Julie Legg sits down with psychiatric nurse practitioner and mental health advocate Carolyn Mallon, whose journey from high school dropout to doctorate-level clinician is both inspiring and deeply relatable for late-diagnosed ADHDers. Carolyn shares how understanding her neurodivergence in adulthood radically shifted her ability to study, self-advocate, and succeed both academically and emotionally.
The conversation explores the messy, non-linear paths many ADHDers walk, the grief that can accompany diagnosis, and how resilience often looks like simply showing up, trying again, and choosing compassion over shame. This episode is a great reminder that healing and success take many forms, and that it's never too late to start again... with better tools.
Key Points in this Episode:
- Carolyn’s diagnosis at 28 and how it changed her entire trajectory
- Why ADHD can mask as laziness or failure in school settings
- The emotional impact of late recognition and academic shame
- Making peace with your “past self” through compassion, not criticism
- How resilience is built in the middle of the mess, not just in hindsight
- The importance of redefining success beyond degrees and careers
- Why mental health providers with lived experience are uniquely powerful
- The joy of offering others the kind of care she once needed
Links:
- LINKEDIN: www.linkedin.com/in/cmallonrn/
- WEBSITE: https://www.balancementalhealth.com/
- FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/balancementalhealthnh
- YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@balancementalhealthnh
- INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/balancementalhealthnh
- RECOMMENDED READING: Learning Outside the Lines
Thanks for listening.
📌 Don’t forget to subscribe for more tools for beautifully different brains.
🌐 WEBSITE: ADHDifference.nz
📷 INSTAGRAM: ADHDifference_podcast
📖 BOOK: The Missing Piece: A Woman's Guide to Understanding, Diagnosing and Living with ADHD
ℹ️ DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or ADHDifference. Read More
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Betrayal Season 5
Saskia Inwood woke up one morning, knowing her life would never be the same. The night before, she learned the unimaginable – that the husband she knew in the light of day was a different person after dark. This season unpacks Saskia’s discovery of her husband’s secret life and her fight to bring him to justice. Along the way, we expose a crime that is just coming to light. This is also a story about the myth of the “perfect victim:” who gets believed, who gets doubted, and why. We follow Saskia as she works to reclaim her body, her voice, and her life. If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at betrayalpod@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.