ADHD Mums

December brings presents… and pressure. Family dynamics get loud, expectations get heavier, and suddenly you’re managing everyone’s feelings and your ADHD child’s reactions — all while trying not to implode.

This episode answers a powerful listener question: How do I handle gift-opening with my ADHD/PDA child without feeling ashamed, judged, or like I’m failing?

 It’s not just about presents. It’s about generational conditioning, people-pleasing, masking, and the old belief that ‘being liked = being good.’

What We Cover

Silent rage at Christmas isn’t a personality flaw — it’s a nervous system collapse.

In this episode, we unpack why ADHD mums hit overwhelm earlier and harder during December, why the “tiny straw” moments feel massive, and how the invisible mental load of Christmas pushes your brain into shutdown mode long before anyone notices.

This is a compassionate, nervous-system-first explanation of why you’re so tired, so overstimulated, and so close to snapping… and why none of this is your fault.

Key Takeaways

Christmas isn’t “cosy magic” for many ADHD mums — it’s a high-pressure, high-sensory, invisible-load marathon that no one else sees. In this episode, Jane breaks down why holiday overwhelm hits harder, why silent rage feels frightening and unfair, and what your nervous system is actually doing long before the wrapping-night meltdown. You’re not failing Christmas — you’ve been carrying it.

What We Cover

If December already feels like you’re sprinting through wet concrete, this episode is your deep breath. Christmas asks ADHD mums to hold the magic and the mess — late-night wrapping, invisible labour, the Boxing Day guilt hangover — and still somehow feel like we’re not doing enough.

This is the story of the year Jane finally said: good enough is enough. And maybe this is the year you get to say it too.

💡 What We Cover

Some days it feels like you need a medical degree just to parent a neurodivergent kid. The waitlists, the myths, the pressure to ‘get it right’ — it can all become overwhelming fast. In this episode, child psychiatrist Dr Mimi Xu finally gives mums clear, compassionate answers about ADHD meds for kids, without judgement or jargon.

💡 What We Cover

If you’re already running on caffeine and obligation — this one’s for you. December has a way of convincing ADHD mums that magic only counts if it hurts. But what if “good enough” was actually enough?

This week, Jane shares the story of the Christmas she finally stopped performing for everyone else — and started living it for herself.

💡 What We Cover

If you’ve ever thought, 'I’m just tired,' but deep down you think it’s more than that — this conversation is for you. Perinatal Mental Health Week isn’t about hashtags or general awareness. It’s about honesty.

Jane speaks with Julie Borninkhof, CEO of PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia), about the hidden crisis facing new parents. One in three new parents who complete PANDA’s mental-health checklist report thoughts of running away or self-harm. Yet most never say, 'I’m not coping.' 

Together they unpack why we downplay our pain, why neurodivergent mu...

If you’ve already cried in a shopping centre car park — you’re not alone.

In this raw and funny ADHD Mums Christmas episode, Jane breaks down why the season feels like an emotional Olympics for neurodivergent parents — and how to stop performing and start protecting your energy.

This isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing less on purpose.

Using the ‘Red Pen’ approach, Jane shows how to cross out what doesn’t deserve you, protect your peace, and rebuild your energy budget before the season eats you alive.

What You’ll Hear<...

When a child melts down in public or refuses to eat, the world sees “bad behaviour.” But often, what looks like defiance or poor parenting is actually neurodivergence — and a family doing their best in a system that doesn’t understand them.

In this deeply validating conversation, Jane sits down with Tracey Jewel — author, advocate, and mum of a neurodivergent family — to talk about reframing “bad parenting” through a neurodiverse lens. From ARFID and sensory overload to the grief and joy of parenting differently, this episode challenges the idea of what a “good parent” looks like and celebrates authentic...

Trigger Warning

This episode includes mentions of intrusive thoughts and parental burnout. Please take care while listening.

Episode Overview

Have you ever gone from wanting to run away to feeling overwhelming love for your kids — all within five minutes? You’re not delusional. You’re devoted.

In this raw and deeply relatable episode, Jane unpacks the wild emotional contradictions of raising neurodivergent children — the chaos, the guilt, and the strange, feral kind of joy that sneaks in when you least expect it.

Drawing on the latest neuroscience and parenting research...

💊 Why do ADHD meds seem like a miracle one week… and stop working the next?

If you’ve ever sat there wondering if you’re failing because the meds don’t seem to work anymore — you’re not broken, and you’re not alone.

In this episode, Jane tackles the most common questions ADHD mums ask about medication for kids. From appetite loss and 3PM crashes to puberty shifts and masking, we break down what’s really happening, why it feels so complex, and what meds can (and can’t) do.

What We Cover in This Episode...

For ADHD mums, school pickup isn’t chit chat — it’s performance. The smiles, the nods, the weather talk. On the outside you look friendly. On the inside, you’re collapsing.

In this Quick Reset, Jane unpacks why masking at the school gate feels so exhausting, how it impacts ADHD and autistic mums, and why it’s not about being unfriendly — it’s about survival.

✨ What We Cover in This Episode

💊 They’ll sell you $60 gummies and promise calm — while your child is still wide awake at midnight.

If you’ve ever handed over cash for gummies that didn’t work — you’re not the only one.

In this episode, Jane sits down with clinical nutritionist Brittany Darling to unpack the minefield of supplements for ADHD and neurodivergent kids. From magnesium gummies to iron deficiency, we break down what’s legit, what’s hype, and how mums can avoid wasting money on sugar pills in shiny jars.

Supplements aren’t magic. But with the right testing, the ri...

🛁 Self-care feels nice… but self-regulation keeps you alive.

Ever wondered why you feel calm after a walk but snap six minutes later? You’re not failing — that’s the difference between self-care and regulation.

