ADHD Women's Wellbeing Podcast

From ADHD Diagnosis to Self-Acceptance: Breaking Free from Shame, Self-Doubt & Limiting Beliefs

Looking for further guidance and support on⁠⁠⁠ ADHD Women's Wellbeing⁠⁠⁠? Check out my workshop library ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ or search for any topic on the ⁠⁠⁠Podcast here⁠⁠⁠. So many of us arrive at an ADHD diagnosis carrying years of shame, self-criticism and the quiet belief that something is fundamentally wrong with us. This episode is about what starts to shift when we finally have the right information. Welcome to this week's summer compilation. This one follows the journey from diagnosis to self-acceptance: the barriers so many of us still face in getting taken seriously, the practical tools that can help us quieten the inner critic, and a completely different way of seeing our ADHD traits, not as defects to fix, but as strengths that just need the right context and support. We hear from three guests across three different conversations. Vicki George, clinical nurse specialist and founder of The ADHD Nurse, on what the DIVA-5 assessment is really meant to be, why ADHD still carries more stigma than almost any other mental health condition, and how to advocate for yourself with a GP even when it feels uncomfortable. Cynthia Hammer, author of Living with Inattentive ADHD and founder of the Inattentive ADHD Coalition, on how understanding and accepting a diagnosis can bring more happiness even when the symptoms themselves haven't changed, and why replacing negative self-talk requires something to replace it with. And Hannah Miller, author of The Purpose Pursuit and host of The Purpose Pursuit Podcast, on what limiting beliefs actually are, how self-sabotage shows up for ADHD women, and her four-part framework for taking stock of where you are and finding your way forward. In this episode, we cover: What the DIVA-5 assessment is and why it should be a guided conversation, not a form you fill out alone Why ADHD diagnosis still carries more stigma than most other mental health conditions, and how unhelpful media headlines keep feeding that Why a GP cannot refuse to refer you for an ADHD assessment, and how to keep the appointment focused on that goal The challenges of titration and why finding the right medication is rarely a quick or straightforward process How understanding and accepting a diagnosis brought more happiness to the women Cynthia interviewed, even when their symptoms hadn't changed Why you can't simply get rid of a negative thought without replacing it with something else, and what that can look like in practice Why earlier diagnosis matters so much, and why girls with inattentive ADHD are still so frequently missed Hannah's four-part framework: taking stock, naming your strengths, identifying limiting behaviours and clarifying your values Why our traits are not defects, and how Clifton Strengths can help neurodivergent women begin to see themselves differently Why we don't have to be everything, and how leaning on others' strengths is part of thriving, not failing Timestamps: 00:00 - Welcome and introduction to this week's compilation 03:00 - Vicki George: what the DIVA-5 assessment is and why it matters 06:00 - Why the person being assessed is always believed over a parent or observer 08:00 - Why ADHD still carries more stigma than other mental health conditions 10:30 - How to advocate for yourself with a GP and what they can and can't do 13:00 - Titration, medication and why the process is so rarely straightforward 18:00 - Cynthia Hammer: how diagnosis brings happiness even when symptoms remain 21:00 - Interrupting negative self-talk and why replacement matters 24:00 - Why girls with inattentive ADHD are still being missed by standard tools 27:00 - Why whole-family screening matters when one person is diagnosed 30:00 - Hannah Miller: what happens when diagnosis collides with limiting beliefs 33:00 - The four-part framework: taking stock, strengths, limiting behaviors, values 36:00 - Why traits we've labelled as flaws can become our greatest strengths 39:00 - Clifton Strengths and why it works well for neurodivergent women 42:00 - We don't have to be everything, we just have to be good at something Links and Resources: Find my popular ADHD Women's Wellbeing workshops and resources on my website ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠. Follow the podcast on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@adhd_womenswellbeing_pod⁠⁠⁠ Get my book, The ADHD Women's Wellbeing Toolkit (also available in e-book and audiobook) ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ Join the More Yourself membership community ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠ Visit Vicki George's website: theadhdnurse.co.uk Connect with Vicki George on Instagram