• 1 hour 2 minutes
    Unmasking Our Health: GLP-1s & ADHD

    Episode 213 with Katy Weber & Kalin Johnson


    In this first episode of our new series “Unmasking Our Health,” host Katy Weber teams up with cohost Kalin Johnson, PharmD, to explore a side of ADHD in women that isn’t talked about enough: What it’s like to live in a neurodivergent body. 


    After years of interviewing late‑diagnosed women and seeing the same patterns — chronic pain, fatigue, autoimmune issues, hormonal chaos, gut problems, “mystery” symptoms — Katy created the Unmasking Our Health series to explore the bigger questions behind neurodivergence: What if ADHD isn’t just about our brains, but about our whole bodies — and how and why is the medical system missing the full picture?


    Our first topic for discussion: the explosion of GLP-1 medications (think Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro) and what their surprising, wide-reaching effects are revealing about the deeply intertwined relationship between metabolic health, inflammation, hormones, and ADHD.


    In this episode, we cover:


    • What is metabolic psychiatry? And why it's expanding how we understand ADHD beyond just dopamine and norepinephrine
    • GLP-1 medications and ADHD — what patients are actually reporting (quieter brain, less emotional reactivity, reduced compulsive behaviors, improved executive functioning)
    • The inflammation connection — how chronic neuroinflammation creates "cognitive drag" and why reducing it may give the ADHD brain more bandwidth
    • The vagus nerve and GLP-1 receptors — a fascinating look at how the gut communicates with the brain (and why 80% of vagal fibers run from the body to the brain, not the other way around!)
    • Estrogen, perimenopause, and metabolic decline — why women over 50 are going on GLP-1s faster than any other population
    • Drug interactions (and physiologic interactions) — what to watch for if you're on stimulants, SSRIs, or HRT while starting a GLP-1
    • Food noise, reward-seeking, and binge eating — what GLP-1s are actually doing in the brain's dopamine reward circuits, and what that means for neurodivergent women with disordered eating histories
    • Where is all of this going? Kalin shares her genuinely optimistic vision for how GLP-1 research is opening the door to a more holistic, systemic understanding of neurodivergent women's health


    Note: Nothing in this episode constitutes medical advice. Always consult with your physician and pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.


    Kalin’s website: kalinjohnson.com

    Instagram: @kalinpharmd


    Links & Resources:


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    Episode edited by E Podcast Productions


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    Women & ADHD coaching: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching

    - - - - -

    Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/katy

    - - - - -

    Order the “Hey, it’s ADHD!” course: www.womenandadhd.com/adhdcourse

    - - - - -

    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 and you’d like to apply to be a guest on this podcast, visit womenandadhd.com/podcastguest.


    Instagram: @womenandadhdpodcast

    Tiktok: @womenandadhdpodcast

    Twitter: @womenandadhd

    Facebook: @womenandadhd



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    20 July 2026, 4:05 am
  • 1 hour 4 minutes
    Caroline Maguire: Why do adult friendships feel so hard?

    Episode 212 with Caroline Maguire


    “All the kids I worked with were like, 'I would love to have a friend.' All the adults were like, 'Something's wrong with me, I don't have friends.' And I was like — no, no, no. Nothing's wrong with you.”


    Caroline Maguire is an ADHD coach, friendship expert, and author of the new book, “Friendship Skills for Neurodivergent Adults: A Guide for the Anxious, Uniquely Wired, and Easily Distracted.” If you’ve ever felt like you missed the “how to be a friend” manual — or that you can do intense one‑on‑one connection but still don’t feel like you truly belong anywhere — this conversation is for you.


    We dig into why neurodivergent wiring affects the way we show up in friendships, and what it actually looks like to build connection on our own terms. Caroline offers a deeply neuroaffirming roadmap to adult friendship, with language for patterns many of us have felt but never named, plus practical tools that don’t ask you to mask or be “less” of yourself.


