Episode 232

full
Published on:

31st Jan 2026

Episode 232: Push-Pull of AuDHD Burnout: ADHD Excitement vs. Autistic Exhaustion [featuring Atsede Scarseth]

AuDHD Burnout goes beyond overwhelm felt from external forces in life and into an internal struggle of navigating the everyday tug-of-war needs and desires stemming from being both Autistic and ADHD.

In this episode, Patrick Casale talks with Atsede Scarseth, an AuDHD LPC, Coach, and Certified Yoga Teacher, about the complexities of AuDHD (Autistic + ADHD) burnout, masking, and the necessity of both self-acceptance and truly restorative rest, particularly as a neurodivergent entrepreneur.

Here are 3 key takeaways:

  1. Burnout is Nuanced: It’s not just about overworking; neurodivergent people often burn out from sensory overload, masking, or pushing past personal limits—not simply job stress.
  2. Integration is Key: Insight into your neurodivergence is only the beginning. Real transformation—and healing—happens when you learn to embody those insights and adjust your life accordingly.
  3. The Power of Neurodivergent Community: Building spaces (like specialized retreats) where unmasking is welcomed and rest is prioritized can be transformative. It’s about community, not just survival.

More about Atsede:

Atsede (At-sed-uh) is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Coach, and Certified Yoga Teacher. Originally from New York, she’s lived in Colorado for 10+ years. Atsede completed her Masters of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Northwestern University. Her neurodivergence (Gifted, AuDHD), various life experiences, and unique worldview allows her to meet people where they are authentically. She enjoys music, nature, and intuitive movement as each one holds a significant place in her life and informs how she interacts and connects with those around her. Atsede spent much of her early years confused, overwhelmed, and anxious despite her ability to “successfully” navigate the majority of situations she was presented with. Her journey to understanding her needs and how to take care of herself included a holistic approach involving mental, physical, and spiritual wellness. She likes to balance evidence-based therapeutic modalities and spiritually aligned practices (yoga, psychedelic work, intuitive practices, etc.). She also enjoys traveling and experiencing different ways of living, which hosting retreats allows her to do while giving back to the communities she’s sharing space with.

–––––––––––––––––––––

🎙️Listen to more episodes of the Neurodivergent Entrepreneur Podcast

🎙️Spotify: https://ndpod.org/Spotify

🎙️Apple: https://ndpod.org/Apple-Podcast

🎙️ YouTube: https://ndpod.org/YouTube

🧠 Neurodivergent Entrepreneur Freebie Vault: https://ndpod.org/Freebie-Vault

✈️ Learn about Retreats

🗨️ Join the free Empowered Escape FB Community

–––––––––––––––––––––

Thanks to Our Sponsors: The Receptionist for iPad!

The Receptionist for iPad

Thanks to The Receptionist for iPad for sponsoring this episode.

The Receptionist for iPad is a HIPAA-ready digital check-in system that eliminates the need to walk back and forth from your office to the waiting room to see if your next appointment has arrived. Clients or patients can check in for their appointments, and you'll be immediately notified by text, email, or your preferred channel. Break free from interruptions and make the most of your time, because it is valuable. Start a free 14-day trial of the Receptionist for iPad by going to thereceptionist.com/privatepractice. Make sure to start your trial with that link to get your first month free if you decide to sign up.

Free Gifts for Our Listeners

Free Podcasting Workbook

Get a practical podcasting workbook for therapists considering starting a podcast, created by Patrick Casale, host of the podcasts All Things Private Practice and Divergent Conversations.

You'll get a practical structure for therapists who want to start a podcast but don’t want to rush, perform, or build something they can’t sustain.

Grab your free copy of the Podcasting Workbook: https://ndpod.org/Free-Podcasting-Workbook

Move Beyond Private Practice As A Neurodivergent Entrepreneur

Move Beyond Private Practice As A Neurodivergent Entrepreneur is a FREE 5-part mini-course designed for therapists who want sustainable financial independence beyond one-on-one work.

Access your free mini-course here: https://ndpod.org/Neurodivergent-Entrepreneur

Show artwork for The Neurodivergent Entrepreneur

About the Podcast

The Neurodivergent Entrepreneur
Honest conversations about building a business while Autistic, ADHD, or both — the self-doubt, the chaos, and everything in between.
The Neurodivergent Entrepreneur is a podcast for ADHD, Autistic, and otherwise neurodivergent entrepreneurs who are building businesses, creative work, and lives that actually fit how their brains work. Hosted by Patrick Casale, this show is for people who
want to create meaningful work, make money, grow their impact, and build something sustainable without losing themselves in the process.

Being a neurodivergent entrepreneur can feel like holding a lot of contradictions at once. You may have big ideas, deep passion, creative energy, and a strong desire to do things differently. You may also be navigating burnout, masking, self-doubt, perfectionism, rejection sensitivity, executive dysfunction, inconsistent energy, and the pressure to keep showing up when your capacity is already stretched. This podcast speaks to that reality honestly, because building a business around your brain, your values, and your lived experience can be powerful, complicated, messy, and deeply personal.

Patrick Casale is a therapist, entrepreneur, speaker, retreat host, group practice owner, and neurodivergent business owner who has built, grown, burned out, pivoted, and kept going. His work brings together clinical insight, lived experience, business perspective, and real conversation about what it actually takes to create something that feels aligned. His conversations are direct, compassionate, unfiltered, and practical, with room for both the emotional reality of entrepreneurship and the concrete decisions that shape a sustainable business.

New episodes drop every Wednesday and feature honest conversations with neurodivergent entrepreneurs, creators, therapists, business owners, and leaders. Together, Patrick and his guests explore entrepreneurship, identity, mental health,
creativity, leadership, systems, money, visibility, community, sustainable growth, and the behind-the-scenes reality of creating work that matters.

Build the business. Protect your capacity. Create work that actually fits.