ADHD reWired

This Week's Episode: Rick Green returns to this podcast on this episode. Rick created the ground-breaking website TotallyADD.com. He's also responsible for two PBS documentaries on adult ADD, ADD and Loving It?! and ADD and Mastering It! These documentaries were very well received. Rick is a former Physics teacher and became a full-time comedian with The Frantics, The Red Green Show, and History Bites. In this conversation, you will hear Rick talk about the sacrifices he's made and the struggles he's endured to produce his incredible documentaries on ADHD. ADHD and Loving It?! has been viewed by an estimated 4-5 million Americans! Because of Rick's experience as a content creator in show business, he provides an interesting look into the areas of the industry that can cause people with ADHD some trouble. He also shares resources and techniques that he has implemented to help him with organization and structure. Connect with Rick Green: Website: http://totallyadd.com You'll Learn: [05:17] - Once he left science, Rick became a comedian. He shares some of his show business experiences. [09:01] - Rick was diagnosed in 2001. He talks about his idea to pitch his first tv show on ADHD. [11:31] - Rick shares that he created a website that was originally meant to provide complementary material. [14:13] - Rick went 18 months without income, selling his wife's care and even his house. He could sacrifice his vision to be in a better financial state. [17:17] - Rick talks about the organization and structure of his website and explains the type of resource that it is. We talk about getting away from the clinical checklist and connecting through story. [24:21] - Rick shares why he picked the title "ADHD and Loving It?!" [26:42] - Rick talks about a humorous take while they were filming. [27:57] - We talk about the power of personal positive reviews and recommendations and struggling with making decisions. [34:40] - A few years ago, Rick was appointed to a patient advisory committee. He shares some of the research that he's been a part of. [46:01] - I explain how I use this podcast. Rick talks about the reluctance to spend money on mental health. [54:38] - Rick sits in the ADHD reWired hot seat. He has lately felt overwhelmed because of the marketing overhaul with his content. We talk about prioritizing the tasks and focusing on tasks that make others easier or unnecessary. It becomes clear that Rick could use a project manager. [1:17:33] - We talk about organizing systems and the creation of a process map. We share some helpful resources. Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: http://www.audibletrial.com/ADHDreWired Support the podcast on Patreon Patreon allows listeners like you to support content creators like me. With a monthly contribution, you can get access to different levels of perks. Learn more at http://patreon.com/adhdrewired Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live! These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30pm. Go to http://erictivers.com/events. ADHD Women's Palooza If you missed the ADHD Women's Palooza, you can purchase all 36 sessions (including mine) for only $197! Check it out here: http://www.erictivers.com/palooza Want to be a guest? Hey! What about you? Do you have a story? Are you a Coach? Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered yes to any of these questions and you'd like to be a guest, schedule a pre-interview call here.