Visit Cynthia Hammer's website: iadhd.org Connect with Cynthia Hammer on Instagram Get Cynthia Hammer's book: Living with Inattentive ADHD: Climbing the Circular Staircase of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Visit Cynthia's advocacy project: findtheadhdgirls.org Visit Hannah Miller's website: hellosidekick.co Connect with Hannah Miller on Instagram Get Hannah Miller's book: The Purpose Pursuit Listen to Hannah's podcast: The Purpose Pursuit Podcast Kate Moryoussef is a women's ADHD lifestyle and wellbeing coach and EFT practitioner who helps overwhelmed and unfulfilled newly diagnosed women with ADHD find more calm, balance, hope, health, compassion, creativity, and clarity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stop Trying to Hack Your ADHD and Do This Instead

Looking for further guidance and support on⁠⁠⁠ ADHD Women's Wellbeing⁠⁠⁠? Check out my workshop library ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ or search for any topic on the ⁠⁠⁠Podcast here⁠⁠⁠. If you've ever tried an ADHD productivity hack, felt briefly hopeful, and then quietly gone back to exactly how you were before, this episode is for you. Welcome to this week's summer compilation. This one is all about redefining what productivity actually means for ADHD brains, and letting go of the neurotypical advice that was never designed for the way our minds work. We hear from four guests across four different conversations. Ari Tuckman on why productivity isn't about doing more, but about creating a life that has more meaning and breathing room in it. Dr Jacob Santhouse on automaticity, why everyday tasks like filling in a form are so much more mentally exhausting for neurodivergent brains, and why that is not a character flaw. Sonia Ponzo on the paralysis state, interoception, and why ADHD brains so often struggle to read what their body actually needs in any given moment. Dr Claire Plumbly on the three states of the nervous system, what it means to get stuck in fight or flight, and how burnout can build so slowly we almost don't notice it. And Laura Willis on digital overload, the default mode network, and why a real rest is not the same as switching from emails to scrolling. In this episode, we cover: Why quick-fix productivity hacks rarely work for ADHD brains, and what to aim for instead How genuine productivity creates meaning and more time for the things that matter, rather than just getting more done What automaticity is and why struggling with everyday admin tasks is a neurological difference, not a personal failing Why form-filling, reading and life admin can deplete an ADHD brain so much faster than people realise What the paralysis state is and why knowing what to do is not the same as being able to start What interoception is and why ADHD brains often misread what they actually need, leading to cycles of shame and self-blame The autonomic nervous system explained: green, amber and red, and why so many of us get stuck oscillating between the last two How burnout can build quietly over time rather than arriving all at once Why scrolling on your phone during a break is not actually a break, and what the default mode network needs instead Practical, sustainable ways to create boundaries around technology that protect your energy and your headspace Timestamps: 00:00 - Welcome and introduction to this week's summer compilation 03:00 - Ari Tuckman: why productivity hacks rarely work for ADHD brains 05:30 - What real productivity looks like: meaning, not just output 08:00 - The importance of immediate rewards over vague long-term goals 10:00 - Sleep, nutrition, movement and flexible routine as the actual foundations 13:00 - Kate and Ari on the ADHD brain's contradictions and daily recalibrations 16:00 - Dr Jacob Santhouse: what automaticity is and why it matters 19:00 - How automaticity affects working memory and executive function 21:30 - Why form-filling is exhausting, and what to do about it 24:00 - Playing to your strengths and letting go of the guilt 27:00 - Sonia Ponzo: the paralysis state and why you can't always start 31:00 - What interoception is and why ADHD brains struggle with it 35:00 - The cycle of self-shame when we misread what our body needs 37:00 - Practical ways to start training interoception 41:00 - Dr Claire Plumbly: the autonomic nervous system explained 44:00 - Green, amber and red: rest and digest, fight or flight, and shutdown 48:00 - What it looks and feels like to get stuck in amber or red 51:00 - Kate on losing access to contentment and compassion during burnout 53:00 - Laura Willis: why scrolling is not a rest 55:00 - The default mode network and what a real mental break actually does 57:00 - Practical boundaries: phones out of reach, batch working and scheduled screen time Links and Resources: Find my popular ADHD