Hacking Your ADHD

Hey team!

This week I'm talking with Strengths-Based Learning Expert Caitlin Meister who has made it her life's work to bring her strengths-based, neurodiversity-affirming, joyful learning approach to other parents and educators.

Caitlin is the Founding Director of The Greer Meister Group, a New York City-based private tutoring and educational consulting practice. She attended Wesleyan Unversity and went on to receive additional training through the Harvard Graduate School of Education and in the Orton-Gillingham approach for teaching students with language-based learning differences.

In our conversation today we discuss strength-based and neurodiversity-affirming approaches in education that foster belonging and engagement for all students. We also explore practical strategies like reframing behaviors, collaborating with teachers, and providing specific praise to support neurodiverse learners. Caitlin shares insights on embracing neurodiversity and creating flexible, inclusive learning environments where children's strengths and differences are valued. Support me on Patreon Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page Find the full show note at HackingYourADHD.com/159 This Episode's Top Tips

1. We can focus on utilizing a child's strengths and interests as starting points for learning and growth to help build confidence and engagement.
2. It's important to work collaboratively with teachers as a team with the shared goal of supporting the child's well-being and success.
3. Advocating for neurodiversity to be valued in learning environments can help create flexible spaces that can help everyone thrive.

Hey team,

This week I'm talking with Jackie Silver about nutrition and wellness. Jackie is a Registered Dietitian with a Master of Health Science (MHSc) in Nutrition Communications. She has a firm belief that neurodivergent and disabled people deserve to live a healthy lifestyle but found the opportunities for these communities lacking, so she decided to start her own practice, Accessible Wellness. Her area of expertise is in working with kids, teens, and adults with autism, ADHD, and those with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

In our conversation today, we discuss strategies for making nutrition and wellness more accessible. We talk about some of the common challenges we can face while trying to feed ourselves with ADHD, like irregular eating, difficulty with meal planning/prep, and poor interoceptive skills. We look at how we want simplified, tailored strategies to help people where they're at, rather than simply overwhelming them. We also go into some of the dangers of diet culture and the need to have compassion for ourselves when trying out new strategies. The Hunger-Fullness Scale Neurodivergent-Friendly 30-Minute Meals Be sure to check out Accessible Wellness

• On their Website
• On Instagram

And these great articles from the blog:

• 10 Principles of Intuitive Eating with a Neurodivergent Twist
• Forget to Eat? A Guide to Mechanical Eating for Neurodivergent Adults

Support me on Patreon Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page Find the full show note at HackingYourADHD.com/158 This Episode's Top Tips

1. Common challenges we can face when dealing with ADHD and food are irregular eating, difficulty with meal planning/prep, and poor interoceptive skills - that is recognizing when we are hungry or full or somewhere in between. To help combat this we can use strategies like eating schedules, snack cheat sheets, batch cooking, and using hunger/fullness scales to help build up that interoception.
2. We can work on practicing mindful eating by paying attention to tastes, textures, and fullness cues even when we have distractions around. Remember that we want to focus on meeting ourselves where we're at and doing things that work with our brains.
3. It's important to be compassionate with ourselves and focus on small, sustainable changes rather than demanding perfection.

Hey team! This week, I'm talking with Neha (name changed for anonymity) - she is a first-generation Indian immigrant who worked in big tech based out of the Bay Area, California. She now works to create awareness about undiagnosed ADHD in South Asians, especially women, and sells ADHD and autism-friendly products on her website pawtistictravel.com. And just as a quick note, Hacking Your ADHD listeners can get a 15% discount code with Hacking15 on all purchases.

In our conversation today Neha talks about her history of chronic domestic and emotional abuse, and how finally acknowledging and getting help with PTSD revealed her ADHD symptoms and diagnoses. We explore the lasting impacts of childhood trauma, from physical and emotional abuse to neglect, and its connections to ADHD and other mental health issues. We go into the importance of self-validation, diagnosis, and self-compassion in the healing journey. Through our discussion, we try and provide insights into living with and managing ADHD, emphasizing small ways that we can work with our brains instead of against it.