In this Quick Reset, Jane unpacks the crucial difference between bubble baths and nervous system regulation. Self-care soothes. Self-regulation catches you mid-climb and stops the burnout spiral.

ADHD mums don’t need more scented candles. We need practical tools to notice when we’re about to tip over. This episode helps you understand what regulation looks like in real life, why self...

⚠️ Content Warning: This episode discusses hormonal rage, burnout, and emotional overload that may feel intense for some listeners.

Some days I don’t recognise myself.

The rage hits first — then the guilt follows. 💔

If you’ve ever cried over crumbs or felt calm slip away for no reason, this episode will make you feel seen.

Because what looks like “losing control” is often ADHD, hormones, and burnout colliding.

Jane sits down with Dr Sunita Chelva from Hero Menopause to unpack why perimenopause can feel like puberty all over again, how hormones inte...

🎂 The birthday invite never came — and the heartbreak broke us both. Because when your kid is excluded, you carry that wound too.

In this raw confession, Jane shares the reality of parenting a child who’s left out. From the quiet “Mum, what’s wrong with me?” to the fury of watching friendships collapse despite scaffolding, this episode validates the pain of social exclusion for ADHD and autistic kids — and the mums who love them.

Research shows exclusion isn’t resilience-building. It’s trauma. The brain registers it as real pain, and for neurodivergent kids, it happens far too...

⚠️ Content warning: This episode contains a brief discussion of suicidal ideation at 17mins.

🚛 You survived pregnancy. You survived newborn chaos. You survived years of exhaustion.

Then perimenopause hit — and it felt like your ADHD exploded overnight.

If perimenopause has made your ADHD feel impossible — you’re not broken, and you’re definitely not the only one.

In this raw and relatable episode, Jane sits down with Dr. Sunita Chelva (Hero Menopause & Women’s Health) to unpack what happens when fluctuating hormones collide with ADHD brains. From brain fog and rage to misdiagnosis and...

ADHD mums aren’t lazy — our homes just weren’t designed with our brains in mind. And no, piles aren’t proof of failure. In this episode, Jane unpacks why traditional “Pinterest-perfect” organising systems fail neurodivergent families, and how to design a home that actually supports ADHD working memory. From intentional landing zones to open storage, these ADHD-friendly hacks help you stop fighting your environment and start building scaffolding that works with your brain.

What We Cover in This Episode

❌ “Not disabled enough.” ❌ “Not lifelong.”

If you’ve ever been told your child is “not disabled enough” for support — you’re not alone. And you’re not failing them.

That’s what too many families are hearing through NDIS reforms — while kids who mask or “hold it together” risk losing the supports that keep households afloat. This episode unpacks what the changes actually mean, where the gaps are, and how to push back with lived experience at the centre.

What We Cover in This Episode

⚠️ This episode discusses disassociation and trauma responses. Please listen with care and step away if needed

🧘‍♀️ Meditation apps promised calm — but for many ADHD mums, stillness doesn’t soothe. It shuts us down.

If you’ve ever sat down to meditate and felt panic instead of peace — you’re not broken. You’re not the only one.

In this Quick Reset, Jane explores why meditation, yoga, and “just breathe” advice can trigger dissociation instead of relaxation. When stillness feels unsafe, your nervous system isn’t failing — it’s protecting you.

This episode unpacks the difference betw...

⚠️ Content Warning

This episode contains discussion of eating disorders, food restriction, and medical trauma, including misdiagnosis, inpatient treatment, and NG tube feeding. These themes may be triggering if you’ve experienced eating disorders, hospitalisation, or trauma in medical settings. Please listen with care and step away if you need to.

🥄 Your child isn’t “picky.” They’re hungry, terrified — and too often, the world still blames parents.

In this raw and validating episode, Jane speaks with Marie Camin, autistic clinical psychologist and researcher, about ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder), eating disorders, and why neurodivergent...

🤔 Are school holidays not what you imagined? You thought they’d be fun — but instead you’re tired, burnt out, and blaming yourself for not enjoying them.

In this Quick Reset, Jane unpacks the hidden truth about parenting through school holidays with ADHD: not all mums start the day with the same energy budget. When you’re managing sensory overload, executive dysfunction, picky eating, or kids who refuse playdates, you’re spending double the energy before lunch. This isn’t failure. It’s maths that makes sense to ADHD mums .

What We Cover in This Episode

⚡ Sticker charts, punishments, time-outs — most ADHD mums have tried them. And most of us have felt the gut-punch of guilt when they “don’t work.” But here’s the truth: what looks like “bad behaviour” is usually a dysregulated nervous system asking for help, not a child trying to make life harder .

In this episode, Jane speaks with psychologist Leanne Tran about why conventional behaviour strategies fail ADHD kids, how shame sneaks in, and what parents can do instead. Together, they reframe “naughtiness” as communication — and offer practical tools for scaffolding, connection, and regulation .

What We Cover in This Episo...

Duration: 00:37:01

Meal planning was built for neurotypicals. That’s why it breaks ADHD mums.

In this Quick Reset, Jane calls out the shame trap of “just get organised” and explains why meal planning feels impossible when it demands six executive functions at once. From frozen meat to kids refusing everything you bought, this episode offers ADHD-friendly hacks for surviving dinner when you’re already on the edge .

What We Cover in This Episode

Night sweats, meltdowns, migraines, brain fog — and still dismissed as “mum stress.” For ADHD women, perimenopause isn’t weakness — it’s biology colliding with a system that refuses to notice.

In this episode, Jane speaks with Dr Lara Briden, naturopathic doctor and author of Hormone Repair Manual, to unpack what perimenopause really looks like for ADHD women, why blood tests often come back “normal,” and how body-identical hormone therapy can help.

