ADHDifference

Julie Legg is joined by Jel Legg, a multi-disciplinary creative whose life has moved through a remarkable series of reinventions - from engineering and web development to professional music production. Diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 55, Jel reflects on how his late diagnosis brought not just relief, but deep validation for a lifetime of curiosity, burnout, and non-linear success.

With humour and insight, Jel shares how understanding his neurodivergence helped him give himself permission to live differently - to reconnect with childhood passions, prioritise joy over productivity, and make peace with his ADHD brain.<...

Duration: 00:24:29

Julie Legg is joined by Randi-Lee Bowslaugh, a Canadian author, former competitive kickboxer, and mental health advocate. Diagnosed with autism later in life, Randi-Lee brings clarity to the lived and shared experiences that often fall between diagnostic cracks - emotional regulation struggles, sensory sensitivities, people-pleasing, and chronic exhaustion from masking.

This conversation highlights a growing reality: many women are missed, misdiagnosed, or misunderstood when it comes to ADHD and/or autism diagnosis. This episode is an, insightful listen for anyone exploring where they may sit on the neurodivergent spectrum - especially those who resonate with...

Duration: 00:27:38

Julie Legg chats with Greer Jones, a UK-based podcast host, neurodiversity advocate, and founder of the Unfinished Idea community - a space dedicated to supporting parents raising neurodivergent children.

As a mum to a son with autism and ADHD, and part of a neurodivergent couple herself, Greer brings deeply lived insight to the realities of navigating education, diagnosis, and daily life as a neurodivergent family. In this heartfelt and powerful conversation, she shares how her son’s diagnosis led to her own late ADHD diagnosis, the challenges of advocacy in the UK system, and the co...

Duration: 00:35:45

Julie Legg sits down with Sam Gibson-Massey, founder and CEO of Hope, a workplace well-being platform on a mission to transform how organizations support their people, especially those navigating burnout, mental health challenges, and neurodivergence. 

With a personal ADHD diagnosis discovered later in life, Sam shares his journey through shame, anxiety, and the moment of clarity that helped him reframe his brain not as a problem, but as a difference. From there, he’s built a mission-driven business that merges data science with personalized care to support real humans in real workplaces. 

Key Poin...

Duration: 00:42:54

Julie Legg is joined by Alex McElroy, an international speaker, pastor, author, and leadership coach whose ADHD diagnosis reshaped the course of his life. After hitting academic rock bottom in college, Alex received a diagnosis that gave him the clarity and tools to rebuild.

Alex uses his platform to inspire others to find purpose in their challenges, harness their unique energy, and structure their lives in ways that work with their neurodivergence, not against it.

Key Points from the Episode:

Alex’s journey to diagnosis after academic burnout in universityHow me...

Duration: 00:31:56

Julie Legg chats with Garrett Hammonds, the founder of a digital marketing agency and a self-described high-performing achiever who was diagnosed with inattentive ADHD in adulthood. Garrett opens up about the emotional impact of a late diagnosis, and how it reframed his self-perception from “just a weird kid” to someone whose brain simply worked differently. Since his diagnosis, Garrett has restructured not only his personal systems, but also the way he leads his agency. 

With his wife (also neurodivergent), Garrett has intentionally designed a workplace where diverse minds can thrive, replacing rigid time-tracking and unrealistic expec...

Duration: 00:28:07

Julie Legg welcomes Nicola Knobel, a creative strategist, systems thinker and proudly AuDHD, based in New Zealand. Nicola brings deep personal insight into what it means to navigate life with both ADHD and autism, particularly when diagnosed in adulthood.

From academic success to building creative businesses, Nicola shares how she’s made sense of her brain’s unique wiring, including the tension between ADHD spontaneity and autistic structure. She reflects on grief, identity, and the power of building systems that work with your neurotype, not against it.

Key Points from the Episode:<...

Duration: 00:30:16

Julie Legg welcomes Noemi Platania, a clinical psychology researcher and PhD candidate based in the Netherlands. Working under the supervision of Professor Dr. Sandra Kooij and Dr. Dora Wynchank at the Expertise Center Adult ADHD in The Hague, Noemi is focused on improving the DIVA-5 diagnostic interview to better reflect the experiences of women and girls with ADHD.

