ADHD for Smart Ass Women: How to Fall in Love with Your Neurodivergent Brain

by Tracy Otsuka

Overview

An unprecedented guide for any woman with ADHD looking to celebrate her unique brilliance and to embark on a journey of self-discovery.

ADHD is one of the most common neurological disor­ders in the United States—yet a staggering 75 percent of girls and women remain undiagnosed. Due to the gen­der gap in medical research, which does not account for symptoms manifesting differently in women—leading to increased problems with anxiety, depression, work­ing memory, sleep, energy, and concentration—many ADHD women are left to navigate a society that fails to understand their struggles and gifts. But what if every woman had the resources and support to uncover the hidden wonders of her neurodivergent brain?

Enter certified ADHD coach and podcast host Tracy Otsuka. Armed with her experience coaching thou­sands of women, cutting-edge medical research, and personal insights from her own diagnosis, she presents a revelatory guide tailored specifically for girls and women with ADHD. In it, Otsuka offers an entirely new set of tools, systems, and strategies to access a world of boundless productivity, focus, and confidence.

With her signature wit and levity—in entertaining chapters designed for ADHD readers—Otsuka explores the unique challenges that ADHD women face and illuminates the extraordinary qualities that set them apart: overflowing creativity, laser-focused attention, deep empathy, and fearless entrepreneurial spirit. Even without an official diagnosis, readers will be equipped with the tools to conquer any to-do list and to tap into their true purpose, personally or professionally.

By dismantling the long-standing stereotypes and misinformation surrounding women with ADHD, Otsuka offers a beacon of hope for any woman looking to transform her symptoms into strengths. Comprehensive, lively, and long overdue, ADHD for Smart Ass Women is the key to unlocking unparalleled potential and to understanding your truly magnifi­cent and brilliant brain.

Are you ready to discover your superpower?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063307063
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	12/26/2023
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	30,639
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Tracy Otsuka is a certified ADHD coach and attorney and is the podcast host of ADHD for Smart Ass Women. She is a seasoned media contributor and podcast guest with influential forums such as ADDitude magazine, Inc. magazine, and The Goal Digger Podcast. Before her ADHD epiphany, Otsuka was a practicing attorney investigating cases for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; a designer of high-end women’s wear sold in Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom; and a real estate broker selling countless foreclosed properties. She lives with her husband, two kids, two dogs, and seven chickens in Sonoma County, outside San Francisco.

Editorial Reviews

09/25/2023

Otsuka adapts her podcast of the same name into an accessible debut guide aimed at helping women to harness their neurodivergent traits to achieve their goals. She begins by explaining what ADHD is (and isn’t), why women struggle to get diagnosed, and how it affects them differently from men—for example, women are more likely to experience inattentive-type ADHD, which is typified by a quiet demeanor and difficulties with focus and organization. Elsewhere, Otsuka helps readers “determine your personal values, strengths, skills, passions, and purpose,” explaining that defining for oneself what “a life of meaning” looks like can help those with ADHD to “pursue work, activities, or ambitions that align with who truly are.” While the advice sections are far-reaching in scope, they sometimes lack the depth that listeners of Otsuka’s podcast may expect, especially in the author’s abbreviated discussion of ADHD in relationships. Still, those new to their diagnoses will glean as much valuable insight from Otsuka’s strategies (for example, how to use diet and exercise to reduce certain ADHD symptoms) as from her explanations of such matters as why emotional regulation is more difficult for neurodivergent women than neurotypical women. Delivered in lucid and unpretentious prose, this is a solid starting point for those just beginning to learn about ADHD and its effects on the brain. (Dec.)

Publishers Weekly

"Delivered in lucid and unpretentious prose, this is a solid starting point for those just beginning to learn about ADHD and its effects on the brain."  — Publishers Weekly

“Otsuka is not only an ADHD coach but also someone who understands the condition from a first-person perspective, too. She breaks down stereotypes and helps build up a more positive connection with the ways that ADHD brains work.” — Book Riot

“[ADHD FOR SMART ASS WOMEN] is full of honesty, vulnerability, wisdom, compassion, understanding, guidance, cutting edge knowledge, evidence-based practices, and real-world examples of women with ADHD succeeding, not in spite of having ADHD, but perhaps because of it.” — New York Journal of Books

"Tracy Otsuka’s sparkling, smart-ass positivity pours over these pages, powerful enough to lift the lowest self-esteem." — Katherine Ellison, Pulitzer Prize Winner, author of Buzz: A Year of Paying Attention

"She was born to deliver a message. You will see it bursting out on every page... Thanks to her and others like her, the textbooks are being rewritten." — Edward M. Hallowell, MD, co-author of ADHD 2.0 and Driven to Distraction

"Tracy changed my life and uncovered a missing piece of my identity. Her book is a breath of fresh air for ADHD women. With humor and compassion, she provides a roadmap for turning struggles into strengths." — Jenna Kutcher, host of The Goal Digger Podcast and New York Times bestselling author of How Are You, Really?

"Tracy skillfully leads readers on a journey to embrace their individual strengths, equipping them with invaluable tools to flourish in both personal and professional realms." — Tamara Rosier, Ph.D., author of Your Brain's Not Broken

"ADHD for Smart Ass Women is the lifeline, roadmap, guidance, and inspiration you've been hoping for." — Dr. Christine Li, clinical psychologist and host of Make Time for Success podcast

"At last, Otsuka provides the tools to harness our overflowing creativity to succeed. A must read for every Artpreneur!" — Miriam Schulman, author of Artpreneur and host of The Inspiration Place podcast

"Game changer alert for women with ADHD! Tracy Otsuka's book is a must-read for any woman navigating ADHD during the Perimenopause, or Menopause. This empowering book equips you with practical tools and wisdom to transform challenges into strengths. Get your copy today." — Dr. Susan Varghese, MBBS MRCP (London), Women's Health Expert

“Read this book! You will hear Tracy’s energetic, supportive, and nothing-held-back voice in your head… urging you to acknowledge your struggles, embrace your unique gifts, and let your innovative brilliance shine.” — David Flink, founder of Eye to Eye and author of Thinking Differently

"Empowering, insightful, and downright funny. Tracy Otsuka's guide is a lifeline for ADHD women. It not only debunks stereotypes but offers a roadmap to success, blending expertise with entertainment.” — Gin Stephens, author of New York Times Bestseller Fast Feast Repeat and host of Intermittent Fasting Stories and the Fast Feast Repeat Podcast

“Refreshingly witty and filled with optimism, strategies and essential information on the ADHD brain, Tracy's insights, perspective and real-world experience living with and coaching thousands of women with ADHD via her podcast makes ADHD For Smart Ass Women an invaluable resource for those wanting to dive deeper into the subject.” — Kristen Willeumier, PhD, neuroscientist and author of Biohack Your Brain

“Tracy Otsuka does a great explaining how the symptoms of ADHD in women present a little differently. She explores the unique challenges women with ADHD face and I'm sure she'll help a lot of people make sense of their symptoms.” — Amy Morin, psychotherapist and author of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do

“You won’t want to put this book down and that says a lot for those of us who have minds that wander. This is a gem of a book and much needed for women with ADHD, who have been silenced far too long.” — Terry Matlen, LMSW, author of The Queen of Distraction and Director of ADDConsults

"Tracy's work makes me feel SEEN. I'm a successful, ambitious woman, but I still have serious wounds from an undiagnosed childhood. It took me decades to understand my ADHD brain, but this book will shortcut that journey for you, starting now!" — Denise Duffield-Thomas, author of Chill & Prosper

From the Publisher