What happens when the symptoms of perimenopause collide with neurodivergence? Many women find themselves struggling with brain fog, overwhelm, forgetfulness, emotional sensitivity, anxiety, sensory challenges, and executive function difficulties—often wondering, "What's happening to me?"

In this episode of Empowering Exceptional Minds, host Maayan Glaser-Koren sits down with Kara Cruz, MA, LMFT, PMH-C, EMDRIA Certified Therapist™, to explore the often-overlooked intersection of neurodiversity and perimenopause. Together, they discuss how hormonal changes can impact ADHD, autism, executive functioning, sensory processing, emotional regulation, and overall well-being.

Whether you're navigating perimenopause yourself, supporting a loved one, or working with neurodivergent individuals, this episode provides valuable insights, validation, and practical strategies.

In this episode, we discuss:

Why ADHD and autistic traits may become more noticeable during perimenopause

The impact of hormonal fluctuations on attention, memory, and emotional regulation

Brain fog, executive dysfunction, and sensory overwhelm

Anxiety, mood changes, and self-compassion during midlife

Strategies for managing symptoms and advocating for support

The importance of understanding the unique experiences of neurodivergent women

About Our Guest:

Kara Cruz, MA, LMFT, PMH-C, EMDRIA Certified Therapist™ is a licensed therapist specializing in women's mental health, perinatal mental health, trauma treatment, and neurodivergent-affirming care. She brings a compassionate and evidence-based perspective to helping women navigate major life transitions, including perimenopause and menopause.

Please Note:

We experienced unexpected technical difficulties during this recording, and the host's audio may sound somewhat muffled at times. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding. Despite the audio challenges, this conversation is packed with valuable information and insights that we hope you'll find

https://www.karacruz.com/

https://www.acog.org/

https://menopause.org/

Books:

The Female Brain by Dr. Louann Brizendine M.D.

The Galveston Diet by Dr. Mary Claire Haver, M.D.

The Hormone Shift: Balance Your Body and Thrive Through Midlife and Menopause by Tasneem Bhatia, M.D.

Mayo Clinic The Menopause Solution by Stephanie S. Faubion, M.D.

The Menopause Manifesto by Dr. Jen Gunter, M.D.

The Upgrade: How the Female Brain Gets Stronger and Better in Midlife and Beyond by Dr. Louann Brizendine M.D.

What Fresh Hell is This by Heather Corinna

You Are Not Broken by Dr. Kelly Casperson, M.D.

What if overeating wasn't about laziness or a lack of self-control?

In this episode of Empowering Exceptional Minds, host, Maayan Glaser-Koren, sits down with Kamy Mousavi, founder of Step Together. Kamy shares his powerful journey from immigrating to Canada to struggling with bullying, body shame, and bulimia—only to discover his relationship with food was rooted in undiagnosed ADHD and unmet emotional needs.

Together, we unpack why the ADHD brain turns to food for comfort, stimulation, and regulation, moving past blame to look at the deeper signals behind the behavior.

We discuss:

• The Dopamine Hunt: How impulsivity and emotional dysregulation drive ADHD eating habits.

• The Shame Cycle: Why strict diets, restriction, and food labeling always backfire.

• More Than Picky Eating: Recognizing when food patterns are driven by genuine emotional distress, loneliness, or anxiety.

• Parenting Shifts: Moving away from unintentional traps and toward root-cause healing.

• Signals vs. Flaws: Why excess weight or screen overuse are communications, not character flaws.

If you’ve ever wondered if your child's eating habits are about more than just food, this compassionate conversation will completely shift your perspective.

About Our Guest:Kamy Mousavi is the founder of Step Together, an organization dedicated to helping families understand the emotional and neurological factors behind childhood overeating and weight struggles. Learn more: https://steptogether.us/

⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussions of eating disorders, bullying, body shame, and suicidal thoughts. Please listen with car

What does it take to turn a big idea into a finished book — especially when your brain won't cooperate? This week we're joined by Rochelle Melander Row-SHELL MUH-lander, an ADHD-trained certified professional coach and bestselling author of Level Up: Quests to Master Mindset, Overcome Procrastination and Increase Productivity and the award-winning children's book Mightier Than the Sword: Rebels, Reformers, and Revolutionaries Who Changed the World through Writing.

