Sari Solden is a psychotherapist, author, and a true trailblazer for women with ADHD. In this episode, she talks about discovering her own ADHD while helping shape the growing field of adult ADHD in the 1990s. She shares openly about her struggles with shame, working memory, and the pressure of trying to meet society’s expectations of what a woman “should” be. She also reflects on lessons learned from the many women she has worked with over the years.

Sari takes us behind the scenes of her early meetings with other ADHD experts at a time when adult ADHD was just starting to be recognized. She’s the author of several books, including “Women with Attention Deficit Disorder,” which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Through her pioneering work, Sari gave voice to countless women whose struggles were long misunderstood or overlooked.

Related resources

• Hear Sari on “Climbing the Walls,” our podcast about the rise of ADHD diagnoses in women
• A deeper dive on ADHD and shame
• What is working memory?

For a transcript and more resources, visit the ADHD Aha! show page on Understood.org. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at adhdaha@understood.org or record a message for us here.

Explore Through My Eyes today. Step into the world of three kids with ADHD, dyslexia, and dyscalculia — helping you see differently so you can act differently.

Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

When Erica Shoemate gave birth to her daughter Nia, she was told Nia wouldn’t survive. But today, Nia is 7 years old — and that traumatic birth became a turning point in Erica’s life.

Erica shares how her postpartum experience led to diagnoses of anxiety and PTSD, and eventually ADHD. A former national security analyst turned maternal health strategist and policy advocate, Erica reflects on the layered stigma of mental health in the Black community. She also talks with Laura about ADHD and hormones. And she shares the comment her husband made that sparked her ADHD evaluation.

Related resources

• Erica’s website, www.ericalshoemate.com
• A guide to ADHD and hormones
• From the Hyperfocus podcast: Did my ADHD make me more likely to have postpartum depression?
• ADHD and pregnancy

Timestamps

(00:00) Intro

(02:09) How Erica’s pregnancy journey led to her ADHD diagnosis

(10:07) What Erica’s diagnosis has taught her about herself

(16:10) Why Erica speaks openly about her ADHD diagnosis

(21:26) Erica’s maternal health advocacy work

For a transcript and more resources, visit the “ADHD Aha!” show page on Understood.org. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at adhdaha@understood.org or record a message for us here.

Explore Through My Eyes today. Step into the world of three kids with ADHD, dyslexia, and dyscalculia — helping you see differently so you can act differently.

Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

It’s one thing to wonder if you have ADHD. It’s another to read how your loved ones see it in you.

Host Laura Key talks with writer, director, and performer Kate Hammer, who was born in Canada and now lives in Scotland. Kate shares her experience navigating the U.K.’s ADHD evaluation process, which includes personal letters from family and friends, and the complex emotions it brought up.

She also discusses her short film, Bear, a surreal, funny, and poignant look at how ADHD can shadow your every move. In the film, a woman on her way to a job interview is followed by a bumbling bear — clumsy, loud, and impossible to ignore. The Bear represents ADHD in all its disruptive, intrusive glory. Kate talks about why she chose to visualize ADHD this way, how humor helps her process, and what it means to turn something invisible into something you can’t ignore.

Related resources

• Kate’s short film Bear trailer
• Kate’s full short film Bear (Password: BossJude)

Timestamps

(00:00) Intro

(01:03) The UK ADHD evaluation process

(07:26) What ADHD traits cause Kate shame and guilt?

(08:44) Kate’s short film Bear

(16:58) Validating the challenges of ADHD through her short film

(21:27) Kate’s ADHD aha! moment(s)

(23:05) Outro and credits

We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at adhdaha@understood.org or record a message for us here.

Explore Through My Eyes today. Step into the world of three kids with ADHD, dyslexia, and dyscalculia — helping you see differently so you can act differently.

Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give