Mother Plus Podcast

Send us Fan Mail

If you liked this episode, check out this one on why you're scattered on Stacey's podcast, the Next Phase.

How often do you feel spacey, irritable, or like your brain is buzzing in seven directions at once? If you’ve been blaming it all on ADHD and assuming there’s nothing you can do—you’re not alone. But what if those symptoms weren’t just neurological? What if they were also energetic?

In this kickoff to The ADHD Energy Series, Stacey unpacks why ADHD moms struggle to just be, what’s really happening inside our nervous systems, and how we can begin to reset our energy with a simple 5-minute ritual (that involves sweatpants and silence, of course).

With stories about PMS chaos, multi-tasking meltdowns, and what she’s learning from Dr. Joe Dispenza, this episode will help you reframe “doing nothing” as the most powerful thing you can do.

🧠 What You'll Learn:

• What “energetic dysregulation” really means for ADHD moms
• Why we get stuck in the nervous system loop—and how to break it
• How your hormones, brainwaves, and constant output affect your creativity and mood
• Why rest isn’t lazy—it’s a radical act of self-worth
• Stacey’s Soft Pants Reset: the 5-minute trick that helped her ADHD brain finally breathe

🛠 Resources Mentioned:

• Dr. Joe Dispenza – Becoming Supernatural
• The ADHD Moms Club on Facebook (for body doubling + rituals): Join here
• Follow us on Instagram: @mother_plus_podcast

🗣 Call to Action:

Try the Soft Pants Reset this week—just 5 minutes of lying down in silence. Then DM Stacey and tell her how it felt.

If you loved this episode, please subscribe, leave a review on Apple Podcasts, and share it with your ADHD mom friends. We’re just getting started.

👋 Where to find Stacey now:

• 🎧 The Next Phase Podcast —  
• on Apple & Spotify 
• 📸 Instagram: @stacehutson
• ✍️ Stacey Hutson on Substack
• 🌐 Her website 

WHERE TO FIND US NOW

Connect with Stacey

• 🎧 The Next Phase Podcast —  
• on Apple & Spotify 
• 📸 Instagram: @stacehutson

Connect with Steph

• 🎧 The Peri-Normal Podcast
  on Apple and Spotify
• ✍️ The Reclamation Era
  on Substack
• 📝 MidCircle
  — a writing community for midlife women
• 📸 Instagram: @stephsprenger

Send us Fan Mail

Get your ADHD Good Girl survival guide HERE.

What if the path to healing wasn’t found in doing more—but in doodling more?

In this episode, Stacey and Steph sit down with Kayla Huszar, a Registered Social Worker, Expressive Arts Therapist, and ADHD mom of two, to talk about the transformative power of creativity and expression—especially for mothers.

After facing postpartum anxiety and burnout, Kayla found her way back to herself through expressive arts therapy. Now, she helps other mothers reconnect with their creativity, not as a luxury, but as a lifeline.

We talk about:

• Why you should use the good markers
• How art journaling can help regulate emotions (yes, even if you're not “artistic”)
• The link between flow state and ADHD
• Why mothers must reclaim time for play and joy
• The narratives we carry about self-expression—and how to rewrite them
• What Kayla’s 10-year-old son said about adult stress that will blow your mind

Plus, Kayla shares a simple 5-minute practice to get started with art journaling today—and why doing something "frivolous" might be the most essential thing you do all week.

🎨 Want her free 5-minute art journal check-in? DM @kayla.huszar on Instagram to get the cheat sheet!

Kayla's website: https://www.kaylahuszar.com/

Feel like you're drowning? Let Faye help take the mental load off your hands. Find your Faye family advisor for 15% off with code MOTHERPLUS. 

WHERE TO FIND US NOW

Connect with Stacey

• 🎧 The Next Phase Podcast —  
• on Apple & Spotify 
• 📸 Instagram: @stacehutson

Connect with Steph

• 🎧 The Peri-Normal Podcast
  on Apple and Spotify
• ✍️ The Reclamation Era
  on Substack
• 📝 MidCircle
  — a writing community for midlife women
• 📸 Instagram: @stephsprenger

Send us Fan Mail

They weren’t failing—but they were falling apart.
 Straight A’s, student of the month, well-behaved and helpful—on the outside, everything looked fine. But inside? Anxiety, overwhelm, and a quiet sense that something was always just a little off.

