At the end of 2025, Katie and Sam look back on a year of honest conversations about what it really means to live with ADHD. From the voices in our heads to the systems that still need fixing, they reflect on the conversations and moments that mattered most. With heartfelt thanks to everyone who spent time listening this year, and a gentle reminder to move into 2026 at your own pace.
The time has come... it's the final door of the ADHDvent Calendar, Sam and Katie’s twelve episode Christmas countdown designed to make the season easier for ADHD brains. Every episode has been opening a new “door” with one practical tip to cut through overwhelm, lower the pressure and bring a bit of calm to the most memory heavy, admin filled month of the year. The last door is a vital tip for Christmas day, and it involves perhaps the best part of Christmas... eating!
Can you believe it? We are almost at the end of The ADHDvent Calendar, Sam and Katie’s twelve episode Christmas countdown designed to make the season easier for ADHD brains. Every episode has been opening a new “door” with one practical tip to cut through overwhelm, lower the pressure and bring a bit of calm to the most memory heavy, admin filled month of the year. It's time to open door eleven... it's the tip that attempts to stop the urge to buy buy buy! Yes, put that tat down...
Welcome back to The ADHDvent Calendar, Sam and Katie’s twelve episode Christmas countdown designed to make the season easier for ADHD brains. Every episode opens a new “door” with one practical tip to cut through overwhelm, lower the pressure and bring a bit of calm to the most memory heavy, admin filled month of the year. It's time for another door, and another tip as we inch closer and closer to Christmas Day. Behind this door is the essential tip to safeguard the time you need on the big day....
The big day is fast approaching! It's time to open door nine of Sam and Katie's ADHDvent Calendar, the Christmas countdown designed to make the season easier for ADHD brains. Every episode opens a new “door” with one practical tip to cut through overwhelm, lower the pressure and bring a bit of calm to the most memory heavy, admin filled month of the year. Behind today's door is the ULTIMATE way to be kind to your future self during this busy time of year!
Welcome back to The ADHDvent Calendar! It's Sam and Katie’s twelve episode Christmas countdown designed to make the season easier for ADHD brains. Every episode opens a new “door” with one practical tip to cut through overwhelm, lower the pressure and bring a bit of calm to the most memory heavy, admin filled month of the year. Today we're opening door eight... and everyone's getting toffee!!
Christmas is fast approaching... we're on day seven of the ADHDvent Calendar! Sam and Katie’s twelve episode Christmas countdown designed to make the season easier for ADHD brains. Every episode opens a new “door” with one practical tip to cut through overwhelm, lower the pressure and bring a bit of calm to the most memory heavy, admin filled month of the year. Wondering what's behind this door? Get ready to bah-humbug because Katie's about to strike you off her Christmas list...
Welcome back to The ADHDvent Calendar, Sam and Katie’s twelve episode Christmas countdown designed to make the season easier for ADHD brains. Every episode opens a new “door” with one practical tip to cut through overwhelm, lower the pressure and bring a bit of calm to the most memory heavy, admin filled month of the year. It's time for door six, and it's the most joyful gift of all... it's the gift of saying NO!
It's time to see what's behind door four of theThe ADHDvent Calendar, Sam and Katie’s twelve episode Christmas countdown designed to make the season easier for ADHD brains! Every episode opens a new “door” with one practical tip to cut through overwhelm, lower the pressure and bring a bit of calm to the most memory heavy, admin filled month of the year. Behind this door Katie shares her ultimate plan to save ADHD brains and beyond on Christmas day!
Welcome back to The ADHDvent Calendar! Door four of Sam and Katie’s twelve episode Christmas countdown designed to make the season easier for ADHD brains. Every episode opens a new “door” with one practical tip to cut through overwhelm, lower the pressure and bring a bit of calm to the most memory heavy, admin filled month of the year. This door gives you permission to STOP fixing the Christmas lights and show those tatty and broken Christmas decorations some mercy...
It's door three of the ADHDvent Calendar, Sam and Katie’s twelve episode Christmas countdown designed to make the season easier for ADHD brains. Every episode opens a new “door” with one practical tip to cut through overwhelm, lower the pressure and bring a bit of calm to the most memory heavy, admin filled month of the year. Today's door takes on the overwhelming task of decorating for Christmas with something our listener likes to call 'festive micro-zones'...
Welcome back to The ADHDvent Calendar, Sam and Katie’s twelve episode Christmas countdown designed to make the season easier for ADHD brains. Every episode opens a new “door” with one practical tip to cut through overwhelm, lower the pressure and bring a bit of calm to the most memory heavy, admin filled month of the year. It's door number two and we're not putting it off any longer... we're having THAT conversation early.
Welcome to The ADHDvent Calendar! Sam and Katie’s twelve episode Christmas countdown designed to make the season easier for ADHD brains. Every episode opens a new door with one practical tip to cut through overwhelm, lower the pressure and bring a bit of calm to the most memory heavy, admin filled month of the year. It's door number one and we're kicking off with a doozy... it's the one note that SAVES Christmas.
In this bonus episode, Sam and Katie look back on their conversation with Aoife Hughes about the power of words and why the phrases we use around ADHD land so deeply. They explore how everyday language like should and cannot quietly shapes a sense of shame, why so many ADHDers freeze when they feel directed or judged, and how shifting to gentler wording can open up choice rather than pressure. Katie reflects on the expectations she absorbed from school reports and family conversations, while Sam...
This week Sam and Katie are joined by ADHD coach Aoife Hughes for a deep dive into something deceptively simple but surprisingly powerful- the words we use when we talk about ADHD. Together they explore why phrases like ‘you should’ and ‘why can’t you just’ feel so heavy for ADHD brains, and how shifting just a few words can change motivation, self belief and emotional safety. Aoife breaks down how years of external messages become the voice in our head, why shoulds trigger perfectionism and shu...
In this bonus episode, Sam and Katie reflect on Megan Nicola’s conversation about the inner voice that shapes so much of life with ADHD. They dig into why self talk can become so harsh, how early experiences and school labels settle into the stories we tell ourselves, and why so many ADHDers learn to motivate through pressure rather than kindness. Katie opens up about the words she absorbed from childhood reports and how they still colour her self esteem decades later, while Sam explores the mom...
This week, confidence speaker and mentor Megan Nicola joins Sam and Katie to explore one of the most universal yet least understood parts of ADHD- the intense, relentless inner monologue. Together they break down why so many people with ADHD live with a voice in their head that sounds more like a drill sergeant than a friend, and what it actually takes to change that lifelong habit. She breaks down how self talk becomes self sabotage, why masking and people pleasing feed the cycle, and how to sh...
In this bonus episode, Sam and Katie look back at what growing up with undiagnosed ADHD was really like, and what they wish they could go back and tell their younger selves. From the frustration and shame of not understanding why things felt harder, to the relief of finally realising their brains were simply wired differently. They talk about parenting with ADHD, breaking unhelpful cycles, and the power of kindness towards your past self. Sam and Katie open up about the moments that shaped them-...
This week, Sam and Katie unpack the landmark government report on ADHD services in England and what it reveals about the system’s failures, costs, and opportunities for change. They’re joined by Professor Anita Thapar, one of the UK’s leading experts in child and adolescent psychiatry and Chair of the Independent ADHD Taskforce. Together they explore why ADHD can no longer be treated as a niche condition, how underdiagnosis has left thousands without support, and what needs to happen next to fix...
In this bonus episode, Katie and Sam sit down with Chartered Psychologist Dr Lindsey Roberts to take on some of the biggest myths and misconceptions about ADHD. From the outdated belief that it only affects hyperactive children, to the harmful idea that it’s caused by poor parenting, they explore where these myths come from, why they persist, and the damage they can do. Lindsey also shares her own late ADHD diagnosis, the life-changing impact of medication, and the urgent need for more compassio...
In this episode, Sam and Katie open the inbox to read your messages, answer your questions, and reflect on the moments that connect us all. From family tensions and late diagnoses to burnout, self-compassion and rediscovering who you are once the dust settles after assessments. They talk about setting boundaries with difficult parents, how to find motivation when everything feels impossible, and what recovery from long-term burnout really looks like. There’s laughter, tears, and plenty of “me to...