Women's Wellbeing workshops and resources on my website ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠. Connect with the podcast on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@adhd_womenswellbeing_pod⁠⁠⁠ Get my book, The ADHD Women's Wellbeing Toolkit (also available in ebook and audiobook) ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ Join the More Yourself membership community ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠ Visit Dr Ari Tuckman's website: drarituckman.com Connect with Dr Ari Tuckman on Instagram Get Dr Ari Tuckman's book: The ADHD Productivity Manual Connect with Dr Jacob Santhouse on Instagram Get Dr Jacob Santhouse's book: Dyslexia Explained: Your Toolkit to Understanding and Thriving Visit Sonia Ponzo's website: outsetwellness.com Connect with Sonia Ponzo on Instagram Visit Dr Claire Plumbly's website: drclaireplumbly.com Get Dr Claire Plumbly's book: Burnout: How to Manage Your Nervous System Before It Manages You Connect with Dr Claire Plumbly on Instagram Visit Laura Willis's website: laura-willis.com Kate Moryoussef is a women's ADHD lifestyle and wellbeing coach and EFT practitioner who helps overwhelmed and unfulfilled newly diagnosed women with ADHD find more calm, balance, hope, health, compassion, creativity, and clarity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why So Many ADHD Women Have to Fight to Be Heard

Looking for further guidance and support on⁠ ADHD Women's Wellbeing⁠? Check out my resource library ⁠here⁠ or search for any topic you need on the ⁠Podcast here⁠. A diagnosis doesn't give you a new brain. But it does turn the lights on, offer validation, and create a gateway to support and that changes everything. Welcome to this week's More Yourself Monday episode. This week I'm sharing a conversation I had as a guest on The Hairy Chin Podcast, hosted by Spencer Moore, a patient advocate with over 30 years of experience navigating complex healthcare systems in the US and Spain. Spencer's podcast is all about practical self-advocacy skills for women, and I loved being interviewed by her because she asked me things I don't always get to explore when I'm in the host seat. We ended up having a really open conversation about what it actually takes to get heard as a woman seeking an ADHD diagnosis, what that diagnosis does and doesn't change, and why so many of us have been quietly shrinking our ambitions when what we actually needed was flexibility, understanding and someone in our corner. In this episode, we cover: How I came to my own ADHD diagnosis at 40 while advocating for my daughter during lockdown Why so many women experience pushback, dismissal or misdiagnosis before reaching an ADHD assessment Practical tools for chronicling your symptoms and preparing for a doctor's appointment when your working memory is under pressure Why a diagnosis is a gateway, not just a label, and how it opens the door to support you didn't know you could ask for What diagnosis changes and what it doesn't, and why awareness is the most powerful tool of all Why so many ADHD women have quietly shrunk their careers and ambitions, and what needs to change in workplaces The nervous system as the foundation of everything: burnout, sustainability and how to start noticing your own triggers Why perfectionism is often a mask, and how understanding ADHD can finally help us let it go The importance of finding trusted resources and building a community when you feel alone with all of this Timestamps: 00:00 - Welcome and introduction to this week's More Yourself episode 01:00 - Introducing The Hairy Chin Podcast and Spencer Moore 03:20 - How Kate's daughter's struggles during lockdown led to both of their diagnoses 08:00 - Advocating for yourself when the healthcare system doesn't lead the way 12:00 - How to prepare for a doctor's appointment when ADHD makes it hard to articulate your history 17:00 - Why a diagnosis matters, and what it actually unlocks 21:00 - What a diagnosis changes and what it doesn't: building scaffolding, not a new brain 27:00 - The expectations women bring to diagnosis, and how to manage them compassionately 32:00 - ADHD women in the workplace: burnout, downsizing and what needs to change 39:00 - The nervous system: capability vs sustainability 47:00 - Walking without your phone and other small nervous system resets 51:00 - Perfectionism, done is better than perfect, and the 2.0 version of yourself 56:00 - Trusted resources, the book and the More Yourself membership Links and Resources: Find my popular ADHD workshops and resources on my website ⁠here⁠. Follow the podcast on Instagram: ⁠@adhd_womenswellbeing_pod⁠ Get my book, The ADHD Women's Wellbeing Toolkit (also available in ebook and audiobook) ⁠here⁠ Join the More Yourself membership community ⁠here Listen to The Hairy Chin Podcast here Connect with Spencer Moore and The Hairy Chin on Instagram Visit The Hairy Chin website: thehairychin.com Kate Moryoussef is a women's ADHD lifestyle and wellbeing coach and EFT practitioner who helps overwhelmed and unfulfilled newly diagnosed women with ADHD find more calm, balance, hope, health, compassion, creativity, and clarity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Parenting 'Rules' Don't Work in a Neurodiverse Family

