Podcast
ADHD with Jenna Free
Hosted by Jenna Free, Canadian Certified Counselor | ADHD Therapist & Coach · EN
ADHD with Jenna Free is a podcast for adults with ADHD who are done surviving their symptoms and ready to start thriving with ADHD without the endless tips, hacks, and workarounds that have never really fixed anything.
Hosted by Jenna Free, a Canadian Certified Counselor (CCC) and ADHD therapist, this show exists to give you a completely different way of understanding ADHD in adults and the signs of ADHD in women. Because the reason you're stuck, overwhelmed, and exhausted isn't a lack of willpower, it's that your brain is running in fight or flight. And once you understand that, everything changes.
This podcast covers the full experience of living with adult ADHD: the real science behind procrastination in ADHD and ADHD task paralysis, ADHD executive functioning strategies that work, why ADHD and perimenopause collide in ways no one talks about, and the honest, solution-focused conversations that most ADHD podcasts aren't having. Jenna also shares her own story, what it looks like to go from chronically dysregulated to genuinely thriving, so you can see that this is actually possible for you.
This show gives women with ADHD, and anyone who has ever wondered whether ADHD can be diagnosed in adulthood, a path forward that isn't about coping harder, but healing.
I'll answer questions like:
Do I have ADHD?
What is ADHD task paralysis, and how do I get unstuck?
Why is my ADHD getting worse in my 40s?
What does ADHD and perimenopause do to your brain?
How do I manage ADHD emotional dysregulation without medication alone?
Why do I procrastinate so much with ADHD?
Why don't ADHD tips and tricks ever work long-term?
What does it look like to thrive with ADHD
Can you heal ADHD symptoms without just white-knuckling through life?
What does nervous system regulation have to do with ADHD?
How do I stop feeling overwhelmed with ADHD?
If you're an adult with ADHD who's tired of the commiseration and ready for a show that believes your life can look completely different, you're in the right place.
27episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
65: Why ADHD Overwhelm Happens and How to Regulate It
Yesterday00:18:39Tap to summarizeToo much to do, can't pick anything, can't move. The list is right there, the day is slipping, and somehow you end up frozen on the couch, wondering what is wrong with you. This episode is for the adult with ADHD who keeps hitting that wall and wants to understand what's actually happening in the brain when overwhelm takes over. I break down why ADHD overwhelm is a nervous system event, what the brain is doing in fight or flight that makes executive functioning disappear, and why your perception of how much you have to do is almost never accurate. Plus two visualizations you can use right away to retrain how your brain is processing time and tasks. 00:00 – ADHD Overwhelm and What the Brain Is Doing 01:28 – ADHD Fight or Flight and the Prefrontal Cortex 05:37 – How ADHD Cognitive Distortions Warp Your Perception of Time 08:30 – Naming the Feeling as an ADHD Regulation Tool 10:16 – The Dotted Line Visualization for ADHD Overwhelm 13:16 – The Brick Path Visualization for ADHD Paralysis Check out the show notes and other resources at https://jennafree.com/blog/adhd-overwhelm-how-to-regulate Let's stay connected! Ready to help your ADHD clients heal at the nervous system level? Join the waitlist for the ADHD Regulation Method certification launching in September. Want more thriving with ADHD? Come hang out with me on Instagram! Get out of paralysis, be more productive, and enjoy your life again! Join an upcoming group!
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64: The ADHD Regulation Method: What It Is and How It Works
1w ago00:30:15Tap to summarizeYou are exhausted from swinging between frantic and frozen, and nothing you have tried seems to stick. This episode is for the ADHDer who is ready to understand why and finally have somewhere real to start. I am introducing the ADHD regulation method, the first A to Z approach built specifically for the ADHD brain. I break down why your nervous system being stuck in fight or flight is making your ADHD symptoms significantly harder than they need to be, why the tools and strategies have not been landing, and what it really looks like to build from a regulated foundation instead of managing the chaos one crisis at a time. 00:00 – What Is the ADHD Regulation Method 03:00 – The Frantic Crash Cycle and ADHD Survival Mode 06:19 – How ADHD and Fight or Flight Make Symptoms Worse 09:02 – ADHD Dysregulation Is Not Inevitable 13:49 – ADHD Nervous System Regulation in the Moment 20:44 – Behavior Regulation and All or Nothing Thinking With ADHD 27:18 – Getting Started With the ADHD Regulation Method Check out the full show notes and other resources at https://jennafree.com/blog/adhd-regulation-method Let's stay connected! Ready to help your ADHD clients heal at the nervous system level? Join the waitlist for the ADHD Regulation Method certification launching in September. Want more thriving with ADHD? Come hang out with me on Instagram! Get out of paralysis, be more productive, and enjoy your life again! Join an upcoming group!
