Podcast Summary: Women & ADHD
Episode: Drew Turner – Reinvention After Job Loss & a Diagnosis
Host: Katy Weber
Guest: Drew Turner
Release Date: December 2, 2024
Overview:
This episode features Drew Turner, who received her ADHD diagnosis at 29 after a life-changing job loss. Host Katy Weber and Drew discuss the journey from self-doubt to self-understanding, how late diagnosis reframes one’s entire narrative, and the unique workplace and personal challenges that come with this realization. They explore practical strategies for navigating career transitions with ADHD, the emotional toll of masking, and how both women now prioritize authenticity and self-advocacy, professionally and personally. The conversation is rich with lived experience, insights, and advice for women managing ADHD in adulthood.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Drew’s ADHD Diagnosis Journey
(04:29–08:17)
- Drew’s diagnosis was in October 2023 after noticing focus issues in her first corporate role (transitioned from retail in Dec. 2022).
- Working closely with an ADHD coach, Drew learned to recognize her symptoms and internalized patterns.
- The process of seeking diagnosis is fraught with self-doubt and imposter syndrome, especially for women who mask or internalize symptoms.
Quote:
"One of the first things [my coach] told me was, ‘Hey, when you're seeking out this diagnosis, the minute that they tell you this is what's going on, don't allow yourself to think that you cheated the test and you cheated the system.’"
— Drew Turner (04:29)
- Drew’s diagnosis brought a sense of clarity, though also anger and grief about years of misunderstood struggles.
2. Looking Back: Signs Missed & The Toll of Internalized ADHD
(10:59–16:52)
- Memories from childhood: being isolated in class due to excessive talking (“island desk”), cycles of psycho-educational testing, academic struggle, and chronic exhaustion.
- Drew reflects on the impact of masking: shifting from talkative to reserved to avoid scrutiny.
- Repeated testing failed to identify ADHD—symptoms were attributed to other issues.
- Realization that many behaviors and struggles (oversharing, exhaustion, difficulty maintaining routines alone, overwhelm with communication) were signs of ADHD.
Quote:
"I've had years of all this conditioning of, like, I can't trust what I'm thinking or what I'm... my mind is telling me. So now I have to do all this work to rewrite all of those thought patterns."
— Drew Turner (13:48)
3. Social & Sensory Challenges
(17:48–24:15)
- Drew experienced difficulty with sleepovers, disrupted routines, and travel, linked to both ADHD and suspected ASD (autism spectrum disorder).
- Sensory input, familiar sounds and smells, and environment are essential to comfort and managing anxiety.
- Both Katy and Drew bond over the shared anxiety around friendships and the tendency to assume rejection or offense after small miscommunications.
Quote:
"If, like, 10 minutes goes by and I'm waiting in a Zoom room and she doesn't show up, my brain immediately goes to… she hates me. What did I do to offend her? All of that. And I'm like, we've literally been friends for 25 years..."
— Katy Weber (20:30)
4. Job Loss and Navigating Major Transitions with ADHD
(24:50–34:50)
- Drew was laid off from Tesla in April, which was abrupt and deeply destabilizing due to the loss of routine.
- Self-blame and the tendency for black-and-white thinking intensified: “What did I miss? What cues didn’t I pick up on?”
- Absence of ADHD-specific resources for navigating layoffs, amplifying feelings of overwhelm.
- Importance of creating new routines—volunteering, job search meetups, even morning sunshine—to regain structure.
Quote:
"My routine just got pulled out from underneath me and, like, I don't know who I am without this job."
— Drew Turner (27:27)
- Drew notes that her new perspective post-diagnosis helps her intentionally design her next work environment.
5. Boundaries, Masking & Workplace Accommodations
(33:14–40:34)
- After diagnosis, ADHD traits may become more apparent—not because symptoms worsen, but because there is more self-awareness and boundary-setting.
- Mourning the ease of life while unknowing, despite the burnout it caused.
- Disclosure at work is a personal choice; diagnosis empowers individuals to ask for what they need without shame.
Quote:
"I knew if something happened and I made a mistake, chances are I am being 10 times harder on myself than how she's probably viewing this... it was just a night and day difference of like being able to show up as my authentic self."
