South of Normal

RSD Webinar: https://jherisouth.com/page/adhd-emotions-webinar-opt-in

More resources at https://jherisouth.com

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#10: How Trauma Intensifies ADHD Emotional Dysregulation with Joanie Collins

1 week ago

5 minutes 38 seconds

South of Normal

When trauma goes unprocessed, it can quietly intensify ADHD emotional dysregulation, making the fear of being unheard shape your entire life. In this episode of South of Normal, I sit down with Joanie Collins, a 68-year-old woman who lived decades with undiagnosed ADHD while carrying severe unresolved trauma, to explore how emotional sensitivity, panic, and withdrawal develop as nervous system responses. We talk about how trauma amplifies ADHD emotions, why rejection sensitivity dysphoria becomes so intense, and how learning to feel heard, validate emotions, and set boundaries can finally bring relief. This conversation is for ADHD adults and parents who have always felt “too sensitive” without ever understanding why.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction

(01:50) The “All In” ADHD Pattern and Constant Pivots

(03:51) Why ADHD Was Missed in Women for Decades

(08:45) Emotional Sensitivity, Shame, and Self-Judgment

(14:18) Living Unheard and Carrying Trauma in Silence

(20:56) What Trauma Did to Safety, Trust, and Identity

(31:20) ADHD, People-Pleasing, and Fear of Rejection

(46:06) Healing Trauma, RSD, and Learning Boundaries

(59:27) Advice for Anyone Living in Silence

Have you ever felt unheard for so long that it changed how you show up in relationships or in life? Let me hear your answer in the comments.

FREE RESOURCES ✨

RSD Webinar: https://jherisouth.com/page/adhd-emotions-webinar-opt-in

More resources at https://jherisouth.com

GET SUPPORT ✨

ADHD Simplified Course (just $97!): https://jherisouth.com/page/adhd-simplifed

FREE consult for ADHD coaching: https://jherisouth.as.me/schedule/f39adc54

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#09: What RSD Really Feels Like and How to Manage It with James Tanner

3 weeks ago

1 hour 13 minutes 48 seconds

South of Normal

ADHD isn’t just distraction, it’s big emotions, shutdowns, spirals, and reactions that feel way bigger than the moment. In this episode, entrepreneur James Tanner, whose career spans tech, PR, sales, and political campaigns, opens up about living with ADHD, dyslexia, emotional paralysis, and lifelong rejection sensitivity despite being someone who can command any room. Together, we break down why ADHD brains process rejection so intensely, how conditioning and past experiences shape emotional responses, why confidence crumbles even when you’re highly capable, and what actually helps regulate an ADHD nervous system in the middle of a spiral. If you’ve ever wondered why tiny moments hit you so hard or why you can be brilliant on the outside but stuck on the inside, this conversation finally makes your ADHD wiring make sense.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction

(02:57) Fear of Phone Calls and Social Tasks

(10:07) Emotional Dysregulation and RSD Explained

(13:47) Consistency, Confidence, and ADHD Paralysis

(17:40) Getting Out of an RSD Spiral

(21:55) How ADHD Shows Up in Kids and Teens

(27:46) Using ADHD Strengths in Real-World Situations

(33:32) Fear, Imposter Syndrome, and Avoidance

(38:40) Building Self-Trust and Managing ADHD

Connect with James

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jtsmack/

Personal Website: https://jamestanner.us

4 weeks ago

50 minutes 17 seconds

South of Normal

#08: Why Therapy Isn’t Helping ADHD Kids (And What Actually Works)

What if therapy isn’t actually helping your ADHD child at all? Most parents put their ADHD kids in therapy hoping it will finally calm the chaos, but in this episode I talk about why so many families see zero change at home. Therapy teaches insight, but ADHD is an access problem, not an awareness problem. I explain why traditional talk therapy can accidentally make them feel broken, and how coaching, structure, and in-the-moment tools help them activate their brains. If your mornings, homework battles, or emotional blowups haven’t improved despite years of therapy, this episode will help you understand what your child truly needs and why nothing is wrong with them, they simply need a framework designed for their wiring.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction

(00:34) Why Therapy Doesn’t Shift ADHD Behavior

(01:20) Insight Versus Access in Real Time

(02:18) What ADHD Kids Actually Need to Make Progress

(04:03) Parents as Partners in the Process

(04:55) Teaching Skills, Not Shame

(05:44) How ADHD Kids Finally Feel Understood

What part of parenting an ADHD child feels the hardest for you right now? Tell me in the comments.

