For this episode of Finding My User Manual, I sat down with Joanna Woodward, currently playing Ulla in The Producers in the West End, as well as being a mum of two, a writer, a cabaret singer, a PT, nutritionist, and life coach. Her photo can also be seen on the walls of every major London Underground station right now in promotion of her leading role in the West End Show, The Producers.

But what struck me most about our conversation wasn’t the impressive CV, it was how openly Joanna spoke about her recent ADHD and autism diagnoses, the process of unmasking, and what it really takes to find yourself underneath all the layers you’ve built up over the years.

Here’s what she shared.

Strap In, It’s Going To Be A Bumpy Ride

When asked what would be on page one of her user manual, Joanna’s answer was honest: “strap in, because it’s going to be a bumpy ride”, and “a very, very long book of… many tangents and many lessons, which I’m still learning.”

She feels like she’s finally on the right path to knowing what her user manual is, but it’s still bumpy and busy.

The Diagnoses

Right now, Joanna Woodward is performing eight shows a week in the West End with two young kids, studying to be a PT, and coaching people in person, and alongside all of that, she got diagnosed with ADHD and autism just two to three months ago.

The autism wasn’t a complete surprise to her. She’d self-diagnosed about four years ago after her daughter went through her own diagnosis, but ADHD was more of a shock, even though now it seems glaringly obvious. She’d been to therapists before and even tried to find out if she had Borderline Personality Disorder. She could tell something was going on, but it turns out it wasn’t that.

The List That Changed Everything

The lightbulb moment came when Joanna found a detailed list of how autism can show up in women. She was standing in her spare bedroom and burst into tears. It wasn’t just the struggles on the list, it was the nuances that make her brilliant and interesting too.

All these different things she’d thought were five or six separate issues suddenly fell under one umbrella, and she thought: “Why has no one thought to think about this for me before?”

The Wall Came Down

After the birth of her first baby, Joanna realised about four months in that she was horrendously postnatally depressed. It took that long because having a newborn is relentless; you just keep going and think it’s normal, but it wasn’t.

Having a baby was hard for her because she was this glamorous theatre cabaret performer with a huge persona she thought was her, but “It wasn’t her”. Having a baby just smacked the wall down on all of that.

What Can I Take Away?

Instead of asking what new outfit or personality she could wear, Joanna Woodward started asking: “What can I take away? Who am I underneath all of this?”

She now looks back and realises that was unmasking, she just didn’t have the language for it then. The layers were peeling back, and she was scared because she didn’t know what would be left underneath. She did, however, have this guiding feeling that whatever was left was who she was meant to be.

Actually Quite Calm

The most interesting thing Joanna Woodward has learned about herself? She’s actually quite calm, and she likes quiet. She was told her whole life she was loud and confident, but that loudness came from her passion for theatre. In other aspects, in friendship, she wasn’t that person at all.

Her core values are based in a quiet, safe home environment with people she loves. That realisation is slowly bringing creativity back to her too.

Body Acceptance, Not Body Positivity

For Joanna, the big reframe was switching from body positivity to body acceptance. Meeting herself where she is rather than trying to feel good about herself all the time.

She’ll always look at her legs and not love the backs of them, but “where that used to be pure hatred and embarrassment, it’s not suddenly love and rainbows now; it’s just indifference.” That’s who she is, and that feels incredible, because she’s not trying to reach for a standard that was never going to happen.

Your Values Should Be Your Signposts

When asked how she balances big dreams with being kind to herself, Joanna Woodward said she “doesn’t find that hard anymore”. Her values are in check; everything she does now comes from them. They’re her signposts for where everything else leads.

She won’t do anything that’s not in line with who she is, and she’s willing to play the long game and see what happens.

Follow Your Bliss, Even If It’s Freaking Weird

Joanna’s advice to her younger self? “Stop plastering things on top and start taking them away.” For a long time she was trying to fix things with performing, alcohol, and being this big personality. She wishes someone had told her it’s okay to be who you are, and “It’s okay to be sad. You’ll figure it out.”

“Follow your bliss. Follow the things that make you feel good, even if they’re freaking weird.”

Listen to the full episode:

Connect with Joanna Woodward:

Personal Instagram: @joannawoodward

Coaching Instagram: @joannawcoaching

Substack: @joannawoodward

The Producers Tickets: Book Here