I've got a solo show for you today and you know what that means - buckle up because it's a rollercoaster of ADHD madness! In this episode, I explore how ADHD impacts long-term goal setting due to prioritization issues and working memory deficits. I share personal strategies that have worked for me, such as creating urgency and seeking external motivation. A recent change in Apple’s download metrics inspired me to explore new avenues for my own long-term goals like YouTube and in-person episodes.Then we answer some of your call-in questions, I share some resources with you, and of course, we wrap it up with what triggered me this week. If you have ADHD or you think you might, join me for this action-packed show. And if you want my help with your ADHD, join FOCUSED!Watch this episode on YouTubeHave a question for Kristen? Call 1.833.281.2343Hang out with Kristen on Instagram and TikTok

Dr. Robert Melillo is a clinician, professor, brain researcher, and best-selling author of the book Disconnected Kids. I think you'll find this conversation fascinating. Dr. Melillo challenges the conventional view of ADHD, presenting it not just as a biochemical imbalance, genetic, or underdeveloped prefrontal cortex, but as a developmental imbalance between the two hemispheres of the brain. During our conversation, Dr. Melillo breaks down the three subtypes of ADHD—inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive, and combined—linking them to different brain regions. We explore how the right hemisphere plays a crucial role in attention, while the left is more associated with hyperactivity and impulsivity. Our discussion touches on the intricate interplay within brain regions like the basal ganglia and prefrontal cortex, with a nod to the influence of environmental factors and epigenetics. We emphasize the importance of early childhood development and how retained primitive reflexes can impact neurodevelopment. Movement, as Dr. Melillo points out, is vital for brain growth. As we wrap up, Dr. Melillo highlights the importance of a comprehensive, personalized approach to enhancing brain function in adults with ADHD. By focusing on exercises and sensory activities, we can improve communication between brain hemispheres and address imbalances. This episode is one that might make you go, "HMMMMMM" - and I'm all for that. Enjoy! Watch this episode on YouTube Want help with your ADHD? Join FOCUSED! Have questions for Kristen? Call 1.833.281.2343Hang out with Kristen on Instagram and TikTok AG 1 by Athletic Greens

Psychologist, author, and ADHD expert Dr. Ari Tuckman is here to talk about the unique productivity challenges faced by adults with ADHD. Dr. Tuckman and I discuss how ADHD-related productivity issues go beyond typical procrastination and time management struggles. We cover effective management strategies like proper diagnosis, medication, education, coaching, therapy, and foundational self-care practices including sleep, diet, and exercise. Establishing routines and prioritizing tasks can significantly enhance productivity and reduce overwhelm.This episode is a treasure trove of knowledge for anyone navigating life with ADHD!Want more from Dr. Ari Tuckman? Check out his website!Watch this episode on YouTubeWant help with your ADHD? Join FOCUSED!Have a questions for Kristen? Call 1.833.281.2343Hang out with Kristen on Instagram and TikTok

I'm trying out a new solo show style this week, and I hope you love it! I've got a bunch of fun segments for you: First, I tell you all about my trip to Oxford University for a conference on Trauma with some of the biggest names in the industry (Gabor Mate, Bessel van der Kolk, Richard Schwartz, etc). Traveling is always a mixed bag for me - exciting and exhausting, and we dive into it all Next, I share the resource of the week: The Brick Then I answer listener questions! We cover these 3 topics: How do I pack for travel as an ADHDer?Should I go to my estranged family's birthday party?How do I easily manage evening time with kids? (LOL)We dive into this research study about Adverse Childhood Experiences and ADHD. And lastly, I go on a spicy rant about how Dr. John Delony says that ADHD is "JUST" the body's response to chaos. Excuse me no. Get outta here with that. It's a wild ride today, I hope you enjoy! Watch this episode on YouTubeWant help with your ADHD? Join FOCUSED! Have a question for Kristen? Call 1.833.281.2343 Hang out with Kristen on Instagram and TikTok AG 1 by Athletic Greens

Psychotherapist Whitney Goodman is here today to talk about a crucial topic for many of us: navigating family-of-origin relationships as an adult with ADHD. We dive deep into the challenges and complexities neurodivergent individuals face within their families, especially during significant life transitions.Whitney and I discussed how poor communication skills can create friction within families, especially when parents are skeptical about ADHD diagnoses. We emphasized the importance of supportive parental responses and self-awareness for strengthening family bonds. Generational differences in emotional health awareness were another focal point, with older generations often suppressing feelings while younger ones advocate for open expression.The message is hopeful: personal growth can be a pathway to healing relationships.Whitney Goodman - Calling Home Watch this episode on YouTube Have questions for Kristen? Call 1.833.281.2343 Hang out with Kristen on Instagram

This episode is personal for me. Over the past six months, I’ve explored the ADHDer's inner critic intensively, drawing insights from influential books like “Healing the Shame That Binds You,” “Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving,” and “Rethinking Adult ADHD.” While the inner critic isn’t a formal symptom of ADHD, it profoundly impacts those of us with the disorder.In this episode, we start by examining how negative self-talk, often rooted in childhood criticism and toxic relationships, affects adults with ADHD. This inner critic can lead to self-hate and hypervigilance, causing toxic shame and hindering personal growth. I share my own struggles with shame rumination and the challenge of cultivating a positive inner voice, emphasizing the importance of self-compassion.To combat negative self-talk, I suggest strategies like journaling, verbalizing criticisms, and using thought-stopping techniques. Recognizing and documenting positive aspects of life can foster a healthier self-perception. Additionally, support systems like trauma-informed therapy and specialized coaching programs play a vital role in managing the inner critic and associated shame.Managing the inner critic is challenging but achievable with the right strategies and support systems. Want my help? Join FOCUSED for an entire course with a step-by-step process on how ADHDers can quiet their inner critic. Here are the 2 studies I mention In the episode: Peer Functioning in Children with ADHDPeer victimization in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity DisorderHang out with me on Instagram Watch this episode on YouTube

In this episode we are diving deep into the world of adult ADHD, addressing common misconceptions, and highlighting the unique characteristics that make adult ADHD so distinct. I break down 10 of the symptoms of ADHD and explain in detail how they show up in your daily life. If you think you might have adult ADHD or you want a refresher on what it means to have ADHD, you're going to love this ep! Symptoms ListDiagnostic CriteriaCoaching for adults with ADHDCome hang out with me on Instagram

Meet my sister, Adrienne Himelright. In this episode, we dive deep into our shared experiences with ADHD and the all-too-familiar challenges of people-pleasing. Adrienne opens up about her struggles, including sharing a story where people-pleasing led her to drain her retirement account. Adrienne coaches people every single day on how to stop people-pleasing and in this episode, she shares a step-by-step process of how ADHDers can STOP people-pleasing. She even has a resource for you on her website Meet my sister, Adrienne Himelright. In this episode, we dive deep into our shared experiences with ADHD and the all-too-familiar challenges of people-pleasing. Adrienne opens up about her struggles, including sharing a story where people-pleasing led her to drain her retirement account. Adrienne coaches people every single day on how to stop people-pleasing and in this episode, she shares a step-by-step process of how ADHDers can STOP people-pleasing. She even has a resource for you on her website. Adrienne Himelright Coaching Find Adrienne on Instagram HERECheck this episode out on YouTube! Come hang out with me on InstagramAthletic Greens by AG1.

Stacy Scott is a feng shui practitioner and decluttering expert who has so much wisdom to share about how our environments impact our self-concept and personal growth. You won’t want to miss this transformative conversation! We delve into the influence of childhood experiences on adult behaviors related to clutter. Stacy shares insights on how chaos and even trauma from our early years can shape our relationship with our living spaces. She also touches on the pitfalls of striving for minimalism, cautioning that it can sometimes lead to neglecting our self-worth. The conversation takes a critical look at societal pressures, particularly on women and mothers, to maintain perfect homes. Instead of unrealistic expectations, Stacy advocates for support and understanding. For those of us with ADHD, maintaining morning routines and managing clutter can be incredibly challenging. Stacy offers practical advice and emphasizes the importance of addressing the shame and overwhelm that often accompany these struggles. We also critique the rigid norms of minimalism and cleanliness that society imposes on us. The takeaway? You're allowed to be messy! You can find Stacy Scott on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube!Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE. AG1 by Athletic Greens

Join me in welcoming my friend and colleague, Paula Engebretson! In this episode, we dive into productivity strategies, managing emails, and how tools like ChatGPT can make a difference in our daily lives. Paula’s focus on productivity and my passion for personal growth blend perfectly in this engaging and insightful conversation.One of the highlights of our conversation is the practical advice Paula provides on email management. She breaks down different types of emails and offers strategies to keep your inbox clutter-free. From thought downloads to responding to emails from the bottom up, Paula’s tips are game-changers. We also touch on the emotional complexities tied to unsubscribing and how grounding processes can help manage feelings of overwhelm and anxiety.We dive into additional strategies for managing deadlines and tasks, emphasizing the importance of setting realistic timelines and using techniques like “body doubling” for productivity. Paula introduces ChatGPT as a valuable tool for individuals with ADHD, aiding in communication, planning, and time management. I share how ChatGPT has enhanced my professional communication, helping me draft emails and create show notes from podcast transcripts. It’s like having a supportive friend that aids in idea iteration and communication improvement.This episode is packed with resources for managing prioritization and productivity, including Paula’s own “I’m Busy Being Awesome” podcast and various coaching options. Whether you’re looking to improve your email management, understand your ADHD strengths, or find new tools to boost productivity, this episode has something for everyone.Podcast episode link: Episode 255: An ADHD ChatGPT GuideWorkbook: https://imbusybeingawesome.com/chatInstagram: ImbusybeingawesomeTikTok: ImbusybeingawesomeCome hang out with me on Instagram and TikTok! AG1 by Athletic Greens

I’m thrilled to share a deeply insightful conversation with my mentor, Africa Brooke. Africa’s latest book, “The Third Perspective,” dives into the complex realms of self-sabotage and censorship, and in our discussion, we unpack the significance of moving beyond binary thinking in today’s society.In this episode, Africa and I explore the evolutionary roots of societal pressures to conform and the vital importance of brave expression and embracing nuance, especially amidst the increasing intolerance we see around us. We delve into the personal challenges that come with non-conformity, particularly for those of us with ADHD or from dysfunctional backgrounds. Africa sheds light on the internal conflict between being authentic and staying safe, emphasizing how self-censorship in relationships often leads to deep dissatisfaction.One of the standout moments in our conversation is Africa’s reflection on her open letter, “Why I’m Leaving the Cult of Wokeness,” which she penned during the pandemic. This letter critiques the intense societal pressures surrounding racial justice and public health debates, touching on the painful conflict between staying true to oneself and feeling like a traitor to others. We also tackle the implications of cancel culture and the paramount importance of authenticity over conformity.Africa and I discuss the intricacies of identity, activism, and the unique pressures faced by women online, particularly the phenomenon of “context collapse.” This is where our curated online personas can lead to misunderstandings. We advocate for acknowledging personal contradictions and fostering curiosity and awareness, especially for neurodivergent individuals who may struggle with black-and-white thinking.I hope you found this episode as enlightening and empowering as I did. Africa's insights are a powerful reminder of the importance of authenticity, bravery, and nuance in our lives. Why I'm Leaving the Cult of WokenessThe Third Perspective More about Africa BrookeHang out with Kristen on Instagram HERE. 

I'm celebrating my 20th wedding anniversary with my husband Greg by having him on the podcast today! We’ll be diving into the ups and downs of our relationship, how we’ve navigated the challenges brought on by the early pandemic, and how we’ve grown individually and together over the past two decades. So, grab your favorite beverage, get cozy, and join us for an intimate conversation about love, life, and ADHD.We’ve both learned so much about compassion, communication, and the importance of accepting each other’s flaws. We’ve grown a lot in managing conflicts and emotional regulation, and today, we’re sharing some insights from a recent disagreement that actually showcased our improved conflict management skills.As parents of neurodivergent children, we’ve had to shift our expectations and communication strategies. Instead of trying to force habits, we’ve learned to accept our children’s inherent traits, which has made a world of difference in our family dynamics.Greg and I also want to offer some advice for maintaining a successful marriage, especially when ADHD is part of the equation. We can’t stress enough the importance of grace, mercy, apologizing, compromising, and making time for connection. Long-term partnerships are complex, but with proactive communication, mindfulness, and understanding each other’s emotional experiences, they can also be incredibly rewarding.Come hang out with me on Instagram HEREAG1 by Athletic Greens

Dyslexia expert Natalie Brooks joins me today to dive deep into the interplay between ADHD and dyslexia, exploring the importance of recognizing multiple neurodiversities. Natalie shares her personal experiences with dyslexia and sheds light on its overlap with ADHD. Get ready for an enlightening conversation that uncovers the challenges and triumphs of living with multiple neurodivergencies.Natalie critiques common misconceptions about dyslexia, particularly the notion that dyslexic individuals are overly verbose yet struggle with clarity and editing. She contrasts her supportive educational journey, aided by a dedicated dyslexic unit, with her parents’ negative experiences due to undiagnosed conditions.Obtaining a dyslexia diagnosis as an adult is another crucial topic we touch upon, acknowledging the financial and personal challenges it entails. Natalie emphasizes that while a formal diagnosis can provide exam accommodations, self-identification is often accepted in workplaces. She shares her own journey towards an ADHD diagnosis, highlighting the validation received from knowledgeable friends and the varying needs for recognition among individuals based on their past experiences.As we wrap up this insightful episode, Natalie and I emphasize the importance of confidence building and healing within supportive communities. We encourage you to connect with others facing similar struggles to foster self-acceptance and personal growth. Dyslexia In AdultsInstagram - dyslexia_in_adultsCome hang out with me on Instagram HERE

Andrea Ashley is the host of the Adult Child podcast. She's blazing the trail in recovering from addiction and Complex PTSD. Andrea and I dive into a heartfelt conversation about the intricate web of ADHD, trauma, dysfunctional families, and Complex PTSD. Andrea shares her powerful personal journey, from growing up in a dysfunctional family to her profound realizations about trauma and healing.Reflecting on her past, Andrea discusses her mother’s alcoholism and how she was unfairly scapegoated within her family. She emphasizes the importance of recognizing deeper family issues and seeking help, explaining how accumulated experiences contribute to trauma, rather than just major events.We delve into the concept of Complex PTSD, childhood shaping beliefs, and the impact of emotional neglect on self-development. Andrea’s healing journey is a central theme, highlighting inner child work, coping mechanisms, and the launch of her own podcast. She talks about dealing with abandonment wounds, self-care, and the challenges and growth involved in the healing process.We also touch on Andrea’s struggles with phone addiction, attention span issues, and her ADHD diagnosis. She explains how social media and intense content preferences have impacted her addiction and shares her efforts to reduce shame by being open about her story. Andrea underscores the importance of community healing through support groups for childhood trauma and neurodivergence.I hope you find today’s conversation with Andrea Ashley as enlightening and inspiring as I did. Her journey of self-discovery, healing, and growth is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. If you’re dealing with similar issues, know that you’re not alone and that seeking help can make all the difference. Don’t forget to check out Andrea’s podcast her community, The Shitshow. Are You An Adult Child? Laundry List of Adult Child BehaviorsToxic Family TestAdult Child PodcastAndrea's Shitshow Community

Scroll down for all links mentioned in today's show!For the longest time, I denied having any trauma, but through therapy and a ton of research, I’ve come to realize its significant impact on my life and my ADHD.In today's episode, I discuss what trauma is and provide definitions and resources, especially focusing on Complex PTSD and its links to ADHD. One of the key takeaways is understanding how our experiences and the way we handle them can shape our mental health. For example, proper support and validation can prevent traumatic outcomes, as highlighted by trauma expert Peter Levine.I also delve into various types of trauma and the importance of creating safe environments. This is particularly crucial for neurodivergent individuals like us, as unhealed emotional wounds can have profound effects on how we show up in the world. I even share a personal story about my son to illustrate how validation, support, and protection can prevent lasting trauma.A significant part of our conversation revolves around the ongoing debate about whether ADHD is caused by trauma or genetics. While unaddressed trauma can mimic ADHD symptoms, it’s crucial to differentiate and understand both. We explore Complex PTSD and how emotional flashbacks can resemble the ADHD trait of emotional dysregulation. I also talk about the trauma responses—fight, flight, freeze, and fawn—and share my personal experiences, including how I’ve often suppressed my true self for safety.Finally, I recommend some fantastic resources such as books by Dr. Bruce Perry and Pete Walker, and even suggest trauma assessments. I can’t emphasize enough the importance of seeking therapy with a trauma-informed therapist. Addressing our past wounds is essential for personal growth and overall well-being. This episode is a deep dive into a subject that’s both personal and universal. Thank you for joining me in this exploration. Remember, you are not alone, and there are resources and support systems available to help you through this. What Happened to YouComplex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving - Free with a Spotify SubscriptionAdverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Questionnaire Multidimensional ADHD Symptom ProfilesToxic Family TestAG1 by Athletic Greens

In today’s episode, I’m joined by the woman who trained ME as a coach, the incredible Sara Fisk. Sara helps people pleasers stop avoiding difficult conversations, and let me tell you, we GET INTO IT on this episode. From understanding ADHD symptoms in adulthood to dealing with perimenopause, this conversation covers it all. We also explore the concept of being an “ex good girl,” focusing on self-care and moving away from people-pleasing behaviors. Sara shares her reflections on her Mormon upbringing, achievements, and the challenges of moving from a rule-based system to making choices based on personal preferences. For both of us, our ADHD diagnoses clarified a lot of past behaviors related to rejection sensitivity and constant pleasing. This shift has allowed us to make decisions for our personal satisfaction rather than conforming to societal norms.Throughout our conversation, we delve into the importance of prioritizing personal values over seeking approval from others. We discuss how shame, anxiety, and fear can impact decision-making and the need to embrace our emotions. Sara’s training in somatic experiencing and internal family systems has helped her redirect self-criticism and assert control over her decisions and emotions. We highlight the significance of building an internal dialogue, working with emotions, setting boundaries, and being assertive, especially for individuals with ADHD.We wrap up our conversation by emphasizing the importance of self-acceptance, authenticity, and navigating emotions with compassion. Sarah and I share our personal experiences of embracing vulnerability and finding strength through prioritizing our needs in relationships. It’s been such a powerful discussion, and I hope you find it as enlightening as I did. Remember, you’re not alone in this journey, and there’s a whole community here to support you.Get in touch with Sara Fisk Hang out with me on Instagram here!

Special shoutout to @adhdwithjennafree on IG for the term 'local sober'.Research shows that people with ADHD are at high risk for alcohol dependence.In this episode, I open up about the struggle of using alcohol as a nightly aid to combat insomnia, anxiety, and emotional overwhelm, only to realize the negative consequences it had on my sleep and overall well-being. Reflecting on my experience during Dry January, I discovered the extent of my cravings and how they misaligned with my values, prompting a reevaluation of my relationship with alcohol. Tune in as we explore the higher risk of alcohol use disorder among those with ADHD, and what that can mean for us.In the final segment, I share my approach to embracing "local sober," where I only drink on special occasions away from home. I recommend resources such as Alcoholics Anonymous, reaching out to a friend, and the Sober Awkward podcast. Additionally, for women, I highly recommend the work of Emily Lynn Paulson and her program Sober Mom Squad. Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE. 

What if mastering your emotions could radically improve your relationships? Join me as we explore the powerful impact of emotional regulation on our personal and professional connections.Living with ADHD often means dealing with intense feelings that can lead to explosive reactions, affecting how we relate to those around us. By becoming more self-aware and learning to self-soothe, we can reduce conflicts and develop healthier and more fulfilling relationships.We'll discuss how understanding our emotions can help us cut down on emotional outbursts and build stronger bonds.Ever wondered why certain emotional patterns, like resisting or impulsively reacting, can harm our relationships? We'll unpack the common pitfalls, from explosive reactions to emotional shutdowns that lead to inauthentic interactions. This episode introduces the RAIN tool, a widely used method in therapy and coaching, designed to help us pause and allow emotions to be present. Finding a balanced approach to feeling and expressing our emotions is crucial for healthier interactions, and this tool offers a practical way to achieve that balance.

Discover the distinct difference between neurotypical and ADHD brains in terms of ranking priorities, and understand why learning to prioritize relationships can drastically improve your social life. Navigating relationships with ADHD requires a strategic approach. Imagine categorizing your relationships into three tiers to better manage your emotional and social capacity—that's exactly what we'll discuss.I'll share my experience in identifying the top five mutual relationships that deserve the most emotional investment, while also setting boundaries with other connections.Learn why this method isn't about exclusion but about ensuring deeper, more meaningful interactions with those who truly matter. Tune in to discover how this strategy can foster a balanced, enriching social life, reducing the chaos and enhancing your emotional well-being.Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE.AG1 by Athletic Greens

Living with ADHD can often feel like navigating a minefield, especially when it comes to relationships. Impulsivity, distractibility, memory issues, and struggles with self-reflection can create a myriad of obstacles. In this episode, I share personal anecdotes to illustrate how these ADHD symptoms impact our ability to build and maintain strong connections.One key takeaway is the importance of understanding our unique brains. By doing so, we can improve our relationships by fostering deeper connections and reducing the tendency to blame ourselves for the difficulties we encounter. It’s not about fixing ourselves; it’s about embracing our neurodivergent traits and finding strategies that work for us.Engaging in therapy, self-soothing techniques, identifying triggers, and participating in relationship courses are some of the strategies I recommend. These can significantly enhance our emotional regulation, productivity, and overall relationship dynamics. Remember, it’s about prioritizing our relationships and working towards improvement, not perfection.Don’t forget to share this episode with anyone who might benefit from it, and as always, take care!

