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Having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their ADD and ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives. After surviving a divorce and cancer all before she turned 35, mom and author-illustrator Sara Olsher took the lessons she learned about helping kids through major life changes and wrote a book. Then another, and another. She now has twelve picture books under her belt, and is the founder of Mighty and Bright, a company that helps kids and adults understand and manage their lives more easily using magnetic visual schedules. Sara was chosen as a 2023 Remarkable Woman by Nexstar Media. Enjoy!
[You are now safely here]
00:40 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing!!
01:09 - Introducing and Welcome Sara Olsher!
02:06 - What’s your story; what were you doing before you became an author?
02:37 - On how her ADHD helped her learn about kids and anxiety
03:30 - On handling anxiety and divorce. Ref: Mighty and Bright
04:48 - Sometimes it’s the easiest things in the world that make the biggest differences
04:55 - Tell us about some of your books and your process? Ref: Cancer Party!
07:28 - On following your gut
08:20 - Cancer and book marketing professionals
09:50 - On writing her second book / how we talk about science and coping in a non-scary way
12:00 - About anticipatory grief and having conversations about tough stuff
13:30 - How can people find you?
All of her books are on Amazon. @saraOlsher on INSTA and @MightyandBrightCo on INSTA and TikTok and via https://mightyandbright.com/
13:50 - Thanks so much for listening to Faster Than Normal. Please join us again very soon!
Know anyone doing wonderful things with #ADHD? We would love to have them on and listen to how they are using their #neurodiversity to their advantage. Shoot me an email and we will get them booked!
My link tree is here if you’re looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman
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Having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their ADD and ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives. Our guest today is Sam Led. He is a coach, speaker, author of Beyond ADHD, and host of the podcast The Fearless Now. Sam explores what is possible when we take our mind and thinking less seriously and discover our innate intelligence and wisdom underneath the daily dose of noise in an ADHD mind. Sam works with clients all over the world via Zoom. He leads one-on-one personalized coaching sessions and online group programs about understanding your ADHD mind and neurodiversity. He uses his years of experience and deep knowledge of personal development, human behavior, spirituality, and natural intuitive gifts to gently guide his clients. He helps them look underneath the heaviness of their noise called thinking to find true insight and wisdom on what to do next in any situation. Enjoy!
[You are now safely here]
00:40 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing!!
00:50 - Introducing and Welcome Sam Led ref: The Fearless Now podcast
01:56 - What’s your story; when were you diagnosed?
03:08 - What was your trouble in school, what were your symptoms?
04:40 - Was there a moment when things just kinda clicked?
05:20 - On Mind Thought and Consciousness
05:38 - What are you telling people about ADHD and learning?
06:46 - On Anxiety and what your mind is telling you
07:30 - Anxiety, rejection and stimuli inside the ADHD brain
08:00 - A longer chapter about anxiety and how to deal
10:00 - About how to understand your brain’s signals
11:40 - How can people find you?
samledconsulting.com @samled1111 on INSTA TikTok and via The Fearless Now podcast and his Beyond ADHD Book
12:48 - Thanks so much for listening to Faster Than Normal. Please join us again very soon!
Know anyone doing wonderful things with #ADHD? We would love to have them on and listen to how they are using their #neurodivergence to their advantage. Shoot me an email and we will get them booked!
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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Having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their ADD and ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives. I have been wanting to have our guests today on the podcast since we first started so I am thrilled to share my first interview with the Holderness Family with you!
Penn and Kim Holderness have been married for 18 years and for the past decade, they have been online content creators. Known for their award-winning videos of sketch comedy and music, they have garnered over 2 billion views and over 8 million followers across their social media platforms. Penn and Kim are best-selling authors, award-winning podcast hosts, and were winners on Season 33 of The Amazing Race. Before making their own content in the digital space, they honed their storytelling skills with twenty-five combined years in the TV news business. When they aren’t making their audience laugh, they help international companies make videos of their own along with their team at Holderness Family Productions. Penn and Kim live in Raleigh, NC with their children, Lola and Penn Charles, and their dog, Sunny. We’re talking routines, anxiety, medication, understanding partnerships, and of course how everything relates to our ADHD brains. Enjoy!
[You are now safely here]
00:40 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing!!
01:13 - Introducing and Welcome Penn and Kim Holderness! Ref: Scott Monty interview
01:52 - Their great new book ADHD Is Awesome
02:44 - How did ADHD become a passion for your books and what was like like pre-diagnosis?
04:06 - On social acuity and ADHD
05:20 - For a lot of people ADHD isn’t awesome; they haven’t found their groove yet. How do we balance the good with the bad or challenging, while also breaking stereotypes through comedy, and raising awareness for further education and study?
08:00 - The meaning of Awesome is great but it’s also scary
09:00 - The book is in three parts; the first one is how a diagnosis stinks initially.
10:30 - On different types of jobs and how the ADHD brain can benefit us in work
12:20 - About Peter’s schedule and how medication is utilized depending on the environment/daily demands
13:30 - What is your daily schedule like and what rituals do you two use?
16:00 - Talk to us about your physical fitness routines
17:30 - On Peter’s ticket for running in Central Park
18:00 - When inspiration hits, how do you save it?
19:40 - On staying in deep work- what do you do to make sure you can keep your flow?
21:50 - On relationships and ADHD
23:30 - How can people find you?
https://theholdernessfamily.com @theholdernessfamily on Facebook, INSTA, TikTok, and YouTube
24:00 - Thanks so much for listening to Faster Than Normal. Please join us again very soon!
Know anyone doing wonderful things with #ADHD? We would love to have them on and listen to how they are using their #neurodivergence to their advantage. Shoot me an email and we will get them booked!
My link tree is here if you’re looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman
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Having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their ADD and ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives. Todays’ guest is Dr. Jessica McCarthy. As a clinical neuropsychologist, clinical psychologist, and certified school psychologist, Dr. McCarthy provides evidence-based neuropsychological assessment and cognitive-behavioral therapy across the lifespan. Approachable, relatable, and with a sharp sense of humor, Dr. McCarthy has a positive demeanor and quickly puts you at ease with her engaging, refreshing style, and no-nonsense but compassionate approach that holds clients accountable for working toward values-driven change. We’re happy to be talking with her today about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
[You are now safely here]
00:40 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing!!
01:13 - Introducing and Welcome Dr. Jessica McCarthy of www.elementspsych.com02:40 - Dr. McCarthy on her ADHD diagnosis
03:47 - About learning how to study in school
05:00 - On understanding individual strengths and capitalizing on learning
05:30 - What do you tell a parent who’s child has just been diagnosed as neurodivergent?
07:20 - On the pitfalls of Dr.Google
08:40 - On using data points to tell a story
09:30 - Finding the right types of supports for students and parents
11:00 - On sharing the research/how good is the information?
12:20 - About the searching for information and finding a safe space to do so
14:20 - On diagnosis, accommodations and deficits
16:03 - How can people find you?
www.elementspsych.com
elements_psych on INSTA16:38 - Thanks so much for listening to Faster Than Normal. Please join us again very soon!
Know anyone doing wonderful things with #ADHD? We would love to have them on and listen to how they are using their #neurodivergence to their advantage. Shoot me an email and we will get them booked!
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Having #ADD or #ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their #ADD and #ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives.
Our Guest today is Dr. Jeffrey Gurian, a well known “Renaissance Man.” He is a doctor, motivational speaker, comedy writer, performer, director, author, producer and radio personality. Dr. Gurian spent 20 years on the board of The Association for Spirituality and Psychotherapy, 12 years at NYU as a Clinical Professor in Oral Medicine and Pro-Facial Pain, and 25 years as a Cosmetic Dentist. Dr. Gurian specialized in treating headaches and the physical symptoms of stress, using “Energy Healing” as his modality, with a technique he developed called “STAR Therapy.” He also developed a method to stop stuttering that he successfully used to get rid of his own stutter. On top of his doctoral pursuits, Dr. Gurian boasts a long-standing career in comedy, and has worked with some of the biggest comedy stars from the last 20 years. Dr. Gurian is also the author of eight books and is a regular motivational speaker.
Enjoy!
[You are now safely here]
00:00 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing!!
01:00 - Introducing Jeffrey.
03:01 - I’ve been busy with #ADHD.
