My guest on this bonus episode of the ADHD series is Kayla Megan Burns. We talk about their experience of discovering they are Autistic and most likely ADHD and not a weirdo, as they thought of themselves as a child.

Kayla is passionate about communication and equality. They are currently a Tech Founder and leader running their own podcast production business, Songplistic, which produces organisational podcasts and utilises the profits from this to fund social good.  As a recent Biomedical graduate with a first class honours degree, they also use these skills, as well as their involvement on the board of Disability Equality Scotland, to write informative books for children facing illness and disability.

Check out these links for more information on Kayla:
Songplistic
Linked in

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In this final episode of the series about ADHD assessments, I chat to Dr Helen Galloway, a clinical psychologist and manager of the St Andrews Practice.  I met with Helen in their new premises in Dundee. We were both somewhat nervous about tackling this subject but we're glad we did and hope it answers some of those tricky questions on this topic. We'd welcome hearing your thoughts and views on this episode...
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Email Helen [email protected]
Email Kathryn [email protected]

My guest Eleanor Murray shares the perspective of a young person, at 19years old.  She was happy to talk about her experience of assessment for ADHD and Autism, the impact of a diagnosis and other people's perception. Eleanor is about to start a foundation course in Art at Dundee University after having done a year at Ayrshire College studying Art and Design. I'd love to hear your thoughts or questions on listening to this episode...
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Email Kathryn [email protected]

Michaela Thomas is a fellow clinical psychologist who runs the Thomas Connection and a programme called Burn Bright for high striving ambitious women. She's is also author of The Lasting Connection, and host of the Pause Purpose Play Podcast. Michaela celebrates what her ADHD brain allows her to achieve, but also acknowledges that there is another side to the coin, and that ADHD is a disability. Michaela moved from Sweden to the UK in 2010 and now lives in London with her husband and two children.
We'd love to hear from you, your thoughts or questions on listening to this episode
Get in touch with Michaela at The Thomas Connection or via Instagram
Or with me..
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Email Kathryn

My guest is Dr Melanie Smart, a fellow Clinical Psychologist based in Chichester, West Sussex. Melanie works with children up to 18 years, many of whom have an ADHD diagnosis. And it was through this work that she started wondering if she also had ADHD.  The young people would bring their school reports in and she'd read them thinking, hang on, that could be mine.  Melanie pursued a diagnosis and describes it as being a game changer.

She now specialises in working with ADHD high masking girls and is passionate about shifting the focus from the child who has to change and fit into a traditional educational model to changes in the environment, the context and how we support them. 

We'd love to hear your thoughts or questions on listening to the episode.

Get in touch with Melanie...
Chichester Child Psychology
Facebook
Linked In

Or with me...
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Email Kathryn 

My guest Adam Sutherland, is a renowned Scottish Fiddler and award winning composer with his tunes being played around the world. He is also a highly sought after teacher both in Scotland and beyond including America, Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
Adam was diagnosed with ADHD in 2018, following which he felt 'life started making sense'. He was able to be more compassionate towards himself.
His wife Emma also joins us in this episode, sharing her perspective.
We'd love to hear your thoughts or questions on listening to this episode...
Get in touch with Adam @adamsutherland
Or
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Email Kathryn 

Dr Kathryn Smith, Clinical Psychologist, has invited 5 guests to talk about their ADHD experience. They each provide an illuminating perspective and allow you to feel more connected as they share sad and heartwarming stories. You can connect with Kathryn via Truthbook Facebook page, Instagram Facebook or her website Lomond Psychology.

My guest is ultra runner, Jamie Aarons. On 26th June, 2023, Jamie became the fastest person to self propel herself round all 282 Munros (mountains over 3, 000 feet in Scotland) cycling and kayaking between them. She did it in 31 days, 10 hours and 27 minutes (12 hours faster than the previous record holder, Donnie Campbell). But her achievement has become so much more than the world record that she now holds.

Back at work as a Social Work advisor for the Scottish Government, I talk to Jamie today about the community spirit created around this event, the challenges she faced and the legacy she has created. I also speak to her friend Jenny and partner Andy who played key roles in the success of this challenge.

Read all about the challenge and sponsors at Jamie's Munro Challenge
And here: Fiona Outdoors
Follow Jamie on
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Donate to World Bike Relief on her Just Giving Page
Cover photo courtesy of  Stark Images

I asked Maria Leijerstam Edy to come on because, as someone I met many years ago through Adventure Racing (pre-kids), I look up to – she has taken on extreme challenges (first person to cycle to the South Pole and fastest human powered coast to South Pole traverse in 10 days, 14hrs and 56 minutes being the craziest, as well as cycled the length of NZ, run the marathon de sable, and been the first woman to compete in the Siberian Black Ice Race, cycling across Lake Baikal)! She is also mum to two girls, 5 & 7years old.  I was keen to hear behind the scenes of that image of a polar explorer with her frozen hair and red nose and how the challenges she has put herself through have equipped her for being a parent. After our chat I felt even more connected and inspired, as Maria shared the challenges of just getting from 7am to 7pm with kids and we shared a giggle at our incontinence issues, post giving  birth to two kids…

Maria's book- Cycling to the South Poll: A World First
Maria's business- Burns Series Family Adventure Racing
Book recommendation- The Accidental Adventurer by Nahla Summers

Elsie MacDonald is a client, who got in touch to continue therapeutic work after being involved in a peri-natal clinical psychology service for support with depression when she was pregnant and then for the first year of her daughter’s life. On listening to Truthbook, Elsie said she’d like to come on to share her behind the scenes. 

Elise has a one year old daughter Orla, and lives in in Strathblane,  about 12 miles north of Glasgow, just beneath the Campsie Fells.  She has just returned to work as a teaching assistant  in a school for children with additional support needs after maternity leave. Outside of work she is a keen cook and  enjoys the outdoors

Elsie wanted to come on Truthbook because despite having a straightforward pregnancy in terms of physical health, she struggled with her mental health especially in the second half of the pregnancy.  She was referred to the NHS peri-natal mental health service and the help she received from them made it possible for her to get through the pregnancy and survive that first year as a mum.  When she was discharged from that service she was keen to continue with some kind of therapy to keep the conversation going, even though she was feeling very well.

Elsie hopes that somebody somewhere might listen to this and gain some hope that things can get better, however dark you might be feeling. And that there is support out there.