

ADHD for Smart Ass Women with Tracy Otsuka
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*I have NEVER met an ADHD woman who wasn’t truly brilliant at something! This podcast, with nearly 7 million downloads, is for smart, high-ability ADD/ADHD (diagnosed or suspecting) women who see their symptoms as more positive than negative. If you want to fall in love with your ADHD brain and discover where your brilliance lies, this podcast is for you!**ADHD for Smart Ass Women is globally ranked in the top one-tenth of one percent of all podcasts in the world on any subject. It’s streamed in more than 160 countries and is downloaded by more than 150,000 listeners every month. My book of the same name, published by HarperCollins/William Morrow, was recently honored by Amazon Editors as a Top 20 Best Nonfiction Book of 2024.**I’m Tracy Otsuka, your host. I’m a lawyer, not a doctor, a lifelong learner, and a certified ADHD coach. I’m on a mission to change the conversation around ADHD because I believe it’s time to focus on the strengths that come with our unique brains. When I was diagnosed eight months after my son, my entire life finally made sense, yet all I read and heard about ADHD focused on what I should struggle with. What I discovered, though, was that my ADHD was responsible for some of my greatest strengths.**Another thing we constantly hear is all the success stories about ADHD men, but no one talks about the women. This podcast is here to change that. ADHD women are my people, and I’m here to acknowledge, support, and cheer them on. My experience as an adult living with ADHD, along with my expertise, is regularly sought out by top-tier media, including Bloomberg, Forbes, CBS Mornings, ABC News Live, Inc., Prevention Magazine, Verywell Mind, ADDitude magazine, and The Goal Digger Podcast, etc.**adhdforsmartwomen.com**The content in this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and does not constitute medical or professional advice. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of anything you have seen or heard from Tracy Otsuka, her guests or this podcast.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 21, 2021 • 57min
EP. 120: ADHD, Medical School and Receiving Accommodations for the USMLE Board Exams with Dr. Elizabeth Sanchez
Tired of ADHD strategies that don’t work? Here’s what actually does. FREE training here: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup___Today on Episode 120 of ADHD for Smart Ass Women, Tracy invites Dr. Elizabeth Sanchez to her podcast. Dr. Sanchez earned her medical degree from the University of Illinois, Chicago and will join Adventist Health White Memorial (Los Angeles, CA) as a Family Medicine resident. While working with many underserved communities in Chicago and Los Angeles, Elizabeth found her niche in primary care where she integrates her passions of caring for underserved communities, public health advocacy, research and mentorship for the next generation of doctors.Prior to medical school, Dr. Sanchez spent over 5 years working in translational and clinical research at the UCLA School of Medicine, Department of Cardiothoracic Anesthesia, and later at UC Irvine, School of Medicine, Department of Anesthesia. Most recently, Dr. Sanchez worked as medical data manager for COVID-19 testing at a San Jose medical start up called Work Health Solutions. She also is dedicated to mentoring medical students with adult ADHD and eliminating the stigma within the medical community.Dr. Elizabeth Sanchez shares, her ADHD story and the circumstances surrounding her diagnosis, her experience with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), how her ADHD challenged her in medical school, her struggle with the NBME board and being denied additional time for the USMLE exams, how socioeconomic status can affect a person's ability to succeed with ADHD in medical school, the importance of mentoring underrepresented minority medical students, the key to living successfully with ADHD, and her number one ADHD workaround.______________Resources:Anki: https://apps.ankiweb.net/How to use anki in medical school: www.yousmle.comEmail: drelizabethkeller@gmail.comPemachodronfoundation.orgSend a Message: Your Name | Email | Message Instead of Struggling to figure out what to do next? ADHD isn’t a productivity problem. It’s an identity problem. That’s why most strategies don’t stick—they weren’t designed for how your brain actually works. Your ADHD Brain is A-OK Academy is different. It’s a patented, science-backed coaching program that helps you stop fighting your brain and start building a life that fits. 👉Learn more here: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/aok-academy 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