    Key topics discussed:


    • Caroline’s journey into ADHD coaching and why friendship became her niche
    • The difference between connection vs. belonging for neurodivergent adults
    • Key friendship mindsets: scarcity thinking, all‑or‑nothing, anxious over‑correcting, and the impulsive friendship cycle
    • Fortressing: what it is, why we do it, and how it protects and isolates us
    • The five levels of friendship and how mismatched expectations create pain
    • Communirelating: explaining how your brain works without apologizing for it
    • Practical strategies for structured socializing and automating check‑ins


    Website: carolinemaguireauthor.com

    Instagram: @authorcarolinem


    Links & Resources:


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    Episode edited by E Podcast Productions


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    Women & ADHD coaching: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching

    - - - - -

    Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/katy

    - - - - -

    Order the “Hey, it’s ADHD!” course: www.womenandadhd.com/adhdcourse

    - - - - -

    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 and you’d like to apply to be a guest on this podcast, visit womenandadhd.com/podcastguest.


    Instagram: @womenandadhdpodcast

    Tiktok: @womenandadhdpodcast

    Twitter: @womenandadhd

    Facebook: @womenandadhd



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    Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
    6 July 2026, 4:05 am
  • 1 hour 3 minutes
    Tory Berry & Chele Morony: DBT skills for neurodivergent brains

    Episode 211 with Tory Berry & Chele Morony


    “People say DBT is for borderline personality disorder. I’m like, what are you talking about? DBT is for everyone. One of the most common refrains that we hear in the group is ‘Where has this been? I needed this in high school!’”


    This episode combines two of my favorite topics: ADHD coaching and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)!


    Tory and Chele are a mother-daughter duo from Southern California who have created something really special in the neurodivergent support space. 


    Tory is the founder of ADHD Works Now, and she is also one of our amazing ADHD coaches at Women & ADHD.


    Tory was diagnosed with both ADHD and autism in adulthood, and she’s channeled her own lived experience into helping other neurodivergent adults through 1-on-1 coaching and specially adapted DBT groups.


    Chele is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 35 years of experience. She is also Tory’s business partner, bringing a clinical perspective to their work together.


    We talk about Tory’s adult diagnosis and how Chele missed her ADHD and autism in childhood, despite her own clinical training.


    We also talk about the fundamentals of DBT, and how the focus on validation, acceptance, and practical skill development makes it particularly powerful for neurodivergent clients who've spent years asking, “What’s wrong with me?” And Tory & Chele share about their collaborative group approach and how they’re making DBT skills applicable to the neurodivergent experience.


    Tory & Chele’s DBT groups fill up quickly. The June cohort is already full, but you can sign up at the link below for the next cohort waitlist.


    Key topics discussed:


    • Tori's journey from adult ADHD/autism diagnosis to becoming an ADHD coach
    • The missed signs of ADHD in girls and women
    • How DBT skills can be adapted for neurodivergent brains
    • The importance of validation vs. invalidating environments
    • Masking vs. authenticity — when and how to be "legible”
    • The intersection of coaching and therapy
    • Running neurodivergent-friendly DBT groups


    Website: adhdworksnow.com


    Links & Resources:


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    Episode edited by E Podcast Productions


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    Women & ADHD coaching: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching

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    Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/katy

    - - - - -

    Order the “Hey, it’s ADHD!” course: www.womenandadhd.com/adhdcourse

    - - - - -

    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 and you’d like to apply to be a guest on this podcast, visit womenandadhd.com/podcastguest.


    Instagram: @womenandadhdpodcast

    Tiktok: @womenandadhdpodcast

    Twitter: @womenandadhd

    Facebook: @womenandadhd



    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

    Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
    15 June 2026, 4:05 am
  • 1 hour 24 minutes
    Dani Donovan: How to get stuff done when you don’t feel like it

    Episode 210 with Dani Donovan


    “I either get 30 minutes worth of work done in 8 hours or 8 hours worth of work done in 30 minutes — those are the only two options.”


