ADHD Wise Podcast

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In the first episode of Season 2, Jannine is joined by Louisa Gray, author of We Are Not Seeing It: How and Why Mainstream Schools Break SEND Kids, for an honest conversation about what it costs parents to fight for their children.

They explore the masking that happens behind closed doors: holding yourself together while your child falls apart, staying calm in intimidating meetings and carefully managing your emotions because showing distress may be used against you.

This is also a conversation about systemic harm, advocacy, the impossible pressures facing families and professionals, and why parents should never have been expected to become experts in SEND law simply to secure the support their children need.

Above all, it is a reminder that needing support does not reflect your capacity as a parent. The circumstances are difficult, the system can be hostile—and you are not alone.

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Why can an email derail an entire task? Why does everything sometimes feel “times ten”? Why can capable neurodivergent people spend their lives trying harder, while still feeling as though they are failing?

In this season finale, Jannine brings together voices from across the ADHD Wise Podcast to explore the lived experience of ADHD and broader neurodivergence. They speak about brain fatigue, emotional intensity, tics, burnout, masking, perimenopause, late diagnosis and the grief and relief that can come with finally understanding yourself.

The episode opens with an extract from Jannine’s conversation with Alex Partridge in Episode 35 of ADHD Chatter, in which she explains the invisible cognitive effort hidden inside something as ordinary as responding to an email.

Different voices and different experiences come together around one central truth: if life has felt harder than it appears to be for everyone else, you are not imagining it. ADHD can make life genuinely difficult, particularly in a world that has judged neurodivergent challenges far more readily than it has recognised neurodivergent strengths.

Knowing why does not change the past, but knowledge brings the possibility of self-understanding, self-acceptance and a life that works better for you.

You are not alone. You are entitled to thrive. And we hope that somewhere among these voices, you find your tribe.

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What happens when established ADHD science is repackaged as a public controversy?

In this episode of the ADHD Wise Podcast, I’m joined by Rachel Boss from ADHD Jersey to discuss the growing media pushback against ADHD awareness, diagnosis and treatment.

Our conversation was prompted by the provocative publicity surrounding an upcoming Channel 4 documentary. But this episode is about something much bigger: what happens to real people when ADHD is framed as questionable, fashionable or an excuse.

Rachel and I both reached adulthood without our ADHD being recognised. We discuss the adversity, shame and self-blame that can accumulate when people don’t understand why they are struggling, and the difference that diagnosis, informed support and medication can make.

We explore:

• Why increased ADHD awareness inevitably creates pushback
• The damage caused when ADHD traits are treated as moral failings
• Why punishment cannot remove a neurodevelopmental condition
• The difference between diagnosis and medication
• Why medication can be life-changing without being right for everybody
• The generations of women and girls whose ADHD was overlooked
• The consequences of five-year assessment waiting lists
• ADHD, vulnerability, addiction, education and the justice system
• Why understanding ADHD creates responsibility rather than excuses
• The human and financial cost of leaving people unidentified and unsupported

ADHD is not a myth, a moral failing or a failure of discipline. The science exists. The important questions are whether people can access appropriate assessment, understand their own brains and receive the support they need to thrive.

As Rachel says, knowledge is power. We are too far out of the box to be pushed back in.

Rachel Boss is the founder of ADHD Jersey, which provides education, community support and programmes for people affected by ADHD across Jersey. ADHD Jersey will welcome organisations from across Europe when Jersey hosts the ADHD Europe conference in May 2027.

I’m Jannine Perryman, SEND specialist teacher, neurodiversity coach, trainer, speaker and consultant.

Subscribe to the ADHD Wise Podcast for honest, evidence-informed conversations about ADHD, autism, education, diagnosis and neurodivergent life.

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What happens when an anxious child finds the one place where he finally feels capable?

For Bobby, that place was a boxing gym. Boxing gave him confidence, direction and a sense of purpose. It became the foundation for Fitness by Bobby, where he now helps children and adults discover their own strength through inclusive fitness.

In this episode, Bobby talks honestly about growing up with anxiety, finding something that changed the direction of his life, and building a business shaped by far more than exercise.

We also talk about his brother Shay and the meaningful role he has within Fitness by Bobby. Shay is not simply included or given something to do. He is a valued member of the team, with responsibility, pride and a place where he genuinely belongs.

