EPISODE · Oct 21, 2025 · 33 MIN
A valedictorian with ADHD, autism, and a disciplinary record (Ann Bennett’s story)
from ADHD Aha! · host Understood.org
This week, host Laura Key sits down with her co-worker Dr. Ann Bennett, who leads applied research and evaluation at Understood.org. Ann shares her own autism and ADHD diagnosis story — one that didn’t unfold until the end of her PhD program.Ann was valedictorian of her high school. She also had a disciplinary record. She’d get bored and sometimes fall asleep in class because she’d already taught herself the material. First diagnosed with autism and later with ADHD, Ann reflects on what those labels helped her understand about herself and her brain.She also shares findings from our recent “Women With ADHD: The Power of Podcasts” study, where she surveyed and interviewed women who listen to Understood podcasts — including ADHD Aha! Along the way, Ann found herself having her own “aha” moments.For more on this topic: Women with ADHD: The power of podcastsWhat is AuDHD?ADHD and womenTimestamps: (00:00) Intro(02:08) Growing up undiagnosed (06:13) Being diagnosed with autism and ADHD during her PhD(11:07) Meeting her husband, and unmasking for the first time(13:28) Sharing her story more with others(14:19) “Women With ADHD: The Power of Podcasts” study Ann conducted on Understood.org podcasts(23:44) Specific statistics from the study(32:00) Outro and creditsFor a transcript and more resources, visit ADHD Aha! on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected]. As kids head back to school, it's a good time to remember: not every student experiences the classroom the same way. Through My Eyes, a free interactive experience from Understood, lets you step into a day in the life of a kid with ADHD, dyslexia, or dyscalculia. See their strengths and challenges in a whole new way. Try it out here.Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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This week, host Laura Key sits down with her co-worker Dr. Ann Bennett, who leads applied research and evaluation at Understood.org. Ann shares her own autism and ADHD diagnosis story — one that didn’t unfold until the end of her PhD program. Ann was valedictorian of her high school. She also had a disciplinary record. She’d get bored and sometimes fall asleep in class because she’d already taught herself the material. First diagnosed with autism and later with ADHD, Ann reflects on what those labels helped her understand about herself and her brain. She also shares findings from our recent “Women With ADHD: The Power of Podcasts” study, where she surveyed and interviewed women who listen to Understood podcasts — including ADHD Aha! Along the way, Ann found herself having her own “aha” moments.
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A valedictorian with ADHD, autism, and a disciplinary record (Ann Bennett’s story)
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