What We Cover in This Episode

⚠️ Content Warning : This episode contains heavy confessions. These themes may be triggering for listeners with trauma histories or postnatal depression. Please listen with care and step away if you need to.

These confessions prove you’re not broken, you’re not failing — and you’re definitely not alone.

For the first time, Jane reads out anonymous confessions from ADHD mums — funny, dark, and painfully honest. These stories reveal the rage, exhaustion, shame, and survival that so many mums carry in silence. Instead of being dismissed as “bad parenting” or “not coping,” these confessions remind us: you’re not alone.

Perimenopause can feel like being blindsided by a hormonal crash no one prepared you for. Mood swings, rage, insomnia, and anxiety get dumped in the ‘mum stress’ basket — as if biology crashing is just bad attitude.

For ADHD mums, the mix of perimenopause and neurodivergence is like juggling knives while the floor gives way. This episode calls out the silence around perimenopause, explains the real biological shifts at play, and validates the lived experience of being dismissed when your body is in crisis.

What We Cover in This Episode

‘Not tonight’ isn’t rejection — it’s survival. You can be deeply in love, feel safe and connected, and still feel absolutely no desire for sex. For neurodivergent mums, it’s not about being broken. It’s about being depleted. Burnout, overstimulation, resentment, and chronic executive load all take a toll — and desire doesn’t grow in captivity.

This episode names the unspoken truth: you can love your partner and still dread intimacy when your nervous system is tapped out.

What We Cover in This Episode

School mornings feel like hostage negotiations — not routine. Missing shoes, weird sock meltdowns, vanishing library bags… and still the world says ‘just get more organised’. But ADHD families don’t run on habits — we run on cues.

In this Quick Reset, Jane shares the one simple change that turned mornings from chaos into something survivable: the hallway hook. More than a place for bags, it’s an environmental accommodation that reduces the daily executive function tax every ADHD mum knows too well.

What We Cover in This Episode

Doctors said anxiety. It turns out, for many ADHD mums, it’s actually hormones colliding with histamine.

This episode kicks off our hormone mini-series with ADHD & women’s health naturopath Kylie Smart, exploring how histamine interacts with oestrogen, stress, and ADHD — and why so many mums are dismissed as “hysterical” or “anxious” when the truth is biochemical.

What We Cover in This Episode

‘Don’t label her,’ they said.

Now she cries herself to sleep, wondering why she’s too much. 💔

That’s what happens when kids grow up different but unsupported.

The world never calls it ADHD — it calls it bossy, weird, difficult.

And children believe it.

In this Quick Reset, Jane McFadden unpacks the real cost of avoiding diagnosis. Parents often fear labels, but silence does more harm. Kids who don’t get language and support end up creating their own labels: dumb, lazy, unloveable.

💬 In This Episode:

You keep the house running. You hold the emotions. You never say no. And still, part of you wonders if you’re doing enough.

This solo episode isn’t just about perfectionism or people pleasing — it’s about the deeper pattern so many ADHD mums live inside without realising it: good girl conditioning. Jane peels back the layers of expectation, guilt, trauma, and survival-mode coping that lead neurodivergent women to break down quietly behind closed doors.

From childhood masking to motherhood martyrdom, this one hits deep — and offers five strategies to start peeling off the pressure w...

You can’t ‘train’ a brain to enjoy being flooded with noise, light, smells, and chaos. You can only push it until it shuts down — or shuts you out. Yet families are told every day that ‘exposure therapy’ will fix sensory overwhelm. In this episode, we talk about why that’s not just wrong — it’s dangerous.

You’ll learn:

Sometimes parenting feels like being pecked to death by tiny, unstable chickens. We love our kids fiercely — but that doesn’t mean we have to love every single moment of raising them.

In this unfiltered Quick Reset, Jane says the thing so many ADHD mums are scared to admit out loud: I don’t always like being a parent. And no — that doesn’t make you a bad mum. It makes you human.

From the endless to-do lists and medical appointments to the sensory overload and invisible labour, parenting as a neurodivergent mum is a full-body...

Your child comes home from school withdrawn, teary, or exploding in rage — and you’re expected to stay calm. Every cell in your body wants to burn the system down, but the school says ‘We’re handling it’. You can see your child’s spark dimming, and you’re being told to keep your emotions in check so you’re not labelled ‘the emotional mum’.

Psychologist Mona Delahooke reminds us that children’s behaviour is a direct reflection of their nervous system regulation. If your child shuts down, lashes out, avoids, cries, or seems ‘off’, it’s often their nervous system s...

If school mornings in your house feel like a high-stakes obstacle course — socks missing, bags unpacked, emotions running high — this episode will feel like a deep breath you didn’t know you needed.

Jane is joined by Sharon Collon from The Functional Family to talk about how to survive those brutal pre-school hours without burning every ounce of patience you have before 9am. This isn’t about colour-coded charts or impossible routines — it’s about understanding ADHD brains, setting realistic expectations, and making mornings less about conflict and more about connection.

Sharon shares her game-changing tips for man...

If you’ve already heard MY UPDATE: What Happens When You Lose the Meds That Helped You Survive, you know Part 1 ended on the decision to have lipedema surgery after years of chronic pain, medical dismissal, and the sudden loss of ADHD medication.

This is what happened next.

In this follow-up episode, Jane takes you behind the curtain of the surgery itself — the reality of navigating a system that still sidelines women’s pain, the complications that no one warns you about, and the rare heart condition that made recovery far more complex than expected. From c...

This isn’t just about medication. It’s about the pattern so many ADHD mums find themselves in — chasing answers, finding partial relief, and then hitting a wall you never saw coming.

In this raw, unfiltered episode, Jane shares the deeply personal story of what happened when her body could no longer tolerate ADHD medication — and how a lifetime of overlapping diagnoses, chronic conditions, and medical gaslighting shaped the road to that moment.

