ADHD for Smart Ass Women with Tracy Otsuka

Want to fall in love with your ADHD brain and make it work for you? Learn more about my patented program, Your ADHD Brain is A-OK Academy  here [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup]: programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup] ___ When you live with ADHD, it’s easy to get stuck in a cycle of overwhelm, shutdown, and shame. But what if there’s a way to interrupt that pattern without judgment, without spiraling, and without trying to “fix” yourself? Vanessa Gorelkin is a licensed therapist, executive coach, and returning favorite on the podcast. With 30 years of experience across clinical care and executive leadership, she specializes in helping ADHD women find clarity, stability, and actual tools that work. In this episode, she introduces us to Internal Family Systems (IFS), a powerful framework that helps us make sense of our emotional chaos by getting curious instead of self-critical. Tracy and Vanessa dive into the difference between the “manager” and “firefighter” parts of our brain, how IFS can reframe emotional dysregulation, and why so many high-achieving women with ADHD still feel like they’re “too much.” They also talk about the surprising way shame shows up in our daily lives, and how compassion is more than just self-care; it’s a powerful strategy for long-term emotional regulation. Vanessa also shares how IFS creates space for your inner world to feel less chaotic, less punishing, and more connected. You’ll learn how identifying and working with your internal parts can build self-awareness, reduce reactive patterns, and unlock a deeper sense of agency. Whether you’re new to IFS or already deep into parts work, this episode offers real, relatable guidance for anyone looking to create more emotional balance and self-trust. Resources: Website: https://vanessagorelkin.com [https://vanessagorelkin.com ] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsvanessagorelkin [https://www.instagram.com/itsvanessagorelkin ] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessacahngorelkin1  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessacahngorelkin1 ] Send a Message: Your Name | Email | Message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2316437/open_sms] 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://adhdforsmartwomen.com/book [https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/book] Join Your ADHD Brain is A-OK: https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/aok [https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/aok] Visit our website: https://adhdforsmartwomen.com [https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/] Join our community of ADHD For Smart Ass Women: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tracyotsuka [https://www.facebook.com/groups/tracyotsuka] Join What Do I Do With My Life Masterclass: spyhappy.me/class [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/master-class-registration] Unlock your best days with Blends: https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/blends [https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/blends]

Want to fall in love with your ADHD brain and make it work for you? Learn more about my patented program, Your ADHD Brain is A-OK Academy  here [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup]: programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup] ___ How do you thrive in one of the most demanding industries in the world, while quietly navigating ADHD the whole time? Nancy Shapiro spent 33 years as a senior executive at the Recording Academy, home of the GRAMMYs, where she led all twelve regional chapters and built groundbreaking programs that changed the face of music education and artist development. But behind the scenes, she was often working twice as hard to manage distraction, emotional intensity, and the quiet self-doubt that comes with an undiagnosed ADHD brain. In this conversation, Nancy and Tracy discuss drive, resilience, and the unique energy ADHD women bring to leadership. Nancy shares how she built a legacy in the music industry while masking for decades, what changed after her diagnosis, and why executive coaching has become a new mission in this chapter of her life. She opens up about perfectionism, relationships, the power of creative instinct, and how women like us can channel our intensity without burning out. They also explore how ADHD can both fuel ambition and quietly sabotage it—and what happens when women finally stop performing and start living in alignment with how they’re wired. Nancy’s story is about more than music. It’s about identity, reinvention, and finally giving yourself the grace you’ve always given everyone else. Whether you’re in the music world or not, Nancy’s story is a powerful reminder that ADHD doesn’t disqualify you from success—it’s part of what makes your brilliance so undeniable. Resources: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-shapiro-741255218 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-shapiro-741255218]  Send a Message: Your Name | Email | Message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2316437/open_sms] 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://adhdforsmartwomen.com/book [https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/book] Join Your ADHD Brain is A-OK: https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/aok [https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/aok] Visit our website: https://adhdforsmartwomen.com [https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/] Join our community of ADHD For Smart Ass Women: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tracyotsuka [https://www.facebook.com/groups/tracyotsuka] Join What Do I Do With My Life Masterclass: spyhappy.me/class [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/master-class-registration] Unlock your best days with Blends: https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/blends [https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/blends]

Want to fall in love with your ADHD brain and make it work for you? Learn more about my patented program, Your ADHD Brain is A-OK Academy here [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup]: programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup] ___ You can’t out-organize trauma. You can’t schedule your way out of burnout. But you can begin to heal, and in doing so, everything else starts to shift. Dr. Lorre Laws has spent over three decades helping people do just that. Known affectionately as “Dr. Lorre,” she’s a bestselling author, integrative nursing professor, and founder of The Haelan Academy, a nonprofit that supports trauma recovery and holistic well-being. She’s also a woman with ADHD who knows what it’s like to look calm on the outside while feeling dysregulated, scattered, or stuck on the inside. In this conversation, she and Tracy explore how trauma and ADHD often intertwine, especially in women who have spent years high-functioning their way through stress, disconnection, and self-doubt. They talk about the nervous system’s role in attention and emotion, why so many ADHD women push themselves past the point of depletion, and how healing often starts with something as simple as breath and awareness. Dr. Lorre shares powerful insights from her journey, what changed when she finally connected the dots between trauma, ADHD, and burnout, and how she now helps other women do the same. She offers concrete, compassionate tools for slowing down, listening to your body, and shifting out of survival mode… without shame or overwhelm. This episode is for every woman who’s ever thought, Why can’t I just get it together? You’re not broken. You’re not lazy. You’re likely just carrying more than your nervous system was ever meant to hold—and this conversation will help you start to set it down. Resources: Website: drlorrelaws.com [https://drlorrelaws.com ] Instagram: www.instagram.com/drlorrelaws [https://www.instagram.com/drlorrelaws ] Facebook: www.facebook.com/drlorrelaws  [https://www.facebook.com/drlorrelaws] Send a Message: Your Name | Email | Message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2316437/open_sms] 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://adhdforsmartwomen.com/book [https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/book] Join Your ADHD Brain is A-OK: https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/aok [https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/aok] Visit our website: https://adhdforsmartwomen.com [https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/] Join our community of ADHD For Smart Ass Women: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tracyotsuka [https://www.facebook.com/groups/tracyotsuka] Join What Do I Do With My Life Masterclass: spyhappy.me/class [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/master-class-registration] Unlock your best days with Blends: https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/blends [https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/blends]

