Hacking Your ADHD

Skye Waterson, research recap contributor and organizer at Unconventional Organization, breaks down a study on maternal inflammation and later child ADHD symptoms. They explain the study design and biomarkers. They define inflammation and cytokines. They discuss limitations, ethical concerns about blaming parents, epigenetics, and what stronger evidence could mean for prenatal care.

Erika Levine, a special education pro and occupational therapist who founded My IEP Hero to help parents navigate special education law. Conversations cover what an IEP actually means legally, differences between IEPs and 504 plans, how to start evaluations and meetings, and tools to walk into school meetings confidently. Practical, parent-focused guidance without the jargon.

They explore why getting started feels harder than staying in motion and how that 'static friction' traps you. They walk through nervous system states and why thinking alone cannot fix panic. They share bottom-up tricks like temperature, movement, and tiny micro-steps to gently raise arousal. They explain optimal stimulation and how small, calm boosts beat last-minute hype.

Katy McFee, executive coach and founder of Insights to Action who helps women reach VP roles after a late ADHD diagnosis. She explains how a doer identity can cause burnout. They discuss shifting from doing to leading, delegation and outsourcing, building systems that fit ADHD, and using AI and micro-steps to make work sustainable.

Skye Waterson, organizer and ADHD coach with Unconventional Organization, breaks down a randomized fMRI trial of atomoxetine. She explains default mode vs task-positive networks and how the drug shifted their balance. Conversation covers study design, participant details, key results on reduced default-mode activity, and practical tactics like stimulation, fidgets, and environment tweaks.

Sharon Pope, certified habit coach and CEO of Shelpful who builds AI accountability tools for neurodivergent brains. They talk about using AI as a second brain, conversational nudges that beat notification fatigue, and sorting tasks by energy level with Shelfful’s Magic Sort. Also covered: tiny, win-focused goals, automations like NFC and location triggers, and gamifying habit support.

A myth about Trojan Horses frames hidden distractions that quietly derail attention. The host contrasts short, regulated game breaks with ones that balloon into full derailments. He flags optimization procrastination and sunk-cost traps when choosing tasks. The episode calls out productivity theater and offers kinder, ADHD-aware ways to steer time toward real results.

Dr. Mona Potter, a Harvard‑trained child and adolescent psychiatrist and CMO of InStride Health, discusses how ADHD and anxiety overlap. She explains external versus internal distraction, how anxiety can mask ADHD, the mechanics of OCD and when ADHD structure might feed obsessive loops. Practical talk on medication as “volume control,” building executive skills, and pacing treatment when both conditions coexist.

Skye Waterson, organizer and ADHD coach at Unconventional Organization, offers a research recap and practical takeaways. They highlight startling real-world medication discontinuation rates. Short segments examine causes like side effects, dosing and titration issues, stigma and pharmacy barriers. The conversation ends with pragmatic ideas to make refills, titration and clinician messaging more helpful.

Garrett Wood, certified clinical hypnotherapist and founder of Gnosis Therapy who helps high-achieving professionals with burnout and nervous system regulation. He breaks down how burnout differs from tiredness and maps the five stages so you can locate where you are. He also covers nervous system needs, sensory profiles, bio budgets, and simple first steps to start recovering.