What wine country & ADHD have in common
If you’ve been here for more than a few months, you may have noticed a change. I’m speaking up more about neurospicy topics and ADHD in particular.
Why? My clients asked for it.
I heard them loud and clear, so I began researching and delivering. The more I dove in, the more parallels I made in my own career journey. And the more it became clear to me why I cared so much.
Did you know that for 10 years I sold high end wines ($95-$225 per bottle) in Napa Valley? I’m in awe of some of these wines - recently I drank a Napa Valley 2013 that was JUICY AF.
You might be thinking - there’s no way wine and neurodivergence are connected.
Here’s an incomplete list of why they are:
Environment. You can’t talk about wine and leave out terroir. Terroir includes things like the soil type, the vineyard slope & sunlight hours, wind patterns, winemaking techniques. Similarly, you can’t talk about ADHD and leave out your environment. Your physiological environment is just the start - stage of life, brain health and your household systems all matter a great deal.
Genetics. With wine, you get a more complete picture when you include family legacy stories (the drama, the money, the characters). The genetic thread around ADHD also speaks to family “quirks,” “black sheep” characters. It allllll starts to make a bit more sense. (or not lol)
Emotional Regulation. When it comes to farming grapes, you’re on an emotional roller coaster- diseased vines, pests, wildfire destruction, early mornings & late nights (plus caffeine-only fueled colleagues in the cellar). Emotional regulation and sensitivity are par for the course for ADHD. It’s always going to be part of the strategy.
Inequality & Advocacy. The discrepancy around wealth, access and recognition when it comes to farm workers and winery owners is systematically unequal. There’s a lot more to say here - I think the wine industry should be leading the charge for protecting farm workers. There’s also a huge gap in mental health care for low income families. Undiagnosed/untreated ADHD leads to higher rates of drop out, arrests and addiction which perpetuate poverty and systemically racist social dynamics.
For these reasons above, I’m committed to having accessible options in addition to 1:1 coaching. It’s one reason I’ve created resources like Calendar Magic for only $25.
Quite simply, ADHD support doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Neither does a bottle of wine. They both tell a story. And I’m in awe of my clients. They impress me, they inspire me and they challenge me. I’m learning along side them and together we’re rewilding parts of our story that were once overlooked and underserved.
Join us by booking a consultation. Here’s where you get to write your own story- with intention and agency.