    Dani is an ADHD content creator, speaker, and the celebrated author of “The Anti-Planner: How to Get Sh*t Done When You Don't Feel Like It.”


    Dani became an overnight sensation when a flowchart she drew mapping out her winding, ADHD storytelling style went viral on Twitter. Since then, she has built a massive community by bringing radical vulnerability, humor, and data visualization to the neurodivergent experience. She’s spoken at major companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Adobe, and she is the founder of The Anti-Boring Project.


    We dive deep into misconceptions about ADHD, including being told you are “too smart to have ADHD.” Dani shares her story of growing up with teachers who dismissed her mother's ADHD inquiries because she was getting good grades. 


    We also explore the magic behind visual storytelling for ADHD brains, why traditional productivity systems tend to fail us, and how the “Anti-Planner” organizes strategies based on your current emotional resistance — such as feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unmotivated.


    Plus, Dani shares some exclusive details about an exciting new app she is prototyping! 


    Key topics discussed:


    • How teachers dismissed her ADHD symptoms because she was "too smart"
    • The therapist who recognized Dani’s ADHD through her communication style
    • Growing up questioning authority and fighting unfairness
    • Why ADHD brains connect with infographics and memes
    • How a workplace joke became a career-defining moment
    • Finding people with matching scars and shared experiences
    • The Anti-Planner origins: From business field guide to revolutionary productivity system
    • The five categories of executive dysfunction (stuck, overwhelmed, unmotivated, disorganized, discouraged)
    • Perfectionism vs. Experimentation: Permission to keep quitting and trying new approaches
    • Exclusive preview of Dani’s upcoming ADHD productivity app


    Website: anti-planner.com

    Instagram: @danidonovan

    Tiktok: @danidonovan


    Links & Resources:

    The Anti-Planner: How to Get Sh*t Done When You Don't Feel Like It


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    Episode edited by E Podcast Productions


    - - - - -

    Women & ADHD coaching: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching

    - - - - -

    Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/katy

    - - - - -

    Order the “Hey, it’s ADHD!” course: www.womenandadhd.com/adhdcourse

    - - - - -

    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 and you’d like to apply to be a guest on this podcast, visit womenandadhd.com/podcastguest.


    Instagram: @womenandadhdpodcast

    Tiktok: @womenandadhdpodcast

    Twitter: @womenandadhd

    Facebook: @womenandadhd



    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

    Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
    1 June 2026, 4:05 am
  • 55 minutes 21 seconds
    Jenna Free: ADHD, overwhelm, and how to heal your dysregulated nervous system

    Episode 209 with Jenna Free


    “I think the biggest issue is with the current ADHD narrative. People are confusing ‘fight or flight’ and ADHD; they're putting it in a bundle and calling it ADHD. Then people believe, ‘Well, this is how hard it needs to be.’”


    Jenna is a therapist living in Calgary, Alberta, who not only specializes in ADHD but also has ADHD herself. 


    Jenna was diagnosed with ADHD at 32 while in grad school with two young children – so yes, she gets the overwhelm. But instead of accepting the standard narrative that ADHD women are just destined to live in a constant state of frantic energy followed by crashes, she started asking a different question: What if the struggle isn't actually inevitable? What if what we're calling "ADHD symptoms" are actually signs of a nervous system stuck in chronic fight-or-flight?


    In this episode, we'll dive into Jenna's journey, her insights on ADHD regulation, and how she helps others through her ADHD regulation groups and certification program. We also chat about her brand new book, “The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation: The Secret to Finding Balance, Getting Things Done, and Enjoying Your Life.”


