ADHD for Smart Ass Women with Tracy Otsuka

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___Aging with ADHD isn't about decline—it's about finally coming into your own. Sandy Reynolds is challenging everything we've been told about getting older, especially as neurodivergent women.Sandy is a coach, facilitator, and fierce advocate for women navigating their third act. With more than 25 years of leadership and adult education experience, she helps women untangle themselves from outdated roles, people-pleasing patterns, and identities that no longer fit. Diagnosed with ADHD in her 50s after a fellow grad student pointed out that she "checked out a lot," Sandy brings lived experience to conscious aging—an approach that's about healing the past and embracing the future so you can flourish now.In this conversation, Sandy and Tracy explore why ADHD women often look and feel 10 years younger, how our relentless curiosity keeps us growing when others stagnate, and why so many of us hit our stride in our 50s instead of winding down. They dive into the intersection of hormones, dopamine, and aging, discuss why Sandy's closest friend and she "carry on like they're 35," and explore how conscious aging reframes getting older as gaining wisdom rather than losing relevance.Sandy also shares her approach to life review and life repair, explains why one-third of people don't have wills (hint: executive function), and reveals her number one ADHD workaround that no guest has mentioned in 350+ episodes. From Cambodia's reverence for elders to our culture's ageism, this episode will make you rethink everything about what it means to age as a neurodivergent woman.Resources:Website: https://www.sandyreynolds.com   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandyareynolds  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandyreynolds  Substack: A Crone in the Woods: https://crone.substack.com Send a Message: Your Name | Email | Message Learn more by connecting with Tracy through Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or visit adhdforsmartwomen.com.Are You Ready to Discover Your Brilliance? Order Now: https://tracyotsuka.com/book2Join Your ADHD Brain is A-OK: https://tracyotsuka.com/aok Visit our website: https://tracyotsuka.com Join our community of ADHD For Smart Ass Women: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tracyotsuka Join What Do I Do With My Life Masterclass: spyhappy.me/classUnlock your best days with Blends: https://tracyotsuka.com/blends

Meral Alizada, the founder of Results of Kindness, utilizes her degrees in Law and Psychology to transform workplace cultures for neurodivergent individuals. In this engaging discussion, she shares her personal journey navigating an ADHD diagnosis later in life and the emotional toll of masking. Meral introduces her 'Genius Retention' program, emphasizing that kindness isn't just crucial—it's profitable. The conversation also highlights the complexities of friendships within neurodiversity, emphasizing the need for authenticity and deeper connections.

Muxin Li, a former anthropology student turned AI developer, discusses her unique journey through academia and her vision for tech. She argues that ADHD traits like intuition and nonlinear thinking are assets in an AI-driven world, allowing neurodivergent minds to innovate and lead. Muxin shares a transformative synchronicity experience that deepened her understanding of creativity and love. With a focus on reducing cognitive overload, she advocates for tools that empower those with ADHD, positioning them as the architects of future workplaces.

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___What if your doctor could prescribe a fishing group instead of another medication? A birdwatching club for your anxiety. An art class for your depression. Welcome to social prescribing—a healthcare movement that's changing how we think about healing by focusing on connection, not just pills.Julia Hotz is a journalist and author of The Connection Cure, the first book to explore the science behind social prescribing. As someone who recognizes herself in ADHD symptoms—the scattered attention, the 10,000 browser tabs, the plates left out for days—she's discovered something fascinating: when do we feel our symptoms the least?In this conversation, Julia and Tracy dive into why ADHD brains are particularly sensitive to loneliness and disconnection, and how social prescriptions can be game-changing. From Dave's fishing group that helped him overcome addiction and ADHD symptoms, to forest bathing backed by Japanese research, to bibliotherapy that eases anxiety, Julia shares real examples of how connection-based healing works.They explore attention restoration theory, why 20 minutes in nature can work as well as Ritalin, and how moving from "what's wrong with you" to "what matters to you" can transform everything. Julia shows us how giving our brains what they actually need—connection, nature, purpose—can help us thrive alongside traditional treatments.Resources: Website: https://www.hotzthoughts.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hotzthoughtsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-hotz-06510161 Send a Message: Your Name | Email | Message Learn more by connecting with Tracy through Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or visit adhdforsmartwomen.com.Are You Ready to Discover Your Brilliance? Order Now: https://tracyotsuka.com/book2Join Your ADHD Brain is A-OK: https://tracyotsuka.com/aok Visit our website: https://tracyotsuka.com Join our community of ADHD For Smart Ass Women: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tracyotsuka Join What Do I Do With My Life Masterclass: spyhappy.me/classUnlock your best days with Blends: https://tracyotsuka.com/blends

