ADHDtime on Air #22: The Power of ADHD Community with Suzanne Sophos

What happens when people with ADHD find a community where they feel understood?

In this episode of ADHDtime on Air, I talk with Suzanne Sophos, CMPSS, president of CHADD’s national board of directors and founder of The BRAVE Space. We explore how community and peer support can help people with ADHD feel seen, understand themselves more fully, and discover approaches that fit their individual lives.

Suzanne shares how her son’s ADHD diagnosis led to her own diagnoses of ADHD and autism, and how those experiences shaped her work as a coach, peer support specialist, advocate, and community builder. We also discuss adult diagnosis, authentic neurodivergent representation, and why ADHD advocacy remain so important.

Topics discussed include:

• Why ADHD community and peer support matter
• Finding belonging after an ADHD or autism diagnosis
• Suzanne’s experience as an AuDHD adult
• Self-knowledge and building systems that fit the individual
• Authentic versus stereotypical ADHD representation
• The continuing need for ADHD advocacy and education

ABOUT SUZANNE SOPHOS

Suzanne Sophos, CMPSS, is president of CHADD’s national board of directors and director of CHADD of California. She is a Certified Peer Support Specialist, ADHD and AuDHD coach, advocate, facilitator, and founder of The BRAVE Space, where she supports neurodivergent individuals through coaching, peer support, and community.

CONNECT WITH Suzanne Sophos

The BRAVE Space:
https://thebravespace.com/

Suzanne on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/suzanne.sophos/

CONNECT WITH DANIELLA KARIDI, PhD

🌐 https://www.adhdtime.com
📧 [email protected]
📸 Instagram: @adhdtime
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellakaridi

RESOURCES

Learn more about CHADD:
https://chadd.org/

2026 International Conference on ADHD:
https://chadd.org/conference/

Trying, an ADHD short film by Sam Labrecque:
https://www.samlabrecque.com/trying

Liz Lewis’s Substack, Yes, And…:
https://healthyadhd.substack.com/

ADHDtime on Air with Liz Lewis, You’re Not the Problem:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BoR18_fRB8

Dr. Sasha Hamdani, ADHD psychiatrist and educator:
https://www.instagram.com/thepsychdoctormd/

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction to ADHD and CHADD
05:07 The Importance of Community and Peer Support
07:50 Knowing Self and Personal Growth
09:24 Diagnosis and Labeling
22:35 ADHD Representation in Media
35:03 Advocacy and Awareness

#ADHD #AuDHD #Autism #ADHDCommunity #PeerSupport #AdultADHD #Neurodiversity #ADHDAdvocacy #LateDiagnosis #ADHDCoaching #ADHDtimeOnAir #ADHDtime #CHADD