"You develop a codependent relationship with work or with the world as a person of color because you end up playing to how people see you." Welcome to this episode of with your host Eric Tivers and his guest, Romanza McAllister, LCSW. Romanza is a psychotherapist, and in 2008 she graduated from Hunter College School of Social Work, where she majored in case management and group work. Over the last ten years, Romanza has provided focused solution group and family counseling with inpatient and outpatient settings. Romanza shares her experience of being black and diagnosed with ADHD at ten years old, and she speaks about how it affected her school years and career. Romanza discusses working for herself and the relief she feels, knowing she doesn't have to wonder why she was hired. Eric asks some questions he is uncomfortable with, trying to learn how to approach certain subjects. Romanza states that there is no such thing as color blindness and how it's our responsibility to create a safe space through empathic and reflective listening. Romanza shares how validated she feels when people ask her questions about being a woman of color. She says that it makes her feel like people are listening and trying to understand how her life is different. Eric and Romanza also speak about RSD and what can trigger the reaction. Is sensitivity training enough? No, and Romanza feels like everyone, regardless of color, can benefit from anti-racism training. She also speaks about what they can do from a policy standpoint around ADHD, children of color, and schools so that people of color don't have to be either black or ADHD; they can be who they are. This is a compelling conversation that everyone should hear. You'll learn: [03:18] Welcome to the show, Romanza! [03:42] Romanza shares her experience of being diagnosed at 10 with ADHD and as a child of color. [06:38] How did the family deal with your ADHD diagnosis? [07:57] Romanza speaks about dealing with ADHD throughout her school years. [11:37] Romanza discusses being a woman of color with ADHD and how that has affected her work history. [14:17] Have you ever sat at your desk and wondered why you were hired? [16:12] Romanza speaks about working for herself and how it makes her feel. [19:38] Listen as Eric shares that Issues around social justice fire people up with ADHD. [25:03] Eric talks about asking Romanza some hard questions.  [26:16] Romanza shares that talking to progressive people can be difficult because they are sometimes fragile. [26:52] There is no such thing as color blindness. [28:00] Creating a safe space through empathic and reflective listening. [29:51] Romanza shares a story about micro-invalidation. [33:28] When you get asked a question like what does it feel like to be a black person, is there validation in that someone is asking the question? [35:56] Romanza says to ask but ask permission to the client first. [40:16] Eric defines RSD because it is becoming more talked about in the community. [41:46] Romanza discusses RSD and how it can be triggered when trying to have white/black conversations. [44:01] Romanza speaks about the things she has to consider before she reacts to a situation. [47:21] Romanza says she likes the idea of this racial RSD feedback loop. [48:02] Romanza speaks about the story of a young girl that didn't turn in her homework. [48:50] Romanza believes that everyone can benefit from anti-racist training no matter what the color. [50:34] Is sensitivity training enough? [52:40] Romanza speaks about what needs to be done from a policy standpoint in the ADHD space to create more equity. [54:10] Say the words, address the thing! [55:10] Romanza believes that everyone should check their bias with the bias meter. [56:38] Thank you for being on the show! [57:24] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron click on our Patreon tap at Find Romanza: | Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Groups The 16th season of the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability groups are ending soon.  ArC 17 Summer Sessions run July 11th – Sept. 19th.   We only have 9 spots remaining. Please visit to learn more and sign-up for our Last Scheduled Registration Event on June 11th at 3 PM CT.  You don’t want to miss it! Support the Podcast on Patreon Patreon allows listeners like you to support content creators like me. With a monthly contribution, you can get access to different levels of perks.  One perk example is our Patron-only Group Coaching Sessions.  Learn more at . ADHD reWired Facebook Group: If you would like to apply to join the ADHD reWired Secret Facebook group, go to and fill out the application. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live! These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30 PM CT. Go to Want to be a guest? Hey! What about you? Do you have a story? Are you a coach? Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered yes to any of these questions and you’d like to be a guest, .

