By JoyGenea and ChatGPT’s EQ Breakthrough Navigator by Henk van der Wath
Intro from Coach JoyGenea
Verbal processing is a common style of executive processing for people with ADHD, autism or dyslexia. If you don’t know what that looks like here are two common situations: when a person talks through something and often solves their own problems in the process of talking about them or when a person talks through the steps they are going to take to do a project.
Recently this topic has been coming up in meetings more and more with clients and so it feels like time to explore it in detail and to help different thinkers to see their processing auditorily as more than just a challenging. There are ways it is valuable and there are options for shifting it if it would enhance your life more. I am always encouraging options and choices. I like to think of being neurodiverse as having more options than some others.
For all of you reading this who are high verbal processors, this conversation I had with AI is for you. I love you so much and I get it.
1. What is the need to verbally process called?
This is often referred to as “verbal processing” or “external processing.”
- External processors think best out loud. They clarify and understand their thoughts by verbalizing them.
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- This contrasts with internal processors, who can think through ideas silently in their heads.
In neurodivergent communities, this kind of verbal thinking is especially common in:
- ADHD (where working memory is challenged)
- Autism (where language can be a primary mode of organizing thoughts)
- AuDHD and AuDHDx
There’s no single clinical term, but in psychology and education, you’ll also find it linked to:
- Interpersonal cognitive style
- Dialogic thinking
2. How does it work in the brain?
Verbal processors tend to rely heavily on language-related brain regions, especially:
- Broca’s Area (speech production) and Wernicke’s Area (language comprehension) are more actively involved.
- Working memory (frontal lobes) can offload some of its processing by verbalizing thoughts this is crucial for those with executive function differences.
- Talking out loud can simulate auditory feedback loops which help the brain hear itself think, supporting decision-making and comprehension.
In essence, the brain “thinks by speaking” using external speech as a cognitive scaffolding system to organize internal chaos.
3. Ways to convert verbal processing into silent or written processing:
For those who want or need to internalize processing (due to environment, relationships, or self-regulation), here are some adaptive techniques:
a. Written Self-Talk (Journaling or Typing)
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- Engage in a “silent conversation” on paper or screen.
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- Use a format like Q&A with yourself or even pretend you’re texting someone you trust.
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- Tools: voice-to-text apps, journaling apps, mind-mapping tools.
b. Visual Thinking Aids
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- Mind maps, diagrams, or sticky notes let you “see” your thinking without speaking.
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- Externalizing thoughts visually mimics the effects of verbal processing.
c. Body Doubling or Silent Witnessing
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- Talk through your thoughts near someone who listens but doesn’t engage.
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- Even being near someone can help anchor attention and regulate verbal need.
d. Thinking Aloud in Controlled Contexts
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- Whispering or mouthing thoughts in private (bathroom, walk, car) helps reduce dependency on real-time conversations.
e. Use AI or Voice Memo Apps
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- Tools like voice memos or talking to an AI chatbot (like me!) replicate the verbal processing experience in private.
f. Practice Internal Verbalization
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- Build internal narration skills slowly like training a “silent voice” in your head.
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- Meditation or PQ reps (from Positive Intelligence) help strengthen that internal dialogue muscle.
Optional Add-on AI Search:
There was another great AI tool that was recommended when I did this process The AuDHDx Translator, which helps make complex ideas more accessible for different or neurodivergent thinkers.
I hope that you took the time to click on some of the additional links in this article, because they are packed with details.
What is one new option you can explore for processing differently and honoring your unique and amazing brain?
Coach JoyGenea Schumer
Transcription:
Alright, so this week’s article topic is about thinking out loud—the why and the science behind verbal processing.
I think a majority of my clients—I think it’s fair to say about 75% of my clients—are high verbal processors, probably partially because I also am a high verbal processor. I come from a family with a few high verbal processors.
And what that means is, is that you use communication—outward language—to actually process and think, which is kind of dynamic and incredible.
So in my blog, I talk about that process. I had a really in-depth conversation with AI because I realized I couldn’t—even as I was reading more about it just through articles on the web—it wasn’t even starting to capture everything I was thinking that needed to be noted.
So that’s when I started to add a little more and wound up with a conversation with AI that I highly recommend you check out. There’s a link down below to make sure you can enjoy it.
In that article below, you’ll also see some really good information about how the brain processes when we’re speaking out loud, and why that works—how our auditory brings that in and brings it to a different part of our brain and processes it.
How the frontal lobe, where our memory is—working memory—is, how that gets overloaded. And so, by verbally processing, we’re actually able to unload some of that information.
I also go into much deeper conversations about silent witnessing, which is another way of talking about body doubling—which, again, is really interesting and very helpful.
Also, I list in there a variety of ways you can add additional tools to how you’re processing verbally.
Sometimes there are just moments where that’s not an opportunity—you aren’t able to get in touch with somebody, something like that—but you know you need to process through something. You need to make a decision, something along that line.
There are some great tools, from journaling to mindful meditation, doing PQ reps—something that I teach clients—working on sticky notes and using that as a visual thinking process.
All of those are great tools that can help do that verbal processing when you don’t have somebody maybe around that allows you to process through things, because that isn’t always efficient or effective.
There can’t be a silent listener around all the time for us.
Another thing that I got into—and part of why I purposely did this article using AI—was that I did use it in the manner of having some conversations. Like, I started out purposely verbally saying, “I want to create an article about this.” I wanted it to be interactive. I wanted to have some visuals. I wanted, you know—I explained what I wanted from it, and then back and forth we processed through that.
That’s also part of why I did it in the manner that I did. I wanted to demonstrate how useful and where AI is coming from and able to do things to help with that verbal processing for people.
Because what I find is a lot of clients feel ashamed that they verbal process, that they’re always talking. And they also know that it can be very overwhelming for their significant others.
I was trying to find the right words to say that with so much grace and love.
But being married to someone who is a high verbal processor can be challenging for someone, because to try and be their sounding board all the time can be a lot—and very overwhelming.
And so, having alternatives, having additional options—oh my gosh—creates so much freedom for people. And that’s what coaching is all about, is I get to help people have more freedom, have more confidence in themselves.
What I find with a lot of verbal processors is they feel bad about who they are and how they process, instead of embracing that and working with it more.
So that’s my great reminder.
I highly recommend you check out the article. It has way more details. But I decided to do this without a teleprompter, and so you’re stuck with whatever my memory’s got today.
And today I worked on this for hours—it was so exciting, and I knew you’d love it!
So go check out the article. Enjoy the imagery. There are a bunch of links in there. This is a really awesome topic, and please share it, leave comments, like—all of that—because that just helps other people grow and expand too. And I really appreciate it.
I’m JoyGenea, International Neurodiversity Coach, thanking you so much for your time and looking forward to next week’s conversation.
We’re gonna have some fun with this verbal processing. I’ve got a few more vlogs ahead. Thanks! Bye now.