The Busy Brained Saint Podcast

When Good Feels Bad

In this episode, we explore what happens when you finally reach a goal—but it doesn’t feel the way you expected. For many with ADHD, success can come with unexpected discomfort, self-doubt, and even anxiety as the brain tries to make sense of “good feeling bad.”
We unpack the familiar ADHD patterns of overthinking, scanning for what might go wrong, and returning to old stories of not being enough. Through the “old teddy bear vs. new teddy bear” analogy, you’ll learn how your nervous system adapts to change—and why discomfort doesn’t mean something has gone wrong.
You’ll walk away with a practical way to notice old thought patterns, pause, and choose a new response rooted in self-trust, emotional regulation, and freedom from survival-based thinking.
This is about learning to let good feel new—and letting yourself grow into it.
 
00:00 When Good Feels Bad
00:12 Welcome and Weekly Journal
01:37 Why Success Feels Unsafe
03:21 Your Comfort Zone Teddy Bear
07:15 Limbic Brain Stories
11:02 Self Trust Over Scanning
14:50 Acclimating to New Good
17:53 Leveling Up in Sports
19:03 Events and Closing EncouragementSign Up for Kamden's weekly ADHD journal HERE!

Rejection Express: When ADHD Makes Rejection Feel Devastating

Rejection with ADHD isn't just "being sensitive"—it can feel like a freight train crashing through your nervous system. In this deeply personal episode, Kamden shares a vulnerable story of public embarrassment, rejection sensitivity (RSD), and what it looked like to regulate, recover, and keep showing up anyway. If criticism, shame, or feeling misunderstood hits you harder than it seems to hit everyone else, this episode will help you feel seen—and remind you that even painful experiences can become sacred teachers.Schedule your FREE ADHD Mini Session Chapter Markers 
00:00 Welcome Busy Brained Saints
00:30 What Is Rejection Sensitivity
01:37 How RSD Feels In The Body
04:32 Coaching Help And Mini Session
06:27 San Diego Sales Conference Setup
11:47 Called On Stage For Podcast
16:29 Public Feedback And Meltdown
23:53 Staying In The Room To Learn
29:29 Bathroom Break And Boundaries
33:15 Dinner Decision After The Crash
40:06 Explaining RSD To The Group
47:57 Meaning Making And Christlike Rejection
54:16 Hand Squeeze And Farewell

ADHD Symptoms Are "The Problem", Not You.

In this episode of The Busy Brained Saint Podcast, Kamden Hainsworth talks about the difference between who you are and the symptoms of ADHD.
After listening to a research talk on ADHD and relationships from Kristen Carter, Kamden shares how it brought up strong emotions as a parent and led her to reflect on how easy it is to turn ADHD struggles into personal shame.
She explains that ADHD symptoms can create difficult behaviors like forgetfulness, overwhelm, and emotional dysregulation—but those behaviors are not your identity. You are not “lazy” or “too much.” You are a person with a brain that works differently.
This episode is a reminder that you are not the problem—your symptoms are something you can understand, manage, and work with, without shame.Schedule a free ADHD mini session with Kamden 
 
 

Motherhood, Adoption & ADHD: Rewriting the Stories We Tell Ourselves with Rachel Nielson

Rachel Nielson, host of the beloved podcast 3 in 30 Takeaways for Moms, joins me for an honest conversation about receiving an ADHD diagnosis at age 41 and how it reframed decades of feeling scattered, overwhelmed, and "not quite enough."
Together we explore the realities of ADHD in women, motherhood, entrepreneurship, adoption, self-compassion, and the power of understanding your unique brain. Rachel shares how becoming a mother revealed challenges she couldn't explain, how her son's ADHD diagnosis led her to her own answers, and why learning to work with her brain instead of against it changed everything.
This conversation is full of wisdom, vulnerability, and hope for any woman who has ever wondered why life feels harder than it seems to for everyone else.
In this episode we discuss:• Late-diagnosed ADHD in women• Motherhood and executive functioning• Adoption, attachment, and nervous system regulation• Self-compassion after diagnosis• Hyperfocus and entrepreneurship• Supporting ADHD children while understanding yourself• Finding the "flecks of gold" in everyday life <- Purchase Rachel's Flecks of Gold Journal 
FREE ADHD MINI SESSION with Kamden Timestamps:00:00 Welcome to Busy Brained Saint
00:28 Free Coaching Mini Sessions
02:00 Meet Rachel from Three and 30
04:14 Rachel’s Late ADHD Diagnosis
07:56 Grace After Diagnosis
10:44 ADHD Humor and Family Traits
16:02 Adoption and ADHD Links
19:30 Newborn Separation and Nervous System
22:55 Holding Adoption’s Complexity
26:37 Beauty in the Mess
27:21 Mentors in Open Adoption
28:48 Honesty Builds Attachment
29:59 Family History Triggers
31:06 Dark Days of Motherhood
32:10 Troll Comment and Healing
34:52 Public Sharing with ADHD
41:44 Building an ADHD-Friendly Team
42:51 Hyperfocus Retreat Strategy
46:42 Flecks of Gold Practice
49:07 Closing and Where to Follow

