Women & ADHD

Episode 130 with Anita Robertson.“What’s hard for us is easy for everybody else. And what’s hard for everyone else is really easy for us.”Anita is a psychotherapist in Austin, Texas, and the author of ADHD & Us: A Couple’s Guide to Loving and Living with Adult ADHD. Anita works with adults and couples, and she created the ADHD Relationship Bootcamp to help neurodiverse couples develop new skills to communicate effectively and improve their relationships. She also works with ADHD adults to make their environments ADHD-friendly: from executive functioning supports to sensory needs.I reached out to Anita because while there seems to be plenty of advice out there on living with an ADHD partner, I haven’t seen a lot of books that address what it’s like to be the ADHD partner, especially as a woman. Many of us who are diagnosed in adulthood have difficulty explaining our ADHD traits and experiences, especially to our non-ADHD partners. Anita & I talk all about some of the more common stressors in relationships — like clutter or parenthood — and she describes the 5 ADHD relationship pillars and how we can embrace a growth mindset to improve communication and advocate for our needs.Books & Articles mentioned:ADHD & Us: A Couple's Guide to Loving and Living With Adult ADHD by Anita RobertsonBlog: When clutter makes your relationship messyWebsite: anitarobertson.comInstagram: @strengthinyourmind- - - - -Episode Sponsor:This episode is brought to you by Llama Life, the beautifully-designed, simple, and flexible app that uses time-boxing to help keep you focused as you work through your To Do list. Enjoy a 7-day free trial, then use the code KATYLLAMA20 for 20% off your first payment- - - - -Episode edited by E Podcast ProductionsFind the transcript of this episode at www.womenandadhd.com/transcripts- - - - -Exclusive Deals for Listeners:Green Chef, the #1 Meal Kit for Eating Well. If you struggle with meal prep like I do, head to GreenChef.com/womenadhd60 and use code womenadhd60 to get 60% off plus free shipping. Loop Earplugs provide a discreet and effective solution for managing sensory input, which can help individuals with autism, ADHD, or sensory issues to feel more comfortable and in control of their environment. Click http://bit.ly/3FISUdO and use the code LOOPXWOMENADHD for 15% off your order.Dr. Steve’s Caffeine Melts. Sublingual caffeine changes the game and bypasses the stomach to activate my brain (not my gut). I get a boost of energy that’s cleaner and long-lasting, with no crashing or jittery feelings. Use the code WOMENADHD25 for 25% off your order.- - - - -Small group coaching with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/groupcoaching- - - - -Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching- - - - -Order the “Hey, it’s ADHD!” course: www.womenandadhd.com/adhdcourse- - - - -Finally ... you've found your people! Now come join us in the Women & ADHD online community: www.womenandadhd.com- - - - -Did you love this episode? Click here to pledge a one-time donation to the podcast!- - - - -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 129 with Marie Ng.“My brain can get foggy. When thereʼs too much happening and my brain canʼt process everything, thatʼs when I zone out and just ignore everything.”Marie lives in Melbourne, and she is the founder of Llama Life, a desktop productivity app that helps you work THROUGH your to-do list, not just make never-ending ones.Marie was diagnosed with ADHD over a decade ago, and ever since then has been on a mission to figure out ways to help herself get things done.When she couldn't find a tool that worked for her brain, she decided to teach herself how to code by watching YouTube videos; Llama Life is the first app she designed and developed by herself from scratch.Marie & I talk about her diagnosis story, and some of the common struggles many of us have regulating focus and attention, especially when it comes to tasks that aren’t interesting for our brains. And we also talk about time-boxing and how and why it’s such a helpful tool for our kind of brains. And then I spend a lot of time simply gushing over Llama Life because I’ve been using it for a while now and I’ve just been blown away by how productive I am when using Llama Life!Website: llamalife.coTwitter: @threehourcoffee; @llamalifeInstagram: @llamalife.coEpisode edited by E Podcast ProductionsFind the transcript of this episode at www.womenandadhd.com/transcripts- - - - -Small group coaching with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/groupcoaching- - - - -Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching- - - - -Order the “Hey, it’s ADHD!” course: www.womenandadhd.com/adhdcourse- - - - -Finally ... you've found your people! Now come join us in the Women & ADHD online community: www.womenandadhd.com- - - - -Did you love this episode? Click here to pledge a one-time donation to the podcast!