Julie Legg chats with Greer Jones, a UK-based podcast host, neurodiversity advocate, and founder of the Unfinished Idea community - a space dedicated to supporting parents raising neurodivergent children.

As a mum to a son with autism and ADHD, and part of a neurodivergent couple herself, Greer brings deeply lived insight to the realities of navigating education, diagnosis, and daily life as a neurodivergent family. In this heartfelt and powerful conversation, she shares how her son’s diagnosis led to her own late ADHD diagnosis, the challenges of advocacy in the UK system, and the collective power of community-driven change.

Key Points from the Episode:

• Greer’s dual journey navigating her son's ADHD and autism diagnosis, which ultimately led to her own realisation and diagnosis of ADHD in adulthood.
• The emotional impact of late diagnosis, including reframing the past and the freedom that comes with understanding.
• Challenges of the UK system – navigating the Right to Choose for assessment, and the massive inconsistencies in support services across schools and regions.
• How the Unfinished Idea podcast and community began, providing connection and visibility for parents navigating similar paths.
• Grassroots activism at its best – Greer’s role in organising a national rally in front of UK Parliament to protest the broken EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan) system.
• The power of collective voice, as hundreds of parents and allies joined the movement to call for change in the UK’s education support system.
• Strategies that support her own neurodivergent brain, including written instructions over verbal ones, and grounding techniques using sensory awareness.
• A powerful message to parents of newly diagnosed children: “You’re not alone. Your child isn’t lazy. And you’re not a bad parent.”

Links:

• INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/theunfinishedidea/
• WEBSITE: https://www.theunfinishedidea.com
• RIGHT TO CHOOSE: https://adhduk.co.uk/right-to-choose/

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• Julie Legg is the author of The Missing Piece: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD

Julie Legg sits down with Sam Gibson-Massey, founder and CEO of Hope, a workplace well-being platform on a mission to transform how organizations support their people, especially those navigating burnout, mental health challenges, and neurodivergence.

With a personal ADHD diagnosis discovered later in life, Sam shares his journey through shame, anxiety, and the moment of clarity that helped him reframe his brain not as a problem, but as a difference. From there, he’s built a mission-driven business that merges data science with personalized care to support real humans in real workplaces.

Key Points from the Episode:

• Sam’s personal ADHD discovery at age 43 was sparked by a casual conversation and followed by a deep emotional journey
• How Sam’s ADHD diagnosis clarified years of internal struggle
• The power of naming the experience, moving from shame to self-compassion and eventually, public advocacy
• Hope’s mission to bring evidence-based, real-time, and personalized workplace support through data-driven tools
• Transcendental meditation (TM) as a tool to manage mental overload and give the ADHD brain space to breathe
• The concept of “Lamborghini engine, bicycle brakes”, how ADHD can feel like racing through life without the tools to stop
• Understanding rejection sensitivity, emotional spirals, and the importance of building in mental recovery time
• A call to action for anyone suspecting ADHD: You're not alone, and your difference is not a disorder, it’s just different

Links:

• WEBSITE: https://findhope.io
• LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-gibson-massey/
• HOPE BLOG & RESOURCES: https://findhope.io/hope-blog-unlock-sustainable-success
• MEDITATION APP: https://www.tm.org/en-us

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• Visit ADHDifference.nz to find past episodes, videos, links, or to say hello!
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• Julie Legg is the author of The Missing Piece: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD

Julie Legg is joined by Alex McElroy, an international speaker, pastor, author, and leadership coach whose ADHD diagnosis reshaped the course of his life. After hitting academic rock bottom in college, Alex received a diagnosis that gave him the clarity and tools to rebuild.

Alex uses his platform to inspire others to find purpose in their challenges, harness their unique energy, and structure their lives in ways that work with their neurodivergence, not against it.

Key Points from the Episode:

• Alex’s journey to diagnosis after academic burnout in university
• How medication helped him reclaim focus and graduate successfully
• Reframing ADHD as a strength when paired with purpose
• How he uses calendars, alarms, and note-taking systems to stay on track
• The ongoing challenge of digital distraction and how he sets limits
• Advice for young people with ADHD: get support and don’t be ashamed
• How his ADHD contributes to his passion, energy, and creativity on stage
• A reminder that structure is not limitation, it’s liberation
• Final encouragement to “stay strong, stay in the fight”

Links:

LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-mcelroy-467869b/

WEBSITE: www.alexrmcelroy.com

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• Julie Legg is the author of The Missing Piece: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD

Julie Legg chats with Garrett Hammonds, the founder of a digital marketing agency and a self-described high-performing achiever who was diagnosed with inattentive ADHD in adulthood. Garrett opens up about the emotional impact of a late diagnosis, and how it reframed his self-perception from “just a weird kid” to someone whose brain simply worked differently. Since his diagnosis, Garrett has restructured not only his personal systems, but also the way he leads his agency.

With his wife (also neurodivergent), Garrett has intentionally designed a workplace where diverse minds can thrive, replacing rigid time-tracking and unrealistic expectations with autonomy, flexibility, and trust.

Key Points from the Episode:

• Garrett’s journey to an adult ADHD diagnosis during the pandemic
• How a reading struggle led to testing and a surprising revelation
• Reframing childhood struggles through the lens of neurodivergence
• The emotional relief and clarity that came with diagnosis
• How his leadership style shifted after understanding his own brain
• Building a neurodivergent-friendly agency with flexible systems and structure
• Replacing micromanagement with trust and project-based work
• Productivity hacks: themed workdays, time-blocking, and the Morgen app
• Using tools like Willow Voice AI to manage writing-based executive dysfunction
• Advice for newly diagnosed adults: “Be patient and be kind.”

