EP. 17: The Real Reason ADHDers Struggle With Money - From Survival Mode to Financial Balance | ADHD with Jenna Free
Release Date: 07/21/2025
EP. 40: Why Long-Term Goals Feel Impossible with ADHD (And How to Change That) | ADHD with Jenna Free
ADHD with Jenna Free
Join the free "A Regulated Vision for 2026" hangout (January 8th, 10am MST) - You can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - Join the waitlist for ADHD Groups (starting January 27 & 28) - Chapters 00:00 Introduction: Why Goals Feel Exhausting 01:00 You've Only Ever Pursued Goals from a Survival State 03:00 Why Relief is Your Primary Dopamine Source 05:00 The Primal Metaphor: Running from the Bear vs Picking Berries 08:00 Why Focusing on the End Goal Keeps You Stuck 11:00 What Regulated Motivation Actually Looks Like 14:00 My Real Life Example: 7 Years Dysregulated vs 2.5 Years...
info_outline
EP. 39 (Replay of EP. 1): STOP FIGHTING Your ADHD Brain! The UNEXPECTED Path to Success No One's Talking About | ADHD with Jenna Free
ADHD with Jenna Free
This is a replay of our foundational Episode 1 - perfect for new listeners or anyone who wants a refresher on The ADHD Regulation Method! (Called the ADHD Reset in this episode) You can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - Chapters 00:00 Rethinking ADHD: A New Perspective 11:38 The Journey to Regulation: Finding Balance 19:07 The Impact of Regulation on Daily Life 26:03 Awareness and Acceptance: The Key to Transformation Summary Hi! I'm Jenna Free, therapist for ADHD with ADHD here to share a transformative perspective on ADHD, emphasizing the importance of understanding that we have...
info_outline
EP. 38: Why Your ADHD Symptoms Feel Worse as You Age (It's Not What You Think) | ADHD with Jenna Free
ADHD with Jenna Free
You can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - Join the ADHD Regulation Groups waitlist here - Chapters 00:00 Introduction: ADHD, Aging, and Dysregulation 01:00 Why ADHD Symptoms Feel Worse as You Age 03:00 What Dysregulation Looks Like During Perimenopause and Menopause 05:00 Three Ways to Support Yourself as You Age 08:00 Aging, Appearance, and Dysregulation 12:00 The Society Piece: Pressure on Women 15:00 Celebrity Examples: Linda Hamilton and Justine Bateman 18:00 It's Safe to Age Summary In this episode, I talk about why ADHD symptoms feel worse as you age - and it's not what you...
info_outline
EP. 37: Should I Take ADHD Medication? The Truth About Meds and Regulation | ADHD with Jenna Free
ADHD with Jenna Free
You can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - Chapters 00:00 Introduction: Meds and Regulation - Do They Go Together? 02:00 What ADHD Medication Actually Does 04:00 The Gas vs The Steering Wheel Analogy 06:00 Medication is a Tool, Not the Foundation 08:00 What ADHD Meds Can and Can't Do 10:00 Medication Can Magnify Your Current State 13:00 Trial and Error is Normal (And Expected) 15:00 Possible Side Effects and Who Can't Take Meds 17:00 Where Regulation Work Fits In Summary In this episode, I clarify my stance on ADHD medication and where it fits with regulation work. This isn't about...
info_outline
EP. 36: "What Will People Think?" Why ADHD Makes You a People Pleaser (The Fawn Response) | ADHD with Jenna Free
ADHD with Jenna Free
You can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - Join the waitlist for ADHD Groups (starting January) - Chapters 00:00 Introduction: Worrying What People Think 01:00 The Fawn Response: A Safety Mechanism 03:00 The Trap of External Regulation 05:00 It's Safe to Be Misunderstood 07:00 My Garbage Bag Story: Regulation in Action 09:00 How Fawn Costs Us Our Lives 11:00 The Fear No Longer Drives the Bus 13:00 Practice: Who Am I Trying to Keep Safe? 16:00 Building Freedom Through Tiny Moments 18:00 Their Dysregulation Doesn't Have to Be Mine Summary In this episode, I talk about ADHD people...
info_outline
EP. 35: How to Regulate For Real: Why Tips and Tricks Don't Work for ADHD | ADHD with Jenna Free
ADHD with Jenna Free
You can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - Join the waitlist for ADHD Groups (starting January) - Chapters 00:00 Introduction: How to Regulate For Real 01:00 Why Tips and Tricks Don't Actually Work 03:00 External vs Internal Regulation 05:00 Regulation Through Avoidance Isn't Real Regulation 07:00 Layer One: The Body (Nervous System Regulation) 09:00 Layer Two: The Mind (Thought and Belief Regulation) 11:00 Layer Three: Behavior (Balanced Action) 15:00 Why People Think Regulation Doesn't Work 18:00 You Don't Have to Do It Perfectly 20:00 What Real Change Looks Like 23:00 Start With...
