The Christina Crowe Podcast: Making the invisible VISIBLE

Today I have the privilege of speaking with ADHD coach, Liz Lewis, and we break down some of our observations and the nuances behind how the ADHD coaching industry has evolved over the last few years. We also talk about a ‘whole person’ look at the diagnosis as an adult, and how to think about personalizing your care.  We cover: Why ADHD is about a lot more than executive dysfunction, How can the medical model and the neurodiversity paradigm be reconciled in understanding and treating ADHD? What are the specific challenges and expectations faced by women with ADHD? How can the ADHD community navigate the challenges of social media and online influencers? Resources mentioned in the show:  Check out The 2023 Annual International Conference on ADHD The OG: The ADHD Resource Hub, Access: Our list of mental health resources and connections, and some free downloads, or low cost counselling in Ontario, Use the discount code ‘CCPODCAST’ at checkout, for 15% off on DIY*ADHD. About our guest:   Liz Lewis is a writer, coach and ADHD mom who started talking about ADHD women before it was cool. Liz is the Founder of ADHD Enclave, an online community built to enhance and inspire the lives of brilliant but overwhelmed women and moms with ADHD. Liz’s favorite hobbies include reading, working out, and watching trashy tv. Sometimes all at the same time.  Find Liz: Instagram | Website | Email to join her Reading Circle: healthyadhd@gmail.com Find Christina (CRPO #003908): Website |Find a Therapist |Our Online Courses | Instagram |TikTok A gentle reminder that this is not therapy, and Christina is not your therapist. If you need more one on one support or treatment, please check out the links posted in the Show info and episode notes on the main podcast webpage.  LISTEN OR SUBSCRIBE for free in your favourite podcast app: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | TuneIn | iHeart Radio | AmazonMusic | RSS

Today I have the privilege of speaking with Dr. Nelson Handal, and we break down some of the mystery behind why it is so important, and also so challenging, to get an accurate diagnosis in mental health today. We cover: How can accurate diagnosis be achieved in mental health? What are the challenges of diagnosing and treating comorbid conditions? What are some common challenges in doctor-patient communication, What are the innovations in mental health we can be excited about? About our Guest: Dr. Nelson Handal is an adult psychiatrist and Clinical Faculty at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine in Dothan, Alabama. Dr. Nelson M. Handal is the Founder, Chairman, and Medical Director for Dothan Behavioral Medicine Clinic, a large and modern mental health clinic, where about 200 patients are seen daily. He is also the Founder and Medical Director of Harmonex Neuroscience Research where he participated in clinical research as a primary investigator in over 100 clinical trials for the past 16 years. Developing CliniCom® for over 15 years has been for him the most challenging and expensive endeavor, but it led to an article in Forbes in 2018 after CliniCom® was used by thousands of patients around the US. Clinicom was also awarded at the Psychiatry Innovation Lab at the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Handal was invited to testify before the United States House Committee on Veterans’ in reference to this technology. Resources mentioned in the show:  CADDAC: Centre for ADHD Awareness Canada. (2021). Girls and Women with ADHD: our missed forgotten and most vulnerable.  Access: Our list of mental health resources and connections, and some free downloads, or low cost counselling in Ontario, The OG: The ADHD Resource Hub, Use the discount code ‘CCPODCAST’ at checkout, for 15% off on DIY*ADHD. Therapists, use the discount code ‘PEBBLE’ at checkout, for 15% off on DIY*ADHD:Couples. NEW: We made Official Pod Squad Merch! Check it out HERE! ​(100% of the profits from Dig Deeper Merch sales support the FREE psychotherapy program ​operated by Dig A Little Deeper, Psychotherapy & Counselling in Caledon, ON. Find Christina (CRPO #003908): Website | Find a Therapist | Our Online Courses | Instagram |TikTok A gentle reminder that this is not therapy, and Christina is not your therapist. If you need more one on one support or treatment, please check out the links posted in the Show info and episode notes on the main podcast webpage.  LISTEN OR SUBSCRIBE for free in your favourite podcast app: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | TuneIn | iHeart Radio| AmazonMusic |RSS

