ADHD &...with Jorie Houlihan

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

ADHD and hobbies: if you start things, lose interest fast, and end up with a closet full of supplies and guilt, this episode is for you. Jorie explains why the pull was never about the hobby, and how to let an interest retire with honors.

In this episode:

• Why the interest is the engine, and what your brain pays out in dopamine (and when it stops)

• What an abandoned planner and a closet full of yarn are really evidence of

• The buy-cheap-first rule that lets a hobby retire with honors when its season ends

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HOLIDAY SOS

Group coaching for the holidays, Early Bird Pricing through Friday, November 6, 2026 and doors close Friday, November 13 at 11:59pm CT. Click here to learn more: Holiday SOS

✓ Rate & Review: If this episode resonated, please follow the show & leave a review here: https://ratethispodcast.com/adhdand

✓ Subscribe to my newsletter and blog on Substack (https://tinyurl.com/3at3eh7b)

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ABOUT THE PODCAST

ADHD &... with Jorie Houlihan is a podcast for women with ADHD who are tired of trying harder and ready to understand how their brain works.

👀 Watch on YouTube: https://bit.ly/4ceN8Sa

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ABOUT JORIE

I'm Jorie Houlihan, ADHD coach for women. I lived with undiagnosed ADHD until age 49. Now I help women like you understand how your brain works so you can build systems that stick and start living up to your full potential with confidence.

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OTHER WAYS TO CONNECT WITH JORIE

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joriehoulihan

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joriehoulihan1/

My Favorite Things!: https://tinyurl.com/4ykszepc

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DISCLAIMER

Jorie Houlihan and the "ADHD &..." podcast are not medical professionals. The information shared in this episode is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding your specific health needs.

Theme music: Jorie Houlihan + GarageBand

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

ADHD masking is exhausting, and for many women, it stems from a deep need to feel safe. Learn how to stop performing perfection.

Many women with ADHD spend their lives carefully curating how they appear to the world, often unaware that this constant performance is a survival mechanism.

In this episode my guest Siamon Emery and I explore the heavy toll of ADHD masking and why it leaves so many of us feeling completely drained. We discuss the intersection of neurodivergent safety and the pressure to fit in, offering a new perspective on why you feel the need to hide your true self.

If you have ever felt like you are constantly on guard or unable to truly relax, this conversation is for you.

Subscribe for weekly insights on how to work with your brain, not against it.

Question to think about - What is one situation where you feel the most pressure to mask?Siamon Emery is a neurosomatic embodiment practitioner and founder of The Embodied Return. He trained in yogic studies at the Bihar School of Yoga in India and is completing a neuroscience certificate at the University of Pennsylvania.

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ABOUT SIAMON EMERY

Siamon Emery is a neurosomatic embodiment practitioner and founder of The Embodied Return. He trained in yogic studies at the Bihar School of Yoga in India and is completing a neuroscience certificate at the University of Pennsylvania. His work sits at the intersection of trauma-informed somatic practice, yoga tradition, and nervous system science.

CONNECT WITH SIAMON

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SiamonEmery

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/siamonemery

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✅ Rate & Review: If this episode resonated, please follow the show & leave a review here: https://ratethispodcast.com/adhdand

✅ Subscribe to my newsletter and blog on Substack (https://tinyurl.com/33z4a5j5)

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ABOUT THE PODCAST

ADHD &... with Jorie Houlihan is a podcast for women with ADHD who are tired of trying harder, and ready to understand how their brain actually works.

👀 Watch on YouTube: https://bit.ly/4ceN8Sa

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ABOUT JORIE

I'm Jorie Houlihan, ADHD coach for women. I lived with undiagnosed ADHD until age 49. Now I help women like you understand how your brain works so you can build systems that actually stick.

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Other Ways to Connect With Jorie

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joriehoulihan

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joriehoulihan1/

My Favorite Things!: https://tinyurl.com/4ykszepc

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Disclaimer:

Jorie Houlihan and the "ADHD &..." podcast are not medical professionals. The information shared in this episode is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding your specific health needs.

Theme music: Jorie Houlihan + GarageBand

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

ADHD sensory overload was never overreacting. Women with ADHD get overstimulated in loud rooms because the brain takes in every input at the same volume: the music, the fluorescent lights, the tag in your shirt. Holding it together in that room is work nobody sees, and this episode explains the bill it leaves behind and how to respond to the signal instead of pushing through.

In this episode:

➜ Why the ADHD brain takes in everything at once (the bouncer at the door of your brain), and why snapping or going quiet was the right size for what was landing on you

➜ The invisible labor of holding it together in loud rooms, and the bill that comes due after: dread, skipped events, the leftover version of you

➜ How to treat overload like hunger: a signal to respond to, not a verdict, and what changes once you catch the first cue

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📩 Get weekly ADHD insights delivered to your inbox: Jorie's Substack and Newsletters

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RATE & REVIEW:

If this episode resonated, please follow the show & leave a review here: https://ratethispodcast.com/adhdand

ABOUT THE PODCAST

ADHD &... with Jorie Houlihan is a podcast for women with ADHD who are tired of trying harder - and ready to understand how their brain works. New episodes drop every week.

You can also 👀 watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@joriehoulihan/podcasts

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Other ways to connect with Jorie:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joriehoulihan

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joriehoulihan1/

My Favorite Things!: https://tinyurl.com/4ykszepc

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Disclaimer: Jorie Houlihan and the "ADHD &..." podcast are not medical professionals. The information shared in this episode is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding your specific health needs.

Theme music: Jorie Houlihan + GarageBand

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

One year of ADHD & with Jorie Houlihan. What a year of weekly podcasting taught me about ADHD burnout, perfectionism, all or nothing thinking, and the difference between what you're capable of and what you have capacity for. If you're a woman with ADHD who has ever overdone it to prove you're not lazy, this one's for you.

In this episode:

• Why women with ADHD tend to completely overdo it

• All or nothing thinking and the system I didn't throw out

• Capable vs. capacity: the lesson I'm taking into year two

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✅ Rate & Review: If this episode resonated, please follow the show & leave a review here: https://ratethispodcast.com/adhdand

✅ Subscribe to my newsletter and blog on Substack

─────────

ABOUT THE PODCAST

ADHD &... with Jorie Houlihan is a podcast for women with ADHD who are tired of trying harder, and ready to understand how their brain actually works.

👀 Watch on YouTube: [link coming once Jorie provides it]

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ABOUT JORIE

I'm Jorie Houlihan, ADHD coach for women. I lived with undiagnosed ADHD until age 49. Now I help women like you understand how your brain works so you can build systems that actually stick, and start living up to your full potential with confidence.

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Other Ways to Connect With Jorie

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joriehoulihan

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joriehoulihan1/

My Favorite Things!: https://tinyurl.com/4ykszepc

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Disclaimer:

Jorie Houlihan and the "ADHD &..." podcast are not medical professionals. The information shared in this episode is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding your specific health needs.

Theme music: Jorie Houlihan + GarageBand

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

ADHD and somatic movement: 19-year movement professional Kira Macoun explains how tuning into your body can calm an ADHD brain, release tension you didn't know you were holding, and make stillness feel possible, even if meditation has never worked for you.

If you've tried every meditation app and concluded you're just bad at stillness, this conversation is for you. Kira spent years breaking down in tears trying to meditate "the right way," until one winter night in a parked car in Chicago taught her that calm can start in the body, not the mind. That moment set her on the path to clinical somatic movement, and in this episode she makes it practical for ADHD brains.

IN THIS EPISODE:

- The parked car story that finally made meditation click for Kira, and what somatic movement is in plain words

- Hanna Somatics and pandiculation: contracting into tension so your brain learns how to let it go, plus the stress reflexes and why stretching alone doesn't work

- ADHD in daily life: meltdowns, racing thoughts, and the movement tools (dancing, movement breaks) that help, plus what a general anxiety disorder diagnosis reframed

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CONNECT WITH KIRA:

Website: comfyfitness.com (now)

Instagram: @comfy_fitness

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📩 Get weekly ADHD insights delivered to your inbox: Jorie's Substack and Newsletters

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RATE & REVIEW

If this episode resonated, please follow the show & leave a review here: https://ratethispodcast.com/adhdand

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ABOUT THE SHOW

ADHD &... with Jorie Houlihan is a podcast for women with ADHD who are tired of trying harder and ready to understand how their brain works. New episodes drop every week.

