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Empowering Exceptional Minds · June 16 · 40 min

Beyond Willpower: ADHD, Food Cravings, and the Hidden Search for Dopamine with Kamy Mousavi

What if overeating wasn't about laziness or a lack of self-control? In this episode of Empowering Exceptional Minds, host, Maayan Glaser-Koren, sits down with Kamy Mousavi, founder of Step Together. Kamy shares his powerful journey from immigrating to Canada to struggling with bullying, body shame, and bulimia—only to discover his relationship with food was rooted in undiagnosed ADHD and unmet emotional needs. Together, we unpack why the ADHD brain turns to food for comfort, stimulation, and regulation, moving past blame to look at the deeper signals behind the behavior. We discuss: The Dopamine Hunt: How impulsivity and emotional dysregulation drive ADHD eating habits. The Shame Cycle: Why strict diets, restriction, and food labeling always backfire. More Than Picky Eating: Recognizing when food patterns are driven by genuine emotional distress, loneliness, or anxiety. Parenting Shifts: Moving away from unintentional traps and toward root-cause healing. Signals vs. Flaws: Why excess weight or screen overuse are communications, not character flaws. If you’ve ever wondered if your child's eating habits are about more than just food, this compassionate conversation will completely shift your perspective. About Our Guest:Kamy Mousavi is the founder of Step Together, an organization dedicated to helping families understand the emotional and neurological factors behind childhood overeating and weight struggles. Learn more: https://steptogether.us/ ⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussions of eating disorders, bullying, body shame, and suicidal thoughts. Please listen with car

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What if overeating wasn't about laziness or a lack of self-control?

In this episode of Empowering Exceptional Minds, host, Maayan Glaser-Koren, sits down with Kamy Mousavi, founder of Step Together. Kamy shares his powerful journey from immigrating to Canada to struggling with bullying, body shame, and bulimia—only to discover his relationship with food was rooted in undiagnosed ADHD and unmet emotional needs.

Together, we unpack why the ADHD brain turns to food for comfort, stimulation, and regulation, moving past blame to look at the deeper signals behind the behavior.

We discuss:

  • The Dopamine Hunt: How impulsivity and emotional dysregulation drive ADHD eating habits.

  • The Shame Cycle: Why strict diets, restriction, and food labeling always backfire.

  • More Than Picky Eating: Recognizing when food patterns are driven by genuine emotional distress, loneliness, or anxiety.

  • Parenting Shifts: Moving away from unintentional traps and toward root-cause healing.

  • Signals vs. Flaws: Why excess weight or screen overuse are communications, not character flaws.

If you’ve ever wondered if your child's eating habits are about more than just food, this compassionate conversation will completely shift your perspective.

About Our Guest:Kamy Mousavi is the founder of Step Together, an organization dedicated to helping families understand the emotional and neurological factors behind childhood overeating and weight struggles. Learn more: https://steptogether.us/

⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussions of eating disorders, bullying, body shame, and suicidal thoughts. Please listen with car

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