How Expressive Arts Help Neurodivergent Minds Heal ADHD Shame & Reclaim Voice
- Brainz Magazine
- Jul 30
- 4 min read
Written by Shayne Swift, ADHD Coach
Shayne Swift is the founder of Swift Lyfe Coaching and Consulting, specializing in ADHD coaching and personal development. Diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood, Shayne combines lived experience with professional expertise to empower individuals, particularly within communities of color, to navigate their unique challenges and achieve their goals.
When I launched Beyond the Mask: Expressive Arts for Neurodivergent Minds, I hoped for connection, maybe a few creative breakthroughs. What unfolded was far deeper: a six-week journey of vulnerability, empowerment, and creative healing through expressive arts.
Seven neurodivergent adults, each living with ADHD, gathered not just to learn, but to unmask; to let truth speak through color, movement, voice, and stillness. Each session became a mirror, a soft place to land, and a brave space to rise.
What is ADHD masking and why does it hurt so much?
We opened with the theme “The Mask We Wear,” diving into the learned behaviors many ADHDers adopt to survive in a neurotypical world. From splitting canvases into "what others see" and "what we hide" to visualizing our earliest memories of shame, we uncovered how masking shows up and why it exhausts us.
Masking often starts in childhood, when neurodivergent traits like impulsivity, daydreaming, or intense emotion are corrected, criticized, or punished. So, we smile when we’re shutting down. We become "fixers" instead of feeling. And over time, we lose our authentic voice.
Expressive arts gave us a new language, one that didn’t require perfection or performance.
Expressive arts as emotional regulation for ADHD
Each week, we explored different modalities: sound, story, visual journaling, movement, and metaphor. These weren’t just creative exercises; they were tools for ADHD self-regulation.
Sound helped us release shame
We hummed, sighed, whispered, and roared. Sound bypassed the inner critic and soothed our nervous systems. One participant said, “This helped me find a quiet place inside, even when life was crashing down around me.”
Visual mapping helped us process emotions
We drew emotional landscapes, charted internal weather, and mapped the routes and roots of our personal narratives. By turning our ADHD thoughts and feelings into art, we began to see patterns and possibilities where chaos once lived.
Movement helped us reconnect with the body
Through simple gestures and embodied rituals, we practiced letting go, carrying forward, and inviting in. These physical expressions became anchors in a world that often overwhelms ADHDers with disconnection.
Why community is critical for neurodivergent healing
There is a particular kind of loneliness that lives in the ADHD experience, especially for those of us diagnosed later in life. We’ve been misunderstood, mislabeled, and taught to push through rather than pause.
This group space shattered that loneliness.
Each week, we showed up as we were, sometimes foggy, sometimes joyful, always real. We created an ADHD-affirming community where masking wasn’t necessary, where executive dysfunction was met with understanding, not judgment, and where vulnerability was not only welcomed but honored.
We didn’t just regulate; we reclaimed. We reclaimed creativity, agency, and voice.
What we learned and what we’re taking with us
Sound disrupts shame
Expressive sound practices gave us access to deep emotional release.
Creative expression helps with ADHD self-regulation
Art became a portal to reflection and emotional integration.
You don’t have to do this alone
Supportive ADHD community spaces make healing possible.
Your voice is sacred. Your quirks are magnetic
You don’t need to fit in; you need to be seen.
On our final day, we each wrote our own version of this prompt:
"I am the muse when I…"
"My voice is sacred because…"
And as I shared with the group, this is what emerged for me:
I am a muse.
I protect my boundaries so I can create.
I honor progress over perfection.
I let go of what others expect and lean into my quirks.
They are magnets for the tribe that appreciates me.
My voice is sacred because it’s authentic, and it’s enough.
Want to join the next journey?
If you’ve been craving a safe space to express, reflect, and reconnect with your creative self, I’d love to welcome you. A new Beyond the Mask cohort launches this fall.
Visit here to learn more, join the waitlist, or reach out directly.
You don’t have to mask.
You don’t have to hustle.
You just have to show up.
Your story is your superpower.
Read more from Shayne Swift
Shayne Swift, ADHD Coach
Shayne Swift is the founder of Swift Lyfe Coaching and Consulting, where she specializes in ADHD coaching and personal development. Diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, she blends lived experience with professional expertise to help individuals navigate their challenges, particularly in communities of color. With a background in education and life coaching, Shayne has a strong commitment to dismantling the stigma surrounding ADHD and empowering others to thrive. Through Swift Lyfe, she provides clients with the support and tools to achieve balance, success, and fulfillment in their lives.