From discovering she had lipedema after years of pain, to navigating a brutal and underfunded surgery system, this is an honest account of resil...

With Special Guest: NSW Minister for Mental Health, Rose Jackson

💬 “It shouldn’t cost thousands of dollars and 12 months on a waitlist just to feel like a functioning parent.”

For years, ADHD families have been begging for change — and this time, someone in government actually listened. In this landmark conversation, Jane is joined by NSW Minister Rose Jackson to talk about what’s finally shifting in ADHD healthcare access — and why it matters for every overwhelmed family, not just those in Sydney.

They cover everything from GP prescribing reforms to the national medication shortage, and w...

This episode isn’t polished. It’s not another “mum guilt” talk with a tidy little bow. It’s a confession — 10 brutally honest fears that live under the surface of parenting with ADHD. The kind you lie awake thinking about. The kind you’re scared to say out loud.

From burnout to school calls, masking to medical forms — this Quick Reset is for the mums who are terrified of missing something important. Who love their kids fiercely, but carry a quiet dread that they’re not doing enough. Jane gets real about what it feels like to parent while manag...

If you’ve ever jolted awake at 3:11am spiralling over something you said in 2019 — you are not alone.

This Quick Reset is for the mums lying in bed, exhausted but wired, wondering if their brain is broken. (Spoiler: it’s not.)

In this raw and validating episode, Jane unpacks the real reasons so many neurodivergent women are waking up in the middle of the night. It’s not just anxiety. It’s hormones, cortisol spikes, perimenopause, trauma, overstimulation — and nervous systems that have been stuck in survival mode for years.

This episode gives you permissi...

What if the exhaustion you're carrying isn’t about your daughter’s needs — but about the systems stacked against her? In this fiercely honest conversation, Jane sits down with Katie Koullas, founder of Yellow Ladybugs, to unpack the invisible weight neurodivergent mums carry while raising autistic and ADHD girls. From masking to missed diagnoses, perfectionism to protection — this episode doesn’t shy away from the real stuff. It validates the hell out of the lived experience of raising girls who internalise everything and explode only when no one’s watching.

Katie shares her experience as a mum, advocate, an...

If you’ve ever stood frozen in the kitchen, fully aware of what needs doing — and still couldn’t start — this episode is for you.

This week’s Quick Reset tears apart the toxic myth that ADHD mums just need to “try harder.” Jane unpacks what’s actually happening when your brain stalls, and why shame, not laziness, is often the real culprit. From inner critics echoing old failures to the neuroscience behind executive dysfunction, this is a raw, validating, and darkly funny call to stop blaming effort — and start working with your brain instead.

You’ll learn pract...

With special guest: Jayde Couldewell from Beyond the Bump

If you thought finally getting a diagnosis and trying meds would be the end of your chaos — but you’re still overwhelmed, melting down, or yelling into the void — this one’s for you.

In this raw, funny, and emotionally honest episode, Jane is joined by Jayde Couldewell to talk about what really happens after diagnosis. Spoiler: the meds help, but they’re not the whole story. Together, they unpack what comes next — from executive function and exercise, to morning meltdowns and postnatal rage, to finally being able to...

If someone tells you to take a bubble bath one more time, you might scream.

This Quick Reset is a no-filter, nervous-system-level rant for every ADHD mum who’s been told that a massage will fix her burnout. Jane unpacks why the whole self-care industry is fundamentally mismatched to neurodivergent mums — and how pretending we feel better after one ‘treat’ just leads to more shame, not recovery.

From sensory overload and executive dysfunction to the rage of being handed a “Mother’s Day spa voucher” after 364 days of unpaid emotional labour, this episode calls out the delusion o...

If you've ever walked out of a school meeting wondering how it could all feel so wrong — this episode is for you.

In the powerful final instalment of the ADHD Mums School Series, Jane is joined by neurodivergent educator Millie Carr to reimagine what school could be — if we stopped prioritising performance over people. Together, they unpack how traditional education models are burning out not only our kids, but also the parents, teachers, and professionals trying to hold it all together.

From sensory trauma to compliance-driven behaviour plans, this episode explores the uncomfortable truth: our curr...

If you're a neurodivergent parent staring down the impossible decision of where to send your child to school — this episode is for you.

Forget the glossy brochures and test score spreadsheets. In this raw, strategic conversation, Jane and Millie Carr walk you through the real questions to ask, the red flags to watch for, and how to trust your gut when it comes to choosing a school that won't retraumatise your kid — or you.

We unpack the hidden barriers ADHD and autistic families face during school enrolment, what buzzwords to interrogate (hello “inclusive” and “resilient”), and how to d...

If your child holds it together at school but falls apart at home — this episode is for you.

In this raw and deeply validating conversation, Jane is joined again by educator Millie Carr to unpack what happens when school is no longer emotionally or psychologically safe for neurodivergent kids. From missed warning signs to outright shutdown, we explore how subtle distress gets overlooked — and how easily parents are made to feel like they’re overreacting.

You’ll learn what to watch for, what to say to schools without getting dismissed, and how to hold your ground w...

If the words ‘let me know if you need anything’ make you panic instead of feel supported — this one’s for you.

This Quick Reset is a nervous system-level sigh of relief for the mums who feel safest surviving in silence. If you’ve ever shut down instead of speaking up, snapped when someone finally offered to help, or felt like asking for support meant erasing your worth — this episode will hit home. Hard.

We unpack the trauma behind “I’ve got it,” the invisible legacy of pathological self-reliance, and how masking your needs became part of your perso...

If your afternoons feel like a slow-motion train wreck — tears, yelling, slammed doors, and you hiding in the pantry with a chocolate bar — this episode is for you.

