Podcast Summary: Self-Conscious with Chrissy Teigen

Episode: Elyse Meyers: Anxiety, Neurodivergence, and Learning to Live with Your Whole Self
Date: December 11, 2025
Host: Chrissy Teigen
Guest: Elyse Meyers

Overview

In this warm, insightful, and highly relatable episode, Chrissy Teigen sits down with writer and internet personality Elyse Meyers, delving into topics of anxiety, neurodivergence, vulnerability, and the humor that helps shape resilience. The conversation weaves through Elyse’s journey with ADHD and autism, her creative process, experiences with shame and trauma, and the everyday reality of living authentically—awkwardness, big feelings, and all. Meyers shares stories from her memoir That’s a Great Question, I’d Love to Tell You, offering hope and camaraderie to fellow overthinkers and “weirdos.”

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. On Sharing Vulnerability and Awkwardness Online

• Chrissy introduces Elyse as someone who “built an entire career out of” embarrassing moments (00:26), noting her viral 100 taco first date story.
• Elyse reflects on her book tour:
  • People mostly connect with her depictions of neurodivergence and feeling “seen” (02:16).
  • She treasures hearing “thank you so much for just sharing that story, because I see so much of myself in it.”
  • She discusses the emotional risk of over-sharing but revels in the connection it fosters.

2. The Impact of Childhood Experiences on Self-Worth

• Elyse discusses trauma and good things feeling temporary:
  • “When your brain has enough proof, it solidifies that, and you have to unlearn it.” (03:19)
  • Describes her shock at learning she became a New York Times bestseller and immediately asking, “Can anyone undo this?” (03:36)
  • “No one can take this away... I did this for myself.” (03:44)

3. Writing the Memoir and Honesty as a Mindset

• Her book’s title reflects her “take it or leave it” approach. Elyse wants to be transparent: “Here’s everything, take it or leave it” (04:22).
• The memoir is structured like “a first date with lots of stories,” culminating in meeting her husband, Jonas (05:05).

4. Meeting Jonas: Love, Neurodivergence, and Safety

• Their meet-cute in Australia over “a kilo of roast beef” and his authenticity resonating with Elyse (05:58).
• Multiple times after they met, Elyse physically ran away due to overwhelming feelings, and Jonas’ patience gave her space to heal:
  • “He picks me up, puts me over his shoulder and walks me back to my car... I just don’t understand. Like, how are you so sure about me?” (07:27)
  • Jonas’ steady love became transformative: “I’m not gonna let you ruin this for yourself because I know you’re happy in this, but tell me the word and I’ll go.” (08:29)
• Fast engagement and marriage—a result of finally choosing herself.

5. Life with ADHD, Autism, and Anxiety

• Diagnosed with ADHD at 16 during inpatient eating disorder treatment (10:28).
  • “It was like, for the very first time, everything was quiet, and I could focus on a conversation.”
• Later autism diagnosis brought both grief and empowerment. Realizes the system failed her, not her own efforts:
  • “I just am in a system that is not built for me and around me.” (11:29)
  • Describes wanting to do everything for her own children so they can “design their life around themselves” (12:43).

6. Motherhood, Fear, and Finding Humor

• Talks about her sons, including her two-year-old who underwent open-heart surgery (13:27).
• Admits that during crisis, humor is hard: “Usually that's kind of how I would do it, but there was no way to make it funny, which I really struggled with.” (13:56)
• Creativity took a hit but writing (even on her iPhone in the hospital) offered a lifeline.

7. Humorous Misadventures: Paris Escort Story

• Memorable story: Elyse unintentionally befriends a male sex worker in Paris, misunderstanding “Would you like any company?” (15:01-19:29)
  • Reaction: “There’s been a misunderstanding.”
  • “In the book, there’s two full pages of me just saying, ‘Oh my God,’ that increasingly gets larger in size because I realized.” (19:19)
  • Her cohort thought she was in on it: “We all thought you knew.”
  • Becomes an anchor story in her book.

8. Living ‘Doing It Scared’

• Overcoming fear through exposure therapy around driving and panic attacks.
  • “I can physically be having a panic attack and also physically navigate myself off of the freeway. And I can do both at the same time.” (22:06)
• Elyse stresses you don’t have to “finish healing” to pursue your dreams:
  • “You’re not disqualified... You can actually be actively healing and still do the things you want to do.” (24:42)
• Notes the pride after accomplishing things “terrified.”

