How I Cope with Grief and ADHD: Emotional Insights on Bereavement and Neurodivergence

This conversation is a powerful reminder of the strength found in vulnerability and the importance of community during the grieving process. In this week's episode of the ADHD Women's Wellbeing Podcast, Kate is joined by Alex Spencer for a deeply moving conversation regarding her experience of grief and ADHD, following the death of her beloved son, Declan, in 2023. Alex is a holistic therapist, bereavement coach-in-training, and host of The Functioning Griefster podcast. Alex was diagnosed with ADHD later in life, after years of being labelled “ditzy,” “stupid,” or “the class clown” at school due to undiagnosed ADHD and dyslexia. Alex now uses her lived experience to speak openly about neurodiversity, grief, and resilience and has channelled her energy into creating a safe space for honest conversations about loss, mental health, and carrying on while still carrying grief. This conversation is a powerful reminder of the strength found in vulnerability and the importance of community during the grieving process. In this episode, we explore: Alex's experience of ADHD, including misunderstanding as a child How being Declan's Mum changed Alex's mindset and understanding of neurodivergence Why Alex never related to her ADHD diagnosis until one TV programme changed everything How being Declan's Mum supported Alex's ADHD without her even knowing it at the time Alex's fierce sense of right and wrong and her love for Declan drove her to advocate for his needs The impact of grief and losing Declan on Alex's day-to-day life, ADHD and career How Alex is finding her place in the world again and using her voice to make Declan proud The role of RSD in ADHD and the desire to help others instead of self More information regarding Alex's podcast, Why creative outlets like Alex's podcast, The Functioning Griefster, can be so powerful when navigating loss and ADHD Timestamps: 00:01 - Introduction to ADHD Women's Wellbeing 01:46 - Navigating Grief and ADHD 12:15 - The Impact of Acceptance on ADHD and Parenting 18:25 - The Impact of Advocacy and Exhaustion 21:59 - Personal Reflections on Navigating Grief and ADHD 29:40 - Finding Purpose Again During Grief 39:59 - Regaining Structure in Grief 45:23 - Exploring Grief and Connection The ADHD Women's Wellbeing Live Event Recording is here! My first-ever ADHD Women's Wellbeing Live event sold out, and now the full experience is available to you wherever you are, whenever it feels right. Alongside three neuro-affirming experts, we spent four hours exploring the questions that matter most to late-diagnosed women. Get lifetime access here! Inside the ADHD Women's Wellbeing Live Recording, you'll find: Kate Moryoussef on post-diagnosis growth and her gentle framework for what comes next Dr Hannah Cullen on the neuroscience of ADHD and why your brain works the way it does Hannah Miller on reconnecting with purpose through a neurodivergent lens Adele Wimsett myth-busting on hormones, HRT, progesterone and perimenopause Understand yourself more deeply, feel less alone, and finally access the expert knowledge you deserve. Because every woman with ADHD deserves access to the knowledge, expertise and understanding that for too long simply hasn't been available to us. To get lifetime access for £44, click here for lifetime access. Join the More Yourself Community - the doors are now open! More Yourself is a compassionate space for late-diagnosed ADHD women to connect, reflect, learn and come home to who they really are. Sign up here! Inside the More Yourself Membership, you’ll be able to: Connect with like-minded women who understand you Learn from guest experts and practical tools Receive compassionate prompts & gentle reminders Enjoy voice-note encouragement from Kate Join flexible meet-ups and mentoring sessions Access on-demand workshops and quarterly guest expert sessions To join for £26 a month, click here. To join for £286 for a year (a whole month free!), click here. We’ll also be walking through The ADHD Women’s Wellbeing Toolkit together, exploring nervous system regulation, burnout recovery, RSD, joy, hormones, and self-trust, so the book comes alive in a supportive community setting. Today's episode sponsors: If you’re looking to deepen your understanding and create meaningful change in the ADHD community, today’s podcast sponsor is for you! The Neurodiversity Training Academy is on a mission to empower professionals working to help those clients wear their ADHD with pride. You can download the brochure or book a call here: https://neurodiversitytrainingacademy.com/pod/ Links and Resources: Find my popular ADHD workshops and resources on my website [here]. Follow the podcast on Instagram: @adhd_womenswellbeing_pod Listen to Alex's podcast, The Functioning Griefster, on Apple Podcasts or Youtube Connect with Alex via TikTok (@decsrollingbucketlist) or Instagram (@decs_rolling_legacy and @elements_of_grief) Kate Moryoussef is a women's ADHD lifestyle and wellbeing coach and EFT practitioner who helps overwhelmed and unfulfilled newly diagnosed ADHD women find more calm, balance, hope, health, compassion, creativity and clarity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices