Women & ADHD

Episode 95 with Courtney Ruckman.“At first, I didn’t see the hyperactivity piece in myself, until I realized it applies to thoughts. My brain is like 20 radio stations at the same time.”Courtney was diagnosed with ADHD in October 2021 and the Women & ADHD podcast was one of the first resources she found (yay!).Courtney spent 11 years as a professional opera singer before retiring about 2 years ago and transitioning into arts marketing. Following her ADHD diagnosis, she looked back at her career as a performer and realized the extent to which ADHD was at the heart of her challenges as a singer and her decision to retire.She now loves using her neurodivergent creativity to help artists shine online, and she is the founder of Ossia Media, a digital marketing agency for emerging artists and non-profits.Courtney and I talk all about working memory as a singer and performer, as well as internalized hyperactivity and racing thoughts.We also talk about just how damaging the words “you have so much potential” can be to many neurodivergent kids.Website: Ossia MediaInstagram: @crsoprano ; @ossiamedia Episode edited by E Podcast ProductionsFind the transcript of this episode at www.womenandadhd.com/transcriptsThis episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. As a Women & ADHD listener, you’ll receive 10% off your first month of BetterHelp when you use this link: betterhelp.com/womenadhd - - - - -Small group coaching with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/groupcoaching- - - - -Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching- - - - - Finally ... you've found your people! Now come join us in the Women & ADHD online community: www.womenandadhd.com - - - - -If you are a woman who was diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood and you’d like to be a guest on this podcast, please reach out to Katy via email womenandADHDpodcast (at) gmail.com.Instagram: @womenandadhdpodcastTiktok: @womenandadhdpodcastTwitter: @womenandadhdFacebook: @womenandadhdSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/women-and-adhd/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Episode 94 with Ebony Washington.“On tests, I would read a sentence over and over and over again because it wasn’t processing in my brain. I’d think, ‘I’m smart. Why can’t I understand this?’”Ebony is a writer, artist, martial artist, and writers’ assistant on ABC’s hit medical drama, Grey’s Anatomy. Ebony was officially diagnosed with ADHD back in 2012 while in college, and we talk all about the various coping strategies she relied on while in school before and after her diagnosis.We talk about the many ways she masked as a girl, as well as her journey to finding the right medication and treatment plan in adulthood.And we also talk about working in the TV industry and how her ADHD helps her with multitasking and hyper-focusing in such a high-stress environment.Instagram: @eebbonyy Episode edited by E Podcast ProductionsFind the transcript of this episode at www.womenandadhd.com/transcripts This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. As a Women & ADHD listener, you’ll receive 10% off your first month of BetterHelp when you use this link: betterhelp.com/womenadhd - - - - -Small group coaching with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/groupcoaching- - - - -Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching- - - - -Finally ... you've found your people! Now come join us in the Women & ADHD online community: www.womenandadhd.com- - - - - If you are a woman who was diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood and you’d like to be a guest on this podcast, please reach out to Katy via email womenandADHDpodcast (at) gmail.com.Instagram: @womenandadhdpodcastTiktok: @womenandadhdpodcastTwitter: @womenandadhdFacebook: @womenandadhdSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/women-and-adhd/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Episode 93 with Izzie Chea“There are families that don’t want to think of the idea that their child might be different. It makes it very hard to be yourself or to be an authentic person.”Izzie is a Dominican-Mexican-American creative, music educator, storyteller, and mental health advocate. After a late diagnosis of ADHD at age 35, she took her talent of content creation to Instagram, where @izzieandadhd has experienced tremendous growth through her Reels, expressing with incredible relatability and honesty what it is like to be a newly-diagnosed neurodivergent woman. As a music educator, Izzie operates a very successful YouTube channel providing engaging virtual piano lessons for all ages. She is currently pursuing her alternative certification to teach music in Texas public schools.We talk about the stigma around mental health in the Latino culture, as well as the concept of masking in society, at work, and among family.We also talk about being lifelong students and the importance of creating communities for ADHD women where they can be our weird, wonderful selves together without any feelings of shame or guilt.Website: IzzieandADHD/linksInstagram: @izzieandadhd  Episode edited by E Podcast ProductionsFind the transcript of this episode at www.womenandadhd.com/transcripts This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. As a Women & ADHD listener, you’ll receive 10% off your first month of BetterHelp when you use this link: betterhelp.com/womenadhd - - - - -Small group coaching with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/groupcoaching- - - - -Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching- - - - -Finally ... you've found your people! Now come join us in the Women & ADHD online community: www.womenandadhd.com- - - - - If you are a woman who was diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood and you’d like to be a guest on this podcast, please reach out to Katy via email womenandADHDpodcast (at) gmail.com.Instagram: @womenandadhdpodcastTiktok: @womenandadhdpodcastTwitter: @womenandadhdFacebook: @womenandadhdSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/women-and-adhd/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Episode 92 with Sharon McCarthy.