Women & ADHD

Episode 216 with Elizabeth Ahmann & Micah Saviet

Elizabeth Ahmann, ScD, RN, PCC, NBC-HWC is an ADHD and health and wellness coach, professor, researcher, and Micah Saviet, LCSW-C, NBC-HWC is a trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming clinician.

Their book, Flourishing with Adult ADHD, offers a research-informed, strengths-based, and trauma-informed framework for supporting adults with ADHD beyond symptom management. Grounded in neuroscience, psychology, public health, and wellness research, the book challenges deficit-based models and provides practical, affirming guidance for professionals supporting adults with ADHD.

Rather than focusing solely on coping strategies, this book centers flourishing — supporting adults with ADHD in developing self-trust, self-compassion, emotional regulation, clarity, and lives aligned with their values.

We talk about how coaching and therapy can work together, why Liz and Micah originally wrote the book for clinicians but found it resonated with adults with ADHD, and their hopes for the future of ADHD care, from better training to broader acceptance.

Key topics:
Micah shares that he was diagnosed with ADHD at age 11 and describes how his hyperactivity was noticeable early on.
Liz explains that she has not been diagnosed with ADHD, but family experience, especially with her husband, led her into ADHD coaching.
The conversation reframes ADHD as a difference in attention and regulation, not simply a deficit.
Micah and Liz explain that their book grew out of research on ADHD coaching and focus groups with experienced coaches.
Shame comes up repeatedly as one of the biggest barriers to growth, self-understanding, and flourishing for adults with ADHD.
They emphasize that many therapists and coaches still lack meaningful training in ADHD, especially adult ADHD, masking, and neurodivergence.
The episode draws a clear distinction between a deficit-based medical model and a client-centered, strengths-based approach.
They discuss how coaching and therapy can complement each other rather than compete, especially when grief, trauma, and executive functioning challenges overlap.
Validation, self-compassion, psychoeducation, and mindfulness are presented as foundational tools for helping clients move away from self-criticism.
The conversation also addresses diagnosis, stigma, trauma, education trauma, and the social conditions that can make ADHD feel more impairing than it is in isolation.

Website: https://www.pathways-ahead.com/ ;  https://www.adulttraumaandadhdsolutions.com
Instagram: @adulttrauma_adhdsolutions
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/micah-saviet/ ; https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizahmann/

Links & Resources:
Flourishing with Adult ADHD: The Evidence-Based Guide to Well-Being for Therapists, Coaches & Clients
Kristin Neff’s self-compassion resources

- - - - - 

Episode edited by E Podcast Productions

- - - - -
Women & ADHD coaching: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching
- - - - -
Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/katy
- - - - -
Order the “Hey, it’s ADHD!” course: www.womenandadhd.com/adhdcourse
- - - - -
Did you love this episode? Click here to pledge a one-time donation to the podcast!
- - - - -

If you are a woman who was diagnosed with ADHD and you’d like to apply to be a guest on this podcast, visit womenandadhd.com/podcastguest.

Instagram: @womenandadhdpodcast
Tiktok: @womenandadhdpodcast
Twitter: @womenandadhd
Facebook: @womenandadhd

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Episode 215 with Katy Weber & Kalin Johnson

Welcome back to our new series, “Unmasking Our Health,” in which host Katy Weber teams up with medical expert Dr. Kalin Johnson, PharmD, to look beyond the neurodivergent brain and explore what it means to live in a neurodivergent body. 

After years of interviewing late‑diagnosed women and seeing the same patterns — chronic pain, fatigue, autoimmune issues, hormonal chaos, gut problems, “mystery” symptoms — Katy created the Unmasking Our Health series to explore the bigger questions behind neurodivergence: What if ADHD isn’t just about our brains, but about our whole bodies — and how and why is the medical system missing the full picture?

