
ADHD, Shame, and Addiction: What No One Tells You | Hilary Momberger-Powers
From ADHD &...with Jorie Houlihan by Jorie Houlihan
May 5, 2026 · 54 min · Episode 31
About this episode
Jorie Houlihan interviews Hilary Momberger-Powers about the connections between ADHD, shame, and addiction, along with practical tools for recovery.
This week's episode is one I've been looking forward to sharing with you. My guest is Hilary Momberger-Powers. 40+ years in recovery, former voice of Sally Brown in the Peanuts cartoons, co-founder of one of the first sober living houses for women in the United States, and one of the most honest and grounded humans I've had the pleasure of sitting down with. We talk about a lot in this one. The connection between ADHD and dopamine-seeking behavior, including addiction. The difference between shame and guilt and why it matters so much for us specifically. What it cost Hilary to spend her childhood performing instead of just being herself. And how inner child work became one of the most practical tools she has ever used - not in a soft, abstract way, but in a very real, you-can-start-today kind of way. There is also a moment in this conversation where we talk about fitting in versus belonging and I don't think either of us expected it to land the way it did. If you have ever changed who you are to be accepted, you'll know exactly what I mean. Hilary has this way of cutting right to what's true without making you feel worse about yourself. I think you are going to love her. ABOUT…
People in this episode
Host: Jorie Houlihan
Guest: Hilary Momberger-Powers
Topics covered
- ADHD
- addiction
- shame
- inner child work
- belonging
- recovery
Keywords
- ADHD
- addiction
- shame
- inner child work
- recovery
- dopamine-seeking behavior
- belonging
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Peanuts, Promises
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