Hacking Your ADHD

ADHD can be a struggle, but it doesn't always have to be. Every Monday, join William Curb, as he explores ways that you can work with your ADHD brain to do more of the things you want to do. If you have ADHD or someone in your life does and you want to get organized, get focused and get motivated then this podcast is for you.

Research Recap with Skye: Anxiety and Goals 03/27/2026

Navigating ADHD Facts and Fiction w/Dr. Stephen Faraone (rebroadcast) 03/23/2026

How to Keep Going When Life Feels Impossible (rebroadcast) 03/20/2026

Hormones, Health, and the ADHD Brain with Dr. Anupriya Gogne 03/16/2026

Hormones, Health, and the ADHD Brain with Dr. Anupriya Gogne Hey team! This week, I’m talking with Dr. Anupriya Gogne, a psychiatrist at Brown University Health in Rhode Island. Dr. Gonge works at the crossroads of addiction psychiatry and neurodevelopmental disorders, with a specific focus on treating ADHD during pregnancy and the postpartum period. She’s dedicated to clearing up the misinformation surrounding medication safety during pregnancy, which can be seen in her book, Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Adult Women: Special Considerations in the Perinatal Period. In our conversation, we dive into why hormonal fluctuations turn ADHD symptoms into a "perfect storm," the actual science behind "mom brain," and why your internal systems for keeping your life together tend to implode the moment a baby enters the picture. We also get into the nuances of how ADHD presents in women versus men, specifically regarding internal hyperactivity and emotional regulation. If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at YouTube: Patreon: This Episode's Top Tips When ADHD symptoms suddenly appear or worsen, it’s often not because the brain has changed, but rather that the environment’s demands have finally exceeded the brain's compensatory systems. When life transitions occur, such as having a child, external chaos disrupts the systems that previously helped keep the ADHD in check. Chronic sleep deprivation isn't just being tired; it’s also a failure of the memory consolidation system. While we are in deep sleep, our brain is encoding the day's events. If you aren't getting those stages, your working memory cannot function properly. These memory issues then compound with ADHD symptoms which can make it feel like you are experiencing early-onset dementia. In many adults, and especially in women, hyperactivity often isn't physical; instead, it's mental. It can manifest as negative self-talk on a loop, racing thoughts, or just feel like you have too many tabs open in your brain. Shifting the mental model to see internal ruminating as a form of hyperactivity helps identify the need for mental breaks rather than just physical outlets. /episode/index/show/893fc914-dadf-442a-8137-9e58c466a56d/id/40416655

Research Recap with Skye: Microplastics 03/13/2026

The ADHD Field Guide with Cate Osborn and Erik Gude 03/09/2026

The ADHD Field Guide with Cate Osborn and Erik Gude Hey Team! This week I’ve got Cate Osborn and Erik Gude on the show. Cate, known online as Catieosaurus, holds an M.Ed and uses her background in research and sex education to help neurodivergent folks navigate relationships and communication. Erik, known online as HeyGude, is an advocate and speaker who uses his platform to destigmatize the messy internal monologue of the ADHD brain. Honestly, it almost feels like I don’t need to introduce these two given everything they’ve produced; they are definitely an online powerhouses. I’ve been a fan of their podcast, Catie and Erik's Infinite Quest: An ADHD Adventure, for quite a while now. So I imagine you’ve probably seen at least something from them. And they’ve spent the last few years distilling their combined experiences into a new book designed to act as a foundational knowledge base for neurodivergent adults. The book The ADHD Field Guide for Adults was a ton of fun to read; it’s written in an incredibly ADHD-friendly manner, and I really appreciated the approach, making this a book for adults where I don’t feel like I’m being talked down to. So in the episode, we’re definitely talking about the book, but we go into a ton of different topics. We talk about the "systems-first" approach to ADHD management. We break down the precision of language and why understanding that distinction matters. And a whole lot more, there’s just a ton of stuff in this episode. Check out The ADHD Field Guide for Adults which is available in hardcover, e-book, and as an audiobook narrated by the authors Cate and Erik. Visit for information on Cate’s national tour, "Wildly Unprepared," and upcoming book signing events. If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at YouTube: Patreon: This Episode's Top Tips Understand the difference between shame (a fixed belief about who you are) and guilt (a feeling about what you did). Shame is an unchangeable dead end, but guilt is a "window for change" that allows you to acknowledge a behavior, such as being late or having a messy car, without condemning your entire identity. Recognize that "defeat" is often more comfortable than "failure" because defeat asks nothing of you; it simply means the game is over. Overcoming ADHD difficulties requires a healthy relationship with failure. Try viewing failure as a data point for "dissecting the system" rather than a reason to just stop trying. Many ADHD systems fail because they are built to satisfy "residual gook" from childhood. We often have internalized rules about how things "should" be done, like folding socks or separating silverware that have no basis beyond that it’s just how we’ve always done it. Audit your tasks to see if you actually care about the result; if you don't, dismantling the expectation (like using bins instead of folding laundry) can remove the cognitive load of a performance you don't actually value. /episode/index/show/893fc914-dadf-442a-8137-9e58c466a56d/id/40352550