Did people notice that you had ADHD before you did? Eric and his guest, , better known by her students as Dr. B, is an e in Utica, NY. Listen as they discuss helping students come back to college and adjusting to change dealing with online learning, plus much more on this episode of Listen, as Dr. Barlett shares when she was diagnosed with ADHD and what caused her to seek a diagnosis. She also discusses some challenges she sees with online learning because of COVID-19 and how she has adapted her teaching style to help her students.  Dr. Barlett speaks about what she believes fellow professors are struggling with when being thrown into this alternative method of teaching. She shares what she thinks will happen with fall classes and how she believes schools can keep students safe. Students with ADHD, in particular, have a different set of struggles with virtual learning, and Dr. Barlett shares some suggestions she has to help them cope. Because the situation is fluid and information changes daily, Dr. Barlett speaks about how to prepare if you have to pivot mid-semester. She shares that community colleges are already set up for students with challenging schedules, so if you don't think you can go to school because you have to work, a community college might be the best bet for you. Dr. Barlett shares some great tips and tricks for learning with ADHD, especially with the pandemic's distractions. She is willing to answer any questions you might have, so please find her information in the links at the bottom and be positive about the upcoming school year.  You'll learn: [03:18] Welcome to the show, Melissa! [04:16] Melissa shares when she was diagnosed with ADHD and how her intelligence allowed her to fly under the radar. [05:32] What caused you to seek a diagnosis for ADHD? [07:30] Melissa speaks about knowing something was wrong once she changed direction in her career and got more administrative tasks. [10:03] Listen, as Melissa shares some challenges she sees with online learning since COVID-19. [12:10] Melissa speaks about how she adapted. [13:05] What would you suggest to fellow professors struggling with learning a whole new way of teaching? [15:24] Melissa believes that nailing learning objectives to the life skills that they need instead of detailed skills takes learning in the right direction. [21:14] Listen as Melissa describes what she thinks school will look like in the fall. [22:46] Melissa discusses how she believes we can keep students safe. [25:36] Melissa suggests what students with ADHD especially can do to be prepared for online learning. [28:40] When taking notes, make sure you write them in your words. Read a paragraph or two and write a summary in your words. [29:50] Eric shares some strategies he used when he was in college. [31:57] Your brain wants it to be easy. Practice the actual process of recall. [35:04] It takes an intelligent person to understand this concept, but it takes a genius to explain it to a kindergartner. [36:54] What are some other challenges a student with ADHD might face when taking virtual classes? [37:44] They speak about going on rate my professor and check out their teaching style. [44:14] Melissa talks about handling going back to class and then if COVID-19 spikes again having to go back to social distancing. [46:51] Melissa discusses students not having regular hours because of jobs or children in her community college. [48:22] Melissa says that community college is already set up for people with challenging schedules. [49:53] What are some reasonable steps students might be able to take to prepare students if they have to go back to virtual classes. [52:16] Melissa shares some final tips for students. [54:42] Thank you for being on the show! [55:35] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron click on our Patreon tap at  Find Melissa @docbarlett | Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Groups The 16th season of the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability groups are ending soon.  ArC 17 Summer Sessions run July 11th – Sept. 19th.   We only have 9 spots remaining. Please visit to learn more and sign-up for our Last Scheduled Registration Event on June 11th at 3 PM CT.  You don’t want to miss it! Support the Podcast on Patreon Patreon allows listeners like you to support content creators like me. With a monthly contribution, you can get access to different levels of perks.  One perk example is our Patron-only Group Coaching Sessions.  Learn more at . ADHD reWired Facebook Group: If you would like to apply to join the ADHD reWired Secret Facebook group, go to and fill out the application. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live! These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30 PM CT. Go to Want to be a guest? Hey! What about you? Do you have a story? Are you a coach? Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered yes to any of these questions and you’d like to be a guest, .

Have you tried to be normal and repress your ADHD instead of leaning into your weird? Listen as Eric and his guest, , discuss leaning into neurodiversity, a creative approach to your career path, win because of your weird not in spite of it, and much more on this episode of Andy is an American illustrator, podcaster, and public speaker; his explosive color-drenched illustrations have brought hope and smiles to clients like YouTube, and . He is the founder of the , which does what it says on the tin and the author of the book Andy shares his ADHD story, the start of his illustrating career, and the recession that almost took it all away. He talks about sending some work to , the response he got, and the work it took to hone his craft and the jobs that built his freelance career. Andy also speaks about Color Me Blank; collaborative art shows that he took part in with giant markers that allowed everyone to color on blank paper. If you see people like you doing things you didn't know you could do, it will unlock something in your brain. Listen as Andy shares about knowing he could be a successful illustrator because he saw people just like himself doing it. Andy also speaks about how he finishes projects by making everything he has to do, something he wants to do. Andy is a very colorful character with an engaging tone that you won't want to miss. You'll learn: [02:04] Welcome to the show, Andy! [04:57] Andy shares his ADHD story. [06:13] Andy speaks about his mom and the fact that she was never around. [09:48] He discovered illustration in high school and realized the path he wanted to take. [12:22] Eric speaks about trying to refinance his house, and the challenge it is when you are self-employed. [19:34] Andy shares his secret sauce and why he has a puppet sitting behind him. [21:10] He speaks about going to college to find his style. [22:30] Andy talks about his indie rock coloring book that kicked off his career. [23:17] He shares the trials he had during the recession and getting a job. [26:10] Andy discusses an opportunity to work with Nickelodeon. [27:53] Andy says that his wife stood with him during the bad times and made it through. [29:04] What ended up happening with the Nickelodeon gig? [31:08] Andy speaks about a collaborative art show called Color Me Blank. [34:32] Andy discusses doing more personal projects and being asked to take the Color Me Blank project on the road. [35:15] He was asked to do more illustrations for Nickelodeon, which built his freelance career. [36:53] If you see people like you doing things you didn't know you could do, it will unlock something in your brain. [39:08] Relationships, in general, are not about the other person; they are about how the other person reflects you. [43:30] Andy speaks about aliens and what he thinks about neurodiverse people. [46:08] The industrial revolution system was about maximizing the average so we can become interchangeable parts. [49:32] Listen as Andy shares how he finishes his projects. [51:10] Andy says that he went into his podcast, knowing that he needed to do it long enough to get good at it and long enough for people to hear it. [53:08] Andy has encouragement for anyone starting a podcast. [55:25] Andy shares his take-home message for the listeners. [57:06] Thank you for being on the show! [58:05] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron click on our Patreon tap at Find Andy: Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Groups The 16th season of the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability groups are ending soon.  ArC 17 Summer Sessions run July 11th – Sept. 19th.   We only have 9 spots remaining. Please visit to learn more and sign-up for our Last Scheduled Registration Event on June 11th at 3 PM CT.  You don’t want to miss it! Support the Podcast on Patreon Patreon allows listeners like you to support content creators like me. With a monthly contribution, you can get access to different levels of perks.  One perk example is our Patron-only Group Coaching Sessions.  Learn more at . ADHD reWired Facebook Group: If you would like to apply to join the ADHD reWired Secret Facebook group, go to and fill out the application. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live! These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30 PM CT. Go to Want to be a guest? Hey! What about you? Do you have a story? Are you a coach? Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered yes to any of these questions and you’d like to be a guest, .

