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 happens when doing everything "right" still leaves you miserable? You start asking better questions. Shell Mendelson was a successful CEO of KidzArt, an international children's art franchise she founded, when everything fell apart. Despite looking accomplished on paper, she was disconnected, dysregulated, and drowning in work that no longer fit. At her lowest point, she found an ADHD book a therapist friend had sent years earlier, opened it, and finally understood why she'd always felt like an outcast. Diagnosed in her fifties, Shell realized the masking, hypervigilance, and constant feeling of being "off" had been ADHD all along. Now, after 35+ years as a career coach, Shell helps ADHD and neurodivergent adults stop job-hopping and start building careers that actually fit. She's the author of Unlock Your Career Path and creator of the Career Galaxy framework—a process that helps people define their must-haves in writing so they never forget what they need to thrive. In this conversation, Shell and Tracy explore why career assessments fail neurodivergent people, how DEI rollbacks are pushing ADHD professionals into hiding, the rise of workplace surveillance, and why people who need accommodations are often just in the wrong job. Shell also shares her recent move to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where she's building a life by the beach with her two dogs—a story about reinvention, clarity, and refusing to stay somewhere that doesn't serve you, even when it looks successful from the outside. Resources: Website: www.careercoachingwithshell.com [https://www.careercoachingwithshell.com] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CareerCoachingwithShell [https://www.facebook.com/CareerCoachingwithShell] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yourpassiontocareer [https://www.linkedin.com/in/yourpassiontocareer/] Website: https://unlockyourcareerpath.com [https://unlockyourcareerpath.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]

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] _____ Burnout was Skye Waterson's PhD companion. She'd switch majors—psychology to law to sociology—convinced each time that she just hadn't found her passion yet. The truth was simpler and more complex: she was trying to outwork her undiagnosed ADHD, and no amount of grinding harder was going to fix a brain that needed different systems entirely. By the time she finished her master's thesis, she was so burned out she couldn't even process being offered a guaranteed PhD scholarship. Instead, she worked at a bakery and took art classes until her now-husband asked the obvious question: "Wait, you did a master's? You have a scholarship? What's going on?" The ADHD diagnosis came at the perfect time—right as she was starting her PhD. Instead of seeing it as a limitation, Skye turned her academic brain toward understanding how her mind actually worked. She started researching, writing articles, and building the productivity systems that traditional advice couldn't provide. What began as survival became her calling, and eventually, her business grew so successful that her supervisors encouraged her to leave academia entirely. Now, as founder of Unconventional Organisation, Skye helps entrepreneurs, founders, and executives scale their businesses without scaling their stress. In this conversation, she and Tracy dive into why neurotypical productivity advice fails ADHD brains, how to prioritize when everything feels urgent, and Skye's game-changing approach to delegation using AI. They explore her "recipe" method for breaking down tasks, why the Pomodoro technique wasn't designed for us, and how understanding dopamine timing can revolutionize your work flow. Resources: Website: https://www.unconventionalorganisation.com [https://www.unconventionalorganisation.com ] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unconventionalorganisation [https://www.instagram.com/unconventionalorganisation ] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/skye-waterson-026286204  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/skye-waterson-026286204 ] 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] _____ Sometimes the thing that saves you is also the thing that masks your greatest struggle. Swimming was Meg Hennessey Schofield's lifeline through college—three to four miles a day that kept her ADHD brain calm and focused. When she quit her senior year to focus on teaching, everything fell apart. The anxiety and depression that led to her diagnosis at 21 made sense in hindsight, but she pushed the ADHD piece aside. Everyone has a little ADHD, right? It wasn't until postpartum struggles led a provider to revisit that ignored diagnosis that everything changed. Two hours after taking medication, Meg saw herself clearly for the first time in years—the mental noise had quieted. Meg is a special educator with a Master's in Severe Special Education and co-creator of the SMYLE program, which blends sensory-based yoga with trauma-informed education. Her revelation about regulation didn't just change her life—it transformed her classroom. When she made subtle changes to help manage her own anxiety, her students with severe disabilities began accessing parts of their brains they hadn't reached in years. In this conversation, Meg and Tracy explore how chronic stress hijacks learning, why "acting out" is actually nervous system dysregulation, and what it looks like to start each school day with regulation instead of demands. Meg shares her coffee cup analogy for how students arrive each morning and how she teaches both kids and adults to reconnect their bodies and minds through breath and movement. Resources: Email: meghenscho@gmail.com [ meghenscho@gmail.com] Website: sensoryenhancedyoga.org [https://www.sensoryenhancedyoga.org/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meg-hennessey-schofield-784449102 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/meg-hennessey-schofield-784449102] 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] _____ Sometimes, the most humbling moments teach us the most about ourselves. Tracy recently found herself in Santa Barbara, recording courses for major companies like LinkedIn Learning and Google. After three flawless, scripted trainings, she was asked to do an impromptu training on ten ADHD tips. Despite having written a book and recorded 350 podcast episodes, Tracy couldn't do it. Her brain needs a runway to get off the ground, and being forced to wing it made her brain refuse to cooperate. That experience forced her to confront every ADHD pitfall she coaches other women through. In this solo episode, Tracy introduces her "table legs" analogy for understanding how ADHD challenges are interconnected. RSD, feeling judged, overthinking, perfectionism, and their cousins all act like legs holding up a table built on self-doubt and shame. Here's what Tracy discovered: you don't have to fix everything at once. Kick out just a few of those legs, and the whole table collapses. Tracy walks through each "mental mindfield," shows how they're connected, and offers practical strategies for interrupting these cycles. This episode is for anyone trapped in the endless loop of ADHD perfectionism and self-doubt. Tracy's vulnerable story and actionable framework prove that these patterns don't disappear with success—but they can be dismantled. 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] _____ From the outside, you look like you've got it all together. But inside? You're drowning in the endless mental load, feeling guilty because you need breaks from your kids, and wondering why other moms seem to breeze through daily routines that leave you completely drained. Amy Marie Hann was diagnosed with ADHD at just five years old in the mid-1980s—making her what she calls an "ADHD unicorn." She was the straight-A student taking medication alongside the little boys in the nurse's office, the one who followed all the rules and excelled academically. But when she became a mom to three neurodivergent kids, everything fell apart. Amy is the author of Master the Mundane, a practical guide for ADHD moms juggling life, home, and family. In this conversation, Amy and Tracy explore how early diagnosis shaped her identity, why traditional parenting advice fails ADHD families, and what it really means to "master the mundane" when your brain craves novelty. Amy shares her game-changing approach to limiting taxing tasks, why she gave herself permission to be bored by the boring things, and how she learned to model self-acceptance for her three ADHD kids. Resources: Website: www.amymariehann.com [https://www.amymariehann.com/] Website: www.amymariehann.com/mtmbooklaunch [https://www.amymariehann.com/mtmbooklaunch] Instagram: @amymariehann [https://www.instagram.com/amymariehann/] 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]