Can a neurodiverse relationship still see change when only one partner works on it? What if you’ve tried everything, but nothing seems to stick?

In Part 2 of this roundtable discussion, Jodi and the panel of leading neurodiversity professionals return to explore how coaching (versus therapy), nervous system regulation, and identifying options can help couples shift out of stuck patterns—even when one partner isn’t engaged in the work. If you’re trying to decide whether to stay, leave, or redefine what being together looks like, this conversation offers real-life strategies, hope, and clarity.

💬 What You’ll Learn in This Episode: The difference between coaching and traditional therapy—and when each is most effective Why regulating your nervous system is key to better communication Practical tools for rewiring the brain and shifting harmful patterns How to navigate decision-making, boundaries, and even separation with clarity and self-trust What to look for in a therapist or coach to determine who actually understands neurodiversity - versus someone who “knows someone that was neurodivergent” How healing is possible even if only one partner is doing the work

Whether you're in a neurodiverse relationship, supporting a loved one, or working as a professional in this space, this episode offers real tools, compassionate insight, and hopeful next steps.

👉 Missed Part 1? Watch here: https://youtu.be/rXeUypJeQX4?si=1GiWaeRK5PhrWS59

00:00 Welcome Back: Season 5 & this Expert Panel Episode 00:57 Real-Life Experience from Neurodiverse Professionals 03:15 Why Traditional Couples Therapy Often Falls Short 04:49 Coaching vs. Counseling: What Works for Neurodiverse Couples 06:05 Nervous System Regulation & Expanding Capacity 08:52 When Only One Partner Is Willing to Do the Work 13:02 Discernment: Stay, Go, or Redefine the Relationship 21:42 How to Know If a Therapist Really Gets Neurodiversity 27:45 Red Flags, Abuse, and Boundaries in Neurodiverse Marriages 28:25 Closing Thoughts & Resources

👋🏼 Meet the Experts: This episode features insights from:

Barbara Grant, MMFT, CAS, NDCC – Neurodiverse couples coach, co-host of Neurodiverse Couples Coaches Corner, and co-author of Uniquely Us. https://bg-hc.com

Jana Smith – Resilience and nervous system coach; expert in chronic illness and Cassandra Syndrome recovery. https://www.janamsmith.com

Natalie Roberts – Award-winning neurodiverse relationship coach, co-founder of Loving Difference, and co-host of Myth Busting Neurodiverse Relationships. https://natalieroberts.com

Heather Parks – Somatic coach specializing in neurodiverse families; co-host of Loving Difference and Myth Busting Neurodiverse Relationships. https://heatherparks.co.uk

Robin Tate, M.A., M.S., BCC, ACC, CAS – Neurodiverse couples coach, certified autism specialist, and founder of Robin Tate LLC. https://www.robintatellc.com

👩‍💼 About Your Host:

Jodi Carlton, MEd Jodi Carlton is a neurodiverse relationship coach with over 20 years of experience as a therapist, coach, author, and educator. She’s also neurodivergent herself—diagnosed with ADHD as an adult—and brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work. After 19 years in a marriage with an autistic partner and raising neurodivergent children, Jodi developed a deeply personal understanding of what it takes for relationships like yours to work—and the pitfalls that can derail them. She now coaches individuals, couples, and families around the world using a solution-focused approach that delivers real clarity and lasting change.

👉 Find resources, quizzes, and courses: https://jodicarlton.com

🔔 Subscribe & Follow for more real conversations and strategies to support neurodiverse couples.

How do you stay in a neurodiverse marriage for the long haul?

In Part 2 of this honest and hope-filled conversation, counselor Laura Schreiner returns to share what she and her autistic husband have learned in over 20 years together—especially after discovering neurodivergence mid-marriage. With warmth and wisdom, Laura and host Jodi Carlton explore what real growth looks like in neurodiverse marriages—from learning to set emotional boundaries to releasing the pressure to “fix” each other.

💬 You’ll hear Laura unpack:

Why setting boundaries with your kids is just as important as with your partner How her husband’s communication “black belt” surprised her What changed when she detached from emotional outcomes Why understanding your own expectations is essential—especially if you're the one doing all the work Her husband’s take: “We’re not opposites. We’re complementary puzzle pieces.”

This conversation is packed with real insight for #neurotypical and #neurodivergent partners alike—plus a lot of humor and humanity!

📍 Episode Timestamps:

00:00 Intro & Why You Shouldn’t Miss Part 1 01:24 Setting Boundaries as a Neurodivergent Parent 03:50 “Fixing Autism” vs. Doing the Personal Work 06:02 Her Communication “Black Belt” Analogy 07:07 How Feelings are Impacted by What We Choose to Believe 09:19 Somatic Tools for Regulating Relationship Tension 11:39 Doing the Inner Work—Even If the Relationship Doesn’t Last 14:37 How One Breakthrough Shifted Their Marriage 17:06 Codependency, Expectations & the Myth of the “Perfect Partner” 19:16 What If Leaving Isn’t So Simple? 24:24 How We Define Progress in Neurodiverse Relationships 29:01 Letting Go of Expectations & Receiving What’s Given 34:00 We Both Still Like Chicken 35:00 “We’re Complementary Puzzle Pieces” (Her Husband’s Final Insight)

✨ About Laura Schreiner:

Laura Schreiner is a licensed professional counselor in Illinois who specializes in working with neurodivergent adults and couples. Her expertise is deeply personal—Laura discovered in 2017 that her husband is autistic, a revelation that reshaped both her personal and professional life.

