Taking Control: The Adhd Podcast

Buckle up for an episode packed with laughter, real talk, and maybe just a dash of existential dread. We've roped in our buddy and partner-in-podcasting-crime, Tommy Metz III, who you might recognize from that other awesome show, "What's That Smell Presents: All The Feelings". Kick back as Tommy spills some tea about himself, the mysteries of his life, and why on Earth he's hanging out with us today. He also drops the mic about the 8th season of "What's That Smell?" and its shiny new transformation into "All The Feelings". And, speaking of feelings and changes, our chat today is inspired by that very first episode of "All The Feelings" that talks about -- you guessed it -- Change. Tommy's got some wisdom nuggets about big transitions that he's itching to share with us.We then dive headfirst into the deep end of the pool labeled "Big Transitions". You know the ones we're talking about - like that cold shock of returning to work after a lazy vacation, or trying to remember what "normal" felt like after being si

In this episode, we're shifting gears from our prior focus on games to delve into the world of transitions, particularly from the perspective of individuals with ADHD. The first area we explore is the concept of micro transitions. These are small changes that occur throughout our day, whether it's switching tasks, moving from one conversation topic to another, or even everyday activities like waking up or moving to a different location. Despite their seemingly minor nature, these transitions can pose substantial challenges for those with ADHD.One of the central discussions in this episode centers on why transitions are often so hard for people with ADHD. The difficulties stem from the fact that ADHD can negatively affect executive functions. This can manifest as time blindness, difficulty in starting and stopping tasks, hyperfocus, and poor working memory. On a practical level, this might mean an individual with ADHD struggles with moving from a fun, dopamine-producing task to a boring or avoided task, rememb

This week we're diving into the Paradox of Failure. It's something game designer Jesper Juul came up with, and it's all about how gamers are weirdly drawn to the very thing we're trying to avoid: failure. Even when a game is exasperating, we just keep going back for more. It's all part of this cycle Juul talks about, where we set a goal, totally flub it, and then scramble to find a solution. It's a crazy ride, but it helps us grow and keeps us from throwing in the towel.Dr. Carol Dweck taught us about the "growth mindset." It's all about loving a good challenge and not letting failure get you down. Instead, we use it as a springboard to get better and smarter. We'll also share some tips and tricks to help you embrace this kind of mindset, so you can tackle failures head-on, whether you're battling a boss in a game or facing challenges in the real world.Links & NotesFear of Failing? The Many Meanings of Difficulty in Video GamesVideo games and the paradox of failureThe Learning Game — Ana Lorena FabregaWha

We’re continuing our series on gaming and ADHD this week. So far, we’ve explored how gaming ignites creativity and can expand perspectives and horizons. But what if we told you there was a game that is designed and build expressly to aid in treatment of attention disorders? That’s EndeavorOTC, the latest release from Akili Interactive. This is a company that cut its teeth on the FDA-Authorized pediatric game, EndeavorRx, the first and only prescription treatment delivered through a video game. With EndeavorOTC, they’re looking to help adults. Eddie Martucci is CEO of Akili and joins us today to talk about the game, how it works, and what it just might be able to do for you. Links & NotesLearn more about EndeavorOTCDig into the podcast Shownotes Database (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast (01:31) - Support the Show: Become a Patron and Jump in Discord! (03:25) - Sponsor: TextExpander (05:46) - Introducing Eddit Martucci (10:22) - EndeavorRx (14:04) - Getting Docs on Board (18:54) - Playing the Game (24:

Colleen Macklin is a game designer and a Professor in the School of Art, Media and Technology at Parsons School of Design and author of Iterate: Ten Lessons in Design and Failure. She’s interested in how games model and reveal ideologies through systems. And, incidentally, she reports she was recently diagnosed with ADHD, which makes her doubly cool in our crowd. She joins us today to talk about games and gaming and neurodiversity.We explore a wide range of topics, from the impact of ADHD on Colleen's life and teaching to her love for games and game design. Colleen shares her thoughts on how games can engage attentional deficits and embrace a broad neurodiversity spectrum. She also shares her journey with the game design collective Local No. 12 and their creations, including the videogame "Dear Reader.”Playing games helps us to rediscover playfulness in our lives no matter your age. If there’s one thing we hope you’ll walk away from this episode thinking about it’s that you have the opportunity — the gift — t

Chris Legge joins The ADHD Podcast to discuss his tabletop roleplaying game, Soft Focuses. Chris developed Soft Focuses as a journaling game aimed at simulating the experiences of living with ADHD. Players take on the role of someone with ADHD and journal their experiences, cooperating with themselves as both player and gamemaster. The first edition of Soft Focuses was released after extensive research and playtesting. It focused on recreating the core experiences of ADHD. After positive reception, Chris created a second edition, adding rules to simulate common ADHD comorbidities like anxiety, OCD, ODD, depression, and more. The new rules aimed to capture a more holistic ADHD experience. Overall, Soft Focuses provides a unique tool for building empathy and perspectives around ADHD, but also gives us an excuse to talk about role playing and the psychosocial exploration of different parts of ourselves in the process. You can find the game on Chris’ website, Lumberwood Studios.Links & NotesLumberwood Studios

Living with ADHD often feels like a losing battle. Our brains desperately need dopamine to stay focused, but no matter how hard we try, there's never enough. Chores pile up, tasks go unfinished, and frustration mounts. But what if we could find joy in the mundane? Harness the power of play? Games have been with us since the dawn of humanity, releasing dopamine and making complex systems comprehendible through fun. In games, we learn without fear. We explore new worlds, defeat dragons, save kingdoms! Games are a refuge, a mental playground where we become the heroes of our own stories. It's time to unleash our inner hero and turn daily life into a game worth playing! Equip powerful weapons like Timers of Timing to race chores and magical Rewards of Snacking to celebrate quests completed. Seek out Fellow Gamers to inspire friendly competition. Download Apps of Destiny that transform drudgery into daring challenges!At last, release your mental shackles! With the spark of playfulness, no task is too tedious. Laun

We want to thank all of you who took the time to participate in our 2023 ADHD Job Survey. The 63 responses provided a wealth of insight into your experiences in the workplace. Overall, the results show that while work can pose many challenges for adults with ADHD, many of you have found fulfilling jobs and developed solutions that allow you to thrive no matter what you're dealing with on the job itself.  Work can clearly be challenging for folks with ADHD, and yet many of you have found jobs you enjoy and developed strategies to cope. Your experiences demonstrate the diverse talents, interests, and perseverance of that makes this community shine. Thank you for sharing your stories—they inspire and help others navigate similar paths. Keep talking about your lives; we're listening! (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast (03:14) - Sponsor: TextExpander! (05:40) - The 2023 ADHD Community Job Series (07:15) - Current Employment (22:37) - Past Jobs ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

"Without time, you don't have attention; without attention, you don't have time.”This week on the show, we're exploring the artifice of bureaucracy and administrative structures of traditional work, and how it can be difficult to navigate with an ADHD brain, and we have the perfect guest to help us do it. Dr. Kourosh Dini is a board-certified psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, author, and musician, and most recently, he created the Waves of Focus course and community for those struggling with ADHD and other "wandering minds.”Along the way, we look at the social and administrative contracts at work, and how to positively adapt our behavior toward managers and other authority figures while dealing with anxiety, fear, and RSD. We discuss Dr. Dini's concept of the wandering mind, how it applies across domains, and the struggle of “holding it all together” for the world while deeply struggling internally. Finally, we explore the idea of “hiding” ADHD at work for those trying to find a place to fit in.If you relate to an

Shell Mendelson has built her 35-year career in education and career counseling. There are a lot of career counselors, though. What makes Shell indispensable for us today is that she has ADHD herself and has spent that career helping others make career choices that reflect joy and passion for their unique ADHD brains.This week on the show, Shell brings us new insights into jobs and the ADHD brain. We talk about finding the right match, how to target those deal breakers we've been thinking so hard about the last few weeks, and how to approach discussing ADHD with hiring managers. We review what it takes to find a career coach that can help you with your unique career direction and how to work with a career coach to get the most out of the relationship.One other thing about Shell that is germane to this conversation: she was mentored by Richard Bolles, author of What Color is Your Parachute?: Your Guide to a Lifetime of Meaningful Work and Career Success She's custodian of the methodology now and has taken it i

