ADHDifference

Julie Legg welcomes Chris Loper, a Habit Coach and educator, to explore how lasting change starts with brain health, not just willpower. Chris shares his own late-ADHD diagnosis journey and the pivotal realisations that followed, including how lifestyle foundations like sleep, nutrition, and movement support focus, emotional regulation, and motivation.

From designing a brain-friendly morning routine to building focus with what Chris calls “bicep curls for the brain,” this conversation is full of accessible strategies and grounded encouragement for anyone looking to thrive with ADHD. So, whether you're newly diagnosed, supporting someone with ADHD, or looking to build better habits without brute force, this conversation is full of permission, strategy, and hope.

Key Points from the Episode

• Chris’s personal journey to ADHD diagnosis in adulthood
• Why lifestyle, not just medication, is foundational for ADHD brains
• The critical role of sleep, nutrition, and movement in managing symptoms
• How improving brain health impacts focus, motivation, and emotional resilience
• The problem with relying on “brute force” and how strategy changes the game
• Why he calls focus “bicep curls for the brain” and how to train it sustainably
• Morning routines that prioritise cognitive fuel and reduce stress
• Coaching lessons from working with students, adults, and parents
• Rethinking ADHD through an evolutionary and strengths-based lens
• Encouragement for those newly diagnosed or feeling stuck

Links

• WEBSITE: Becoming Better
• WEBSITE: Smart College Habits
• LINKEDIN: Chris Loper 
• FACEBOOK: We Are Becoming Better

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🌐 WEBSITE: ADHDifference.nz  
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 ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or ADHDifference. Read More

Julie Legg chats with Kiwi screenwriter, actor, and pro wrestling commentator Steve McCleary, best known for his work on Power Rangers.  Steve reflects on his late ADHD diagnosis, tracing the thread from misunderstood childhood behaviours to the clarity that came in adulthood. He shares his pure joy for plot dynamics, his love of the creative process, how he’s redefined success, and how understanding his neurodivergence has reshaped his approach to writing, perspective, and living fully. 

This conversation is a must-listen for anyone exploring diagnosis later in life, those in creative industries, or anyone seeking permission to love what they love, unapologetically.

Key Points from the Episode

• Steve’s journey to adult ADHD diagnosis
• How childhood trauma often masks neurodivergence
• The "brake pad" metaphor and the crash of coping mechanisms
• Why Power Rangers was the perfect ADHD job
• Inside the world of ADR, monster voices, and hyper-creative TV writing
• Wrestling, dopamine, and finding your tribe
• Managing distraction and burnout with intentional creative rituals
• Redefining success and choosing joy over judgement
• Encouragement for newly diagnosed creatives navigating ADHD 

Links

• LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mccleary-9a649ba3/
• WEBSITE: https://proofreadernz.com/ 
• X: https://x.com/SJMcCleary
• INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/stevejmccleary/?hl=en 

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🌐 WEBSITE: ADHDifference.nz  
📷 INSTAGRAM: ADHDifference_podcast
▶️ YOUTUBE: @adhdifference
🎙️ YOUR HOST: JulieLegg.nz

 ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or ADHDifference. Read More

Julie Legg is joined by Justine Munro, CEO of the Neurodiversity In Education Project in New Zealand. Justine brings passion, strategic insight, and a deep commitment to reimagining inclusive education. She shares her late ADHD diagnosis journey, the challenges facing neurodivergent learners, and the powerful programs being rolled out across New Zealand to ensure that every student, regardless of how their brain works, feels seen, supported, and celebrated. 

From practical strategies and resources for educators to mindset shifts around self-understanding and kindness, this episode is packed with empowering ideas for anyone raising, teaching, or working alongside neurodivergent young people. 

Key Points from the Episode: 

• Justine’s late diagnosis and how it reshaped her understanding of herself and her family 
• The mission of the Neurodiversity In Education Project and why it matters now more than ever 
• Why traditional education systems fail to support neurodivergent learners and what needs to change 
• The importance of celebrating brain differences rather than treating them as deficits 
• How programs like Mind Plus and Clubs help neurodivergent learners thrive socially, emotionally, and intellectually 
• Why empowering teachers (not overburdening them) is key to systemic change 
• Justine’s personal strategies: curiosity, collaboration, self-compassion, and the game-changing power of neuroplasticity

Links:

LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justine-munro/  

LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/neurodiversity-in-education-project/ 

WEBSITE: https://www.neurodiversity.org.nz/ 

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/neurodiversity.org.nz 

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/neurodiversitynz/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/yncnz/ 

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/youngneurodiversitychampions/ 

TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@youngndchampions 

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Thanks for listening. 

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🌐 WEBSITE: ADHDifference.nz  
📷 INSTAGRAM: ADHDifference_podcast
▶️ YOUTUBE: @adhdifference
🎙️ YOUR HOST: JulieLegg.nz

 ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or ADHDifference. Read More

Julie Legg welcomes Colin McIntosh, a serial entrepreneur best known as the founder of Sheets & Giggles and co-creator of the AI-powered tool sheetsresume.com. Colin shares his late ADHD diagnosis story, how it shaped his work ethic and personal strategies, and the unfiltered realities of building multiple businesses while navigating ADHD.

Colin talks about the highs (hyperfocus and creativity) and lows (distraction and dopamine traps) of ADHD entrepreneurship. From his 3am work sprints to self-imposed deadlines and ditching morning meetings altogether, Colin offers practical, real-world advice for anyone building a business with an ADHD brain.

Key Points from the Episode

• Colin’s unexpected journey to a late ADHD diagnosis
• How ADHD shaped his path as a multi-time entrepreneur
• The behind-the-scenes story of building Sheets & Giggles
• Why traditional structures don’t work for ADHD brains
• Creative ways Colin works with his ADHD, not against it
• What makes ADHD brains thrive in startup life
• Colin’s refreshing take on failure, dopamine, and distraction
• The surprising role Reddit played in launching his side hustle
• Why mission-driven business fuels sustainable focus
• Encouragement for ADHDers who are just getting started

Links

• LINKEDIN: Colin D McIntosh
• WEBSITE: Sheets & Giggles   
• AI RESUME BUILDER: SheetsResume.com
• PODCAST: Sheet Talk  

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🌐 WEBSITE: ADHDifference.nz  
📷 INSTAGRAM: ADHDifference_podcast
▶️ YOUTUBE: @adhdifference
🎙️ YOUR HOST: JulieLegg.nz

 ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or ADHDifference. Read More

Julie Legg speaks with Angela Harvey – a social worker, facilitator, speaker, author, poet, filmmaker, and founder of Let’s Talk University. Angela reflects on her late ADHD diagnosis, the shame she once felt about medication, and how embracing her neurodivergence has sparked a creative explosion in her 50s.

Angela shares her evolving relationship with productivity, identity, and purpose, weaving in stories of her award-winning film, her self-help poetry book, and her unapologetic approach to living out loud.

Key Points from the Episode:

• Angela’s journey to a late ADHD diagnosis and the pivotal moment medication changed her self-perception
• Why shame, not ADHD, was the real obstacle 
• The power of self-embrace and how Angela customises her days to honour her neurodivergent strengths
• How ADHD has fuelled her creativity and led to projects like her documentary Black Rainbow Love and poetry/self-help book
• Angela’s mindset of “healing in public” and encouraging others to talk openly about their neurodivergence
• The origin of her identity as a “Growthologist”: someone who helps grown folks grow up
• Encouragement for newly diagnosed individuals to define success on their own terms

Links:

• LINKEDIN: Angie Harvey Speaks
• WEBSITE: Angie Harvey Speaks
• EXHIBITION: Head of Statements
• FILM: Black Rainbow Love
• INSTAGRAM: AngieHarveySpeaks
• FACEBOOK: AHarveySpeaks
• YOUTUBE: AngieHarveySpeaks

Send us Fan Mail

Thanks for listening. 

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🌐 WEBSITE: ADHDifference.nz  
📷 INSTAGRAM: ADHDifference_podcast
▶️ YOUTUBE: @adhdifference
🎙️ YOUR HOST: JulieLegg.nz

 ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or ADHDifference. Read More

Julie Legg welcomes Dr. Alise Murray – a clinical psychologist and life coach. With over 20 years of experience supporting adults with ADHD and a background working with highly sensitive people, Alise brings both professional expertise and deep compassion to the conversation. 

Together, she and Julie explore what makes ADHD management feel emotionally complex, how to navigate real-world challenges like time management, emotional regulation, and people-pleasing, all while honouring the unique wiring of our brains. 

From productivity tips to mindset shifts, this episode offers both encouragement and practical tools for anyone struggling to make life work with their ADHD, not against it.