Do you have trouble transitioning from work to home? Listen as with his guests, , and answer questions from the listeners in our monthly Q & A session of . We are taking questions from you, the listener, about situations you want to talk through. It doesn't matter if it's personal or professional; we are here to give you our perspective and see if we can help you find some answers.  Ella starts off this Q&A episode with a question about how to avoid doing things that pop up when things have to be done. Listen as Karen has a question that we are all dealing with now, working from home versus being in the office and the pluses and minuses of both. Matt has a question about relationships and his inability to be patient when trying to make friends. Audrey has two questions for the panel: writing more concise email responses and tips on ways to stop losing things. Blake asks a question for his wife. When they have children, how hard will the load be on her? The panel says that you can only speculate on the challenges that they will face until you have kids. Nathan was recently diagnosed with ADHD and wants to know the first five things he should learn about ADHD, and the last question is on Zoom fatigue and what causes it. If you had a question that wasn't answered, please ask it in our Facebook community, and someone will share their insights, and we will catch you next month on our next Q&A episode. Your Resources: You'll Learn: [02:01] Welcome to our monthly Q & A with Will Curb and Brendan Mahan. [03:28] Ella has a question about avoiding things that pop-up instead of what I should do? [05:55] Will speaks about discipline and how that is hard with ADHD. [07:11] Brendan gives his insights on this issue. [09:31] Karen has a question about the pluses and minuses about working from home or the office. [10:55] Eric says that everyone's experience will be different and for Karen to ask her team which they prefer. [12:09] Will speaks about how different it is to work from home when you have kids and how going to the office gives him a stop time. [14:22] Brendan discusses the transition from the office to home. [16:27] Even if you have phenomenal communication skills, you might not notice how stressed your team members are if you don't see them. [17:31] Eric shares his experience when working with an assistant. [19:31] Matt has a question about relationships. [20:38] Eric says that relationships are one of the hardest domains in life. [21:22] Brendan gives his insights on relationships and how he made his friend group an adult. [24:30] Eric comments on how Brendan shares intimacy with his friends. [26:47] Eric believes that making friends as an adult is a topic more people need to talk about. [32:44] Audrey asks how I can write emails to be more concise. [33:50] Eric speaks about some tools that can help you respond to emails. [35:21] Brendan shares his thoughts on this question. [37:20] Will discusses what has helped him answer emails. [38:31] Audrey wants tips on how she can keep from losing things. [40:28] Brendan shares what he has done since high school to keep from losing things. [41:46] Will says he loses things a lot because he sets things down in weird places. [44:09] Do you look for something even though you are convinced you will not find where it is? [47:40] Blake wants to know what kind of load his wife will bear if they have kids. [48:35] Once you have kids it is much easier to navigate the challenges [50:11] Nothing can prepare you for having children is an accurate statement. [52:07] Will suggests balancing the load of work between both of you. [53:28] Brendan shares his insights. [54:46] Eric says that deciding to have children is the hardest decision anyone has to make. [56:32] They give Nathan recommendations on the five things he should learn first after his recent ADHD diagnosis. [58:38] Will says that getting sleep is the most important thing you can do. [58:52] Brendan says that forgiveness is critical to self-care and ADHD management. [59:22] How do we complete things? Is the next question they share. [1:00:19] Brendan says to define done and set a boundary around what done means. [1:01:11] The panel discusses Zoom fatigue and what the cause could be. [1:03:49] If you want deeper dives into your questions, join Eric every 4th Tuesday of the month for the Patreon coaching call. [1:04:29] If you are not a Patreon, share your questions in our Facebook community. [1:04:37] We appreciate you for listening to the show! [1:05:32] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron by clicking on our Patreon tab at Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Groups The 16th season of the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability groups are ending soon.  ArC 17 Summer Sessions run July 11th – Sept. 19th.   We only have 9 spots remaining. Please visit to learn more and sign-up for our Last Scheduled Registration Event on June 11th at 3 PM CT.  You don’t want to miss it! Support the Podcast on Patreon Patreon allows listeners like you to support content creators like me. With a monthly contribution, you can get access to different levels of perks.  One perk example is our Patron-only Group Coaching Sessions.  Learn more at . ADHD reWired Facebook Group: If you would like to apply to join the ADHD reWired Secret Facebook group, go to and fill out the application. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live! These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30 PM CT. Go to Want to be a guest? Hey! What about you? Do you have a story? Are you a coach? Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered yes to any of these questions and you’d like to be a guest, .

