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ADHD & Neurodiversity: The Spicy Brain Podcast

ADHD & Neurodiversity: The Spicy Brain Podcast

By: Megan Mioduski & Michelle Woodward
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About this listen

 ADHD isn’t just a diagnosis; it’s a way of seeing the world. I'm a neurodivergent creative, and I'm teaming up with my (kinda) neurotypical sister to unpack the chaos of ADHD, mental health, big feelings, and the wild ride of living with a spicy brain. Whether you're newly diagnosed, deep in the neurospicy trenches, or just trying to make sense of someone you care about, we hope you’ll leave every episode feeling a little more seen and a little less alone. Here, we mix sister talk with ridiculous stories. Here, we break down how ADHD physically and emotionally in the body. Here, we laugh our way through the sometimes messy (and wildly creative) ways neurodivergence shows up in real life. We believe you don’t have to “fix” your brain to feel better. This is your reminder that being wired differently doesn’t mean being broken. We’re in it with you. Our podcast is funny, honest, and probably the most validating train wreck you'll listen to this week. (New episodes weekly-ish.) 💬 Say hello on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/spicybrainstudios" ADHD, neurodivergent, neurodivergence, executive dysfunction, masking, RSD, rejection sensitive dysphoria, anxiety, depression, emotional regulation, autism, AuDHD, sensory overload, overstimulation, burnout, dopamine, mental health, time blindness, creativity, sibling podcast, funny mental health podcast, women with ADHD, late diagnosis ADHD, emotional dysregulation, productivity struggles, ADHD hacks, real talk, neurospicy, ADHD podcastCopyright 2025 Megan Mioduski & Michelle Woodward Art Hygiene & Healthy Living Personal Development Personal Success Psychology Psychology & Mental Health
Episodes
  • Ep. 96 — ADHD Parenting Archetypes (Part 2) and Emotional Permanence: “Heroin in His Eyeballs”

    Ep. 96 — ADHD Parenting Archetypes (Part 2) and Emotional Permanence: “Heroin in His Eyeballs”
    Dec 11 2025

    In this heartfelt and funny continuation of last week’s episode, Michelle and Megan tackle the second half of the ADHD parenting personality types from The Essential Guide to Raising Complex Kids by Elaine Taylor-Klaus, and reflect on how those same patterns shape how we parent ourselves.

    From the anxiety-fueled planning of Anxious Ava to the quiet retreat of Distant Dana, the sisters explore how these archetypes show up in real life, in restaurants, in parenting, and even in podcast recording sessions. Megan shares candid stories about growing up with learned rules and what it means to finally break them, while Michelle gets real about what it's like to catch yourself reacting from a place of fear or habit.

    They also dive into the concept of emotional permanence, the idea that some of us need regular reminders that we are loved, even if we’ve just had a great day. This episode is a reminder that you’re not alone in your patterns, your fears, or your flailing Kermit moments, and that naming those patterns might be the first step to changing them.

    favorite line from the episode: “He's not gonna inject heroin into his eyeballs.”

    00:00 welcome back and defining parenting in all its forms

    04:00 parenting as a village — dogs, stepkids, and inner children

    05:50 Anxious Ava: planning, fear, and over-control

    11:15 pushing past the panic spiral

    12:00 Pushover Pat and setting boundaries

    16:30 mental health days and radical honesty

    20:00 Denying Dale and societal myths about ADHD

    25:30 Playful Peter and learned helplessness

    31:00 Distant Dana and parenting avoidance

    35:00 emotional permanence and unspoken rules

    42:15 shifting perspective with “up until now”

    45:10 how we parent different people differently

    47:30 radical acceptance — even when you’re tired

    ADHD, ADHD women, parenting archetypes, Elaine Taylor-Klaus, neurodivergent parenting, anxious parenting, emotional permanence, childhood rules, inner child, emotional regulation, mental health, radical acceptance, masking, executive function, sibling podcast, self-awareness, neurodivergent adults

    If any of these parenting patterns hit close to home, we see you. Share this episode with a friend who might relate, or revisit Episode 95 to hear the first half of the parenting archetypes. And don’t forget to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss next week’s dive into Defensive Drew, Demanding Randy, and more. Until then, stay curious, joyful, and full of radical acceptance.
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    49 mins
  • Ep. 95 — ADHD Archetypes, Reframing, and Radical Acceptance: “I've Tried Everything and Nothing Works”

    Ep. 95 — ADHD Archetypes, Reframing, and Radical Acceptance: “I've Tried Everything and Nothing Works”
    Dec 4 2025

    This episode is a deep dive into the ADHD parenting archetypes from The Essential Guide to Raising Complex Kids by Elaine Taylor-Klaus, but with a twist. Megan and Michelle explore how these roles not only show up in parenting, but also in how we parent ourselves as neurodivergent adults.

