In this bonus episode, we’re sharing the first episode of a new Understood.org podcast, Climbing the Walls . Climbing the Walls is an investigative limited-series podcast that explores why women were historically underdiagnosed with ADHD — and how the recent surge in diagnoses is reshaping our understanding of ADHD. In this episode, host Danielle Elliot finds herself among the many women diagnosed with ADHD during the pandemic, and she gets curious. Why women? And why now? This question takes he...
Apr 22, 2025•31 min•Ep. 103
Join health and science journalist Danielle Elliot as she investigates the rise of women recently diagnosed with ADHD. Listen to Climbing the Walls now. Emilia McGuckin was surprised when a teacher suggested her son might have ADHD. As a teacher herself, she thought she would have spotted the signs. But after diving into the research, an even bigger surprise hit her: Could she have ADHD too? Emilia, a high school and college teacher, was hesitant to pursue an ADHD evaluation. She’d felt dismisse...
Apr 15, 2025•25 min•Ep. 102
On this 100th episode of ADHD Aha! , host Laura Key looks back on the powerful conversations she’s had with guests from all walks of life about their unique ADHD experiences. She also opens up about a deeply personal new chapter: her 9-year-old daughter’s recent ADHD diagnosis. Laura reflects on what this milestone means for her both as a mom and a person with ADHD. Joining Laura is her friend, co-worker, and Hyperfocus podcast host, Rae Jacobson. Together, they explore how Laura’s understanding...
Apr 01, 2025•28 min•Ep. 101
Steve Wesley makes videos about ADHD to create a legacy for his family. As a single dad with ADHD, he worries he’s not doing enough to support his two sons, who also have ADHD. He hopes the videos will serve as proof one day that he really was trying. Steve’s late wife was “the calendar” of the family. She kept everything on track. When she passed away, it was up to Steve to manage everything and teach his sons the executive function skills that he struggles with so much himself. Join this emoti...
Mar 18, 2025•28 min•Ep. 100
Romance author Sela Carsen saw herself in her daughter’s ADHD evaluation 20 years ago. But she didn’t request an evaluation for herself until just 4 years ago. She was afraid that having ADHD would have a negative effect on her husband’s military career — that she’d be the “crazy wife.” Once Sela was finally diagnosed with ADHD, she had a big sense of relief. She felt capable in her job as an author, and that she “didn’t have to hate herself so much” anymore. Hear this conversation with Sela and...
Mar 04, 2025•23 min•Ep. 99
Margaux Joffe’s “aha” moment came during a shopping trip to IKEA with her mom. She had an intense sensory overload experience, which her mom later suggested could be ADHD-related. Margaux, who’d been diagnosed with anxiety and depression as a teenager, had never considered ADHD. She was diagnosed with ADHD at age 29. In the years since, she’s become a global advocate for neurodiversity and accessibility. Check out her conversation with host Laura Key about justice sensitivity, workplace accommod...
Feb 18, 2025•30 min•Ep. 98
Dan McCoy understood better his mood swings, fear of rejection, and hyperfocus when he was diagnosed with ADHD last year. He got an ADHD evaluation after reading an article his brother wrote about being on the autism spectrum. Dan is a comedy writer who’s won two Emmy awards for his work on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart . He also co-hosts the movie podcast, The Flop House . Dan explains how comedy writing can be exposure therapy for rejection, and how he’s coping with managing emotions. Relate...
Feb 04, 2025•26 min•Ep. 97
ADHD affects our whole life — even our sex life. Our friend Cate Osborn, who has a background in sex education, is back to chat with host Laura Key about executive function challenges that may pop up in the bedroom. Cate and Laura dive into topics like ADHD and consent, working memory, and rejection sensitivity. Cate hosts another Understood.org podcast, Sorry, I Missed This , a show about ADHD, intimacy, and communication. Check it out for some deeper dives into this episode’s topics! Note: Thi...
Jan 21, 2025•37 min•Ep. 96
At 14, Zoe Plotnick told her mom, “My brain’s broken.” Zoe wanted an ADHD evaluation, but her mom discouraged it, pointing to Zoe’s good grades. Zoe was eventually diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. She also learned that her mom was hiding her own ADHD all along. Now Zoe, who’s a teacher, is unpacking the ADHD stigma that her family has carried for generations. And she’s advocating for her daughter who, in a twist of fate, was diagnosed with ADHD at age 14 — the same age Zoe was when she tried to ...
Jan 07, 2025•17 min•Ep. 95
For years, Julianna Broadwater’s therapist suggested looking into ADHD. But Julianna resisted. She had a past diagnosis of OCD, so she attributed her challenges to that. Plus she was the primary breadwinner in the family, so how could she have ADHD? Then Julianna tried ADHD medication, and her thinking completely changed. The impulsive, intrusive thoughts that would pop into her head started to lessen. It was easy to swat them away like flies, instead of dropping everything to focus on them. Jul...