04:29 - #ADHD makes you better at what you do.
05:33 - ADHD and #stuttering.
06:17 - Overcoming fear and tackling his stutter.
09:01 - Neurodivergent problem-solving.
11:07 - Sensitivity and neurodivergence.
11:50 - Healing the wounds that affect your decisions.
Connect with Jeffrey on:
Instagram: @jeffreygurian
Youtube: Comedy Matters TV
Visit Jeffrey’s comedy website: comedymatterstv.com
To stop your stuttering today, visit: stopstutteringnowgurian.com
If you haven't picked up a copy of my book The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One Bestseller in all categories! Click HERE or buy your copy at https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI. My link tree is here if you’re looking for something specific: https://linktr.ee/petershankman.
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Having #ADD or #ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their #ADD and #ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives.
Our Guest today is Dr. Anna Burns, PT, DPT. Dr. Burns is an ADHD coach for ADHD moms. As a coach and #ADHDmom herself, she helps moms who struggle to keep their lives and their family’s lives organized and running smoothly. She provides skills, tools, and an understanding of ADHD brains to make their worlds fit around them, not the other way around. Dr. Burns has a background as a pelvic health physical therapist and is a mom living outside of Boston.
Enjoy!
[You are now safely here]
00:00 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing!!
01:00 - Introducing Anna.
01:45 - Anna’s diagnosis story.
03:11 - Parents are being diagnosed more frequently.
03:45 - Helping those with a late #ADHD diagnosis.
04:52 - How to create doable strategies for busy moms with #ADHD.
08:00 - How to define #ADHD so that it does not become a catch-all?
10:30 - How to handle the internalized idea that you are broken.
Connect with Anna on:
Facebook: Anna Burns Wellness
Instagram: @annaburnswellness
LInkedIn: Anna (Koteff) Burns, PT, DPT
Click this link to gain access to Anna’s free time-management tools for moms!
If you haven't picked up a copy of my book The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One Bestseller in all categories! Click HERE or buy your copy at https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI. My link tree is here if you’re looking for something specific: https://linktr.ee/petershankman.
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Having #ADD or #ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their #ADD and #ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives.
Our Guest today, Maria Austin, is the lead actor in the Apple TV feature film, “Mercy,” and she will be on stage at the Playground Theater in West London playing in “Agatha,” a multi-award winning play, written by Angela Davis. Maria also founded the production company, Dawn Chorus Films, which is working to bring more women to professional TV crews. Maria is passionate about telling women’s stories and experiences and she was diagnosed with #ADHD at 30.
Enjoy!
[You are now safely here]
00:00 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing!!
00:44 - Introducing Maria.
02:25 - Maria’s diagnosis story and what she is learning now.
03:35 - Being a woman growing up with undiagnosed #ADHD.
05:20 - Going to school with #ADHD.
07:16 - Maria’s theater experience.
09:04 - Why she founded Dawn Chorus Films.
11:27 - What would you tell a young person who wants to perform but is scared?
12:50 - "Hyperfixation helps my acting career."
Connect with Maria on Instagram @mlaustin92
If you haven't picked up a copy of my book The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One Bestseller in all categories! Click HERE or buy your copy at https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI. My link tree is here if you’re looking for something specific: https://linktr.ee/petershankman.
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*In this episode, we discuss topics that are adult or sexual in nature. Listener discretion is advised.*
Having #ADD or #ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their #ADD and #ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives.
Our Guest today is Kim Airs. Kim takes a friendly and honest approach to sexuality education and has been in the sexual health and wellness field for 30 years. Kim founded the award winning store, “Grand Opening!”, in 1993 after she left a high ranking job at Harvard University. Kim currently is a consultant for emerging sexual health and wellness products, she reviews products for several publications, provides product trainings, and is involved in several areas of sexual health education. She has taught countless classes on consensual sexuality, provides sex education for doctors, sex therapists, and other professionals in the sexual and wellness field, and hosts a podcast called “Sex Chats with Kim Airs.” Kim has recently been named to the 2024 Adult Video News Hall of Fame and has presented for numerous sexual health organizations and in many universities while also contributing to several well known publications in the industry. She was the inspiration for the documentary, “Orgasm Inc.,” about the prescription drug industry’s interest in women’s sexual health and wellness and she founded the country’s first amateur adult film festival. Enjoy!
[You are now safely here]
00:00 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing!!
02:13 - Why I brought Kim on the podcast.
02:39 - How do you go from Harvard to sex store?
03:20 - “I have a crazy passion about all things sex.”
06:07 - Sex and #ADHD.
07:04 - Advice for those who are uncomfortable talking about sex.
09:20 - Coining the term “sexual health and wellness.”
12:47 - The turning point for society.
13:30 - The hard signs around sexuality.
Connect with Kim on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimairs/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kim.airs
X: @kimairs
Cameo- naughty grandma
If you haven't picked up a copy of my book The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One Bestseller in all categories! Click HERE or buy your copy at https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI. My link tree is here if you’re looking for something specific: https://linktr.ee/petershankman.
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Having #ADD or #ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their #ADD and #ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives.
Our Guest today is André Brisson, host of The Impulsive Thinker Podcast, the podcast for the high achieving #ADHD entrepreneur. Andre owns a consulting engineering company and recently started Tactical Breakthroughs where he is developing the ADHD Transformation Journey program. Diagnosed late in life with severe #ADHD and mild Asperger’s (#ASD), the mechanisms and systems he created to overcome his undiagnosed ADHD have helped him achieve success. André has a special ability for learning complex information and simplifying it to help others to solve complex problems. He currently operates three successful companies, including a self-managing entrepreneurial engineering firm specializing in niche markets that require unique training, experience, and impulsive instinct to try new things.
Enjoy!
[You are now safely here]
00:00 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing!!
01:02 - Life updates with Andre
02:00 - How is #neurodiversity treating you?
03:09 - Avoiding complications
04:34 - Emotional wounds vs physical wounds with #ADHD
06:19 - Communicating with assertiveness
07:47 - Growing up being told you are “broken”
08:20 - Getting in trouble for how things get done, not the end result
09:00 - How do you break old habits?
11:00 - Having teenage girls who are getting older
11:58 - Learning how to ask for help
13:05 - Advocating for his daughter
14:10 - A new way to problem solve
15:25 - Formulas and distrust.
16:20 - Brainstorming without action
18:06 - You need to understand why
Connect with André on:
Facebook: @André Brisson
LInkedIn: @André Brisson, P. Eng.
X: @fatrol
Website: https://www.tacticalbts.com
Check out André’s Objective Engineering Breakthrough Inc. here.
Technical Breakthroughs:
Facebook: @Tactical Breakthroughs
LinkedIn: @Tactical Breakthroughs
X: @TacticalBts
Website: https://www.tacticalbts.com
The Impulsive Thinker Podcast:
Facebook: @The Impulsive Thinker Podcast
LinkedIn: @The Impulsive Thinker Podcast
X: @impulsivthinker
Website: https://www.tacticalbts.com/podcast
If you haven't picked up a copy of my book The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One Bestseller in all categories! Click HERE or buy your copy at https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI. My link tree is here if you’re looking for something specific: https://linktr.ee/petershankman.
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Having #ADD or #ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their #ADD and #ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives.
Our Guest today is Ashley Clair Skywalker, creator of the TikTok series, Fun Facts From an Ice Bath. Skywalker uses her ADHD superpowers to channel her hyper-fixation into research. On her journey to heal herself from “incurable” Mast Cell Activation, she discovered Ice Baths for her immune system. Through her fun videos she has been able to teach people all over the world about science and give away fun facts. Since gaining an audience on TikTok, she now spends her days coaching, helping others heal themselves, and of course, sharing her Fun Facts From an Ice Bath!
Enjoy!
[You are now safely here]
00:00 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing!!
01:11 - Introducing Ashley.
02:20 - Ashley in her own words.
03:13 - The environment and your #mindset.
04:00 - Is it boring living in the middle of nowhere?
04:50 - Where do you find your random facts?
05:55 - Why an ice bath?
07:01 - Benefits from #icebaths.
08:50 - #ADHD and #meditation.
11:11 - How much do we know about ourselves?
12:20 - Ashley’s advice for those with #ADHD.
