Podcast Summary: I Have ADHD Podcast – Ep. 301: "I SPOKE ABOUT ADHD AT SPACEX!?!"

Host: Kristen Carder
Date: February 4, 2025

Brief Overview

In this engaging solo episode, Kristen Carder shares her once-in-a-lifetime experience being invited to speak about ADHD at SpaceX. Kristen reflects on the meaning of this milestone, her personal journey, and the importance of advocacy for neurodivergent individuals in highly innovative workplaces. The episode also explores perfectionism, the genetic link between ADHD and dyslexia, and addresses listener questions about supporting friends with ADHD. Kristen closes with practical resources and encouragement, maintaining her signature warm, humorous, and supportive tone.

Main Discussion Points & Key Insights

1. Speaking About ADHD at SpaceX (00:55 – 12:53)

• Kristen’s Invitation to SpaceX
  • Kristen describes her astonishment and excitement at being asked to present to SpaceX’s accessibility network (their disability inclusion group), an invitation stemming from an employee who was a fan of her podcast and a member of her FOCUSED ADHD coaching program.
  • She emphasizes the honor and pride of engaging with a group of young, intelligent, motivated professionals—many of whom are likely neurodivergent.

“I am a person who looks at innovative companies like this as something that is just something to be celebrated. And I'm very, very excited about that. Especially having somebody who is neurodivergent leading such an innovative company, I think is really amazing.”
– Kristen Carder (03:00)

• Touring SpaceX

  • Kristen recounts touring part of the SpaceX facility, witnessing firsthand their pride and excitement, and even being present for a rocket launch day at Mission Control.
  • She notes the scale of their operations and the ambitious goal to make spaceflight accessible.

• Personal Reflection

  • Brings her son, an aspiring aerospace engineer, highlighting how meaningful and special the opportunity was for both.

“...to go from [being] completely underfunctioning...to get to a point where I'm being invited to speak at SpaceX...It was such an honor and I want to encourage all of you that where you are right now is not where you will always be. There is potential for change, there is potential for growth.”
– Kristen Carder (09:41)

• Overcoming Perfectionism

  • Shares her own struggles with perfectionism regarding the talk, referencing free resources she offers on the topic due to its prevalence in people with ADHD.
  • Encourages listeners to take “imperfect” action, reassuring them that progress is possible even when things aren't perfect.

• Empowering Listeners

  • Kristen uses her story as a touchstone to inspire listeners to believe in personal growth, referencing neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to change at any age.

2. Listener Voicemails: Supporting Friends with ADHD

a. Elena’s Question (13:53 – 15:21)

• Elena’s Dilemma

  • Elena wishes to help a friend who she suspects has ADHD but lacks insurance and is reluctant about diagnosis or therapy.

• Kristen’s Response

  • Emphasizes the challenge of wanting to help adults who must ultimately make their own choices.
  • Suggests sharing personal stories and refraining from pressuring or “convincing” him.
  • Touts GoodRx as an affordable resource for ADHD medications, even without insurance (explains its value and practical savings).

“Even just knowing about your brain is so transformative...That alone is such important information.”
– Kristen Carder (16:23)

• Affirms that knowledge about ADHD is valuable regardless of whether someone undergoes medical treatment.

b. Michelle’s Question (19:56 – 28:30)

• Michelle’s Situation

  • Michelle describes being overwhelmed by her friend’s requests for help with tasks; her friend seems in denial about potentially having ADHD herself.

• Kristen’s Advice: Setting Boundaries

  • Firmly assures Michelle she’s not responsible for rescuing other adults—especially those unwilling to help themselves.

“I hereby release you of the guilt and shame that you feel because you are not willing to rescue someone who is not taking responsibility for themselves.”
– Kristen Carder (21:21)

• Breaks down the distinction between offering support and sacrificing personal capacity for others.
• Addresses the roots of this “rescuer” impulse, linking it to childhood conditioning and possible relational trauma.
• Introduces the “pigs in your pen” metaphor for boundaries: focus on what’s yours, not others’ problems.

“What pigs are in your pen? Worry about your own, okay?”
– Kristen Carder (26:40)

3. Research Deep Dive: ADHD & Dyslexia Connection (33:00 – 45:41)

• Overview of Dyslexia
  • Defines dyslexia as a neurodevelopmental disorder involving trouble with reading and/or spelling, not intelligence.

“If your intelligence is relatively high, but your ability to read and write is relatively low compared to your intelligence…you will often be classified as dyslexic.”
– Kristen Carder (36:10)

• Recent Research Insights
  • Highlights new findings from a study (“Genetic Neurodevelopmental Clustering and Dyslexia”) uncovering 49 shared genetic regions between ADHD and dyslexia—much more genetic overlap than previously known, and far higher than between dyslexia and autism.

“Major genetic overlap between dyslexia and ADHD, and almost no genetic overlap between autism and dyslexia. It's wild.”
– Kristen Carder (40:08)

• Lifelong and Heritable Nature

  • Both conditions are highly heritable and lifelong.
  • Emphasizes that dyslexia is not related to intelligence and is often missed in adults.

• Listening as Reading

  • Reaffirms that audiobooks are a valid reading method for dyslexic individuals.

4. Resource of the Week: Audio Diary App (46:30 – 50:40)

• Introduction of Audio Diary
  • Recommends Audio Diary, an app allowing users (especially those with dyslexia/ADHD) to process, record, and organize thoughts through speech, supporting self-reflection and metacognition.

“If you're dyslexic, journaling might feel like death...So Audio Diary could be a really helpful resource for you.”
– Kristen Carder (47:15)

• Encourages experimentation with digital tools to aid in personal development.

5. Closing Encouragement (51:00 – End)

• On Personal Development
  • Returns to her core message: progress is possible, regardless of starting point.
  • Recommends journaling (in whatever form works) as a critical step in self-reflection and growth.

“Your brain wants to change. It is willing and able to expand and grow and make progress. But not if you are not making any changes...it doesn't just happen automatically.”
– Kristen Carder (50:47)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “The sky is the limit. And when I say the sky, I mean like, like outer space, right? If we're talking about SpaceX...”
  (11:30)

• “It is not my responsibility to rescue adults from a life that they have created. It's not.”
  (24:55)

• “Audio Diary listens to what you say and provides insightful feedback on your entries…It just sounds like a really cool resource.”
  (48:23)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-------------------------------------- |-------------| | Kristen recounts being invited to SpaceX | 00:55–12:53 | | Voicemails & Supportive Advice | 13:53–28:30 | | ADHD & Dyslexia Research | 33:00–45:41 | | Resource of the Week: Audio Diary | 46:30–50:40 | | Closing encouragement | 51:00–end |

Tone & Style

• Warm, humorous, and validating: Kristen’s personality comes through with self-deprecating humor (“houston, we have a problem”), relatable stories, and compassionate guidance.
• Educational, yet accessible: She breaks down research and practical advice into easily understood, actionable steps.

For Listeners Who Haven’t Tuned In

This episode delivers Kristen’s inspiring perspective on growth and resilience with ADHD, recounted through the lens of a landmark personal achievement: presenting at SpaceX. It addresses real listener concerns about boundaries, support, and the practicalities of managing ADHD without medical access. The episode also deepens understanding of the genetic and developmental overlap between ADHD and dyslexia and recommends helpful tools for everyday self-development.

Listeners will leave with renewed hope, concrete tools, and a sense of camaraderie—no matter where their personal “point A” might be.