ADHD Wise Podcast

Jannine Perryman

ADHD Wise Podcast is a welcoming, non-judgemental space for adults with ADHD, parents of children with ADHD, and professionals who support them. Rooted in real conversation, this podcast brings together lived experience and professional insight to explore ADHD, broader neurodivergence, and the intersections that shape people’s lives. Each episode is designed to be useful, thoughtful, and accessible, without pretending to offer a magic wand or a one-size-fits all answer. This is not a space that tells you what to think. It is a space that offers information, reflection, and honest conversation, so you can think about what feels right for you. With guests who are experts in themselves and/or their field, ADHD Wise Podcast invites you to listen in as though you are right there at the table, part of something real. Come as you are. Listen as you are. Take what helps. Leave what doesn’t. Above all, this is a place to think, feel, reflect, and explore how to live well and wisely with ADHD.

  1. 17 hr ago

    S2E3: ADHD, Autism and Healthcare: Why Doctors Must Really Listen

    Send us Fan Mail What changes when future doctors are taught not only about conditions, but to listen to the people living with them? Jannine is joined by her long-time friend and collaborator Michele Gutteridge, Assistant Professor and Communication and Lived Experience Co-Lead at Warwick Medical School. Their conversation begins with the shared roots of their work in arts and health and explores how theatre, storytelling, simulation and virtual reality can help medical students understand experiences beyond their own. Together, they discuss psychological safety, neurodivergent access to healthcare, the risks people take when they speak about what they need, and why clinical frameworks must never replace curiosity about the whole person. They also firmly challenge the idea that lived experience stands in the way of clinical progress. Research, clinical knowledge and lived experience are not competing forces. Each informs the other—and better healthcare depends upon bringing them together. This is a hopeful conversation about what is already changing within medical education, what still needs to change, and how listening to ADHD, autistic and other neurodivergent people can help create more accessible, compassionate healthcare. Michele's social media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-gutteridge-51ba4115/ Support the show https://www.linkedin.com/company/adhdwiseuk/ https://www.tiktok.com/@adhdwiseuk?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc https://www.facebook.com/adhdwiseuk https://www.instagram.com/adhdwiseuk/ https://www.youtube.com/@ADHDWisePodcast https://www.adhdwise.uk

    S2E3: ADHD, Autism and Healthcare: Why Doctors Must Really Listen

  2. 26 Aug

    S2E2: The Great ADHD Myth? Jannine Perryman & Dr Helen Wall Respond

    Send us Fan Mail Channel 4’s controversial ADHD documentary, The Great ADHD Myth?, has triggered anger, fear and widespread criticism across the ADHD community. In this episode of ADHD Wise Podcast, Jannine Perryman and Dr Helen Wall bring together specialist ADHD practice, medicine, education and lived experience to examine what the programme claimed, what it left out and the real-world harm already following its broadcast. Jannine is a consultant specialist teacher, psychoeducational ADHD coach, trainer and author who was diagnosed with ADHD at 41. Dr Helen Wall is a senior GP, menopause specialist, BBC Breakfast doctor and author of Menopause and ADHD. Together, they ask whether The Great ADHD Myth? was genuinely a science-led investigation—or whether selective editing, flawed comparisons and a predetermined narrative misrepresented the evidence about ADHD, diagnosis and medication. Jannine and Helen discuss: • Why the absence of a definitive brain scan does not mean ADHD is not real • The scientific and ethical concerns raised by the programme • Dr. Max Pemberton’s ADHD assessment and portrayal of stimulant medication • Why one dose cannot represent a properly supervised medication titration • The risks of stopping or changing ADHD medication without medical guidance • Why changing medication, sugar, screens, routines and parental support simultaneously proves very little • The women and girls almost entirely missing from the documentary • Late diagnosis, masking, medical misogyny and years of misdiagnosis • Why increased demand for ADHD assessments was predictable • NHS waiting lists, private providers and the cost of leaving ADHD unsupported • The effect of the programme in schools, workplaces and families • Why diagnosis can bring understanding and practical strategies, whether or not someone chooses medication • How clinical evidence and lived experience should inform one another rather than being placed in opposition This is not an argument against asking difficult questions about ADHD. Questions about assessment quality, access to treatment, medication and support matter. But serious questions require balanced evidence, scientific rigour and respect for the people whose lives are being discussed. The law has not changed. An employer, teacher, colleague or family member cannot use a television documentary to dismiss somebody’s diagnosis, support needs or lived experience. Most importantly: one sensationalist programme does not erase what you have lived through. Your experience remains real. IMPORTANT: Do not stop, start or change prescribed ADHD medication without speaking to the clinician responsible for your care. Find Dr Helen Wall: Website: https://tvhealthdoctor.com/ Instagram: @doctorhelenwall Book: Menopause and ADHD by Dr Helen Wall Find ADHD Wise and explore our neurodiversity services: https://adhdwise.uk If this episode helps you, please subscribe, leave a comment or review, and share it with somebody who may need to hear it. Every interaction helps these conversations reach someone who may still believe they are alone. Support the show https://www.linkedin.com/company/adhdwiseuk/ https://www.tiktok.com/@adhdwiseuk?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc https://www.facebook.com/adhdwiseuk https://www.instagram.com/adhdwiseuk/ https://www.youtube.com/@ADHDWisePodcast https://www.adhdwise.uk

    S2E2: The Great ADHD Myth? Jannine Perryman & Dr Helen Wall Respond

  3. 19 Aug

    S2E1: Parents Mask Too: The Hidden Cost of Fighting for Your SEND Child

    Send us Fan Mail In the first episode of Season 2, Jannine is joined by Louisa Gray, author of We Are Not Seeing It: How and Why Mainstream Schools Break SEND Kids, for an honest conversation about what it costs parents to fight for their children. They explore the masking that happens behind closed doors: holding yourself together while your child falls apart, staying calm in intimidating meetings and carefully managing your emotions because showing distress may be used against you. This is also a conversation about systemic harm, advocacy, the impossible pressures facing families and professionals, and why parents should never have been expected to become experts in SEND law simply to secure the support their children need. Above all, it is a reminder that needing support does not reflect your capacity as a parent. The circumstances are difficult, the system can be hostile—and you are not alone. Support the show https://www.linkedin.com/company/adhdwiseuk/ https://www.tiktok.com/@adhdwiseuk?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc https://www.facebook.com/adhdwiseuk https://www.instagram.com/adhdwiseuk/ https://www.youtube.com/@ADHDWisePodcast https://www.adhdwise.uk

    S2E1: Parents Mask Too: The Hidden Cost of Fighting for Your SEND Child

  4. 12 Aug

    Episode 20: The Lived Experience of ADHD and Broader Neurodivergence

    Send us Fan Mail Why can an email derail an entire task? Why does everything sometimes feel “times ten”? Why can capable neurodivergent people spend their lives trying harder, while still feeling as though they are failing? In this season finale, Jannine brings together voices from across the ADHD Wise Podcast to explore the lived experience of ADHD and broader neurodivergence. They speak about brain fatigue, emotional intensity, tics, burnout, masking, perimenopause, late diagnosis and the grief and relief that can come with finally understanding yourself. The episode opens with an extract from Jannine’s conversation with Alex Partridge in Episode 35 of ADHD Chatter, in which she explains the invisible cognitive effort hidden inside something as ordinary as responding to an email. Different voices and different experiences come together around one central truth: if life has felt harder than it appears to be for everyone else, you are not imagining it. ADHD can make life genuinely difficult, particularly in a world that has judged neurodivergent challenges far more readily than it has recognised neurodivergent strengths. Knowing why does not change the past, but knowledge brings the possibility of self-understanding, self-acceptance and a life that works better for you. You are not alone. You are entitled to thrive. And we hope that somewhere among these voices, you find your tribe. Support the show https://www.linkedin.com/company/adhdwiseuk/ https://www.tiktok.com/@adhdwiseuk?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc https://www.facebook.com/adhdwiseuk https://www.instagram.com/adhdwiseuk/ https://www.youtube.com/@ADHDWisePodcast https://www.adhdwise.uk

    Episode 20: The Lived Experience of ADHD and Broader Neurodivergence

  5. 5 Aug

    Episode 19: ADHD Is Not a Debate: The Cost of Manufactured Doubt

    Send us Fan Mail What happens when established ADHD science is repackaged as a public controversy? In this episode of the ADHD Wise Podcast, I’m joined by Rachel Boss from ADHD Jersey to discuss the growing media pushback against ADHD awareness, diagnosis and treatment. Our conversation was prompted by the provocative publicity surrounding an upcoming Channel 4 documentary. But this episode is about something much bigger: what happens to real people when ADHD is framed as questionable, fashionable or an excuse. Rachel and I both reached adulthood without our ADHD being recognised. We discuss the adversity, shame and self-blame that can accumulate when people don’t understand why they are struggling, and the difference that diagnosis, informed support and medication can make. We explore: Why increased ADHD awareness inevitably creates pushbackThe damage caused when ADHD traits are treated as moral failingsWhy punishment cannot remove a neurodevelopmental conditionThe difference between diagnosis and medicationWhy medication can be life-changing without being right for everybodyThe generations of women and girls whose ADHD was overlookedThe consequences of five-year assessment waiting listsADHD, vulnerability, addiction, education and the justice systemWhy understanding ADHD creates responsibility rather than excusesThe human and financial cost of leaving people unidentified and unsupportedADHD is not a myth, a moral failing or a failure of discipline. The science exists. The important questions are whether people can access appropriate assessment, understand their own brains and receive the support they need to thrive. As Rachel says, knowledge is power. We are too far out of the box to be pushed back in. Rachel Boss is the founder of ADHD Jersey, which provides education, community support and programmes for people affected by ADHD across Jersey. ADHD Jersey will welcome organisations from across Europe when Jersey hosts the ADHD Europe conference in May 2027. I’m Jannine Perryman, SEND specialist teacher, neurodiversity coach, trainer, speaker and consultant. Subscribe to the ADHD Wise Podcast for honest, evidence-informed conversations about ADHD, autism, education, diagnosis and neurodivergent life. Support the show https://www.linkedin.com/company/adhdwiseuk/ https://www.tiktok.com/@adhdwiseuk?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc https://www.facebook.com/adhdwiseuk https://www.instagram.com/adhdwiseuk/ https://www.youtube.com/@ADHDWisePodcast https://www.adhdwise.uk

    Episode 19: ADHD Is Not a Debate: The Cost of Manufactured Doubt

  6. 29 Jul

    Episode 18: Anxiety, Boxing and Finding Your Purpose

    Send us Fan Mail What happens when an anxious child finds the one place where he finally feels capable? For Bobby, that place was a boxing gym. Boxing gave him confidence, direction and a sense of purpose. It became the foundation for Fitness by Bobby, where he now helps children and adults discover their own strength through inclusive fitness. In this episode, Bobby talks honestly about growing up with anxiety, finding something that changed the direction of his life, and building a business shaped by far more than exercise. We also talk about his brother Shay and the meaningful role he has within Fitness by Bobby. Shay is not simply included or given something to do. He is a valued member of the team, with responsibility, pride and a place where he genuinely belongs. This conversation explores: What boxing gave Bobby when he was struggling with anxietyWhy confidence can grow through doing, rather than positive thinkingHow fitness can create connection, identity and purposeThe difference between being included and genuinely belongingWhy one person believing in you can change what you believe is possibleHow Bobby turned what helped him into something that now helps othersBobby’s anxiety did not have to disappear before he could build something meaningful. His story shows what can happen when someone finds the right environment, the right people and something worth moving towards. https://fitnessbybobby.cic-connect.co.uk/ Support the show https://www.linkedin.com/company/adhdwiseuk/ https://www.tiktok.com/@adhdwiseuk?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc https://www.facebook.com/adhdwiseuk https://www.instagram.com/adhdwiseuk/ https://www.youtube.com/@ADHDWisePodcast https://www.adhdwise.uk

    Episode 18: Anxiety, Boxing and Finding Your Purpose

  7. 22 Jul

    Episode 17: Why Can I Do the Hard Things… But Not the Easy Ones?