Certified in Neurodiverse Couples Therapy through the Asperger/Autism Network (AANE), Laura combines over 15 years of clinical experience with firsthand insight into the unique dynamics of neurodiverse relationships. She is currently developing new ways to educate and support the neurodiverse community on how brain wiring differences shape communication, connection, and partnership.

To follow Laura’s work or get in touch, visit www.laurasnc.com

👉 Real stories. Tangible strategies. Watch more honest conversations from Season 5: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSyXJdjUav7qLvkJFwE-KcG73-Fzuzu29

💬 NEW! Try the NeuroTranslator App

Want help understanding each other’s neurotypes in everyday situations? The NeuroTranslator app offers on-demand explanations to help reduce conflict and increase connection. Built by an autistic husband to bridge communication gaps between neurotypes. Save 30% with promo code JODI.

🔗 https://www.neurotranslator.ai

#neurodiversemarriage #communicationchallenges #codependencyrecovery #neurodivergentlove #emotionalboundaries #relationshipadvice

👩‍💼 About Your Host: Jodi Carlton, MEd Jodi Carlton is a neurodiverse relationship coach with over 20 years of experience as a therapist, coach, author, and educator. She’s also neurodivergent herself—diagnosed with ADHD as an adult—and brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work. After 19 years in a marriage with an autistic partner and raising neurodivergent children, Jodi developed a deeply personal understanding of what it takes for relationships like yours to work—and the pitfalls that can derail them. She now coaches individuals, couples, and families around the world using a solution-focused approach that delivers real clarity and lasting change.

👉 Explore more episodes, free resources, quizzes, and courses: https://jodicarlton.com

🔔 Don’t Forget to Like, Subscribe & Share! Your support helps us reach more people navigating life in neurodiverse relationships.

Counselor Laura Schreiner opens up about her own 20-year neurodiverse marriage—sharing expert insights, hard truths, and what makes love last.

In this episode, neurodiverse relationship expert, Jodi Carlton, sits down with returning guest Laura Schreiner, a seasoned counselor who specializes in working with #neurodivergent adults and couples. Laura shares insights from her own 20-year #neurodiversemarriage, offering a rare and compassionate look at how communication struggles, #masking, #emotionalburnout, and unmet expectations play out in real life—and what it looks like when couples decide to stay in it and do the work.

💬 You’ll hear Laura break down:

• Why communication isn’t linear in neurodiverse partnerships
• How she and her #autistichusband navigate misunderstandings with humor and empathy
• The surprising shift that helped her let go of “fixing” and focus on her own growth
• What really makes or breaks these relationships in the long run

Whether you’re the #autisticpartner, the #neurotypical one, or somewhere in between—this episode is packed with wisdom, warmth, and hard-earned truth.

00:00 Can Neurodiverse Relationships Work Long-Term?

01:23 Meet Laura Schreiner: Counselor & Neurodiverse Partner

02:45 Why Laura Speaks for Both Partners in This Episode (Respecting Privacy in Neurodiverse Relationships)

05:52 What Makes Neurodiverse Relationships So Challenging? And What Are Some Solutions

06:12 Communication Is Not Linear

08:02 Her Husband’s Powerful Quote on Communication Challenges

09:35 Jodi and Laura Talk About the Shame, Embarrassment, and Self-Criticism Neurodivergent Partners Often Experience

13:13 Pulling the Thread: A Real-Life Example of a Communication Breakthrough

20:58 Responding to “Why Should I Be the One Doing All the Work?”

​​24:14 Believing in Yourself & Doing the Inner Work: What Makes a Neurodiverse Relationship Work

26:58 Her Husband’s Self-Awareness Breakthrough

28:53 Letting Go of Codependency in Neurodiverse Relationships

33:04 Coming Up Next: More Wisdom from Laura in Part 2

✨ About Laura Schreiner:

Laura Schreiner is a licensed professional counselor in Illinois who specializes in working with neurodivergent adults and couples. Her expertise is deeply personal—Laura discovered in 2017 that her husband is autistic, a revelation that reshaped both her personal and professional life.

Certified in Neurodiverse Couples Therapy through the Asperger/Autism Network (AANE), Laura combines over 15 years of clinical experience with firsthand insight into the unique dynamics of neurodiverse relationships. She is currently developing new ways to educate and support the neurodiverse community on how brain wiring differences shape communication, connection, and partnership.

To follow Laura’s work or get in touch, visit laurasnc.com.

👉 Real stories. Tangible strategies. Watch more honest conversations from Season 5: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSyXJdjUav7qLvkJFwE-KcG73-Fzuzu29

💬 NEW! Try the NeuroTranslator App

Want help understanding each other’s neurotypes in everyday situations? The NeuroTranslator app offers on-demand explanations to help reduce conflict and increase connection. Built by an autistic husband to bridge communication gaps between neurotypes. Save 30% with promo code JODI.

🔗 https://www.neurotranslator.ai

#communicationchallenges #codependencyrecovery #emotionalboundaries #marriageadvice #selfawareness

—

👩‍💼 About Your Host: Jodi Carlton, MEd

Jodi Carlton is a neurodiverse relationship coach with over 20 years of experience as a therapist, coach, author, and educator. She’s also neurodivergent herself—diagnosed with ADHD as an adult—and brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work. After 19 years in a marriage with an autistic partner and raising neurodivergent children, Jodi developed a deeply personal understanding of what it takes for relationships like yours to work—and the pitfalls that can derail them. She now coaches individuals, couples, and families around the world using a solution-focused approach that delivers real clarity and lasting change.

👉 Explore more episodes, free resources, quizzes, and courses:

https://jodicarlton.com

🔔 Don’t Forget to Like, Subscribe & Share!

Your support helps us reach more people navigating life in neurodiverse relationships.