Do you have trouble maintaining relationships? Listen as Eric and his guest, ., discuss one of the messier complexes, twist yourself in knots aspects of ADHD, which are emotions in relationships, narcissism, and more on this episode of Jared is a clinical psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia. He has a private practice that specializes in men's mental health and therapy for adults with ADHD. Dr. Jared is a former clinical fellow of Harvard Medical School and has been a media expert for , , , , and many more. Dr. Jared speaks about his learning disabilities and the social relationship issues he had in school. He talks about how his emotional life transformed once he was medicated. Dr. Jared also shares how hard it can be to live with a person with ADHD and narcissism.  Dr. Jared discusses the common complaints he hears from partners in his practice, and the difference between ADHD self coping or management and narcissism. He speaks about what you can do to regulate emotions, and Eric talks about ways to run interference with them. Dr. Jared shares how cognitive elements can affect how you feel. When your spouse talks to you, do you hear what they are saying? Dr. Jared talks about what a partner can say to be helpful, and maybe you can say, 'I heard you, and I am working to do better.' Dr. Jared shares some very enlightening information around dealing with relationships and ADHD. If any of this resonates with you and your partner, this episode could be a tool to keep you together. You'll learn: [02:08] Welcome to the show, Jared! [03:18] Jared shares his ADHD story. [05:04] When did you first realize you had ADHD? [06:45] They discuss the apparent signs of ADHD that were missed through school. [07:31] Eric and Jared speak about their learning disabilities. [09:00] Jared speaks about his social relationships in school. [11:44] Jared shares the journey into the psychology field. [13:14] When Jared got medicated, his emotional life changed drastically. [16:13] If you are worried that you are a narcissist, you are not a narcissist. [21:06] Jared discusses how hard it is to live with a person with ADHD. [23:40] Do you think we can develop conscientiousness through active practices? [25:40] Jared shares the two most common complaints he hears in his practice. [28:25] Jared speaks about the reasons partners talk about narcissism. [31:34] What is ADHD coping and self-management, and what is pure narcissism? [34:43] Do emotions sometimes take over, and you do not understand what to do with them? [39:09] Jared discusses what we can do about regulating our emotions. [41:02] Have you ever been in a self-imposed time out in your relationship? [43:43] Eric shares what someone in his coaching group shared about putting a timer on their discussion. [46:04] Eric talks about running mental interference with emotions. [47:20] Jared speaks about how cognitive elements can affect how you feel. [49:04] Jared talks about what a partner can say that can be helpful. [52:46] Can you say, I hear you, and I am working to do better! [54:13] Jared, thank you so much for being on the show! [56:14] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron click on our Patreon tap at Find Jared: | Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Groups The 16th season of the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability groups are ending soon.  ArC 17 Summer Sessions run July 11th – Sept. 19th.   We only have 9 spots remaining. Please visit to learn more and sign-up for our Last Scheduled Registration Event on June 11th at 3 PM CT.  You don’t want to miss it! Support the Podcast on Patreon Patreon allows listeners like you to support content creators like me. With a monthly contribution, you can get access to different levels of perks.  One perk example is our Patron-only Group Coaching Sessions.  Learn more at . ADHD reWired Facebook Group: If you would like to apply to join the ADHD reWired Secret Facebook group, go to and fill out the application. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live! These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30 PM CT. Go to Want to be a guest? Hey! What about you? Do you have a story? Are you a coach? Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered yes to any of these questions and you’d like to be a guest, .

