The Unlabelled and Limitless Podcast

Episode 31 - Hypatia of Alexandria and the Cost of Being Brilliant

She was brilliant, influential, and unafraid to be seen.
And that made her dangerous.
In this episode of Unlabelled and Limitless, part of our Formerly Too Much series for Women’s Appreciation Month, we explore the life of Hypatia of Alexandria, a mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher who lived more than 1600 years ago.
In a world where women were not expected to lead intellectual life, Hypatia did exactly that. She taught publicly, advised political leaders, and became one of the most respected thinkers of her time.
But influence comes with visibility. And visibility, in the wrong system, can become a threat.
As political and religious tensions in Alexandria intensified, Hypatia found herself at the intersection of power, identity, and ideology. She was no longer seen as a scholar, but as a problem.
In 415 CE, she was killed by a mob.
This episode explores how her story reflects a pattern we still see today. Women who step outside expectations are often labeled before they are understood.
Because sometimes what is called “too much”…is simply a different kind of brilliance.
Key themes include:
Hypatia of Alexandria and her historical significance
Women in intellectual leadership in the ancient world
Alexandria as a center of knowledge and conflict
Power, politics, and religious tension
The intersection of influence and identity
The silencing of intellectual women
How narratives about women evolve over time
Brilliance vs disruption in different contexts
Neurodivergent traits and cognitive styles (historical lens)
The “Formerly Too Much” pattern across history

Episode 30 - Joan of Arc: She Was Called Dangerous… Then Became a Saint

She was labeled dangerous, irrational, and too much.
But history tells a different story.
In this episode of Unlabelled and Limitless, part of our Formerly Too Much series for Women’s Appreciation Month, we explore the life of Joan of Arc, a teenage girl who defied every expectation placed on her and changed the course of history.
Born into poverty in 15th-century France, Joan claimed to hear divine voices guiding her to lead an army. At just 17, she stepped into a role no woman was meant to occupy, and succeeded.
But her story didn’t end in victory.
Captured, tried for heresy, and executed at 19, Joan was condemned by the very systems she disrupted. And yet, decades later, that same system reversed its judgment. Her trial was declared corrupt. Her name was cleared. And centuries later, she was canonized as a saint.
This episode explores what her story reveals about how society labels women before it understands them.
Was Joan of Arc dangerous… or simply different in a way her world could not yet explain?
Because sometimes the line between “too much” and extraordinary is only visible in hindsight.
Key themes include:
Joan of Arc’s life and historical context
Women, power, and rigid gender roles in the 1400s
The Hundred Years’ War and political tension
Religious visions and interpretation
The trial of Joan of Arc and power structures
From heretic to saint: rewriting history
How society labels women before understanding them
Neurodivergence, perception, and historical figures
The difference between danger and difference
The “Formerly Too Much” pattern across history

Episode 29 - Reframing Paris Hilton: Beyond Stereotypes

For years, Paris Hilton was dismissed as a joke. A rich, clueless socialite, famous for being famous.
But what if that version of her was never the full story?
In this episode of Unlabelled and Limitless, part of our Formerly Too Much series for Women’s Appreciation Month, we revisit the narrative around Paris Hilton and explore how quickly we label women, and how slowly we question those labels.
From The Simple Life to her career in music and business, and later, her advocacy work and public conversations around ADHD, this episode unpacks the tension between persona and reality.
It also explores the possibility that what looked like performance, privilege, or detachment may have been something else entirely. Branding. Protection. Masking. Survival.
Because when the story shifts, so does the meaning.
This isn’t just about Paris Hilton.It’s about how often we reduce women to something easier to consume, and what happens when we finally look again.
Key themes include:
Paris Hilton and the “dumb blonde” stereotype
The role of media in shaping public perception
The Simple Life and constructed personas
Masking, performance, and identity
ADHD in women and late diagnosis
Privilege, visibility, and public scrutiny
The troubled teen industry and Provo Canyon School
From survival to advocacy and systemic change
Reclaiming labels like “too much”
How narratives about women are formed and challenged

Episode 28 - Neurodiversity Celebration Week, Zoey’s Favorite Book, and Big Ideas

In celebration of Neurodiversity Celebration Week, this episode of Unlabelled and Limitless takes a slightly different approach.
Instead of speaking with experts or researchers, Lois sits down with someone who experiences the world through a beautifully unique lens every single day: Zoey, an autistic child and the daughter of Kay.
Together, they talk about Zoey’s favorite book, All Families Are Different by Jacques Bastien and Dahcia Lyons-Bastien, a story inspired by their daughter Dahlia and the many different kinds of friendships and families that exist in the world.
From kindness and respect to emotions, nature walks, creativity, and even naming frogs and snakes, this conversation offers a glimpse into how Zoey understands the world around her.
Along the way, Zoey shares her thoughts about school, time blindness, drawing, nature, and her dream of becoming a nurse one day. The discussion also touches on how stories, friendships, and supportive environments can help children learn about themselves and others.
This episode is a reminder that neurodiversity isn’t just a concept or a diagnosis. It’s a lived experience, full of curiosity, creativity, humor, and insight.
Sometimes the most meaningful lessons about understanding differences come from simply listening.
Key themes include:
Celebrating Neurodiversity Celebration Week through a child’s voice
Zoey’s favorite book and what it teaches about kindness and respect
All Families Are Different by Jacques Bastien and Dahcia Lyons-Bastien
How stories help children understand different families and friendships
A child’s perspective on emotions, anxiety, and growing up
Neurodivergent experiences like time blindness and deep focus
Creativity, nature, curiosity, and the joy of learning
Why listening to neurodivergent children matters