Connect with Ashley on:
TikTok: @ashleyclairskywalker
Facebook: Ashley Clair Skywalker
YouTube: Ashley Clair Skywalker
Ashley also created a workshop that dives into the science of mediation with #ADHD and walks you through guided meditations. She is giving Faster Than Normal viewers and exclusive 10% off this meditation guidance! To claim this offer, visit, https://www.ashleyclairskywalker.com/meditation-101-course and use the promo code “FASTERTHANNORMAL”.
For other coaching opportunities and to connect with Ashley, visit her website www.ashleyclairskywalker.com.
If you haven't picked up a copy of my book The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One Bestseller in all categories! Click HERE or buy your copy at https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI. My link tree is here if you’re looking for something specific: https://linktr.ee/petershankman.
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Having #ADD or #ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their #ADD and #ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives.
Our Guest today is social scientist and psychologist student, Leo Koesters. Leo is from Germany and is currently founding a global mental healthcare ecosystem called Beyond You. The vision behind Beyond You is to make mental healthcare more affordable and accessible worldwide. Beyond You aims to do this through technological innovation and breaking the stigmatization around mental health.
Enjoy!
[You are now safely here]
00:00 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing!!
00:58 - Introducing Leo.
01:55 - Leo’s track to working in #mentalhealthcare.
03:04 - Leo’s diagnosis story.
04:23 - The controversy of scaling mental healthcare.
05:25 - “Let me build something great.”
06:20 - AI as the future of #ADD and #ADHD diagnosises.
08:17 - First steps for Leo’s company, Beyond You.
13:07 - Thanks so much for enjoying "Faster Than Normal”! We appreciate you and your hard work so much! Onwards! We’ll see you next week right back here!
Check out Leo’s global mental healthcare network, Beyond You, which is set to launch in March via an app which allows people to book services with mental healthcare professions.
Connect with Leo:
X: @LeoKoesters and @beyond_you_net
LinkedIn: @Leo Koesters
Instagram: @leo_koesters
If you haven't picked up a copy of my book The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One Bestseller in all categories! Click HERE or buy your copy at https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI. My link tree is here if you’re looking for something specific: https://linktr.ee/petershankman.
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Having #ADD or #ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their #ADD and #ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives.
Our Guest today, Gracie Gold is a two-time U.S. figure-skating champion and #Olympic bronze medalist. She lives in Wilmington, Delaware, and trains in suburban Philadelphia. Gracie holds the record for the highest short-program score ever by an American woman. Gracie is also a writer published in The Cut and recently wrote a book, Outofshapeworthlessloser.
Enjoy!
[You are now safely here]
00:00 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing!!
02:10 - Introducing and welcome Gracie Gold.
04:34 - Gracie in her own words.
06:11 - Rescue dogs as a metaphor for humans.
07:30 - Gracie’s take on #womanhood and #humanity.
09:53 - What would you say to people who are worried about past habits and symptoms coming back to the surface?
12:02 - The power of redirection.
15:10 - How to break the habit of picking out flaws and focusing on bad angles.
17:40 - The failed #anorexic.
21:21 - How to balance self-deprecating humor and not going too far.
25:10 - All or nothing.
31:51 - Thanks so much for enjoying "Faster Than Normal”! We appreciate you and your hard work so much! Onwards! We’ll see you next week right back here!
Buy Gracie’s book, Outofshapeworthlessloser here.
Connect with Gracie:
Instagram: @graciegold95
Twitter: @GraceEGold
Facebook: @Gracie Gold
Website: graciegold.figureskatersonline.com
If you haven't picked up a copy of my book The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One Bestseller in all categories! Click HERE or buy your copy at https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI. My link tree is here if you’re looking for something specific: https://linktr.ee/petershankman.
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Having #ADD or #ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their #ADD and #ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives.
Our Guest today is Deborah Gilboa, M.D. Deborah, or “Dr. G”, is a board certified attending family physician and is fluent in American Sign Language. She lives in Pittsburgh with her four boys and works with families, educators, executives, and businesses to identify the mindset and strategies to turn #stress to an advantage. She is the leading media personality seen regularly on TODAY, Good Morning America and is the Resilience Expert for The Doctors. She is also featured frequently in the Washington Post, The New York Times, Huffington Post, and countless other digital and print outlets.
Enjoy!
[You are now safely here]
00:40 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing!!
01:12: - Introducing and welcome Deborah Gilboa.
02:30 - Deborah in her own words.
02:58 - A lesson in #resilience from medicine.
04:19 - How do you help other people navigate #change and become more resilient?
05:36 - Strategies for navigating change.
06:01 - Strategy #1
07:30 - Reflexes and homeostasis.
11:50 - Strategy #2
12:51 - Strategy #3
12:55 - Strategy #4
14:14 - Strategy #5
15:41 - Thanks so much for enjoying "Faster Than Normal”! We appreciate you and your hard work so much! Onwards! We’ll see you next week right back here!
Connect with Deborah on-
Website: askdoctorg.com
If you haven't picked up a copy of my book The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One Bestseller in all categories! Click HERE or buy your copy at https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI. My link tree is here if you’re looking for something specific: https://linktr.ee/petershankman.
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Having #ADD or #ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their #ADD and #ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives.
Our Guest today is Sean McNicholas, a London native, #ADHD therapist, and father to a teenage son with #ADHD. Sean is a Clinical Hypnotherapist, Clinical ADHD therapist, RTT therapist, CBT practitioner, NPL practitioner and Clinical Trauma Professional. He has worked with celebrities to sports stars to the Grenfell firefighters for #PTSD. Sean also works with prisoners as a volunteer Samaritan aiming to prevent them from taking their lives and helping them through the mental struggles that come from long prison sentences.
Enjoy!
[You are now safely here]
00:40 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing!!
01:18: - Introducing and welcome Sean McNicholas!
02:44 - Sean in his own words.
04:30 - The question should have been “what happened to me?”
06:25 - When it couldn’t continue.
06:55 - The beginning of Sean’s journey to become a therapist.
08:50 - The concept of trauma.
10:53 - Sean’s work with prisoners.
13:55 - Addiction is…
14:15 - The stigma of mental health in the UK.
15:50 - Thanks so much for enjoying "Faster Than Normal”! We appreciate you and your hard work so much! Onwards! We’ll see you next week right back here!
Connect with Sean on-
Website: New Me Therapy
Instagram: @newmetherapy
Facebook: @Sean McNicholas
X: @newmetherapy
TikTok: @newmetherapy
If you haven't picked up a copy of my book The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One Bestseller in all categories! Click HERE or buy your copy at https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI. My link tree is here if you’re looking for something specific: https://linktr.ee/petershankman.
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Having #ADD or #ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their #ADD and #ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives.
Our Guest today, Vanessa Jones, is an English teacher, writer, and voice actor. When Vanessa received her #adultADHD diagnosis, she did a deep dive into #ADHD research and applied this knowledge to her teaching practices with #ADHD students. She also wrote down her own stories to make sense of the impact of #ADHD on her life. She especially wanted to understand how undiagnosed #ADHD has affected her failed marriage. The result is an #ADHD-friendly guidebook, complete with an engaging, poignant and funny personal narrative of her lived experience that illustrates the various challenges (and strengths) of #ADHD, one trait at a time.
Vanessa likes using her narrative skills to promote the educational messages of organizations working to teach people about #neurodivergence. On any given day, you may find her poring over Medium articles of peoples’ lived experiences with #autism and #ADHD, wiring a personal essay about her sweater, or using her voice to tell a company’s story.
Enjoy!
[You are now safely here]
00:00 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing!!
00:37 - Introducing and welcome Vanessa Jones!
01:28 - Vanessa’s life before her diagnosis.
02:17 - “I knew that I was brilliant in certain ways.”
02:39 - What happened next…
03:49 - Realizing it wasn’t her fault.
04:19 - What does the right support look like?
05:04 - What was different after your diagnosis?
07:22 - Has the shift happened?
08:42 - It’s not about you.
09:40 - What Vanessa needed to move forward.
11:10 - “How Did That Happen?”
13:40 - Thanks so much for enjoying "Faster Than Normal”! We appreciate you and your hard work so much! Onwards! We’ll see you next week right back here!
Connect with Vanessa at www.vanessa-jones-writes.com
Order her book How Did THAT Happen: Understanding Adult ADHD Through Stories of Lived Experiences today!