Dec 24, 2024•19 min•Ep. 94
Growing up, Jared Robson got so sick of failing that he decided, “trying isn’t for me.” Jared got into trouble all the time and bounced around different high schools. He eventually graduated high school but admits that that might not have happened if his family weren’t so well-off. Now, Jared’s a stay-at-home dad and thriving as a college student taking courses online (He has a 4.0 GPA!). Jared and Laura talk about the “hyperactive little boy” stereotype. Listen as he describes his quest to find...
Dec 10, 2024•29 min•Ep. 93
After Samantha Hiew had her second child at age 40, hormonal changes shed light on her ADHD symptoms. She was diagnosed with ADHD and, later, autism. Sam talks about her experience with AuDHD, including regulating emotions and sensory meltdowns. Sam also talks about her multicultural experience and the importance of community when you have ADHD. Sam is a social entrepreneur, scientist, and advocate. She’s also the founder and director of ADHD Girls, an award-winning social impact organization th...
Nov 26, 2024•29 min•Ep. 92
In school, a teacher made Rakia Reynolds push her desk all the way to the principal’s office for getting in trouble. Rakia had undiagnosed ADHD. She was energetic, creative, and the class clown. Rakia is now a businesswoman and creative leader with diagnosed ADHD — a diagnosis that she never shared publicly… until now. Hear from Rakia, the founder and executive director of Skai Blue Media, on why she shied away from talking about her ADHD until now. Did a level of success make it feel safer to t...
Nov 12, 2024•26 min•Ep. 91
Em Schulz thought they were just lazy growing up. Years later, after discovering that not everyone’s TikTok was full of ADHD tips that “weirdly work,” they realized they might have ADHD. Em is a paranormal investigator (aka ghost hunter) and co-host of the And That’s Why We Drink podcast. Em and Laura chat about ghosts and ghosting, as in ghosting relationships — a not uncommon ADHD behavior. And Em shares their take on whether people believe less in ghosts or ADHD. Related resources Em’s podcas...
Oct 29, 2024•26 min•Ep. 90
If you like this show, consider making a donation this holiday season. 100% of your donation will go towards helping us create more podcasts (like this one!). Click here to make a gift today. Growing up as a Black girl with undiagnosed ADHD, Kayla Sanders learned very early that getting into trouble was not an option. Kayla was imaginative, playful, and extremely bright. She was also hyperactive, which was occasionally mistaken for disobedience. One incident in particular in the first grade left...
Oct 15, 2024•25 min•Ep. 89
Patricia Sung was diagnosed with ADHD in her first year of college. It wasn’t until she became a mother, and other people relied on her, that she realized just how much ADHD affected her. Patricia now hosts the Motherhood in ADHD podcast. Join Patricia and host Laura Key as they talk about managing emotions with ADHD. Patricia explains the concept of “raging” — that moment when you go from 99 to 100 and emotions boil over. She also shares strategies that can help. Related resources Building self...
Oct 01, 2024•30 min•Ep. 88
Matthew Raghunauth always felt like he was a little lazy and sluggish — that’s just how he was. Then the time came to return to office after the pandemic, and he really started struggling at work. He questioned why he would put things off so much. He was scared to mess up, and afraid that his colleagues would think he’s a bad employee. Matthew is an artist and UX designer who was diagnosed with ADHD about a year and a half ago. Join Laura and Matthew as they talk about this ADHD fear of being “f...
Sep 17, 2024•24 min•Ep. 87
Farah Jamil had to stand up for herself when two health care providers told her she couldn’t have ADHD. The reasons cited? One thought she was too smart, charming, and cared for to have ADHD. The other seemed to question whether ADHD was even real. Fortunately, Farah has strong self-advocacy skills that allowed her to debunk these myths in real time. Farah is an executive coach, ADHD life coach, and the founder of the community groups Muslim ADHDers and Interfaith ADHDers . Listen as host Laura ...
Sep 03, 2024•32 min•Ep. 86
How to ADHD creator Jessica McCabe has been the source of many ADHD “aha” moments — so what were her ADHD “aha” moments? Jessica was diagnosed when she was 12 years old but didn’t start to look into what ADHD meant for her until she was 32. Taking ADHD medication felt like putting on glasses — experiencing the world as everyone else did. But she didn’t have the skills and strategies to cope with ADHD. So, she started making YouTube videos...and the rest is history. Listen in as Jessica answers L...
Aug 20, 2024•35 min•Ep. 85
Dr. Monica Johnson joins Laura to talk about a topic that comes up a lot on ADHD Aha!: ADHD and trauma. She explains how trauma and ADHD can look alike and whether ADHD can lead to trauma. Dr. J, as she’s known, also talks about misdiagnosis, treatment, and how to support someone who’s struggling. This episode contains discussion about trauma, PTSD, and examples of traumatic events. It’s intended for educational purposes, but may not be for everyone. You can visit mentalhealthhotline.org , or ra...
