Shell Mendelson has built her 35-year career in education and career counseling. There are a lot of career counselors, though. What makes Shell indispensable for us today is that she has ADHD herself and has spent that career helping others make career choices that reflect joy and passion for their unique ADHD brains.This week on the show, Shell brings us new insights into jobs and the ADHD brain. We talk about finding the right match, how to target those deal breakers we've been thinking so hard about the last few weeks, and how to approach discussing ADHD with hiring managers. We review what it takes to find a career coach that can help you with your unique career direction and how to work with a career coach to get the most out of the relationship.One other thing about Shell that is germane to this conversation: she was mentored by Richard Bolles, author of What Color is Your Parachute?: Your Guide to a Lifetime of Meaningful Work and Career Success She's custodian of the methodology now and has taken it in her own wonderful direction to help the neurodiverse population. Even so, we're intrigued by just how well the Parachute model aligns to our thinking around ADHD and encourage you to check out the book. It's a classic. And Shell has an updated working for ADHD adults which should be available in the next two months. Keep an eye out!Learn more about Shell right here, and make sure to connect on LinkedIn if you're on the hunt and need a coach!Other LinksThe Damn Good Resume Guide, Fifth Edition: A Crash Course in Resume Writing by Yana Parker and Beth Brown (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast (01:19) - Support the Show: Become a Patron and Join the Community! https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast (03:29) - Introducing Career Counselor Shell Mendelson (09:23) - What Color is Your Parachute? (15:54) - What makes the ADHD hunt hard? (18:53) - Where is ADHD in the process? (23:51) - The ADHD Disclosure Question (29:51) - The "Means to an End" Job (37:55) - Performance Plans (44:29) - Moving into the Job Hunt (49:05) - The Job Market (53:56) - Learn More ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we’re continuing our job series and talking about deal breakers — those things that you see or experience in your job or on the job hunt that you simply can’t or won’t tolerate. We asked our listeners to weigh in on the topic again this week, and it turns out they had a lot to say. The conversation spans hard conversations on salary and overall compensation, through dealing with managers on expectations around job requirements, and we land on values, the things we can't tolerate in our work not because of what we're asked to do, but because of what the organization stands for. Thanks to everyone who contributed to the deal breaker survey and we hope you're able to listen to this and reflect on your own experience! (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast (01:55) - Support the Show! Become a Patron at https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast (03:56) - Our Dealbreakers (11:05) - Community Dealbreakers (11:31) - Salary Dealbreakers (17:45) - Management & Job Dealbreakers (31:51) - Values ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week's episode we're talking all about red flags and warning signs in a work environment. We dig just a bit into our own stories of past jobs we've had that didn't work out so well, and looking for any red flags in the job postings and interviews. Missing deadlines? Making mistakes? Task overwhelm? We've been there. We then asked our community members to share any red flags they have experienced in previous work environments and were handsomely rewarded. We heard about red flags before getting the job and interview clues, such as long job postings, competitive salaries that are not actually competitive, and interviews that become defensive or too long. We also heard about red flags to look out for once you have the job, such as unclear work expectations, special treatment for high profile employees, and management not fostering a work-life balance. We discussed the difficulty of cultural change in conservative industries, and how harassment is often brushed off to avoid conflict. Thanks to all who wrote in sharing your stories and being a part of this series! (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast (01:59) - Support the Show: Patron.com/theadhdpodcast (02:56) - The ADHD Book Club with James Ochoa's book: Focused Forward (04:03) - 2023 De-Clutter Challenge (05:24) - Sponsor: TextExpander (08:16) - Red Flags at Work ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we explore the age-old question, "What do you do?" and the anxiety that it can cause. What started with Nikki doing her civic duty as a potential member on a jury leads us to discuss how this question can lead to us feeling boxed in, forced to express our identity through a job title. How do you answer this question differently, by sharing hobbies or passions that we enjoy, or aspects of our job that we find meaningful? These