ADHD Aha!30 Sep 2025

She treated ADHD for years — then found out she had it, too (Dr. Nerissa Bauer’s story)

Have you ever felt like a fraud, even in the work you know best? Dr. Nerissa Bauer has. After years as a researcher, teacher, and children’s doctor, burnout led her to step away from academia. Not long after, she found out she had ADHD herself. At first, the diagnosis left her embarrassed and full of questions. How could she have missed it for so long?

That turning point brought both sadness and relief, and it changed the way she connects with families. Since then, Nerissa has built a new path in telehealth and started Teach Me ADHD, an online course for families. In this episode, she talks about how burnout and her own ADHD diagnosis reshaped her work — and how they help her show up more honestly for others.

For more on this topic

Nerissa’s organization, Let’s Talk Kids Health
ADHD burnout
ADHD and: Imposter syndrome

Timestamps

(00:00) Intro

(01:23) ADHD and burnout, and losing structure

(08:23) Nerissa’s ADHD evaluation as a physician herself, and imposter syndrome

(16:42) What is the value of an ADHD diagnosis as an adult? As a parent?

(21:08) Nerissa’s online course, Teach Me ADHD

(26:28) Outro and closing

For a transcript and more resources, visit the ADHD Aha! show page on Understood.org. We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at adhdaha@understood.org or record a message for us here.

As kids head back to school, it's a good time to remember: not every student experiences the classroom the same way. Through My Eyes, a free interactive experience from Understood, lets you step into a day in the life of a kid with ADHD, dyslexia, or dyscalculia. See their strengths and challenges in a whole new way. Try it out here.

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give.

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