    Send us Fan Mail Have you ever wondered why you can solve complex problems, support everyone else, or perform under pressure… but still struggle to reply to an email, make a phone call or keep on top of everyday tasks? You’re not alone. In this episode of the ADHD Wise Podcast, I explore one of the most common questions I hear from neurodivergent people: “Why can I do the hard things… but not the easy ones?” Together we’ll explore why “easy” isn’t the same for every brain, how executive functioning affects everyday life, why neurodivergent profiles are often wonderfully spiky, and why strengths and challenges can exist side by side. We’ll also talk about: - Why neurodivergent brains often think differently rather than incorrectly. - Lateral thinking, creativity and those infamous side quests. - Why knowing what to do isn’t always the same as being able to do it. - The invisible effort that other people often don’t see. - How to stop comparing yourself with somebody else’s brain and start working with your own. Whether you’re ADHD, autistic, dyslexic, AuDHD, exploring your own neurodivergence, or simply trying to understand somebody you care about, I hope this episode helps you replace self-criticism with self-understanding. Because perhaps those things were never “easy” in the first place. They were simply easier for somebody else’s brain. 💜 If this episode resonates with you, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with someone who might need to hear it. #ADHD #Neurodiversity #Autism #AuDHD #ExecutiveFunction #ADHDPodcast #LateDiagnosis #ADHDAwareness #Neurodivergent #ADHDSupport Support the show https://www.linkedin.com/company/adhdwiseuk/ https://www.tiktok.com/@adhdwiseuk?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc https://www.facebook.com/adhdwiseuk https://www.instagram.com/adhdwiseuk/ https://www.youtube.com/@ADHDWisePodcast https://www.adhdwise.uk

    Episode 17: Why Can I Do the Hard Things… But Not the Easy Ones?

  8. 15 Jul

    Episode 16: ADHD Coaching: Why Your Strategies Stop Working, and What to Do Next

    Send us Fan Mail Have you ever found a strategy that finally worked for your ADHD brain — only for it to suddenly stop working? Perhaps the planner was brilliant for three weeks. The reminders helped until you stopped seeing them. The new routine felt life-changing, and then one day you simply could not make yourself do it anymore. That does not mean you have failed. In this episode of ADHD Wise Podcast, Jannine is joined by ADHD coach and professional doctorate researcher Anita Davies, founder of Freedom from Tedium, for an honest conversation about ADHD coaching, executive functioning and the realities of trying to create lasting change with a neurodivergent brain. They explore why neurodivergent people often need variety alongside consistency, why cognitive load can make even a ten-minute task feel impossible, and why good coaching should help you experiment rather than hand you another rigid system to follow. They also discuss: late ADHD diagnosis, grief and changing identitymasking and becoming more comfortable with your authentic selftime blindness, working memory and emotional regulationwhy strategies often work until the novelty wears offmanaging energy and capacity rather than focusing only on timethe difference between coaching and therapywhy coaching can cause harm when a coach does not understand neurodivergencereasonable adjustments and asking for support at workperfectionism, shame and learning to fail safelywhy there is no single “magic bullet” for ADHDAnita introduces her brilliant glow-in-the-dark ball metaphor: a strategy that has stopped working may not need to be thrown away. It may simply need time to recharge while you use something else. This episode is for late-diagnosed ADHD adults, autistic and neurodivergent people, coaches, therapists, employers, educators and anyone who has ever wondered: Why can I do this sometimes, but not consistently? Good coaching is not about rescuing someone, fixing them or forcing them to become more typical. It is about creating a shame-free space where they can understand their brain, test ideas, make mistakes and build a way of working that is genuinely their own. Because sometimes the most important thing we can learn is how to fail — without deciding that we are a failure. https://freedomfromtedium.co.uk/ Support the show https://www.linkedin.com/company/adhdwiseuk/ https://www.tiktok.com/@adhdwiseuk?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc https://www.facebook.com/adhdwiseuk https://www.instagram.com/adhdwiseuk/ https://www.youtube.com/@ADHDWisePodcast https://www.adhdwise.uk

    Episode 16: ADHD Coaching: Why Your Strategies Stop Working, and What to Do Next
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About

ADHD Wise Podcast is a welcoming, non-judgemental space for adults with ADHD, parents of children with ADHD, and professionals who support them. Rooted in real conversation, this podcast brings together lived experience and professional insight to explore ADHD, broader neurodivergence, and the intersections that shape people’s lives. Each episode is designed to be useful, thoughtful, and accessible, without pretending to offer a magic wand or a one-size-fits all answer. This is not a space that tells you what to think. It is a space that offers information, reflection, and honest conversation, so you can think about what feels right for you. With guests who are experts in themselves and/or their field, ADHD Wise Podcast invites you to listen in as though you are right there at the table, part of something real. Come as you are. Listen as you are. Take what helps. Leave what doesn’t. Above all, this is a place to think, feel, reflect, and explore how to live well and wisely with ADHD.

Information

  • Creator
    Jannine Perryman
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 ADHD Wise Podcast
  • Show Website
    ADHD Wise Podcast
  • Provider