As such, this episode is a bit more intense than some other episodes so if that's not something you are up for right now, feel free to skip this one or come back to it later. That said, I think this is an incredibly powerful episode and want to thank Neha for the vulnerability of coming on the show and sharing her story. ACE Test Resources

• https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/03/02/387007941/take-the-ace-quiz-and-learn-what-it-does-and-doesnt-mean
• https://developingchild.harvard.edu/media-coverage/take-the-ace-quiz-and-learn-what-it-does-and-doesnt-mean/

Support me on Patreon Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page Find the full show note at HackingYourADHD.com/157 This Episode's Top Tips

1. One way to evaluate the impacts of childhood trauma is through the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) test, which can help access what many of us might just think of as a normal childhood. It's important that when we're looking at our ADHD we also consider issues like complex trauma which can exacerbate the symptoms.
2. Even if it feels like we don't have big T trauma, it can still play a role in how we manage our ADHD symptoms - we also often have a tendency to try and minimize the impact that trauma can have on us. It's important to remember that trauma isn't a competition and everyone is going to respond differently.
3. It's vital for us to recognize that if we were harmed we're not to blame and that if we're trying to seek validation from our abusers we will often be met with gaslighting. It doesn't matter how the abuser feels about the situation, and can instead focus our energy on treating ourselves with compassion and healing.

Hey Team,

This week I'm talking with Chuck Wisner, an expert in effective communication. He was a senior affiliated mediator with the Harvard Mediation Program and is president of Wisner Consulting. And he recently published the book, The Art of Conscious Conversations: Transforming How We Talk, Listen, and Interact.

In our conversation today, he introduces us to the four archetypal conversations that underlie all our interactions, from storytelling to collaboration and from creativity to commitment. He shares practical tips on navigating these conversations with mindfulness, highlighting the power of questions and the importance of understanding standards in our interactions, whether in business or personal relationships.

While this isn't a strictly ADHD episode, I think it still is a valuable look at communication and something that many of us with ADHD can struggle with. Through our conversation, I do try and link up many of the ideas with how they present to those of us with ADHD. Support me on Patreon Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page Find the full show note at HackingYourADHD.com/156 This Episode's Top Tips

1. Work to understand the four archetypal conversations—storytelling, collaboration, creative, and commitment. If we can recognize when we are in each type of conversation and learn to navigate them effectively, it can help us avoid many common pitfalls.
2. With ADHD it can be hard to resist the urge to rush into decisions or actions. But if we can take the time to slow down, set clear standards, and communicate our expectations, it will help ensure that everyone involved in the conversation understands what is expected and why.
3. Questions are a powerful tool in conversations. Ask open and honest questions to foster understanding and open communication. Encourage others to share their perspectives and reasoning. Questions can help uncover new insights and solutions.

Happy ADHD Awareness Month!

This week, I’m talking with Kim Nguyen of Skylight -

Now, real quick, before we jump into the rest of the introduction, I just wanted to mention that Skylight Calendar has sponsored the show in the past, but this this episode itself isn’t sponsored.

With that said, in this episode, we discuss the Skylight Calendar in depth. We delve into how we can use digital tools like the Skylight Calendar to help families create easier coordination and reduce the stress associated with scheduling. Kim shares her insights on distributing the mental load, empowering kids, and fostering confidence through structured scheduling and visual reminders.

Be sure to check out the Skylight Calendar

Support me on Patreon

Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page

Find the full show note at HackingYourADHD.com/155

This Episode's Top Tips

1. Digital calendars can help families stay organized by displaying events, tasks, and reminders.
2. Calendar can help empower children to take ownership of their schedules and responsibilities. The Skylight Calendar in particular, allows kids to input their own tasks and check them off, promoting independence and accountability.
3. It is important to distribute the mental load of organizing family schedules and tasks among different family members. By having a system that allows multiple inputs, it helps share the responsibility of family scheduling.

Happy ADHD Awareness Month!

This week I’m talking with fellow ADHD podcaster Peter Shankman. Peter is the host of the Podcast Faster Than Normal where he talks with people around the world who have learned how to unlock the gifts ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage. He is also the author of Faster Than Normal: Turbocharge Your Focus, Productivity, and Success with the Secrets of the ADHD Brain and also just recently came out with a new children's book, The Boy with the Faster Brain.

In our conversation today Peter shares the story of his own journey, from feeling "broken" to recognizing how he can harness his ADHD. We also discuss practical strategies for working with our ADHD, owning our decisions, and the importance of things like morning routines and exercise.

Be sure to check out Peter's podcast Faster Than Normal

And his books:

Faster Than Normal: Turbocharge Your Focus, Productivity, and Success with the Secrets of the ADHD Brain

The Boy with the Faster Brain


Support me on Patreon

Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page

Find the full show note at HackingYourADHD.com/154

This Episode's Top Tips

1. Recognize and value the unique strengths that come with having an ADHD brain. Rather than seeing ADHD as a limitation, we view it as a unique attribute that can drive success if properly harnessed.
2. To overcome feeling overwhelm, we can break tasks into smaller, more manageable steps. We can often find ourselves in paralysis when we don’t know where to start and by breaking tasks down we can often find our way.
3. We can leverage technology as an aid with tools like ChatGPT to assist with starting projects or tasks. Technology can be a beneficial companion in providing structure and easing the initiation of tasks.

