Organizing an ADHD Brain

In today’s episode, you’ll meet Anishia Denee — a board certified behaviour analyst, ADHD coach, and founder of Authentic Self ADHD Coaching. She helps adults make sense of their patterns, shift from shame into curiosity, and build strategies that actually fit their strengths, values, and capacity. Her blend of behavior analysis, ADHD coaching, and lived experience offers such grounded, compassionate support for real ADHD life. 

Website link: https://www.authenticselfadhd.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anishiab/

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@anishiab

We talk about:
 • using behavior analysis to build supportive rhythms 
 • recognizing and celebrating tiny wins
 • navigating the messy middle
 • making decluttering easier on your nervous system
 • what to do when executive function taps out
 • how community + self-awareness change everything

This is a gentle, encouraging conversation that reminds you:
You don’t need to be consistent to make progress — you just need to keep returning to yourself. (persistence)

01:47 — Anisha’s Background and Journey
How she went from behavior analysis into ADHD coaching — and why her personal story matters.

04:49 — Behavior Analysis and ADHD Coaching
How behavior principles can support ADHD brains without shame or rigidity.

07:16 — Understanding and Embracing Personal Values
Why values-based living makes rhythms stick more than motivation ever will.

11:46 — Managing Clutter and Environment
Realistic strategies for building a home that supports (not drains) your brain.

15:16 — Navigating the Messy Middle
Progress isn’t linear — here’s how to stay steady when it feels chaotic.

19:27 — The Value of Coaching Through Challenges
Why co-regulation, support, and outside perspective matter so much for ADHD women.

21:21 — Basic Needs and Self-Compassion
A gentle reminder that sleep, food, and rest are foundational — not optional.

23:13 — Community, Creativity, and ADHD
How connection makes follow-through possible, and why creativity is a strength, not a flaw.

25:03 — Experimentation and Personalization
There is no one-size-fits-all. Learn to test tiny adjustments and honor what actually works for you.

29:18 — Noticing Progress and Releasing Perfectionism
How to see the tiny victories your brain tends to overlook.

32:38 — Behavior Analysis and Understanding Triggers
Why your reactions aren’t personal failures — they’re patterns you can understand.

33:55 — Connecting and Finding Support
How coaching, community, and safe people help you break old ADHD cycles.

35:40 — Final Thoughts and Encouragement
A gentle send-off reminding you that small shifts build real confidence over time.

Share your thoughts with Megs!

Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start

The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain

You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

In this Thanksgiving-week episode of Organizing an ADHD Brain, I’m inviting you into a very real season of my life — the messy middle of moving across the country with my husband, and everything that stirred up inside me.

If you’re someone who feels every life transition deep in your nervous system — the overwhelm, the freeze, the “this is too much and also I’m glad I’m doing it” duality — this episode is for you.
 You’re going to hear stories, yes… but also practical grounding, gentle reframes, and reminders that you’re not behind. You’re just human. And your ADHD brain is allowed to have a tender response to big change.

We explore:
 🌱 how growth often feels chaotic before it feels good
 🌗 the power of holding two truths at once
💛 the hidden emotional labor of transitions
🧠 ADHD responses that show up during change
🙏 gratitude that doesn’t ignore the hard
🌬️ and simple ways to regulate when life gets loud

Megs Getting out of debt journey: The Messy Middle of Getting out of Debt

01:30 — Introduction + Thanksgiving Greetings
A warm, grounding check-in… and a reminder you’re not expected to hold it all together during the holidays.

01:36 — The Journey Across the Country
How a cross-country move cracked me open, stretched my capacity, and exposed all my ADHD “under stress” patterns.

03:08 — Insights from the Journey
What big change teaches us about identity, self-trust, and nervous-system safety.

03:34 — Organizing and Personal Growth
Why your home often mirrors your emotional landscape — and how change shakes both up.

04:31 — Embracing Dual Emotions
Holding joy + grief, excitement + overwhelm at the same time. (ADHD brains feel all the things, sometimes all at once.)

05:28 — The Move to Nashville
The messy middle, the tears in the car, and why transitions don’t follow a clean timeline.

