The Neurodivergent Connection / The Curious Storyteller

What Lockdown Revealed About ADHD That Success Had Hidden for Years

1h08 | 09/23/2026|

46

Description

Late Diagnosis, Perimenopause, and the Career Questions No One Prepared Us For

What happens when your routines fall apart, your symptoms get louder, and a late diagnosis suddenly makes your whole life look different? In this episode, I talk with Gina Molinas about what it was like to be diagnosed during lockdown while also moving through perimenopause—and why that combination changed everything.

We talk about the grief, relief, anger, and clarity that can show up after a late diagnosis. Gina shares how old memories started to make new sense, why some workplaces drain neurodivergent people more than others, and what many professionals get wrong when they blame themselves for struggles that may be tied to environment, burnout, or masking.

We also get into career transitions, rejection sensitivity, and the question so many people quietly ask: Do I need a new job, or do I just need a workplace that fits me better? There’s a lot in this conversation that may leave you rethinking your own story.

About the Guest

Jeanna Malines is an ADHD coach and career transition guide who supports neurodivergent professionals. Through her company, Trajekta, she helps people better understand how they work, what they need, and where they can thrive.

Timestamps

0:02 - I welcome Gina and we get into her late diagnosis during lockdown
5:24 - What became easier to notice when routines disappeared
14:26 - The grief that can follow a late diagnosis
16:53 - How perimenopause complicated ADHD traits
20:15 - Rebuilding your identity after diagnosis
33:05 - What neurodivergent professionals struggle with during career transitions
46:42 - New career or wrong environment?
56:37 - What employers still misunderstand about neurodivergent workers
59:57 - Becoming the support you once needed

Jeanna;s Links:

Trajekta:https://www.trajekta.net

Show Affiliate: https://shop.adhddd.com/NEURODIVERGENT_CONNECTION

Help Bring Fearless Footsteps in the World: https://paypal.me/fullconversation?locale.x=en_US&country.x=US

If this episode speaks to you, listen to the full conversation and share it with someone who needs to hear they’re not broken—and they’re not alone.

#Neurodivergent #ADHD #LateDiagnosis #Perimenopause #CareerSupport

Hosted by Reid Miles.
Conversations unfold naturally — no scripts, no rush.

🎧 Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts
🌐 More about the show and past episodes: https://podcast.ausha.co/neurodivergantconnection-thecuriousstroyteller
📩 Guest inquiries & media: Reid@AspergersStudio.com

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About The Neurodivergent Connection / The Curious Storyteller

Reid Miles Podcasts

Two shows. One curiosity-driven mission: telling human stories that matter.

Hosted by Reid Miles, this podcast feed is home to two distinct but connected conversations.

The Neurodivergent Connection centers neurodivergent voices lived experience, late diagnosis, advocacy, creativity, and the realities of navigating a world not built for autistic minds. These episodes focus on understanding, accessibility, and belonging, grounded in honesty and real conversation rather than clinical distance.

The Curious Storyteller began as a celebration of remarkable people and the stories that shaped them. It has since evolved into deeper, reflective conversations about identity, resilience, reinvention, and the quiet moments that change us. Guests include creators, athletes, leaders, and thinkers not to be interviewed, but to be heard.

Both shows share the same foundation: unscripted conversations, emotional intelligence, and curiosity over performance. This isn’t about polished success stories or neat conclusions — it’s about connection, reflection, and telling the truth while the story is still being written.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About The Neurodivergent Connection / The Curious Storyteller

Reid Miles Podcasts

Two shows. One curiosity-driven mission: telling human stories that matter.

Hosted by Reid Miles, this podcast feed is home to two distinct but connected conversations.

The Neurodivergent Connection centers neurodivergent voices lived experience, late diagnosis, advocacy, creativity, and the realities of navigating a world not built for autistic minds. These episodes focus on understanding, accessibility, and belonging, grounded in honesty and real conversation rather than clinical distance.

The Curious Storyteller began as a celebration of remarkable people and the stories that shaped them. It has since evolved into deeper, reflective conversations about identity, resilience, reinvention, and the quiet moments that change us. Guests include creators, athletes, leaders, and thinkers not to be interviewed, but to be heard.

Both shows share the same foundation: unscripted conversations, emotional intelligence, and curiosity over performance. This isn’t about polished success stories or neat conclusions — it’s about connection, reflection, and telling the truth while the story is still being written.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Description

Late Diagnosis, Perimenopause, and the Career Questions No One Prepared Us For

What happens when your routines fall apart, your symptoms get louder, and a late diagnosis suddenly makes your whole life look different? In this episode, I talk with Gina Molinas about what it was like to be diagnosed during lockdown while also moving through perimenopause—and why that combination changed everything.

We talk about the grief, relief, anger, and clarity that can show up after a late diagnosis. Gina shares how old memories started to make new sense, why some workplaces drain neurodivergent people more than others, and what many professionals get wrong when they blame themselves for struggles that may be tied to environment, burnout, or masking.

We also get into career transitions, rejection sensitivity, and the question so many people quietly ask: Do I need a new job, or do I just need a workplace that fits me better? There’s a lot in this conversation that may leave you rethinking your own story.

About the Guest

Jeanna Malines is an ADHD coach and career transition guide who supports neurodivergent professionals. Through her company, Trajekta, she helps people better understand how they work, what they need, and where they can thrive.

Timestamps

0:02 - I welcome Gina and we get into her late diagnosis during lockdown
5:24 - What became easier to notice when routines disappeared
14:26 - The grief that can follow a late diagnosis
16:53 - How perimenopause complicated ADHD traits
20:15 - Rebuilding your identity after diagnosis
33:05 - What neurodivergent professionals struggle with during career transitions
46:42 - New career or wrong environment?
56:37 - What employers still misunderstand about neurodivergent workers
59:57 - Becoming the support you once needed

Jeanna;s Links:

Trajekta:https://www.trajekta.net

Show Affiliate: https://shop.adhddd.com/NEURODIVERGENT_CONNECTION

Help Bring Fearless Footsteps in the World: https://paypal.me/fullconversation?locale.x=en_US&country.x=US

If this episode speaks to you, listen to the full conversation and share it with someone who needs to hear they’re not broken—and they’re not alone.

#Neurodivergent #ADHD #LateDiagnosis #Perimenopause #CareerSupport

Hosted by Reid Miles.
Conversations unfold naturally — no scripts, no rush.

🎧 Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts
🌐 More about the show and past episodes: https://podcast.ausha.co/neurodivergantconnection-thecuriousstroyteller
📩 Guest inquiries & media: Reid@AspergersStudio.com

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About The Neurodivergent Connection / The Curious Storyteller

Reid Miles Podcasts

Two shows. One curiosity-driven mission: telling human stories that matter.

Hosted by Reid Miles, this podcast feed is home to two distinct but connected conversations.

The Neurodivergent Connection centers neurodivergent voices lived experience, late diagnosis, advocacy, creativity, and the realities of navigating a world not built for autistic minds. These episodes focus on understanding, accessibility, and belonging, grounded in honesty and real conversation rather than clinical distance.

The Curious Storyteller began as a celebration of remarkable people and the stories that shaped them. It has since evolved into deeper, reflective conversations about identity, resilience, reinvention, and the quiet moments that change us. Guests include creators, athletes, leaders, and thinkers not to be interviewed, but to be heard.

Both shows share the same foundation: unscripted conversations, emotional intelligence, and curiosity over performance. This isn’t about polished success stories or neat conclusions — it’s about connection, reflection, and telling the truth while the story is still being written.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About The Neurodivergent Connection / The Curious Storyteller

Reid Miles Podcasts

Two shows. One curiosity-driven mission: telling human stories that matter.

Hosted by Reid Miles, this podcast feed is home to two distinct but connected conversations.

The Neurodivergent Connection centers neurodivergent voices lived experience, late diagnosis, advocacy, creativity, and the realities of navigating a world not built for autistic minds. These episodes focus on understanding, accessibility, and belonging, grounded in honesty and real conversation rather than clinical distance.

The Curious Storyteller began as a celebration of remarkable people and the stories that shaped them. It has since evolved into deeper, reflective conversations about identity, resilience, reinvention, and the quiet moments that change us. Guests include creators, athletes, leaders, and thinkers not to be interviewed, but to be heard.

Both shows share the same foundation: unscripted conversations, emotional intelligence, and curiosity over performance. This isn’t about polished success stories or neat conclusions — it’s about connection, reflection, and telling the truth while the story is still being written.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

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