If you haven't picked up a copy of my book The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One Bestseller in all categories! Click HERE or buy your copy at https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI. My link tree is here if you’re looking for something specific: https://linktr.ee/petershankman.
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Having #ADD or #ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their #ADD and #ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives.
Our Guest today is Mario Major, #Innovator, Connector, and Catalyst. Mario is a creative thinker who has a knack for seeing what others overlook. He has a diverse and vibrant professional journey and was diagnosed with #ADHD and #Asperger’s. Mario's unique view of the world allows him to connect invisible dots and find new thought processes. He is the creator of the Neuro Universal Language and the Breakfast Innovation Club, an innovative approach that rejects the “same same but different" solutions in innovation.
Mario has no formal degree but has worked with IBM, working with mainframes and delved into resource deployment. His #entrepreneurial spirit led him to start a carbon-free surf shop and an espresso bar. His experience extends to working with horses and serving as a tour guide in Bruges.
Now focused on #innovation, Mario has discovered that he thrives as a catalyst for ideas and concepts, pushing out new creations daily. With his medication aiding in focusing his thoughts, he enjoys the newfound ability to silently appreciate the world around him. Looking forward to the next 40 years, Mario embraces his strengths in connecting and innovating, continuing to make his unique mark on the world. Enjoy!
[You are now safely here]
00:40 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing!!
01:46 - Introducing and welcome Mario Major!
01:59 - How medication has helped Mario’s focus and ability to synthesize information.
02:29 - Growing up with undiagnosed #Asperger’s.
03:28 - How #Covid changed his life.
03:50 - How #neurodivergence affected Mario’s career path.
04:38 - Mario’s pet pig.
05:55 - Teaching #AI to understand context for people with Autism.
06:17 - Background behind The Neuro Universal Language and how it works to help people with #autism understand the world around them.
8:58 - What it is about #neurodiverse people that they are more likely to try crazy ideas?
10:11 - How Mario turns his brain off by sailing and searching for new things.
Mario on Socials: LinkedIn: @Mario Major Website: The Aspergers Language
12:02 - Thanks so much for enjoying "Faster Than Normal”! We appreciate you and your hard work so much! Onwards! We’ll see you next week right back here!
If you haven't picked up a copy of my book The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One Bestseller in all categories! Click HERE or buy your copy at https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI. My link tree is here if you’re looking for something specific: https://linktr.ee/petershankman.
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Having #ADD or #ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their #ADD and #ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives.
Our Guest today is Maggie Reed, or as she is better known online, @mermaidmamamaggie. Maggie is an online political comedy content creator, mother of two and a Speech and Language Pathologist with more than 15 years in the field.
Connect with Maggie on-
Insta: @mermaindmamamaggie
TikTok: @mermaidmamamaggie
Twitter: @mermaidmamamags
YouTube: @MermaidmamaMaggie
Threads: @mermaidmamamaggie
Enjoy!
[You are now safely here]
00:40 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing!!
01:24 - Introducing and Welcome Maggie Reed!
02:50 - Kickoff with a conversation on #introvert- vs. #extroverted-ness.
03:20 - Maggie in a nutshell.
05:13 - Even extroverts need to recharge their batteries.
06:45 - Maggie’s path to #speechpathology.
08:34 - How #neurodiversity sometimes comes out as acting.
10:02 - How to not feed the trolls or take hate seriously.
11:46 - The “Block Method” for handling hate.
13:47 - Women around the world are standing up.
15:40 - #Feminism in the social media age.
18:05 - Thanks so much for enjoying "Faster Than Normal”! We appreciate you and your hard work so much! Onwards! We’ll see you next week right back here! [Thank you kindly Peter and Co. I am much better now -SB] -Ed
If you haven't picked up a copy of my book The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One Bestseller in all categories! Click HERE or buy your copy at https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI. My link tree is here if you’re looking for something specific: https://linktr.ee/petershankman.
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Having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their ADD and ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives. Our Guest today in their own words: Natalie Tsiapalo is a 31-year-old who was born in Ukraine but currently lives in Germany and discovered her ADHD at 29-years old. She is the founder and CEO at Taskfulness Al, an app that manages procrastination over your phone. Taskfulness Al is used by over 14k customers who save an average of 8 hours of needless scrolling a week!
Today we learn how important it is to take breaks and reset to get back to productive work. Natalie also gives us her tips to successfully manage emotions in order to redirect her actions. Some other pro-tips that Natalie drops include the impact of sports, exercise, and creating a clean workspace in the productivity of #neurodivergent individuals. Natalie also shares her unique daily schedule that does not align with “normal people” and how she handles it as a businesswoman.… Enjoy, and welcome back! Also Happy Holidays as we depart for winter break with a hug and a song. We'll see you in 2024- Thank you!!
[You are now safely here]
00:40 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing!!
01:13 - Introducing and Welcome Natalie Tsiapalo, founder of Taskfulness Al.
03:25- Hear more about Taskfulness.com
4:21- What is it about scrolling? The truth is that those with #ADHD are constantly looking for something to excite them.
05:36- Without the mindless scrolling, how do you get your dopamine hits and serotonin fixes?
05:58- How to manage your emotions and redirect your actions when you are triggered to procrastinate.7:00- Daily schedule in the life of a 31-year-old entrepreneur with #ADHD!
08:07- What do you do if you have clients who need to meet during the off hours of your non-normal daily work schedule?
09:35- The power of the nap and how to do it right!
11:45 - How can people find you?
App: Taskfulness AI via Apple App Store or Google Store
Email: [email protected]
Socials: LinkedIn. INSTA
12:21 - Thanks so much for enjoying "Faster Than Normal” just about every week!! We appreciate you and your hard work so much! Onwards! Please join us again very soon!
OH! And… If you haven't checked out Taskfulness Al yet to help you save hours of meaningless scrolling, it can be found on the App Store and can help you save up to 8 hours of mindless scrolling each week!
Know anyone doing wonderful things with #ADHD? We would love to have them on and listen to how they are using their #neurodivergence to their advantage. Shoot me an email and we will get them booked!
My link tree is here if you’re looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman
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We are thrilled to be joined again by the makers of Skylight Calendar! Enjoy this podcast knowing that we used it to get this one to you on time! :-) You can order yours by going to www.skylightcal.com and using the discount code PETER for 10% off of this 15” device up to $30.
Having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their ADD and ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives. Our Guest today in their own words:
I'm a neurodiverse author, researcher, and advocate. For much of my life, I felt
different from my peers, as if I was behind a glass wall, unable to connect with them.
I had my way of thinking and doing things, which often made me feel isolated and
unworthy, resulting in the need to prove myself by taking on too many challenges at
once, such as working full-time (Animal welfare officer in preclinical research) and
doing a full-time PhD (in the behavioral response of crustaceans to anthropogenic
noise), Planning a wedding and organizing a mortgage while discussing house plans
with an architect (Not counting everyday chores and exercising). I did slow down
when I got pregnant by moving to a part-time position.
Eventually, after too many meltdowns and close to burnout, I decided to step back
from my PhD and job to find answers. In March this year, at the age of 33, after living with a brain that found it impossible to concentrate, with constant migraines, anxiety and fatigue. I received a Formal
ADHD diagnosis and informal Autism. It was like a light bulb turned on in my head, and I felt a new sense of acceptance and empowerment. I started to embrace my neurodiversity and celebrate my strengths and talents. I've been on a creative spree. I've written and published two children's
books on Amazon, and I've also written a book that you could call part memoir, part
encyclopedia and part research on ADHD and Autism. It's called "AuDHD and Me:
Growing Up Distracted". In it, I share my experiences and the stories of other
neurodiverse individuals who have overcome challenges and achieved amazing
things. My goal is to raise awareness and understanding of neurodiversity, especially in
Ireland, where I live. I want to help others in a similar situation or who wish to learn
more about their unique brains. Enjoy!
[You are now safely here]
00:04 - Skylight calendar a practical, joyful organizational tool for families.
Use the code “PETER” for a nice discount!
00:40 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing!!
02:01 - Welcome Author Laura Adams! [She loves Skylight Calendar as well]
03:08 - On the increase in ADHD diagnoses in Ireland and the lack of government support/funding for neurodiverse individuals, particularly in education.
04:17 - Tell us about your life before & after your ADHD diagnosis and how it shifted your perspective!
