Julie Legg speaks with psychotherapist Dr. Katie Brzozowski about the inner critic, where it comes from, why it can feel so loud for ADHDers, and how it shapes the way we see ourselves.

Katie explains how a lifetime of correction, criticism, and misunderstanding can become internalised, turning into the harsh self-talk many ADHDers carry into adulthood. These “tapes” often resurface during moments of stress, grief, burnout, or life transitions — amplifying self-doubt and making it harder to move forward.

Rather than trying to silence the inner critic completely, Katie introduces a more compassionate and practical approach: learning to separate from those thoughts, reduce their power, and stop letting them dictate behaviour. From ACT-based tools to visual techniques and gentle reframing, this conversation offers a grounded, realistic pathway toward self-compassion and emotional resilience.

Key Points from the Episode:

• How ADHDers internalise years of correction and criticism
• The inner critic as learned “tapes” from earlier life experiences
• Why the inner critic gets louder during stress, grief, and transition
• The difference between “I am” vs “I’m having the thought that I am”
• Why ignoring negative thoughts doesn’t work
• Using ACT (Acceptance & Commitment Therapy) to create distance from thoughts
• Techniques to stop getting “hooked” by the inner critic
• The impact of comparison and unrealistic life expectations
• ADHD, non-linear life paths, and redefining success
• Why self-compassion is essential for growth and change

Links:

• WEBSITE: https://speakeasytoday.com/
• INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/speakeasypsychotherapy/
• LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drkathrynbrzozowski/

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🌐 WEBSITE: ADHDifference.nz

📷 INSTAGRAM: ADHDifference_podcast

📖 BOOK: The Missing Piece: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD

ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or ADHDifference. Read More

Julie Legg speaks with therapist Jennifer Noll Sparks, creator of the Create the Win System — a practical, science-informed approach designed to help people move through overwhelm and take meaningful action, even on the hardest days.

Drawing from both her professional background and lived experience, Jennifer unpacks why so many ADHDers feel stuck... not from laziness, but from nervous system dysregulation. She introduces the concept of the window of tolerance, explaining how overwhelm can show up as either high activation (anxiety, urgency) or shutdown (paralysis, procrastination).

Through simple, playful tools like gamification, “widening the win,” and micro-movements, Jennifer offers an alternative to willpower-based productivity.

Key Points from the Episode:

• Overwhelm as a universal (non-clinical) human experience
• ADHD, focus struggles, and early school challenges
• Why willpower-based advice often fails
• The window of tolerance and nervous system states
• Activated overwhelm vs shutdown (freeze)
• Why procrastination is often nervous system paralysis
• Gamification as a dopamine-based motivation tool
• “Widening the win” to reduce pressure and build momentum
• Micro-actions to break inertia (even moving a limb)
• Creating momentum through small, achievable wins
• Moving from autopilot to intentional living
• Rebuilding agency and self-trust through action

Links:

• WEBSITE: https://www.createthewin.com/
• INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/createthewinco/
• LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-noll-sparks-lcsw-88563885/

Send us Fan Mail

Thanks for listening.

📌 Don’t forget to subscribe for more tools for beautifully different brains.

🌐 WEBSITE: ADHDifference.nz

📷 INSTAGRAM: ADHDifference_podcast

📖 BOOK: The Missing Piece: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD

ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or ADHDifference. Read More

Julie Legg is joined by Kamy Moussavi, former engineer and founder of Step Together, who brings a powerful and personal perspective to the conversation around ADHD, emotional eating, and the brain’s relationship with food. Kamy shares his own childhood experience with obesity, restrictive dieting, and undiagnosed ADHD, revealing how traditional approaches like calorie counting failed to address the real drivers behind his behaviour.

Together, they unpack the critical link between dopamine, emotional regulation, and eating habits, particularly in ADHD brains. This conversation shifts the narrative away from willpower and discipline, and toward curiosity, compassion, and understanding the root causes behind behaviour. It’s an eye-opening episode for parents navigating food struggles with their children and for anyone who has ever felt stuck in cycles of guilt, shame, or emotional eating.

Key Points from the Episode:

• Emotional eating as a dopamine-driven behaviour in ADHD
• Why calorie counting and restriction often fail long-term
• The connection between ADHD, dopamine deficiency, and food
• Bulimia, binge eating, sneaky eating, and shame cycles
• Why weight is a symptom, not the root problem
• The role of anxiety, loneliness, and boredom in eating habits
• How shame drives secrecy and worsens behaviours
• The impact of environment vs relying on willpower
• Dopamine regulation and over-stimulation from food and technology
• Why removing food too quickly can backfire
• Family dynamics and parental influence on eating behaviours
• Redefining “healthy” beyond diet culture

Links:

• WEBSITE: https://www.steptogether.us/
• FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61568953434947
• YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@steptogether-child-weightloss
• INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/steptogether_us/
• LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kamymoussavi/

Send us Fan Mail

Thanks for listening.

📌 Don’t forget to subscribe for more tools for beautifully different brains.

🌐 WEBSITE: ADHDifference.nz

📷 INSTAGRAM: ADHDifference_podcast

📖 BOOK: The Missing Piece: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD

ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or ADHDifference. Read More