**DISCLAIMER: This episode was recorded remotely, and while we did our best to clean up the audio, there are a few moments where it may sound slightly muffled. Thanks for bearing with us — we felt this conversation was too meaningful not to share.

In this episode of Embrace Mental Health, Rowan talks with his friend Dawn about her experience being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. This episode talks about what it’s actually like to receive an ADHD diagnosis as an adult — not just the diagnosis itself, but everything surrounding it: the years before it, the self-perception that develops when you don’t yet have an explanation, the process of reevaluating your past, and the work of learning how your brain actually functions. We explore the emotional complexity that can come with finally having language for lifelong struggles, including relief, grief, validation, confusion, and curiosity.

We also discuss the process of figuring out what changes actually help after diagnosis, the misconceptions many people have about ADHD, the impact it can have on relationships and identity, and what it looks like to approach yourself with understanding instead of constant self-criticism. Whether you have ADHD, suspect you might, love someone who does, or simply relate to feeling “different” in ways you’ve struggled to explain, this episode is an honest conversation about self-understanding, adaptation, and learning to work with yourself instead of against yourself.

Connect with us!

Website - www.embracementalhealthnsc.org

Instagram - @embrace.mental.health

Facebook - www.facebook.com/emh.nsc/

Email - embracementalhealthnsc@gmail.com

Words shape the way we understand ourselves, our emotions, and the world around us. In this episode, we explore the powerful relationship between language and mental health—how finding the right words can help us process pain, feel understood, and begin healing. From therapy and journaling to music, storytelling, and self-talk, we discuss why naming emotions matters and how language can turn chaos into clarity.

We also talk about the ways words can wound: the phrases that become inner critics, the labels that shape identity, and the cultural messages that determine what emotions people feel “allowed” to have. Whether it’s hearing “you’re too sensitive” or finally hearing “that makes sense,” language leaves an impact. This episode is about the words we carry, the stories we tell ourselves, and the possibility of finding healing through new ways of speaking to—and about—ourselves.

Connect with us!

Website - www.embracementalhealthnsc.org

Instagram - @embrace.mental.health

Facebook - www.facebook.com/emh.nsc/

Email - embracementalhealthnsc@gmail.com

Money isn’t just numbers on a screen—it’s one of the most emotionally loaded parts of our lives. In this episode, we explore why financial stress hits so deeply, from those 3 a.m. spirals running mental calculations to the quiet shame that keeps people avoiding their bank accounts. This isn’t about budgeting tips or quick fixes—it’s about understanding the psychology of money, and why finances and mental health are so tightly intertwined.

We break down how money can represent security, freedom, control, or even self-worth, and how our upbringing shapes our financial behaviors more than we realize. We also look at the two-way relationship between mental health and finances—how depression, anxiety, trauma, and ADHD can impact money management, and how financial stress can, in turn, take a serious toll on mental health. Finally, we talk about realistic, compassionate ways forward, from addressing financial avoidance to separating your worth from your net worth.

Show Notes:

• Resources

• • National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC)

  • Financial Therapy Association

  • 211 for local financial assistance

Connect with us!

Website - www.embracementalhealthnsc.org

Instagram - @embrace.mental.health

Facebook - www.facebook.com/emh.nsc/

Email - embracementalhealthnsc@gmail.com