This Quick Reset speaks directly to the ADHD mums stuck in the brutal 3–6PM rebound window (or 3–9PM if your house is really on fire). When the stimulant meds wear off, the chaos ramps up — and suddenly the smallest request can launch a meltdown. Whether your child is screaming in the backseat or your teenager is giving you the silent treatment, this episode validates the unspoken truth: it’s not you, it’...

If you’ve spent hours calling pharmacies, chasing down scripts, or fighting tears in front of your child’s school — this episode is for you.

This week’s Quick Reset is a brutally honest look at the ADHD medication shortage and what it’s actually costing families. It’s not just about pills. It’s about access, function, and survival. If you’ve been told to 'just hang in there' while rationing doses, burning out, and trying to stay regulated — this episode will meet you where you are.

We unpack why the shortage isn’t just a supply chain...

If your partner’s dreaming of overseas holidays while you’re barely surviving the playground — this episode is for you.

This Quick Reset is a brutally honest look at what 'holiday' means when you’re the default parent, the nervous system regulator, and the one who never actually gets to rest. If your body flinches at the word “vacation” because it remembers meltdowns, sleepless nights, and judgmental relatives — you’re not alone.

Jane unpacks the invisible trauma of parenting while travelling, why holidays can feel like executive function overload, and how memory, shame, and nervous system trauma sh...

This one is for the mums who cancel plans and then spiral into shame — not because you don’t care about your friends, but because you’re tired of becoming someone else just to belong. This Quick Reset goes straight into the emotional cost of masking, people-pleasing, and being ‘palatable’ in social spaces when you’re already running on empty.

If you've ever ghosted a dinner invite because the idea of smiling through small talk made you feel sick — you're not rude. You're exhausted. And there’s a reason your nervous system taps out.

We unpack the invis...

This one’s for every mum who’s watched the birthday party photos roll in and realised — again — your child wasn’t invited. Or stood awkwardly at the school gate while other parents chatted like you weren’t even there.

In this raw and necessary episode, Jane tackles the quiet grief of social exclusion: not just for our neurodivergent kids, but for us too. From WhatsApp politics to parent cliques to the unspoken ‘rules’ of what’s considered acceptable behaviour in kids — we unpack how the system trains us all to exclude those who don’t conform.

If you've ever b...

If you’ve ever found yourself raging over a sock battle, losing it over a tantrum, or feeling shame after snapping at your child — this episode will meet you right there. It’s not just that your child is being ‘difficult’. It’s that their big feelings might be waking up parts of you that were never allowed to exist.

This Quick Reset unpacks the link between parenting rage and trauma stored in the body. We explore the concept of mirrored trauma — when your child expresses the exact emotions you were taught to suppress. If you were the “good girl...

If you’ve ever been told your child is ‘defiant’, ‘rude’, or ‘lazy’—this episode is for you.

Tania Waring is back to unpack how stress behaviours are misread as misbehaviour in classrooms. Drawing on her PhD research into co-regulation and inclusive education, Tania explains what’s really going on for ADHD and autistic students—and why the classroom itself can fuel or relieve their distress.

We talk about why behaviour systems like marbles-in-the-jar and Dojo points don’t work for neurodivergent kids, and how regulation starts with the adult in the room. We cover practical ways teacher...

If you can’t sit still even when nothing’s wrong...
If you're checking your emails like a debt collector is chasing you...
If your heart races during peaceful moments...

This episode is for you.

In this raw and validating Quick Reset, Jane peels back the misunderstood layers of 'anxiety' to reveal something many ADHD mums live with daily — high-functioning hypervigilance. It's not just worry. It's a nervous system that never learned to feel safe.

This is the episode to save and return to every time you feel like you can’t switch...

You walk into a school meeting hoping for support—and walk out feeling like the unreasonable parent again.

In this no-fluff episode, Jane is joined by returning guest and neuroaffirming educator Millie Carr to rip the curtain off how Individual Education Plans (IEPs) are actually playing out in real classrooms. From broken communication and missing documentation to defensive staff and performative inclusion policies, this episode is a sharp, validating look at what’s really happening behind the school gate.

If you’ve ever been told, ‘we can’t do that for everyone’, ‘they seem fine’, or your child’s...

Why does getting support for your child feel like a full-time job… with no sick leave?

In this solo episode, Jane dives into the exhausting, invisible labour of advocacy – and why neurodivergent mums are often left navigating broken systems without a map, a translator, or a break. From IEP meetings to GP appointments, this is the episode for every mum who’s ever stayed up till 2am writing an email that might just get ignored.

If you’re tired of being dismissed, dismissed again, then blamed for being ‘too emotional’ about it – you are not the problem.<...

What happens when schools insist your child is fine - but everything in your gut says otherwise?

In this powerful instalment of our school mini-series, Jane is joined again by Millie Carr - teacher, parent, and neurodivergent advocate - to unpack one of the most maddening experiences families face: being gaslit by educators who don’t “see” the struggle.

If you’ve ever been told your child is “fine” at school while managing meltdowns, shutdowns, or burnout at home, this one will hit hard. Jane shares a deeply personal story of leaving a school that refused to a...

You’re not imagining it — psychology funding is reducing from NDIS plans. And neurodivergent families are being hit the hardest.

In this critical solo episode, Jane breaks down the real impact of recent NDIS changes, including the hidden rollout of Section 33, why psychology is being reframed as a ‘Medicare issue’, and how support for emotional regulation, anxiety and trauma is being stripped away under the radar.

If you’re navigating plan reviews, therapy cancellations, or watching mental health supports vanish — this episode gives you the language, strategy and advocate for yourself or your child.

What We Co...

If your kid has been labelled ‘disruptive’, ‘too much’, or has a 'behaviour problem’ at school - this episode is for you.

