ADHD Essentials

Today, we’re talking to Ms. Sally.  Sally is a high school special education teacher who has ADHD.  Which means she gets them on a level not all teachers can.  In today’s episode, we talk about Sally’s journey to becoming an educator, why teachers have to depersonalize their student’s understanding, how having ADHD has affected her teaching practice, and why her mission statement as a teachers is...

Today, we’re talking to Dawn Marie DesRoche of EQ Solutions: You 2.0 about Emotional Intelligence.  Dawn Marie helps people learn to recognize their reactions to people and situations, and teaches them how to respond to those same people and situations with more productive thoughts, feelings, and actions. In today’s episode, we talk about balancing societal expectations against the needs of oursel...

Today's episode is a quick and actionable one on setting clear expectations.  I hope you find it useful.   ADHD Essentials Links: ADHD Essentials Homepage Contact Brendan at  brendan@ADHDessentials.com Learn about & Register for  The ADHD Essentials Online Parent Coaching Groups   Join Our Facebook Community

Today, we’re talking to Isaac.  Isaac has ADHD, OCD, and Tourette’s.  And, as a senior in high school, Issac is the first person below the age of 18 that have been featured on the pod.  (Don’t worry, I got permission from his mom.)   As you’ll hear, he’s an incredible young man, who has overcome his varied challenges though hard work, resilience, ingenious strategies, and the support of his family...

I really enjoyed talking to Louise Clarke of "Your Parenting Partner".  Lousie has a child with ADHD, and is also a parenting coach.  So, the conversation was an interesting one. In Today’s Episode We Discuss: The power of parent coaching Controlling our reactivity through self-care Losing touch with our own needs because we're focused on everyone else Role modeling self-care Scheduling self-care...

Today, we’re talking to Kimberly Berry of Being UnNormal. This episode has some hard parts.  I’m not going to lie to you.  Kimberly Berry tells the tale of her struggles to get her daughter the help she needed after her ADHD and other mental health challenges led to a child in crisis.  Although it ends well, part of Kimberly’s story includes her 10 year-old daughter’s suicide attempts.  Luckily, m...

Today, we’re talking to Linda Katz or Right Fit College Coaching. Linda specializes in providing students with ADHD and similar learning disabilities with comprehensive college planning.  She helps them find the colleges that will best suit their interests and needs, and then helps them through the application process. In today’s episode, we talk about the college application process, how importan...

In today's episode, I discuss 8 Ways to Help Your Kid Manage Their Stress and Anxiety.     In Advance 1.  Reduce sensory stimulation 2.  Set & Have Reasonable Expectations 3.  Be clear about your own escalation   (4-6) In the Moment 4.  Help them get grounded in reality 5.  Name emotions 6.  Reflective Listening (7-8) In the Aftermath 7.  Forgive 8.  Fix   Shameless Plugs:   Go to https://www.adhd...

Today, we’re talking to Ari Tuckman. Dr. Tuckman is a psychologist in private practice, specializing in diagnosing and treating children, teens, and adults with ADHD, anxiety, and depression. He has appeared on CNN, National Public Radio, The New York Times, USA Today, The Washington Post and The Boston Globe. And now, he’s on the Pod!  In today’s episode, we talk relationship skills.  The episode...

Dr. Noor Ali is the principal of Al Hamra Academy, a private K-8 Islamic School.  Al Hamra. Noor has long been an advocate for students with special needs, and brings her strong advocacy, and thoughtful manner to the pod! In today’s episode, we talk about the intersections and commonalities between the Muslim and ADHD experiences, the importance of celebrating your child’s diagnosis, the special e...

Today, we’re talking to Jason Dulac.  Jason is a mental health counselor, and expert in stress management, having taught about it at the college level.  He’s also an old friend.  We’ve worked together as both teachers, and as mental health clinicians. In today’s episode, we talk about the physical nature of stress, various levels of stress management ranging from short term Band-Aids to  more long...

Lauren Mahan is a fourth-grade teacher in Massachusetts, and my sister! That’s right, I’m celebrating the anniversary of the pod with family!  And since Nathan and Gavin are in fourth grade this year, and Lauren is their aunt, we had them sit in on the interview, and contribute their thoughts.  You’ll hear about 4th grade from both sides of the teacher desk.  (As well as on top of it!)  In Today’s...