In part one of a 2-part series, we unpack hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) and hypermobility, and why these connective tissue conditions so often show up alongside ADHD and autism. This episode focuses on the lived experience, the diagnostic gray areas, and the body-wide symptoms that can look unrelated until you understand the connective tissue thread running through them.

We discuss how hypermobility is different from flexibility, why the Beighton score can miss real cases, and why symptoms like bruising, pain, dizziness, brain fog, and poor stamina often get mislabeled as “just clumsiness” or “just anxiety.”

In this episode, we cover:

The difference between hypermobility spectrum disorder and hypermobile EDS, including the extra diagnostic criteria for hEDS beyond joint laxity
Kalin explains the difference between flexibility and hypermobility using the rope-versus-bolts analogy
The Beighton score is helpful as a screening tool, but it only checks five joints and can miss people whose hypermobility shows up elsewhere, especially with age
Kalin shares her diagnosis story, including years of worsening symptoms, specialist dead ends, and being told it was mental health before the physical pattern was recognized
We discuss why ADHD and autism appear more often in hypermobile people, with possible shared genetics, connective tissue differences in the brain, autonomic nervous system dysregulation, and altered sensory processing
The connections between hEDS and POTS, orthostatic intolerance, fatigue, GI symptoms, interoception differences, mast cell issues, and inflammation
Common real-life clues like “party tricks,” joint pain in yoga, easy bruising, weak grip, poor stamina, and the feeling of being “a creaky old lady” after sitting too long
Why car rides, standing still, and long periods of upright posture can be especially hard because of blood flow, proprioception, and joint instability
Why some people with hEDS need more numbing medication at the dentist, and why urinary leakage, pelvic floor fatigue, and foot pain can all be part of the same connective tissue story
Practical next steps: track symptoms, document family history, protect joints and autonomic function, and look for a provider or physical therapist familiar with hEDS

Note: Nothing in this episode constitutes medical advice. Always consult with your physician and pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.

Kalin’s website: kalinjohnson.com
Instagram: @kalinpharmd

Links & Resources:
NYT Magazine article: Inflammation Keeps Us Alive. It's Also Making Us Sick.
ADDitude Magazine: Bendy Bodies, ADHD Brains: Connecting the Dots
The Beighton Scoring System
Hypermobility Screening Tool
Growing Up with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: 27 Telltale Signs
Have a topic you want Katy and Kalin to cover? Contact us

- - - - - 

Episode edited by E Podcast Productions

- - - - -
Women & ADHD coaching: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching
- - - - -
Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/katy
- - - - -
Order the “Hey, it’s ADHD!” course: www.womenandadhd.com/adhdcourse
- - - - -
Did you love this episode? Click here to pledge a one-time donation to the podcast!
- - - - -

If you are a woman who was diagnosed with ADHD and you’d like to apply to be a guest on this podcast, visit womenandadhd.com/podcastguest.

Instagram: @womenandadhdpodcast
Tiktok: @womenandadhdpodcast
Twitter: @womenandadhd
Facebook: @womenandadhd

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Episode 214 with Dr. Brady Bradshaw

In this special interview episode, guest host and ADHD Life Coach Lindsey Buchanan sits down with her sister, psychiatrist Dr. Brady Bradshaw, MD, for an honest, evidence-based conversation about ADHD and autism in girls and women. 

Drawing on both medical expertise and deeply personal experience — Lindsey has her own ADHD diagnosis and is the mother of a daughter with Level 1 autism — this episode covers the symptoms, the overlap, the myths, and the path forward for families navigating neurodivergence.

