Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast

We tend to think of memory as a vault—something that, if built correctly, should always open on command. The vault metaphor is tidy, satisfying, and wrong. In truth, memory is more like a three-legged stool balanced precariously on a floor that shifts beneath us. For people with ADHD, that floor isn’t just shifting—it’s often crumbling. And still, we’re asked to sit perfectly still.This week, we’re joined by Dr. Daniella Karidi—executive coach, cognitive scientist, and founder of ADHDtime—for a conversation that reframes what we know about memory. She maps its steps—encoding, storage, retrieval—and then shows us exactly where, and why, those steps falter in the ADHD brain. What emerges is a picture of fragility—of a system doing its best under conditions for which it was never optimized.We explore working memory, the critical minute when new information is either transformed into long-term knowledge or simply lost to distraction. We talk about why prospective memory—remembering to do something in the future—is especially difficult for ADHDers, and how most of our strategies fail because they focus on what to remember, not where or when we’ll need to recall it.But perhaps the most radical idea Daniella offers is this: Forgetting is not failure. It is human. And for ADHD brains, it’s not about being careless or lazy—it’s about a system built for immediacy, not for invisible timekeeping. The key is not to “try harder,” but to scaffold smarter. Memory isn’t a moral issue. It’s an engineering problem.Daniella shows us how to work with our memory instead of against it, from post-its and memory palaces to understanding state dependence and the power of meaningful cues. This is a conversation for anyone who has ever walked into a room and forgotten why, missed a meeting they cared about, or been told—once again—that they “just need to focus.” If memory has ever felt like a betrayal, this episode is the beginning of forgiveness. (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast (00:45) - Support the Show: Become a Patron! (01:48) - Introducing Dr. Daniella Karidi ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this episode of Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast, Pete and Nikki sit down with Dr. Dara Abraham—board-certified psychiatrist, women’s mental health expert, and founder of Dr. Dara Psychiatry—to explore the complicated and under-discussed relationship between ADHD and hormones.Dr. Dara walks us through the key hormonal transitions across the lifespan—puberty, pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, and menopause—and how each stage uniquely disrupts ADHD symptoms and medication effectiveness. She shares why estrogen is your brain’s best friend, how hormonal shifts wreak havoc on dopamine regulation, and why women are so often dismissed when seeking help. From the science of hormone replacement therapy to practical tips for self-advocacy and lifestyle support, this episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating the double whammy of ADHD and hormonal change.Whether you’re struggling with brain fog, sleep disruptions, or medication that suddenly stopped working—there’s help, there’s hope, and Dr. Dara is here to share it. Links & NotesAdult ADHD Specialist - Dr. Dara's Comprehensive Psychiatry Care | Comprehensive TreatmentConnect with Dr. Dara on LinkedInDig into the podcast Shownotes DatabaseJoin the ADHD Discord CommunityBecome a Patron (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast (01:19) - Support The Show: Become a Patron! (02:19) - Marker 3 (02:32) - Introducing Dr. Dara Abraham • Hormones & ADHD ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

When you live with ADHD, you might be used to the mental whirlwind — the dopamine chases, the deadline surges, the exhaustion that follows. But for many, there’s a deeper and more insidious battle happening in the background: chronic illness. This week, Pete and Nikki welcome clinical naturopath and passionate advocate Jules Galloway to unpack the tangled web between ADHD, adrenal fatigue, autoimmune conditions, and the gut-brain connection.Drawing from her own experiences with late-diagnosed ADHD and years of working with neurodivergent clients, Jules explains how chronic stress and inflammation can alter the architecture of the brain, and how burnout isn’t just a buzzword — it’s often a physiological crisis. From cortisol testing and histamine intolerance to why so many ADHDers feel like they’re constantly “wired but tired,” this episode brings clarity and compassion to a deeply misunderstood intersection of mental and physical health.Jules also shares practical, empowering strategies for healing — from stabilizing blood sugar with protein-rich meals to reducing inflammation through gut health and sustainable lifestyle changes. It’s a conversation full of insight, empathy, and real-world tools for anyone struggling to understand the full-body impact of living with ADHD.Links & NotesJules Galloway’s website: julesgalloway.com🌿 Get 1 month FREE access to ADHD Naturally (no credit card required): julesgalloway.com/adhd-naturally-freebieFollow Jules on social: @julesgallowayhealthJoin the Taking Control ADHD community on Discord: takecontroladhd.com/discordSupport the Show on PatreonDig into the podcast Shownotes Database (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast (00:40) - Learn More! Support the show! Join the Community! (01:40) - Introducing Jules Galloway (06:51) - ADHD and Chronic Stress (09:41) - Inflammation (13:33) - Burnout (32:37) - Histamine (40:13) - Sustainable Wellness wtih ADHD and Chronic Disease (50:59) - Learn more and get a gift! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

