizing for having needs.If you’ve ever thought, “Are they mad at me… or am I spiraling again?” this conversation will help you make sense of why your brain goes there, and how to meet yourself with more safety, clarity, and self-trust.Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights!Book a Clarity Call with ReginaAbout Dr. Regina McMenomy, PhDRegina is a neurodivergent coach and educator who helps late-diagnosed adults unmask, heal from burnout, and build lives aligned with how their brains work. She founded Divergent Paths Consulting to provide the type of coaching and support to late-diagnosed nerdy neurodivergent folks in educational leadership and tech fields that she needed when she got her late diagnosis.

There’s a lot of pressure to “push through,” be resilient, and just do the hard things especially for late-diagnosed neurodivergent adults. But what happens when pushing past your limits quietly starts to damage your nervous system, your relationships, and your mental health?In this episode of the Divergent Paths Podcast, Dr. Regina McMenomy, PhD, unpacks what overcapacity really looks like and why grit is often the wrong answer. Using a very real story about bringing home a puppy, Regina explores the difference between capability and capacity, how nervous system dysregulation shows up when expectations exceed regulation, and why asking for support is often the turning point.This episode is for late-diagnosed ADHD and autistic adults who:Feel capable but constantly overwhelmedPush themselves until they hit meltdown or burnoutStruggle with perfectionism, executive dysfunction, and sensory overloadWere never taught how to work with their nervous systemYou’ll learn why capacity isn’t about what you should be able to do, how overcapacity escalates into shame and dysregulation, and how regulation and community support can restore sustainability without giving up on the things you care about.Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights!Book a Clarity Call with ReginaAbout Dr. Regina McMenomy, PhDRegina is a neurodivergent coach and educator who helps late-diagnosed adults unmask, heal from burnout, and build lives aligned with how their brains work. She founded Divergent Paths Consulting to provide the type of coaching and support to late-diagnosed nerdy neurodivergent folks in educational leadership and tech fields that she needed when she got her late diagnosis.

The holidays demand more—more socializing, more masking, more expectations, more emotional labor. And for neurodivergent people, that pressure often leads to a very specific kind of burnout that doesn’t magically disappear on January 1st.In this episode of Divergent Paths, Dr. Regina McMenomy, Ph.D. explores holiday burnout through a neurodivergent lens, unpacking why the season is so depleting and why traditional “rest over the break” or New Year’s resolution culture completely misses the point.Joined by Russ Catanach, Regina breaks down how extended holiday demands dysregulate the nervous system, why burnout is more than exhaustion, and how years of pushing through family obligations, end-of-year work pressure, and social expectations can culminate in shutdown—often right when we’re “supposed” to feel refreshed.This episode reframes post-holiday recovery as a capacity reset rather than a productivity failure. You’ll hear personal stories, reflections on long-term stress, and why intentional rest—especially after the holidays—is not lazy, indulgent, or avoidant, but necessary for nervous system repair.If you’re heading into the new year feeling depleted instead of motivated, this episode offers permission to opt out of resolutions and start listening to what your body actually needs.Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights!Book a Clarity Call with ReginaAbout Dr. Regina McMenomy, PhDRegina is a neurodivergent coach and educator who helps late-diagnosed adults unmask, heal from burnout, and build lives aligned with how their brains work. She founded Divergent Paths Consulting to provide the type of coaching and support to late-diagnosed nerdy neurodivergent folks in educational leadership and tech fields that she needed when she got her late diagnosis.

Why do so many capable, resilient people struggle to care for themselves?In this solo episode of Divergent Paths, Dr. Regina McMenomy, Ph.D. reframes self-neglect not as a personal failure, but as a learned survival strategy, especially for late-diagnosed neurodivergent adults who spent years masking, adapting, and pushing through. From skipping meals and ignoring pain to treating rest as something that must be earned, self-neglect often looks “functional” on the outside while quietly draining your nervous system.Regina explores why high-capacity, over-functioning people learn to ignore their needs, how burnout and chronic dysregulation sneak in, and why self-forgiveness is so tricky when you judge your past self with present-day knowledge. This episode offers a compassionate reframe: you neglected yourself to survive.You’ll also hear practical ways to begin practicing self-forgiveness, including releasing shame, lowering expectations without self-judgment, and building accommodations that actually support your brain and body.If you’re navigating burnout, late diagnosis, or unlearning lifelong self-abandonment, this episode offers a gentle place to start.Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights!Book a Clarity Call with ReginaAbout Dr. Regina McMenomy, PhDRegina is a neurodivergent coach and educator who helps late-diagnosed adults unmask, heal from burnout, and build lives aligned with how their brains work. She founded Divergent Paths Consulting to provide the type of coaching and support to late-diagnosed nerdy neurodivergent folks in educational leadership and tech fields that she needed when she got her late diagnosis.