You can also 👀 watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@joriehoulihan/podcasts

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Disclaimer: Jorie Houlihan and the "ADHD &..." podcast are not medical professionals. The information shared in this episode is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding your specific health needs.

Theme music: Jorie Houlihan + GarageBand

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

Ever felt a wave of relief wash over you after a long-awaited diagnosis, only to be met with unexpected grief? In this eye-opening episode, Jorie Houlihan, an ADHD life coach and late-diagnosed ADHD advocate, shares what it was really like to receive an ADHD diagnosis at 49. Discover how the initial joy of understanding her unique brain morphed into a profound sense of loss for the years spent feeling misunderstood and unrecognized.

Jorie dives deep into the complexities of navigating life with ADHD, highlighting the unique challenges women face when diagnosed later in life. You'll uncover the hidden layers of grief that accompany such realizations. She explains, "I wasn't grieving the diagnosis. I was grieving the woman who lived 49 years with a brain that nobody could see or understand." This powerful insight resonates with anyone who has felt the weight of unrecognized struggles.

In this episode, you'll discover:

➜ The emotional rollercoaster of receiving a late ADHD diagnosis and how it can feel like a mix of relief and sorrow.

➜ What to expect when the grief hits and why it’s a normal part of the experience.

➜ What the grief is for, and one way to look at your past as a symptom, not a verdict

Left unaddressed, this grief quietyly feeds the self-doubt so many women already carry. Jorie’s insights not only validate these experiences but also empower listeners to meet themselves with compassion and understanding.

This episode is for anyone navigating the complexities of ADHD, especially women seeking connection and validation. Join Jorie as she redefines grief in the context of ADHD and offers a lifeline to those who have felt alone in their struggles. Tune in now to uncover what your grief has been trying to tell you and find the freedom to embrace your unique brain!

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📩 Get weekly ADHD insights delivered to your inbox: Jorie's Substack and Newsletters

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RATE & REVIEW:

If this episode resonated, please follow the show & leave a review here: https://ratethispodcast.com/adhdand

ABOUT THE PODCAST

ADHD &... with Jorie Houlihan is a podcast for women with ADHD who are tired of trying harder - and ready to understand how their brain works. New episodes drop every week.

You can also 👀 watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@joriehoulihan/podcasts

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Other ways to connect with Jorie:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joriehoulihan

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joriehoulihan1/

My Favorite Things!: https://tinyurl.com/4ykszepc

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Disclaimer: Jorie Houlihan and the "ADHD &..." podcast are not medical professionals. The information shared in this episode is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding your specific health needs.

Theme music: Jorie Houlihan + GarageBand

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

The unanswered text sits there getting heavier every time you see the bold name in your messages. It's been three weeks. If that's you, ADHD is not flakiness, and this episode sees you. You've written the reply at least six times in your head.

In this episode:

➜ Why a ten-second text becomes twelve decisions in an ADHD brain, and why I call it the Activation Wall

➜ The unsent reply trap, and why "I'll reply when I can do it right" is a window that never opens

➜ The two-line reply that does the repair and makes the plan, plus when a real apology is owed vs. a light one

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📩 Get weekly ADHD insights delivered to your inbox: Jorie's Substack and Newsletters

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RATE & REVIEW:

If this episode resonated, please follow the show & leave a review here: https://ratethispodcast.com/adhdand

───────────

ABOUT THE PODCAST

ADHD &... with Jorie Houlihan is a podcast for women with ADHD who are tired of trying harder - and ready to understand how their brain works. New episodes drop every week.

You can also 👀 watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@joriehoulihan/podcasts

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Other ways to connect with Jorie:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joriehoulihan

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joriehoulihan1/

My Favorite Things!: https://tinyurl.com/4ykszepc

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Disclaimer: Jorie Houlihan and the "ADHD &..." podcast are not medical professionals. The information shared in this episode is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding your specific health needs.

Theme music: Jorie Houlihan + GarageBand

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

If hosting with ADHD makes you want to cancel before the doorbell even rings, this episode is your permission slip to make it smaller. Karen Kaplan and Jen McKinney of A Little More Special join Jorie to break entertaining down into pieces that actually fit an ADHD brain: go-to rituals for beating overwhelm, how to stop over-buying food every time, and the mindset shift that makes "good enough" hosting feel like plenty.

