Beyond the Visible

Women, Sex & ADHD

Two Courses. A More Complete Understanding of ADHD, Identity, Sexuality & Relationships.

ADHD can influence experiences that are not always apparent to others. Outward competence may conceal substantial internal effort, while difficulties involving attention, sensory experiences, emotion regulation, intimacy, and relationships may be misunderstood or attributed to other causes.

Beyond the Visible: Women, Sex & ADHD brings together two complementary professional education courses presented by Anne-Marie Suddreth, MA, LPC, Associate Director of MindfulU.

Together, these courses explore less visible ADHD presentations in girls and women, alongside the complex relationships between ADHD, sexual wellbeing, sensory experiences, desire, and intimacy.

Through recorded lectures, research readings, case-based learning, and practical downloadable resources, participants will develop a more nuanced understanding of these experiences and how to approach them within their professional roles.

The original lectures were recorded on July 17, 2026, and are supplemented by research-informed educational materials and practical resources.

Course 1: Women and the Invisible ADHD Profile

This course explores why ADHD has historically been underrecognized in girls and women, particularly when difficulties are less externally observable or obscured by compensatory strategies, professional achievement, and environmental supports.

Participants examine developmental patterns, masking, emotional overcontrol, hormonal influences, differential considerations, and the importance of looking beyond outward functioning.

Course Outline

Module 1: Women & the Invisible ADHD Profile

Explore less visible ADHD presentations, historical perspectives, gendered expectations, and the differences between outward achievement and internal experiences.

Module 2: Why ADHD Goes Undiagnosed in Women

Examine factors associated with missed or delayed recognition, including diagnostic assumptions, referral patterns, symptom presentation, and the overlap between ADHD, anxiety, and depression.

Module 3: Behind the Mask — Compensation & Five Key Characteristics

Explore masking, compensatory strategies, emotional overcontrol, hidden effort, and the ways environmental supports may make ADHD-related difficulties less apparent.

Module 4: Hormones, Differential Diagnosis & Revisiting Maria

Examine emerging research concerning hormonal influences, changing functioning across life stages, and differential considerations. Revisit an evolving case involving a professionally accomplished woman experiencing increasing difficulties with everyday functioning.

Module 5: Q&A — Real-World Scenarios & Discussion

Consider real-world presentations, common misconceptions, and questions about recognizing less visible ADHD characteristics across different circumstances.

Included Learning Materials

• Five recorded lecture and discussion videos.

• Research readings addressing ADHD recognition, compensatory strategies, developmental context, and hormonal influences.

• Downloadable guides exploring outward functioning, masking, internal emotional experiences, changes in functioning, and developmental history.

• Case-based learning featuring an evolving adult presentation.

• Knowledge checks and supplementary reference materials.

Estimated Learning Hours: 3.0

Course 2: Sex and ADHD: Sensory Experiences, Desire & Relationships

Sexual wellbeing is an important component of overall health, yet experiences involving sexual desire, attention, sensory differences, intimacy, and relationships may not be routinely explored in conversations about ADHD.

This course examines how ADHD-related characteristics may interact with sexual experiences while emphasizing individual variation, autonomy, communication, and the importance of considering medical, psychological, and relational factors.

Course Outline

Module 1: Introduction & Foundations

Explore the relationship between ADHD and sexual wellbeing, including sexual desire, satisfaction, individual differences, and findings from the existing research literature.

Module 2: Interoception, Attention & Hyperfocus

Examine how awareness of bodily sensations, attention regulation, distraction, and sensory experiences may influence sexual experiences. Explore research on interoceptive awareness and the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA-2).

Module 3: Rejection Sensitivity & Hypersexuality

Explore rejection sensitivity, impulsivity, sexual desire, and experiences involving distress or difficulty controlling sexual behavior. Consider the distinction between consensual sexual variation and concerns warranting further investigation.