In this episode, we’ll explore what masking is, how it impacts our relationships and self-perception, and why it’s so crucial to create spaces where we can be our authentic selves. For those of us with ADHD, masking often means hiding or downplaying our symptoms to fit societal norms or meet others’ expectations. This behavior is frequently learned from caregivers who, sometimes with the best intentions, teach us to conform. But while masking might help us navigate certain social situations, it comes with a significant emotional toll.In this episode, we discuss how masking can strain our relationships and warp our self-perception. When we’re constantly trying to fit into a mold that wasn’t designed for us, it can lead to feelings of inadequacy and exhaustion. I share some personal experiences and stories from our community about the struggles and triumphs related to masking.One of the key takeaways from this discussion is the importance of creating safe spaces where we can be our true selves. Whether it’s setting boundaries, practicing self-acceptance, or educating those around us, there are steps we can take to reduce the need for masking. I also introduce an adult ADHD masking measure that you can use for self-reflection to better understand your own masking behaviors.Masking is a challenging but essential topic, and I hope this discussion helps you on your journey toward self-acceptance and authenticity. Remember, it’s okay to be yourself, and you deserve relationships that honor and support who you truly are. Links used in today's episode: ADD.orgMedical News TodayBehavioral Health Consulting Solutions (info about the Masking Measure)Masking Measure Questionnaire 

Welcome to the episode where we dive into making vacations enjoyable and low-stress, especially if you have ADHD. Today I’m sharing my personal experiences and practical advice on how to manage ADHD during your travels. Here’s what we cover:1. The Importance of Rest and Planning AheadLearn why it’s crucial to balance relaxation with careful planning.Tips on making decisions in advance to minimize stress in unfamiliar environments.2. Avoiding OverloadDiscover strategies to avoid sensory and activity overload.Hear about my own family trip to Zion National Park and the lessons we learned.2.1 Mindful Financial PlanningAdvice on managing your budget to prevent financial stress.Understanding your financial limits and planning activities accordingly.3. Prioritizing Individual Needs and ComfortHow to prevent burnout by prioritizing your own needs and comfort levels.Setting boundaries and recognizing your limitations to avoid exhaustion.4. Essential Travel TipsCheck medication regulations and ensure you have enough for your trip.Packing essentials and staying hydrated to keep your body and mind in check.5. Disconnecting from WorkThe importance of unplugging from work to fully enjoy your vacation.Tips on how to engage in leisure activities and strengthen connections with loved ones.Join us as we explore these tips and more to ensure that your next vacation is both enjoyable and manageable. Let’s make sure you come back feeling relaxed and grateful!Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE. 

Today we delve deep into the complex and often misunderstood relationship between diet and ADHD symptoms. I’m bringing you a topic that’s close to my heart, sparked by my own journey and curiosity about the potential of nutrition in managing ADHD. But, as we’ll explore, it’s not as straightforward as it may seem.I’ve always been fascinated, and admittedly a bit skeptical, about how what we eat impacts our mental health, especially when it comes to ADHD. With a rise in functional medicine practitioners advocating for diet as a panacea, I felt compelled to take a closer look. Can dietary changes alone truly manage ADHD without medication? It’s a question that many of us grappling with ADHD have pondered.From personal experience, I can tell you that managing a strict diet can be a Herculean task for someone with ADHD. We’re talking about a condition that inherently makes planning, prioritizing, and resisting impulses more challenging. Yet, there’s this growing narrative suggesting that if we just ate the right foods, we could overcome these hurdles on our own.But what does the research say? In today’s episode, we’ve dug into the studies and found a sobering lack of substantial evidence supporting the idea that diet alone can significantly alter ADHD outcomes. While no one denies the benefits of improved nutrition on overall health, suggesting it as a standalone solution for managing severe ADHD is not only misleading but potentially harmful.The conversation around diet and ADHD doesn’t stop with us adults. There’s immense pressure on pregnant mothers with ADHD, bombarded with claims about how their diet could impact their child’s health and potential ADHD. It’s a heavy burden, rooted in the oversimplification of ADHD’s causes. Today, we debunk some of these myths, emphasizing ADHD’s complexity and how it’s shaped by a tapestry of genetic and environmental factors.Another critical issue we tackle is the widespread misinformation about ADHD medication. It’s alarming how non-medical professionals feel emboldened to make broad claims, contributing to the stigma and confusion surrounding these evidence-based treatments. Despite our critique of oversimplified solutions, we acknowledge the undeniable role of a healthy diet in enhancing well-being. But to suggest it can ‘cure’ ADHD? That’s where we draw the line.As we wrap up today’s episode, I want to remind everyone that while diet is important, managing ADHD is a multifaceted journey. This is why I’m excited to introduce our coaching membership program FOCUSED designed for adults with ADHD. Our program recognizes the value of a comprehensive approach, incorporating medication, lifestyle changes, and personalized support to navigate the complexities of ADHD together.Here is the study that I mention in this episode: Nutrition in the Management of ADHD: A Review of Recent ResearchCome hang out with me on Instagram HERE. AG1 by Athletic Greens

I’m back with another “everything but the kitchen sink” podcast episode. Honestly, I was struggling with my capacity to create content for the podcast. So, I’m honoring the capacity I have. Because ADHD is all about meeting yourself where you’re at, right?If you’re looking for tips and tricks on improving your life with ADHD, I might steer you to the other 250 podcast episodes we’ve recorded. This one is more of a wild look into my mind at the moment. So, buckle up.I’m sharing some hot takes on a book I recently read that I wanted to throw against a wall, discussing a super ADHD-friendly book I highly recommend, and giving you TMI about what’s been happening in my family lately.I’m offering my thoughts on turning 43 a couple of weeks ago and what it’s made me realize about life in general and, more specifically, my ever-evolving ADHD journey.But also I’ve got a huge announcement about something I’m currently working on. Spoiler: it’s one of the reasons my creative capacity has been zapped in most areas of my life lately. If nothing else, listen until you get to that point.I hope you enjoy this look into what’s happening in Kristen’s crazy brain!Podcast episode referenced in this episode:A Beginner’s Guide to ADHD, Part 2: ADHD is (NOT) a GiftCome hang out with me on Instagram HERE.

In this episode, the incredibly amazing Brooke Schnittman joins us.Brooke is one of my favorite colleagues and I'm so happy to introduce her to you. She’s the founder of Coaching With Brooke, an ADHD & executive function coaching company for students and adults.Brooke and her team help kids and teens with ADHD by educating them on the 'why' behind their struggles and providing executive function coaching. Coaching made a huge difference in Brooke's life, so much so that she decided to become a coach herself. But get this: she wasn't diagnosed with ADHD yet. It wasn’t until Brooke started coaching other ADHDers that she recognized the symptoms in her own life. In this episode, Brooke shares exactly what’s worked for her in her ADHD journey and what she uses to help her own clients have those same aha moments in their own lives.Do not skip this podcast episode. You’ll take home some actionable steps you can start applying to your life today if you suspect you might have ADHD - or you’ve been diagnosed for decades.You can learn more about Brooke at coachingwithbrooke.com. And be sure to follow her on Instagram too!If you want to see how coaching can impact your life, I encourage you to check out my group coaching program, FOCUSED. This is the place to achieve your goals and feel better than ever. Come join a community that understands you where you're at today.

This episode is going all in on a spicy topic. That’s right, we’re talking about sleep. Or for some of you ADHDers, lack of sleep.Do we know it helps us live a healthy life? Of course. But the practicality of getting ourselves to bed at a reasonable time is so hard. Before we can figure out HOW to improve our sleep though, we need to understand WHY sleep is hard for us. Trouble sleeping isn’t a symptom of ADHD, but the symptoms of ADHD (impulsivity, hyperactivity, time blindness, etc.) make it hard for us to wind down, relax, and sleep. For me, overworking led me to years of struggling to sleep. My nervous system was wired, like constantly. Of course, it affected my sleep.When I taught on the subject of sleeping in my group coaching program FOCUSED last week, I heard from several members who resonated heavily with this topic. So, I decided to share that class on the podcast for those of you with the same challenges. I want you to feel seen, heard, and validated.Whether you find yourself up late because you’re trying to cross things off your to-do list or those precious few hours at the end of the day are the only alone time you get, this episode is for you. I’m sharing exactly what you need to improve your sleep once and for all. If you find this podcast episode helpful and want to receive more coaching like this, check out FOCUSED. This program is perfect for you if you keep trying to conquer your ADHD symptoms but can’t quite figure it out, and you know you’re ready for some help.

What if you could change your life in 7 minutes? I’m here to tell you it’s possible. In fact, I’m doing it myself. It’s called The 7-Minute Principle, and it’s the idea you can do anything for 7 minutes.Here’s an example. A former student of mine had drama around doing the dishes. For years and years, she HATED doing them.One day, she decided to time herself. It took her 7 minutes. All of the drama dropped immediately because - let’s be honest, you can do anything for 7 minutes and it’s not that bad. Now apply this to other areas of your life.What would your email inbox look like if you spent 7 minutes cleaning it up?What would your laundry situation look like if you spent 7 minutes folding clothes?What would your morning routine look like if you spent 7 minutes getting ready?In this episode, you'll learn the ins and outs of this simple but life-changing hack. Try applying this principle to your life for one week and see what changes you experience. It’s a small change that can make a huge impact.Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE. 

They are baaaaaaack! Everyone’s favorite psychotherapists, Helen Villiers, and Katie McKenna, are back to finish the conversation on emotionally abusive behaviors they see in parent-child relationships.They quite literally wrote the book on this topic. These two brilliant ladies co-authored You're Not the Problem: The Impact of Narcissism and Emotional Abuse and How to Heal.In this podcast episode, we’re diving even deeper into the impact of narcissistic parents and the role past trauma can have on your ADHD. This episode is for you if you:Are curious about what narcissistic behavior looks like.Find yourself repeating cycles you experienced in childhood.Have yet to recognize where your ADHD stems from.Want strategies for healing.You can listen to part one of this episode here. And be sure to check out their podcast called In Sight: Exposing Narcissism.If you’re ready to learn more about trauma’s impact on your past and current behaviors, I  invite you to join my group coaching program FOCUSED. You’ll get regular coaching calls and a supportive community with all the tools needed to thrive with ADHD.Hang out with me on Instagram HERE. AG1 by Athletic Greens. 

We’ve had some truly amazing guests on the podcast lately, and our most recent guest is no exception.Dr. Layne Norton is an evidence-based nutrition coach and self-proclaimed 'nerd who lifts heavy things.' He has a Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences, 4 USA Power Lifting National Titles, and 1700 clients in his coaching program.His resume is stacked, to say the least. But being diagnosed with ADHD at age 6, Layne has had to overcome some serious challenges both in his personal and professional life.With more than 1 million followers on social media, it’s no secret that Layne’s story has resonated with a lot of people.He’s sharing the ways he copes with his diagnosis and how he’s used what he’s learned over the years to create a crazy successful business and beautiful home life.Be sure to follow Layne on Instagram. You can learn more about his coaching services by visiting his website.Be sure to hand out with me on Instagram HERE. 

You might remember psychotherapists Helen Villiers and Katie McKenna from episode 200 where we talked about toxic relationships and their impact on ADHDers. You may also know their podcast called In Sight: Exposing Narcissism.Well, since we last visited, they’re ALSO co-authors of You're Not the Problem: The Impact of Narcissism and Emotional Abuse and How to Heal.I’m honored to have these two incredible ladies back on the podcast to discuss some of the emotionally abusive behaviors they commonly see from parent to child. Even if you believe you had a very normal childhood and your parents were wonderful people, I’d urge to to listen to this episode. A lot of the tendencies your parents might’ve had (or have now) may be your normal, but that doesn’t mean there’s not some generational trauma at play. Note: This is not me saying your parents aren’t wonderful people; they very well may be! But recognizing some of these tendencies can be PIVOTAL to unpacking and working through your ADHD — and they can help you avoid repeating the same behaviors.So, without further adieu, I re-welcome, Helen and Katie!Does this episode resonate with you? I invite you to join my group coaching program FOCUSED. This program is for you if you’re interested in regular coaching calls and a supportive community with all the tools needed to thrive with ADHD.

I’ve been married to Greg Carder for almost 20 years years. This man is the only one for me! But when I tell you we couldn’t be more different...He's calm, steady, and methodical, and he doesn't mind mundane tasks like laundry. I mean, COME ON! Through a lot of trial and error combined with years of ADHD research on my end, we’ve learned a thing or two about how to be a good partner. More specifically — how to be a good partner to someone who’s neurotypical when you have ADHD.I’ve coached a lot of FOCUSED members on their relationships, and I see the same struggle: Either they’re not taking their ADHD seriously and getting treated or their partner isn’t taking it seriously and is dismissing their needs. Both ways create major issues in any ADHD relationship.Hear me when I say that to be a good partner, you have to get treated for your ADHD. You need to take responsibility for your mental health condition. This part isn't optional. Because if you’re not taking your diagnosis seriously, you can’t expect your partner to either.In this episode of the I Have ADHD Podcast, we’re taking a deep dive into how to be a good partner when you have ADHD. I’m breaking this down into 10 simple steps that you can analyze and apply to your relationship.These steps work for marriages, friendships, family, and business relationships. This episode has something for everyone who’s in a relationship. Period.Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE. 

Every once in a while, I struggle to know what to do for a podcast. This was one of those episodes.So, I decided to take questions posted in the FOCUSED Slack by our community members and answer them publicly. And you know what? This ended up being so much fun.Because those of us with ADHD are very similar. We’re human beings with ADHD brains. And that is a common experience that just binds us together. So, I know reading these questions and answering them will be helpful for you.We’re covering topics like…What to do if you feel like medication isn’t working for youHow to avoid binge eating when you struggle with ADHDHow to transition into intimacy with your partner when it’s unexpectedAll the challenges of parenting with ADHDThere’s a reason I chose the questions. I know so many of you struggle with them. So, if you resonate with any of these topics, you don’t want to miss this episode.Hang out with me on Instagram HERE. AG 1 by Athletic Greens

I’m beyond excited to share this episode with the one and only Oliver James. At 35 years old, Oliver is learning how to read for the first time.You might have seen him on TikTok, Good Morning America, The Rachael Ray Show, or NPR, where he’s shedding light on functional illiteracy. After being diagnosed with ADHD and OCD as a child, Oliver spent most of his life struggling to keep up both in and out of the classroom until a string of bad choices found him in prison.On the other side, Oliver continued to struggle. His ADHD and OCD left him desperate for answers but not sure where to turn — until he decided to teach himself how to read in 2020. Oliver captured the raw journey on TikTok, where he ended up going viral.Over the past four years, Oliver’s story has inspired millions. He’s now using his powers for good as a public speaker and advocate for adult literacy. I truly cannot wait for you to hear his story.You can follow Oliver on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE. 

I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was in college. While I’d like to think that was like 5 years ago, it was actually a lot longer. It was much harder to get a diagnosis back then. In fact, the ADHD diagnosis process was different 5 years ago when I started my podcast.It’s 2024 now, and I’m thrilled to say it’s easier than ever before for adults to get an ADHD diagnosis. This isn’t me saying it’s easier to FOOL clinicians into falsely diagnosing you. I mean it’s easier for people who have ADHD to get an accurate diagnosis. How so?We’ve got more access to info than we’ve ever had. People are more willing to share their experiences with ADHD, which is helping lessen the stigma around mental health.The medical field is finally catching up with science. It wasn’t until the '90s that doctors realized most children do NOT grow out of ADHD. Adults are finally getting diagnosed!We’re living in a highly digital world, which means we’re now able to get assessed and treated online. This is huge.So, how do you go about getting diagnosed with ADHD? In this podcast episode, I’m sharing the 3 steps you need to take if you’re ready for a formal assessment, including links for an online diagnosis.PS - if you know somebody who suspects they have ADHD but hasn’t gotten a diagnosis or been evaluated for it, send them this podcast episode to help them gain some clarity.Shownotes links:The ASRS-5 assessmentOnline ADHD resources for the USDoneCircle MedicalADHD OnlineOnline ADHD resources for CanadaFridaCentre for ADHD Awareness, CanadaFind a clinician who can help you across state linesPsypact mapHang out with me on Instagram HERE.AG1 by Athletic Greens.

The I Have ADHD Podcast is a clear, concise, and FUN podcast for adults with ADHD. Host Kristen Carder is an ADHD expert who has been supporting ADHDers for over a decade. Kristen began working with ADHD students in 2012 and transitioned to mindset coaching for ADHD adults in 2019. Let's just say she entered the ADHD field long before it was a trending topic on TikTok. Join Kristen to learn about how ADHD impacts every area of your life...from the boardroom to the bedroom...and how you can begin to overcome your symptoms by accepting who you are, flaws and all. This podcast is a mix of solo shows + interviews with the authors of all the dusty ADHD books sitting on your shelf: Dr. Barkley, Dr. Hallowell, Dr. Quinn, Dr. Ramsay, Sari Solden, Dr. Tuckman, and more! Binge-listen from the beginning, or start with the latest episode. Either way, it won't be waste of your time. Whether you're officially diagnosed, self-diagnosed, or just curious about ADHD, you're going to love this podcast...guaranteed or your money back! Disclaimer: Kristen would like you to know that she's a very different person now from the woman who dropped the first 75 episodes of this podcast. Her values have changed. Her tone of voice has changed. She's much more empathetic and trauma-informed NOW than she was 4+ years ago. ****OBVIOUSLY the content in this podcast is not meant to be a substitute for medical advice. Kristen Carder is not a medical professional.

This week, I blew up at my son. At the time, I felt justified (don’t cross mama’s boundaries) but the more I sat with the situation, I knew I was in the wrong.The whole thing made me feel ick and got me thinking about the “right way” to apologize. Note: These are tips for apologizing in a perfect world. If you’re activated, feeling defensive, or in self-judgment mode, it’s going to be way harder to put these into action.Here’s the thing: Being human is hard. We all want safe, connected relationships. But every relationship in our lives will rupture at some point. Fortunately, it is possible to repair even when we're in the wrong.Because at the end of the day, apologies aren’t enough. (I know, if you grew up in a home where “sorry” was used as a power play to silence you, this is probably shocking.) But being sorry doesn't fix everything. 🙅🏻‍♀️ We need to do the work of repair, and people need time before they can recalibrate and trust us again. That’s NORMAL.In this episode on How to Apologize, I’m sharing 3 steps you need to take the next time you apologize - plus what you need to do to repair the relationship and make sure you don’t make the same mistake again. Hang out with me on Instagram HERE. 

I’ve got something incredible to share with you. As an adult, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. Did you know this?! Pause. Breathe. Let that soak in.Many of us grew up in situations where we didn’t feel we had autonomy or the right to self-govern. We didn’t feel like we were in charge of our lives. So, in adulthood, we struggle to recognize that we have control over what we say yes and no to.Why is this a problem? Because, as adult ADHDers, it takes us so much mental and emotional energy to do things we don’t want to do.So, you stay stuck in a job you don’t like doing tasks you don’t enjoy. You feel burnt out. You spend your weekends unable to do things around the house because you’re exhausted.I’ll let you in on my little secret. I give myself an 'out' for everything.I tell myself I don’t have to do anything. It takes away any obligation and resentment so my brain can truly determine if it’s something I want to choose to do.Next time you are resisting and dreading a task and procrastination keeps nagging at you, ask yourself that question. Challenge yourself to consider what will happen if you don’t do it. Is that what you really want?Hang out with me on Instagram HEREAthletic Greens AG1

If you’ve ever wanted a look inside the brain of Kristen Carder, this episode is for you. Buckle up, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.Maybe it’s the fact that I’ve been sick or that I’ve just got things I want to say that don’t fit into a topic we’ve covered on the podcast lately… but this episode is going to be me dumping the contents of my brain for all to see (or…hear?!).So, find a comfy spot on the couch, grab your beverage of choice, and let’s chat!In this episode, I’m sharing about…How it’s so dang *hard* to be human.The actual meltdown I had after a crazy successful FOCUSED launch last monthWhy success is scarier for us ADHDers than failure. See point #1.The struggle happening in my mind after working for years to stop overcommittingWhether I’ll actually commit to going to yoga classes this year… tbdAll the things I learned from Dry January and the takeaway that surprised me mostThis episode is no-holds-barred. If you like a structured podcast episode, you may want to check out one of the other 249 I Have ADHD Podcast episodes.Hang out with me on Instagram HERE. 

If you’ve ever wanted a sneak peek at what happens inside FOCUSED, this podcast episode is for you. I recently added a new course to my group coaching program called How to Build Self-Trust Even with ADHD. It’s been so impactful I had to share a coaching call we had on the topic.Self-trust is hard for those of us with ADHD. If you feel alone, I encourage you to listen to this coaching call. It will help you understand yourself better.Whether you grew up with parents who interrupted your ability to build self-trust or society slowly eroded it, you need to change that inner voice/critic. Building self-trust is about changing how you talk to yourself. It’s time to stop saying you’re too much or not enough. Stop listening to the flippant comments from people who don’t build you up.On this call, you’ll learn how to become your own (overly protective) bestie who doesn’t listen to that voice in your head.Watching others get coached is so powerful. When you listen, ask yourself how you can identify with these stories. Take the questions I ask on the call. How can you apply them to your own life?I dare you not to get goosebumps listening to some of these stories!Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE. Athletic Greens AG1

On the latest podcast episode, I had the absolute honor of talking with my business and life coach, Breian Elliott, about the topic of saying sorry.We’re digging DEEP into why we feel the need to apologize so much when we should be saying sorry, and why it’s detrimental to constantly be in sorry mode.Spoiler alert: When you’re apologizing and haven’t done anything wrong, you’re actually putting the other person in an uncomfortable position.Brien’s breaking down the 6 different types of “sorry” we use most often, including the “negative self-image sorry” where we apologize because we’re seeking reassurance.If you find yourself apologizing for every little thing, this episode will be a game-changer. I know I learned a lot recording it.Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE. 

We get to enjoy the delicious Jen Kirkman on another episode of the podcast!The TV writer, comedian, New York Times best-selling author, podcaster, and FOCUSED member shared part 1 of her ADHD story.Jen’s story of misdiagnosis, navigating a career in the public eye, and figuring out how to use her diagnosis to help other people inspired so many of you.In part 2, we get to learn… How Jen found ADHD coaching (spoiler: it was listening to this very podcast)The different ways she uses talk therapy and coaching Her daily morning routine she calls "Bedquarters"How she was able to step away from burnout and into a life she lovesWhat her career plans are for 2024 and beyond For being the *most* famous person in my group coaching program, Jen is incredibly relatable. You can use the tools and routines she’s incorporated into her daily life to set yourself up for success in living a life with ADHD.Jen is encouraging, entertaining, and educational. I can’t recommend part 2 of my interview with Jen Kirkman enough.Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE. 

Today's episode is part 1 of a 2-part interview with my dear client, Jen Kirkman. Jen is currently a writer/producer on the one-hour comedy Etoile for Amazon Prime. She was a writer/producer on 4 seasons of the The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon Prime). Jen hosts a weekly solo podcast, "You Are A Lot" (An ADHD Podcast) - which is about navigating life with ADHD. Jen is a New York Times Bestselling author of two books. She has toured the world as a stand-up comedian and has two critically acclaimed stand-up specials on Netflix. You're going to LOVE this conversation - enjoy! Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE. AG1 by Athletic Greens

How long is your to-do list right now? If you’re like most ADHDers, you’ve got a laundry list of things that you’ve been carrying around for years now — and it’s anchoring you down.It’s time to stop holding this never-ending to-do list over your head and feeling guilty about not accomplishing the things on it. This isn’t serving you.I want to help you remove this unnecessary pressure from your life. In this podcast episode, we’re walking through how to let go of that anchor weight so you can quit being hard on yourself and create realistic expectations about what you truly want to get done.This is an interactive episode, so I’d love for you to grab a pen and some paper. You’ll walk away with a clear vision of:What you can let go from your listWhat’s on your list because someone else wants you to do itWhat’s *actually* important to youHow to set boundaries so you can get more doneWhat’s truly worthy of your to-do listStop trying to do all the things. We’re here to love and support ourselves with the expectations we set. If you’re ready to burn your to-do list, this episode will help you focus your attention on what’s really important.Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE. 

When it comes to ADHD, there are a lot of myths out there. For instance, you may have heard (or believed) that ADHD is an excuse. I can’t tell you how often I see clients worry that they’re using it as an excuse while working to set their lives up for success.Look: ADHD is NOT an excuse. It’s an explanation. It’s an explanation of why certain things are hard for you, why your memory sucks, why you’re terrible with time management, why you have exposed emotions.Other myths like ADHD is overly diagnosed, ADHD medication is dangerous or addictive, and everyone has a little ADHD are common. They’ve created beliefs around the disorder that just aren’t true.As a person with ADHD, it’s your job to be educated in the diagnosis so that you understand what you’re dealing with. This also allows you to teach those around you how they can best support you and your relationship.Because here’s the thing: Just because there's more access to information and people are being diagnosed more readily, it does not mean that there’s an overdiagnosis of ADHD.And no, ADHD medication is *not* addictive. In fact, when used correctly, it can actually help lower the risk of addiction.Oh, and just because someone struggles with some of the symptoms common to ADHD doesn’t mean that they have the disorder. That diagnosis is reserved for those who experience symptoms to a debilitating degree. So, if you’re ready to further educate yourself on what it means to have ADHD so you can speak the truth and bust myths when they come up, episode 241 of the I Have ADHD Podcast is for you.For more education and support around your ADHD, I highly encourage you to check out my group coaching program, FOCUSED. Starting in January, you’ll have access to my brand new course called “How to Build Self-Trust (Even When You Have ADHD).” If you’re curious about what 2024 would look like if you finally trusted yourself, click here to learn more.Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE. AG1 by Athletic Greens

As we look to a new year, most of us start to think about what we want to do over the next 365 days. What do we want to change from 2023? I’ve evolved a lot in my approach to goal planning over the past year. So I wanted to share a class I just taught in my group coaching program for this podcast episode because I think it will be validating for a lot of you as you look ahead.This is not a shame fest for the things you didn’t get done in 2023. And it’s not a hype fest for hustle as we move into 2024. It’s a very ADHD-friendly class.As ADHDers, we tend to shame ourselves for what we haven't been able to do. We often feel defeated before we even get started on a plan for a new year. But hear me out: maybe it’s okay for us to just live in reality, accept who we are, and make our plan based on where we are today We can create our vision around a kind, compassionate way of interacting with ourselves. If you’re ready to take a look back at 2023 and figure out what worked and what didn’t work, I highly encourage you to listen to this episode. Adults with ADHD tend to struggle with self-reflection, so this can be challenging if you’re not doing it correctly.We also struggle with prioritization and organization. So, my approach to goal setting can be a great aid for you as you envision what you want the next year to look like. I’m handing you some questions to ask yourself based on your capacity, your current level of self-trust, and what you actually want to achieve in 2024.Before you sit down to write your goals or open your Notes app to jot down your vision for next year, I want you to think about who you want to be and what you want out of next year — then break down the domino effect of what needs to happen first. I promise you that this class will help you feel empowered and not overwhelmed as we transition into a fresh calendar year. It’s a small time investment that can have some impactful results for you in 2024.Hang out with me on Instagram HERE. 

This week we’re going to be talking about specific ways that you can build self-trust and I want to be very upfront and honest with you that these are not easy or quick fixes. This takes time. BUT this is a WORTHWHILE process…it’s worth working toward.My dear listener, It’s worth setting some time, effort, and even money aside to allow yourself the support to build this skill because self-trust is the foundation of every decision you make.Many adults with ADHD feel ‘wobbly’ when it comes to making decisions and trusting themselves.In this podcast, you’ll learn the key steps to building self-trust, which include:Begin to validate your needs, feelings, and experienceForgive yourself and make amends for your past mistakesGet to know yourself better and only commit to what you want to do. Allow yourself to pivot when necessaryCircle back around to step 1 (validate your needs, feelings, and experience)I’ll be teaching a whole course on this topic beginning January 2 and you can use promo code SELFTRUST to get $70 off when you join between December 26 and December 31.Click HERE for details on what the FOCUSED ADHD coaching program includes!Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE.Athletic Greens AG1

One thing that I’ve noticed in myself and other adults with ADHD that I coach is a massive lack of self-trust.We don’t trust ourselves to follow through. We don’t trust ourselves to make good decisions. We don’t trust ourselves to manage money wisely or to curb our impulsive spending habits.We don’t trust that we’re good parents or that we’re good at our jobs. We are never really sure if we’re doing “the right thing” or if we’re “on track” with where we’re supposed to be.For the average ADHD adult, life feels very wobbly.Instead of feeling grounded within ourselves like confident adults, we often look to others to gauge how we’re doing. I can’t tell you how many ADHDers I’ve talked to who seem to live by the motto, “If other people are happy with me, then I can be happy with myself.”Well, that stops now. Join me for this 2-part series on How to Build Self Trust (yes, even with ADHD). In today's episode you'll learn why adults with ADHD don't trust themselves, and next week we'll discuss what we can do about it.We would love to have you join us in FOCUSED! Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE. 

Have you noticed that your relationships look different than other people? Friendships and partnerships are harder for adults with ADHD, largely due to the fact that we’re highly sensitive to rejection.Research has shown that ADHDers have experienced more rejection than their neurotypical peers. This results in several relational tendencies that can lead to toxic dynamics.Because they know how awful it feels for people to be upset with them, they constantly say yes to other people, even when their plate is already full. They spend time with people who don’t fill their cups. They exhaust themselves by overcommitting to avoid the feeling of rejection.Adults with ADHD also tend to dismiss red flags and not hold others accountable for their flaws because they know they’re also hard to live with (they’re often late, they talk too much, they’re impatient, etc.).These tendencies can result in some truly toxic, boundaryless relationships. But there are things you can do to change the dynamic and put yourself in the driver’s seat of your relationships.In this episode, I’m giving an overview of relationship dynamics with ADHD. You’ll leave with several immediate steps you can take to create a healthier view of relationships.And, if you want an in-depth look at how ADHD can impact your relationships, be sure to check out my four-part series (starting at episode 178) on relationships and ADHD or my series on rejection-sensitive dysphoria (beginning at episode 204).If you’re feeling really inspired after listening today, I encourage you to join my group coaching program, FOCUSED. In 2024, I’ll be teaching brand new content on how to have self-trust even when you have ADHD. You don’t want to miss out!Come hang out with me on Instagram HEREAG1 Athletic Greens

Over the past three episodes, we’ve been talking about the basics of ADHD and how you can live your best life with this neurodivergent condition. It’s a great beginner ADHD series for anyone who needs a refresher or is curious to learn more. My stance is that ADHD is NOT a superpower, despite what you may have seen on social media or heard from well-respected people in the industry. On the contrary, it’s a massive privilege to thrive with ADHD. I believe people with ADHD are incredible and can lead wonderful lives. But to do this, they have to choose to live in the reality of what it means to have ADHD and have lots of access to treatment, coping strategies, and support. In this episode, I’m sharing the five steps you should take if you want to finally gain control of your life as an adult ADHDer. These steps include getting an accurate diagnosis and educating yourself about ADHD. I get it - not everyone is privileged to get the correct diagnosis and treatment plan. Not everyone can have the supportive relationships needed to help tackle adult ADHD. To those friends, I say, continue listening to my podcast for tips and tricks. I promise to share everything I can to help you feel confident in the beautiful life you’re creating. Remember: We all start somewhere. It’s OK to feel overwhelmed by ADHD, but with the right tools, you can make big improvements in your life.I also encourage you to check out my group coaching program FOCUSED which has helped thousands of people live the life they want, and it can help you too.Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE. 

Is ADHD a superpower? Is it not a superpower? We’ll talk about that today, in our “Getting Back to Basics” series, part 2. If you’ve been around here a while, you know that my position is – NO! ADHD is not a superpower. It’s not a gift. It’s not awesome! When people say ADHD is a gift or a superpower, they point to traits like creativity, hyperfocus, and inventiveness. So sure, Simon Sinek, if you’re a rich, white, super smart, privileged man, you can look at some of the qualities that you have and say – “ADHD is an amazing quality of my life.”But here’s the thing: If you’re a student struggling in school with very few resources, without the privilege of a diagnosis, treatment, or support, who’s being made fun of or rejected by their peers, then – NO, ADHD is not a gift.  Labeling ADHD as a superpower invalidates people who are struggling with this neurodevelopmental disorder. It can even lead to victim-blaming: “If ADHD is awesome, then I’m the problem.” In my opinion, this is not the right way to address ADHD. It’s actually quite the opposite.I worked for a decade with students and their parents. I, myself, am a parent to two children with ADHD. I’ve found out, time and again, that telling children the truth, validating their struggles, and giving them coping skills is a better way to go. Saying ADHD is awesome invalidates your true experience and reality. Instead, understand ADHD challenges and understand how to cope and reach out for help and support.It's so important for us to live in the reality of what ADHD is and how it affects us. As you navigate your ADHD journey, I want you to know that YOU are amazing, not ADHD. YOU are the gift, not ADHD. Your personality, your goodness, and your generosity are all gifts. Don’t let ADHD take the credit for your badassery!If you want help better understanding the role ADHD plays in your life, I invite you to check out my group coaching program FOCUSED. Come join our incredible community of like-minded people who are learning to thrive with their diagnosis instead of just surviving.Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE. AG1 by Athletic Greens

Hello, my friend. I’m so glad that you’re here and that you’re taking steps to live your best life while you’re on this ADHD journey. Today, we’re going back to the basics of ADHD — because sometimes the noise can cause us to forget what’s *actually* going on inside these beautiful brains of ours. 🧠Those of us who were diagnosed with ADHD as adults often try to mask our symptoms and hide them from the outside world because we are so used to experiencing rejection as children. If we don’t get the support we need, it can be easy to let these symptoms debilitate us and hinder our progress in life.If you feel you have ADHD, I’m here to encourage you to talk to a clinician. Have a convo with someone who knows about the disorder and can help you navigate your symptoms. You can also visit my website for a full list of ADHD symptoms. Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE. 

When it comes to the way we function as adults, our family history plays a much larger role than many of us think. In this podcast episode, I’m talking with FOCUSED member CJ about generational trauma and its impact on adult ADHDers.Growing up, CJ's parents emotionally neglected her as they were dealing with their own emotional immaturity and symptoms of ADHD. Meanwhile, CJ was struggling with undiagnosed ADHD which caused her to act out without anyone to turn to.When she received an official ADHD diagnosis at 51 years old, CJ started to research the symptoms and realized her family was heavily affected by ADHD. This realization helped her start to make sense of some of the generational trauma she experienced as a child and teen.It also helped to explain her impulsive, risk-taking behavior growing up. CJ was always unaware of her actions, lacked self-awareness, and never understood why people reacted to her the way they did. As an adult, she carried some of this emotional dysregulation with her. Fortunately, through therapy and life coaching, she was able to work through some of her own trauma to prevent handing it down to her daughter.If you’ve experienced generational trauma that you know has impacted your life, I highly recommend you seek out a trauma-informed therapist or coach to help you. You might want to check out my group coaching program, FOCUSED, which is a safe space where you can join others like you who are recognizing the effects of their history and beginning to thrive as an adult with ADHD.Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE. 

Fair warning: this episode brings the heat. This is a topic I’ve felt compelled to discuss a lot lately, and I’m not holding back.As adults with ADHD, our brains are reactive. This means that when there’s a stimulus (aka phone notification, a child calling for you, etc.), our brains are naturally triggered to react. We lack impulse control, so our instinct is to respond immediately.Someone who's proactive, on the other hand, will slow down first. They’ll take a breath and decide when it’s in their best interest to react. They don’t act out of impulse, and they aren’t constantly putting out fires or managing other people’s issues at their own expense.So, how do you morph into someone proactive as an ADHDer? First, you have to take care of your most basic needs. Be sure you’re medicating, staying hydrating, getting into nature, and moving your body in a way that feels good to you.Secondly, you MUST decide what you want and be willing to fight for it. You cannot create or control a situation if you don’t know what you want. Give yourself the space and time to find out what you want. And remember: to live the life you want, you can’t keep pleasing other people. In this episode, I’m breaking down everything I wish I’d known years ago about being a proactive human, including why it’s important to stop saying yes to everyone else’s request so I can start living in reactive mode.If you want a safe space together where you can feel seen and heard as you go through this work, I invite you to check out FOCUSED, my group coaching program for adults with ADHD. Inside FOCUSED, I can take care of you and support you as we work through this together.Come hand out with me on Instagram HERE. AG1 by Athletic Greens 

When I discovered Stacy Scott while scrolling through Instagram, I immediately knew I had to get her on the podcast. Stacy is an internationally known decluttering expert, feng shui practitioner, and occupational therapist with three wildly successful decluttering workshops. Unlike a lot of other organization and decluttering coaches, Stacy focuses on recognizing how trauma impacts your ability to clean so you can make your space your own.As someone who grew up in an energetically chaotic environment, it took me years to realize the way this affected my interaction with my own space. It was really difficult for me to learn how to keep a home that felt good to me (read: not a perfectly organized home) — I felt like I was failing my family. A huge part of getting past this was unpacking my own trauma story and healing.Unfortunately, this is something I hear from my clients all the time. “I don’t understand why they can keep a clean house and I can’t.” It feels like failure, but I promise you, it’s not.In this podcast episode, Stacy talks about how her own trauma held her back. After spending years in denial, she decided to do the work herself. Through the process, she discovered that her past trauma would pop up in her mind as she thought about her possessions. Once she became aware of her triggers, she used her own methods to move through them.For Stacy, the modality of inner child healing helps her clients identify what might be coming up for them through this work. They’ll often discover that their possessions represent past trauma in their lives, and, really, “It’s not really about the stuff. It’s about what the stuff means to you.”For those of you with ADHD, trauma-informed decluttering can feel overwhelming. Know that you don’t have to clean up everything at once. Take it one step at a time. Throw away one possession at a time. It’s not too late to take back your space and your life.To learn more about working with Stacy, you can find her on:InstagramTikTokYouTube *coming soon*Her websiteIf you’re doing the work to declutter your home and find you need some support to do your best work as someone with ADHD, I encourage you to check out my group coaching program FOCUSED. Inside this program, you’ll be able to get ADHD-specific coaching alongside an amazing and encouraging community.Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE! 

We have a unique episode this week, covering a topic I’ve honestly never known how to approach here: cannabis use for adults with ADHD. First things first, you need to know that this episode will be only one perspective on a subject I’d never pretend to be an expert in.Joining me is a very special guest, Natalie Chien, @Natalie.C.ADHD who is not only a member of my group coaching program FOCUSED, but she’s also completed my ADHD coaching program! Natalie was formerly addicted to recreational marijuana and is now celebrating one year of sobriety after smoking for almost two decades. Like many everyday marijuana users, Natalie started smoking with friends at a young age, but by the time she reached college, she had developed a serious dependency and failed to learn real and beneficial coping mechanisms to deal with things like stress and family issues. On top of that, Natalie had an underlying suspicion that she had ADHD, but it went undiagnosed and largely untreated until her thirties. Today she can look back and recognize that the marijuana numbed her of any and all real feelings, and emotional regulation was never even on her radar until she joined FOCUSED. She missed out on significant life experiences and self-development by being tied down to a plant with temporary benefits. The biggest message both Natalie and I want to leave our listeners with in this episode is that those of us with ADHD are more susceptible to substance use and addiction. When our ADHD is left undiagnosed, unmedicated, or untreated, we will inevitably find some way or something to help us feel better. For Natalie, starting therapy, ADHD medication and joining FOCUSED opened her up mentally and physically to start making serious life changes and motivated her to step away from cannabis use entirely.See below for an insightful article on ADHD and cannabis as well as where you can connect with Natalie. For those of you who have never tried ADHD coaching before, I invite you to come join us in FOCUSED.Resources:ADHD and Marijuana; What's the Attraction? Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE!

Tamara Rosier, Ph.D., has joined me for a discussion on my absolute favorite sections of her book, Your Brain’s Not Broken. Tamara is a fellow ADHD coach and the founder of the ADHD Center of West Michigan.We waste no time at all diving into her personal journey to an ADHD diagnosis at 40 years young and what living day-to-day with this neurodivergent disorder has looked like throughout her life. You’ll notice a common theme in being her authentic self while simultaneously working through how to connect with and be sensitive to the neurotypical community.I highly encourage all of my listeners to check out Your Brain’s Not Broken, whether in a physical book or audiobook format, because Tamara has such a unique way of changing readers’ perceptions and bringing clarity to concepts that are difficult for ADHDers, like emotional regulation and setting boundaries. In this episode, we cover a wide range of topics in her book, such as masking, vulnerability, convergent vs. divergent thinking and the individual houses (or psyches) we all have to protect and maintain for a healthy mind. It’s a beautiful and super satisfying conversation on so many aspects of living life with ADHD that I could have kept talking to Tamara for hours! So settle in and consider having a book discussion with other friends and loved ones who might benefit from this content.You can learn more about the book and Tamara at TamaraRosier.com. Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE!

I’m going to be very honest. This episode is a dedicated “b**** fest” on how hard it is to get the medication prescribed for ADHD. If any of you adults out there have been through this, sometimes it’s therapeutic just to let out all the frustration and feel seen and heard and commiserated with, and that’s what this episode is for.You all should know by now that I take ADHD medication, but you may not know that I have two kiddos who take medication for ADHD as well. We each are unique and need different things to help us function at our best, and thankfully we have had access to insurance and medical professionals to diagnose us and prescribe appropriate medication. But even with all this support, I have encountered more obstacles with getting one of our prescriptions filled than anyone should ever have to endure in a lifetime! Unfortunately, I’m not the only one. In this episode, I discuss the various obstacles keeping many of us from receiving ADHD medication and how there seems to be nothing but finger-pointing and petty excuses offered instead of real solutions to solve these issues. I encourage you to read some of the articles I mention, listed below, use tools like GoodRX to get coupons when possible, and communicate early and often with your doctor and pharmacy. At this point in time, no one else is going to advocate for your needs more than you can. It may put all of our impaired executive functions to the test, but darn it, we’ve struggled for far too long to not get the support we need and deserve.While it in no way can take the place of medication and adequate trauma-informed therapy, I want you to know that my group coaching program FOCUSED can be another source of support for those of you looking for additional tools to address your ADHD. We see you, we hear you and we validate you. Resources:NPR, “Adderall shortage forces some people to scramble, ration or go without”NewYorkMag.com, “Where's the urgency on the Adderall shortage?” FDA.gov, “FDA approves multiple generics of ADHD and BED treatment”Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE!AG1 Athletic Greens

My colleague and friend, Annahid Dashtgard, really elevates the podcast this week with a specialized look at racialization within the mental health space. I love that we’re able to broach this topic together as Annahid is so well-versed in creating safe places for people to have hard conversations. Annahid is the CEO and Co-Founder of Anima Leadership, a consulting firm that helps organizations with everything EDI from diversity basics to advanced belonging.Annahid has a special and unique perspective as an immigrant who’s been on the receiving end of racism throughout her life and also as someone with ADHD, having only recently been diagnosed in her 40s. Listeners can expect to learn a lot about the overlap of racial identity, trauma, and ADHD that many communities experience with very little understanding from medical and therapeutic professionals. The truth is, many racialized groups are largely underserved, underrepresented, and underdiagnosed. It’s not always intentional, but it is happening. I especially appreciate Annahid sharing her thoughts on how clinicians can do better to support these communities, understanding the stigma of mental health among racialized groups, and how the average white person can open themselves up to learning and honoring others without fear of making mistakes.To glean more brilliant insights from Annahid, check out her two books:Breaking the Ocean: A Memoir of Race, Rebellion, and ReconciliationBones of BelongingNo matter your racial identity, I want to encourage any listeners struggling with accepting or living with their ADHD to check out my group coaching program FOCUSED. I think you’ll find that we are open, honest, and honoring as we all work hard to overcome our neurodivergent struggles and unlock our unlimited potential.  Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE. 

Most of Ellen's life was spent feeling like a whirling dervish without direction. Everything was a struggle, from school to maintaining a job to arriving anywhere on time. She learned how to use her big, bold personality to fake it and make it through, even though she regularly battled feelings of inadequacy, shame, and judgment. Life, as it often does, hit Ellen hard with challenges through her young adulthood, and she found herself battling depression for decades. In hindsight, she now wonders if much of that heaviness came from being neurodivergent, misunderstood, and undiagnosed. Ellen’s story is so inspirational to me because it’s a testament that it’s never too late to get an ADHD diagnosis and seek help understanding yourself better. Age and past failures will only limit you if you let them. Surround yourself with a diverse community that will cheer you on, validate your feelings, and support you in the good times and the bad. If you’re looking for a group like this, I encourage you to come join FOCUSED.Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE. 

Today's episode is all about how to be PROactive not REactive. ADHDers spend so much time putting out fires and reacting to everything happening around us. But if we're going to truly make forward progress on our own dreams and goals, we're going to need to put down the fire hose and start making some purposeful decisions. BUT HOW? Tune in how to find out:How to create a vision even if you can't picture things in your mind's eye How to make a plan, even if it's only for the next hourHow to drop the drama around the timeframe (spoiler, it doesn't all have to happen today)This is the perfect episode for you if just don't feel like you're moving forward the way you wish you could. And if you love this class, check out my ADHD coaching program FOCUSED for even more support. Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE

Danica @theempoweredtherapist specializes in healing from attachment wounds, sexual assault, emotional neglect, vicarious trauma, intergenerational and identity-based trauma, and work or academic trauma. In this DEEP convo, Kristen and Danica discuss the following topics: Complex TraumaIs it ADHD or CPTSD?AttunementAttachmentSomatic ExperiencingHow to Identify a TriggerThe Complexity of HealingDanica is a therapist and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) in Dallas, TX. She co-owns Empowered Healing Dallas, a group practice where she provides trauma-informed therapy using somatic, relational, attachment, and parts work approaches to treatment.Danica is passionate about support for therapists and provides counseling services, mentorship, supervision, and consultation to mental health providers looking for trauma-informed support. She is deeply invested in equity, social justice efforts, and destigmatizing mental health treatment, and utilizes her Instagram platform, @theempoweredtherapist to provide education and support to the broader community.AG1 Athletic Greens 

I’m really enjoying these episodes with my FOCUSED community, and I hope you are too! Today, Sue Peters is with me, and we dive into the difficult world of chronic pain through an ADHD lens.When Sue was finally diagnosed with ADHD in her mid-twenties, she had already identified that there was something different about her and had even tried reaching out for help. But ignorant and insensitive “experts” failed to give her the guidance and support she needed, which left her with a lot of rejection, shame, and emotional pain from childhood through young adulthood. Everything compounded when her family went through a scary surgery situation with her child, and one day she woke up with immobility and excruciating pain that changed the course of her life.Sue and I discuss how things like trauma and emotional wounds can eventually weaken the immune system to the point of breaking down physical health, and how important it is to receive therapy and coaching in a way that’s sensitive to ADHD. Listen in to hear her incredible story of resilience with ADHD and chronic pain, and how she’s working through it all at her own pace, finding her path, surrounded by community.Are you being treated for ADHD but still aren’t quite achieving your potential? Try my group coaching program FOCUSED and experience the difference. Be sure to hang out with me on Instagram HERE.Shout-outs:@kamden_adhd 

Christine Hargrove is a a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Georgia whose primary focus is on exploring financial therapy and ADHD relationships - an important and rare combination! We very quickly realized one episode was not enough, so stay tuned for part two with practical tips.Before we dive into money talk, Christine shares her own story about how she came to receive her own ADHD diagnosis. It was missed for years because people told her she was “too smart” to have ADHD. I especially love this part of the episode because I think it will click with a lot of people regarding the fear and feelings of defeat that can come with receiving or not receiving a diagnosis due to ignorant stigmas and misconceptions that have followed ADHD for years.When it comes to finances, mental health experts often avoid the topic, deeming it too controversial or because they’re simply not money experts. And money managers are nowhere near equipped to support clients through the emotions, trauma and complicated feelings surrounding finances that many people have. As we’ve discussed throughout this podcast, so much of the work with ADHDers is in encouraging them to trust their own authority and ability to make decisions. This is one of Christine’s main focus areas in financial therapy - equipping adults to get comfortable with calculated risk and understanding that you don’t have to wait to make a decision until it’s perfect.To follow Christine’s incredible research and work, visit her website at ChristineHargrove.com. And if you’d like to gain some confidence in decision-making with other ADHD adults, come join my group coaching program FOCUSED. Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE. 

In this episode, I’m joined by my FOCUSED client Michael Johnson, who shares his ADHD journey that led him to being coached and now becoming a coach himself.I love our conversation because Michael is so open and honest about his weaknesses and the self-discovery that led to him evolving into a much more self-aware and balanced person today. If you've struggled with horrible self-talk, disordered eating, and difficult relationships, this episode is going to be right up your alley. In case you haven’t had enough of ME talking about emotional regulation, Michael discusses from a client perspective why he truly believes it is the number one skill for adults with ADHD to learn. Do you ever feel that your ADHD symptoms aren’t actually the biggest problem, but instead it’s the layers of self-judgment and blame that you pile on top of yourself after noticing the symptom holding you back?Have your lack of emotional regulation skills led to you self-soothing in unhealthy ways that keep you in a bad cycle?Listen, share with friends and look into being coached by Michael at onethoughtcoach.com. You can find Michael on Instagram @michaelgarrettjohnsonCome hang out with me on Instagram HERE.

Maggie Patterson is a vocal advocate for humane business practices rooted in respect, empathy and trust. She’s the host of the BS-Free Service Business podcast, and the co-host of Duped: The Dark Side of Online Business.In this episode we are SPILLING ALL THE TEA. Maggie and I talk about: Self help, cults, and MLMSScammy online business practicesMystery offers"If I can do it you can do it"Steven Hassan's BITE model of culty practicesHow to avoid getting scammedHow to be ethical (what does it even mean)Maggie is the editorial director at Scoop Studios and the creator of BS-Free Business. With two decades of experience, Maggie has spent her entire career in client services and has been a successful entrepreneur for over 15 years. Maggie works with service business and agency owners to build bs-free businesses that put trust first in everything they do. To get in touch with Maggie, you can check out the following links: BS-Free BusinessBS-Free Service Business ShowDuped: the Dark Side of Online Business Podcast

I’m very pleased to be joined by Kimberley Quinlan in this episode. Kimberley is a licensed marriage and family therapist, specializing in anxiety, OCD and related disorders. Some of you with ADHD can identify with having additional neurodivergent diagnoses, such as OCD, and you may have experienced some confusion in differentiating between the two.As children, it was hard enough being diagnosed with ADHD and having a full understanding of what it meant for ourselves and for our parents. Now add in other disorders, and you can imagine how difficult and frustrating it can be for those who have been misdiagnosed, misunderstood and overlooked.I myself have a child who’s been diagnosed with OCD and ADHD, with the former likely causing the latter. I’m grateful to Kimberley for allowing me to share a bit of my own regrets as a parent coming to a good place of understanding my child in order to get him the support he needed.There are so many great takeaways from this episode. But the biggest ones I’m walking away with are that validation and reassurance are everything. If you’ve been considering an evaluation for yourself or a loved one, please look into it. It’s a vulnerable process, but intaking the right information can be so powerful.You can find Kimberley at kimberleyquinlan-lmft.com. If you are looking for some support as an adult with ADHD, come join my group coaching program FOCUSED, where we lift each other up and learn from our collective neurodivergent journeys. Resources:International OCD FoundationCBT SchoolPodcast: Your Anxiety Toolkit - Anxiety & OCD Strategies for Everyday The Self-Compassion Workbook for OCD: Lean into Your Fear, Manage Difficult Emotions, and Focus On Recovery

This episode is a rare treat as I chat with a current FOCUSED client of mine, Jason Rowlett, @JDouglasRowlett who shares his experience of identifying and leaving a toxic work environment.I decided to do an episode with Jason on this topic as I watched him navigate this situation in real-time and recognized this as something that likely happens to many adults with ADHD.While ADHD can certainly manifest in our work performance and social behavior, we shouldn’t have to walk on eggshells at all times, worried about inconveniencing or frustrating our colleagues. Sometimes our work environments are just bad, and it has nothing to do with us and nothing to do with ADHD. But we often get accustomed to accepting blame and believing we’re the problem if we had a history of being treated this way as children or young people with ADHD. This can cloud our judgment and cause us to stay in toxic situations longer than we should.Jason and I discuss in depth what toxic workplaces look and feel like. Are you receiving misassigned blame and spending significant time analyzing situations to understand where things went wrong and why you were treated negatively? Are you receiving constructive criticism or personal put-downs?Have a listen, share with a friend, and if you’d like to see what Jason’s up to now, you can find his podcast and other content HERE.

Minaa B. is a licensed social worker, writer, and author of Owning Our Struggles. She is also the founder of Minaa B. Consulting, a mental health consulting practice that helps organizations develop psychological safety and promote mental health inclusivity. In this heartfelt episode, Kristen and Minaa discuss:Psychological safety in the workplaceBullyingSystematic traumas that we face daily The nuance of boundaries in relationshipsRecognizing when you ARE the problemHealing through communityMinaa is an expert in her field, serving on the Mental Health Advisory Committee for Wondermind, a mental fitness company co-founded by Selena Gomez. She has been featured in various media outlets, such as Red Table Talk, Peace of Mind With Taraji, BBC, and Essence. Minaa resides in New York City, and you can learn more about her by visiting www.minaab.com.Minaa's book Owning Our Struggles can be Pre-Ordered HERE.

My regular listeners will know that I’ve been talking about my ADHD coaching certification program for the past couple of weeks. But this episode was so much fun because I had the pleasure of interviewing four of my trained coaches from the last term.The roll call includes:Jacoba Lilius - a professor of organizational psychology that plans to pair coaching with academia. Find Jacoba on LinkedIn.Laura Gaynon - a professional musician and teacher with strong intuition and a holistic approach to coaching others to honor who they are. You can find Laura on Instagram.Emily Weinberg - a former teacher turned stay-at-home mom that greatly benefitted from FOCUSED coaching and realized that she had the skills and the time to commit to a new career. Find Emily at ADHDwithemily.comSteev Hodgson - is a software sales professional who was diagnosed with ADHD later in life and is now passionate about helping others. Find Steev at damnhealthydose.com. One thing that all of these new coaches have in common is being diagnosed with ADHD later in life. After receiving support through my adult group coaching program FOCUSED, they answered the call to become coaches themselves and successfully passed my certification training!If you’re considering applying to this program, or are considering joining FOCUSED, this is a great episode to listen to in order to get a clear and honest picture of what both experiences are really like.

Everything and everyone has a limited capacity.The world may try to tell us how much we should be able to handle and accomplish throughout the day. But, friend, no one can determine that except you.If you are more concerned about maintaining your phone’s battery charge than your own, it’s time to focus on accepting the limits of your capacity.If you want to avoid burnout and feel a sense of balanced accomplishment everyday, you won’t get there by pushing yourself to do more. In this week’s episode, I share how under-parenting could have caused those of us with ADHD to ignore our limitations. You’ll learn about the chronic pain “spoon theory” and how to know where to draw the line for yourself. Your capacity level is as unique as your fingerprint, and the sooner we can learn about it, the sooner we can manage our own expectations and channel our limited energy to where it’s needed the most.If you’re a member of my group coaching program FOCUSED and are feeling drawn to become a coach like me to help others, check out and apply to my FOCUSED ADHD Coach Certification training.Come hang out with my on Instagram HERE. 

Kai, a first-generation Chinese-Canadian and visionary Healing Transformation Coach, is the innovative mind behind Boundaries to Freedom, dedicated to empowering codependent adults on their journey towards emotional maturity.In this warm and vulnerable conversation, Kai and I chat about the following topics:Growing up as a Chinese immigrantBoundaries, enmeshment, and codependencyTaking time off to healHow to engage with old relationships in a new wayWhen empowering clients becomes an ethical dilemmaFinishing what you startedMore about Kai...As a digital nomad currently residing in Thailand, Kai harnesses his diverse medical, personal development, and spiritual expertise to create transformative experiences for those raised by emotionally immature parents. His approach, a harmonious blend of holistic and practical methodologies, aims to heal and transform the mind, body, emotions, and spirit.An influential figure with over 500,000 followers across Instagram (@hicoachkai) and TikTok, Kai's impact reaches far and wide, resonating with those seeking a deeper understanding of themselves and their relationships. He offers online coaching (both 1:1 and Support Group), engaging courses, and regularly hosts insightful virtual events focused on establishing healthy boundaries, healing, improving interpersonal dynamics, and emotional growth. Through his passion and dedication, Kai continues to be a beacon of light and guidance for individuals on their path to self-discovery, healing, and lasting change that ripples through future generations.For more information, please visit https://beacons.ai/hicoachkai

Have you been considering a career change? Thinking about becoming an ADHD coach like me? Well, this episode is for you!What this is not: a perfect fantasy with puppies, rainbows and unicorns.What this is: my raw and honest truth about the pros and cons of the business.It seems like having ADHD and/or becoming a life coach is very “trendy” right now. While it’s exciting to see growth and societal acceptance in these areas, this can also bring in some shady characters who see an opportunity to “get rich quick” with little to no accreditation or accountability.The reality is that this industry is largely unregulated, held accountable only by consumers who are quickly learning who to trust and who to #unfollow. Maybe you have been feeling for a while that this is something you're passionate about and want to consider as a profession. If so, then may I encourage you to seek out a credible, certified, ethical program that’s trauma-informed and specifically geared toward people with ADHD? I’m proud to say I’ve worked very hard to develop a training program for prospective ADHD coaches with a strong emotional regulation focus and an emphasis on positive thinking. There are no pre-recorded videos here. This is a high-touch, high-accountability training, exclusively reserved for members of FOCUSED only. That’s how serious I am about investing in the most dedicated people. Come take a look at ihaveadhd.com/coach and reach out if you’re interested in applying. 

Sleep makes the world go round. So why can’t we ever seem to get enough of it? This week, I’m re-releasing an older episode with a bit more introductory commentary on how ADHD interrupts regular sleep patterns.This is such an important topic to not only chat about but do research on. Did you know there is a surprisingly decent amount of research on Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome (DSPS) in people with ADHD?In this episode, I share everything I’ve learned about DSPS, circadian rhythm, and what feels like a normal sleep pattern when you have ADHD. I’ve recently been experiencing old feelings of stress and hypervigilance at bedtime, and it’s made me realize that this is something we should all be cognizant of. Near the end of the episode, I share my own simple tips and tricks I’ve used to adhere to a neurotypical sleep schedule, and I encourage you to talk to your doctor about what might help you out too!Don’t let yourself feel ashamed about going to sleep late and rising later. In my group coaching program FOCUSED, you’ll learn that you’re in good company and definitely not alone! Research References:StanfordHealthCare.org - DSPSThe Sleep Foundation’s definition of Circadian RhythmAPSARD - Sandra KooijSage Medical Journal online - ADHD connection to DSPS

Whitney Goodman, LMFT, is the radically honest psychotherapist behind the hugely popular Instagram account @sitwithwhit, author, and the owner of The Collaborative Counseling Center, a virtual therapy practice in Florida. In this beautiful conversation, Whitney and I discuss the following topics:How to define "trauma" (spoiler, it's hard)Living in fantasy vs. realityToxic positivityHealing across generationsWhy some people are more open to being held accountable than othersSelf trustCreating a strong family narrativeMore about Whitney Goodman...Whitney's debut book (released February 2022), TOXIC POSITIVITY: KEEPING IT REAL IN A WORLD OBSESSED WITH BEING HAPPY, shows readers how to shift the goal from being happy to being authentic in order to live fully. Whitney has her own column in Psychology Today and has been featured in dozens of domestic and international publications, including The New York Times, Teen Vogue, NY Magazine, and Good Morning America. For more information, please visit www.sitwithwhit.com.AG1 by Athletic Greens

Maybe I’m Not The Problem is a new series of the I Have ADHD Podcast where I interview therapists, trauma-informed coaches, and psychologists about how our past informs our present and how maybe WE (ADHDers) are not the problem. People with ADHD are ripe for the picking when it comes to abuse because we are programmed from birth to believe that there’s something wrong with us…that we are flawed…and we must fix ourselves to fit into society’s and our family’s box. On Maybe I’m Not the Problem, my guests and I will discuss how our upbringing impacts us, how trauma impacts us, how covert abuse impacts us, how being neurodivergent in a neurotypical world impacts us, and that maybe…just maybe…WE ARE NOT ALWAYS THE PROBLEM.

Tackling big milestones like attending university, moving out on your own or writing a book can be both exhilarating and intimidating. For those of us with ADHD, we can feel frozen in indecision as to how to begin such an endeavor.In this week’s episode, I offer crucial steps to guide you through these ventures, and then you can listen in on one of my coaching sessions as I do this process with someone contemplating graduate school.As part of the process, I emphasize the importance of being kind to yourself, setting realistic time parameters to not feel overwhelmed, and how celebrating every little win along the way!Speaking of big milestones, I can’t wait to celebrate the launch of a new podcast series, which comes out on July 6! Stay tuned for the announcement, and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss a thing.Came hang out with me on Instagram HERE!

Those of us with ADHD, and even those who don’t have it, can attest to times when we aren’t sure how to feel and we argue with ourselves in our heads. Problem-solving is an essential adult function, but it can be really hard at times and we can get frozen in our indecision.This week’s episode is a recorded coaching session from FOCUSED, including three women who are all doubting themselves and struggling to stay regulated emotionally and mentally. There are endless reasons why any of us can feel this way, and it’s important to know that you’re not alone!Tune in to this session as we navigate the internal thoughts of these strong, independent women who are learning how to stay motivated and grounded. If you’re inspired by this FOCUSED session, I hope you’ll take advantage of my current promo! Now through Saturday, July 1, 2023, get 25% off your first month’s membership of my group coaching program by using code FOCUSED25.Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE!

What do you do when you realize that you’ve overscheduled yourself? I love saying ‘yes’ to things, but I can often find myself overburdened with too much on my list. Not surprisingly, this just happened to me, so I decided to process through it and turn it into a podcast episode to help those of you with ADHD that do this too! There have been so many new and exciting things popping up in my schedule lately: the kids are now on summer break, we’re going on vacation, I’m completing another coaching certification program, and…I’m starting a second podcast! All of these things are good, but it’s piled up to the point that I knew I needed to make some changes.Listen in as I share 6 steps to navigate overscheduling to get back to a healthy, grounded place within your means. It starts with listening to your body mentally and physically and validating the feelings of stress and tension that are hinting that you’ve overextended yourself. I’m here to help you achieve without burning out, so come check out my group coaching program FOCUSED to start filtering through what matters most in your day to day. Plus, mark July 6th on your calendar for the launch of my second podcast!Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE! 