Episode 27 - Ada Lovelace and the Power of Poetical Science

In celebration of Women’s History Month, this episode of Unlabelled and Limitless explores the story of Ada Lovelace, a woman whose ideas about computing were more than a century ahead of their time.
Often described as the world’s first computer programmer, Lovelace didn’t just understand mathematics. She combined logic with imagination in a way that allowed her to see possibilities others missed entirely. At a time when most people viewed Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine as nothing more than a complex calculator, Lovelace recognized something far more powerful: a machine capable of manipulating symbols, patterns, and even music.
In this conversation, Lois is joined by her brother Ian to explore the remarkable thinking behind Ada Lovelace’s work and her concept of “poetical science.” Together they reflect on how her ability to connect creativity with mathematics allowed her to imagine the future of computing long before the technology existed.
They also explore the historical context of Victorian England, the barriers women faced in scientific spaces, and how Lovelace’s ideas were initially dismissed before later being recognized as visionary.
As part of our Formerly Too Much series for Women’s History Month, Ada Lovelace’s story reminds us that the qualities once labeled as excessive, unconventional, or unrealistic are often the same qualities that allow people to see beyond the limitations of their time.
Key themes include:
Ada Lovelace’s role in the early conceptualization of computing
The meaning of poetical science and why imagination matters in innovation
How pattern recognition and systems thinking shape groundbreaking ideas
The barriers women faced in Victorian scientific and academic spaces
Why visionary ideas are often misunderstood in their own time
What Ada Lovelace’s legacy teaches us about creativity, technology, and possibility

Episode 26 - Attachment Across the Lifespan: Understanding Ourselves and Each Other - Part 4

In the final episode of this four-part series on attachment across the lifespan, Lois and Faye bring together the themes explored throughout the conversation and reflect on what it means to better understand ourselves.
The discussion moves through topics such as rejection sensitivity, justice sensitivity, and the emotional patterns that often emerge for neurodivergent individuals navigating relationships, work environments, and social expectations.
Lois and Faye explore how receiving a diagnosis or understanding neurodivergence can act as a lens for revisiting past experiences with greater clarity and compassion. Rather than changing who we are, that understanding often helps reduce shame and allows us to reinterpret moments that once felt like personal failures.
The conversation also touches on the cultural context of attachment and identity, highlighting how societal expectations, upbringing, and environment shape the way we relate to ourselves and others.
As the series closes, the focus shifts toward a broader perspective on attachment theory and the importance of approaching psychological concepts with curiosity rather than quick labels. Understanding these frameworks can be empowering, but only when used with nuance and self-awareness.
Ultimately, this episode highlights a central theme running through the entire series: identity, attachment, and belonging are not fixed states. They are evolving processes shaped by relationships, culture, and the ongoing work of understanding ourselves.
Key themes include:
✨ Rejection sensitivity dysphoria and emotional interpretation✨ Justice sensitivity and moral development✨ Neurodivergence and attachment patterns in relationships✨ Diagnosis as a lens for self-understanding rather than limitation✨ Cultural influences on identity, belonging, and emotional processing✨ Moving from shame to awareness and self-compassion

Episode 25 - Attachment Across the Lifespan: Belonging, Identity, and Change - Part 3

In Part 3 of this four-part conversation on attachment across the lifespan, Lois and Faye take a reflective look back at their psychology master’s research and how their understanding of attachment, belonging, and identity has evolved over time.
Revisiting their academic work a year later, they explore how theories of cognitive and social psychological development intersect with lived experience. The discussion highlights how identity is shaped through relationships, environments, and the ongoing process of understanding ourselves within the groups we belong to.
The episode also examines the tension between attachment and belonging. While attachment provides safety and security, belonging helps shape our sense of identity. Many relationship challenges emerge in the space between those two needs.
Through personal reflections, Lois and Faye discuss masking, authenticity, and the struggle many neurodivergent people face when trying to maintain relationships without losing themselves in the process.
They also explore how modern psychological research increasingly acknowledges brain plasticity and lifelong development, challenging outdated beliefs that personality and relational patterns are fixed in childhood.
This episode continues the broader conversation about how relationships, identity, and personal growth evolve throughout life, and how understanding those patterns can help us navigate them with greater awareness and compassion.
Key themes include:
✨ The difference between attachment and belonging✨ Identity formation through relationships and social environments✨ Revisiting psychological theory through lived experience✨ Neurodivergence, masking, and authenticity in relationships✨ Brain plasticity and lifelong psychological development✨ Rethinking outdated beliefs about fixed personality and attachment patterns

