Mother Plus Podcast
This is the podcast for "too much" moms who feel like they are failing at motherhood and don't want to fail anymore. Your hosts, Stacey Hutson and Stephanie Sprenger, two ADHD moms of four girls ages 4-18, most definitely don't have it all figured out. But we know one thing for sure: understanding our brains is the key to enjoying our motherhood, and our SELVES again.
Here, we are brutally honest about our ADHD motherhoods (the missed Spirit Weeks, the mountains of laundry, the nostalgia for our old "fun" pre-mom selves) so you know you're not the only one struggling.
When we don't know the answers, or aren't qualified to give them, we bring on the experts. Mental health therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, women's doctors -- we want to learn from them all. Because we believe once you know how to work WITH your ADHD brain rather than against it, it changes everything.
You found your people. We're them. And you're ours. Let's figure this out together.
*To Join the ADHD Mom's Club so we can hang out, visit: https://www.motherplusser.com/ADHD-mom-club-waitlist**
Mother Plus Podcast
#160: Tracy Otsuka on Celebrating ADHD for Smart Ass Women (Revisited)
In this unforgettable episode, we're revisiting a conversation that blew our minds—and helped reframe everything we thought we knew about ADHD, motherhood, and what it means to be “too much.”
Tracy Otsuka is the host of the wildly popular ADHD for Smart Ass Women podcast and author of the book by the same name. A former attorney and certified ADHD coach, Tracy has become a global voice for women who are tired of being pathologized—and ready to celebrate what makes them different.
In this conversation, we cover:
- Why ADHD in women is often misunderstood, masked, and misdiagnosed
- How “smart girl syndrome” leads to high achievement—and high self-doubt
- The difference between the default mode network (DMN) and task positive network (TPN), and why they matter so much to ADHD brains
- The real reason motherhood can feel like Groundhog Day for women with ADHD
- How to get out of your head and into aligned action
- The truth about trauma, shame, and learned helplessness in ADHD women
- Why perfectionism and creativity often co-exist in neurodivergent women
- How Tracy’s approach brings humor, empowerment, and healing to thousands of women
This isn’t just a conversation—it’s a reframe. If you’ve ever felt like the “too much” girl who couldn’t keep up with motherhood, or like you’re sitting on a pile of potential you just can’t access, this episode is for you.
Featured Guest:
Tracy Otsuka is a certified ADHD coach, former SEC attorney, and the creator of the ADHD for Smart Ass Women podcast and book. Her podcast has over 5 million downloads and reaches listeners in 160 countries. She’s been featured in Forbes, ADDitude Magazine, and The Goal Digger Podcast, and moderates a Facebook group with nearly 100,000 members.
Resources & Mentions:
- Tracy Otsuka’s Podcast: ADHD for Smart Ass Women
- Dr. Sharon Saline
- Dr. Christine Li (The Procrastination Coach)
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