506 | Neurodivergent Relationships with Dr. Ali Arena

There are three representations of ADHD

• Combined Presentation: if enough symptoms of both criteria inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity were present for the past 6 months
• Predominantly Inattentive Presentation: if enough symptoms of inattention, but not hyperactivity-impulsivity, were present for the past six months
• Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Presentation: if enough symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity, but not inattention, were present for the past six months. (ref – CDC.gov)

In this episode, I dig deep in understanding how those with Inattentive ADHD manage life and work. When I read the article Living with Inattentive ADHD by Barbara Luther I had to bring her on my show to further discuss this topic.

I encourage you to listen to the full episode as she covers some very key areas such as goal setting, task management, overall living with Inattentive ADHD – the challenges and strengths, and much more.

About Barbara Luther, MCAC, MCC, is the Director of Training for the ADD Coach Academy (ADDCA). Over the past 20 years, Barbara has trained, observed, mentored, and assessed thousands of coaches.

Barbara specializes in coaching adults impacted by ADHD to rewrite their “what’s not working” stories into appreciative and empowering stories about their unique brain wiring and strength

She was the founding president of the Professional Association of ADHD Coaches (PAAC), an organization devoted to establishing and maintaining global standards of excellence for ADHD coaches.

Access my complimentary online mini-lesson, to learn a new perspective of what impacts your focus and immediate actions you can take to move through your tasks with ease.

Today, Eric is joined by Nate!  Nate is a program manager for the Department of Defense and a graduate student at Columbia University.  He received an ADHD diagnosis in 2016 at age 24 and a bi-polar diagnosis in 2022.  After better understanding his mental abilities and inabilities, he realized how incompatible he was with the person the world expected him to be.  This experience has led Nate down a path to highlight the tremendous potential and value that neurodivergent individuals can bring to an organization despite the story someone’s resume may or may not tell.   You’ll hear about how Nate found success despite being ‘punted’ from 5 schools, how education and opportunities are geared towards the ‘majority’, having a responsibility to our community to enable the changes we’d like to see, and how Nate received his ADHD diagnosis during active duty.  Then, you’ll also hear how being neurodivergent can bring different perspectives to the table, why age or rank doesn’t increase or decrease the worth of someone’s perspective, being curious and resilient, and that you don’t have to have a degree to offer a valuable insight.  Get in touch with Nate at nsr2143@columbia.edu  Other Questions/Topics Answered in this Episode: [00:02:16] How did Nate, a late-diagnosed ADHDer, become a program manager for the Department of Defense?  [00:03:09]  “Quantification does not equal the qualification”  [00:5:55] Why was Leadership as Nate’s undergrad important? What about college?  [00:18:34] What does it take for someone who’s been fired multiple times, tried higher-education multiple times, to have that resilient spirit to keep on going? [00:26:52] “I never looked at your rank or your position and thought that made you smarter or have a better opinion than me.”  [00:27:12] Speaking up and presenting a different view of the world in a diplomatic way [00:29:14] Experiencing pushback, managing those encounters, and reflecting on those who are pushing back [00:31:09] How does one navigate a scenario where they’ve pushed too hard or misread a situation? [00:35:53] Nate shares his experiences with bi-polar and how it shows up for him  [00:42:28] How does Nate manage the cyclical nature of bi-polar?  [00:48:14] Closing thoughts, the importance of curiosity and resilience, and how you can reach Nate  Resources & Honorable Mentions: “Your Potential can only rise to the occasions its presented” – Nate “Sometimes it is the people no one can imagine anything of who do the things no one can imagine.” – Alan Turing  Book – – An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness by Kay Redfield Jamison () 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? 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!  

