ADHD Alchemy Podcast

Today Jessica talks with Cynthia Hammer and Kristan Shimpi , two leading advocates working to make sure girls with ADHD are recognized, supported, and understood before years of shame and misunderstanding take hold. Cynthia is the founder of Find the ADHD Girls and Executive Director of the Inattentive ADHD Coalition. Diagnosed with ADHD at 49, she turned her own late discovery into a lifelong mis...

Today Jessica talks with Ashley Grant about movement, ADHD overwhelm, and why getting your body moving can change far more than your fitness level. Ashley shares how she went from a childhood full of dance, tae kwon do, and activity to nearly two decades of sedentary work—and how one decision to take movement seriously changed the way she feels, works, and sees herself. What began as a personal co...

Today Jessica talks with Lisa Barwise about late-diagnosed ADHD, midlife transformation, and what happens when perimenopause, burnout, and self-understanding collide. Lisa shares how years of being the “healthiest lazy person you know” eventually gave way to a diagnosis that helped explain so much of her life, and why self-compassion mattered more than trying to fix herself. This conversation also...

What if the reason life feels harder than it “should” isn’t a personal failure—but a different way your brain works? In this episode, Jessica sits down with licensed mental health counselor Amelia Howard to explore the deeply layered experience of late-identified ADHD in high-achieving women. Together, they unpack the hidden cost of competence, the emotional toll of masking, and the grief that can...

What if the problem isn’t you… it’s the world you’ve been trying to fit into? In this conversation, Gabriella Mooney shares what happened when her son’s ADHD diagnosis cracked something open in her—and how it led her to finally recognize her own brain. We go beyond the usual ADHD talking points and into something deeper: the quiet accommodations she was already making, the exhaustion of motherhood...

Is ADHD really “neurodivergent” — and if so, what exactly is it diverging from? In this short solo episode of ADHD Alchemy , Jessica questions the idea that there is one “normal” kind of brain and everything else is a deviation from it. What if neurodiversity isn’t an exception to the rule, but the rule itself? Jessica digs into the meaning of normal , the biological variation found throughout the...

What if movement isn’t just “good for you”—but one of the most powerful tools for regulating an ADHD brain? In this episode, I sit down with Emmy Rousseau , transformational speaker, fitness instructor, and fellow Intensati leader, to explore the profound connection between movement and the mind. We talk about Emmy’s late ADHD realization, the hidden shame of being a high-achieving woman who looke...

Today Jessica talks with Nicole Hope, author of "Calm Is Power," about ADHD, stress, and the surprising power of learning to listen to the body. Nicole shares how years of anxiety, overwork, and physical burnout eventually led her to a deeper understanding of nervous system regulation, behavior, and what true calm can actually look like. This conversation also explores the connection between body...

Today Jessica talks to Monica Walston about ADHD overwhelm, burnout, and the relief that comes from building a structure that actually fits your brain. Monica shares what it was like to realize she had ADHD in her 40s, how shame shows up when overwhelm turns into shutdown, and why perfectionism kept getting in the way of progress. This conversation also gets into the real-life pressure of managing...

Plot twist: today it’s just me. Several recent guests have described ADHD as a superpower, and listeners who know me well have asked why I didn’t correct them. The short answer is that there was nothing to correct. If calling ADHD a superpower helps someone understand and embrace their experience, I’m not going to take that away from them. But the word doesn’t work for me. Growing up undiagnosed,...

What does ADHD look like in women who were labeled “smart but not applying themselves”? In this episode with Kim Steen , we explore late-diagnosed ADHD, emotional dysregulation, justice sensitivity, time blindness, task paralysis, and entrepreneurship. You’ll hear how interest-based nervous systems shape school performance, why impulsivity can fuel small business success, and how movement supports...

"ADHD wandering" is often misunderstood as distraction or lack of direction—but for many neurodivergent adults, it’s actually a powerful way of thinking, learning, and creating impact. In this episode with Dr. LaToya Hinton , we explore how ADHD curiosity, nonlinear career paths, and pattern recognition fuel innovation, leadership, and community building—especially for women navigating business, a...