— Drew Turner (37:47)
- Katy underscores the irony that workplace accommodations actually improve productivity but are often withheld due to stigma, both internal and institutional.
6. Practical Tools & Mindset Shifts Post-Layoff
(42:18–50:52)
- Drew highlights the importance of joining supportive communities (e.g., “Fabulous is Forged on Fridays” reflection group) to maintain mindset and connection while job hunting.
- Transitioned from fear-based "spray and pray" job applications to intention-driven, values-based search.
- Manifesting ideal future states and focusing on environments that nurture well-being rather than exacerbate burnout.
Quote:
"The minute you stop looking for something, something comes knocking on the door... it's shocking the mindset shifts that happen when you start living in what's going to serve you as opposed to what's serving everyone else."
— Drew Turner (47:35)
- Drew discusses launching a consulting business focused on fostering empathy-driven cultures and supporting women in leadership.
7. ADHD Strengths & Reframing as Asset
(50:52–56:53)
- Where ADHD helps: thriving in high-pressure situations, quick thinking, authenticity, creative problem-solving, and deep empathy.
- Emphasizes that these positives took time to appreciate, especially post-diagnosis.
Quote:
"I always do really well in high pressure, high stress situations... now, I'm actually a really creative person, it's just I need the right environment to be able to show that."
— Drew Turner (51:30)
- Coaching women in leadership to embrace empathy, authenticity, and root-cause analysis.
8. Self-Compassion, Consistency, & Helping Others
(58:53–60:08)
- Mindset and gentle consistency are key in recovery from setbacks, including job loss.
- Show up for yourself in any way possible—small steps count.
Quote:
"When I would fall off, I'd say, okay, you know what? Nope. Next Monday we're going back... Even just showing up for yourself in whatever way you think will be helpful is going to do so much good."
— Drew Turner (59:10)
- Katy and Drew reflect on the pervasive sense of “what’s wrong with me,” common to many late-diagnosed women, and the drive to help others escape that trap.
Notable Quotes & Moments
- On Diagnosis Validation:
"That profound, profound feeling of being understood for the first time... that alone should be enough for us."
— Katy Weber (09:41) - On Self-Trust:
"I have to do all this work to rewrite all of those thought patterns, right? And it’s like, that doesn't just happen once you get a diagnosis."
— Drew Turner (13:48) - On ADHD and Routines:
"Routine just got pulled out from underneath me... I don't know who I am without this job."
— Drew Turner (27:27) - On Workplace Communication:
"If I did something wrong, I knew that she was always going to come to me and talk to me about it, and I wasn't going to have to sit there and wonder."
— Drew Turner (37:08) - On Mindset during Transition:
"Start living in what's going to serve you as opposed to what's serving everyone else."
— Drew Turner (47:37)
Resources & Timestamps for Key Segments
- Drew’s Diagnosis Story (04:29–08:17)
- Childhood & Missed Signs (10:59–16:52)
- Masking & Social Anxiety (19:33–21:47)
- Work, Layoff, and Recovery (24:50–34:50)
- Workplace Accommodations & Advocacy (37:08–40:34)
- Job Search/Mindset Shifts (42:18–50:52)
- ADHD as an Asset (50:52–56:53)
- Practical Advice & Final Thoughts (58:53–60:08)
Mentioned Resources:
- Fabulous is Forged on Fridays (Job Club Launchpad, hosted by Michelle Baker) (42:18, 48:32)
- Ask Jan – Job Accommodation Network (57:11)
Key Takeaways
- Late ADHD diagnosis can completely shift self-identity, bringing both grief and empowerment.
- Self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and masking are common themes; unmasking is a conscious, ongoing process.
- During career crises, routines, mindset, and supportive communities are crucial.
- ADHD traits—creativity, empathy, authentic leadership—can become powerful assets with the right environment and self-awareness.
- Coaching, community, and candid self-advocacy create profound ripple effects for women navigating similar paths.
Where to Connect with Drew Turner
- Drew offers career coaching and mindset intro calls for women—link on her LinkedIn page.
This episode is essential listening for any woman navigating job loss, career transitions, or late-diagnosed ADHD, blending practical wisdom, warm humor, and deep empathy.