Episode 185 with Clara Harris.

“I told my therapist how there were so many thoughts swirling in my head — it was just so noisy that my ears were ringing. She paused and said, Um, maybe we should test you for ADHD.”

Clara lives in Louisville, KY, and she is an actor, writer, and producer with over two decades of experience. In 2022, she produced and performed her solo show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world’s largest performing arts festival. The show is called This Moment in America, a live recorded audio drama and sonic collage of the American psyche. When Clara returned home from this incredible experience, she found she had an empty business account and struggled to reintegrate into life and find a “jobby job” and suddenly felt like a failure. Her longtime therapist suggested she look into ADHD and that’s when the lightbulb went off.

Clara wanted to share her diagnosis story because she knows first hand how lonely this journey can feel, especially as a late-diagnosed woman. We talk about the potpourri of diagnoses Clara received prior to her ADHD diagnosis, as well as finding the right medication. We also talk about some of the ways in which anxiety impacts our daily life and the elaborate systems we develop in order to cope.

And Clara shares the exciting news about her upcoming studies at University College London pursuing her Masters in audio storytelling. Clara is also the creative force behind Swamp Witch Studio and its audio drama podcast, Night Owl Theatre, which offers live chamber performances in homes and other non-traditional spaces.