Mindfulness Doesn't Have to Mean Sitting Still—Here's Why

Описание: Have you ever tried mindfulness and thought, “This isn’t working for me”—or instead of feeling calmer, you feel more activated, itchy, or overwhelmed? If that’s you, you’re not failing. You’re likely bumping into a version of mindfulness that wasn’t built with neurodivergent brains in mind.

In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Brett and Dr. Megan Anna Neff (autistic + ADHD clinical psychologist and founder of Neurodivergent Insights) to reframe mindfulness in a way that actually fits ADHD, autism, and AuDHD.

We cover:
Why mindfulness isn’t about “emptying your mind” (and why that framing backfires for many of us)
How mindfulness can be active and “on the go,” not just sitting still
The shift that changes everything: observing mind vs. evaluative mind (notice without judgment)
Why mindfulness can feel worse at first when it turns into “fix-it/force-it” mode—and what to do instead
Practical language to create distance from sticky thoughts: “I’m noticing I’m having the thought…”

💬 Question for you: When mindfulness feels hardest—stillness, racing thoughts, body sensations, or self-judgment?

Reminder: This content is for education and is not a replacement for medical or mental health care.

Chapters:
00:00 Mindfulness that “doesn’t work” (and why)
01:37 “It felt intolerable”
02:43 When mindfulness feels performative / like masking
03:02 Mindfulness can be active
03:44 The “empty your mind” misconception
04:39 Observing vs evaluative mind
05:30 Curiosity vs fix-it energy
06:32 When mindfulness makes people feel worse
08:09 ACT: mindfulness + acceptance
09:30 “I screwed up” vs “I’m a screw up”
09:56 distance from thoughts
12:00 Stop debating thoughts / “leave it”
17:25 Wrap + Part 2 / newsletter / podcast

📌 Resources + links:
Things Might Go Terribly, Horribly Wrong: A Guide to Life Liberated From Anxiety: https://amzn.to/4qYJxff

ACT Made Simple: An Easy-to-Read Primer on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: https://amzn.to/3NUTBYr

Part 2:    • Mindfulness on the Go: Why Stillness Backf...  
NeurodivergentInsights.com
Newsletter: https://newsletter.neurodivergentinsi...

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1LCaz1g...

This video is not medical advice and is not to be considered therapy.

📩 Resources + weekly newsletter: https://newsletter.neurodivergentinsi...
• 📚 Dr. Neff’s books: Self-Care for Autistic People: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1507221932?...
• The Autistic Burnout Workbook: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/au...
• Neurodivergent Insights: https://neurodivergentinsights.com
• Trainings: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/tr...
• Neurodivergent Insights Workbooks: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/wo...

Dr. Megan Anna Neff (she/they) is an Autistic-ADHD clinical psychologist who blends research, clinical insight, and lived experience to make sense of adult neurodivergence. She creates clear, compassionate, neurodivergent-affirming education for autistic, ADHD, and AuDHD adults, and for the clinicians who support them.

Each video offers practical tools, grounded explanations, and honest conversations about sensory health, burnout, masking, identity, and everyday neurodivergent life, living with ADHD and Autism.