Podcast
Navigating Adult ADHD
Hosted by Xena Jones · EN
Education, Support and Coaching for Adults with ADHD.
Combing science backed research and evidence based coaching tools to help you understand and work with your ADHD brain.
With a no BS approach, this Podcast will help you better understand your unique ADHD brain and how you can work with it to feel better, increase your self-confidence, improve your relationships and achieve your goals.
Empowering adults with ADHD to thrive.
**Xena Jones is not a medical professional. This podcast is not a substitute for medical advice.**
60episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
#138 The 7 types of rest every ADHDer needs
Nov 300:25:41Summary readyDo you ever wake up tired, even after a full night’s sleep?In this episode we’re unpacking the 7 types of rest your brain & body actually need and why lying on the couch or binging Netflix never feels truly recharging.You’ll learn:The 7 different types of rest Why ADHD brains resist rest (and what to do about it)The difference between numbing vs restoringHow to sprinkle micro-rests into your day - especially when you’re busyThis one’s a gentle permission slip to rest in ways that feel engaging, nourishing & dopamine-friendly. Because rest isn’t simply about doing nothing - it’s about giving your brain & body what it really needs to refuel.For free resources & support visit: https://www.navigatingadultadhd.com/To check out paid courses & coaching with Xena visit: https://www.navigatingadultadhd.com/work-with-me
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#137 5 Things to Understand About ADHD & Perimenopause
Oct 2700:28:29Summary readyThe NZ Podcast Awards are now open!If Navigating Adult ADHD has ever helped you feel understood, less alone, or more equipped to work with your ADHD brain it would mean the absolute world if you took a minute to nominate the show. 👉 Head to nzpodcastawards.com/nominate before 14 Nov 2025 - your support helps more ADHDers find this podcast & feel seen. THANK YOU!! Ever felt like you’re pedalling through life twice as hard just to keep up? In this episode, Xena dives into the hormonal storm that is perimenopause and how it collides with ADHD to make everything feel harder. From brain fog and mood swings to meds suddenly feeling “meh,” she breaks down what’s actually happening in your brain and body.You’ll learn:Why your ADHD symptoms might feel worse - and why you’re not failing at life How hormone fluctuations turn emotional waves into tsunamis Why stimulant meds can feel less effective (you’re not imagining it!) What PMDD is and why it’s so common in ADHD women Tools, supplements & supports that can help you ride the waves instead of drowning in themIf you’ve been thinking, “I just feel all over the place,” this one’s for you, my friend. You’re not broken - your brain’s just navigating two neurochemical storms at once.Tune in to feel understood, validated, & better equipped to work with your ADHD brain through this wild hormonal chapter. For more support navigating ADHD visit: www.navigatingadultadhd.com/
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#136 ADHD at Work: Your Rights, Reasonable Adjustments & When to Tell Your Boss with Jaime Rose-Peacock
Oct 2001:14:50Summary readyADHD at work can feel like running a race from 50 metres behind. In this practical, validating convo, I’m joined by employment law specialist & licensed workplace investigator Jaime Rose Peacock. We dig into what you can ask for, when to disclose, & what employers are required to consider - with a New Zealand law lens that’s helpful anywhere.We cover:Reasonable accommodations that actually help How accommodations are about unlocking productivity, not lower standards.When to disclose ADHD and when you don’t have to.Flexible working - how to request it, what counts, & valid grounds for refusalWhy mental health should come before performance improvement plans.Your support options and how to find ethical help.Burnout, RSD & masking - the real-life cycle behind absenteeism & how better structure your workIf you’ve wondered what to ask for, what to say, or whether to tell your employer, this episode gives you language, legal context (NZ), & ideas you can use tomorrow. Get the highlights, important points & key takeaways from this episode with your free cheatsheetABOUT JAIME: Jaime Rose-Peacock is an Employment Law Specialist, HR Consultant, and licensed Workplace Investigator based in Auckland NZ. She is the founder of two small practices -where she supports both small to medium-sized businesses and individuals in navigating workplace matters with a focus on integrity and empathy. Diagnosed with ADHD later in life, Jaime brings a lived experience lens to her professional practice and advocacy. As you’ll hear in this episode Gaining insight into her neurodivergence has been a transformative step - allowing her to navigate life, career, leadership, and wellbeing with greater self-awareness and intention.Jaime has recently completed her Master of Arts in Psychology, with her thesis exploring the organisational factors that influence Imposter Phenomenon among high-achieving professional women. Her academic work reflects her deep commitment to understanding the psychological and structural dynamics that shape people's experience at work. In addition to her consulting work, Jaime contributes to governance through her roles on several boards, including the Employment Law Institute of New Zealand (ELINZ) and A Change for Better.CONNECT WITH JAIME: www.marbles.org.nzMarbles People and Culture on Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn www.jaimerose.co.nz,Jaime Rose Employment Law Specialists on Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn In New Zealand phone: 0800 100 347For more support Navigating Adult ADHD visit: www.navigatingadultadhd.com/Get your 1 page recap of this episode here: www.navigatingadultadhd.com/cheatsheet
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#135 Using Chat GPT & AI to support your ADHD brain
Oct 1300:35:43Summary readyEver stared at a task so overwhelming you’d rather clean the oven or pull weeds than even look at it? In this episode, I’m sharing how I used ChatGPT to go from frozen in overwhelm to finally taking action and how you can use AI tools to make ADHD life easier too.We’ll talk about why AI is such a powerful support for ADHD brains (hello executive function struggles!), how it can help reduce cognitive overload and the simple ways it can lighten your daily mental load.You’ll also learn: How ChatGPT can act like your executive function assistant Practical prompts to try for planning, prioritising, and getting unstuck Things to be mindful of (accuracy, boundaries, privacy, and even the environmental impact) Plus, a few other ADHD-friendly AI tools I love—like Goblin Tools, Otter.ai, Grammarly, Wispr Flow, and ConsensusAI isn’t here to replace your sparkly brain - it’s here to support it. So grab your curiosity, open ChatGPT, and start playing. The learning is in the doing LINKS MENTIONED: Your free episode recap (aka cheatsheet!) https://www.navigatingadultadhd.com/cheatsheetThe MIT study - Your Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Using an AI Assistant for Essay Writing TaskFor more ADHD support visit: https://www.navigatingadultadhd.com/
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#134 How Do I Stop Myself From Reacting to Emotions
Oct 600:24:38Summary readyEver yelled at your kids, slammed a door, or bought something you regretted… and then thought, “Why do I keep doing this?”Today we’re tackling one of the most common questions I get asked: “How do I stop myself from reacting to my emotions?”In this episode we’ll talk about:Why stopping reactions altogether isn’t realistic (because hi, you’re human)The sneaky layer that makes emotional reactions feel so much worseWhy we need to take the morality right out of itHow to learn from the “smoke detector” that is your big emotionsThe antidote to feeling terribleIf you’ve ever wished you could stop overreacting or beating yourself up afterwards, this one’s for you my friend.Want a one page recap of the key points & aha moments in this episode? Grab it here: https://www.navigatingadultadhd.com/cheatsheetFor more ADHD support visit: https://www.navigatingadultadhd.com/
Summary[BONUS] The Conversation We Kept Recording: Matt & Xena Go Deeper
Sep 2900:16:31Summary readyThis is the “fly-on-the-wall” chat Matt & I had after we wrapped up Episode 133. We’d just finished recording but the conversation kept flowing - so we hit record again!In this bonus episode you’ll hear an unfiltered, behind-the-scenes look at how Matt gamifies fitness & builds “practices”.We also riff on ADHD, dopamine, chin-ups, Demi Moore in GI Jane and why life feels better when you treat it like a game.If you loved Episode #133, this is the deeper, more candid follow-up that connects all the dots.ABOUT MATT: Matt Henderson is a health and performance coach who has never fit the mould - and that’s exactly his edge. Once branded the troublemaker who pushed back against authority, Matt has turned that same wiring into a strength. Today He helps high-achieving professionals unlock energy, resilience, and clarity by reframing life not as a grind, but as a game worth playing.Through Fit Club, his coaching work, and challenges like Project 50, Matt shows how to build “characters” instead of chasing discipline, learn to step into the contest instead of avoiding stress, and design rules that create freedom instead of punishment. From the outside, it looks like discipline; in reality, it’s play. And that shift - seeing life as a game - has become his way of thriving in business, sport and family life.Connect with Matt: Website: https://www.fitclub.co.nz/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefitclubproject/ Email: MATT@FITCLUB.CO.NZFor more support from Navigating Adult ADHD visit: www.navigatingadultadhd.com/
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#133 ADHD Is My Edge: Matt’s Late Diagnosis, Sport & Gamified Life
Sep 2900:53:01Summary readyWhat happens when a lifetime of struggle suddenly makes sense at age 40?In this episode, I sit down with Matt - the first male ADHDer on the podcast - to talk about his late ADHD diagnosis and the powerful ways he’s turned it into "his edge". From international indoor cricket to gamifying everyday life, Matt shares openly about the highs and lows of navigating ADHD.We dive into:How sport both masked and supported his ADHD for decadesThe moment of diagnosis that connected all the dotsWhy he views ADHD as his advantage and how he gamifies life to stay engagedThe grief, growth and self-discovery that followed his diagnosisParenting a child with ADHD and doing things differently with newfound awarenessThe role of curiosity, presence, and vulnerability in living a better lifeABOUT MATT: Matt Henderson is a health and performance coach who has never fit the mould - and that’s