Backpacking Through ADHD

The Invisible Backpack: What Our ADHD Kids Carry to School

This week on Backpacking Through ADHD, we’re unzipping something you can’t see in a classroom photo but every ADHD child carries: the invisible backpack. 🎒
Inside that backpack? Anxiety. Social pressures. Masking. Sensory overload. Perfectionism. The things that weigh our kids down, even when no one else notices.
I’m not hiking this trail alone. Joining me is my friend and fellow ADHD mom, Sarah Dobek, who brings honesty, humor, and hard-earned wisdom from her own parenting journey. Together, we talk about what fills that invisible backpack, how to recognize when it’s too heavy, and practical ways parents can help lighten the load.
This week’s hat is Perfectly Imperfect — a reminder that our kids aren’t broken. They are perfectly themselves, even when life feels messy.
If you’ve ever wondered what your child carries with them into school besides books and homework, this episode is for you.
 

Back to School: Real Life Edition-Navigating Week One with ADHD

This week on Backpacking Through ADHD, we’re unpacking the real story of back-to-school—the space where carefully crafted plans meet ADHD reality. From messy backpacks and emotional buckets to teacher check-ins and small wins, I share what really happens during the first week of school and why recalibration matters more than perfection. If your first week felt chaotic, you are not alone. This episode is about turning the data of week one into compassion, strategies, and a new map forward. And stay tuned—next week I’ll be joined by my guest, Sarah Dobek, for a powerful conversation that builds on these themes and takes our back-to-school journey even further. We will be talking about the invisible backpack our kids so often wear. 

Lead with Love

Back-to-school season is a high-stakes transition for every family, but for ADHD families, it’s layered with invisible pressure, emotional spirals, and deep questions about belonging. In this episode of Backpacking Through ADHD, I’m sharing a heart-centered guide to navigating the return to school with compassion, clarity, and connection.
From the anxiety of new teachers and classroom dynamics to the overwhelm of school supplies and morning routines, this episode covers it all. We’ll explore how to support our kids emotionally, introduce them to their teachers in ways that build understanding, and set up systems that work with, not against, the ADHD brain. And just as importantly, we’ll talk about what it means to lead with love when you’re the one holding it all together.
Whether your child is masking, spiraling, or trying too hard to be liked, this is your reminder: they don’t have to earn love. It’s already theirs. And so is yours.
Here is a link to helpful resources. 
Take a breath. You’ve got this. Let’s get ready—together.

Letting Go of Linear Paths

In this week’s solo episode of Backpacking Through ADHD, Tera puts on her new “Social” hat—not to make noise, but to embrace the quiet. Episode 31, titled “ Letting Go of Linear Paths,” is a reflection on the messy, beautiful, nonlinear nature of growth—especially for those of us with ADHD.
We’ve been taught that progress should be straight and steady, but ADHD doesn’t work that way. And honestly? Neither does life. Tera shares personal insights, loops of thought, and spirals of reflection that invite listeners to release the pressure to always move forward. Drawing on research, real-life detours, and the concept of internal dialogue as a form of social connection, this episode gives permission to pause. To think. To process. And to trust that even when we don’t feel productive—we’re still growing.
This episode is for anyone who feels stuck, behind, or unsure of the path ahead. Come wander with us.

ADHD Women and Lost Girl Syndrome

Turning 50 has a way of pulling everything into focus, and for me, that meant finally understanding the winding, often misunderstood journey so many ADHD women walk. In this episode, we explore “Lost Girl Syndrome,” a term that describes how ADHD in girls and women is so often missed, masked, and misunderstood. From the report cards that said “she’s bright, but…” to the emotional toll of constantly trying to keep it together, we unpack why so many of us didn’t get diagnosed until adulthood, and what happens once we finally do. I reflect on my own late diagnosis, the hormonal shifts that brought everything to the surface, and insights from our past conversation with Robin Keith on how estrogen and dopamine are deeply connected. Plus, I share how I’m learning to slow down without losing momentum. This episode is a companion to our earlier conversation on identity (Episode 29) and a reminder that the detours weren’t delays, they were the trail all along.
 
 
 

Identity Shifts

I used to think that in order to collaborate or connect, I had to dilute parts of myself. That the tangents, the emotional spirals, the ideas that came in bursts—those things had to be hidden or softened. But I’m learning that the right people don’t just tolerate those things—they value them. They don’t need me to edit who I am. They just need me to be honest. When I stop over-preparing and just show up as myself—interruptions, rabbit holes, half-finished thoughts and all—that’s when real connection happens. It’s not mystical or magical. It’s rooted in trust. It’s honest. And it reminds me that identity isn’t something I have to earn or polish. It’s something I get to claim fully, even when I’m still figuring it out.
That, to me, is the future of identity after diagnosis. Not hiding who we are. Not minimizing it. But learning to embrace the parts of us that make us different—and building a life that allows those parts to thrive.

ADHD an Anxiety: Living Between Labels

In this episode of Backpacking Through ADHD, we’re exploring what it means to live in the gray space between ADHD, anxiety, and identity. If you’ve ever felt misdiagnosed, mislabeled, or just misunderstood, this one’s for you. I share my own story of discovering ADHD later in life and how anxiety shaped so much of my experience before I had the language to understand what was really going on. We’ll talk about masking, the emotional weight of late diagnosis, and the complicated dance between grief and relief. I also reflect on what true belonging looks like, not just in our personal lives but in leadership, work, and friendship. This episode is a reminder that you don’t need to fit perfectly into a label to deserve understanding, support, or space to be your full self. Let’s stay curious, stay kind, and keep walking this trail—together.

Going Nowhwere Fast

Ever feel like you’re doing everything and getting nowhere? Like your brain is spinning while your body stands still? This week, we’re unpacking ADHD paralysis, time blindness, and that strange mental traffic jam that leaves us frozen, yet totally overwhelmed. If you’ve been stuck, shaming yourself for not doing more, this episode is your reminder: you’re not broken, and you’re not alone. Let’s talk about what’s really happening, and how to start moving again, gently and on your own terms.

Take Risks to Be Successful – ADHD, Impulsivity, and the Power of Intuition

Impulsivity is one of ADHD’s most misunderstood traits—often mistaken for carelessness or recklessness. But what if impulsivity isn’t a flaw? What if it’s a signal, a strength, even a kind of intuition? In this episode, I unpack the difference between impulsivity and instinct, and explore how risk-taking can be a powerful tool for growth when we understand what’s really driving it. I share insights from my own leadership blindspots, parenting moments, and recent research on ADHD and entrepreneurship. This marks the halfway point in my 52-episode journey, and I’m so grateful you’re here. Let’s talk about trust, timing, and the wild courage it takes to follow your gut—especially when the world calls it a mistake.

I’ll Bring the Good Times-Joy, Dopamine, and ADHD Regulation

This week’s episode of Backpacking Through ADHD is inspired by the hat “I’ll Bring the Good Times”, and the unexpected star wearing it: my dog, Lucky. But behind the laughs and cuteness is a much bigger message. Joy isn’t something we earn after we’ve checked all the boxes. For ADHD brains, joy is the fuel, not the reward. In this episode, we’ll explore the science behind dopamine and why stimulation, play, and laughter are essential for regulation. You’ll hear stories and wisdom from the ADHD community, ideas for building joy into your daily life, and reflections on how joy shows up in unexpected places, from dance breaks instead of timeouts to googly eyes on your office mug. Whether you're parenting, adulting, or just trying to make it through the week, this is your reminder that joy is not a luxury. It’s a strategy. Come laugh with me, learn with me, and let’s bring the good times, on purpose.