Today, Jessica talks to Jordan Barker —tech leader, mom of two, and emerging coach—about what it really looks like to work with an ADHD brain instead of constantly fighting it. Diagnosed in early childhood, Jordan brings a rare perspective: she’s spent her life not just aware of ADHD, but actively designing systems that allow her to thrive in high-performance environments like Microsoft and Azure....

Living with ADHD often means learning how to manage fear, self-doubt, and the feeling of being “stuck”—especially when you’re also trying to model courage and growth for your child. In this episode, Ryan Vik shares her lifelong experience with ADHD, being diagnosed young, rejecting shame, and slowly learning how to push past fear by doing things before she feels ready. From creating “mini-adventur...

What if the thing you’ve been told is depression… isn’t the full story? In this episode, we talk with Mindi Alexander about what it’s like to finally recognize ADHD as an adult — especially after years of feeling misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and overwhelmed by treatments that never quite addressed the real problem. Our guest shares her journey through autoimmune illness, multiple specialists, and...

What if the hardest parts of ADHD aren’t about focus or productivity — but about relationships, shame, and feeling safe with other people ? In this episode with Harris Eddie Hill , we explore how neurodivergent brains are shaped by early relational experiences, especially when childhood includes chronic criticism, misunderstanding, or unmet emotional needs. You’ll hear why ADHD and autistic childr...

For many women with ADHD or executive function challenges, life is full of big ideas, constant motion, and relentless pressure to do it all—until burnout hits. In this episode, Heather Cleverly shares what it’s been like navigating entrepreneurship, motherhood, leadership, and a possible late ADHD diagnosis while learning how to simplify instead of constantly pushing harder. From running multiple...

Being diagnosed with ADHD later in life often means spending years believing you were “defective,” lazy, or not trying hard enough—before realizing your brain was simply wired differently. In this episode, Lori Cobbs shares what it’s been like living with ADHD for over two decades, navigating work, motherhood, overstimulation, and burnout while slowly building a toolbox that actually supports her...

If you’ve ever followed well-meaning advice and still felt stuck, broken, or misunderstood — this episode is for you. In this conversation with writer Jeanette Smith, we unpack why most advice is built for the “average” brain , and why that model breaks down for neurodivergent thinkers. We explore how ADHD, bipolar disorder, and other overlapping diagnoses can complicate communication — especially...

What if the very traits that made you successful are the same ones that kept your ADHD hidden for decades? In this candid and deeply affirming conversation, we unpack what late ADHD diagnosis looks like for high-achieving women — especially those who were the “good girl,” the capable one, the leader, the stoic, the high performer. We talk about: Growing up undiagnosed and shrinking to fit Being la...

What happens when a “fancy brain” collides with chronic illness, medical trauma, and a world that keeps demanding simplicity from someone inherently complex? In this deeply human conversation, I sit down with attorney-turned-disability advocate Alisa Aczel to talk about late-diagnosed neurodivergence, shame, chronic conditions, intuition, and the emotional exhaustion of trying to explain a life th...

Motherhood changes your brain. Literally. In this conversation, we explore the complex overlap between ADHD in women, postpartum brain, burnout, and identity shifts that often surface in midlife. Sara brings a therapist’s lens to the nuanced question so many women ask: Is this ADHD — or is this just motherhood? We unpack how hormone changes, sleep deprivation, and the fourth trimester can temporar...

People with ADHD aren’t struggling because they lack discipline. They’re struggling because they’re trying to function inside systems that were never designed for the way their brains work. In this episode, Jessica talks with Heather , founder of Quests for Success , about what happens when you stop trying to force productivity through shame and start building systems that work with your brain ins...

If you’ve ever felt like you’re constantly behind — in your business, your house, or your relationships — this episode is for you. In this episode, I sit down with brand and web designer Tabitha DeSeranno to talk about the real, messy intersection of ADHD and entrepreneurship. We unpack the pressure to be “consistent,” the burnout that comes from forcing rigid productivity systems, and the freedom...

What happens when ADHD shows up inside a relationship? Therapist Ashley Ludwinski explains how curiosity, emotional awareness, and compassion can replace shame spirals—helping couples understand each other and communicate better. ADHD doesn’t just affect the person who has it—it also shapes the dynamics of their closest relationships. In this episode, Jessica talks with licensed clinical social wo...