Why are so many women only discovering they’re neurodivergent later in life?

In this episode of Motherhood: Unmasked & Unfiltered, Alisha and Rhiannon are joined by psychiatrist Dr Clinton White to unpack what’s really happening with late ADHD and autism diagnoses in women.

From missed signs in childhood to years of being labelled with anxiety or depression, this conversation dives into how easily neurodivergence is overlooked — especially in women who have spent their lives masking, coping, and “holding it together.”

Dr White shares openly about the limitations of psychiatric training, why autism has historically been seen as a “male condition,” and how even professionals can miss it.

The conversation explores the moment everything clicks — when women receive a diagnosis and suddenly their past, behaviours, and struggles finally make sense.

“The veil of confusion about their life just lifts… and that alone changes everything.”

They also dive into common misdiagnoses, including anxiety, depression, and burnout, and explain why these are often symptoms rather than the root cause.

This episode is honest, validating, and deeply eye-opening — especially if you’ve ever felt like something didn’t quite add up.

• Why ADHD and autism are often missed in women

• Many women diagnosed with anxiety may actually have underlying ADHD or autism

This episode is for:

• Women with ADHD

You weren’t missing something.

You weren’t failing.

You were working with a brain

And once you understand it?

Everything starts to shift.

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• ADHD in women

New episodes released every Thursday.

Why does a delayed reply feel like rejection?

In this episode of Motherhood: Unmasked & Unfiltered, Alisha and Rhiannon unpack one of the most intense and misunderstood parts of ADHD:

Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD).

From overthinking text messages to spiralling after perceived criticism, they break down what RSD actually is, why it happens, and how it shows up in everyday life — especially for women who were diagnosed later in life.

They explore the difference between real rejection vs perceived rejection, and why your brain can react just as strongly either way — even when logically, you know it’s “not a big deal.”

This episode also dives into:

This is one of those episodes where you’ll likely hear yourself in every example… and finally understand why.

This episode is for:

You’re not too sensitive.

But…

It also doesn’t mean it’s real.

Sometimes your brain is trying to protect you

And once you can see that?

You get to choose how much power it has.

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New episodes released every Thursday.

What if your child isn’t being “difficult”…

In this episode of Motherhood: Unmasked & Unfiltered, Alisha and Rhiannon dive into the reality of parenting neurodivergent children — especially when their brains work in ways that don’t respond to traditional parenting approaches.

Alisha shares her experience navigating an occupational therapy (OT) assessment for her daughter, including the moment she realised there were far more signs of neurodivergence than she initially recognised.

From struggles with transitions and emotional regulation to seemingly “defiant” behaviour that isn’t actually defiance, this episode explores what it really looks like to parent a child with a different neurotype — and how confronting that can be as a parent.

They also unpack Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) — including the constant negotiation, refusal, and resistance that can show up when a child feels a loss of autonomy, even in everyday situations.

This is an honest, nuanced conversation about shifting from

This episode is for:

Your child isn’t trying to make your life harder.

They’re trying to navigate a brain

And you?

You’re learning in real time how to support them

That’s not failure.

That’s awareness. ✨

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New episodes released every Thursday.

Ever bought something…

Or filled your fridge with “healthy food”

Welcome to ADHD tax.

In this episode, Alisha and Rhiannon unpack the very real (and often expensive) ways ADHD shows up in everyday life — from impulse spending and forgotten bills to unused subscriptions, wasted groceries, and hobby graveyards.

It’s funny.

You’re not lazy.

You’ve just been trying to survive in a system

And sometimes…

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This episode is not polished.

Because this is what ADHD actually looks like in real life.

From losing essential podcast equipment minutes before recording, to impulse Kmart shopping, overstimulation at family events, rage-driving home for a disappointing soft serve, and late-night dopamine spending spirals… this episode is a raw, funny, and very real glimpse into the everyday chaos of neurodivergent mum life.

Alisha and Rhiannon unpack what happens after overstimulation hits — the coping mechanisms, the habits, the “ADHD tax,” and the ways their brains try to regulate (whether that’s helpful… or not).

They also dive into:

This episode is messy, relatable, and packed with those “oh my god, I do that too” moments.

You’re not the only one doing life like this.

The chaos.

It’s not just you.

And maybe…

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Looking back now… it all makes so much more sense.

In this episode of Motherhood: Unmasked & Unfiltered, Alisha and Rhiannon reflect on the signs of ADHD and neurodivergence that were completely missed growing up — especially as girls.

From constantly rearranging bedrooms and hyperfixating on new ideas, to being labelled “chatty,” daydreaming in class, and leaving everything until the last minute… this episode is a deep dive into the patterns that were always there — just never recognised for what they were.

They talk about the reality of growing up neurodivergent in a time where ADHD was only really associated with “naughty little boys,” and how so many women were overlooked, misunderstood, or forced to mask just to fit in.

This episode is part reflection, part validation — especially if you’ve ever looked back at your childhood and thought:

“How did no one pick this up?”

This episode is for:

You weren’t lazy.

You were navigating a world that didn’t understand your brain.

And now?

You get to understand it for yourself. ✨

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New episodes released every Thursday.

Why do some days feel completely manageable… and others feel like everything is just too much?

