i spent 38 years trying to be who i thought i was supposed to be.

Then I got my ADHD diagnosis at 35, and Autism at 38, and everything I thought I knew about myself fell apart.

This is what I built from the pieces.

On paper, I had my shit together. I was a project manager in commercial construction. Always delivering, always on top of it, always the one who'd spot the problem before anyone else did.

And always, ALWAYS exhausted.

Turns out spotting the problem doesn't always make you popular. I was the canary in the coal mine, letting off the alarm chirps while everyone else either couldn't see the danger or didn't want to deal with it.

So of course I became "the problem". Too intimidating. Not enough of a team player. You know the drill.

A woman with blonde hair and sunglasses on her head, smiling, sitting at a table outside near a building with large windows and brick wall. She is wearing a white T-shirt with a flower design and has a slice of cake on a plate in front of her.

my story

I've had 35 jobs (that I can remember!). Thirty. Five. I'd start strong, go full beast mode, then crash and burn and start all over again somewhere new.

Every single time I wondered what was wrong with me. It's me, hi, I'm the problem, it's me. On repeat.

And then came the crash I couldn't just push through. The one that forced the big question: why does everything feel SO much harder for me than it does for everyone else?

At 38 I got my answer. AuDHD.

First came the relief. Then came the identity crisis. Because if I'd been masking my whole life... who the hell was I underneath all of that?

So I went looking. And let's be honest, a lot of it was desperation (lol).

Personal development. Coach training. A third of a Diploma in digital marketing. Therapy. Somatic work. Learning how to build websites and make better content. I worked out I've invested close to $50k of my own money since 2022, which makes me feel physically ill seeing it written down 🥴

Every pivot taught me something. But I kept hitting the same block. And that block, for the most part, was me.

None of it clicked until I started working WITH my AuDHD brain instead of against it. Now I see every one of those "failures" as lessons. I learnt to work with my energy and my capacity. I learnt why I kept getting in my own damn way. And I started showing up, for me AND for the people who started following along.

Today I run Dopamine and Co from Napier, New Zealand. 110,000+ people follow along across socials, which honestly blows my mind. And I get to help people like past me figure out who they are and build a life that fits.

That's why I built this. For you. So you don't have to fumble through it the long, expensive way like I did.

what i believe

  • You're not lazy. You're running on empty.

  • Slug mode (the crash) isn't failure. It's data.

  • You don't need fixing. You need a life that fits.

  • ADHD brains are sprinters, not marathon runners. Stop training for the wrong race.

  • The diagnosis is the catalyst, not the destination.

Ready to find out who you are now?

You don't have to do it alone, and you definitely don't have to spend $50k working it out (like I did…)

join the dopamine club
watch on youtube

podcasts & interviews

Keen to learn more about me? I’ve had a few yarns over the years about my journey. You can find them below.

Want to have me as a guest on your podcast? Email me at hello@dopamineandco.com

the human bit

I like to yap. A lot. So whichever platform is you favourite - Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn or YouTube - go ahead and give me a follow.

It’s where you can pick up more of my vibe and see what I am all about.

  • two dogs and a cat who are absolutely the main characters in my life

  • going grey on purpose (and loving it)

  • finding my actual style after a lifetime of masking

  • attempting to be more plant-based

  • documenting the whole messy thing on YouTube

  • my 5 year dream? to have a tiny home and a flower farm 💐

 
Rejection sensitive dysphoria fucking sucks and it’s SO HARD to explain to someone who doesn’t experience it. I still get impacted by it - but now I’ve learnt to recognise it for what it is. It usually gets louder when I’m t

quick facts about me

  • Name: Kayla Oughton

  • What I do: AuDHD coach and content creator for late-diagnosed adults

  • Business: Dopamine and Co Limited, a New Zealand company

  • Based in: Napier, New Zealand. Working with people worldwide, mostly in the US, UK, Australia and NZ

  • Diagnosed: AuDHD, at 38

  • Background: project management in commercial construction, plus 35 jobs (yes, really)

  • Relevant Qualifications: ADHD Informed Certification (Gold Mind Academy); Certified Health Coach (Te Pou, NZ).

  • Known for: Beast Mode and Slug Mode, and "the diagnosis is the catalyst, not the destination"

  • Community: 110,000+ people across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn

  • Ways to work with me: The Dopamine Club, the AuDHD Transformation Blueprint, Do The Damn Thing, and 1:1 coaching

want to get in touch?

Fill out the form now, and let’s crush your goals together.