Unmasking Mum

Whether you’re just getting started on your unmasking journey or you’re well on your way, use these 3 steps to take off the mask and reveal who you truly are. It isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, unmasking can be a hard task, but these 3 steps will get you closer to being the person you truly are or have always desired to be. Join your host Ana Bonasera as she gives real life examples of how these...

Last week I went to see Hilary Duff in concert, “This is what dreams are made of” I hope you sang that. It was an incredible experience because I always felt weird growing up, no one liked what I liked. I never had a friend who had similar interests. Friends would watch Eastenders and I’m a Celeb, at breaks and lunch times I’d feel lost because I had no clue what they were talking about. I started...

"Staying calm when your child is exploding is the hardest thing I've had to learn to do." I'm back after a few weeks break thanks to no childcare and a whole lot of meltdowns. To be honest, I didn't want to show up this week either, because this transition from summer to school is hard and the drop off left me in floods of tears. But I wanted to be real and show you the bad s...

Welcome to your executive functions quiz, lets deep dive into the different functions of the brain and see which one is your most dysfunctional one. This is part 3/3, in this episode we covered impulse control, organisation and emotional control. Grab a pen and paper count how many yes' you get, whichever one has the most yes' start to focus on that area. I also include some tips from my D...

Welcome to your executive functions quiz, lets deep dive into the different functions of the brain and see which one is your most dysfunctional one. This is part 2/3, in this episode we covered task initiation and flexible thinking. Grab a pen and paper count how many yes' you get, whichever one has the most yes' start to focus on that area. I also include some tips from my Discover Your A...

Welcome to your executive functions quiz, lets deep dive into the different functions of the brain and see which one is your most dysfunctional one. This is part 1/3, in this episode we covered impluse control, organisation and emotional control. Grab a pen and paper count how many yes' you get, whichever one has the most yes' start to focus on that area. I also include some tips from my D...

I’m throwing it back to when I first became a mum in this weeks podcast from our first flat as a family of 3 to all of a sudden becoming a family of 5 and outgrowing our new 2 bed house almost instantly. The clutter, the hoarding, the lack of executive function to organise and face the charity shops, single mum of 3 under 15 months - pure survival mode! Discovering my ADHD has changed my whole per...

This week on the podcast I open up about being in a funk and not wanting to record the podcast. I felt restriction and unmotivated but I did it, actually I had to do it twice as my bloody mic didn’t record the first time!! I talk through why and how I got to this point and then we discuss 15 weird hacks that actually work for ADHDers which is part of my free eBook Mums Guide to ADHD - download you...

I just came back from my first experience of Womanifest, after years of watching from the side lines and thinking that I’d never be able to go back to doing events like that, here’s a summary of how it made me feel and a very important lesson I learnt that you’re going to want to hear!

Have you ever looked at someone and thought "wow they're a confident person I wish I could be like that" let me tell you that beneath the confidence that is projected that person will still worry about the same things you do too. They've just worked hard at unmasking their confidence and you can do this too! Join me as I share my journey and how I unearthed what was holding me ba...

Have you dried up like the Sahara desert and ready to get your juices flowing again? Introducing Iysha Barrett Morichon, sharing all about her journey from promiscuous teen, to celibacy into finding herself post motherhood. If you're in need of reconnecting to your body and your man, this is the perfect conversation for you. Get in touch with Iysha here: www.instagram.com/animamaia www.faceboo...

I went to see Harry Styles at the weekend and it was incredible, the atmosphere, the people, the vibe, the effects, the crowd singing, it was all amazing but on the run up I had 5 moments were FOPO crept in and no. 5 almost stopped me from doing what I wanted and left me walking away filled with disappointment. Listen to todays episode and what I did to work around it and see how I faced my FOPO....

No concept of time. Doom boxes in every corner. Emotions that match your kids' meltdowns. Energy gone by 10am. And don't even get me started on school admin (5 kids, 4 schools and they keep changing the bloody apps). If you're late diagnosed, you've probably spent years thinking you were just a "bad mum" lazy, disorganised, all the labels. You weren't. Your brain just...