“I will start talking and lose my train of thought mid-sentence because my brain has suddenly gone off on a completely different tangent.”Sharon is the founding director of Autism Journeys, a training and consultancy service based in Cork, Ireland, where she supports autistic children and young people and their families from both an advocacy and educational standpoint.She is also the host of Autism Journeys, the fabulous radio show & podcast that shares stories and perspectives of members of the worldwide autism community.Sharon has worked in the autism field in a number of capacities over the last 20 years. She lectures at University College Dublin, coordinates and delivers autism-centric courses in her local community college, and delivers autism-specific training workshops to different disability and training services across Ireland. We talk about her incredible journey as a mother to multiply-identified neurodivergent children, which led her to become a fierce advocate for her kids. And more recently, this journey has led to her being identified as both autistic and an ADHDer, and she is now finally empowered to be her authentic neurodivergent self. We also talk about the dual diagnosis and overlap of traits, how autism presents in girls and women, how the definition and understanding of autism has changed over the years, as well as when it might be time to seek an autism diagnosis either for your child or yourself.Website: Autism JourneysInstagram: @autism.journeys Episode edited by E Podcast ProductionsFind the transcript of this episode at www.womenandadhd.com/transcripts This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. As a Women & ADHD listener, you’ll receive 10% off your first month of BetterHelp when you use this link: betterhelp.com/womenadhd - - - - -Small group coaching with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/groupcoaching- - - - -Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching- - - - - Finally ... you've found your people! Now come join us in the Women & ADHD online community: www.womenandadhd.com - - - - - If you are a woman who was diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood and you’d like to be a guest on this podcast, please reach out to Katy via email womenandADHDpodcast (at) gmail.com.Instagram: @womenandadhdpodcastTiktok: @womenandadhdpodcastTwitter: @womenandadhdFacebook: @womenandadhdSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/women-and-adhd/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Episode 91 with Lisa Dos Santos.“Since I was 5 or 6, I was told I was lazy, messy, and forgetful. They used to call me lostkop in Afrikaans, which literally means your head is lost.”Lisa is a 35-year-old South African who was recently diagnosed with ADHD inattentive type. She suspected something was different about her growing up but always assumed it was due to the trauma of being raised in an abusive home. However, when a teacher suggested Lisa’s 6-year-old daughter might have ADHD, Lisa started connecting the dots in her own life. After 11 different jobs and 17 years in the corporate world, Lisa now runs an online mindful yoga practice @yogalisa.online where she focuses on “bite-sized mindfulness,” breath work, and feeling good. Lisa’s teachings are inclusive, spiritual, and rooted closely in the origins of yoga.We talk about her history of codependency and how ADHD has played a role in those behaviors. We also talk about the concept of multipotentiality and the inability to stay still in our lives, especially when it comes to professions. And we also discuss the benefits of yoga and mindfulness for ADHD, and how intentionally slowing down and listening to our bodies has helped us rebuild self-trust and have more compassion and patience with ourselves and our kids.Website: YogaLisa.online  Episode edited by E Podcast ProductionsFind the transcript of this episode at www.womenandadhd.com/transcripts This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. As a Women & ADHD listener, you’ll receive 10% off your first month of BetterHelp when you use this link: betterhelp.com/womenadhd  - - - - -Small group coaching with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/groupcoaching- - - - -Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching- - - - -Finally ... you've found your people! Now come join us in the Women & ADHD online community: www.womenandadhd.com- - - - - If you are a woman who was diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood and you’d like to be a guest on this podcast, please reach out to Katy via email womenandADHDpodcast (at) gmail.com.Instagram: @womenandadhdpodcastTiktok: @womenandadhdpodcastTwitter: @womenandadhdFacebook: @womenandadhdSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/women-and-adhd/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Episode 90 with Laura Key.