Overcoming Decision-Making Challenges with ADHD: Insights and Strategies

In today’s show, Eric is joined by Bowie Winnike, a.k.a. Rainbow!  Rainbow is a gender doula and neurodivergent support coach with a background in art, education, activism, and mental health.  They are deeply rooted in the trans community and have a passion for co-imagining deeper levels of communal accessible care. Learn more about Rainbow at RainbowChrysalisCoaching.com In this episode, you’ll hear Eric and Rainbow explore gender, the different intersections of oneself, and coming out!  You’ll also hear them talk about what a gender doula is, unmasking and transitions.  Finally, you’ll also hear about the importance of community, the possibilities through the process, the difference between being accepted vs. being valued for who you are, and more!  Questions/Topics:  [00:01:11] Introducing Rainbow [00:02:58] Rainbow talks about the challenges of feeling like they didn’t fit in  [00:08:44] Addressing discomfort, and being “othered”  [00:10:51] “What if we could just release these expectations?” and a discussion on masking  [00:14:32] Rainbow opens up about living their truth in the midst of fear  [00:22:42] What is a gender doula, and how can they help?   [00:24:46] ADHD, transitions, and identity  [00:29:43] Eric asks Rainbow about living their truth and how it’s affected their neurodivergence  [00:33:56] A transformational artform, being celebrated, and stirring the pot  [00:41:13] Neurodivergence in LGBTQ+ communities and pushing the boundaries of “normal”  [00:48:24] Closing thoughts  Resources & Honorable Mentions Book – Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto by Trisha Hersey Book – Beyond the Gender Binary by Alok Vaid-Menon Essay – Audre Lorde: The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action 🌟 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!

Join Cathy Rashidian on a transformative episode of Refined Leadership ADHD Lens, where we explore the intricate world of career transitions for those with an ADHD brain. Unlock practical strategies to leverage your unique strengths, gain clarity, and set yourself up for success in your professional journey.

Discover how to balance the excitement and overwhelm of career changes, focusing on what truly aligns with your goals and values. Learn to declutter your career experiences and approach new opportunities with confidence and a clear mindset.

Equip yourself with actionable steps, such as identifying core strengths and advocating for your needs strategically to foster a positive and flourishing work environment.

DOWNLOAD WORK BOOK HERE

In today’s episode, Eric is joined by Dr. Ali Arena!  Dr. Ali is passionate about social cognition, language processing, executive functioning, and creating meaningful friendships and relationships.  She is both a speech and language pathologist and a board-certified behavior analyst, has a doctorate degree in educational leadership, is becoming a licensed educational psychologist, and uses a neurodiversity- and trauma-informed lens when working with all clients.   Dr. Ali’s doctorate focus was unique, to say the least, as it addresses the dating intricacies of autistics, which led her to develop her private practice for anyone who wants help socially navigating in their workplace or relationships.  Lastly, Dr. Ali feels social support is a biological necessity and wants to help all neurodivergent individuals to reach wholistic communication.  Find out more and get connected with Dr. Ali at Connection-Squared.com Questions/Topics:  [00:01:36] Introducing Dr. Ali  [00:03:26] Eric asks Dr. Ali how she got into focusing on relationships and the dating intricacies of neurodivergent people  [00:05:04] Emptying the dishwasher and other themes in neurodivergent relationships [00:06:40] A discussion on parentification [00:07:53] Ways to bring up difficult conversations with a partner  [00:11:31] Cleaning up 99 percent, not assuming negative meanings, and shame responses [00:18:27] Listening, eye-contact, and different ways of processing while listening [00:22:35] “How do you cope with going out to eat in a noisy restaurant?” and other sensory challenges when communicating [00:24:41] Setting yourself up for talking with your partner  [00:26:02] Communicating via text [00:32:47] A discussion on neurodivergent relationships and sex  [00:36:57] Neurodiversity and the LGBTQ+ community  [00:39:00] Explaining neurodiversity as part of one’s identity in a relationship [00:42:54] The impact of being in a relationship with someone who understands your neurodiversity [00:45:31] Finding support for neurodivergent relationships and how to get in touch with Dr. Ali  [00:46:20] One more question for Dr. Ali & closing thoughts  🌟 Want to hear the bonus questions and answer at the end of this episode? Go to adhdrewired.com/Patreon where you can get an uninterrupted listening experience of this show and bonus content when you become a Patron at $5 a month or more! You can even join Eric every 4th Tuesday of the month for a Patron-only monthly coaching call at $25 a month!  🌟 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!

