The Neurodivergent Connection / The Curious Storyteller

She Thought Picture This Was Just a Phrase Until One Question Changed Everything

1h15 | 09/02/2026|

25

Description

What If “Picture This” Doesn’t Work for You?

What if the way I’ve been told to think, remember, or heal was built for a different kind of mind?

In this conversation, I sit down with Dr. Paulina Trevenna to talk about ADHD, aphantasia, memory, and why so many therapy and hypnosis methods quietly assume that everyone can visualize. If you’ve ever felt like certain tools just don’t land for you, this episode may help you see why.

We talk about the moment Paulina realized people really do “see” images in their minds, how that changed her understanding of imagination, and why that discovery led her into research. We also get into the hidden gap between common hypnosis techniques and neurodivergent inner experiences, including what can happen when practitioners mistake difference for resistance.

You’ll hear why this matters for people with ADHD, autism, aphantasia, and anyone supporting neurodivergent people. More importantly, I’m sharing a conversation that asks a bigger question: how many systems were built around one kind of brain?

About the Guest

Dr. Paulina Trevenna is a researcher, speaker, and hypnotherapist focused on aphantasia, hypnosis, and neurodivergence. She also leads the Aphantasia World community and teaches practitioners how to better support people who can’t visualize in the usual way.

Timestamps

0:02 - I welcome Dr. Paulina Trevenna
1:35 - Feeling different before having the words for it
7:40 - The therapy session that revealed aphantasia
13:43 - Entering hypnosis without visualization
22:50 - What happens when standard techniques don’t work
32:50 - The two big research questions Paulina set out to answer
36:05 - What thinking feels like without mental images
47:20 - Why therapy and meditation often miss neurodivergent minds
55:17 - Adapting hypnosis for different inner experiences
66:40 - What aphantasia reveals about human thinking
70:14 - Where to find Paulina online

If this episode speaks to you, listen through and share it with someone who’s been told they’re “doing it wrong” when they may just be wired differently.

#Aphantasia #ADHD #Neurodivergent #Hypnosis #MentalHealth

Hosted by Reid Miles.
Conversations unfold naturally — no scripts, no rush.

🎧 Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts
🌐 More about the show and past episodes: https://podcast.ausha.co/neurodivergantconnection-thecuriousstroyteller
📩 Guest inquiries & media: Reid@AspergersStudio.com

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About The Neurodivergent Connection / The Curious Storyteller

Reid Miles Podcasts

Two shows. One curiosity-driven mission: telling human stories that matter.

Hosted by Reid Miles, this podcast feed is home to two distinct but connected conversations.

The Neurodivergent Connection centers neurodivergent voices lived experience, late diagnosis, advocacy, creativity, and the realities of navigating a world not built for autistic minds. These episodes focus on understanding, accessibility, and belonging, grounded in honesty and real conversation rather than clinical distance.

The Curious Storyteller began as a celebration of remarkable people and the stories that shaped them. It has since evolved into deeper, reflective conversations about identity, resilience, reinvention, and the quiet moments that change us. Guests include creators, athletes, leaders, and thinkers not to be interviewed, but to be heard.

Both shows share the same foundation: unscripted conversations, emotional intelligence, and curiosity over performance. This isn’t about polished success stories or neat conclusions — it’s about connection, reflection, and telling the truth while the story is still being written.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About The Neurodivergent Connection / The Curious Storyteller

Reid Miles Podcasts

Two shows. One curiosity-driven mission: telling human stories that matter.

Hosted by Reid Miles, this podcast feed is home to two distinct but connected conversations.

The Neurodivergent Connection centers neurodivergent voices lived experience, late diagnosis, advocacy, creativity, and the realities of navigating a world not built for autistic minds. These episodes focus on understanding, accessibility, and belonging, grounded in honesty and real conversation rather than clinical distance.

The Curious Storyteller began as a celebration of remarkable people and the stories that shaped them. It has since evolved into deeper, reflective conversations about identity, resilience, reinvention, and the quiet moments that change us. Guests include creators, athletes, leaders, and thinkers not to be interviewed, but to be heard.