In today's episode, I walk us through how I'm setting my goals for 2019.  I think you'll find it useful.  In fact, this is probably a good one to share with your middle school and older kids.   Shameless Plugs:   Join Our Facebook Community Learn about  The ADHD Essentials Online Parent Coaching Groups ! Or register at https://www.adhdessentials.com/sign-up/ . Go to https://www.adhdrewired.com/eve...

Kids with both ADHD and giftedness, and often referred too as "Twice Exceptional".  Today, we're talking about them.  (But not behind they're back.  They're welcome to listen in.) Our guest for today's episode is Dr. Robert Gruberman. Robert is the director of his school district’s gifted and talented program.  He has been assessing and teaching gifted children in his district for nearly two decad...

Today, we’re talking to Aurora Remember Holtzman. Aurora is a school psychologist, host of the “Embracing Intensity” podcast, and a twice exceptional mother of a twice exceptional son. They both have ADHD and giftedness.  In today’s episode, we’re talking ADHD and giftedness through the lens of someone who’s living it.  We explore growing up gifted, impulsiveness vs impulsiveness, the value of tea...

We made it to 50 episodes!!  Thanks for being a part of it !! You might want to preview this if you tend to listen with your kids, because in this episode, we're discussing how to talk to our kids about sex.  Today, Erika Miley guides us through talking to our kids about sex.  We start with talking to younger kids about sex, and the move on to older kids as the episode progresses.  Regardless of t...

Today, we’re talking to Cindy Jobs . Cindy is a professional organizer and ADHD coach who I met at last month’s ADHD conference.  And I’m really glad I did, because organization is a thing we ADHD folks tend to struggle with. In today’s episode, we talk about organization as a balance between space and stuff, the clutter/anxiety connection, and making holiday kits.   In Today’s Episode We Discuss:...

Jon and his wife Monica run Connect ADHD out of Australia.  Jon’s a brilliant guy, and we go deep on multiple topics related to ADHD.  In today’s episode, we talk about how ADHD leads to our kids’ behavioral explosions, how environment affects our ADHD, the importance of science in ADHD. I got to spend time with Jon (and Monica. Her workshop was excellent!) at this year's ADHD conference, and edit...

Today, we’re talking to Richard Kelley! I've received excellent feedback on past episodes that looked at the history of ADHD through a personal lens.  So, I decided to bring in my friend Richard Kelley.  Rich is an Assistant Executive Director with the Massachusetts School Administrators Association (MSAA).  And he has been working in education for longer than I've ben alive.  (Admittedly, only by...

Today, we’re talking to Keith Griffin! Keith is an ADHD coach, and host of “ This ADHD Life ” on YouTube .  He’s also got a webinar on surviving the holidays with ADHD coming up through the Attention Deficit Disorder Association .   Keith can be found at ThisADHDLife.com .   In Today’s Episode We Discuss: Information Overload How music can help our morning routines No screens in the bedroom Produc...

I'm at the International Conference on ADHD.  Here is a brief episode where I share a few takeaways.  

Today, we’re talking to Tamara Roseer.  Tamara is the president of the ADHD Coaches Organization, the co-founder of Acorn Leadership, and the founder of the ADHD Center of West Michigan. In today’s episode, we talk about parenting as leadership, developing core values in our kids, ways to avoid passing anxiety on to our kids, and the importance of being authentic when we parent.   Guest Links: ADH...

Today, we’re talking to Mindy Katz.   When Mindy learned that she and her daughter had ADHD, it led to her becoming an ADHD coach, and eventually a Social Worker. She’s a big proponent of positive psychology, and developing resiliency in our kids.    In today’s episode, we talk about how to manage our sabotaging thoughts,  upward spirals of emotion, and the power of curiosity.     Alright, let’s g...

Today, we’re talking to Rene Brooks from Black Girl, Lost Keys . I always enjoy it when I talk get to talk to someone for the first time, but it feels like they’re already a good friend. Talking to Rene was one of those times, and it was a pleasure.   With to her clear memory of childhood, and her thorough understanding of ADHD, she makes the experience of having the ADHD both understandable and r...

In today’s episode, we’re talking to Mr. Kayerrrook.  He’s an old friend of mine, and a veteran high school English teacher. I really enjoyed our wide-ranging conversation, both when we had it, and when I listened to it again during the editing process.   We get into some interesting corners of both ADHD, and education.  talk about everything from the interplay between ADHD and poverty, to the var...