In this raw, honest, and fiercely educational conversation, Jane is joined by Tania Waring - lawyer-turned-PhD researcher, mum of three neurodivergent boys, and longtime education advocate. They go into what’s really happening when ADHD and autistic kids are ‘acting out’ - and why so many schools are punishing trauma responses, not managing them.

This episode isn’t polite. It’s personal, practical, and painfully real. From school exclusions and behaviour plans to Human Rights Commissi...

You’ve already heard the basics: ADHD isn’t just for boys. Autism isn’t all hand-flapping. Great. But what about the deeper stuff?

In this solo episode, Jane takes a sledgehammer to the most persistent, harmful, and advanced myths that are still sabotaging ADHD and autistic women.

From the dangerous praise of ‘high functioning’ to the weaponisation of executive function, performative neurodiversity, and the false promise that meds fix everything—this is the truth the awareness campaigns skip.

If you’ve ever been told you’re ‘too capable to struggle’, ‘too smart to be ADHD’, or ‘too e...

If your child’s after-school meltdowns seem to come out of nowhere — they don’t. They’re just not being seen.

In this second episode of the School Series, Jane is joined again by neurodivergent educator and mum Millie Carr to unpack how burnout builds silently in classrooms and explodes at home. From sensory overwhelm and executive dysfunction to chronic invalidation and misread behaviour — this episode doesn’t just name the problem. It helps you understand what to look for, what schools can do differently, and what you can shift at home without burning yourself out too.

This i...

If your child holds it together all day at school only to fall apart the second they get home—this episode is for you.

In this brutally honest conversation, Jane is joined by teacher, parent, and neurodivergent advocate Millie Carr to unpack the invisible trauma happening behind ‘good behaviour’ in classrooms.

From silent shutdowns to explosive rage, masking to misdiagnosis, we explore how the school system is inadvertently breaking the very kids it's meant to support—and what parents can do about it.

💡 What We Cover:

You’ve read the listicles. You’ve sat in the paediatrician’s office explaining what your child’s meltdown actually meant — again. You’re not confused. You’re exhausted.

Season 3 is here — and it’s not about awareness anymore. It’s about tools, systems, scripts, and sustainable change. This season, Jane is done explaining ADHD to the masses. If you’re an ADHD mum, late-diagnosed woman, or raising neurodivergent kids in a system that’s already failing you — this season is built for you.

This opener is sharp, validating, and cuts straight to what’s coming, why it matters, and h...

You made the reservation. You packed the gifts. You wiped the tears, booked the table, and still felt… like no one saw you.

If Mother’s Day makes you feel flat, ragey, or quietly devastated—you’re not ungrateful, you’re unsupported. In this raw solo episode, Jane shares the truth about what ADHD mums, solo parents, and neurodivergent women are really navigating on the day that’s supposed to be for them.

This isn’t about handmade cards and breakfast in bed. This is about emotional labour, unmet needs, and the silent heartbreak of being overlook...

If you made it through Season 2 while juggling meltdowns, meds, late-night Googling, school chaos, and trying to figure out dinner while being told to ‘get off your phone’—you’re not just surviving. You’re reshaping the narrative.

In this raw and honest wrap-up, Jane reflects on what really went down in Season 2: the burnout, the backlash, the breakthroughs, and the moments that made her want to walk away. From NDIS implosions to medication shortages, from massive listener growth to imposter syndrome and award snubs—this one lays it bare.

This is a thank you, a debrief, a...

ADHD Meds: Are They Safe Long-Term? What the World's Largest Study Just Told Us

You’re sitting in the paediatrician’s office, staring at a tiny tablet in your hand, wondering if giving it to your child makes you a bad parent—or a better one. Sound familiar?

In this solo episode, Jane breaks down the world’s biggest ADHD medication study—just published in The Lancet Psychiatry—and unpacks what it really means for neurodivergent families. We’re talking hard data, real side effects, long-term unknowns, and the emotional load mums carry when we’re asked to medi...

Okay, so you’ve screamed into your car steering wheel.

Now what?

In Part 2, Jane and clinical psychologist Dr Jacinta Thompson return to bring the goods: the actual, practical tools ADHD mums can use to manage rage without pretending to be zen all the time. From self-coaching scripts to nervous system hacks, this episode gives you permission to be angry—and shows you what to do with it that’s actually effective.

Because no, you don’t need to just 'try yoga' again. And no, you’re not the only one who wants to punch t...

If you've ever felt like you were about to rage-clean the entire house, scream in your car, or book a one-way ticket to anywhere then here, this episode is for you.

We’re diving into mum rage, sensory overload, and the shame spiral that follows—because if just regulating your emotions was that easy, none of us would be listening to this episode.

Dr. Jacinta Thompson is back to break down why ADHD mums experience explosive frustration and what’s actually happening in your brain when you hit breaking point.

💡 What We Cover:
✔️ Why...

Ever been called ‘a bit much’? Apologised for your personality before someone’s even asked your name? You’re not alone - and you’re not the problem.

In this solo episode, Jane cracks open the messy reality of emotional intensity, ADHD, and rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD). From 2am spiral sessions to crying because someone didn’t wave back - this episode calls it what it is: a misunderstood but very real part of neurodivergent life.

No shame. No pastel filter. Just honest strategies to help your emotional wiring work for you - not against you. 

Too many women walk into a psych’s office knowing something’s not right—and walk out with a label that only tells half the story. ADHD or PTSD? Or both?

In this episode, Jane chats with senior psychologist, educator, and PhD candidate Amanda Moses, whose work centres on complex, highly masked neurodivergent presentations. Together, they tackle one of the most misunderstood clinical issues facing ADHD women: misdiagnosis, trauma-blaming, and the dangerous trend of withholding treatment.

If you’ve ever been told to 'treat the trauma first' or felt like your neurodivergence was being ignored because o...