This Week's Episode: This week, we bring you a recorded session of a live ADHD Q&A session. The recording you will hear on this episode is from the March session. Nisha Subramanian joins me to moderate this event. If you are listening to this episode the day it is published, Tuesday, April 11th, you can participate in the April ADHD Q&A session! It starts at 12:30pm Central. Go to EricTivers.com/events to register. On this episode, you will hear a variety of questions that we received for this Q&A session. We talk about accountability, group conversation dynamics, and strategies with organization and motivation. Toward the end of this episode, Nisha and I share one of our struggles with the ADHD reWired community, and we ask live viewers for advice. You'll Learn: [08:45] - Anne asks how to help her college freshman with his executive challenges when he is far away. I share my personal experience with college and discovering I have ADHD when I was in college. I share some ways that he can get some support while away at college. [12:15] - Sarah asks a question about making accountability work, as she requires a level of accountability that asks a lot of the other person. Nisha and I talk about accountability. [17:17] - Rebecca has ADHD and is a therapist that is starting her private practice. She asks for tips on keeping up with paperwork. I talk about my experience in starting my own business. [20:55] - Eileen asks about knowing the appropriate time to speak in group conversations. I encourage her to ask for feedback from her friends. [24:52] - Tiffany asks how to stop over-sharing. Experts say that oversharing is fueled by our insecurities. I ask, "Are you sharing something that you've dealt with?" and encourage you to ask yourself, "Why am I sharing this?" [29:07] - Sarah asks re-framing a task you have a lot of resistance towards. Nisha shares her experience with having a resistance towards writing. [33:54] - Liz joins the call to ask about lists. She asks for tools or tips to update these lists. Liz is currently using Evernote, and I explain how Evernote may not be the best tool for this. I explain how I set up my boards. [40:54] - Anthony shares that if he doesn't know what to do, he doesn't do anything. He asks for help in this area. I have a lot of strategies for this situation because I struggle with this. [46:37] - Nisha and I talk about one of our struggles, which is managing the ADHD reWired Facebook group. We ask live viewers for advice on handling this situation. [53:52] - Teresa asks when I was first diagnosed with ADHD. Your Resources: Brené Brown - Anatomy of Trust Asana Trello Marie TV on YouTube Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: http://www.audibletrial.com/ADHDreWired ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group! Our Spring 2017 sessions are April 24th through June 30th. Registration is now through April 4th. Go to http://coachingrewired.com and schedule a call if you want to join. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live! These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30pm. Go to http://erictivers.com/events. ADHD Women's Palooza If you missed the ADHD Women's Palooza, you can purchase all 36 sessions (including mine) for only $197! Check it out here: http://www.erictivers.com/palooza Want to be a guest? Hey! What about you? Do you have a story? Are you a Coach? Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered yes to any of these questions and you'd like to be a guest, schedule a pre-interview call here.

This Week's Episode: This week, I'm joined by Ana Gillon. Ana is a mother, wife, and project coordinator. She has been on a meandering journey of self-understanding since she was diagnosed with ADHD five years ago. A self-proclaimed "wandering creative," Ana was part of a recent ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability group. In this conversation, you will hear Ana tell her ADHD story. She talks about ADHD and the idea of giving your ADHD a job. Ana explains how the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability group is helping her. She describes how the use of bread crumbs and other techniques from the group helps with organization. Ana also shares her planning strategies, which includes necessary adjustments. Investing time into planning helps build an attainable roadmap. Connect with Ana Gillon: Email: ana.gillon@gmail.com You'll Learn: [07:47] - Ana talks about how her diagnosis came about and found this podcast. She talks about the discovery that she is a "hot mess". [12:00] - Ana shares a personal story about the co-parenting of her son and explains how this situation helped her understand that her ADHD was impacting her life. [16:00] - Ana describes how she saw herself as an employee in the workplace when she was issued performance plans. [18:44] - Ana explains what a project coordinator is and how this is a position you would not expect to be filled by a person with ADHD. [23:37] - Ana talks about working in a corporate environment with ADHD. She would not recommend the strategy she has historically taken, avoidance. [27:37] - It has been two years since Ana started in her current role. She explains how her mindset has recently changed. [30:59] - Ana talks about how she uses the bread crumbs strategy that she learned in the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group. [33:08] - Ana explains how she uses a Google calendar and a paper calendar together. [39:32] - Ana explains that the more she makes bread crumbs and other strategies as part of her routine, the less energy she is putting into single decisions. [42:05] - We talk about using Craigslist as a storage locker. [43:34] - Ana shares her strategies for going through her stuff. [46:50] - Ana talks about how she plans, and she describes how planning gives her comfort. [56:32] - Ana explains how her strategies mesh with her husband's organization. I share a suggestion with Ana to help with these situations. [1:00:27] - Ana shares some advice for the spouse of someone that will be participating in the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group. [1:05:42] - Ana describes where she would like to be in five years and what she is doing now to work towards that goal. [1:08:53] - Ana talks about the biggest change that she's seen in herself since becoming part of the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability group. Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: http://www.audibletrial.com/ADHDreWired ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group! Our Spring 2017 sessions are April 24th through June 30th. Registration is now through April 4th. Go to http://coachingrewired.com and schedule a call if you want to join. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live! These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30pm. Go to http://erictivers.com/events. ADHD Women's Palooza If you missed the ADHD Women's Palooza, you can purchase all 36 sessions (including mine) for only $197! Check it out here: http://www.erictivers.com/palooza Want to be a guest? Hey! What about you? Do you have a story? Are you a Coach? Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered yes to any of these questions and you'd like to be a guest, schedule a pre-interview call here.

