Radical Acceptance Isn't About Giving Up | Dr. Matt Zakreski
Season 3 · Episode 17
Thursday, May 7, 2026 • Duration 39:50
The Reddit post was titled: "Having a job and autistic ADHD burnout is killing me." And it read exactly like you'd expect — work is exhausting, home is falling apart, hobbies are gone, and a therapist suggested radically accepting the situation. Which OP heard as: just accept that this is your life forever.
That's not what radical acceptance means. And that misunderstanding is exactly where this episode starts.
In this Reacting to Reddit at Work episode of Why Does It Feel So Wrong to Be Human at Work?, hosts Pinaki Kathiari and Chris Lee are joined by producer Bree Bartos and Dr. Matt Zakreski, clinical psychologist and founder of the Neurodiversity Collective, for a conversation about burnout, the struggle switch, lizard brain versus wizard brain, and what it actually looks like for managers and organizations to show up for neurodivergent employees.
Bree's sink falls apart during the episode. Pinaki references Nonviolent Communication. Dr. Matt describes the erectile dysfunction stages of grief. It goes places.
In this episode, they discuss:
• What radical acceptance actually means — and why the therapy world's version got lost in translation
• The struggle switch: why it's not the emotion that gets you, it's the feeling about the feeling about the feeling
• Lizard brain vs. wizard brain, and what managers can do before a hard conversation to keep both parties in the right headspace
• Why the OP has been fired 20 times and what Pinaki thinks is actually going on
• What psychological safety has to do with body swaying, tattoos, and doing your job with full commitment
• Metacommunication: naming what you're doing so your employee's nervous system has a runway
• Pinaki's mental palate cleanser — the meeting opener that isn't 'how's your day?'
• What managers can actually do when they suspect someone on their team is neurodivergent
• Dr. Matt on the dance of relationships: when you need more, you get more — and how to stop keeping score
If you've ever felt like the job was designed for someone else's brain — you're probably right. And this episode is for you.
Special thanks to digital communication agency Local Wisdom (www.localwisdom.com) for really believing in our mission and making this podcast possible.
If this episode made you think differently, laugh, or even yell out loud, we want to hear about it! Connect with us on LinkedIn, and don’t forget to rate, review, and share – maybe with your work bestie… or even your boss if you're feeling bold.
We also bring these important conversations to conferences and private workshops, creating space for real, meaningful change. Take the first step at www.whydoesitfeelsowrong.com.
Be Curious, Not Furious | Dr. Matt Zakreski
Season 3 · Episode 16
Thursday, April 30, 2026 • Duration 38:56
One in five people are neurodivergent. Which means right now, roughly 20% of your organization's brains are working differently than the systems around them were designed for. And most of those people are just quietly struggling — wondering what's wrong with them — while the organization wonders what's wrong with them right back.
In this Between the Seasons episode of Why Does It Feel So Wrong to Be Human at Work?, Pinaki Kathiari and Chris Lee sit down with Dr. Matt Zakreski, clinical psychologist at the Neurodiversity Collective and author of The Neurodiversity Playbook, for a conversation about what it actually looks like to build workplaces where different kinds of brains can do their best work.
Dr. Matt brings the research, the analogies, and a lot of really good pizza metaphors. Bree admits she can't send emails without a dopamine boost. Chris shares his ADHD diagnosis. Pinaki wonders, out loud, if he's on a spectrum of something. And everyone agrees: the world was built by neurotypical people, and that's a problem worth fixing.
In this episode, they discuss:
• What neurodivergence actually is — and why it is not a choice
• The pizza dinner party analogy: inclusion isn't about throwing away what works, it's about making sure there's something for everyone at the table
• Steve, the guy who holds the office together but isn't hitting his sales numbers — and what organizations get wrong about him
• Body doubling, expense report happy hour, and free solutions to executive functioning challenges
• Be curious, not furious: why asking why before assuming intent changes everything
• The difference between intention and impact, and why owning that gap matters
• What to do when someone is truly not a fit — and how to do the warmest possible handoff
• Dr. Matt's book, The Neurodiversity Playbook, and why he wrote it as a play-by-play guide, not a cover-to-cover read
She Got Engaged to an AI — And It Made Us Think About the Future of Work | Reddit at Work
Season 3 · Episode 7
Thursday, February 26, 2026 • Duration 17:42
Bree has a habit of bringing Pinaki the latest thing she stumbled across on the internet — and this
week, she found something that stopped her in her tracks.