05:00 - Laura’s book AuDHD can be found here! [See below for Non-US links**]
06:00 - On understanding ADHD and how it applied to her own experiences.
06:57 - Peter Shankman highlights the common misconceptions and stereotypes surrounding ADHD and the relief that comes with getting a diagnosis.
07:30 - Laura Adams discusses the transformative effect of receiving a diagnosis and how it has empowered her to step out of her comfort zone and share her experiences.
10:07 - On becoming a Marine Biologist & researching stress & audio in crustaceans.
13:31 - On how improving focus via medication may enhance thesis writing
16:05 - How can people find you Laura?
Web: Buy her book here!
Socials: LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/laura-adams-297716b6
16:29 - On the struggle to overcome Imposter Syndrome
17:00 - Thanks so much for joining ”Faster Than Normal” just about every week!! We appreciate you and your words and work so much! Onwards! Please join us again very soon!
OH! And… If you haven't picked up The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One bestseller in all categories. Click HERE or via https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI My link tree is here if you’re looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman
You may find Laura’s new book anywhere, or specifically, here below:
Germany: https://buff.ly/44msxnw ( best option to order with shipment to Ireland)
UK: https://buff.ly/3YG9ovN (due to Amazon settings, some may not be able to order from the UK site - Laura has explored many options to have this issue resolved, however sometimes you can't jump over the fence with the technology)
USA: https://buff.ly/3spxU88
TRANSCRIPT via Castmagic.io and then corrected.. pretty-much.
You're listening to the Faster Than Normal podcast, where we know that having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Each week we interview people from all around the globe, from every walk of life in every profession. From rock stars to CEOs, from teachers to politicians who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their add and ADHD diagnosis and used it to their personal and professional advance edge to build businesses, to become millionaires, or to simply better their lives. And now, here's the host of the Faster Than Normal podcast
If you haven't picked up The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One bestseller in all categories. Click HERE or via https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI My link tree is here if you’re looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman
Laura Adams, a neurodiverse author, researcher, and advocate, shares her experience of receiving a formal ADHD diagnosis at the age of 33. She discusses the growing awareness and diagnosis of ADHD in Ireland, particularly among women. Laura talks about how her diagnosis brought a sense of acceptance and empowerment, and how it prompted her to embrace her neurodiversity. She explains how her symptoms were often misunderstood or dismissed, and how discovering the different presentation of ADHD in women opened her eyes to her own experiences. Getting diagnosed was a life-changing moment for Laura, giving her the confidence to speak out, write a book, and share her story.
Hey, everyone. Peter Shankman, and welcome to another episode of Faster than Normal. I want to give a shout out over the past several weeks, as I've been doing to a wonderful, wonderful Advertiser Skylight Calendar. I know I talk about them every week, but obviously what I'm saying is resonating because they're telling me that people are purchasing through Faster Than Normal, which I think is awesome. Skylight calendar is a little little thing that hangs on my wall in my kitchen. And every morning before breakfast, my daughter and I look at the calendar and we see what chores she has. She sees what meetings I have. We see who's picking her up from school. We see if she has anything after school. Every time she completes a chore, she clicks on a little dot on the screen and it disappears. And it makes her really happy and it makes me really happy. And today, being her first day of school, we are back to using it every single day. And she absolutely loves it. She gets to put her homework in it. We get to upload photos to it. It is just a phenomenal device. Skylight Calendar. Use the code Peter at Skylight Calendar. Skylightcal.com. Use the code Peter and you'll get a really nice discount. It has saved us. We don't argue anymore about who has to do what, and that is pretty awesome. So I am very grateful to Skylight Calendar. They also make an awesome frame as well for just pictures. nCheck that out too.
Welcome to Faster than Normal. We've been off for a couple of weeks, so it is awesome to be back. I want to introduce Laura Adams. We're going all the way to Ireland today, and that's about the extent of my Irish accent, but we're going to Ireland. We're talking to Laura Adams, who is a neurodiverse, author, researcher, and advocate. She got diagnosed at the age of 33 after, mind you, she managed to work full time, do a full time PhD, plan a wedding, organize a mortgage, not counting everyday tours and exercising. Oh, and she also got pregnant. But in March of this year, at the age of 33, living with a brain that found it impossible to concentrate with constant migraines, anxiety, and fatigue, she received a formal ADHD diagnosis and informal autism. So we're starting to see a connection there as well. Light bulb turned on in her head. She felt a new sense of acceptance and empowerment. And she's starting to embrace her neurodiversity. She read fast, add normal. She has listened to the podcast and she's like, I got to be on. She's published two children's books on Amazon, which is better than I've done. I've only published one. She's written a book you call part memoir, part encyclopedia, and part research called AuDHD and Me: Growing Up Distracted. So let us talk to Laura. Welcome to Faster than Normal.
Laura [00:03:08]: Hi. Hello. So cool! Going to go full nerd now.
Peter Shankman [00:03:14]: It's great to have you here. I love that you're on the podcast. I love that you listen to the podcast. So Ireland has Ireland not embraced or is not talking about ADHD or neurodiversity? Is it not a big thing there yet? What's the story?
Laura [00:03:28]: Well, the last few years, probably just last two years in particular, it's shot up. Like, there's actually so many diagnosis coming in to Ireland, mostly from women, and I didn't have no idea of this until I got diagnosed myself, but there's so many women getting diagnosed in Ireland now. But we're kind of in the government will put legislations out and they're like, good job. We put legislation out, patting the back. And then they don't enforce it because there's no funding or there's not enough training. And it's just great. We did something and then nothing's done about it. So I'm kind of wanting to drive home, especially in education, it's like, kids do need help and if you're just kind of going, we did a great job, and then they're just leaving it, nothing's going to go well. Nothing's going of course, that's where I'm at.
Peter Shankman [00:04:17]: So when you got diagnosed, talk for a second about what that was like. Talk for a second about how you felt before what happened when you got diagnosed and how you felt immediately after.
Laura [00:04:33]: I think this dream was gone a year, really, before I just was sitting down doing my PhD thesis and I just couldn't read. It was like all the I was agreed in a sentence, but I just couldn't connect the sentence together. I felt like I was just scrolling. Everything was a blur and I just couldn't concentrate on all I thought, that's it, I can't live like this anymore. It's been going on for too long. So I just went, right, I need answers. So I started with autism diagnosis because all my life had been told I was a little bit autistic. So I was like, OK, I'll start there. That's a good place. I contacted adult autism Ireland. The website and the sent me a whole load of questionnaires and there's so much of it. But one of the in particular was called the as or S, I think five ADHD characteristics. They know themselves that autism and ADHD kind of go a lot of the time, hand in hand. Like there are a lot more people who have ADHD with autism, with ADHD, or vice versa. I can't remember the actual statistics, but I scored incredibly high, like, way high than I would have thought on ADHD characteristics, especially in a sensory type. And I went down this rabbit hole of Ted Talks, and mostly women, and they used for so long. I've looked up some of the symptoms I had, and I couldn't find anything. But these women were saying exactly it had the words for it.
Peter Shankman [00:06:00]: Yeah, because for the first time in your life, for the first time in your life, you were looking at ADHD from a different perspective. The concept of ADHD in boys and in men presents entirely differently than ADHD in girls and in women.
Laura [00:06:11]: Yeah, because I've heard about it twice. Maybe in my life, ADHD would be mentioned twice. And usually people are going, oh, it's not real. And I kind of going, of course. I went okay. I don't know. I have to look into something before I make a judgment. But it went right over my head. I was like, oh, another thing I won't be interested in. So I didn't even think about it until it actually was right in my face. But it's funny how that is the mindset of so many people, they're just not paying attention, or they're not trying hard enough, or they're just daydreamers. You've probably heard them, all the excuses people tend to make for people who are like, we are trying really hard. Thank you very much. There's a reason why I have this migraine bu that's the mindset that it was kind of what I was told about ADHD was brought up.
Peter Shankman [00:06:57]: Getting diagnosed and getting a name towards what you've been feeling is an amazing it's an amazing relief. And it's funny because and I think you tell me your feelings on this. You break your leg, right? You see a bone sticking out of the middle of your leg. You're like, well, shit, I broke my leg. You don't need to get diagnosed when you see a bone sticking out of the middle of your leg, right? But you have these internal problems. It's the premise of, oh, you don't look sick. Nothing must be wrong with you, right? And when you finally are able to put those two and two together, it's life changing, actually.
Laura [00:07:30]: Complete. And I say the switch was almost because I'm very low confidence. This would be something I'd never do. Talking to someone on a podcast, it's just an impossibility. I thought, no way I'd write a book. No way I'd put up an Instagram page. No way I'd do any of that. And then as soon as I got the diagnosis, these little gears were starting to turn my head, and I was like, removing what I thought I could do to, oh, I can do this. This is very possible. And next thing, I'm just I wrote a book in a few months is the editing that was the longest. And I had, like, greeted children's books and I was in contact with people and I was like, what is this? Is a completely different person. I thought I never was, but it's just the fact I took away the oh, I must clearly be stupid or I must clearly be incapable of doing this because I was told I was incapable or if I can't do this, I'm being told I just have to work harder. Clearly something I'm not just not able to do it. That's the kind of labels I created for myself. This label of ADHD is so much better than this label of you're stupid, you're slow. You have so much potential if you just worked harder.
Peter Shankman [00:08:44]: No, it's true. It's definitely a wake up call. A lot of people listening as well as myself grew up with the you just need to apply yourself. And looking back on it, we were trained to not I never talked back to my teachers. I always, yes, ma'am, no, ma'am, and not I look back to bitch. I was applying myself. That's the problem. It's this sort of massive wake up call than if I could go back and tell my 6th grade teacher, mr. Hecker, hey, dude. I was applying my ass off and it wasn't sinking in. And that was the most I think it's one thing when you fail or when you don't do well and you know it's because you weren't trying. It's another thing when you try your butt off and it still doesn't click. Go ahead.
Laura [00:09:26]: Because I would do really well in certain subjects. Like I had have a publication with pain in crustaceans, but then I was like, I can't do this. Other things like, how did I manage that? Bu can't manage this. So clearly I'm just lucky or I fooled people. And that's the thing. You just can't go, maybe I lied to them and that's how or maybe it was luck.
Peter Shankman [00:09:48]: And then you just comes from you don't believe anything you've done. Everything you've done is luck. Everything I've done is luck. And you're sure you wake up every day with the fear that stays the day. You're going to get found out.
Laura [00:09:57]: Yeah, that's exactly it. Really fast.
Peter Shankman [00:10:00]: I was going to ask this. What the hell is the behavioral response of crustaceans to anthropologenic noise? Which was who does a PhD in that? What is that?!
Laura [00:10:07]: When I was younger, like three or four, I wanted to be a marine biologist. And I was like I couldn't spell the word, but I knew I wanted to be it. And I was like, I want to play. Like, I want to work with dolphins and seals. But when I went into my Masters, I like, OOH, crustaceans and crabs are interesting. I never would have thought of that in my life. It was like, there's something they're so they don't have any facial expressions. You have no idea what these things are thinking or can they think? Or are they actually do anything other than move side to side and eat stuff? So noticing that changes in their behaviors or their physiology is actually their signs of stress. So my initial publication was looking at the pain response. Is it just the fact that they're moving around more when you electrocute them? It's like the electrical electric shock or is it the stress? And my research shows that there is definitely more of a stress response in their I was looking at hemolyphistic their blood, so I was looking at lactate level in their blood. And it was much higher in individuals who are shocked than individuals who are not shocked, even if they were both moving around. So I was like, oh, there's something going on there. But I don't like shocking animals. Like, I felt guilty every single time I did it. And I turned to alcohol nearly every experimental days. I went, I can't do this, that's not healthy. So I turned to noise stress instead. And I just looked at how anthropogenic noise with human boat noise really is irritating or can cause an anxiety like response to in these shore crabs, which you see around the beaches everywhere and how they respond to it. I just wanted to see how long term noise affects their anxiety like response or their aggression levels. And if it is, aggression in crabs is incredibly important. I was like, oh, I feel like they stop me at any time. I'll keep going. It'll be like a firearm not.
Peter Shankman [00:12:03]: I loved it. That makes a lot of sense, though, because I know there were studies in the US. About how military boats affect was like
Laura [00:12:14]: That was a big especially sonar causing a lot of strandings. I would like to make sure that I actually remember the easiest words like strandings and I can remember anthropogenic. How can I forget the easiest words sometimes? But it's amazing how these especially in shy and rare whales would you like to be somewhere? I think there's only like 50 something left of these whales in New Zealand. And if they're scared by noise, they'll move away from the area they're safe and right into the path of predators. And there's like there's only 50 something of these whales left and it could be eaten because I guess ship scared them. And it's just like a lot of this is but then we never think about the shorecrafts as well. Who pretty much are the food for everything else, or the paws, not even irrigation. Cold be the word. They kind of churn pretty much the soil and provide food for a not of other food items for animals. So I was like, I like to look at the base not just like whales, but not so much anymore messes.
Peter Shankman [00:13:16]: With the entire ecosystem. No, I get that.
Laura [00:13:18]: Yeah. Like a wonderful thing.
Peter Shankman [00:13:21]: So what is the biggest difference now that you've been diagnosed. And now that you're working under the auspices of what I have as a gift as opposed to what you have.
Laura [00:13:31]: My thesis writing is so much easier than I was before. And also I'm less hard on myself. And these are just I have these little tweaks. Not really tweaks, but I'll go to the gym more. I did take the lowest dose of medication you can get kind of just to turn me into concentration mode every now and again. Because with it, it's just a little bit better than coffee. But I don't use it that much. I use it when I'm working, but not as much. But without knowing this, I would literally type out a sentence, get distracted, talk about a completely different topic entirely in my thesis, without putting any full stop or finishing the sentence before I'd have information that should be at the end of the thesis, at the beginning of the thesis. And everything would be all over the place, but nothing will be in a linear story. Everything would just be all over the place and that would be like, I can't believe the difference. I can actually notice these things now. I go, oh, that's not supposed to be there. I'm going to move that. This actually reads like a proper story. The characters are actually there. There's some type of linear storytelling going on rather than whatever I did before. Bu. It's just confusing for everyone.
Peter Shankman [00:14:52]: Last question only because we're running short of time and I want to have you back. Yes, of course. What would you tell someone who was in your place five years ago?
Laura [00:15:01]: It's really don't be so hard on yourself. I think that is actually the thing than was crippling me because even the smallest thing that I did wrong, I would beat myself up for years. I would say I was the worst person in the world. I'd have to work harder to try to prove it when really what I was doing was perfectly fine. It's just I can't get over how hard on yourself that you can be. Even my doctor started crying was pretty much interior saying, you're being so hard on yourself, that would be the biggest thing because if I didn't have that, the weight off your shoulders is incomparable. I'm like, I'm not as tired of myself. I'm actually stepping away when I need to rather than pushing forward when it's impossible. And the migraines have reduced. I used to have them every single week and they'd last for three days weekly. So that is the biggest change. I probably had, like one little mild headache today because I was nervous about talking to people like I was on this, but then I was like, that disappeared very fast. I was probably more excited than but it's amazing, that difference.
Peter Shankman [00:16:06]: I love that.
Laura [00:16:06]: And the meltdowns. Very cool.
Peter Shankman [00:16:12]: Laura, thank you so much for taking the time all the way from Ireland to talk to us today on Fast Than Normal. Love to have you back. Love the work you're doing out there to make a difference. We'll definitely bring you back on. Thank you so much.
Laura [00:16:23]: Thank you so much. I'll be probably the only episode I won't listen to because of my voice, but other than than sounds great.
Peter Shankman [00:16:29]: Get the imposter syndrome out of your head listening to Faster Than Normal. We love having you. Let us know who you want to hear on the podcast. We will get them on. Thank you so much for listening. We will see you next week. Again, thanks to Skylight Calendar for sponsoring and we'll talk to you guys soon. Be well.
Credits: You've been listening to the Faster Than Normal podcast. We're available on iTunes, Stitcher and Google play and of course at www.FasterThanNormal.com I'm your host, Peter Shankman and you can find me at shankman.com and @petershankman on all of the socials. All now on https://www.threads.net/@petershankman If you like what you've heard, why not head over to your favorite podcast platform of choice and leave us a review, come more people who leave positive reviews, the more the podcast has shown, and the more people we can help understand that ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Opening and closing themes were composed and produced by Steven Byrom who also produces this podcast, and the opening introduction was recorded by Bernie Wagenblast. Thank you so much for listening. We'll see you next week!