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___Nobody prepares you for ADHD pregnancy brain. Decisions become impossible when choosing between 200 strollers for a baby you've never met, how appointments can completely derail your routine, and focus. The brain fog that hits like a wall, or the surprising clarity that some women experience when hormones align just right with their neurodivergent wiring.Dr. Kalin Johnson is back, and this time she's sharing what she learned from experiencing pregnancy, childbirth, and early motherhood with ADHD firsthand. Diagnosed with ADHD, autism, PTSD, and hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome in adulthood, Kalin recently welcomed her daughter Indie Rue—and discovered just how much the medical system doesn't prepare ADHD women for this journey.In this episode, Tracy and Kalin explore the hormonal rollercoaster of each trimester, why some ADHD women experience incredible focus during pregnancy while others struggle with brain fog, and how conditions like MCAS, dysautonomia, and hypermobility intersect with ADHD. They dive deep into medication decisions, the realities of postpartum life, and why being kinder to yourself isn't optional—it's essential for being the parent you want to be.Whether you're thinking about pregnancy, currently pregnant, or supporting someone who is, this conversation will give you the real talk nobody else is having—and the science to back it up.Resources:Website: https://www.kalinjohnson.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kalinpharmd LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kalin-johnsonpharmd YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@queensoftheneuroverse?si=kuneU-Fcnz1Ea2RI&sub_confirmation=1  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4LqfhlyNcPLo1CmJXGJvEw Send a Message: Your Name | Email | Message Learn more by connecting with Tracy through Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or visit adhdforsmartwomen.com.Are You Ready to Discover Your Brilliance? Order Now: https://tracyotsuka.com/book2Join Your ADHD Brain is A-OK: https://tracyotsuka.com/aok Visit our website: https://tracyotsuka.com Join our community of ADHD For Smart Ass Women: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tracyotsuka Join What Do I Do With My Life Masterclass: spyhappy.me/classUnlock your best days with Blends: https://tracyotsuka.com/blends

Vanessa Gorelkin, a licensed therapist and executive coach, specializes in helping ADHD women find clarity and stability. In this discussion, she introduces Internal Family Systems (IFS) as a game-changer for emotional dysregulation. Vanessa explains how our brains' 'manager' and 'firefighter' parts operate, offering strategies to reduce shame. The conversation emphasizes the importance of compassion over harsh self-criticism, and how understanding our internal parts can foster self-acceptance and emotional balance. Join them for practical tips to thrive!

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___How do you thrive in one of the most demanding industries in the world, while quietly navigating ADHD the whole time?Nancy Shapiro spent 33 years as a senior executive at the Recording Academy, home of the GRAMMYs, where she led all twelve regional chapters and built groundbreaking programs that changed the face of music education and artist development. But behind the scenes, she was often working twice as hard to manage distraction, emotional intensity, and the quiet self-doubt that comes with an undiagnosed ADHD brain.In this conversation, Nancy and Tracy discuss drive, resilience, and the unique energy ADHD women bring to leadership. Nancy shares how she built a legacy in the music industry while masking for decades, what changed after her diagnosis, and why executive coaching has become a new mission in this chapter of her life. She opens up about perfectionism, relationships, the power of creative instinct, and how women like us can channel our intensity without burning out.They also explore how ADHD can both fuel ambition and quietly sabotage it—and what happens when women finally stop performing and start living in alignment with how they’re wired. Nancy’s story is about more than music. It’s about identity, reinvention, and finally giving yourself the grace you’ve always given everyone else.Whether you’re in the music world or not, Nancy’s story is a powerful reminder that ADHD doesn’t disqualify you from success—it’s part of what makes your brilliance so undeniable.Resources:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-shapiro-741255218 Send a Message: Your Name | Email | Message Learn more by connecting with Tracy through Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or visit adhdforsmartwomen.com.Are You Ready to Discover Your Brilliance? Order Now: https://tracyotsuka.com/book2Join Your ADHD Brain is A-OK: https://tracyotsuka.com/aok Visit our website: https://tracyotsuka.com Join our community of ADHD For Smart Ass Women: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tracyotsuka Join What Do I Do With My Life Masterclass: spyhappy.me/classUnlock your best days with Blends: https://tracyotsuka.com/blends

Dr. Lorre Laws, a bestselling author and integrative nursing professor, discusses the complex relationship between trauma and ADHD, especially for high-functioning women. She emphasizes that you can't out-organize trauma or burnout, but healing begins with awareness and simple practices like breathwork. Lorre shares her personal journey of connecting trauma to ADHD and offers compassionate tools for emotional regulation. The conversation also highlights the importance of community support and embracing ADHD strengths in the healing process.

Vickie Howell, a creative force in the modern craft movement and founder of Stitchwell Social Club, shares her journey of self-discovery through crafting after being diagnosed with ADHD at 51. She explains how fiber arts became a critical tool for focus and emotional regulation. The conversation dives into the underestimated mental health benefits of crafting, the societal perceptions of creativity, and the importance of building a community around shared challenges. Vickie also addresses imposter syndrome and the need for recognition of ADHD strengths, particularly among women.

Jessica Michelle Singleton, a no-filter comedian and podcast host, shares her journey navigating life with ADHD. She discusses how her chaotic upbringing fueled her comedic talent and resilience. Diagnosed in college, Jessica reveals how perfectionism nearly derailed her career. The conversation dives into the unique challenges faced by women with ADHD in the comedy scene, family dynamics, and the power of embracing one's 'too much' personality. Her story is a hilarious and empowering reminder of the strength found in authenticity.