Rochelle helps writers, creatives, and entrepreneurs cut through distraction, beat procrastination, and build a sustainable writing life — whether they're crafting their first book or navigating the twists of the publishing world. She's also the founder of Dream Keepers, a writing workshop that gives young people the tools to find their voice and share their stories.

In this conversation, we talk about her journey to becoming a writing and ADHD coach, how she works with kids who hate writing, what her book Mightier Than the Sword can do for classrooms and families, and how she helps adults do the deep, focused work that books — and careers — demand.

Learn more at writenowcoach.com.

https://a.co/d/05iFOQQZ

https://a.co/d/03j7pZxN

For many families, the idea of medication can feel overwhelming, confusing, and even frightening. In this candid and compassionate conversation, Maayan Glaser-Koren sits down with psychiatrist Dr. Sir Norman Melancon to explore the realities of treating OCD and ADHD.

Together, they unpack common myths about psychiatric medications, discuss when medication may be helpful, and explain how treatment decisions are made. Dr. Melancon shares his expertise on balancing risks and benefits, addressing parental concerns, and helping children, teens, and adults access the support they need to thrive.

Whether you're a parent navigating a new diagnosis, an adult considering treatment, or a professional supporting individuals with OCD and ADHD, this episode offers practical insights, evidence-based information, and reassurance that seeking help is a sign of strength—not weakness.

Join us as we work to remove stigma, replace fear with understanding, and empower families to make informed decisions about mental health care.

Dr. Sir Norman Melancon

Board-Certified Psychiatrist

https://www.drsirpsych.com/

https://www.mindmeetsmedicine.com/

https://www.instagram.com/mindmeetsmedicine_pod?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D

What does it actually cost to fit in?

In this episode, we sit down with Kory Andreas, LCSW-C — a clinical social worker, autism and neurodivergent specialist, late-diagnosedautistic adult, and founder of Unmasking Retreats — who brings over 20 years of experience in education and clinical practice to a conversation that is long overdue.

We talk about what masking is, why autistic individuals do itfrom a very young age, and the invisible toll it takes over a lifetime. Kory helps us understand why a child who looks like they are "doing fine" at school might be quietly exhausted — and what autistic burnout really looks like when it is misread as anxiety or depression.

We also explore self-advocacy in the workplace, how maskingshows up in relationships and families, and what it takes to truly unmask — not just as a concept, but as a lived practice.

Whether you are a parent, educator, clinician, partner, orsomeone who has spent years wondering why the world feels just a little harderfor you than it seems to for everyone else — this episode is for you.

In this episode:

• What masking is and when it begins 
• The hidden cost of masking across a lifetime
• How autistic burnout differs from general burnout or depression
• Early warning signs parents and educators should know

• Self-advocacy skills and how to build them early
•  Masking in neurodiverse relationships  
• The Unmasking Retreats experience

Find Kory: https://koryandreas.com/

Can you be highly successful, deeply creative, and still struggle with the day-to-day demands of executive dysfunction? Absolutely.

In this episode of Empowering Exceptional Minds, we are joined by the multi-talented Dr. John Severino, PsyD—CFO, compliance consultant, professional percussionist, and founder of MyAdultADHDCoach.com. Dr. Severino bridges the gap between the corporate world and neurodiversity coaching to explain how ADHD shows up in the workplace, from both the employee and employer perspectives.

In this episode, we explore:

• The Late-Stage Diagnosis: The common workplace signs that lead adults to realize they might have ADHD.

• The Strengths & Struggles: Overlooked ADHD superpowers in business versus the realities of executive function challenges.

• Practical Strategies: Realistic, day-to-day hacks for managing time, priorities, and overwhelming workloads.

• The HR Conversation: How to confidently approach managers regarding accommodations without the shame.

• Corporate Culture: What fast-paced companies (especially in tech) need to do to support and retain neurodivergent talent.

