Are You a Hotline Hothead?
How to Call Customer Service You have a customer service issue that you need to resolve by calling the company’s 800 number. This has been difficult for you in the past, as you struggle to regulate your emotions. Your friends and family may refer to you as “reactive” or possibly even a “hothead.” You are…
Read MoreMy ADHD Got Me Fired!
… And How the Right Tools Can Prevent That Outcome Interactions in the workplace can be daunting for many people—difficult supervisors, impossible expectations, toxic work environments that doesn’t foster support and cooperation between coworkers—the list is long. ADHD brings its own set of challenges in the workplace: having difficulty prioritizing tasks, lagging motivation when tasks…
Read MoreImproving Anger Behavior
“I think the issue is we really don’t communicate, even with ourselves, to know what we need in our world, or we don’t communicate well enough with others to tell them what we need and how we can each help to make each other’s worlds better,” says Dayle Malen, LCSW, MEd, a therapist based in…
Read MoreADHD in Relationships: Finding Intimacy When the World Feels Very Different
A relationshiP IS ALL ABOUT CONNECTION based on shared experiences that solidify and deepen that connection. A feature of this connection is the formation and strengthening of intimacy between the partners. But what happens when that connection is hindered by miscommunication and misunderstanding? The connection falters due to each partner feeling less understood and less…
Read MoreExercise for Adults with ADHD in Quarantine
For an extroverted physical therapist with ADHD, this quarantine is hard! You may be in the same boat, whether you’re working from home, supervising a child or teen while they attend school from home, dealing with a college student sent home, living alone, or coping with social distancing in any of a dozen other scenarios. Ironically,…
Read MoreVirtual Support Groups for Adults with ADHD
Adults who struggle with ADHD can now participate in virtual support groups that provide ongoing encouragement and updated information to help them manage daily responsibilities and improve the quality of their lives—thanks to the efforts of fellow adults with ADHD. Access to these groups is included as a benefit for members of the Attention Deficit…
Read MoreADHD, Productivity, and Working from Home
Productivity is about efficiency. It’s about using the right tools for the job and focusing on the most effective processes. When I’m coaching anyone around productivity, I find it useful to step into the right mindset. From there, we can objectively look at when and why we are most productive. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve…
Read MoreRisky Behaviors Associated with ADHD
This research update focuses on risky behaviors associated with ADHD and what can be done to help mitigate these potential risks. What is the connection between risk-taking and ADHD? The first paper reviews research focused on risk-taking behavior in adolescents and adults with ADHD, including the connection between risk-taking and ADHD, underlying factors explaining this…
Read MoreIs it Time to Evaluate Your Relationship with Alcohol?
In 2019, I inadvertently joined a movement I didn’t even know existed. Within hours of researching information on reducing my alcohol consumption, I was introduced to new phrases like sober curious, Dry January, sober sprint, plus Quit Lit (publications devoted to decreasing alcohol intake). I discovered resources like This Naked Mind, Club Soda, and Alcohol…
Read MoreForaging for Information
In very simple terms, we do what we do for pleasure. That statement makes sense; otherwise, why would we do things that are boring, unpleasant, or uncomfortable if they don’t make us feel good? The question is, though, what makes us feel good? In a simplified view of the infinitely complex brain, the answer is dopamine. Dopamine…
Read MoreUnderstanding Meltdowns: The ADHD Volcano Model
A MELTDOWN CAN SEEM TO COME OUT OF NOWHERE. It’s one of the challenging or explosive behaviors we see in those who have ADHD. Sometimes it appears as poor self-esteem, yelling, rage, or tears. But sometimes the challenging behavior is your own in reaction to your spouse, child, sibling, or friend who has ADHD: “Why…
Read MoreAn ADHD Assessment Might Set You Free—No Matter Your Age
No one wants to feel like something is wrong with the way their brain works, or to be labelled or stigmatized due to their mental health symptoms. Fears like these—of being judged or having their lives worsen as a result of speaking up—hold people back from seeking support through mental health assessment and treatment services.…
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