Today I have a special episode looking at two potentially different life struggles - addiction and ADHD - and how the road to recovery and stability can look very similar. Joining me is Scott Kiloby, entrepreneur, addiction recovery author, and enlightenment coach.Together we discuss how trauma and emotional repression can create addictive tendencies and chaotic minds. Scott is an expert on mindfulness and the importance of drawing suppressed feelings forward into consciousness in order to process and heal from them.A few of the incredible similarities between Scott and me include playing the peacekeeping people-pleaser in the family, battling shame and discomfort in our own skin, and struggling with emotional regulation. It just goes to show that we as humans are all battling something; but through connection with each other, empathy, understanding, and breakthrough are possible. If there’s one thing I tend to repeat over and over, it’s the importance of doing trauma work. Now that I am a certified, trauma-informed coach, I invite you to check out my group coaching program FOCUSED to start the healing process.Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE. You can find out more about Scott Kiloby’s work at Kiloby.com or on YouTube @ScottKiloby01. 

Today’s episode is specifically for ADHD entrepreneurs trying to do everything on their own. I’ve got my bestie Hillary with me, from HandsOn OBM, to convince you why hiring an assistant could be the best thing for you and your business.Through our 16 years of friendship, we’ve come to understand why we work so well together. We list our differing personality traits that keep us balanced, and I enjoy bragging about what makes Hillary such an incredible support system for me.Not all assistants are the same, though, and we discuss at length how to find one that can work well with ADHDers. Perhaps the biggest hurdle to overcome is the shame you may have in admitting you need help in the first place.Whether you start with a group coaching program like FOCUSED or dive straight into hiring a dedicated assistant, we encourage you to take the leap to get support so that you can stay focused on growing that empire of yours!You can find Hillary on Instagram @va.obm.services or on her website, https://handsonobm.com/ 

Self-care may be a trending topic, but it can be hard as adults with ADHD to regularly take care of ourselves mentally and physically. In this episode, I’m diving into everything from the privilege of self-care that not everyone has available to them, forms of free and cost-associated self-care, and how to determine if your self-care is actually just avoidance.You may think you don’t have the capacity to consider self-care, but have you considered options like gratitude journaling, snuggling a pet, or doing a cold plunge/ice bath?Some of us didn’t grow up with self-care being a priority, and it can be challenging to give ourselves permission to seek support. I truly hope you can come to a place of knowing your worth and take small steps toward protecting your mental and physical well-being. If you have the opportunity to consider paid self-care, my group coaching program FOCUSED is a wonderful method of receiving encouragement and support.Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE!

Do you feel like you received an ADHD diagnosis late in life? There is no clinical definition of “late.” Age plays no part in it. It is entirely based on your perception. If this is you, there can be a range of emotions and new stages of growth that you experience after gaining clarity in this area.You may have heard of the five stages of grief. Well, this episode covers the four stages, or emotions, of a late ADHD diagnosis. These include relief, confusion, grief, and restructuring.You could experience these in different orders and come back to some more than once. If you take nothing else away from this episode, please understand that however you feel is valid.No matter your age or season in life, it is a privilege to receive an actual diagnosis to better understand and embrace the fullness of who you are.If you are looking for a place to get started discovering this new side of you, come join my group coaching program FOCUSED.Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE. 

I’m going back to ADHD basics today by addressing how to cut down on the chaos of our everyday lives. As adults with ADHD, we know this is a regular problem for us. We may have an epiphany and simplify for a while, but inevitably, things pile up again and again and again.Why do we find ourselves in this cycle? Shouldn’t we know the answer by now to avoid so much stress? In this podcast episode, I dive into the neurodivergent struggles that influence us to say ‘yes’ too often. Unsurprisingly, it’s a long list! But hopefully it helps you feel seen and understood, instead of causing you to feel shame and guilt that the neurotypical world has often tried to place on us.Then comes the hard part - taking action to address and reduce the chaos. It may bring some pain, grief and a lot of FOMO, but I promise you’ll also finally be able to experience peace, rest, clarity and purpose.You don’t have to do this alone, though. If you join my group coaching program FOCUSED, you’ll receive support from peers going through the same thing and the training to get better at setting good boundaries.Hang out with me on Instagram HERE.

Have you ever felt emotionally hungover? I think all of us adults experience this semi-regularly, especially if you have ADHD. When you have a full life of responsibilities, it can be challenging managing your energy and stewarding your capacity.In this week’s episode of the podcast, I am sharing a recording of my group coaching program FOCUSED, where I chat with three people who feel overwhelmed.Adult #1 is dealing with the grief of losing a loved one and feeling unable to move forward with their own life. Could perfectionism and excuses be keeping her from taking any action? Could the answer lie in starting small and simple? Adult #2 is physically, mentally and emotionally carrying burdens for herself, her family and her community. How does she decipher what her priorities are so she can do it all? Should she even be the one to do it all? Adult #3 feels like she is cheating her students by waiting til the last minute to create lesson plans. But if everyone is successfully learning and leaving positive feedback, is there even a problem to worry about?I hope you can take something from these coaching sessions and apply it to your own life to feel more regulated and in balance.Hang out with me on Instagram HERE.

It’s my birthday week! I love birthdays, getting older, and celebrating life and growth. So for this special birthday episode, I’m sharing a comprehensive list of the books that have changed my life and the reasons why.Books that have changed my life:ADHD-focused:Taking Charge of Adult ADHD, by Dr. Russell Barkley Rethinking Adult ADHD, by Dr. Russ RamsayDelivered From Distraction, by Dr. Ned HallowellPersonal Growth:Essentialism, by Greg MckeownEffortless, by Greg Mckeown Atomic Habits, by James ClearAtlas of the Heart, by Brene BrownLoving What Is, by Byron KatieAdult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents, by Dr. Lindsay GibsonRecovering From Emotionally Immature Parents, by Dr. Lindsay GibsonBoundaries:Boundaries, by Dr. John Townsend and Dr. Henry CloudSet Boundaries, Find Peace, by Nedra Glover TawwabNecessary Endings, by Dr. Henry CloudTrauma:The Body Keeps the Score, by Bessel van der KolkWhat Happened to You, by Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah WinfreyWas It Even Abuse, by Emma Rose ByhamHealthy Spirituality:Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, by Peter ScazzeroHonorable Mentions:A World Without Email, by Cal NewportDaring Greatly, by Brene BrownGood to Great, by Jim CollinsI’m also excited to announce that I am getting my trauma-informed coaching certification, which has been a major goal for me. If you aren’t already a part of my group coaching program FOCUSED, it’s a great time to join! Lastly, if you’d like to get me a little something for my birthday…*wink wink*...it would mean the world if you could subscribe to the podcast and leave a review! Thank you all. I hope you enjoy these books!Come hang out with me on Instagram HERE. 

I believe I have the best Mother’s Day gift ever for adult women with ADHD! There is a new study revealing that there is no connection to children developing neurological conditions or physical impairments whose mothers took ADHD medication when pregnant.This is huge news! Please see below for links to this study and two additional supporting articles. This episode is all about prioritizing your needs for mental and physical wellness. You deserve nurturing as much as your baby. There are enough pressures in this world on pregnant women and mothers, and I’m here to tell you that YOU MATTER TOO.Medication can and should be considered for pregnant women with ADHD that benefit from it. At the end of the day, the decision is yours. The responsibility to do the research and talk to your doctor is yours. But I’m so happy to see actual research out in the world today in support of ADHD medication for mamas that could really need it.You don’t have to go through this season alone. My group coaching program FOCUSED is filled with women, parents and adults with all kinds of life experiences ready to welcome you in our community with open arms. Come check us out!Pregnant Women with ADHD Can Breathe a Sigh of Relief - Mt Sinai Health SystemPregnant Women with ADHD Can Breathe a Sigh of Relief - AARHUS UniversityIn utero exposure to ADHD medication and long-term offspring outcomesCome hang out with me on Instagram HERE. 

The last episode of the rejection series is a good one on how to respond to and soothe the pain from rejection. Like eating something super cold or hot with sensitive teeth, adults with ADHD tend to react more strongly to rejection than others. Due to repeated rejection, we’ve developed maladaptive coping mechanisms that do not benefit us in the long-run. Avoidance, people-pleasing and perfectionism are responses that many of us identify with as a way of limiting the amount of rejection in our lives. These serve us in the short-term, but they limit our growth potential and can be downright emotionally exhausting. These three coping mechanisms can be replaced with productive strategies, however, which I have double the options for! I even offer a free course on addressing perfectionism at ihaveadhd.com/perfect.  The last, and perhaps the most important, of the productive strategies is to surround yourself with safe people. If you’re struggling with finding a strong, encouraging community, come join my group coaching program FOCUSED with similar adults working on becoming their best regulated selves.

The Power of Therapy for Rejection SensitivityHelen Villiers is here with me again in this week’s podcast! You might remember Helen from Episode #200: Maybe I’m Not the Problem: Understanding Emotional Abuse with Helen Villiers and Katie McKenna. Helen is a psychotherapist and co-host of the podcast, In Sight - Exposing Narcissism.  In part 3 of the rejection series, we talk about rejection trauma from the beautiful perspective of a therapist with ADHD. This episode is so affirming of my feelings and opinions shared last week on Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria. Helen explains important terms such as toxic shame, moral defense, mirroring and stonewalling. We also learn how to identify if a therapist is a good therapist. But my favorite part is when Helen helps me identify why it can be so hard to not take rejection personally and why I look for mirroring in relationships to help me feel safe.The moral of the story is: therapy works! And immersing yourself in good education, encouragement and coaching in a group like FOCUSED can make a world of difference in dealing with rejection in everyday life.Hang out with me on Instagram HERE. 

I get bold and honest in this episode as I challenge “expert” opinion on Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD). And honestly, I'm scared you're going to reject me for it. Most of us adults living with ADHD have many experiences from childhood onwards of being rejected due to our neurodivergence. We've grown up in families and systems that have indeed rejected us. OF COURSE this means that we're more sensitive to rejection. But I reject the idea that our ADHD itself is the genetic and neurological CAUSE of our rejection issues. No. Growing up in a world that constantly rejects us is the cause of our rejection issues. Yet there is one published ADHD expert who claims that RSD is genetic to those with ADHD and that the ONLY treatment is medication. He says that "psychotherapy does little to help" those with rejection issues.Well, I reject these statements as they lack the following:Any evidence at allAny mention of other supportive researchAny anecdotal confirmation from real life adults living with ADHDRejection is real. Those of us with ADHD have experienced and do experience a lot of it. That doesn’t mean we have genetic disorder giving us rejection sensitivity and that doesn’t mean that only medication can help us improve our sensitivity.Thankfully I’m not the only one who feels this way. Take a look in the references below and make your own best judgment based on the existing research, your personal rejection experiences, and what you know about the ADHD community.Rejection sensitivity IS REAL, and most of us ADHDers experience it. But I reject the term RSD, and I wonder if you'd like to reject it, too? Be in community with kind, like-minded individuals living with ADHD and join my group coaching program, FOCUSED.Referenced Articles:RSD: The Feelings are Real but the Cause is All Wrong Dodson's Additude Mag Article on RSD Medical News Today: RSD is ControversialCome hang out with me on Instagram

A brand new series is here, and it’s on everyone's favorite topic: rejection. From childhood to adulthood, we experience rejection in a variety of ways and learn how to respond to it. Those of us with ADHD often experience this frequently and at an early age. As a result, we tend to have heightened sensitivity to feelings of exclusion or dismissal. We react extremely or suppress our own desires in order to please the people around us whose love and approval we most crave.The first episode in this series involves a critical self-examination and reflection time to determine whether or not you may demonstrate rejection sensitivity. I discuss expert opinions on the relationship between having ADHD and experiencing rejection, how rejection can be perceived but not real and the importance of nurturing our psyches when we experience these strong feelings.While this episode may bring up some intense memories or emotions, I’m here to offer generous validation and grace so that listeners can better prepare for self-regulation in times of uncertainty.In addition to finding a good trauma-informed therapist for support, my group coaching program, FOCUSED, is a great, supportive community for other ADHDers learning how to harness our strengths and overcome our weaknesses. I hope you check us out!Hang out with me on Instagram HERE. Referenced Links: Experiences of criticism in adults with ADHDRejection sensitivity and the social brainRejection sensitivity and disruption of attentionPeer Functioning in Children with ADHDPeer victimization in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

I’m so relieved to be wrapping up the last episode in the executive function series. This episode focuses on self-motivation, which is quite funny seeing as how I have felt very little of it to get this series done. The timing of this episode couldn’t be more perfect, however, because we are in the last few weeks before taxes are due! Many of you adults with ADHD may be especially struggling with the motivation to beat that deadline, and I’m here to explain why.It all comes down to our lack of dopamine, but that doesn’t mean we are lazy or a lost cause for productivity. A customized cocktail of support can help us improve in this impaired executive function.I provide several tips in the episode for improving motivation through determination. Three of these include:Talking to your doctor about medically increasing your dopamineSetting up rewards systems for yourselfJoining a coaching program, like FOCUSEDListen to this episode,  and please share with a friend who could also benefit!Hang out with me on Instagram HERE. 

We are now five down with one to go in my executive function series. Part 5 is on self-awareness - the ability to reflect, evaluate and ponder your thinking patterns. This executive function, also known as metacognition, is closely influenced by emotional regulation and working memory. For ADHDers, self-awareness can be a very uncomfortable thing to do and it might bring up a lot of shame and guilt. That’s why I offer six super helpful tips to implement that will create a safer space for you to examine your way of thinking and make a game plan for positive change.There is a significant shift within my group coaching program FOCUSED. I’m now offering the emotional regulation course in the first batch of courses now for all new participants! This is truly the foundation of our ability to make changes, and I’m happy to offer this at the beginning now. Listen in as I discuss what active mindfulness and compassionate self-reflection look like as we embark on a journey to be more self-aware.Hang out with me on Instagram HERE. 

My conversation with Dr. Lindsay Gibson generated pure gold in this week’s episode about emotionally immature parents. It’s important to note that this is in no way parent-shaming but instead illuminates how many people with ADHD were likely raised by emotionally immature adults (and perhaps perpetuating this behavior).We’re often led to believe that we ADHDers are always the problem. But maybe we were raised by adults that used manipulation and guilt to force us into people-pleasing and parentification to prioritize their needs and wants at all times above our own as children.While ADHD is hereditary, emotional immaturity can sometimes be passed down through generations as well. A cycle of neurodivergence coupled with emotional immaturity is not an ideal combination, so I invite you to listen in as we discuss how to identify this type of parenting, common coping mechanisms to avoid, and the pathway toward peace and freedom.Many of the participants in my group coaching program FOCUSED can relate to this and are in good company as we work towards being more emotionally mature adults. If you’d like to learn more about this topic, I encourage you to check out drlindsaygibson.com and read one of her many helpful books.

In this special episode, I’ve invited emotional abuse and relationship experts, Katie McKenna and Helen Villiers, to share their perspective on toxic relationships and how they affect ADHDers. You may know these incredible women from their podcast In Sight: Exposing Narcissism.With Helen being a fellow ADHDer and Katie deserving a gold medal for supporting neurodivergence, I’m in great company during this conversation as we learn definitions for emotional abuse, narcissism, gaslighting and even mysophonia. Many of us adults with ADHD were raised with neurotypical or even narcissistic parents who did not understand and accept us for our neurodivergence. As a result, we may be more susceptible to similarly toxic and abusive relationships with people who deny our feelings and needs.Please give this episode a listen and share with friends and family as you never know who may be suffering in an abusive relationship. I encourage my listeners to contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800.799.SAFE (7233) if you feel that you are in danger and need help.I invite you to join my group coaching program FOCUSED, where adults like you receive regular coaching calls and have a supportive community with all the tools needed to thrive with ADHD. Hang out with me on Instagram HERE. 

Part 4 in the Executive Function Series is here, and I’m focusing on problem solving. This includes “fun” elements like planning, organizing and prioritizing that many ADHDers struggle with. The truth is, while those of us with ADHD may be good at solving big, complex problems, facing the breakdown of smaller situations can be a real challenge. In Episode 199, I share info from articles, books, and direct feedback from people in my group coaching program to help you understand why problem solving is so hard and what we can do to tackle it head-on. Problem solving shouldn’t be scary. It’s supposed to manifest like mental play, or a game of chess, with our brains simulating multiple scenarios with choices and actions and helping us decide the best course of action.Listen in on my basic tips for approaching and solving a problem, and don’t forget to check out my FOCUSED group coaching program to receive tools to keep you on track with accomplishing your goals.Here is the article I mentioned in this episode. Hang out with me on Instagram HERE. 

You’ll want to save this episode to re-listen and share with your neurotypical friends because Episode 198 is solid GOLD. In part three of my six-part series on executive functions, I’m diving into emotional regulation and how it’s impacted with ADHD. But the truth is, we ALL can use help getting our emotions under control sometimes.Emotional regulation directly impacts how productive we’re able to be because how we feel drives our actions. While ADHD inhibits our ability to self-regulate, leading us to react poorly at times, there are so many useful tools we can use to regain control of our body’s response to external stimuli.While I myself even get worked up a bit in this episode, I cover my frustrations with clinicians for not sharing more info about this executive function after diagnosis, the biological differences between ADHD brains and neurotypical brains, and how to SURF our emotions in the moment instead of avoiding them.The 37 minutes of this episode are chock full of good info, but if you’re looking for even more training on emotional regulation, you can receive a full course on this topic after completing three months of my group coaching program FOCUSED!Hang out with me on Instagram HERE. 

Part two of my six-part series on executive functions is all about inhibition. This one’s a little heavy and a little scary. Those of us with ADHD can attest to how debilitating it is to not have strong, internal self-restraint that can protect us from automatic urges and impulse decisions. From interrupting conversations to cutting in line to leaping before we look, life with impaired inhibition can be daunting. In episode 197, I share the four types of inhibition (including cognitive, behavioral, and emotional motor) that impact our reactions and decision-making. I also offer tips on how we can keep this impairment in check and guard ourselves against making hasty choices.While there are some ADHD tools out there to support children, adults continue to need help understanding a new diagnosis or just managing day-to-day life. That’s why I started my group coaching program FOCUSED, and I invite you to sign up today and learn how to practice inhibition with a supportive and encouraging group of people just like you.Hang out with me on Instagram HEREReferenced Links: What is Inhibitory Control? and How is it Related to ADHD?Inhibitory capacity in adults with symptoms of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

In Episode 196, I am kicking off the anticipated Executive Function series! I’ll be breaking down the six key executive functions that are impacted by ADHD. Today’s focus is all about Working Memory. Working memory is a temporary storage system that allows you to hold information in your mind long enough to do something with it. I like to think of working memory as an internal bulletin board where sticky notes get posted temporarily. Did you know there are two types: verbal and non-verbal? Join me as I dive into understanding the mind’s voice and the mind’s eye that are both necessary to picture the steps involved in a task and get it done.This is an easy one to give ourselves a hard time about. We think we SHOULD be able to do XYZ from start to finish, and we shame ourselves when we don’t. As you’ll find out in the podcast, my biggest lesson here is to embrace acceptance of our impairment and learn how to externalize these plans of action to help us accomplish them. Ready to make a game plan for yourself to improve life with ADHD? I invite you to join my group coaching program FOCUSED, where adults like you receive regular coaching calls and learn how to hold themselves accountable in a loving but firm way.Hang out with me on Instagram HERE. 

