ADHD reWired

This episode is the recording of April’s live Q&A.  The questions answered in this episode were submitted by listeners of this podcast, both ahead of time and live.  I am, once again, joined on this episode by Brendan Mahan. In this discussion, you will hear us discuss several topics, including asking for workplace accommodations, breastfeeding mothers unable to take ADHD medication, imposter syndrome, children “outgrowing” ADHD, and much more.   If you’re listening to this on the day it is published, you can listen to May’s live Q&A at 1:30pm Eastern.  Join Brendan Mahan and me as we answer your questions live.  You can register at .    Connect with Brendan Mahan    You’ll Learn:  [06:28] - Brendan shares that he recently went to a sensory sensitive comic book convention.    [09:34] - Marisol asks a question about inattentive type ADHD being somewhat rare and those with inattentive type ADHD displaying outbursts when someone disrupts their routine.  [15:27] - Brendan says that people with ADHD struggle with flexible thinking, yet we excel at inspired improvisation.    [19:46] - David asks for suggestions on workplace accommodations.  [28:08] - Kenya is struggling with letter her husband help her set up schedules and routines.  [42:10] - TK asks for advice for a breastfeeding mom unable to take ADHD medication.   [47:47] - A listener says their child’s pediatrician stated children could outgrow ADHD.  We discuss that this is true, and share some thoughts.   [53:44] - A listener shares that her husband has ADHD, and she asks how she can help him with it being a positive experience.   [1:00:48] - Sheila asks about artists who get stuck and don’t know how to move on. I share my own personal experience in this area.  Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles:    ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group  We are doing two sessions of our coaching and accountability group this summer.  These groups will fill up quickly.  Registration starts today.  Registration interviews are on Tuesdays and Thursdays, now through the end of May. For more information, go to .  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 Patreon-only Adult Study Hall.  Learn more at    ADHD reWired Facebook Group:  If you would like to join the ADHD reWired secret Facebook group, go to  and fill out an application.  Productivity Q&A  Get your ADHD questions answered live!  These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30pm.  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, schedule a pre-interview call .

Marcelle Clowes has always lived with ADHD and Complex-PTSD.  However, she wasn’t diagnosed until her early-30’s. Since then, she has experienced, treatment, healing, acceptance, setbacks, and self-awareness.  Marcelle has attended college many times, held many jobs, and has lived in more cities than she can count.  Her story illuminates the parallels between PTSD and ADHD, what it’s like living with both conditions and how the disorders can contribute to the cycle of family violence.  Marcelle dreams of a career as a freelance writer and a visual artist.  She works with a coalition for anti-violence and has done work around the death penalty.    In this conversation, you will hear Marcelle share her personal experiences with ADHD and PTSD.  She shares details about her childhood, and she explains that she was the only adult in her house from the day she was born.  Marcelle also talks about raising her own children, and she claims that one of her biggest accomplishments is helping them navigate life.    In the second half of the episode, we talk about trigger warnings.  Marcelle shares how these impact her, and what traditional and social media can do to better prepare people for these triggers.  She also talks about the difference between a trigger warning and being uncomfortable.   You’ll Learn:  [06:26] - Marcelle tells her ADHD background story.  She explains how the work program at her school helped her graduate and keep her life on track.    [11:42] - Marcelle states that she manages crisis well, and her ADHD helps her in that area of life.   [13:22] - Marcelle shares her what her home-life was like, growing up.  She says that she was the only adult in the house the day she was born.  We talk about “emotional incest,” which is when a parent uses a child to meet their emotional needs.   [16:50] - Marcelle’s mother routinely told her she was the least likely of all of her friends to end up in therapy.  She believed she had “broken the cycle,” and this serves to show the dysfunction in the house.    [19:44] - Marcelle talks about her life in her 20’s.  She was diagnosed with ADHD in the early 2000’s after her children were born.  PTSD was mentioned at that time, but she was not ready to acknowledge this.   [23:50] - Marcelle talks about having twins, and being excited about having children.  She claims that one of her biggest accomplishments is helping them navigate life.  She talks about her and her children’s relationships with the father.  [28:42] - After working with the survivors of violent crimes, Marcelle learned to embrace the terms “survivor” and “victim.”  [29:47] - While doing trauma work for herself, she learned to identify and implement strategies.    [34:05] - Marcelle explains the difference between self-care and numbing.   [38:58] - Marcelle and I discuss trigger warners.  She shares some of her personal triggers and explains how trigger warnings are not always given the space to remove themselves from the situation or avoid them.    [45:50] - Marcelle talks about the difference between being triggered and being uncomfortable.  [47:22] - I share an experience where I used an expression with a friend on the podcast, and a listener brought it to my attention that I used some words I shouldn’t have.   [1:00:24] - Marcelle says that humor is a big part of dealing with trauma.    [1:07:14] - Marcelle shares a message for anyone who wonders if they have PTSD, or knows they do but haven’t done the work with it.    Your Resources:    Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles:    ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group  We are doing two sessions of our coaching and accountability group this summer.  These groups will fill up quickly.  Registration starts today.  Registration interviews are on Tuesdays and Thursdays, now through the end of May. For more information, go to .  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 Patreon-only Adult Study Hall.  Learn more at    ADHD reWired Facebook Group:  If you would like to join the ADHD reWired secret Facebook group, go to  and fill out an application.  Productivity Q&A  Get your ADHD questions answered live!  These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30pm.  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, schedule a pre-interview call .

Lisa Alexoff is an experienced licensed clinical professional counselor with a demonstrated history in the mental health and healthcare fields.  She specializes in helping children, teens, adults, and families in dealing with ADHD, anxiety, and medical issues.  She enjoys collaborating with clients as they discover the next best steps on their journey to a healthier life.    In this conversation, you will hear Lisa’s ADHD story.  Right now, the group of people being diagnosed with ADHD at the highest rate is women over 40.  This was when Lisa realized she has ADHD.  We talk about some of the developments in ADHD diagnosis in women.    The bulk of this discussion revolves around motivation.  Lisa explains that ADHD is about energy management. If we can put our energy in the right place, we can be successful.  Lisa tells us that we are motivated because we are blissed, dissed, or pissed.  We each share some of our strategies for motivation, and some of these could be defined as Lisa’s “woo woo” strategies.    Connect with Lisa Alexoff:  Email -   Phone - 847-962-1639  You’ll Learn:  [08:21] - Lisa introduces herself, and describes her “former lives.”  [10:36] - Lisa was in grad school in her early 40’s and realized that she has ADHD.    [13:34] - Lisa explains that she doesn’t get the desired effect from stimulants.  This leads to a discussion on medication.    [20:34] - I share my current medication cocktail.  [22:23] - We talk about developments in ADHD diagnosis in women.    [24:45] - Lisa explains how motivation works for people with ADHD.    [25:28] - Lisa says that people with ADHD experience three forms of motivations.  They need to be blissed, dissed, or pissed.    [27:10] - Lisa talks about being in a classroom during one of the first school shootings.  [30:45] - Lisa shares that one of her clients said that he is most motivated when he is desperate.    [32:25] - I share my new approach, “diversify joy by scheduling joy.”  I also talk about my struggles in March, and how my response has helped me.  [36:16] - Lisa talks about paying for a personal trainer.  We consider what the motivational framework would be to stay on schedule with the trainer.   [44:41] - We talk about finding motivation if you’re not blissed, dissed, or pissed.  [47:55] - I explain that part of being successful when you have ADHD is being able to push through a task when you don’t feel like doing it.   [51:00] - Lisa shares that we should focus on our top five priorities.  [54:34] - I share that things can drop off your to-do list.    [56:00] - We both share our distaste of paperwork, and talk about other work tasks we struggle with.   [1:02:37] - Lisa talks about the things you can do when you’re in a self-destructive mode.   [1:05:50] - Lisa shares the “woo woo” things she does.   Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles:    ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group  We are trying something a little different with our ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group this summer.  This summer, I’ll be hosting our first 8-week intensive, called “One Big Thing.”  These groups will fill up quickly.  For more information, go to .  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 Patreon-only Adult Study Hall.  Learn more at    ADHD reWired Facebook Group:  If you would like to join the ADHD reWired secret Facebook group, go to  and fill out an application.  Productivity Q&A  Get your ADHD questions answered live!  These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30pm.  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, schedule a pre-interview call .