Do you replay conversations long after an event ends, analyzing what you said, what you should have said, and how everything might have been perceived? In this episode of Divergent Paths, Dr. Regina McMenomy, Ph.D. unpacks post-event rumination, a common experience for neurodivergent people, especially those with ADHD and autism.Together with co-host Russ Catanach, Regina explains why the brain gets stuck in these mental loops after social or professional interactions—and why rumination isn’t a personal failing, but a nervous-system response shaped by masking, rejection sensitivity, and unmet needs for safety and closure. You’ll learn how rumination differs from reflection, what actually fuels it, and why trying to “just stop thinking about it” rarely works.This conversation offers compassionate, practical strategies to help you interrupt rumination cycles, regulate your nervous system, and release the emotional hangover that often follows meetings, presentations, or social gatherings. If you’ve ever felt exhausted by your own thoughts after an event, this episode will help you understand what’s happening—and how to move forward with more ease.Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights!Book a Clarity Call with ReginaAbout Dr. Regina McMenomy, PhDRegina is a neurodivergent coach and educator who helps late-diagnosed adults unmask, heal from burnout, and build lives aligned with how their brains work. She founded Divergent Paths Consulting to provide the type of coaching and support to late-diagnosed nerdy neurodivergent folks in educational leadership and tech fields that she needed when she got her late diagnosis.

If you’ve spent your whole life being “the capable one”—the reliable friend, the problem-solver at work, the emotional anchor for everyone else—you’re not alone. Many late-diagnosed ADHD and autistic adults are quietly carrying this role, often without ever choosing it. And the cost? Chronic burnout, emotional exhaustion, resentment, and a complete disconnect from your own needs.In this episode, Dr. Regina unpacks why neurodivergent women so often become “the capable one,” how masking and people-pleasing feed the pattern, and revisits why capability is not the same as capacity. You’ll learn the signs of overfunctioning, the hidden emotional labor that drains your nervous system, and how to start stepping out of this survival role with compassion, boundaries, and sustainable support.If you’ve ever wondered, “Why am I so tired when I’m doing everything right?” then this episode will give you the language, validation, and tools you’ve been missing.Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights!Book a Clarity Call with ReginaAbout Dr. Regina McMenomy, PhDRegina is a neurodivergent coach and educator who helps late-diagnosed adults unmask, heal from burnout, and build lives aligned with how their brains work. She founded Divergent Paths Consulting to provide the type of coaching and support to late-diagnosed nerdy neurodivergent folks in educational leadership and tech fields that she needed when she got her late diagnosis.

Neurodivergent folks are told constantly: “Just make it a habit.” But if that advice has ever activated your fight-or-flight response, you’re not alone. In this episode of Divergent Paths, Dr. Regina and Russ break down why traditional habit culture simply wasn’t built for neurodivergent brains and why it’s not your fault that the habit trackers, streaks, and “21-day rules” never stick.We dig into the real neuroscience behind dopamine inconsistency, interest-based nervous systems, and basal ganglia automation. The three core reasons ND folks struggle with building automatic routines. We also explore how demand avoidance and shame play into the habit-making process, and why forcing consistency often backfires.But it’s not all doomscrolling and lint-trap metaphors. You’ll hear practical strategies that do work for ND brains: environmental cues, personalized triggers, changing your space, anchoring tasks to daily events, and building systems that support your life instead of fighting it. Russ also shares how small environmental tweaks improved his productivity and how testing one change at a time can transform the whole system.If you’ve ever felt broken because you “can’t stick to habits,” this episode will help you release the shame, trust your brain, and build support systems that actually fit how your mind works. Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights!Book a Clarity Call with ReginaAbout Dr. Regina McMenomy PhD,Regina is an educator, consultant, and founder of Divergent Paths Consulting. With over two decades of experience in higher education and instructional design, she now helps individuals create more inclusive, neurodivergent-affirming spaces. A late-diagnosed ADHDer herself, Regina blends academic insight, personal experience, and a healthy dose of nerdy joy to help others unmask, heal, and thrive.

People-pleasing, self-abandonment, and unmasking are deeply connected, especially for late-diagnosed neurodivergent folk. In this solo episode of Divergent Paths, Dr. Regina breaks down how people-pleasing develops as a survival strategy, why it often leads to chronic self-abandonment, and what it really takes to unmask after years of shaping yourself around other people’s expectations.You’ll learn:A simple definition of people-pleasing and how it functionsWhat self-abandonment looks like and why it becomes automaticWhy unmasking often feels scary, disorienting, or selfish (spoiler: it’s not)Three practical strategies to help you reconnect with your needs and rebuild trust with yourselfIf you’ve spent most of your life trying to keep the peace, be "easy-going,” or avoid rejection, this episode will help you understand where those patterns came from and how to gently begin to change them. Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights!Book a Clarity Call with ReginaAbout Dr. Regina McMenomy PhD,Regina is an educator, consultant, and founder of Divergent Paths Consulting. With over two decades of experience in higher education and instructional design, she now helps individuals create more inclusive, neurodivergent-affirming spaces. A late-diagnosed ADHDer herself, Regina blends academic insight, personal experience, and a healthy dose of nerdy joy to help others unmask, heal, and thrive.

