ADHD, Hormones & the Sandwich Generation with Lisa Alecci
🧡 This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/rebelmomma.
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Sarah welcomes ADHD coach Lisa Alecci back to discuss new insights on ADHD and hormones, including research linking estrogen to dopamine regulation and executive function changes during perimenopause and menopause. They explore how women with ADHD experience greater symptom severity (not more symptoms) during hormonal transitions, and how clinicians are increasingly adjusting treatment during pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopause. Lisa shares her “sandwich generation” reality—caring for a 92-year-old mother in assisted living while supporting adult children, grandchildren, and running a coaching practice—and explains how constant role-switching, decision fatigue, stress, and depleted emotional reserves can lead to overwhelm. She offers strategies like planning decisions ahead, building transition time, pausing to reflect and choose, recognizing cognitive/emotional/body warning signs, and prioritizing sustainable self-care through saying no, asking for help, simplifying, lowering standards temporarily, consistent medication, and scheduling recovery time.
00:00 Welcome Back Lisa
01:05 Hormones And Dopamine
02:25 Symptoms Get More Severe
03:22 Clinicians Finally Adapt
05:08 Sandwich Generation Life
06:49 Guilt And Overwhelm
09:09 Decide Ahead Of Time
10:56 Context Switching Burnout
13:51 Emotional Regulation Tax
16:10 Stress And Resilience
18:04 Starting Over Again
19:35 Self Compassion Shift
20:05 Decision Fatigue Costs
22:21 Pause Reflect Choose
23:40 Overwhelm Warning Signs
27:06 Irrational Anger Clues
28:47 Real Self Care Tools
33:02 No Done Only Stop
34:46 Acceptance In Phases
35:50 Liminal Space Mindset
36:54 Wrap Up And Connect
☑️ Connect with Lisa Alecci: adhdfreedom.com | lisa@adhdfreedom.com
The Truth About Late-Diagnosed ADHD in Women with Liz Lewis
What if you've spent your entire life believing you were the problem... when ADHD was the missing piece all along?
In this episode of Rebel Momma Pod, host Sarah Castañeda sits down with Liz Lewis, writer, ADHD advocate, and author of You Are Not the Problem: Late Diagnosed ADHD Women and the Invisible Forces That Shape Us.
Liz shares her journey from rediscovering her ADHD after becoming a mother to spending four years researching and writing a book that gives voice to the experiences of women diagnosed later in life. Together, they explore why so many women miss an ADHD diagnosis, how educational trauma affects creativity, and why writing with ADHD doesn't have to follow conventional rules.
They also discuss the emotional impact of receiving an ADHD diagnosis as an adult, overcoming rejection sensitivity, managing expectations, and creating meaningful work without comparing yourself to everyone else.
Whether you're newly diagnosed, navigating motherhood with ADHD, or dreaming of writing your own book, this conversation offers practical encouragement and validation.
🎯 What You'll Learn:
• Why so many women receive an ADHD diagnosis later in life
• The emotional reality after finally getting diagnosed
• How motherhood often uncovers hidden ADHD symptoms
• Why educational trauma affects confidence and creativity
• Practical advice for writing with ADHD
• How to overcome perfectionism and rejection sensitivity
• Why comparing yourself to neurotypical writers doesn't work
• The mindset shifts that helped Liz complete her first book
🧠 Topics Discussed:
• Late diagnosed ADHD in women
• ADHD and motherhood
• Writing a book with ADHD
• Educational trauma
• Executive dysfunction and creativity
• Rejection sensitivity
• ADHD advocacy
• Women's mental health
• Self expression and journaling
• Building confidence as a writer
💡 Key Takeaway:
Being diagnosed later in life doesn't mean you've failed. It means you've finally found the missing context. When you stop trying to fit neurotypical expectations and begin working with your ADHD instead of against it, creativity, confidence, and self acceptance become much more possible.
💙 Sponsored by BetterHelp
If you've been thinking about starting therapy, BetterHelp makes it easier to get support from the comfort of your home. Get 10% off your first month by visiting https://betterhelp.com/rebelmomma
📚 Resources Mentioned:
Book:
You Are Not the Problem: Late Diagnosed ADHD Women and the Invisible Forces That Shape Us
Website:
Healthy ADHD
Substack:
Yes, And
📢 Connect with Liz Lewis:
Website: Healthy ADHD
Substack: https://substack.com/@healthyadhd
Instagram: @lizlewiswrites
Email: healthyadhd@gmail.com
🔔 Don't Forget:
👍 Like this episode
💬 Comment: If you were diagnosed with ADHD later in life, what changed for you the most?
🔔 Subscribe for more conversations about ADHD, midlife, burnout, motherhood, neurodiversity, creativity, and living a life that works for your brain.
The ADHD Coach Who Quit Social Media and Got His Life Back with Russ Jones
What if the best productivity hack isn't another app, AI tool, or social media strategy?
What if it's simply walking away?
