“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

"I feel really lucky, and I think I'm just trying to find meaning, helping other people and being good in the world around you and just taking it one day at a time." Listen as your host, Eric Tivers, and his guest Leya Russell discuss the plane crash she survived, her injuries and recovery, her art and photography, plus much more on this episode of ADHD reWired.

Leya is a proud mother, artist, photographer, and general magpie finder of shiny things and rays of light. Having all the fun letters behind her name, she was diagnosed with ADHD and Dyslexia at the age of 30. Since her initial diagnosis, Leya has established a successful photography business, built a fine art studio, survived a plane crash, and earned even more letters after her name, including PTSD, anxiety, panic disorders, and many more. But nothing has dulled her effervescent curiosity, love for learning, and passion for life.   

Listen as Leya shares surviving a plane crash in Bangladesh, being taken to a hospital where no one spoke English, and not being able to communicate with them about her injuries. She discusses coming home in a body cast and going through EMDR and other trauma-based therapies to cope with what happened and about where she is on her journey to recovery.

Leya's primary income maker is her photography, but since the plane crash, recovering from her injuries, and Covid, she hasn't been able to work her business. Right now, her primary medium of art is soft pastel paintings, and she finds joy in helping others in her community. Listen as she shares what she is looking forward to once the pandemic has run its course and her work with the Centre for Disabilities in Development.

You'll learn:

• [03:02] Welcome back to the show, Leya!
• [03:16] Leya shares how she survived a plane crash in Bangladesh.
• [05:43] When she was taken to the hospital, no one spoke English, which was very scary, especially when she broke her back and had a traumatic brain injury.
• [09:47] What do you attribute all of your resilience to? 
• [12:46] When she came home, she had so many injuries she was in a full-body brace.
• [14:00] Leya discusses going through EMDR and other trauma-based therapies.
• [25:45] Leya shares some ways she has learned to cope with the memories of what happened.
• [27:54] Where are you now on the recovery journey?
• [29:57] Leya defines what a magpie is.
• [32:38] Leya's primary income maker is her photography, but her primary medium of art is soft pastel.
• [33:40] Leya speaks about her paintings and the meaning behind them.
• [41:56] Leya shares some dreams that she has turned into action.
• [44:33] Leya discusses how she has purpose and compassion by helping others.
• [46:11] Where do you go from here?
• [48:11] Leya speaks about what she wants to do once Covid is behind us.
• [53:10] How are you surviving when you can't do the work that pays your bills?
• [54:58] Thank you for having me on the show.
• [55:52] Thank you for being on the show!
• [56:43] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron by clicking on our Patreon tab at www.ADHDreWired.com

Find Leya Russell:

Leya Russell
Leya Russell Photography
Centre for Disability in Development
Facebook | Instagram

Listen as Eric Tivers with his guests, Moira Maybin, Will Curb, MJ Siemens, Brendan Mahan, and Barb answer questions from the listeners in our monthly Q & A session of ADHD reWired. We are taking questions from you, the listener, about situations you want to talk through. It doesn't matter if it's personal or professional; we are here to give you our perspective and see if we can help you find some answers. 

Rob starts off the questions about answering his doctor when he asks him how he is doing with his medicine when he really doesn't know from day-to-day. Sondra wants to know how to tell the difference between her teenager being defiant about chores or if it's his ADHD showing up. How would you talk to your significant other about learning more about ADHD to help them understand what you are dealing with?

Angela is talking to professional organizations about eliminating the stigma of neurodivergence in the corporate culture. She wants to find out what the panel believes is the most important key lesson to address, inspiring action with diversity, equity, and inclusion. Ellie has just been diagnosed and just started taking medication and wants ways to help her get back on track because she feels like her life is in shambles.

Gayle's question is how to help someone you believe has ADHD and how to help them realize it? Laurie wants to know how to get anywhere on time, and Chase asks what the overlaps are in symptoms in ADHD and child traumatic stress? What do you recommend to people who have multiple diagnoses? Carolina wants to know how to help her friends understand how hard it is to be on time. Another listener asks how screen time affects kids and teens with ADHD, and is it different from how it affects neurotypical kids and teens?

Thank you for listening to this month's Q & A session. As usual, we cover a wide range of topics, and we provide some creative takeaways no matter what stage you're in with your diagnosis. Listen in as we discuss your questions and the struggle we still have dealing with our ADHD.

Your Resources:

• ADHD Essentials Podcast with Brendan Mahan
• Hacking Your ADHD with William Curb
• ADHD Friendly Lifestyle with Moira Maybin
• ADHD Diversified with MJ Siemens

 You'll learn:

• [02:29] Welcome to the show, everyone!
• [04:11] Rob wants to know how to answer when his doctor asks him how he is doing with his medicine.
• [05:50] Moira shares her insights and a tool he could use to track how his meds are doing.
• [07:27] Will has always struggled with this and shares his experience.
• [10:23] Brendan says to pay attention to all areas of your life that also matter.
• [11:01] Sondra wants to know the difference between a teenager being defiant about daily chores or if their ADHD is the issue.
• [13:01] MJ talks about how she handles her teenager.
• [14:42] Will gives his insights and what he sees with his children.
• [15:09] How would you talk to your significant other about learning more about ADHD to help them understand what you are dealing with?
• [17:50] Moira talks about finding the modality that works.
• [20:03] Brendan shares the best thing he and his wife did.
• [22:20] Eric talks about what they do in their coaching groups.
• [35:00] Angela wants to know what the panel thinks is the most important key to address to inspire action when building out Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion?
• [36:57] Eric talks about empathy and the strengths that people with divergent brains can bring to an organization.
• [38:05] Brendan shares what he believes is a terrible idea, but he shares it anyway.
• [38:49] MJ talks about the things she has done with educators around this issue.
• [40:58] Ellie feels a little overwhelmed with her diagnosis and wants to find out if they have any tips to help her get back on track.
• [42:44] Eric gives her some things she can do.
• [43:50] Will shares another aspect that he finds troubling and says to just getting acclimated to the changes.
• [45:05] Eric says not to take things so seriously, take it as it comes.
• [46:20] Gayle wants to know how to help someone you think has ADHD and how to help them realize it?
• [47:31] Moira speaks about how her partner showed her she had ADHD.
• [55:58] Brendan shares an email hack that he has.
• [56:13] Laurie has a question about how the panel makes it to anything on time.
• [56:50] Eric says that they require everyone to be there five minutes before they begin in their coaching groups.
• [58:19] Will speaks about how he arrives on time and some ways to think about setting a time to leave.
• [1:00:35] Moira says that she works backward and what she needs to do to be ready.
• [1:01:19] Chase asks what the overlaps are in symptoms in ADHD and child traumatic stress? What do you recommend to people who have multiple diagnoses?
• [1:02:17] Eric believes that as a community, they need to be talking much more about trauma because it's so pervasive.
• [1:04:11] Carolina wants to know how to help her friends understand how hard it is to be on time.
• [1:04:22] Eric says you need to plan the conversation with your friends.
• [1:05:28] Will gives his insights on dealing with people when you are late.
• [1:07:04] How does screen time affect kids and teens with ADHD, and is it different from how it affects neurotypical kids and teens?
• [1:08:08] Eric believes video games are digital dopamine for kids and adults with ADHD.
• [1:10:48] Moira discusses her two children and what she does when limiting screen time.
• [1:13:22] Eric talks about creating time versus consuming time.
• [1:13:55] Brendan says you have to give them a compelling alternative to screen time.
• [1:16:01] Eric shares how hard it is for him to play board games.
• [1:17:23] Thank you for your questions, and we will catch you next month.
• [1:18:06] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron by clicking on our Patreon tab at www.ADHDreWired.com

Links and Resources:

• Attach: The Science of Adult Attachment and How it Can Help You Find - And Keep - Love by Amir Levine
• Fat City by Leonard Gardner
• TILE

"Everyone told me, why can't you just get it together? Why can't you stick to one thing? If you stick to one thing, look where you will be in ten years, you could be an expert." Listen as your host, Eric Tivers, and his guest Kate Engel discuss why it took so long to schedule this interview, when she was diagnosed with ADHD and the countries she has been to while looking for the perfect job and the perfect place to live, plus much more on this episode of ADHD reWired.

Kate is a Psychotherapist, Coach, Consultant, and Business Trainer. Kate has worked in non-profit, private, and academic sectors in 6 countries. Her ADHD has taken her on global adventures to examine how mental health issues manifest across cultures. She completed her postgraduate studies in Counseling at the University of Pennsylvania and currently has her own private practice in Philadelphia, where she specialized in treating ADH, OCD, Phobias, and social anxiety. She is committed to helping people with ADHD manage their executive functions, perfectionism, and emotions so they can become their best selves.

Listen, as Kate discusses how ADHD can manifest in different cultures, and how in her Filipino culture, being late is normal and how confusing it can be when being tested for ADHD. Kate also talks about the first time she was tasked with working with a patient with ADHD and how eye-opening it was for her.

Kate now has a waitlist for her practice, and because she still feels some imposter syndrome, it surprises her every time she realizes people will wait to work with her. Kate also speaks about her need to travel and the wonderful things she has discovered in the different places and cultures she has seen. She can’t wait for the pandemic to be over so she can continue going to new places.

You'll learn:

• [03:35] Welcome to the show, Kate!
• [04:18] Kate shares what she does and why it took so long to schedule this podcast interview.
• [05:28] When were you first diagnosed?
• [06:48] Kate shares the countries she has lived in.
• [07:54] What were you looking for when you were traveling the globe?
• [11:08] Kate talks about the pattern of moving to find the perfect jobs.
• [13:04] After reflecting on her job journey, she got into life coaching and psychotherapy.
• [16:36] Kate discusses her three internships and her first ADHD client.
• [19:03] What at first made you not want to work with ADHD clients?
• [21:19] Eric shares how he worked with some clients with OCD and anxiety.
• [28:49] Kate says that ADHD can manifest differently in different cultures.
• [30:23] Kate speaks about her culture always being late, and it's normal to be late for everything.
• [34:14] Is it acceptable to be late for a doctor's appointment in the Philippines?
• [35:46] Kate discusses the mastermind she had about what she was going to do next.
• [38:42] Why are you surprised that you have a waitlist for her practice.
• [41:48] Eric believes that working with a generalist instead of a specialist for ADHD sometimes does more harm than good.
• [50:49] Kate shares about the need to travel and where it has taken her.
• [53:56] Thank you so much for sharing your story and experiences.
• [55:11] If you are a regular listener, consider becoming a patron by clicking on our Patreon tab at www.ADHDreWired.com

Find Kate:

Kate Engel