In this episode of Motherhood: Unmasked & Unfiltered, Alisha and Rhiannon go deeper into what it actually feels like to live with a neurodivergent brain — from emotional intensity and sensory overwhelm, to decision fatigue, task paralysis, and the invisible load of trying to function in a world that doesn’t quite fit.

They unpack the reality of ADHD and autism in women, including the constant mental noise, the need for clear direction, and why even simple tasks can feel impossible without structure. From needing step-by-step instructions to struggling with transitions, this episode highlights the parts of neurodivergence that often go unseen.

This episode also explores sensory overwhelm and overstimulation, and how things like noise, temperature, clothing, interruptions, and emotional demands can build up to the point where everything feels unbearable — often leading to irritability, shutdown, or feeling like you’re “not yourself.”

You’ll also hear the contrast that so many neurodivergent women experience — being highly capable, organised, and thoughtful in some areas, while struggling with everyday tasks like emails, bills, and follow-through in others.

This is a real, honest conversation about what it feels like to live inside a brain that is constantly processing, analysing, feeling, and juggling… and why that can be both a strength and a challenge.

This episode is for:

If you’ve ever felt like everything is “just too much” — even when nothing looks that big on the outside — you’re not imagining it.

Your brain is processing more.

And that doesn’t make you weak.

It makes you neuro-sparkly. ✨

Follow the podcast on Instagram for clips, relatable content and conversations about:

ADHD in women, autism in women, late diagnosis and neurodivergent motherhood

Instagram: @motherhoodunmaskedunfiltered

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New episodes released every Thursday.

What happens when an ADHD diagnosis isn’t the full picture?

In this episode of Motherhood: Unmasked & Unfiltered, Rhiannon shares what happened after being diagnosed with ADHD — when medication, self-awareness, and deeper reflection started to reveal something more: autism.

This is an honest conversation about what it’s like to navigate multiple neurodivergent diagnoses as an adult, including the confusion, the validation, and the emotional impact of realising that your brain works differently in more ways than you first thought.

Rhiannon takes us through her autism diagnosis process, what the assessment actually involves, and the moment she received confirmation — despite already “knowing.” She also shares how years of being dismissed, misdiagnosed, or gaslit made that moment both validating and overwhelming.

This episode also explores the overlap between ADHD and autism (AuDHD), including shared traits like sensory sensitivities, executive dysfunction, emotional regulation challenges, and hyperfocus — and why it can be so hard to tell where one ends and the other begins.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your ADHD diagnosis explains everything — or if there might be more to your experience — this episode will resonate.

This episode is for:

If something in this episode resonates, it doesn’t mean something is wrong with you.

It might just mean you’re starting to understand yourself.

You are not “too much.”

You might just be neuro-sparkly — in more ways than you realised.

Follow the podcast on Instagram for clips, relatable content and conversations about:

ADHD in women, autism in women, late diagnosis and neurodivergent motherhood

Instagram: @motherhoodunmaskedunfiltered

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New episodes released every Thursday.

What happens when you start to realise that the way your brain works might not be the way everyone else’s does?

In this episode of Motherhood: Unmasked & Unfiltered, Alisha shares her ADHD diagnosis story — how she first started recognising the signs, what made her look into it, and why so many ADHD traits in women are missed for years.

For a long time, ADHD was seen as something that affected “naughty boys,” which meant many women grew up thinking they were disorganised, emotional, messy, overwhelmed, or just not very good at life — instead of realising their brain simply worked differently.

This episode explores what ADHD can actually look like in girls and women, why so many women are diagnosed later in life, and how getting a diagnosis can be confronting — but also incredibly freeing.

Because once you understand your brain, you can start to build a life that works for you instead of constantly trying to force yourself into a life that doesn’t.

This episode is for:

If something you hear in this episode resonates with you, it might just mean you’ve found your people.

You’re not broken.

You might just have a different kind of brain — and once you understand it, everything can start to make a lot more sense.

Follow the podcast on Instagram for clips, relatable content and discussions about:

ADHD in women, autism in women, late diagnosis and neurodivergent motherhood

Instagram: @motherhoodunmaskedunfiltered

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New episodes released weekly.

What happens when you finally get an ADHD diagnosis as an adult… and then realise that might not be the whole story?

In this episode of Motherhood: Unmasked & Unfiltered, Alisha and Rhiannon talk about what happened after Rhiannon was diagnosed with ADHD, started medication, and began to understand her brain for the first time — and how that led to a second diagnosis: autism.

They talk about the things they thought were personality flaws — being messy, over-explaining, struggling to start tasks, hyper-focusing on the wrong things, sensory sensitivities — and how many of these were actually signs of neurodivergence, not personal failure.

This episode explores what it feels like to be late diagnosed with ADHD, how medication can change how your brain works, and why understanding your brain can allow you to be kinder to yourself and build a life that actually works for you instead of constantly trying to fit into what you think you “should” be doing.

You’ll also hear why ADHD medication without a plan can send you on “side quests” — where you become extremely productive, just not on the thing you were meant to be doing.

This is an honest conversation about ADHD in women, autism in women, sensory issues, executive dysfunction, hyperfocus, masking, and learning to work with your brain instead of against it.

This episode is for:

Follow the podcast on Instagram for clips, relatable content and discussions about ADHD in women and neurodivergent motherhood:

Instagram: @motherhoodunmaskedunfiltered

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New episodes released weekly.