Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast

This is not an episode about COVID-19. Not really.But it is about what has happened to us all at home because of our contexts right now. And one of the things we know is that putting into place some basic organizing tools can help you spruce up your home or workspace, get your co-habitants working together, and make you feel great. So this week on the show we're going back to basics as Nikki Kinzer reminds us all to do what we know, treat ourselves well, and give ourselves permission to be great no matter how the house looks! (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast (00:57) - Support the show: Become a Patron! (02:18) - Quick Organizing Tasks! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Dr. Michelle Frank is a clinical psychologist specializing in providing diagnostic and treatment services to individuals with ADHD. Her work with clients is all about finding strengths-based approaches to learning how to live with ADHD. Last time she was here, she helped us work through shame and how it impacts relationships. As it turns out, there's more guilt, shame, and relativism in ADHD than we thought. So, she's back to help us take our understanding to the next level! She works with college students, adults, and families and the book she co-authored with Sari Solden — A Radical Guide for Women with ADHD: Embrace Neurodiversity, Live Boldly, and Break Through Barriers — was released last summer. Links & NotesThank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon!Follow Michelle on InstagramA Radical Guide for Women with ADHD: Embrace Neurodiversity, Live Boldly, and Break Through Barriers by Michelle Frank and Sari Solden — Amazon.com About Dr. Michelle FrankThe ADHD Podcast Masks!The Squirrel Squirrel Squirrel Squirrel PodcastThe ADHD Podcast Logo MaskThe ADHD Podcast Badge Mask (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast (01:11) - Support the Show • Get your Masks Now! (04:04) - Introducing Dr. Michelle Frank (11:31) - The Lego "Zone of Tolerance" (14:09) - Comparisons & Aspirations (22:48) - Creating a "Trust Response" (27:46) - What is this "Naval Gazing" of which you speak? (30:18) - Untangling Shame (35:42) - We are interdependent beings ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We've been talking a lot about planning on the show and how to approach routines, breaking negative patterns, and so on over the last handful of weeks. We've heard the struggles and believe it when we tell you: We're struggling too!This week we have some thought on the hard stuff: leaning into not planning. While we likely don't have the answers to all your questions, we do have some thoughts on short term and long term planning that should go a long way toward freeing yourself from the stress and anxiety that comes with uncertainty. Forgive yourself, adjust your expectations, and face the hard stuff as it comes. (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast (01:15) - Support the Show — Become a Patron! (03:43) - Planning Through Uncertainty (07:10) - Riding Bikes versus Jumping Rope (10:40) - Short Term versus Long Term Planning (18:56) - Self-Care ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Parents are faced with an extraordinary set of new responsibilities under at-home directives around the country. Being able to work at home, if possible, and take on the additional roles of schedule-keepers, quarantine teachers, and more can be an incredible strain on the parent-child relationship.This week on the show, Dr. Marcy Caldwell joins Nikki and Pete to talk about the pillars of successful parenting, and how to maintain your reserves when you're feeling tested. She introduces us to the STOPP model, which is a comforting acronym for your own emotional regulation (S: Separate, T: Take a Breath, O: Observe yourself first, then observe what just happened, P: Perspective, P: Proceed).Links & NotesCalm: Meditation and mindfulnessFreedomADDept.org: Thriving with ADHD (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast (01:10) - Support the show • Become a Patron! (02:36) - Introducing Marcy Caldwell (17:25) - Emotional Regulation (22:01) - Habits and Routines (27:50) - The self-care boost: STOPP Method (34:38) - Quarantine Schooling ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We're all living day-to-day, week-to-week now. The distant future is out of our control. We know things are changing around us, the world is moving forward fluidly, and we know transition is always on the horizon... we just don't know when.What do you do when the routines you trusted are thrown into chaos? It's all about bookends and anchors. Now isn't the time to be the most productive you've ever been in your life. It's time to build new and resilient routines and patterns into your days to keep you moving, and moving forward. This week on the show, Nikki and Pete walk through the tools you need to build momentum into your life in times of chaos and feel confident that even in uncertainty, you can continue to contribute.Links & NotesADHD Study Hall (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast (01:26) - Support The ADHD Podcast: Become a Patron! (03:41) - Routines (08:18) - Being better equipped for changes in routine (14:28) - What are you shipping? (16:22) - Accountability (19:46) - Big Rocks, Little Rocks (20:23) - Rituals (24:27) - Not every day is perfect ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We posted a question on our Facebook page asking you how you were adjusting, what you were facing in terms of your own challenges, as we move into whatever comes next for us on this planet. Starting with what we all know: this is hard. We're hurting. We're confused. But there is a silver lining: We're all doing those things together. This week on the show, we're going to share some of those challenges faced by so many of you who responded and, more importantly, a collection of the incredible responses you offered one another in support. Links & Notes"Why You Should Ignore All That Coronovirus-Inspired Productivity Productivity Pressure" — Aisha S. Ahmad, The Chronicle of Higher Education Sawbones Episode 316: The Coronavirus Part 2 (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast (02:08) - Support the Show • Become a Patron! (03:35) - Facing our Challenges (05:40) - Fear of Germs (14:13) - Isolation (20:06) - Online School (25:54) - Routines, productivity, and motivation ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Environmental stress can make you feel like you're in a never-ending loop. The anxiety that comes with the rapidly changing world around us and the barrage of negative news can amplify negative patterns in our thoughts and behaviors. What we need is a pattern interrupt, a set of tools that can help us to step out of the cycle and regain a sense of calm or peace.Today on the show, Dr. Dodge Rea gives us some tools to interrupt those negative patterns. He introduces a valuable resource in the work of Les Fehmi on alpha and beta brainwaves, and leads us through a meditation on open focus that can serve as your start in a practice to calm your mind and body.Links & NotesThe Open-Focused Brain: Harnessing the Power of Attention to Heal Mind and Body by Les Fehmi and Jim Robbins About Dodge Rea (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast (00:58) - Support the Show — Become a Member at Patreon.com/theadhdpodcast (02:29) - Introducing Dr. Dodge Rea (02:53) - Pattern Interrupt (05:36) - Les Fehmi's brain patterns (13:12) - The Energetic Hammer and the Dance (18:00) - Exercises for Open Focus (22:55) - An Open Focued Meditation (29:58) - Revive (32:40) - Some thoughts on Transcendental Meditation (39:47) - The GRACE Sequence ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Continuing our conversation about the massive shift we're facing as we wade through the global shutdown, today we're talking about technology. What are you doing to make the shift? How are you communication? How are you staying productive? How are you keeping your wits about you?  This week on the show, Bob "Dr. Mac" Levitus is back with us to share what he's learned over the last few weeks in working remotely. From protocol for conducting a great video conference to just how hard he leans on his simple, analog tools to keep productive, Bob's got some great tools and recommendations for whatever level of home work you're trying to accomplish!Links & NotesDigital and Analog Tips for Life Cooped Up at Home — Bob LeVitus at houstonchronicle.comWorkingSmarterForMacUsers.com/free — Download Bob's Daily Productivity ChecklistZonebox for Pomodoro (macOS)Working Smarter for Mac Users 5-Hour Online Course — use code TakeControlADHD at checkout to save 90%!Blue Yeti NanoATR2100x USB MicrophoneLibby — Access your library's digital booksKanopy — Stream your library's digital moviesExpressVPNTunnelBearZoom for Telemedicine (HIPPA)Doxy.MeVSeeEero — Improve your WiFi at homeNetgear Orbi — Better WiFi Everywhere (Amazon)HIPPA Covered Entities and Business Associates — HHS.govHIPPA Fast Facts for Covered Entities (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast (00:50) - Support the show — Become a patron! (02:28) - Welcome back Bob Dr. Mac Levitus (04:18) - Even the tech columnist uses the simplest solutions! (07:30) - Bob's Worksheet (14:52) - Bob's solution for staying motivated (19:00) - How are we doing with this working from home thing? (33:08) - VPNs (36:43) - HIPPA (43:34) - Is the Internet going to break? (46:21) - Slow wifi? Upgrade your router tech (49:00) - Bob's new online course — Discount for ADHD Community Members ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

With our own emotions taxed during this time of pandemic, it's easy to misunderstand how our children are living through this same experience. These emotions of fear and uncertainty are amplified for them, and figuring out how to talk about both the disease and the isolation as unique events is becoming more critical in helping them to understand why we are living the way we are right now.This week on the show, coach and author Caroline Maguire is back to help us through these thorny issues. Her book, Why Will No One Play With Me? has already helped so many in our own community addressing social challenges for our kids. Today, we're turning the tools she outlines in the book toward living through the pandemic together.Links & NotesThank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon!Why Will No One Play With Me?: The Play Better Plan to Help Children of All Ages Make Friends and Thrive by Caroline Maguire"5 Ways to Maintain Your Child's Social Skills Right Now" by Caroline Maguire (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast (00:40) - Support the Show • Become a Patron! (02:20) - Introducing Caroline Maguire (03:08) - How do we talk to kids about COVID-19? (07:33) - Splitting the Fear (21:32) - Tackling School Alternatives (25:34) - Addressing College Stress The ADHD Way (33:23) - Swap Stations (36:07) - Transitions (41:06) - Getting the book ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We're living through a time of crisis. The pandemic is of course the global medical crisis. But inside each of us, we're living through our own, individual crises. If you're living with ADHD, you're likely keeping an eye on the horizion ... the ADHD Storm of the Century is on us.That's why we're so lucky to have our friend James Ochoa back on the show this week. Author of Focused Forward, James joins us to talk about the emotional distress onslaught that comes with the fear and uncertainty we're living with today. We take on trauma and grief as we navigate losses behind us, and ahead, and he provides a fantastic framework for connecting meaning to our individual experiences as a form of mindful grounding through this experience.Links & NotesThank you for supporting The ADHD Podcast on Patreon!JamesOchoa.comListen to The Complex (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast (00:59) - James Ochoa is back! (04:54) - Finding Neurological Balance in Crisis (09:50) - Focus Under Pressure (12:04) - Waves of Anxiety, Paradigms Shifting (13:50) - Resistance and Finding Meaning (18:34) - Isolation and RSD (20:44) - FOSO? (25:40) - Gratitude in the Face of Loss (31:52) - Grief and Trauma (40:16) - Building a Relationship With Yourself (43:14) - That one part James' wife didn't know we were podcasting... ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★