Description
ADHD at Work and at Home: Motivation, Masking, and Real Support with Dr. Saara Haapanen
What happens when an Olympic-level athlete-turned-psychologist maps ADHD from the inside—and shows us what actually helps?
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Saara Haapanen to explore ADHD beyond stereotypes. You’ll hear how almost making the Olympics, years of elite sport, and a late ADHD diagnosis shaped her work helping individuals and organizations create environments where neurodivergent people can truly perform. I reveal the key questions I ask to shift shame into self-trust, while Sara shares a simple motivation model you can remember and use today.
You’ll discover why “just focus” backfires, what looks like laziness but isn’t, and the one feedback change workplaces can make that instantly eases RSD. We also get into perimenopause, parenting through a child’s assessment, and the very real emotional load adults carry—plus the small language tweaks that lower demand and raise follow-through.
By the end, you’ll be asking: Which part of motivation do I boost first? How do I request support at work without feeling exposed? And what would change if I spoke to myself like my own best friend?
About the Guest
Dr. Saara Haapanen is a sports and exercise psychology PhD, former elite diver ranked 30th in the world, and founder of Performance Is Haapanen. Since 2013, she’s coached high performers and advised schools, healthcare systems, and companies on neurodiversity, motivation, and well-being.
Key Timestamps
0:02 – Meet Dr. Saara Haapanen and her path from elite sport to health and performance
4:40 – Finland, near-Olympic selection, and the spark that led to sports psychology
11:26 – “I know what to do—why am I not doing it?” Motivation without a map
16:14 – From her own diagnosis to helping others thrive
24:09 – The most common misunderstanding about adult ADHD
27:46 – Inside the ADHD brain: floodlight vs. flashlight focus
33:35 – What looks like laziness but isn’t
35:41 – ADHD in a workplace not built for it: where things break down
44:10 – One feedback shift that reduces RSD on the spot
48:03 – The FUN.COM motivation model you’ll actually remember
53:42 – Do companies get it yet?
75:46 – A client story that changed a whole family’s trajectory
80:51 – “Nothing’s wrong with you”—what I want you to hear
82:27 – What I’d tell my younger self
84:38 – Where to find Dr. Saara
If this helped, share it with a parent, educator, or manager who needs it. Subscribe for more supportive conversations on neurodiversity, and tell me in the comments: Which part of FUN.COM do you need most this week?
Keywords: ADHD, neurodivergent, workplace inclusion, motivation, executive function, rejection sensitivity, perimenopause, body doubling, movement, positive psychology
#ADHD #Neurodiversity #WorkplaceInclusion #ParentingADHD #ExecutiveFunction
Hosted by Reid Miles.
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🌐 More about the show and past episodes: https://podcast.ausha.co/neurodivergantconnection-thecuriousstroyteller
📩 Guest inquiries & media: Reid@AspergersStudio.com
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