Putting Off the Natural Man with an ADHD Brain

What if the thoughts and feelings taking over your mind aren't actually you? In this episode, Kamden digs into one of the most relatable struggles for people of faith with ADHD — the constant tug-of-war between the survival brain (natural man?) and the spirit — and why that battle feels so much louder when you have ADHD.
Drawing from Mosiah 3:19, Galatians, Ephesians, and Romans, Kamden connects the gospel concept of "putting off the natural man" to the very real neuroscience of the limbic brain and prefrontal cortex — and why those two don't communicate as smoothly in an ADHD brain.
You'll learn why your brain isn't broken — it's just wired for a world that no longer exists, and why the carnal state and the survival state might essentially be the same thing, how to start calming that part of yourself with compassion instead of judgment, and what it feels like when your spirit and your body finally start working together.
This episode is for anyone who has ever felt trapped by their own thoughts, stuck in an old story, or just too overwhelmed to hear what God might be saying. You're not alone — and you have more choice than your brain is letting you believe.Schedule your FREE ADHD mini coaching session HERE. Episode Timestamps
00:00 Welcome Busy Brained Saint
00:35 Thoughts Aren't Identity
01:10 Mortality And Opposition
04:00 ADHD Brain Basics
07:11 Hunters Gatherers Strengths
09:03 Scriptures Natural Man
13:31 Survival Brain In ADHD
15:29 Coaching Tools Calm Ostrich
16:39 Free Mini Session Invite
20:28 Mindset Of The Flesh
23:27 Rewrite Old Stories
6:17 Become Like A Child
29:32 Soul Alignment And Joy
31:51 Prayer Choice And Closing

Inside the ADHD-Informed Therapy Room with Mosiah Castrejon

What does it actually look like when a counselor truly gets your ADHD brain? Today I sit down with Mosiah Castrejon, a Clinical Mental Health Counselor who not only specializes in ADHD-informed therapy — he lives it himself as a late-diagnosed ADHDer. follow on IG
Mosiah brings a rare and refreshing perspective to this conversation. As someone who discovered his own ADHD through his clinical work, he opens up about what it means to finally see your entire life story through a new lens — and why that realization changes everything.
In this episode we cover:
What an ADHD-informed therapy room actually looks and feels like
Why traditional therapeutic approaches often fail ADHDers — and what to do instead
The "double whammy" of ADHD and conditional self-worth, especially within faith communities
How shame silently drives so much of our struggle — and how self-compassion is the antidote
Parenting, partnership, and being honest with your family about your brain
His powerful three-pillar framework for approaching ADHD healing
Whether you're searching for the right therapist, trying to understand your own diagnosis, or simply want to feel less alone in your experience — this conversation will leave you feeling seen, validated, and more equipped to move forward.
You were given this brain. Let's figure out what to do with it.Schedule your FREE ADHD mini session with Kamden 
 

Focused Faith E5: Come Home by Elder Clark G. Gilbert

What if coming home to Christ wasn’t about fixing yourself—but remembering you already belong?
In this month’s Focused Faith episode, Kamden Hainsworth is joined by Melanie Stroud (Come Follow Me For Us Podcast) to explore Elder Clark G. Gilbert’s April 2026 General Conference talk, “Come Home.” Together, they walk through four common experiences—feeling like you don’t belong, not measuring up, doubting, or feeling stuck in tradition—and reframe them through both a gospel and ADHD lens.
Using simple coaching tools like the STEAR map, Kamden breaks down how our thoughts shape our spiritual experience—and how even a small shift can open the door to connection, peace, and belonging.
This episode is a gentle reminder that:
You don’t have to be perfect to come home
Christ isn’t waiting at the finish line—He’s with you right now
And no matter how far you feel, you are already part of the story
If your faith has ever felt scattered, heavy, or out of reach… this conversation will meet you there—with honesty, hope, and a fresh perspective.
Talk: Come Home by Elder Gilbert
00:00 Welcome Busy Brain
01:12 Episode Setup Come Home
02:26 New Apostle "We Not I"
07:32 Redeemer And Repairer
10:05 Hope For Straying Saints
13:54 Talk Subtitles Overview
15:38 Steer Map Belonging
20:32 Shift The Thought Line
24:06 Free Coaching Mini Session
25:15 Making Space For Others
27:20 Invite the Lonely In
28:24 You Already Belong
29:56 Clear the Thought Line
31:24 Why Church and Covenants
32:52 Joy Through Hard Things
35:32 No Gap Jesus
39:17 Choose Joy With STEAR
42:15 Grace for ADHD Moments
44:47 Scriptures Lead to Love
46:40 Softly and Tenderly
48:31 Final Thanks and Outro
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Schedule your FREE mini coaching session with Kamden https://www.kamdenadhdcoaching.com/bo...

