This week, Kate is joined by Dr. Kara Davey, Senior Clinical Psychologist, trauma specialist, and adult ADHD expert. Dr. Davey shares both personal and professional insights into how unresolved trauma can amplify ADHD symptoms, especially in women, and why understanding this connection is vital for healing and long-term wellbeing.
Dr. Davey discusses her own ADHD diagnosis following a stillbirth, which deeply shaped her clinical perspective. Together, we explore how trauma, especially “small t” traumas like chronic stress or emotional invalidation, can go unrecognised but significantly impact mental health and functioning.
Throughout the episode, Dr. Davey emphasises the need for trauma-informed, ADHD-aware care and the benefits of therapies like EMDR and somatic work in processing trauma.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✨ How trauma (both “big T” and “small t”) can worsen ADHD symptoms in women
✨ The emotional toll of undiagnosed ADHD and its link to complex PTSD (cPTSD)
✨ Delayed ADHD diagnosis in women, often triggered by grief or life stressors
✨ The generational impact of undiagnosed ADHD in families
✨ Why validating emotional and relational trauma is key for ADHD support
✨ How therapies like EMDR and somatic work can help process trauma
✨ The importance of ADHD-aware, trauma-informed therapy
✨ Why remote therapy offers accessible, ADHD-friendly mental health care
Timestamps:
🕒 00:09 – Exploring Trauma and ADHD
🕒 06:10 – Understanding the intersection of ADHD and Trauma
🕒 11:25 – Recognising the impact of emotional and interpersonal trauma
🕒 20:42 – Trauma treatment options: EMDR and beyond
🕒 30:53 – ADHD-friendly therapy approaches
🕒 36:43 – The power of remote therapy for neurodivergent clients
Learn more about Dr Kara Davey's ADHD work here.
Links and Resources:
⭐ Boosting Hormonal and Perimenopausal Wellbeing alongside ADHD Workshop with Adele Wimsett is available to buy now on-demand - Click here to purchase.
⭐ Book on the next ADHD Wellbeing Workshop - Click here to book.
⭐ If you love the podcast but want more ADHD support, get a sneak peek of my brand new book, The ADHD Women's Wellbeing Toolkit and pre-order it here!
⭐ Launching September! Tired of ADHD support that doesn’t get you? My new compassionate, community-first membership ditches the overwhelm by providing support aligned with YOU! Join the waitlist now for an exclusive founding member offer!
Find all of Kate's popular online workshops and free resources here