Dr Kieran Kennedy, In Conversation

Please join us for an in-conversation with the wonderful Dr Kieran Kennedy to discuss his new book This Explains Everything: A Psychiatrist’s Guide to Navigating Adult ADHD.

About the Author

Dr Kieran Kennedy is a Consultant Psychiatrist, ADHD specialist, author, TV doctor, speaker and mental health advocate. He is a passionate advocate for neurodiversity, LGBTQI+ mental health, mind-body medicine and reducing stigma around mental illness and healthcare.

About the book

This Explains Everything is a timely and accessible guide for the growing number of Australians seeking answers about adult ADHD.

As ADHD diagnoses continue to rise dramatically across Australia, with the number of Australians prescribed ADHD medication increasing by approximately 300 per cent in the past decade, more adults than ever are discovering that lifelong struggles with focus, organisation, emotional regulation and burnout may finally have an explanation.
But according to Dr Kennedy, misinformation around what ADHD actually looks and feels like for adults living with the condition continues to loom large.

“There’s still a lot of confusion, misunderstanding and even stigma around what adult neurodiversity really means and is, and that truly can make the journey even harder” says Dr Kennedy. “This book is written to guide people through adult ADHD as it shows up in the real world, whether they’re thinking they might have ADHD or have a diagnosis already, with clarity, evidence-based advice and compassion.”

Drawing on years of clinical experience as a Consultant Psychiatrist and ADHD specialist, This Explains Everything breaks down the realities of living with adult ADHD in practical, relatable terms. The book explores everything from how symptoms really impact modern life for adults, and diagnosis pathways and medication conversations, to masking, time blindness, relationships, productivity, exercise, diet and emotional wellbeing.

Written for those thinking they might have adult ADHD, as well as for those already diagnosed and their families, partners and support networks, the book also addresses the rapidly changing landscape of ADHD treatment and policy in Australia, including recent reforms that are streamlining ADHD diagnosis and prescribing processes.

At a moment when ADHD is dominating public conversation, Dr Kennedy has become one of Australia’s most trusted voices on the subject. A regular contributor across major television networks and media platforms, he is known for making complex mental health conversations approachable, informative and deeply human.

Beyond clinical advice, This Explains Everything aims to dismantle the shame and stigma that many adults with ADHD have carried for years, offering up an emotional and deeply relatable guidepost behind that very same feeling of “this explains everything” that so often comes with adult diagnosis.

“People with ADHD often spend decades feeling like they’re somehow ‘different’, or that they’ve struggled with things that seem to come so easily for everyone else,” Dr Kennedy says. “Understanding how the ADHD brain works, and where symptoms really show up, can be genuinely life-changing. My hope is that readers come away feeling empowered, deeply seen and optimistic about their future.”

The release comes ahead of ADHD Awareness Month in October and is expected to resonate strongly with audiences, particularly amid growing national discussion around neurodiversity, mental health and accessible healthcare.