Module 4: Women's Sexual Styles & Relationship Compatibility

Examine physical and emotional dimensions of sexual desire, sensory preferences, novelty, pacing, emotional safety, and communication. Explore how apparent differences in sexual interest may involve multiple interacting factors rather than a simple mismatch in desire.

Module 5: Q&A — Real-World Scenarios & Discussion

Consider questions involving sexual pain, orgasm difficulties, sensory sensitivities, consent, communication, professional boundaries, and the role of specialized support or referral.

Included Learning Materials

• Five recorded lecture and discussion videos.

• Research readings examining ADHD and sexual functioning, interoceptive awareness, and emerging explanations of sexual experiences.

• Access to the published MAIA-2 questionnaire through its original source.

• Downloadable guides for exploring sexual wellbeing, bodily awareness, desire and distress, intimacy, relationship compatibility, and referral considerations.

• Case-based learning examining changes in intimacy and relationship communication.

• Knowledge checks and supplementary reference materials.

Estimated Learning Hours: 2.25

Who This Bundle Is For

Beyond the Visible is designed for professionals seeking a more comprehensive understanding of ADHD presentations and experiences that may be overlooked in conventional discussions of neurodevelopment.

• Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners and Other Nurse Practitioners

• Psychologists

• Social Workers, Counselors, and Other Therapists

• Psychiatrists, Physicians, and Other Healthcare Professionals

• Coaches Working With Adults

No prior specialization in ADHD assessment or sex therapy is required. Foundational knowledge of ADHD and professional experience supporting adults will be helpful.

What's Included With Your Enrollment

Two Complete Courses

Access both Women and the Invisible ADHD Profile and Sex and ADHD: Sensory Experiences, Desire & Relationships through one enrollment.

10 Recorded Lectures and Discussions

Learn from Anne-Marie Suddreth, MA, LPC, through recorded presentations and Q&A discussions originally delivered on July 17, 2026.

Research-Informed Learning

Explore peer-reviewed research, systematic reviews, expert consensus guidance, and emerging areas of investigation. Supplementary materials distinguish established findings from preliminary evidence and theoretical explanations.

Downloadable Tools and Reference Materials

Access practical guides developed to support professional conversations, individualized inquiry, and the exploration of developmental history, sensory experiences, intimacy, communication, and other relevant concerns.

Case-Based Learning

Examine realistic scenarios illustrating how multiple factors may interact and why individual experiences should not be reduced to a single explanation.

Flexible, Self-Paced Access

Complete both courses online and on your own schedule during your six-month access period.

Certificates of Completion

Earn certificates of completion documenting the estimated learning hours associated with each course upon successfully completing the applicable course requirements.

Course Access, Learning Hours & Completion

Course Access: Six months from enrollment.

Format: Fully online, asynchronous, and self-paced. All lectures are prerecorded; no live attendance is required.

Lecture Recording Date: July 17, 2026.

Completion: Participants complete the applicable course content and required knowledge checks to receive their certificates of completion.

Continuing Education Credits: These courses do not currently include accredited CE credits. If a CE option becomes available, it will be offered separately and may require an additional fee.

Refund Policy: All purchases are final and nonrefundable. Please review the course information and applicable MindfulU policies before enrolling.

Important Information

These courses provide advanced professional education and are not substitutes for formal diagnostic training, specialized sex therapy education, medical evaluation, or professional supervision.

Participants are responsible for determining how the educational material applies to their qualifications, professional responsibilities, and applicable laws or regulations.

Completion does not independently authorize participants to diagnose ADHD, provide specialized sexual health treatment, or practice outside their existing professional scope.

Look Beyond What Is Immediately Visible

ADHD does not present identically in every person, and the experiences that matter most are not always the ones that are easiest to observe.

Understanding the relationship between neurodevelopment, internal experiences, sexuality, and relationships requires curiosity, thoughtful inquiry, and an appreciation for individual differences.

Beyond the Visible brings these perspectives together, offering professionals a richer understanding of ADHD and the people they support.