exactly his edge. Once branded the troublemaker who pushed back against authority, Matt has turned that same wiring into a strength. Today He helps high-achieving professionals unlock energy, resilience, and clarity by reframing life not as a grind, but as a game worth playing.Through Fit Club, his coaching work, and challenges like Project 50, Matt shows how to build “characters” instead of chasing discipline, learn to step into the contest instead of avoiding stress, and design rules that create freedom instead of punishment. From the outside, it looks like discipline; in reality, it’s play. And that shift - seeing life as a game - has become his way of thriving in business, sport and family life.Connect with Matt: Website: https://www.fitclub.co.nz/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefitclubproject/ Email: MATT@FITCLUB.CO.NZFor more support from Navigating Adult ADHD visit: www.navigatingadultadhd.com/
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#132 ADHD & Money Mindset: From Shame to Success
Sep 2200:29:53Summary readyDo you ever feel like money brings up nothing but shame, stress, or avoidance? You’re not alone!Grab your free download from this episode so you can start applying this right away.This is the third part of my ADHD & Money series, and today we’re diving into the juicy stuff - money mindset. Because no matter what systems or strategies we set up, if shame is running the show, we’ll keep hiding from our finances.In this episode, I share the mindset shifts that helped me pay off thousands of dollars in debt, build savings, and achieve financial goals. We’ll explore:Why it’s not your moneys job to give your dopamine & how to get this from your life insteadWhat it means to treat money like a real relationshipHow your thoughts drive what you do (and don’t do) with moneyWhy even tiny mindset shifts can completely change your futureIf money has ever felt like the enemy, this conversation will show you a different way. You’ll walk away with tools and perspectives to transform your money story - without shame, guilt or all-or-nothing pressure.Grab your free download from this episode so you can start applying this right away: www.navigatingadultadhd.com/cheatsheet
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#131 How to Make Money ADHD-Friendly (No Boring Budgets Required)
Sep 1500:31:24Summary ready*Grab your free download with every step from today’s episode*Do you ever wish you could make more money, keep more of it and actually feel good about it - without forcing yourself into boring spreadsheets or restrictive budgets that never last?You’re in the right place, my friend.In part 1 of this series, we talked about why money is harder for ADHDers - impulse spending, dopamine-driven purchases and the shame spiral that often follows. Today in part 2, we’re flipping the script and focusing on how to make money work for you.I’m sharing 4 ADHD-friendly strategies that will help you:Put a pause between you & impulse spending (without feeling deprived)Make managing money more enjoyable so you actually want to do it Use my “HALTED24” tool to stop regretful purchases before they happenThese strategies have helped me stop hiding from money, start building savings, and still enjoy the things I love (yes, travel & dopamine spending are included!).And because I know we ADHDers don’t always remember it all - I’ve created a free cheatsheet with every step from today’s episode. Grab it at www.navigatingadultadhd.com/cheatsheetNext week in part 3, I’ll share the mindset shifts that changed everything for me - the ones that helped me pay off thousands in credit card debt, finally save money in both my business & personal life and feel good with money for the first time.Hit subscribe now so you don’t miss it!Thank you for listening - I appreciate you 💖For more support visit: www.navigatingadultadhd.com
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#130 ADHD & Money - Why We Struggle
Sep 800:26:50Summary readyIf you’ve ever felt guilty, ashamed, or overwhelmed about money - you are not alone, my friend. In fact, you’re in very good company.Research shows that adults with ADHD are far more likely to struggle with finances: we impulse buy, overspend, miss bills, carry debt, and feel constant money-related anxiety. But here’s the thing - none of this is about laziness or being “bad with money.” In this episode, I’m sharing openly about my own messy history with money - the guilt, the debt, the fear of looking at my bank account - alongside the very real ADHD traits that make managing money harder, like impulsivity, time blindness, forgetfulness, and dopamine chasing. I call this “money blindness,” and trust me, it’s real.We’ll explore:Why ADHD brains are wired to overspend & struggle with planning.How time blindness, forgetfulness, and “ADHD tax” show up in your finances.The shame, guilt, and judgment that keep so many of us stuck.Why your past money mistakes don’t define your future.So if money has ever felt overwhelming, shame-filled, or like something you just can’t get “right” - take a deep breath and join me. You are not broken. You’re not behind. You’re learning to work with your ADHD brain, and that’s progress.Don’t forget to grab the free episode cheat sheet here: navigatingadultadhd.com/cheatsheetAnd stay tuned for Part 2, where we’ll dive into practical, ADHD-friendly tools to help you feel more confident and less shame around money.
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