In this episode, we cover:

Autism in Girls & Women:
Why ADHD in females is so frequently missed or misdiagnosed
The difference between how ADHD presents in boys vs. girls (external vs. internal symptoms)
Key signs to look for: busy brain, daydreaming, excessive talking, forgetfulness, losing things, sleep disturbances
The role of hormonal shifts (puberty, postpartum, perimenopause) in unmasking ADHD symptoms
How high intelligence and anxiety can "protect" ADHD girls from detection — but at a serious cost
What happens when smart girls hit the ceiling — the college transition and why it's a high-risk time
The connection between undiagnosed ADHD and unhealthy coping mechanisms (vaping, caffeine, energy drinks)
Why seeking a diagnosis doesn't automatically mean starting medication

Autism in Girls & Women:
The neurodivergence umbrella: understanding where ADHD and autism both fit
The important statistic: the majority of people with autism also have ADHD — but not vice versa
Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder Levels 1, 2, and 3 — and why Level 1 (formerly Asperger's) is so easy to miss
Core diagnostic criteria: deficits in social communication AND insistence on sameness/repetitive behaviors
How masking works in autistic girls with high intelligence
Why puberty is another "watershed moment" for autism diagnoses in girls
How insistence on sameness and rigidity is anxiety-driven — and what it actually feels like for the child
The difference between ADHD rigidity and autism rigidity (and why it matters)

Debunking Myths:
The science is clear: vaccines do NOT cause autism
Why dietary changes (gluten-free, dairy-free) will not "fix" or cure autism
The role of food sensitivities in autism — and when to actually see a GI doctor
Why the desire to find a "cause" can lead families toward misinformation

After the Diagnosis — What's Next:
Why parent education and parent coaching is the highest-yield first step
How ABA therapy may not be right for every Level 1 autism child (and what PDA — Pathological Demand Avoidance — means for treatment)
The importance of speech therapy, OT, and physical therapy — when applicable
Why understanding a diagnosis is therapeutic in itself
Lindsay's personal recommendation: the Mothers Together support group on Marco Polo

Websites: bradybradshawmd.com ; womenandadhd.com/lindsey

Links & Resources:
Is This Autism? by Donna Henderson — recommended for understanding autism in girls and Level 1 autism
ADHD 2.0 by Ned Hallowell & John Ratey — Dr. Bradshaw's top ADHD book recommendation

- - - - - 

Episode edited by E Podcast Productions

- - - - -
Women & ADHD coaching: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching
- - - - -
Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/katy
- - - - -
Order the “Hey, it’s ADHD!” course: www.womenandadhd.com/adhdcourse
- - - - -
Did you love this episode? Click here to pledge a one-time donation to the podcast!
- - - - -

If you are a woman who was diagnosed with ADHD and you’d like to apply to be a guest on this podcast, visit womenandadhd.com/podcastguest.

Instagram: @womenandadhdpodcast
Tiktok: @womenandadhdpodcast
Twitter: @womenandadhd
Facebook: @womenandadhd

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Episode 213 with Katy Weber & Kalin Johnson

In this first episode of our new series “Unmasking Our Health,” host Katy Weber teams up with cohost Kalin Johnson, PharmD, to explore a side of ADHD in women that isn’t talked about enough: What it’s like to live in a neurodivergent body. 

After years of interviewing late‑diagnosed women and seeing the same patterns — chronic pain, fatigue, autoimmune issues, hormonal chaos, gut problems, “mystery” symptoms — Katy created the Unmasking Our Health series to explore the bigger questions behind neurodivergence: What if ADHD isn’t just about our brains, but about our whole bodies — and how and why is the medical system missing the full picture?

Our first topic for discussion: the explosion of GLP-1 medications (think Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro) and what their surprising, wide-reaching effects are revealing about the deeply intertwined relationship between metabolic health, inflammation, hormones, and ADHD.