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63: How to Stop the ADHD Comparison Cycle for Good
2w ago00:18:04Tap to summarizeYou scroll for five minutes, and suddenly everyone else seems to have it all figured out. You feel like you're not enough, and quietly panic that you're falling short of where you should be. This episode is for the adult with ADHD who's worn out from constantly measuring themselves against everyone else. I'm breaking down what's really happening with ADHD comparison, why your brain treats it as a fight or flight survival response, and why coming back to your own life, instead of trying to bring others down, is what finally calms the panic and helps you stop comparing yourself to others. 00:00 – Why ADHD Comparison Is a Fight or Flight Response 01:47 – Why Your Brain Compares to Keep You Safe 04:13 – How Comparison Drives ADHD Motivation Problems 06:44 – Comparing Yourself to Others on Social Media 08:58 – How Comparison Feeds ADHD and Low Self-Esteem 10:43 – How to Detach From Comparison and Regulate 13:12 – How to Stop Comparing Yourself With Others Check out the full show notes and other resources at https://jennafree.com/blog/stop-adhd-comparison-cycle-for-good Let's stay connected! Ready to help your ADHD clients heal at the nervous system level? Join the waitlist for the ADHD Regulation Method certification launching in September. Want more thriving with ADHD? Come hang out with me on Instagram! Get out of paralysis, be more productive, and enjoy your life again! Join an upcoming group!
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62: Improve Your ADHD Working Memory Without Apps or Lists
3w ago00:24:59Tap to summarizeYour memory keeps failing you, and you can't figure out why. You forget why you walked into the room, lose your train of thought mid-sentence, and miss steps in tasks you've done a hundred times. This episode is for the adult with ADHD who's tired of feeling like their brain just won't cooperate. I'm breaking down what's really happening with ADHD working memory, why fight or flight and cortisol make it significantly worse, and why regulation, not another system or app, is where the real improvement comes from. Grab the free ADHD Regulation Guide in the show notes and start there. 00:00 – What Is ADHD Working Memory? 02:36 – How Fight or Flight Makes ADHD Working Memory Worse 05:05 – Why Your Brain Prioritizes Some Things and Drops Others 08:23 – Working Memory, Stress, and the ADHD Nervous System 18:18 – All or Nothing Thinking and the Fear of Forgetting 22:50 – The Real Fix for Improving Working Memory in ADHD Check out the full show notes and other resources at https://jennafree.com/blog/improve-your-adhd-working-memory Let's stay connected! Ready to help your ADHD clients heal at the nervous system level? Join the waitlist for the ADHD Regulation Method clinician certification launching in September. Want more thriving with ADHD? Come hang out with me on Instagram! Get out of paralysis, be more productive, and enjoy your life again! Join an upcoming group!
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61: How to Stop ADHD Revenge Bedtime Procrastination for Good
4w ago00:28:40Tap to summarizeYou already know you're staying up too late. You've tried going to bed earlier, and it hasn't stuck, and if you have ADHD, there's a real reason for that. This episode is for the ADHD adult who's exhausted but can't seem to stop hoarding the night away. I'm breaking down why revenge bedtime procrastination and ADHD are so deeply connected, what's driving it at the level of the nervous system, and why fixing your night routine won't help much if the real problem is happening during the day. Grab the free ADHD Regulation Guide. 00:00 – What Is Revenge Bedtime Procrastination? 02:29 – How ADHD Dysregulation Fuels Bedtime Procrastination 04:04 – Resentment, People Pleasing, and Saying No 14:20 – Radical Mindset Shift: "I Choose My Day" 23:37 – Easy Bedtime Routines for ADHD: Practical Tips Check out the full show notes and other resources at https://jennafree.com/blog/revenge-bedtime-procrastination-adhd Let's stay connected! Ready to help your ADHD clients heal at the nervous system level? Join the waitlist for the ADHD Regulation Method clinician certification launching in September. Want more thriving with ADHD? Come hang out with me on Instagram! Get out of paralysis, be more productive, and enjoy your life again! Join an upcoming group!
