ADHD reWired

In this episode, Rick Webster returns to the show! Rick has expertise in real-estate, entrepreneurship, and ADHD!  He has managed many domains in the financial and real-estate world, and in the last couple of years, he’s put his focus in helping people with ADHD make better peace and better “cents” of their finances.  As CEO of Rena-Fi, Rick brings perspective, vision, and passion to an area of life he considers foundational: Personal Money Management.  His motto has always been, “It’s not just business; it’s personal.” Eric and Rick share stories about paying the ADHD tax and its larger umbrella, the effects of chronic long-term stress, ways to change self-talk and self-identity to get things done, challenges we may encounter when developing financial habits, the shame we can feel when working on our finances, and forgiving ourselves.  Then, Eric and Rick talk about behavioral finance, why money management isn’t just about willpower, the impact of looking upstream, creating reminders and cues, and saying “no” to improve performance.  Finally, you’ll hear Eric and Rick talk about maintenance costs, other costs of homeownership, planning for upcoming maintenance, and the three primary reasons why the ADHD tax continues to happen. Learn More about Rick Webster at   Other ADHD-tax stories shared on this episode: “I have paid the ADHD tax so many times. I’d love some recommendations on extremely simple/easy budgeting tools.  A lot of budgeting books have too many steps.”  “I always do my taxes at the last possible minute and don’t know if I do them right, and I always owe a lot.”  “Didn’t pay a speeding ticket, license was suspended.  Pulled over again - arrested driving with a suspended license.  Then, I paid much more than the original speeding ticket for a lawyer, speeding tickets, and additional charges for reinstating my license.  “I pay the ADHD tax every day.  Paying late-fees, re-buying things I can’t find, spending impulsively, paying for things I’m not using because I didn’t cancel them or forgot to return them in time, expedited shipping because I didn’t order something on-time, ordering take-out because I wasn’t organized enough to have dinner ready, etc.  How can I be triggered to think things through at an early enough time that I can follow through in a way that lets me avoid the ADHD tax?”  “I’ve paid the ADHD tax on rush-orders. I’ve paid more on expensive repairs to my vehicles/yard equipment/house appliances, instead of the regular preventative maintenance that would’ve prevented the damage in the first place.  I have paid out-of-pocket costs for my meds because my insurance lapsed or I never sent in the reimbursement forms for what would be covered if I do the extra steps.  How do I know what the preventative maintenance tasks are on my big or expensive things (often appliances)? I feel like I “should” do many of them myself.  Would I be paying an ADHD tax by paying people to come do some of these easier tasks for my appliances because they at least know and will at least call me when they are due?” Hear Rick Webster on !  Check out the Other Podcasts on the ADHD reWired Podcast Network: with Brendan Mahan with Will Curb with MJ Siemens

In this episode, Eric is joined by Stephanie Antoine, a self-care and ADHD coach based in California and hails from London with roots in the Caribbean.  She spent many years studying meditation and yoga to reduce stress, chronic pain, and to keep things together before finally being diagnosed with ADHD at age 40.  In addition to her professional work as a violinist, Stephanie is a qualified teacher of (Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction) from , practiced and trained to teach yoga at the Iyengar Institute of San Francisco and is an ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) Personal Trainer with an ICF (International Coaching Federation) Coaching Certificate.  You’ll hear Stephanie’s experience with burnout, being a mom, overwhelm, and overdoing without enough support.  Stephanie also talks about the ways her ADHD showed up in her life and the moments that led her to the path to discovering her ADHD and incorporating meditation in her life.  Then, Eric and Stephanie talk about the difficulties and engaging in practicing, and her experience of being a person of color in a very white space.  Next, you’ll hear about Stephanie’s experience in straining to relax, why relaxing is necessary, why she was sent to a relaxation class, and the power of pausing. Then, Stephanie and Eric discuss the pressures we face that make it difficult for us to relax, ways to build the muscle of observation, ways that Stephanie overcomes resistance to starting a difficult task, and the importance of curiosity when facing unpleasant or difficult moments and moments of boredom.  Finally, you’ll hear about the difference between seeing and looking, meditation, why taking care of oneself is important and why self-care is not selfish.  Visit Stephanie’s Website at “We practice ‘practice’, we don’t practice results.” - Phillip Moffitt  Other Questions & Topics in this Episode:  How did Stephanie experience burnout?  What was it like for Stephanie being the only black person in primarily white spaces?  Why is it so hard to relax?  Check out the Other Podcasts on the ADHD reWired Podcast Network: with Brendan Mahan with Will Curb with MJ Siemens