Key Points from the Episode:

• Alise’s background and entry into ADHD work
• Understanding high sensitivity (HSP) and how it overlaps with traits often seen in ADHDers
• Rejection Sensitivity & Emotional Regulation: why emotional overwhelm is so common in ADHD and how repeated criticism and internalised shame play a role.
• The “Prior 10” Life Management System: Alise’s flexible planning method designed specifically for neurodivergent thinkers who don’t fit into traditional, linear productivity systems
• Why many ADHD-friendly tools fail: a critique of overly rigid organisational methods and how they overlook emotional and motivational components
• “You can’t live a meaningful life without disappointing people sometimes”: a powerful mindset shift Alise shares to help ADHDers set boundaries and communicate with grace
• Dealing with low motivation 
• Turning shame into self-celebration
• Alise’s upcoming group coaching program, STAND, which supports ADHDers with planning, communication, motivation, and follow-through

Links:

• LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alise-murray-454238a8/  
• INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/dralisem/ 
• PRIOR 10: https://www.dr-alise.com/ 
• STAND WAITLIST: https://www.dr-alise.com/stand-waitlist
• PODCAST: https://yourprioritycenteredlife.buzzsprout.com

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Thanks for listening. 

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🌐 WEBSITE: ADHDifference.nz  
📷 INSTAGRAM: ADHDifference_podcast
▶️ YOUTUBE: @adhdifference
🎙️ YOUR HOST: JulieLegg.nz

 ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or ADHDifference. Read More

Julie Legg sits down with Shelby Dennis, a freelance copywriter turned ADHD-friendly business coach. Shelby shares her journey from corporate frustration to entrepreneurial freedom, following a late ADHD diagnosis that helped reframe years of feeling “too much” in traditional work environments.

Now coaching other neurodivergent freelancers, Shelby brings lived wisdom to what it means to build a business that works with your ADHD brain. From questioning conventional business advice to designing creative systems, this conversation is packed with real talk for ADHDers trying to carve their own path.

Key Points from the Episode:

• Shelby’s diagnosis journey and how recurring feedback at work helped her realise she wasn’t “broken”, just wired differently.
• Why traditional business advice often fails ADHDers.
• How to harness ADHD strengths in business, especially intuition, creativity, and rapid adaptability.
• The power of mindset: reframing “failures”. 
• The whiteboard system Shelby learned from her dad, breaking tasks into small steps and time-tagging them to combat time blindness and overwhelm.
• Managing scattered ideas so you can build momentum without losing sight of bigger dreams.
• Creating emotionally intelligent business communities for ADHD freelancers and shame-free support.
• A powerful reframe for neurodivergent entrepreneurs: What if there’s nothing wrong with you and everything wrong with the systems you’ve been trying to fit into?

Links: 

LINKED IN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelbydenniscopywriter/

SHELBY DENNIS WEBSITE: https://www.freelancermindset.com/

FREELANCE WITHOUT FILTERS: https://www.skool.com/freelance-without-filters-4974/about?ref=30e789474b3e4f13b956b3c7a355866c

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Thanks for listening. 

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🌐 WEBSITE: ADHDifference.nz  
📷 INSTAGRAM: ADHDifference_podcast
▶️ YOUTUBE: @adhdifference
🎙️ YOUR HOST: JulieLegg.nz

 ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or ADHDifference. Read More

Julie Legg is joined by Jel Legg, a multi-disciplinary creative whose life has moved through a remarkable series of reinventions - from engineering and web development to professional music production. Diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 55, Jel reflects on how his late diagnosis brought not just relief, but deep validation for a lifetime of curiosity, burnout, and non-linear success.

With humour and insight, Jel shares how understanding his neurodivergence helped him give himself permission to live differently - to reconnect with childhood passions, prioritise joy over productivity, and make peace with his ADHD brain.

Key Points from the Episode:

• Jel’s ADHD diagnosis at 55 and the clarity it brought to his lifelong pattern of reinvention
• How burnout, especially after intense periods of creative or technical work, has shaped his career transitions
• The role of music and creativity as both outlet and lifeline
• Returning to childhood joys (like model railways) as a form of healing and self-connection
• Why ADHD brains often need novelty, movement, and autonomy to thrive
• The importance of stepping away from systems that aren’t designed for neurodivergent minds
• Jel’s reflections on time blindness, executive dysfunction, and self-compassion
• How self-awareness helped him stop trying to “fix” himself and start honouring what works
• His message for others diagnosed later in life: “You’re not broken. You’re just wired differently. And that wiring is brilliant.”