Links:

HAMMOND MEDIA: https://www.hmm.agency/

LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garretthammonds-digital/

MORGEN CALENDAR: https://www.morgen.so/

WILLOW VOICE: https://willowvoice.com/

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• Visit ADHDifference.nz to find past episodes, videos, links, or to say hello!
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• Julie Legg is the author of The Missing Piece: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD

Julie Legg welcomes Nicola Knobel, a creative strategist, systems thinker, and proudly AuDHD woman based in New Zealand. Nicola brings deep personal insight into what it means to navigate life with both ADHD and autism, particularly when diagnosed in adulthood.

From academic success to building creative businesses, Nicola shares how she’s made sense of her brain’s unique wiring, including the tension between ADHD spontaneity and autistic structure. She reflects on grief, identity, and the power of building systems that work with your neurotype, not against it.

Key Points from the Episode:

• Nicola’s late AuDHD diagnosis and how her son’s autism sparked her own discovery
• The emotional processing that followed including grief, self-forgiveness, and clarity
• The interplay between ADHD and autism traits (and how they sometimes conflict)
• How she’s built systems to support energy, creativity, and emotional regulation
• Using external scaffolding (like journaling) to manage cognitive load
• Nicola’s academic journey including six degrees
• Insights into building neuroinclusive workplaces and adapting leadership styles
• Her experiences as a content creator and co-host of two podcasts
• Strategies for managing rejection sensitivity, hyperfocus, and executive function
• A message of encouragement for those still figuring out how to thrive with AuDHD

Links:

WEBSITE: https://nicolaknobel.com/

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/in/nicola.knobel/

YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@NikiKnobel

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/nicolaknobel.blog

LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolaknobel/

SAFETEA PODCAST: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2290647

TOXIC WORKPLACE STORIES: https://lets_break_up.buzzsprout.com/

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• Visit ADHDifference.nz to find past episodes, videos, links, or to say hello!
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• Julie Legg is the author of The Missing Piece: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD

Julie Legg welcomes Noemi Platania, a clinical psychology researcher and PhD candidate based in the Netherlands. Working under the supervision of Professor Dr. Sandra Kooij and Dr. Dora Wynchank at the Expertise Center Adult ADHD in The Hague, Noemi is focused on improving the DIVA-5 diagnostic interview to better reflect the experiences of women and girls with ADHD.

With passion, humility, and deep curiosity, Noemi shares her academic journey, the real-world inspiration behind her work, and what she’s learning about how ADHD shows up differently in women and marginalised genders. This is a must-listen for anyone curious about why so many women are diagnosed late, or missed entirely, and what’s being done to close that gap.

Key Points from the Episode:

• Noemi’s personal and academic path to ADHD research
• Why the current diagnostic tools often miss ADHD in women
• What the DIVA-5 is and how it’s used around the world
• The role of masking, gender expectations, and cultural influences in diagnosis
• How international voices and focus groups are helping reshape the future of ADHD diagnostics
• What’s next for the research, and why it matters for women, non-binary people, and clinicians globally
• A message of hope for those still seeking recognition and support

Links:

DIVA FOUNDATION: https://www.divacenter.eu/

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• Visit ADHDifference.nz to find past episodes, videos, links, or to say hello!
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• Julie Legg is the author of The Missing Piece: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD

Diagnosed as an adult, Julie Legg interviews guests from around the world, sharing uplifting stories, personal experiences, new ADHD perspectives, strategies, insights and resources to help inform, inspire and engage with adult ADHD listeners worldwide.

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Thanks for listening.

• Visit ADHDifference.nz to find past episodes, videos, links, or to say hello!
• Get social with us on Instagram
• Julie Legg is the author of The Missing Piece: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD

Julie Legg speaks with Julio Angel Rivera, a New York City-based writer, mental health advocate, and martial arts coach, about his experience with ADHD, bipolar disorder, depression and CPTSD.

This jiu-jitsu philosophy profoundly resonates with how Julio has come to approach ADHD and mental health, and has learned to flow with challenges and embrace nonlinear paths to progress. Diagnosed at 42, he reflects on the struggles he faced before his diagnosis and the personal growth that followed and shares his insights on neurodivergence, trauma, and resilience.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Decades of training in jiu-jitsu, judo, and MMA provided Julio not only a physical outlet but philosophical grounding.
• Mindfulness has become a vital tool in Julio’s mental health repertoire. He discusses the importance of learning to notice triggers and stay present during moments of dysregulation, which can help to de-escalate situations before they spiral - a skill rooted in both therapy and martial arts discipline.
• Julio is the author of Brokedown Sensei and Internal Jiu-Jitsu (released May 2025) and blogger on Threads, Medium and Substack.

LINKS

• Internal Jiu-Jitsu by Julio Rivera
• Instagram
• Facebook
• LinkedIn - Julio Rivera
• Threads
• Medium
• Substack
• The Missing Piece by Julie Legg

Send us a text

Thanks for listening.

• Visit ADHDifference.nz to find past episodes, videos, links, or to say hello!
• Get social with us on Instagram
• Julie Legg is the author of The Missing Piece: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD