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Quirky Moms Matter - for moms who feel different.

Quirky Moms Matter - for moms who feel different.

By: Daniella Ria Steele
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About this listen

Welcome to Quirky Moms Matter a podcast dedicated to supporting and validating moms who feel different. If you're navigating motherhood with ADHD , autism, sensory sensitivities, anxiety, or any other experiences that make you feel alone in your difference, this podcast is for you.


I’m Dani Steele and I read the books and do the research so that you don’t have to . As a late diagnosed neurodivergent mom myself - I have applied my adult lifelong passion for research on neuroscience and neurobiology to focus specifically on neurodivergent motherhood so that I can help you understand your brain better.

© 2025 Quirky Moms Matter - for moms who feel different.
Hygiene & Healthy Living Psychology Psychology & Mental Health
Episodes
  • Epi 9 : PMS or Something More? Why Neurodivergent Women Are Hit Harder
    Jul 9 2025

    👀 Ever feel like a totally different person the week before your period?

    Not just moody — but anxious, ragey, shut down, or like you want to quit your job, run away, or scream into a pillow...
    Then your period starts, and suddenly… you’re okay again?
    Yeah. This one’s for you.

    💥 In this episode, we unpack:

    🧠 Why monthly hormones hit harder when you're neurodivergent (think: ADHD, autism, sensory sensitivity)
    🌀 How dopamine, estrogen & serotonin impact your mood, focus, and parenting capacity at certain times of the cycle
    📅 What each phase of the cycle does to your brain (and why some moms thrive while bleeding 😳)
    🔥 The real signs of PMDD and why up to 92% of autistic women may have it
    🙈 How it can feel like an outer-body experience — seeing yourself unravel, but not being able to stop it
    👩‍👧 Why motherhood makes this all more intense (and more invisible)

    💡 Whether you’re diagnosed, self-diagnosed, or just relate a little too much, this episode will help you:

    ✔️ Understand your cycle through a neurodivergent lens
    ✔️ Learn what’s actually happening in your brain
    ✔️ Ditch the shame and start tracking patterns instead of blaming yourself

    🎧 Listen in if you’ve ever said:

    “I feel like a different person every week.”
    “My PMS feels like I’m losing my mind.”
    “I get ragey, overwhelmed, and disconnected — then totally fine again.”

    You’re not dramatic. You’re not unstable.
    This is real, it’s biological, and it’s more common than anyone talks about.

    📲 Connect with me on Instagram @quirkymindsmatter to join the community, your story might just echo in the comments.

    🎧 How to Rate or Follow on Spotify (Mobile App):

    👉 Spotify doesn’t allow written reviews (yet!), but you can rate the show and follow it to show your support:

    1. Open the Spotify app on your phone.
    2. Search for the podcast (e.g., Quickie Minds Matter) and tap on it.
    3. Right under the podcast title, tap the “★” (star icon) to rate the show.
    4. Choose the number of stars (5 is always appreciated! ⭐️).
    5. Tap the “Follow” button so you never miss a new episode.

    ⭐️ How to Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts (iPhone/iPad):

    1. Open the Apple Podcasts app on your device.
    2. Tap the Search icon at the bottom right.
    3. Type in the name of the podcast (e.g., Quickie Minds Matter) and select it.
    4. Scroll down past the list of episodes until you see “Ratings & Reviews.”
    5. Tap “Write a Review.”
    6. Choose a star rating (5 stars if you love it 💛).
    7. Enter a title and write your review.
    8. Tap “Send” or “Save” in the top right corner.

    YOUR SUPPORT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.


    Show More Show Less
    40 mins
  • Epi 8 : Why Alcohol hits different for Neurodivergent Women and Moms
    Jun 25 2025

    If you’ve ever felt like alcohol affects you differently — the next-day anxiety, brain fog, guilt, emotional spirals, or sensory overwhelm — you’re not imagining it. In this episode of Quirky Minds Matter, we’re unpacking the unique relationship between neurodivergent women and alcohol.

    We explore why women with ADHD and autism are more likely to develop substance use struggles — not out of recklessness, but often from a deep desire to self-soothe, cope, and fit in. You'll learn how alcohol interacts with our already sensitive brains, hormones, and nervous systems, and why “just one glass” can have a bigger impact on moms like us.

    I also share my own story of quitting alcohol in 2018, and why that decision became one of the most powerful acts of generational healing in my life.

    You’ll walk away from this episode feeling informed, validated, and most importantly — not alone. Whether you’re sober-curious, reevaluating your relationship with alcohol, or just want to understand your neurodivergent brain better, this one’s for you.

    🎧 Topics we cover:

    • ADHD, autism & substance use: what the research says
    • Why neurodivergent moms drink: the 6 biggest reasons
    • How alcohol affects your hormones, dopamine & sensory system
    • My personal journey with quitting drinking
    • Gentle steps if you're rethinking alcohol — without shame

    📲 Connect with me on Instagram @quirkymindsmatter to join the community, your story might just echo in the comments.

    🎧 How to Rate or Follow on Spotify (Mobile App):

    👉 Spotify doesn’t allow written reviews (yet!), but you can rate the show and follow it to show your support:

    1. Open the Spotify app on your phone.
    2. Search for the podcast (e.g., Quickie Minds Matter) and tap on it.
    3. Right under the podcast title, tap the “★” (star icon) to rate the show.
    4. Choose the number of stars (5 is always appreciated! ⭐️).
    5. Tap the “Follow” button so you never miss a new episode.

    ⭐️ How to Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts (iPhone/iPad):

    1. Open the Apple Podcasts app on your device.
    2. Tap the Search icon at the bottom right.
    3. Type in the name of the podcast (e.g., Quickie Minds Matter) and select it.
    4. Scroll down past the list of episodes until you see “Ratings & Reviews.”
    5. Tap “Write a Review.”
    6. Choose a star rating (5 stars if you love it 💛).
    7. Enter a title and write your review.
    8. Tap “Send” or “Save” in the top right corner.

    YOUR SUPPORT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.


    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 4 mins
  • Epi 7 : IS this ADHD or unresolved Childhood Trauma? Understanding the Overlap in Adult Women and Mothers
    Jun 10 2025

    Is it ADHD, unresolved childhood trauma—or both?

    In this powerful and deeply personal episode of *Quirky Moms Matter*, we’re unpacking the complex relationship between adult ADHD and childhood adversity.


    * Can childhood trauma lead to ADHD symptoms in adulthood?

    * Are ADHD diagnoses sometimes a misinterpretation of trauma responses?

    * What are the overlapping traits, and why does understanding them matter so much—especially if you're a mom?

    Whether you’re navigating motherhood with late-diagnosed neurodivergence, healing from an upbringing that lacked the emotional support you needed, or simply trying to make sense of your inner world—this episode is for you. Because you deserve to understand your mind, not just for your own healing, but so you can show up with compassion, intention, and authenticity.

    💡 *Remember: You can’t change what you don’t understand—and this is where change begins.*



    📲 Connect with me on Instagram @quirkymindsmatter to join the community, your story might just echo in the comments.

    🎧 How to Rate or Follow on Spotify (Mobile App):

    👉 Spotify doesn’t allow written reviews (yet!), but you can rate the show and follow it to show your support:

    1. Open the Spotify app on your phone.
    2. Search for the podcast (e.g., Quickie Minds Matter) and tap on it.
    3. Right under the podcast title, tap the “★” (star icon) to rate the show.
    4. Choose the number of stars (5 is always appreciated! ⭐️).
    5. Tap the “Follow” button so you never miss a new episode.

    ⭐️ How to Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts (iPhone/iPad):

    1. Open the Apple Podcasts app on your device.
    2. Tap the Search icon at the bottom right.
    3. Type in the name of the podcast (e.g., Quickie Minds Matter) and select it.
    4. Scroll down past the list of episodes until you see “Ratings & Reviews.”
    5. Tap “Write a Review.”
    6. Choose a star rating (5 stars if you love it 💛).
    7. Enter a title and write your review.
    8. Tap “Send” or “Save” in the top right corner.

    YOUR SUPPORT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.


    Show More Show Less
    53 mins

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