More Than a Meme: The Low-Stakes Guide to Social Maintenance 03/06/2026

More Than a Meme: The Low-Stakes Guide to Social Maintenance Hey Team, I’ve been working on a presentation for an upcoming conference called Neurodiversion, and when I was thinking about what I wanted to present, the idea of memes came to me, and I'm gonna be honest here: this was mostly out of a desire to just make looking at memes part of work. As I started looking into the concept more and putting together the presentation, I realized there's a lot more to it than I initially thought. Memes are more than just digital clutter; they're a fairly vital part of modern culture. I know how that sounds, but this is visual shorthand. They give us a way to communicate that we are part of an in-group simply by understanding what the meme is. They are these inside jokes across entire online communities, and the more I dove in, the more I realized that memes are more important than they seem on the surface. They aren't just jokes; they're ways to find community, understanding, and meaning in our own experience. That's important even if they come from something silly. And so that's what we're going to explore in this episode: how memes can give us meaning, how they can give us community, and how they can be a little dangerous. If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at YouTube: Patreon: This Episode's Top Tips For ADHD brains, traditional social upkeep sometimes requires more executive function than we have available. "Pebbling" allows for a low-stakes connection that signals "I am thinking of you" without the cognitive load of a conversation. Digital content can act as a starting point for self-discovery, but it’s still not a diagnostic tool. A meme can point you in the right direction, but it doesn't represent the actual lived experience of your impairment. Don't mistake a "relatable quirk" for the totality of the disorder. Virality is not a proxy for truth. ADHD brains can be prone to "sticky" ideas and sometimes skip steps on verifying facts. The shift here is moving from "It’s relatable, so it’s true" to "It’s relatable, but what’s the source?” /episode/index/show/893fc914-dadf-442a-8137-9e58c466a56d/id/40335355

