AuDHD... Or just a bit weird..?

If you haven't listened to A Dopamine Kick yet then what have you been doing?! Sparky & Shell host the awesome podcast A Dopamine Kick and it's one of my favourites. It's a joy to listen to and they were a joy to record with! Today's episode covers all sorts of things and I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed recording it!

Listen to A Dopamine Kick here!

Follow A Dopamine Kick on Instagram here!

Send me your little wins so I can celebrate you on the podcast by either sliding into my DMs ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on⁠⁠ instagram⁠⁠⁠

or email me at [email protected]

Find your local ADHDAF+ peer support group ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Support neurodivergent independent businesses:

Shop at ⁠Born Anxious⁠ using the code AUDHD15 for a special price!

You can help support The Big ADHD Fundraiser by buying a Dave Kirkman hoodie ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Purchase your official hidden disabilities sunflower lanyard ⁠⁠here!⁠

Health anxiety has been something that has monopolized a lot of my thought processes since I was a child and I know many other neurodivergent people who also struggle with this. As my mate Erin is one of those people and she's someone I trust and find it easy to talk to her I knew she was the perfect person to have on the podcast to talk about it, however, our brains had other ideas and at the halfway mark we segued nicely into talking about what makes us happy, learning to allow ourselves to be happy eradicating the shame attached to being drawn to the more traditionally childish and geeky things that we love and that make us super happy!

Enjoy!

For all things Erin related click here!

Send me your little wins so I can celebrate you on the podcast by either sliding into my DMs ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on⁠ instagram⁠⁠

or email me at [email protected]

Support neurodivergent independent businesses:

Shop at Born Anxious using the code AUDHD15 for a special price!

Find your local ADHDAF+ peer support group ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can help support The Big ADHD Fundraiser by buying a Dave Kirkman hoodie ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Purchase your official hidden disabilities sunflower lanyard ⁠here!

There's lots to cram in this week, and you'll notice no Little Wins... I ADHDed big time and read out two week's worth last week so they will be back next week!

This week I have a new dentist and a Sunflower Lanyard update!

Also this week I have the amazing David from NeuroDadsDiary on Instagram on to talk about parenting as a neurodivergent parent and what he's doing to raise awareness of the hidden disabilities sunflower lanyard. Enjoy!

You can follow David's brilliant Instagram here!

Purchase your official hidden disabilities sunflower lanyard here!

Send me your little wins so I can celebrate you on the podcast by either sliding into my DMs ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on instagram⁠

or email me at [email protected]

Find your local ADHDAF+ peer support group ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can help support The Big ADHD Fundraiser by buying a Dave Kirkman hoodie ⁠⁠⁠⁠here!⁠⁠⁠⁠

Approximately 18 billion years ago I had a really good mate called Blair who was a fellow quirky person with an awesome sense of humour and never judged me for being my weirdy self. Over the years we lost touch and I always wondered what became of them... until one day a few weeks ago when Blair turned up in my "people you may know" on Instagram... Without hesitating (naturally impulsive nature anyone?!) I added Blair and got chatting... and would you believe it.... Blair was diagnosed with ADHD 2 days after me!!! I'm thrilled that Blair was happy to come on the podcast so we could catch up and talk about how we are feeling post diagnosis. Please note that this is a very candid chat between two old mates who hadn't seen each other in an age. We cover a ton of topics and I'm so grateful for Blair coming on the podcast to share their story.

Blair is a Scottish vocal coach, lecturer, songwriter and performance artist based in South London. They are the founder and artistic director of Errata, London’s Queerest Choir and collaborates frequently with LGBTQIA+ choirs and vocal groups. Blair is currently studying a PhD, creating cabaret performances and is the mother of all cats.

Send me your little wins so I can celebrate you on the podcast by either sliding into my DMs ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on instagram⁠

or email me at [email protected]

Find your local ADHDAF+ peer support group ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can help support The Big ADHD Fundraiser by buying a Dave Kirkman hoodie ⁠⁠⁠here!⁠⁠⁠

I'm back! Who'd have thunk?! And after leaving season one on a cliffhanger... this week all will be revealed! After a wait of three and a half years, I have finally had my ADHD assessment with Care ADHD. So... what do you reckon? ADHD? Or just a bit weird??

Send me your little wins so I can celebrate you on the podcast by either sliding into my DMs ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on instagram⁠

or email me at [email protected]

Find your local ADHDAF+ peer support group ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can help support The Big ADHD Fundraiser by buying a Dave Kirkman hoodie ⁠⁠here!⁠⁠

Stream Mareya’s awesome EP Glitter Tears ⁠⁠here⁠⁠!