Apr 14, 2021 • 57min
EP. 119: ADHD, Entrepreneurship and Workarounds with Dr. Lola Day
Tired of ADHD strategies that don’t work? Here’s what actually does. FREE training here: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup___Join Tracy as she welcomes her delightful guest Dr. Lola Day to Episode 119 of ADHD for Smart Ass Women. Dr. Lola Day is the mom of 3 amazing children. She also is a double-boarded physician (pediatric and fetal cardiologist) who has ADHD herself. Dr. Day is the CEO and Founder of Lollie Tasking where she specializes in work-life balance for easily distracted women (ADHD) and high-achieving moms who have the will to accomplish their goals, but their brain keeps sabotaging them.Lola coaches women on productivity strategies that help them harness their superpowers and put blocks on their kryptonite so they can thrive in their zone of genius without sacrificing time away from family or being overwhelmed.Dr. Lola Day shares, the circumstances around her ADHD diagnosis in medical school, the surprising statistic her mentor shared with her about doctors and ADHD, the two things that drove her hyperfocus in school, why getting diagnosed actually helps us to come to terms with just how smart our brains are, how structure and organization help her to be happier and less anxious, how she manages to not only work as a busy physician but also to carve out time in her day to work as a productivity and work-life strategist for struggling women, her five keys to entrepreneurial success, how we can combat overlearning, why we should buy for just in time learning rather than just in case learning, the ADHD traits that she feels are responsible for her success?, the key to living successfully with ADHD is?, her number one ADHD workaround? and information about the programs that she offers.______________Resources:subscribepage.comInstagram: @lollietaskerEmail: loladay@lollietasking.comSend a Message: Your Name | Email | Message Instead of Struggling to figure out what to do next? ADHD isn’t a productivity problem. It’s an identity problem. That’s why most strategies don’t stick—they weren’t designed for how your brain actually works. Your ADHD Brain is A-OK Academy is different. It’s a patented, science-backed coaching program that helps you stop fighting your brain and start building a life that fits. 👉Learn more here: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/aok-academy 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

Apr 7, 2021 • 1h 1min
EP. 118: Sizing Down and Creating An Organized Home for ADHD Living with Francesca Rizzo
Tired of ADHD strategies that don’t work? Here’s what actually does. FREE training here: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup___Join Tracy as she welcomes Francesca Rizzo to Episode 118 of ADHD for Smart Ass Women to share her tips on downsizing and setting up an organized home for ADHD living. Francesca Rizzo is a multi-media artist expressing powerful, provocative ideas in funny, human ways. Her work is prolific. The multiple medias she has distinguished herself in range from the fine arts and interior design to her work as an award-winning actor, writer, producer, and director in theater, film, television, and digital media.As a college dropout, Francesca left NJ and struck out on her own at 19, mining her creative talents for skills she could use to pay the rent in New York City. Along the way, she carved out a career as a children's book illustrator, professional actor, co-founder of a downtown theater company, and eventually, as a filmmaker and CEO of MovieBaby Productions, a Tribeca-based media company creating innovative videos, independent films, and TV promotional campaigns. Does that sound ADHD or what?When she lost Moviebaby and her Manhattan apartment after 9/11, she landed back in Jersey and went back to the basics, earning her degree in Media Arts as well as the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence. While making her mark in the fine arts and interior design, she penned and performed three theatrical productions, curated The Cinema-Femina film series, and created Believe Women, a rape activist initiative that championed the Cosby survivors along their journey to justice.______________Resources:Facebook Group: Simple Systems for Creative MindsSend a Message: Your Name | Email | Message Instead of Struggling to figure out what to do next? ADHD isn’t a productivity problem. It’s an identity problem. That’s why most strategies don’t stick—they weren’t designed for how your brain actually works. Your ADHD Brain is A-OK Academy is different. It’s a patented, science-backed coaching program that helps you stop fighting your brain and start building a life that fits. 👉Learn more here: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/aok-academy 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

Mar 31, 2021 • 35min
EP. 117: ADHD and How to Control Rumination, RSD and Depressive Thoughts
Tired of ADHD strategies that don’t work? Here’s what actually does. FREE training here: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup___Join Tracy in episode #117 of ADHD for Smart Ass Women where she shares the #1 most impactful concept that she has learned this year. She talks about this concept every day with students and those who contact her because they're struggling with rumination, RSD, and just plain not feeling good.Tracy shares, who she learned this concept from, why our ADHD brains can get stuck in a loop of negative thoughts which leads to rumination, RSD and general brooding, the role environment plays in all of this, what epigenetics and neuroplasticity can teach us, how you can change your brain at any age and be happier, the network in our brain that lights up when we're in action, the network in our brain that is responsible for our creativity, the network in our brain that is responsible for many of our negative, depressive thoughts, the reason why so many people are starting to look so distracted whether or not they have or don't have ADHD, the part of our brain that is responsible for addiction and what we can do about it, what 6-3-8-3 breathing is and why it works and when our ADHD brains are happiest.______________Resources:drhallowell.comBreaking Binaries: bolt.straightforequality.orgwww.explore.com10 Things You Can Do to Be an Ally to People Who Are LGBTQ+: bolt.straightforequality5 Days to Fall in Love with Your ADHD Brain: tracyotsuka.comYour ADHD Brain is A-OKSend a Message: Your Name | Email | Message Instead of Struggling to figure out what to do next? ADHD isn’t a productivity problem. It’s an identity problem. That’s why most strategies don’t stick—they weren’t designed for how your brain actually works. Your ADHD Brain is A-OK Academy is different. It’s a patented, science-backed coaching program that helps you stop fighting your brain and start building a life that fits. 👉Learn more here: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/aok-academy 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

