What makes a ‘good listener’ with ADHD?

Join health and science journalist Danielle Elliot as she investigates the rise of women recently diagnosed with ADHD. Listen to Climbing the Walls now.

People with ADHD can often get a bad rap for being “bad listeners.” So, instead of actually listening, we’re often focusing on: Do they know I'm listening? Am I making enough eye contact? Do I look engaged?

Host Cate Osborn chats with Understood.org Vice President of Expertise and licensed therapist Sarah Greenberg about  the listening strengths and weaknesses that can come with ADHD. They also unpack different modes of listening like listening to understand, listening to solve, and listening to connect.

Related resources

• How attention works
• From the ADHD Aha! podcast, “Why don’t you listen?” Paying attention vs. hearing (Peter’s story)

Timestamps

(00:41) Feeling self-conscious about our ability to listen with ADHD

(05:56) Different modes of listening

(07:40) Figuring out our listening strengths and weaknesses

(14:32) Anecdotal communication

(16:48) Asking what a person needs out of a conversation

(21:47) What can we do?

For a transcript and more resources, visit the Sorry, I Missed This page on Understood.org

We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at sorryimissedthis@understood.org.

Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give