The holidays demand more—more socializing, more masking, more expectations, more emotional labor. And for neurodivergent people, that pressure often leads to a very specific kind of burnout that doesn’t magically disappear on January 1st.

In this episode of Divergent Paths, Dr. Regina McMenomy, Ph.D. explores holiday burnout through a neurodivergent lens, unpacking why the season is so depleting and why traditional “rest over the break” or New Year’s resolution culture completely misses the point.

Joined by Russ Catanach, Regina breaks down how extended holiday demands dysregulate the nervous system, why burnout is more than exhaustion, and how years of pushing through family obligations, end-of-year work pressure, and social expectations can culminate in shutdown—often right when we’re “supp ...