Podcast Summary
ADHD Women's Well-being Podcast: Expert Insights and Supplements for a Balanced Life: Listen to the ADHD Women's Well-being Podcast for expert advice, personal stories, and try free supplements for improved focus, reduced anxiety, and better sleep.
The ADHD women's well-being podcast, sponsored by theherbtender.com, offers valuable insights, tools, and expert advice for women with ADHD to live healthier, calmer, and more focused lives. The podcast features guests sharing personal experiences and new findings, and the sponsor, The Herb Tender, provides supplements formulated with adaptogens and functional mushrooms to help manage stresses of modern living. These supplements, like Focus and Clarity and Calm and Collected, offer benefits such as improved focus, reduced anxiety, and better sleep. Listeners can try these supplements for free with a week's trial pouch by paying for shipping, making it an excellent opportunity to test before purchasing. The podcast also features interviews with experts, like Gemma Mercer, a transformation coach for mothers, who shares insights on juggling family life and merging ambitions, roles, and responsibilities.
The profound transformation of motherhood goes beyond physical changes: Recognize and acknowledge the social, emotional, spiritual, and psychological shifts of matrescence to better understand and navigate motherhood's complexities.
Becoming a mother involves a profound transformation known as matrescence, which goes beyond physical and hormonal changes. It encompasses social, emotional, spiritual, and psychological shifts that can significantly impact a woman's identity. This transformation often occurs without much thought or preparation, and women may find themselves juggling their own needs with their new role as a caregiver. For some, this change can be particularly challenging, especially if they had built their lives around a corporate identity or masked underlying conditions like ADHD. It's essential to recognize and acknowledge this transformative process to better understand and navigate the complexities of motherhood.
Understanding Matrescence: A New Phase of Life for Women: Matrescence, a transformative phase of life for women, requires recognition and support. Coined in the 1970s, it's similar to adolescence but often overlooked. Embrace this period for personal growth and understanding.
The experience of motherhood brings about a significant identity shift, often referred to as matrescence, which can be challenging and unfamiliar for many women. This transformation, much like adolescence, requires understanding, grace, and space for self-discovery. It was during her own journey with motherhood and ADHD that the speaker realized the importance of acknowledging and embracing this transition. Coined in the 1970s but only recently gaining recognition, matrescence was compared to adolescence by Dr. Aurelia in highlighting the importance of this period in a woman's life. By recognizing matrescence as a distinct phase, we can provide the necessary support and understanding for women as they navigate their new roles and identities. Many women, neurodiverse or not, can relate to the feeling of questioning their choices and identity post-motherhood. This period can bring about feelings of uncertainty and even spiritual awakening, encouraging women to explore their spirituality and personal growth. The lack of conversation around matrescence compared to adolescence is a valid question, as the former has not been widely discussed or recognized. However, by acknowledging and understanding matrescence, we can create a more supportive and understanding environment for women as they navigate this significant and transformative phase of their lives.
Pressure on women to balance identities and fulfill potential: Undiagnosed conditions like ADHD can add to the pressure on women during motherhood, but acceptance and diagnosis can lead to transformation and authentic living.
Society's expectations of women, particularly those transitioning into motherhood, can lead to internalized pressure and contradictory archetypes, silencing their needs and feelings. This pressure can be compounded by undiagnosed conditions like ADHD, making it even more challenging for women to balance their identities and fulfill their potential. The realization and acceptance of these issues, however, can be transformative, providing women with the words, understanding, and validation they need to articulate their experiences and live authentic, fulfilling lives. For many women, this acceptance comes through the recognition and diagnosis of conditions like ADHD, which can help explain past struggles and inform future growth.
Impact of past undiagnosed conditions on present experiences: Recognizing past conditions and allowing compassionate accommodations can lead to a better understanding of ourselves and improved present experiences.
Undiagnosed conditions from our past, such as ADHD, can significantly impact our present experiences and relationships, especially as we watch our children grow and face similar challenges. Recognizing these patterns and allowing ourselves compassionate accommodations can lead to a better understanding of ourselves and our past. Additionally, understanding societal expectations and archetypes can help women make sense of the complex interplay between personal and societal pressures, enabling them to practice self-kindness and find balance in their maternal roles.
Embracing the journey of motherhood and self-discovery: Motherhood is a continuous journey of self-discovery, allowing ourselves to adapt and embrace new evolutions with kindness.
Motherhood is a continuous journey of self-discovery and evolution. It's about recognizing and redefining our values and strengths as we navigate the different seasons of motherhood. We all have our ideas of what makes a good mother and what success looks like for us as individuals. But as we take on new responsibilities and face new challenges, it's important to acknowledge the strength we bring to these situations and allow ourselves to adapt. Every baby or life stage brings new evolutions, and it's essential to be kind to ourselves as we navigate these changes. The podcast speaker's experience of transitioning from focusing on her ambitions as an "Ambitious Mum" to embracing the authenticity of motherhood shows that our priorities and perspectives can shift significantly with the arrival of children. Motherhood can help us tap into our deeper emotions and become more authentic versions of ourselves. It's not about having a huge awakening or revolutionizing our lives, but rather embracing the fluidity and self-kindness that comes with this continuous journey.
Understanding and Tapping into Your ADHD Potential: Receiving an ADHD diagnosis can lead to self-discovery, overcoming limiting beliefs, and unlocking new goals and potential in any area of life with practical steps and deep inner work.
Receiving an ADHD diagnosis can lead to a new understanding of oneself and one's goals, and that it's never too late to tap into unfulfilled potential. The speaker, who specializes in helping women with ADHD, is offering a workshop called "Tapping into Your ADHD Gold" to help guide women through limiting beliefs and old stories that have been holding them back. The workshop will include deep, powerful work, such as clearing and releasing old beliefs, using EFT, and manifesting desires, as well as practical steps and ideas for achieving goals. The speaker emphasizes that this can apply to any area of life, whether it's career or lifestyle. The workshop includes a follow-up live group session with the speaker for additional accountability and support. Many women with ADHD find that their diagnosis leads to a revelation about their career or purpose, and the speaker helps them to find their spark again, whether that means modifying their current path or starting something new.
Challenges for Women Balancing Careers and Motherhood: Workplaces should offer flexible arrangements and validate women's experiences to help them balance careers and motherhood, reducing burnout and enabling their success.
Women face significant challenges in balancing their careers and motherhood in a societal and workplace context that often doesn't accommodate their needs. This leads to burnout and difficult choices for many women. To address this issue, it's crucial for workplaces to offer flexible working arrangements and validate women's feelings and experiences. Small adjustments, such as accommodating school drop-offs or allowing for flexible hours, can make a big difference. Ultimately, women's presence in leadership positions benefits everyone, and it's essential to find solutions that enable them to succeed in both areas of their lives.
Supporting women during matrescence for workplace benefits: Understanding and accommodating women, especially neurodivergent moms, during matrescence can lead to increased loyalty, productivity, and retention in the workplace. Provide accommodations and education to create a compassionate and inclusive environment.
Understanding and supporting women, particularly neurodivergent moms, during their matrescence journey can lead to increased loyalty, productivity, and retention in the workplace. This period, which includes the first few years after returning from maternity leave, presents unique logistical challenges. By providing accommodations and education, employers can create a compassionate and inclusive environment, fostering a sense of value and appreciation among employees. This not only benefits the individual but also the organization as a whole. For those seeking guidance, Gemma Mercer offers 1:1 coaching and educational workshops. Connect with her on Instagram (@ag_mercermercer) or visit her website (gemamerser.com) for more information on individual coaching packages. For organizations, Gemma can conduct workshops on matrescence through her website understandingmatrescence.co.uk. This shift towards recognizing and accommodating women's needs in the workplace is crucial for fostering a more inclusive and supportive environment.
Navigating the Transition to Parenthood for Men: Men can support their partners during the transition to parenthood by fostering open communication, compassion, and education. Additionally, individuals with ADHD should have access to resources, support, and community to help navigate these changes.
Becoming a parent, especially for men, can bring about significant changes that may require more attention and involvement than before. This transition can impact both partners differently, and it's crucial for everyone involved to be aware and supportive. Men can also benefit from understanding their role and how they can help alleviate some of the stresses their partners may face. By fostering open communication, compassion, and education, all parties can work together to create a more balanced and supportive household. Additionally, it's essential for individuals, particularly those diagnosed with ADHD later in life, to have access to resources, support, and community to help navigate these changes and promote self-acceptance.