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60: Why ADHD Therapist Training Falls Short and What Clinicians Need
May 1800:30:54Tap to summarizeYou're a clinician who cares deeply about your ADHD clients. You're giving them solid strategies, and they're still not moving forward. It's not a compliance problem. It's a missing layer in how ADHD is being treated. I'm breaking down what that missing layer is, why most ADHD therapist training leaves practitioners without a clear clinical path, and what becomes possible when nervous system regulation becomes the foundation of your work. Grab the free clinical reference guide, How to See Dysregulation in Your ADHD Clients. 00:47 – Training Gaps in ADHD Therapist Education 05:10 – ADHD, Fight or Flight, and the Nervous System 11:13 – Why Skill-Building Fails Without Regulation First 16:00 – What Changes When Clients Get Regulated 24:59 – How to Spot Dysregulation in Your ADHD Clients 30:05 – A Vision for Making Regulation the Standard in ADHD Treatment Check out the full show notes and other resources at https://jennafree.com/blog/why-adhd-therapist-training-falls-short Let's stay connected! Ready to help your ADHD clients heal at the nervous system level? Join the waitlist for the ADHD Regulation Method clinician training launching in September Want more thriving with ADHD? Come hang out with me on Instagram Get out of paralysis, be more productive, and enjoy your life again! Join an upcoming group
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59: 5 Daily Habits to Stop ADHD Nervous System Dysregulation
May 1100:17:18Tap to summarizeYou're exhausted from holding your day together with caffeine, willpower, and good intentions, and it still falls apart. If your nervous system feels like it's always one step away from chaos, this episode is for you. Five ordinary things are probably fueling your ADHD nervous system dysregulation without you realizing it. I'm breaking them down one by one, explaining why they keep your system stuck in fight-or-flight mode and what to do instead. This isn't the deep internal work, but it's the best place to start. Grab Jenna's book, The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation, wherever books are sold. 00:00 – ADHD and the Nervous System Connection 01:16 – Caffeine, Stimulants, and Your Fight or Flight Response 04:27 – Why Skipping Meals Makes ADHD Symptoms Worse 07:44 – How Scrolling Soothes Dysregulation Without Healing It 09:22 – The Bathroom Break You Keep Skipping and Why It Matters 11:32 – Why a Lopsided Schedule Fuels the ADHD Burnout Cycle 15:19 – A Practical Recap of All Five External Regulation Tips 16:28 – Why Internal Work Is What Makes the External Stuff Stick Check out the full show notes and other resources at https://jennafree.com/blog/adhd-nervous-system-dysregulation-habits
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58: How to Break the ADHD Frantic Crash Cycle for Good
May 400:19:33Tap to summarizeYou wake up already behind, spin into frantic mode, then crash. If that cycle feels like just who you are, it isn't, and this episode explains why. I'm breaking down the ADHD frantic crash cycle: what's driving it, why pushing through the frantic phase makes the crash worse, and what it looks like to start healing nervous system dysregulation instead of just coping with it. If you're tired of the roller coaster and ready to get off it for good, start here. And if you're ready to do the deeper work, Jenna's ADHD Groups program is open now for a limited time at https://www.adhdwithjennafree.com/groups. 00:47 – The ADHD Frantic Crash Cycle Explained 02:53 – Why Intensity Leads to Burnout 04:35 – The Problem With "Ride Your High Energy" Advice 06:45 – ADHD Identity and Why Symptom Content Is Keeping You Stuck 13:21 – From Functional Freeze to a Regulated Life 15:09 – Simple Steps to Recognize and Interrupt Fight or Flight 16:54 – The Mindset Work Behind Long-Term ADHD Healing Check out the full show notes and other resources at https://jennafree.com/blog/how-to-break-adhd-frantic-crach-cycle Let's stay connected! Want more thriving with ADHD? Come hang out with me on Instagram! Get out of paralysis, be more productive, and enjoy your life again! Join an upcoming group!
Transcribe →57: Why ADHD Paralysis Keeps Coming Back And How to Heal It
Apr 2700:24:57Tap to summarizeYou're frozen, you finally panic into action, you crash. Then you do it all over again tomorrow. If that cycle feels impossible to break, this episode is for you. I'm breaking down why ADHD paralysis keeps coming back no matter how hard you try, why the fixes that seem to work are making things worse, and what healing it at the root looks like. Plus, grab a spot in the free live workshop, Get Unstuck for Good. 02:36 – Why Short-Term Fixes Make ADHD Symptoms Worse 05:38 – Common ADHD Productivity Strategies That Backfire 09:50 – Nervous System Regulation as the Real Key to Getting Unstuck 16:56 – The Long-Term Approach to Healing ADHD Paralysis Check out the full show notes and other resources at https://www.jennafree.com/blog/why-adhd-paralysis-keeps-coming-back Let's stay connected! April 29th: Get Unstuck for Good: Healing ADHD Paralysis at the Root Workshop Want more thriving with ADHD? Come hang out with me on Instagram! Get out of paralysis, be more productive, and enjoy your life again! Join an upcoming group!
Transcribe →EP. 56: Productive Procrastination: How to get back to what matters
Apr 2000:16:32Tap to summarizeWhat if productive procrastination isn't about seeking dopamine or being undisciplined? What if you're cleaning the kitchen before work because your nervous system thinks your work project is a bear you need to run from? In this episode, I break down why you avoid the important task and do everything else instead. It's not laziness. It's your system avoiding what feels dangerous. And every time you avoid, you're training your nervous system that the task is unsafe. Put on your regulation goggles. See yourself as an animal in dysregulation, not someone who's failing. Download the free ADHD Regulation Guide -- www.adhdwithjennafree.com/adhdguide Join the free ADHD Regulation Workshop - Get Unstuck for Good (April 29th) -- www.jennafree.com/adhdworkshop Want to dive into this work to reduce symptoms and make life more enjoyable? Learn more about ADHD Groups here -- www.adhdwithjennafree.com/groups Get "The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation" - www.jennafree.com/book Connect with Me Instagram TikTok
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