In this powerful episode, we welcome back Dr. Diana Barrett and Dr. Lynne Baldwin to unpack one of the most important and misunderstood ADHD conversations: how it shows up differently in girls versus boys—and why so many of us didn’t get diagnosed until adulthood.

Whether you’re wondering about your own missed diagnosis or looking at your daughter and thinking, “Is something going on here?”—this conversation will help you understand what to look for, what’s been missing from the research, and how to advocate (with or without a formal diagnosis).

🔑 In this episode, we cover:

• Why ADHD in girls is so often missed, misdiagnosed, or misunderstood
• The difference between hyperactivity and internalized anxiety
• How the "good girl" masking leads to burnout, eating disorders, and emotional dysregulation
• What to look for in your daughter—even if she’s doing well in school
• How to talk to teachers, doctors, and your child about what’s really going on
• The emotional impact of late diagnosis and how to break the cycle for the next generation

👩‍⚕️ About Our Guests:

Dr. Deanna Barrett is a licensed psychologist who specializes in ADHD testing and assessment for children and adolescents.
Dr. Lynne Baldwin brings years of experience in child development and family systems, with a focus on emotional regulation and educational support for neurodivergent kids.

💬 Favorite Quotes:

📌 Resources & Links:

• Join the conversation in our ADHD Moms Club and start finding your people
• Feel like you're drowning? Let Faye help take the mental load off your hands. Find your Faye family advisor for 15% off with code MOTHERPLUS. 
• Other episodes from the ADHD Family Series:
  • Executive Functioning For the ADHD Mom
  • The Anxiety ADHD Connection

WHERE TO FIND US NOW

Connect with Stacey

• 🎧 The Next Phase Podcast —  
• on Apple & Spotify 
• 📸 Instagram: @stacehutson

Connect with Steph

• 🎧 The Peri-Normal Podcast
  on Apple and Spotify
• ✍️ The Reclamation Era
  on Substack
• 📝 MidCircle
  — a writing community for midlife women
• 📸 Instagram: @stephsprenger

Send us Fan Mail

After a year of experimenting with different meds—Ritalin, Adderall, Lexapro—I started to feel like I was outsourcing my ability to function. Every morning, as I took my pill, something inside me whispered: Don’t.

This episode is my raw, personal journey of taking ADHD meds for the first time at 39, why I ultimately decided to stop, and what I’m doing instead. I’m sharing the ups and downs of my experience, the realizations I had along the way, and the holistic tools that are helping me stay regulated without medication.

In This Episode, We Cover:
✅ Why I decided to try ADHD medication after years of struggling with anxiety and emotional dysregulation
✅ The three different medications I took—and how each one affected me
✅ The moment I knew I wanted to stop taking meds for good 
✅ What I’m doing now to support my focus, emotional regulation, and mental clarity
✅ How hormone balance plays a role in ADHD and mental health

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
🧠 Brain Glow by Barlow Herbal – A natural supplement that supports focus and mental clarity. Use code MotherPlus10 to get 10% off your first order at Barlow Herbal* 

 🌿 Prenatal Vitamin for Hormone Balance (Dr. Jolene Brighten's Recommendation) – Even if you’re not trying to conceive, a high-quality prenatal vitamin can help regulate hormones and support mental well-being. 

Let’s Keep the Conversation Going!
What’s been your experience with ADHD meds? Have you ever considered going med-free? I’d love to hear your thoughts! DM me over at [@mother_plus_podcast] or leave a review if this episode resonated with you.

Need help?
Sometimes, when you feel like you're drowning, the answer is an assistant. One who can actually take some of the physical -- and therefore -- mental load off your hands. For this, our answer is Faye. Find your Faye family advisor for 15% off with code MOTHERPLUS. 

🎧 If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast—it helps so much!