Eric's guest Jeremy is a forty-six-year-old freshman at Marshall University. His path back to school and most of his life has been anything but typical. He got into a lot of trouble but was lucky enough to have people in his life that helped him from one extreme to another along the way. Listen, as Jeremy tells his story on this episode of Jeremy shares the behavioral issues he had as a child but was still the kid that everyone liked in high school. He discusses getting married right out of high school to his pregnant girlfriend and quitting college to do the right thing. The relationship didn't last, and after trying to go back to school, he quit, and the challenges kept coming. Listen, as Jeremy shares the poor choices he made along the way with relationships. He speaks about choosing homelessness, about losing his dad, and going to jail. Jeremy met a woman that wanted to help and got the process started in jail, and once he was released. He speaks about getting diagnosed with ADHD and medicated finally a few months ago, and he finally feels like he is on his intended journey. Jeremy is on the path of improvement and is getting an engineering degree. His journey back to school was a long one, but now he has the tools to help him succeed. Do you resonate with Jeremy's story? If you do, this is an episode that you need to hear and share. You'll learn: [02:37] Welcome to the show, Jeremy! [03:36] Jeremy shares what life was like when he was a kid. [05:08] He speaks about his mom and the medication she was on while pregnant with him. [05:56] What were you like in high school? [08:26] Jeremy shares his life after high school and what happened in his life. [11:18] He speaks about not going to school because he wanted to do the right thing for his child. [15:33] Do you feel you tried to do the right thing, but when you tried to do that, everything got blown up? [16:31] Jeremy discusses the incidents in his life once he dropped out of college. [19:11] In 1996, he started drinking and getting into trouble while grieving for his mother. [21:08] Jeremy speaks about his extended family's strength and knowing he was loved and felt safe. [30:14] Jeremy discusses his hitchhiking days and the poor choices he made during that time. [33:46] He shares about his spirituality and what led to where he is now. [37:21] Jeremy speaks about a town that wanted him to get out. [41:22] What led you to get diagnosed? [44:05] Jeremy discusses his issues with the legal system, and people were telling him he was too smart to be where he was. [47:00] He shares about being homeless as a choice and finding a person who took an interest in him. [49:51] Jeremy speaks about having warrants but knowing his dad was dying and in hospice care. [51:34] He did two years in jail, but he found help to get him on the right track. [54:00] Jeremy shares about finally getting on medication for his ADHD, even though he had never been officially diagnosed. [58:22] Jeremy talks about what gave him the initiative to go back to school at 48 years old. [01:00:42] He speaks about asking for help and getting what he needed. [01:02:08] Jeremy says that you have to face the man in the mirror at some point in time. [01:04:14] Jeremy expresses how logical and practical he feels ADHD reWired is and how much he likes the show. [01:05:11] Eric says that Jeremy shows that it's never too late to get on the path to improvement. [01:06:46] Thank you for being on the show! [01:07:38] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron and on our Patreon at Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Groups The 16th season of the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability groups are ending soon.  ArC 17 Summer Sessions run July 11th – Sept. 19th.   We only have 9 spots remaining. Please visit to learn more and sign-up for our Last Scheduled Registration Event on June 11th at 3 PM CT.  You don’t want to miss it! Support the Podcast on Patreon Patreon allows listeners like you to support content creators like me. With a monthly contribution, you can get access to different levels of perks.  One perk example is our Patron-only Group Coaching Sessions.  Learn more at . ADHD reWired Facebook Group: If you would like to apply to join the ADHD reWired Secret Facebook group, go to and fill out the application. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live! These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30 PM CT. Go to Want to be a guest? Hey! What about you? Do you have a story? Are you a coach? Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered yes to any of these questions and you’d like to be a guest, .

Do you celebrate all of life's moments, good or bad, with food? Eric and his guest, Luz Jaramillo, discuss why this can lead to eating disorders, how you can break this habit, and achieve a healthy lifestyle and wellbeing plus much more on this episode of Luz is the owner of , has a Master's in Social Work, is a certified life coach, Masters in Neuro-Linguistic programming, a certified brain health coach, and many more. Luz is also a best-selling author, motivational speaker, and has ADHD, dyslexia, and learning difficulties. She has suffered from an eating disorder most of her life, but after studies and research, she could heal and lose over 50lbs, improving her focus and health. Listen, as Luz and Eric discuss how to switch your emotional thoughts, change thought patterns, and the importance of eating healthy food. Eric shares that the ADHD brain does not process carbs well, so most times, it is better to limit them and substitute protein for more energy. Consistency is the Key! Luz speaks about food, not being your friend; it is fuel and needs to be treated that way. Eat to live; don't live to eat! Luz and Eric share some ways that you can get healthy snacks prepared and portioned out so you can grab a bag and go quickly and conveniently. Know that if you slip, it's ok to get back up and try to be better tomorrow. Luz has been there, done that, she knows about eating disorders and ADHD. If any of this resonates with you, this is an episode that you can't miss. Listen to what she has to say. It may be the difference between life and death. You'll learn: [01:56] Welcome to the show, Luz! [03:24] Luz shares when she learned she had ADHD. [03:58] How did your eating disorder lead you to learn you had ADHD? [05:12] Luz speaks about what form her eating disorder took. [07:28] When did you decide you needed help with this disorder? [10:10] Luz used neuro linguistic programming to switch her emotional thoughts from food to thoughts of pleasure. [12: 23] When you change your thought patterns, your internal critic screams louder and calls you a fraud. This is normal, and it takes time. [14:35] Luz was ready to have weight loss surgery before her sister got her to change her mind. [16:29] Looking back, how do you feel about how desperate you were? [21:11] Eric speaks about some regular issues around food and how he deals with the