- - - - -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 128 with August McLaughlin.“Puberty was really difficult for me. I used to think everyone had a really hard time, but now I realize hormones and ADHD played a big role in that.”August is a journalist, author of several books, and the host & producer of Girl Boner Radio, which was named “one of the best sex podcasts you should be listening to” by Romper and one of the top feminist podcasts by Bellesa. Her articles and expertise about sex and sexuality have been featured in a range of publications, including Cosmopolitan, The Washington Post, O: The Oprah Magazine, Forbes, and Shape, just to name a few.August & I talk about her history with anorexia and how a lingering addiction to diet pills led to her ADHD diagnosis. We also talk about body dysmorphia and some of the common experiences so many of us have with ADHD and disordered eating.And we talk about sexuality and ADHD, and the paths to finding what works for our brains and our libidos.⛔️ TRIGGER WARNING ⛔️ We talk about anorexia, dieting, and disordered eating behaviors, so if you’re not in a place to listen to this topic, you might want to skip this episode.Books & Articles mentioned:Come As You Are by Emily NagoskiMating in Captivity by Esther PerelIn Her Shadow by August McLaughlinAugust’s Ted TalkWebsite: augustmclaughlin.com/podcastInstagram: @augustmclaughlinEpisode edited by E Podcast ProductionsFind the transcript of this episode at www.womenandadhd.com/transcripts- - - - -Small group coaching with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/groupcoaching- - - - -Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching- - - - -Order the “Hey, it’s ADHD!” course: www.womenandadhd.com/adhdcourse- - - - -Finally ... you've found your people! Now come join us in the Women & ADHD online community: www.womenandadhd.com- - - - -Did you love this episode? Click here to pledge a one-time donation to the podcast!- - - - -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 127 with Meghann Birks.“I remember always being surprised when people would say, ‛Stop interrupting!’ because I didn’t even know I was doing it.”Meghann is a Certified Professional Coach, embodiment educator and Steel Mace flow teacher based in Australia. She was diagnosed with ADHD at 38 (to nobody's great surprise) and now supports women in midlife who are seeking to show up as all of who they are — the joyful, the messy and everything in between. She describes her work as "where the science meets the soul" and uses a combination of modalities to help her clients discern what they really want in life, and how to get it, using their neurodivergence as an asset in the work.As a trauma-informed somatic practitioner, she is incredibly passionate about helping women address the feelings of shame and sadness that can come up when diagnosed with ADHD as adults. As liberating as it is to have the "Aha! THAT'S why I do/think/feel this way..." moment, the grief that arises when we look back on the decades that were shaped by fear, anger and misunderstanding can be overwhelming. Meghann & I talk all about managing shame and grief after a diagnosis, as well as embodiment practices and learning ways to sit with and move through our heavy emotions. Books mentioned:ADHD 2.0 by Edward Hallowell & John RateyThe Comfort Crisis by Michael EasterSlightly Damaged; Totally Divine: A Book of Poems by Meghann BirksWebsite: meghannbirks.comInstagram: @meghannbirkscoachingEpisode 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- - - - -Order the “Hey, it’s ADHD!” course: www.womenandadhd.com/adhdcourse- - - - -Finally ... you've found your people! Now come join us in the Women & ADHD online community: www.womenandadhd.com- - - - -Did you love this episode? Click here to pledge a one-time donation to the podcast!- - - - -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 126 with Susan Young.