Links:

OLDER WEBSITE: https://older.co.nz/

STUDIO 109: https://studio109.co.nz/

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Thanks for listening. 

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🌐 WEBSITE: ADHDifference.nz  
📷 INSTAGRAM: ADHDifference_podcast
▶️ YOUTUBE: @adhdifference
🎙️ YOUR HOST: JulieLegg.nz

 ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or ADHDifference. Read More

Julie Legg is joined by Randi-Lee Bowslaugh, a Canadian author, former competitive kickboxer, and mental health advocate. Diagnosed with autism later in life, Randi-Lee brings clarity to the lived and shared experiences that often fall between diagnostic cracks - emotional regulation struggles, sensory sensitivities, people-pleasing, and chronic exhaustion from masking.

This conversation highlights a growing reality: many women are missed, misdiagnosed, or misunderstood when it comes to ADHD and/or autism diagnosis. This episode is an, insightful listen for anyone exploring where they may sit on the neurodivergent spectrum - especially those who resonate with both ADHD and autism traits.

Key Points from the Episode:

• How a child’s diagnosis can be a mirror. Randi-Lee only began to explore her own neurodivergence after advocating for her daughter
• The overlapping traits of ADHD and autism in women, including:
  • Emotional overwhelm
  • Sensory sensitivities (noise, texture, unexpected touch)
  • Social burnout and masking
  • Executive dysfunction hidden behind high achievement
• Why so many women go undiagnosed due to people-pleasing, perfectionism, and internalised expectations
• Routines as lifelines – Randi-Lee shares how disrupting even small routines can completely throw off her sense of calm
• Her experience with depression, misdiagnosis, and the importance of treating co-occurring conditions alongside neurodivergence
• Creativity as expression and therapy – from writing books to producing an indie film based on her brother’s mental health journey
• A powerful reminder that “being different doesn’t mean being broken”

Links: 

• LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randileebowslaugh/ 
• WEBSITE: http://www.rbwriting.ca
• AMAZON: https://amzn.to/3LNbuCy
• YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSTmVQUW8K8r1sBDchLyTwA?sub_confirmation=1
• FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/rbwriting
• INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/randileebowslaugh
• TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@randileebowslaugh

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🌐 WEBSITE: ADHDifference.nz  
📷 INSTAGRAM: ADHDifference_podcast
▶️ YOUTUBE: @adhdifference
🎙️ YOUR HOST: JulieLegg.nz

 ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or ADHDifference. Read More

Julie Legg chats with Greer Jones, a UK-based podcast host, neurodiversity advocate, and founder of the Unfinished Idea community - a space dedicated to supporting parents raising neurodivergent children.

As a mum to a son with autism and ADHD, and part of a neurodivergent couple herself, Greer brings deeply lived insight to the realities of navigating education, diagnosis, and daily life as a neurodivergent family. In this heartfelt and powerful conversation, she shares how her son’s diagnosis led to her own late ADHD diagnosis, the challenges of advocacy in the UK system, and the collective power of community-driven change.

Key Points from the Episode:

• Greer’s dual journey navigating her son's ADHD and autism diagnosis, which ultimately led to her own realisation and diagnosis of ADHD in adulthood.
• The emotional impact of late diagnosis, including reframing the past and the freedom that comes with understanding.
• Challenges of the UK system – navigating the Right to Choose for assessment, and the massive inconsistencies in support services across schools and regions.
• How the Unfinished Idea podcast and community began, providing connection and visibility for parents navigating similar paths.
• Grassroots activism at its best – Greer’s role in organising a national rally in front of UK Parliament to protest the broken EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan) system.
• The power of collective voice, as hundreds of parents and allies joined the movement to call for change in the UK’s education support system.
• Strategies that support her own neurodivergent brain, including written instructions over verbal ones, and grounding techniques using sensory awareness.
• A powerful message to parents of newly diagnosed children: “You’re not alone. Your child isn’t lazy. And you’re not a bad parent.”

Links:

• INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/theunfinishedidea/ 
• WEBSITE: https://www.theunfinishedidea.com 
• RIGHT TO CHOOSE: https://adhduk.co.uk/right-to-choose/

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Thanks for listening. 

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🌐 WEBSITE: ADHDifference.nz  
📷 INSTAGRAM: ADHDifference_podcast
▶️ YOUTUBE: @adhdifference
🎙️ YOUR HOST: JulieLegg.nz

 ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or ADHDifference. Read More