Mar 24, 2021 • 50min
EP. 116: ADHD and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Tired of ADHD strategies that don’t work? Here’s what actually does. FREE training here: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup___In this episode of ADHD for Smart Ass Women, Tracy talks about ADHD and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and why she took such an interest in this episode. Tracy starts by mentioning the connection between OCD and repetitive body-focused behaviors (RBFBs) and then discusses what they are.Tracy shares what OCD is, what obsessions and compulsions are, what compulsions are, the conditions that make up the OCD Spectrum, what OCD is not, what Pure Obsession is, at what age does OCD typically show up, where ADHD and OCD look very different, where ADHD and OCD look similar, what those with OCD are most concerned about, the role that executive functions play in both ADHD and OCD, how hoarding plays into ADHD and OCD, how OCD is best treated, what Exposure Response Prevention is, the reasons why ADHD with OCD is often misdiagnosed, and Do I Have OCD?.______________Resources:link.springer.comwww.sciencedirect.comiocdf.orgCould I Have OCD? Unpacking Symptoms10230_Understand-Conditions_is-it-ocd-or-adhd.pdfwww.ocduk.org"I Have a Tough Time Being with Myself."Send a Message: Your Name | Email | Message Instead of Struggling to figure out what to do next? ADHD isn’t a productivity problem. It’s an identity problem. That’s why most strategies don’t stick—they weren’t designed for how your brain actually works. Your ADHD Brain is A-OK Academy is different. It’s a patented, science-backed coaching program that helps you stop fighting your brain and start building a life that fits. 👉Learn more here: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/aok-academy 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

Mar 17, 2021 • 40min
EP. 115: The Pandemic Job Market and Re-Entering the Workforce wih Lynn Miner-Rosen
Tired of ADHD strategies that don’t work? Here’s what actually does. FREE training here: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup___Join Tracy as she welcomes Lynn Miner-Rosen to Episode 115 of ADHD for Smart Ass Women. Lynn Miner-Rosen, M.Ed., ACC, CDCS is the founder of LMR Coaching and the creator of the ADHD JOB SQUAD™ where she provides coaching, instruction, and support to college students and adults with (and without) ADD, ADHD, Executive Functioning Deficits and Learning Differences worldwide. Lynn is a leading expert on ADHD career coaching and is an ICF Credentialed and Board Certified Career Development Coach, and an ADHD, Executive Function, and Life Coach. She's been a Special Education Teacher and an IEP coordinator and has a BS in business administration and two Master's Degrees in education and Special Education.Like you, she's also learned how to manage the demands of her life and career while navigating symptoms of ADHD.Lynn shares her ADHD diagnosis story, the truth about our current pandemic job market, why women are struggling the most, what we need to consider when trying to decide if we should make a career change, advice for those of us who are reentering the workforce decades after we left, why she decided to start the ADHD Job Squad, and a special deal just for ADHD for Smart Ass Women listeners.______________Resources:www.adhdjobsquad.comInstagram: @lynn_miner_rosenLinkedIn: Lynn Miner-RosenFacebook Group: ADHD JOB SQUAD Hosted By LMR Coachingadhdpalooza.com/women/Send a Message: Your Name | Email | Message Instead of Struggling to figure out what to do next? ADHD isn’t a productivity problem. It’s an identity problem. That’s why most strategies don’t stick—they weren’t designed for how your brain actually works. Your ADHD Brain is A-OK Academy is different. It’s a patented, science-backed coaching program that helps you stop fighting your brain and start building a life that fits. 👉Learn more here: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/aok-academy 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

Mar 10, 2021 • 39min
EP. 114: ADHD, Women and Hormones
Experts Dr. Kathleen Nadeau, Dr. Ellen Littman, Dr. Patricia Quinn, Dr. Sari Solden, Dr. Sandra Kooj discuss ADHD, women, and hormones. They delve into topics like ADHD misdiagnosis in women, societal pressures, hormone impacts, and the connection between dementia and ADHD symptoms.

