ADHD Crash Course

What is DBT ( (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy)? How is it different from CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and how is it used to support people with ADHD?Today we'll explore the DBT approach and its components, including mindfulness, emotional regulation, interpersonal effectiveness and distress tolerance skills. 

Why do divergent thinkers frequently deal with overwhelm? One possible reason is our tendency to see all of the things... all at once! Our brains like to make connections and that can serve us in some settings but lead to overwhelm in others.When it comes to overwhelm, this pattern of thinking can make prioritizing and decision making tough. It's harder for us to "back off" of the connections our brain has made and see/ do one thing at a time. (This focus on one thing at a time is an important part of keeping overwhelm at bay).In today's episode of ADHD Crash Course, I'll talk about practical ways that we can see less and how to use this approach to beat overwhelm!

Today we're talking about Mental Load, otherwise known as "invisible labor" and why understanding this concept is so important for those of us with ADHD.What is mental load? It's the cognitive labor that goes into taking care of life. It’s the “worry work”; anticipating what is needed, researching options, planning, organizing, remembering, monitoring—- all of the thought work that goes into managing homes, work, family, and social lives. If you are not in a partnership, you carry the weight of this work independently and if you have ADHD, this invisible labor can be even more challenging since in requires strong executive functioning skills. Being in a partnership may not necessarily lighten this load for women, though. Studies suggest that women are often the default person for carrying the mental workload in families and that this can lead to overwhelm and burnout. Today we'll talk about this dynamic and ways we can protect against the negative impact of not sharing this cognitive work.Additional Resources:Fair Play by Eve Rodsky

Today we speak with Dawn Barclay, author of "Traveling Different: Vacation Strategies for Parents of the Anxious, the Inflexible, and the Neurodiverse".  Dawn shares helpful tips for how we can support our children with invisible needs like ADHD, Autism, and anxiety and enjoy creating family memories with less stress!You can connect with Dawn in the following ways:WebsiteTwitterFacebookInstagramLinkedIn

Today we chat with Dr. Tamara Rosier, author of Your Brain's Not Broken. Dr. Rosier discusses the difference between convergent and divergent thinking and why understanding this difference can have a huge impact for those of us with ADHD!Many with ADHD prefer divergent thinking since this allows for creativity, expansion, and connection. While necessary for everyday life, tasks that fall under the convergent thinking category are often found to be boring or frustrating to those with a preference for divergent thought. We need both "thought modes" to thrive in our modern world and Dr. Rosier's interview will offer us some tools to help us do that!Dr. Tamara Rosier's website

Shell Mendelson, ADHD Career Coach, discusses the process of finding a career path with ADHD, the difference between mission and purpose, and the importance of finding joy in work. They also talk about overcoming fear, gaining clarity, and upcoming ADHD programs to help individuals discover their career paths.

When I refer to "time travel" I'm talking about our ability to think about our future selves and determine what we will need at that future point. This can also refer to our habit of thinking about the past and applying what we've learned to our current circumstances.For those with ADHD, traveling through time may not be automatic, and time might be seen as "now" or "not now", but that doesn't mean we can't strengthen this skill.Use today's tips to plan for what's next and set your future self up for success!

How we respond to our circumstances is driven by a cycle that we may not be aware of.  This cycle is often called different things: the cognitive triangle, the self coaching model, CBT model of emotions, and more, but analyzing each of these parts of the cycle can help us understand why we choose certain actions. If we want to make changes in our lives, interrupting this cycle at different places can give us different results. Listen today to learn more about the thoughts-emotion- action- result cycle and some specific tips for those with ADHD.

Sammie Walker Herrera, confidence and public speaking coach, shares top tips for helping those with fast (or frozen) brains become better public speakers. Topics include challenges of speaking in smaller group settings, overcoming attention wandering in meetings, prioritizing key points, and the importance of pacing and slowing down while speaking.

One label I often hear unfairly applied to those with ADHD is "lazy".  The reality is that what is often perceived/ interpreted as "laziness" is the shut down that comes from overwhelm. We see too much at once and that makes it hard to get started. Today we'll talk about the tendency for those of us with ADHD to see too much.  This is a common contributor to overwhelm and can result in the inability to get started on what we want to do. We'll find tools and strategies that help break the overwhelm cycle and brain storm practical tips so we can "see less" in everyday jobs/ activities. Whether it's cleaning a room, dealing with our calendar or managing emails, we can be strategic in order to see less!https://www.theadhdclaritycoach.com/contact