The Neurodivergent Entrepreneur

What happens when your capacity changes—but the demands of being alive don’t?
In this vulnerable solo episode, Patrick Casale talks about the exhaustion of navigating chronic illness, chronic pain, Autistic burnout, and being neurodivergent while still needing to work, make money, create, maintain relationships, and find meaning in life.
It’s an honest conversation about changing capacity, invisible disability, grief, pacing, and learning to be gentler with yourself when simply existing requires more energy than most people can see.
3 Key Takeaways:
Capacity and necessity don’t always match. Having less energy doesn’t make financial responsibilities, healthcare, work, or the need for meaning disappear.
Invisible struggles still have a very real cost. Chronic pain, executive dysfunction, medical appointments, accommodations, and constantly managing your energy can become exhausting in ways others may never see.
You don’t have to turn every hard season into inspiration. Sometimes acknowledging the grief, frustration, and reality of what you’re experiencing can be validating and humanizing.

This episode is a reminder to surround yourself with people who believe you, respect your changing capacity, and can sometimes simply say, “This really sucks. I’m here.”
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🎙️Listen to more episodes of the Neurodivergent Entrepreneur Podcast: https://ndpod.org
🎙️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: https://www.allthingspractice.com/private-practice-retreats
🗨️ Join The NeuroPreneur Circle Community: https://www.allthingspractice.com/neuropreneur-community
🗨️ Join the free Empowered Escape FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredescape
–––––––––––––––––––––
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
Mentioned in this episode:
The Receptionist for iPad
 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 https://thereceptionist.com/privatepractice. Make sure to start your trial with that link to get your first month free if you decide to sign up.

What if your career could be bigger than the path you originally imagined?
In this solo episode, Patrick Casale shares lessons from building businesses, hosting retreats, podcasting, speaking, and leading a group practice—and why self-doubt, perfectionism, or waiting until you feel ready shouldn’t keep your ideas stuck in your head.
He also introduces his Beyond Private Practice intensives, designed to help therapists and entrepreneurs take those ideas and turn them into something real.
3 Key Takeaways:
Your career doesn’t have to follow a predetermined path. There are countless ways to build meaningful, creative work around your skills, values, and lived experience.
Ideas need action, not certainty. Self-doubt and fear don’t have to disappear before you take the first step.
Build what actually fits you. Whether it’s a podcast, retreat, speaking career, group practice, or something entirely different, sustainable entrepreneurship should align with your values, capacity, and goals.

Patrick’s Beyond Private Practice intensive will cover retreats, podcasting, paid speaking opportunities, and group practice ownership through live coaching, practical resources, and lessons learned from doing all four.
Choose from October 23 or October 30, from 12–4 PM Eastern. You'll get access to four unique crash course topics all in one afternoon, priced at only $99. You'll also get 4 NBCC CEs.
Join the Intensive: https://atppod.com/beyond
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🎙️Listen to more episodes of the Neurodivergent Entrepreneur Podcast: https://ndpod.org
🎙️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: https://www.allthingspractice.com/private-practice-retreats
🗨️ Join The NeuroPreneur Circle Community: https://www.allthingspractice.com/neuropreneur-community
🗨️ Join the free Empowered Escape FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredescape
–––––––––––––––––––––
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
Mentioned in this episode:
The Receptionist for iPad
 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 https://thereceptionist.com/privatepractice. Make sure to start your trial with that link to get your first month free if you decide to sign up.

What if caring for your mental health isn’t just about what’s happening in your head?
Patrick Casale sits down with holistic therapist and educator LeNaya Crawford to rethink what therapy can look like when we consider the whole person. They explore how movement, breathwork, mindfulness, spirituality, and other practices can complement traditional talk therapy—and why integrating them responsibly matters.
The conversation also touches on burnout, hustle culture, self-worth, and the importance of finding approaches to healing that actually fit the individual.
3 Key Takeaways:
Healing can involve more than talking. The body can play an important role in how we process, regulate, and reconnect with ourselves.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to therapy. Different people may need different tools, modalities, and forms of support.
Holistic therapy still requires responsibility. Expanding the therapeutic toolbox means having the appropriate training and understanding when and how to use different practices.

More about LeNaya:
LeNaya Smith Crawford, The Holistic Therapist™, is a Licensed Therapist, Holistic Mental Health Educator and Expert, Business Mentor, International Teacher, and Wellness CEO on a mission to make holistic mental health and healing accessible, inclusive, and relatable by training and empowering the therapists, healers, and organizations that make this work possible. Her work is rooted in taking a holistic approach to mental health, self-care, and entrepreneurship.
She earned her Bachelor’s in Psychology with honors from Spelman College and holds a Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy with a specialization in trauma and spiritual integration. She is also an advanced certified yoga, breathwork, and meditation teacher (ERYT-500+) and a sound healer.
With over a decade of experience in the mental health and wellness space, LeNaya is a sought-after mental health expert and space holder. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Essence, The Huffington Post, Healthline, and on national television, including Bravo.
As a leader in the holistic mental health space, LeNaya created The Holistic Therapist™ Academy, a globally recognized certification and immersion program that trains therapists, healers, and mental health professionals in the ethical and confident integration of holistic trauma-informed modalities.
Through her company, LSC Wellness, LeNaya supports women therapists, healers, leaders, and ambitious women entrepreneurs in prioritizing their self-care, expanding their toolbox, and building impactful, sustainable businesses—without burning out.
In addition to LSC Wellness, she is also the Founder of Kaleidoscope Therapy and Holistic Wellness, a trauma-informed group therapy practice serving clients across Georgia, Florida, and virtually nationwide, and the Co-Founder of Seviin Yoga Studio + Yoga School, a trauma-informed heated yoga studio and community healing space based in Atlanta.
Free Intro to Holistic Mental Health: https://lenaya-crawford.mykajabi.com/become-a-holistic-therapist-generator1
Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/holistictherapycommunity
Holistic Therapist Academy info page: https://lenaya-crawford.mykajabi.com/holistictherapistacademy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lenayascrawford
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lenaya.smith
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lenayascrawford
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0AH5hqOQdS_JRHqlwTO3dQ

