“Words Are Weapons: Masking, Meltdowns, and the Day I Didn’t Show Up”

Episode 6: Re-Educating the Educators — You Can’t Teach What You Don’t Know

Teachers have our kids seven to eight hours a day—so emotional regulation isn’t “extra,” it’s the foundation. In this episode, I’m sitting in my apartment in New York, on a Sunday when everything hit at once. After a call from my best friend about a recent suicide, I tell the truth about what I’ve seen from inside the classroom—and what I’ve lived through as a woman who spent years masking, surviving trauma, and trying to “hold it together.” This is a conversation for parents, educators, and anyone who feels the system keeps pointing fingers while kids are quietly drowning. Because here’s what I believe: schools can’t keep pretending their only job is math, reading, and writing. Teachers have children seven to eight hours a day—most of their awake time—and emotional regulation isn’t “extra.” It’s the foundation. And the hard truth is this: you can’t teach what you don’t know how to do yourself. Content note: This episode includes discussion of suicide, trauma, and student mental health. Please take care of yourself while listening. Timestamps 00:00 — Opening: Sunday in New York City + what triggered this episode 01:08 — Why I’m sharing this now (the call that hit me) 02:18 — Content note: suicide, trauma, and student mental health 03:10 — The lie we keep telling: school isn’t only academics 03:33 — “Seven to eight hours a day”: why emotional regulation is the foundation 05:30 — The voice in our heads: shame, masking, and learned self-talk 07:21 — Stop blaming families: behavior is communication 08:48 — What I did differently: connection-first classroom culture 10:54 — The third-grade story: counseling minutes that never happened 15:20 — What has to change: re-educating educators + real support 18:11 — Closing + teaser: next episode (my mom) Next episode: I’m going to share the story of when my life first cracked open—my mom, my grief, and the moment my brain became a different place to live.

“The Clinical Trial : Why Women Like Me Need To Be Studied.”

Are you a woman with ADHD — or a mom, teacher, or daughter who’s realized something never added up in how women are diagnosed and treated? In this episode, I open up about my decision to step forward and volunteer for an ADHD clinical trial — and the fear, frustration, and purpose that come with it. From my years as a teacher who missed the signs in girls, to discovering that women still aren’t represented in the data, I share why I’m choosing transparency over fear. We talk about the shocking lack of female-focused ADHD research, what’s happening in the Netherlands right now, and why it’s time for women to be studied, not silenced. Trigger warning: This episode discusses medical research, mental health, and personal loss.

When Educators Drop the Ball

Our system is not trained to see neurodivergent girls. We need to come together and push for change, remember it takes a village. Parents ask what your schools are doing to train the teachers. Ask your doctor where you can sign-up to get into a study. Take the time because our daughters are going to suffer just like we did, and are! Next episode dives into signs they are discovering in girls and women, and I again talk about the lack of data. Remember to like and follow. Also, reach out too me on social media “Where’s the Village At? Or email at susan@wheresthevillageat.com tell me your story, what you went through when you were in school or what your kiddo is going through now! Our voices are heard when we have a village, so come join and let’s be heard together.

“Empty Nest, ADHD, and the Crash That Changed Everything”

On the night her daughter moves out, Susan faces the quiet—and the crash. In this raw chapter, she walks us through the grief that rewired her brain: losing her mother, losing her son, and the unraveling that followed. This isn’t just a podcast about ADHD—it’s a memoir in real time. If you’ve ever masked your pain or felt invisible inside your own life, this one’s for you. Content: grief, loss, trauma. Hosted by Susan Hedge | Where’s the Village At?

“Words Are Weapons: Masking, Meltdowns, and the Day I Didn’t Show Up”

In this episode, I open up about a moment I’ll never forget—the week before Homecoming, when my son asked me to show up, and I just… couldn’t. What followed was a spiral of anxiety, self-blame, and silence that I’ve carried for far too long. I read from my personal journals, reflect on what it means to feel like you’re failing your own kids, and talk about the emotional toll that undiagnosed ADHD and shame can take on women. This is the episode where I start to share the things I’ve been too afraid to say out loud. Because sometimes, words aren’t just tools—they’re weapons. Let me know if you want to tweak anything else — and once this is