Special Announcement

This week, Eric is joined by Emily Karp! Emily is a 33-year-old entrepreneur, asexuality activist, and fan-work creator!  She embraced her ADHD around age 30 and quit her tedious job to become self-employed as a funeral celebrant and memorial slideshow editor who crafts personalized funerals and celebration-of-life events for non-religious individuals.  Emily went through the ADHD reWired coaching program in spring of 2021 and became a peer mentor in 2022.   Emily is also one of the authors of the book Ace and Aro Journeys: A Guide to Embracing your Asexual or Aromantic Identity, and is a lead organizer of the Washington DC Metro Area Ace and Aro meetup group!  Learn more about Emily at griefpictured.com! Questions/Topics: [00:01:39] Introducing Emily [00:02:41] Diving into the start of Emily’s ADHD journey [00:03:37] The stakes of getting an ADHD diagnosis [00:04:47] Life as an administrative professional before treatments  [00:08:47] Burnout, becoming an entrepreneur, sleep struggles, and coaching  [00:10:30] The “why” behind becoming a non-religious Funeral Celebrant  [00:13:24] Helping others grieve and heal, family estrangements, memorial gatherings, and closure  [00:17:17] Grief to acceptance with ADHD  [00:24:07] The basics of asexuality and aromantics [00:26:04] Nuances of ace relationships, significant others, attraction, and more   [00:28:25] Physical desire, libido, and other statistics in the asexual community  [00:30:44] A discussion on dysfunction, orientation, sexual trauma, and gatekeeping  [00:33:20] ADHD and neurodivergence in the Ace community  [00:42:07] The positive impact of community and relationships  [00:45:01] Emily’s facilitated sessions in the ADHD reWired community spaces  [00:46:54] Sharing more wins  [00:48:43] Emily’s work, website, and closing thoughts Resources & Honorable Mentions: Podcast: Aceterpretations Website: TAAAP – The Acc and Aro Advocacy Project @ taaap.org Book: Ace and Aro Journeys: A Guide to Embracing Your Asexual or Aromantic Identity Want to go to CHADD this year?  Go to chadd.org to learn more! 🌟 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, Eric is joined by Kimberly McColl, a recovering academic living in Nashville, which is where she was diagnosed with ADHD in February 2021.  Kimberly was also diagnosed with bipolar II in 2008.  Her recent diagnosis has caused her to rethink the narrative she has told herself her entire life.  Currently, she is learning more about ADHD and trying to give herself more grace and forgiveness.  You’ll hear Eric and Kimberly talk about her journey as a recovering academic, some of the key differences between bipolar I and II, the ways she experiences her ups and downs, and shares her insights about hyperfocus. Then, Kimberly shares the ways she distinguishes her experiences with dopamine-seeking with ADHD and bipolar, racing thoughts and mania, what shows up externally for her, and the positive impact community has had in her life.   Finally, she shares what a person could do if they are considering support or getting diagnosed with bipolar, how stories and narratives may be connected to memory, and the importance of being kind to yourself.  Other Questions & Topics in this Episode:  How did Kimberly get through school without being diagnosed?  What was the experience of getting diagnosed with bipolar II?  What are some of the most frustrating myths about bipolar disorder for Kimberly?  What is an experience that people without bipolar disorder may not understand?  How could a person capture the lost experiences of a period of time?  What is the first step to take if I am considering seeking support about bipolar?  Resources & Honorable Mentions: App:  –  Self-Care Bullet Journal with Goals – Mood Diary & Happiness Tracker Mentioned: Check out the Other Podcasts on the ADHD reWired Podcast Network: with Brendan Mahan with Will Curb with MJ Siemens The Executive Function Online Summit is happening on August 5-7!  Join 75,000+ families and teachers worldwide with one of the best ways to prep for Back 2 School!  Access is free from August 5-7 – Or go to to get registered!   

What is OCD, really? It’s far more than the stereotypes of handwashing, tapping, or lining up your pens just right. On today’s episode, Eric is joined by Natalia Aíza — a therapist, parent, writer, and co-founder of Kairos Wellness Collective — who specializes in supporting individuals and families navigating OCD and anxiety. Together, they explore how OCD can show up in less obvious ways, especially for those with ADHD. You’ll hear: ✅ Why OCD is often missed or misdiagnosed in ADHD brains ✅ How intense nostalgia, perfectionism, and social media checking can all be forms of OCD ✅ The difference between typical anxiety and OCD ✅ Why intrusive thoughts don’t define you ✅ How exposure response prevention (ERP) and medication can help ✅ Eric’s own reflections on healing unexpected layers through EMDR and discovering his autism If you’ve ever felt stuck in mental loops, struggled with perfectionism, or wondered whether your patterns might be more than “just” ADHD, this episode is for you. Learn more about Natalia Aiza and Kairos Wellness Collective: 👉 Instagram: 👉 Kairos Wellness Collective: 👉 Email: Ready to take the next step with your ADHD? Don’t miss our second 2nd chance Registration Event for the summer ADHD reWired Coaching & Accountability Groups on Thrusday, July 10.  Visit to learn more and secure your spot.

In today’s episode, Eric is joined by Edward Savio!  Edward is a dad, has ADHD, wrote a musical, and grew up in Connecticut; after Howard University, Edward moved to Los Angeles to pursue screenwriting, where he became a 10-year overnight success!  Savio’s first novel, Idiots in the Machine, was picked up by Sony Pictures from the academy award-winning producers of Forest Gump. After more deals with Sony, Disney, and others, Edward shifted his focus  writing novels so he could spend more time with his family.  He wrote his first three novels in the home overlooking San Francisco Bay, where Danielle Steel wrote her first two breakout novels.  He also once nearly drove Val Kilmer off a cliff!   Learn more about Edward at his website: EdwardSavio.com 🌟 Go to adhdrewired.com/Patreon where you can get an uninterrupted listening experience of this show!  You’ll also catch the full content of today’s episode and Eric and Edward’s extended discussion 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!  Questions/Topics:  [00:01:32] Introducing Edward Mentioned here: Book – Idiots in the Machine   [00:02:50] How Edward became successful and a writer and managing ADHD  [00:04:45] Routine, resistance, novelty, and plateauing [00:06:03] How to revisit a project that’s been put away for a while  [00:09:10] Misunderstandings in writing and why inflection matters [00:10:50] Struggles with transitions  [00:14:09] Getting help and taking action  [00:15:04] Edward shares some of his writing process and mitigating distractions  [00:21:23] Systems, built-in overhead, and a question about calendars  [00:25:37] Planning for and putting fun stuff on your calendar, and guilt when not engaging with goal-directed behavior  [00:29:04] “Do you know how many people said they wished they worked more?” and a creative person’s struggle  [00:31:04] “I want to make sure […] my writing does not overtake my ability to interact with people.” – Edward  [00:33:00] Goals, good ideas, and basketball in the office  [00:37:43] Tips for when your brain is faster than you can write and organizing thoughts  [00:41:51] When you don’t want to write, do this.  [00:42:52] What else has Edward been up to?  Mentioned here: Book – The Velvet Sledgehammer [00:47:11] Closing thoughts & where to find more from Edward  Resources & Honorable Mentions: ADHD reWired: Episode 497: Succeed in College with Hannah Choi Book: The Top 5 Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing by Bronnie Ware 🌟 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!

This week, Eric is joined by Brittany Berger, the founder of WorkBrighter.co, a digital media company and community that helps disabled, chronically-ill, mentally-ill, and neurodivergent creatives better balance between work, play, and rest, so they can burnout less. She started Work Brighter after 5 years working at a high-stress startup that prioritized hustle, growth, and scaling over health.  As a “multiply-disabled” human, her body eventually had enough of the constant burnout cycle.  Now that Brittany has escaped hustle culture, she spends her time helping others like her to find balance for themselves, advocating for disability justice, and dancing – always dancing!  Find out more at https://workbrighter.co or at Brittany’s Instagram @workbrighter Other Questions/Topics Answered in this Episode: [00:02:18] Eric and Brittany talk about workaholism, overachieving, and burning out.  [00:05:11] Brittany shares her inner dialogue after making the decision to create the life she wanted to transition towards.  [00:06:29] Accepting being not a part of hustle culture.  [00:07:56] Brittany talks about the “why” behind starting WorkBrighter.  [00:10:30] Eric and Brittany talk about exploring autism.  [00:21:38] What is Spoon Theory?  [00:23:54] A discussion on time and energy management.  [00:24:51] “Eat that frog!”  [00:28:27] A conversation about deep work [00:31:10] The importance of thinking of our time as being flexible.   [00:37:47] How did Brittany start to change her life to better suit her needs?  [00:40:59] Brittany shares more strategies she’s put into place to let her Work Brighter. [00:42:14] A discussion on managing email and batching tasks.  [00:49:39] Brittany gives a closing thought. Resources & Honorable Mentions: Article: Article:   Book:   Book:   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!  If you want to join us live on Zoom, go to adhdrewired.com/events to register!   You’ll also find the bonus questions & answers from this recording and can listen in ad-free on Patreon when you become a Patron at $5.00 a month or more by going to adhdrewired.com/Patreon!   Resources / Topics / Honorable Mentions Article: “Sailboat Metaphor” on scottbarrykaufman.com Article: “Why we Need to Evolve Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs from a Pyramid to a Sailboat Metaphor” by Kyle Kowalski Book: “No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model” Topic: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs   Topic: Sailboat of Needs Topic: Motivational Interviewing Website: Chat GPT at chat.openai.com Website: IFS Institute (Internal Family Systems) at ifs-institute.com Website/App: Goblin Tools at goblin.tools 🌟 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 so you can join us for our upcoming winter season of Coaching & Accountability groups in January 2024!