Episode 195 welcomes Daniel Jones from The Aspie World as a special guest! PLEASE NOTE: There is strong language used in this one. Daniel has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome (Autism Spectrum Disorder Level 2), ADHD, OCD, and Dyslexia. He’s especially passionate about providing education, support, and diagnosis access to any and everyone. In this special episode, we chat through the differences and similarities between ADHD and Autism. Daniel shares tips for tricking the ADHD side of his brain into staying focused for longer periods of time and expresses why it’s so important to love each other and not feed dissension amongst our neurodivergent community.You can find Daniel across all your favorite social media channels @theaspieworld. My group coaching program FOCUSED is a great place for folks with neurodivergent conditions like ADHD, and we believe we’re better together!Hang out with me on Instagram HERE. #adhd #adhdawareness #adhdsupport #lifecoach #adhdcoach #adhdproblems #adhdadult #adhdlife #adhdcoaching #adhdexplained #adultadhd #adhdsymptoms #adhdinfo #adhdlife #adhdtips #adhdexplained #adhdtribe #adhdsolutions #adhdhelp #adhdtreatment #adhdstrategies #adhddiagnosis #ocd #dyslexia #autism 

This is a very vulnerable podcast for me. I made a goal to talk about one thing, told myself it would be easy, then procrastinated and realized it was more work than I was ready to handle. My mind originally had me living in this fantasy world, and I left it before thinking through the logistics and effort required to get it done and do it right. Have you been here before?At this point in January, many of you may be starting to feel the same way about those New Year’s resolutions. Maybe you’re bored. The ideas just aren’t flowing anymore, and now you realize it is not going to happen unless you take significant action.Sometimes even the things we love most in life are going to feel like drudgery and mundane work. In Episode 194, I share how this is one of the hardest things about dealing with ADHD for me personally.So here we go! I’ll talk through the things I did wrong this week, the steps I skipped, and the danger of excitement that I floated on instead of facing reality. Let’s learn together, and I hope I can help you avoid the pain I went through with this good but difficult goal.Maybe you are struggling with this as well and know you need an intervention to keep you on track. I invite you to join my group coaching program FOCUSED, where I help other ADHDers set goals and follow through with them. We'd love to have you!Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resources.Hang out with me on Instagram HERE

 As an adult with ADHD, I know how hard it can be to fight the way my brain works and spend too much energy shaming myself and wishing I was different. But in Episode 193 of the podcast, I coach three separate, amazing adults dealing with very different life challenges and help them embrace and accept who they are and find ways to live their best lives alongside ADHD.The first coaching session focuses on how to tackle a new, unstructured career by building in the accountability and framework needed to manage new challenges with patience and gentleness.The second session deals with parent/child dynamics between spouses where one has a neurotypical brain and the other has ADHD. I coach on how to surf reactionary emotions, take stock of the message of trauma or justified need that your brain is sending you, and how to set appropriate boundaries to protect your autonomy.Finally, in session three, I support a newly diagnosed ADHDer in accepting their brain’s differences, educating their loved ones on how to accept it, and finding peace amidst all the distractions. If you loved listening in on these coaching sessions and would like my support for yourself, come join my group coaching program, FOCUSED. You’ll be in great company! Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resourcesHang out with me on Instagram HERE

In the first episode of 2023, I'm chatting with Felicia Broccolo, Director of Operations at I Have ADHD, about impossible goals. This time of year, everyone is setting resolutions — something that can be especially hard for those diagnosed with ADHD.An impossible goal doesn’t have to be something huge and scary though. It can be as small as finishing work every day when you say you’re going to or waking up at the first alarm without hitting snooze. The goal itself isn’t often what’s out of reach, it's our mindset about ourselves and negative self-talk that holds us back. The truth is, setting and working towards goals of any size helps us with our emotion management and facing failure head-on. Because we tend to be our own worst critics, finding a supportive coach and community is super essential to keep positive forces around us that don’t let us self-sabotage ourselves. That's exactly what you get when you become a part of my group coaching program, FOCUSED.Plus, members who have completed one full year get access to tons of additional resources, including an Impossible Goals course. Click here to join FOCUSED today and start working towards your goals of all shapes and sizes.

Barbara Arrowsmith-Young overheard her first-grade teacher telling her mom, “Barbara really isn’t going to amount to much.”Growing up, Barbara struggled to learn to read and write. Back then, there was no such term as “learning difficulty” — the understanding was that your brain was fixed forever. To Barbara, it felt like a life sentence.Today, she is known as “the woman who changed her brain.” After years of living with a diagnosed “mental block,” Barbara set out to understand why parts of her brain weren’t functioning the way they should.What she discovered changed her understanding of the brain entirely, and she knew it was her life’s work to help others overcome the learning difficulties that might be holding them back.The Arrowsmith Program is helping thousands of people worldwide reduce the factors in their life causing negative neuroplasticity so they can become effective, confident, and self-directed learners.Learn more about The Arrowsmith Program by visiting their website. Be sure to take the free questionnaire to get a snapshot of your own cognitive profile. I help people struggling with learning difficulties regularly in my group coaching program for adult ADHDers. Click the button below to learn more.>>FOCUSED<<

The only way to be a perfect parent is to toss out the word "perfect" altogether. Our expectations and emotions can easily get in the way of effective parenting when we make things all about US instead of all about what our kiddos need. In episode 190, I'm serving some spicy advice on ways we can all grow and improve as moms and dads to our little ones. You'll find that my tips don't have a lot to do with the actual kids, and that's because there is work we as adults need to do before we expect things from our children. It doesn't have to be right 100% of the time. You can begin to develop skills that will build connections with your kiddos and make your job as a parent feel so lovely. It can actually be fun. Listen in with your partner or when you have a quiet moment alone to yourself. And if you'd like to join a supportive community to help get you through the day-to-day, I'd love for you to become a part of my coaching group. >>FOCUSED<<

Do you or do you not have the extra cash to spend on holiday gifts this season? Episode 189 includes a recorded excerpt from the FOCUSED ADHD group coaching program with tough questions to ask yourself ASAP in order to properly prepare for holiday gift-giving without going into debt or feeling shame.Those of us with ADHD know how easy it is to overspend due to feelings of guilt and/or anticipation. This happens especially around this time of year when regulation and routine seemingly fly out the window.In this episode, I talk about managing emotions when it comes to your finances and how to approach holiday spending from a grounded, reality-centered place. I'm proud of you for listening to this podcast and seeking out growth. Keep up the moment by joining my group coaching program, FOCUSED, so you can gain more tools and a strong support system.>>FOCUSED<<

Facing the holiday season can be intimidating. Normal everyday life is complicated enough living with ADHD, and yet so much more is expected of us in the last few months of the year.Our inner child may have this beautiful fantasy of a perfect holiday season, but we feel let down when it doesn’t all go according to plan. So how can we approach this year differently to make sure we make the most of all the magic without getting swallowed by it?In episode 188, I offer a strategic plan for managing your expectations and capacity in order to face this time with intentionality and prioritization. By staying grounded in reality and sitting in the driver’s seat of how we want this season to go, we can avoid those icky feelings of shame, exhaustion, disappointment, and stress while embracing real connection, rest, and genuine joy!If you want to set yourself up for success before it gets hard with a fantastic support group, I invite you to join my group coaching program, FOCUSED. All month long, I’ll be focusing on ways to manage the holiday season, and I’d love to take you along with us.>>FOCUSED<<

This one’s for all the neurotypical friends and family who have a loved one living with ADHD. There are SO many misconceptions about this diagnosis, and it can be super challenging for us to communicate our experiences to you effectively.Societal shame and childhood upbringings have played a huge role in diminishing the voice of ADHDers. But there are so many things we’d like you, our friends and family, to know about us! Thanks to the input of several friends in the community, I’m sharing 3 things we wish you knew about ADHD and 3 things we’d like to ask from you.Without giving away too much, it’s crucial for you to start by understanding how hard it is for us to share our struggles and ask for help. THANK YOU for taking the time to listen to this episode and for being our support system!Another helpful thing you can do for a loved one living with ADHD is encourage them to get support. My group coaching program FOCUSED offers a supportive community and the tools needed to thrive with ADHD. >>FOCUSED<<

If you’re guilty of adding too many tasks to your to-do list and then feeling guilty for not completing them, this message is for you! To-do lists are meant to be useful for prioritization and recollecting what needs to get done — but it’s easy to lose ourselves in the list itself and struggle to cross anything off at all, leading to procrastination, dread, and shame.It may sound scandalous, but you should consider the email concept of “archive all” to cleanse the clutter in your brain and let yourself off the hook! To those of us living with ADHD, this may sound terrifying… impossible even. But the only way to make progress is by taking one step at a time, tackling items one by one.In this episode, I’m divulging why I relish archiving ALL THE THINGS that take up too much brain space and how it helps me be *more* productive in the long run. It’s time to let go of the unnecessary weight you’ve been carrying for far too long. Archive it all — with no strings attached!Want to start tackling your to-do list? Check out my coaching program for adults with ADHD >>FOCUSED<<.

Big, impossible goals are sexy. That’s what the world wants us to think. We have to do all of the things and be great at each one. But unrealistic goals are a challenge for adults with ADHD, and they set us up for failure.Michelle Carter is an American shot putter and three-time Olympic athlete who took home a gold medal in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. But more importantly, she’s an adult with ADHD who’s achieved some pretty amazing things by giving herself the space to choose what’s a priority to her and working on her goals one step at a time.Michelle shares what she learned about ADHD that’s helped her identify and achieve her goals in a way that works for her — plus, we discuss the emotional moment she realized she’d won gold at the Olympics.Learn more about Michelle here and be sure to follow her on Instagram.—Want help achieving your own goals? Check out my group coaching program. >> FOCUSED <<Hang out with me on Instagram HERE!

If you're an adult with ADHD who struggles with hobbies, all I have to say is, "SAME!" I find that a lot of us ADHDers struggle to rest and play, and we have all the drama about participating in activities that are not 'productive.' Want to stop over-working and actually get a hobby? I've got 7 doable steps for you! You'll learn why we struggle to have hobbies and how to go out and actually find something that you enjoy doing (and yes, I include a LONG list of hobbies for you to try!).Books featured in this episode:Adult Children of Emotionally Immature ParentsChildren of the Self AbsorbedYou're Not Crazy, It's Your MotherDr. Ramani's YouTube ChannelWas It Even Abuse? Restoring Clarity After Covert AbuseVisit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resourcesHang out with me on Instagram HERE!

We end our relationships series by circling back to the most important relationship: the one we have with ourselves. Dr. Russell Ramsay is here with us to chat about why self trust is especially difficult for adults with ADHD, and what we can do to build it.Dr. Russell Ramsay is co-founder and co-director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Adult ADHD Treatment and Research Program and a professor of clinical psychology in the department of psychiatry in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He’s authored several books on ADHD including one that that I reference often called Rethinking Adult ADHD: Helping Clients Turn Intentions into ActionsLearn more about Dr. Russell Ramsay here!Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resourcesHang out with me on Instagram HERE!

Saying no can be very difficult for any human, but I believe it's especially hard for adults with ADHD. In this episode you'll learn:Why saying no is hard for usWhat executive functions are involved in saying noPractical tips on exactly HOW to say noADHDer, the more you say no when you want to, the more you are in the driver's seat of your own life. Enjoy!Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resourcesHang out with me on Instagram HERE!

ADHDers are notoriously bad at setting boundaries. So many factors go into this, but I believe it’s mostly because we feel poorly about ourselves, we don’t have a lot of self-trust, and we are embarrassed about our annoying ADHD symptoms. The result of this is that we ADHDers often don’t believe we even deserve to set boundaries. Additionally, many of us were not raised in families that talked about or even allowed boundaries to be set…so, it comes to boundaries, most of us are floundering. A big part of having healthy relationships is being able to express our own personal boundaries. But, how? Like actually, HOW? I am by no means an expert on this topic, so I invited an expert on to share her wisdom with us: best-selling author, licensed therapist, and sought-after relationship expert, Nedra Glover Tawwab. Nedra has practiced relationship therapy for 15 years and is the founder and owner of the group therapy practice, Kaleidoscope Counseling. Every day she helps people create healthy relationships by teaching them how to implement boundaries. Her philosophy is that a lack of boundaries and assertiveness underlie most relationship issues, and her gift is helping people create healthy relationships with themselves and others. This episode has the potential to change your life, so enjoy it! Nedra’s book, "Set Boundaries Find Peace" and the accompanying workbook are available on amazon, And I highly recommend that you visit her website to take her boundaries quiz…this will help you to determine your next step when it comes to boundaries.Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resourcesHang out with me on Instagram HERE!

We are on a mission to improve all of our relationships, and today we discuss the difference between someone who is safe verses someone who is unsafe. This has been a critical (and truthfully, painful) exercise that I have gone through in my own life that has improved my experience of every single relationship that I have. Tune in to hear why it's important to understand safety in relationships and exactly what makes someone relationally safe verses someone who is relationally unsafe. Click here to read the Psychology Today article that I reference in this episode.Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resources.Hang out with me on Instagram HERE!

In this episode, we talk about surrounding ourselves with people who are willing and able to meet our needs. AND we talk about the importance of being willing and able to meet THEIR needs, too. It's both/and. You'll learn my 4-tier system for prioritizing relationships and I'll give you permission to let some relationships go. If you want to take these concepts deeper, join my coaching program FOCUSED.Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resourcesHang out with me on Instagram HERE!

Most ADHDers struggle with relationships, and I am no exception to this. In the last 3 years, I've done a TON of work in therapy and in coaching, and I've really changed the way that I view relationships. In this 4-part series, I'll share everything I've learned about healthy relationships with you so that you can change your relationships, too.Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resourcesHang out with me on Instagram HERE!

It's that time of year when I want to set 100 goals. BIG GOALS. I want to do all the things and I want to do them all perfectly. On today's episode, we talk about why ADHDers struggle to set realistic goals, and how to make sure that we don't set ourselves up for failure by setting outlandish, unreachable goals. You'll walk away with a more grounded sense of how to set goals that you can actually accomplish! Let's go.Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resourcesHang out with me on Instagram HERE!

Today you'll hear from 3 of the coaches that I trained this year. They tell you about their experience, why they decided to become coaches, and what they loved/hated about my program.Interested in training with me? Go to www.ihaveadhd.com/coach for all of the information!Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resourcesHang out with me on Instagram HERE!

For all information, click HERE!If you want to be an ADHD coach and you like my approach, I would love to train you as a coach!Part 1 and Part 2 of this series are so important for you to listen to as you make your decision of what coach training program to invest in.Applications go out on September 15, 2022 to Focused members only. Email [email protected] or DM me on Instagram if you have any questions!Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resources.Hang out with me on Instagram HERE

For all information, click HERE!Buckle up, my friends! In this episode I dish all of my thoughts on ADHD coaching and the coaching industry. I let you know what I think is awesome, and what I find annoying, and I tell you how I'm going to solve the problem: By training ADHD coaches myself.The coach training programs out there are notoriously not ADHD-friendly. I wanted to create a training program for the ADHD brain, and I did.The type of coaching that I practice with my clients (causal coaching) is not something that many ADHD coaches are currently being trained in, and I want to fill that void.Tune in for all the details!Testimonials from Focused ADHD Coaches:"I'm so glad that I took the leap, it was manageable, and I got so much out of it. If you want to be the kind of coach that Kristen is, it's the perfect next step." - Kyla Roma"The Focused ADHD coach training program is excellent. I feel completely confident in being able to coach anyone with ADHD on what's holding them back, or how to live the full life they're dreaming of. I feel like I can support any clients - and especially neurodivergent clients - in an affirming, supportive, motivating way that puts them in touch with their own resourcefulness." -Erin King"I have zero regrets with my choice to take the Focused ADHD Coach Training program. I honestly feel I am well prepared to coach people with and without ADHD. Kristen shared her knowledge AND experience with us in a way that supported my ADHD brain and let me learn in a way and at a pace that felt comfortable." Dylan M."This is the best investment for yourself. Even if you're unsure about being a coach full time, you will leave equipped to apply this training into your personal life and your work life." Jenni N"The philosophy of ADHDers supporting other ADHDers to succeed is at the core of why Focused works and why this coaching program appealed to me. The approach is fundamentally grounded in respect and a deep understanding of what the coachee experiences and struggles with, because the coaches-in-training have the same struggles. I don’t think most life coach training programs can offer that perspective or opportunity to consider both sides at once." Briony KiddVisit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resourcesHang out with me on Instagram HERE.

This episode is a compilation of a few coaching conversations I’ve had in the last couple of weeks in my coaching program, FOCUSED. I am sharing it with you because  I truly believe that while you listen, you will relate to each person I speak with and you’ll be able to have life-changing transformation.Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resourcesHang out with me on Instagram HERE!

Today's episode is one that every ADHD needs: a fun and simple lesson in how to be productive. I'll take you through the 5 steps that I teach all of my clients when we talk about productivity: Constrain your list down to just 1 or 2 things, decide ahead of time what you're going to do, schedule everything on your calendar, take massive action (no more researching!), and then evaluate how you did and make any adjustments for tomorrow. It may sound complicated, but really these steps are simple if you're willing to feel terrible and TRUST yourself to implement the steps. Buckle up for an episode that just might change your life forever.Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resourcesHang out with me on Instagram HERE!

It can be hard to decide whether or not you should share your ADHD diagnosis with the people in your life. Is it their business to know? Will it help or hurt the relationship? This is one of the questions that we get asked most often, and so I wanted to share some tips to making the decision!Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resourcesHang out with me on Instagram HERE!

If you feel like you're always taking 2 steps forward and 3 steps back, this episode is the antidote to that. In it, I teach you WHY ADHDers often self-sabotage, and exactly how to stop. You're not going to want to miss this life-changing episode!Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resources.Hang out with me on Instagram HERE!

If you have ADHD, you struggle to go to bed...it's a whole thing for us. This episode will provide you with 10 doable tips for getting your sweet little ADHD butt to bed at the time that you SAY you're going to go to bed.Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resourcesHang out with me on Instagram HERE

ADHD entrepreneurs face a specific set of challenges, and I know exactly what it takes to run a successful business with a distracted brain. Spoiler: It doesn't take being consistent! I've created a mastermind group for established ADHD entrepreneurs who want to grow their businesses without being shamed for how their brain works.You'll learn how to make your business more ADHD-friendly so that your brain and your biz are not constantly in a fight.You'll learn how to set boundaries and protect the ebb and flow of your energy so that you can follow your calendar and work muuuuuch more efficiently.You'll learn how to lead your team even though you're the messiest person in the room.And, you'll learn that you're not alone. Entrepreneurship is isolating. ADHD entrepreneurship can be excruciating. This mastermind is the antidote.We're going to get rolling with or without you, but I would LOVE for you to be a part. Click here to apply.

We all know that getting and staying organized is a MAJOR challenge for adults with ADHD. This is like saying the sky is blue or the grass is green. In this episode, you’ll learn exactly why organization is hard for us, why it’s so important we divorce our ability to organize from our self-worth, how our spaces are a direct reflection of our minds, and exactly HOW to organize.Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resources.Hang out with me on Instagram here!

Adults with ADHD struggle to make decisions. We don't trust ourselves and we tell ourselves that we don't know what to do. When it's time to make a decision, we often spin out in confusion and overwhelm. We delay and procrastinate and don't think things through clearly, and this makes it so that we struggle move forward in our lives. THIS EPISODE IS THE ANTIDOTE TO THAT. In it, I give you 6 solid tips on how to make a decision that feels good to you and is in line with your values. I teach you how to do this quickly and in a way that is not paralyzing. The best part? I will teach you how to make a decision that you don’t beat yourself up for – no matter what the outcome. This episode will help you to become a decision-making MACHINE. Enjoy!Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resources.Hang out with me on Instagram here!

Raise your hand if you still beat yourself up for things you did DECADES ago. Most ADHDers shame themselves relentlessly, and on today's episode I am going to teach you how to let go of your past mistakes. Ironically, holding onto the past is one of the best ways to REPEAT the past (ever feel like you make the same mistakes over and over??). In order to move into a different future, you've got to unshackle yourself from the past, and that's what this episode is all about! Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more information.Hang out with me on Instagram here!

If you're an ADHD Entrepreneur who struggles to understand your business's finances (raises hand) and conceptualize what EXACTLY to do with your revenue (raises both hands), this episode is going to rock your world. Mike Michalowitz is a highly successful entrepreneur who is here to share the brilliance from his best-selling book Profit First. This book changed my life, and I think it'll change yours, too!Learn more about Mike HERE!Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resourcesHang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

In this DELICIOUS episode you will learn how rest and play are connected to your business's bottom line $. Africa Brooke is a coach, consultant, strategist and seasoned entrepreneur...and did I mention she's MY coach? She's here to teach you all of the things I've learned from working with her over the last year.Learn more about Africa hereVisit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resources.Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

ADHD entrepreneurs are BRILLIANT...but are you spending the majority of your time and energy in your zone of genius or are you wasting your time trying to fit into a neurotypical box? Today's episode is all about ditching society's expectation of you so that you can lean into your secret sauce and 10x your business revenue.The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks was a primary resource for today's episode.Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resourcesHang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

Oooooo baby get ready because we're doing a 4-part series on ADHD + Entrepreneurship!This first episode is all about making your business more compatible with your ADHD brain so that the two of you (your biz and your brain) are not constantly in a fight. These are 5 easy steps that you can apply to your business and your life TODAY. Enjoy!Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resourcesHang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

I promise you, constraint is SEXY...let me convince you in this 30 min episode!! Stop cheating on your dreams with one-night-stand ideas, join me as I persuade you to become an essentialist: someone who knows exactly what's important and is willing to go after it!Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resourcesHang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

Did you know that ADHDers are very likely to struggle with binge eating? Find out why on today's episode! Registered Dietitian Becca King is here to explain what binge eating is, why it is so prevalent among ADHDers, and how we can stop. Get ready for a shame-free, judgement-free discussion around eating, intuition, and ADHD management. [CONTENT WARNING: Disordered eating, binge eating, bulimia] Learn more about Becca here!  Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resources! Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

Every ADHDer wants to focus...but HOW!? Today's episode is exactly what you need when you're feeling scattered, lost, or overwhelmed. Kristen covers 10 practical steps to getting focused that you can implement NOW and use over and over again. Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

Raise your hand if imposter syndrome holds you back from living your life to the fullest. I see you! This week's episode is all about what Imposter Syndrome is, why we experience it, and how to manage it. Here's a great article written by Dr. Russell Ramsay on the topic. Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

ADHD legend Dr. Ned Hallowell (Driven to Distraction, Delivered from Distraction, ADHD 2.0) is here today to share his infinite wisdom on all things ADHD. You KNOW I don't think ADHD is a gift, but Dr. Hallowell so beautifully articulated his perspective on this topic that I really wanted to share it with you. Find more from Dr. Hallowell here Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

Some ADHDers struggle with Problematic Pornography Use, and that's what we're talking about today...GET READY! My guest, Danny Poelman, is a certified life coach who helps people stop looking at porn in a sustainable (and enjoyable!) way. If you are feeling powerless in the area of porn or ANY unwanted habit, this episode will be so encouraging and helpful to you.  Learn more about Danny here! Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resources. Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

Are you stumped when someone asks you to define ADHD? Do you either give them a super basic answer OR totally over-share? On today's episode, I intend to solve that problem! We discuss what is ADHD exactly, and how to explain it to someone without getting too lost in the weeds. Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

Today’s episode is a powerful coaching call that I hosted inside of my Focused ADHD coaching program a few weeks ago. As soon as the call ended, I knew I wanted to share it with you on this podcast so that you could benefit from the transformations. I truly think this is going to blow your mind.  www.ihaveadhd.com/webinar to sign up for my webinar on releasing money shame!  Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resources. Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

Let's talk about S E X, shall we? Ari Tuckman, PsyD, CST is a psychologist and certified sex therapist specializing in diagnosing and treating people with ADHD, as well as couples and sex therapy. Join us as we discuss his most recent book, ADHD After Dark, the ways that ADHD impacts sex, and how to improve your "after dark" relationships. Find more from Ari Tuckman on his website here  Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

The last 4 episodes were dedicated to honoring the female ADHD experience. Join me today as I synthesize what I learned this month and show you how you can apply it to your life in tangible ways. So you don't do that thing where you hear something awesome and then forget about it entirely and never actually do anything with it. Or is that just a me thing?!  Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram: @i.have.adhd.podcast

Sari Solden is a PIONEER when it comes to women with ADHD, and she's here today to talk about the intricacies of the struggles that women with ADHD face. From masking, to internalized social norms, to hiding, and brain shame, I predict that this episode will connect with you on a very deep level. Join me as I chat with Sari about how we can learn to embrace our differences and live authentic lives as women with ADHD. Check out Sari's books: Women with Attention Deficit Disorder and A Radical Guide to Women with ADHD  (which she co-authored with Michelle Frank).    Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more resources   Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

Yakini Pierce is here to share with us her expertise on all things being a mama who has ADHD. We talk about the highs and lows of motherhood and what amazing transformations can take place in your home when you honor your own ADHD and make space for yourself to have flaws. Yakini is a late diagnosis woman with adhd. She's a mom of 2 amazing ADHD kids and host of the ADHD Love Parent Talk Podcast. Yakini shares her wisdom on Instagram @adhdlove2020 and YouTube. Go check her out!  Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

Dr. Patricia Quinn is here to share her expertise on ADHD as it relates to PMS, PMDD, pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, and menopause. I learned SO MUCH from speaking with Dr. Quinn, and am forever grateful to her for the decades of work she has done with ADHD women and girls. Speaking of, go buy her book 100 Questions and Answers About ADHD for Women and Girls. 

