377 | Neurodiversity and the Inflow App with George Sachs

“I think that expectation of neurotypical behavior is hopefully changing in companies so that if somebody acts a little bit different, they are not judged as less than or atypical, it’s just different.” Listen as your host, Eric, Tivers, and his guest Dr. George Sachs discuss his journey before discovering he has ADHD, the start of his practice, the growing neurodiversity in the workspace, developing his Inflow app, plus much more today on ADHD reWired.

George is the co-founder and clinical director of Inflow, the first science-based app built for and by people with ADHD. Inflow is grounded in the principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy, and its mission is to help every person with ADHD reach their full potential by providing sustainable, accessible, and cost-effective support. Alongside their core seven-week program, Inflow offers a safe community space and a range of support tools, from ADHD-specific meditations to live events and personalized journaling.

In this episode, Dr. Sachs discusses his experience as a late bloomer with ADHD, how he came to realize he had it himself, opening his practice, the overlap between ADHD and autism, and neurodiversity in the workforce and during the interview process. Then he shares how he came up with the idea for Inflow, what it does, and plans he has the app and its developing community.

Dr. Sachs has committed most of his life to helping others with ADHD. He was diagnosed later in life and is a licensed child and adult psychologist. He’s authored four books on ADHD and is the founder of the Sachs Center in New York City. Half the team behind the Inflow app has ADHD, and Dr. Sachs is passionate about promoting neurodiversity in the workplace and wider society.

You'll learn:

• [03:06] Welcome to the show, Dr. Sachs!
• [03:43] Dr. Sachs discusses the “experiments” he tried in his 20s.
• [05:21] What type of television work did Dr. Sachs do?
• [06:34] What was it like riding the dot com boom of the late 1990s?
• [07:11] Dr. Sachs realized he needed some stability in his life, so he went to Emory to major in psychology.
• [08:55] Dr. Sachs shares how he thinks he made it to grad school before his diagnosis.
• [09:55] With passion comes motivation and a decrease of ADHD symptoms.
• [11:21] What is sluggish cognitive tempo?
• [13:31] Dr. Sachs describes what came after graduation, including working in Compton and South Central L.A.
• [24:17] Autism comes with the benefit of directness. Here’s how honesty and directness have helped Dr. Sachs’ practice.
• [26:38] ADHD and autism have some overlap validated by research.
• [29:35] In the last few years, a lot of companies are creating space for neurodiversity in their workforce.
• [30:08] Interviews are conducted as if everyone’s neurotypical, so Dr. Sachs coaches people on the spectrum to do this at the beginning.
• [32:32] Why does Dr. Sachs not recommend self-disclosure in interviews for those with ADHD?
• [40:10] Dr. Sachs started developing the Inflow app a year ago.
• [41:56] What does the Inflow app do?
• [43:57] Dr. Sachs reveals his favorite challenge on the app.
• [46:39] Eventually, collaborations with companies like Peloton will create group challenges on Inflow.
• [48:09] Inflow strikes a balance between compassion and acceptance, as well as encouragement.
• [50:16] What is Dr. Sachs most excited about with the Inflow app?
• [50:56] Dr. Sachs and Eric discuss the impact of community and group work for those with ADHD.
• [52:11] What’s an antidote to perfectionism?
• [54:39] Dr. Sachs discusses his biggest struggle as an entrepreneur with ADHD
• [56:56] Dr. Sachs shares a final thought for listeners.
• [57:45] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron by clicking on our Patreon tab at  www.ADHDreWired.com.

Find Dr. George Sachs:

• Sachs Center
• Inflow