A Reddit post from the r/AIBoyfriends subreddit (yes, it exists — 59,000 members strong) went viral
after a woman shared that her AI boyfriend, Casper, had proposed to her in the mountains. It was
sweet, it was earnest, and it opened up a conversation neither of them saw coming.
Because when 60,000 people are forming real emotional bonds with AI, what does that mean for the
future of work? What happens when those same people — already comfortable turning to AI for
connection — start walking into HR offices, or leading teams, or building companies?
Pinaki and Bree dig into what the post revealed: about loneliness, about human connection, about
the very real risks of replacing people with programs in the workplace. They talk about AI Pam from HR,
about what a five-year-old understands (and doesn’t) about Google, about what we give up when
we let AI fill the gaps that people used to fill.
In this episode, they discuss:
• Why people turn to AI for emotional connection — and why that makes sense
• The difference between a personal AI and an organizational one
• What gets lost when HR becomes automated
• How AI relationships are shaping expectations of real human ones
Burned Out at Networking Events | Reddit at Work | Rich Dome
Season 3 · Episode 6
Thursday, February 19, 2026 • Duration 21:01
What happens when something you used to love suddenly feels exhausting?
In this Between the Seasons episode of Why Does It Feel So Wrong to Be Human at Work?, hosts Pinaki Kathiari and Chris Lee are joined by Rich Dome, Senior Director of Partnerships at Local Wisdom, as Bree brings a Reddit story to the table about networking burnout.
The post comes from a seasoned sales professional who once thrived at conferences but now feels drained, overwhelmed, and ready to disappear by lunchtime. The team unpacks what is really going on beneath the surface. Is it networking fatigue, startup pressure, internal politics, or a battery that has been running on empty for too long?
Rich shares his go-to strategies for approaching conferences with intention, including how to “pregame” mentally, do meaningful research ahead of time, and build relationships without leading with a sales pitch. The group also talks about trade show booth dynamics, the pressure to perform in startup environments, and why selling under stress rarely works.
They explore how to recharge when you are stuck at a multi-day event in another city, from taking intentional breaks to dividing and conquering as a team. Most importantly, they remind listeners that networking works best when it is rooted in curiosity and connection, not transactions.
In this episode, they discuss:
● Why networking burnout is often a sign of deeper exhaustion ● How startup pressure can change your relationship with sales ● The importance of charging your battery before a conference ● Researching attendees to spark real conversations ● Why leading with connection beats leading with a pitch ● How to reset mid-conference when you feel drained ● The power of teaming up so no one feels alone
If conferences have started to feel heavier than they used to, this conversation is a reminder that you are not broken. You might just need a reset.
Connect with Us
Pinaki Kathiari – | Local Wisdom
How to Network at Conferences Without Feeling Awkward | Rich Dome
Season 3 · Episode 5
Thursday, February 12, 2026 • Duration 19:40
Conferences are not just about the sessions. The real magic often happens in hallway conversations, over coffee, or at the table where someone is sitting alone.
In this Between the Seasons episode of Why Does It Feel So Wrong to Be Human at Work?, hosts Pinaki Kathiari and Chris Lee are joined by Rich Dome, Senior Director of Partnerships at Local Wisdom, to talk about how to approach conferences with intention. After a busy year of events, the team reflects on what makes an experience meaningful, how to build real relationships, and why networking does not have to feel transactional.
Rich shares his “30-second rule” for finding common ground, why listening matters more than pitching, and how to leave conversations with a clear next step. The group also talks about conference anxiety, introversion, and why many of us feel intimidated walking into a room full of strangers. You are not the only one.
In this episode, they discuss:
• Why the best conference moments rarely happen on stage • How to find common ground quickly and authentically • Advice for introverts and anyone who feels socially anxious • Why you should never lead with a sales pitch • The importance of having a conference playbook • How to turn one conversation into a long-term partnership
If you are heading to an event this year, consider this your reminder that relationships are the real ROI.
