ADHDifference

Julie Legg sits down with Dr. Eugene Manley, a bioengineer-turned-cancer scientist, nonprofit founder, and passionate advocate for equity in science and healthcare. Diagnosed with ADHD during graduate school, Eugene shares how his neurodivergent wiring shaped his path from misunderstood childhood behaviours and micromanagement clashes to his deep sense of justice, pattern recognition, and innovation.
Eugene opens up about navigating academia, launching a nonprofit to address health disparities, and leading through empathy rather than conformity. This conversation is packed with powerful reflections on how ADHD can be a strength — especially when harnessed with awareness, strategy, and aligned values.
Key Points in the Episode:
The overlooked signs of ADHD growing up, and what finally led to diagnosis in grad school
How neurodivergence influences innovation, empathy, and the fight against injustice
Why ADHDers often struggle in hierarchical workplaces — and thrive with autonomy
Micromanagement vs. motivation: how trust and freedom foster better work
What inspired the launch of the STEM & Cancer Health Equity Foundation
The hidden barriers underserved communities face in healthcare settings
Practical ADHD strategies that helped Eugene manage time, focus, and burnout
Viewing ADHD through a strengths lens: pattern recognition, hyperfocus, and drive
Advice for late-diagnosed adults navigating regret, relationships, and self-trust
Links:
WEBSITE: https://scheq.org/
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eugenemanleyjrphd/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/STEMMCHEQ/ 
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/stemmcheq/
Send us a text
Thanks for listening.
📌 Don’t forget to subscribe for more tools for beautifully different brains.
🌐 WEBSITE: ADHDifference.nz
📷 INSTAGRAM: ADHDifference_podcast
📖 BOOK: The Missing Piece: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD
ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or ADHDifference. Read More

Julie Legg is joined by Dr. Jack Hinman — clinical psychologist and Executive Director of Engage Young Adult Transitions. Drawing from over two decades of experience working with young adults in hospitals, residential treatment, and community mental health, Jack shares what he sees at the root of today’s growing anxiety epidemic: a crisis of focus, a crisis of connection, and a culture of avoidance.
Jack explores how ADHD often shows up subtly or is missed altogether in young adults, especially in women, and why emotional regulation, identity development, and executive function all suffer when connection is lost. 
This conversation dives into the deeper systemic and developmental factors shaping today’s “anxious generation,” and why safety, structure, and relationship-based support are key to long-term growth.
Key Points from the Episode:
Why ADHD is under-diagnosed in young adults, particularly women
The real drivers behind anxiety, shutdown, and burnout
How emotional dysregulation and avoidance are often misread
The impact of missed early coping development and attachment
What’s fueling the “attention crisis” and “connection crisis” in this generation
The harmful effects of pathologising normal anxiety
The role of phones, online connection, and the loss of real-world social skills
Why therapy should be immersive, relational, and present in everyday life
The importance of structured autonomy and consistent support
How nature-based, experiential learning (like skiing or biking) boosts self-trust
What young adults, and parents, need to thrive through transition
Links:
WEBSITE: engagelifenow.com
LINKEDIN: jack-hinman-engagelifenow 
INSTAGRAM: engage.transitions 
FACEBOOK: Engage-Young-Adult-Transitions-100087789164852/
YOUTUBE: @engageyoungadulttransition6817
Send us a text
Thanks for listening.
📌 Don’t forget to subscribe for more tools for beautifully different brains.
🌐 WEBSITE: ADHDifference.nz
📷 INSTAGRAM: ADHDifference_podcast
📖 BOOK: The Missing Piece: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD
ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or ADHDifference. Read More

Julie Legg is joined by clinical psychologist and tech entrepreneur Dr. Jay Spence, co-founder of Evro AI, an innovative software platform purpose-built to support neurodivergent professionals.
Drawing on years of research and clinical insight, Jay shares how Evro is reshaping workplace communication by translating meetings, externalising tasks, reducing overwhelm, and acting as a cognitive co-pilot for ADHD and autistic thinkers. From memory scaffolding to emotional tone translation, this AI tool is designed to work with the brain, not against it.
Jay offers powerful insights into how neurodivergent professionals are already using AI as a productivity lifeline and how platforms like Evro can reduce burnout, support disclosure decisions, and radically shift how we experience work.
Key Points in the Episode:
Why neurodivergent professionals are early adopters of AI
How ADHD brains use AI tools to reduce burnout and organize thoughts
Autistic professionals using AI as a social translator
The hidden communication workload neurodivergent people carry at work
What the Evro AI platform does differently for ADHD and autistic users
How to use AI as a working memory prosthetic
When and how disclosure at work can be helpful (or risky)
The business case for neurodivergent-inclusive teams
One practical to start: use AI to externalize and prioritize your mental load
Links:
WEBSITE: https://www.evro.ai/
EVRO AI COMMUNITY: https://discord.com/invite/Yh4aXRkYfc
LINKEDIN: (https://www.linkedin.com/company/evro-ai/
LINKEDIN (founder): https://www.linkedin.com/in/elaine-lee-a0716918/
LINKEDIN (founder): https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjayspence/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/evro.ai/
TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@evroai 
 