In this bonus episode, Sam and Katie sit down with Alex Conner and James Brown, scientists, advocates and co-hosts of The ADHD Adults podcast, to unpack the real science behind ADHD. Together they explore the myths, the messy truth and the emotional realities that don’t always make the headlines. From late diagnoses and internalised shame to emotional dysregulation and medication, Alex and James open up about their own experiences and why understanding the evidence can be life changing. They dis...
This week, author and ADHD coach Dr Tamara Rosier joins Sam and Katie to explore one of the most overlooked aspects of ADHD- emotional regulation- and why it’s so often misunderstood, especially in men. As part of Movember and Men’s Mental Health Month, they discuss why so many men with ADHD struggle to recognise and express emotions, how that can lead to anger, burnout and shame, and what it really means to live in “hyper” or “hypo” arousal. Dr Rosier explains the neuroscience behind these emot...
In this bonus episode, Katie reflects on Sam’s conversation with content creator Holly Morris , whose story explored what it really means to be labelled “away with the fairies.” Together, Sam and Katie dig deeper into how language shapes the way women experience and understand ADHD. Katie opens up about her own school years- from masking and “hiding in plain sight” to the pressure of fitting into expectations that didn’t suit her ADHD at all. They discuss the power of labels like “bossy”, “ditsy...
This week, content creator and podcast host Holly Morris is here to unpack the phrase “away with the fairies” and what it really means for women with ADHD. Holly opens up about her late diagnosis of ADHD and autism, the exhaustion of masking, and how years of being labelled “ditsy” or “spacey” shaped her sense of self. Together, Sam and Holly, explore how those same traits- imagination, sensitivity, and intensity- can also be superpowers, fuelling creativity, empathy and humour. Holly also share...
In this bonus episode, Sam and Katie welcome back presenter Katrina Ridley , who joins them fresh from her ADHD assessment to share what happened next. Before this episode, Katrina opened up about the uncertainty and self-doubt of waiting for a diagnosis. Now, she’s back with answers- and a new sense of clarity. From discovering she’s in the “top one percentile” of ADHD traits to finding pride in how far she’s come, Katrina reflects on what her diagnosis really means, the relief of having langua...
This week, Sam and Katie sit down with presenter Katrina Ridley to explore what it’s like to live with ADHD symptoms before you have a diagnosis. For ADHD Awareness Month, Katrina shares her journey of suspicion, self-doubt and resilience, from the first signs that something felt different to the challenges of managing undiagnosed ADHD in her relationships and career. Together, they dig into the messy realities of waiting for an assessment, the fears of “what if I don’t have it”, and the relief ...
In this bonus episode, Sam explores how ADHD and anxiety often show up together in children- sometimes long before anyone realises what’s really going on. He’s joined by child anxiety specialist Saskia Joss for a compassionate and eye-opening chat about how anxiety shows up in kids with ADHD- and what parents, carers and teachers can do to help. From masking and after-school meltdowns, to why “movement breaks” sometimes backfire, Saskia explains what’s really going on beneath the surface, and ho...
This week, Sam and Katie dive into one of the most common- and misunderstood- ADHD experiences: anxiety. Why do ADHD brains so often run in overdrive, even when there’s nothing to panic about? And what’s really going on beneath that constant sense of “what if?” They’re joined by clinical psychologist Dr Sharon Saline who specialises in ADHD and anxiety. Together they unpack why ADHD minds can be hardwired for hypervigilance, how childhood criticism can shape lifelong worry patterns, and why so m...
In this bonus episode, Sam and Katie reflect on their conversation with midwife and ADHD specialist Laura Spence about the realities of pregnancy, birth and those chaotic first weeks with a baby when you have ADHD. They share their own raw experiences of postnatal guilt, hormonal crashes, and the crushing weight of societal expectations- and how much easier it might have been if they’d understood ADHD’s role at the time. From the myth of the “blue day” to the hidden impact of overstimulation, th...