Introduction to the Episode: Eric Tivers welcomes listeners back and introduces the current season (36) Main Topic: The discussion focuses on self-care and numbing behaviors. Eric emphasizes the importance of understanding the differences between intentional self-care and behaviors that serve as emotional numbing. The context is week 6 of the program where these topics are explored in detail. Intentional Self-Care vs. Numbing: The dialogue underscores the need for mindfulness in distinguishing between self-care activities that genuinely contribute to well-being and behaviors that might temporarily mask emotional distress. Impact of Self-Care: The conversation also touches on the positive impacts of being intentional about self-care practices, possibly suggesting strategies or insights into improving mental health and managing symptoms of ADHD through mindful self-care rather than numbing. These insights reflect an ongoing commitment to addressing complex emotional behaviors in the context of managing ADHD, with a focus on improving overall mental health and awareness.   *This summary was generated using Ai

In today’s episode, we talk about connection! How do you connect with yourself, the people around you, and your life? What are the impediments to achieving these connections? Why bother? We answer these questions and more. 

Detailed show notes:

• How to connect with yourself, and how you will feel and operate as a consequence. [2:31]
• Link to #71 Authenticity – Normalizing ADHD
• Questions for reflection – connecting with self (it’s worth pausing!) [4:14]
• Impediments to connecting with the people around us, and what happens when we can overcome them. [4:49]
• The single question that will shape how you connect with other people – W.I.I.F.M.T.? [7:49]
• Questions for reflection – connecting with people [8:56]
• Purpose, happiness, and meaning – how connected are you with your life as a whole? [9:23]
• Questions for reflection – connecting with life [11:01]
• Practices to develop your sense of connection with your everyday interactions [11:34]

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“Rather than be defined by a label, I choose to challenge the boundaries of its perceived limitations.” Shawn Smith

I had the pleasure of speaking with Shawn Smith, M.Ed., CCC about ADHD, ASD and his personal journey with it all, and how he supports his clients as a counselor/therapist. 

This conversion was such a delight, Shawn has an amazing way to capture your attention and get to the heart of the discussion. 

I enjoyed talking about

• ADHD and Medication, the long journey to finding treatment that supports ADHD, and how his own experience of medication
• He shares a unique approach to building confidence through creating challenges 
• Shawn was recently diagnosed with ASD in addition to his ADHD, he shares how this diagnosis shows up in his life 
• Navigating friendships as a neurodivergent thinker
• How to manage rigid thinking 
• I especially enjoyed his view on masking in social settings and setting boundaries  
• “no one said being awesome is going to be easy”, Shawn Smith.

More About Shawn

Neurodivergent (Autistic and ADHD) Psychotherapist, Consultant, and founder of Don’t dis-my-ability®, a multifaceted company that utilizes my unique gifts that come by way of being uniquely gifted and neurodivergent.

• Website: www.ddmacs.ca
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ddmacs.ca
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/dontdismyabilit
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DdmacsCa
• Don’t dis-my-ability Podcast: http://ddmacs.ca/podcast/

There are a few ways to manage ADHD, and not all of us will use the same methods and systems. In this episode, I wanted to share with you Sarah’s story on how she is able to manage her ADHD with coaching.

Full disclaimer that Sarah is a client of mine and this episode has not been edited in any way. I wanted to ensure that you hear firsthand her experience, and also get a glimpse into what it is like to be in my coaching program.

Each of us has our own unique set of challenges when it comes to ADHD and each of my clients have their own unique discoveries. The important part of this message is to get professional support and make your mental health your number priority. Once you learn the science of your brain wiring life can become so much easier and your brain can become your best asset.

I would love to hear from you:

• To see if coaching is right for you, book a discovery call with me.
• Did you know most of the time your subconscious (your autopilot) is driving your actions and behaviors without you knowing, find out more
• Be sure to subscribe to this show to stay current with my weekly episode
• Leave me a voice mail about this topic or other questions related to Managing Adult ADHD https://www.speakpipe.com/Coachcathy super easy todo, Record, Listen, and push Send. I will respond in my upcoming episodes.

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P.S.S. I am so excited!!!! Did you know my show was recently listed in the feedspot.com as Top 25 ADHD Podcasts? I am super excited to be part of this list, head over there to see other amazing ADHD shows.