“There are so many women in midlife or older who are undiagnosed. As awareness grows, more and more people in midlife are getting diagnosed.”Susan is a certified holistic life coach, multi-passionate artist, and the founder of Triple Moon Coaching. She specializes in midlife reinvention for women over 50. Her recent ADHD diagnosis at the age of 56 was a complete shock and the missing piece of a complex puzzle! As an empty nester, divorcee, and domestic violence survivor who has first-hand experience with codependency, sobriety, and now ADHD, Susan knows a thing or two about starting over late in life. As a holistic coach, she believes transformation happens from the inside out and is a big fan of using creative right-brain exercises to stimulate our non-verbal genius. Susan & I talk all about her diagnosis experience after her college-aged daughter was diagnosed, and how Susan’s life radically changed overnight after the diagnosis and medication. We also talk about how Susan left her 26-year career in order to help women meet their souls and their goals so they can blaze their unique path to a joyful and purposeful future. Shout out to Susan’s website designer, Liis: sparklecreativestudio.comWebsite: triplemooncoach.comInstagram: @triplemoon_coachingEpisode 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- - - - -Order the “Hey, it’s ADHD!” course: www.womenandadhd.com/adhdcourse- - - - -Finally ... you've found your people! Now come join us in the Women & ADHD online community: www.womenandadhd.com- - - - -Did you love this episode? Click here to pledge a one-time donation to the podcast!- - - - -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 125 with Marnie Bothmer.“I feel like society tells you that you’re weird, so you learn to not like who you are. But now I realize I really like my silly, impulsive side.”Marnie is a fitness professional who believes that fitness can be utilized as a tool for increasing confidence and empowerment. She works with people who are going through something in life to view movement in a different way than society has defined it for us. After being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2018 and ADHD in 2021, her approach in the fitness world really shifted into what our bodies CAN do, and is excited to share that with others! Marnie & I talk about some of the struggles that feel unique to neurodivergent brains, as well as some tips on how to realistically incorporate and sustain movement in our lives.Website: marniebothmer.comInstagram: @marniebstrength4lifeEpisode 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- - - - -Order the “Hey, it’s ADHD!” course: www.womenandadhd.com/adhdcourse- - - - -Finally ... you've found your people! Now come join us in the Women & ADHD online community: www.womenandadhd.com- - - - -Did you love this episode? Click here to pledge a one-time donation to the podcast!- - - - -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 124 with Raelene Sebastian.“I read a list of symptoms and tears just streamed out of my eyes. There was such relief but also sadness — like, how did I never know this?”Rae is a 25-year-old Australian-born Filipino woman and a military spouse who works as a Recruitment Consultant in an agency that hires childcare educators in Sydney.A former childcare educator herself, Rae has supported children and families from all diverse backgrounds and helped families with their children's diagnoses long before making the connection in her own life. Rae advocates for consent, mental health, military spouses, and lately ADHD in women since being diagnosed in November of 2022. She also loves strawberries, frequenting thrift stores, walking her sausage dog to the beach and going on alphabet dates with her husband.We talk all about hyper-fixations, dopamine dressing, life as a military spouse, and how her diagnosis has allowed her to help her family members better understand neurodivergence.Sonny Jane Wise, Lived Experience EducatorInstagram: @uraenus ; @myadhdcookbookEpisode edited by E Podcast ProductionsFind the transcript of this episode at www.womenandadhd.com/transcripts- - - - -Quick Jewelry Repairs: Get 15% off your order at quickjewelryrepairs.com with the code WOMENADHD.- - - - -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- - - - -Order the “Hey, it’s ADHD!” course: www.womenandadhd.com/adhdcourse- - - - -Finally ... you've found your people! Now come join us in the Women & ADHD online community: www.womenandadhd.com- - - - -Did you love this episode? Click here to pledge a one-time donation to the podcast!- - - - -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 123 with Denisha Michele Seals.“I have ASD, ADHD, and C-PTSD. They’re all having conversations with each other about who’s going to be dominant today.”Denisha is a spoken word artist, award-winning filmmaker, and author from Omaha, Nebraska. A survivor of childhood sexual abuse and trauma, she advocates for more awareness and understanding of the emotional toll abuse victims experience, particularly children of color. Using the power of her pen to lift the voices of the marginalized and victimized, her uplifting stories inspire readers of all ages to be strong, fearless, and full of hope.