Looking for further guidance and support on⁠⁠ ADHD Women's Wellbeing⁠⁠? Check out my resource library ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ or search for any topic on the ⁠⁠Podcast here⁠⁠. If you've ever lost your patience with your child and then felt terrible about it, or wondered why what works for every other family just doesn't seem to work for yours, this ADHD parenting compilation episode is for you. Today's episode is all about parenting in neurodiverse families and the real day-to-day of parenting neurodivergent children when you're often navigating your own ADHD at the same time. We hear from four guests across four different conversations, each bringing something distinct. Jessie Hewitson on what PDA actually is and how low-demand parenting can change everything. Dr Casey Ehrlich on why meltdowns are a nervous system response, not a discipline problem, and what it looks and feels like to go through the paradigm shift every PDA parent has to make. Kristen Pressner on giving up the search for a scaled solution and learning to become a brain friend instead. And Dr Tamara Rosier on the window of tolerance, why ADHD people have a narrower one, and what we can do about it in the moment. None of this is about perfection. It's about understanding, acceptance, compassion, and choosing options that feel more aligned with your family, without judgement. In this episode, we cover: What pathological demand avoidance (PDA) is, how it shows up and why it's so often misunderstood Why low demand parenting is not about giving in, but about lowering anxiety and keeping connection How meltdowns are a threat response in the nervous system, not a sign of bad parenting or a bad child The paradigm shift: moving from trying to fix your child to understanding how their brain actually works Why interest, not importance, motivates the ADHD brain and what that means for family life Kristen Pressner's concept of being a brain friend, and how a judgment-free household helps everyone thrive What the window of tolerance is and why ADHD narrows it The difference between hyper and hypo arousal and simple tools to move between states Dr Tamara Rosier's pool metaphor for understanding big emotions in neurodiverse families Why co-regulation starts with you, and how managing your own nervous system first makes everything easier Timestamps: 00:00 - Welcome and introduction to this week's compilation 03:27 - Jessie Hewitson: what is PDA and how does it show up 05:12 - Why PDA is inconsistent and so hard to explain to schools and relatives 07:15 - Kate on recognising PDA traits in her own children 08:07 - Low demand parenting and why the hierarchy has to shift 11:27 - Dr Casey Ehrlich: moving out of fixing mode and into acceptance 13:47 - Why a meltdown is a threat response, not a lack of skills 16:52 - The new baseline: treating dysregulation like a panic attack, not a behaviour problem 18:30 - Casey's own journey to a paradigm shift through Buddhism and radical acceptance 22:10 - Kristen Pressner: why there is no scaled solution in a neurodiverse family 24:00 - Interest versus importance: how the ADHD brain actually gets motivated 28:00 - How Kristen's family members responded to their diagnoses 31:15 - The brain friend concept and creating a judgment free household 39:21 - Dr Tamara Rosier: what the window of tolerance is 41:10 - Hyper versus hypo arousal and how ADHD narrows the window 44:05 - How Kate's window shrinks across a busy day and what she does about it 45:24 - Practical tools for widening the window and staying regulated 49:05 - Co-regulation and why the pool metaphor helps families understand big emotions Links and Resources: Find my popular ADHD Women's Wellbeing workshops and resources on my website ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. Follow the podcast on Instagram: ⁠⁠@adhd_womenswellbeing_pod⁠⁠ Get my book, The ADHD Women's Wellbeing Toolkit (also available in ebook and audiobook) ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ Join the More Yourself membership community ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ Get Jessie Hewitson's book: ⁠ADHD: How to Raise a Happy Child with ADHD⁠ Connect with Jessie Hewitson on ⁠Instagram⁠ Visit Dr Casey Ehrlich's website: ⁠atpeaceparents.com⁠ Connect with Dr Casey Ehrlich on ⁠Instagram⁠ Learn more about Kristen Pressner and watch her TEDx talk: ⁠kristenpressner.com⁠ Visit Dr Tamara Rosier's website: ⁠tamararosier.com⁠ Connect with Dr Tamara Rosier on ⁠Instagram⁠ Kate Moryoussef is a women's ADHD lifestyle and wellbeing coach, podcast host, author and EFT practitioner who helps overwhelmed and unfulfilled newly diagnosed women with ADHD find more calm, balance, hope, health, compassion, creativity, and clarity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ADHD, Love and Intimacy: Understanding Neurodivergent Relationship Needs