We’re back with another research review! In this episode, we cover the findings in a paper titled “Females with ADHD: An expert consensus statement taking a lifespan approach providing guidance for the identification and treatment of attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder in girls and women” 

Questions explored include: ADHD symptoms in girls/women – are they different? How might this affect rates of diagnosis? How might ADHD treatment differ for girls/women? Tune in to find out more.

Detailed show notes:

In today’s episode, we cover the findings in a paper published in 2020 titled “Females with ADHD”. Findings covered in this episode include: 

• How ADHD symptoms may differ in girls and women compared to boys and men. How behavioural expectations and inattentive ADHD may affect referral rates in girls and women. 
• The associated vulnerabilities of girls with ADHD – unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. 
• Pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments of ADHD in girls and women – should there be a difference? 
• Educational and occupational considerations and adjustments – what might we do in schools and the workplace to support ADHDers?

Full paper: https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-020-02707-9

🎧 Special Announcement: Alumni Voices + Your Chance to Join ADHD reWired In this special announcement episode of ADHD reWired, Eric shares something a little different: a powerful 10-minute audio montage of alumni from our most recent coaching group — voices from ADHDers just like you who finished the program not long ago. You’ll hear, in their own words, why they joined, what they were struggling with, and what changed for them over 8 weeks of coaching, accountability, and connection. From burnout and overwhelm to self-doubt and shame, these stories highlight the real transformations that can happen with the right support. 👉 Our second-chance registration event is Thursday, June 26th at 10 AM Pacific / 1 PM Eastern! ✅ Pre-registration is due by Wednesday, June 25th at least 24 hours before the event. 📝 Session details: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays 10 AM Pacific / 1 PM Eastern July 24th through September 18th 💥 Ready to join us? Here’s your next step: 1️⃣ Go to 2️⃣ If you’re not already on our interest list, click the button to join 3️⃣ Check your email and confirm your address so you don’t miss anything When you join the interest list, you’ll also get: A free time tracker we use in group A letter you can share with your employer about the program 🎧 Even if joining this season isn’t possible for you, we hope these alumni stories remind you: 👉 You’re not alone. 👉 You can do hard things — and you don’t have to do them the hardest way possible.

In today’s show, Eric is joined by Dana Crews!  Dana has been a coach, educator, facilitator, and trainer in the behavioral health and mental health field for over 15 years.  She is currently combining her own personal practice, unique life experience, and education in the ancient wisdom traditions together with modern psychology and behavioral and neuroscience research in her newly-created mindfulness ADHD life-coaching business: Second Arrow Life Coaching!  Dana is an advocate for invisible disabilities and neurodivergence.  She believes that knowing and connecting to your core values and practicing basic mindfulness and yogic techniques allows us to transform self-judgment and fear into constructive reflection, insight, compassion, health, and creative solutions. Find Dana on LinkedIn Learn more about Dana at her website secondarrowlifecoaching.com Find Dana on Instagram @secondarrowlifecoaching Questions/Topics:  [00:01:11] Introducing Dana  [00:03:08] What is the difference between satisfaction and contentment?  [00:05:03] Exploring contentedness and its different avenues  [00:06:32] Where is the overlap and what is separate between contentment and gratitude?  [00:11:51] A discussion about the discomfort in familiarity  [00:14:24] Is the struggle of holding onto contentment an issue of emotional self-regulation?   [00:20:00] How much of the struggle around contentment comes from societal ideas of feeling content and ADHD brains needing novelty?  [00:21:40] A discussion on Buddhist psychology and philosophy  [00:23:52] How does one strive through the lens of Buddhist philosophy?  [00:27:27] Not thinking about the future vs. over-planning for the future  [00:29:40] Overidentification, rumination, and separation of self  [00:31:32] How much of being able to experience being content has to do with resilience?   [00:39:40] Dana shares more about growing up, undiagnosed ADHD, travel, and meeting the Dalai Lama  [00:41:58] What is Ayurveda  [00:44:33] How can self-awareness inform our understanding of our experiences?  [00:46:30] A moment of an idea of contentment  [00:48:26] Closing thoughts  🌟 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!