In this episode of Rebel Momma Pod, host Sarah Castañeda sits down with ADHD coach Russ Jones, founder of ADHD Big Brother, for an honest conversation about social media addiction, doomscrolling, entrepreneurship, accountability, and building a life that aligns with your values.
Russ shares why he deleted Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, how social media was impacting his mental health, and why he believes many adults with ADHD are trapped in systems that drain their attention and energy. Together, they explore the pressure to constantly scale, hustle, and stay visible online, and what happens when you decide to do things differently.
They also dive into the power of accountability, why AI can't replace human support, and how community can be one of the most effective tools for adults with ADHD.
This episode is a refreshing reminder that success doesn't have to look like everyone else's version of success.
🎯 What You'll Learn:
Why Russ chose to leave social media behind
How doomscrolling impacts ADHD, productivity, and mental health
The hidden pressure of personal branding and online visibility
Why scaling isn't always the right business goal
The difference between AI accountability and human accountability
How daily support can help adults with ADHD follow through
What Russ calls "productivity leaks" and how to identify them
🧠 Topics Discussed:
ADHD and social media addiction
Doomscrolling and time management
Entrepreneurship and burnout
Authentic marketing without social platforms
Accountability partners and community support
AI tools for ADHD • Weekly planning and activation strategies
Building a business that feels sustainable
Mental health and depressive episodes
Finding success on your own terms
💡 Key Takeaway:
You don't have to build your life around platforms, algorithms, or someone else's definition of success. Whether it's social media, business, or productivity, the goal isn't to scale endlessly. It's to create a life that works for you.
🔗 Resources Mentioned:
ADHD Big Brotherhttps://adhdbigbrother.com
📢 Connect with Russ Jones:
Website:https://adhdbigbrother.com
🔔 Don't Forget:
👍 Like this episode 💬 Comment: Could you quit social media tomorrow? Why or why not? 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations about ADHD, burnout, midlife, productivity, and creating a life that works for your brain.
#ADHD #AdultADHD #Productivity #MentalHealth #SocialMediaDetox #ADHDBigBrother #RussJones #RebelMommaPod #Entrepreneurship #Accountability #Burnout #Doomscrolling #ADHDCoach #Neurodivergent #SelfImprovement
ADHD Productivity That Actually Works
Most productivity advice doesn’t work for ADHD—but this does.
In this episode of Rebel Mamma Pod, host Sarah Castañeda sits down with Dani Donovan to break down what actually works when it comes to ADHD productivity. Instead of forcing yourself into rigid systems, Dani shares her toolbox approach—a flexible, realistic way to get things done without burnout, shame, or relying on last-minute panic.
If you’ve struggled with consistency, procrastination, or overwhelm, this episode will give you tools you can actually use.
🎯 What You’ll Learn:
- Why most productivity advice fails for ADHD
- The toolbox method that adapts to your brain
- How to identify your real resistance (not just procrastination)
- The emotional side of ADHD: overwhelm, burnout, perfectionism
- How to replace shame-based motivation with something that works
🧠 Practical Tools You Can Try Today:
- Post-it note Kanban system on your monitor
- The D20 dice method to make tasks more engaging
- A simple framework to identify what’s blocking you
📚 Resources:
The Anti-Planner
https://antiplanner.com
https://adhddd.com
🔔 Don’t forget:
👍 Like this video
💬 Comment: What’s your biggest ADHD productivity struggle?
🔔 Subscribe for more ADHD, burnout, and real-life productivity conversations
ADHD & Headaches with Dr. Sarah Cheyette
In this episode, Dr. Sarah Cheyette, a pediatric neurologist, explores the intricate connections between ADHD, headaches, and hormones, especially in women, and offers practical strategies for managing these overlapping conditions. Through insightful discussion, Dr. Cheyette emphasizes the hidden nature of these issues and the potential relief in managing one condition to alleviate another.
Highlights:
Dr. Cheyette reveals that addressing ADHD can often mitigate severe headache symptoms, illustrating the interdependence of these conditions.
Hormonal changes, particularly during menstrual cycles, can intensify both headaches and ADHD-related difficulties, impacting concentration and daily functionality.
Practical strategies for managing ADHD and migraine challenges include maintaining a symptom diary to improve communication with healthcare providers.
Summary
This episode of the podcast features Dr. Cheyette, who delves into the complex relationships between ADHD, headaches, and hormones. Dr. Cheyette, a seasoned pediatric neurologist, shares her groundbreaking observation that treating ADHD can sometimes alleviate severe headaches, uncovering a significant link between these conditions. The conversation highlights how hormonal fluctuations, especially during menstruation, can exacerbate both headaches and ADHD symptoms, affecting concentration and overall daily performance.
Dr. Cheyette and the host discuss the challenges of navigating such complex conditions, emphasizing the importance of a holistic approach to care. Listeners are encouraged to maintain a simple symptom diary to enhance communication with healthcare providers, ensuring a more comprehensive understanding of their unique conditions. This approach underscores the often-hidden nature of ADHD and migraines, and how managing one can potentially alleviate the other, providing a path to relief for those affected by both.