In this episode, we cover:

What is metabolic psychiatry? And why it's expanding how we understand ADHD beyond just dopamine and norepinephrine
GLP-1 medications and ADHD — what patients are actually reporting (quieter brain, less emotional reactivity, reduced compulsive behaviors, improved executive functioning)
The inflammation connection — how chronic neuroinflammation creates "cognitive drag" and why reducing it may give the ADHD brain more bandwidth
The vagus nerve and GLP-1 receptors — a fascinating look at how the gut communicates with the brain (and why 80% of vagal fibers run from the body to the brain, not the other way around!)
Estrogen, perimenopause, and metabolic decline — why women over 50 are going on GLP-1s faster than any other population
Drug interactions (and physiologic interactions) — what to watch for if you're on stimulants, SSRIs, or HRT while starting a GLP-1
Food noise, reward-seeking, and binge eating — what GLP-1s are actually doing in the brain's dopamine reward circuits, and what that means for neurodivergent women with disordered eating histories
Where is all of this going? Kalin shares her genuinely optimistic vision for how GLP-1 research is opening the door to a more holistic, systemic understanding of neurodivergent women's health

Note: Nothing in this episode constitutes medical advice. Always consult with your physician and pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.

Kalin’s website: kalinjohnson.com
Instagram: @kalinpharmd

Links & Resources:
Listen to Kalin's first episode: Episode 97 (August 2022)
Have a topic you want Katy and Kalin to cover? Contact us

- - - - - 

Episode edited by E Podcast Productions

- - - - -
Women & ADHD coaching: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching
- - - - -
Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/katy
- - - - -
Order the “Hey, it’s ADHD!” course: www.womenandadhd.com/adhdcourse
- - - - -
Did you love this episode? Click here to pledge a one-time donation to the podcast!
- - - - -

If you are a woman who was diagnosed with ADHD and you’d like to apply to be a guest on this podcast, visit womenandadhd.com/podcastguest.

Instagram: @womenandadhdpodcast
Tiktok: @womenandadhdpodcast
Twitter: @womenandadhd
Facebook: @womenandadhd

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Episode 212 with Caroline Maguire

“All the kids I worked with were like, 'I would love to have a friend.' All the adults were like, 'Something's wrong with me, I don't have friends.' And I was like — no, no, no. Nothing's wrong with you.”

Caroline Maguire is an ADHD coach, friendship expert, and author of the new book, “Friendship Skills for Neurodivergent Adults: A Guide for the Anxious, Uniquely Wired, and Easily Distracted.” If you’ve ever felt like you missed the “how to be a friend” manual — or that you can do intense one‑on‑one connection but still don’t feel like you truly belong anywhere — this conversation is for you.

We dig into why neurodivergent wiring affects the way we show up in friendships, and what it actually looks like to build connection on our own terms. Caroline offers a deeply neuroaffirming roadmap to adult friendship, with language for patterns many of us have felt but never named, plus practical tools that don’t ask you to mask or be “less” of yourself.

Key topics discussed:

Caroline’s journey into ADHD coaching and why friendship became her niche
The difference between connection vs. belonging for neurodivergent adults
Key friendship mindsets: scarcity thinking, all‑or‑nothing, anxious over‑correcting, and the impulsive friendship cycle
Fortressing: what it is, why we do it, and how it protects and isolates us
The five levels of friendship and how mismatched expectations create pain
Communirelating: explaining how your brain works without apologizing for it
Practical strategies for structured socializing and automating check‑ins

Website: carolinemaguireauthor.com
Instagram: @authorcarolinem

Links & Resources:
Friendship Skills for Neurodivergent Adults by Caroline Maguire
Caroline’s Youtube channel

- - - - - 

Episode edited by E Podcast Productions

- - - - -
Women & ADHD coaching: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching
- - - - -
Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/katy
- - - - -
Order the “Hey, it’s ADHD!” course: www.womenandadhd.com/adhdcourse
- - - - -
Did you love this episode? Click here to pledge a one-time donation to the podcast!
- - - - -

If you are a woman who was diagnosed with ADHD and you’d like to apply to be a guest on this podcast, visit womenandadhd.com/podcastguest.

Instagram: @womenandadhdpodcast
Tiktok: @womenandadhdpodcast
Twitter: @womenandadhd
Facebook: @womenandadhd

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy