ADHD for Smart Ass Women with Tracy Otsuka
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.
ADHD for Smart Ass Women with Tracy Otsuka
EP. 334: Why Crafting Isn’t Cute—It’s Critical with Vickie Howell
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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Vickie Howell discovered something most people never do: the exact moment her brain went quiet. It happened when her hands were busy with yarn and needles, long before she had words for ADHD or understood why making things felt like medicine.
Vickie has spent over two decades at the forefront of the modern craft movement. She’s best known as the host of Knitty Gritty on HGTV, but her reach goes far beyond the screen. She’s written bestselling books, launched hit YouTube shows and PBS segments, and recently founded StitchWell Social Club, a membership community that connects creativity with nervous system care. At 51, when she was diagnosed with ADHD, everything came into focus—her rocky school years, the urgency behind her creative drive, and the systems she built to stay afloat in a world that didn’t always make room for brains like hers.
In this episode, Vickie and Tracy unpack the connection between fiber arts and focus, between making things and making peace with your own mind. Vickie shares how handcrafts became her regulation tool, how bullet points saved her writing life, and why crafting deserves a seat at the mental health table. They also talk about imposter syndrome, building a business around your strengths, and what it means to get a diagnosis later in life—and realize you were never actually “lazy” or “scattered,” just misunderstood.
Whether you knit or not, Vickie’s story will leave you thinking differently about how we soothe ourselves, how we process the world, and how creativity can become a powerful form of self-advocacy.
Resources:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vickie-howell-0592b55
Website: https://vickiehowell.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vickiehowell
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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
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