    From Angry Anne’s explosive reactions to Lost Lois’s "meh" mode, they unpack how each archetype holds clues to our deeper needs, fears, and patterns. Megan admits she might be a little too familiar with Maxed-Out Maxine, while Michelle wonders if she’s ever not been Fix-It Fran. The episode is filled with stories, laughs, reframes, and one very important reminder: you’re not doing it wrong, you’re just learning what works for your brain.

    favorite line from the episode: "I’ve tried everything and nothing works... well, maybe there’s a better way."

    00:00 welcome back and scrapping the other episodes

    03:15 ADHD parenting personality types overview

    06:20 Angry Anne and shame spirals

    10:45 Super Parent Sue and martyr mode

    14:55 Lost Lois and emotional flatness

    18:30 Maxed-Out Maxine meets sensory overload

    22:40 Fix-It Fran and the frantic helper

    28:05 Nagging Nan and the weaponized sigh

    34:00 the power of language and “up until now”

    38:15 gentle self-reframes and parenting yourself

    ADHD, ADHD women, parenting archetypes, self-parenting, Elaine Taylor-Klaus, neurodivergent moms, emotional regulation, radical acceptance, sensory overload, ADHD burnout, reframing, shame spirals, self-talk, ADHD relationships


    If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend who’s also navigating the ADHD chaos. And be sure to follow the show so you don’t miss Episode 96, where we pick up with Anxious Ava, Pushover Pat, Denying Dale (or Debra), and more. You are not alone — and you are not broken. Let’s keep shedding those shoulds together.
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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • Ep. 94 — Parenting, Twitch Streams, and the Power of Acceptance: “Bring It On!”

    Ep. 94 — Parenting, Twitch Streams, and the Power of Acceptance: “Bring It On!”
    Nov 20 2025
    What happens when your kid doesn’t follow the “normal” path? Or when your podcast co-host, who also happens to be your sister, calls you out mid-episode? In this raw, real, and surprisingly funny episode of the Spicy Brain Podcast, Megan and Michelle explore the emotional minefield of raising a complex kid, navigating resentment, and learning how to come back to each other in real time.From the Twitch stream chaos (hi new friends!) to deeply vulnerable moments about parenting, neurodivergence, and sibling communication, this one gets into it. You’ll hear about Gordon Ramsay, pugs, peanut butter sandwiches in your mouth, and a whole lot of grace. Plus: how reframing our language and expectations can help us love our kids, and ourselves, with more curiosity and joy.Join Megan on Twitch @spicymeggoFavorite line from the episode: “Bring it on, kid.”00:00 Megan’s now a Twitch streamer?06:15 A tender behind-the-scenes sister moment11:00 Parenting complex kids, and yourself14:40 Resentment blossoms in silence18:55 Open communication clears the way23:30 Changing the language, reframing the judgment29:45 Mourning the child you thought you’d have36:00 Gluten intolerance, acceptance, and real vulnerability44:00 The myth of the picture-perfect Christmas card50:00 Getting curious about who your kid really is58:30 “Bring it on” dopamine boost strategy1:02:00 Othering, unbearable feelings, and becoming a teamIf you’ve ever felt like you're doing this whole parenting thing “wrong,” this episode is for you. Follow or subscribe on your favorite podcast app so you don’t miss the next episode. And if you're enjoying the show, please leave us a review. It helps other spicy brains find our community. Curious conversations and joyful acceptance await.ADHD, parenting ADHD kids, raising complex kids, neurodivergent parenting, ADHD podcast, emotional regulation, resentment in parenting, sibling communication, Twitch streamer ADHD, parenting expectations, letting go of shoulds, acceptance ADHD, radical acceptance, Elaine Taylor-Klaus, ADHD women, ADHD sisters, neurodivergent support, ADHD Twitch, ADHD community, bring it on ADHD, parenting with humor, parenting neurodiverse children
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    1 hr and 2 mins
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