Harness Your Adhd Power

Being an Achiever isn’t just about developing your EF Skills; you also need to become the person who is the Achiever, instead of thinking of yourself as the person who is the ADDer.  Saying “I am an Achiever” is the first step to taking on an empowering new Identity, just as saying “I am an ADDer, is a step that reinforces keeping the same old disempowering Identity.     Are you telling yourself stories or reliving your past failed attempts and making that your reality today?  You’re probably not doing this consciously, however, many of us base our current reality on possibilities of what you’ve done in the past.  Statements like, “this is just how I am” or “this doesn’t feel like me” or “I can’t see myself living that way” are common.   The good news? Executive Function skills can be learned, no matter what age you are.  No matter where you are located in the world.  All it takes is the right training, strategies and support.  In this episode Dr B talks about: What can happen when ADHD and under-developed e

According to government statistics, last updated in 2018, there are a lot of unhappy people that are suffering in the world.  In the U.S. alone: 32 million people suffer from anxiety 17 million suffer from depression Around 12 million suffer from PTSD And, according to Forbes magazine, the Self-Help industry generates over $11 billion annually. What I find interesting is that many of the self-help books and videos that get purchased sit on the shelf collecting dust. So for today’s podcast, I wanted to explore this phenomenon and help you get curious about what does work and why.  How much time do we have?  Not much.  So let’s get to it. And, if my podcast show is the first time you’ve been hearing about the difference between ADHD and executive function skills, you're not alone.  If you’re an adult who received a diagnosis of adult ADHD, executive function skills should also have been assessed and discussed with you, in my humble opinion.  The odds of having under-developed executive function skills along w

I have something a little different for you today.  In case you missed listening to my interview with Meredith for Real:  The Curious Introvert, she was kind enough to share the episode with me, so I could share it with you all directly.  I love responding to questions and thoroughly enjoyed my interview with Meredith. If my podcast show is the first time you’ve been hearing about the difference between ADHD and executive function skills, you're not alone.  If you’re an adult who received a diagnosis of adult ADHD, executive function skills should also have been assessed and discussed with you, in my humble opinion.  The odds of having under-developed executive function skills along with ADHD are very high; in fact, almost a given that you will.  It's also highly probable that you will have under-developed executive function skills if you've lived with chronic depression, chronic anxiety, trauma, addictions, or chronic illness. Today’s episode is about offering you hope; real hope that you can change your lif

I love responding to questions and enjoyed being interviewed by Meredith for Real so much that I decided to change the format of my show to focusing on a topic and responding to questions about it.  So, if you have a topic you’d like me to talk about and half a dozen questions you’d like answered on that topic, submit your topic and 6 questions to me directly at: https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/ask-dr-b If my podcast show is the first time you’ve been hearing about executive function skills and strategies, you are not alone.  If you’re an adult who received a diagnosis of adult ADHD, executive function skills should also have been assessed and discussed with you, in my humble opinion.  The odds of having executive function deficits along with ADHD are very high; in fact, almost a given that you will.  Today’s episode is about the executive function skill of Initiating and some strategies to get you started on developing this important skill, as well as offering you hope; real hope that you can change your life

For those of you who don’t know me yet … Albert Einstein is quoted as saying, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” That was me; living the majority of my academic life believing I was stupid, and chasing degrees to prove I wasn’t. The degrees never resolved the feelings; only accepting the truth did. I was smart; just differently. I wasn’t broken. I didn’t need fixing. I needed to understand what was great about me and build on that. I have, and so can you! The meanings you give the events of your life is so important.  They can either empower or destroy you.  In this episode Dr B talks about: Defining what ADDulting will look like for you Success comes from building a strong foundation and continuing to practice the basics Six important concepts that have radically transformed my life and others who apply these concepts The importance of celebrating your wins My mission is to put an end to the worldwide nee