09:49 — Adventures in Georgia
Finding grounding in small moments, even when everything else feels like a lot.

10:44 — Facing Challenges + Building Resilience
How to navigate hard seasons with compassion, not pressure. And what to do when your ADHD brain freezes.

15:40 — Regulation + Self-Trust
Tiny nervous-system resets you can use when your environment (or emotions) feel too big.

23:44 — The Importance of Gratitude
Not the forced kind — the gentle, “I’m finding one small good thing today” kind.

27:37 — Final Thoughts + Coaching Invitation
A soft invitation into support if you’re craving co-regulation, momentum, and systems that don’t collapse in three days.

Share your thoughts with Megs!

Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start

The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain

You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

In this solo episode, Megs opens up about her family’s big move, her husband’s new job, and the messy middle of rebuilding routines, dreams, and self-trust. She shares why traditional goal setting can feel so cringey and overwhelming for ADHD brains—especially during the holiday season—and how to reframe goals into something more realistic and compassionate. Through personal stories about yoga, budgeting, and “one-day projects,” Megs reminds listeners that progress doesn’t have to be perfect to count. This episode is about trusting your pace, finding small wins, and believing that the tiny steps you take today are proof that you can do hard things.

Recommended Listening: Financial Self-Care Podcast with Financial Therapist, Lindsey - The Messy Middle of Getting Out of Debt with Organizing an ADHD Brain CEO, Megs Crawford

Key Chapters

0:00 - Introduction to the Goals and Personal Journey

2:19 - The Complexity of Goal Setting for ADHD

7:51 - Building Trust Through Small Actions

11:46 - Reframing Goals and Realistic Expectations

16:40 - Beliefs and Progress in Goal Achievement

21:45 - Setting SMART Goals for the Holiday Season

What are SMART goals? They are Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented, Realistic, and Time-based. Focus on what you are doing and by when to create accountability.

Share your thoughts with Megs!

Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start

The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain

You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

In this solo episode, Megs hits record to talk about the messy middle of the holidays—when ADHD brains slide into fight-or-flight, carts fill up fast, and unopened boxes blend into the clutter we’re trying to escape. She reframes gifting season as a chance to make full decisions on what comes into your home: set a compassionate budget, decide who you’re actually buying for, and ask every purchase, “Where will this live—and is it worth the trade-off?” From “hand candy” (fidget toys) to big kitchen gadgets, Megs offers grounded questions that reduce decision fatigue, protect your peace, and align spending with your real goals. It’s not about perfection; it’s about one clear choice at a time—so January you can breathe again.

Key Chapters

00:00 Navigating Holiday Clutter and Consumerism

02:49 Making Full Decisions on Holiday Purchases

05:41 Understanding the Emotional Impact of Buying

08:28 Setting Budgets and Creating Lists

11:39 Evaluating Space for New Items

14:12 The Importance of Asking for What You Want

17:06 The Cycle of Consumption and Clutter

19:52 Finding Clarity in Financial Goals

22:35 Embracing the Journey of Change

24:33 Taking Action and Building Community

26:54 The Power of Small Decisions

Share your thoughts with Megs!

Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start

The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain

You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

Megs talks with her former client and friend, Carolyn Bedingfield, about decluttering later in life, moving through grief, and building self-trust one choice at a time. Carolyn shares how she emptied a decades-old storage unit, honored her late husband without keeping everything, and transformed a small apartment into a bright sanctuary filled with plants, art, and intentional memories like glowing uranium glass. They unpack common barriers such as all-or-nothing thinking, sentimental guilt, and notebook overwhelm, then offer gentle ADHD-friendly steps that actually stick. Expect practical ideas like labeling what matters, scanning photos, giving every item a clear home, and asking for help so you can make peace with the past and create a future that truly fits.

Timestamps

3:02 - The Journey of Decluttering 

6:23 - Navigating Grief and Loss

8:23 - Health Challenges and Resilience

11:49 - The Connection Between Stuff and Emotions

15:26 - Managing Plants and Overwhelm

18:19 - Organization Strategies for Clarity

20:57 - Organizing Thoughts and Notebooks

22:39 - Creating Effective Reminders

24:16 - Life Changes and Clutter Management

26:18 - Emotional Attachment to Possessions

28:13 - Letting Go and The Process of Organizing

29:50 - Empowerment in Decision Making

33:11 - Generational Perspective on Possessions

35:01 - The Ongoing Process of Life and Organization

36:32 - Conclusion with Megs

Share your thoughts with Megs!

Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start

The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain

You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

In this solo episode, Megs dives into one of the most common habits that keeps ADHDers stuck in clutter and chaos: delayed decisions. From piles of unopened mail to half-finished laundry and unmade choices about what stays or goes, every postponed decision adds up. Megs breaks down her simple, three-step framework for making a full decision—one item at a time—so you can finally create momentum in your home and life. She shares real stories (including a hilarious paperclip moment and her daughter’s brilliant insight on ADHD motivation) to remind you that progress isn’t about perfection—it’s about trusting yourself again, choosing action over avoidance, and learning to get comfortable in the discomfort of change.

Key Chapters

00:00 - Introduction to Delayed Decisions

02:22 - Understanding Delayed Decision Syndrome

05:05 - The Process of Making Full Decisions

07:28 - Practical Steps for Decision Making

9:52 - Letting Go and Moving Forward

12:18 - Building Trust with Yourself

14:47 - Learning from Mistakes

16:16 - The Importance of Community Support

19:03 - Conclusion and Call to Action

Share your thoughts with Megs!

Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start

The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain

You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

Megs welcomes BFRB and habit coach Laura Hope to talk about what really helps in the messy middle: regulation over restriction. They unpack Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (hair pulling, skin/nail/cheek picking, etc.) as the ADHD brain’s Swiss-army-knife for managing over- or under-stimulation, then reframe “stop the habit” into do this instead (hello, pink-elephant-to-blue-dog). Expect gentle tools you can use today—longer exhales, grounding through the senses, micro-mindfulness, boundary scripts, environment shifts—and a compassionate mindset that treats urges as signals, not failures. They also name the invisible wins in the stages of change, practice getting good at being uncomfortable, and build a personal regulation menu you’ll actually use.

About Laura

Laura Hope is a BFRB & habit coach who helps people break free from unwanted behaviors so they can take back control of their life. At Hope and Healing Coach, she combines years experience as a mental health clinician with deep empathy to guide clients toward lasting change, specializing in body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) such as hair pulling or skin picking as well as other frustrating behaviors including stress eating and procrastination. When she's not empowering clients to embrace radical self-acceptance, you'll find her advocating for BFRB awareness, tending to her ever-growing plant collection, or spending time with her two sons and husband. Learn more at hopeandhealingcoach.com.

Freebie from Laura: How to Stop Fighting Your Habit: Why Asking "How Do I Quit" Is Keeping You Stuck and the Real Question That Will Set You Free – listeners can grab it right at the top of her website home page!

Salon and Spa Directory - Safe Space for People with Hair Pulling 

https://hopeandhealingcoach.com/bfrb-safe-salon-spa-directory

Article about the Neuroscience Behind Deep Breathing for Regulation

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5455070/

Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction to BFRBs and Regulation

02:41 - The Journey of Self-Regulation

05:25 - Curiosity and Self-Compassion in Regulation

07:54 - Understanding ADHD and Dysregulation

10:38 - Shifting Focus: From Stopping to Regulating

13:33 - The Role of Self-Compassion in Behavior Change

16:07 - Tools for Regulation and Building a Toolbox

24:21 - Embracing Discomfort for Growth

26:39 - The Power of Emotional Support

30:53 - Understanding Anger and Vulnerability

35:02 - Finding Comfort in the Uncomfortable

36:00 - Creating Supportive Resources for BFRBs

Share your thoughts with Megs!

Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start

The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain

You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

In this episode of Organizing an ADHD Brain, host Megs Crawford shares eight powerful truths about the ADHD brain. From being mislabeled as “lazy” to struggling with perfectionism, overcommitting, and the exhaustion of masking as “organized” at work, Megs continues exploring the “messy middle” of ADHD and organization by breaking down what she wishes others truly understood about living with ADHD. Whether you’re navigating ADHD yourself or trying to better understand a loved one, this conversation highlights the role of emotions, perfectionism, boundaries, and support in making real, sustainable progress toward organization and peace.

