Female ADHD: Chasing Dopamine and Connection

This thoughtful and engaging 90-minute workshop is designed to support school staff in developing a deeper, more nuanced understanding of ADHD in females.

Historically, ADHD has been framed through a predominantly male lens, which means many girls, and women remain misunderstood, overlooked, or diagnosed later in life. This session brings together the most up-to-date understanding of ADHD with both professional expertise and lived experience, offering a perspective that is both informed and human.

Delivered by a Brenda a SEND, behaviour, and inclusion specialist who is also autistic and ADHD, the workshop gently bridges theory and real-world experience. It creates space to reflect on how ADHD presents in female students, as well as recognising its impact on female staff within school environments.

A key focus of the session is how ADHD in females is influenced by hormonal changes across the lifespan, including puberty, the menstrual cycle, and perimenopause. These fluctuations can significantly affect focus, emotional regulation, energy levels, and overall wellbeing, often in ways that are not widely recognised within education.

• The different ADHD presentations; predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, and combined, and how these may look different in girls
• Why ADHD in females is frequently missed, masked, or misinterpreted
• The role of dopamine in attention, motivation, and behaviour
• Emotional regulation and the tendency towards internalising difficulties
• Executive functioning differences, including organisation, working memory, task initiation, and time management
• The impact of masking, social expectations, and the pressure to “cope” or “be good”
• The intersection between ADHD and autism, and how this may present in school contexts
• The influence of hormonal cycles on cognition and behaviour, with practical implications for support

Throughout the session, practical strategies are woven in to help staff respond in ways that prioritise connection, reduce shame, and support regulation. The aim is not just to increase understanding, but to shift how ADHD is seen and supported within schools.

At the heart of Forming Connections is the belief that understanding leads to connection, and that connection creates the conditions for young people and adults to thrive.