Ditching the Planner: Consistently Inconsistent with Dani Donovan 03/02/2026

Ditching the Planner: Consistently Inconsistent with Dani Donovan Hey team! This week I’m talking with Dani Donovan, a neurodivergent artist and designer whose ADHD comics have been shared all over the internet. Dani holds a BFA in Visual Communication and Design and is the creator of The Anti-Planner. She’s spent years as an advocate for neurodivergence, using her background in design to simplify those complicated, invisible daily struggles we all face. In our conversation today, we’re diving into why traditional planners often feel like they never work how we want them to and how we can transition into a "toolbox" mindset instead. We explore the concept of "anti-shame" tactics and how to stop using mean-spirited self-motivation. Dani shares some of her favorite hacks for the mundane stuff, like an "Inbox Sprint" for tackling email debt and some unconventional strategies, including how she uses "worst drafts" and even Magic: The Gathering packs to keep herself moving. Check Out the Anti-Planner: If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at YouTube: Patreon: This Episode's Top Tips We often beat ourselves up for "failing" to use a planner reliably after three months, but the reality is that our brains stop responding to the same stimuli once the novelty wears off. Instead of trying to find the one system you’ll use forever, you can try building a "toolbox" of multiple strategies. Executive dysfunction isn't a monolith; it’s a collection of specific emotional roadblocks like being intimidated, over-committed, or paralyzed by perfectionism. Approaching every task with a standard to-do list is like trying to use a hammer on a screw; it’s the wrong tool for the specific resistance you’re facing. By identifying the specific flavor of your resistance first, you can choose a tool designed to dismantle that exact barrier. Many of us have spent a lifetime using "mean" self-talk as a primary motivator because getting in trouble was the only thing that worked in the past. However, shame is a paralyzing emotion that actually increases avoidance. Shifting to an objective, "engineering" mindset allows you to view a failure not as a character flaw, but as a data point . Asking "Why did this fail?" instead of "Why am I like this?" allows you to troubleshoot the system rather than blaming the person. /episode/index/show/893fc914-dadf-442a-8137-9e58c466a56d/id/40265230

Research Recap with Skye: Maternal Inflammation 02/27/2026

My IEP Hero with Erika Levine 02/23/2026

Calming Up: Beyond the Hype 02/20/2026

Calming Up: Beyond the Hype Hey Team! In physics, there’s a concept called "static friction"—it’s the friction that exists between a stationary object and the surface on which it’s resting. It’s actually harder to get something moving than it is to keep it moving once it’s already in motion. I think about this a lot when I’m staring at a pile of mail or a sink full of dishes. We often feel like we need a massive internal explosion to overcome that static friction, like we have to "hulk smash" our way into productivity just to get off the couch. But that explosion often carries us too far, landing us right in the middle of a panic attack or total overwhelm. We’re essentially trying to jump from zero to sixty in a car that isn't even idling yet. Today we’re looking at a different approach: how we can gently increase our internal RPMs without redlining the engine. We’re exploring the biology of our nervous system and how we can use "bottom-up" signals to tell our brains that it’s time to move, without relying on the usual fuel of shame or last-minute panic. If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at YouTube: Patreon: This Episode's Top Tips Stop trying to "think" your way out of a shutdown or a panic. When your Prefrontal Cortex is offline, your brain isn't listening to logic; it’s listening to your body. Use physical signals—like temperature or movement—to tell your brain you are safe or ready to move. Understand that some stress is biologically necessary for ADHD focus. Instead of trying to be perfectly relaxed before a big task, aim for "optimal stimulation"—enough arousal to feel sharp, but not so much that you're jittery. When you’re stuck in a low-energy state, don't look for a massive "hype" session that might lead to overwhelm. Instead, "calm up" by using the smallest possible increments of arousal—like a single song or light stretching—to reach a "zen" state of doing. /episode/index/show/893fc914-dadf-442a-8137-9e58c466a56d/id/40168535

