ADHD Essentials

Latest Episodes:

31: Living the Modern History of ADHD, With Diann Wingert, LCSW, ADHD Coach, and mother with ADHD of children with ADHD Aug 03, 2018

Show notes

This is a powerful one. Diann Wingert, LCSW shares her journey with ADHD. It's a tale the encompasses her professional work and her role in her family, and mirrors our modern undernstanding of ADHD. She shares her struggles, uncertainty, successes, and growth.

Diann Wingert is a coach and psychotherapist on a mission to help others achieve their true potential through radical self acceptance, leveraging their strengths and creating an ADHD friendly business and life. She helps creative entrepreneurs and self-employed professionals overcome their struggles with procrastination, perfectionism and people pleasing. Find Diann at www.diannwingertcoaching.com.

In Today’s Episode We Discuss:

What counted as ADHD in the early to mid-90s and how still that colors views today
How our understanding of ADHD has evolved
The patterns of ADHD across generations
How a child’s diagnosis might affect their parents
ADHD & Trauma
Why people with ADHD might not get diagnosed until college
The rainbow of colors of ADHD
What ADHD adds to our parenting
Empathic Time Travel
Blame vs. Responsibility
The transition from parenting children to parenting adults
The echoes of WWII (Wait… What!?!)
Radical Self-Acceptance

Links and Such:

From Our Guest:

www.diannwingertcoaching.com

From Our Host:

ADHD Essentials Website

ADHD Essentials Facebook Group

30: "Talk to the Teacher" with Meg Flanagan, Author and Founder of MilKids Education Consulting Jul 27, 2018

Show notes

On the pod today is Meg Flannagan of MilKids. Meg is a former teacher turned education consultant. She’s a military wife, and she started MilKids to support military families, but it has since grown into a flourishing education blog. She’s also the author of “Talk to the Teacher”.

Her book is an outstanding resource for ADHD parents because of the sheer amount of structure it provides around communicating with school.

In Today’s Episode We Discuss:

Similarities between
Questions to ask when homework takes too long
How long homework should take
Homework strategies
The lack of breaks and time to move for kids in school
Heavy Screen Use at School
Assigning playtime for homework
Navigating homework resistance
#1 Teaching Secret: Kahn Academy
How to effectively communicate with teachers
“New” Math is in Puberty
School in Japan vs. America
How the book supports school communication record keeping
What to do if the parent/teacher relationship becomes adversarial
Ways to keep the parent/teacher relationship from becoming adversarial

Links and Such:

From Our Guest

The MilKids Website

The MilKids Facebook Page

From the Episode:

ADHD Essentials Episode 8 on brain breaks w/Steph Letourneau

"What Teachers Make" slam poetry by Taylor Mali

From Your Host:

ADHD Essentials Website

ADHD Essentials Facebook Group

29: The Toxicity of Comparing Ourselves to Others with Kat, mother with ADHD of a Neuro-Typical Son Jul 19, 2018

Show notes

Disclaimer:

Part of today’s show includes our guest sharing a time of struggle, when she considered ending her life. Obviously she didn’t, and we spend the majority of the episode on other topics, including some of the strategies she used to move past that stage, and being a mom with ADHD. But I want to be mindful of my listeners, so I’m telling you in advance. That said, I also recognize that shying away from such topics doesn’t help anyone.

People consider suicide when their emotional pain overwhelms their coping resources, often when they are in the depths of depression.

If you, or someone you know, is considering suicide:

Please call the national suicide hotline at 1-800-273-8255.
Text “HOME” to 741741
Or visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org

This is episode 29.

Today, I’m talking to talking my friend, Kat. Kat is a single mother with ADHD, whose child is neurotypical. She is among the strongest people I know.

In this episode, Kat tells us about her journey with ADHD and depression. Along the way, she’ll share why she initially found her ADHD diagnosis to be so devastating, her 3 Ts of Thought, tips on co-parenting, and, of course, her love for her son.

In Today’s Episode We Discuss:

Kat’s Journey with ADHD & Depression
Kat’s Three Ts of Thought and how they have helped her
Getting help for suicidal ideation
The moralization of ADHD and how it impacts ADHDers
Divorce
How shame can affect friendships
The wrong way to tell your kids they have ADHD
Being a mom with ADHD of a neurotypical son
The Cult of Being Busy

28: Taking a Gap Year with Katelynn Shea and Stephanie Kozlowski of Dynamy Internship Year Jul 12, 2018

Show notes

In this episode, I talk to talking to Katelynn Shea and Stephanie Kozlowski of Dynamy Internship Year. Katelynn is the Director of Admissions at Dynamy, and Stephanie is the Business Manager and Onsite Coordinator for USA Gap Year Fairs.

In Today’s Episode We Discuss:

What is a Gap Year?
The benefits of taking a Gap Year for kids with ADHD
How Dynamy develops executive function skills
Navigating the area between structure and independence
The value of natural consequences
The value of participating in an internship (perhaps one in blacksmithing?)
How Gap Years help kids who are college bound, but not college ready
Why colleges like kids who take Gap Years
How Gap Years help students make better career choices
Finding a good Gap Program with Gap Matcher
The USA Gap Year Fairs

Links and Such:

Learn more about USA Gap Year Fairs here:

www.USAGapYearFairs.org

Learn more about Dynamy here:
www.dynamy.org

Take the Gap Matcher Quiz here:
https://gapmatcher.com

Contact Katelynn Shea at SheaK@youinc.org

Contact Katelynn Kozlowski at KozlowskiS@youinc.org

And, as always, you can learn more about ADHD Essentials at:

www.ADHDessentials.com.