With passion, humility, and deep curiosity, Noemi shares her academic journey, the real-world inspiration behind her work, and what she’s learning about how ADHD shows up differently in women and marginalised genders. This is a must-listen fo...

Duration: 00:18:27

Diagnosed as an adult, Julie Legg interviews guests from around the world, sharing uplifting stories, personal experiences, new ADHD perspectives, strategies, insights and resources to help inform, inspire and engage with adult ADHD listeners worldwide. 

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Visit ADHDifference.nz to find past episodes, videos, links, or to say hello! Get social with us on Instagram Julie Legg is the author of The Missing Piece: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with A

Duration: 00:00:39

Julie Legg speaks with Julio Angel Rivera, a New York City-based writer, mental health advocate, and martial arts coach, about his experience with ADHD, bipolar disorder, depression and CPTSD.  

This jiu-jitsu philosophy profoundly resonates with how Julio has come to approach ADHD and mental health, and has learned to flow with challenges and embrace nonlinear paths to progress. Diagnosed at 42, he reflects on the struggles he faced before his diagnosis and the personal growth that followed and shares his insights on neurodivergence, trauma, and resilience. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS 

Decades of training in...

Duration: 00:32:48

Julie Legg interviews Cali Keating, a neurodivergent therapist based in Barcelona who specialises in supporting clients with the triple combo: ADHD, OCD and autism, and various dual combinations thereof. 

Cali explains how OCD, like ADHD, is tied to dopamine and cortisol regulation and how these overlapping neurodivergences can complicate diagnosis and treatment.

The core of the conversation revolves around multiple neurodivergent diagnoses, commonly referred to as "multiple exceptionalities" or "twice exceptional" when someone has more than one neurodivergent condition. Cali dives into the mechanisms and nuances of OCD, especially "P...

Duration: 00:42:33

Julie returns to respond to more questions in part 2 of Curiously ADHD. She ponders an array of topics including medication, meditation, labels, genetics, unmasking and reclaiming a lost spark.

As a late diagnosed ADHDer she offers empathetic, experience-based reflections meant to validate, soothe, and support.

6 KEY QUESTIONS ADDRESSED

Q1. Medication Worries: "I've recently started ADHD medication but it's not working well for me. I've changed GPs a few times and I'm now worried my current doctor won't take me seriously. What should I do?" 

Duration: 00:27:06

Julie Legg chats with Theresa Lear Levine—an EFT master practitioner, hypnotherapist, business coach, author and fellow ADHDer, about tapping into joy and presence.

Diagnosed with ADHD at 42 Theresa describes the experience as finally switching on a light in a room she didn’t know was dark. This self-discovery reframed years of internal tension and helped her release long-held guilt, particularly in her roles as a mother and entrepreneur. Together, they explore how therapeutic tools, like EFT and subconscious reprogramming, can shift emotional patterns.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

What is EFT? Em...

Duration: 00:27:39

In this solo episode, Curiously ADHD, Julie Legg sits down with a cup of coffee to answer frequently asked questions she’s received over time from people trying to make sense of ADHD. 

This episode is both personal and practical, aiming to empower listeners through shared experiences and pragmatic guidance rather than medical advice. Julie emphasizes that she is not a medical professional, but a diagnosed ADHDer and author who has spent years researching and speaking with others in the community. 

5 KEY QUESTIONS ADDRESSED

0:00:00 Intro 

0:01:39 Q1:  "I was te...

Duration: 00:28:42

Wherever on your ADHD journey, you are not alone. Julie and Jel Legg reflect on the importance of community, connection, and shared experiences for those living with ADHD. 

The conversation is sparked by their attendance at a recent author’s event and the overwhelming sense of affirmation and belonging that came from engaging with readers who identified with The Missing Piece, Julie’s book for women diagnosed with ADHD later in life. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Community is critical: Finding like-minded people helps mitigate feelings of isolation that can accompany an ADH...

Duration: 00:23:23

Dr Alessandra Wall, founder and CEO of Noteworthy, joins Julie Legg to reflect on her life, career, and insights into women in leadership. 