In this episode, Mary Kima Dolson, a clinical social worker, joins the podcast!  As a clinical social worker, Mary has been providing psychotherapy in incarcerated populations since 2019. She is the founder of the pandemic support group Stuff We Can’t Say Out Loud and the executive director for Fund That Bitch, a non-profit group dedicated to helping women with emergency funding.  Mary also  You’ll hear Eric and Mary talk about trauma in incarcerated populations, if the word “trauma” is overused, trigger warnings, and the misunderstandings about trauma and its multifaceted layers.  Then, Mary and Eric talk about different types of trauma, unique trauma responses, the ways that people in the ADHD community can experience trauma, and how trauma responses can show up as ADHD traits.  Eric and Mary also talk about other trauma features, if there is a connection between trauma and workaholism, the importance of investing in and validating someone’s experience, and the healing and adjusting process of the incarcerated population.  Finally, you’ll hear about Mary’s experiences with trauma, how she got into her work, and a story about Henry the tortoise.  Get More from Mary:     Other Questions & Topics in this Episode:  What is trauma?  What is the difference between trauma and acute stress disorder?  PTSD and CPTSD - what’s the difference?  What is the “trifuckta” of trauma?  What do we do about complex trauma?  What are some of the less obvious markers, behaviorally and emotionally, of trauma?  Check out the Other Podcasts on the ADHD reWired Podcast Network: with Brendan Mahan with Will Curb with MJ Siemens

Join the ADHD reWired Team every second Tuesday of the month for our monthly Live Q&A!   In this episode, you’ll hear from the ADHD reWired podcast team and ADHD reWired coaches talk about coaching, how to set yourself up for success when engaging with a coaching program, and what can help people grow.   Then, you’ll hear the panelists talk about why making friends feels difficult as adults, ways to make connections in different areas, the false narratives we tell ourselves about planning, the importance of scheduling fun things in your calendar, and that it’s ok to not get everything done.   You’ll also hear the panel share tips on building motivation, the barriers to getting started, and how activating a task can help with motivation. The panelists also discuss the benefit of reframing, defining our principles when creating rules for ourselves, and why understanding our values can help us make better decisions.  Finally, you’ll hear some tips on creating a more conducive remote work environment, the importance of communicating with your household when working from home, why a lack of structure can cause us to struggle, and that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to coaching.  Some of the Questions & Topics in this Episode: What makes one coaching program different from another?  What does it take for coaching to succeed, and how does one have to approach it to ensure or increase chances of success?  What scenario would make coaching not successful?  How does coaching interact with traditional therapy?  Are there grants available to cover potential business expenses when building a business channel?  There doesn’t seem to be any grants listed specifically for ADHD.  Do you have any tips or advice on finding more adult acquaintances after graduating university?  I know scheduling helps, but when I make a daily plan, I feel the structure is too restrictive, and I rarely stick to it.  Any tips?  What can I do to have motivation?  How do I give myself consequences for not following through on the things that I want to do?  How do I create a conducive remote work environment? I live in a small home and need space from my family.  I have recently retired from a CEO position and am now having trouble navigating the day-to-day.  I assume that’s not uncommon?  I was recently diagnosed and I have been struggling with deadlines and multitasking my whole life.  Can you talk about how coaching works and what benefits people get from it?  I’m figuring out how my brain works.  Resources & Honorable Mentions: Website: Check out the Other Podcasts on the ADHD reWired Podcast Network: with Brendan Mahan with Will Curb with MJ Siemens