“ADHD is that thing you didn’t know you had, but once you do realize you have it, everything else makes sense.”Laura Key, a longtime editor and content creator, is the editorial director at Understood.org, a resource for the millions of people with learning and thinking differences like ADHD and dyslexia. Laura is also the host of the ADHD Aha! podcast, where her guests talk about the single moment when it clicked that they — or someone they know — has ADHD. Not only does Laura co-lead the Understood Podcast Network, she also spearheaded the creation of the Medium publication for/by. And she has two kids who keep her busy when she’s not working — and sometimes when she is working.Laura shares her diagnosis story and her “ADHD aha” moment, as well as her history with anxiety and perfectionism. We compare notes on hosting an ADHD-themed podcast, and talk all about the healing power of conversation and sharing our lived experiences with other ADHD people.We also talk about medication, looking for signs of ADHD in your children, and some of the inherent difficulties in figuring out the best ways to help our kids — and ourselves, for that matter! Instagram: @understoodorg  Episode edited by E Podcast ProductionsFind the transcript of this episode at www.womenandadhd.com/transcripts This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. As a Women & ADHD listener, you’ll receive 10% off your first month of BetterHelp when you use this link: betterhelp.com/womenadhd - - - - -Small group coaching with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/groupcoaching- - - - -Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching- - - - - Finally ... you've found your people! Now come join us in the Women & ADHD online community: www.womenandadhd.com - - - - -  If you are a woman who was diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood and you’d like to be a guest on this podcast, please reach out to Katy via email womenandADHDpodcast (at) gmail.com.Instagram: @womenandadhdpodcastTiktok: @womenandadhdpodcastTwitter: @womenandadhdFacebook: @womenandadhdSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/women-and-adhd/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Episode 89 with Layla Touchet.“I was actually a hyperactive child, but the school told my mom that I’m just gifted and bored. I mean, y’all were right. But y’all were wrong, too. It was more than that.”Layla is a 29 year old neurodivergent female who works as a school counselor in Louisiana, working with tiny humans in grades pre-k through 2nd grade, most of whom are neurodivergent as well. She’s also a licensed mental health counselor with certifications in Autism and ADHD and she’s working on her PhD in Counseling. Layla was first diagnosed with ADHD about a year-and-a-half ago. After she started medication for her ADHD, she realized there were still some things not adding up, and that’s when she received her Autism diagnosis.We talk about her dual diagnosis and what it’s been like to look back over the course of her life, especially childhood, and see the traits of ADHD and Autism throughout.We also talk about how her discovery of her own neurodivergence has helped shape her as a mental health counselor and how she’s now educating the teachers and staff at her school and in her entire district on how to recognize some of the more overlooked neurodivergent traits in children, especially in girls.And we talk about her love of karate and kickboxing, as well as our shared love of office supplies. Instagram: @theneurodivergentcounselor Episode edited by E Podcast ProductionsFind the transcript of this episode at www.womenandadhd.com/transcripts This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. As a Women & ADHD listener, you’ll receive 10% off your first month of BetterHelp when you use this link: betterhelp.com/womenadhd  - - - - -Small group coaching with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/groupcoaching- - - - -Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching- - - - - Finally ... you've found your people! Now come join us in the Women & ADHD online community: www.womenandadhd.com - - - - -  If you are a woman who was diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood and you’d like to be a guest on this podcast, please reach out to Katy via email womenandADHDpodcast (at) gmail.com.Instagram: @womenandadhdpodcastTiktok: @womenandadhdpodcastTwitter: @womenandadhdFacebook: @womenandadhdSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/women-and-adhd/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Episode 88 with Candin Phillips.“I’m one of those people who keeps chugging along, and it takes something really big to knock me off course before I step down and take care of myself.”Candin is a licensed clinician and supervisor in South Carolina. She specializes in diagnosing ADHD and educating others — especially other therapists — to recognize traits of ADHD. She is the founder of Humanity Hive, an online platform and business focused on providing information to support those with ADHD. In addition to her fabulous Instagram account, she also now offers self-guided online classes on ADHD, including an overview and one that specializes in feelings.We also spoke all about her own diagnosis journey and the pressures of perfectionism and pushing ourselves to the point of burnout. We also spoke about the power of music for the neurodivergent brain.