Women & ADHD Roberta Dombrowski: Breaking up with burnout
Mar 2, 2026
Roberta Dombrowski, executive coach and founder of Learn Mindfully who rebuilt her career after tech burnout, talks about her late ADHD diagnosis and how it reframed her past. She explores the overlap of ADHD, trauma, and chronic overworking. Practical topics include trauma‑informed leadership, loosening control and micromanagement, delegation strategies, and tools to reclaim energy and boundaries.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
College Diagnosis Changed How She Learned
- Roberta discovered her ADHD at college after struggling with organization and seeking extended test time through disability services.
- She was formally diagnosed and started medication, which she says immediately made life much easier and changed her relationship with learning.
Neurodiversity Framing Moved From Shame To Strengths
- Language and cultural framing of neurodiversity shifted from pathologizing labels to strengths-based neurodiversity, reducing shame.
- Roberta notes working in disability services exposed her to many nonshameful approaches that weren't common when she was younger.
Trauma Can Fuel High Performance Then Burnout
- Trauma often drives high achievement through survival strategies like overfunctioning, autonomy, and perfectionism, which are unsustainable long-term.
- Roberta links cumulative trauma to CPTSD and chronic fight/flight activation that leads to eventual burnout or collapse.