Whether you are an employee trying to find your footing, a manager looking to better support your team, or a late-diagnosed adult looking to ditch the shame, this conversation is packed with actionable insights.

Connect with Dr. Severino:

• Visit: MyAdultADHDCoach.com

• Join the community: CatholicADHDCoach on Facebook

  [email protected]

Loved this episode? Leave us a 5-star review on Spotify and share this episode with a colleague or friend!

What does school look like when it's built around a child's brilliance instead of their gaps? Sam Young, M.Ed. — Founder of Young Scholars Academy, two-time Fulbright Scholar, TEDx speaker, and neurodivergent educator — joins us to talk about what it really takes to educate gifted, twice-exceptional, and neurodivergent learners well. Sam shares his personal path into education, the philosophy behind his strengths-based virtual learning community, and what lesson planning looks like when you start with a student's passions and talents instead of their deficits. If you work with, love, or were once a kid who felt like school wasn't designed for you — this one is for you.

🔗 youngscholarsacademy.org

Families can use code YSAMAAYAN10 to save 10%

What really happens behind the scenes when a school suggests moving your child from an IEP to a 504 plan?In this candid and empowering episode, Maayan Glaser-Koren hosts Melinda David-Gillinger, an educational advocate. Melinda pulls back the curtain on educational advocacy—sharing her personal journey into this work and what drives her to support families navigating complex school systems. She breaks down what advocates actually do behind the scenes, and why their role is often misunderstood.This episode tackles one of the most confusing (and high-stakes) moments for parents: when a school recommends transitioning from an IEP to a 504. Is it always in the child’s best interest—or sometimes the school’s?You’ll learn how to recognize the subtle language used in meetings, what questions to ask before agreeing to any changes, and which data points you should always request. Melinda also shares how parents can advocate effectively without feeling like they’re in constant conflict—and the one thing she wishes every parent knew before signing anything.https://mgandconsultants.com/

If you grew up with ADHD, dyslexia, or any kind of neurodivergence — chances are you also grew up feeling like you were always one step behind socially. Like everyone else had been handed a rulebook you never received.

This episode is about what that does to us. And what we can actually do about it.

My guest is Caroline Maguire — internationally recognized ADHD coach, social-emotional learning expert, Professional Certified Coach, and author of two books: the award-winning Why Will No One Play with Me? and her new release, Friendship Skills for Neurodivergent Adults. She also hosts The ADHD Social Playbook podcast and has trained parents, clinicians, and educators worldwide.

Caroline is also neurodivergent herself. She lives with ADHD, dyslexia, and learning disabilities. This isn't theory for her. It's lived experience — and it shows in every word.

WHAT WE COVER:

✦ Why kids with ADHD are disproportionately bullied — and what parents misread about it

✦ Teaching self-advocacy without escalation when impulse control is already hard

✦ Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria: what it actually is and why it keeps getting misdiagnosed

✦ The social survival strategies we built at age 10 — and how they quietly run our adult relationships

✦ How unresolved social trauma shapes what neurodivergent adults expect from friendship

✦ Reinventing friendship to work with your brain, not against it

✦ Lifelong companions vs. seasonal friends — and why this reframe changes everything

✦ What to do when a friendship stalls and you can't tell if it's over or just quiet

This one goes deep. Have a notebook nearby.

Caroline's new book: Friendship Skills for Neurodivergent Adults

https://a.co/d/0fCi3A36

🎙️ Her podcast: The ADHD Social Playbook

🌐 carolinemaguire.com

What does a developmental pediatrician actually do — and how is it different from your child's regular doctor? In this episode, Maayan speaks with Dr. Korb, developmental pediatrician and author of Raising an Organized Child, about early red flags parents often miss, what organization truly means for a developing brain, and when families should stop waiting and seek an evaluation. If your child is struggling and you don't know where to start, Dr. Korb leaves you with one clear, actionable step you can take right now. A must-listen for parents, educators, and anyone supporting kids with learning differences.

https://devminds.com/

https://raisinganorganizedchild.com/