In this episode, Eric is joined by Kimberly McColl, a recovering academic living in Nashville, which is where she was diagnosed with ADHD in February 2021.  Kimberly was also diagnosed with bipolar II in 2008.  Her recent diagnosis has caused her to rethink the narrative she has told herself her entire life.  Currently, she is learning more about ADHD and trying to give herself more grace and forgiveness.  You’ll hear Eric and Kimberly talk about her journey as a recovering academic, some of the key differences between bipolar I and II, the ways she experiences her ups and downs, and shares her insights about hyperfocus. Then, Kimberly shares the ways she distinguishes her experiences with dopamine-seeking with ADHD and bipolar, racing thoughts and mania, what shows up externally for her, and the positive impact community has had in her life.   Finally, she shares what a person could do if they are considering support or getting diagnosed with bipolar, how stories and narratives may be connected to memory, and the importance of being kind to yourself.  Other Questions & Topics in this Episode:  How did Kimberly get through school without being diagnosed?  What was the experience of getting diagnosed with bipolar II?  What are some of the most frustrating myths about bipolar disorder for Kimberly?  What is an experience that people without bipolar disorder may not understand?  How could a person capture the lost experiences of a period of time?  What is the first step to take if I am considering seeking support about bipolar?  Resources & Honorable Mentions: App:  -  Self-Care Bullet Journal with Goals - Mood Diary & Happiness Tracker Mentioned: Check out the Other Podcasts on the ADHD reWired Podcast Network: with Brendan Mahan with Will Curb with MJ Siemens The Executive Function Online Summit is happening on August 5-7!  Join 75,000+ families and teachers worldwide with one of the best ways to prep for Back 2 School!  Access is free from August 5-7 - Or go to to get registered!

In this episode, Eric is joined by Adam Coutts.  Adam has taught meditation for 20 years through his weekly sitting groups, 25-hour classes, corporate webinars, and one-on-one coaching.  He has been meditating daily for 30 years and has lived in monasteries in America and Asia.  Adam has also been exploring his own ADHD for the past 10 years and has been leading a mindfulness meditation for ADHD course for the last 4 years. You’ll hear Adam and Eric talk about the importance of sleep, exercise, and meditation.  You’ll also hear Adam’s practical meditation techniques to begin a meditation practice, the importance of gentleness and forgiveness when beginning a meditation practice, and how meditation has helped calm his wandering mind. Then, Adam shares his favorite mantras and how using a mantra can be its own form of meditation. Connect with Adam at   Also Answered in this episode: What was the spark that had Adam start his meditation journey?  Can a person with ADHD really meditate?  What are some practical techniques to begin a meditation practice?  How can I begin using a mantra or affirmation to meditate?  Check out the Other Podcasts on the ADHD reWired Podcast Network: with Brendan Mahan with Will Curb with MJ Siemens

In this episode, Eric is joined by David DeWitt, a registered investment advisor and podcaster who helps adults with ADHD take back control of their money! He’s been a registered investment advisor for six years, but it wasn’t until his ADHD “awakening” early in 2021 that he realized he wanted to work with others with ADHD.  David knows from experience that effective personal finance when you have ADHD is hard, even when you are a trained professional!  After discovering his ADHD, he set out to build a financial planning model that works for ADHD brains - first testing it on himself, and now, he is on a mission to help as many ADHDers as he can!    Eric and David address the shame we can feel around our finances, why people reach out to David about their finances, and where to begin when planning for the future.  Then, Eric and David discuss using our values to help guide our financial planning, how to get past the mental clutter when facing our finances, and ways to stay consistent with financial management.   You’ll also hear some strategies for tackling debt against spending, why “budget” is a “dirty’ word, the importance of filing your taxes on time,  and a glimpse into investing.  Get in Touch with David: Website: Instagram: David DeWitt’s Also Answered in this episode: How does David view financial planning in a way that is ADHD friendly?  What is the importance of finding our values behind our finances?  How does David help people get out of debt?  What does it mean to put your money where your values are?  How do you start saving when you’re in debt?  Where do you begin when you want to address your money situation?  What is the difference between a traditional IRA and a Roth IRA? How do you start investing?  How do we stay on top of our financial matters?  Check out the Other Podcasts on the ADHD reWired Podcast Network: with Brendan Mahan with Will Curb with MJ Siemens

Join the ADHD reWired Team every second Tuesday of the month for our monthly Live Q&A!   In this episode, you’ll hear how the members on the ADHD reWired team manage and engage with social media.  You’ll also hear about some tools and systems to create a library of responses, and help a listener hone in on what they are passionate about.  Then, the ADHD reWired team shares tips on pausing before reacting, what the empathy gap is, what happens between pausing and stimulus, and the value of mindfulness meditation.  Some of the Questions & Topics in this Episode: How do you manage social media and stay engaged?  I’m trying to develop a library of scripts for responding to common things because I struggle with articulating myself, leading to procrastination.  What tools can I use to create scripts? What advice would you give somebody who’s trying to figure out what to do with their life?  “Between stimulus and response, there is a space.”  Is that really true for persons with ADHD? The emotional reaction happens so fast and full, and then it seems there is no recovery. How do we create a space that might not be there?  How do you get over the Wall of Awful about the Wall of Awful?  I have spent so much time on productivity apps.  I heard one of you uses Notion, do you have any suggestions on how you use it?  Resources & Honorable Mentions: Tool: Tool: Article:  Article: Article: Article: Book:  by Rosalie Maggio  Ebook: Video: - HowToADHD and Brendan Mahan (Wall of Awful) Video: - HowToADHD and Brendan Mahan (Wall of Awful) Check out the Other Podcasts on the ADHD reWired Podcast Network: with Brendan Mahan with Will Curb with MJ Siemens

