When a student excels in her studies, is sociable, and well-behaved in class, we typically determine that child doesn’t need any additional support. But Madison’s mother, Catherine, noticed her daughter struggled with basic organization, time management, following directions, and remembering things. Her familiarity with ADHD symptoms based on her former career as a school psychologist, put her on a path of getting a diagnosis and help for Madison.

Today, Madison is a pro ad advocating for herself and though she may keep a messy desk, she doesn’t feel ashamed. Listen as she shares what life is like for her in school and why she is proud of who she is.

Refocused, Together is a collection of 31 stories told throughout the 31 days of October, a part of our commitment to ADHD Awareness Month. Make sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss a single story this month! 

EXPLORE: The Holderness Family

WATCH: ADHD - "Under The Sea" Parody by Holderness Family Music

WATCH: ADHD Needs A New Name - Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Parody by Holderness Family Music

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• Instagram: @lindsayguentzel @refocusedpod @adhdonline

• Twitter: @lindsayguentzel @refocusedpod @adhdonline

Connect with the show: [email protected]

Al Chaplin knew they had depression and anxiety. But they also knew there had to be something else. Today, they are learning how to live with ADHD and other coexisting conditions while also creating content for the mental health and LGBTQ+ communities. 

Listen as Al talks about ‘shiny object syndrome,’ the importance of self-education, and how sharing your experiences can make a positive impact.

Refocused, Together is a collection of 31 stories told throughout the 31 days of October, a part of our commitment to ADHD Awareness Month. Make sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss a single story this month! 

Connect with Al on Tiktok and Instagram!

READ: Childhood Trauma and ADHD: A Complete Overview & Clinical Guidance

READ: Signs Your ADHD Is Linked to Childhood Trauma

WATCH: Defining Features of ADHD That Everyone Overlooks: RSD, Hyperarousal, More with  Dr. William Dodson

READ: Dr. William Dodson on Emotional Regulation and Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria

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• Instagram: @lindsayguentzel @refocusedpod @adhdonline

• Twitter: @lindsayguentzel @refocusedpod @adhdonline

Connect with the show: [email protected]

Today, Peter Kiley is an award-winning brewmaster at Monday Night Brewing in Atlanta where he puts his creative mind and passion for innovation to good use. But as a child, Peter grew up when there wasn’t much awareness of and treatment for ADHD, leaving him having to prove himself and repeatedly explain his conditions in different learning environments.

In this episode, Peter share his challenging journey of forgiveness and acceptance, adapting and recognizing what ADHD brings to his life.

Refocused, Together is a collection of 31 stories told throughout the 31 days of October, a part of our commitment to ADHD Awareness Month. Make sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss a single story this month! 

Follow Refocused on Social Media:

• Instagram: @lindsayguentzel @refocusedpod @adhdonline

• Twitter: @lindsayguentzel @refocusedpod @adhdonline

Connect with the show: [email protected]

Allie Rivera found her turning point in a load of laundry. After spending a Saturday afternoon stuck in ADHD paralysis while the very loud and very critical voice in her head insisted she do the laundry, Allie began reading about ADHD and seeing more ADHD content on social media. She received her official diagnosis in 2021.

Today, as an underwriter or on stage as an improv comedian and teacher at the Sea Tea Comedy Theater in Hartford, CT, Allie sat down to talk with us about what it’s like to be diagnosed in your mid-30s, and her experience working with a doctor on a treatment plan.

Refocused, Together is a collection of 31 stories told throughout the 31 days of October, a part of our commitment to ADHD Awareness Month. Make sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss a single story this month! 

Connect with Allie on TikTok and learn more about Sea Tea Comedy Theatre in Hartford, CT!

Follow Refocused on Social Media:

• Instagram: @lindsayguentzel @refocusedpod @adhdonline

• Twitter: @lindsayguentzel @refocusedpod @adhdonline

Connect with the show: [email protected]

Write everything down to remember the things that bring value, construction, and achievements so the walls that you so wildly bounce off of don’t imprison you. That was the advice that Steve Revland received from his therapist early on in life as a way to cope with his ADHD. And decades later Steve, now a 70-year-old artist and musician, still keeps that advice close.

