Sorry, I Missed This: The Everything Guide to ADHD and Relationships with Cate Osborn What makes a ‘good listener’ with ADHD?
Mar 25, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Sarah Greenberg, Vice President of Expertise at Understood.org and licensed therapist, shares her insights on the listening challenges faced by individuals with ADHD. The conversation highlights how ADHD can affect self-consciousness during interactions and explores different modes of listening, such as listening to understand or connect. Greenberg emphasizes the importance of recognizing personal listening strengths and offers strategies to enhance communication and intimacy in relationships, celebrating the unique perspectives brought by ADHD.
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Jagged Listening Profile in ADHD
- People with ADHD have a jagged listening profile with both strengths and weaknesses.
- They excel at conversational excitement and hyper-focusing but may struggle with consistently hearing everything.
Modes of Listening Matter
- Differentiate between listening to understand, solve, connect, or perform.
- Adjust your mode of listening to fit the conversation purpose for effective communication.
ADHD Listening Includes Excitement Tension
- ADHD people often self-sabotage listening by resisting excitement to avoid discomfort in others.
- Hyperfocus and enthusiasm can be strengths if embraced in the right contexts like engaging conversations.