Have you ever caught yourself saying, “I know I can do it… so why can’t I just make myself?” In this episode of Divergent Paths, Dr. Regina and co-host Russ unpack the crucial difference between what you’re capable of doing and what you actually have the capacity to do.From ADHD burnout to chronic overcommitment, we explore how late-diagnosed neurodivergent adults often confuse skill with bandwidth, pushing themselves past their limits because they’ve been praised for performance, not pacing.Learn how to recognize when your energy, executive function, or emotional regulation are running low, and discover strategies to stay within your true capacity without guilt or shame.Topics Include:The difference between capability and capacity (and why it matters)Why neurodivergent people often push past their limitsSigns you’re out of capacity (even when you’re still capable)How to set boundaries without shameTips for rebuilding capacity and honoring your bandwidthSign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights!Book a Clarity Call with ReginaAbout Dr. Regina McMenomy PhD,Regina is an educator, consultant, and founder of Divergent Paths Consulting. With over two decades of experience in higher education and instructional design, she now helps individuals create more inclusive, neurodivergent-affirming spaces. A late-diagnosed ADHDer herself, Regina blends academic insight, personal experience, and a healthy dose of nerdy joy to help others unmask, heal, and thrive.

Have you ever found yourself repeating the same story three times in a row—even to the same person—just trying to get it right? You’re not being dramatic or forgetful. You’re doing a live edit and it’s a powerful, neurodivergent form of emotional processing.In this solo episode of Neurodivergent Solutions, Dr. Regina McMenomy breaks down why late-diagnosed ADHDers and autistic folks often retell the same story multiple times in the same sitting. From revising word choice to decoding emotions, this repetition isn’t a flaw—it’s a form of self-regulation, sense-making, and emotional closure.You’ll learn:Why ND folks reprocess stories to find the right phrasingHow looping helps uncover hidden emotions and somatic responsesThe difference between external and internal processing (spoiler: journaling counts!)Why "getting it out" helps us finally let it goTips for naming and navigating your own live edit moments—with graceWhether you're a serial story-repeater or someone who needs to say it out loud to know what you think, this episode will help you understand your brain with more clarity and compassion.Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights!Book a Clarity Call with ReginaAbout Dr. Regina McMenomy PhD,Regina is an educator, consultant, and founder of Divergent Paths Consulting. With over two decades of experience in higher education and instructional design, she now helps individuals create more inclusive, neurodivergent-affirming spaces. A late-diagnosed ADHDer herself, Regina blends academic insight, personal experience, and a healthy dose of nerdy joy to help others unmask, heal, and thrive.

Ever find yourself still furious about a group project from 25 years ago? You might be dealing with justice sensitivity: that intense gut-level reaction when something feels unfair.In this episode of Divergent Paths, Dr. Regina McMenomy, PhD—ADHD coach for late-diagnosed, nerdy neurodivergent women in higher ed and tech—is joined by co-host Russ Catanach to unpack why fairness feels so personal for so many neurodivergent adults.They explore how justice sensitivity shows up alongside rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD), ADHD impulsivity, and autistic integrity, and how this deep moral drive can both empower and exhaust us. From childhood classroom memories to academic workplaces that reward compliance over compassion, Regina shares how her brain’s wiring to “fight every fight” shaped her career and her coaching philosophy.You’ll learn: -> Why neurodivergent people experience injustice so intensely -> How justice sensitivity connects to empathy, burnout, and advocacy -> Strategies to channel your sense of fairness without burning outIf fairness feels like a calling (or a full-time job), this episode is for you.Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights!Book a Clarity Call with ReginaAbout Dr. Regina McMenomy PhD,Regina is an educator, consultant, and founder of Divergent Paths Consulting. With over two decades of experience in higher education and instructional design, she now helps individuals create more inclusive, neurodivergent-affirming spaces. A late-diagnosed ADHDer herself, Regina blends academic insight, personal experience, and a healthy dose of nerdy joy to help others unmask, heal, and thrive.

Grief is never simple but for neurodivergent folks, it can feel like trying to swim through wet cement. In this deeply personal solo episode, Dr. Regina McMenomy, PhD, shares her own experience of loss while exploring how grief collides with executive dysfunction, emotional numbness, and rejection sensitivity.If you’ve ever struggled to make phone calls, fill out forms, or even feel your emotions after someone you love has died, this episode is for you. You’ll learn why grief scrambles our executive functioning, how alexithymia can make it hard to name what we’re feeling, and why guilt and self-blame often hit especially hard for late-diagnosed neurodivergent adults.Because sometimes the hardest part of grieving isn’t the loss itself—it’s learning to be gentle with a brain that’s already overloaded.Sign up for N.E.R.D. Notes and get weekly nerdy neurodivergent insights!Book a Clarity Call with ReginaAbout Dr. Regina McMenomy PhD,Dr. Regina McMenomy, Ph.D., is a neurodivergent coach, educator, and founder of Divergent Paths Consulting. She helps late-diagnosed adults unmask, heal, and thrive without burning out. Author of the N.E.R.D. Notes Newsletter and host of the Divergent Paths podcast, Regina blends academic insight with nerdy joy to build belonging from the inside out. Catch her on Instagram