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

This week's episode we're talking all about red flags and warning signs in a work environment. We dig just a bit into our own stories of past jobs we've had that didn't work out so well, and looking for any red flags in the job postings and interviews. Missing deadlines? Making mistakes? Task overwhelm? We've been there. We then asked our community members to share any red flags they have experienced in previous work environments and were handsomely rewarded. We heard about red flags before getting the job and interview clues, such as long job postings, competitive salaries that are not actually competitive, and interviews that become defensive or too long. We also heard about red flags to look out for once you have the job, such as unclear work expectations, special treatment for high profile employees, and management not fostering a work-life balance. We discussed the difficulty of cultural change in conservative industries, and how harassment is often brushed off to avoid conflict. Thanks to all who wrote

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

Our friend James Ochoa is back! This week we're talking about the lessons you can learn from inflection points in your ADHD journey. What did you learn? What did you gain? What can come from it?We start with an event. Take some time in a grounded space, and think of an event from your past that we either positive or problematic in relation to your experience with ADHD. For Pete, it was an experience early in his freelance career, something that still causes physical discomfort twenty years later.Next, ask yourself these life-transformation questions:What did I learn from the event?What strengths did you gain from going through this experience?What hope came out of this experience?What wisdom was gathered in going through this?What new knowledge do you now have?James suggests using this exercise as a resource journal of life experiences and memories, a place to catalog the positive experiences and process the challenges over time.This week, James leads Pete through the exercise and conjures up all that old dis

This week, we're exploring the transformative power of the "yes, and..." principle, a cornerstone of improv performance. This simple yet effective phrase encourages performers to not only accept but also expand upon their partners' spontaneous ideas. How can this mindset apply to daily life for those of us with ADHD? Today, we’re navigating how to use comedy to handle unexpected situations with ease and resilience.We dive into the concept of "yes, and..." as a tool for embracing and moving forward through challenging, unexpected, or complex moments. By replacing the instinctive "no, but..." response with a more adaptive and flexible attitude, it becomes easier to face adversity head-on and maintain momentum.We discuss the rejection faced by performers, writers, and directors alike, their coping strategies, and how they manage not to take rejection personally. By drawing parallels with rejection sensitivity dysphoria (RSD), we uncover techniques to foster acceptance and perseverance.Mandy Kaplan is an actress,

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

You have a plan. You have a vision of yourself and your performance. But what happens when plans change, or the world doesn't share your perspective on your own experience? When RSD sets in, your ability to manifest compassion for yourself is most important.We kick off with a review of RSD, Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria. Need to dive in a little deeper? Look no further and Dr. William Dodson's article on the topic in ADDitude Magazine. Even better, check out our episode with him on the subject from a few years back.Once you understand RSD and how RSD can contribute to emotional storms (check out James Ochoa on Emotional Storms here), you get a better picture of the importance of taking your compassion into your own hands. When no one else is looking to care for you, what tools do you have in your bag to care properly for yourself?This week: tools you can use to cope, regroup, and recover. (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast (03:12) - Support the Show on Patreon! patreon.com/theadhdpodcast (0

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

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

Special thanks to TextExpander for sponsoring this week's show.We've talked about parenting with her. We've talked about therapy and ADHD. But my favorite episode with Dr. Sharon Saline was all about sinking thinking and self-compassion with ADHD. So, you can imagine that embarking on this series on that very subject would bring her back to the show.Sharon is the author of the award-winning book, What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew: Working Together to Empower Kids for Success in School and Life and The ADHD solution card deck.  She specializes in working with neurodiverse children, teens, young adults, and families and aims to help outside-the-box thinkers improve executive functioning and social-emotional skills while also building practical communication tools and self-esteem.Sharon says that she, herself, is a perfectionist in recovery, and she offers key insights into perfectionism and its impact on ADHD. How does perfectionism drive self-compassion down? How can you use "just one thing" to turn what se