WHERE TO FIND US NOW

Connect with Stacey

• 🎧 The Next Phase Podcast —  
• on Apple & Spotify 
• 📸 Instagram: @stacehutson

Connect with Steph

• 🎧 The Peri-Normal Podcast
  on Apple and Spotify
• ✍️ The Reclamation Era
  on Substack
• 📝 MidCircle
  — a writing community for midlife women
• 📸 Instagram: @stephsprenger

Send us Fan Mail

Anxiety and ADHD—are they twins or conjoined at the hip? In this episode, we dive deep into the tangled relationship between these two conditions. Our guests, Dr. Deanna Barrett and Dr. Lynn Baldwin, break down why so many ADHD women struggle with anxiety, how it manifests in kids and adults, and what we can actually do about it.

We cover:
 ✅ The chicken-or-egg question: Does ADHD cause anxiety, or is it the other way around?
 ✅ Why anxiety often goes undiagnosed in ADHD women
 ✅ The science of anxiety: what’s happening in the brain and body
 ✅ Parenting kids with ADHD & anxiety (and decoding their mysterious “headaches” and tummy aches)
 ✅ The best strategies for managing anxiety—from mindfulness to cold showers to cognitive behavioral therapy
 ✅ The roundabout analogy for understanding anxiety (this one’s a game changer!)

If anxiety has been your constant companion, this episode will help you make sense of it—and more importantly, find ways to work with your brain, not against it.

Resources Mentioned:
📌 Meditation & mindfulness apps: Calm, Headspace
📌 Journaling techniques: Morning Pages, Worry Stuffed Animals for kids
📌 Therapy approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS)

Dr. Lynne Baldwin, Ph.D. is a learning specialist consultant who has provided coaching and advocacy services for children with ADHD and their parents. While with the Abbey Neuropsychology clinic, she developed a program for executive functioning coaching for children and teenagers. Lynne earned her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology at Stanford University.

Diana Barrett, PhD, is a licensed psychologist with 16 years of dedicated service at the Abbey Clinic, where she currently serves as the Director of Assessment. She also is a member of the consultation team, bringing her knowledge and experience to collaborate efforts that enhance client care.  Her expertise encompasses the learning disabilities, developmental disorders, autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, anxiety, depression, and traumatic brain injury.  

💬 Join the conversation in our ADHD Moms Club and let’s talk about what helps you manage anxiety!

Sometimes, when you feel like you're drowning, the answer is an assistant. One who can actually take some of the physical -- and therefore -- mental load off your hands. For this, our answer is Faye. Find your Faye family advisor for 15% off with code MOTHERPLUS. 

WHERE TO FIND US NOW

Connect with Stacey

• 🎧 The Next Phase Podcast —  
• on Apple & Spotify 
• 📸 Instagram: @stacehutson

Connect with Steph

• 🎧 The Peri-Normal Podcast
  on Apple and Spotify
• ✍️ The Reclamation Era
  on Substack
• 📝 MidCircle
  — a writing community for midlife women
• 📸 Instagram: @stephsprenger

Send us Fan Mail

Were you the “good girl” growing up—always getting straight A’s, a teacher’s dream, but secretly battling anxiety, perfectionism, and the constant fear of failure? Did the structure of school keep you afloat, only for adulthood and motherhood to feel like you were drowning? If so, you’re not alone. In this episode, we break down the ADHD good girl experience, why so many of us weren’t diagnosed until adulthood, and—most importantly—what we can do about it.

We share our own stories, unpack the cultural and neurological factors at play, and offer a four-step framework for moving forward:
1️⃣ Emotional Regulation – Why grounding practices like meditation, EFT, and journaling are game-changers
2️⃣ Community – How finding your people is essential to healing and thriving
3️⃣ Chemical Regulation – The role of ADHD meds, hormone balance, and understanding your body’s unique needs
4️⃣ Creative Outlets – Reconnecting with what makes you brilliant and allowing yourself to shine

If you’re ready to stop just surviving ADHD and start thriving, this episode is for you.

✨ Get Your Free ADHD Good Girl Survival Kit! ✨
We created something special for you—our ADHD Good Girl Survival Kit, packed with:
✔️ A guided EFT session to regulate emotions fast
✔️ A meditation to help you reconnect with your calm
✔️ Journaling prompts to bring clarity and self-compassion

📥 Download it now at: www.motherplusser.com/good-girl

🎧 Resources & Links Mentioned in This Episode:
📌 Our EFT Episode – Learn How to Use Tapping for ADHD
📌 Join our ADHD Moms Club for community and support

🔗 Let’s Connect!
📸 Instagram: @mother_plus_podcast
✉️ Email us: [email protected]

WHERE TO FIND US NOW

Connect with Stacey

• 🎧 The Next Phase Podcast —  
• on Apple & Spotify 
• 📸 Instagram: @stacehutson

Connect with Steph

• 🎧 The Peri-Normal Podcast
  on Apple and Spotify
• ✍️ The Reclamation Era
  on Substack
• 📝 MidCircle
  — a writing community for midlife women
• 📸 Instagram: @stephsprenger

Send us Fan Mail

If your ADHD symptoms seem to be intensifying with age, you’re not imagining it. Hormonal fluctuations—from postpartum shifts to perimenopause—can dramatically impact ADHD, yet most doctors don’t make the connection. In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Jolene Brighten returns to break down what’s really happening in our bodies and how to take back control of our health.

🔹 How systemic medical bias keeps women from getting the care they need
🔹 The script you need to use with your doctor to be taken seriously
🔹 Why fasting and extreme dieting can be a disaster for ADHD brains
🔹 The key nutrients and supplements that support ADHD and hormonal balance
🔹 When to consider hormone replacement therapy—and why it's so misunderstood
🔹 The truth about medical gaslighting and how to actually advocate for yourself

This is the conversation every ADHD woman needs to hear. We don’t have to accept suffering as normal. It’s time to demand better.

Meet Dr. Jolene Brighten

Dr. Jolene Brighten is a board-certified naturopathic endocrinologist, clinical sexologist, and fierce advocate for women’s health. She’s the best-selling author of Beyond the Pill, Healing Your Body Naturally After Childbirth, and Is This Normal? Her work has been featured in Forbes, Cosmopolitan, Huffington Post, The Guardian, and more. And most importantly? She has ADHD, too.

Resources & Mentions:

The ADHD Moms Club: Join HERE
📖 Is This Normal? by Dr. Jolene Brighten – Get the book here
🌎 Dr. Brighten’s Website: drbrighten.com
📲 Follow Dr. Brighten on Instagram: @drjolenebrighten
🎙️ Listen to Dr. Brighten’s Podcast: The Dr. Brighten Show
💌 Grab Dr. Brighten’s free Hormone Kit: drbrighten.com/hormonekit

WHERE TO FIND US NOW

Connect with Stacey

• 🎧 The Next Phase Podcast —  
• on Apple & Spotify 
• 📸 Instagram: @stacehutson

Connect with Steph

• 🎧 The Peri-Normal Podcast
  on Apple and Spotify
• ✍️ The Reclamation Era
  on Substack
• 📝 MidCircle
  — a writing community for midlife women
• 📸 Instagram: @stephsprenger

Send us Fan Mail

As ADHD moms, we carry an impossible mental load. The endless to-do lists, the forgotten appointments, the last-minute scrambling—it’s exhausting. But what if you didn’t have to do it all alone?

In this episode, Steph shares her personal journey from complete overwhelm as a single ADHD mom, to actual relief after working with Faye, a service that pairs busy families with expert advisors to manage the mental load. She dives into:

✨ The hidden guilt moms feel about asking for help
✨ How Faye changed everything—both practically and emotionally
✨ Why outsourcing isn’t a failure, it’s a gift to yourself

If you’re tired of drowning, it’s time to take something off your plate.

💡 Get 15% off your first month with code MOTHERPLUS. Click this link to learn more about Faye!

🎧 Listen now & let’s stop struggling in silence. 

WHERE TO FIND US NOW

Connect with Stacey

• 🎧 The Next Phase Podcast —  
• on Apple & Spotify 
• 📸 Instagram: @stacehutson

Connect with Steph

• 🎧 The Peri-Normal Podcast
  on Apple and Spotify
• ✍️ The Reclamation Era
  on Substack
• 📝 MidCircle
  — a writing community for midlife women
• 📸 Instagram: @stephsprenger

Send us Fan Mail

Before motherhood, your ADHD may have felt quirky, fun, or even manageable. But then... the hormones hit. Postpartum. Perimenopause. Menopause. Suddenly, your ADHD symptoms feel out of control—the emotional swings, time blindness, anxiety, and exhaustion.