Hey team,

This week, I'm talking with the founder of the Inattentive ADHD Coalition and author of Living with Inattentive ADHD: Climbing the Circular Staircase of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Cynthia Hammer. In our conversation today, we discuss Cynthia's journey with a late diagnosis of inattentive ADHD and critical lessons that she's learned along the way. We also explore the challenges of recognizing ADHD, dispel common myths, and emphasize the importance of early diagnosis. From overcoming critical self-talk to self-publishing her memoir, Cynthia shares valuable insights on living with ADHD and creating a brighter future for those of us in neurodivergent community. Be sure to check out the Inattentive ADHD Coalition and Cynthia's book: Living with Inattentive ADHD: Climbing the Circular Staircase of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Support me on Patreon Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page Find the full show note at HackingYourADHD.com/153 This Episode's Top Tips

1. Avoid trying to fix everything at once. Instead, prioritize one thing at a time for improvement. ADHD management is a journey, and gradual progress is key.
2. Social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram can be valuable sources of information and support for ADHD. However, be discerning in choosing reliable sources to avoid misinformation.
3. Focus on becoming aware of your critical self-talk and work replacing negative thoughts with positive self-talk. Self-compassion is crucial for managing ADHD effectively.

Hey team!

This week, we’re talking with the co-founder of the productivity app Tiimo, Helene Nørlem. In our conversation today, we discuss what Tiimo is and how it can help with planning, especially for the neurodivergent community.

The discussion also explores the broader aspirations of Tiimo to advocate for neurodiversity, the potential of integrating AI to enhance user experience, and the importance of creating awareness and resources for the neurodivergent community.

Be sure to check out the Tiimo App

Support me on Patreon

Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page

Find the full show note at HackingYourADHD.com/152

This Episode's Top Tips

1. While planning can be difficult for those of us with ADHD, having some sort of scaffolding in can help us make the most of our days.
2. Tiimo is focused on creating a balanced app that assists you in creating a plan for the day that won’t overwhelm you - this also includes making sure were making time for things like self-care.
3. One of best ways to help us get going on our to-do lists is to breakdown our tasks into more manageable subtasks and this breakdown of tasks can be greatly assisted through the use of AI tools that are built into Tiimo (or found in other apps as well).

Hey team!

This week, I'm joined by Antonia Bowring - Antonia holds a B.A. in Political Science, an M. Phil. in Development Economics, and an M.B.A. She is an ICF-certified coach with an Executive Coaching Certificate from NYU. She is a frequent speaker to on topics ranging from mindfulness, ADHD in the workplace, and communication best practices.

In our conversation today, we delve into the challenges and strengths associated with ADHD and how we can work on leveraging those through creativity and intensity. We also talk about embracing ADHD, the importance of self-acceptance, mindfulness practices, strategic collaboration, and get into what it means to receive a late diagnosis. Support me on Patreon Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page Find the full show note at HackingYourADHD.com/151 This Episode's Top Tips

1. Recognizing and understanding the specific attributes and challenges of ADHD can help individuals develop strategies to manage their symptoms more effectively and leverage their strengths.
2. Just as important as identifying our strengths can be identifying our weaknesses and finding ways to help mitigate those weaknesses, like collaborating with others and outsourcing when we can.
3. Incorporating mindfulness, regular exercise, and maintaining good sleep hygiene are essential strategies for managing ADHD. These practices can significantly enhance focus, emotional regulation, and overall well-being.

Hey team,

This week, we're diving into the innovative world of digital therapeutics with Dr. Scott Kollins, exploring the potential of a unique game-based treatment for ADHD.

Dr. Kollins works for a company called Akili that has been developing a video game that is designed to help treat the symptoms of ADHD. The game EndevorOTC was only available for iOS, but they also just recently launched an Android version.

In our conversation today, we discuss the challenges, successes, and future of this pioneering approach to managing ADHD. Check out Endeavor OTC Support me on Patreon Feel free to ask me a question on my Contact Page Find the full show note at HackingYourADHD.com/150 This Episode's Top Tips

1. We should consider EndevorOTC as a supplement rather than a replacement for traditional treatments. While the research does show it's benefits, we often want to approach our ADHD treatment from multiple angles.
2. As with anything we do for our ADHD, consistency is key. Just like exercise or going to the gym, the game's benefits come with regular and consistent use.
3. Although designed as a game, this treatment should be approached with the understanding that it's a medical product aiming to assist and that sometimes it's going to be hard.