Tracy Otsuka hosts the #1 ADHD podcast for women globally, giving her a unique lens to explain some important things to her audience. First: ADHD is one of the most common neurological conditions in the United States, yet up to 75% of American women and girls who have it go undiagnosed. In fact, many of the adult women who DO receive a diagnosis later in life only manage to discover their own neurodiversity when one of their own children is identified at school and goes through the diagnosis process.
Next: ADHD manifests differently in women than in men (with qualities like inattention, rumination, and rejection sensitivity), so women with ADHD are often unrecognized or misunderstood; left to navigate alone in a world that doesn’t see or honor their unique talents and abilities. According to Tracy, these women may experience self-doubt: over-prepare, over-apologize, over-perform, or even monitor their own likability. They may also experience emotions deeply and immediately, and have strong reactions to perceived criticism… replaying conversations long after they are over.
Tracy herself recognized her own ADHD traits during her son’s diagnosis process, and received her own ADHD diagnosis 8 months later. Since that time, she has devoted her career to coaching thousands of women, sharing important medical research, and creating an amazing resource for girls and women with ADHD - one of Amazon’s top 20 best non-fiction books of 2024, ADHD For Smart-Ass Women!
She also hosts a top .1% podcast worldwide, similarly called “ADHD for Smart-Ass Women,” which receives over 150K downloads per month, is streamed in over 160 countries, and globally ranks in the top .1% of podcasts.
Tracy celebrates the ‘too-muchness’ of ADHD women as a strength! In today’s podcast, she talks about the stories we tell ourselves, what it’s like to be a recovering perfectionist, and how to lean into the gifts of an unconventional brain. She also shares more about her ‘Your ADHD is A-OK!” program that helps women identify their strengths and harness their brilliance to live to their fullest potential.
To learn more about Tracy, you can visit her website here, listen to her podcast here, or visit her on Instagram here.
*This episode is co-branded with the Scattered & Spectacular podcast.
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