Tired of ADHD strategies that don’t work? Here’s what actually does. FREE training here.
May 20, 2026
A lot of ADHD women are not using executive function to get things done. They are using anxiety. If panic, pressure, or shame is what finally gets you moving, this episode explains why.
Dr. Tamara Rosier is an ADHD coach, founder of the ADHD Center of West Michigan, and author of Your Brain’s Not Broken. Through her work with adults, families, and students, she helps people understand the emotional side of ADHD in a way that feels practical, concrete, and deeply human.
Tamara realized that many ADHD brains are not relying on calm systems to transition, prioritize, or follow through. Instead, they are using emotional intensity to create enough urgency to act. Fear to remember. Shame to stay motivated. Anxiety to get started.
That shift changed how she approached ADHD support. Instead of focusing only on productivity strategies, she began helping people understand the emotional patterns underneath the behavior first. Because when the nervous system is overloaded, no planner or system will stick for long.
In this episode, we talk about the “angry neighbor” versus the “butler” brain, why transitions feel so hard, and how divergent thinking can turn one small problem into twenty imagined outcomes. We also get into emotional overwhelm, perfectionism, humor as regulation, and why so many ADHD women feel emotionally exhausted even when they look high-functioning on the outside.
If you have ever wondered why you can only seem to function under pressure, this episode will help you understand what your brain has been relying on all along.
“When we have ADHD, we don’t have a lifeguard on duty. We fall into the emotional pool fast. We have to notice we’re in it before we can get out and be pragmatic.”
- Dr. Tamara Rosier
“Humor shifts us out of fight-or-flight and into imagination. It disarms us just enough to regulate.”
- Dr. Tamara Rosier
“A sense of humor is one of the best ADHD workarounds I know.”
-- Dr. Tamara Rosier
"Convergent thinking is sequential and linear, and ADHD brains tend to love the gas pedal more than the brake."
-- Dr. Tamara Rosier
"We are exhausted because we’re constantly using emotion to remember, plan, and act."
- Dr. Tamara Rosier
"As long as people are at a high emotional intensity, they’re not going to be able to think practically."
-Dr. Tamara Rosier
- Dr. Tamara Rosier explains the “butler” analogy for the prefrontal cortex and ADHD executive function
- Discussion on how ADHD brains often use emotion to remember, plan, and act
- Big emotions are framed as ADHD brains struggling to sort small deals from big deals
[23:19 – 42:46] Divergent Thinking, Anxiety, and Emotional Regulation
- Dr. Tamara Rosier explains divergent thinking as the gas pedal and convergent thinking as the brake
- Anxiety is discussed as a common ADHD fuel source that works but becomes exhausting
- The emotional health ladder helps identify where you are before choosing how to respond
[42:46 – 01:03:34] Monster Spray, Humor, and ADHD Workarounds
- Dr. Tamara Rosier shares the monster spray story as a way to use imagination for problem-solving
- Humor is framed as a nervous system tool that disarms intensity and creates regulation
- Dr. Tamara Rosier’s main ADHD workaround is using humor and inner characters to calm the brai
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
