ADHD Essentials

This is the 250th episode of the ADHD Essentials Podcast. For those of you who have been wondering why the show has been inconsistent for the last little while, this is your answer.  I hope you find meaning and comfort in our story.   In today’s episode, my family and I share the mental health struggles that have affected our lives over the past four years, as well as the things we did to address, and eventually, overcome them.  This episode is mainly about my son Nathan’s struggle with severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, but the lessons hiding inside it related to compassion, family, and perseverance apply to all mental health challenges, ADHD included.

A few notes: 

I did not propose the idea.  My kids did.  They wanted to do this for the 250th episode.  

Also, we talk pretty frankly about Nate’s OCD, and even joke about some of the events it caused.  None of that was done with resentment or ill will.  The entire conversation was based in love and acceptance.  If anyone, especially Nate, had appeared uncomfortable or distressed by the conversation at any point, I would have ended it and not posted this.  

Finally, this was recorded in January.  The boys finished 8th grade two days prior to posting, and did so with great success.  I’m proud to say that in the time since we recorded, our entire family has moved from a place of healing to a place of growth growth.

OCD Resource Links:

• International OCD Foundation: https://iocdf.org/
• McLean Hospital's OCD Programs: https://www.mcleanhospital.org/treatment/ocd-institute
• NOCD: https://www.treatmyocd.com/

ADHD Essentials Links:  

• Learn about & Register for the The ADHD Essentials Online Parent Coaching Groups 
• Join Our Facebook Community
• Check out the ADHD Essentials Homepage
• Contact Brendan at [email protected]

Today, we’re talking to Seoniadh Jameson.  Seoniadh is a fitness professional with ADHD and the author of “Why You Skipped Your Workout”.

Seoniadh talks to us about her book, and exercise in general.  She discusses the mind-body connection and how exercising can help our brains, the nature of making changes in our lives, the power of self-talk, and the emotional side of ADHD and exercise.

>>>  Learn About the ADHD Essentials Parenting Groups

Lynn is a psychotherapist, author, and speaker in private practice for over 30 years.  She specializes in treating anxiety disorders in adults and children.

Lynne talks to us about her book “The Anxiety Audit”, and anxiety in general.  She discusses the differences between stress, anxiety, and worry, how accommodations play a different role treating ADHD than they do with anxiety, where many parents go wrong with their kid’s anxiety, all or nothing thinking, and how anxiety affects us physiologically.

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It's just me for this episode.  I'm sharing my thoughts on neurodiverse masking - what it is, why we do it, and the need for a more nuanced conversation in that area with regard to what I'm seeing online.

Today, we’re talking to author Caroline Maguire.  Caroline is the author of “Why Will No One Play With Me?”, as well as a social skills and ADHD coach.  She recently did a TEDx Talk about her social spy approach to improving our interpersonal skills.   

Caroline talks to us about being a social spy during the holidays.  She shares how (and what) to observe when we first enter into social situations, why it’s so important to read the room, helping sensitive kids manage their sensitivity, and ways to gamify the teaching of social skills.

David talks to us about burnout. We discuss causes of burnout, different kinds, including professional and caregiver burnout, and David gives us tips for both managing and avoiding it.

Alright, let’s get rolling.

>>>Register for the ADHD Essentials Parenting Groups

Today, we're continuing our annual episodes from the International ADHD Conference.  This episode, as well as the previous and the next are all quick, minimally edited group debriefs of ADHD Con 2022.  My guests for this chat are numerous, honestly, I'm toasted from the conference.  But among them are ADHD luminaries Dani Donovan, Jessica McCabe, Caroline Maguire, Eric Tivers, and Cate Osborn, as well as past show guests Dr. Caroline Lentzsch-Parcells and Chris from NASA.  That's a lot of names.  I didn't even mention everyone.  We may have had a pizza party.

ADHD Essentials Links:  

• Learn about & Register for the The ADHD Essentials Online Parent Coaching Groups 
• Join Our Facebook Community
• Check out the ADHD Essentials Homepage
• Contact Brendan at [email protected]

ADHD reWired Podcast Network Plugs:

• ADHD reWired
• Hacking Your ADHD
• ADHD Essentials
• ADHD Diversified

Today, we're continuing our annual episodes from the International ADHD Conference.  This episode, as well as the previous and the next are all quick, minimally edited group debriefs of ADHD Con 2022.  My guest for this chat are Lollie Weeks, Kate Barrett, Marc Almodovar, Elizabeth Kilmer, John Hazelwood, and Michelle Buzgon.

ADHD Essentials Links:  

• Learn about & Register for the The ADHD Essentials Online Parent Coaching Groups 
• Join Our Facebook Community
• Check out the ADHD Essentials Homepage
• Contact Brendan at [email protected]

ADHD reWired Podcast Network Plugs:

• ADHD reWired
• Hacking Your ADHD
• ADHD Essentials
• ADHD Diversified

Today, we're beginning our annual episodes from the International ADHD Conference.  This episode, and the following two are all quick, minimally edited group debriefs of ADHD Con 2022.  My guest for this chat are Anne Marie Nantais, Keith Gelhorn, Keith Griffin, and Zach Gershon.

ADHD Essentials Links:  

• Learn about & Register for the The ADHD Essentials Online Parent Coaching Groups 
• Join Our Facebook Community
• Check out the ADHD Essentials Homepage
• Contact Brendan at [email protected]

ADHD reWired Podcast Network Plugs:

• ADHD reWired
• Hacking Your ADHD
• ADHD Essentials
• ADHD Diversified

Dr. Russell is a former psychology professor, and the founder and owner of Russell Coaching for Students.  Russell Coaching is one of the largest student coaching practices in America, and works with complex students to help them develop executive functioning skills and social emotional skills.

Norrine talks to us about lying and ADHD.  She shares reasons why our kids might lie to us (and themselves), and why it’s not as offensive as we might think.  She also shares how the core deficits of ADHD relate to lying, and things to do to reduce and even prevent lying. 

>>>Register for the ADHD Essentials Parenting Groups