Ladies with Tradies - WORKIN' THE TRADE, LIVIN' THE LIFE!

EP. 52 Wired Different, Not Broken: ADHD, Burnout & Why So Many Tradies Struggle

Ladies with Tradies Episode 52

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0:00 | 44:00

This week on the podcast, Kate sits down with Kayla from Dopamine & Co, an ADHD coach who truly gets the construction industry — because she’s lived it.

With nearly a decade in commercial construction before moving into coaching, Kayla brings a rare mix of lived experience, deep understanding, and straight-talking honesty to a topic that’s still surrounded by stigma: neurodivergence in adults — especially tradies.

In this wide-ranging and refreshingly honest conversation, Kate and Kayla unpack why so many people in the trades are unknowingly navigating ADHD, autism, and burnout — and the toll it takes when it goes unrecognised.

They dive into emotional dysregulation, rejection sensitivity, masking, task paralysis, and the brutal inner critic that keeps so many tradies stuck in survival mode. You’ll also hear why burnout isn’t “just needing a weekend off”, how neurodivergent burnout hits differently, and what actually helps — beyond medication alone.

Most importantly, this episode flips the script. Instead of asking “what’s wrong with me?”, Kayla explains how learning to work with your brain — not against it — can change everything in business, relationships, and life.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode

  • Why the trades attract so many neurodivergent people
  • Emotional dysregulation and rejection sensitivity explained in real terms
  • The hidden cost of masking at work — and why it shows up at home
  • What burnout really looks like (and why it can take months to recover)
  • ADHD, task paralysis, and why “just do the thing” doesn’t work
  • Why forcing yourself into systems that don’t fit creates resentment
  • Strength-based coaching vs trying to “fix” yourself
  • Medication, coaching, and lifestyle changes — what actually helps
  • Simple check-ins to regulate emotions before things explode

Key Takeaway

You’re not lazy, broken, or failing — you might just be wired differently. When you stop fighting your brain and start working with it, everything gets easier.

Check out Kayla on her website and Instagram:

https://dopamineandco.com/home

https://www.instagram.com/adhdcoachkayla/