Tired of ADHD strategies that don’t work? Here’s what actually does. FREE training here.
June 3, 2026
You look like you have it all handled. So why are you so exhausted?
Kristen Baird-Goldman is a licensed therapist, ADHD specialist, and author of The CBT Workbook for Adults with ADHD. She has spent more than 15 years working with high-achieving neurodivergent women, and she is the owner and clinical director of the Neurodiversity Care Center in Los Angeles.
Diagnosed with ADHD in her 40s, and someone medication never worked for, Kristen has built her practice around the quiet cost of high performance, especially for women moving through perimenopause. She treats ADHD as a whole-body issue, looking at the nervous system, hormones, and functional health instead of one more productivity hack.
In this episode, Tracy and Kristen get into why hyperfocus fools you into thinking you are fine, what high performance is actually doing to your brain and body underneath the productivity, and what real recovery looks like. If you have built an identity around doing more and pushing through, this one is your permission slip to stop.
“High-performing women with ADHD often live in survival mode without realizing it, constantly doing, producing, and still feeling behind.”
- Kristen Baird-Goldman
“Perimenopause is often when women suddenly think, “I can’t do what I used to do.” Fatigue is heavier, motivation drops, and functioning at the old pace can start to feel like losing part of yourself.”
- Kristen Baird-Goldman
“Hyperfocus fools us into thinking we’re neurotypical. All it really proves is that the task, situation, and environment are matching our brain.”
-- Kristen Baird-Goldman
"The cost of high achievement is real. We burn a significant amount of mental and physical energy through hyperfocus, masking, and doing."
-- Kristen Baird-Goldman
"Ask yourself, ‘Can I versus should I?’ There’s a big difference between being capable of doing something and whether it makes sense for you to do it right now."
- Kristen Baird-Goldman
"Mindfulness for ADHD isn’t about meditating for 30 minutes. It’s taking one second to be present enough to ask, ‘Does this actually make sense for me to do right now?"
- Kristen Baird-Goldman
"Self-care is not getting your hair and nails done. That’s grooming. Self-care is learning how to balance the go, go, go and crash."
- Kristen Baird-Goldman
- Kristen shares being diagnosed in her 40s after recognizing herself in Driven to Distraction
- Postpartum changes, executive functioning struggles, and hormonal shifts brought ADHD symptoms into focus
- Relief, grief, and radical acceptance followed diagnosis, along with realizing medication was not the right fit for her
[18:57 – 39:58] The Hidden Cost of Being a High-Performing Woman With ADHD
- Kristen explains the “AAA” personality pattern of constant productivity, responsibility, and survival mode
- Perimenopause often exposes the limits of coping strategies that previously kept ADHD symptoms hidden
- Discussion on hyperfocus, masking, burnout, and tying self-worth to achievement and competency
[39:58 – 56:41] Nervous System Recovery, Energy Management, and Long-Term Health
- Chronic overperformance is linked to nervous system dysregulation, inflammation, and energy depletion
- Kristen highlights sleep, nutrition, strength training, nature, and mindful movement as key supports beyond medication
- Women are encouraged to track where their energy goes each day and prioritize restoration before reaching burnout
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
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- Instagram: @theadhdguru
- LinkedIn: kristen-baird-goldman
- Youtube: @KristenBaird-Goldman
