The Hidden Storm: Jeanna Malines on ADHD Career Transitions, the Menopause Collision, and Radical Resilience

DISCLAIMER: This episode includes a discussion of childhood trauma! "When hormones drop, the mask breaks. It’s not a personal failure; it’s a biological shift."This week, Emma sits down with neurodivergent career coach Jeanna Malines for what is undoubtedly the most raw, urgent, and deeply personal conversation of the season. Together, they step directly into the storm that mainstream medicine constantly gaslights: the catastrophic intersection of ADHD, perimenopause, and menopause. Jeanna opens up about navigating major career pivots while your brain chemistry is actively shifting, the gruelling battle for female health advocacy, and how hormonal drops turn the volume up on neurodivergent traits. Emma pairs this with her own unfiltered story of moving through profound family trauma, navigating mental health crises, and finding the ultimate freedom of radical self-acceptance.This isn't just a podcast episode; it is a validation lifeline for every woman who feels like she is losing her grip on a life she worked so hard to build.In this episode, we reframe:The Hormonal Collision: The clinical reality of how dropping estrogen levels destabilise ADHD traits and derail standard coping mechanisms.The Career Shift Ecosystem: Practical strategies for pivoting careers mid-life without burning out your remaining executive capacity.Catharsis Through Truth: Why breaking the silence around deep family trauma is the ultimate catalyst for neurological healing.The Masking Breakdown: Recognising when survival mechanisms stop working, and how to safely unmask into a life of authentic connection.Scaffolding the Future: How leveraging modern tools and AI can act as an external working memory during intense cognitive transitions.ResourcesADHD and Women - Book by Dr. Patricia Quinn - https://www.amazon.com/s?k=ADHD+and+Women+by+Patricia+QuinnNeurodivergent Women - Support Group - https://www.neurodivergentwomen.comHormonal Changes and Brain Chemistry - Research Article - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMCXXXXXX/ Guest linksLinkedIn - Jeanna Malines | LinkedInWebsite - Trajecta - Neurodivergent Career Coach & Career Transition Coaching