This Week's Episode: This week, I'm joined by award-winning podcaster, Kevin Allison. Kevin is the host of the story-telling podcast, Risk! This is a podcast where people tell true stories they never thought they would share in front of an audience. Kevin is also part of the sketch comedy troupe, The State. Considering he is the host of a wildly successful podcast on storytelling, you are going to hear Kevin tell some parts of his story. Kevin has always seen himself as a creative type that is "kind of a mess," and he realized he needed help with the podcast's business. One of his listeners helped him build the podcast into a thriving business. In this conversation, you will hear us discuss various aspects of telling your ADHD story. Kevin explains that forming and telling a story can help you learn more about yourself as you dig into the complexities of those situations. He shares some tips on putting together your story and determining if you are ready to tell your ADHD story. Connect with Kevin Allison Risk! PodcastTwitter - @TheKevinAllison You'll Learn: [06:17] - Kevin talks about his habit of working in bed and knowing that it may not be the best environment to be creative and get work done. [07:40] - Kevin talks about "coming out" with his executive functioning challenges. He shares how he tapped into his listeners to get help with the business. [10:57] - Kevin tours with his podcast frequently. He shares how his business associate helps him by putting together the itineraries for these trips. [12:29] - Kevin talks about how he has been thinking about returning to an anti-depressant. [14:03] - We talk about the effect that the 2016 election is having on some people. [16:30] - Kevin shares some ways that he takes care of himself. He talks about how he loses the desire to do those things when depression creeps in. [18:27] - Our community is very familiar with shame. Kevin explains the role that shame plays with Risk and in his life. [24:54] - Kevin says that it's when you dig into the complexity of situations for the purpose of storytelling, it is a process that helps you learn about yourself. He also explains that this type of art is sometimes at it's best when it is rooted in reality. [31:52] - Kevin shares an instance of sharing a personal story and how it helped him create a connection with the audience that he had never experienced. [33:02] - Kevin talks about how Risk is shocking but is not going for shock-value. [34:06] - Risk is currently involved in a controversy. He shares some information on this situation and incidents in the past. [45:17] - I feel there is power in people sharing their ADHD stories. Kevin shares some thoughts on whether or not you're ready to tell your story. [52:27] - I talk with Kevin about an idea I have about creating storytelling opportunities for people with ADHD. Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: http://www.audibletrial.com/ADHDreWired ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group! Our Spring 2017 sessions are April 24th through June 30th. Registration is now through April 4th. Go to http://coachingrewired.com and schedule a call if you want to join. Planning Workshops Do you feel like consistency is a weakness of yours? I would like to show you the effective planning strategies I have used to be incredibly consistent with this podcast. Join me for two free planning workshops. The first session will be on Monday, March 27th. We will be covering yearly and quarterly planning in that first session. The second session covers planning your day, week, and month. This session is on Wednesday, March 29th. Registration is free, but space is limited. Register at EricTivers.com/events. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live! These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30pm. Go to http://erictivers.com/events. ADHD Women's Palooza If you missed the ADHD Women's Palooza, you can purchase all 36 sessions (including mine) for only $197! Check it out here: http://www.erictivers.com/palooza Want to be a guest? Hey! What about you? Do you have a story? Are you a Coach? Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered yes to any of these questions and you'd like to be a guest, schedule a pre-interview call here.

