Managing emotions is key to managing ADHD | Guest Tamara Rosier, PhD
Nov 9, 2022
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In this engaging discussion, Dr. Tamara Rosier, founder of the ADHD Center of West Michigan and president of the ADHD Coaches Organization, shares invaluable insights on managing emotions with ADHD. She introduces the Emotional Health Ladder, a powerful tool for navigating intense feelings. Dr. Rosier explains how emotional regulation can significantly improve both personal relationships and workplace dynamics. Discover effective self-care strategies and the importance of emotional awareness for achieving calm and clarity in daily life.
Effective emotional regulation is essential for individuals with ADHD to navigate daily stressors and foster healthier interactions.
The Emotional Health Ladder tool helps individuals assess their emotional state, promoting better alignment between tasks and emotional capacities.
Deep dives
Understanding Autopilot in Daily Life
Many people operate on autopilot, where they engage in daily tasks without conscious thought or emotional awareness. This state allows individuals to feel productive as they complete urgent tasks, but it often results in a lack of strategic thinking or emotional engagement. Autopilot can serve as a coping mechanism when overwhelmed, where one simply moves from one task to another without reflection. However, it is crucial to recognize this state and assess whether it aligns with one's desired emotional state and personal growth.
The Importance of Emotional Regulation
Emotional regulation is fundamental for maintaining emotional health, particularly for individuals with ADHD. Without actively managing emotions, navigating relationships and daily stressors becomes significantly more challenging. Many individuals may find themselves stuck in a cycle of negative emotional responses, such as feeling overwhelmed or becoming defensive, if they do not practice emotional regulation. Developing this skill is essential for fostering healthier interactions and improving overall mental well-being.
Navigating the Emotional Health Ladder
The emotional health ladder consists of five levels, with each level representing varying degrees of emotional awareness and management. The higher levels, such as survival and delusional, indicate a heightened emotional state where perception may be skewed by anxiety and defensiveness. In contrast, the lower levels of the ladder, such as being present and calm, allow for greater emotional clarity and the ability to engage with others constructively. Recognizing one's position on this ladder can help individuals implement strategies to elevate their emotional state and improve their quality of life.
Integrating Emotional Awareness into Productivity
Effective productivity is tied to emotional awareness, which necessitates a mindful assessment of one's emotional state before embarking on tasks. By analyzing where they stand on the emotional health ladder, individuals can better align tasks with their emotional capacities, making it easier to manage stress and responsibilities. Building in space for reflection within a busy schedule can significantly enhance focus and effectiveness. This proactive approach encourages a balance between task completion and emotional wellness, fostering a healthier and more productive lifestyle.
Those with ADHD brain wiring feel emotions intensely, it actually may feel like we are constantly living in a state of emotional flood. In this state, all we can do is be on guard, be defensive and look for ways to survive and push through. No wonder we are not able to get shi%t done!
In this episode, I am delighted to have Tamara Rosier Ph.D., back with us where she shares an effective tool for managing our big emotions so that we can go from fight or flight to present and calm!
The Emotional Health Ladder created by Tamara Rosier and Cameron Gott, can be used as a daily checkpoint for quick check-in before you start a task, navigate a difficult conversation and so much more. I consider this tool foundational to managing ADHD.
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About Tamara Rosier, Ph.D - is founder of the ADHD Center of West Michigan, where she and her staff work with individuals with ADHD (and their families) to learn strategies and develop new skills to live effectively with ADHD. Dr. Rosier is also the president of the ADHD Coaches Organization. She is a popular conference and keynote speaker a frequent guest on podcasts and has published numerous articles about living with ADHD. She lives in West Michigan. https://www.tamararosier.com