March is International Women's Month, and we're dedicating all 5 weeks to honoring the female ADHD experience. Tune in today to hear from Paula Engebretson and Meagan Vigil, two women with ADHD who also coach women with ADHD. It's a casual and fun conversation that will open your eyes into some of what it's like to be a woman with ADHD.  Learn more about Paula here Learn more about Meagan here

If you have ADHD, then you struggle to prioritize and make decisions. In this episode, we'll work on accepting our ADHD brains and begin to develop the skill of turning UP the volume on what's important and turning DOWN the volume on what's not as important. And of course, we'll chat about how to even decide what's important in the first place.  Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

If you've wondered if you should give coaching a try, or if it even works, this episode will give you all the clarity. Hear my hot take on coaching, and what type of coaching I feel is most effective for ADHDers. After coaching over 1,000 people with ADHD, I have lots of thoughts to share with you! Click here to sign up for my webinar on procrastination!  Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram!

Certified sex educator Cate Osborn is with us today to talk about all things sex as it relates to ADHD. Get ready for a fun and enlightening episode about how ADHD affects sex and intimacy, and how you can begin to overcome these challenges so that you can reach your potential ...even in the bedroom (too far? Sorry).  Learn more about Catie: Website  Instagram  Tiktok  Youtube  Podcast - Catie and Erik's Infinite Quest   Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram

"This will just take me 5 minutes" or "It'll be fine" or "It'll be different this time" are examples of potentially problematic positive thoughts. Positive thinking isn’t always helpful, and maladaptive positive thoughts can get us into a lot of trouble. In today’s episode, I’m going to help you to identify your own problematic thinking and give you strategies on how to combat it.  Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

Today on the show I have superstar psychologist Dr. Russell Ramsay on to explain what CBT is and how it can be adapted and helpful for ADHDers. Tune in to hear us chat about procrastivity, self-trust, and why Philly sports teams cause both of us extreme heartache.Dr. J. Russell (“Russ”) Ramsay is co-founder and co-director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Adult ADHD Treatment and Research Program and an associate professor of clinical psychology in the department of psychiatry in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He's the author of several books, including Rethinking Adult ADHD: Helping Clients Turn Intentions Into Actions. Resources: PSYPACT Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

More of your questions answered! As an ADHD expert, certified coach to hundreds of adults with ADHD, and an ADHDer myself, I am uniquely positioned to bring expertise, understanding, and relatability to all of your burning questions about ADHD. LET'S GO! Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

As an ADHD expert, certified coach to hundreds of adults with ADHD, and an ADHDer myself, I am uniquely positioned to bring expertise, understanding, and relatability to all of your burning questions about ADHD. Today I'm answering all kinds of questions from my Instagram friends about ADHD and it's going to be FUN! Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

Let's learn about our attention from a neuroscientist, shall we? Amishi Jha, Ph.D, is here to discuss her new book, Peak Mind, in which she explains what attention is, the types of attention, and what happens when we pay attention to our attention. SPOILER ALERT: Attention is trainable. Yes, research conducted by Dr. Jha and her colleagues proves that even adults with ADHD see improvements in their attention when they implement Dr. Jha's mindfulness training techniques. Listen to find out more.  Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast  

What 2 things do an attorney, a solopreneur, and an architect have in common? 1. They all have human brains 2. They all have ADHD. If you have a human brain and you have ADHD, you're going to get SO MUCH out of this coaching session that I have with 3 of my clients. Tune in for life-changing ADHD coaching and support to start your year off right. Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

Because of our deficient frontal lobes, planning, prioritizing, and following through are very difficult for ADHDers. This makes setting and achieving goals HARD! Today, I will walk you through a fun exercise to plan out what might be possible for you in 2022 and give you a simple action plan to make it happen.  Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

ADHDers aren't great at reflection, which often leads us to staying stuck. In this episode, I walk you through a practice of evaluating your year so that you can move forward and create the life that you want! I also spill the tea about what's happened in MY life in 2021. Tune in for an all-around great time.  Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

If ADHD isn't your superpower (it isn't), then what is? Today Kristen walks you through an exercise to determine what your true gift, superpower, and awesomeness is. Tune in for the most encouraging episode of the entire year! Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources! Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

Welp...this episode is either going to make you feel super validated and pumped-up orrrrrrrr super triggered. What we're chatting about today is my OPINION, and I acknowledge that not everyone thinks the same way that I do. I encourage you to listen and see what YOU think: Is ADHD a superpower? A gift? Or, "awesome"? Hear me explain why I think this way of speaking about ADHD has the potential to do more harm than good. I promise we end on a really happy, loving, and validating note, so listen to the end, my friends!  Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

[Trigger Warning: Fat phobia, anti-fat bias, Thanksgiving, obesity, medical bias toward plus-sized people. Please save this episode for a time when you feel emotionally able to interact with these ideas] Gather 'round the table, my friends, we're going to have a chat about being plus sized and ADHD, and the specific challenges that plus sized people face when seeking to obtain ADHD diagnosis and treatment. Please be gentle with me and with yourself as you listen to this conversation that I have with my dear client, Sarah. Resources: Health at Every Size Intuitive Eating Body Positive Power by Megan Jayne Crabbe  

Today I'm interviewing my team and giving you a behind the scenes look at what it's like to work with a crazy ADHD brain. I am a firm believer that if we have the ability to hire out our frontal lobe, we SHOULD! This episode will help you to let go of some of that control, be willing to feel vulnerable, and get the help that you deserve. Want to work with MY team? Reach out to Selena @selenanjegovanvirtualsolutions or visit www.selenanjegovan.com and Felicia (for coaching!) @feliciaannabroccolo Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

Today's episode is a compilation of funny ADHD stories sent in from listeners around the world - from leaving the car running to booking a flight to the wrong country, ADHD never disappoints....it always keeps interesting! Sit back, relax, and enjoy these hilarious and relatable stories!  Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

Today we're going to dive deep into a question that I get asked a lot: "Should I tell people that I have ADHD?" The truth is, only you can decide...and I am here to help you make a decision that feels aligned with who you are and what you want.  Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

There's a reason why you want to stay up later (and then wake up later) than all of the neuro-typicals in your life, and it's not because you're lazy. Turns out, about 75% of ADHDers studied report symptoms in line with Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome. Tune in to learn more! Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome May Be Linked Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources

Every ADHDer wants to learn the skill of overcoming procrastination. In this episode I give you my top 4 tips on how to stop procrastinating and get sh*t done.  Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources. Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast  

Are you massively creative and feel like the ideas just never stop coming? How in the world do you constrain and choose one thing to focus on? This episode is a conversation I have with my client Lindsay Eagar who's a critically-acclaimed author with no shortage of ideas! We chat about all the things and I know you're going to love it!  You can find more information about Lindsay and her books at www.lindsayeagarbooks.com You can also finder her on Twitter @lindsaymccall Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

You know that thing we do where we have to spend at least an hour doing nothing...essentially "wasting time" before we get into our  work for the day? Yeah, I recorded a whole episode on this topic! This episode is for those of you who need a ton of warmup and prep-time before actually getting anything done. I have good news for you: YOU'RE NORMAL....and I know you're going to love this episode! Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

How is it possible that it's taken me 126 episodes to record one on time management? This episode is deep - we talk about the REAL reasons we can't manage our time, and what we can do about it.  Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

If you have trouble slowing down and shutting your brain off, this episode is for you! I'll dive into why we resist rest and how we can begin to overcome this tendency. Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

Self-sabotage is a (normal) human behavior pattern that undermines our success and thwarts forward motion. In this episode, we dive DEEP into why we sabotage ourselves and how we can interrupt this self-defeating pattern.  Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources 

Today's episode is a behind the scenes look at Kristen Carder’s journey. I've changed A LOT in the last 3 years and I'm sharing the specifics of who I used to be and who I am now.  Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources

[TRIGGER WARNING: I discuss current world events on this podcast and invite you to feel negative emotion with me]  In the last 2 weeks, some very heavy and concerning world events have taken place. With so much suffering happening right now, I wanted to record an episode for you that acknowledges our collective pain and gives you some strategies on how to cope so that you can be an informed and caring human without being totally distracted and non-functional. I am sending you so much love! Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

Today’s episode is for senior adults who have been diagnosed or are considering seeking a diagnosis for ADHD. Is it worth it? Should you bother seeking treatment? Listen as I chat with my client Jane who was diagnosed at 52 and is experiencing all kinds of relief. Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources

Dr. Russell Barkley joins me on today's episode to discuss the different types of ADHD medications and what he sees as THE BEST treatment plan for adult ADHD.  Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/symptoms to get the freebie mentioned in today's episode.  Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

Dr. Russell Barkley is THE authority on adult ADHD and he is here with us today to chat about all the things. Do not miss this!  Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast

The adhd penalty is the self-inflicted punishment that we feel obligated to inflict upon ourselves because of our adhd shortcomings. This penalty ALWAYS ends up making our lives harder, and in many ways exacerbating our symptoms even further. It’s a vicious cycle that many of you are on, and I hope that my words today inspire you to hop off this self-defeating hamster wheel.  www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram: @i.have.adhd.podcast

If I add "gross, I know" to the title, does it make this episode more palatable to you?! Today I talk to my client Sacha about his journey going SLOWLY on his self-development work. Of course we ADHDers prefer to go fast, but what if that impatience actually doesn't serve us? Today we're going to inspire you to slow down and look for little wins along the way! Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources

Today’s episode is for those of you who question your diagnosis. My client, Emma Strong shares her journey of getting diagnosed and then questioning whether or not she “deserved” support…this is deep work! I know you are going to be so encouraged by this conversation.  Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources Hang out with me on Instagram here!  

BUCKLE UP!! If you are someone whose family didn't understand or validate your ADHD, you are going to LOVE this conversation. And especially, if you are in Latin America and/or have a lot of Latin influences in your life, this episode is going to speak directly to your heart! Please enjoy this conversation with my very lovely client, Fernanda Gamboa. Reach out to Fernanda here: @Especial-Mente2.0 on instagram https://www.especialmente.org/ Hang out with me on Instagram @i.have.adhd.podcast Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources

We've discussed that it's POSSIBLE to be inconsistent and successful, and this episode is all about howwwwww to do it.    Entrepreneurs, sign up for my course The Inconsistent Entrepreneur at www.ihaveadhd.com.com/course   Click here to hang out with me on Instagram. www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources.

You do not have to be consistent in order to be successful.  You do not have to be consistent in order to be successful.  You do not have to be consistent in order to be successful.  You do not have to be consistent in order to be successful.  You do not have to be consistent in order to be successful. www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. Click here to hang out with me on Instagram.

Sign up for my 5-day training at www.ihaveadhd.com/course Calling all entrepreneurs! You don't have to be consistent in order to be a success in your biz. Join me for a 5-day training July 12-16 where I will teach you how to be a successful entrepreneur with an inconsistent, un-disciplined ADHD brain.  www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. Click here to hang out with me on Instagram.

Most adults with ADHD often identify as time-wasters. I’m going to walk you through why this is super counter-intuitive and why we should NEVER believe that wasting time is even possible. This episode is short and sweet and packs a big punch. www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. Click here to hang out with me on Instagram.

If the thought of being nice to yourself makes you want to barf, I get it...but I've learned that it's one of the key factors in making any kind of sustainable progress. In today's episode I discuss this topic with my dear client and self-kindness guru, Pete Sibley.    Find Pete on Instagram @selfkindnesswithpete or his website https://www.petesibley.com/ www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. Click here to hang out with me on Instagram.

I've got the secret to being productive and I'm giving it to you today! In this episode I discuss the number one reason why you're not productive...and to be honest, I think it might surprise you.  www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. Click here to hang out with me on Instagram.

In this episode, my client Taucha gives us the scoop on her transition from a career in speech pathology to becoming a yoga teacher. Hang out with us as we chat about all things ADHD, career, and yoga!    Visit @adhd.yoga on Instagram www.adhdyoga.ca   www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. Click here to hang out with me on Instagram.    

Easily swayed by others? Don't feel steadfast in making decisions? Your ethics and values are at the core of establishing an internal authority. Tune in as I lead you through my process of establishing these for myself and help you to establish your own!  www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. Click here to hang out with me on Instagram.

ADHD is not just for White people! On today's episode I interview my client Jennifer who is half white and half Native Canadian. Her perspective is so beautiful and SO important. We talk about ignorance, intergenerational trauma, ADHD scaffolding, and true healing.   Connect with Ada Sewell: https://www.adasewell.com/hello/ or @coachadasewell   www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. Click here to hang out with me on Instagram.

Do you struggle to manage your impulsivity in order to follow your calendar? Do you feelings of fear and shame ever hold you back from doing what you need to do?  Do you struggle to believe that you've done enough so that you can relax? Do you have trouble accepting yourself and your ADHD? Well then today's episode is for YOU!  www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. Click here to hang out with me on Instagram.

Do you struggle to identify and meet your own needs? Do you struggle to self-validate? Do you melt when someone disapproves of you or a decision you make? On today's episode, we're talking about how to establish an internal knowing so that you can be empowered, grounded, and live to your fullest potential.  www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. Click here to hang out with me on Instagram.

At some point, every adult with ADHD has to wrestle with this question: Am I just making an excuse? So it's high time we have a heart to heart about the difference between an excuse and an explanation. Buckle up, friends, this is a good one!  www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. Click here to hang out with me on Instagram.

This interview is in the series of interviews I did with my BIPOC clients on the theme that 'ADHD is not just for white people.' Today I have a conversation with my client Gabriela, whom I’ve come to absolutely adore over the last almost year and a half that she’s been in Focused. Tune in to hear about identity, racial identity, ADHD identity, and learning to stop fighting against what makes you unique.  To reach out to Rene Brooks: https://blackgirllostkeys.com/ @blackgirllostkeys To reach out to Gabriela Taylor on Instagram: @gabrielabtaylor www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. Click here to hang out with me on Instagram.  

Most people downplay ADHD in adults. Isn't it a childhood disorder? I thought it was just for boys? What's the big deal? Call your aunties and your grandpas, let's chat about why we should all be taking this neurodevelopmental disorder seriously!  Research Studies: Why the Diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Matters ADHD May Reduce Life Expectancy by As Much As 13 Years www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. Click here to hang out with me on Instagram.    

When I was diagnosed, my doc said, "Yep, you have ADHD. Here's some Concerta!" Maybe your experience was similar to mine. This episode is a deep dive into all the things I wish I knew about ADHD 20 years ago.  www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. Click here to hang out with me on Instagram.

SO. You think you might have ADHD and you're not sure what TF to do. Yeah, I get it. Here are 5 easy, actionable steps to take.    If you want the printable symptoms list that I mention in the episode, here it is: https://ihaveadhd.com/adult-adhd-symptoms/ www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. Click here to hang out with me on Instagram.

If you're wondering what Adult ADHD looks like, this is your episode. I quickly break down the main symptoms of adult ADHD and how those symptoms might manifest in your life.    For a printable of the symptoms, visit my website https://ihaveadhd.com/adult-adhd-symptoms/   Notable Sources: Taking Charge of Adult ADHD (Barkley), More Attention, Less Deficit (Tuckman), Rethinking Adult ADHD (Ramsay).  www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. Click here to hang out with me on Instagram.

3 days ago I made what I considered to be a huge mistake. Today I'm sharing all of the juicy details with you in an effort to NORMALIZE our flaws. Enjoy!    www.ihaveadhd.com/focused to take advantage of the Double Book Bonus. 

It can be very hard for ADHDers to make and keep friends. Why? And what can we do about it? On today's episode I have my ADHD BFF Verity Garvey here to chat with me about ALL the friendship things: Why making friends was hard for us when we were kids, and how we are navigating friendships now as adults. Most importantly, we discuss self-acceptance and the significance of knowing what you bring to the table in a friendship. Check out Verity on Instagram here! www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. Click here to hang out with me on Instagram.

It's hard to have ADHD. We are so often misunderstood and rejected by our peer groups. Dr. Ned Hallowell says that fellowship is the safest and most effective drug that we have. If you don't have a group of like-minded ADHD adults, I hope by the end of this episode you will be inspired to find one. Dr. Ned Hallowell's Book: Delivered from Distraction: Getting the Most out of Life with Attention Deficit Disorder Research Study: The Importance of Social Contextual Factors in Peer Relationships of Children with ADHD Community Groups: Adda Virtual Support Groups Chadd's Adult ADHD Community Support Forum ADDitude - ADHD Support Group | Facebook www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. Click here to hang out with me on Instagram.

Scaffolding is a system, structure, or framework of SUPPORT. Dr. Russell Barkley says that humans of ADHD must have a scaffolding of support around them if they're going to succeed, and I agree with him 100%. In this episode you'll learn what a scaffolding is, why we resist it, and how it can help us get the results we've always wanted. www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. Click here to hang out with me on Instagram.

In this episode, my client Karima speaks of her experience as a black girl growing up in an all-white village in France; how she was labeled a problem child from a very early age, how she dealt with both racial bias and ADHD bias, and how an ADHD diagnosis later in life has helped her to understand herself and thrive. Karima encourages all of us to FIND THE GOLD WHERE WE ARE, and it's so amazing.    Inger Shaye Colzie is the ADHD coach I highlighted on this episode: Visit https://ingershaye.com or check her out on Instagram @ingershaye  www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. Click here to hang out with me on Instagram.

Calling all entrepreneurs, side-hustlers, and anyone trying to get sh*t done! This episode is a coaching call from Focused. Every month we have a business call, and I thought it would be super helpful to YOU today, so here you go!  www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. Click here to hang out with me on Instagram.

If you're a perfectionist, this episode is for YOU! I can't wait for you to hear from my client, Melia, who was the first to come up with the concept of the Pardon. Melia fleshes this concept out for us in such a beautiful way; I know you'll be inspired! Find Melia here or visit www.evolvingperfectionist.com www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. Click here to hang out with me on Instagram.

It's time that you issue a pardon to your past self. Failed a class in college? Pardoned! Forgot to pack your kid's lunch? Pardoned! Got fired from your dream job? Pardoned! Haven't been to the dentist in 6 years? Pardoned! In this episode, I talk about the importance of forgiving the misdeeds of your past so that you can create a different kind of future for yourself.  www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. Click here to hang out with me on Instagram.  

Tune in today for an eye-opening and vulnerable conversation that I have with my client, Shannon Taylor. Shannon is a perfect example of what's possible for a black woman with ADHD. This episode is the first in a series of episodes that I look forward to recording with my BIPOC clients. RESOURCES: www.adhdonline.com www.adhdology.com/adhd-medication-chart/  www.CHADD.org  www.add.org  www.understood.org  www.additudemag.com  YouTube: Driven to Distraction How to ADHD  - What It's Like to Be ADHD and Black Attention! Magazine Check out these Black ADHD coaches (obviously this is not a comprehensive list!): Inger Shaye Ada Sewell Rene Brooks www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources Click here to hang out with me on Instagram.

