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Thanks for being here y’all.
My wife Ariel and I recently celebrated 12 years of marriage. And for a lot of those years, I had no idea why I was struggling the way I was. Why I’d shut down at her family’s gatherings and she’d have to field questions about what was wrong with me. Why I’d be deep in focus and completely miss her trying to talk to me, and she’d feel dismissed. Why certain smells would wreck me for days and I couldn’t explain it without sounding like I was being dramatic.
Those were the pre-Autism discovery days and I didn’t have the language for what I was experiencing yet.
In this video, I’m talking about mixed neuro-type relationships. I’m sharing Ariel and I’s relationship as an example of what that can look like from the inside. I share what breaks down and what’s possible when two people are genuinely willing to learn each other.
I dive deep into the misdiagnosis years, meeting Ariel when I was still figuring out who I even was, getting my Autism diagnosis in 2021 and watching it crack everything open at once. The regression, the unmasking, the misdiagnoses…all of the dots for why things had been so difficult started to connect.
I also talk about what’s worked for us. The code words and accommodations that meant everything to me. Like when your partner starts putting the air fryer on the front porch so the smell doesn’t wreck your sleep. These small things are huge things.
This isn’t a how-to video by any means. It’s just one honest look at how we’ve navigated it. It’s amazing when someone can really truly see and listen to your needs and incorporate accommodations into your everyday life. I hope you’ll watch or listen to the full episode over on Substack or bookmark it for your next walk or commute.
And if something in this one resonated for you, I’d love to hear about it. Whether you’re in a mixed neuro-type relationship yourself, or you watched this and felt seen in a way you didn’t expect, share below. That’s what this space is for.
And if you know someone who’s been trying to explain themselves to a partner and running out of words, send this video their way.
As always…Doubt Yourself, Do It Anyway.
Until next time,
Patrick