She shares her experiences of working with children and adults with ADHD and what led her to shift from psychology to founding Noteworthy, a platform helping women in leadership roles find their voice and value. Though never formally diagnosed with ADHD, Alessandra recognised many of its traits in herself. The conversation dives deep into how to communicate our value, the reality of executive stress, the concept of the “gilded cage” and the power...

Duration: 00:59:01

Julie and Jel Legg explore the deep emotional responses people with ADHD often have to perceived injustices. They delve into the concept of justice sensitivity, describing how this sensitivity can manifest in different areas of life—particularly through heightened emotional responses and a strong sense of moral fairness.

They introduce the four key domains of justice: Distributive (fairness in outcomes), Procedural (fairness in processes), Interpersonal (fairness in treatment), Informational (fairness in communication). The conversation highlights how ADHD traits such as emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, and intensity of feelings contribute to a heightened se...

Duration: 00:24:43

In this episode Julie and Jel Legg delve into the topic of negative self-talk—those persistent, looping thoughts that can erode confidence and hold people back from trying new things. For those with ADHD, these internal narratives can be especially loud and deeply rooted, often shaped by years of misunderstanding, impulsivity, and self-doubt.

They explore how these thought patterns can quickly spiral into feelings of worthlessness or inadequacy. The conversation touches on the role of adult diagnosis in helping to reframe these thoughts, the importance of recognising unrealistic expectations, and the power of self-compassion. Together, th...

Duration: 00:31:07

Julie and Jel Legg explore the concept of body doubling, a common ADHD coping strategy where the presence of another person helps one complete tasks that feel overwhelming or unappealing when done alone. They clarify that body doubling isn’t teamwork—both people don’t have to be doing the same thing. Instead, it's about having someone nearby as a form of gentle accountability and moral support, which can reduce distraction and increase focus. 

They share personal anecdotes, and reflect on how many people may have been using this strategy instinctively without having a term for it...

Duration: 00:25:15

Julie Legg interviews Michael W. Allison—CEO of The Adversity Academy, U.S. Marine combat veteran, Purple Heart recipient, and resilience expert—about his ADHD journey and how adversity shaped his purpose.

Michael explains how he navigates life with ADHD through the lens of adversity, identity, and personal growth. From his early experiences of being misunderstood to discovering how structure, self-awareness, and purposeful systems can transform challenges into strengths, he shares powerful insights on reframing ADHD as a source of clarity, adaptability, and leadership.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

ADHD Traits: Mich...

Duration: 00:25:50

Host Julie Legg speaks with ADHD and anxiety coach Dana Baker-Williams about the complexities of parenting neurodivergent children. Dana, who has ADHD herself, shares her personal journey and emphasizes that while traits may manifest differently in each child, there are common struggles with ADHD and parenting. 

Parents, she explains, play a crucial role in helping their children navigate these challenges, but they must also prioritize their own well-being. Self-care, even in small doses, is essential to maintaining balance in a household where emotions can run high. Ultimately, Dana’s message is one of empowerment: when par...

Duration: 00:50:47

Host Julie Legg speaks with Tina Hazen, author and professional organizer (Houston, Texas) about her work helping others—especially those with ADHD—create structured, clutter-free spaces: organising the chaos.

Diagnosed with ADHD and anxiety at 38, Tina (founder of Think Inside the Boxx) emphasizes that traditional organizing methods often don’t work for individuals with ADHD, who may struggle with object permanence, decision paralysis, and maintaining systems over time. She shares her personal experiences of trial and error in organizing her own space and explains how she turned these lessons into strategies for her clients. Through her bo...

Duration: 00:25:18

Julie and Jel Legg explore dopamine stacking—when multiple sources of dopamine stimulation are layered on top of each other. This can create an intense, pleasurable experience but also lead to a crash afterward, leaving individuals feeling unmotivated, overstimulated, or even emotionally flat.

They discuss how ADHD brains crave dopamine, and explore how dopamine stacking manifests in different areas of life, including social interactions, work, and family environments. They chat about dopamine ‘snacking’—engaging in small, spaced-out dopamine hits, which can help maintain motivation without burnout.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Dopamine...

Duration: 00:26:24