I've got a major ADHD life hack for you today! It's probably not exactly what you're expecting, but it's changed my life and I think it will change yours, too.  The power move is when we intentionally get out of our HEADS and drop down into our BODIES. We feel. On purpose. Sounds excruciating, right!? I know...but I swear it'll be worth it.  www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources Click here to hang out with me on Instagram.

I don't know about you, but I turn into a complete monster when I have a day off. And since we just got through the Christmas break, I have a LOT of thoughts about how we can treat ourselves (and others) better when we're not in our normal routine. Today you'll learn the 5 strategies to surviving Saturdays Prioritize your mental health Stop fantasizing  Constrain Make a plan Don't believe everything you think I promise you that implementing these steps will lead to MORE FUN and MORE REST on your days off!! www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. Click here to hang out with me on Instagram.

I love it when my clients are amazing examples of what is possible for adults with ADHD. My dear client Rich sent me his 2020 evaluation and I HAD to invite him onto the podcast to share it with you all. Rich discusses his ADHD experience of 2020, the emotions he went through, and how he was able to rewrite his year in a way that serves him. We even get to discussing what he might set as his impossible goal for 2021. www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. Click here to hang out with me on Instagram.

Need a boost? Perfect, this call is for you. I coach on anxiety, overwhelm, obligations, procrastination, and business. I want you to see how helpful it is to get coaching and how you can apply this coaching to your own life. Aside from medication, coaching has been the most helpful thing to me, and to many others. Many of my own huge transformations have come when watching or listening to someone else being coached. If you’re seeing this in real time, you've got to sign up for my FREE webinar on Wednesday, December 30th where I’ll be walking you through how to plan out 2021 in a way that makes sense for your ADHD brain. Sign up now at www.ihaveadhd.com/webinar.

In this episode I interview my sister Adrienne Himelright. Adrienne has ADHD and is a Doctor of Physical Therapy. She's an awesome example of what's possible for someone with ADHD and I can't wait for you to hear from her!  www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources.  Click here to hang out with me on Instagram.  Adrienne coaches healthcare workers and helps them to avoid burnout and love what they do. Reach out to her at [email protected] or find her on Facebook here.

What are you capable of in 2021? The only way to find out is to set a big scary goal for yourself! In this episode you'll learn WHY you should go for it and HOW to go about doing it!   www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. 

When adults with ADHD set goals, we usually strive for the IDEAL rather than something attainable. This creates MORE failure for us. In this episode we’ll dive into the concept of a minimum baseline and how it will help you to achieve your goals with a much higher success rate! www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources.  

Ever have one of those days where you "lose" 6 hours to spacing out on the couch? When you do, how do you treat yourself? This episode is a deep-dive into self-acceptance.    www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources

ADHDers don’t like to be told what to do. So why do we spend so much of our own mental energy telling ourselves that we “should” and “have to” do things? It’s not fun and it’s not working! Today’s episode is a bit of a smackdown. Are you ready?   www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources.

For ADHDers, overwhelm is a whole thing. A WHOLE THING. In this episode you'll learn specific strategies for tackling overwhelm and kicking it to the curb.    Download the coaching freebie at www.ihaveadhd.com/overwhelm. 

I don’t have it all together. There, I said it. In this episode I dive into why it’s important to focus on our strengths and allow ourselves to have areas of weakness. Want to know the 10 things I’ve messed up on recently? Here ya go! www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. 

You can’t hate yourself into improvement. You have to change your mind about yourself first. On today’s episode, I chat with my client and friend Verity Garvey, who went from self-loathing to self-acceptance and is now coaching others to do the same. Be inspired, my friend. If it’s possible for Verity, it’s possible for you. www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources.

If you're being medically treated for your ADHD, then coaching can make all the difference in helping you move from point A to point B. This episode is the audio of one of my recent coaching calls. We tackle phone addiction, insecurity at work, and self judgement. Some of my most transformative breakthroughs have been when I’ve listened to OTHER people get coached, and I know this is possible for you, too.  www.ihaveadhd.com/focused to join my ADHD coaching membership.

I had a REALLY bad day recently and it just so happened to be podcast recording day. I almost didn’t record an episode for you, but thought maybe it would be helpful to share my own bad day with you so that you can learn to process and accept your bad days. You are 100% not alone, ADHDer. I got you. For more adult ADHD resources, visit www.ihaveadhd.com/coaching

Every adult with ADHD wants to learn how to follow through. This episode includes a 4-step process that you can use to become someone who does what they say they’re going to do. Do you identify as reliable? I do. It’s possible for you, too! www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources.  

This episode is kind of a good news/bad news situation :) If you have ADHD, then your memory is terrible. Specifically, your nonverbal working memory. That’s the bad news. The good news is, it’s not your fault and there are ways you can hack your memory. Tune in to find out how to be successful even with a sucky memory!   www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources.

In last week’s episode, I taught you the concept of your future self. This week you’re going to hear from Jen 2.0, one of my clients who has used this idea to change her whole dang life. You’ll see how you can practically apply this concept and access your future self in order to totally crush your goals. Change starts now.   www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources.  

Most of us spend a lot of time thinking about the past and beating ourselves up about it. The result we get from this is MORE of the past. Ever notice that you keep making the same mistakes? You need to learn how to access your future self…the version of you who has it figured out. Sound weird? Hear me out! Check out this podcast episode to hear one of the most helpful concepts that I teach my clients.   www.ihaveadhd.com for more ADHD resources.

Massive action is the type of action that produces an actual RESULT. It's the opposite of passive action (researching, learning, asking for help) which doesn't actually PRODUCE anything. Tune in to learn more!   www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. 

Finally! We’re chatting today about procrastination – why we do it and how to overcome it.   www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources.

In the midst of Covid-19, an election year, and all of the difficult cultural issues in our world, here’s my pep talk for you to STAY FOCUSED on what’s most important and consume less of other people’s thoughts. Hang out with me while I process my own anxiety while we chat :) www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources. 

No one tells you that success actually feels TERRIBLE, but it does. I want you to be on the lookout for the discomfort that goes along with reaching goals and experiencing the good stuff so that you don’t self-sabotage and derail yourself from forward motion. ADHDers are so used to failing…how do we even handle life when we actually start succeeding?? www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources.  

All adults with ADHD want to learn how to be more productive. Today on the podcast I’m sharing my 5-step FAIL PROOF system for upping your productivity. Get ready for one of my most value-packed episodes ever.   www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources.

Today I’m and telling you about the 2 mindsets that will always 100% steal positive results from you. I speak from experience, and I hope you find this to be extremely insightful. If you can rid yourself of these 2 insidious ways of thinking, you will 10x your positive results!   www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources.

ADHDers are notoriously bad with money – I want to lead CHANGE for our community in this area. Everything about my finances has transformed in the last year, and I want to give insight into my new thoughts and beliefs about money so that everything can change for you, too. This episode is all about bringing up your money BS, analyzing it, and creating new results for yourself on purpose.     www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources.

Do you wonder if it’s too late for you? Do you make the same mistakes over and over and wonder if improving is even possible? On today’s episode, I’m interviewing 4 of my clients who are doing the work of real change in their own lives. Be inspired. Change is possible for you, too!   www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources.

This is probably the most important episode I’ve recorded to date.   www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources.  

Buffering is anything we do to avoid feeling badly. Identifying buffering in your life is a MAJOR ADHD HACK because once you see it for what it is, you can gently help yourself to get back to the task at hand.   www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources.

Today’s episode is all about intentionally spending on your time on what you’re good at and outsourcing the stuff that you suck at. I’ve got lots of ideas of how to do this for FREE as well as how to spend your money strategically so that you don’t have to waste hours of your life on the mundane stuff that you hate.    www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources!

Failure is the most important skill you need to learn if you want to be successful. I know we've talked about it before, but DUDE! If we ADHDers could learn to fail (and be ok), we'd be unstoppable!  www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources and info on how to work with me. 

Today we talk about sticking with ONE idea at a time and seeing it through to completion. Our brains love novelty and hate boredom, but if we want to live up to our potential, we need to stick with something long enough to ACCOMPLISH it.   Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources.

Today I’m sharing the 5 things I’ve recently learned about entrepreneurship that have changed EVERYTHING for me. It’s allowing me to create money FAST. If you have a business or a side hustle OR if you’re an entrepreneur wanna-be, this episode is for you! Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources and info on how to work with me.

Self-acceptance is the FOUNDATION for behavior change. You will never produce consistent positive results in your life if you don’t first decide to accept your own humanity and your ADHD brain. This is probably the most important episode I’ve ever recorded.   www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources.

Raise your hand if you struggle with self-confidence. Today’s episode is a class that I taught in Focused on Self-Concept & Identity, which are the building blocks for self-confidence. I wanted to share this with all of you because whether you’re a client of mine or not, you deserve the tools to feel better about yourself and create results that you WANT in your life. www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources.

Do you give yourself permission to rest and relax? My guess is that you don’t. Let’s chat about how ADHD adults can peacefully turn their Ferrari brain off to recharge.   www.ihaveadhd.com for more adult ADHD resources.

Raise your hand if you struggle to go to bed on time. “On time” = when you want to go to bed, or when you promise yourself (and others) that you’re going to go to bed. This is a constant struggle for many of my clients, and in this episode I give you 10 tips to getting to bed ON TIME. www.ihaveadhd.com for more resources and information on how to work with me.

Today we’re talking about perfectionism: Holding yourself to unrealistically high standards and then beating yourself up when you inevitably do not meet those standards. Perfectionism is a productivity killer, a contentment killer, and it prevents us from celebrating our wins.   For more resources and info on how to work with me, please visit www.ihaveadhd.com

Procrastivity is a term that Russell Ramsay coined, and I love it. Ramsay is the author of the new book, Rethinking Adult ADHD, and I’m telling you: HE GET US. 100%. On today’s episode, I dive into a portion of Ramsay's book in which he talks about procrastinating with activity that SEEMS productive, but isn’t. Procrastination + non-essential activity = procrastivity. This is a game changer!   For adult ADHD resources and information on working with me, check out www.ihaveadhd.com

Today’s episode is part 2 of my conversation with my husband, Greg. We laugh about time blindness, the fact that I hate getting out of the car whenever we arrive somewhere (why can’t I just sit on my phone for hours and ease into the transition?), and the art of believing the best about your partner.   For adult ADHD resources and information on working with me, visit www.ihaveadhd.com.

Meet my husband Greg! He’s my polar opposite and he’s here to chat about what it’s like to be in relationship with an ADHDer. On today’s episode, we laugh a lot and explore the ways that he was introduced to my ADHD brain. If you’re in a bi-neurological relationship (I just made that up), I hope listening to us makes you feel VERY NORMAL.   If you’d like Adult ADHD resources and information on working with me, visit www.ihaveadhd.com.  

One of the topics that I coach on the most is getting out of bed “on time.” This is HUGE for adults with ADHD. If you struggle with waking up and getting yourself moving in the morning, this episode is for you!   Now is the perfect time to hire a coach to help you feel better and get things done. Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for information on how to work with me.

Well, here we are! If you’re struggling to find your way during quarantine, you’re not alone. I am too. I’m here today with 5 reason why quarantine is especially hard for those of us with ADHD, and 5 simple ways we can make it better.   The next few episodes will be dedicated to helping adults with ADHD thrive during this quarantine time in our lives.   Now is the perfect time to hire an ADHD coach. Go to www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for information on working with me.

No one ever told me that I get to choose how I feel about something. I always thought my emotions happened to me. Today we chat about interrupting our go-to spirals and generating more useful emotions.   Why do emotions matter? Because each emotion leads to action (or inaction). If you’re procrastinating, it’s because of an emotion. If you’re avoiding, it’s because of an emotion. If you’re over-eating, it’s because of an emotion. If you’re working hard, it’s because of an emotion.   EMOTIONS ARE EVERYTHING.   For info on working with me in an ADHD coaching scenario, visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused.

Emotions always lead to our actions. So…want to stop avoiding? Wish you could stop procrastinating? Sick of getting stuck on social media? The secret is to learn how to feel and process your negative emotion.   Also - we chat about the 3 types of emotions. Which ones are useful and which are indulgent.    www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for coaching for adults with ADHD. 

Shame is something that all of us with ADHD experience. It’s the feeling of contempt that we have for ourselves when we fail to meet our own expectations. And. It’s. Paralyzing. Here’s how you can experience shame and still get into action.  

Life is 50% positive emotion and 50% negative emotion. This means that when you feel awful, nothing has gone wrong…you’re normal. Want to stop procrastinating? Learn how to process and allow negative emotion.   Take the work deeper: Join Focused! It’s my monthly coaching membership where I teach you how to tame your wild thoughts and create the life you’ve always wanted. www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more info. See you inside.

In this episode, ADHD coach Jessica Heimsoth chats with Kristen about the importance of managing our thoughts and FEELING our emotions. I wanted you to hear it from someone else...I'm not the only ADHD coach saying it!  www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for info on coaching!

If you're being treated for ADHD and still don't feel like you're reaching your potential, I want you to join Focused. It's my monthly coaching membership where I teach you how to tame your wild thoughts and create the life that you've always wanted. Workbooks + Coaching Calls + Community. It's awesome. Go to www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for more information.

If you are an adult with ADHD who needs a coach, check out www.ihaveadhd.com/focused

People often say "I want to get this done, but something always comes up" Let's discuss this concept. In my world, nothing EVER comes up. Here are 10 practical tips to getting the shiz done.    www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for coaching info. 

Stop fantasizing and start DOING.    www.ihaveadhd.com/focused

Decisions + ADHD = HARD!!! Here are some tips to help you!

Setting priorities is so difficult for us! How in the world do we choose what is important?  Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused if you want to be coached by ME! 

visit www.ihaveadhd.com/focused for information on coaching for adults with ADHD.

5 Steps to feeling better when someone says or does something to set you off. 

Yep, you read that right I"M DONE WITH MOTIVATION. Here are 5 things I'm doing instead. 

You asked for it! Here ya go! Definitely NOT the "10 tricks to being a perfect parent" episode that you were probably hoping for, but still valuable and encouraging, I promise.

It's so hard to say no - especially for us ADHDers. Let's chat about why saying no is ESSENTIAL if we're going to stay focused and reach our potential! 

The ability to fail (and not let it break us) is one of the most necessary skills that we need to develop. What I am noticing as I am coaching my ADHD clients, and also hearing from many of you, is that the ADHD community has an extreme intolerance to failure.

Our friend Laura Brooke (PHL Organizer) is back to discuss her recent diagnosis of ASD and to give us some insight to how ADHD and ASD differ and how they're the same.

Your  ADHD brain is in charge of EVERYTHING in your life, and it can change and improve!

How does one acquire an ADHD diagnosis? Here are some very practical tips. 

Ready for some inspiration?! Well, here it is. I'm super pumped to share this episode with you! From Simone Biles to Bill Gates - there's nothing we can't do. 

If you have ADHD, then you struggle with habits! Let's figure out a way to do the things we want to do....

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaack!!! So excited to be with you today! Serving up some things I've learned over my two-month break! Enjoy!

Anyone else drowning in all of the craziness of summer? 

Raise your hand if you struggle with motivation! This episode explains why we struggle and some ways to combat it.

I finally recorded an episode on the enneagram personality types and I could not be more excited to share it with you! I'm obsessed! Go to www.ihaveadhd.com/eg for enneagram resources! 

Many of us ADHDers are broke. We make impulsive decisions, are in debt, feel that we never have enough, and don't know how to CHANGE. In this episode, I share what I've been learning about having a great money mindset, curb impulsive spending, get out of debt, and create money for myself. 

If I had only been diagnosed sooner If I had only taken my ADHD seriously sooner If I only NOT gone into debt or NOT married that person or NOT gotten that tattoo or NOT exploded at my boss or WHATEVER… What is it that you regret? How in the world can we let it go? Here are some simple steps that can help you to accept your past and create a new future for yourself. Find more at www.ihaveadhd.com

We spend a lot of time hating on our ADHD brains - but what if your brain is your most valuable asset? The truth of the matter is, your entire life is created by your brain, so investing in your brain is an investment in your entire life. In this episode, I share how I'm choosing to think about my brain differently, and how it's changing everything for me.

In this episode, Laura Brooke, professional organizer (who has ADHD) gives us all the practical steps to organizing our space.  Think that ADHD and organization don't mix? Think again! You can be organized. Organization is a talent for some, but it's also a skill that can be developed by the rest of us who are just naturally messy people.  And of course, Laura was kind enough to put a free printable download together for us. BECAUSE SHE ROCKS. This thing is so practical - print it out and hang it up on your wall to refer to as you tackle your clutter!

Organization and ADHD do not mix, right? WRONG! Today I welcome my very first guest to the podcast: Laura Brooke, a professional organizer diagnosed with ADHD. Crazy, right? In this episode, Laura walks us through the mindset of organization and uncovers for us exactly what it takes to change our thoughts on this never-ending struggle.   I know this episode is longer than usual, but I’m telling you, it’s worth it! Laura really packs a punch with her stories and advice, and I learned so much from our conversation (was legit taking notes the whole time!).   Make sure to grab Laura’s free download at www.ihaveadhd.com/organization.

This is the number one brain hack I have encountered – I use it in my own life and try to get EVERY ADHDER I know to do it, too.   ***WARNING I AM OFF MY MEDS FOR THIS EPISODE!!!***

Ever have those days (or weeks) when you’re just not OK and you’re not sure WHY? Yeah, me too. Let’s talk about some practical strategies to overcoming intermittent depression.

Based on the book Atomic Habits, let’s chat about how our small steps can lead to huge changes. And OH HOW WE AVOID those small methodical steps, don’t we?!

Hey it's just me over here dropping some truth bombs about relationships! I hope this episode is super helpful to you as you interact with the people that you love! 

This is the first in a series of episodes on relationships. This is for MEN AND WOMEN - it is not a touchy feely episode, so make sure to listen. This is the foundation for the tips and tricks and hacks that you're all wanting! 

Life changing! If you are not getting results in your life that you are happy with or proud of, you need to change your thoughts.   visit www.ihaveadhd.com/5beliefs for show notes and additional resources   Thanks for listening - it means the world to me 

Suck at managing your money? Join the club. Let's chat about it - here's some really practical advice.   Visit www.ihaveadhd.com/money for more resources

Do you often over-react or find yourself exploding emotionally? This is COMPLETELY NORMAL if you have ADHD. The experts call it emotional dysregulation. This episode is primarily about anger and frustration. [I will do an episode on anxiety and depression soon!] Please visit www.ihaveadhd.com/emotions for all of the resources used in this episode. 

  No idea how to set or achieve goals? I feel ya! Here are 5 practical tips you can apply today to get started on crushing those goals!

  Do you hate grocery shopping as much as I do? Why do the "easy" things in life seem so hard for you and me? One word: dopamine. Let's commiserate about how much we hate mundane tasks!

  Vision is the picture you have in your mind of what you want your life to be. It's the destination. The end goal. Unfortunately those of us with ADHD pretty much suck at living with a vision. But don't worry, I've got some tips for ya!

So many of us adults with ADHD are walking around feeling ashamed of our symptoms and behaviors. Shame can be limiting and debilitating. I invite you to let go of shame and change your thinking so that you can begin to make positive changes in your life! Warning: I get super vulnerable in this episode.   Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for a psychologist-approved list of symptoms, resources, and additional support.

  I thought I hated Marie Kondo's Netflix show, Tidying Up, but I've changed my mind. Find out which of Marie's tricks we ADHDers can use as we attempt to declutter our homes. If you've got piles everywhere, this episode is for you.   The clutter is a constant struggle, isn't it? It is for me!   Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for a psychologist-approved list of symptoms, resources, and additional support.

Your life won't improve until you accept and own your diagnosis. That's when the party really starts.  It’s taken me several years to really change my thinking about ADHD. Once I changed my thinking, I could change my actions and improve my life, and you can, too. That’s actually psychology 101 – your thoughts determine your feelings. Your feelings determine your actions your actions determine your results. So if you want different results, it’s time to think different thoughts. You can read more about my diagnosis experience HERE.   Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for a psychologist-approved list of symptoms, resources, and additional support.  

Join me, as I chat about the frustrations, challenges, and humor of living life as an adult with ADHD.   Every podcast episode will be filled with education, encouragement, and support for adults with ADHD. I'll help you understand your unique brain and implement systems to help you reach your potential.   Here's the gist: Episode 2 is all about your frontal lobe and executive functioning and why you should care about both. It's life-changing information regarding adult ADHD that my doctor never told me!   Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for a psychologist-approved list of symptoms, resources, and additional support! 

Join me, as I chat about the frustrations, challenges, and humor of living life as an adult with ADHD.   Every podcast episode will be filled with education, encouragement, and support for adults with ADHD. I'll help you understand your unique brain and implement systems to help you reach your potential.   You know I have ADHD, right? So the thought of writing detailed show notes for every single podcast episode is laughable. It’s just not going to happen.   You're here to listen to the podcast anyway, not read boring show notes, right?     Visit www.ihaveadhd.com for a psychologist-approved list of symptoms, resources, and additional support!