Aug 06, 2024•32 min•Ep. 84
Breon and Dan Gummel are a mixed-neurodiversity married couple. After about 5 years of marriage, Breon was diagnosed with ADHD. The conflicts they’d been having as a couple took on a new shape. The more they learned about ADHD, the better they understood each other. Now, they’ve founded an ADHD community called ADHDinner. This is where people with ADHD, and their close ones, can come together for a meal and share their experiences. You can create your own wherever you live with their free ADHDin...
Jul 23, 2024•27 min•Ep. 83
Leadership and career coach Phoebe Gavin was diagnosed with ADHD at a young age. Phoebe’s mom was her number one advocate. She never made Phoebe feel like there was something wrong with her, and that’s followed her to this day. Now, she works with clients to empower them in the same way. Phoebe takes us through serving in the military, to fashion school, to starting a business with ADHD. She shares career tips when you have ADHD and her journey navigating ADHD and PTSD. Related resources Phoebe’...
Jul 09, 2024•32 min•Ep. 82
As women, it can feel like we have to do it all, yet not be “too much.” Add ADHD stigma and shame on top, and it can feel impossible. Good thing we have Tracy Otsuka to remind us that no one has ever made a difference by being “too little.” Tracy is an ADHD coach, the host of the ADHD for Smart Ass Women podcast, and author of the book with the same name! In this episode, host Laura Key and Tracy talk about how her son’s diagnosis led to her own, the need for an ADHD cookbook, and challenging th...
Jun 25, 2024•28 min•Ep. 81
Jesse Anderson wishes he’d had an ADHD manual when he was first diagnosed as an adult, so he wrote one. Before he was diagnosed, he never considered having ADHD himself. After his wife encouraged him to look into it more, his trouble with remembering to do things, time management, and anger started to take a different shape in his mind. Today, Jesse is an ADHD advocate, writer, speaker, and author of the book Extra Focus: The Quick Start Guide to Adult ADHD . Join host Laura Key and Jesse as the...
Jun 11, 2024•29 min•Ep. 80
When William Curb learned he had ADHD (and wasn’t just lazy), he felt empowered to build coping skills. Now, he hosts the Hacking Your ADHD podcast where he talks about ADHD supports, workarounds, and more. In this bonus episode, host Laura Key and William talk about ADHD and emotions and his favorite ADHD hacks. Related resources William’s podcast, Hacking Your ADHD ADHD and emotions ADHD and the myth of laziness To get a transcript of this show and check out more episodes, visit the ADHD Aha! ...
Jun 04, 2024•17 min•Ep. 79
ADHD coach and creator Caren Magill was diagnosed with ADHD in 2020, during the pandemic. Caren gets real about her experience as a teen girl with undiagnosed ADHD: dropping out of high school, smoking, having poor self-care, and being a “messy kid.” She also shares how she manages her ADHD through fitness, sleep, and meditation. Caren is also the host of It’s The ADHD-Friendly Show podcast. Listen as she shares what she’s hearing from women with ADHD about overwhelm, and approaching ADHD challe...
May 28, 2024•29 min•Ep. 78
Casey McQuiston, best-selling author of Red, White and Royal Blue , grew up in a neurodivergent family and was diagnosed with ADHD at a young age. Still, they had trouble coping, and in high school, English teachers gave them an intervention for “not trying hard enough.” Casey is the author of multiple books in the queer romance genre. Casey chats with Laura about how ADHD influences their writing. They also share a sneak peek of their upcoming book The Pairing , coming out August 2024. Related ...
May 14, 2024•31 min•Ep. 77
What makes being a mom with ADHD so hard? Navigating executive functions and emotional labor, for one. And feeling burned out when burnout isn’t an option — because there’s always something else that needs your very limited attention! Talking about it with someone who just “gets it” is such a relief. In this episode, Laura talks to her friend and colleague Rae Jacobson, also a mom with ADHD. Listen to their conversation and insights on this bonus Mother’s Day episode. Related resources Rolling w...
May 07, 2024•36 min•Ep. 76
Ellyce Fulmore had structures in place her whole life that kept her ADHD hidden. When the pandemic hit, those structures disappeared. Doing basic daily tasks — things like cooking and running errands — got really hard. Then she went down a research rabbit hole on ADHD in women and asked for an ADHD evaluation. Before the pandemic, Ellyce had been struggling with impulsive spending. It made her feel like she was in control when really the spending was controlling her. Now, she’s the author of the...
Apr 30, 2024•28 min•Ep. 75
ADHD coach Jaye Lin is no stranger to ADHD burnout. As an Asian American former gifted kid with undiagnosed ADHD, her parents thought she was just being lazy and not applying herself. This pressure and shame followed until her 30s, when her anxiety peaked while she was working at a high-pressure job. Jaye’s therapist thought she was drug-seeking when she wanted to be screened for ADHD. Now, Jaye builds communities and helps others prioritize what’s important when tunnel vision takes over our liv...
Apr 16, 2024•35 min•Ep. 74