FREE RESOURCES ✨

RSD Webinar: https://jherisouth.com/page/adhd-emotions-webinar-opt-in

More resources at https://jherisouth.com

GET SUPPORT ✨

ADHD Simplified Course (just $97!): https://jherisouth.com/page/adhd-simplifed

FREE consult for ADHD coaching: https://jherisouth.as.me/schedule/f39adc54

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#07: Is It ADHD or Trauma? Explaining the Overlap with Cade Lamb

1 month ago

7 minutes 37 seconds

South of Normal

What if the traits you spent your whole life calling “tough,” “intense,” or “shut down” were actually ADHD? In this episode, former Special Forces candidate and 82nd Airborne veteran Cade Lamb shares how years of military conditioning, emotional calluses, and repeated high-stress environments amplified patterns he now recognizes as lifelong ADHD. We talk about why trauma can show up as paralysis, avoidance, or anger, how men learn to mask it as strength, and why so many adults misread these patterns. This conversation helps you understand where trauma ends, where ADHD begins, and how the two overlap far more than most people realize.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction

(02:47) Cade’s Military Story

(09:51) Trauma in the Military

(17:26) ADHD or Trauma? Understanding the Overlap

(23:01) How Trauma Impacts ADHD

(28:53) PTSD ties to ADHD

(33:52) How to Start Gaining Emotional Control

What part of ADHD do you struggle with the most? Leave your answer in the comments below.

Connect with Cade

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/cade.r.lamb/

Website:https://fearnotdoright.com/

FREE RESOURCES ✨

RSD Webinar: https://jherisouth.com/page/adhd-emotions-webinar-opt-in

More resources at: https://jherisouth.com

GET SUPPORT ✨

ADHD Simplified Course (just $97!): https://jherisouth.com/page/adhd-simplifed

FREE consult for ADHD coaching: https://jherisouth.as.me/schedule/f39adc54

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#6: Who Is The Most ADHD? Mother Daughter Gameshow

1 month ago

36 minutes 50 seconds

South of Normal

Think your ADHD is chaotic? Try putting a mom and a teenager in a head-to-head ADHD showdown. In this game show style episode I pull my daughter Harley into a rapid-fire challenge to find out who is more ADHD. We compare losing phones, forgetting why we walked into rooms, impulse spending, hyperfocus quirks, and more. Between the laughs we talk about why ADHD looks so different in moms and teens, how inattentive and hyperactive types show up, how masking works in girls who overperform at school, and why executive dysfunction can hide behind a put-together exterior. If you’ve ever wondered whether your “quirks” are actually ADHD traits, this episode helps you spot yourself, understand your wiring, and feel a lot less alone.

Chapters

(00:00) Introductions

(01:38) Losing Personal Items

(04:21) Clumsy ADHD

(05:26) Too Many Tabs and “I’ll Do It Later”

(08:55) Canceled Plans and Homebody Energy

(14:32) Planners, Organization, and OCD Quirks

(15:53) Big Emotional Reactions

(18:15) Forgetting Where You Park

(20:14) So Who Is More ADHD, Really?