Being beautiful and FEELING beautiful are two very different things. And only one of them actually matters. In this episode I talk about how unmasking as a late diagnosed ADHDer has helped me to feel beautiful on the outside and the inside too. If you've struggled with how you see yourself physically and how you talk to yourself mentally this ones for you! https://mumsguidetoadhd.com/discover-...

In this heartfelt episode of Unmasking Mum , Ana Bonasera opens up about her daily struggles and the pervasive fear of other's opinions,FOPO, that many parents, especially those with neurodivergent children, experience. She shares raw insights into her personal journey, highlighting the importance of honesty and finding pockets of happiness amid overwhelming circumstances.

In this week’s episode of Unmasking Mum, Ana explores the impact of FOPO...Fear of Other People’s Opinions and how it can quietly prevent people from pursuing opportunities, achieving goals, and showing up authentically in their personal and professional lives. The episode also dives into the connection between FOPO and RSD (Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria), highlighting how perceived criticism, r...

This episode is raw, honest and very real. Because let’s be honest…when you’re juggling children, running a business, managing a home and dealing with your own health…happiness can feel very far away. But I’ve been learning something important: Happiness isn’t always a big, life-changing moment…it’s often found in the small, intentional ones. In this episode of Unmasking Mum , I share: How gratitu...

In this podcast, I’m sharing a very real and honest look at my journey over the past few years from running a successful business and doing all the things , to burnout, grief, losing my dad and slowly finding my way back to myself. This isn’t polished. It’s not perfect. It’s real life. I talk about: The pressure of doing everything alone in my business Burnout and the impact of lockdown on family...

Prioritising my own ADHD journey over my children's might seem selfish, but in my experience its only benefitted my children. I now have the ability to understand how our brains work and am able to lead the way. Its helped me to see life through their eyes, reframe why they struggle with certain things and help them find solutions to their challenges. Take a listen to the break throughs I'...

In this episode, Ana shares a deeply honest reflection on what it really looks like to build a “dream life” while still living in the middle of chaos. As a mum navigating the realities of raising children with additional needs, life has often felt overwhelming, but a powerful shift in perspective made her realise something surprising: she was already living parts of the life she once dreamed about...

In this episode, Ana shares a raw and emotional experience that sparked both anger and self-reflection after hearing outdated and harmful language used casually in front of children. She opens up about the internal battle that followed, from spiralling thoughts and self-doubt to grounding herself in what she truly believes. Ana explores what it really means to stand firm in your values, especially...

This episode explores the concept of delayed gratification, especially in the context of ADHD. Ana Bonasera shares personal insights and practical tips on how to understand and overcome challenges related to motivation, rewards, and goal achievement. Takeaways Understanding delayed gratification helps manage ADHD challenges. Breaking goals into small steps increases motivation. Instant rewards can...

In this episode, Ana Bonasera explores the nature of confidence, why we care about others' opinions, and how to flip the script on negative self-talk. She shares personal insights and practical tips to boost self-esteem, especially for those with ADHD and neurodivergent traits. Takeaways Confidence is not an all-or-nothing trait; it varies across different areas of life. Practicing kindness an...

Ana Bonasera shares insights from a recent workshop ran by BOB ICB* on plans for ADHD provision, highlighting upcoming initiatives to improve diagnosis, support and community engagement for the ADHD community. Key topics ADHD diagnosis gaps and statistics in Oxfordshire New support structures including online and in-person groups Development of a comprehensive ADHD resource website and app Communi...

Ana Bonasera shares her personal journey of building confidence, especially around body image, through various life experiences, challenges and achievements. She discusses the impact of ADHD hyperfocus, self-love and community support on her confidence development. Key topics Body image and confidence journey Impact of motherhood and single parenting Role of hyperfocus and community in personal gr...