If you enjoyed this conversation, follow or subscribe to Why Does It Feel So Wrong to Be Human at Work? for more honest conversations about the human side of work.
Why Are Internal Comms KPIs So Hard? | Reddit At Work | Amanda Todd
Season 3 · Episode 13
Thursday, February 5, 2026 • Duration 19:28
In this Between the Seasons episode, hosts Pinaki Kathiari and Chris Lee welcome Amanda Todd, Senior Director of Strategic Communications at Temporal Technologies, for a practical and honest conversation about measuring what actually matters in internal communications.
The episode kicks off with a Reddit post asking a familiar question: why is it so hard to define meaningful KPIs for internal comms, especially when reporting to executives? From there, the conversation moves beyond open rates and attendance numbers to examine clarity as a powerful indicator of understanding, behavior, and business impact.
Amanda shares why clarity is often the missing link between communication activity and outcomes, and how tying comms metrics to strategy, retention, and employee lifetime value can change how leaders see the function. Chris and Pinaki add perspective on leading versus lagging indicators, why executives care more about outcomes than outputs, and how internal comms teams can advocate for their value without burning themselves out.
Together, they explore what it means to measure understanding, action, and impact, and why internal communicators deserve credit for the sheer volume and visibility of the work they ship every day.
In this episode, they discuss:
Why traditional comms metrics fall short with executive audiences
Clarity as a measurable driver of performance and retention
Leading vs. lagging indicators in internal communications
How to align comms metrics to company strategy
Why internal comms teams should track and own their productivity
What executives actually care about when it comes to measurement
It’s a grounded, validating conversation for anyone in internal communications who’s ever been told to “just show the numbers” and wondered which ones truly matter.
Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome to Between the Seasons
01:30 – Introducing Amanda Todd and today’s Reddit post
From Fuzzy Metrics to Real Impact: Making Clarity Measurable | Amanda Todd
Season 3 · Episode 3
Thursday, January 29, 2026 • Duration 20:42
In this Between the Seasons episode, Pinaki Kathiari and Chris Lee sit down with Amanda Todd, Senior Director of Communications at Temporal Technologies, to unpack why clarity is one of the most critical outcomes of effective internal communication.
Amanda shares her “squiggly” path into internal comms, her belief in honesty as a core communications skill, and how working in complex, fast-growing organizations pushed her to rethink how success is measured. Drawing on research and real-world experience, she explains how she helped build a Clarity Index that turns something often seen as “soft” into a measurable business metric.
The conversation explores what it really means to communicate for the receiver, not the sender, why personas matter inside organizations just as much as they do in marketing, and how clarity around strategy, roles, career paths, and culture can directly influence engagement, confidence, and retention.
This episode is a grounded, practical look at how internal communicators can move beyond vanity metrics, earn credibility with leadership teams, and advocate for the strategic value of their work.
In this episode, they discuss:
Why clarity should be treated as a core communications outcome
How honesty builds trust and effectiveness in internal comms
What it means to communicate for the receiver, not the sender
Using personas to simplify complex organizations
How a Clarity Index can turn comms into a measurable business driver
The link between clarity, confidence, and employee retention
Why internal communicators deserve a seat at the strategy table
Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome to Between the Seasons and today’s topic
Laid Off and Asked to Train a Replacement | Reddit at Work
Season 3 · Episode 2
Thursday, January 22, 2026 • Duration 15:41
In this Between the Seasons episode of Why Does It Feel So Wrong to Be Human at Work?, hosts Pinaki Kathiari and Chris Lee are joined by Executive Producer Bree Bartos to try a new format: reading and reacting to real Reddit posts about work.
The episode centers on a Reddit story from an IT professional who was laid off and then asked to train their replacement. As the conversation unfolds, Pinaki, Chris, and Bree dig into the emotional weight of layoffs, including anger, grief, humiliation, and the sense of being discarded after years of contribution.
Bree brings her own recent layoff experience into the discussion, reflecting on how raw these moments can feel and how difficult it is to separate identity from work when income, stability, and self-worth are suddenly disrupted. Together, they examine why layoffs often feel personal, even when organizations insist they are not.
The conversation also turns toward leadership and organizations. What responsibility do companies have once someone is laid off? How can layoffs be handled with more empathy and care? And what does it look like to offboard people in ways that acknowledge both the business reality and the human impact?
In this episode, they discuss:
Why layoffs are emotionally disruptive and often traumatic
Being asked to train your replacement after being laid off
Power, choice, and negotiation during offboarding
Why “not taking it personally” is unrealistic in moments like this
The emotional gap between organizational decisions and employee experience
What more compassionate layoff and offboarding practices could look like
This episode offers an honest look at a reality many people are facing right now and a reminder that how organizations handle endings leaves a lasting impression.
Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome to Between the Seasons
00:40 – Introducing the Reddit reaction format
01:10 – Reading the layoff and replacement training story
Meet the Human Behind the Pod | BTS 01
Season 3 · Episode 1
Thursday, January 15, 2026 • Duration 13:38
This Between the Seasons episode marks the start of a new chapter for Why Does It Feel So Wrong to Be Human at Work?
Hosts Pinaki Kathiari and Chris Lee introduce Bree Bartos, the new Executive Producer and Editor of Human at Work and Marketing Manager at Local Wisdom. Before diving into Bree’s story, Pinaki and Chris share what listeners can expect from these new, weekly Between the Seasons episodes.
Bree then opens up about her path into marketing and storytelling, her experience being laid off alongside her husband, and the shock of losing not just a job, but a sense of identity. Together, they reflect on burnout, rest, and why so many of us tie our worth to our work.
In this episode, they discuss:
Why Between the Seasons exists and what listeners can expect
The value of unscripted, honest conversations
What it feels like to be laid off without closure
How work can quietly become identity
The importance of rest, reflection, and reconnecting with yourself
Why staying human at work starts with empathy
It’s a grounding, vulnerable start to Between the Seasons and a reminder that behind every role, title, and podcast is a human first.
Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome to Between the Seasons
01:00 – Why this new format exists
02:30 – Introducing Bree and her role behind the pod
04:10 – Bree’s path into storytelling and marketing
07:40 – Being laid off and losing a sense of identity
11:30 – Burnout, rest, and redefining self-worth
13:00 – What’s coming next for Between the Seasons
Stay Human, Stay Curious
What part of this conversation resonated with you?
Trailer: Between the Seasons
Season 3 · Episode 12
Friday, January 9, 2026 • Duration 01:20
We might be between seasons… but we still have lots to say 🤭
Introducing Between the Seasons – a new, weekly series featuring shorter episodes, honest reactions, and real, unscripted conversations.
🚨 Episode 1 drops next week! Tune in on Thursday, Jan. 15 on your podcast app of choice or on YouTube where you'll finally we able to watch along 🎉
Special thanks to digital communication agency Local Wisdom (www.localwisdom.com) for really believing in our mission and making this podcast possible.
If this episode made you think differently, laugh, or even yell out loud, we want to hear about it! Connect with us on LinkedIn, and don’t forget to rate, review, and share – maybe with your work bestie… or even your boss if you're feeling bold.
We also bring these important conversations to conferences and private workshops, creating space for real, meaningful change. Take the first step at
If you've ever felt like you were playing the game on hard mode without knowing why, this one's for you.
Special thanks to digital communication agency Local Wisdom (www.localwisdom.com) for really believing in our mission and making this podcast possible.
If this episode made you think differently, laugh, or even yell out loud, we want to hear about it! Connect with us on LinkedIn, and don’t forget to rate, review, and share – maybe with your work bestie… or even your boss if you're feeling bold.
We also bring these important conversations to conferences and private workshops, creating space for real, meaningful change. Take the first step at www.whydoesitfeelsowrong.com.
• The hidden cost of being both the user and the product
• Why mindfulness about AI use matters more than ever
It’s a conversation that started with an engagement post and ended somewhere much more human.
Special thanks to digital communication agency Local Wisdom (www.localwisdom.com) for really believing in our mission and making this podcast possible.
If this episode made you think differently, laugh, or even yell out loud, we want to hear about it! Connect with us on LinkedIn, and don’t forget to rate, review, and share – maybe with your work bestie… or even your boss if you're feeling bold.