In this episode: ➜ Why "good enough" hosting beats perfect hosting every time ➜ Go-to rituals and checklists that make entertaining feel doable instead of overwhelming ➜ The kitchen hacks and food-buying rules that take the guesswork out of hosting

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CONNECT WITH KAREN & JEN:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alittlemorespecial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_littlemorespecial/

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/alittlemorespecial

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📩 Get weekly ADHD insights delivered to your inbox: Jorie's Substack and Newsletters

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RATE & REVIEW:

If this episode resonated, please follow the show & leave a review here: https://ratethispodcast.com/adhdand

ABOUT THE PODCAST

ADHD &... with Jorie Houlihan is a podcast for women with ADHD who are tired of trying harder and ready to understand how their brain works. New episodes drop every week.

You can also 👀 watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@joriehoulihan/podcasts

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Other ways to connect with Jorie:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joriehoulihan

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joriehoulihan1/

My Favorite Things!: https://tinyurl.com/4ykszepc

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Disclaimer: Jorie Houlihan and the "ADHD &..." podcast are not medical professionals. The information shared in this episode is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding your specific health needs.

Theme music: Jorie Houlihan + GarageBand

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

ADHD and learned helplessness go together more than most women realize. In this episode, Jorie breaks down why trying can start to feel pointless, and how self-awareness becomes the bridge back to believing progress is possible.

In this episode:

➜ Why learned helplessness shows up so often in ADHD women, even when you are trying hard

➜ The difference between “nothing works for me” and “I have not found what works for me yet”

➜ How self-awareness becomes the bridge that turns learned helplessness into forward movement

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📩 Get weekly ADHD insights delivered to your inbox, Jorie's Substack and Newsletters: https://tinyurl.com/33z4a5j5

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Rate and Review

If this episode resonated, please follow the show and leave a review here: https://ratethispodcast.com/adhdand

About the Podcast

ADHD &... with Jorie Houlihan is a podcast for women with ADHD who are tired of trying harder - and ready to understand how their brain works. New episodes drop every week.

👀 You can also watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@joriehoulihan/podcasts

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Other Ways to Connect with Jorie

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joriehoulihan

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joriehoulihan1/

My Favorite Things!: https://tinyurl.com/4ykszepc

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This episode originally aired January 6, 2026.

Disclaimer: Jorie Houlihan and the “ADHD &...” podcast are not medical professionals. The information shared in this episode is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding your specific health needs.

Theme music: Jorie Houlihan + GarageBand

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

Carolyn Mallon is a psychiatric nurse practitioner who treats women with ADHD, and her own late ADHD diagnosis didn't come until she was 28, more than a decade after dropping out of high school undiagnosed.

She's now the founder of Balanced Mental Health, a neurodivergent-affirming practice in Concord, New Hampshire. In this episode, Carolyn and Jorie talk about why ADHD medication gets dismissed as a crutch, the misconceptions that keep high-functioning women from ever getting evaluated, and why ADHD symptoms often get worse during perimenopause. Carolyn also shares how her own diagnosis changed the path for her two kids, and the practical strategies she uses with her patients and in her own life.

In this episode:

1. Why ADHD medication isn't a crutch, and what it's really treating
2. The misconceptions that keep high-functioning women from getting diagnosed
3. Why ADHD symptoms often get worse during perimenopause

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CONNECT WITH CAROLYN:

Website: https://balancementalhealth.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/balancementalhealthnh/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/balancementalhealthnh/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BalanceMentalHealthNH

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📩 Get weekly ADHD insights delivered to your inbox: Jorie's Substack and Newsletters

───────────

RATE & REVIEW:

If this episode resonated, please follow the show & leave a review here: https://ratethispodcast.com/adhdand

───────────

ABOUT THE PODCAST

ADHD &... with Jorie Houlihan is a podcast for women with ADHD who are tired of trying harder - and ready to understand how their brain works. New episodes drop every week.

You can also 👀 watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@joriehoulihan/podcasts

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Other ways to connect with Jorie:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joriehoulihan

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joriehoulihan1/

My Favorite Things!: https://tinyurl.com/4ykszepc

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Disclaimer: Jorie Houlihan and the “ADHD &...” podcast are not medical professionals. The information shared in this episode is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding your specific health needs.

Theme music: Jorie Houlihan + GarageBand