Season three is almost here!  Things are changing in the mental health landscape. Never before have we seen communities learning, sharing their lived experiences and it has really been inspiring to watch the scientific, academic and clinician community embrace and welcome the voices of everyday people into their research and advocacy projects.  This podcast isn't just for therapists and physicians; it's for everyone – from curious minds to those who've felt the impact of mental health firsthand. We know that the critical first step to getting the healthcare you need and deserve starts with the foundational information that unites everybody involved, which is learning all you can about mental health conditions in the first place.  Resources for After The Show:  Read: The Dig Deeper Blog, Access: Our list of mental health resources and connections, and some free downloads, or low cost counselling in Ontario, The OG: The ADHD Resource Hub. NEW: Finally, we made Official Pod Squad Merch! ​Check it out HERE.  (100% of the profits from Dig Deeper Merch sales support the FREE psychotherapy program ​operated by Dig A Little Deeper, Psychotherapy & Counselling in Caledon, ON.) Find Christina (CRPO #003908): Website |Find a Therapist |Our Online Courses | Instagram |TikTok| X  A gentle reminder that this is not therapy, and Christina is not your therapist. If you need more one on one support or treatment, please check out the links posted in the Show info and episode notes on the main podcast webpage.  LISTEN OR SUBSCRIBE for free in your favourite podcast app: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | TuneIn | iHeart Radio | AmazonMusic

In today’s episode, we are making invisible things visible for people courageously living in step- or blended families. I'm speaking with psychotherapist Connie Marasco, who has both lived and clinical experience, working to help blended or step family life feel supported. We cover: Connie and Christina’s experiences stepkid and stepmom respectively, The myths about blended families and hard things no one talks about feeling, The importance of the step-parent and step child relationship, and Concepts from human development that parents can use to help shape their efforts with their kids.  Resources mentioned in the show:  Recommended reading: Stepfamilies: Love, parenting and marriage in the first decade by James Bray, PhD., and Parenting Apart: How Separated and Divorced Parents Can Raise Happy and Secure Kids by Christina McGhee​ Use the discount code ‘PEBBLE’ at checkout, for 15% off on DIY*ADHD:Couples. About our guest:   Connie Marasco is a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) with a masters degree in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University and additional training in trauma, couples therapy, ADHD-informed psychotherapy and more recently, equine-assisted therapy. In addition to the skills she’s learned in practice and training, she also uses her wicked sense of humor, unrelenting curiosity and personal experience with mental health, to help create positive change for her clients. Connie hopes to focus the future of her work on supporting blended families on their journey to building safety in connections. Currently you can find Connie on the Dig a Little Deeper team, where she continues finding opportunities for new learning and inspiration. Find Connie: Instagram | Work with Connie (Ontario) Find Christina (CRPO #003908): Website | Meet the Team | DIY*ADHD course | Instagram | TikTok A gentle reminder that this is not therapy, and Christina is not your therapist. If you need more one on one support or treatment, please check out the links posted in the Show info and episode notes on the main podcast webpage.  LISTEN OR SUBSCRIBE for free in your favourite podcast app: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Overcast | Stitcher | RSS

Dr. Jessica Eccles and Dr. Nimish Mittal, global hyper-mobility experts, discuss the connections between hyper-mobility syndromes, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome(s), and neurodivergent conditions like ADHD, Autism, and Tourette's. They define EDS and its relationship to hyper-mobility, explore the connections between EDS, ADHD, and Autism, and provide advice on effective communication with doctors about symptoms.

