ADHD for Smart Ass Women with Tracy Otsuka

Tired of ADHD strategies that don’t work? Here’s what actually does. FREE training here: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup] _ What would it be like if you could see music as colors dancing in front of your eyes? For Justine Glaser, that's just a normal Tuesday. Justine is a creative force who doesn't just hear music, she sees it. Diagnosed with ADHD at age 3 and born with synesthesia, a rare neurological trait where sound shows up as color, Justine has always experienced the world differently. Instead of masking these traits, she's made them her superpower. As the founder of Blue Midnight Music and Colors by Midnight, she creates work that's bold, multi-sensory, and completely original. Diagnosed so young that her babysitter lost weight chasing her around, Justine's childhood was marked by curiosity, creativity, and, unfortunately, relentless bullying from ages 8 to 16. She calls the K-12 system "broken" for her neurodivergent brain, but everything changed when she left traditional school behind. Art school became her sanctuary, where her project-based learning style finally made sense. In this conversation, Justine and Tracy dive deep into how synesthesia shapes creativity, why she believes color comes from "an inherent sense of self," and how she creates personalized color palettes by listening to people's voices. They talk about performing as an alter ego named Blue Midnight, why ADHD makes it easier (not harder) to blend multiple disciplines, and how she's learned to honor her need for breaks and nature to stay creative. Justine's journey from a bullied kid drawing on people's houses to a multi-disciplinary artist proves that what makes you different isn't something to fix—it's your greatest gift. Resources: Website: https://www.bluemidnightmusic.com [https://www.bluemidnightmusic.com] Website:  https://www.colorsbymidnight.com [https://www.colorsbymidnight.com] LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/justine-glaser-cdi-ccd-36aa4a1a8  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/justine-glaser-cdi-ccd-36aa4a1a8] Send a Message: Your Name | Email | Message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2316437/open_sms] Instead of Struggling to figure out what to do next? ADHD isn’t a productivity problem. It’s an identity problem. That’s why most strategies don’t stick—they weren’t designed for how your brain actually works. Your ADHD Brain is A-OK Academy is different. It’s a patented, science-backed coaching program that helps you stop fighting your brain and start building a life that fits. 👉Learn more here [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/aok-academy]: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/aok-academy [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/aok-academy] Learn more by connecting with Tracy through Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/tracyotsuka/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/heytracyotsuka], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyotsuka/], Pinterest [https://www.pinterest.ph/adhdforsmartwomen/], or visit adhdforsmartwomen.com [https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/]. Are You Ready to Discover Your Brilliance? Order Now: https://tracyotsuka.com/book2 [https://tracyotsuka.com/book2] Join Your ADHD Brain is A-OK: https://tracyotsuka.com/aok [https://tracyotsuka.com/aok] Visit our website: https://tracyotsuka.com [https://tracyotsuka.com]

Tired of ADHD strategies that don’t work? Here’s what actually does. FREE training here: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup] _ You know that feeling when someone tells you you're "too intense" or "ask too many questions"? Lucia Kanter St. Amour has built an entire career on exactly those traits. Lucia is a negotiation expert, law professor, and the kind of ADHD woman who writes Amazon reviews so detailed she got invited to their exclusive Vine program. She's the author of For the Forces of Good, a guide to everyday negotiation that flips traditional power dynamics, and The Covert Buccaneer, a nonlinear novel that mirrors how her ADHD brain actually works. With a background in global law and leadership at UN Women, she combines strategy with a genuine understanding of how women navigate the world. Diagnosed with ADHD at 54, Lucia finally understood why she'd always felt like a "disco ball" in a world of dimmer switches. Her childhood was marked by misdiagnosed seizures (likely panic attacks) and years on experimental medication that left her struggling. But she found her superpowers in foreign languages, piano, and tennis, activities that naturally regulated her nervous system. Lucia and Tracy explore how the traits that make us feel "too much" actually become negotiation superpowers. Our intensity, emotional intelligence, and hyperfocus are assets, not liabilities. They discuss why women avoid negotiating, how to practice with everyday situations like getting your toddler to eat dinner, and why deep listening transforms every interaction.  Resources: Website: https://www.pactumfactum.com/  [https://www.pactumfactum.com/ ] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/santaluciasf  [https://www.instagram.com/santaluciasf ] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luciakanterstamour/  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/luciakanterstamour/ ] For the Forces of Good: The Superpower of Everyday Negotiation: https://www.amazon.com/Forces-Good-Superpower-Everyday-Negotiation/dp/B0B92HCMWB [https://www.amazon.com/Forces-Good-Superpower-Everyday-Negotiation/dp/B0B92HCMWB] The Covert Buccaneer: https://us.amazon.com/Covert-Buccaneer-Lucia-Kanter-Amour/dp/B0FCVRTYR6/ [https://us.amazon.com/Covert-Buccaneer-Lucia-Kanter-Amour/dp/B0FCVRTYR6/] Linktree: https://linktr.ee/LuciaKanterStAmour Send a Message: Your Name | Email | Message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2316437/open_sms] Instead of Struggling to figure out what to do next? ADHD isn’t a productivity problem. It’s an identity problem. That’s why most strategies don’t stick—they weren’t designed for how your brain actually works. Your ADHD Brain is A-OK Academy is different. It’s a patented, science-backed coaching program that helps you stop fighting your brain and start building a life that fits. 👉Learn more here [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/aok-academy]: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/aok-academy [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/aok-academy] Learn more by connecting with Tracy through Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/tracyotsuka/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/heytracyotsuka], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyotsuka/], Pinterest [https://www.pinterest.ph/adhdforsmartwomen/], or visit adhdforsmartwomen.com [https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/]. Are You Ready to Discover Your Brilliance? Order Now: https://tracyotsuka.com/book2 [https://tracyotsuka.com/book2] Join Your ADHD Brain is A-OK: https://tracyotsuka.com/aok [https://tracyotsuka.com/aok] Visit our website: https://tracyotsuka.com [https://tracyotsuka.com]

