Navigating Adult ADHD

Xena Jones
  • 4.9 (27)
  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Education, Support and Coaching for Adults with ADHD. Combing science backed research and evidence based coaching tools to help you understand and work with your ADHD brain. With a no BS approach, this Podcast will help you better understand your unique ADHD brain and how you can work with it to feel better, increase your self-confidence, improve your relationships and achieve your goals.  Empowering adults with ADHD to thrive.  **Xena Jones is not a medical professional. This podcast is not a substitute for medical advice.**

  1. #153: Not All Dopamine Is Created Equal & THIS Matters If You Have ADHD

    2D AGO

    #153: Not All Dopamine Is Created Equal & THIS Matters If You Have ADHD

    In this conversation we’re unpacking dopamine: what it actually is, how it works differently in ADHD brains & why not all dopamine is created equal. You’ll learn the crucial difference between fast dopamine (quick hits that spike & crash) & slow dopamine (the kind that actually supports your motivation, mood & long-term goals). We’ll chat about: What dopamine really is (in simple, ADHD-friendly language)How ADHD brains are wired differently when it comes to reward & motivationWhy we’re living in a “dopamine saturated” world (hello, smartphones, sugar & streaming)The difference between fast dopamine vs slow dopamine in everyday lifeHow fast dopamine spikes can worsen ADHD symptoms including emotional dysregulationPractical ideas for adding more slow dopamine into your day so you feel more focused, motivated & regulated By the end, you’ll have a clearer picture of why you reach for certain things on autopilot & how to start working with your dopamine system instead of feeling like it constantly runs the show. Episode mentioned:  #149 Dopamine Layering: The hidden reason you feel anxious & numb LINKS TO OTHER GOOD SH*T: *Join Adulting with ADHD your ADHD toolbox & everything you need to work with your brain *Get our ADHD Coach in your pocket!  *12 Things I wished my Doctor had told me about Adult ADHD *Find out if you might be living with ADHD - Download Symptoms List *Check out Courses & Coaching with Xena *Learn, Inspire, Share & Connect inside our Facebook Community  *Come hang out with me on Instagram!

    29 min
  2. #152 What is Emotional Dysregulation?

    FEB 9

    #152 What is Emotional Dysregulation?

    Inside the episode, we explore: What emotional regulation actually is (in real-life, human terms - not textbook jargon)What emotional dysregulation looks like in everyday ADHD life: snapping, spiralling, shutting down or numbing outWhy ADHD brains feel emotions more intensely & struggle to “come back down”How Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) & interoception challenges feed into big, fast emotionsThe 4 R’s of emotional response: Resist, React, Reject & ReceiveHow emotions secretly drive our actions (or inaction), including procrastinationSimple reflection questions to help you start noticing your patterns with compassion, not shame Related episodes to go deeper... If this episode hits home, you might also love: 🎧 #76 ADHD & Interoception - Why we have difficulties with self-regulation 🎧 #77 RSD - Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria  Want structured support with emotional regulation? If you’re thinking, “Cool, I get it… but how do I actually do this in real life?” I’ve got you. ⭐ Emotional Regulation for Adults with ADHD (online course) A practical, ADHD-friendly course where I walk you through: Understanding emotional dysregulation & your nervous systemHow to spot dysregulation sooner (before the explosion or shutdown)My PASS tool for processing emotionsReal-life tools to shift & soothe big feelings⭐ Adulting with ADHD Program If you want coaching, community & a toolkit for all things ADHD life (not just emotions), this is where we go deeper together. You’ll get access to ongoing support, classes, tools, & a community of ADHDers who actually get it. LINKS TO OTHER GOOD SH*T: *Get our ADHD Coach in your pocket!  *12 Things I wished my Doctor had told me about Adult ADHD *Find out if you might be living with ADHD - Download Symptoms List *Check out Courses & Coaching with Xena *Learn, Inspire, Share & Connect inside our Facebook Community  *Come hang out with me on Instagram! *Join Adulting with ADHD your ADHD toolbox & everything you need to work with your brain

    39 min
  3. #151 ADHD Time Blindness: Why We Lose Hours, Miss Deadlines & Stall on Long-Term Dreams

    FEB 2

    #151 ADHD Time Blindness: Why We Lose Hours, Miss Deadlines & Stall on Long-Term Dreams

    If you’ve been told your whole life that you’re disorganised, unreliable or bad at time management, this episode will help you see what’s really going on in your ADHD brain & give you tools to work with it instead of beating yourself up. Inside the episode, we cover: What time blindness actually is for ADHD brainsHow it shows up in real life, from late fees to missed bedtime to “oops, I forgot that Zoom call”Why our executive functions (working memory, planning & prioritising) make it hard to feel timeThe role of dopamine & why “feel good now” keeps winning over Future You5 practical ways to support time blindness & improve your relationship with time LINKS TO MORE GOOD SH*T: *Join Adulting with ADHD your ADHD toolbox & everything you need to work with your brain *Get our ADHD Coach in your pocket!  *12 Things I wished my Doctor had told me about Adult ADHD *Find out if you might be living with ADHD - Download Symptoms List *Check out Courses & Coaching with Xena *Learn, Inspire, Share & Connect inside our Facebook Community  *Come hang out with me on Instagram!

    33 min
  4. #150 Why it’s so hard to do something easy (The Wall Of Awful)

    JAN 26

    #150 Why it’s so hard to do something easy (The Wall Of Awful)

    Grab the free Wall of Awful worksheets to go along with this episode *here* Why is it so hard to reply to that email, book the appointment or drop off the charity bag that’s been in your car for weeks? In this episode, we’re talking about the Wall of Awful... It's the emotional wall between you & the task. In theory the task is simple. But emotionally, it feels HUGE. That “too much” feeling is your wall of awful. Inside the episode, we explore: What the Wall of Awful is & why ADHDers get such big wallsHow each “brick” is made from past criticism, shame, failure & fearWhy that stuck, heavy, guilty feeling before a task is not lazinessHow emotions drive actions (and why that matters way more than “motivation”)3 ADHD-friendly ways to get to the other side of the wallHow self-judgement quietly adds more bricks… And how self-compassion starts taking them out Grab the free Wall of Awful worksheets to go along with this episode: 👉 https://www.navigatingadultadhd.com/wallofawful Map out your own wall & identify your bricks. LINKS TO GOOD SH*T: *Join Adulting with ADHD your ADHD toolbox & everything you need to work with your brain *Get our ADHD Coach in your pocket!  *12 Things I wished my Doctor had told me about Adult ADHD *Find out if you might be living with ADHD - Download Symptoms List *Check out Courses & Coaching with Xena *Learn, Inspire, Share & Connect inside our Facebook Community  *Come hang out with me on Instagram!

    27 min
  5. #149 Dopamine Layering: The Hidden Reason You Feel Anxious & Numb

    JAN 19

    #149 Dopamine Layering: The Hidden Reason You Feel Anxious & Numb

    Ever noticed that the more you “treat yourself” with Netflix, snacks, scrolling or online shopping… the more anxious, restless or flat you feel afterwards? You’re not imagining it, my friend. In this episode we’re talking about dopamine layering – stacking multiple feel-good hits at once & how that cocktail can quietly crank up anxiety & numbness, especially in ADHD brains. We’ll unpack what’s actually going on in your brain using Dr Anna Lembke’s work (Dopamine Nation), plus my very real Christmas break story where I accidentally turned my nervous system into a dopamine sh*t storm. Inside the episode, we explore: What dopamine layering is & how it shows up in everyday lifeWhy ADHD brains are extra sensitive to dopamine spikes & crashesHow “treat yourself” habits can secretly fuel anxiety & emotional numbnessFast vs slow dopamine, explained in simple ADHD-friendly languageHow to do a gentle “dopamine audit” without shame or self-judgmentPractical ways to un-layer your dopamine so you feel calmer & more presentMini dopamine resets & how to build your own “slow dopamine menu” If you’ve ever wondered, “Why do I feel so anxious & empty unless I’m watching something, eating something or scrolling something?” this episode will help you see your experience through a whole new lens. LINKS TO GOOD SH*T: *Join Adulting with ADHD your ADHD toolbox & everything you need to work with your brain *Get our ADHD Coach in your pocket!  *12 Things I wished my Doctor had told me about Adult ADHD *Find out if you might be living with ADHD - Download Symptoms List *Check out Courses & Coaching with Xena *Learn, Inspire, Share & Connect inside our Facebook Community  *Come hang out with me on Instagram!

    40 min
  6. #148 ADHD Careers: Why We Struggle & Where We Thrive

    JAN 12

    #148 ADHD Careers: Why We Struggle & Where We Thrive

    Do you struggle to stay in one job for long? Are you looking for the perfect ADHD career fit?  Do you find tasks that are a 'no-brainer' for your colleagues take you 5x as long to complete?  If so, you’re not broken - you’re responding to how our ADHD brains are wired… and this episode is for you! We’re unpacking why careers can feel so hard for ADHDers, why so many of us change jobs or directions regularly & why that’s not a personal failing. I share my own very zig-zag career journey, the science behind ADHD & work & the patterns I see over and over again. We explore: Why ADHD brains crave novelty, challenge & urgency (hello dopamine!)Why admin, paperwork & “basic tasks” can be SO draining for usHow emotional sensitivity, RSD & toxic workplaces impact ADHD nervous systemsWhat actually helps ADHDers thrive at work (hint: job fit matters more than job title) We also dive into the ADHD Career Sweet Spot, the types of roles ADHDers often excel in & practical questions to help you figure out what’s next - or how to fall back in love with the job you already have without burning everything down. If you’ve changed careers more times than you can count, feel quietly stuck, or wonder why work feels harder for you than it “should” - this episode will help you see yourself & your career through a much kinder & more understanding lens. Resources mentioned:  Podcast ep #136 ADHD at Work: Your Rights, Reasonable Adjustments & When to Tell Your Boss with Jaime Rose-PeacockAdulting with ADHD & the Values Workshop  LINKS TO GOOD SH*T: *Join Adulting with ADHD your ADHD toolbox & everything you need to work with your brain *Get our AI ADHD Coach in your pocket!  *12 Things I wished my Doctor had told me about Adult ADHD *Find out if you might be living with ADHD - Download Symptoms List *Check out Courses & Coaching with Xena *Learn, Inspire, Share & Connect inside our Facebook Community  *Come hang out with me on Instagram!

    54 min
  7. #147 Why ADHDers don’t follow through: The truth about shame-based goals

    JAN 5

    #147 Why ADHDers don’t follow through: The truth about shame-based goals

    If you’ve ever set the same goal over & over again… then quietly stopped trying… then used that as “proof” that you never follow through, this episode is for you. We’re talking about shame-based goals: the goals you set because you believe there’s something wrong with you that needs fixing. “I have to lose weight because I’m disgusting.”  “I need to stop yelling at my kids because I’m a terrible parent.”  “I should save money because I’m so bad with it.” On the surface, they look like normal goals. But under the hood, they’re being fuelled by shame & shame is one of the least effective fuels for an ADHD brain. Inside the episode, we unpack: Why adults with ADHD often don’t trust themselves to follow throughHow shame-based goals quietly turn into evidence that “I’m lazy / hopeless / broken”What psychology tells us about thoughts → feelings → actions (why shame shuts you down)The difference between guilt (“I did something bad”) & shame (“I am bad”)How shame shows up in common ADHD goals around weight, money, parenting, business & habitsWhy inconsistency is not the problem & how it actually fits an ADHD brain3 Practical steps to un-shame your goals so they become doable instead of punishing This episode is valuable whether you love New Year’s resolutions, hate them, or avoid goal-setting altogether. It’s really about how you relate to change, & why “beating yourself up” has never worked. This is a re-release because the ideas here are foundational for ADHDers: if your goals are built on shame, no planner, habit tracker or dopamine hack can fix that. LINKS TO GOOD SH*T: *Join Adulting with ADHD your ADHD toolbox & everything you need to work with your brain *Get our ADHD Coach in your pocket!  *12 Things I wished my Doctor had told me about Adult ADHD *Find out if you might be living with ADHD - Download Symptoms List *Check out Courses & Coaching with Xena *Learn, Inspire, Share & Connect inside our Facebook Community  *Come hang out with me on Instagram!

    25 min
  8. #146 The 6 questions I ask my ADHD brain every year

    12/29/2025

    #146 The 6 questions I ask my ADHD brain every year

    If your ADHD brain loves to tell you “I didn’t do enough this year” or “I should be further along by now,” this episode is for you my friend! I walk you through the 6 questions I ask myself at the end of every year to help my ADHD brain see the full picture, not just the blooper reel.  We talk about the idea of living in “the gap” (only seeing how far you are from where you think you should be) vs “the gain” (actually noticing how far you’ve come), and why ADHD brains are especially prone to getting stuck in the gap. You’ll hear: Why ADHD brains are not reliable historians (working memory, emotional memory, negativity bias & all-or-nothing thinking)How self-awareness is an executive function & how these 6 questions help you strengthen itThe 6 areas I reflect on each year (health, work, relationships, joy, money, growth) with real examples from my life & coaching clientsHow to look at your low points as data, not a character flawHow to use what you learn to make small, practical changes LINKS TO GOOD SH*T: *Join Adulting with ADHD your ADHD toolbox & everything you need to work with your brain *Get our ADHD Coach in your pocket!  *12 Things I wished my Doctor had told me about Adult ADHD *Find out if you might be living with ADHD - Download Symptoms List *Check out Courses & Coaching with Xena *Learn, Inspire, Share & Connect inside our Facebook Community  *Come hang out with me on Instagram!

    35 min
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4.9
out of 5
27 Ratings

About

Education, Support and Coaching for Adults with ADHD. Combing science backed research and evidence based coaching tools to help you understand and work with your ADHD brain. With a no BS approach, this Podcast will help you better understand your unique ADHD brain and how you can work with it to feel better, increase your self-confidence, improve your relationships and achieve your goals.  Empowering adults with ADHD to thrive.  **Xena Jones is not a medical professional. This podcast is not a substitute for medical advice.**

Information

  • Creator
    Xena Jones
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    161
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Navigating Adult ADHD
  • Show Website
    Navigating Adult ADHD

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