Send us a text
Thanks for listening.
📌 Don’t forget to subscribe for more tools for beautifully different brains.
🌐 WEBSITE: ADHDifference.nz
📷 INSTAGRAM: ADHDifference_podcast
📖 BOOK: The Missing Piece: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD
ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or ADHDifference. Read More

Julie Legg speaks with Ryan DeLena - a professional mountaineer, author, and mental health advocate. Ryan shares the harrowing realities of his childhood, growing up in therapeutic institutions where physical restraint was a regular response to neurodivergent behaviour. Misdiagnosed, misunderstood, and traumatised, it was ultimately the mountains, and the freedom they offered, that helped him find his way back to himself.
Now a seasoned skier, guide, and the author of Without Restraint, Ryan shares how physical movement, flow states, and deep connection to nature became lifelines. His story is one of resilience, self-discovery, and the radical healing power of passion. Whether you’re a parent, educator, or neurodivergent yourself, this episode is a reminder that regulation doesn’t always come from the systems around us but from reconnecting with what lights us up inside.
Key Points from the Episode
Ryan’s early years in therapeutic schools where physical restraint was used routinely
The trauma of misdiagnosis and over-medication, and how it delayed his healing
How ADHD was masked by trauma, and why clarity only came in adulthood
The emotional and nervous system regulation that came from skiing and nature
Why the flow state is so beneficial for ADHD minds
The danger of systems that pathologise neurodivergent kids instead of understanding them
His documentary 91 and what skiing 91 routes taught him about persistence
Passion as a survival tool — why doing what you love can be a lifeline
Ryan’s message of hope to anyone feeling trapped or unseen in the system
Links
BOOK: https://www.without-restraint-book.com/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/ryan.delena.970397/
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@extreme_ryan_delena
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/extreme_ryan_delena/
Send us a text
Thanks for listening.
📌 Don’t forget to subscribe for more tools for beautifully different brains.
🌐 WEBSITE: ADHDifference.nz
📷 INSTAGRAM: ADHDifference_podcast
📖 BOOK: The Missing Piece: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD
ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or ADHDifference. Read More

Julie Legg sits down with Hilary Momberger Powers — actress, inspirational speaker, trauma-informed guide, author, and the original voice of Sally Brown from the Peanuts cartoons. Hilary shares her extraordinary story of early fame, childhood trauma, addiction, and four decades of recovery — and how her ADHD diagnosis in adulthood reframed much of her past.
With humour and insight, Hilary discusses the impacts of being an undiagnosed neurodivergent child in a high-pressure environment. She explores how ADHD and addiction fed into each other, how healing her inner child led to transformation, and why stabilising the body, mind, and spirit is essential for recovery. This is a raw and hopeful conversation about finding peace, embracing difference and living in colour.
Key Points from the Episode
Hilary's journey from child actor to decades-long recovery advocate
How ADHD traits were misread as character flaws or "too muchness"
The cycle of addiction and self-shame when ADHD goes unrecognised
ADHD and addiction as a mind–body–spirit triangle
The power of sensory grounding and daily stabilisation tools
Healing through inner child work and reframing self-perception
From victim to victor: embracing ADHD as a kaleidoscopic gift
How trauma, addiction, and ADHD often intersect in women
The role of connection, belonging, and self-acceptance in recovery
Links
WEBSITE: https://www.hilarymombergerpowers.com/
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@thehilarymombergerpowers
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/hilarymombergerpowers/
LINKED IN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hilary-momberger-powers-078a604/
Send us a text
Thanks for listening.
📌 Don’t forget to subscribe for more tools for beautifully different brains.
🌐 WEBSITE: ADHDifference.nz
📷 INSTAGRAM: ADHDifference_podcast
📖 BOOK: The Missing Piece: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD
ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or ADHDifference. Read More