My guest this week is clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Saporito. Karen has a particular interest and specialty in diagnosing and treating kids and adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, and autism spectrum disorder. We focused in this conversation on ADHD. I know from my own clinical work that this is a really important topic that doesn’t get enough attention.

There are so many people who are struggling to finish assignments in school, or organize their home lives, or meet the deadlines and demands of work, or get places on time, and they don’t realize that they might have undiagnosed ADHD. And sadly the person who’s struggling can assume that it’s their fault, and that they’re just lazy or incapable, when in fact it’s just the way their brain works. Karen does an excellent job explaining why the diagnosis is often missed, especially among girls and women, and the signs and symptoms to look for.