Tired of ADHD strategies that don’t work? Here’s what actually does. FREE training here: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup] _ You want to make changes, but can't seem to start. Or maybe you're doing the work, but it's not working fast enough. This solo episode tackles the number one thing that keeps ADHD women stuck, and it's not what you think. Tracy Otsuka breaks down why change feels so hard even when you really want it, and why having access to all the tools in the world won't help if you're stuck believing you're not making progress. She explores the real culprit: the story your brain tells you about who you are and how you're doing. From the 95% of thoughts and actions that run on autopilot, to why your words literally shape your reality, Tracy reveals why ADHD isn't a discipline problem—it's an identity problem. She shares why progress is never a straight line, how to shift from "I should be farther along" to "I'm learning," and why the real work isn't about managing your time—it's about managing your emotions. Plus, Tracy celebrates the international success of "Your ADHD Brain is A-OK," now available in Polish, Romanian, Turkish, Korean, and more languages. This episode is a powerful reminder that you don't have to do it perfectly, you just have to keep going. Because stuck doesn't mean stopped, and you're not behind, you're becoming. Resources: Website: https://tracyotsuka.com [https://tracyotsuka.com] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tracyotsuka [https://www.instagram.com/tracyotsuka] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tracyotsuka4796 [https://www.youtube.com/@tracyotsuka4796] Free Training: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup  [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup ] Send a Message: Your Name | Email | Message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2316437/open_sms] Instead of Struggling to figure out what to do next? ADHD isn’t a productivity problem. It’s an identity problem. That’s why most strategies don’t stick—they weren’t designed for how your brain actually works. Your ADHD Brain is A-OK Academy is different. It’s a patented, science-backed coaching program that helps you stop fighting your brain and start building a life that fits. 👉Learn more here [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/aok-academy]: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/aok-academy [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/aok-academy] Learn more by connecting with Tracy through Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/tracyotsuka/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/heytracyotsuka], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyotsuka/], Pinterest [https://www.pinterest.ph/adhdforsmartwomen/], or visit adhdforsmartwomen.com [https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/]. Are You Ready to Discover Your Brilliance? Order Now: https://tracyotsuka.com/book2 [https://tracyotsuka.com/book2] Join Your ADHD Brain is A-OK: https://tracyotsuka.com/aok [https://tracyotsuka.com/aok] Visit our website: https://tracyotsuka.com [https://tracyotsuka.com]