FREE RESOURCES ✨

RSD Webinar: https://jherisouth.com/page/adhd-emotions-webinar-opt-in

More resources at https://jherisouth.com

GET SUPPORT ✨

ADHD Simplified Course (just $97!): https://jherisouth.com/page/adhd-simplifed

FREE consult for ADHD coaching: https://jherisouth.as.me/schedule/f39adc54

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#5: What Happens When You Finally Take An ADHD Test? With Janel Lamb

1 month ago

20 minutes 55 seconds

South of Normal

Ever felt frozen by the simplest task, like opening the mail or paying a bill you could easily afford? That’s the hidden side of ADHD that nobody really talks about. Janel Lamb is an author, speaker, and mom of five who built a life that looks effortless from the outside, but inside she was fighting chronic procrastination, shame, and burnout. In this episode, she takes a real ADHD screening test on camera, opening up about what decades of missed signs can look like and the relief that comes when things finally make sense.

We get real about the everyday patterns that make ADHD so hard to see, procrastination that looks like laziness, hyperfocus that hides avoidance, and the guilt that comes with never feeling caught up. As Janel moves through the test, she shares the tools that helped her rebuild confidence, create structure that actually works, and find peace in progress instead of perfection. If you’ve ever wondered whether ADHD might be part of your story, this conversation will remind you that you’re not broken, you’re just wired differently, and that wiring might be your greatest strength.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction

(06:55) Hyperfocus And Procrastination

(09:57) Timing Tasks To Shrink Overwhelm

(20:26) ADHD Quiz

(30:03) Screening Results

(36:04) Small Wins And Owning The Superpower

Connect With Janel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janel.lamb/

1 month ago

42 minutes 58 seconds

South of Normal

#04: Harnessing ADHD Hyperfocus & Discipline With Robert Allen

ADHD isn’t a weakness, it’s power when aligned with purpose. For Robert Allen, that power looked like chaos before it became controlled. 3 a.m. runs, survival drills in the woods, and a dad who believed discipline was the only cure shaped his childhood. By 17, he was defending his brother from a real gang and breaking his hands more times than he can count. Restless, fearless, and wired for risk, ADHD made him impulsive, but it also gave him the drive to survive. Fatherhood became the turning point, when responsibility turned fire into focus and discipline.

In this episode, we explore how ADHD’s intensity can become strength when it’s understood, not fought. Robert shares how hyperfocus fuels problem-solving, how defiance becomes drive, and how structure creates freedom. From burnout to balance, he shows how purpose and movement can turn an “unmanageable brain” into a tool for mastery.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction

(02:37) Strict Rules, Structure, and a Survival Mindset

(07:53) On the Run, Broken Bones, and Living Without Fear

(18:13) Fatherhood Reset Everything

(22:30) 100+ Hour Weeks: Box Factory and HVAC School

(30:10) Beating Social Anxiety: Fake It Till It’s Skill

(44:45) Channeling Hyperfocus to Make It Work for You

FREE RESOURCES ✨

RSD Webinar: https://jherisouth.com/page/adhd-emotions-webinar-opt-in

More resources at: https://jherisouth.com

GET SUPPORT ✨

ADHD Simplified Course (just $97!): https://jherisouth.com/page/adhd-simplifed

FREE consult for ADHD coaching: https://jherisouth.as.me/schedule/f39adc54

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#03: Breaking the “Broken” Myth of Neurodivergence With Erin Seematter

2 months ago

48 minutes 30 seconds

South of Normal

Have you ever been called lazy, too sensitive, or “just anxious”? Erin Seematter joins me on South of Normal to talk about what it’s like living for decades thinking you’re broken, only to realize it was ADHD all along. We get real about masking, rejection, sensitive dysphoria, anxiety, depression, and how easy it is for women to be misdiagnosed or dismissed when they’re simply wired differently.

Erin shares the moment everything crashed, the mislabels that kept her stuck, and the relief of finally seeing ADHD for what it is. We talk about self-advocacy, small wins that rebuild confidence, and how to spot the myths that hide real answers. If her story sounds like yours,cYou’re not broken, and you’re definitely not alone. You’re part of this community learning to make sense of the chaos together.