The last time Sam and I recorded together (which was meant to be about sex, relationships and gender) we managed to stay on topic for about 45 minutes and then we pretty much forgot we were recording for the next hour or so and as a Christmas gift here's the "best" bits from that previously unreleased part of that conversation.

Please bear in mind that this is a chat between two good mates who both have a slightly wicked sense of humour so some of the stuff we say should be taken with a pinch of salt.

I'll be back in a couple of weeks to start season 2 and to resolve last episode's cliff-hanger! Until then, I hope you all have the Christmas you need for you.

Send me your little wins so I can celebrate you on the podcast by either sliding into my DMs ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on instagram⁠

or email me at [email protected]

Find your local ADHDAF+ peer support group ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here!⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can help support The Big ADHD Fundraiser by buying a Dave Kirkman hoodie ⁠here!⁠

Stream Mareya’s awesome EP Glitter Tears ⁠here⁠!

So that’s a wrap! Season one has been the most amazing experience. I’ve had some awesome guests, I’ve overshared like my life depends on it, I’ve learned so much and I’ve made some brilliant mates along the way! But like all good first seasons… I’m leaving you on a massive dliffhanger!!!!

Send me your little wins so I can celebrate you on the podcast by either sliding into my DMs ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠

or email me at [email protected]

Find your local ADHDAF+ peer support group ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here!⁠⁠⁠

You can help support The Big ADHD Fundraiser by buying a Dave Kirkman hoodie here!

Stream Mareya’s awesome EP Glitter Tears here!

It's less than a month until Christmas! This can sometimes be a tough time for neurodivergent people, sensory overload, immense amounts of social interaction, opening presents IN FRONT OF PEOPLE!!! 🤮🤮🤮

In this episode I had a great chat with the fantastic Hester Grainger about how her family navigates Christmas and New Year in a neurodivergent household with a variety of different individual needs. We also talk about Hester's experience of the diagnosis process and get distracted by a special guest appearance at the halfway point.... my beautiful cat, Fanny. 🥰

For those of you who don't know...

Hester Grainger is a leading ADHD advocate, international keynote speaker and

neurodiversity consultant, known for her honest, engaging and empowering talks on ADHD

and neurodiversity.

Diagnosed with ADHD at 43, she brings a unique mix of lived experience, professional insight

and storytelling to her work.

With a background in media, broadcasting and communications, Hester began her career at

ITV, working on The Wright Stuff, Loose Women and other daytime shows, before spending

over 20 years in PR, leading campaigns for brands including BMW and Sport Relief. She later

returned to broadcasting with her own BBC radio show and is now a regular contributor on

the radio, in the press and on leading podcasts.

Hester is co-founder of Perfectly Autistic, which she runs with her autistic and ADHD

husband, Kelly. Together they deliver workplace training, coaching and mediation for

organisations including Red Bull Racing, Sony Music, TUI, Marks & Spencer and the NHS.

This year Hester toured the UK visiting 27 theatres with her one-woman show ADHD

Unmasked and was invited to speak at the House of Commons about ADHD.

For all things Hester:

www.perfectlyautistic.co.uk

www.instagram.com/hestersvibe

Thrive membership for women with ADHD

Send me your little wins so I can celebrate you on the podcast by either sliding into my DMs ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠

or email me at [email protected]

Find your local ADHDAF+ peer support group ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here!⁠⁠⁠

Essex-based neurodivergent artist and colour lover, David Kirkman turns the chaos, honesty and lived experience of AuDHD and mental-health ups and downs into bold, positive art that celebrates exactly who we are — fully and unapologetically.

We talked not only about art, and how David found his way to becoming a professional artist, but also labels, David's experience of going through the diagnosis process and getting out of our comfort zones and what that means for us as neurodivergent people.

For all things David:

Check out his Instagram And for more information on how to purchase your very own artwork check out his website

Send me your little wins so I can celebrate you on the podcast by either sliding into my DMs ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠

or email me at [email protected]

Find your local ADHDAF+ peer support group ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here!⁠⁠⁠⁠

Chelsea Webster, or as you may know her The Joy Thief on Instagram, is an autistic advocate who founded The Autism Support Group for autistic adults. Through her platform, she shares honest accounts of her lived experience and provides practical advice for the neurodivergent community. Her advocacy focuses on autism acceptance, authentic representation and fostering connection for those seeking support and community. This week Chelsea and I talk about autistic shutdown and meltdowns which are two things I have really struggled with in the past.

For all things Chelsea:

The Joy Thief Instagram

The Autism Support Group Instagram

The Autism Support Group Website

Send me your little wins so I can celebrate you on the podcast by either sliding into my DMs ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ ⁠

or email me at [email protected]

Find your local ADHDAF+ peer support group ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here!⁠⁠⁠