So is it just “mom life”? Or is there something bigger happening in your body?

Today, we’re getting real answers from Dr. Jolene Brighten, a hormone expert who actually understands ADHD. In this episode, we dive into:
🌀 How hormones impact ADHD from postpartum to menopause
😵‍💫 Why perimenopause feels like an ADHD nightmare—and what to do about it
🌙 The huge role progesterone plays in mood, sleep, and emotional regulation
🤯 How to tell the difference between ADHD symptoms and hormone-driven changes
🙅‍♀️ Why so many women don’t get diagnosed until one of these hormonal shifts happens
⚕️ How the medical system gaslights women—and why doctors dismiss hormone-related ADHD struggles

This is Part 1 of our convo because there’s just so much to unpack.

Meet Dr. Jolene Brighten

Dr. Jolene Brighten is a board-certified naturopathic endocrinologist, clinical sexologist, and fierce advocate for women’s health. She’s the best-selling author of Beyond the Pill, Healing Your Body Naturally After Childbirth, and Is This Normal? Her work has been featured in Forbes, Cosmopolitan, Huffington Post, The Guardian, and more. And most importantly? She has ADHD, too.

Where to Find Dr. Brighten:

📲 Instagram: @drjolenebrighten
🎙 Podcast: The Dr. Brighten Show
📚 Website & Books: drbrighten.com

🔥 This episode is a must-listen for every ADHD mom navigating hormone chaos. 

Feeling overwhelmed by the mental load of motherhood? Faye gives you a personal assistant—but not the stiff, corporate kind. Think of her as the super-capable best friend who sees you struggling and actually wants to help. How can Faye help you? 

✨ Try Faye today at FindFaye.com and use code MOTHERPLUS at checkout for 15% off your first month! ✨

WHERE TO FIND US NOW

Connect with Stacey

• 🎧 The Next Phase Podcast —  
• on Apple & Spotify 
• 📸 Instagram: @stacehutson

Connect with Steph

• 🎧 The Peri-Normal Podcast
  on Apple and Spotify
• ✍️ The Reclamation Era
  on Substack
• 📝 MidCircle
  — a writing community for midlife women
• 📸 Instagram: @stephsprenger

Send us Fan Mail

If motherhood has left you feeling touched out, disconnected from your body, or just plain exhausted, this episode is for you. We’re diving into intimacy, pleasure, and connection with Intimacy Expert to Millions, Susan Bratton. Susan shares powerful insights on how ADHD affects desire, why relaxation is key to arousal, and how to reframe intimacy as a superpower rather than a struggle.

We cover:
✨ Why ADHD moms often struggle with intimacy—and how to reclaim it
✨ The secret to turning friction into connection
✨ How to work with your brain to experience deeper pleasure
✨ Practical tips for reigniting passion in your relationship

More from Susan Bratton:
🌟 Get Susan’s free resource: The Sexual Soulmate Pact
🌟 Follow her on Instagram: @susanbratton
🌟 Explore her work at BetterLover.com

Listen now and start your journey toward more pleasure, connection, and confidence!

Feeling overwhelmed by the mental load of motherhood? Faye gives you a personal assistant—but not the stiff, corporate kind. Think of her as the super-capable best friend who sees you struggling and actually wants to help. How can Faye help you? 

✨ Try Faye today at FindFaye.com and use code MOTHERPLUS at checkout for 15% off your first month! ✨

WHERE TO FIND US NOW

Connect with Stacey

• 🎧 The Next Phase Podcast —  
• on Apple & Spotify 
• 📸 Instagram: @stacehutson

Connect with Steph

• 🎧 The Peri-Normal Podcast
  on Apple and Spotify
• ✍️ The Reclamation Era
  on Substack
• 📝 MidCircle
  — a writing community for midlife women
• 📸 Instagram: @stephsprenger