This Week's Episode: Nicole joins me on this episode of ADHD reWired. Nicole is a mom of two with a background in sales. Nicole has been a member of our most recent ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group. In this discussion, Nicole shares her ADHD story with us. She has an entertaining story of how she first realized she has ADHD. Nicole shares a lot with us in the conversation. You will hear how she views the role that ADHD plays in her life, she reads a letter she wrote to her ADHD, and she describes the changes she is experiencing in her life now because of her involvement in the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group. Connect with Nicole Email: plymouthmn7@gmail.com You'll Learn: [06:09] - Nicole describes her background and her history with ADHD. She was not diagnosed until she was a senior in college. She shares how this discovery and diagnosis came about. [09:12] - Nicole talks about some of the resources she found (this podcast included) and how she started to understand the science of ADHD. [16:30] - Nicole shares how she views the role ADHD plays in her life. I describe a post-it note that Nicole has designed that symbolizes everything. [21:38] - We recently did a writing exercise in the group. I asked members to write a letter that starts "Dear ADHD," and she shares her letter with us. [24:24] - Nicole explains why she joined the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group. [31:17] - Nicole shares some of her transformation that was brought on by being part of the group. [33:27] - Nicole believed that hyperfocus was one of her greatest strengths. We discuss the side effects that can make hyperfocus a weakness. [43:36] - Nicole talks about how she benefitted from mindfulness meditation. [46:20] - Nicole texted me that she needed to reschedule our appointment, but then changed her mind. We talk about pushing through perfectionism and feelings of not being in the right mental place for events to take place. [50:50] - Holding onto strengths and successes is important because there will be times of weakness that you use those to push through. [51:58] - Nicole lists some of the successes she's experienced because of the ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group. This has helped her grow in ways she would have never expected. [56:52] - Nicole talks about using paper and Evernote to organize. [1:01:53] - If you are newly diagnosed with ADHD and are planning on having children or have children that are young, Nicole has a message for you. Your Resources: More Attention, Less Deficit - Ari Tuckman Podcast Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: http://www.audibletrial.com/ADHDreWired ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group! Our Spring 2017 sessions are April 24th through June 30th. Registration is March 27th through April 4th. If you reserve your spot now on a Tuesday or Thursday before March 24th, mention the promo code "reWired 100" to get $100 off registration. Go to http://coachingrewired.com and schedule a call if you want to join. Planning Workshops Do you feel like consistency is a weakness of yours? I would like to show you the effective planning strategies I have used to be incredibly consistent with this podcast. Join me for two free planning workshops. The first session will be on Monday, March 27th. We will be covering yearly and quarterly planning in that first session. The second session covers planning your day, week, and month. This session is on Wednesday, March 29th. Registration is free, but space is limited. Register at EricTivers.com/events. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live! These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30pm. Go to http://erictivers.com/events. ADHD Women's Palooza If you missed the ADHD Women's Palooza, you can purchase all 36 sessions (including mine) for only $197! Check it out here: http://www.erictivers.com/palooza Want to be a guest? Hey! What about you? Do you have a story? Are you a Coach? Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered yes to any of these questions and you'd like to be a guest, schedule a pre-interview call here.

