The ADHD Channel for Women (formerly MissUnderstood)

It was a spur-of-the-moment buy at the mall. A brand new handbag caught your eye and you couldn’t resist buying it.  For many women with ADHD, moments of impulsive spending can lead to feelings of excitement followed by regret once the bills arrive. In this episode, host Dr. Monica Johnson breaks down the connection between ADHD and impulsive spending. Listen as she discusses the value of pausing...

People with ADHD sometimes put off doing things because it feels like too much with “everything else” going on. But, when “everything else” stops and we have free time to do whatever we want, it can also make us unproductive.  ADHD coach Jaye Lin talks about what happens when the chaos stops, but we still can’t get things done. Listen for some tips on how to get just the right amount of stress to...

Conflict can be uncomfortable. But it’s a necessary part of life that can have great outcomes. ADHD often comes with trouble with executive function, emotional regulation, time perception, and more. This can make conflict even tougher to face.  Senior certified Gottman relationship therapist Michael McNulty walks us through the research on which the Gottman Method is based — and what it means for...

It’s not uncommon for some women with ADHD to scramble to complete tasks at the last minute despite having ample time to start. This struggle can cause frustration, anxiety, and even stress.  Listen as Dr. Monica Johnson breaks down how symptoms of ADHD can lead to delays in task completion. And get strategies on how to improve productivity and reduce stress. To get a transcript and check out more...

Do you find yourself planning to go above and beyond often? What do you do when a voice you’ve made has gone the wrong way? Perfectionism can come up a lot with ADHD, especially in women.  ADHD coach Jaye Lin reacts to a quote on pressuring ourselves to be perfect. Listen for why this anxiety might come up, and how to get real with yourself. Related resources Anxiety, imposter syndrome, and ADHD (...

Dating is a skill. And like any skill, it takes practice. ADHD can intensify dating challenges. Like, masking to be someone we’re not so the other person will like us. Or, having intense feelings quickly, and jumping into a relationship that may not be what we want in the long run.  Dating coach Amie Leadingham visits the show this week to talk about what a dating coach does and common dating pitf...

Women often juggle multiple roles. From their careers and family duties to even personal goals — all while trying to stay on top of their long to-do lists. Every tick of the clock feels like a reminder of all the things left to do, leaving some women with ADHD feeling rushed and overwhelmed. In this episode, listen as Dr. J explores how ADHD can impact common struggles with time management. Learn...

After getting an adult ADHD diagnosis, a lot of emotions can come up. And questions about who you are as a person, and what to do next — like, have I been masking my whole life? Will people close to me still like me if I change? ADHD coach Jaye Lin reacts to a quote on questioning who we are after finding out we have ADHD. Listen for some of Jaye’s own story about navigating her identity, and some...

Workplace relationships can be challenging for anyone. But for people with ADHD, trouble with working memory, self-control, emotions, and more can make professionalism even more confusing. Executive and ADHD coach Farah Jamil visits the show to clear up some common mysteries, like, how do I speak up for myself? And, what do I do when I’ve made a mistake? Listen for her answers, and some great tips...

Imagine receiving a “no,” to an idea you’ve shared in a meeting. Instead of brushing it off, you become overwhelmed with thoughts of self-doubt and a deep sense of rejection.  This intense emotional reaction is known as rejection sensitivity. And many women with ADHD experience it. In this episode, Dr. J explains how ADHD can amplify fears of rejection. Listen in to learn strategies women with ADH...

Do you sometimes feel like you don’t have control over your life? Are there things you turn to in order to feel better that end up hurting you in the long run? Some coping skills, like impulsive spending, can make us feel like we have control over our lives in the moment. But, they end up harming us in the future and starting a cycle of powerlessness. ADHD coach Jaye Lin reacts to a quote on impul...

When you have ADHD, it can affect every part of your life — even sex. ADHD impacts how we show up in relationships. And it can be easy to forget it’s with us in the bedroom too.   ADHD sexpert and psychologist Dr. Ari Tuckman visits the podcast this week to talk about the connection between ADHD and sex. Listen to this foundational episode as we set the scene to cover more in-depth topics on sex i...