Episode 24 - Attachment Across the Lifespan: Belonging Without Burning Out - Part 2

In Part 2 of this conversation on attachment and belonging, Lois and Faye explore what happens when neurodivergent people spend years adapting to environments that were never designed with their needs in mind.
From workplace expectations to social dynamics, many neurodivergent individuals learn early how to overcompensate, mask, and push beyond their limits in order to belong. What often looks like ambition or people-pleasing from the outside can actually be a survival strategy shaped by years of criticism, misunderstanding, and pressure to perform.
The conversation moves through themes of resilience, overstimulation, masking, and the emotional patterns that develop when someone repeatedly learns that their natural responses are “too much” or “not enough.”
Lois and Faye also discuss how relationships with other neurodivergent people can create spaces where explanation is no longer required. In these environments, boundaries can be expressed more directly and without shame, allowing individuals to build healthier attachments and stronger emotional awareness.
The episode closes by introducing the connection between emotions and memory, exploring how feelings such as shame or fear can shape the way we remember experiences and influence the patterns we repeat later in life.
This conversation sets the stage for the next episode, where Lois and Faye dive deeper into the science behind emotional memory, trauma responses, and the psychological theories that help explain how these patterns form.
Key themes include:
✨ Neurodivergence, resilience, and navigating systems not designed for different brains✨ Masking, burnout, and the pressure to overcommit in relationships and work✨ The difference between belonging and people-pleasing✨ Overstimulation, sensory processing, and navigating social environments✨ Emotional memory, shame, and how past experiences shape present reactions✨ Building compassionate awareness instead of self-criticism
 

Episode 23 - Attachment Across the Lifespan: Safety, Not Labels Part 1

In Part 1 of this series on attachment across the lifespan, Lois and Faye explore the idea that attachment is not a personality label or fixed diagnosis, but a strategy humans develop to feel safe in relationships.
Drawing from psychology research, personal experience, and neurodivergent perspectives, they unpack how attachment patterns form not only in childhood but continue evolving through adulthood. The conversation challenges the outdated belief that personality and relational styles become fixed early in life and instead highlights the growing scientific understanding that the brain remains capable of change.
Through honest reflection, Faye shares her experience of being late-diagnosed autistic and how that diagnosis reframed many childhood memories, including emotional responses that were once misunderstood as “tantrums” but are now recognized as autistic meltdowns. Lois explores how neurological differences in areas such as emotional regulation and executive function can shape how people are perceived in relationships and how misunderstandings often emerge when those differences are invisible.
Together they discuss shame, self-criticism, resilience, and the impact of growing up without the language or support to understand neurodivergent experiences. Rather than focusing on blame, the conversation reframes attachment as a dynamic process influenced by both caregivers and children navigating the world with different nervous systems.
Part 1 lays the foundation for a broader discussion about how attachment patterns develop, evolve, and can ultimately be reshaped across the lifespan.
Key themes include:
✨ Attachment as a strategy for safety rather than a fixed identity✨ How childhood experiences influence but do not define adult relationships✨ Neurodivergence, emotional regulation, and misunderstood behaviors✨ Late diagnosis and reframing childhood experiences✨ Shame, criticism, and internalized self-judgment✨ Resilience and personal growth without early support systems✨ The evolving science of brain plasticity and lifelong change

Episode 22 - The World Wasn't Made for Us: Why Neuroinclusion is No Longer Optional

In this episode of Unlabelled and Limitless, Lois explores the growing belief that “the world wasn’t built for neurodivergent people” and gently challenges what that statement really means.
Drawing on lived experience, cultural shifts, and the rise of neurodivergent content online, she reflects on how visibility has increased while understanding often lags. From simplified social media narratives to overstimulating systems of work, education, and productivity, this episode asks whether the problem is truly neurodivergence or whether the systems we’ve built are failing far more people than we want to admit.
Lois looks at how institutions designed for standardization, obedience, and speed are colliding with a world that has become technologically immersive, emotionally demanding, and cognitively exhausting. As more people, neurodivergent and neurotypical alike, struggle to keep up, the conversation shifts away from labels and toward shared responsibility.
This episode isn’t about removing chaos or blaming individuals. It’s about recognizing that many of today’s struggles are manmade, systemic, and changeable. And it’s about learning how to move within a world that isn’t slowing down, without losing ourselves in the process.
Key themes include:
✨ Neurodivergence, visibility, and oversimplification✨ Social media, attention economics, and distorted understanding✨ Systems of work, education, and institutional pressure✨ Labels, limitation narratives, and identity✨ Burnout, overwhelm, and collective strain✨ Personal responsibility versus systemic compassion✨ Learning to adapt without self-erasure