Both shows share the same foundation: unscripted conversations, emotional intelligence, and curiosity over performance. This isn’t about polished success stories or neat conclusions — it’s about connection, reflection, and telling the truth while the story is still being written.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Description

What If “Picture This” Doesn’t Work for You?

What if the way I’ve been told to think, remember, or heal was built for a different kind of mind?

In this conversation, I sit down with Dr. Paulina Trevenna to talk about ADHD, aphantasia, memory, and why so many therapy and hypnosis methods quietly assume that everyone can visualize. If you’ve ever felt like certain tools just don’t land for you, this episode may help you see why.

We talk about the moment Paulina realized people really do “see” images in their minds, how that changed her understanding of imagination, and why that discovery led her into research. We also get into the hidden gap between common hypnosis techniques and neurodivergent inner experiences, including what can happen when practitioners mistake difference for resistance.

You’ll hear why this matters for people with ADHD, autism, aphantasia, and anyone supporting neurodivergent people. More importantly, I’m sharing a conversation that asks a bigger question: how many systems were built around one kind of brain?

About the Guest

Dr. Paulina Trevenna is a researcher, speaker, and hypnotherapist focused on aphantasia, hypnosis, and neurodivergence. She also leads the Aphantasia World community and teaches practitioners how to better support people who can’t visualize in the usual way.

Timestamps

0:02 - I welcome Dr. Paulina Trevenna
1:35 - Feeling different before having the words for it
7:40 - The therapy session that revealed aphantasia
13:43 - Entering hypnosis without visualization
22:50 - What happens when standard techniques don’t work
32:50 - The two big research questions Paulina set out to answer
36:05 - What thinking feels like without mental images
47:20 - Why therapy and meditation often miss neurodivergent minds
55:17 - Adapting hypnosis for different inner experiences
66:40 - What aphantasia reveals about human thinking
70:14 - Where to find Paulina online

If this episode speaks to you, listen through and share it with someone who’s been told they’re “doing it wrong” when they may just be wired differently.

#Aphantasia #ADHD #Neurodivergent #Hypnosis #MentalHealth

Hosted by Reid Miles.
Conversations unfold naturally — no scripts, no rush.

🎧 Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts
🌐 More about the show and past episodes: https://podcast.ausha.co/neurodivergantconnection-thecuriousstroyteller
📩 Guest inquiries & media: Reid@AspergersStudio.com

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About The Neurodivergent Connection / The Curious Storyteller

Reid Miles Podcasts

Two shows. One curiosity-driven mission: telling human stories that matter.

Hosted by Reid Miles, this podcast feed is home to two distinct but connected conversations.

The Neurodivergent Connection centers neurodivergent voices lived experience, late diagnosis, advocacy, creativity, and the realities of navigating a world not built for autistic minds. These episodes focus on understanding, accessibility, and belonging, grounded in honesty and real conversation rather than clinical distance.

The Curious Storyteller began as a celebration of remarkable people and the stories that shaped them. It has since evolved into deeper, reflective conversations about identity, resilience, reinvention, and the quiet moments that change us. Guests include creators, athletes, leaders, and thinkers not to be interviewed, but to be heard.

Both shows share the same foundation: unscripted conversations, emotional intelligence, and curiosity over performance. This isn’t about polished success stories or neat conclusions — it’s about connection, reflection, and telling the truth while the story is still being written.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About The Neurodivergent Connection / The Curious Storyteller

Reid Miles Podcasts

Two shows. One curiosity-driven mission: telling human stories that matter.

Hosted by Reid Miles, this podcast feed is home to two distinct but connected conversations.

The Neurodivergent Connection centers neurodivergent voices lived experience, late diagnosis, advocacy, creativity, and the realities of navigating a world not built for autistic minds. These episodes focus on understanding, accessibility, and belonging, grounded in honesty and real conversation rather than clinical distance.

The Curious Storyteller began as a celebration of remarkable people and the stories that shaped them. It has since evolved into deeper, reflective conversations about identity, resilience, reinvention, and the quiet moments that change us. Guests include creators, athletes, leaders, and thinkers not to be interviewed, but to be heard.

Both shows share the same foundation: unscripted conversations, emotional intelligence, and curiosity over performance. This isn’t about polished success stories or neat conclusions — it’s about connection, reflection, and telling the truth while the story is still being written.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Share

Embed