ADHD for Smart Ass Women with Tracy Otsuka cover art

ADHD for Smart Ass Women with Tracy Otsuka

ADHD for Smart Ass Women with Tracy Otsuka

By: Tracy Otsuka
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About this listen

Want to fall in love with your ADHD brain and make it work for you? Learn more about my patented program, Your ADHD Brain is A-OK Academy here : programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup

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I have NEVER met an ADHD woman who wasn’t truly brilliant at something! This podcast, with nearly 7 million downloads, is for smart, high-ability ADD/ADHD (diagnosed or suspecting) women who see their symptoms as more positive than negative. If you want to fall in love with your ADHD brain and discover where your brilliance lies, this podcast is for you!
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ADHD for Smart Ass Women is globally ranked in the top one-tenth of one percent of all podcasts in the world on any subject. It’s streamed in more than 160 countries and is downloaded by more than 150,000 listeners every month. My book of the same name, published by HarperCollins/William Morrow, was recently honored by Amazon Editors as a Top 20 Best Nonfiction Book of 2024.
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I’m Tracy Otsuka, your host. I’m a lawyer, not a doctor, a lifelong learner, and a certified ADHD coach. I’m on a mission to change the conversation around ADHD because I believe it’s time to focus on the strengths that come with our unique brains. When I was diagnosed eight months after my son, my entire life finally made sense, yet all I read and heard about ADHD focused on what I should struggle with. What I discovered, though, was that my ADHD was responsible for some of my greatest strengths.
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Another thing we constantly hear is all the success stories about ADHD men, but no one talks about the women. This podcast is here to change that. ADHD women are my people, and I’m here to acknowledge, support, and cheer them on. My experience as an adult living with ADHD, along with my expertise, is regularly sought out by top-tier media, including Bloomberg, Forbes, CBS Mornings, ABC News Live, Inc., Prevention Magazine, Verywell Mind, ADDitude magazine, and The Goal Digger Podcast, etc.
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adhdforsmartwomen.com

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The content in this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and does not constitute medical or professional advice. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of anything you have seen or heard from Tracy Otsuka, her guests or this podcast.

© 2026 ADHD for Smart Ass Women with Tracy Otsuka Alternative & Complementary Medicine Hygiene & Healthy Living
Episodes
  • EP. 372: Motherhood, Hormones, Trauma and Addiction with Dr. Anupriya Gogne

    EP. 372: Motherhood, Hormones, Trauma and Addiction with Dr. Anupriya Gogne
    Feb 18 2026

    Tired of ADHD strategies that don’t work? Here’s what actually does. FREE training here: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup

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    What if the season that feels the most destabilizing is the moment your brain is asking to be understood differently?

    Dr. Anupriya Gogne is a board-certified addiction psychiatrist specializing in perinatal and reproductive psychiatry at Brown University Health. She recently authored Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Adult Women.

    When Dr. Gogne became an attending, her caseload doubled overnight. She stayed late finishing notes while colleagues went home. Around the same time, she impulsively adopted a baby husky. Six years into her career, testing confirmed ADHD and NVLD, a visual-spatial learning difference that explained why she didn't drive until age 30 and why every parking lot looked identical.

    Now she treats pregnant and postpartum women with ADHD, addiction, and trauma. In this episode, Tracy and Dr. Gogne discuss ADHD and NVLD in adult women, how visual spatial differences show up in daily life, the overlap between trauma and addiction, the role of stimulants in recovery when carefully managed, and why pregnancy and postpartum can intensify symptoms through hormonal shifts and sleep deprivation.

    If you are in a season where your systems stopped working, this conversation offers context. Sometimes it feels out of control because it is out of control. And that means you need support, not shame.

    Resources:

    • Website: https://www.brownhealth.org/providers/anupriya-gogne-md
    • Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Adult Women: Special Considerations in the Perinatal Period: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-86588-6

    Send a Message: Your Name | Email | Message

    If this podcast helps you understand your ADHD brain, Shift helps you train it. Practice mindset work in just 10 minutes a day. Learn more at tracyotsuka.com/shift

    Instead of Struggling to figure out what to do next?

    ADHD isn’t a productivity problem. It’s an identity problem.

    That’s why most strategies don’t stick—they weren’t designed for how your brain actually works. Your ADHD Brain is A-OK Academy is different. It’s a patented, science-backed coaching program that helps you stop fighting your brain and start building a life that fits. 👉Learn more here: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/aok-academy

    Learn more by connecting with Tracy through Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or visit adhdforsmartwomen.com.

    Are You Ready to Discover Your Brilliance? Order Now: https://tracyotsuka.com/book2

    Visit our website: https://tracyotsuka.com

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 22 mins
  • EP. 371: When the Problem Isn’t You - It’s the System with Stephanie Ray

    EP. 371: When the Problem Isn’t You - It’s the System with Stephanie Ray
    Feb 11 2026

    Tired of ADHD strategies that don’t work? Here’s what actually does. FREE training here: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup

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    Many neurodivergent women are not struggling because they lack ability. They struggle because the systems around them were never designed for how their brains actually work.

    In this episode, Tracy talks with Stephanie Ray, a neurodivergent lawyer, coach, and founder of Growthset Coaching. Diagnosed with ADHD in her early 30s, Stephanie spent years succeeding on the surface while quietly struggling with memorization, rigid study methods, and performance pressure in law school and legal practice.

    Once she understood how her brain learns best, she stopped forcing traditional systems and built visual, movement-based, and story-driven approaches that actually worked. Tracy and Stephanie break down why standard study advice often fails ADHD learners and what makes information stick instead.

    They also cover imposter syndrome, accommodations, time blindness, and task initiation, along with practical strategies for studying, exam prep, and managing demanding careers. If you feel smart but still behind, this episode will help you see why and what to change.


    Resources:
    Website: https://www.growthsetcoaching.com
    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-didomizio-ray-esq-75157347


    Send a Message: Your Name | Email | Message

    If this podcast helps you understand your ADHD brain, Shift helps you train it. Practice mindset work in just 10 minutes a day. Learn more at tracyotsuka.com/shift

    Instead of Struggling to figure out what to do next?

    ADHD isn’t a productivity problem. It’s an identity problem.

    That’s why most strategies don’t stick—they weren’t designed for how your brain actually works. Your ADHD Brain is A-OK Academy is different. It’s a patented, science-backed coaching program that helps you stop fighting your brain and start building a life that fits. 👉Learn more here: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/aok-academy

    Learn more by connecting with Tracy through Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or visit adhdforsmartwomen.com.

    Are You Ready to Discover Your Brilliance? Order Now: https://tracyotsuka.com/book2

    Visit our website: https://tracyotsuka.com

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 13 mins
  • EP. 370: When You Flip Your Lid: How to Let the Glitter Settle with Lyndsay Morris, M.ED.

    EP. 370: When You Flip Your Lid: How to Let the Glitter Settle with Lyndsay Morris, M.ED.
    Feb 4 2026

    Tired of ADHD strategies that don’t work? Here’s what actually does. FREE training here: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/signup

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    Many kids aren’t struggling because they lack motivation or discipline. They’re struggling because their nervous systems are overwhelmed.

    In this episode, Tracy talks with Lyndsay Morris, a former teacher and school counselor diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood, about what actually helps ADHD brains learn and regulate. Lyndsay shares how masking as the “good student” kept her ADHD hidden for years and why school only worked when learning felt engaging. What once looked like boredom, emotional sensitivity, and focus struggles were never a lack of effort.

    That realization reshaped her work. After years in classrooms, Lyndsay saw how often dysregulation was treated as defiance and punished instead of supported. Her approach centers on regulation, connection, and reflection as foundational skills, not behavior control, including her Regulate, Connect, Reflect framework and simple nervous system supports like movement and emotional safety.

    Tracy and Lyndsay also explore ADHD masking in girls, why adults must regulate themselves before expecting kids to do the same, and what changes when schools stop shaming and start teaching skills. This conversation offers practical, brain-based tools for parents, educators, and adults who want to build capacity rather than compliance.


    Resources:
    Website: https://www.generationwellness.com
    Portfolio: https://www.lyndsaymorris.com
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lyndsay__morris
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyndsaymorris

    Send a Message: Your Name | Email | Message

    If this podcast helps you understand your ADHD brain, Shift helps you train it. Practice mindset work in just 10 minutes a day. Learn more at tracyotsuka.com/shift

    Instead of Struggling to figure out what to do next?

    ADHD isn’t a productivity problem. It’s an identity problem.

    That’s why most strategies don’t stick—they weren’t designed for how your brain actually works. Your ADHD Brain is A-OK Academy is different. It’s a patented, science-backed coaching program that helps you stop fighting your brain and start building a life that fits. 👉Learn more here: https://programs.tracyotsuka.com/aok-academy

    Learn more by connecting with Tracy through Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or visit adhdforsmartwomen.com.

    Are You Ready to Discover Your Brilliance? Order Now: https://tracyotsuka.com/book2

    Visit our website: https://tracyotsuka.com

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 12 mins
All stars
Most relevant
Life changing. Life saving. RSD. If you know you know. Literally the backdrop of my day.

Back drop for my day

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Suspecting I had adult ADHD, I came across this podcast and it has been so reassuring. I've listened to episodes that I feel relevant to me. There is a wealth of information here. Thank you Tracy for the hard work you do creating these podcasts.

Excellent podcast. Really informative.

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If you struggle with ADHD or just know someone that does . this podcast is inspiring!!! And I don’t even drink Coffee!!! Helena has some excellent ideas of work- arounds . If you want to feel inspired today and positive listen to this !!!!

Loved this episode for its Positivity!!

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I have spent life so lost and confused, struggling massively with my mental health since I was an early teen. I've seen doctor after doctor who labelled me with anxiety, depression and bpd but something still felt off. No matter how hard I worked to manage my conditions, I still felt like I was failing life as an adult. It wasn't until Christmas when I stumbled across a video about the symptoms of ADHD in women and it stood out, I related to almost all of them, I looked at the comments, it was the same situation, I then did some further research online and sobbed as I realised everything that I had been giving myself a hard time for throughout my life was listed in front of me. I contacted my doctor and have to wait for an assessment but I didn't want to wait 2 years for answers and that's when I found this podcast! I have learned so so much since listening, there has been so much comfort in the sense that I do not feel alone.I cannot begin to describe how much this podcast has given me hope. Both you and your guests are so inspiring and have taught me so much.
Thank you for being such an incredible human 😊❤

A beacon of light.

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