437 | June Live Q&A with the ADHD reWired Podcast Team + ADHD reWired Coaches!

This week, Faigie Kobre joins Eric on the podcast for a discussion on reigniting creativity.  Faigie is a creative coach for people who don’t feel artistic but love art!  She works with people who have creativity scars and think they “aren’t creative” because they can’t draw.  She has a passion for reconnecting people with their inner creativity to bring calm, color, and joy into their lives.   In this conversation, you’ll hear about Eric’s journey with music, why people stop tapping into their creativity, why Faigie is trying to bring art back to everybody who wants to come back to it, and her start as an early childhood educator.  Then, you’ll hear about creativity scars, comparison, perfectionism, the healing and sensory benefits of creativity, and how anyone at any age can tap into their creativity. Get in touch with Faigie, reignite your creativity & take her micro-course at CreativityReignited.com!    Questions/Topics:  [00:01:45] “Everybody is born creative.” – Faigie [00:04:52] “There’s so many ways to do art where you don’t have to know how to draw.” [00:05:19] What was it that drew Faigie to not just creativity and art, but also using creativity and art to connect with others and help other people?  [00:07:26] Faigie gets hooked on mixed-media art and getting people back to their childhoods  [00:08:45] A discussion on play in the realm of creativity and allowing it to flourish  [00:11:33] An intersection between being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and interest in artwork [00:12:59] What is T.A.B.? (Teaching for Artistic Behavior) [00:13:42] “In schools […] it’s more about how the art makes the teacher look” and being punished for the expression of an idea [00:18:13] What are creativity scars?  [00:20:28] “Comparison is the thief of joy,” learning to create, and enjoying the process [00:21:51] Eric shares his journey with painting and a discussion on cleaning up after an art session  [00:24:08] Using an art journal and how general creativity can help someone combat perfectionism [00:26:01] Faigie shares five mediums of art that have tremendous opportunities for creativity  [00:27:47] Eric asks why art is such an impactful medium for people with ADHD: “How is this helping us?”  [00:34:23] A discussion on getting started when we don’t know where to start [00:38:48] Eric asks, “As an artist with ADHD, how do you know when a piece of work is done?”  [00:40:09] Color schemes and color wheels [00:45:17] Closing thoughts Resources: Book – The Creativity Cure by Carrie Barron and Alton Barron Book – Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All by Tom Kelly and David Kelly Book – Healing the Child Within: Discovery and Recovery for Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families by Charles L. Whitfield Book – Homecoming: Reclaiming and Championing Your Inner Child by John Bradshaw Book – The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron Video – Do Schools Kill Creativity? | Sir Ken Robinson Website – Sir Ken Robinson at SirKenRobinson.com   Website – Danny Gregory at DannyGregory.com   Website – Sketchbook School by Danny Gregory at SketchbookSkool.com   Website – CreativeConfidence.com   Article – Johari Window on CommunicationTheory.org Honorable Mentions: “…so many adults feel non-creative because of how they were squashed when they were kids.” “Comparison is the thief of joy.”  “The idea of play is that you’re doing it for no purpose other than the enjoyment of it.”  🌟 Check out the Other Podcasts on the ADHD reWired Podcast Network: ADHD Essentials with Brendan Mahan Hacking Your ADHD with Will Curb ADHD Diversified with MJ Siemens 🌟 Have you heard about our Adult Study Hall Community? Go to adultstudyhall.com to join our ADHD-friendly body-doubling community! 🌟 Interested in group coaching and want to take your ADHD management to the next level? Go to coachingrewired.com to get all the up-to-date information on the upcoming season of ADHD reWired’s award-winning Coaching & Accountability groups!

In this episode, I am talking about the power of awareness and the depth and layers of it when it comes to awareness of ourselves, our environment, people, and situations.

I am excited to do a deep dive into this concept and over the next few episodes, I will share other concepts that really provide a framework on tapping into your full potential while using your ADHD as your best asset.