Escaping the Doer Trap with Katy McFee 02/16/2026

Escaping the Doer Trap with Katy McFee Hey Team! Most of us with ADHD have fallen into the trap of thinking that if we just work a little harder or do a few more things, we’ll finally feel like we have our lives under control. But it turns out that "doing" and "leading" are two very different skill sets, and being a world-class "doer" can actually keep you stuck in place. Today, I’m talking with Katy McFee, an executive coach and the founder of Insights to Action. Katy reached the highest levels of corporate leadership before realizing that her success was built on a "doer" mentality that was no longer serving her, especially after her later in life ADHD diagnosis. In our conversation today, we’re looking at why that "doer identity" can be such a common pitfall for ADHD brains and how it can lead to burnout instead of progress. We talk about Katy’s journey with a late-in-life diagnosis and how that shift in perspective allowed her to stop masking and start building systems that actually worked for her Combined-Type ADHD. Whether you’re running a household, a small business, or a massive department, the way Katy frames the transition from tactical "doing" to strategic "being" is something we can all use. If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at YouTube: Patreon: This Episode's Top Tips Recognize when you are trying to "outwork" your ADHD by doing more tasks. We don’t always have to be the person doing everything; instead, we can focus on thinking strategically about what needs to be done and focus on doing those most important things. Give yourself explicit permission to stop pretending you work like a neurotypical person. You can reduce your cognitive load from "faking it" and free up energy for actually doing things the way they work for your brain. Instead of just using a calendar, use systems that visualize the passage of time and the weight of your commitments. Often time blindness can hit us not only in the moment, but also while were in the planning phase, when we don’t realize how much we’re really taking on. /episode/index/show/893fc914-dadf-442a-8137-9e58c466a56d/id/40104055

Research Recap with Skye: The Atomoxetine Trial 02/13/2026

Shrinking the Goal to Find the Win with Sharon Pope 02/09/2026

Shrinking the Goal to Find the Win with Sharon Pope Hey Team! Today I’m talking with Sharon Pope, a certified habit coach and the CEO of Shelpful. Sharon has an extensive background in the tech world, having served as a CMO for multiple companies and as an advisor for the startup accelerator Y Combinator. After her own ADHD diagnosis, she pivoted her career to focus on building tools that help neurodivergent brains get more done. Sharon also runs the ADHD Founders Podcast with Jesse J. Anderson and Marie Ng, where they talk about the unique challenges of having ADHD and building a business. I actually had Sharon on the show a number of years ago and thought it would be fun to have her on again after running into her at the 2025 ADHD Conference. And one of the big changes that has happened at her company. Shelpful, since we last talked, is the shift to using AI, so we spend a good portion of this episode discussing how to use AI as a "second brain" rather than just another static to-do list. Sharon explains how they’ve integrated personality and novelty into their system to break through our natural notification immunity. We also explore some of her favorite "Magic Sort" features that help you pick tasks based on your current energy level rather than just due dates, because we all know that looking at a massive, unsorted list is a one-way ticket to Task Paralysis. But we are also talking about accountability, automation, and how to gamify our habits. I had a lot of fun with this one. If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at YouTube: Patreon: This Episode's Top Tips Try sorting your to-do list by energy level. Instead of looking at a stressful, long list, you can sort your tasks by "vibe" or energy (low, medium, high) to find a task that matches your current capacity. When we’re setting goals, we want to intentionally lower the bar to ensure a win and strengthen neural pathways. Often our inclination is to overdo whatever it is we're trying to do in an effort to catch up, but by lowering the bar instead, we can often create more sustainable habits. A fun way to get into automation can be to try out cheap NFC stickers around your house to trigger specific automations, like reminders to move the laundry or start a playlist, with a single tap of your phone. /episode/index/show/893fc914-dadf-442a-8137-9e58c466a56d/id/40037825