Randy Kulman joins me on this episode of the podcast.  Randy is the founder and president of an educational technology company, LearningWorks for Kids.  They specialize in using video games to teach executive functioning and academic skills.  For the past 25 years, Dr. Kulman has also been the clinical director and president of South County Child and Family Consultants, a private practice that specializes in assessments and interventions for children with learning disorders and attention difficulties.  He has authored numerous essays and book chapters on the use of technology in improving executive functioning skills.    In this episode, you will hear Randy talk about translating game-based learning into the real world.  He describes how “Detect-Reflect-Connect” helps individuals connect skills developed in games to the real world.  He also talks about the career fields individuals with ADHD and processing speed deficits are drawn to and explains that parents can help nurture positive self-esteem in their children by nudging them into certain activities.   Connect with Randy Kulman  Website -   Facebook -   Twitter -   Pinterest -   Email - Randy@LearningWorksForKids.com  You’ll Learn:  [06:15] - Randy talks about some of his current projects.    [07:24] - I talk about my own addiction to Minecraft, and Randy talks about why it’s difficult to stop playing these games.    [10:42] - Randy describes the concept of “play diet.”  He also defines “play” as an optional, voluntary activity that you choose to do.    [14:30] - Randy explains how we can use games and apps to learn.  He says that games provide the opportunity to develop skills.    [18:11] - Randy says that “Detect-Reflect-Connect” helps individuals connect skills developed in games to the real world.   [19:22] - According to Randy, apps are supports to executive skills.    [22:51] - Randy talks about the time it takes to practice a new behavior, and he talks about the effect of exercise on the brain.  [24:40] - Randy emphasizes the importance of maintenance.    [29:25] - Randy talks about how virtual reality is being used for assessing ADHD.   [36:48] - Randy defines “processing speed” and talks about why it has become an interesting issue over the last 15-20 years.   [40:08] - We talk about individuals with ADHD who are gifted, yet struggle with processing speed.  [45:08] - Randy shares how he dictates his notes into his phone.  [47:25] - Randy talks about a study that found that slow reaction time associated with slow processing speed was associated with depression 20-years later.    [48:55] - Randy lists some careers that have higher rates of people with slower processing speed.   [52:50] - Randy explains that he tells parents of children with ADHD that their biggest job in life is to nudge them into activities and interests where ADHD doesn’t really matter.   [56:00] - Randy describes how he manages his life with technology.    Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles:    ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group  We are trying something a little different with our ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group this summer.  This summer, I’ll be hosting our first 8-week intensive, called “One Big Thing.”  These groups will fill up quickly.  For more information, go to .  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 Patreon-only Adult Study Hall.  Learn more at    ADHD reWired Facebook Group:  If you would like to join the ADHD reWired secret Facebook group, go to  and fill out an application.  Productivity Q&A  Get your ADHD questions answered live!  These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30pm.  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, schedule a pre-interview call .

