ADHDifference

Julie Legg speaks with psychotherapist Dr. Katie Brzozowski about the inner critic, where it comes from, why it can feel so loud for ADHDers, and how it shapes the way we see ourselves.
Katie explains how a lifetime of correction, criticism, and misunderstanding can become internalised, turning into the harsh self-talk many ADHDers carry into adulthood. These “tapes” often resurface during moments of stress, grief, burnout, or life transitions — amplifying self-doubt and making it harder to move forward.
Rather than trying to silence the inner critic completely, Katie introduces a more compassionate and practical approach: learning to separate from those thoughts, reduce their power, and stop letting them dictate behaviour. From ACT-based tools to visual techniques and gentle reframing, this conversation offers a grounded, realistic pathway toward self-compassion and emotional resilience.
Key Points from the Episode:
 How ADHDers internalise years of correction and criticism 
 The inner critic as learned “tapes” from earlier life experiences 
 Why the inner critic gets louder during stress, grief, and transition 
 The difference between “I am” vs “I’m having the thought that I am”
 Why ignoring negative thoughts doesn’t work 
 Using ACT (Acceptance & Commitment Therapy) to create distance from thoughts 
 Techniques to stop getting “hooked” by the inner critic 
 The impact of comparison and unrealistic life expectations 
 ADHD, non-linear life paths, and redefining success 
 Why self-compassion is essential for growth and change
Links: 
WEBSITE: https://speakeasytoday.com/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/speakeasypsychotherapy/
 LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drkathrynbrzozowski/
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 🌐 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 therapist Jennifer Noll Sparks, creator of the Create the Win System — a practical, science-informed approach designed to help people move through overwhelm and take meaningful action, even on the hardest days.
Drawing from both her professional background and lived experience, Jennifer unpacks why so many ADHDers feel stuck... not from laziness, but from nervous system dysregulation. She introduces the concept of the window of tolerance, explaining how overwhelm can show up as either high activation (anxiety, urgency) or shutdown (paralysis, procrastination).
Through simple, playful tools like gamification, “widening the win,” and micro-movements, Jennifer offers an alternative to willpower-based productivity. 
Key Points from the Episode:
 Overwhelm as a universal (non-clinical) human experience 
 ADHD, focus struggles, and early school challenges 
 Why willpower-based advice often fails 
 The window of tolerance and nervous system states 
 Activated overwhelm vs shutdown (freeze) 
 Why procrastination is often nervous system paralysis 
 Gamification as a dopamine-based motivation tool 
 “Widening the win” to reduce pressure and build momentum 
 Micro-actions to break inertia (even moving a limb) 
 Creating momentum through small, achievable wins 
 Moving from autopilot to intentional living 
 Rebuilding agency and self-trust through action
Links:
WEBSITE: https://www.createthewin.com/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/createthewinco/
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-noll-sparks-lcsw-88563885/ 
Send us Fan Mail
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 Kamy Moussavi, former engineer and founder of Step Together, who brings a powerful and personal perspective to the conversation around ADHD, emotional eating, and the brain’s relationship with food. Kamy shares his own childhood experience with obesity, restrictive dieting, and undiagnosed ADHD, revealing how traditional approaches like calorie counting failed to address the real drivers behind his behaviour. 
Together, they unpack the critical link between dopamine, emotional regulation, and eating habits, particularly in ADHD brains. This conversation shifts the narrative away from willpower and discipline, and toward curiosity, compassion, and understanding the root causes behind behaviour. It’s an eye-opening episode for parents navigating food struggles with their children and for anyone who has ever felt stuck in cycles of guilt, shame, or emotional eating.
Key Points from the Episode:
Emotional eating as a dopamine-driven behaviour in ADHD
Why calorie counting and restriction often fail long-term
The connection between ADHD, dopamine deficiency, and food
Bulimia, binge eating, sneaky eating, and shame cycles
Why weight is a symptom, not the root problem
The role of anxiety, loneliness, and boredom in eating habits
How shame drives secrecy and worsens behaviours
The impact of environment vs relying on willpower
Dopamine regulation and over-stimulation from food and technology
Why removing food too quickly can backfire
Family dynamics and parental influence on eating behaviours
Redefining “healthy” beyond diet culture
Links:
WEBSITE: https://www.steptogether.us/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61568953434947
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@steptogether-child-weightloss
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/steptogether_us/
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kamymoussavi/
Send us Fan Mail
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 Tiara Brumberg, certified ADHD coach, entrepreneur, and founder of The Middle Coaching. Tiara lives and breathes the realities of ADHD both professionally and personally — as a mum to three children with ADHD, a partner to a husband with ADHD, and an ADHDer herself.
Together, they explore what Tiara calls the “messy middle” — the real-life space where executive functioning challenges, emotional dysregulation, parenting pressures, and everyday family chaos collide.
Tiara shares honest insights about raising neurodivergent kids without losing yourself in the process, why curiosity is more powerful than criticism in ADHD households, and how simple tools like whiteboards, visual systems, and self-compassion can transform family dynamics.
Key Points from the Episode:
Parenting in a household where everyone has ADHD
Late ADHD diagnosis in high-performing women
Curiosity vs criticism when kids struggle with behaviour
The “messy middle” of family life with ADHD
Why ADHD mums often lose themselves in caregiving
Self-compassion in the middle of overwhelm
Visual tools and whiteboards to reduce mental load
Moving from nagging to collaboration with kids
Teaching independence without shame or power struggles
The importance of internal vs external locus of control
Why parents must “put their oxygen mask on first”
Redefining success in ADHD families
Links:
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/tiara.brumberg/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/tebrumberg/
WEBSITE: https://www.themiddlecoaching.net/
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themiddlecoaching/
Send us Fan Mail
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 Dominic Carubba, a former U.S. Army officer, sales leader, and ADHD coach who was diagnosed later in life after decades of high performance that masked a quiet erosion of self-trust. Dominic shares how ADHD can drive overcomplication, overthinking, and constant attempts to compensate for perceived shortcomings. Even when life looks successful from the outside, internally many ADHDers feel like they are always catching up, always trying to prove themselves. 
The conversation explores how cycles of abandoned projects, unfinished ideas, and chronic urgency can slowly chip away at confidence. Dominic explains why simplifying systems, building visible wins, and learning to forgive yourself are key to rebuilding self-trust. This episode is a reminder that ADHD isn’t about being broken. Often it’s about learning to design systems that work with your brain rather than constantly trying to fix it. 
Key Points from the Episode: 
Late ADHD diagnosis after decades of high performance 
The hidden cost of overcomplication 
How unfinished projects erode self-trust Imposter syndrome in capable ADHD adults 
Why ADHDers often add more systems instead of simplifying 
Visible wins as a way to rebuild confidence 
The importance of learning to say no Lowering the bar to rebuild momentum 
Designing systems that work with ADHD brains 
Persistence vs consistency 
Self-forgiveness as part of growth 
Why ADHD isn’t something to eliminate, but learn to work with 
Links:
WEBSITE: https://momentum.theadhdleader.com/
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/salesandtechnologyconsultants
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/the_dominicx
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominiccarubba/
Send us Fan Mail
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