Erin shares the moment everything crashed, the mislabels that kept her stuck, and the relief of finally seeing ADHD for what it is. We talk about self-advocacy, small wins that rebuild confidence, and how to spot the myths that hide real answers. If her story sounds like yours, you are not alone. Subscribe, join the comments, and keep learning with us.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction

(01:00) Meet Erin and the real question behind the nerves

(02:40) Early mental health and trichotillomania

(06:15) Years of mislabels, meds, and no clear answers

(07:50) The lowest moment and choosing to self-advocate

(11:10) Late ADHD realization and the first hope

(16:05) Masking, inattentive traits, and school perfectionism.

(20:40) RSD and why confidence takes the biggest hit

(32:10) Hormones, perimenopause, and treatment gaps

(44:20) Grace for your younger self and parenting with ADHD

(55:40) Business burnout, paralysis, and rebuilding goals

(01:06:40) What she wants other women to know and closing

Connect with Erin on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/desertinkcompany/

FREE RESOURCES ✨

RSD Webinar: https://jherisouth.com/page/adhd-emotions-webinar-opt-in

More resources at: https://jherisouth.com

GET SUPPORT ✨

ADHD Simplified Course (just $97!): https://jherisouth.com/page/adhd-simplifed

FREE consult for ADHD coaching: https://jherisouth.as.me/schedule/f39adc54

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2 months ago

1 hour 12 minutes 32 seconds

South of Normal

#02: What Is ADHD?

Do you ever wonder if you have ADHD or ADD? Spoiler alert: ADD isn’t even a thing anymore. In this episode, I’m breaking down what ADHD really is, the inconsistent focus, the emotional rollercoaster (hello rejection sensitive dysphoria), and why it looks so different for everyone.

I share what it actually feels like to live with ADHD, why so many of us get misdiagnosed for years, and one small habit that can start rebuilding your self-confidence today. If you’ve ever felt inconsistent, scattered, or like you’re “too much,” you’re exactly who this episode is for.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction

(00:13) ADD isn’t real, here’s what it actually is

(00:38) Hyperarousal, hyperactivity, and why it feels so different inside

(01:00) The truth about attention: inconsistent, not deficit

(01:29) Emotional dysregulation and rejection sensitivity (RSD)

(02:40) ADHD in adults

(04:08) Why people pleasing and giving up aren’t personality flaws

(06:41) Building confidence again with small daily wins

FREE RESOURCES ✨

RSD Webinar: https://jherisouth.com/page/adhd-emotions-webinar-opt-in

More resources at https://jherisouth.com

GET SUPPORT ✨

ADHD Simplified Course (just $97!): https://jherisouth.com/page/adhd-simplifed

FREE consult for ADHD coaching: https://jherisouth.as.me/schedule/f39adc54

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#01: Making Sense of ADHD, Autism, and Everything Between

2 months ago

9 minutes 20 seconds

South of Normal

ADHD, neurodivergent, neurodiversity, you hear those words everywhere, right? But nobody really explains them in a way that actually helps. In my very first episode of South of Normal, I’m setting the stage for what’s to come, breaking down what being neurodivergent really means and why so many of us are only now realizing it.

I’ll be diving deeper into ADHD myths, diagnosis, anxiety, autism, depression, and so much more in future episodes, sharing the real stories, humor, and lessons I’ve learned as a mom of seven who’s lived it all. If you’ve ever felt alone, overwhelmed, or just searching for real answers, you’re in the right place. Let’s make sense of it together.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction

(00:36) How Common Is Neurodivergence Really?

(01:03) Cutting through misinformation (yes, even AI)

(01:37) ADHD isn’t just for kids: adult diagnosis and timing

(02:05) Real client stories and what actually helps

(03:18) Mental Health Concerns We Will Cover

What’s the most confusing thing you’ve heard about ADHD or being “neurodivergent” that you want cleared up? Let me hear your questions in the comments.

FREE RESOURCES ✨

RSD Webinar: https://jherisouth.com/page/adhd-emotions-webinar-opt-in

More resources at https://jherisouth.com

GET SUPPORT ✨

ADHD Simplified Course (just $97!): https://jherisouth.com/page/adhd-simplifed

FREE consult for ADHD coaching: https://jherisouth.as.me/schedule/f39adc54

FOLLOW ME ✨