We also bring these important conversations to conferences and private workshops, creating space for real, meaningful change. Take the first step at www.whydoesitfeelsowrong.com.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Special thanks to digital communication agency Local Wisdom (www.localwisdom.com) for really believing in our mission and making this podcast possible.
If this episode made you think differently, laugh, or even yell out loud, we want to hear about it! Connect with us on LinkedIn, and don’t forget to rate, review, and share – maybe with your work bestie… or even your boss if you're feeling bold.
We also bring these important conversations to conferences and private workshops, creating space for real, meaningful change. Take the first step at www.whydoesitfeelsowrong.com.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Special thanks to digital communication agency Local Wisdom (www.localwisdom.com) for really believing in our mission and making this podcast possible.
If this episode made you think differently, laugh, or even yell out loud, we want to hear about it! Connect with us on LinkedIn, and don’t forget to rate, review, and share – maybe with your work bestie… or even your boss if you're feeling bold.
We also bring these important conversations to conferences and private workshops, creating space for real, meaningful change. Take the first step at www.whydoesitfeelsowrong.com.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
03:00 – Why comms measurement feels so hard
05:30 – The limits of open rates and attendance metrics
07:30 – Clarity as a meaningful indicator
10:00 – Leading vs. lagging indicators explained
12:30 – What executives actually care about
15:00 – Productivity, visibility, and internal comms burnout
17:30 – Tying clarity to retention and business outcomes
Special thanks to digital communication agency Local Wisdom (www.localwisdom.com) for really believing in our mission and making this podcast possible.
If this episode made you think differently, laugh, or even yell out loud, we want to hear about it! Connect with us on LinkedIn, and don’t forget to rate, review, and share – maybe with your work bestie… or even your boss if you're feeling bold.
We also bring these important conversations to conferences and private workshops, creating space for real, meaningful change. Take the first step at www.whydoesitfeelsowrong.com.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
01:45 – Amanda’s squiggly career path into internal communications
03:10 – Navigating complexity and subcultures inside organizations
04:15 – Communicating for the receiver, not the sender
06:00 – Honesty as a core communications skill
07:10 – Introducing clarity as a measurable metric
08:40 – Building a Clarity Index and what it measures
11:30 – Using data to influence executive teams
14:05 – Linking clarity to strategy, engagement, and retention
16:30 – Using clarity data to shape communications strategy
18:20 – Advice for internal communicators measuring clarity
19:45 – Final reflections on clarity and the human side of work
Special thanks to digital communication agency Local Wisdom (www.localwisdom.com) for really believing in our mission and making this podcast possible.
If this episode made you think differently, laugh, or even yell out loud, we want to hear about it! Connect with us on LinkedIn, and don’t forget to rate, review, and share – maybe with your work bestie… or even your boss if you're feeling bold.
We also bring these important conversations to conferences and private workshops, creating space for real, meaningful change. Take the first step at www.whydoesitfeelsowrong.com.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
02:20 – Emotional reactions to the post
03:45 – Power and negotiation after a layoff
05:15 – Bree reflects on her own layoff experience
07:30 – Why layoffs feel personal and humiliating
09:40 – Leadership blind spots during layoffs
11:30 – Rethinking offboarding and support
13:30 – What more human leadership could look like
Special thanks to digital communication agency Local Wisdom (www.localwisdom.com) for really believing in our mission and making this podcast possible.
If this episode made you think differently, laugh, or even yell out loud, we want to hear about it! Connect with us on LinkedIn, and don’t forget to rate, review, and share – maybe with your work bestie… or even your boss if you're feeling bold.
We also bring these important conversations to conferences and private workshops, creating space for real, meaningful change. Take the first step at www.whydoesitfeelsowrong.com.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Have you ever tied your identity to your job more than you realized?
Share the episode, tag us, rate and review, or send it to someone who might need this reminder right now.
Special thanks to digital communication agency Local Wisdom (www.localwisdom.com) for really believing in our mission and making this podcast possible.
If this episode made you think differently, laugh, or even yell out loud, we want to hear about it! Connect with us on LinkedIn, and don’t forget to rate, review, and share – maybe with your work bestie… or even your boss if you're feeling bold.
We also bring these important conversations to conferences and private workshops, creating space for real, meaningful change. Take the first step at www.whydoesitfeelsowrong.com.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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