Different, not broken
Episodes
The super secret Christmas episode
25 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Shhhhh! Come in and have a listen to your gift. Don't tell anyone....
Are You an Order Muppet or a Chaos Muppet?
24 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Nobody really explains this part of relationships either.That a lot of the friction isn’t about love, or communication, or effort.It’s about order...
Embracing The Gift of Nothing and Why Modesty Hasn't Helped Your Career!
17 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Nobody tells you this part about being an adult.That most of your energy gets burned on decisions. Small ones. Constant ones. What to eat. What to say...
Justice for Kevin McCallister!
14 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I need to go on the record.The Wet Bandits are NOT the villains in Home Alone.This episode is a full rewatch reckoning. The kind that hits you sideway...
They Called Me "Difficult". Turns Out... I Was Right!
10 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Team Difficult: Can I Get That on a T-Shirt?Hi, I'm Lauren Howard. You can call me L2. Like other people do. And in this episode of "Different, Not Br...
Toxic Work Places: No Job Deserves Your Mental Health
03 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Your emotional energy is not in your job description.There! I said it. Did you feel a little jolt of recognition, a sense of relief—or maybe a stab ...
Thanksgiving is made up. You don't owe ANYONE a turkey!
27 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
To be honest, I’ve hit my limit with holiday guilt and the weird pressure to act like everything’s cosy and magical just because the calendar says...
Different, Not Broken - Vegas Didn’t Kill Me… But It Tried
26 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I survived a healthcare conference in Las Vegas… and honestly, I’m still a little surprised. Hi, I'm Lauren Howard. You can call me L2. Like other...
How I became L2 and started hating meetings
19 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I hate meetings. I hate them so much.Which is very awkward for someone who runs multiple businesses and technically needs them to function as an adult...
Car shopping in Florida is a scam — I have receipts!
12 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Buying a car in Florida shouldn’t feel like psychological warfare, but apparently it does. I’m just trying to replace my family car without losing...
My Dad, Vietnam and the Bruce Lee Autopsy Conspiracy
05 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s one thing to be a degree removed from a celebrity—it’s another to almost, possibly, maybe know how Bruce Lee died (except for the super wei...
My Dad, the Autoerotic ‘Expert’ (and Other Things I Can’t Unhear)
29 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
So, picture this: I’m having lunch with my dad, we’re mid-bite, chatting about David Carradine, and out of nowhere he says, “You don’t usually...
Autism hacks, sensory stories and The Autistic Adult's Toolbox
22 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ever find yourself carrying earplugs in every bag and pocket, just in case the world gets a little too… loud? Or maybe you’ve written letters to y...
Breaking news! My big podcast change...
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Something's shifted in my podcast journey while recording "Different, not Broken" for half a year now.I didn't see it coming.Question is, did YOU?
When All Else Fails: A True Story About Fighting the System and Saving My Dad
15 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When my dad — a doctor — started losing the ability to walk, I thought we’d find answers quickly. Instead, we ran straight into a wall of hospit...
Tylenol, Autism, and RFK's Dangerous Search for Someone to Blame
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When a bad headline blames Tylenol for autism, L2’s had enough.This is her blistering, hilarious takedown of pseudo-science, mom-shaming, and the po...
There's one thing I'll never be rational about!
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
My Brain Short-Circuits for ThisI have a confession.For someone who claims to be a relatively smart, responsible human and someone who can calculate n...
Why Affirming Occupational Therapy Matters for Autistic and ADHD Adults
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if everything you think you know about occupational therapy (OT) is… not quite right?Here’s a confession: until recently, I thought OT was ju...
Infertility, loss, and the questions you should never ask
17 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Infertility isn’t just a medical diagnosis — it’s a daily ache that reshapes how you see yourself, your relationships, and even good news from p...
We've Been Programmed By the Boomers to be Secretive
10 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Boomers love secrets!I said it. Maybe you flinched reading that—maybe you’re nodding along, feeling it deep in your bones, the way “don’t tell...
Neurodivergent friends - the relationship trauma nobody talks about
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Breakups Aren’t Just for Lovers: Why Losing Neurodivergent Friends Hurts So Damn MuchWe don’t talk enough about the heartbreak of losing neurodive...