What happens to ADHD when the scaffolds of career and parenting fade, and we’re left navigating a world that’s quieter, slower… and far less structured?This week on Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast, Pete and Nikki are joined by one of the most influential voices in ADHD research and advocacy: Dr. Kathleen Nadeau. An internationally recognized expert and the author of 14 books on ADHD, Kathleen is the founder and director of the Chesapeake Center—one of the largest private ADHD specialty clinics in the U.S. Her career has been defined by breaking new ground for underserved ADHD populations, and today she turns our attention to one of the most overlooked groups of all: older adults.Drawing on extensive research—including interviews with more than 150 individuals for her groundbreaking book Still Distracted After All These Years: Help and Support for Older Adults with ADHD—Kathleen guides us through the realities of aging with ADHD. She brings nuance, humor, and urgency to topics like isolation, structure loss, hormonal shifts, executive dysfunction, and the ADHD tax that shows up in the fine print of Social Security forms and medical claims. We discuss how declining circadian rhythms and deep sleep disruption may connect ADHD to increased dementia risk, and why the U.S. is still lagging behind global standards in using hormone replacement therapy to support cognitive health in aging women with ADHD.But this conversation isn’t about despair—it’s about reinvention, resilience, and the power of community. Kathleen shares powerful stories of support groups that thrive beyond professional guidance and offers practical strategies for maintaining purpose and mental clarity well into our later years.If you or someone you love is navigating ADHD after 50, this is the episode that finally speaks to that experience—with candor, compassion, and hard-won insight.Links & NotesStill Distracted After All These Years: Help and Support for Older Adults with ADHD by Dr. Kathleen NadeauThe End of Alzheimer’s by Dr. Dale Bredesen“The How and Why of Sleep” NIH Video LectureThe Chesapeake CenterThe VillagesSupport the Show on PatreonDig into the podcast Shownotes Database (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast (01:35) - Support the Show at patreon.com/theadhdpodcast (02:06) - Introducing Dr. Kathleen Nadeau (03:03) - How Does ADHD Evolve as we Age? (10:31) - Later Adult Diagnosis (20:02) - Hormonal Changes ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

What if the relentless chase for productivity isn’t a sign of progress—but a trap?This week on Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast, Pete and Nikki return to the idea they began exploring with Dr. Ari Tuckman: the Productivity Trap—a psychological cul-de-sac where effort doesn’t equal accomplishment, and perfectionism becomes performance. But this isn’t just about missed deadlines or overloaded to-do lists. It’s about identity. About shame. About what it means to be “enough” in a world that rarely says you are.From a deceptively simple mantra—“You don’t have to be productive all the time”—springs a story of emotional reckoning. Pete recounts how Nikki’s offhand remark evolved into a viral merch moment, while Nikki shares coaching experiences that reveal the heartbreak (and humor) of managing ADHD in a culture obsessed with output. They dissect the nuance between urgent and important, spotlight how AI can support executive function, and confront the myth that productivity is linear.This is not a conversation about how to get more done. It’s a conversation about why we believe we must.Links & NotesYou Don't Have to Be Productive All the TimeSupport the Show on PatreonDig into the podcast Shownotes Database (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast (01:23) - Support the Show on Patreon! (02:01) - Merch Announcement! (04:39) - The Productivity Trap ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