This conversation explores:

• What boxing gave Bobby when he was struggling with anxiety
• Why confidence can grow through doing, rather than positive thinking
• How fitness can create connection, identity and purpose
• The difference between being included and genuinely belonging
• Why one person believing in you can change what you believe is possible
• How Bobby turned what helped him into something that now helps others

Bobby’s anxiety did not have to disappear before he could build something meaningful. His story shows what can happen when someone finds the right environment, the right people and something worth moving towards.

https://fitnessbybobby.cic-connect.co.uk/

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Have you ever wondered why you can solve complex problems, support everyone else, or perform under pressure… but still struggle to reply to an email, make a phone call or keep on top of everyday tasks?

You’re not alone.

In this episode of the ADHD Wise Podcast, I explore one of the most common questions I hear from neurodivergent people:

“Why can I do the hard things… but not the easy ones?”

Together we’ll explore why “easy” isn’t the same for every brain, how executive functioning affects everyday life, why neurodivergent profiles are often wonderfully spiky, and why strengths and challenges can exist side by side.

We’ll also talk about:

- Why neurodivergent brains often think differently rather than incorrectly.
- Lateral thinking, creativity and those infamous side quests.
- Why knowing what to do isn’t always the same as being able to do it.
- The invisible effort that other people often don’t see.
- How to stop comparing yourself with somebody else’s brain and start working with your own.

Whether you’re ADHD, autistic, dyslexic, AuDHD, exploring your own neurodivergence, or simply trying to understand somebody you care about, I hope this episode helps you replace self-criticism with self-understanding.

Because perhaps those things were never “easy” in the first place. They were simply easier for somebody else’s brain.

💜 If this episode resonates with you, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with someone who might need to hear it.

#ADHD #Neurodiversity #Autism #AuDHD #ExecutiveFunction #ADHDPodcast #LateDiagnosis #ADHDAwareness #Neurodivergent #ADHDSupport

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Have you ever found a strategy that finally worked for your ADHD brain — only for it to suddenly stop working?

Perhaps the planner was brilliant for three weeks. The reminders helped until you stopped seeing them. The new routine felt life-changing, and then one day you simply could not make yourself do it anymore.

That does not mean you have failed.

In this episode of ADHD Wise Podcast, Jannine is joined by ADHD coach and professional doctorate researcher Anita Davies, founder of Freedom from Tedium, for an honest conversation about ADHD coaching, executive functioning and the realities of trying to create lasting change with a neurodivergent brain.

They explore why neurodivergent people often need variety alongside consistency, why cognitive load can make even a ten-minute task feel impossible, and why good coaching should help you experiment rather than hand you another rigid system to follow.

They also discuss:

• late ADHD diagnosis, grief and changing identity
• masking and becoming more comfortable with your authentic self
• time blindness, working memory and emotional regulation
• why strategies often work until the novelty wears off
• managing energy and capacity rather than focusing only on time
• the difference between coaching and therapy
• why coaching can cause harm when a coach does not understand neurodivergence
• reasonable adjustments and asking for support at work
• perfectionism, shame and learning to fail safely
• why there is no single “magic bullet” for ADHD

Anita introduces her brilliant glow-in-the-dark ball metaphor: a strategy that has stopped working may not need to be thrown away. It may simply need time to recharge while you use something else.

This episode is for late-diagnosed ADHD adults, autistic and neurodivergent people, coaches, therapists, employers, educators and anyone who has ever wondered:

Why can I do this sometimes, but not consistently?

Good coaching is not about rescuing someone, fixing them or forcing them to become more typical. It is about creating a shame-free space where they can understand their brain, test ideas, make mistakes and build a way of working that is genuinely their own.

Because sometimes the most important thing we can learn is how to fail — without deciding that we are a failure.

https://freedomfromtedium.co.uk/

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In this episode of the ADHD Wise Podcast, Jannine explores the powerful connection between ADHD, neurodivergence, trauma, adversity and joy.

Many neurodivergent people grow up knowing they are different. Misunderstood. Excluded. Misread. Corrected. Shamed. For some, those experiences become part of a wider picture of trauma, complex trauma, adverse childhood experiences, school exclusion, masking, burnout and poor mental health.

But this episode asks a different question.

What if neurodivergent children and adults need more than coping strategies?

What if joy is not an optional extra, but part of what protects us?