⛔️TRIGGER WARNING⛔️ This week we discuss some pretty heavy topics, including childhood sexual abuse and complex PTSD, and distrust in the health care system and culturally incompetent providers. So please proceed with caution if these are difficult topics for you. Or you may want to skip this week, too, and that’s OK. Denisha and I talk about her life with multiple diagnoses of ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder and PTSD, as well as her experiences with mental health services. We also talk about her children’s book Butterflies in Me, and the incredible work she’s doing with women and girls, and how her Afro-Indigenous heritage has shaped her work and her worldview.Website: water2spirit.comFacebook: Denisha Michele SealsEpisode 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- - - - -Order the “Hey, it’s ADHD!” course: www.womenandadhd.com/adhdcourse- - - - -Finally ... you've found your people! Now come join us in the Women & ADHD online community: www.womenandadhd.com- - - - -Did you love this episode? Click here to pledge a one-time donation to the podcast!- - - - -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 122 with Emily Weinberg.“Sometimes we just ramble and talk in circles. I frequently have to stop myself and ask, Did that make any sense?”Emily is currently a stay-at-home mom of 2 four-year-olds. She was diagnosed with ADHD in 2021 at the age 36.Emily reached out to me and had this to say: “At the start of my diagnosis, while I loved listening to your show, sometimes it would actually make me feel a little worse about my own ADHD. While it's so great to listen to so many successful and inspiring women, I would sometimes think "how are they all doing so well despite all these challenges we both face and I feel like I'm just flailing?" Even some of them who had been diagnosed for just as long or less time than me.”Emily wanted to share her perspective, as “the one who is also a bit lost in life, and really trying to get a grip on her symptoms and self-esteem, while taking care of 2 toddlers and trying to figure out what she is doing with the rest of her life. It's really great listening to the women who have already risen and seemingly have it figured out, but sometimes it's also validating listening to the women who don't have it all figured out yet, who are stuck in the muck right with them, but are slowly beginning to find their way out of it.”Through her own coach and the coaching program she has been in for 2 years, Emily has learned a tremendous amount about how her own brain works and how to begin embracing it. Coaching not only changed her life in the most impactful way, it also led her to discover her own passion for coaching. She recently began training to become an ADHD coach and she wants to give back to the ADHD community by educating, supporting, and guiding other adults who suspect they have it, or those who are diagnosed and ready to learn more about their ADHD.  This has to be one of my favorite interviews I’ve done on this show and I’m sure after you listen, you’ll agree. So if you’re out there and newly diagnosed and feeling like you’ll never get your shit together, I hope you’ll listen to this conversation and find some solace and possibly some inspiration, too. Enjoy!Website: adhdwithemily.comInstagram: @adhd.with.emilyEmily's podcast: Monday Morning ADHD Coaching - - - - -Episode edited by E Podcast ProductionsFind the transcript of this episode at www.womenandadhd.com/transcripts- - - - -Small group coaching with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/groupcoaching- - - - -Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching- - - - -Order the “Hey, it’s ADHD!” course: www.womenandadhd.com/adhdcourse- - - - -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 121 with Abbie Cardwell.“I was always told that I was a bit too much. It’s like our volume has been ramped up to 11.”Abbie is an accomplished musician living in Byron Bay, Australia. She has won several awards and was also a competitor on Season 1 of Australia’s The Voice.In addition to her music, she also owns Abbie’s Alchemy, a gorgeous line of eco-friendly cleaning products. Listeners in Australia can use the code DOPAMINE LOVE for 10% off.Abbie & I talk about the experience of rejection sensitive dysphoria as an artist and how that can lead us to hide from the things we love most in life. We also talk about the ritual of Morning Pages (from Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way) and getting out of our own way so we can rediscover our passions. And we discuss how the term “hyperarousal” feels like a better fit than “hyperactivity.”Abbie’s song “Underground.”Website: abbiecardwell.comInstagram: @abbiecardwellmusicEpisode 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- - - - -Order the “Hey, it’s ADHD!” course: www.womenandadhd.com/adhdcourse- - - - -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