Tune in to hear Steve talk about his life and work, how Dyslexia and Tourettes affect his ADHD, and how woodworking not only earned him awards and appearances on HGTV but also provide him focus. 

Refocused, Together is a collection of 31 stories told throughout the 31 days of October, a part of our commitment to ADHD Awareness Month. Make sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss a single story this month! 

READ: Simply Revland: How To Succeed in Life Despite Yourself

Learn more about Steve Revland, his life and his work here. 

More on the Connection between ADHD & Addiction

• The ADHD & Addiction Link: Addictive Behaviors in Adults Explained

• ADHD, Substance Abuse, and Addiction: When the Solution Becomes a Problem by Ari Tuckman

Follow Refocused on Social Media:

• Instagram: @lindsayguentzel @refocusedpod @adhdonline

• Twitter: @lindsayguentzel @refocusedpod @adhdonline

Connect with the show: [email protected]

If not for the stigma around mental health, Diyah Najah could have gotten her ADHD diagnosis so much sooner than age 42. However if she had, she might not have become the mental health advocate she is today, lifting up her students and earning multiple masters degrees in special education that she uses to help students who are like she once was.

Listen to hear Diyah share how ADHD impacts her life, what tools she uses to regulate and reset herself, and how she stays authentically herself.

Refocused, Together is a collection of 31 stories told throughout the 31 days of October, a part of our commitment to ADHD Awareness Month. Make sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss a single story this month! 

• More Information: “Unmasked”, a solo exhibition by Artist Diyah Najah January 5th to February 5th, 2024 at Haugabrooks on Auburn in Atlanta, GA

Watch: TEDx Cultivating Unconditional Self-Worth with Adia Gooden

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• Instagram: @lindsayguentzel @refocusedpod @adhdonline

• Twitter: @lindsayguentzel @refocusedpod @adhdonline

Connect with the show: [email protected]

Farah Jamil had to work hard for her diagnosis. That struggle was one of the motivators behind her decision to become an ADHD life coach, as well her decision to embrace her role as a mental health advocate for the Muslim community. But once she received her diagnosis, that path of self-discovery led her to understand just how detrimental being a people-pleaser had been for her. 

Join us to hear more from Farah about her experience with ADHD and how she’s learned to embrace her external and internal neurodiversity, advocate for herself, and what she loves about serving the ADHD community as a coach. 

Refocused, Together is a collection of 31 stories told throughout the 31 days of October, a part of our commitment to ADHD Awareness Month. Make sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss a single story this month! 

Read: FAST MINDS: How To Thrive If You Have ADHD (Or Think You Might)

Watch: Star Trek: The Next Generation, “Relics” 

Watch: Our America with Lisa Ling - The ADHD Explosion

Follow Refocused on Social Media:

• Instagram: @lindsayguentzel @refocusedpod @adhdonline

• Twitter: @lindsayguentzel @refocusedpod @adhdonline

Connect with the show: [email protected]

Meet Ying Deng, the founder of ADHD Asian Girl and your Mindful ADHD Guide. In our first interview for Refocused, Together 2023, Ying helps us explore the myth of being an adult and shares the relief she felt, following her diagnosis, when she realized she didn’t have to give into that pressure anymore. 

Listen in as Ying discusses her experience as an immigrant with ADHD, her challenges with masking, and her mission to make mindfulness more accessible to the ADHD community.

Refocused, Together is a collection of 31 stories told throughout the 31 days of October, a part of our commitment to ADHD Awareness Month. Make sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss a single story this month! 

Watch: How I got diagnosed with ADHD as an Asian First-Generation Immigrant Adult Woman

Listen: ADHD Nerds with Monica Lim: Battling Career Boredom

Resources on ADHD & Eating Disorders

ADDitude Magazine - The ADHD-Eating Disorders Link

ADHD Online - Why ADHD Can Lead to Binge Eating Disorder and What Can Be Done About It

Follow Refocused on Social Media:

• Instagram: @lindsayguentzel @refocusedpod @adhdonline

• Twitter: @lindsayguentzel @refocusedpod @adhdonline

Connect with the show: [email protected]

How long have you been listening to Refocused? Did you start in May of 2022 or did you join later? Have you gone back and listened to all of the previous episodes? 

In today’s special episoden Lindsay has a conversation with Keith Boswell, the vice president of marketing at Mentavi Health and ADHD Online. Keith has championed the podcast from the beginning and like us, is an advocate for mental health and ADHD. 

Lindsay also shares some of her favorite moments from the first 100 episodes of Refocused, including highlights from these incredible episodes below. 

Episode 86 - I'm An Adult With ADHD And I Stole My Son's Ritalin

Episode 77 - Managing Out of Sight, Out of Mind in an ADHD World with Dr. John Kruse

Episode 64 - ADHD and Finding Organizational Peace of Mind in 2023

Refocused, Together 2022 - Episode 13 - Evan Bierscheid and the ADHD Spectrum

Refocused, Together 2022 - Episode 25 - Meredith Phillips and Going Down the Rabbit Hole

Refocused, Together - Episode 22 - Geoffrey Evans and Using His Voice

Refocused, Together - Episode 31 - Louis Inglis and Finishing Projects

Refocused, Together - Episode 23 - Dani Donovan and ADHD Content Creation

Add us on Social Media:

• Instagram: @lindsayguentzel @refocusedpod @adhdonline

• Twitter: @lindsayguentzel @refocusedpod @adhdonline

Email the show: [email protected]

We appreciate you taking the time to listen! If you'd like to show your support, please consider following "Refocused" on your preferred podcast-listening platform. Also, leaving a rating and/or review would be greatly appreciated and help us share our content with more people. Thank you!

Resources:

• The new Refocused logo was designed by Sissy Yee at Berlin Grey, LLC.

• Video production assistance is provided by the wonderful people at Deksia.

• The theme music for Refocused was created by Louis Inglis, a songwriter and composer in Perth, Australia who was diagnosed with ADHD in 2020 at the age of 39. To learn more about his work, check out his online studio here. You can also email Louis directly here.

For more information on ADHD Online and ADHD assessments, medical management, and teletherapy, check out ADHDonline.com.

What the heck is CDS? Google that question and you find page after page of information on Credit Default Swaps or Controlled Dangerous Substances. But there is a CDS that is directly connected to ADHD and it’s likely something you’ve never heard of before.

So what is Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome and what are the symptoms? How is it similar to ADHD and how is it different? CDS is not an officially recognized diagnosis in the DSM-5. It’s currently what’s called a clinical construct - a term used in psychology to define a group of behaviors. 

Researchers, including today’s guest Dr. Zoe Smith, have been working for years to get the construct recognized and there is still so much we don’t know about CDS. Without an official diagnosis, it can be hard for providers to identify the signs and symptoms of CDS and Dr. Z is joining us to share what we do know about this relatively unknown comorbid condition. 

• Zoe R. Smith, PhD (she/her) is an assistant professor of psychology at Loyola University Chicago with research interests in the development of culturally-responsive assessments and interventions for adolescents. She is the leader of ACCTION Lab, an organization that is dedicated to community-based assessment and intervention development for youth with ADHD and Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome. She has authored or co-authored numerous scholarly articles on ADHD and CDS and served with 12 other scholars beginning in 2021 in a work group to evaluate current knowledge and identify key directions in the study of sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT).

Instagram: @ACCTIONLab X(Twitter): @DrZoeRSmith TikTok: @ACCTION.Lab

Add us on Social Media:

• Instagram: @lindsayguentzel @refocusedpod @adhdonline

• Twitter: @lindsayguentzel @refocusedpod @adhdonline

Email the show: [email protected]

We appreciate you taking the time to listen! If you'd like to show your support, please consider following "Refocused" on your preferred podcast-listening platform. Also, leaving a rating and/or review would be greatly appreciated and help us share our content with more people. Thank you!

Resources:

• The new Refocused logo was designed by Sissy Yee at Berlin Grey, LLC.

• Video production assistance is provided by the wonderful people at Deksia.

• The theme music for Refocused was created by Louis Inglis, a songwriter and composer in Perth, Australia who was diagnosed with ADHD in 2020 at the age of 39. To learn more about his work, check out his online studio here. You can also email Louis directly here.

For more information on ADHD Online and ADHD assessments, medical management, and teletherapy, check out ADHDonline.com.