It’s a common challenge for many women with ADHD. Where a single moment of forgetting about a task, or feeling stressed about making a mistake, leads to a full-blown anxiety spiral.  In this episode, host Dr. Monica Johnson dives into the connection between ADHD and anxiety. Listen as she explains common ways anxiety can show up in women. And shares helpful ways to manage anxiety.  We love to hear...

Have you ever impulsively thrown yourself into a relationship? Do you change your interests based on who you’re dating? ADHD brains tend to have a lower baseline of dopamine. So, bursts of it can feel extra good. This can happen when we meet someone we like, and want them to like us back.  ADHD coach Jaye Lin reacts to a quote on changing yourself in relationships from Ange’s ADHD Aha! podcast epi...

Boundaries are limits based on our values — and a key part of good relationships. ADHD can come with low self-esteem and anxiety, which can get in the way of respecting your own boundaries in relationships.  ADHD educator and marriage counselor Melissa Orlov explains what boundaries are and how ADHD comes into play. Plus, she offers tips on how to set and maintain healthy boundaries in relationshi...

Staying on top of important events, managing daily life, and making sure a child feels supported and loved is no easy task for a mom. Especially for a mom with ADHD.  Constant feelings of stress and frustration can have a huge impact on a woman’s ability to parent. Listen as Dr. J explains how symptoms of ADHD can impact parenting. Find out why it’s common for some women with ADHD to view minor mi...

Making decisions is a complex process that uses a lot of executive function skills. This can be especially difficult for people with ADHD and can lead to “analysis paralysis,” or getting stuck on making a choice. ADHD coach Jaye Lin reacts to a quote on analysis paralysis from Emily’s ADHD Aha! podcast episode. Listen for some tips and tools that can help you unfreeze and act.    Related resources...

Juggling everything that ADHD throws at us can make us struggle in our friendships. Trouble with executive function affects our ability to communicate and remember things. And the shame that comes with ADHD can lead to us hiding our challenges and pretending to be someone we’re not.   In this episode, host Cate Osborn welcomes a good friend of hers, Elizabeth Kilmer. Elizabeth is a clinical psycho...

Imagine rushing to get out the door for an appointment and realizing your keys are missing again. You run through the house, searching from room to room. Your heart is racing and you become frustrated as time passes.  After what feels like minutes, you finally find them buried under a pile of mail on the table. You’re relieved but you’re also angry. It’s an all-too-common experience for some women...

It can be hard not to interrupt someone else speaking when you think of something you want to say — especially if you have ADHD. Maybe you’re worried you’ll forget your great point. Maybe you don’t want the conversation to move to a different topic. Maybe you’re just really excited to share.   ADHD coach Jaye Lin reacts to a quote from Sam’s ADHD Aha! episode about interrupting during a conversati...

It can be a struggle to balance chores in a relationship. When one or more people in the relationship have ADHD, there’s even more room for miscommunication. It’s important to be on the same page about expectations, or you may end up with resentment, and more fights than you’d like to.  KC Davis wrote the book How to Keep House While Drowning , and hosts the podcast Struggle Care . KC joins host C...

Imagine a teacher spending countless hours perfecting her lesson plans. But never feeling quite satisfied with her work. And her desires for perfection begin to create a cycle that ends in exhaustion.  The need for things to be perfect can be a common challenge for some women with ADHD. These challenges often stem from other symptoms of ADHD, like trouble with focus or organization.  Listen as Dr....

ADHD can make communication feel overwhelming sometimes. This can lead to ghosting a conversation or event altogether. Ghosting is when we disappear without an explanation — while messaging, in person, and more.  ADHD coach Jaye Lin reacts to a quote on ghosting from Allison’s ADHD Aha! podcast episode. Tune in to learn why ghosting might happen, and some tips that can help. Related resources ADHD...

Social skills can be challenging for people with ADHD. Whether it’s trouble with executive function or anxiety from past situations, socializing can come with a lot of emotions. It can also be really confusing, and bring up questions like why does it seem so much easier for everyone else? Why can’t I hold onto friendships? What do I even like to do?  In this episode, host Cate Osborn chats with Ca...

Imagine sitting in a conference room, feeling nervous about presenting to your team. This isn’t your first time presenting. In fact, you’ve done this many times before. But despite your accomplishments, a voice inside whispers, “You’re not qualified to be here.” Dealing with imposter syndrome is a common challenge for many women with ADHD. Listen as Dr. Monica Johnson talks about imposter syndrome...