Attention Different | Adulting with ADHD

🔥 What happens when ‘ADHD Burnout’ is normalized and becomes your baseline ? In this Fireside Chat, we sit down with Trina Haynes—founder of @MyLadyADHD and co-host of the Brain Waves podcast. Trina brings us an unfiltered conversation about what it means to live in constant overdrive. From late diagnosis to ‘mom guilt,’ from masking to mental exhaustion, Trina opens up about how years of undiagn...

Just because your emotional alarm goes off doesn’t mean there’s a five-alarm fire. Sometimes… it’s something as simple as burnt toast. 🥲 ❓What if emotional regulation wasn’t about control—but about curiosity? In this all-new episode, Devin Pitts-Rogers sits down with Dr. Elizabeth Kilmer—clinical psychologist, researcher, and neurodivergent mental health advocate—to talk about how ADHD impacts o...

What if the breakthrough you’ve been waiting for didn’t happen until your ADHD diagnosis? In this all-new episode, we sit down with Devin Pitts-Rogers —ADHD advocate, creative powerhouse, and our newest host on the podcast —to talk about misdiagnosis, rediscovering identity, and learning how to live in alignment with your brain. 💡🎤 From misunderstood school days to finding purpose in storytellin...

Join us for an engaging and heartfelt conversation in the Los Angeles installment of our Attention Different Fireside Chats series. This episode brings together a group of ADHDers to explore the nuances of living with ADHD in adulthood, unpacking personal stories, challenges, and triumphs. ✍️ - Creators ➡ Stephen Tonti, Benj Welmond, & Aaron Smith 🎥 - Director & Cinematographer ➡ Benj Wel...

What if your real career path didn’t start until after your ADHD diagnosis?  In this all-new episode, we sit down with Kelly Baumgartner—ADHD Coach, content creator, and former school librarian—to talk about diagnosis at 30, trusting your instincts, and building a career that fits your brain. 🌱📚 From "just pushing through" to actually understanding her needs, Kelly’s journey is filled...

Today, we sit down with Will Curb, host of Hacking Your ADHD , to talk about dismantling shame , redefining ‘Effort,’ and building strategies that actually work for ADHD brains. From late diagnoses to using stress as a survival tool , the ADHD experience is full of patterns that really start to make sense once you begin to understand your own brain.  Join Will & Aaron & Stephen as they exp...

Ever feel like you're constantly hitting invisible walls? From job after job where you perform brilliantly until something goes sideways, to lying awake at night unable to turn your brain off, living with undiagnosed ADHD can be intense. Add parenthood to the mix and that "popcorn machine" in your head can finally overflow. In this deeply personal and practical episode, we sit down...

ADHD and self-worth? It’s messy—and deeply personal. From repeated workplace struggles to a constant feeling of falling short, living with ADHD can often make us question our value and capabilities. The world isn’t designed for neurodivergent thinkers, and when you're forced to play by rules that don’t work for your brain, it’s easy to internalize the blame. But what if the issue isn’t you—it...

In this powerful roundtable episode of Attention Different, host Stephen Tonti brings together eight ADHD adults from diverse backgrounds to share their experiences, challenge common misconceptions, and celebrate what makes their neurodivergent brains unique. From late diagnoses to childhood realizations, these candid conversations reveal the complex reality of living with ADHD and the journey tow...

Trina Haynes, founder of My Lady ADHD and co-host of the Brain Waves podcast, joins Stephen and Aaron to discuss her personal journey with burnout and ADHD. As someone who manages multiple businesses, a podcast, social media accounts, and homeschools one of her three daughters, Trina knows firsthand the challenges of balancing an entrepreneurial spirit with the realities of ADHD. In this vulnerabl...

ADHD and sleep? It’s complicated. From racing thoughts at night to groggy mornings, getting quality rest can feel impossible. In this episode, we break down why sleep matters and how to make it work for you.   Join us as we dive into:   😴 Why ADHD brains struggle with sleep regulation   🧠 How sleep deprivation impacts focus, mood, and executive function   🌙 Practical strategies for building bet...

🚀 What if failure wasn’t the end, but the beginning? In this episode of Adulting with ADHD, we dive into the concept of failing forward—turning mistakes into momentum and learning how to navigate setbacks with an ADHD brain. 🧠 What You’ll Learn: ✅ Why ADHDers often struggle with perfectionism & fear of failure ✅ How reframing mistakes can help build resilience & confidence ✅ Personal...

