(A compassionate nudge for busy, neurodivergent women and perfectionists)
You know you should prioritise yourself — but what does that actually look like when you’re juggling ADHD, business, motherhood, and perfectionism?
In this episode of Pause Purpose Play, Clinical Psychologist and ADHD specialist Michaela Thomas explores what real self-care looks like beyond bubble baths and quick fixes. She shares the three types of clients she sees — from those running on empty to those beginning to create balance — and how each can benefit from more compassion and support.
You’ll also hear real success stories from Burn Bright members who learned to set boundaries, manage their energy, and finally put themselves on their own to-do list.
If you’ve been thinking, “I’ll prioritise myself later,” this is your gentle (but firm) reminder that now is the time.
🌿 You’ll hear about:
Why self-care feels so hard for perfectionists and ADHD women
The three types of clients Michaela works with — and where you might fit
Real-life examples of women who learned to prioritise themselves
How to choose between therapy and coaching for the right kind of support
A final invitation to join Burn Bright before doors close
Ready to stop running on empty?
Inside Burn Bright, Michaela helps ADHD women in business find balance between ambition and rest through support, systems and self-compassion.
✨ Book your clarity call now: www.thethomasconnection.co.uk/burn-bright
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You don't have to sacrifice to be successful
You’ve seen the posts - “If you’re not up at 4am journalling and hitting the gym, do you even want success?”
Michaela says: that's the pressure of perfection coming from the patriarchy - let that stuff go.
In this short solo episode, Clinical Psychologist and ADHD specialist Michaela Thomas shares why you don’t need to burn out to build something brilliant. She unpacks how hustle culture is ableist, unsustainable, and particularly harmful for neurodivergent women and mums with ADHD, whose energy is already stretched thin.
You’ll learn how to redefine success on your terms, protect your nervous system, and build a business that feels balanced - not punitive.
Ready to build success without self-sacrifice?
Inside Burn Bright, Michaela helps ADHD women in business find sustainable success through support, systems and self-compassion.
✨ Book your clarity call: www.thethomasconnection.co.uk/burn-bright
Doors close for applications 24th of October and the programme starts 5th of November!
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What it really looks like to prioritise yourself
In this episode of the Pause Purpose Play podcast, host Michaela Thomas discusses the importance of prioritizing self-care, especially for perfectionistic individuals and those with ADHD. She categorises her clients into three groups based on their progression in self-compassion and self-care and explains how each group can benefit from her Burn Bright program. Michaela provides real-life examples of women who have benefitted from prioritising themselves, setting boundaries, and managing energy, ultimately leading to a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle. She invites listeners to consider their needs and offers guidance on whether Burn Bright or therapy might be the best fit for them.
00:13 Understanding the Struggles of Prioritizing Self-Care
01:31 The Three Types of Clients
03:09 The Importance of Prioritizing Yourself
05:28 Success Stories from Burn Bright Members
07:48 Why ADHD Women Struggle with Self-Care
08:51 Final Invitation to Join Burn Bright
10:03 Encouragement to Take Action Now
Ever swing between unstoppable energy and complete inertia - buzzing with ideas one day and paralysed by overwhelm the next?
In this episode, Michaela explores two sides of the ADHD experience she calls the Meerkat and the Sloth. One can’t stop, the other can’t start - and both are trying to help you.
You’ll learn why these shifts aren’t inconsistency or failure, but signs of an ADHD brain managing energy and safety. Michaela shares how to move from shame to self-compassion, and find balance between overdrive and standstill.
You’ll hear about:
ADHD as attention regulation, not deficit
The Meerkat (hyperfocus) vs Sloth (inertia) modes
Why rest and action both deserve compassion
Tools to steady your energy and find your rhythm
Ready to build compassion for all of you?
Inside Burn Bright, Michaela helps ADHD women in business find the sweet spot between ambition and rest - with support, systems and self-compassion.
✨ Book your clarity call: www.thethomasconnection.co.uk/burn-bright
Doors close for applications 31st of October and the programme starts 5th of November!
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Another face of ADHD: 'High-Functioning' women over-functioning into burnout
Are you “too well” to get help for ADHD?
In this solo episode, I shine a light on one of the most overlooked faces of ADHD — the women who look like they’re “coping” but are really over-functioning themselves into burnout.
You’ll hear why being told you’re “too well” or “not struggling badly enough” can be just as invalidating and harmful as being dismissed entirely, and why support is still essential even if you appear to be managing.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
* "The many faces of ADHD" as the theme of ADHD Awareness Month
* Why I don’t use the label “high-functioning”
* My friend’s story of being told she wasn’t “struggling enough” for referral for assessment
* The hidden shame of women with ADHD who look like they’re coping
* Why coping isn’t thriving - you still need support even if you're holding it together
👉 Book a free call with me to explore my 6-month group coaching programme, Burn Bright:
https://tidycal.com/michaela-thomas/burn-bright-clarity-call
Doors close end of October, with the programme starting on Nov 5th!
Imagine if you could follow your ambition without drowning in it – how much more fulfilling life would be? That’s what Pause Purpose Play is all about – finding balance over burnout by setting you free from needing to be perfect, so that you can take action and get started with what matters to you, instead of getting stuck in procrastination and holding yourself back with self-limiting beliefs your inner critic tells you.
In this podcast, Michaela Thomas, Clinical Psychologist, Couples Therapist and founder of The Thomas Connection, shares bite-sized learning around psychology of performance, habits, self-confidence, stress, anxiety, perfectionism, parenthood and couples relationships.
The podcast will mix solo episodes with guest interviews; diving deep into their professional zone of genius and learning about how they have found pause, purpose and play in their life and in their work.
My new book, The Lasting Connection, is available now from all good bookshops.
Ireland