9. Transformation and Healing

• Chrissy asks if Meyers could have imagined feeling proud of herself ten years ago:
  • “You would not know the person I was 10 years ago... I have worked really hard at undoing the hurt and the trauma... Once I got serious about healing and not waiting to feel better and also not waiting for anyone to apologize...” (25:31-25:40)
• Jonas' unconditional love was a catalyst:
  • “It was that rad, complete, overwhelming love... It made me want to see myself the way that he saw me.” (26:06)

10. Neurodivergent Productivity, Routines, and ‘Life Hacks’

• Emphasizes showing the messy process of creativity to normalize doubt and self-criticism (27:26).
• Simplifying choices:
  • Wears the same outfit on tour (“I’m a cartoon character”) (31:45), eats the same meal for months (32:09).
• Describes her “bell pepper stack” meal in detail – a soothing ritual that also grounds her (32:31).
• Explains that keeping blood sugar steady helps her mental health, sometimes more effectively than medication (34:04).

11. Disconnection from Body and Managing Overwhelm

• Talks about dissociation as both a survival tool and challenge (“I can just leave my body. Which is great when you want to do that; bad when you’re not meaning to.”) (34:41).
• Relies on practical tools to “force” herself back into her body, like a glucose monitor.

12. Running, Spite, and More Metaphors

• Despite not being an athlete, she ran a marathon in Converse “out of spite” after a man doubted her (37:09).
  • “Spite ran. I love that. I love spite.”
  • Notes the parallels between endurance, neurodivergence, and life’s struggles.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On vulnerability:
  • “What I love about Elyse is she doesn’t try to fix that voice. She just turns it into something funny, real and kind. She’s proof that embarrassment isn’t the end of a story. It’s just the beginning of connection.” – Chrissy (00:26)
• On success and trauma:
  • “Can anyone undo this? Can anyone take this away, or is this forever?” – Elyse (03:36)
• On creative honesty:
  • “I'm just gonna give you way too much right at the start. If you don't like it, great. You're not my audience.” – Elyse (04:22)
• On ADHD diagnosis:
  • “It was like, for the very first time, everything was quiet, and I could focus on a conversation. I can sit here with you, and your voice is louder than the 20,000 in my head.” – Elyse (11:29)
• On exposure therapy:
  • “Now let yourself have a panic attack... I just stopped. My panic attack wrapped up. And he goes, you didn’t die.“ – Elyse (22:06)
• On not waiting to be healed:
  • “You’re not disqualified at all. But it, it also doesn’t put you in a situation where you have to fix it before you can do new things.” – Elyse (24:42)
• On designing her own life:
  • “The treadmill desk, honestly, was the first thing where I was like, I can make my life work.” – Elyse (30:58)
• On love and worth:
  • “I’m always going to love you. I am never going to leave you. And if I never changed anything about myself from here on out, I knew he meant that.” – Elyse, about Jonas (26:06)
• On the importance of younger audiences:
  • “Anytime there’s a younger person in the crowd... I will spend the rest of this Q and A... being like, you are not the problem.” – Elyse (28:41)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Opening and Elyse’s Introduction: 00:26
• On Neurodivergence & Connection: 02:16
• Trauma and Good Things Feeling Short-lived: 03:19
• The ‘Great Question’ Mindset and Book Structure: 04:22–05:06
• Meeting Jonas & Love Story: 05:47–10:09
• Diagnosis and Experiencing ADHD/Autism: 10:23–12:43
• Motherhood & Coping with Son’s Surgery: 13:13–14:44
• Paris Escort Story: 15:01–21:12
• Doing It Scared/Exposure Therapy: 22:06–24:42
• Transformation, Healing, and Value: 25:31–26:06
• Normalizing Messy Creative Process: 27:26–28:30
• Advice to Young People and ‘Not Your Fault’ Message: 28:41–30:16
• Neurodivergent Productivity Hacks: 30:58–32:09
• Eating the Same Meal, Simplifying Routines: 32:31–34:04
• On Dissociation and Running: 34:41–38:44
• Marathon in Converse/Spite Motivation: 37:09–38:15

Tone and Language

Throughout the episode, both Elyse and Chrissy maintain an open, conversational, and at times irreverently funny tone. Meyers is particularly self-deprecating and honest, using humor to address deep topics and make listeners feel seen. Chrissy matches this candor with warmth and a palpable sense of camaraderie.

Final Thoughts

Elyse Meyers offers listeners compassionate, hilarious, and practical insights into living with anxiety, neurodivergence, and imperfection. Her message is one of acceptance—of self, awkwardness, and the circuitous path of growth. Listening or reading, you’re reminded: you’re not alone, you’re not broken, and “embarrassment isn’t the end of a story. It’s just the beginning of connection.”