This episode is the recording of March’s live Q&A.  These Q&A sessions take place the second Tuesday of every month.  The questions answered in this episode were submitted by listeners of this podcast, both ahead of time and live.  I am, once again, joined on this episode by Brendan Mahan.    If you’re listening to this on the day it is published, you can listen to April’s live Q&A at 1:30pm Eastern.  Join Brendan Mahan and me as we answer your questions live.  You can register at .  In this episode, you will hear Brenden and I answer several listener questions on medication, managing emotions at the end of the day, procrastination, cell phone notifications, and much more.    Connect with Brendan Mahan    You’ll Learn:  [05:05] - A listener asks if we have learned a new skill lately.  I share the importance of hydration and my recent bout of seasonal affective disorder.  Brendan talks about his learning experiences with podcasting.   [11:16] - Another listener asks about guanfacine, a non-stimulant form of ADHD medication.  I share that it tends to work with a stimulant medication.    [13:33] - Elise asks about activities with strict structure.  Brendan explains why he shys away from these types of activities.  I address the individuality of strategies.  [17:40] - Jessica asks about managing emotions later in the day when multiple family members have ADHD.  We share some of our experiences and Brenden provides us with some strategies.   [23:35] - David asks about managing evening routines when medication has worn off.  Brenden and I share some thoughts on this situation.   [32:58] - Rob asks about forming in-person support groups with other adults with ADHD in their lives.  I share some resources to help make this happen.   [37:05] - We discuss Elise’s follow-up question about bad habits.   [40:00] - A listener asks us to discuss procrastination. I suggest the .   [45:45] - A listener struggles with being assertive and asks for some techniques.   [48:08] - We field the question, “Does turning off notifications apply to calendar notifications?” I explain my answer, “It depends.”   [52:40] - A listener asks for resources on the neural anatomy involved with their ADHD.  We share several ADHD resources.  [55:37] - A listener asks about people with ADHD finding themselves in difficult financial situations.   [1:01:45] - We end the episode with the question, “Does Harry Potter have ADHD?”  Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles:     ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group  We are trying something a little different with our ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group this summer.  This summer, I’ll be hosting our first 8-week intensive, called “One Big Thing.”  These groups will fill up quickly.  For more information, go to .  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 Patreon-only Adult Study Hall.  Learn more at    ADHD reWired Facebook Group:  If you would like to join the ADHD reWired secret Facebook group, go to  and fill out an application.  Productivity Q&A  Get your ADHD questions answered live!  These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30pm.  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, schedule a pre-interview call.

Joining me on this episode are Jessica McCabe and Edward Newton.  Jessica is the creator of the extremely popular and successful .  She recently did a  that has over 10 million views!  Edward has a background in television production and has played a large role in the success of How To ADHD.    On this episode, you will hear Jessica and Edward talk about how How To ADHD has grown since they were last on the podcast.  They also share the backstory behind her Ted Talk, including how the talk was put together and executed.  Jessica has also organized a grassroots campaign in response to the Netflix documentary, “Take Your Pills.”  We discuss why this film isn’t accurate and does a disservice to those who would benefit from ADHD medication.  Connect with Jessica McCabe and Edward Newton        You’ll Learn:  [05:07] - Jessica talks about being asked to do a Ted Talk.   [07:32] - Jessica started How To ADHD about a year into their relationship.  Edward stepped in to share his expertise with video production.    [09:30] - Jessica shares how Edward helped craft the ending of her Ted Talk.   [11:10] - Edward tells his version of the Ted Talk story.  They admit to writing the second half of the talk on the plane.    [16:55] - Jessica explains how time restrictions impacted her talk.    [17:59] - Jessica describes what it was like to see a million views a day on her video.  [20:58] - Since the last time she came on the podcast, Jessica and Edward have been able to go full-time with How To ADHD.   [25:18] - We discuss some ADHD cooking tips.   [28:00] - With around 100 videos completed, Jessica shares how their videos are evolving.  [35:37] - Jessica and Edward talk about his ADHD characteristics and diagnosis.    [38:53] - We talk about the Netflix documentary on the abuse of ADHD medication, Take Your Pills.    [41:46] - Jessica explains that this production is painting everyone with a broad brush and did not draw a distinction between people diagnosed and appropriately prescribed medication and those who may have been abusing it.   [45:29] - Jessica and Edward talk about how this film misrepresented ADHD meds and compared it to meth.    [47:25] - Jessica talks about her response to this film, including the hashtag #ITakeMyPills.  [49:40] - We talk about the idea that medication should be a last resort, and how this is not what the research says. We also discuss how safe these medications are.  [54:43] - I share that my brain is like a clock and how it operates differently with and without medications.  Jessica shares the positive effects of her starting medication.  [56:35] - Jessica describes her grassroots campaign to change public perception of ADHD medication.   [1:00:17] - Jessica shares how you can tell your own story about meds helping you.  [1:05:28] - I share that this is the 4-year anniversary with ADHD reWired.  [1:08:18] - Jessica shares how much time they invest in each video.   Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles:    ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group  Registration of our 12th season of the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group is now over.  If you would like to join the waiting list for our spring season, schedule a call with me at .  The spring session begins April 9th.  Our summer session begins July 9th.   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 Patreon-only Adult Study Hall.  Learn more at    ADHD reWired Facebook Group:  If you would like to join the ADHD reWired secret Facebook group, go to  and fill out an application.  Productivity Q&A  Get your ADHD questions answered live!  These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30pm.  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, schedule a pre-interview call .

