In this final episode of the ADHD miniseries Paula discusses ADHD and burnout with Dr Floriana Reinikis, a Clinical Psychologist specialising in neurodivergence, and an ADHDer herself. They discuss the connection between ADHD and burnout, including the impact of workplace environments, over-compensation, perfectionism, and emotional regulation. Dr Reinikis also highlights the importance of understanding your own unique needs to support self-advocacy at work and identify strategies for preventing and responding to burnout.

About the speaker:

Dr Floriana Reinikis is a Clinical Psychologist specialising in neurodivergence, with extensive experience in conducting ADHD and Autism assessments and providing post-diagnostic support. She is passionate about delivering neuroaffirmative care that recognises and builds on individual strengths. In addition to working directly with neurodivergent individuals, she also trains mental health professionals in the assessment and diagnosis of ADHD across the lifespan.

You can get in touch with Floriana at Oasis Psychological Services or on LinkedIn

Other links:

ACP-UK

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This conversation explores the personal journeys of 3 NHS clinicians diagnosed with ADHD as adults, focusing on their experiences with diagnosis, the impact on their lives, and the challenges they have faced in academic and professional settings. The discussion highlights the complexities of self-disclosure, advocacy, and the need for greater awareness and understanding of ADHD, particularly in women. They reflect on the misconceptions surrounding ADHD and the evolving narrative in society, emphasising the need for a more compassionate and informed approach to neurodivergence.

Speakers' recommended resources:

Scattered Minds by Gabor Mate

Dirty Laundry by Richard and Roxanne Pink

Ted Talk by Salif Mahamane called "ADHD sucks, but not really"

ADHD Chatter Podcast

Amazing Marvin productivity app

Other links:

ACP-UK

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Paula speaks with Clinical Psychologist Dr Lauren Breese about some of the complexities, controversies and opportunities around ADHD diagnosis, particularly in relation to work.

The conversation includes:

• what ADHD is and how it might impact people in the workplace
• gender differences in ADHD presentation
• thoughts on workplace adaptations
• controversies and misunderstandings about ADHD
• the importance of a rigorous assessment process
• benefits of seeking an ADHD assessment
• navigating conversations about ADHD with empathy and curiosity

About the speaker:

Dr Lauren Breese is a Clinical Psychologist and founder of 'and Psychology' (an assessment and therapy service for neurodivergent adults) and 'The Neurodiversity Practice' (a service supporting ND parents, as well as workplaces and mental health practitioners to embrace neuroinclusivity.

Instagram:

@_andpsychology_

@‌theneurodiversitypractice

Linked In:

www.linkedin.com/in/drlaurenbreese

www.linkedin.com/company/theneurodiversitypractice/

Lauren’s recommended resources:

Podcasts:

• The ADHD Women's Wellbeing podcast
• The Hidden 20%
• ADHD Chatter
• The Neurodivergent Woman

YouTube:

• How to ADHD - Jessica McCabe

Books:

• How to thrive with Adult ADHD - Dr James Kustow
• We have a free recommended booklist for ND parents to download here: Book List - ND Parents — The Neurodiversity Practice

Download our free neuroinclusion at work checklist to share with employers: Business | Neurodiversity in the Workplace — The Neurodiversity Practice

Other links:

ACP-UK

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Dr Paula Redmond, Clinical Psychologist, announces that Season Six of the When Work Hurts podcast is on its way, with a special focus on ADHD.

This season is brought to you by the Association of Clinical Psychologists, the representative professional body for clinical psychologists in the UK.

It's going to be a little bit different from previous seasons, as it's a three-episode mini-series exploring one topic - ADHD - from a range of perspectives. Over the series, Paula will be speaking with four clinical psychologists and one medic to help us understand some of the key issues in this field, including:

• the complexities, controversies and opportunities around diagnosis,
• the lived experience of being an NHS clinician with ADHD,
• the relationship between ADHD and burnout,
• how organisations, managers and colleagues can foster ADHD inclusive workplaces,
• as well as some reflections, strategies and tips for ADHDers themselves or those who might be considering an assessment.

Listen for a taster of what's coming up.

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The Tree of Life is a narrative therapy approach that helps people to tell stories about themselves in ways that make them stronger. It uses the metaphor of a tree to support this process in creative ways and has a broad applicability in both therapeutic and professional contexts. 

In this episode, Paula is joined by Dr Julie Fraser and Dr Liz Matias, both clinical psychologists, who have written about their use of the Professional Tree of Life to support NHS staff in the ACP-UK book Psychological Staff Support in Healthcare. 

They discuss what the approach looks like, as well as the benefits and challenges. 

Links:

Book: Psychological Staff Support in Healthcare: Thinking and Practice - Edited by Dr Harriet Conniff (www.sequoia-books.com)

Other links:

ACP-UK

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Reflective practice groups are a subject that has come up a few times on the podcast as being an important way of supporting both staff wellbeing and patient care. 

Paula wanted to explore this in more depth, so in this episode she is joined by Dr Arabella Kurtz, consultant clinical psychologist and psychoanalytic psychotherapist to talk about her Heads and Hearts model. They discuss how reflective practice is defined in this context, the different components of the Heads and Hearts model, and common challenges.

Arabella and her colleague Dr Joanna Levene have summarised the model in a chapter of the excellent ACP-UK book entitled ‘Psychological Staff Support in Healthcare’, which was edited by Dr Harriet Conniff.

Links:

Psychological Staff Support in Healthcare: Thinking and Practice - Edited by Dr Harriet Conniff (www.sequoia-books.com)

A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review of Group Reflective Practice in Medical Students - Kelvin C Y Leung and Carmelle Peisah (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

ACP-UK

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Art and creativity are good for the soul, both in and out of work. 

In this episode Paula is joined by clinical psychologist Dr Rachel Chater, discussing her inspiring work with the take heART Project, which aims to enhance the wellbeing of staff, patients and visitors to the Bedfordshire Hospitals through the arts. 

Rachel describes how this more unusual psychology role took shape and how it's made a difference at multiple levels within the system. She tells us about some of the lovely art projects they've worked on and how these have been informed by psychological theory and formulation. 

The pair also talk about the challenges in this work and Rachel gives lots of great pragmatic advice for anyone who might be inspired to try something similar.

Links:

take heART website (/www.bedfordshirehospitals.nhs.uk)

take heART email: [email protected]

These are the Hands by Michael Rosen (www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk)

Painting in Hospitals

ACP-UK

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So far this series has talked a lot about the impact of traumatic experiences on us as individuals. But working in healthcare usually means working in teams and experiencing distressing events as part of a team.

In this episode, Paula speaks with Dr Sadie Thomas-Unsworth, consultant clinical psychologist and lead for staff support and palliative care, about the guidelines she and colleagues have written entitled Group Psychological ‘Debriefs’ - Practice guidance for post-event team reflection following distressing events at work. Published by the Association of Clinical Psychologists and authored by Sadie, Dr Harriet Conniff, Dr Joanna Farrington-Exley, Dr Zoe Berger and Dr Julie Highfield.

Sadie’s links:

Group Psychological Debriefs (acpuk.org.uk)

Other links:

ACP-UK

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Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing, or EMDR, is a NICE recommended psychological treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, and is also becoming more widely used in the prevention of PTSD in healthcare settings where staff are exposed to traumatic events in their work. 

In this episode, Paula is joined by Dr Michael Paterson OBE, a clinical psychologist and EMDR Europe accredited senior trainer.

Michael describes what EMDR is and how it can be used to support health professionals with both recent and past events, both big T and small T traumas. He also movingly talks about his own experiences of being involved in an explosion that led to life-changing injuries while he was a serving police officer in Northern Ireland and the difference EMDR has made to him personally and professionally. 

Michael’s details and links:

Websites: 

drmichaelpaterson.com

www.emdrmasterclass.com (visit the Resources page for tips for good EMDR Therapy practice and links to short training videos)

Facebook: Michael Paterson

YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/drmpaterson

LinkedIn: Dr Michael Paterson OBE

References:

Jinhee Baek et al: Neural circuits underlying a psychotherapeutic regimen for fear disorders (www.nature.com)

Marco Pagani: Neurobiological correlates of EMDR monitoring - an EEG study (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

Zaghrout-Hodali: Building Resilience and Dismantling Fear: EMDR Group Protocol With Children in an Area of Ongoing Trauma (www.psy-tcc-mougins.fr)

Francine Shapiro: Recent Events Protocol (emdrfoundation.org)

Elan Shapiro: The EMDR Recent Traumatic Episode Protocol (EMDR R- TEP) for Early EMDR Intervention (EEI) (emdrfoundation.org)

Elan Shapiro: EMDR Group- Traumatic Episode Protocol (G-TEP) (emdrfoundation.org)

Bessel van der Kolk: The Body Keeps The Score (www.besselvanderkolk.com)

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Health professionals are not immune to trauma. In fact, many are motivated to become healthcare professionals as a way of understanding and even healing their own wounds. They are also vulnerable to experiencing trauma in their personal lives just as much as anyone else is, and especially likely to be exposed to trauma in their work. 

In this episode, Paula is joined by Dr Yvonne Waft, a clinical psychologist and EMDR consultant. 

Yvonne is the author of a new book, published by Sequoia Books in association with the ACP-UK, called Coping with Trauma: Surviving and Thriving in the Face of Overwhelming Events. 

Yvonne talks about her own experiences of trauma, how these have informed her professional life, and how health professionals can look after themselves when they are impacted by traumatic events, either in work or in their personal lives.

Yvonne’s details and links:

Website: www.catalystclinpsy.co.uk

Instagram: @waftyvonne

Facebook: Dr Yvonne Waft - Catalyst Clinical Psychology 

X: @catalystclinpsy

LinkedIn: Dr Yvonne Waft

Book: Coping With Trauma: Surviving and Thriving in the Face of Overwhelming Events - Sequoia Books

Other links:

ACP-UK

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I’d love to connect with you so do come and find me on LinkedIn or at my website and do check out the ACP-UK and everything it has to offer.

Follow and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!