Contact me at Brendan@ADHDessentials.com.

27: Music and ADHD Lessons with Richard Podgur, Music Teacher Jul 06, 2018

Show notes

Episode 27 features Richard Podgur. Richard is a music teacher in private practice. He teaches all ages, toddlers on adulthood, but specializes in teaching kids with ADHD. As I spoke to him I was struck by just how much Richard’s approach to teaching and managing kids with ADHD applied to situations beyond the teaching of music. I think you’ll find many of the ideas discussed in today’s episode useful at home.

In Today’s Episode We Discuss:

Getting kids to practice
Time as the great limiting factor
Shame and ADHD
Taking in the view from a mile up
Why ukuleles are better than guitars
The importance of creativity and imagination
Why kids with ADHD love music
Ways to manage kids with ADHD
How to help kids struggle through the early learning stages

As usual, I can be found at www.ADHDessentials.com.
Email any questions you have to brendan@ADHDessentiasl.com.

26: ADHD & Time with Brendan Mahan, Your Humble, Harried Host Jun 28, 2018

Show notes

Today's episode is a bit different. The kids are home from school, I'm launching my first coaching groups, and I get to spend all day Friday driving out of state to visit the in-laws. So, time has been limited this week. As a result, rather than posting an interview, I'd discussing the challenges of ADHD as it relates to time. I hope you enjoy it.
We will return to our ususal interview format next week!

In Today’s Episode We Discuss:

The difficulty folks with ADHD have with time awareness
The role shortened time horizons play in goal setting and doing things last minute
How long it takes your humble host to mow his lawn
And why he timed it to find out.

25: The 20th Anniversary of "Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key" with Jack Gantos, Author Jun 22, 2018

Show notes

In today’s episode, we’re talking to Jack Gantos. Jack is the author of the Joey Pigza book series, about a boy who has ADHD. The first book of which, Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, is a National Book Award Finalist, and celebrates it’s 20thanniversary this year.

Learn more about Jack, and all of his books at http://www.jackgantos.com.

In Today’s Episode We Discuss:

A spolier-free overview of the Joey Pigza books.
Why writing the books was a labor of love for Jack.
How things have changed for kids with ADHD over the past 20 years.
Rambling childhoods.
The value of Audiobooks.

Registration for the ADHD Parenting groups closes on Monday, June 25th! To learn more,and get on the registration list, go to www.ADHDessentials/parentgroups.

24: Nutrient Rich Boredom with James Garrett of Brain By Design Jun 15, 2018

Show notes

In today’s episode, we get to learn from James Garrett of Brain By Design. James has been studying and teaching about the brain for over a decade. He’s passionate about turning this academic knowledge about the brain into practical tools that anyone can use. And today, he’s doing it through the lens on ADHD!

In Today’s Episode:

The Four Qualities of restorative activities.
The important role that resting (and recess!) plays in performance.
Why tablets, phones, & TV exhaust our mental resources.
Managing the pull of our phones.
And nutrient rich boredom.

James can be found at https://www.brainbydesign.com.

Also,Stephanie Letourneau from episode 8 is trying to build a curriculum on Mindfulness for her third grade classroom. Click Here for her Donors Choose page.
And, if you're interested in the upcoming ADHD Essentials Parent Coaching Groups, registration closes on June 25th. So now's the time to register. Here's a link to the ADHD Essentials Parent Coaching Groups information page if you want to know more.

23: Dinner and a Show with Meg - Wife, Mom, Sister, and Daughter to folks ADHD with ADHD Jun 08, 2018

Show notes

Meg is surrounded by ADHD! But she works in the theater, so she can handle it.

In today’s episode, we discuss:

Why extended family dinners make it hard for kids to eat
How to get younger kids to eat a more varied diet
How letting go of control can help you maintain it
Why theater is a good choice for middle and high school kids with ADHD
Skills kids learn doing theater
And transitions

Want to learn more aobut the ADHD Essentials parent coaching groups?
Go to www.ADHDessentials.com/parentgroups.
Or join by emailing me at Brendan@ADHDessentials.com.

Registration for the Parent Coaching Groups closes on Monday, June 25th.

22: Reading More, Calendar Strategies, and Thoughts on College, with Ryan McRae, the ADHD Nerd! Jun 01, 2018

Show notes

The ADHD Parenting groups are filling up! Don’t miss out on this opportunity!

Twice a week, for six weeks, we’ll be looking at ADHD parenting through the themes of structure and systems, communication, emotions, self-care, connection, and questions. We’ll strategize ways to make mornings smoother, compliance easier, and conversations deeper.

Space is limited! Email me today to save a spot! Brendan@ADHDessentials.com

My Guest today is Ryan McRae. The ADHD Nerd!

Ryan is a former residence director, and taught freshmen how to succeed in college. With so many kids getting ready to take that step, I thought we’d get out ahead of it! But don’t be fooled. The tips in today’s episode apply to all ages, elementary school through adulthood!

We talk about why high school is a restaurant and college is a buffet, strategies for organizing a calendar, how to get more reading in, and the value of an emergency productivity kit!

Ryan can be found at his blog, www.theADHDnerd.com, dedicated to helping people be more productive, successful and happy. And if you go to www.theADHDnerd.com/essentials, you’ll find a free book waiting for you: 4 Apps to Help You Focus.

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