Mar 3, 2021 • 36min
EP. 113: How to Live to Your Potential with ADHD
Tired of ADHD strategies that don’t work? Here’s what actually does. FREE training here: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup___Join Tracy on Episode 113 of ADHD for Smart Ass Women where she talks about how to live a life of meaning and to your potential with an ADHD brain.Tracy shares: How to know that the decisions you're making in your life are the right decisions for you, What are the questions that you need to ask regarding if you're in the right career, relationship, friendships, etc. Her 6-step Your ADHD Brain is A-OK! system, How to answer the What Should I Do With My Life question, Whether or not ADHD women care more than neurotypical women of living a life of meaning and to their potential, Her favorite ADHD strength-focused resource, What ADHD women need to be doing in order to be happy, Her 25%/75% theory, The sweet spot that plays right into our ADHD brilliance, Why environment is so important to our ADHD brains.Send a Message: Your Name | Email | Message Instead of Struggling to figure out what to do next? ADHD isn’t a productivity problem. It’s an identity problem. That’s why most strategies don’t stick—they weren’t designed for how your brain actually works. Your ADHD Brain is A-OK Academy is different. It’s a patented, science-backed coaching program that helps you stop fighting your brain and start building a life that fits. 👉Learn more here: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/aok-academy 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

Feb 24, 2021 • 31min
EP. 112: ADHD, Working Memory, Hip-hop and STEM with Raven the Science Maven
Tired of ADHD strategies that don’t work? Here’s what actually does. FREE training here: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup___In this episode of ADHD for Smart Ass Women, Tracy introduces you to Raven Baxter. Raven is also known as, she is an award-winning science communicator, educator, and molecular biologist who is working to share science and champion for inclusivity and diversity in STEM. Raven is also the founder of Science Haven, a non-profit organization that operates at the intersections of science, education, and the public. Science Haven houses a live web series that connects the public with science and technology professionals, and a group that works to build relationships in the science community, equipping others with the knowledge and resources necessary to share science with the world in their own flavor.Raven is an entertainer and content creator known for her unique style of combining science and hip-hop music that teaches and empowers those in STEM and beyond. She has recently been featured in Fortune Magazine's 40 under 40 List of the most influential young leaders for the year, BuzzFeed News, and Mother Jones Magazine, on the mayor of Buffalo's social media accounts trying to convince teenagers to stay home in the age of Covid; and of course, she has her own TedX Talk.Raven shares: The circumstances surrounding both her ADHD diagnoses, The tweet that she shared regarding her struggle to memorize even small snippets of text, What has changed since her last diagnosis, Why she started her science rap music videos, What she thinks the key to living successfully with ADHD is. ADHD brains work so that they too may discover their amazing strengths. And your reviews really help in that regard.______________Resources:Instagram: @raventhesciencemavenTwitter: @ravenscimavenFacebook: raventhesciencemavenWebsite: scimaven.comSend a Message: Your Name | Email | Message Instead of Struggling to figure out what to do next? ADHD isn’t a productivity problem. It’s an identity problem. That’s why most strategies don’t stick—they weren’t designed for how your brain actually works. Your ADHD Brain is A-OK Academy is different. It’s a patented, science-backed coaching program that helps you stop fighting your brain and start building a life that fits. 👉Learn more here: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/aok-academy 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

Feb 17, 2021 • 1h 2min
EP. 111: ADHD and Medical School with Dr. Diana Mercado
Tired of ADHD strategies that don’t work? Here’s what actually does. FREE training here: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup___Join Tracy as she welcomes Dr. Diana Mercado to Episode 111 of ADHD for Smart Ass Women. Dr. Mercado is the daughter of Mexican immigrant workers. She graduated from St. Mary's University in San Antonio with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry, earned her medical degree from the University of Texas, and did her residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Diana became a family medicine physician so that minority patients would have a physician who "looks like them." Today Dr. Diana Mercado is a Nurse Practitioner mentor and clinic Medical Director and was just elected Chief Medical Officer for Jackson County Hospital in Texas.Diana shares with us:Her struggles in medical schoolThe circumstances surrounding her ADHD diagnosisHer symptoms in childhoodWhat changed once she was diagnosedHer struggle with imposter syndromeThe medication that works best for herThe ADHD traits that make her a better doctorWhat she believes to be the key to living successfully with ADHDHer interest in coaching______________Resources:The Life Coach SchoolMydayis_USA_ENG.pdfEmail: overachievewithadhd@gmail.comSend a Message: Your Name | Email | Message Instead of Struggling to figure out what to do next? ADHD isn’t a productivity problem. It’s an identity problem. That’s why most strategies don’t stick—they weren’t designed for how your brain actually works. Your ADHD Brain is A-OK Academy is different. It’s a patented, science-backed coaching program that helps you stop fighting your brain and start building a life that fits. 👉Learn more here: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/aok-academy 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