This Week's Episode: This week, we bring you a recorded session of our ADHD Q&A session. The recording you will hear on this episode is from the February session. Nisha Subramanian joins me to moderate this event. We field several questions on ADHD, task management, and organization. We talk about avoiding social media distractions, setting goals, controlling emotions and anger management, accountability, and much more. If you're listening to this episode the day it is released (Tuesday, March 14th), you can join the March session today! It starts at 12:30pm Central, and you can register at EricTivers.com/events. You'll Learn: [11:57] - When considering teens with ADHD and anxiety, task initiation is especially hard and involves a lot of parent involvement. I discuss some ways for adolescents to increase independence in this area. [14:45] - Lucinda asks about items that are scheduled, but don't have a home for until that scheduled time. I share some ideas on how to organize and store these tasks. [19:52] - Scott asks how a question about selecting a doctor. I give some tips and things to consider when selecting a physician to administer medications. [23:05] - Chris asks what techniques could be used to control emotions and anger management. I explain why this is an important topic for people with ADHD and some tips to manage these emotions through self-care. [28:03] - Adam wonders, "How do you set goals when you don't know what you want?" I share some self-exploration practices to evaluate your situation to determine what energizes you. [33:48] - Aziz finds that chess is one of the few things in which he's able to hyperfocus. However, he plays chess daily and would like to know how to disengage. I explain the role of dopamine in these situations and share that accountability is a way to stop at an appropriate time. [40:28] - Tom shares how he uses Alexa to help him with task management and organization. [48:03] - We spend a lot of time on Facebook and this inevitably leads to a lack of productivity. I share a few resources to limit and control online and social media use to maintain productivity. [52:51] - Scott asks about a medication suggestion, but I explain why I am not able to give a recommendation. [54:50] - Lucinda asks a follow-up question to her previous question. Nisha and I have some advice to have a visual reminder of items that need to be taken care of. [59:33] - Nisha brings up a topic from a coaching group. She asks the question, "What is self-care?" I describe self-care as self compassion and self kindness and describe some ways to practice self-care. Your Resources: AlexaRescueTimeForestFreedomFacebook PurityMessenger.com Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: http://www.audibletrial.com/ADHDreWired ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group! Our Spring 2017 sessions are April 24th through June 30th. Registration is March 27th through April 4th. If you reserve your spot now on a Tuesday or Thursday before March 24th, mention the promo code "reWired 100" to get $100 off registration. Go to http://coachingrewired.com and schedule a call if you want to join. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live! These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30pm. Go to http://erictivers.com/events. ADHD Women's Palooza If you missed the ADHD Women's Palooza, you can purchase all 36 sessions (including mine) for only $197! Check it out here: http://www.erictivers.com/palooza Want to be a guest? Hey! What about you? Do you have a story? Are you a Coach? Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered yes to any of these questions and you'd like to be a guest, schedule a pre-interview call here.

This Week's Episode: Best-selling author, blogger, speaker, and friend Stephanie Sarkis returns to the podcast on this episode. Recently, one of Stephanie's blog posts went viral, and she was interviewed on CNN. This article was on "gaslighting." She joins me on this episode to discuss this topic and the issues surrounding it. In this conversation, we use Stephanie's blog piece on gaslighting to jump into a discussion on the current political environment. We talk about how the current climate is affecting us all as individuals. Stephanie shares how to practice good self-care, and we talk about how to engage in constructive discourse with those that we don't agree with. In this episode, you will hear some of my personal political opinions. ADHD reWired is more than a podcast, we are a community. As a community, I want to bring people together so we can learn more from each other. These conversations about politics may be difficult; it's my hope that these conversations can help us all become better listeners, communicators, and citizens. Connect with Stephanie Sarkis Website - http://www.stephaniesarkis.com/ You'll Learn: [08:39] - Stephanie talks about gaslighting, which is a series of behaviors that is used to manipulate. She explains what types of people use these behaviors. [10:49] - Stephanie did not write this article based on current political events, but people are becoming more aware of manipulative behavior in politics. [13:12] - Recent political events have caused people to obsess and struggle to function. Stephanie talks about self-care in these tumultuous situations. [13:53] - Stephanie talks about how to practice good self-care, specifically with electronics. "Electronics are cocaine for the ADHD brain." [19:15] - While talking about self-care, we talk about the role of exercise. [23:04] - Stephanie talks