Climbing The Walls Podcast: The Surge Of ADHD Diagnoses In Women

Understood.org, a leading resource for people with learning and thinking differences, announced the launch of Climbing the Walls, a new limited-series investigative podcast. Hosted by health and science journalist and documentarian Danielle Elliot, the podcast explores why women weren’t diagnosed with ADHD for so long. And what led to new ADHD diagnoses among women ages 20–49 nearly doubling between 2020 and 2022 (CDC). The first episode, “I Didn’t Want to Have ADHD,” became available on April 9, 2025, wherever podcasts are found.

Across six episodes, Elliot weaves together scientific explanations with personal stories, including her own, from the many women who know ADHD all too well. Through their lived experiences and candid conversations with experts, she starts getting answers to some of her big questions around the surge in ADHD diagnoses. Among those she speaks with are Sari Solden, MS, a psychotherapist and pioneer in the field of ADHD counseling, and Terry Matlen, MSW, a psychotherapist and ADHD coach specializing in women’s experiences. As the season goes on, Elliot gets answers about the surge in ADHD diagnoses, like: Why women? And why now?

“When I was diagnosed with ADHD at 36, I didn’t understand how we’d missed this — not just in me, but in, apparently, an entire generation of women and all those who came before us,” says Elliot. “I wanted to know if there was something different about the world now, or different about women, or something else underlying this rise in diagnosis.”

As Elliot searched for answers to her original questions in Climbing the Walls, new ones arose. Now that the diagnosis gap between men and women with ADHD is closing, more women require medical and emotional support in ways that differ from men. Are our systems equipped to support these women? And how do we ensure that women with ADHD get the support they need?

“Danielle’s impressive background as a journalist and storyteller, combined with her personal experience, allowed us to create a series that validates the experiences of women, especially those with ADHD,” says Laura Key, vice president of content strategy at Understood.org. “The first-of-its-kind limited series empowers women to advocate for themselves and find the support they have long been denied by society and the medical community.”

Danielle Elliot is a documentarian and writer based in Brooklyn. She focuses on character-driven narratives that seek to explain cultural phenomena. Her films, features, and series have appeared on HBO, ESPN, FX, iHeart, Audible, NBC, the New York Times, The Atlantic, Grantland, National Geographic, and more. In addition to reporting, writing, and producing, she works with documentary filmmakers to develop and structure films and series and with Fortune 100 brands to direct and produce docu-style campaigns.

Understood is a nonprofit focused on shaping the world for difference. We raise awareness of the challenges, skills, and strengths of people who learn and think differently. Its resources help people navigate challenges, gain confidence, and find support and community so they can thrive. Together, Understood believes that we can build a world where everyone can reach their full potential.

 This new podcast builds upon Understood.org’s commitment to supporting women who learn and think differently, following the launch of MissUnderstood: The ADHD in Women Channel in 2024. They also released a dedicated resource page for women with ADHD, designed specifically to provide free, accessible resources, from expert information to personal stories and podcasts by and for women with ADHD.

Climbing the Walls consists of six 30-minute episodes released weekly, each offering in-depth analysis and personal narratives that shed light on the multifaceted nature of ADHD in women.

Visit Understood.org for free expert-vetted resources and support. And subscribe to Climbing the Walls on all major podcast platforms.