info_outline
EP. 34: ADHD at Work: Putting Work in Its Place (The Severance Episode) | ADHD with Jenna Free
ADHD with Jenna Free
You can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - Take the free Dysregulation Quiz here - Register for the ADHD at Work 2.0 Workshop - Chapters 00:00 Introduction: ADHD at Work and the Severance Episode 01:00 When the Mental Boundary Between Work and Life Disappears 03:00 Why Everything Feels Urgent When You're Dysregulated 05:00 You Can't Work Your Way to Peace 06:00 Signs You've Lost Your Work-Life Severance 08:00 Regulating Your Body at Work and at Home 10:00 The Beliefs Behind Your Urgency 13:00 Regulating Your Behavior: Finding Balance 16:00 My Personal Experience with Work...
info_outline
EP. 33: But It's Boring: Why Your ADHD Brain Mistakes Calm for Discomfort | ADHD with Jenna Free
ADHD with Jenna Free
Take the free Dysregulation Quiz here - Join the waitlist for ADHD Groups (starting January) - You can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Boredom and ADHD 01:00 What Does "Boring" Really Mean? 03:00 Boredom as a Nervous System Mechanism 05:00 When Dysregulation Feels Like Boredom 08:00 Boredom Can Be a Motivator for Change 10:00 The Mismatch Between Your State and the Task 12:00 Is Regulation Boring? (Spoiler: No) 15:00 This Week's Practice: Notice Your Body During "Boring" Tasks Summary In this episode, I talk about ADHD and boredom - something I...
info_outline
EP. 32: The Belief That's Keeping You Stuck in Survival Mode (And How to Finally Let It Go) | ADHD with Jenna Free
ADHD with Jenna Free
Take the free Dysregulation Quiz here - Join the waitlist for ADHD Groups (starting January) - You can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Dysregulation Quiz 01:00 Beliefs Are the Roots of the Tree 03:00 The "I'm Behind, I Need to Catch Up" Belief 05:00 What Are Belief Schemas? 07:00 Common ADHD Dysregulated Beliefs 09:00 Perfectionism as a Hidden Belief System 11:00 Step 1 - Name It, Don't Shame It 12:00 Step 2 - Connect Body and Belief Work 14:00 Step 3 - Update Your Schema Over Time 16:00 Bringing It Back to Reality vs. Potential 18:00 You're...
info_outline
EP. 31: The Real Reason You Procrastinate: Your Nervous System Is Trying to Protect You | ADHD with Jenna Free
ADHD with Jenna Free
Join the waitlist for ADHD Groups (starting January) - You can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Maladaptive Regulation 01:00 What is Maladaptive Regulation? 03:00 Why Self-Compassion Matters 04:00 The Calendar Research Trap Example 06:00 The Scroll and Clean Cycles 08:00 Compulsive vs. Conscious Choices 09:00 Who's Driving Your Regulation Ship? 11:00 Survival Mode vs. Long-Term Goals 13:00 You're Not Actually in Danger 15:00 Bringing Patterns Into Consciousness 17:00 The Three Pieces - Body, Brain, Behavior 19:00 Implementation Over Information 21:00...
info_outlineGet your spot in the Free ADHD Beliefs Workshop here - adhdwithjennafree.com/beliefs
You can get your free ADHD Regulation Guide here - adhdwithjennafree.com/adhdguide
Chapters
00:00 Understanding ADHD and Money
02:16 Survival Mode and Short-Term Thinking
03:39 Shopping as a Coping Mechanism
10:27 The Rush and Its Impact on Spending
13:17 Dysregulation and Financial Avoidance
18:29 Facing Financial Discomfort
23:44 Balancing Short-Term and Long-Term Goals
Summary
In this episode of the ADHD with Jenna Free podcast, I discuss the complex relationship between ADHD and money management from a dysregulation lens. I explore how ADHD (particularly dysregulated ADHD) can lead to impulsive spending, avoidance of financial responsibilities, and the impact of survival mode on long-term financial planning. We are talking about why money can be hard and what we can do to make it better.
Takeaways
- ADHD can complicate money management due to impulsivity.
- Survival mode affects our ability to think long-term about finances.
- Shopping can provide temporary relief from dysregulation.
- Rushing leads to poor financial decisions and increased spending.
- Avoidance of financial responsibilities can create a cycle of shame.
- Slowing down can lead to more thoughtful spending decisions.
- Urgent purchases often indicate dysregulation.
- Balancing short-term enjoyment with long-term goals is crucial.
- Mindfulness and regulation are key to improving financial health.
Connect with Jenna