ADHD Aha!

• She treated ADHD for years — then found out she had it, too (Dr. Nerissa Bauer’s story)

  Have you ever felt like a fraud, even in the work you know best? Dr. Nerissa Bauer has. After years as a researcher, teacher, and children’s doctor, burnout led her to step away from academia. Not long after, she found out she had ADHD herself. At first, the diagnosis left her embarrassed and full of questions. How could she have missed it for so long?That turning point brought both sadness and relief, and it changed the way she connects with families. Since then, Nerissa has built a new path in telehealth and started Teach Me ADHD, an online course for families. In this episode, she talks about how burnout and her own ADHD diagnosis reshaped her work — and how they help her show up more honestly for others.For more on this topicNerissa’s organization, Let’s Talk Kids HealthADHD burnoutADHD and: Imposter syndromeTimestamps(00:00) Intro(01:23) ADHD and burnout, and losing structure(08:23) Nerissa’s ADHD evaluation as a physician herself, and imposter syndrome(16:42) What is the value of an ADHD diagnosis as an adult? As a parent?(21:08) Nerissa’s online course, Teach Me ADHD(26:28) Outro and closingFor a transcript and more resources, visit the ADHD Aha! show page on Understood.org. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at [email protected] or record a message for us here.  Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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• Math anxiety, caffeine, and learning to manage emotions with ADHD (Derek Miller’s story)

  Derek Miller wears many hats: money coach, musician, athlete, performer, cider guide, and more. His ADHD story is just as full of twists. Derek didn’t find out he had ADHD until college. The jump from high school left him struggling to focus — especially while also caring for his wife during her cancer treatment. To get through the stress, he often used caffeine, while also working on managing his emotions and finding ways to improve himself.Derek’s view of life and money also changed during his time in Mozambique, where he served as a Mormon missionary. That experience shaped how he thinks about community and resilience. In this episode of “ADHD Aha!,” host Laura Key talks with Derek about majoring in math even though he had math anxiety, how he learned to handle his emotions and focus, and why he now helps others build a healthier relationship with money.For more on this topicADHD and managing moneyADHD and caffeineDerek's financial education instagramTimestamps(00:00) Intro(01:07) Derek’s college ADHD diagnosis story(05:53) Math anxiety(09:04) Self awareness and introspection(12:32) How emotional money can be(15:49) Derek’s time living in Mozambique, and what he learned about rejection sensitivity(21:40) What’s next for Derek(22:53) Outro and creditsFor a transcript and more resources, visit the ADHD Aha! show page on Understood.org. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at [email protected] or record a message for us here.  Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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• She broke the silence on ADHD shame in women (Sari Solden’s story)

  Sari Solden is a psychotherapist, author, and a true trailblazer for women with ADHD. In this episode, she talks about discovering her own ADHD while helping shape the growing field of adult ADHD in the 1990s. She shares openly about her struggles with shame, working memory, and the pressure of trying to meet society’s expectations of what a woman “should” be. She also reflects on lessons learned from the many women she has worked with over the years.Sari takes us behind the scenes of her early meetings with other ADHD experts at a time when adult ADHD was just starting to be recognized. She’s the author of several books, including “Women with Attention Deficit Disorder,” which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Through her pioneering work, Sari gave voice to countless women whose struggles were long misunderstood or overlooked.Related resourcesHear Sari on “Climbing the Walls,” our podcast about the rise of ADHD diagnoses in womenA deeper dive on ADHD and shameWhat is working memory?For a transcript and more resources, visit the ADHD Aha! show page on Understood.org. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at [email protected] or record a message for us here.  Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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• An unexpected ADHD diagnosis following her daughter’s traumatic birth (Erica Shoemate’s story)

  When Erica Shoemate gave birth to her daughter Nia, she was told Nia wouldn’t survive. But today, Nia is 7 years old — and that traumatic birth became a turning point in Erica’s life. Erica shares how her postpartum experience led to diagnoses of anxiety and PTSD, and eventually ADHD. A former national security analyst turned maternal health strategist and policy advocate, Erica reflects on the layered stigma of mental health in the Black community. She also talks with Laura about ADHD and hormones. And she shares the comment her husband made that sparked her ADHD evaluation.Related resourcesErica’s website, www.ericalshoemate.comA guide to ADHD and hormonesFrom the Hyperfocus podcast: Did my ADHD make me more likely to have postpartum depression? ADHD and pregnancyTimestamps(00:00) Intro (02:09) How Erica’s pregnancy journey led to her ADHD diagnosis (10:07) What Erica’s diagnosis has taught her about herself(16:10) Why Erica speaks openly about her ADHD diagnosis (21:26) Erica’s maternal health advocacy workFor a transcript and more resources, visit the “ADHD Aha!” show page on Understood.org. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at [email protected] or record a message for us here.  Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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• How do you make invisible struggles visible? (Kate Hammer’s story)

  It’s one thing to wonder if you have ADHD. It’s another to read how your loved ones see it in you. Host Laura Key talks with writer, director, and performer Kate Hammer, who was born in Canada and now lives in Scotland. Kate shares her experience navigating the U.K.’s ADHD evaluation process, which includes personal letters from family and friends, and the complex emotions it brought up. She also discusses her short film, Bear, a surreal, funny, and poignant look at how ADHD can shadow your every move. In the film, a woman on her way to a job interview is followed by a bumbling bear — clumsy, loud, and impossible to ignore. The Bear represents ADHD in all its disruptive, intrusive glory. Kate talks about why she chose to visualize ADHD this way, how humor helps her process, and what it means to turn something invisible into something you can’t ignore.Related resourcesKate’s short film Bear trailerKate’s full short film Bear (Password: BossJude)Timestamps(00:00) Intro(01:03) The UK ADHD evaluation process(07:26) What ADHD traits cause Kate shame and guilt? (08:44) Kate’s short film Bear(16:58) Validating the challenges of ADHD through her short film(21:27) Kate’s ADHD aha! moment(s)(23:05) Outro and creditsWe love hearing from our listeners! Email us at [email protected] or record a message for us here.  Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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