You’re not overreacting. You’ve spent hundreds trying to keep their “safe foods” stocked, only for them to refuse it the next day. You’ve stood in the kitchen, holding a full lunchbox, wondering how they’ll get through the day - and how you’ll keep holding it together.

This isn’t just fussy eating. And this episode isn’t just more information - it’s the support you’ve been looking for.

Want real tools to help with ARFID at home? The companion kit to this episode is packed with scripts, trackers, and strategies to make f...

Ever feel like you’re the only one holding everything together - school schedules, emotional meltdowns, forgotten socks, and all? And somehow, despite all that effort, your child’s teacher still doesn’t quite get it?

You’re not imagining it - and you’re definitely not alone.

In this episode, Jane sits down with educator and special ed expert Sue Larkey to talk about what really helps when school feels like a battle, your kid is stuck in ADHD paralysis, and you’re just trying to make it to bedtime without losing it.

💬 “None of you...

This episode won’t give you a 12-step schedule — just real strategies, honest validation, and permission to drop the guilt.

If school holidays leave you feeling overstimulated, under-supported, and one snack request away from snapping — you’re not alone.

Need extra support this break? The School Holidays Sanity Kit has printables, reset plans, transcript and flexible tools to help things feel a little more doable. DOWNLOAD HERE.

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In this episode, Jane breaks down why school holidays can completely fry ADHD mums: the emotional labour, the pressure to make it special, the chaos...

If you’re constantly guessing what your child might eat today...

If even your “safe foods” aren’t safe anymore…

And if every mealtime feels like a silent panic attack - this episode is for you.

ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) isn’t about being picky or manipulative - it’s about safety. And when food feels like a threat, pressure just makes things worse.

In this raw and practical chat, Jane sits down with nutritionist and mum-of-two Margo White to talk about what’s really going on when food causes meltdowns, ref...

🎙️ NEW EMERGENCY EPISODE: Concerta’s Gone. Vyvanse is Broken. What Now?

If your child’s Vvyance suddenly stopped working, you’re not losing your mind. If Vyvanse has started turning you into a Tasmanian devil with insomnia—you’re not alone. And if you're wondering why no one in charge seems remotely concerned... well, Jane’s here to say what everyone else is thinking, what no one will say, and what absolutely no one is doing anything about.

Welcome to the ADHD medication crisis. It’s messy, it’s real, and Jane—who literally called this a year ago—has receip...

If you’ve ever looked at your partner relaxing on the couch while you’re drowning in mental load and thought, “how are you not stressed right now?” - this episode is for you.

We’re digging into resentment, why ADHD mums feel so responsible for everything, and what happens when we keep putting ourselves last. This isn’t just about snapping - it’s about the emotional and neurological cost of being the one who always “holds it all together.”

It’s time to stop waiting for permission to rest, and start naming what you need.

💡 In Th...

In this powerful and deeply personal episode, we welcome back one of our most popular guests: Claire Britton – occupational therapist, neurodivergent mum, founder of NeuroInclusion, and one of our favourite humans to talk to.

Claire opens up about her lived experience with Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)—what it was like growing up with sensory sensitivities, food rigidity, and mealtime stress long before ARFID had a name. She takes us through her personal journey from rigid childhood meals to navigating adult food challenges, relationships, and even discovering new foods through dating (yes, Tinder was involved).

This i...

Having the mental load conversation is about as fun as stepping on LEGO barefoot. You want to explain how much you're carrying, but suddenly you’re “nagging.” You try to share how exhausted you are, and now you’re “overreacting.” Meanwhile, your partner is confused, defensive, and wondering why the conversation about the car getting booked in for a service turned into an existential crisis.

Yeah. This episode is for you.

PLUS get your episode companion guide for $10 – packed with scripts, validation strategies, and advanced tools to turn resentment into real partnership and shift from "helping" to truly...

⚠️ Content Warning: This post discusses child sexual abuse, grooming, and child safety. If this is a difficult topic for you, please take care while listening. But if you're a parent, I encourage you to stick with it - because avoiding it won't make it go away.

Most parents assume they’ll know if their child is unsafe. But here’s the reality: neurodivergent kids are more vulnerable - not because they’re unaware, but because they see the world differently.

You’re juggling everything, but no one seems to notice.

🔥 This is the invisible mental load. And if it feels like it’s breaking you, you’re not alone.

PLUS we've put together A Kit for Making the Mental Load Visible (and Finally Sharing it). Download HERE.

In this episode, we’r...

⚠️ Content Warning: This post discusses child sexual abuse, grooming, and child safety. If this is a difficult topic for you, please take care while listening. But if you're a parent, I encourage you to stick with it - because avoiding it won't make it go away.

Most of us assume we’d see the signs. We believe we’d know if someone was grooming our child. But the truth? Grooming is subtle, calculated, and often happens right under our noses.

In this crucial episode, former detective and child safety advocate Kristi McVee discusses the unique risks neurodi...

If you’ve ever felt like you’re juggling every detail while everyone else just lives their life, you’re not alone. The mental load is real, and so is the frustration of carrying it all.

In Part Two, we’re unpacking why so many ADHD mums stop speaking up about the mental load - even when it’s pushing us to burnout. Maybe you’ve tried before and been met with defensiveness, guilt, or the feeling that it’s just easier to do it yourself. But what if the way you bring it up could actually lead to change...

You know that moment when your kid is in meltdown mode, you’re barely holding it together, and before you can stop yourself "Just go to your room and think about what you’ve done!" flies out of your mouth? 

We’ve ALL been there.

But time-outs don’t actually teach emotional regulation. They teach kids that their big feelings are too much, that they have to handle them alone, or that they just need to get better at hiding their struggles.