about the importance of being around people that lift you up, rather than bring you down. [23:42] - We talk about relationships with people who we disagree with politically. People struggle with knowing how to speak out appropriately. Stephanie shares some thoughts on this scenario and when it's right to disengage. [28:22] - I recently posted some political thoughts on my personal Facebook page. This led to some back-and-forth with friends that disagreed with me. I share some of my behaviors in this discussion and Stephanie explains why communication can break down. [32:48] - Stephanie shares what we can do to get involved to be constructive with these emotions we feel. [36:14] - We talk about some of the work that groups like CHADD have been doing. [41:25] - I share what I have done to take action with my elected officials. Stephanie shares what we do and don't have control over in these situations. [46:22] - Calling legislators can be intimidating for those of us that have phone anxiety. Stephanie talks about ways to get involved and contact legislators without calling them on the phone. [49:19] - There's a lot of illegitimate news sources out there right now. It's important to verify that the information you are receiving and using is accurate. [52:28] - While it feels like civic discourse has disappeared, Stephanie says that we are moving in the right direction. Our common goals will be what ties us together. [55:59] - We explain the loaded background of the term "snowflake" and the history of Japanese internment camps. [1:00:10] - Journaling can help you work through things if you are upset. Your Resources: Stephanie's blog post on GaslightingFitocracyInsight TimerCountableSFaxCivics 101 PodcastPod Save AmericaShower Thoughts on Twitter Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: http://www.audibletrial.com/ADHDreWired ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group! Our Spring 2017 sessions are April 24th through June 30th. Registration is March 27th through April 4th. If you reserve your spot now on a Tuesday or Thursday before March 24th, mention the promo code "reWired 100" to get $100 off registration. Go to http://coachingrewired.com and schedule a call if you want to join. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live! These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30pm. Go to http://erictivers.com/events. ADHD Women's Palooza If you missed the ADHD Women's Palooza, you can purchase all 36 sessions (including mine) for only $197! Check it out here: http://www.erictivers.com/palooza ADHD-Friendly Guide to Understanding Insurance Go from "WTF!" to "Done!" with our three-part series. Jessica Stillwell will be presenting the information and answering all of your questions. Go to http://erictivers.com/events to register! Want to be a guest? Hey! What about you? Do you have a story? Are you a Coach? Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered yes to any of these questions and you'd like to be a guest, schedule a pre-interview call here.

Help With Organizing with Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright This Week's Episode: I'd like to thank Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright from coming on the podcast this week. I'd also like to thank Nikki and Pete for having me on their show. This episode was recorded live on Facebook. If you'd like to be notified of future live Facebook broadcasts, like our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ADHDreWired/. Nikki Kinzer is a blogger, online course creator, professional and certified ADHD coach, and co-host of the Taking Control Podcast. Pete Wright is Nikki's co-host. In addition to a broadcaster, storyteller, photographer, and tech geek. Nikki and Pete have been co-hosting together since 2010. I think you will enjoy this lively and resource-packed discussion. We start the conversation off by Nikki and Pete sharing their professional backgrounds, both as individuals and as a team. You are going to learn about a lot of resources in this discussion. Pete and I also share how we use some of these resources and give you tips on how to get the most out of them. Later in the discussion, Nikki talks about organizing and she shares some techniques you can use to help get organized. Connect with Nikki Kinzer and Pete Wright Taking Control Podcast Twitter - @TakeControlADHD Take Control ADHD on Facebook You'll Learn: [07:02] - Pete shares that he is doing a second podcast. As it turns out, he's been doing this podcast for a year and until recently, Nikki was not aware of this podcast. [08:59] - Nikki started as a professional organizer. Unlike her co-host, Nikki does not have ADHD. Nikki and Pete share their history together. [10:57] - Pete talks about his background, which includes how he discovered that he had ADHD. [12:56] - The brand under which Pete podcasts is Rash Pixel FM. He talks about this platform. [14:47] - We discuss TextExpander, which is a productivity tool. We share the different ways we use this resource. This leads to a discussion on several tools we use with our workflow. [34:13] - Nikki came out with two new courses in 2016, "Organizing Your Space Your Way" and "The Paper Solution". She has another course coming out this spring on time management. I share my weakness with organization when it comes to paper. I show Nikki and Pete my workspace. [40:35] - Nikki and Pete talk about "tolerations". The first step to take control is to purge. [43:21] - Pete talks about their last monthly challenge which helps