We often spend our lives over-explaining, over-accommodating, and performing just to feel like we belong. But what if your presence alone was an invitation?

In this episode, Dr. Marshack looks to her dog, Kokomo, as a master teacher of "Witnessing Without Words." Kokomo doesn’t bark for attention or negotiate his worth; he simply positions himself where connection can occur and trusts that he will be seen.

Dr. Marshack explores why this embodied way of being resonates so deeply with the NeuroDiverse mind, which often finds the "theatrical" social world of humans exhausting, and why NeuroTypical partners so often lose their "spine" by trying to be louder or smaller to stay connected.

Discover how to move from a lens of control to a lens of trust, and why the most powerful form of witnessing requires no words at all.

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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/

Have you ever had a moment where you didn’t need advice, a reframe, or a strategy—you just needed someone to see that what you were experiencing was real?

In this episode, Dr. Marshack introduces a concept that has become the "glue" of her work: Witnessing. While the Empathy Triad provides the structure for understanding, witnessing is what integrates that understanding into a lived wisdom.

Dr. Marshack explores why highly empathic people often spend their lives witnessing others while remaining unseen themselves, and she shares the surprising way her "After Parties" evolved into unstructured, relational "After-After Parties."

Learn why insight alone doesn't change lives, why "presence without agenda" is the ultimate healing tool, and how you can stop trying to understand your life alone and start letting it be seen.

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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/

While Autistic boys are often allowed to be the "eccentric nerds," autistic girls face a much harsher social reality: they must look and behave exactly like NeuroTypical girls or risk total social exile.

In this episode, Dr. Marshack uncovers the hidden tragedy of Autistic women who mask so well they fall into a dangerous trap of over-accommodation. From the woman who would work 15 hours a day for no credit to the 45-year-old suffering from severe hair loss due to a demanding boss, we explore the profound physical and emotional cost of "pretending to be normal."

We also discuss the often-ignored link between Autism and hormonal regulation issues like PMDD. This episode is a call to action to help autistic women recognize their own needs, set firm boundaries, and stop the cycle of people-pleasing that leads to total system burnout.

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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/