–––––––––––––––––––––
🎙️Listen to more episodes of the Neurodivergent Entrepreneur Podcast: https://ndpod.org
🎙️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: https://www.allthingspractice.com/private-practice-retreats
🗨️ Join The NeuroPreneur Circle Community: https://www.allthingspractice.com/neuropreneur-community
🗨️ Join the free Empowered Escape FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredescape
–––––––––––––––––––––
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
Mentioned in this episode:
The Receptionist for iPad
 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 https://thereceptionist.com/privatepractice. Make sure to start your trial with that link to get your first month free if you decide to sign up.

What happens when your brain wants creativity, stimulation, and momentum—but your body is telling you to stop?
In this personal solo episode, Patrick Casale reflects on navigating Autistic burnout, chronic illness, and the uncomfortable reality of entering a season where pushing harder simply isn’t an option.
He explores the complicated relationship between productivity and self-worth, why slowing down can feel so threatening for an ADHD brain, and what it means to trust that creativity will return without forcing it.
3 Key Takeaways:
Rest doesn’t mean you’re failing. Sometimes stepping back is exactly what your brain and body need.
Your worth isn’t determined by your productivity. Achievement can feel validating, but it doesn’t define your value.
Creativity can’t always be forced. A quiet season may be an opportunity to recover, plant new seeds, and allow inspiration to return naturally.

–––––––––––––––––––––
🎙️Listen to more episodes of the Neurodivergent Entrepreneur Podcast: https://ndpod.org
🎙️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: https://www.allthingspractice.com/private-practice-retreats
🗨️ Join The NeuroPreneur Circle Community: https://www.allthingspractice.com/neuropreneur-community
🗨️ Join the free Empowered Escape FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredescape
–––––––––––––––––––––
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
Mentioned in this episode:
The Receptionist for iPad
 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 https://thereceptionist.com/privatepractice. Make sure to start your trial with that link to get your first month free if you decide to sign up.

What happens when the chaos you spent years trying to understand becomes the fuel for something meaningful?
Patrick Casale sits down with artist, musician, tattoo artist, and creator Bre (professionally known as BR3) for a raw conversation about neurodivergence, creativity, sensory seeking, Autistic burnout, representation, and the complicated relationship between pain and art.
BR3 reflects on behaviors he once understood as recklessness or destruction—including an intense encounter with police—and what it has been like to recognize those experiences through the lens of neurodivergence and sensory seeking. He and Patrick also explore an important complication in conversations about unmasking: being visibly neurodivergent isn't equally safe for everyone, particularly when race and policing enter the picture.
The conversation also turns toward creativity and purpose. BR3 shares how Autistic burnout affected his work, why Patrick's vulnerability helped him put language to his own experience, and how that understanding contributed to the creation of Bops Playland.
3 Key Takeaways:
What looks like recklessness may have something deeper underneath it. Between impulsivity and sensory seeking, it can be difficult to understand your behavior when you don't yet have language for what's happening inside your brain and nervous system.
Unmasking isn't equally safe for everyone. Race, privilege, policing, and how neurodivergent behavior is perceived can dramatically change the consequences of openly stimming, melting down, or behaving outside social expectations.
Creativity can turn pain into connection—but creating from pain has a cost. BR3 describes how artists immerse themselves in difficult emotions to create something relatable, while Patrick shares why he talks publicly about his own struggles: giving other people language for their experiences can help them feel less alone.

More about BR3:
Bre, professionally known as BR3, is a 36-year-old Black music producer, engineer, and tech founder from Macon, Georgia. A Georgia Tech graduate with a degree in Software Engineering and Computer Science, he uniquely bridges the worlds of hip-hop production and enterprise-grade technology.
BR3's commercial breakthrough came with "Forever Dancing In The Rain (Santaze Tribute)" which peaked at #44 on the iTunes Hip-Hop/Rap Chart in 2023. His first charting success "Used to This" feat. Jacquees, charting at #134 on Apple Music R&B in 2018 is still on charts consistently, and "Skuba 3" feat. Sada Baby (Nov 2024).
Bre owns and operates Third District Enterprise, anchored by his Georgia Tech-honed technical expertise.
Bre's empire is built on a deeply personal foundation: his autistic son, Bop. Everything Bre builds—from Bops Playland TV to BopVerse games—is designed to create heroes who look like his son and provide safe, sensory-friendly experiences for neurodivergent children.
"We don't ask permission. We ask forgiveness, or we just win anyway." — Bre's philosophy
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/br3music
Website: https://bopsplaylandtv.com
https://trifectatattoos.zo.space/bops-playland-tv

–––––––––––––––––––––
🎙️Listen to more episodes of the Neurodivergent Entrepreneur Podcast: https://ndpod.org
🎙️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: https://www.allthingspractice.com/private-practice-retreats
🗨️ Join The NeuroPreneur Circle Community: https://www.allthingspractice.com/neuropreneur-community
🗨️ Join the free Empowered Escape FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweredescape
–––––––––––––––––––––
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
Mentioned in this episode:
The Receptionist for iPad
 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 https://thereceptionist.com/privatepractice. Make sure to start your trial with that link to get your first month free if you decide to sign up.