Article Link (2 Pages) - Understanding ADHD from a Strengths-Based Perspective

Key Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction: Share this Episode with Your Loved Ones

6:27 - Truth 1: I’m Not Lazy, but I Am Overwhelmed.

10:34 - Truth 2: I’m a Perfectionist, So I’m Procrastinating.

13:43 - Truth 3: I Want To Do Everything, But I Can’t.

17:09 - Truth 4: Organizing Might Seem Easy, but ADHD Brains Don’t Default to Systems.

20:03 - Truth 5: I Am the Only Person Who Can Change Me. (Curiosity > Control)

22:49 - Truth 6: Time Blindness is Real.

25:34 - Truth 7: Making Organization in One Space (Like Work) Drains My Energy.

28:19 - Truth 8: I Am Listening, But Focus Shifts are HARD.

31:33 - The Importance of Support and Understanding

36:37 - ADHD and Emotional Regulation

Share your thoughts with Megs!

Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start

The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain

You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

Motivation fades, life gets chaotic, but the messy middle doesn’t have to stop your progress.

Russ Jones is back for the third time, making him the very first three-peat guest on the podcast—and for good reason. As an ADHD coach, Russ knows what it takes to keep moving forward even when you’re stuck in the messy middle. In this episode, Megs and Russ talk about what it really feels like to make a change, why discomfort is part of the process, and how to keep going when motivation disappears. From “half-assing is better than no-assing” to building scaffolding outside your brain, this conversation is packed with real talk, laughter, and practical ways to keep showing up for yourself.

Russ Jones is the host of the top 2% podcast ADHD Big Brother and an ADHD productivity coach who helps adults with ADHD symptoms get unstuck, become confidently consistent, and ultimately coach themselves. Diagnosed with ADHD and depression later in life—following a series of difficult, life-changing events—Russ now uses his experience to help others. He holds schooling in integrative wellness and ADHD-specific coaching, bringing a purpose-driven approach to every client and listener.

He's offering a FREE gift to those who sign up to the ADHD Big Brother newsletter. It's his Ready S.E.T. Go formula for getting started on a difficult task. The newsletter goes out weekly and contains updates, tips, and upcoming events. Click here to get the newsletter and free gift.

ADHD Big Brother Homepage for Coaching/Community

Key Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction and The Messy Middle of Change

04:01 - Navigating the Journey of Change

06:10 - Understanding Goals and Progress

06:52 - The Importance of Time Management

11:18 - Overcoming Dysregulation and Staying on Track

13:31 - Finding Motivation in the Chaos

16:07 - The Role of Mindset in Achieving Goals

18:42 - Embracing the Process of Change

23:41 - Creating a Comfortable Space

25:35 - Navigating Change and Imperfection

27:54 - Understanding Failure and Growth

32:19 - Strategies for Moving Forward

35:41 - The Importance of Vulnerability and Support

37:58 - Final Thoughts on Change and Growth

45:26 - Episode Recap with Megs

Share your thoughts with Megs!

Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start

The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain

You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

In this episode of Organizing an ADHD Brain, Megs Crawford kicks off Season 3 with a deeply personal look at “the messy middle” of change. She shares her family’s recent move from Colorado to the East Coast, emphasizing the challenges of living without familiar systems and the lessons learned from navigating discomfort while building a new life. Megs connects her journey to what it means to organize with ADHD. Knowing your “why,” taking one small step at a time, and giving yourself grace are the real keys to lasting progress.

(00:00) Introduction to the Messy Middle

(8:06) Navigating the Comfort Zone

(13:35) Understanding the Why Behind Change

(19:04) Facing the Discomfort of Clutter & Embracing the Journey of Organization 

(25:39) Quick Fact: Why ADD is Now Called ADHD - Read More

(26:57) Community Updates, Coaching, and a New Group Program

Share your thoughts with Megs!

Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start

The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain

You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com