Could It Be Dyslexia Too? Understanding the ADHD Overlap with Guest Elizabeth Hipwell

Research shows that 25–40% of individuals with ADHD also have dyslexia—yet so many go undiagnosed or misunderstood.
In this episode of The Busy Brained Saints, I’m joined by my dear friend, educator, and dyslexia interventionist Elizabeth Hipwell to unpack what dyslexia actually is, how it overlaps with ADHD, and why it so often gets missed—especially in high-functioning kids and adults.
With over 25 years of experience supporting learners from preschool through college, Elizabeth brings both professional expertise and deeply personal insight as someone with ADHD and dyslexia, and as a parent of two children with ADHD.
Together, we explore:
What dyslexia really is (and what it’s not)
Why so many adults—especially women—are missed
The shared executive function challenges between ADHD and dyslexia
How this overlap shows up in school, work, and everyday life
Practical tools, accommodations, and next steps for both kids and adults
On a personal note, Elizabeth is also the one who helped me recognize my own mild dyslexia—giving me a key piece of my own puzzle. This conversation is both validating and eye-opening, and I’m so excited to share it with you.
If you’ve ever felt like ADHD doesn’t fully explain your struggles… this episode might connect some important dots.
 
Elizabeth Hipwell, M.Ed || Dyslexia Specialist
https://www.thedyslexiadigest.com/
Resources from episode:
Dr. Jacob Santhouse 
Jo Rees
Natalie Brooks
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Schedule your FREE mini coaching session with Kamden
https://www.kamdenadhdcoaching.com/book-online

Hardest Questions I’m Asked as an ADHD Coach (ADHD 101)

Some of the hardest questions asked as an ADHD coach… aren’t actually the deep, emotional ones.
They’re the basic ones.
In this episode, I walk through the foundational questions about ADHD—the ones that should be simple, but often feel the hardest to answer in the moment. From “What is ADHD?” to “How is it diagnosed?” to “Is ADHD good or bad?”—we’re covering it all in a clear, honest, and pressure-free way.
This is your ADHD 101, but with some depth, and real-life application. We’ll talk about executive functions, medication, hormones, women and ADHD, and why understanding your brain is one of the most powerful things you can do.
This will clear up some of the most basic and also important ideas with ADHD, without me having to recall them all by memory in the moment. 
 
00:00 Welcome Busy Brains
00:28 Free Mini Coaching
02:01 Episode Setup
04:08 What Is ADHD
06:03 Executive Functions
08:44 Symptoms And Types
10:01 Women Vs Men
13:36 Medication Basics
14:54 Diagnosis Process
17:36 Hormones And ADHD
19:23 How Common Is ADHD
21:05 Superpower Or Struggle
25:28 Books And Wrap Up
26:44 Final Thanks And LinksBook your FREE Mini SessionBook and Resources from this Episode

From Masking to Radiating: ADHD and Spiritual Identity with Sierra Larson, M.S.W./M.Div.

From Masking to Radiating: ADHD and Spiritual Identity with Chaplain Sierra Larson In this deeply honest and faith-centered conversation, Kamden sits down with therapist, Air Force Reserve chaplain, double masters degrees in Social Work and Divinity and Radiant Awakening host Sierra Larson to explore what it really means to understand your worth—not perform for it. Together, they unpack the fear so many ADHD women carry of being “too much”—too loud, too bright, too successful—and how that fear keeps us stuck in cycles of masking, overthinking, and shrinking ourselves for the comfort of others. Sierra shares the concept behind her work*Radiant Awakening*: the idea that true transformation comes in two parts—waking up to your divine identity as a child of God, and then allowing that light to actually radiate in your life. This episode dives into:
* Why ADHD brains are wired to scan for approval—and how that disconnects us from our worth
* The core beliefs (like “I’m not enough”) that quietly run the show
* How to challenge shame using both truth and faith
* What “spiritual fitness” really looks like beyond checklists and perfection
* The difference between performing righteousness and building a real relationship with Christ
* How to stop shrinking your gifts and start trusting the way God created you
If you’ve ever felt like you need to tone yourself down to be accepted—or worried that shining brightly might make you seem prideful—this conversation will meet you right where you are and gently invite you into something more honest, more grounded, and more freeing. You were never meant to be less. You were meant to **radiate**. ✨
**00:00** Welcome Busy Brains
**00:39** Free Mini Session Offer
**01:25** Meet Sierra Larson
**02:11** Radiant Awakening Meaning
**03:43** Fear of Being Too Much
**05:05** Unmasking and Approval Scanning
**07:11** Challenging Shame Beliefs
**11:18** Spiritual Fitness Defined
**14:09** Beyond Ritual to Relationship
**16:36** Scriptures as Love Letter
**18:46** Radiating Christlike Connection
**20:25** Beyond Checkbox Faith
**21:27** Cracking Open Hearts
**22:21** Loved Unmasked by Christ
**24:27** Visionary Gifts in Prayer
**25:23** Leading with God-Given Vision
**27:53** Zion Needs Different Brains
**28:35** Women and Priesthood Power
**30:11** Covenants, Authority, and Miracles
**33:06** Praying Healing Like Children
**35:56** Your Worth Is Infinite
**38:03** Closing Thanks and Next Steps
 
--- Schedule your free ADHD coaching mini session with Kamden here; https://www.kamdenadhdcoaching.com/
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@kamden_adhd @thebusybrainedsaint on Instagram ✨