    Key topics discussed:


    • The difference between ADHD traits and fight-or-flight responses
    • Internal vs. external regulation strategies
    • Why overwhelm is actually a cognitive distortion and sign of dysregulation
    • The role of belief work in nervous system regulation
    • How regulation can actually increase productivity and capacity
    • The power of group work for ADHD healing
    • Challenging the narrative that ADHD struggle is inevitable


    Website: jennafree.com

    Instagram: @adhdwithjennafree


    Links & Resources:

    Jenna’s book: The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation: The Secret to Finding Balance, Getting Things Done, and Enjoying Your Life

    Jenna’s podcast: ADHD with Jenna Free

    Dr. Anita Johnston's The Log


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    Episode edited by E Podcast Productions


    Find the transcript of this episode at www.womenandadhd.com/transcripts


    - - - - -

    Women & ADHD coaching: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching

    - - - - -

    Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/katy

    - - - - -

    Order the “Hey, it’s ADHD!” course: www.womenandadhd.com/adhdcourse

    - - - - -

    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 and you’d like to apply to be a guest on this podcast, visit womenandadhd.com/podcastguest.


    Instagram: @womenandadhdpodcast

    Tiktok: @womenandadhdpodcast

    Twitter: @womenandadhd

    Facebook: @womenandadhd



    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

    Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
    4 May 2026, 4:05 am
  • 50 minutes 12 seconds
    Alex Bellitter: Coaching vs. therapy for ADHD

    Episode 208 with Alex Bellitter


    “People can feel like, ‘I don’t think this is an internal thing I’m trying to work through. I feel like I’m trying to navigate my environment, and I don’t have the tools, education, and resources to do it.’”


    Alex is the Senior Manager of Coaching at Shimmer, an ADHD community and coaching platform that’s redefining what support can look like for ADHD brains.


    Alex does not have ADHD herself, but she’s spent years working with neurodivergent kids, adults, and now leading a team of over 50 ADHD coaches at Shimmer. She brings a background in coaching psychology, clinical psychology, and health and wellness to her work, and she’s passionate about delivering strengths‑based, evidence‑informed support that actually feels good to ADHDers.


    In this conversation, we talk about:


    • What coaching psychology is and why it’s such a powerful fit for ADHD
    • The difference between therapy, coaching, and “healing” work, and how they can complement each other
    • Why so many of us are misdiagnosed with depression first and how overwhelm, executive dysfunction, and chronic frustration can get mislabeled
    • The ebb and flow of ADHD symptoms across the lifespan, hormones, menopause, grief, and “temporary neurodivergence”
    • How Shimmer structures its coaching, body doubling, community, and AI tools to be genuinely ADHD‑friendly and shame‑free
    • The promises and risks of AI for neurodivergent people — and what “good guardrails” actually look like


    If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re “struggling enough” to count, questioned what’s “normal,” or felt confused about where ADHD ends, and environment, hormones, and capitalism begin … this episode is for you.


    Website: linkedin.com/in/abellitter

    Instagram: @shimmer.care


    Links & Resources:

    Shimmer.care

    Episode 191 with Christal Wang

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    Episode edited by E Podcast Productions


    Find the transcript of this episode at www.womenandadhd.com/transcripts


    - - - - -

    Women & ADHD coaching: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching

    - - - - -

    Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/katy

    - - - - -

    Order the “Hey, it’s ADHD!” course: www.womenandadhd.com/adhdcourse

    - - - - -

    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 and you’d like to apply to be a guest on this podcast, visit womenandadhd.com/podcastguest.


    Instagram: @womenandadhdpodcast

    Tiktok: @womenandadhdpodcast

    Twitter: @womenandadhd

    Facebook: @womenandadhd



    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

    Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
    6 April 2026, 4:05 am
  • 57 minutes 11 seconds
    Roberta Dombrowski: Breaking up with burnout

    Episode 207 with Roberta Dombrowski


    “Work is one of the only socially acceptable forms of addiction. We get rewarded for not having boundaries and for always taking on more and more things.”