Welcome to The Christina Crowe Podcast, and I’m your host, Psychotherapist Christina Crowe. I love making invisible things visible, and today I'm speaking with Cathy Gatlin, founder of Improv4Health in Toronto, ON. Cathy is an improv instructor who recently reintroduced me to the immense benefits of improv and how it can help get us out of our heads, into our bodies and actually feel comfortable doing so.  We talk about: What is improv, and who can do it? How can improv help social anxiety? What Cathy noticed about therapists in improv groups, Listen in as Cathy & Christina do some improv, and How improv can improve your self-confidence and help you feel comfortable in your own skin.  Our Guest: Cathy Gatlin is the instructor for Improv4Health. Over the last 22 years Cathy has taken classes at Second City, Bad Dog Theatre (formerly Theatresports) and most recently at the Kate Ashby Academy.  For several years Cathy was in the improv troupe “Born a Swirly” and performed throughout the city of Toronto. Cathy's passion is building community, as well as strengthening confidence in kids and adults. Cathy currently teaches improv at Toronto’s St. Joseph’s Hospital, in the inpatient child mental health unit.  Teaching at St. Joe's has helped Cathy create a strong online improv curriculum. Find Cathy: Improv4Health | Instagram | Twitter  and check out her upcoming classes: Increase Confidence, Creativity and Connection. April 4th (Tuesdays 7:30-9 pm Adult Class) April10 (Mondays 4:30-5:30 9-16 year old class).  Resources mentioned in the show:  Learn more about ADHD: The ADHD Resource Hub Use the discount code ‘CCPODCAST’ at checkout, for 15% off on DIY*ADHD, or ‘PEBBLE’ for 15% off DIY*ADHD: Couples. Find Christina (CRPO #003908): Website | Meet the Team | DIY*ADHD course | Instagram | TikTok A gentle reminder that this is not therapy, and Christina is not your therapist. If you need more one on one support or treatment, please check out the links posted in the Show info and episode notes on the main podcast webpage.  LISTEN OR SUBSCRIBE for free in your favourite podcast app: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Overcast | Stitcher | RSS

In today’s episode, I'm breaking down the mystery behind the couples that we couple therapists were SO sure would make it, but for some reason, they didn’t.  Was the mystery in fact that the couple modality was not neurodivergent-affirming? Did we miss a diagnosis?  In couple therapy today, there are a few well described and successful approaches, like Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Gottman Method or Relational Theories.  Couples can find some initial success with these, and then there are some couples who continue to struggle, despite both partners having the best intentions. Is your partner (or you) behaving the way they are in the relationship because they are choosing to do so, despite its effect on you?  Or are they committed to the relationship, yet despite all their best efforts, they can’t seem to get it together and do not know why. Any of the traditional couples therapy approaches can be used when trying to discern the answer to that question, as long as the therapist knows that is the question they should be probing.   Resources mentioned in the show:  ADHD couples: solutions beyond traditional couples therapy. Check out DIY*ADHD: Couples for couple therapists, coaches, family therapists and ADHD therapists.  The ADHD Resource Hub Sign up for the DIY*ADHD: Couples Newsletter to stay up to date on updates or new digital download bundle add-ons. Use the discount code ‘CCPODCAST’ at checkout, for 15% off on DIY*ADHD, or ‘PEBBLE’ for 15% off DIY*ADHD: Couples. Find Christina (CRPO #003908): Website | Meet the Team | DIY*ADHD courses | Instagram | TikTok A gentle reminder that this is not therapy, and Christina is not your therapist. If you need more one on one support or treatment, please check out the links posted in the Show info and episode notes on the main podcast webpage.  LISTEN OR SUBSCRIBE for free in your favourite podcast app: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Overcast | Stitcher | RSS

In today’s episode, I'm breaking down a familiar tyranny of positivity - the mentally strong checklist. It's fantastic that we are all seeking to insulate ourselves from things that keep us off the ‘mentally strong’ list. However the phrase might suggest to some that we are mentally weak if we don’t follow the checklist. I’m here to tell you, that is absolutely absurd. Resources mentioned in the show: Our Graduate Intern Clinic The Dig Deeper Blog Our list of mental health resources and connections, and some free downloads, The ADHD Resource Hub Sign up to be notified about the launch of DIY*ADHD: Couples for couple therapists. Use the discount code ‘CCPODCAST’ at checkout, for 15% off on DIY*ADHD. Find Christina (CRPO #003908): Website | Meet the Team | DIY*ADHD course | Instagram | TikTok A gentle reminder that this is not therapy, and Christina is not your therapist. If you need more one on one support or treatment, please check out the links posted in the Show info and episode notes on the main podcast webpage. LISTEN OR SUBSCRIBE for free in your favourite podcast app: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Overcast | Stitcher | RSS