cravings. [23:06] Set up your environment to be conducive to what you need. [23:57] Luz shares how important it is to have nutritious food for at least three meals a day. [26:01] Eric shares that the ADHD brain does not do a good job of breaking down carbs. [28:08] Consistency is the key! [31:04] Luz suggests to people that food is not your friend, food is fuel. [32:03] How do you suggest that people stop when they know they are in the middle of a binge? [34:04] Replace the food with something else. [35:20] Eric shares that many people he knows are doing a sugar detox. [37:00] How sensitive to sugar are you? Have you been tested? [38:03] Luz says you should tell yourself it's just for today, focus on one day at a time. [41:10] Meditation and mindfulness are the keys to success. [46:42] Luz shares some tips on how to have healthy food ready to eat for snacks. [49:55] Have you found any services or different resources to help people systemize eating nutritious foods? [52:01] You have to have the correct mindset, it might be harder if you have ADHD, but it is still doable. [52:46] Know that you will slip, and that's ok get yourself right back up. [55:00] Willpower starts strong in the morning, and it's a slippery slope later in the day if you don't recharge your system with the right food. [57:17] Thank you so much for being on the show! [58:17] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron and on our Patreon at Find Luz: @brainbodycoach | | Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Groups The 16th season of the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability groups are ending soon.  ArC 17 Summer Sessions run July 11th – Sept. 19th.   We only have 9 spots remaining. Please visit to learn more and sign-up for our Last Scheduled Registration Event on June 11th at 3 PM CT.  You don’t want to miss it! Support the Podcast on Patreon Patreon allows listeners like you to support content creators like me. With a monthly contribution, you can get access to different levels of perks.  One perk example is our Patron-only Group Coaching Sessions.  Learn more at . ADHD reWired Facebook Group: If you would like to apply to join the ADHD reWired Secret Facebook group, go to and fill out the application. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live! These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30 PM CT. Go to Want to be a guest? Hey! What about you? Do you have a story? Are you a coach? Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered yes to any of these questions and you’d like to be a guest, .

Has taking medication for your ADHD changed your life? Eric and his guest, Marissa Marangoni, discuss what led her to look for a diagnosis for , her difficulties in college and grad school, and the challenges of working for herself on this episode of   Marissa is a mom, a writer, and a former teacher. She runs , where she works as an instructional designer and technical writer. Marissa writes creatively and podcasts when she's not working or spending time with her son. She loves lists, popcorn, and baking, animals, sweating, and deep human connection. Listen as Marissa shares her struggles through high school, college, and grad school without knowing she had ADHD. Her challenges with sensory processing, she shares that she cannot sleep with any noises that aren't even and steady. Marissa also has a powerful sense of smell, and her sense of touch keeps her from liking the feel of fleece on her skin. Marissa discusses some things that have been very helpful in dealing with her ADHD, like medication and Eric's coaching groups. She shares that the medication she is on has a lot, and if they had diagnosed her earlier, she wouldn't have had to work so hard in school. Marissa talks about the podcast she started with a friend with ADHD called ''  Eric and Marissa have a great conversation about some of their struggles with ADHD. Listen to see if you can pick up any tips or tricks that will help you as you travel the same journey they have. You'll learn: [02:27] Welcome to the show, Marissa! [02:45] Marissa shares what brought her to get her diagnosis with ADHD. [04:06] When you watched videos on ADHD, were there things that you recognized in yourself? [09:55] Marissa speaks about not being able to absorb what she was reading, which is crazy since she is a writer. [10:25] Marissa shares how she got through literature classes. [11:00] Do you love cliff notes? Did they help you understand what you were reading? [14:02] She discusses how she memorized everything to get through high school, but it didn't work so well in college. [16:41] Once she got her second master's degree, she became a literature teacher. [24:48] Marissa discusses the challenges she has around sensory processing. [25:15] She speaks about her issues with sleeping and why she needs a white noise machine.  [28:33] Marissa says that distinct smells will wake her up. [30:30] She describes the feel of fleece on her skin, but she loves a weighted blanket. [33:19] Do you have any senses that aren't as intense? [34:20] Eric and Marissa discuss their difficulties with their vision and wonder if their other senses are so keen to make up for their vision issues. [37:20] Marissa chats about having eye surgeries when she was a kid. [41:05] Marissa discusses her podcast called '.' [43:08] What are some things that have been the most helpful in managing your ADHD? [45:11] Eric and Marissa talk about the medication she is on. [46:56] Do generic drugs affect you differently than brand names? [49:07] Marissa shares how joining one of Eric's coaching groups has helped. [50:11] Marissa speaks about some things she took away from the coaching groups. [53:08] The group helped Marissa with anxiousness. [55:40] Thank you so much for coming on the show! [57:26] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron and on our Patreon at Find Marissa: Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Groups The 16th season of the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability groups are ending soon.  ArC 17 Summer Sessions run July 11th – Sept. 19th.   We only have 9 spots remaining. Please visit to learn more and sign-up for our Last Scheduled Registration Event on June 11th at 3 PM CT.  You don’t want to miss it! Support the Podcast on Patreon Patreon allows listeners like you to support content creators like me. With a monthly contribution, you can get access to different levels of perks.  One perk example is our Patron-only Group Coaching Sessions.  Learn more at . ADHD reWired Facebook Group: If you would like to apply to join the ADHD reWired Secret Facebook group, go to and fill out the application. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live! These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30 PM CT. Go to Want to be a guest? Hey! What about you? Do you have a story? Are you a coach? Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered yes to any of these questions and you’d like to be a guest, .