    Roberta is an executive coach and founder of Learn Mindfully, where she helps leaders and teams thrive from the inside out.


    After rising quickly through leadership roles to become a VP in the tech world at age 29, Roberta realized her success was coming at a cost — she found herself burned out, anxious, and physically affected by the pressure to prove herself constantly. On the outside, she was the high‑performing executive. On the inside, she was white‑knuckling her way through burnout, complex trauma, and the isolation of often being the only woman or person of color in the room.


    In this conversation, Roberta and I discuss:


    • How her late ADHD diagnosis helped her finally make sense of her childhood and school experience
    • The overlap between ADHD, trauma, and burnout, especially for high‑achieving women, mothers, and entrepreneurs
    • What trauma‑informed leadership actually looks like day‑to‑day (hint: it’s not just more bubble baths)
    • Why work is “one of the only socially acceptable forms of addiction” — and how to step out of that cycle
    • How to start loosening your grip on control, micromanagement, and over‑functioning without letting everything fall apart


    If you’ve ever felt like your “success” is built on overfunctioning, perfectionism, and people-pleasing — and you’re desperate to break up with burnout but not sure how — this episode is definitely for you.


    Website: learnmindfully.co

    Instagram: @learn_mindfully


    Links & Resources:

    In Her Words (Roberta’s podcast)

    Free resource: Leadership Energy Audit

    Free resource: Reclamation Journal

    Strong Ground: The Lessons of Daring Leadership, the Tenacity of Paradox, and the Wisdom of the Human Spirit by Brené Brown

    Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others by Laura van Dernoot Lipsky with Connie Burk


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    Episode edited by E Podcast Productions


    Find the transcript of this episode at www.womenandadhd.com/transcripts


    - - - - -

    Women & ADHD coaching: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching

    - - - - -

    Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/katy

    - - - - -

    Order the “Hey, it’s ADHD!” course: www.womenandadhd.com/adhdcourse

    - - - - -

    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 and you’d like to apply to be a guest on this podcast, visit womenandadhd.com/podcastguest.


    Instagram: @womenandadhdpodcast

    Tiktok: @womenandadhdpodcast

    Twitter: @womenandadhd

    Facebook: @womenandadhd



    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

    Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
    2 March 2026, 5:05 am
  • 1 hour 22 minutes
    Madeline Grace Matthews & Karla Pretorius: Finding our neurodivergent voice

    Episode 206 with Madeline Grace Matthews & Karla Pretorius


    “I'm learning more and more how to be myself.”


    Madeline is 23, and she was diagnosed with autism and a mild cognitive disability as a child. Originally from the U.S., she currently lives with her missionary family in Thailand. She is also the author of the recent book “Nineteen Letters to Myself: Guided Reflections and Prompts for Hope and Healing from a Neurodivergent Perspective.” 


    Madeline’s book started as a series of letters to her younger self — originally as a coping tool, and eventually as a way to make sense of her neurodivergence, as well as childhood trauma, big emotions, religious faith, and learning to see herself as “different, not less.”


    Karla is a psychotherapist and PhD candidate who began working with Madeline in 2021 and helped her write and publish the book. In the first half of the episode, the three of us discuss the process of writing the book and the healing power of showing our younger selves kindness and acceptance. 


    In the second half of the episode, I sit down with Karla and hear a little more about her research on women and ADHD and the incredible work she’s doing in the neurodivergent community. Karla, who has ADHD herself, shares how she’s working to bridge academic research with lived experience.


    If you’re the parent of a neurodivergent teen or if you’ve been diagnosed in adulthood and you’re on a journey of reparenting your inner child, or if you’ve ever felt like you were too much, not enough, or simply misunderstood — this episode is definitely for you.