We have a multi-dimensional mental health problem in the world.  Many professionals aren’t trained to recognize nor address issues with ADHD or executive function training.  Our family members might have had the same challenges we experience and just made the best of them.  And of course, whatever they modeled for us is what we learned.  Plus, nowhere along the way was it ever mentioned that we could do something about these challenges ourselves – even without a diagnosis! Prescribers aren’t recommending executive function skills training.  Therapists aren’t recommending executive function skills training.  Colleges aren’t recommending or offering executive function skills training; neither are employers.  So, if all the main people in your life weren’t making these recommendations, why would you even know or consider this as something you can do for yourself?  In this episode Dr B talks about: Multi-dimensional mental health problem in the world Importance of executive function skills training with scaffold

The topic of menopause and ADHD is an important one and not often talked about. It’s important if you’re pre-menopause, peri-menopause, going through menopause or post-menopause, and wondering at any point what hit you! And it’s important even if you’re a male listener, since you most likely live with or work with such women. In this episode Dr B talks about: Drops in estrogen and cognitive functioning Importance of gut health for brain health Not turning your behaviors into your identity The importance of celebrating your wins My mission is to put an end to the worldwide needless suffering of adults with ADHD and those with under-developed Executive Function Skills - whether from ADHD, chronic depression or anxiety, trauma, addictions or chronic illnesses.  And, you don't need a formal diagnosis to know you need help developing these EF skills in order to greatly reduce your suffering.   Free Episode Resources: Download the mp3 audio file and listen whenever you like Download the episode transcript if tha

Today’s episode is part 4 of 4 of my interview with Danny, a writer and director who has been sharing the ups and downs of his life with ADHD. We begin this section discussing the use of alcohol or other substances to slow down what Danny calls the “cacophony” going on in his head. And then we dive into all the ways your brain can be retrained so that you can get better outcomes for your life. That is, how to work with your unique brain, how to love it’s quirkiness and how to envision a positive future. Free Episode Resources: Download the mp3 audio file and listen whenever you like Download the episode transcript if that's important to you Join me in the Living Beyond ADHD Facebook group for community, support, live videos and more Check out my Dr B page on Facebook Click HERE for lots of free resources to serve your needs   Thanks for listening to my first podcast interview. I had a lot of fun with this format and will hopefully be doing more of them. If you’re just catching this last episode, I definitel

Today I’m continuing my interview with Danny, who, in the last episode, described how getting diagnosed with ADHD and learning about wins from something I taught at our local MeetUp group pulled him out of darkness and started him on a bright new path. In Part 3 of this interview I discuss “cognitive hyperactivity,” which is barely being talked about even though it causes huge problems for people. And then we start talking about solutions. So settle in for some great tips as we continue Danny’s interview…   Free Episode Resources: Download the mp3 audio file and listen whenever you like Download the episode transcript if that's important to you Join me in the Living Beyond ADHD Facebook group for community, support, live videos and more Check out my Dr B page on Facebook Click HERE for lots of free resources to serve your needs   It doesn’t feel good when your brain isn’t running the show well. In the last episode of this 4-part interview, we’ll talk about the unhealthy coping mechanisms people sometimes us

Today I’m continuing my interview with Danny, an artistic soul who was diagnosed with ADHD in his 40s. When we left off at the end of the last episode, Danny had just experienced an epiphany that ADHD might be the source of many of his struggles in life. This episode starts with Danny’s revelations from listening to an audio book on ADHD and then he describes a very dark time in his life and where he found a lifeline. Let’s jump right in.  Free Episode Resources: Download the mp3 audio file and listen whenever you like Download the episode transcript if that's important to you Join me in the Living Beyond ADHD Facebook group for community, support, live videos and more Check out my Dr B page on Facebook Click HERE for lots of free resources to serve your needs   Coming May 24, 2020: Click HERE for information about "Procrastination Banished" MasterClass, which includes 90-minute MasterClass, replay of MasterClass, comprehensive Workbook and 30-days working with me in a private community forum on banish

Are you someone who struggled with ADHD your whole life and finally received a diagnosis later in life?  If so, then you're not alone.  Today I'm interviewing Danny, a writer and director whose story is similar to a lot of folks. We met at a local ADHD MeetUp group back in 2013 and have been friends ever since. He’s come a long way, and I want you to hear from him how ADHD almost ruined his life, and he overcame his depression and addictions by working on unique ways to retrain his brain. In this first part (Part 1 of 4), we discuss Danny’s childhood, how he discovered his ADHD later in life and what cognitive hyperactivity can look like. Let’s jump right in. The conversation starts with Danny describing himself as we chat a little about our MeetUp days… Free Episode Resources: Download the mp3 audio file and listen whenever you like Download the episode transcript if that's important to you Join me in the Living Beyond ADHD Facebook group for community, support, live videos and more Check out my Dr B page

Hey ADDers!  So glad you could join me for today’s episode – ADHD and Executive Function Skills Through Dr B’s Eyes.   Back in the late 1970’s I had Graves Disease, which simply put is an overactive or hyperactive thyroid gland.  ...Being an options thinker, I explored acupuncture, which addresses issues of energy directly and visualization techniques, which have been researched as very effective in the treatment of cancer. Plus, some reading in Louise Hay’s book “Healing Your Body” helped me to understand the metaphysical aspects of my thyroid, which is about speaking my truth.  So, between the use of the medication, acupuncture, and visualization techniques with self-dialogue, I was able to release the hyperactive energy from my thyroid gland without the need for surgery or radiation.  Everything that had happened to my eyes and thyroid gland went back to normal and you couldn’t tell it ever happened.     I share the stories in this episode with you, so you have a little sense of my worldview on wellness an

Hey ADDers!  So glad you could join me for today’s episode - Executive Function Basics about Focus, Priorities and Effective Decision Making.  I wanted to share some important tools with you that I’ve taught students before. Without the skills to focus, prioritize and make effective decisions, you are most likely going to be stressed and spinning your wheels a lot, seeing very little results at the end of each day.  And like you, I know how awful that feels, and am grateful to have developed the skills I needed to do these things more easily, and teach them to others so they are less stressed too.  I trust the information in this episode will give you a start at developing these critically important skills and lessen your stressors, especially during this holiday season when there is so much more to focus on, prioritize and of course, make decisions on. In this episode Dr B talks about: Focus Prioritizing Decision-Making The importance of celebrating your wins Free Live Masterclass, January 2020:  "The #1 Wa

Hey ADDers! So glad you could join me for today’s episode about Executive Function Basics - Planning, Scheduling and Following Through. I decided to change up the format for a couple of weeks and provide you with some important tools that I’ve taught students before. Without the skills to plan, schedule and follow through there is a lot that you won’t be able to do very efficiently. I trust the information in this episode will give you a start at developing these critically important skills and lessen your stressors, especially during this holiday season. One of my goals with this episode is for you to realize that you didn’t have this level of skills years ago, and if you did, you’d have had more options. And since that’s the truth, let’s set blame aside, and focus on getting you the skills you can start developing today, that will make a significant difference in the quality of your life. In this episode Dr B talks about: What it's like getting started with executive function skill development Planning and

Hey ADDers!  So glad you could join me for today’s episode about ADHD Coaching and Therapy – Differences and Similarities.  Before I talk about the similarities and differences, I’d like to take you on a little journey. ADHD that is diagnosed in adulthood doesn’t travel alone; rather it often comes with “companion challenges” such as depression, anxiety, addictions, trauma and even illnesses.  Sometimes these “companion challenges” are there as a result of this later in life diagnosis and sometimes not. In this episode Dr B talks about: Later in life diagnosis of adult ADHD and what to do next Adults learning essential executive function skills later in life Embracing structure and cycles in all areas of your life The importance of celebrating your WINS Free Live Masterclass, January 2020:  "The #1 Way to Move Beyond the Years of Damage from Undiagnosed ADHD and Executive Function Dysfunction."    Free Episode Resources: Download the mp3 audio file and listen whenever you like. Download the episode transcr