James Ochoa returns to the podcast this week.  James is a licensed professional counselor, author of .  He is the founder and director of The Life Empowerment Center in Austin, Texas.  James offers action-focused counseling and executive coaching to help his clients discover ways to empower themselves in areas of their lives.  His passion is treating the emotional distress of ADHD, so clients can begin to build internal worlds in their imagine to manage their attention challenges.  For the past 27 years, his passion has been to transform how society understands and treats the diagnosis of ADHD.  By standing in the fire with his clients, he has helped them find ways to live powerfully in the midst of their storms while managing his own ADHD.    Jules Ochoa is 22-years-old, and currently pursuing a masters degree in psychology with the intention of working with mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and dissociative identity disorder.  He is self-taught in the world of podcasting and audio engineering.  He produces and co-writes the new podcast series, .   On this episode, you will hear the second episode of James’ and Jules’ podcast, The Complex.  We play “Ok, stop” and interrupt the episode to talk share some thoughts on what is happening in that particular episode.    Connect with James and Jules Ochoa      You’ll Learn:  [07:05] - Jules describes the podcast he has been working on with James, The Complex.    [08:10] - Jules talks about working on a creative project with his father.   [11:41] - We play “OK Stop” with on of Episode #2 of The Complex.   [15:58] - I share that this particular story rings true with my life experience. James explains why this story feels real.    [18:07] - When I first listened to this, it struck some shame triggers.  James talks about the balance they try to strike with this podcast.  Jules says that one aim of the podcast is to help people that don’t have ADHD relate to people in their lives that do have ADHD.    [24:18] - Jules explains why they made some creative decisions with one of the characters.    [26:30] - Jules shares how the audio demonstrates that someone with ADHD can jump tasks and orientations.  He says that this is one of the most confusing aspects of ADHD for other people.   [36:53] - We pick back up with the episode after our break.    [37:22] - I share that I really liked the description a character used in the episode.   [41:10] - I talk about a meditation practice, “Welcome to the Party.”  [46:16] - Jules explains why the story may take a route to help address another area of ADHD.  James lists the different types of issues and areas of disruption covered in the podcast.   [51:10] - James shares one of the things that was difficult with the creation and writing process of the podcast.   [52:51] - Jules talks about playing the role of the son of James, an ADHD expert.  James shares his feelings on that topic, too.   [1:02:10] - James talks about how podcasts and community can turn the tide of understanding and living with ADHD.    Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles:    ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group  Registration of our 12th season of the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group is now over.  If you would like to join the waiting list for our spring season, schedule a call with me at .  The spring session begins April 9th.  Our summer session begins July 9th.   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 Patreon-only Adult Study Hall.  Learn more at    ADHD reWired Facebook Group:  If you would like to join the ADHD reWired secret Facebook group, go to  and fill out an application.  Productivity Q&A  Get your ADHD questions answered live!  These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30pm.  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, schedule a pre-interview call .

