For many women, ADHD isn’t diagnosed because something suddenly goes wrong. It’s diagnosed because what used to work stops working.

In this episode of PRIMED for ADHD, I talk about what actually changes after a late ADHD diagnosis in midlife, not just clinically, but internally. I explore why awareness often increases friction before it brings relief, how past experiences start to reorganize once you have language for them, and why insight alone doesn’t always translate into real-life change.

We look at the emotional layers that often accompany late diagnosis, including relief, grief, anger, and recalibration, and why none of those reactions follow a neat timeline. I also explain why many high-functioning women feel stuck after diagnosis, even when they finally understand themselves, and how support, coaching, and therapy play different roles at this stage.

This episode is for you if:

• You were diagnosed with ADHD later in life, or are questioning a possible diagnosis
• You feel relieved by the insight, but unsure what to do next
• What worked for years no longer works the same way
• You want to move forward with your ADHD in mind, not against it

I also share reflective questions you can sit with as you begin integrating your diagnosis, without pressure to fix, explain, or overhaul your life all at once.

If you’re navigating ADHD in midlife and wondering why things feel different now that you know, this episode will help you make sense of that shift.

You can learn more about my ADHD coaching work, including private coaching and my group coaching space for professional women in midlife, at andreatoolecoach.com.

If this episode was helpful, follow or subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next. Sharing it with someone who’s been asking the same questions helps more than you think.

Contact for questions or comments:
https://www.andreatoolecoach.com/contact

**

Blog post: Generational ADHD: How family patterns shape our lives and what to do about it - https://www.andreatoolecoach.com/blog/generational-adhd

Coaching vs. therapy is one of the most common questions I hear from women with ADHD, especially those diagnosed later in life.

In this episode of PRIMED for ADHD, I slow the conversation down and explain, in practical terms, what therapy does well, what ADHD coaching actually looks like, where the two overlap, and how to think about what kind of support makes sense for you right now.

If you’ve ever wondered whether therapy is enough, whether coaching is legitimate, or whether you should be doing both, this episode is for you.

I talk about why coaching and therapy are often confused, how each supports the ADHD brain differently, and why insight alone doesn’t always translate into day-to-day change. I also share how coaching and therapy can work together, especially in midlife, when old coping strategies stop working and life transitions create new challenges.

This episode isn’t about choosing sides. It’s about clarity, realistic expectations, and understanding what kind of support will actually help you move forward.

In this episode, I cover:

• Why coaching and therapy are often confused, especially for adults with ADHD
• What therapy does best and when it’s the right place to start
• How ADHD coaching works and what it focuses on in real life
• The role of insight vs. application when managing ADHD
• When coaching and therapy together can be most effective
• How midlife transitions can change the kind of support you need

If you’re listening and thinking, "I understand myself better, but I’m still struggling to function the way I want to," coaching may be the missing piece.

You can learn more about my ADHD coaching work, including private coaching and my group coaching space for professional women in midlife, at andreatoolecoach.com.

If this episode was helpful, follow or subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next. Sharing it with someone who’s been asking the same questions helps more than you think.

Contact for questions or comments:
https://www.andreatoolecoach.com/contact

If you’re a woman with ADHD in midlife and your brain suddenly feels harder to manage, this episode is for you. (Men: Share this with the women in your life.)

In this episode of PRIMED for ADHD, I explore what happens when ADHD intersects with perimenopause and why long-standing strategies stop working. You’ll hear how hormonal and brain chemistry shifts affect focus, motivation, memory, and emotional regulation for women with ADHD in midlife.

I unpack what’s happening beneath the surface, why common advice often misses the mark, and how to let go of the belief that these changes are a personal failing. This is especially relevant for high-functioning women who have spent years compensating and holding everything together, only to find the same workload now feels much heavier and that life feels harder overall.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How perimenopause affects women with ADHD—beyond basic hormone explanations
• Why estrogen fluctuations matter for focus, motivation, memory, and emotional regulation
• How identity, competence, and self-trust are affected
• Why this stage is a transition, not a regression
• What support works better now than the strategies you’ve relied on for decades
• Key questions to ask yourself now to find relief
• Too much about my skin

This episode offers clarity and context for women with ADHD in midlife and perimenopause, so you can recognize what’s changing and respond with steadiness instead of self-criticism.

If you have any questions about what I discussed, there's a resource below and you can reach out with questions.

Coming up next:

The next episode will discuss coaching versus therapy and how each can support you in different ways

Resources:

Read Navigating ADHD during perimenopause: https://www.andreatoolecoach.com/blog/navigating-adhd-during-perimenopause

Read When the house gets quiet: ADHD, midlife, and sending kids off to college:
https://www.andreatoolecoach.com/blog/adhd-in-the-empty-nest

Learn about my coaching framework:
https://www.andreatoolecoach.com/the-primed-difference

1:1 Support: https://www.andreatoolecoach.com/services

If you want to practice this kind of support in real time, that’s what WILD Minds is for. Be a part of a community of professional women managing ADHD in midlife.: https://www.andreatoolecoach.com/wildminds

Episode transcript:
https://www.andreatoolecoach.com/s/PRIMED-season-2-episode-3-Transcript-ADHD-and-Perimenopause-b832.pdf

Contact for questions or comments:
https://www.andreatoolecoach.com/contact

**

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