Tired of ADHD strategies that don’t work? Here’s what actually does. FREE training here [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup]: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup] __ Sometimes the biggest breakthrough comes from dropping the mask and reclaiming your story after decades of living someone else's version of your life. Dr. Shafer Stedron knows this journey intimately. Dr. Shafer is a neurologist, life coach, author, and host of Talks with Dr. Shafer. Drawing from both clinical expertise and lived experience, she helps others reframe their stories with creativity, compassion, and courage. Her work explores the intersections of burnout, movement, and emotional regulation, plus why traditional systems often fail ADHD minds. In this conversation, Dr. Shafer and Tracy dive into the reality of being neurodivergent in medicine—from the 2016 study showing 34% of medical students with disabilities have ADHD, to why doctors with ADHD often catch things others miss (hello, pattern recognition and environmental scanning). They explore Shafer's journey from a 19-year-old who said yes to marriage after two weeks, through decades of domestic abuse, to finally learning to listen to her "harm alarm" and reclaim her story. Dr. Shafer also shares her approach to helping people drop the mask and create what she calls a "bubble sheet"—not a linear trajectory, but a sheet covered with all your goals and interests, because that's who you are as a person. Plus, she breaks down her children's book The Boy and His Brightly Colored Blocks, which explores pathological demand avoidance and why connection beats correction every time. Resources: Website: drshaferstedronova.com [https://tracyotsuka.com/www.drshaferstedronova.com] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talks_with_dr_shafer [https://www.instagram.com/talks_with_dr_shafer] Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkswithDrShafer  [https://www.youtube.com/@TalkswithDrShafer ] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shafer-stedron-4b7a19263  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shafer-stedron-4b7a19263 ] Send a Message: Your Name | Email | Message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2316437/open_sms] Instead of Struggling to figure out what to do next? ADHD isn’t a productivity problem. It’s an identity problem. That’s why most strategies don’t stick—they weren’t designed for how your brain actually works. Your ADHD Brain is A-OK Academy is different. It’s a patented, science-backed coaching program that helps you stop fighting your brain and start building a life that fits. 👉Learn more here [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/aok-academy]: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/aok-academy [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/aok-academy] Learn more by connecting with Tracy through Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/tracyotsuka/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/heytracyotsuka], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyotsuka/], Pinterest [https://www.pinterest.ph/adhdforsmartwomen/], or visit adhdforsmartwomen.com [https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/]. Are You Ready to Discover Your Brilliance? Order Now: https://tracyotsuka.com/book2 [https://tracyotsuka.com/book2] Join Your ADHD Brain is A-OK: https://tracyotsuka.com/aok [https://tracyotsuka.com/aok] Visit our website: https://tracyotsuka.com [https://tracyotsuka.com]

Tired of ADHD strategies that don’t work? Here’s what actually does. FREE training here [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup]: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup] ___ Aging with ADHD isn't about decline—it's about finally coming into your own. Sandy Reynolds is challenging everything we've been told about getting older, especially as neurodivergent women. Sandy is a coach, facilitator, and fierce advocate for women navigating their third act. With more than 25 years of leadership and adult education experience, she helps women untangle themselves from outdated roles, people-pleasing patterns, and identities that no longer fit. Diagnosed with ADHD in her 50s after a fellow grad student pointed out that she "checked out a lot," Sandy brings lived experience to conscious aging—an approach that's about healing the past and embracing the future so you can flourish now. In this conversation, Sandy and Tracy explore why ADHD women often look and feel 10 years younger, how our relentless curiosity keeps us growing when others stagnate, and why so many of us hit our stride in our 50s instead of winding down. They dive into the intersection of hormones, dopamine, and aging, discuss why Sandy's closest friend and she "carry on like they're 35," and explore how conscious aging reframes getting older as gaining wisdom rather than losing relevance. Sandy also shares her approach to life review and life repair, explains why one-third of people don't have wills (hint: executive function), and reveals her number one ADHD workaround that no guest has mentioned in 350+ episodes. From Cambodia's reverence for elders to our culture's ageism, this episode will make you rethink everything about what it means to age as a neurodivergent woman. Resources: Website: https://www.sandyreynolds.com [https://www.sandyreynolds.com]    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandyareynolds  [https://www.instagram.com/sandyareynolds ] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandyreynolds [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandyreynolds]  Substack: A Crone in the Woods: https://crone.substack.com  [https://crone.substack.com ] Send a Message: Your Name | Email | Message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2316437/open_sms] Instead of Struggling to figure out what to do next? ADHD isn’t a productivity problem. It’s an identity problem. That’s why most strategies don’t stick—they weren’t designed for how your brain actually works. Your ADHD Brain is A-OK Academy is different. It’s a patented, science-backed coaching program that helps you stop fighting your brain and start building a life that fits. 👉Learn more here [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/aok-academy]: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/aok-academy [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/aok-academy] Learn more by connecting with Tracy through Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/tracyotsuka/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/heytracyotsuka], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyotsuka/], Pinterest [https://www.pinterest.ph/adhdforsmartwomen/], or visit adhdforsmartwomen.com [https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/]. Are You Ready to Discover Your Brilliance? Order Now: https://tracyotsuka.com/book2 [https://tracyotsuka.com/book2] Join Your ADHD Brain is A-OK: https://tracyotsuka.com/aok [https://tracyotsuka.com/aok] Visit our website: https://tracyotsuka.com [https://tracyotsuka.com]