It’s not that people with ADHD don’t want to be productive. It’s that they’re often trapped in a paradox: striving to do more, while silently blaming themselves for not doing enough. That tension—between internal ambition and external expectations—is the focus of this conversation with returning guest clinical psychologist Dr. Ari Tuckman.In this episode, Ari joins Pete and Nikki to explore the deep psychology of productivity, the social pressure to “look busy,” and the subtle ways perfectionism becomes a form of avoidance. Along the way, they discuss the myth of the perfect planner, why your to-do list is lying to you, and what happens when you finally admit you just don’t want to do the thing. With humor, heart, and a healthy dose of hard-earned insight, Ari introduces lessons from his new book, The ADHD Productivity Manual, revealing how managing productivity starts not with apps or alarms—but with radical honesty.Because the real challenge isn’t doing more—it’s knowing what matters enough to do at all.Links & NotesThe ADHD Productivity Manual by Ari Tuckman, Psy.DSupport the Show on PatreonDig into the podcast Shownotes Database (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast (00:57) - The Productivity Trap with Ari Tuckman (02:06) - The ADHD Productivity Manual by Ari Tuckman (03:57) - Where is the ADHD Productivity Groove? (20:49) - Perfectionism (24:43) - Getting Clear (27:17) - "I don't wanna" ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Imagine your brain as a control room. On most days, the switches flick and the dials turn just as they should. But then something small—an unanswered text, a missed deadline, a critical glance—trips the wrong lever. Suddenly, that control room is submerged. The signals blur. The system floods.This week on Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast, Pete and Nikki sit down with two returning champions of clarity and compassion: Dr. Sharon Saline and Dr. Dodge Rea. Together, they unravel the hidden mechanics of emotional flooding—not as a character flaw, but as a neurological response shaped by fear, history, and a sometimes-overzealous amygdala.Through stories, science, and metaphor (including rogue trains and Wile E. Coyote’s ill-fated cliff dives), they reveal what happens when the ADHD brain short-circuits under pressure—and what we can actually do about it. Along the way, you’ll learn how shame disguises itself as control, how the body signals what the mind can’t process, and why sometimes the most strategic thing you can do is… go to the bathroom.This is a conversation about reframing of the narrative so many ADHD adults carry with them: that being overwhelmed means being broken. It doesn’t. It never did.Links & NotesLearn more about Dr. Sharon Saline: drsharonsaline.comLearn more about Dr. Dodge Rea: dodgerea.comSupport the Show on PatreonDig into the podcast Shownotes Database (00:00) - Welcome to The ADHD Podcast (00:57) - Support the Show: Become a Patron Today https://patreon.com/theadhdpodcast (02:38) - Emotional Flooding with Dr. Sharon Saline and Dr. Dodge Rea (21:35) - The Consequences (25:09) - Is Emotional Flooding a sort of Trance? (28:51) - The Regulation and Recovery Process (40:19) - The Five C's (44:49) - The g.r.a.c.e. Sequence ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