Looking for further guidance and support on ADHD Women's Wellbeing? Check out my resource library here or search for any topic you need on the Podcast here.Whether you've been with your partner for years or you're navigating dating after a late diagnosis, ADHD changes how we love, connect and show up in relationships, and this episode is entirely about that.Welcome to this week's summer compilation episode. Rather than a single conversation, I've pulled together some of the most resonant clips from three different episodes on ADHD, love, intimacy and relationships, because I wanted to bring all of this into one place for you.We begin with Lisa Rabinowitz, couples counsellor, certified Gottman and PACT therapist and author of Why Won't You Stop Interrupting Me? Lisa talks about how blame rarely helps either partner, why neurodivergence is often present on both sides of a relationship, and how working as a team rather than against each other can genuinely turn things around.Then we hear from Sara-Louise Ackrill and Bontle Senne, AuDHD therapists, writers, and advocates and co-authors of The ND Lovers Club. They talk about psychological safety, masking in relationships, self-disclosure, and why understanding yourself is always the foundation before you can truly connect with someone else.And we close with Dr Angela Wright, a trauma-trained clinical sexologist, sex medicine practitioner and menopause clinician, who talks honestly about how hormones, the nervous system and ADHD all intersect when it comes to desire, intimacy and what changes in midlife.In this episode, we cover:Why neurodivergence is often present in both partners, even when only one has a diagnosisHow to move from blame to teamwork in a neurodiverse relationshipLisa's concept of the "talk nook" and why having a dedicated space for connection mattersWhy psychological safety is the foundation of intimacy for neurodivergent peopleHow masking and people pleasing quietly erode intimacy over timeWhat self-disclosure in relationships and dating really looks like for ND womenWhy so many neurodivergent women are reconsidering traditional relationship structuresHow hormones and perimenopause affect desire, arousal and connectionWhy the ADHD brain's need for novelty and dopamine can complicate long term relationshipsHow the nervous system underpins sexual arousal, and why feeling safe comes firstTimestamps:00:00 - Welcome and introduction to this week's compilation episode03:30 - Lisa Rabinowitz: why both partners are often neurodivergent05:47 - Moving from blame to understanding in a neurodiverse relationship08:00 - How couples come back from the brink with awareness and teamwork10:15 - The three legged race: working toward the finish line together14:48 - Focusing on strengths and creating the talk nook16:29 - Sara-Louise Ackrill and Bontle Senne: psychological safety in relationships20:53 - Why masking is survival, not a quirky personality trait23:27 - Self-disclosure: what to share, when and why28:27 - How perimenopause and diagnosis collide in midlife relationships33:04 - Celebrating the traits neurodivergent women bring to relationships34:33 - Dr Angela Wright: dopamine, novelty and desire in long term relationships37:00 - How hormones affect arousal and what changes in perimenopause41:22 - The nervous system, safety and why emergency mode kills desireLinks and Resources:Find my popular ADHD workshops and resources on my website here.Follow the podcast on Instagram: @adhd_womenswellbeing_podGet my book, The ADHD Women's Wellbeing Toolkit (also available in ebook and audiobook) hereJoin the More Yourself membership community hereVisit Lisa's website: counselorforcouples.comConnect with Lisa on Instagram: @rabinowitzcounselingGet Lisa's book: Why Won't You Stop Interrupting Me? Simple Solutions for ADHD CouplesVisit Sara-Louise and Bontle's website: builttodiverge.comGet their book: The ND Lovers Club: How Neurodivergent Women Lust, Like and LoveVisit Dr Angela Wright's website: spicedpearhealth.co.ukKate Moryoussef is a women's ADHD lifestyle and wellbeing coach, author and EFT practitioner who helps overwhelmed and unfulfilled newly diagnosed women with ADHD find more calm, balance, hope, health, compassion, creativity, and clarity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices