Adulting with Autism

If you're an autistic or ADHD adult struggling with clutter, executive dysfunction, burnout, or decision fatigue, this episode of Adulting with Autism is for you. Professional Organizer and Life Organizing Strategist Takilla Combs (founder of Xtreme Audacity Organized Solutions) breaks down why organization isn't about pretty bins, Pinterest pantries, or perfect routines—it's about building sustainable systems that support how you actually live.
We talk about how clutter can be physical, mental, emotional, and operational, why high performers can look "together" at work while feeling overwhelmed at home, and how to create flexible routines that work for neurodivergent brains—without shame or perfectionism.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Why clutter often starts as brain clutter and shows up in your environment
The real reason "motivation" and quick productivity hacks don't stick
Takilla's S.Y.S.T.E.M. framework: clutter costs Space, Time, Energy, Money
How to build routines around your natural rhythms (and adjust as life changes)
What to do when your systems fall apart due to mental health dips or a busy season
A simple approach to paper clutter: handle what's already open first, one pile at a time
Guest: Takilla Combs — Life Organizing Strategist + Professional Organizer
Website: https://extremeaudacity.com (starts with X)
Podcast: The Organized Life with Takilla Renee
Social: @extremeaudacity | @takillarenee
If this helped, follow Adulting with Autism, leave a review, and share this episode with someone navigating ADHD, autism, executive functioning challenges, or overwhelm.

Pressure can be motivating… or it can be a fast track to overwhelm—especially for autistic and ADHD adults.
In this episode of Adulting With Autism, we talk with Michael Dugan, corporate trainer with 20+ years experience and 20,000+ hours teaching performance under pressure, and author of Turning Snowflakes to Diamonds: Turning Pressure Into Power in an Age of AI.
Michael shares his Becoming Diamond framework and explains emotional mastery in everyday language. We explore how to distinguish growth pressure from harmful overwhelm, how to set boundaries that protect your nervous system, and practical, repeatable tools for emotional regulation.
In this episode, we cover:
Pressure vs overload: what's "growth" and what's too much
Emotional mastery (what it actually is—and what it isn't)
The Swiss Army Knife method: Body, Breath, Brain
The ART process: Accept, Release, Transform
Breath and body cues for calming the nervous system
Staying grounded in a world of AI, uncertainty, and information overload
How attention shapes your state (and how to "bookend" your day)
Where to find Michael:
Book: Turning Snowflakes to Diamonds (Amazon / Audible)
Online: Michael Timothy Dugan (YouTube + socials)

Money management can be extra hard when you're autistic or neurodivergent—especially if executive functioning challenges make it difficult to track expenses, remember bills, or plan long-term.
In this episode of Adulting With Autism, we talk with George Thomas, financial coach and CEO of a financial coaching company focused on making finance simple and accessible. George shares how to build a practical money system, why a budget still matters (when it's realistic), and how to reduce money anxiety by getting organized and focusing on what's leaving your account first.
We also discuss the myth that you "have to work to make money," the difference between net income and net worth, how to use automation safely, and small steps you can take this week—even if you feel behind.
In this episode, we cover:
Why finance feels overwhelming (and how to make it more digestible)
The importance of a personal "why," mission, and vision
Net worth basics: income – expenses and where to start
Executive functioning-friendly systems: reminders, organization, and review routines
Automation: what's safe to automate vs what to review manually
Handling setbacks and planning for "expected unexpected" costs
Defining financial freedom beyond social media hype
One change to make this week: review your expenses and find "money leaks"
Learn more: Freedom Builders Academy 
https://george-thomas-s-school1.teachable.com/p/freedombuildersacademy
Freedom Builders Academy is a self-paced, instructor-led financial education program that teaches budgeting, expense management, investing fundamentals, and time/action planning. It includes guided video lessons, mini study guides, and quizzes, and typically takes 2–4 weeks to complete.

What do you do when the dream you built your identity around disappears overnight?
In this episode of Adulting With Autism, host Sia talks with Hacia Atherton—former elite equestrian, trauma survivor, and workplace culture strategist—about rebuilding after a devastating riding accident that left her with broken hips, a shattered pelvis, severe nerve damage, chronic pain, and a long recovery.
Hacia shares how Positive Psychology's PERMA framework helped her rebuild in tiny, realistic increments, how to define success day-by-day when your capacity changes, and what real support looks like (versus "support" that sounds good but misses the mark).
They also unpack psychological safety at work—what it looks like in real rooms, why silence in meetings is a red flag, and how autistic and neurodivergent adults can create pockets of safety even inside imperfect systems. Plus: how to document toxic dynamics, advocate for accommodations, and protect your nervous system when you feel trapped.
Hacia is the founder of Empowered Women in Trades and the author of Billion Dollar Blindspot, a guide to the hidden costs of toxic workplace culture and how leaders can fix it.
In this episode, we cover:
Identity loss after trauma and how to rebuild without abandoning yourself
Chronic pain, invisible struggle, and support that actually helps
PERMA in everyday language (for teens and adults)
Nervous system protection in toxic environments
Psychological safety: what it feels like in a room (and what it looks like)
Neurodivergence at work: communication, advocacy, and accommodations
Why resilience sometimes means resting, pausing, or walking away
Small practices for feeling seen when the world doesn't see you
Connect with Hacia Atherton:
Website: https://haciahatherton.com
Instagram: @hacia.atherton
LinkedIn: Hacia Atherton
Book: Billion Dollar Blindspot (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart.com)

Do you feel like you have to perform to be accepted—at work, in relationships, even in your own self-talk? In this episode of Adulting with Autism, we're joined by Karin Velicka, a certified self-love and mindset coach, former professional athlete, and author of the upcoming book Dear Me Letters.
Karin shares her journey from a high-achieving finance path to coaching and emotional healing, and offers practical tools for autistic and ADHD adults who are navigating self-doubt, people-pleasing, burnout cycles, and major career transitions. We talk about why "quick fixes" rarely stick, how to build self-trust through small consistent steps, and how to make self-compassion feel real (not forced or fake).
In this episode, we cover:
Signs you may need deeper inner work (overachieving, people-pleasing, weak boundaries)
How to break limiting beliefs like "I'm not enough" and untangle generational patterns
Why letter-writing can be more powerful than traditional journaling
Self-love for neurodivergent adults: improving the inner dialogue without toxic positivity
A gentle entry point to breathwork for trauma, overwhelm, or sensory discomfort (eyes open is okay)
How autistic professionals can reduce overwork guilt with boundaries and "schedule a date with yourself"
Career transition clarity: radical honesty, courage, and walking with fear instead of letting it stop you
Why slow progress is real progress—and how to celebrate it
Guest: Karin Velicka
Instagram: velicka.karin
Website / Book updates: VelickaKarin.com (upcoming: Dear Me Letters)
If you found this episode helpful, follow Adulting with Autism, leave a review, and share it with someone searching for autism self-love, mindset coaching, people-pleasing recovery, burnout, or career transition support