    Website: karlapretorius.com

    Instagram: @therapy.neurodivergent


    Links & Resources:

    Nineteen Letters to Myself: Guided Reflections and Prompts for Hope and Healing from a Neurodivergent Perspective by Madeline Grace Mathews and Karla Pretorius

    AIMS Global


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    Episode edited by E Podcast Productions


    Find the transcript of this episode at www.womenandadhd.com/transcripts


    - - - - -

    Women & ADHD coaching: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching

    - - - - -

    Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/katy

    - - - - -

    Order the “Hey, it’s ADHD!” course: www.womenandadhd.com/adhdcourse

    - - - - -

    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 and you’d like to apply to be a guest on this podcast, visit womenandadhd.com/podcastguest.


    Instagram: @womenandadhdpodcast

    Tiktok: @womenandadhdpodcast

    Twitter: @womenandadhd

    Facebook: @womenandadhd



    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

    Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
    2 February 2026, 5:05 am
  • 59 minutes 20 seconds
    Jen Fry: Setting boundaries & saying no

    Episode 205 with Jen Fry.


    “I like to tell people that I’m not nice. I’m kind, but I’m not nice. I think niceness is weaponized way too much against people.”


    Jen is an educator, speaker, and author of the book “I Said No: How to Have Boundaries and Backbone While Not Being a Jerk.”


    Saying no is supposed to be simple — but for so many women with ADHD, it feels loaded with guilt, overthinking, and the fear of disappointing everyone around you.


    Jen is a former college volleyball coach with a PhD in sports geography, and she now works at the intersection of conflict, culture, and sport, speaking to teams and organizations around the country.


    We talk about the ADHD tendency to be a people-pleaser, and why Jen proudly says she’s kind, not nice. In this conversation, we talk about ADHD, hyperfocus, time blindness, imposter syndrome, and why so many high-achieving women end up chronically overcommitted, burnt out, and resentful. 


    We also explore what it really takes to say no — not just to other people, but to our own overexcited ADHD brains, our endless ideas, and our impulse to fill every spare moment.


    If you’ve ever struggled with boundaries, overcommitting, or worrying that saying no makes you “difficult,” this episode is going to hit very close to home. 


    Website: jenfrytalks.com

    Instagram: @jenfrytalks


    Links & Resources:

    I Said No: How to Have Boundaries and Backbone While Not Being a Jerk by Dr. Jen Fry

    The Power of Likeability (Forbes)

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    Episode edited by E Podcast Productions


    Find the transcript of this episode at www.womenandadhd.com/transcripts


    - - - - -

    Women & ADHD coaching: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching

    - - - - -

    Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/katy

    - - - - -

    Order the “Hey, it’s ADHD!” course: www.womenandadhd.com/adhdcourse

    - - - - -

    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 and you’d like to apply to be a guest on this podcast, visit womenandadhd.com/podcastguest.


    Instagram: @womenandadhdpodcast

    Tiktok: @womenandadhdpodcast

    Twitter: @womenandadhd

    Facebook: @womenandadhd



    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

    Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
    5 January 2026, 5:05 am
  • 58 minutes 45 seconds
    Rae Jacobson: The diagnosis boom … and backlash

    Episode 204 with Rae Jacobson.


    “There is a difference between traits and impairment. If we dilute the idea of ADHD into something that just seems familiar, we risk shutting out the people who really need help.”


    Rae is a journalist, an ADHD and learning disorders expert, and the Lead of Insight at Understood, where she also hosts the podcast Hyperfocus. Rae has spent over 20 years digging into the stories and science of neurodivergence. She’s a former senior editor at the Child Mind Institute, and her work has appeared in New York Magazine, the Daily Beast, Rolling Stone, Parenting, American Girl, and more.


    Rae and I talk about her very winding path to an ADHD diagnosis: growing up as the “smart kid who did terribly at school,” getting diagnosed with LD-NOS, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia, and then finally, in her early 20s, realizing she has ADHD. Rae shares the life-changing experience of attending Landmark College — a school specifically for students with ADHD and learning disabilities.