The Annual International Conference on ADHD is coming soon!  Join virtually or in person in Dallas, Texas!  Then, listeners of ADHD reWired can get 15% off your registration at !   Eric is joined by Mike Lekies, who has been a business coach and sales trainer for 15 years and runs a business together with his non-ADHD but not-neurotypical wife.  He has 25 years of experience in sales and was diagnosed with ADHD at age 43, which turned his life upside down.  Mike is also an Alumni of ADHD reWired’s Coaching and Accountability groups!  If you want to find out how to structure your business around your ADHD, then this episode you’ve been looking for!  You’ll hear more conversations about Mike’s experiences in business and the lessons he learned with his business ventures.  Then, you’ll also hear about business and marriage, and what led Mike to getting diagnosed with ADHD, how it affected his identity, and some of the perks he’s enjoyed being the owner of his own business.  Learn more at    Get in touch with Mike on:   (German)  Other Questions/Topics Answered in this Episode: How can you bend your own business to your ADHD?  How do we build systms that work for us that scaffold the challenges we have?  What three numbers do I need to track to determine if my business is moving forward?  How do I interpret the data I track?  Questions Mike asks about his own business: How many leads do I generate? Is it (my leads) critical?  Will my business survive this critical number of leads?  Is it “ok” or is it more than I need?  What’s the difference between revenue and sales?  What is the importance of having well-qualified leads?  What is a qualified lead?  How can I add automation into my business?  What can I automate in my business?  Resources & Honorable Mentions: Book:   Website:   Booking & Scheduling Tool:   Automation, Email Marketing & CRM Tool:   App: (for note-taking)  App: (formally Integromat)  App: – Where teams get work done.  “If ADHD is a gift, where’s the gift receipt?” – Eric Tivers Check out the Other Podcasts on the ADHD reWired Podcast Network: with Brendan Mahan with Will Curb with MJ Siemens

Join the ADHD reWired Team every second Tuesday of the month for our monthly Live Q&A!  Go to to register so you can join us on Zoom and ask your questions live!  And get the full and ad-free version of this episode when you become a Patron at $5.00 a month or more by going to !   Questions & Topics in this Episode: [00:04:58] “What are your tips for taking yourself out of hyperfocus?” [00:08:24] Tips on managing overwhelm, to-do lists, and cues for coming back to our lists  [0019:09] A listener who was recently diagnosed asks about impulsivity and food in a work environment.  [00:27:14] “How do you help someone who definitely needs help and support, but isn’t ready, doesn’t want it, or feels that they don’t need it, but at the same time, they’re constantly feeling overwhelmed and can’t manage?” [00:36:31] Will Curb gives an update from last month’s episode and talks about making trying different foods fun for kids. [0038:04] Ideas for incorporating exercise and body movement. [00:43:29] Suggestions for managing impulsive behaviors, setting boundaries when making plans with other people, and online shopping.  Resources & Honorable Mentions: Hacking your ADHD Episode:   Alarm App:   Alarm App: (Android) Alarm App: (Apple)  Check out the Other Podcasts on the ADHD reWired Podcast Network: with Brendan Mahan with Will Curb with MJ Siemens The Annual International Conference on ADHD is coming soon!  Join virtually or in person in Dallas, Texas!  Then, listeners of ADHD reWired can get 15% off your registration at !  Or use the promo code adhdrewiredadhdcon2022 at checkout!