de-clutter. [48:12] - Nikki said when it comes to organizing, we're not looking for perfection, you just need to find what you need when you need it. [49:50] - Nikki explains how to decide whether or not you should keep something or get rid of it. She shares various techniques to help you get organized. [58:44] - A live viewer asks a question about the amount of time people spend on "desk duty." Your Resources: ADHD Rewired YouTube Channel Jessica McCabe's How to ADHD YouTube Channel Taking Control Podcast TextEpander 2Do Process.St Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: http://www.audibletrial.com/ADHDreWired ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group! If you missed early registration for our Spring ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group, for three days only, I am opening my calendar so you can get $400 off! Today, February 28th, is the last session of the month. Turn good intention into amazing action with our virtual video-based group coaching program. Go to http://coachingrewired.com and schedule a call if you want to join. Productivity Q&A: Get your ADHD questions answered live! These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30 P.M. CST. Go to http://erictivers.com/events. ADHD Women's Palooza: If you missed the ADHD Women's Palooza, you can purchase all 36 sessions (including mine) for only $197! Check it out here: http://www.erictivers.com/palooza Want to be a guest? Hey! What about you? Do you have a story? Are you a Coach? Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered yes to any of these questions and you'd like to be a guest, schedule a pre-interview call here.

I'm joined on this episode of ADHD reWired by Eric Light. Eric was diagnosed with ADHD as a child but did not take the diagnosis seriously until recently. Eric emailed me that he was interested in sharing his story and I'm excited to let him share his story. In this conversation, you will hear Eric tell his personal story. Eric was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of ten. Eric story involves mental and physical abuse and self-medication. Now that he is receiving counseling and appropriate medication, he is able to work through this past abuse, including through exposure therapy. Connect with Eric Light YouTube Channel You'll Learn: [04:10] – Eric tells his ADHD story. He was diagnosed at the age of ten. He didn't like his medication because it made him physically ill. He started with medication in high school and it had other negative side effects. [06:10] – Eric hid his pills when he was a child. [07:00] – Eric shares his high school experience. [08:07] – Eric self-medicated with marijuana and we talk about marijuana use with people with ADHD. Eric explains how marijuana helped him. Eric no longer uses marijuana and he explains why. [11:45] – Eric talks about his post-high school life. He describes his gaps between high school and college. He explains some struggles he has been through. [17:20] – When he was around the age of four, he was abused by a babysitter. He talks about how this has affected his life. This includes some terrible advice from a therapist. [21:28] – Eric describes the mental and physical abuse he sustained from this babysitter. [25:00] - We talk about the role his abuse may play in his ADHD symptoms. [29:00] – Eric explains how he sees this abuse now, years removed from it. He believes his is normal, based on the circumstances. [29:52] – He has recently started receiving counseling and taking medication. He talks about how this all has helped him deal with the abuse and other areas of his life. He explains how his medication has helped with his counseling. [32:55] – Eric talks about what has helped him the most, including exposure therapy. [36:50] – Eric explains exposure therapy and how it has helped him. [41:56] – Eric talks about accepting the good and bad about yourself through introspection. [47:41] – The struggle and pain that Eric went through have put things into perspective for him. [50:31] – Eric believes that some people take comfort in negativity. [52:20] – Eric sits in the ADHD hot seat. We focus on the social aspects of life that Eric struggles with. Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: http://www.audibletrial.com/ADHDreWired ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group! If you missed early registration for our Spring ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group, for three days only, I am opening my calendar so you can get $400 off! The dates are today, February 22nd, and Tuesday, February 28th. Turn good intention into amazing action with our virtual video-based group coaching program. Go to http://coachingrewired.com and schedule a call if you want to join. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live! These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30pm. Go to http://erictivers.com/events. ADHD Women's Palooza If you missed the ADHD Women's Palooza, you can purchase all 36 sessions (including mine) for only $197! Check it out here: http://www.erictivers.com/palooza ADHD-Friendly Guide to Understanding Insurance Go from "WTF!" to "Done!" with our three-part series. Jessica Stillwell will be presenting the information and answering all of your questions. Go to http://erictivers.com/events to register! Want to be a guest? Hey! What about you? Do you have a story? Are you a Coach? Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered yes to any of these questions and you'd like to be a guest, schedule a pre-interview call here.