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We are thrilled to be joined again by the makers of Skylight Calendar! Enjoy this podcast knowing that we used it to get this one to you on time! :-) You can order yours by going to www.skylightcal.com and using the discount code PETER for 10% off of this 15” device up to $30.
Having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their ADD and ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives. Our Guest today in their own words: Sophie is a neurodivergent mother of three, late diagnosed with autism / adhd / dyspraxia 18 months ago, as was her now 9 year old son. She lives in Dubai, and until 18 months ago had spent 20 years in the corporate world of strategy consulting and professional services. She’s moved from client facing strategy work internally to set up her firms strategy and projects team, before being asked to step into the technology leader and then the human resource leader roles . She’s since set up her own company The Growth Pod, which helps passion and purpose led entrepreneurs harness their creativity and their uniqueness to create successful growth strategies or their business. Today we learn how this neurodivergent Mother’s is thriving as she advocates for more balanced neurodiversity in the corporate world. Enjoy!! :)
[You are now safely here]
00:04 - Skylight calendar makes chores and scheduling easy. Use the code “PETER” for a nice discount!
00:40 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing!!
01:47 - Introducing and Welcome Sophie Thomas!
04:34 - “If you look at my professional success, it hasn't been a hindrance to me! I did well because of it.”
05:13 - On talking with her son about being neurodivergent
06:17 - Grief and self-discovery led to transformation.
07:00 - On the Importance of supporting neurodiverse students
09:36 - On making accommodations in the classroom
11:40 - Inclusion challenges and gender challenges in the Middle East workplace.
12:05 - On lacking Mental health and neurodiversity support/discussion of sexuality due to illegality. The region is far behind the world in celebrating neurodiversity, leaving them absent of utilizing super-powered skill sets from our global community.
15:30 - On breaking the Rain Man stereotype
16:05 - How can people find you?
Web: https://sophiethomascoaching.com
Socials: @ Growth_Pod on INSTA
17:00 - Thanks so much for enjoying "Faster Than Normal” just about every week!! We appreciate you and your hard work so much! Onwards! Please join us again very soon!
OH! And… If you haven't picked up The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One bestseller in all categories. Click HERE or via https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI My link tree is here if you’re looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman
TRANSCRIPT via Castmagic.io and then corrected.. mostly but somewhat.
You're listening to the Faster Than Normal podcast, where we know that having Add or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Each week we interview people from all around the globe, from every walk of life in every profession. From rock stars to CEOs, from teachers to politicians who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their add and ADHD diagnosis and used it to their personal and professional advance edge to build businesses, to become millionaires, or to simply better their lives. And now, here's the host of the Faster Than Normal podcast
If you haven't picked up The Boy with the Faster Brain yet, it is on Amazon and it is a number #1 One bestseller in all categories. Click HERE or via https://amzn.to/3FcAKkI My link tree is here if you’re looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman
TRANSCRIPT via Castmagic.io and then corrected.. pretty-much.
You're listening to the Faster Than Normal podcast, where we know that having Add or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Each week we interview people from all around the globe, from every walk of life in every profession. From rock stars to CEOs, from teachers to politicians who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their add and ADHD diagnosis and used it to their personal and professional advance edge to build businesses, to become millionaires, or to simply better their lives. And now, here's the host of the Faster Than Normal podcast to simply better their lives. And now, here's the host of the Faster Than Normal podcast, the man who booked a round trip flight to Tokyo just to write a best selling book, Peter Shankman.
Peter Shankman [00:00:04]: Hey, everyone. I want to give a shout out this week to Skylight Frame. You can check them [email protected]. As always, they've been a great sponsor for the past couple months. They're still here. A lot of you have gone out and bought the Skylight Frame, and it is pretty awesome. It's a full calendar that sits on your wall, connects to Google or whatever calendar service you use, Apple calendar, whatever. And then it tells your kids what they have to do. You enter in all their chores. They can look at the screen every morning. They click on what the have to do and they do it. And it has stopped the arguments in our house from Jessa, have you changed the dog's baby pads to have you cleaned your room? She simply knows. She goes looks chores, cleans them off, does her chores, and then clicks them on the touch screen. When the touch screen is not in use, it shows beautiful photos that you can upload right to its server. So I love it. Huge fan. You can get up to $30 off with the code, Peter, if you order [email protected]. Okay. Thank you, Skylight.
Peter Shankman [00:01:47]: Peter Shankman. Welcome to another episode of Fast Than Normal. Do you know what I found out? I found out last week in pure, typical ADHD fashion. Apparently we've come across 300 episodes. Apparently last week's episode or a couple of weeks ago was our 300th. And I had no idea. I wanted to get a cake and eat the cake during a podcast. And someone sent me an email, hey, congratulations on hitting 300 episodes. And I went, oh, yeah. Okay, cool. Thanks. So that's the beauty. One of the beauties of ADHD. Totally blew that one. But hey, we made it through 300 episodes, which is pretty cool. I think less than one parent of all podcasts ever make it to 300 episodes, so feeling pretty good about that. Anyway, I want to talk today to a woman named Sophie Thomas. Sophie Thomas is a neurodivergent mother of three. She's late diagnosed with autism, ADHD dyspraxia. So apparently she did nothing for the first, like, X number of years of her life and than when her nine year old son got diagnosed. She's like, oh, look at all these things I have. She lives in dubai, which is pretty cool because you know me and how much I love Dubai and until 18 months ago had spent 20 years in the corporate world of strategy consulting and professional services. She recently moved from client facing strategy work to set up her firm's Strategy and Project Team before being asked to step in as technology leader and then do a human resource role. Realizing that she loved human resources, she set up her own company called The Growth Pod, and that helps passion and purpose led entrepreneurs harness their creativity and their uniqueness to create successful growth strategies for their businesses. Many of her clients are also neurodiverse and part of her new mission in life is to advocate for neurodiversity in the corporate world. Welcome, Sophie.
Sophie [00:03:25]: Thank you. And congratulations on 300 episodes as a nascent podcaster. I know that's a massive feat.
Peter Shankman [00:03:33]: I was kind of shocked by it and like I said, didn't even realize it, which is so typical. When The Boy with the Faster Brain came out a month and a half ago, I didn't realize the launch date and I started getting all these emails saying, hey, congratulations on your new book. I'm like, I didn't know it was out yet, but cool. Thanks. Yeah, that's just so typical. So you got diagnosed with autism, ADHD and dyspraxia. So tell us what Than was like. Was that a whole life changer for you?
Sophie [00:03:58]: Absolutely. I've always known I was different and having the diagnosis just completely changed my narrative and it changed our family as well because we were going through the process. For my son, I read a book on Asperger's, though I know we're not meant to use the term and identified him in that book. And sort of going through that book, I also identified myself. And my husband is super supportive of us, but he wasn't quite sure what we would do with an autism diagnosis for my son or a neurodivergent diagnosis. And seeing an understanding that I was neurodivergent just made it so much easier for all of us to accept his diagnosis and celebrate it. Because if you look at my professional success, it hasn't been a hindrance to me. In fact, when I reflect on it and since leaving the corporate world, when I look back at my experiences and I've changed the narrative, I don't now put of myself as a survivor and have done well despite my neurons divergence. I did well because of it.
Sophie [00:05:06]: It's because of loads of the traits that I have that I've been able to be the success that I was. And I'm really excited now that we can have that conversation with my son at a very young age, celebrate his neurodiversity and talk about his superpowers and his strengths and how he can take those into what I know will be a very different world in sort of 1520 years time when he's in looking for jobs and creating careers. But I think it's going to be really empowering for him to have had somebody close to him as a role model and a family that champions and supports him.
Peter Shankman [00:05:44]: Tell me about so one of the things that I talk a lot to companies about this, and I explained that my ADHD is definitely my success is because of not in spite of my ADHD, but one of the things we don't talk a lot about is what it was like growing up. So ADHD doesn't just happen the second you get diagnosed. You get diagnosed because you know something's different. So when you were growing up, I'm assuming I don't know where you grew up, but assuming where you grew up, it couldn't have been as easy because you weren't allowed to be as different as you are allowed to be today.
