The Unlabelled and Limitless Podcast

Episode 11 - Navigating Life With ARFID: Stories, Struggles, and Support – Part 1

Navigating Life With ARFID: Stories, Struggles, and Support – Part 1
In Part 1 of Navigating Life With ARFID: Stories, Struggles, and Support, Lois is joined by Ian and Kay for a candid and deeply human conversation about food, sensory overwhelm, and the emotional weight many neurodivergent families carry during the holiday season.
What began as a simple season-opener became something more urgent: an honest look at what it means to navigate meals, expectations, and overstimulation in a time of year centered around food. From kids who cling to one safe food for comfort, to adults who cycle between sensory shutdown, decision paralysis, and long gaps without eating, this episode brings forward the stories behind the struggles — the unseen experiences many live with but rarely talk about.
Through personal memories, cultural reflections, and raw humor, Lois, Ian, and Kay unpack the complex relationship between food and neurodivergence: why choices feel overwhelming, why texture can override hunger, why “just eat what’s served” doesn’t work, and how shame and misunderstanding shape our earliest food memories.
Key themes include:
✨ Food as a form of control during overstimulation✨ How stress, shutdown, and decision fatigue affect appetite✨ Sensory sensitivities, texture aversions, and food “rules”✨ Cultural influences on how we learn (or unlearn) eating habits✨ Childhood food memories that shape adult eating behaviors✨ Navigating family expectations and holiday pressures without shame
Part 1 opens the door to understanding the emotional and sensory realities behind ARFID and food-related challenges — tender, relatable, often funny, and deeply validating. Whether you’re a parent, an adult with sensory differences, or someone trying to support a neurodivergent loved one, this episode offers perspective, compassion, and a reminder: your relationship with food makes sense, even if others don’t see it.

Episode 10 - Understanding the Overlap: Neurodivergence and Mental Health - Part 2

In Part 2 of Understanding the Overlap: Neurodivergence and Mental Health, Lois returns with Claire, Faye, and Ian to continue exploring the emotional, psychological, and lived realities of being neurodivergent in a world built for neurotypical brains.
Picking up where Part 1 left off, this conversation goes deeper into what happens after the diagnosis — the grief, the relief, the identity shifts, and the lifelong process of learning to exist without shame. From overstimulation and emotional regulation struggles to rebuilding self-trust and learning healthier coping strategies, this episode sheds light on the inner world so many neurodivergent adults never felt safe to express.
Key themes include:
✨ Healing after years of masking and self-misunderstanding✨ Emotional dysregulation and the impact of sensory overwhelm✨ Unlearning survival patterns like perfectionism and overachieving✨ Navigating identity, self-acceptance, and late diagnosis grief✨ Building support systems and rewriting narratives around “being enough”
If Part 1 opened the door to understanding the overlap between mental health and neurodivergence, Part 2 walks us into the reality of living it — tender, challenging, empowering, and human. For anyone who has ever felt misunderstood, exhausted, or “wrong” for the way their brain works, this episode offers comfort, clarity, and a reminder: *you’re not broken — you’re becoming.

Episode 9 - More Than a Hashtag: Living Mental Health Awareness Daily

In this heartfelt and reflective episode, Lois shares why every day should be treated like World Mental Health Day. With honesty and warmth, she reminds us that mental health isn’t a one-day awareness event, it’s a lifelong practice of self-compassion, boundaries, and balance.
From the quiet moments of burnout we ignore to the little acts of care that keep us grounded, this episode invites listeners to pause, breathe, and check in with themselves, not just once a year, but every single day.
Key themes include:
Why mental health deserves daily attention, not just annual recognition
Small, meaningful ways to protect your emotional well-being
The importance of rest, reflection, and boundaries
How awareness starts with everyday choices
Because your mental health matters, today, tomorrow, and always.

Episode 8 - Understanding the Overlap: Neurodivergence and Mental Health - Part 1

In this honest and wide-ranging episode, Lois is joined by Claire, Faye, and Ian for a deep dive into the tangled web of neurodivergence and mental health. From school-age trauma and teenage misdiagnoses to adult burnout and recovery, Neurodivergence and Mental Health – Part 1 explores what happens when your brain works differently, and the world doesn’t know what to do with that.
Key themes include:
Why mental health symptoms often mask underlying neurodivergence
The overlap between autism, ADHD, anxiety, and depression
How misdiagnosis and medication can delay real support
The invisible toll of masking and people-pleasing
Breaking cycles of shame, burnout, and self-abandonment
Whether you’ve been labelled “too much,” “too sensitive,” or “just anxious,” this conversation reminds us that mental health and neurodivergence are deeply connected—and that healing begins with being seen.