🛑 TRIGGER WARNING 🛑 We talk about the recent death of Candin’s mother via suicide as well as how she has been publicly processing it, so if that is a difficult topic for you, you might want to skip this interview.Website: HumanityHive.infoInstagram: @humanity_hive Episode edited by E Podcast ProductionsFind the transcript of this episode at www.womenandadhd.com/transcripts This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. As a Women & ADHD listener, you’ll receive 10% off your first month of BetterHelp when you use this link: betterhelp.com/womenadhd  - - - - -Small group coaching with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/groupcoaching- - - - -Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching- - - - - Finally ... you've found your people! Now come join us in the Women & ADHD online community: www.womenandadhd.com - - - - -  If you are a woman who was diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood and you’d like to be a guest on this podcast, please reach out to Katy via email womenandADHDpodcast (at) gmail.com.Instagram: @womenandadhdpodcastTiktok: @womenandadhdpodcastTwitter: @womenandadhdFacebook: @womenandadhdSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/women-and-adhd/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Episode 87 with Amy Marie Hann.“We try so hard to do all these things, and we end up feeling like failures. In reality, we’re just supposed to be doing life in a different way.”Amy Marie is an ADHD advocate, entrepreneur and mom of 3 young kids. She was diagnosed with ADD in kindergarten but found motherhood and especially being a stay-at-home mom to be the most challenging season for her brain. Amy Marie now teaches moms with ADHD to manage their home life with ease in order to have more time and energy. In addition to her Activated ADHD Mamas Facebook group, Amy also runs a Master the Mundane course and training system for moms so they can better understand their brain wiring and develop the best home management systems for themselves and their families.She also wrote a 16-page e-book called Thrive in Motherhood with ADHD, which comes with practical tips, mindset shifts and resources for personal growth. You can get that for free at her website.Amy Marie and I talk all about domestic life and the unique pressures on women to be able to “do it all” as a mom and entrepreneur — and to somehow also be satisfied and sane.And we also talk about the Christian community and the church and some of the expectations on Christian moms that simply don’t work when you have neurodivergent kids.**Register for Amy's Master the Mundane course**Website: AmyMarieHann.comInstagram: @activatedadhdmama Episode edited by E Podcast ProductionsFind the transcript of this episode at www.womenandadhd.com/transcripts This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. As a Women & ADHD listener, you’ll receive 10% off your first month of BetterHelp when you use this link: betterhelp.com/womenadhd  - - - - -Small group coaching with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/groupcoaching- - - - -Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching- - - - - Finally ... you've found your people! Now come join us in the Women & ADHD online community: www.womenandadhd.com - - - - -  If you are a woman who was diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood and you’d like to be a guest on this podcast, please reach out to Katy via email womenandADHDpodcast (at) gmail.com.Instagram: @womenandadhdpodcastTiktok: @womenandadhdpodcastTwitter: @womenandadhdFacebook: @womenandadhdSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/women-and-adhd/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Episode 86 with Dr. Tamara Rosier.“We have a toggle like a light switch — we’re either on or off. We don’t have a dimmer switch.”Dr. Rosier is the founder of the ADHD Center of West Michigan, where she and her staff work with individuals with ADHD (and their families) to learn strategies and develop new skills to live effectively with ADHD. Dr. Rosier is also the president of the ADHD Coaches Organization and author of Your Brain's Not Broken: Strategies for Navigating Your Emotions and Life with ADHD.We talk about her mission to de-stigmatize ADHD and teach her clients and their families to reframe how they view ADHD and their brains. We also talk about the many misconceptions about ADHD in the medical field, and we discuss the “all or nothing” approach we can have to task management and some of the healthy and not-so-healthy ways in which we tend to motivate ourselves.Dr. Rosier’s Solve-It GridWebsites: TamaraRosier.com , miadhd.comInstagram: @brain_not_broken Find the transcript of this episode at www.womenandadhd.com/transcripts This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. As a Women & ADHD listener, you’ll receive 10% off your first month of BetterHelp when you use this link: betterhelp.com/womenadhd  - - - - -Small group coaching with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/groupcoaching- - - - -Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching- - - - - Finally ... you've found your people! Now come join us in the Women & ADHD online community: www.womenandadhd.com - - - - -  If you are a woman who was diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood and you’d like to be a guest on this podcast, please reach out to Katy via email womenandADHDpodcast (at) gmail.com.Instagram: @womenandadhdpodcastTiktok: @womenandadhdpodcastTwitter: @womenandadhdFacebook: @womenandadhdSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/women-and-adhd/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy