Episode #364: From Walking on Eggshells to Walking in Self-Trust
Today, I’m unpacking rejection sensitivity: why it shows up so strongly for ADHDers, how it gets wired into the nervous system, and what it actually looks like to heal it in real life. I share a clear before-and-after from my own marriage—how I used to interpret neutral moments as danger, and how learning to regulate my nervous system completely changed the way I show up in relationship.
Episode #362: The Science of ADHD Sleep: Circadian Rhythms, Sunlight, and Why You’re So Tired
Research shows that 70–80% of adults with ADHD have chronic sleep problems, most commonly falling asleep too late and being unable to shift earlier, no matter how hard they try. If you’ve been blaming yourself for sleep issues your brain never signed up for, this episode offers clarity, compassion, and a much more realistic path forward.
Episode #360: I Almost Lost a Huge Opportunity to Rejection Sensitivity (But Here’s How I Came Back)
In this episode, I share an update on my book, answer a listener voicemail, share a helpful resource, and then take you behind the scenes of a recent rejection-sensitivity spiral that almost kept me from attending (and speaking at!) the CHADD conference. I walk you through exactly how I navigated the emotional storm—step by step—so I could do the work I’m meant to do.
Episode #358: The Day I Hired a Frontal Lobe: How Paying for Help Pulled Me Out of ADHD Chaos
This week, Kristen chats with Bill — Creative & Executive Director of ArtPhilly — who’s smart, creative, high-capacity… and, like many ADHDers, hit the limit of what his brain could juggle. If you’ve ever told yourself, “I should be able to do this myself,” his story is the permission slip you may need; when you have the resources, hiring help isn’t a luxury — it’s a way to outsource executive function so you can actually live the life you’re trying to build.
Episode #356: Tech Jobs + ADHD Minds: How David Made It Work
In this episode, I sit down with David—a long-time FOCUSED member turned coach—to talk about what it really looks like to work in tech with an ADHD brain. David shares how he found his way into the tech world, the challenges he faced behind the scenes, and the systems he built to survive (and eventually thrive).
Episode #354: Why Even Your Own To-Dos Feel Like an Attack: The Explosive Reality of Adult PDA
If you’ve ever thought, “No one can tell me what to do… not even me,” this episode might feel like someone finally turned the lights on. If you’ve struggled with “self-sabotage,” shutdowns, avoidance spirals, or a lifelong pattern of resisting pressure — even your own — this conversation offers clarity, compassion, and a completely different way forward.
Episode #352: The Kids Who Can’t Be Told What to Do: PDA & Low-Demand Parenting (with Casey Ehrlich)
What if your child’s resistance, meltdowns, or refusal to do “simple” things isn’t defiance—but a nervous system response?
Kristen talks with Casey Ehrlich to explore what PDA really is, why it shows up so often in ADHD families, and how traditional parenting strategies often backfire when a child’s need for autonomy is being misunderstood.
Episode #350: From Cemetery Shifts to a Career That Fits: Matt’s ADHD Comeback Story
A year after sharing his story of unemployment and underemployment, listener favorite Matt Cicarelli is back with the update we all needed: he landed a job he loves—at a human, trust-based agency that actually gets ADHD—and he’s sharing how it happened.
Episode #348: Too Bored to Function: Why ADHD Brains Would Rather Do Anything Than Be Bored
Ever felt so bored you’d rather do anything — even something you’ll regret — just to avoid that restless, agitated feeling? In this episode, Dr. Marcy Caldwell breaks down why boredom feels like torture, what’s really happening in the brain and body, and why ADHDers crave stimulation (even the bad kind sometimes).
Episode #346: Voicemails from the ADHD Trenches: Marriage, Faith, Regret, and Rage (Yep, We’re Going There)
You called. I answered. In this episode, I’m diving into listener voicemails about all the messy, beautiful, complicated parts of life with ADHD — If you’ve ever felt like you’re the only one barely holding it together… you’re not.