Have a question for the brain trust?  Listen as with his guests , and MJ answer questions from the listeners in our monthly Q & A session of . We are taking questions from you, the listener, about situations you want to talk through. It doesn't matter if it's personal or professional; we are here to give you our perspective and see if we can help you find some answers.  We start the episode out with Erica asking what self-care means and when it is numbing instead of self-care. Eric shares that anything that restores health and wellbeing is self-care. Another listener asks about when something takes you off a task, what mental strategies he can use to resume the not so fun duties. Susan wants to know how to quell the agitation of waiting. Eric says to focus on the things you can control and influence, and boredom is the birthplace of creativity. Tyler discusses a late in life ADHD diagnosis, and Cheryl wants to know some alternatives to medication for focus, attention, and alertness. Melissa would like to know how to make herself get out of her chair in the evening to take her pills and brush her teeth. Ella wants to know how to stop losing things like her keys and glasses all the time. Steve makes the best chocolate, per Eric, and was in the middle of a significant expansion of his company when the coronavirus hit. He is having trouble dealing with the chaos of not knowing when he can resume, and it's hard on his mental health. The guys suggested that he make chocolate gift bags and take them to first responders and other people in his community to keep him busy and brighten their days. Brendan shares that we are in the middle of a pandemic. It is ok to feel frustrated, lost, and tired. Everyone is feeling the same way and waiting to get back to our daily lives is increasing frustration. Practice your self-care, exercise, get plenty of rest, and try to stop stressing. We all need to remember that this too shall pass and try to learn something from it. Your Resources: You'll Learn: [02:00] Welcome to our monthly Q & A with Will Curb, Brendan Mahan, and MJ. [03:43] Erica asks, what does self-care mean? [04:38] Eric says that things that restore health and wellbeing are self-care. [05:33] Brendan shares his thoughts on self-care and what SHRED means. [07:28] Are massages a luxury or self-care? [09:17] Will speaks about self-care and the difference between numbing and self-care. [12:03] Trang has a question about when something takes us off task what mental strategies can we use to disengage to resume not such fun duties. [13:15] Eric says the first thing is to realize that you are off track and pause. [14:25] Will shares some helpful tips to use to get back on track. [15:55] Brendan speaks about what he does to stay on task. [18:58] Susan asks how do you quell the agitation of waiting. [19:47] Will says the anticipation of being bored is worse than waiting. [20:59] Brendan speaks about how he plans for waiting. [23:11] Focus on the things you can control and influence. [24:16] Boredom is the birthplace of creativity. [25:23] Tyler wants to know how people who received a diagnosis late in life pivot and move forward. [32:08] Tyler speaks about the pain points he is having. [34:45] What are the things that are getting in your way right now? [36:38] Brendan shares what he did to figure out if he wanted to do ADHD Essentials. [39:01] Eric discusses therapy and coaching for Tyler. [40:44] Brendan shares a new, better sleep assessment tool. [43:21] Cheryl asks what other treatments besides medication are suitable for focus, attention, alertness, and energy. [43:58] Why are you looking for alternatives?  [44:28] Eric says he is 100% pro trying medication. [46:38] Exercise is one of the top things that you can do with ADHD. [47:43] Brendan's SHRED model encompasses everything that you need. [48:43] Melissa wants advice on self-activating in the evening instead of lounging. [50:47] Eric says to have realistic expectations of what you can accomplish in the evenings. [52:13] What can you prep, so it's easy for you to get things done? [54:14] As an alternative, Brendan suggests having something far away from you go off, so you have to get up to stop it from happening. [1:00:35] Steve shares that he is having trouble getting a new routine in this chaos and feeling tired all the time. [1:02:50] Steve speaks about trying to manage during the pandemic and waiting for funds from the government. [1:04:17] Are you able to produce your product? [1:05:06] Eric is trying to come up with ideas on how Steve can move forward with everything in New Jersey being shut down from COVID-19. [1:07:11] Brendan shares the trauma of this pandemic is bringing people down and making them tired and restless. [1:09:30] Do you have something that you can do to help people? [1:10:21] Steve is feeling recharged, thinking of how he can help first responders with his chocolate. [1:12:42] Ella wants suggestions on how to stop misplacing objects like glasses. [1:12:58] Brendan says he loses items because he doesn't realize he has put them down. Be mindful of where you put things. [1:13:48] Eric says that is the best invention for when you misplace something. [1:17:15] Thank you, everyone, for listening! [1:18:05] If you're a regular listener, consider becoming a patron and on our Patreon at  Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Groups The 16th season of the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability groups are ending soon.  ArC 17 Summer Sessions run July 11th – Sept. 19th.   We only have 9 spots remaining. Please visit to learn more and sign-up for our Last Scheduled Registration Event on June 11th at 3 PM CT.  You don’t want to miss it! Support the Podcast on Patreon Patreon allows listeners like you to support content creators like me. With a monthly contribution, you can get access to different levels of perks.  One perk example is our Patron-only Group Coaching Sessions.  Learn more at . ADHD reWired Facebook Group: If you would like to apply to join the ADHD reWired Secret Facebook group, go to and fill out the application. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live! These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30 PM CT. Go to Want to be a guest? Hey! What about you? Do you have a story? Are you a coach? Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered yes to any of these questions and you’d like to be a guest, .