Sophie [00:06:17]: No, there was a huge amount of grief, I think that came with my diagnosis. As part of that diagnosis, I had to go through all of my old school reports which my parents had lovingly kept for me. And it's amazing when you read all of those back to back in about 6 hours, as I did Hyper Focus and looking at the narrative of that kid. I just felt so sad for her that nobody sat there. And put together the picture of somebody than I always thought I was stupid or not very intelligent. But I was okay because I could work really hard. And I see in those reports the pockets of we think Sophie is a bright child, but she's lazy and she's too introverted. We just don't seem to be able to get through to her. And everything I read into that now is we don't have the time or we don't have the skills. We don't have the understanding of how to teach her differently or how to teach her in a way where she can excel. I had to sit down at every major point of examinations and in the UK we have two or three big sets of them in our life. And I had to reteach myself every curriculum in three months before my exams just to get through. I was predicted to fail. I was told I wasn't going to go to a decent university. And against all of the odds, I sat down, I knuckled down and I came out with a's across the board. And now I have a different narrative, which is that I am really bright, my neurodiversity, I'm twice exceptional. I can say from a position of fact that my intelligence is higher than 98 percentile of the population. That in itself has changed me completely. And I try not to think about actually what would have been different if somebody had supported me. Because I find that not necessarily it can be a spiral and a rabbit hole to go through, no question. What I think not is about, okay, how can I take that and how can I help my son? How can I advocate for my son? How can I make it different from him? How can I help him to recognize and own his intelligence, to harness that power, to find ways that he can learn and get the accommodations he needs in school and then think about how he's best going to use those powers in a career that's going to be meaningful to him?
Peter Shankman [00:08:38]: And your son is with you in it like, what's it like in the Dubai school system in America? It's just sort of coming up and we're starting to make good strides, but it's taken forever in a day.
Sophie [00:08:53]: It's nascent here. I mean, it's a very different society. It's very multicultural. So a lot of the things that I would have imagined we would struggle with in terms of inclusion in Europe or the US. We don't have here because it is so diverse. You have everybody from every nationality, different languages, everybody is in different places. So schools seem to be more naturally inclusive, but they're private education. They want to maximize revenue. So it is harder for kids that have additional needs to get into the good schools. It's expensive for parents to support them if they do have additional needs and need learning support, assistance. And we're really lucky that our son thrives in school. And his school is probably one of the most inclusive. The small accommodations they put into the classroom for him, they've been putting in there for all kids because they recognize that all kids move to a different beat of their own drum. I'm nervous about secondary because the education sector is developing so rapidly. The primary is more developed. It's come on along in the last six, seven years since we started sending him to school. Secondary is catching up. Bu I'm nervous about that because I think at that point you're a bit like a shark in infested waters. And the inclusivity that we found in the early years, I'm not sure we're going to find it in secondary.
Peter Shankman [00:10:11]: Interesting. Okay, so what are you preparing to do? How are you getting ready for that?
Sophie [00:10:17]: Well, we're having conversations with him about he's got to own his decision of which school. It would be very easy for us as parents to go on the traditional measures of a good school. We could look at grades, we could look at the number of university students. But at the end of the day, he's got to find somewhere where he feels like his rhythm is going to be recognized and supported. So we're going to try and go around a load of schools. I'm part of the local communities around Neurodiversity, so I listen to which of most inclusive things. But one thing I'm seeing a trend of in Dubai is schools that are coming up than are way more creative and innovative and nontraditional. And I feel like one of those schools where it is much more focus on digitization tech that that will be a better environment for him, rather than something that looks more like a traditional education system that I might recognize and sort of stereotypical me. Would Cold feel like that was a good school for him?
Peter Shankman [00:11:17]: Makes sense. Tell me about what it's like there in the workplace, having been out there for years, having now understanding your neurodiversity, what is the conversation like when you would talk to, say, when you were still at your old position? Would you tell people about it? Would you talk to it? How did they react to.
Sophie [00:11:40]: Think, you know, I've been in the Middle East for 14 years, and, you know, I would have said my primary difference for the majority of that was that I was female. Secondly, that I was English Add. There aren't many senior English female women in the workplace. And in my later role in HR, I was involved in diversity inclusion. And when I look at the conversations you have around ind here compared to those you have in Europe or the US. It's much, much narrower. So the focus is on gender still, which is a conversation that we still have elsewhere, but less so it's on nationality. So it is a much more inclusion of the national workforce here and bringing in the Emirates, the Saudis, the Qataris into Middle Eastern firms. There really isn't a conversation about hidden disabilities, about neurodiversity, and there's absolutely zero conversation around sexuality and the LGBTQI because of the context here in illegality, which is really challenging. So it's a much, much narrower conversation. When I was in my role, we were coming out of COVID and huge concerns around mental health and support for individuals. And I found, without knowing about my neurodiversity, that the individuals who were struggling the most with inclusion were individuals on the neurodiverse spectrum. And we had so many challenges with people with mental health awareness, with breakdowns, burnouts, suicidality, and we were not where we needed to be in the region in terms of inclusiveness around conversations around mental health and support that we could put in there. And so even on, like, when it's really obvious, when people are really struggling, we're not great. And when we're talking about proactive measures of inclusivity in the workplace and celebrating neurodiversity traits and thinking about how we incorporate those, embrace them, and actively seek them out in the future, we're just miles away. And what I loved when I met you in Dubai was you had just finished off your step conference speech around customer experience, which I loved. But it was your shout out about the future of work and actively seeking. Out neurodivergent skill sets to be part of the environment and the corporate add entrepreneurial environment. That really resonated with me because we are so behind in this region in having those conversations or even recognizing that it's something to be celebrated. I told very few colleagues about my diagnosis. I left about six months after my diagnosis, not directly because of my diagnosis, but it was interlinked. But when I talked about my son's diagnosis, I had people commiserating with me and saying things, well, at least like, you've got two normal children. Yeah. Add oh, have you looked at his diet? And maybe just things that I would have expected in the UK 25 years ago.
Peter Shankman [00:14:54]: Right.
Sophie [00:14:54]: So there's a really in the general population, not a great understanding. I think there's still very much a kind of a Rain Man or bonkers children bouncing off the walls kind of impression of neurodiversity. And I still get friends coming up to me when I tell them, and I'm now very open about my diagnosis, and they're like, well, you don't seem very autistic or you don't seem very neurodiverse. And it blows my mind that we still have those entrenched views and see it as a much more disabling sort of set of characteristics or neurotype than it really is.
Peter Shankman [00:15:37]: And again, I think that's something we'll definitely talk about offline, because, like I said, I was speaking one of the companies I was talking to last week. I was on satellite, and someone emailed me later from your region. And, you know, it's great to finally hear this and my company's taken seriously because no one here believes it. So I think we got a lot of work to do. That being said, Sophie Thomas, I'm so glad you joined us today. Thank you so much for taking the time. How can people find you so you.
Sophie [00:16:02]: Can find [email protected] where I have all of my interests? Add particularly around neurodivergent supports for workplaces. And you can find me at the Growth Pod or Growth_pod on Instagram Growth_pod, not for my work on business coaching.
Peter Shankman [00:16:19]: Sophie, thank you so much. As soon as we go live, we'll let you know. As always, thank you all for listening. We will have another episode next week. I can't believe we're over 300 episodes, as you know.
Sophie [00:16:28]: Congratulations.
Peter Shankman [00:16:29]: Thank you. As I didn't know. But either way, great to have you guys. We'll see you next week. Sophie, thank you again, everyone. Neurodiversity is a gift, not a curse. We're going to keep telling that story forever. Talk to you soon. Bye.
VO: [00:16:43]:
Credits: You've been listening to the Faster Than Normal podcast. We're available on iTunes, Stitcher and Google play and of course at www.FasterThanNormal.com I'm your host, Peter Shankman and you can find me at shankman.com and @petershankman on all of the socials. All now on https://www.threads.net/@petershankman
If you like what you've heard, why not head over to your favorite podcast platform of choice and leave us a review, come more people who leave positive reviews, the more the podcast has shown, and the more people we can help understand that ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Opening and closing themes were composed and produced by Steven Byrom who also produces this podcast, and the opening introduction was recorded by Bernie Wagenblast. Thank you so much for listening. We'll see you next week!
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