This episode is the recording of February’s live Q&A.  These Q&A sessions take place the second Tuesday of every month.  The questions answered in this episode were submitted by listeners of this podcast, both ahead of time and live.  I am, once again, joined on this episode by Brendan Mahan.    In this conversation, you will hear several listener questions.  This month, a lot of these conversations involved medication.  We also talk about employment and recovering from a loss of employment.  These Live Q&A’s are a great opportunity for you to get your questions answered.  The sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30pm.  Go to.  You’ll Learn:  [02:19] - Brendan shares how things are going with his podcast,  .  [04:16] - Jane asks what Patreon is.  This gives me an opportunity to talk about the unique opportunity you have to support this podcast.  [06:41] - Sue was recently let go at her job.  She tells some of her story and asks for advice on employment and recovering from this disappointment.  [21:20] - Samantha asks about focusing on ADHD and coaching instead of general psychotherapy.   [32:22] - A listener asks for tips on keeping up with laundry.  Brendan and I share a few ideas to help with this “im-bore-tant” task.   [41:32] - Chris asks about medication for adults with ADHD.  We talk about how we have a responsibility as consumers to take valuable information on medication to our medical professionals.    [44:23] - While we’re on the topic of medication, I mention a thread from our Facebook community.  Robin asked what the optimal dose of medication should feel like. I share that when I found the right dosage, I felt “normal.”  I read a few responses from the thread.  [50:14] - Katie joins us live to ask for suggestions for remembering tasks and keeping the same drive at work that she has at home. This leads to a discussion on medication and some routines Katie could implement.   [58:53] - Sheila asks about higher correlation within “The Four A’s.”    [1:00:34] - David shares that he was about to be fired and he realized it was because of his ADHD.  We talk about the coaching he received, and the struggles he’s continued to experience.  Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles:    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 Patreon-only Adult Study Hall.  Learn more at    ADHD reWired Facebook Group:  If you would like to join the ADHD reWired secret Facebook group, go to  and fill out an application.  Productivity Q&A  Get your ADHD questions answered live!  These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30pm.  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, schedule a pre-interview call .

If you’re expecting to hear last month’s live Q&A, I’ve changed the plan.  I really want to share a conversation with Marisol Salizar.  Marisol is one of the members of our Coaching and Accountability Group, and I think when it comes to finding what really matters in life, and creating healthy boundaries between work, family, and play, the progress that she has made can be inspirational for all of us who really struggle with this balance, especially when we are fortunate enough to love the work that we do.    Marisol is a wife, a mom, and a biology professor.  She made it through her whole academic career not knowing she had ADHD.  Like many undiagnosed women, she hit 40 with a full-time career, a husband, two kids (one recently diagnosed with ADHD), a house, a geriatric cat, and several dead plants.  She just couldn’t juggle it anymore.  Luckily, her daughter’s psychiatrist advised her not to quit her job before coming in for an evaluation.    In this conversation, you will hear Marisol share her successes, her struggles, and her story.  Marisol talks about her diagnosis, “parenting herself,” and some of the strategies she has implemented.  Marisol explains why she decided to join the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability group, and what she has gained from participating. You’ll Learn: [05:19] - Marisol tells her ADHD story.  She talks about being overwhelmed and the feeling of failure, and the impact that was having on her career.   [09:33] - Marisol expected her evaluation results to show one thing, but she explains why the results surprised her.    [10:22] - After starting her prescription, Marisol experienced an “astounding” semester.    [11:18] - Marisol talks about introducing strategies to work hand-in-hand with her medication.  She shares what drew her to the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group.  [13:30] - Marisol explains that parenting her daughter she was parenting herself.    [15:56] - Marisol describes her husband’s reaction to the news that she has been diagnosed with ADHD, and wanted to join the Coaching and Accountability Group.  [19:30] - Marisol talks about her interview with me to join the group.  [21:20] - There is power in a group and the power of “me too.”  Marisol describes this feeling.   [22:47] - Marisol explains what she hoped to get out of the group.  [26:29] - Balancing work and home life was something that Marisol identified as a major issue.  [29:30] - Marisol describes her time-blocking strategies, and how they’ve changed.  [33:33] - Marisol talks about battling with perfectionism.    [39:23] - Marisol talks about the mind map she created.  She explains how she aims to keep work at work, and home at home.   [48:45] - Marisol talks about the layers of her personal life goal cake.   [54:28] - Marisol says that one her takeaways from the group was “friendship.”  [1:00:13] - Marisol talks about the difference in her planning since she’s joined the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group.  [1:06:27] - Marisol has a message for those of you considering joining the Coaching and Accountability Group.   Your Resources:  Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles:    ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group  Early registration of our 12th season of the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group is now over. To learn more and schedule your interview, .  Registration is open through March 15th.   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 Patreon-only Adult Study Hall.  Learn more at    ADHD reWired Facebook Group:  If you would like to join the ADHD reWired secret Facebook group, go to  and fill out an application.  Productivity Q&A  Get your ADHD questions answered live!  These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30pm.  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, schedule a pre-interview call .