Trojan Horses 02/06/2026

Trojan Horses Hey Team! So it’s been a bit since I’ve done a monologue episode - for those of you new to the podcast that are more used to the interview format, that’s not how the show began. It started with me doing episodes like these, where I’m dissecting an idea about how we can really work with our ADHD brains. The plan right now is that I’m going to be sprinkling in a few more of these episodes throughout the year, looking to add them every other Friday opposite the Research Recaps. So let’s get into this first episode back. In the mythology of the Trojan War, after a 10-year stalemate, the Greeks built a massive, wooden horse and seemingly left it behind as a gift for the Trojans. Hidden inside the horse were Greek soldiers, waiting for the dead of night to creep out, kill the sentries, and open the city gates for the rest of the Greek army, which had quietly sailed back under the cover of darkness. It’s a story of letting the enemy in the gates. It's about perceiving a threat as something safe and then paying the price. And I’ve been thinking about how this same story can play out in how we choose to spend our time during the day. What are the things that seem innocuous that are going to throw us off. Sure, checking social media seems like it's going to be a nice little break, and it certainly isn't going to let in a horde of Greeks that will slaughter all of our defenders, but perhaps there are some downsides that we're not thinking about. And so that’s the idea that we’re going to be exploring in this episode. What are the pitfalls that are not just going to throw us off, but set us off in the wrong direction entirely? If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at YouTube: Patreon: This Episode's Top Tips A Trojan Horse task is a task where you are sabotaging yourself without realizing it. They are things that on the outside appear to be innocuous but instead being a 15 minute break they end up as something that derails your entire day. Watch out for optimization procrastination, where you are trying to get things "just right" before starting. If the preparation takes longer than the task itself, recognize that it could be procrastination in disguise. At that point, it’s okay to give yourself permission to settle for "mediocre" or "good enough” so that you can just get started. Your ADHD is not the enemy here, even though it may feel like it’s always the one letting the Greeks in the gate when a shiny new Trojan Horse shows up. Remember, we want to work with our ADHD, not against it. Help yourself out by identifying those Trojan Horses and figuring out ways to avoid them. /episode/index/show/893fc914-dadf-442a-8137-9e58c466a56d/id/40011365

Understanding the ADHD and Anxiety Overlap with Dr. Mona Potter 02/02/2026

Understanding the ADHD and Anxiety Overlap with Dr. Mona Potter Distinguishing between ADHD and anxiety can feel a bit like trying to figure out if you're sneezing because of a cold or because your neighbor just started mowing their lawn - or maybe it's a bit of both, the symptoms look the same, but the solution is very different. This week, I’m talking with Dr. Mona Potter, a Harvard-trained, board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist and the Chief Medical Officer and Co-founder of InStride Health. Dr. Potter spent years at McLean Hospital pioneering treatments for anxiety and OCD, and has a unique perspective on how we can manage the specific brand of exhaustion that comes with being neurodivergent in a world that never stops moving. Today, we’re exploring the bio psycho social model—which is just a fancy way of saying we’re looking at your sleep, your stress, and your chemistry all at once. We discuss the "optimal zone" of anxiety and how it can actually mask ADHD symptoms until you find a treatment that works, the difference between a "crutch" and a tool, and why parents (and adults) should stop trying to be the "external executive function" for everyone around them. We also take a deep dive into the specific mechanics of OCD and why the structure that saves an ADHDer might actually feed an obsessive loop. If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at YouTube: Patreon: This Episode's Top Tips To tell ADHD and anxiety apart, look at what’s pulling your focus. ADHD distractions are often external (the world "tapping you on the shoulder"), while anxiety distractions are typically internal (a "side commentary" of what could go wrong). Remember that medication can turn down the biological "volume" of symptoms, but it doesn't build skills or "brain muscles." Use the quiet provided by medication as a window to practice the executive function habits you need. While structure and rituals are helpful for ADHD, they can feed OCD. If you have both, you must learn to sit with the distress of not performing a ritual (Exposure and Response Prevention) rather than making things "seamless". /episode/index/show/893fc914-dadf-442a-8137-9e58c466a56d/id/39941120