This Week's Episode: Returning to join me on the podcast again is Dr. Roberto Olivardia. Dr. Olivardia is a clinical instructor of psychology at Harvard Medical School. He maintains a private practice in Massachusetts. Dr. Olivardia specializes in ADHD, OCD, Bipolar Disorder, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, personality disorders and eating disorders. He joins me to talk about Dyslexia on this episode. In this discussion, you will hear Roberto describe what Dyslexia is like for someone that has it. He goes into detail with the professional definition and then explains what this looks like in real life. Roberto also talks about the overlap in symptoms between ADHD and Dyslexia and describes how these are different, even with similar symptoms. We discuss why it's best that Dyslexia is diagnosed in youth and Robert talks about some of the assistive technology that is available. Connect with Roberto Olivardia: Email - roberto_olivardia@hms.hardvard.edu You can thrive with dyslexia if you have the right tools You'll Learn: [04:05] - Roberto talks about what interests him about dyslexia. [06:47] - Roberto lays the groundwork for this discussion by defining Dyslexia (with an accent). He describes what Dyslexia is like and I share some of my own experiences. [18:27] - Roberto explains what to look for when testing for Dyslexia. Some of these issues can overlap with ADHD, but there is a clear difference. [21:15] - Robert talks about some of the assistive technology that is available for people with Dyslexia. [22:23] - Robert tells the story of he and his son testifying at the Massachusetts State House. [26:09] - Robert talks about some of the teaching patterns for people with Dyslexia. Robert shares why repeating a grade is a horrible idea for youth with Dyslexia. [29:45] - Robert believes that children with dyslexia should get diagnosed as early as possible. [31:30] - Being diagnosed with Dyslexia is more difficult for adults and Robert explains why. [35:20] - Robert talks about a certain font that has been successful for people with Dyslexia. It doesn't really work for Robert's son and this leads to a discussion on how Robert explains Dyslexia to his son. [39:36] - Robert shares that people with Dyslexia struggle with foreign languages. However, he has had a number of patients that have excelled in certain languages. [42:02] - A lot of techniques for people with Dyslexia can help people that don't have Dyslexia. Robert shares some of these techniques. [50:38] - Robert explains why it is so important for college students to register with the disability office. Your Resources: Learning AllyUnderstood.orgBookshareGrammarlyBeelineReader Use my Audible.com affiliate link for your favorite titles: http://www.audibletrial.com/ADHDreWired ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group! If you missed early registration for our Spring ADHD reWired Coaching and Accountability Group, for three days only, I am opening my calendar so you can get $400 off! The dates are Thursday February 16th, Tuesday February 21st, and Tuesday February 28th. Turn good intention into amazing action with our virtual video-based group coaching program. Go to http://coachingrewired.com and schedule a call if you want to join. Productivity Q&A Get your ADHD questions answered live! These Q&A sessions take place on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 12:30pm. Go to http://erictivers.com/events. ADHD Women's Palooza If you missed the ADHD Women's Palooza, you can purchase all 36 sessions (including mine) for only $197! Check it out here: http://www.erictivers.com/palooza ADHD Friendly Guide to Understanding Insurance Go from "WTF!" to "Done!" with our three-part series. Jessica Stillwell will be presenting the information and answering all of your questions. Go to http://erictivers.com/events to register! Want to be a guest? Hey! What about you? Do you have a story? Are you a Coach? Are you an ADHD Clinician? If you answered yes to any of these questions and you'd like to be a guest, schedule a pre-interview call here.