"Feedback is the oxygen of growth." Listen, as Eric and his guest Peter Montoya discuss what he means by this and why feedback should always be done confidentially. Peter talks about leadership development, conquering challenges, and the real-life experiences that drive his insights and ideas.  Peter Montoya is the  of “The Brand Called You” and his latest books, “Meetings Without Walls” & “Leadership Power”. He’s also a sought-after and highly motivational keynote speaker and leadership development strategist, specializing in developing high-performance teams. To find Peter, visit or call (949) 334-7070. Peter discusses what led to his ADHD diagnosis, how he tames his beast of a mind, and the barriers people have with self-reflection. Peter shares his secret sauce for helping people have better meetings and the three key steps to take to make them successful. Leadership development is the number one job of leaders today. Do you have trouble staying on task? Listen as Peter shares how he keeps focused on what he needs to do. He speaks about how leaders need to steer meetings and pull them back when they go off task, how to ask people for feedback, and accepting feedback without feeling defensive. Defensiveness is neurobiologically natural and healthy, we are wired to protect the image we want people to have of us. Peter is a triple threat, a gifted speaker, best-selling author, and successful entrepreneur. He has done so much in his life, and you won't want to miss him telling us some key things he has picked up along the way. You'll learn: [02:06] Welcome to the show, Peter! [02:26] Peter shares what he means by feedback is the oxygen of growth. [03:53] Peter says you should make sure your feedback is kind, honest, and specific. [05:12] Eric shares that sometimes feedback is delivered in two ways. [07:22] Peter speaks about how he was shamed in eighth grade. [09:58] When did you find out you had ADHD? [11:08] Peter discusses what it's like being an attendee at workshops. [14:30] Does it make you mad to not be understood? [15:52] Peter shares what he had to do to tame his beast of a mind. [17:04] Peter speaks about the barriers people have with self-reflection. [23:38] Peter shared his secret sauce for helping people have better meetings. [25:26] What are the critical steps to having a successful meeting? [27:23] Leadership development is the number one job of leaders today. [29:16] Peter speaks about how he stays on task and follows through with what needs to be done. [33:18] Peter shares suggestions on grabbing the key takeaway of a meeting in a more efficient way. [34:37] What do you do to bring a meeting back on task? [35:24] Peter speaks about how long and what he does to prepare for a meeting. [36:53] How long do you think a meeting should last? Should meetings be fun? [42:09] Peter shares how to ask people for feedback. [43:57] Peter speaks about what you should do if you get defensive while getting feedback. [46:17] Eric says that defensiveness is neurobiologically natural and healthy, we are wired to protect the image we want people to have of us. [48:48] What is the most influential piece of feedback you have ever received? [51:11] Peter speaks about how he keeps himself mindful when he tends to do something that isn't helpful in meetings. [53:54] Peter shares how people can learn more about him and his company. [54:36] Peter, thank you so much for sharing this time with us. [55:36] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron and on our Patreon at Find Peter: Phone - (949) 334-7070 Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Groups The 16th season of the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability groups are ending soon.  ArC 17 Summer Sessions run July 11th – Sept. 19th.   We only have 9 spots remaining. Please visit to learn more and sign-up for our Last Scheduled Registration Event on June 11th at 3 PM CT.  You don’t want to miss it! Support the Podcast on Patreon Patreon allows listeners like you to support content creators like me. With a monthly contribution, you can get access to different levels of perks.  One perk example is our Patron-only Group Coaching Sessions.  Learn more at . ADHD reWired Facebook Group: If you would like to apply to join the ADHD reWired Secret Facebook group, go to and fill out the application. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live! These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30 PM CT. Go to Want to be a guest? Hey! What about you? Do you have a story? Are you a coach? Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered yes to any of these questions and you’d like to be a guest, .