Research Recap: Discontinued Use of ADHD Meds 01/30/2026

Nervous System Regulation and the Stages of Burnout with Garrett Wood 01/26/2026

Nervous System Regulation and the Stages of Burnout with Garrett Wood Hey Team! Burnout is one of those terms we throw around a lot in the neurodivergent community, but often we don't realize we're in it until we've hit a wall. Today, I’m talking with Garrett Wood, a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist and founder of Gnosis Therapy. Garrett specializes in working with high-achieving professionals—which is often code for high-masking folks—helping them navigate executive well-being and nervous system regulation. In our conversation, we dive into the nuances of burnout, specifically how it differs from just being tired, and we walk through the five stages of burnout so you can actually spot where you are on the map. We also get into some heavy but important stuff regarding self-worth and how we often subconsciously drive ourselves into the ground just to prove we’re enough. If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at YouTube: Patreon: This Episode's Top Tips Understand that there are different levels of burnout. If you are getting a full eight hours of sleep but are still waking up exhausted, or if you find yourself unable to calm down after minor inconveniences (like getting cut off in traffic), you are likely already heading into Stage 1 or 2 of burnout. Make sure to pay attention to your specific physiological needs rather than general advice. You might be someone who needs 10 hours in bed to get 8 hours of actual sleep (I mean I’m not someone who gets in bed and is instantly asleep, it takes sometime and I’m a bit restless). Your physiological needs are unique to you and what you “need”. If trying to rest and doing "nothing" feels anxiety-inducing, find a low-stakes activity like organizing books or doing a puzzle. These kinds of low-stakes tasks can provide a sense of accomplishment and soothing without the consequences or pressure of a work project. /episode/index/show/893fc914-dadf-442a-8137-9e58c466a56d/id/39830820

Crushing Your ADD with Alan P. Brown 01/19/2026

Crushing Your ADD with Alan P. Brown Hey Team! This week I’m talking with Alan P. Brown, the creator of ADD Crusher and host of Crusher™TV. Alan is an ADHD and productivity coach who spent decades struggling with undiagnosed ADHD while working as an advertising executive in New York. His own "mess to success" story involves battling addiction and navigating a career where he felt like he was constantly floundering, only to turn it all around by developing his own "brain hacks." In our conversation today, we dive into some of the practical strategies Alan developed to get his brain in gear, like the importance of identifying your "strong time" and then really protecting that time. We also discuss why long to-do lists can actually sabotaging your productivity, the power of talking to yourself to overcome the inertia of starting, and how to make peace with the "Outlaw Brain" that just wants you to stay on the couch. This is definitely an episode that will help you If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at YouTube: Patreon: This Episode's Top Tips Limit your daily to-do list to a maximum of three "biggies" and often preferably just one or two. Alan reminds us that research suggests that once you list more than seven items, the likelihood of doing any of them drops significantly, because a long list encourages you to pick the easiest low-hanging fruit and avoid the important work. When you can't get started on a task like writing, trying talking to yourself out loud to break the inertia with micro-steps. Ask yourself, "Can I open the laptop?" then "Can I find the document?" then "Can I read the first paragraph?" This process can help us engage our brain enough to build some momentum and get into a groove. Embrace your pace and stop wasting energy lamenting that you work slower than others. Sure it sucks, but by accepting that things might take you longer, you can factor that extra time into your schedule, and still get things done. Refuse to beat yourself up about it, shame doesn't make you work faster. /episode/index/show/893fc914-dadf-442a-8137-9e58c466a56d/id/39753195

Research Recap with Skye: Childhood pain and ADHD 01/16/2026

You Don’t Need to Earn Your Rest with Alyece Smith 01/12/2026

You Don’t Need to Earn Your Rest with Alyece Smith Hello all you beautiful people, happy new year. I’m gearing up for 2026 after a few set backs at the end of last year that we’ll get into in a future episode. But today we’re talking with Alyece Smith, founder of Socially Ausome, a neurodivergent entrepreneur coach, and the host of The ADHD CEO Podcast. She specializes in helping business owners build sustainable systems that actually work for their brains rather than against them. In our conversation today, we get into why we often feel the need to "earn our rest" and how that can lead to burnout. We also jump into how to systemize your life to save your brainpower for what actually matters. Alyece shares her "DMO" or Daily Method of Operation, and how she uses routine to cut down on daily choices. We also talk about the trap of monetizing every hobby, finding clarity in what actually fulfills us, and why knowing why your brain works the way it does is often more helpful than just trying to force a square peg into a round hole. If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at YouTube: Patreon: This Episode's Top Tips Try using Voice Memos to prevent context switching. When you feel a spiral coming on or have too many ideas, use a voice-to-text app (Alyece recommends "Voice Pen") to brain dump everything immediately. This allows you to get the thoughts out without stopping your current workflow. Once you have a brain dump, categorize items by the "mode" required to complete them (e.g., calls to make while driving, emails to answer at your desk, errands to run). This helps you batch tasks based on where you are, rather than just creating a deadline. Track your natural energy peaks to identify your "Spark Times." Save your high-value creative or money-making tasks for these windows, rather than wasting that high energy on low-priority admin work. Work on identifying "Fake" productivity. Be honest with yourself about whether you are creating tasks just to feel busy or "earn" your rest. If you are inventing work to avoid important tasks or to feel productive, it’s a sign you need to pause and figure out what’s really a priority in that moment (hint: it’s usually taking care of one of your basic needs). /episode/index/show/893fc914-dadf-442a-8137-9e58c466a56d/id/39690530

ADHD-Friendly Goal Setting with Chris Wang (Rebroadcast) 01/05/2026

Research Recap with Skye: Subclinical ADHD and the Entrepreneurial Path 01/02/2026

Breaking Down Tasks and Big Feelings with Vanessa Gorelkin (Rebroadcast) 12/29/2025

Breaking Down Tasks and Big Feelings with Vanessa Gorelkin (Rebroadcast) For this week’s episode, we are dipping into the archives to revisit a conversation that resonated with so many of you. I’m talking with Vanessa Gorelkin, a seasoned occupational therapist and ADHD coach who’s been working in the field for nearly 30 years. Vanessa holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brandeis (Bran-Dice) University and a Master's degree in Occupational Therapy from NYU. She specializes in executive function strategies, emotional regulation, and anxiety management, and she brings a unique perspective to helping adults with ADHD navigate the day-to-day. In this encore presentation, we discuss: The "Want-to-Do" Gap: Why we struggle even with the tasks we actually enjoy. The Anxiety Connection: How anxiety and executive dysfunction team up to create a cycle of frustration. Strategy Decay: Why tools that work perfectly for a month inevitably seem to stop working. Practical Regulation: How to break down tasks so they feel doable and why you need a "crisis plan" before the crisis actually hits. Whether you missed this the first time around or just need a refresher on these strategies, there is so much gold in this episode. You can still find all the links and resources mentioned in this episode on the original show notes page at: This Episode's Top Tips 1. If something feels overwhelming, try breaking it down into micro-steps. Even something like getting out of bed can be broken into “sit up,” “put feet on the floor,” and “stand up.” In more practical ways, we could think of this as starting out as just opening the document you need to work on, adding the formatting, and starting your first sentence. The idea is you want to build momentum and go with the flow. 2. Be mindful of language; words like "just" and "should" can be damaging. Instead of “I should just wash the dishes,” you can reframe it as “I could wash the dishes,” and then also if you need a little bit more asking yourself, “What’s making this difficult, and how can I work with it?” 3. It’s important to have a crisis plan ready before you need it. When emotional overwhelm hits, it’s hard to think through what you need. You can pre-plan strategies like a weighted blanket, a favorite show, or calling a friend so you don’t have to figure it out at the moment. /episode/index/show/893fc914-dadf-442a-8137-9e58c466a56d/id/39543335

Research Recap with Skye: The ADHD and IBS Connection 12/26/2025

Focused and Balanced: ADHD Strategies That Work w/ Skye Waterson (rebroadcast) 12/22/2025