In this foundational episode of Adulting with ADHD, we break down the basics of ADHD. What is it really? Hint: It's not just about being hyperactive or unfocused. 💡 Discover how ADHD functions as a difference in brain chemistry, not a disorder, and learn how it shows up uniquely in adults. We bust common myths, explore its impact on daily life, and share insights into navigating creativity,...

Struggling to get through tasks that feel boring, overwhelming, or unappealing? Enter temptation bundling—a clever motivational tool that pairs something you love with something you’d rather avoid. In this lab, Stephen, Aaron, and Marlena explore how ADHD brains respond to rewards and why combining dopamine-boosting activities with must-dos can make all the difference. From working out while binge...

Staying active with ADHD can feel like an uphill climb, but it doesn’t have to be! In this episode of Adulting with ADHD, Stephen, Aaron, and Marlena share their personal experiences, laugh-out-loud moments, and creative hacks to make exercise work for ADHD brains. 🔍 Topics include: 💪Stephen’s take on perfectionism and self-judgment in fitness 💪Marlena’s smoothie accountability strategy 🥤 💪Aa...

Attention Different Labs are short form episodes centered around important adulting with ADHD topics. Stephen dives into specific research mixed with tangible coaching strategies and advice, delivered with a side of relatability and humor.  In this lab, we discuss and educate on Adult ADHD Symptoms.  Our mission is to reclaim the label, not reinvent it, in order to understand our condition in more...

Welcome to the Radical Acceptance Lab, a unique series created by Attention Different for those navigating ADHD and looking to transform shame into self-compassion. 💡 In this lab, we dive deep into the concept of radical acceptance—a powerful tool for recognizing our unique strengths and moving beyond the cycle of self-criticism. Through honest discussions, personal stories, and insights from ADH...

In this episode of the Attention Different Podcast Co-founders of Attention Different Stephen Tonti and Aaron Smith talk with Marlena Pavich about her journey of being diagnosed with ADHD later in life and accepting her diagnosis.   -------------------------------------------------------------------- Follow Us on Instagram: Marlena Pavich https://www.instagram.com/marlenalikeantenna Stephen Tonti...

In this episode of the Attention Different Podcast Co-founders of Attention Different Stephen Tonti and Aaron Smith react to an old TEDx talk ( ADHD As A Difference In Cognition, Not A Disorder: Stephen Tonti at TEDxCMU ) that Stephen gave many years ago that was the inspiration for the launch of a new company. Send us Fan Mail We are Attention DIFFERENT not DEFICIT An advocacy and edutainment pod...

In this episode, we discuss when, how, and if you should disclose your ADHD status to your employer. We talk about some critical considerations surrounding ADHD and workplace stigma, asking for support, and accessing needed accommodations, among other topics. Send us Fan Mail We are Attention DIFFERENT not DEFICIT An advocacy and edutainment podcast centered on radical acceptance and neurodiverist...

We discuss the common problems that arise in relationships between ADHD and Non-ADHD partners and what to do about these dynamics. Show notes: Dani Donovan – check out her awesome ADHD webcomic @DaniDonovan. Facebook @DaniDonovanArt https://www.bbc.com/news/health-48146166 Send us Fan Mail We are Attention DIFFERENT not DEFICIT An advocacy and edutainment podcast centered on radical acceptance and...

In this episode of "Attention Different," the hosts discuss the hunter-gatherer hypothesis and its connection to ADHD. They explore how ADHD traits may have evolved as adaptive features beneficial in early human societies, challenging the view that ADHD is purely a negative, maladaptive condition. The conversation delves into the genetics of ADHD, the impact of environmental stressors on...

We respond to the backlash from Take Your Pills, the new documentary on Netflix that addressing issues of stimulant use and abuse, as well as performance-enhancing drugs. The film has created quite a stir in the ADHD community. Very soon we will be doing a deeper dive into the film, but for now, we would like to offer some tips about how we can react in an intentional way to films like this. For m...

Today we interview Dr. Sharon Saline and discuss what it’s like for siblings in families where one sibling has ADHD and the other does not. Often times the focus is placed on what is going on for the ADHD sibling but what about the Non-ADHD sibling? Dr. Saline has experience in this area growing up in a family where her brother has ADHD. She highlights some of the dynamics that arise for families...

In this follow-up episode on getting diagnosed later in life. Diann Wingert, an ADHD coach for entrepreneurs offers some insight into what it’s like to not only live with ADHD but to thrive! She has done some amazing things in her life and does not shy away from seeing her ADHD as the superpower it is. That doesn’t mean things have always been smooth sailing, in fact, she opens up about some of th...