Jannine talks about ACEs,  Adverse Childhood Experiences, and the importance of positive and protective experiences, including play, belonging, connection, safety, curiosity and joy. She reflects on her own experience of growing up different, entering the care system at 14, being diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood, and later recognising the impact of trauma, dyslexia and autistic traits.

This is also an episode about children’s right to enjoy their childhood, adults’ right to enjoy their adulthood, and why neurodivergent people deserve lives that contain more than survival.

From coaching adults who have lost their joy, to supporting children who are struggling with school attendance, to pretending to be a T-Rex in a supermarket with a child who needed play more than compliance, this episode is a reminder that positive experiences matter.

Because reducing adversity is essential.

But so is intentionally creating joy.

Topics covered include ADHD, autism, dyslexia, SEND, ACEs, trauma, CPTSD, masking, school exclusion, school attendance difficulties, neurodivergent childhood, mental health, coaching, parenting, education, resilience, protective factors, play and positive childhood experiences.

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In this episode of ADHD Wise Podcast, Jannine is joined by Louise Parker Engels from Define Fine for a powerful conversation about school attendance difficulties, neurodivergent children, parent blame, and what we really mean when schools say a child is “fine”.

Together, they challenge the assumptions behind terms like EBSA and school refusal, exploring why many children are not avoiding school irrationally, but responding logically to environments where their needs are unmet. They discuss masking, burnout, trauma, attendance pressure, fixed penalty notices, reasonable adjustments, Section 19 provision, and the importance of listening to parents and children before things reach crisis point..

This episode is for parents who have been told their child is fine when they know they are not. It is also for professionals who want to think more deeply about school attendance, SEND, neurodivergence and what meaningful support should look like.

Most of all, this is a hopeful episode. Our children are not broken. They are struggling. And with the right understanding, evidence, advocacy and support, there are many ways forward.

Louise Parker Engels, Founder of Define Fine. Former teacher, parent carer advocate, trainer and consultant specialising in school attendance difficulties and barriers to education. https://www.definefine.org.uk

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In this episode of ADHD Wise Podcast, Jannine is joined by Louise Parker Engels from Define Fine for a powerful conversation about school attendance difficulties, neurodivergent children, parent blame, and what we really mean when schools say a child is “fine”.

Together, they challenge the assumptions behind terms like EBSA and school refusal, exploring why many children are not avoiding school irrationally, but responding logically to environments where their needs are unmet. They discuss masking, burnout, trauma, attendance pressure, fixed penalty notices, reasonable adjustments, Section 19 provision, and the importance of listening to parents and children before things reach crisis point..

This episode is for parents who have been told their child is fine when they know they are not. It is also for professionals who want to think more deeply about school attendance, SEND, neurodivergence and what meaningful support should look like.

Most of all, this is a hopeful episode. Our children are not broken. They are struggling. And with the right understanding, evidence, advocacy and support, there are many ways forward.

Louise Parker Engels, Founder of Define Fine. Former teacher, parent carer advocate, trainer and consultant specialising in school attendance difficulties and barriers to education. https://www.definefine.org.uk

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Separation and divorce are hard for anyone. But when ADHD, autism, trauma, emotional dysregulation, rejection sensitivity, executive functioning difficulties, financial overwhelm, parenting pressure and neurodivergent children are all in the mix, it can become even more complex.

In this episode, Jannine is joined by Katy Harris, Founder of Mediation Matters Midlands, Family & Civil Mediator, Child-Inclusive Specialist, International Speaker, Trainer and Conference Host.

Together, they talk honestly about what they wish more neurodivergent people knew before, during and after separation. They explore why court is not always the route to justice, why mediation can offer a more constructive starting point, and why children’s voices matter - without burdening them with adult choices.

This is a conversation about vulnerability, trauma, power imbalance, family systems, and the particular risks neurodivergent adults can face in relationships and separation. But it is also a conversation about survival, recovery and becoming the person you once needed.

Jannine and Katy speak from scars and bruises, not open wounds, with compassion, honesty and hope for anyone currently navigating a difficult separation or supporting someone who is.

Please note: this episode includes discussion of divorce, abuse, court trauma, family breakdown and children’s distress. It is not legal advice, but it may help you feel less alone and more informed about your options.

Katy's company profile.
https://mediationmattersmidlands.co.uk/team/katy-harris/

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