alternative answers can lead to more engaging conversations and can help all of us to reclaim our identity in a way that is more meaningful than just a job title. (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast (02:43) - The ADHD Book Club (03:48) - 2023 De-Clutter Challenge (07:51) - Jobs ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Our friend James Ochoa is back! This week we're talking about the lessons you can learn from inflection points in your ADHD journey. What did you learn? What did you gain? What can come from it?We start with an event. Take some time in a grounded space, and think of an event from your past that we either positive or problematic in relation to your experience with ADHD. For Pete, it was an experience early in his freelance career, something that still causes physical discomfort twenty years later.Next, ask yourself these life-transformation questions:What did I learn from the event?What strengths did you gain from going through this experience?What hope came out of this experience?What wisdom was gathered in going through this?What new knowledge do you now have?James suggests using this exercise as a resource journal of life experiences and memories, a place to catalog the positive experiences and process the challenges over time.This week, James leads Pete through the exercise and conjures up all that old discomfort and quite a few laughs, all to rewire old experiences for the better.Learn more about James, his work, and his ADHD Town Halls on his website right here! (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast (01:00) - Support the Show: Become a Patron! (02:34) - Organizing Challenge Time! (04:42) - Welcome Back James Ochoa! (05:32) - Seven Years of Focus Forward (07:36) - The Power of Your ADHD Story (12:48) - Where the River Meets the Sea (21:00) - Setting up the Exercise (44:44) - The ADHD Bookclub with special guest James Ochoa! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week, we're exploring the transformative power of the "yes, and..." principle, a cornerstone of improv performance. This simple yet effective phrase encourages performers to not only accept but also expand upon their partners' spontaneous ideas. How can this mindset apply to daily life for those of us with ADHD? Today, we’re navigating how to use comedy to handle unexpected situations with ease and resilience.We dive into the concept of "yes, and..." as a tool for embracing and moving forward through challenging, unexpected, or complex moments. By replacing the instinctive "no, but..." response with a more adaptive and flexible attitude, it becomes easier to face adversity head-on and maintain momentum.We discuss the rejection faced by performers, writers, and directors alike, their coping strategies, and how they manage not to take rejection personally. By drawing parallels with rejection sensitivity dysphoria (RSD), we uncover techniques to foster acceptance and perseverance.Mandy Kaplan is an actress, vo artist, singer, writer, ninja and podcast host living in LA. Her voice can be heard in hundreds of commercials/video games/and SO many audiobooks. Onscreen, she can be seen starring in the feature film 30 Nights of Sex to Save Your Marriage available on Tubi TV for free right now, a film she also co-wrote and produced. Her cabaret Miscast: Right Singer, Wrong Song has been running in LA for over 12 years.Mandy Fabian was the director and creator of Lifetime’s first digital series, The Young Hillary Diaries, and co-created and wrote the Amazon series Dropping the Soap, which won Jane Lynch an Emmy!  She’s a Sony Television Directing Program Fellow, was named “Best New Filmmaker of the Year” by NewFilmmakers LA, and her latest screenplay, Late Bloomer, was selected for the Meryl Streep/Oprah Winfrey Writers Lab. Most recently, she completed her feature directorial debut Jess Plus None, an awkward comedy that will be released in the fall of 2023.Together, they co-host the Mandcave, a podcast about two best friends who have nothing in common except their names on TruStory FM. Our ultimate goal for this episode is to inspire listeners to find humor amidst life's challenges. By nurturing a comedic perspective and using it as a roadmap back to happiness, we hope to encourage a more profound reflection on the power of laughter in overcoming adversity.Links & NotesCheck out the Mandys in their podcast: MandcaveIn LA? Get tix for Mandy Kaplan’s Cabaret, “Miscast LA: Right Singer, Wrong Song”Check out the trailer for Mandy Fabian’s film, “Jess Plus None”Watch Mandy Kaplan’s film, “30 Nights” free on Tubi right now (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast (00:56) - Support the Show: Become an ADHD Patron at patreon.com/theadhdpodcast (02:18) - ADHD Book Club: Focus Forward by James Ochoa (03:57) - Introducing Mandy Kaplan and Mandy Fabian (05:18) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast (05:50) - Friends of ADHD (08:09) - Tools to Build Funny as a Shield: Yes... And? (11:02) - Contexts, Surprise, and Shame (16:14) - Celebrating Trash on the