Jamie Popernack is a recovering achievement addict living a fiercely simple life with her husband and daughter.  Jamie is a public health educator who works at a crisis program.  She has a lot of love for the ADHD tribe.    In this conversation, you will hear Jamie explain the idea of achievement addictions.  She shares how she fell into that trap.  She was hustling for her self-worth and doing things because she had to and it looked good.  Her motivation was no longer to help people, but to make herself feel good.  One of the ways Jamie combats this achievement addiction is living what she calls a “fiercely simple life.”  Jamie also tells about her career, working suicide prevention.  She shares some insight into this year.  She says, “You can’t prevent suicide without talking about it.”    Connect with Jamie Popernack  Website -   You’ll Learn:  [06:44] - Jamie explains that she is coming on the podcast because of a dare.   [07:42] - Although she wasn’t a perfectionist, Jamie feels that she is a recovering achievement addict.  She shares what this means to her.  [09:42] - Jamie shares her ADHD story.    [11:50] - Jamie says that her achievement addiction started in college.   [12:55] - Jamie shares some of her “epically messy” weaknesses and a forgetfulness story from college.   [14:56] - Being hospitable and community drives her to want to improve.   [17:05] - Jamie talks about some of the labels that have been attached to her over the years.  [19:33] - Jamie explains the concept of living a “fiercely simple” life.   [24:55] - Jamie describes how she approaches her day.  It starts with meditation and prayer.  She shares how she deals with time.   [26:22] - Jamie shares her experience of working in a restaurant.   [28:55] - Jamie talks about the support she receives from her husband.   [31:17] - Jamie takes us back to the roots of her achievement addiction.    [40:08] - After college, Jamie ended up working in the disability community.  She shares her goals of learning how to love and learning how to be still.   [47:30] - Jamie describes her current job, working in suicide prevention.    [52:28] - Jamie explains that you need self-love to be able to help people.   [52:22] - Jamie encourages individuals struggling with thoughts of suicide to reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-2255.  [54:18] - Jamie suggests if you are concerned about someone’s well being, you should ask directly about suicide.    [56:28] - There are red flags with suicide and Jamie says she doesn’t understand the statement, “that’s just a cry for help.”  [57:10] - Jamie explains why sometimes her ADHD works to her advantage in her work.   [59:45] - Jamie claims she would rather give birth than do paperwork.  This leads to a discussion on what she learned about ADHD from childbirth.   [1:04:48] - Jamie experienced conscious surrender, and that led to stillness.  She talks about letting go in labor and carrying that with her in life.   [1:09:53] - In this conversation, Jamie said that she’d like to start a blog.  I put my coaching hat on and push her on this a little.   Your Resources:    Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles:    ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group  Early registration of our 12th season of the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group is now over. To learn more and schedule your interview, .  Registration is open through March 15th.   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 Patreon-only Adult Study Hall.  Learn more at    ADHD reWired Facebook Group:  If you would like to join the ADHD reWired secret Facebook group, go to  and fill out an application.  Productivity Q&A  Get your ADHD questions answered live!  These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30pm.  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, schedule a pre-interview call .