There’s a moment—maybe you’ve lived it—when the email goes unanswered, the dishwasher remains unloaded, the phone rings but your hand doesn’t move. You’re not tired. You’re not lazy. You’re just… stuck.We call it overwhelm. But what if that word is too small? What if what you’re feeling is your brain's way of saying, This system is not working for me?In this episode of our Duos series, we bring together two people who have spent their careers listening to the quiet, misunderstood signals of ADHD: Dr. Tamara Rosier, author of Your Brain’s Not Broken and You, Me, and Our ADHD Family, and Brooke Schnittman, author of Activate Your ADHD Potential.Tamara talks about emotional flooding—those tidal waves of feeling that hit before a single task is done. Brooke explains how to pause just long enough to choose a different direction. Together, they unpack why ADHD-related overwhelm isn’t a sign of failure, but a clue. A trailhead. A door.Because maybe, just maybe, the problem isn’t that your brain is broken. Maybe it’s that the world was built for a different kind of mind. Maybe the first step isn’t pushing through. It’s listening.📚 Links & NotesYour Brain’s Not Broken by Dr. Tamara RosierYou, Me, and Our ADHD Family by Dr. Tamara RosierActivate Your ADHD Potential by Brooke SchnittmanCoaching With BrookeADHD Center of West MichiganGuided IFS Therapy Session / Exercise for Inner Healing | Dr. Richard Schwartz & Dr. Andrew HubermanSupport the Show on PatreonDig into the podcast Shownotes Database (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast (02:03) - Introducing Brooke Schnittman and Tamara Rosier (04:06) - Overwhelm (19:44) - Techniques to Break The Pattern (43:29) - Learn More! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Shame is a formidable force—an emotional wildfire that can either illuminate our path to growth or consume us in cycles of self-blame. For individuals with ADHD, this complex emotion is often amplified, lingering far beyond its utility as a corrective signal. But why? And more importantly, how do we break free?This week on The ADHD Podcast, hosts Pete Wright and Nikki Kinzer embark on an exploration of shame spirals with two powerhouse guests: James Ochoa, LPC, renowned ADHD pathfinder and author of Focused Forward: Navigating the Storms of Adult ADHD, and Dr. Nachi Felt, an ADHD specialist and professor at Columbia University where he teaches Psychopathology and helps direct the Cognition and Neuroscience Research Lab.Together, they dissect the neurobiology of shame, its insidious tendency to hijack our presence of mind, and the ways in which ADHD uniquely intensifies its grip. James and Nachi offer profound insights into the role of self-awareness, self-acceptance, and the often-overlooked power of resourcing—the practice of cultivating internal and external tools to navigate emotional turbulence.From the interplay of trauma and shame to the game-changing realization that the same agency that allows us to sit in shame also allows us to stand up and move forward, this conversation is both a course in emotional resilience and a rallying cry for self-compassion.With humor, wisdom, and a touch of Brooklyn-style candor, this episode invites you to challenge your inner narratives, embrace the possibility of rewriting your personal stories, and ultimately, reclaim your incredible sense of self-worth.Resources & Links:Take Control ADHD Discord CommunitySupport the Podcast on PatreonJames Ochoa’s Work & BooksDr. Nachi Felt’s ADHD ResourcesDig into the podcast Shownotes Database (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast (01:09) - Support the Show! (03:37) - The Nature of Shame Spirals ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

There’s an inflection point when technology shifts from novelty to necessity. The printing press. The telephone. The internet. And now, artificial intelligence. For those with ADHD, the rise of AI presents an especially tantalizing paradox: a tool that promises to sharpen focus and streamline tasks, yet one that, if wielded carelessly, could just as easily become another source of distraction.In this episode of The ADHD Podcast, Pete Wright and Nikki Kinzer take us into the heart of the paradox. They begin with a simple but profound question: How do we make AI work for us, rather than the other way around?It starts with a refresher on prompt engineering—the art of structuring AI queries with precision. It’s not unlike training a dog. Give vague instructions, and you’ll get unpredictable results. But with the right prompts, AI can become an invaluable assistant, distilling complex information, organizing thoughts, and even generating study guides.But then comes the tension. The unease. The creeping realization that AI—like all powerful tools—has a darker side. What of the Paperclip Problem, a thought experiment that suggests AI, if left unchecked, could optimize itself into oblivion, consuming all available resources (including us) in its relentless pursuit of efficiency. Far out? There are those who argue not so far as you think.The conversation then shifts to the Goldilocks Zone—that elusive middle ground where AI enhances productivity without eroding autonomy. Pete shares his meticulously curated AI toolkit: Perplexity AI for research, Grammarly for writing, TextExpander for automation, and Adobe Voice Enhancer for audio clarity. Each tool, when used correctly, reduces cognitive load. But over-reliance? That’s where the danger lies.By the end of the discussion, one thing becomes clear: AI is neither savior nor saboteur. It is a mirror, reflecting back the habits and intentions of its user. The question isn’t whether AI will replace us—it won’t. The real question is: Will we use AI to become more of who we are, or will we let it decide that for us?Links & NotesPerplexity AI – AI-powered research assistantPoe.com – Multi-model AI chat platformGrammarly – AI-enhanced writing assistantAdobe Voice Enhancer – AI-driven audio clarity toolCoda.io – AI-integrated database managementJoin our Discord communitySupport the Show on PatreonDig into the podcast Shownotes Database (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast (02:22) - Prompt Engineering (12:08) - The Problem with AI (18:25) - The Goldilocks Zone (22:16) - Some Tools (25:19) - Gell-Mann Amnesia ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★