In today’s episode, Eric is joined by Jonathan Hassall and Madeline O’Reilly. Jonathan is an ADHD and executive function coach and director of Connect ADHD Coaching, providing services internationally from Brisbane, Australia.  His background includes psychiatric services and is a scientific advisor for ADHD in the pharmaceutical industry.   Jonathan trained as an ADHD coach in the U.S. and offers individual and group programs for people with ADHD.  He’s a regular speaker at national ADHD meetings, in Australia, and in the U.S.  He is a board member of and a published author.  You’ll hear about his new book called , co-written with the 2nd guest on today’s episode, Madeline O’Reilly.  Madeline works with children and adults with ADHD and anxiety.  She spent the last decade working in a multi-disciplinary practice in Sydney, Australia called , where her interest in ADHD was sparked.  Madeline also enjoys working in collaboration with other medical professionals, especially psychiatrists.  Prior to this, she spent three years working in East London for a cognitive behavioral therapy service that specializes in treating trauma in adults.   Before moving to the UK, Madeline worked for Vision Australia which allowed her to develop skills with children, adolescents, and adults in assessment and treatment of behavioral problems and mental health difficulties in the vision-impaired population.   You’ll hear about how Jonathan and Madeline worked together to write their book, Decoding Doing, what Decoding Doing is all about and what they wanted to share with others, and their experiences with accepting success.  You’ll also hear about the process of achieving, imagining and visualizing, and organizing the things we think through.  They also address procrastination and motivation, recognizing emotions, attention, and our emotional responses to different situations.  They also talk about the importance of cues versus waiting for feeling like we “want” to do a task, and using the reality of our futures-selves for motivation, finding a compelling “why” to create motivation. Connect with Jonathan and Madeline: Buy their book at   Website:   Website:    Also Answered in this episode: What is their 5-stage model to decode doing?  Why “imagine” vs. “plan”?  How do we better organize the things we imagine?  What does it mean to connect? What is the importance of our emotional state?  How do we visualize and imagine? What if we find it difficult to visualize?  How do we engage when we aren’t feeling motivated?  How do we generate motivation? How do we overcome the difficulty of overcoming our accomplishments?  Resources & Honorable Mentions: Website: Book: (also at )  TED Talk:   Check out the Other Podcasts on the ADHD reWired Podcast Network: with Brendan Mahan with Will Curb with MJ Siemens

In today’s episode, Eric is joined by Laura Roehrick.  Currently at age 69, Laura was diagnosed with ADHD at 40, has been a registered nurse for 48 years, and has found her brain wiring to be both a blessing and a curse.   Laura is also a pioneer of preventative diabetic foot care nursing, having created a method of nail sculpture that can be both limb-saving and life-saving. She has been married for 37 years, has two daughters, is a grandma of 5, and is also a crafter, designer, artist, former actress, herbal medicine maker, avid knitter, loves sewing, has traveled the world, and has colorful stories of being raised on a houseboat!  You’ll also hear about Laura’s lessons in business, the consequences of lacking clear and effective communication, what she has experienced as being a nurse herself, and the importance of diabetic foot care.  Then, you’ll also hear how she landed a role in a movie from 1980 that is banned in the UK, what Laura would change if she could go back in time, and  ways she is optimizing her health.    Get in touch with Laura:    Laura’s Also Answered in this episode: What was Laura’s impetus for getting laser-focused on something like diabetic foot care?  How did she pioneer in her field?  How did Laura’s upbringing influence her out-of-the-box thinking? If Laura could go back in time from when she began her work with diabetic foot care, what advice would she give herself so she wouldn’t get so derailed?  How much has acceptance been a part of her journey? What are Laura’s plans at age 69 and beyond?  Resources & Honorable Mentions: Book: Book:   Mentioned:    Check out the Other Podcasts on the ADHD reWired Podcast Network: with Brendan Mahan with Will Curb with MJ Siemens