ADHD and Trying to Conceive with Taucha Post
Taucha Post shares her journey with ADHD and how she uses yoga and community support as part of a holistic approach to managing her condition. Through personal anecdotes and practical advice, she offers insights into navigating the complexities of ADHD, especially as it intersects with motherhood and medication management.
Highlights:
Taucha's transition from aspiring veterinarian to speech therapist, revealing the hidden challenges of ADHD in professional settings.
The intersection of yoga practices and ADHD management, providing a unique tool for addressing ADHD-specific challenges.
Insights on balancing ADHD medications during pregnancy and the importance of a comprehensive treatment approach.
Summary
Taucha Post, founder of ADHD Yoga, candidly discusses her journey of living with ADHD, highlighting her diagnosis at the age of 31. Despite excelling academically, she faced significant challenges in task management and decision-making in her professional life as a speech therapist. Her story illustrates the continuous struggle with working memory and organization, which she navigated with the help of supportive colleagues and unique adaptations.
The podcast episode also explores the intricacies of managing ADHD, from the hurdles of getting a diagnosis to the challenges of balancing medication during pregnancy. Taucha emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive treatment approach that goes beyond medication, incorporating strategies like community support and counseling. She shares her personal experiences of the internal conflict faced when deciding to stop medication during pregnancy, highlighting the hereditary aspects of ADHD and the necessity for proactive management.
Incorporating yoga into her ADHD management, Taucha explains how traditional yoga practices can address specific ADHD challenges. Themed yoga classes emerge as a transformative tool in her narrative, offering practical advice for those living with ADHD. The episode concludes with insights from ADHD thought leaders, reinforcing the importance of continuous exploration and development of strategies to support individuals with ADHD.
How To Advocate For Yourself At The Doctor When You Have ADHD
Jen Welsh shares her journey of navigating ADHD and health challenges with humor and empowerment in this podcast episode. Through her experiences, she offers insights on overcoming obstacles, medical advocacy, and turning challenges into opportunities to help others.
Highlights:
- Jen discusses her diagnosis of ADHD at 28 and the realization that working independently wasn't a solution to her productivity issues.
- The episode humorously explores Jen's health challenges, including dermoid cysts and persistent concussion syndrome, highlighting the loss of coping skills and executive functioning.
- Practical strategies for medical advocacy, especially for women and women of color, are shared, including the importance of arriving at medical appointments prepared with a script.
Summary
In this episode, Jen Welsh, host of the Lady HD podcast, shares her personal journey of living with ADHD and navigating complex health challenges. Diagnosed with ADHD at 28, Jen humorously reflects on her initial belief that working independently would solve her productivity issues, only to discover that the challenges persisted.
Jen's journey is further complicated by her health challenges, including dermoid cysts and persistent concussion syndrome. The episode provides a warm and honest portrayal of living with overlapping health conditions while maintaining a sense of humor.
Empowerment and self-advocacy are central themes in the episode, particularly in medical settings for women and women of color. Jen shares her strategy of arriving at medical appointments with a prepared script, ensuring effective communication with healthcare providers.
ADHD & PMDD: How to Manage Both
In this episode, I catch up with Savannah LeJeune a Colorado-based photographer to talk about how PMDD (pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder) impacts her ADHD.
Summary
Savannah Lejeune shares her compelling story of resilience as she navigates the complexities of ADHD and PMDD. Initially misdiagnosed with depression, Savannah discovered her true diagnoses in adulthood, profoundly impacting her career in the fast-paced film industry. With the support of her family and mental health professionals, she emphasizes the importance of self-advocacy in navigating the healthcare system to find the right treatment.
The podcast explores the modern landscape of mental health treatment, highlighting the convenience and accessibility of online therapy platforms like BetterHelp. Savannah and the host discuss the challenges of medication management for ADHD and PMDD, sharing personal experiences with medications like Vyvanse, Prozac, and Wellbutrin. The conversation underscores the significance of persistence and self-advocacy in securing effective mental health resources.
What Is ADHD Like During Menopause?
I chat with Lisa Alecci, life coach and founder of ADHD Freedom, about hormone fluctuations and their impact on ADHD. Lisa, who has ADHD herself, didn't realize she had it until menopause hit. She explains why this happens and her thoughts on the broader conversations (or lack thereof) in our community.
Lisa explained estrogen decreases by about 65% during menopause. Estrogen is a key factor in the production and use of serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine. Lisa points out people with ADHD don't have enough of these in the first place which explains why executive function capabilities drop along with them.
Mentioned in this episode:
- Rude awakening
- A rude awakening
- Is it Alzheimer's?
- Managing hormones
Highlights
(00:00) Menopause and ADHD
(11:09) ADHD, Hormones, and Self-Advocacy
(19:38) Finding ADHD Specialist and Managing Menopause