    We also wrestle with the current ADHD discourse: the difference between relatable traits and true impairment, what happens when “everyone has ADHD,” and why that can both broaden awareness and quietly shut people out of care. We talk about internalized ableism, the ongoing cycles of skepticism (“quit your whining”) and backlash online, and the need for voices that pair lived experience with journalistic fact-checking.


    And of course, we talk about Hyperfocus, Rae’s podcast at Understood that zeroes in on what fascinates us most about ADHD, mental health, and learning. 


    Website: Understood.org

    Instagram: @understoodorg


    Links & Resources:

    The Berkeley Girls with ADHD Longitudinal Study (S. Hinshaw)


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    Episode edited by E Podcast Productions


    Find the transcript of this episode at www.womenandadhd.com/transcripts


    - - - - -

    Women & ADHD coaching: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching

    - - - - -

    Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/katy

    - - - - -

    Order the “Hey, it’s ADHD!” course: www.womenandadhd.com/adhdcourse

    - - - - -

    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 and you’d like to apply to be a guest on this podcast, visit womenandadhd.com/podcastguest.


    Instagram: @womenandadhdpodcast

    Tiktok: @womenandadhdpodcast

    Twitter: @womenandadhd

    Facebook: @womenandadhd



    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

    Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
    1 December 2025, 5:05 am
  • 1 hour 1 minute
    Dr. Anupriya Gogne: ADHD & executive dysfunction in the perinatal period

    Episode 203 with Dr. Anupriya Gonge.


    “For mothers, the executive functioning demands keep shifting. Just as you find your rhythm, everything changes again.”


    Dr. Anupriya Gogne is a board-certified addiction psychiatrist who specializes in women’s mental health, She is also the Division Director of Outpatient Psychiatry at Brown University Health in Rhode Island. Over the past eight years, she has worked closely with adult and perinatal women navigating a wide range of psychiatric challenges. After her own late-in-life ADHD diagnosis, Dr. Gogne began to reframe much of what she was seeing in her clinical work — particularly in high-achieving women who had spent years feeling overwhelmed, misunderstood, or misdiagnosed. This personal and professional insight led her to write the book “Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Adult Women: Special Considerations in the Perinatal Period,” which offers a clinical guide for trainees and practitioners and sheds light on the often-overlooked experiences of neurodivergent women and mothers.


    We discuss how ADHD often presents differently in women, especially during the perinatal period, and how executive dysfunction can be mistaken for laziness, depression, or character flaws. Dr. Gogne shares her own experience of being a high-functioning but chronically exhausted student and professional, and how the diagnosis helped her understand her lifelong struggles with attention, restlessness, and self-criticism. We talk about the gendered ways society responds to executive dysfunction in mothers vs. fathers, the importance of strengths-based and trauma-informed care, and the intersection of ADHD with culture, trauma, and hormonal transitions. Dr. Gogne also shares how cultural norms in India shaped her ability to mask and compensate for her symptoms, and why she believes ADHD is not a disorder, but rather a state of nervous system dysregulation that deserves more compassionate and individualized treatment.


    In this episode, we discuss:


    • Dr. Gogne’s late ADHD diagnosis and its impact on her clinical work
    • The need for strengths-based, individualized approaches in perinatal psychiatry
    • How mothers and fathers experience executive dysfunction differently
    • How trauma and hormonal shifts intersect with executive dysfunction


    Website: https://www.brownhealth.org/providers/anupriya-gogne-md


    Links & Resources:

    Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Adult Women: Special Considerations in the Perinatal Period by Dr. Anupriya Gogne

    (Get 20% off with code: SPRAUT)

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    Episode edited by E Podcast Productions


    Find the transcript of this episode at www.womenandadhd.com/transcripts


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    If you are a woman who was diagnosed with ADHD and you’d like to apply to be a guest on this podcast, visit womenandadhd.com/podcastguest.


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    3 November 2025, 5:05 am
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