In this episode, Eric is joined by Lorri Hollingsworth who was officially diagnosed with combined-type ADHD about two-and-a-half years ago at the age of 64, having reached retirement without suspecting any neurodivergencies.  Yet, she always felt herself to be the “misfit” given the expectations set by friends, family, coworkers, and society at large, and forever assumed the role of “Inadvertent Perpetrator” with all the guilt inherent therein.  Lorri will share her journey shaped by the absence of an ADHD diagnosis in early childhood, which inevitably led to numerous comorbidities over the decades, as well as the never-expected hope that she now experiences for her future.  You’ll hear about the different comorbidities that were discovered before Lorri’s ADHD diagnosis, how her husband of over 35 years aided in Lorri getting diagnosed, her journey of the ways her diagnosis changed the way she viewed her past, and the dynamics of her environment growing up undiagnosed.  You’ll also hear about Lorri’s thrill of a challenge, and her journey through unhealthy eating behaviors, OCD, depression, anxiety, and more.  Lastly, you’ll hear about the importance of learning, self-awareness, and forgiveness to move forward. Questions Answered & Memorable Moments in this Episode: Lorri goes in depth about how important it is to get more stories of seniors getting diagnosed.  What was it that led Lorri to get the diagnosis? “I think the persistent leaving of cabinets and drawers open should be part of the diagnostic criteria!” – Eric “…unless somebody does something drastic to get your attention, they don’t have your attention.” – Lorri Mentioned here: How we show up in relationships:  Is that a product of our environment, or does ADHD sometimes get in the way? “I, .as far back as I can remember, have been a ‘loner’.” – Lorri At 64, you’ve been through a lot of stuff, so why does it matter now (to get diagnosed)? “If you love your life, it’s worth the work.” – Lorri “You have to forgive yourself, and you have to forgive the people that might have contributed inadvertently to you being in that place. Forgiveness is so important.” – Lorri Check out the Other Podcasts on the ADHD reWired Podcast Network:  with Brendan Mahan  with Will Curb  with MJ Siemens  with Moira Maybin Don’t Forget These, Too:  — Support the show by becoming a Patron! — Get your name on the waitlist to join the sping season of ADHD reWired’s Coaching and Accountability Groups!  — Join your ADHD-friendly co-working space!  — Join Eric, Brendan, Will, MJ, Moira, Kat, and Lisa for an hour of Live Q&A on Zoom, every 2nd Tuesday of the month at 12:30pm Central (10:30am Pacific / 1:30pm Eastern)

In this episode, Eric is joined by T. Perran Mitchell, the crafter of stories and maker of things! Comics are his favorite medium and have been for as long as he can remember.  Growing up with ADHD, dyslexia, and anxiety, comics not only fostered a love of reading, they were the key to learning to read.  He has also been with the same company for nearly 20 years running their quality control department.  T took a circuitous path to writing comics by first graduating from Drexel University with a degree in Information Science and Technology.  Every term, he took at least one class for himself that had nothing to do with his major, which led him to accidentally minoring in Philosophy and nearly attaining a minor in literature.  He uses these various interests to inform his writing.  Find out more about T. Perran Mitchell on his website at TPerranMitchell.com!   You can also find T. Perran Mitchell on LinkedIn, and on Twitter and Instagram as @TPerranMitchell  Other Questions/Topics Answered in this Episode: [00:02:07] Eric asks T about his ADHD story and life growing up  [00:04:03] T shares his experiences in college and the classes he was interested in vs. the classes he attended  [00:07:54] How has T been able to stay with the same company for nearly 20 years?  [00:09:30] Eric and T talk about distractions at work, music, and noise-canceling headphones  [00:12:28] A discussion on finding time to write, creative blocks, distractions, and being your own boss [00:18:12] Eric asks T about his comic writing and recreating manifestations of his life  [00:20:17] Are T’s comics specifically about ADHD or anxiety?  [00:21:31] As a creative, what does T’s workflow and writing process look like?  [00:25:52] Eric and T have a discussion about collaboration and leaning on the the skills of others  [00:32:40] ChatGPT, AI art generators, and how they affect creatives [00:40:16] An exchange on handwriting, voice-to-text, and spell-check  [00:43:05] Eric asks T about managing hyperfocus  [00:46:05] Where to find T. Perran and closing thoughts Resources & Honorable Mentions: Editor’s Choice: Studio / Monitor Headphones – Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro   Check out the Other Podcasts on the ADHD reWired Podcast Network: ADHD Essentials with Brendan Mahan Hacking Your ADHD with Will Curb ADHD Diversified with MJ Siemens Have you heard about our Adult Study Hall Community? Go to adultstudyhall.com to join our ADHD-friendly body-doubling community! Interested in group coaching and want to take your ADHD management to the next level? Go to coachingrewired.com to get all the up-to-date information on the upcoming season of ADHD reWired’s award-winning Coaching & Accountability groups!