Nine Years Without My Dad: The Story Behind LBee Day and Finding Strength in Grief
27 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Nine years.That’s how long it’s been since my dad died. Nine years of breathing around a space that never refills. Nine years of being a parent wi...
Hanging Upside Down Helped Me See Straight
20 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I've never been able to tell left from right.There! I said it. I’ll probably say it again at least fourteen times before breakfast tomorrow. My brai...
Why you deserve help NOW, BEFORE the Gray sets in. Also, fu*k J.K. Rowling!
13 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
One pill a day. That’s all it takes, apparently, to give the world its color back. You’d think adding a little routine to your morning... a pill, ...
Surviving Challenges with a Pinterest Mom By Your Side
06 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Here's why we all need to marry a Pinterest mom!This is your cue to send a bouquet of apology flowers to every postal worker you’ve ever rolled your...
Who told you THAT and gave you imposter syndrome?
30 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Who told you you weren’t good enough?No really, who actually said it? Because I checked, and 9 times out of 10, it’s just you playing that broken ...
Dismantling 'Normal': Why Different is Not Broken
16 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What is “normal,” and why does everyone want it so damn bad?No, really. When did we start treating “normal” like the holy grail instead of the...
The Black neurodivergent experience
02 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Black Neurodivergent ExperiencePeople say things like "just be yourself" with the expectation that you’ll just snap your fingers and turn the vo...
Nobody knows what they're doing!
25 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Nobody Knows What They’re DoingHave you ever found yourself glancing around a room (or a Zoom meeting, or a group chat, or the chaos of your living ...
Escaping MAGA - Your trauma is not an excuse to create more trauma
18 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Well done, you've decided to escape MAGA. Here's the learning moment.Your trauma is not an excuse to create more trauma It finally happened. Someone s...
Find yourself needing to mask at events? Here's how I avoid it.
11 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever caught yourself rehearsing your 'acceptable' self before walking into a room full of strangers? You know — slapping on that thin, arti...
Autism registry? RFK can suck a lawnmower!
04 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Yep, I'm back, caffeinated and undeterred, ready to take on the swirling mess of “autism registries,” junk science, and that perennial fixture of ...
Analytics Anxiety: Why Numbers Make Me Sweat
30 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I’m obsessed with my own podcast stats.There! I said it. If the first step is admitting you have a problem, then…well, consider this episode my ve...
Behavioral health - why does it have to be so hard?
28 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why is behavioral health so impossibly hard to access, navigate, and survive—especially if you’re wired a bit differently? Maybe you’ve asked yo...
The fear of asking 'stupid questions'.
21 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Why you have to ask the 'stupid' questions. Seriously.And, Freud's boring. Not opinion. Actual science.Now, I know what you’re thinking: “But, L2,...
A paycheck is not a permission slip for abuse
14 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I'm saying it out loud - a paycheck is not a permission slip for abuse.I added some bullhorn for effect.Hey, It’s "Different, Not Broken", and I’m...
Professionalism - a white supremacist scam for your imposter syndrome
07 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to "Different, not broken." I’m Lauren Howard—most people call me L2—and I’m here to shake up everything you think you know about 'pro...
You're not supposed to be here and other Dad wisdom
30 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The world often feels rigged. And this episode is a wake-up call to recognize the barriers that exist for those who don’t fit the traditional mold. ...
The importance of chosen family for building community
25 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I have two cousins. Two. And I didn’t even meet them until we were all adults.So, yeah—when people talk about the support they get from big, exten...
They Call Me 'The CEO Who Says "Fu*k" On The Internet' - but why?
23 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I’m all about showing up as my true self, and yeah, that means I drop the F-bomb like it’s confetti at a party. Some folks might be turned off by ...
They Shot Him in 12 Seconds — Because He Couldn’t Speak
18 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is a rallying cry for empathy and understanding, especially for those who are non-verbal or struggle to communicate. Stop calling the pol...
What is different, not broken? And why am I mortified by it?
16 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hi, I'm Lauren Howard. You can call me L2. Everybody does. I'm the CEO who says fuck on the internet a lot. We'll get more into that later...Our podca...
Different, not broken (Trailer)
03 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You are different, not broken! And this podcast is for you.The podcast delves into the profound notion that societal norms often dictate how individua...