Episode #71: Navigating ADHD & Neurodiversity: A Journey with Roxanne Turner

Episode Highlights

In this episode of the Miles Ahead Podcast, we explore DHD and neurodiversity through the lens of the nervous sytem regulation, environment and embodied learning. Roxanne Turner shares her unconventional journey from equine-based work to neurodiversity coaching, unpacking how ADHD is less about attention and more about regulation, overwhelm, and safety. Together, we discuss anxiety, working memory, parenting neurodivergent children, the impact of modern technology and why self-compassion, not willpower, is often the missing piece.

Key Moments

2:10 – Roxanne’s path into neurodiversity work
How equine-based learning revealed the role of nervous system regulation.

7:45 – ADHD, anxiety, and regulation
Why ADHD is fundamentally about regulation, not motivation or focus.

13:30 – Working memory, overwhelm, and shame
How pressure and self-judgment worsen ADHD symptoms.

19:50 – Environment vs. willpower
Why neurodivergent brains are shaped more by context than discipline.

27:40 – Procrastination as a freeze response
Reframing procrastination through nervous system safety and self-compassion.

33:10 — Why “Pushing Through” Makes Things Worse
Why forcing productivity during overwhelm often deepens nervous system dysregulation instead of resolving it.

35:00 — Long-Term Overwhelm & Burnout
How prolonged nervous system overload can result in irritability, shutdown, and loss of creativity.

36:45 — Why Rest Alone Isn’t Restorative
Why rest doesn’t feel replenishing for ADHD brains without safety and regulation.

40:00 — Parenting Without Pathologizing
Supporting neurodivergent children without framing them as problems to fix.

43:30 — Systems Not Built for Neurodivergence
Why traditional school and workplace systems often fail neurodivergent nervous systems.

Connect with Roxanne:

Website: https://www.rbtcoaching.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roxanneturner-pmp-coach/