Want to fall in love with your ADHD brain and make it work for you? Learn more about my patented program, Your ADHD Brain is A-OK Academy here [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup]: programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup] ___ Vickie Howell discovered something most people never do: the exact moment her brain went quiet. It happened when her hands were busy with yarn and needles, long before she had words for ADHD or understood why making things felt like medicine. Vickie has spent over two decades at the forefront of the modern craft movement. She’s best known as the host of Knitty Gritty on HGTV, but her reach goes far beyond the screen. She’s written bestselling books, launched hit YouTube shows and PBS segments, and recently founded StitchWell Social Club, a membership community that connects creativity with nervous system care. At 51, when she was diagnosed with ADHD, everything came into focus—her rocky school years, the urgency behind her creative drive, and the systems she built to stay afloat in a world that didn’t always make room for brains like hers. In this episode, Vickie and Tracy unpack the connection between fiber arts and focus, between making things and making peace with your own mind. Vickie shares how handcrafts became her regulation tool, how bullet points saved her writing life, and why crafting deserves a seat at the mental health table. They also talk about imposter syndrome, building a business around your strengths, and what it means to get a diagnosis later in life—and realize you were never actually “lazy” or “scattered,” just misunderstood. Whether you knit or not, Vickie’s story will leave you thinking differently about how we soothe ourselves, how we process the world, and how creativity can become a powerful form of self-advocacy. Resources: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vickie-howell-0592b55 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vickie-howell-0592b55]  Website: https://vickiehowell.com [https://vickiehowell.com]  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vickiehowell [https://www.facebook.com/vickiehowell]  Send a Message: Your Name | Email | Message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2316437/open_sms] 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://adhdforsmartwomen.com/book [https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/book] Join Your ADHD Brain is A-OK: https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/aok [https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/aok] Visit our website: https://adhdforsmartwomen.com [https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/] Join our community of ADHD For Smart Ass Women: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tracyotsuka [https://www.facebook.com/groups/tracyotsuka] Join What Do I Do With My Life Masterclass: spyhappy.me/class [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/master-class-registration] Unlock your best days with Blends: https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/blends [https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/blends]

Want to fall in love with your ADHD brain and make it work for you? Learn more about my patented program, Your ADHD Brain is A-OK Academy here [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup]: programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup] ___ What happens when your brain is loud, your schedule is chaotic, and your best coping skill is making people laugh? Jessica Michelle Singleton is a no-filter comedian, podcast host, and the kind of ADHD woman who can command a stage, lose her keys, and write a killer joke—all before lunch. She’s dropped two #1 comedy albums, racked up millions of views with her stand-up, and performed alongside comedy heavyweights like Mark Normand and Melissa Villaseñor. But behind the laughs? A woman who always knew her brain worked differently, even if it took years to get a name for it. Diagnosed in college after nearly losing her scholarship, Jessica shares how undiagnosed ADHD shaped her identity, her anxiety, and her early drive to do it all—four sports, a packed schedule, and straight As. She and Tracy talk about how ADHD shows up in her comedy, why perfectionism nearly sidelined her special, and how growing up in chaos made her both resilient and hilarious. They also unpack family dynamics, trauma, and the real reason so many comedians come from childhoods that were anything but funny. If you’ve ever felt like a hot mess with a high-octane brain, Jessica’s story is a powerful reminder: sometimes the traits that made you feel “too much” are the exact ones that make you unforgettable. Resources: * Punchup: https://punchup.live/jms [https://punchup.live/jms ]   * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jmscomedy [https://www.instagram.com/jmscomedy]   * X: https://x.com/JMScomedy  [https://x.com/JMScomedy ] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jessicamichellesingleton  [https://www.youtube.com/@jessicamichellesingleton ] Send a Message: Your Name | Email | Message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2316437/open_sms] 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://adhdforsmartwomen.com/book [https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/book] Join Your ADHD Brain is A-OK: https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/aok [https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/aok] Visit our website: https://adhdforsmartwomen.com [https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/] Join our community of ADHD For Smart Ass Women: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tracyotsuka [https://www.facebook.com/groups/tracyotsuka] Join What Do I Do With My Life Masterclass: spyhappy.me/class [https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/master-class-registration] Unlock your best days with Blends: https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/blends [https://adhdforsmartwomen.com/blends]