ADHD for Smart Ass Women with Tracy Otsuka

EP. 322: Loud, Intuitive & Learning to Regulate with Chelsea Kunz

Mar 5, 2025

Chelsea Kunz, an actor, creator, and the hilarious mind behind 'Karen Disapproves,' shares her candid journey with ADHD. Growing up as the youngest of ten, she learned to embrace her loud and funny side, even as she navigated impulsivity and focus challenges. Chelsea discusses her chaotic upbringing, emotional sensitivity, and the overwhelming struggles of motherhood that led her to seek an ADHD diagnosis. She emphasizes the importance of creative outlets and balancing big ideas with everyday life, offering relatable insights for fellow ADHDers.

50:34

Episode guests

Chelsea Kunz

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Chelsea Kunz highlights the transformative realization that ADHD is not a flaw but a vital part of her identity contributing to creativity and humor.

The discussion emphasizes the significance of developing effective routines and listening to intuition to manage ADHD symptoms and improve focus.

Deep dives

Understanding ADHD's Strengths

The podcast emphasizes the need to shift the narrative surrounding ADHD, particularly by highlighting the successes of prominent individuals with the condition. It acknowledges that a significant portion of those diagnosed, approximately 43%, enjoy excellent mental health and are thriving, a fact that often goes unrecognized. The host encourages listeners to embrace their unique traits and to appreciate how their ADHD can lead to remarkable strengths and creativity. This perspective aims to foster a greater understanding and acceptance of ADHD as a driver of success rather than a limitation.

Intro

4min

Navigating ADHD: A Personal Journey

13min

Navigating a Chaotic Upbringing and Emotional Sensitivity

2min

Growing Up in the Midst of Chaos: The Dynamics of a Large Family

2min

Navigating ADHD: Insights and Challenges

7min

Balancing Motherhood and Identity

20min

Harnessing Dopamine for ADHD Management and Personal Growth

3min

Want to fall in love with your ADHD brain and make it work for you? Learn more about my patented program, Your ADHD Brain is A-OK Academy here: programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup

Growing up as the youngest of ten kids, Chelsea Kunz learned early how to be loud, funny, and grab attention—which, as it turns out, is pretty on-brand for an ADHD brain. Now an actor, creator, and self-described hot mess mom, Chelsea built an online following as Karen Disapproves, blending comedy and chaos into relatable parenting content. But behind the laughs, she’s been on a deep dive into self-development, spirituality, and purpose, which led her to launch the Soul Slumber Party podcast.

In this conversation, Chelsea shares her ADHD diagnosis journey, from being the class clown (and occasional teacher’s nightmare) to struggling with focus, working memory, and traditional academics. She opens up about how ADHD showed up in motherhood, why she felt overwhelmed and irritable after having kids, and what finally led her to seek a diagnosis. Tracy and Chelsea also talk about nervous system regulation, how overstimulation can lead to emotional dysregulation, and why finding the right creative outlet can make all the difference for ADHD brains.

Chelsea also breaks down how she balances big ideas, creative projects, and intuitive decision-making, from social media to screenwriting. If you’ve ever felt like you’re juggling too much or struggling to follow through on what matters most, this conversation will leave you laughing, nodding along, and maybe even rethinking how you approach your creativity.

Resources:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulslumberparty
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@soulslumberparty
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@soulslumberparty

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