Episode 7 - The Line Between Disabled and Disabling - Part 2

In this honest and thought-provoking continuation of Episode 6, Lois and Ian return to explore the second layer of what it means to live in a disabling world. From relentless pain and emergency surgeries to hidden struggles and the need for proof, The Line Between Disabled and Disabling - Part 2 digs into how society often fails to accommodate those who don’t “look” disabled.
Key themes include:
How chronic pain and sensory issues are often minimized or dismissed
The emotional toll of constantly having to justify your needs
Why “functioning” isn’t the same as “not struggling”
Humor, vulnerability, and chaos with cats and dogs
Moving toward acceptance, agency, and real support
If you’ve ever felt invalidated, unseen, or exhausted from explaining yourself—this episode is a reminder that your experience is real, and you don’t have to prove your pain to make it matter.

Episode 6 - The Line Between Disabled and Disabling - Part 1

In this unfiltered and thought-provoking episode, Lois and Ian explore the blurry line between being disabled and being disabling—and what it really means to navigate the world as a neurodivergent person. From snowy dog walks and snotty cats to ruptured appendices and medical gaslighting, Disability vs. Disabling – Part 1 is a raw conversation about identity, health, and the systems that often fail to see the full picture.
Key themes include:
Why “neurodivergent” isn’t always considered a disability—and why that matters
The social model of disability vs. medical definitions
Pain perception, masking, and the cost of being “fine”
Pet stories, leash laws, and what our animals teach us about behavior and safety
How misunderstanding neurodivergence can be dangerous in medical settings
Whether you’ve ever had your pain dismissed, questioned your diagnosis, or wondered if your difference really counts as a disability, this episode offers validation, nuance, and a few laughs along the way.

Episode 5 - Skin Deep: How Sensory Sensitivity Shapes Our Daily Lives

In this candid and layered episode, Lois and Ian unpack what it’s like to live in a body that sometimes feels like it’s on fire — literally. From tags and towels to the trauma of group hugs, Skin Deep explores the physical and emotional reality of sensory sensitivity as neurodivergent adults.
Key themes include:
Why sensory overwhelm isn’t just about "being picky"
How anxiety and stress amplify tactile discomfort
Bathing, grooming, and navigating texture triggers
The unspoken rules of physical touch and social etiquette
Finding autonomy, routine, and compassion through it all
Whether you live with ADHD, autism, or other forms of neurodivergence, this episode is a heartfelt reminder that honoring your sensory needs is not only valid, it’s vital.
 

Episode 4 - Paws, Please: A Neurodivergent Raising a Puppy

In this candid and chaotic episode, Lois and Ian dive into the unpredictable world of raising a puppy, while navigating life as neurodivergent adults. From chewed-up clickers and crate battles to sensory overload and stubborn cats, Paws, Please explores what happens when your service animal-in-training turns out to have ADHD energy of her own.
Key themes include:
How neurodivergent thinking influences pet parenting
The unexpected challenges of training a support animal
Cat vs. puppy drama and household sensory dynamics
Lessons in routine, patience, and self-regulation (for everyone)
The parallels between raising a dog and navigating your own needs
Whether you’re a fellow Neurodivergent pet parent, a lover of animals, or just here for the laughs, this episode is a reminder that growth is messy, and sometimes covered in fur.

Episode 3 - Breaking the Loop: Coping with Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria

In this honest and eye-opening conversation, Lois and Ian unpack the emotional rollercoaster of living with Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD)—a lesser-known but deeply impactful experience for many neurodivergent people. With humor and vulnerability, they explore how even minor criticism can feel like deep personal rejection, and how this sensitivity has shaped their relationships, careers, and self-esteem.
Key themes include:
What Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria actually is—and how it often goes unnoticed
The link between RSD, masking, and people-pleasing
How RSD shows up differently in ADHD and autism
Practical ways to cope with emotional intensity and protect your peace
Whether you’ve just discovered the term RSD or you’ve been living it without a name, this episode offers understanding, tools, and the reminder that you’re not alone.

Pilot Episode - Neurodivergent Navigation: Diagnosed Late, Living Fully

In this deeply personal episode, siblings Lois and Ian—co-hosts of Unlabelled and Limitless—sit down to reflect on their shared but uniquely individual experiences of navigating life as late-diagnosed neurodivergents. With Lois living with ADHD and Ian with autism, they unpack the moments of confusion, resilience, and discovery that shaped their paths.
From missed signs in childhood to the liberating clarity of adulthood diagnoses, they explore how being undiagnosed affected their relationships, education, and self-worth. Together, they challenge outdated labels and stereotypes, offering listeners a raw and relatable look into the world of neurodivergence.
Expect honest storytelling, a touch of humor, and sibling chemistry that brings warmth to even the heaviest topics.Points of discussion: 
The overlooked signs of ADHD and autism in childhood
Sibling dynamics in a neurodivergent household
Masking, burnout, and the emotional cost of "passing"
The relief and grief that can come with a late diagnosis
Rewriting the narrative: from shame to self-acceptance
How community, conversation, and connection support healing