In today’s episode, I'm speaking with executive ADHD coach Cameron Gott, from Virginia. I first learned about Cameron’s coaching perspective many years ago when I came across his website and his ADHD adapted version of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. The simplicity of his tool, as many things in ADHD life go, serve as grounding reminders of what we should be prioritizing.  We talk about:  How Cam developed the 'ADHD Hierarchy of Needs',  The roles of coaching and psychotherapy in the treatment of ADHD,  The things we think adults with ADHD really need to know.  Find Cam: Translating ADHD Podcast | LinkedIN | Twitter  Resources mentioned in the show:  Do you need therapy or coaching for your ADHD? by Julia D'Addurno (Cam's ADHD Hierarchy of Needs inside!) Use the discount code ‘CCPODCAST’ at checkout, for 15% off on DIY*ADHD.  Sign up to get early access to DIY*ADHD: Couples for couple therapists and ADHD couple coaches.  About Cam: An Executive ADHD coach since 2000, Cameron Gott, PCC works with creative leaders and business owners worldwide to help them take action more efficiently and lead more effectively. He co-hosts the Translating ADHD podcast and trains and mentors ADHD coaches through Coach Approach Training. He teaches group coaching classes through Translating ADHD and Melissa Orlov’s ADHD Marriage program. Cam speaks and teaches on a variety of topics including ADHD and coaching. He is now curious about the nexus of ADHD, Positive Intelligence and the role of emotion in leadership and motivation through his Equanimity group coaching effort. Cam lives outside of Charlottesville, VA in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains with his wife and two children.  Find Christina (CRPO #003908): Website | Find a Therapist | Instagram | TikTok | Dig Deeper Merch A gentle reminder that this is not therapy, and Christina is not your therapist. If you need more one on one support or treatment, please check out the links posted in the Show info and episode notes on the main podcast webpage.  LISTEN OR SUBSCRIBE for free in your favourite podcast app: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Overcast | RSS

Hello everyone, welcome to The Christina Crowe Podcast, where we connect the dots in search for more balanced mental health. I’m your host Christina Crowe and today we are talking about the powerful combination of creativity and human connection, and how my two guests, Cheryl Bower and Rob Russell from Voices Rock Canada, have leveraged that in their lives. Today we talk about: The power of singing and music, on our experiences after trauma and ongoing challenges with managing our mental health, How a (really big!) group of Toronto doctors found healing through singing during the pandemic, Why remembering the importance of community can save us all, Most importantly, why no one is really tone deaf and how we could all sing a lot more. Resources from today's show: Check out Voices Rock Medicine - maybe your doc is there! and Voices Rock Medicine on Canada’s Got Talent, (whaaaa? So cool!) Use the discount code ‘CCPODCAST’ at checkout, for 15% off on DIY*ADHD. SIGN UP to be the first to know about DIY*ADHD Couples, coming soon! Find Voices Rock Canada: Voices Rock Canada | Facebook|  Instagram | Twitter | Youtube About our Guests: Cheryl Bower is the founder and president of Voices Rock Canada, a Toronto-based rock and pop music organization focused on creating joy and community through the power of music. In addition to her work with Voices Rock Canada, Cheryl sits on the boards of numerous arts organizations in the GTA and won the Civic Service Award through the Toronto Real Estate Board for her organizational skills in raising over $140,000 for various causes. Ron Russell, a retired letter carrier, has been singing with Voices Rock Canada since 2020. Prior to joining, Ron was also a professional entertainer. The focus on community and music provided by the choir has been a pillar of support for Ron as he navigated the COVID lockdowns and a cancer diagnosis. Find Christina (CRPO #003908): Website |Find your Therapist | Instagram | TikTok A gentle reminder that this is not therapy, and Christina is not your therapist. If you need more one on one support or treatment, please check out the links posted in the Resource list here and on the main podcast webpage.