way to Gold (18:27) - Listening (21:48) - Getting Uncomfortable at Being Uncomfortable (26:41) - Rejection (39:40) - Laughing Through Grief ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We've had a terrific run looking deeply at self-compassion and ADHD over the last month. This week, we're taking a look back and reflecting on lessons learned, changes made, and opportunities ahead.Along the way, we welcome Bryan Brunelle to the team as the first of our Mod Squad members. If you're a member of our ADHD Discord Community make sure to reach out to Bryan ... or, just wait... sooner or later he'll reach out to you!The ADHD Book Club is opening up enrollment for the next term when the group covers our friend James Ochoa's book, Focus Forward. Learn more about the book club and get your name on the list right here!This week's episode is sponsored by our friends at TextExpander. Make work work the way your brain works. Learn more and save 20% on your first year subscription at takecontroladhd.com/textexpander today! (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast (01:31) - Support the Show! Become a Patron Today! (03:06) - Sponsor: TextExpander • takecontroladhd.com/textexpander to save 20% on your first year! (06:36) - New Team Member! (09:07) - The ADHD Book Club • Focused Forward by James Ochoa (10:09) - Self-Compassion Reflections ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

You have a plan. You have a vision of yourself and your performance. But what happens when plans change, or the world doesn't share your perspective on your own experience? When RSD sets in, your ability to manifest compassion for yourself is most important.We kick off with a review of RSD, Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria. Need to dive in a little deeper? Look no further and Dr. William Dodson's article on the topic in ADDitude Magazine. Even better, check out our episode with him on the subject from a few years back.Once you understand RSD and how RSD can contribute to emotional storms (check out James Ochoa on Emotional Storms here), you get a better picture of the importance of taking your compassion into your own hands. When no one else is looking to care for you, what tools do you have in your bag to care properly for yourself?This week: tools you can use to cope, regroup, and recover. (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast (03:12) - Support the Show on Patreon! patreon.com/theadhdpodcast (06:17) - A Review of RSD (16:20) - The RSD Connection to Self-Compassion (25:45) - Building Tools for Self-Compassion (29:36) - Finding the Single Match in a Dark Cave ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Casey Dixon is a respected Life Coach with a unique focus on science-based, innovative, collaborative coaching and advising for high achievers with ADHD or executive function challenges.So, why is Casey back with us during our series discussing self-compassion and ADHD? Because it turns out that the way we talk to ourselves is universal. Even those living with ADHD who appear to have achieved success live with the threat of negative self-talk, denial, fear, and more. Creating a self-compassion practice is central to freeing ourselves from those feelings and moving forward.Learn more about Casey and her work at DixonLifeCoaching.com. (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast (01:58) - Support the show: Become a Patron at https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast (05:09) - Introducing Casey Dixon (09:48) - The ADHD Trifecta (13:36) - The Roller Coaster of the Trifecta (24:14) - Building the Habit of Self-Compassion (29:31) - Burnout ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We've been talking about ADHD and self-compassion over the last several weeks. But how do these experiences tie into other difficult emotions like anger, fear, worry, anxiety, and grief? Nikki and Pete continue the series on the show this week.For background, we're working through chapter 16 of The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook by Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer, as well as Neff's TEDxTalk, "The Space Between Self-Esteem and Self Compassion.".The journey through difficult emotions starts and ends with acceptance. But finding that emotional release isn't easy, nor does it happen in a straight line. But by labeling our experience, by finding the areas in our body that are manifesting current struggle, we can find a path toward release.Breathing for Pattern Interrupt with James OchoaInterrupting Negative Patterns with Dr. Dodge ReaJerry Campbell and the Dynamic Tension Between Love and Fear (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast (01:40) - Support the show: Become a Patron at https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast (02:42) - Tax Study Hall (04:56) - GPS Enrollment! (06:48) - All the Feelings (14:13) - The Stages of Acceptance (19:59) - Hyperfocus, Amygdala Hijack, and Strategies for Reset (28:37) - Awareness and Soothing ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★