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February 11, 2026
Many neurodivergent women are not struggling because they lack ability. They struggle because the systems around them were never designed for how their brains actually work.
In this episode, Tracy talks with Stephanie Ray, a neurodivergent lawyer, coach, and founder of Growthset Coaching. Diagnosed with ADHD in her early 30s, Stephanie spent years succeeding on the surface while quietly struggling with memorization, rigid study methods, and performance pressure in law school and legal practice.
Once she understood how her brain learns best, she stopped forcing traditional systems and built visual, movement-based, and story-driven approaches that actually worked. Tracy and Stephanie break down why standard study advice often fails ADHD learners and what makes information stick instead.
They also cover imposter syndrome, accommodations, time blindness, and task initiation, along with practical strategies for studying, exam prep, and managing demanding careers. If you feel smart but still behind, this episode will help you see why and what to change.
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“When I turned complex material into visuals, timelines, or diagrams, it finally made sense.”
- Stephanie Ray
“Playfulness and curiosity were the key to helping me retain difficult information.”
- Stephanie Ray
“If I could see it, I could understand it. If I could understand it, I could remember it.”
-- Stephanie Ray
"Our brains are powerful, and sometimes those differences are the missing piece."
-- Stephanie Ray
"Disclosure is a deeply personal decision, but accommodations exist to help people succeed, not to give unfair advantages."
- Stephanie Ray
"When people understand how their brain works, they stop blaming themselves."
- Stephanie Ray
- Stephanie shares being diagnosed with ADHD in her early 30s after years of compensating through dyslexia and auditory processing challenges.
- She describes struggling with task initiation, memorization, and rigid teaching styles despite strong academic motivation.
- Law school exposed the mismatch between traditional instruction and how her neurodivergent brain actually learns.
[25:00 – 50:00] Visual Learning, Systems, and Studying With an ADHD Brain
- Stephanie explains creating personalized study systems using visuals, flowcharts, storytelling, and movement instead of standard outlines.
- She shares strategies like recording outlines, stacking subjects, deep focus blocks, and using timers to overcome task initiation and time blindness.
- Tracy and Stephanie discuss why understanding beats memorization and how curiosity and play improve retention for ADHD learners.
[50:00 – 01:10:05] Accommodations, Bar Prep, and Neurodiversity in the Legal Profession
- Stephanie outlines effective bar exam study strategies, including topic stacking, practice review, and flexible structure.
- She explains why accommodations, mentorship, and self-advocacy matter in law school and beyond.
- The episode closes with Stephanie reframing neurodivergent lawyers as essential problem-solvers and sharing her work through Growthset Coaching.
ADHD isn’t a productivity problem. It’s an identity problem.
That’s why most strategies don’t stick—they weren’t designed for how your brain actually works. Your ADHD Brain is A-OK Academy is different. It’s a patented, science-backed coaching program that helps you stop fighting your brain and start building a life that fits. 👉Learn more here