Parenting with Impact Ep257: A Psychiatrist's View on Focus for ADHD Brains with Kourosh Dini
Mar 11, 2026
Kourosh Dini, psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, musician and creator of Waves of Focus, shares his approach to helping wandering ADHD minds find sustainable attention. He discusses why pausing clarifies emotions, how a one-breath “visit” rebuilds agency, and replacing urgency with play, interest, novelty and connection. Practical ideas for teens, adults, and overwhelmed minds are highlighted in short, actionable segments.
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How Childhood Play Shaped A Psychiatrist
- Kourosh describes growing up with abundant play and creativity that led to bouncing between ideas and struggles in school and medical training.
- He kept playing piano and used creativity to stay authentic and produce meaningful work as a psychiatrist.
Decision Is Where Agency Is Built
- Decision sits at the junction of emotion and action and is the place where agency is developed.
- Kourosh Dini argues pausing lets emotions crystallize into clearer thoughts so you can decide whether action or inaction is useful.
Activate Focus With Interest Not Deadlines
- Try to harness interest, play, care, or novelty rather than waiting for deadlines to activate focus.
- Kourosh suggests recalling times you flowed (organizing, gaming) were driven by interest not urgency and can be repeated deliberately.