NeuroDivergent Relationships Podcast with Kathy Marshack, Ph.D.

At the Table of Two Worlds

This episode is about the raw, tender miracle of finding people who see you.
 
Using the holiday season as a magnifying glass, Dr. Marshack shares how her Friendsgiving revealed a profound truth: NeuroDiverse individuals often depend entirely on their NeuroTypical partners to carry the emotional load of social settings. 
 
You’ll hear a story about a hidden wink at a quiet table, a chance encounter with a homeless cousin in a red suit, and a NeuroDiverse husband who missed the whole point of a conversation.
 
You will learn that the loneliness of being the emotional core is profound, but freedom comes from stopping the futile cycle of begging for emotional reciprocity. When you stop needing them to stretch into your world, you can truly shine.
 
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If you are looking for more resources for NeuroDivergent relationships, start with Unlocking NeuroDivergent Relationships, a Comprehensive Resource Preview.
 
The Discussion Continues: Join the confidential Podcast After Party for this episode! Check the schedule at Thinkific and the Meetup group.
 
Future of Healing: Dr. Kathy is developing two innovative video games: Radiant Empathy: A Journey of Heartbreak and Healing and The University of NeuroDiversity: Radiant Empathy Campus. 
➡️ Find more resources at https://asd-ntrelationships.com/

Narcissism Is a Choice

This episode dives into a difficult topic for the holiday season: Narcissism is a Choice, and so is Radiant Empathy.
We talk about narcissism not as a textbook disorder, but as a defense—a fortress built around a deep wound and terror. You'll learn how emotional burnout in NeuroDivergent relationships often drives both NT and ND partners into these defensive patterns. 
Dr. Marshack reveals that Radiant Empathy is your only true option: it's strength wrapped in clarity that asks you to "see the wound, but not fall into it." Learn the difference between forgiveness and surrender, and how to choose bravely at the critical crossroads.
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If you are looking for more resources for NeuroDivergent relationships, start with Unlocking NeuroDivergent Relationships, a Comprehensive Resource Preview.
The Discussion Continues: Join the confidential Podcast After Party for this episode! Check the schedule at Thinkific and the Meetup group.
Future of Healing: Dr. Kathy is developing two innovative video games: Radiant Empathy: A Journey of Heartbreak and Healing and The University of NeuroDiversity: Radiant Empathy Campus. 
➡️ Find more resources at https://asd-ntrelationships.com/

Survivor Guilt: Living a Beautiful Life, Even Without the Ones You Love

This episode is about survivor's guilt—the quiet ache in your heart after losing someone you love, even if they are still alive. Dr. Marshack shares her reality as an alienated parent with grown daughters and grandchildren she’s never met.
 
You'll learn that the grief is real, but it is possible to live a beautiful life anyway. This episode gives you permission to embrace joy, explaining why living fully is not a betrayal; it is a declaration that love and joy can survive anything. 
 
If reconnection is possible, you want them to meet the whole, vibrant you, not someone frozen in grief. Joy is not a betrayal; it's an invitation.
 
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If you are looking for more resources for NeuroDivergent relationships, start with Unlocking NeuroDivergent Relationships, a Comprehensive Resource Preview.
 
The Discussion Continues: Join the confidential Podcast After Party for this episode! Check the schedule at Thinkific and the Meetup group.
 
Future of Healing: Dr. Kathy is developing two innovative video games: Radiant Empathy: A Journey of Heartbreak and Healing and The University of NeuroDiversity: Radiant Empathy Campus. 
➡️ Find more resources at https://asd-ntrelationships.com/

The Hardest Choice I Ever Had to Make

This is the story of the hardest choice Dr. Marshack ever had to make: the choice to protect herself, even when it meant letting go of the people she loved most.
 
This raw episode details the chaos of a high-stakes, NeuroDivergent divorce involving parental alienation, overwhelming meltdowns, and total betrayal. You'll hear the agonizing truth of being threatened with arrest while trying to protect her Autistic daughter. 
 
Dr. Marshack reveals that choosing yourself in these circumstances isn't "empowerment wrapped in a bow,” it's a Sophie's Choice that leaves a scar. Learn how she stepped out of the fire, continues to shine, and keeps the light burning, believing her daughters will find her whole and loving them.
 
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If you are looking for more resources for NeuroDivergent relationships, start with Unlocking NeuroDivergent Relationships, a Comprehensive Resource Preview.
 
The Discussion Continues: Join the confidential Podcast After Party for this episode! Check the schedule at Thinkific and the Meetup group.
 
Future of Healing: Dr. Kathy is developing two innovative video games: Radiant Empathy: A Journey of Heartbreak and Healing and The University of NeuroDiversity: Radiant Empathy Campus. 
➡️ Find more resources at https://asd-ntrelationships.com/

Raised by a Practical “Aspie.” Where's the Love?

If you grew up in a NeuroDivergent household, you know the longing for a hug and the confusion of being met with practical solutions instead of emotional connection.
 
In this deeply nostalgic and honest episode, Dr. Marshack reflects on her childhood with a brilliant, thrifty, and emotionally distant mother who was likely on the Autism Spectrum. 
 
You'll hear how her mother's quirky love—from dresses made of flour sacks to lessons in Feminism—shaped her ability to adapt and problem-solve. 
 
This conversation is about recognizing that the lack of warm, fuzzy memories doesn't mean you didn't receive an incredible gift: the lasting legacy of resilience and ingenuity.
 
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If you are looking for more resources for NeuroDivergent relationships, start with Unlocking NeuroDivergent Relationships, a Comprehensive Resource Preview.
 