Hey ADDers!  So glad you could join me for today’s episode about getting organized – the fun way.  If you’re like other adults with ADHD and under-developed executive function life skills, you may be thinking, “no way can getting organized be fun!” And then there’s the maintenance after you get organized, so you can stay that way.  It’s the #1 issue that many of you voted on in my Facebook group, and said you dread, procrastinate on and hate to do.  I get it. I made sure to include fun in this episode because I learned long ago that I needed to create games out of pretty much everything I do so that it’s fun and I look forward to it.  Whether it’s: beat the clock or making a movie out of a project or taking on the role of someone who does a task really well or dressing up in something fun…  I think of ways to make it fun for myself so there’s no procrastination or resistance.  I’d love for you to feel the same way about getting yourselves organized – the fun way. In this episode Dr B talks about: Pausing for

Hey ADDers!  Many of you are living without well-developed executive function skills and strategies and perhaps don’t know it.  Or maybe you do…but you don’t know what can be done.  You’ve had these struggles in one form or another for most of your life and if they were going to improve, they certainly would have by now.  Fair enough…  You’ve come to the conclusion that you must have treatment resistant ADHD or really bad ADHD because it just isn’t getting any better; in fact, it might even be getting worse.  You’re showing up late more often, forgetting things, taking longer to get your paperwork done – whether for work or school.  In fact, your mind might feel like it’s speeding along, yet your thinking is actually slower and less clear. As I've said before, there are many reasons why these skills get derailed in their development.  It's not your fault that your skills aren’t as fully developed “yet” as you need them to be, and you are responsible for developing them now, if you want your life to work bette

Hey ADDers!  We’re going to start off a little different today and look at a correlation I’ve been thinking about for some time. The title of today’s episode comes from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, and pertains to more than just those in recovery from alcoholism.  And even if you don’t favor AA for whatever reasons, please do listen for the deeper logic and meanings that I want to share with you today in this introductory part of today’s episode. A seemingly hopeless state of mind and body is reaching epidemic proportions as it relates to depression, anxiety, trauma, chronic illness, ADHD and addictions (both behavioral and substance).  And underlying these conditions, I am seeing the compromised development of executive function skills and strategies, which are the essential skills we all need to thrive as adults in today’s world. If you can’t plan, organize, prioritize, get started and keep going until the end, or regulate states of overwhelm and analysis paralysis so you can make a solid decision,

Hey ADDers!  Do you feel as if you’re on a runaway train? Is valuable time – and your life – passing you by in the blink of an eye?  Do you feel lost or overwhelmed because you’re not getting the important things done in your life? I was once there, too.  I spent thousands of dollars on programs, therapists and books that promised to show me the way out of the chaos in spite of my ADHD brain. But they didn’t.  Instead, they left me feeling angry and more desperate than before.  Perhaps this is your story too. Living Beyond ADHD, a podcast hosted and produced by Dr B, explores why so many adults with ADHD or Executive Function challenges never get past their challenges and live beyond them.  That’s what Dr B's work in the world is really about, and she so wants that for you, if you want that too.  You’ve heard her say many times that you are more than your ADHD; that you are a precious “human being” – even if the “human doing” part of you needs some work and tools.  By identifying the root cause issues, and ad

Hey ADDers!  Foresight is the secret ingredient to success, because without foresight you cannot prepare for the future.  With our fast-paced lives, it is becoming harder and harder to establish foresight because our world is changing faster than ever before.  Are you someone who has no idea of what sort of world you should prepare for?  And if that is you, have you given up and decided that you can’t know or do anything about your future?  That you will just have to deal with the cards that get dealt to you over time? That’s you being “reactive” rather than “responsive” to the circumstances of your life.  Living Beyond ADHD, a podcast hosted and produced by Dr B, explores why so many adults with ADHD or Executive Function challenges never get past their challenges and live beyond them.  That’s what Dr B's work in the world is really about, and she so wants that for you, if you want that too.  You’ve heard her say many times that you are more than your ADHD; that you are a precious “human being” – even if the