In this episode, I chat with Gen Muir, parent educator, obstetric social wo...

Ever tried to have an uninterrupted shower, only to have Fight Club break out in your house the second you close the door? Meanwhile, your partner somehow gets their coffee, their phone time, their 35 minute toilet morning routine - completely untouched?

If you’ve ever thought:

🚨 THIS EPISODE IS FOR YOU 🚨

We’re jumping into: Duration: 00:27:16

One day you’re fine. The next? Brain fog, rage, exhaustion, sensory overload - like your body has a mind of its own.

It’s not just stress. It’s not all in your head. Perimenopause and PMDD hit neurodivergent women harder, turning ADHD and autistic traits up to full blast. And yet? Most doctors still dismiss it.

In this episode, Dr Miranda Robinson, an obstetrician & gynaecologist with a special interest in neurodiversity, breaks down what’s really happening and what can actually help, so you can stop feeling like you’re losing control.

ADHD mums know the struggle - routines sound great in theory, but in reality? They fall apart before breakfast. If you’ve spent money on colour-coded schedules only to watch them crumble in days (or hours), this episode is for you.

I break down why traditional routines don’t work for ADHD families and how to build a flexible system that actually sticks. You’ll hear relatable stories, practical strategies, and a refreshingly honest take on why routines aren’t about perfection - they’re about making life easier.

This isn’t about forcing a perfect syst...

If your ADHD traits feel like they’ve gotten worse - with more anxiety, brain fog, rage, and exhaustion - you might be dealing with something no one warned you about: perimenopause.

For late-diagnosed ADHD mum Haylee, hitting 40 brought a wave of unexpected struggles that left her questioning everything. Doctors dismissed her. Anxiety came out of nowhere. Her executive function took a nosedive. And the rage? Next level. It wasn’t until she became her own advocate that she found answers.

In this episode: 

Ever walked away from school pick-up mentally exhausted from awkward small talk, unspoken social rules, or overthinking what you said? You’re not alone.

For ADHD and autistic mums, pick-up isn’t just about collecting your child - it’s a social minefield that can leave you feeling wiped out, anxious, or like you somehow “got it wrong.”

But what if school pick-up didn’t have to be so exhausting?

In this episode:

Thousands of families are being blindsided by the latest NDIS cuts, with children losing essential support before new systems are in place. Parents are being told their child has “achieved their goals” - only to be left scrambling for therapy they still desperately need. If you’re feeling frustrated, exhausted, or just plain angry, you’re not alone.

In this episode, Nicole Rogerson joins me for a straight-talking, no-nonsense conversation about what’s happening, why it matters, and what we can do right now to fight for our children’s support.

Nicole is the founding director of...

Ever feel like you're the default manager of every school-related task - lunches, library books, permission slips, and last-minute costume days? The mental load of the school year is relentless, and if you're a neurodivergent mum, it’s even harder.

This episode dives into why the school-year mental load feels so overwhelming and offers practical strategies to help lighten it - without burning out.

In this episode: 

If you’re constantly running on empty, dealing with chronic pain, weird health symptoms, or crushing fatigue - this isn’t just mum life, and it’s not all in your head. ADHD doesn’t just affect the brain; it impacts the entire body. Add the mental load of motherhood, and it’s no wonder so many ADHD mums feel like we’re barely hanging on.

In this episode:

We tell ourselves we won’t do it again - won’t reach for that glass of wine after the kids go to bed, won’t fall into an hours-long scroll hole, won’t spend another $300 on a hyperfocus obsession we’ll drop in a month. And yet… here we are.

Our ADHD brains crave dopamine, and sometimes that means turning to habits that feel good in the moment but leave us stuck in a cycle. This episode isn’t about willpower or self-blame - it’s about understanding why ADHD makes these habits so sticky and what we can do t...

We tell ourselves it’s just one glass - we deserve it after a long day. But somehow, that glass turns into the easiest way to switch off. And if we’re honest, we’re not sure it’s working anymore.

ADHD mums aren’t drinking just for fun - we’re drinking to cope with the mental load, the overstimulation, the relentless pressure to do it all. And while a glass of wine might feel like a quick fix, it could actually be making everything harder.

This isn’t about guilt or never drinking again. It’s ab...

Feeling like you’re carrying the weight of the world? Whether it’s the invisible scars of trauma, the daily juggle of ADHD, or the pressure to hold it all together, this episode dives into what happens when life gets overwhelming - and how to start healing.

Jess shares her deeply personal journey from life in the ADF to facing PTSD, navigating ADHD, and rebuilding her life with the help of EMDR therapy. This isn’t just another survival story - it’s about breaking free from the cycle of burnout, asking for help, and relearning how to live...

For many ADHD mums, explaining ADHD to loved ones can feel like speaking another language. Partners and family members might try their best but don’t always grasp the full picture - or might even feel overwhelmed or unsure how to help.

This episode is for both ADHD mums and their loved ones - those who want to help but feel unsure about ADHD, feeling overwhelmed by what it means, or just want to provide better support.

In This Episode:

Important Context: Some of the changes I discuss in this episode aren’t officially announced or reflected on the NDIS website. However, feedback from a large number of parents who completed my survey suggests these changes are happening as the NDIS plans are reviewed or when new applications go in. There is a huge amount of inconsistency within the NDIS with unclear definitions and varying levels of expertise from NDIS planners who make eligibility decisions. Providers are witnessing these issues firsthand, but some remain silent out of fear that speaking up could jeopardise their AHPRA registration, Medicare provider number, an...

Whether it’s the start of a new school year or a mid-term reset, managing routines and transitions as an ADHD family can feel overwhelming. From chaotic mornings to emotional regulation challenges, this episode is packed with practical strategies to support your family anytime you're looking to create a smoother school experience.

This episode is here to help you:

Reso...