The Discussion Continues: Join the confidential Podcast After Party for this episode! Check the schedule at Thinkific and the Meetup group.
 
Future of Healing: Dr. Kathy is developing two innovative video games: Radiant Empathy: A Journey of Heartbreak and Healing and The University of NeuroDiversity: Radiant Empathy Campus. 
➡️ Find more resources at https://asd-ntrelationships.com/

The Middle Path of Courage

This episode dives into the extremes of the Empathy Dysfunction Scale—EMD 0 (the Autism end) and EMD 5 (the highly empathic end)—and explains why neither represents true Radiant Empathy on its own.
 
You’ll learn how EMD 0 struggles with alexithymia and the reflex to shut down, while the highly sensitive EMD 5 often falls into the trap of codependent fixing. 
 
Dr. Marshack shares how her own therapy work embodies the key lesson: Radiant Empathy isn't about sensitivity alone; it's the courage to stay present in the discomfort without rescuing or retreating.
 
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If you are looking for more resources for NeuroDivergent relationships, start with Unlocking NeuroDivergent Relationships, a Comprehensive Resource Preview.
 
The Discussion Continues: Join the confidential Podcast After Party for this episode! Check the schedule at Thinkific and the Meetup group.
 
Future of Healing: Dr. Kathy is developing two innovative video games: Radiant Empathy: A Journey of Heartbreak and Healing and The University of NeuroDiversity: Radiant Empathy Campus. 
➡️ Find more resources at https://asd-ntrelationships.com/

Rise to Radiant Empathy

Litigation, denial, invisibility—these struggles feel unique, but they are all the same fight: the fight to have your truth recognized.
In this powerful episode, Dr. Marshack shares her own journey through conflict (like fighting for her health against contaminated water) and connects it to the emotional neglect and invisibility heard from so many NeuroDivergent couples. 
You'll learn to rise to Radiant Empathy, the moment you recognize that you are an incredible gift, even if others can't see it. This episode is a call to action: "Only you can know your duty." Stand in your truth and hold the light.
 
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Check out Dr. Kathy’s latest book, “Going Over the Edge: Life With a Partner or Spouse With “Asperger Syndrome- ANNIVERSARY EDITION” 
 
➡️Follow Dr. Kathy on Facebook
➡️Find Dr. Kathy’s Website Here
➡️If you’re looking for resources for NeuroDivergent relationships, check out Unlocking NeuroDivergent Relationships, a Comprehensive Resource Preview.

Happily Ever After: Adapting to Intolerable Situations

Forget the fairy tales. In real life, Happily Ever After is about finding a way to thrive, even when faced with intolerable situations.
 
Using the dysfunction of a Homeowners Association (HOA) as a metaphor, Dr. Marshack explores the creative and sometimes radical adaptations she has seen in NeuroDivergent relationships. You’ll hear about couples who live in separate houses, use structured agreements, and even move apart—all while remaining married.
 
The truth is, the flaws in these adaptations are nothing compared to the tragedy of squeezing the life out of yourself to maintain a rigid, unrealistic model of marriage. Learn why workability, not perfection, is the key to reclaiming your life.
 
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Check out Dr. Kathy’s latest book, “Going Over the Edge: Life With a Partner or Spouse With “Asperger Syndrome- ANNIVERSARY EDITION” 
 
➡️Follow Dr. Kathy on Facebook
➡️Find Dr. Kathy’s Website Here
➡️If you’re looking for resources for NeuroDivergent relationships, check out Unlocking NeuroDivergent Relationships, a Comprehensive Resource Preview.

The Right to Make Mistakes

It's one of the simplest yet hardest truths to live by in a NeuroDivergent relationship: You have the right to make mistakes and to correct them.
 
In this episode, we talk about the tragedy of transactional thinking, where mistakes are treated like mortal sins and are never forgiven. Dr. Marshack shares personal stories of being confronted and marked for life by loved ones and shows you how to fight back with simple assertive rights.
 
You'll learn to reframe your mistakes as "missed marks"—opportunities to adjust and become more human. Don't let anyone take your right to grow away from you.
 
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Check out Dr. Kathy’s latest book, “Going Over the Edge: Life With a Partner or Spouse With “Asperger Syndrome- ANNIVERSARY EDITION” 
 
➡️Follow Dr. Kathy on Facebook
➡️Find Dr. Kathy’s Website Here
➡️If you’re looking for resources for NeuroDivergent relationships, check out Unlocking NeuroDivergent Relationships, a Comprehensive Resource Preview.

Beyond the Blame Game

This is the question that won't go away: Why is it so hard for my ASD partner to take responsibility for their actions?
 
It feels like they’re refusing to see your pain, leaving you alone in life. This episode moves beyond the blame game. Thanks to the insights of NeuroDiverse men like Richard and Rob, we now have a powerful path forward: Empathy Triad Engaged.
 
This isn't about giving anyone a free pass. It's about demanding mutual engagement. You'll hear direct quotes from an ASD man committed to growth and learn why his NT wife's Radiant Empathy—standing firm in love while demanding accountability—is the key to transformation.
 
If you've ever felt all alone in life instead of having a partner, this episode is for you.
 
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Check out Dr. Kathy’s latest book, “Going Over the Edge: Life With a Partner or Spouse With “Asperger Syndrome- ANNIVERSARY EDITION” 
 
➡️Follow Dr. Kathy on Facebook
➡️Find Dr. Kathy’s Website Here
➡️If you’re looking for resources for NeuroDivergent relationships, check out Unlocking NeuroDivergent Relationships, a Comprehensive Resource Preview.