January’s gone already?
Each New Year’s Eve, my husband and I do things a little differently. We don’t sit down with resolutions or five-year plans. Instead, we look back. We count the wins. Big ones, small ones, expected ones, accidental ones.
With two ADHDers in the house, both very much driven by motors, the idea of neatly planned goals tends to give way to spontaneous projects, passionate pivots, and the occasional “how did we end up doing this?” moment. So reflection feels more honest than prediction.
This year, looking back was exhausting in the best possible way. 2025 was one heck of a year. Conversations, connections, courage, creativity. Voices from around the world. Stories that stayed with me long after the microphones were turned off. In fact, they lingered over daily coffees, referenced in the supermarket, and ‘stuck’.
As we hurtle into 2026, we’re not making promises about what comes next. We’re simply grinning in anticipation.
January has already been full of thoughtful ADHDifference conversations, and below is a snapshot of the guests and episodes released this month. A reminder that difference matters, stories matter, and none of us are doing this alone.
You’ll find full details on ADHDifference.nz. For now, here’s a taster of the people I’ve had the pleasure of talking with over the last four weeks or so.
Ron Shuali – USA
Ron is an author, educator, and improv-driven motivator known for his unique blend of martial arts, humour, and unorthodox teaching. Diagnosed with ADHD in early childhood, he has defied expectations and built a life around passion, curiosity, and non-conformity. Many listeners will resonate with why he has never followed the rule book and why he considers that his strength. Listen to S2E26 here – ADHD-G & Forging Your Own Path.
Bryan Gastelle – USA
This was one of those “ohhh… that makes sense” conversations where ADHD, relationships, and real life all collide in a very human way. Bryan and I chat about how neurodivergence sneaks into communication glitches, emotional spirals, and household chaos, why conflict doesn’t mean the relationship is doomed, and how therapy can be a tune-up rather than a breakdown service. Listen to S2E28 here – ADHD Romantic Relationships & Healthy Conflicts.
Hufsa Ahmad – USA
Hufsa shares what it’s like to grow up high-achieving and internally driven while ADHD quietly flies under the radar, then gets tangled up with bipolar disorder, addiction, and a whole carousel of misdiagnoses. We talk about how messy and confusing that path can be, especially when your neurodivergence doesn’t fit the textbook version, and why humour and self-compassion end up being just as important as clinical labels. Listen to S2E27 here – ADHD Undiagnoses, Comorbidities & High Achievers.
Julie Barth – UK
This interview left me fighting back the tears. Julie shares the raw, real layers of life before and after an ADHD diagnosis: raising six kids, surviving emotional and financial abuse, untangling generational neurodivergence, and slowly rebuilding a sense of self that actually fits. We talk vulnerability-as-strength, why “bouncing forward” beats bouncing back, and how resilience isn’t shiny… it’s gritty and deeply human. Listen to S2E29 here – ADHD, Parenting & Abusive Relationships.
Russell Van Brocklen – USA
Russell walks me through going from a severely dyslexic kid with ADHD to a Senate-funded researcher, all while flipping the script on how we think about learning. We talk strengths-first education, why finding a child’s “specialty” can change everything, and how ADHD and dyslexia love to travel as a duo. Listen to S2E30 here – ADHD, Dyslexia & Literacy Turnaround.
Ryan DeLena – USA
Ryan talks about growing up misdiagnosed and institutionalised, where restraint was the go-to response to neurodivergence (eeek) and how it was the mountains and movement that eventually helped him come back to himself. We get into skiing, nature as regulation, and why passion can be a legit lifeline when systems fail you. Listen to S2E32 here – ADHD & Outdoors: Healing in Nature.
Hilary Momberger Powers – USA
Hilary (yes, the original voice of Sally Brown from Peanuts) opens up about early fame, childhood trauma, addiction, and four decades of recovery, and how an adult ADHD diagnosis suddenly made her whole life make way more sense. We talk undiagnosed neurodivergence in high-pressure spaces, ADHD and addiction egging each other on and inner-child healing. Listen to S2E31 here – ADHD, Drugs & Alcohol Addiction.
Jay Spence – Australia
This was a really interesting chat! Jay breaks down how AI can actually be a brain-friendly sidekick for ADHD and autistic professionals: translating meetings, parking tasks somewhere safe, softening emotional tone, and basically doing the heavy cognitive lifting that leads to burnout. Listen to S2E33 here – Evro AI: Neurodivergent Friendly ‘Second Brain’ for Meetings.
Jack Hinman – USA
Jack talks about the real roots of today’s anxiety spiral: disconnection, avoidance, and brains stretched way past capacity. We dig into how ADHD often flies under the radar in young adults, what happens when focus and identity don’t get the support they need, and why emotional regulation quietly falls apart without safe relationships. It’s less “kids these days” and more “ahhh… this system is glitchy,” with a strong reminder that structure, safety, and human connection are still the most powerful tools we’ve got. Listen to S2E34 here – Young Adults, ADHD & the Pandemic of Disconnection.
Eugene Manley – USA
Eugene talks about getting an ADHD diagnosis in grad school and suddenly understanding a lifetime of “too much,” micromanagement clashes, misunderstood behaviour and the strengths that were there all along. We get into pattern-spotting, justice-driven work, leading with empathy, and building a nonprofit to tackle health inequities, all through a neurodivergent lens. Listen to S2E35 here – Pattern Spotters with a Justice Radar (ADHD Edition).
…and what is most exciting is that I have received the end of year 2025 statistics for the podcast. It’s been listened to in 57 countries, 490 cities worldwide, has had more than 5,000 downloads and 8,700 views on YouTube. The conversation is being heard… and I couldn’t be more delighted!
Phew! I told you it’s been busy.
You can find all episodes of wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon and zillions of other platforms), or over on the ADHDifference website. Oh, it’s on YouTube and Instagram too if that’s your go-to!
Thanks for being part of this journey with me.
– Julie x