Our Own Worst Enemy (rebroadcast) 12/15/2025

Our Own Worst Enemy (rebroadcast) This week, we're revisiting a classic episode inspired by a late '90s pop-punk anthem: "My Own Worst Enemy" by Lit. The title of that song perfectly captures a feeling common to those with ADHD. We often feel like our own greatest obstacle, plagued by an endless supply of self-destructive behaviors stemming directly from the condition. Counterproductive manifestations like poor time management, hyper-focusing on low-priority tasks, overcommitting, and procrastination can leave us feeling incredibly frustrated. We're talking about our "worst self"—the version of us that emerges in ways we later regret or that seem to actively work against our own interests. While the internet is full of advice on how to become your best self, the reality is that many of these frustrating behaviors do not reflect our value as people. Instead, they are often a reflection of our unmet needs and coping mechanisms. In this important rebroadcast, we discuss: How this "worst self" manifests in the context of ADHD. Why we should extend a bit more empathy toward these maladaptive behaviors. Practical ways to work on moving forward—not necessarily toward a flawless best self, but at least toward a better one. Tune in to explore this internal conflict and learn how to find compassion for the parts of you that struggle. Support me on Ask me a question on my Find the show note at This Episode’s Top Tips Approach the idea of your worst self with empathy. Focus on the fact that you developed these maladaptive behaviors for a reason. Pay attention to the situations and emotions that trigger your worst behaviors to anticipate and manage them more effectively. Often, our maladaptive behaviors come out when we’re not doing a good job of meeting our basic needs. If we’re engaging in numbing behaviors, we can look below the symptoms to try and see what’s setting them off. /episode/index/show/893fc914-dadf-442a-8137-9e58c466a56d/id/39397305

Research Recap with Skye: Bullying and ADHD 12/12/2025

The High Cost of Undiagnosed ADHD with Sarah Templeton 12/08/2025

The High Cost of Undiagnosed ADHD with Sarah Templeton Hey team, Today, we’ve got a heavy but necessary topic. We’re looking at what happens when ADHD goes unsupported and the stakes get high. In this episode, I’m joined by Sarah Templeton, a counselor, activist, and author of The Prison Counselor. Sarah spent years working inside the UK prison system before getting her own diagnosis at age 51, which led to some massive realizations about the people she was working with. In our conversation today, we look at the startling prevalence of neurodiversity in the prison population and how a lack of diagnosis fuels a cycle of reoffending. We explore the stark reality of the "school to prison pipeline" and the specific ADHD traits that land people in legal trouble. It’s not just about being a trouble-maker, but about impulsivity, risk-taking, and a heightened sense of justice. And I know that last one might sound counterintuitive, but don’t worry, we get into that in the episode. This is an incredibly important episode to me because I believe that it’s one of my jobs to use my privilege as someone with an audience to highlight the struggles in our community from some of our most underserved populations. And our ADHD siblings in prison are definitely a prime example of people who had the system fail them and are now paying the price. Before we get started, I also just wanted to mention that there is some talk of suicide in this episode, so if that is something you are sensitive about, I just wanted to let you know. If you'd like to follow along on the show notes page, you can find that at YouTube: Patreon: This Episode's Top Tips While we often associate trouble with malice, many people with ADHD end up in legal or social trouble purely because they reacted impulsively to perceived unfairness. Recognizing this trait as a heightened sense of justice can help you pause before intervening in situations that might escalate. Severe boredom can physically feel like pain for the ADHD brain, leading to high-risk behaviors just to feel something. Acknowledging that boredom is a trigger state can help you find safer dopamine outlets before you do something regrettable. When trying to tame an addiction, traditional reduction techniques often fail for ADHD brains because of our "all or nothing" dopamine response. If you are struggling with substance use, ensure your support team understands ADHD, as "just one drink" can trigger a massive dopamine cascade that neurotypical advice doesn't account for. Work on reframing the idea of an excuse vs a reason. If we can understand that our brain wiring causes certain behaviors (like risk-taking), this isn't an excuse to keep doing them; it’s the explanation that gives us permission to stop hating ourselves and seek out tools and strategies that can help manage behaviors. /episode/index/show/893fc914-dadf-442a-8137-9e58c466a56d/id/39295995

Overcoming Self-Sabotage with Dr. Judy Ho (rebroadcast) 12/01/2025

Hacking Your ADHD

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