Being the Best Version of Yourself

In this episode of the Being the Best Version of Yourself podcast, host Dr. Carey Heller is joined by psychotherapist Ethan Ulanow to discuss the pressures faced by children and teens in the D.C. area as well as those by their parents. They emphasize the importance of validation and acknowledgment of these pressures to the extent the child experiences them, the balance between extracurricular activities and academic demands, and the need for open communication between parents and children to understand individual needs and interests.------Connect with Carey Heller, Psy.D.https://hellerpsychologygroup.com/Connect with Ethan Ulanow, LCSW-Chttps://www.ethanulanow.com/

In this episode, Dr. Carey Heller is joined by special guest Matt Douglas. Matt is a college consultant and teen mentor as well as the author of Unlocking College Admissions: Your Step-By-Step Workbook For Finding The Right College And Getting In⁠. The two discuss what to expect and do at this point in the college process and tips for navigating the rest of senior year. As part of this, the focus turns to executive function skills and how to help teens/young adults build these up using senior year as a trial run of college to help ease the transition. You likely focus a lot on helping your child get into college. Now, you also need to help them to be able to be successful once they are there. There's a lot you can do in the next several months to help them prepare. --------- Matt Douglas is a former teacher and school administrator turned college consultant, teen and young-adult mentor, and the author of Unlocking College Admissions: Your Step-By-Step Workbook For Finding The Right College And Getting In. You can learn more about his services and background at unlockingcollegeadmissions.com, www.lifecoachingsd.com or via @unlocking.college on social media.Dr. Carey Heller is a licensed psychologist specializing in ADHD and executive function issues. He provides psychotherapy, ADHD/executive function coaching (often together with therapy), and evaluations for ADHD & learning disabilities. Dr. Heller also runs an executive functioning boot camp, which is a two hour 1:1 intensive individualized session to help people jump start or fine tune EF skills and systems. https://hellerpsychologygroup.com/adhd-executive-functioning/📌 Stay Connected** Tap the link in bio for more resources!  **Website:https://hellerpsychologygroup.com/ **YouTube: @Hellerpsychology  **Instagram: Hellerpsych** Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HellerPsychology ** Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/HellerPsychology Articles: https://hellerpsychologygroup.com/heller-psychology-resources/dr-hellers-published-articles/Courses, digital downloads, books: https://hellerpsychologygroup.com/heller-psychology-resources/heller-time-management-planning-tools/ Disclaimer: This video is intended for educational purposes only, is not therapy, and should not replace guidance from professionals with whom you work. 

Join Dr. Heller and special guest Megan Gaul, a certified weight loss coach who successfully lost and maintained a 100-pound weight loss since 2018.In this insightful episode, Megan shares her personal journey and expert advice on how to sustain weight loss by focusing on your relationship with food and overcoming common challenges like time management, organization, and executive dysfunction.🔑 Key Takeaways:The Power of Acknowledgment: The crucial first step to making lasting changes is acknowledging that an issue exists and prioritizing your health.Long-Term Sustainability: Why temporary, high-effort diets (like cutting out carbs completely) often lead to weight regain, and how to create sustainable routines.Overcoming Resistance to Routine: Strategies for people who feel overwhelmed or resistant to adding new tasks to their busy schedules. Megan emphasizes focusing on one small, easy change at a time to build momentum.Movement Snacks: Creative ways to incorporate physical activity throughout a busy workday, including desk ellipticals, walking pads, and "movement snacks" to increase your total daily energy expenditure without needing a dedicated, intense hour-long workout.The Importance of Tracking: How food journaling, whether through an app or a physical journal, helps maintain mindfulness and accountability for your eating habits.Simplifying Your Schedule: Tips on identifying and eliminating "superfluous" tasks—especially for those with people-pleasing tendencies—to free up mental and physical energy for your health goals.If you struggle with maintaining weight loss or finding the time to prioritize your well-being, this episode provides practical, sustainable strategies you can implement today!Subscribe to  @HellerPsychology  for more videos.------------------------------Connect with Megan:Bio: Megan Gaul is an educator-turned-coach from Staten Island, New York. She embarked on her own 100-lb weight-loss journey in 2018. Maintaining that weight-loss was the experience she needed to articulate the 4-pillar philosophy of Partake 1-1 Tailored Weight Loss Coaching: "Start small to make it stick. Keep food neutral at all costs. Practice your missing skills. Downshift your habits when needed." Since 2021, she's coached high-achieving women who struggle with self trust to achieve lasting weight-loss that actually feels peaceful.Coaching Diagnostic Call: lnk.bio/partake_foodie Instagram: instagram.com/partake_foodie Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/partake.foodie/reels/ Mailing list: partakemealplanning.com/jointheclub-------Connect with Dr. Carey HellerDr. Heller is a licensed psychologist based in Bethesda, Maryland. He specializes in ADHD and executive function issues helping kids, teens, and adults to be better organized, improve time management, be less stressed, and thrive in life. 📌 Stay Connected **Website:https://hellerpsychologygroup.com/ **YouTube: @Hellerpsychology **Instagram: Hellerpsych & Carey_Heller_Psy.d** Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HellerPsychology ** Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/HellerPsychology Articles: https://hellerpsychologygroup.com/heller-psychology-resources/dr-hellers-published-articles/Courses, digital downloads, books: https://hellerpsychologygroup.com/heller-psychology-resources/heller-time-management-planning-tools/ Disclaimer: This video is intended for educational purposes only, is not therapy, and should not replace guidance from professionals with whom you work. #ExecutiveFunctioning #SustainableWeightLoss #HealthyHabits #ADHDandWeightLoss #HabitBuilding #MentalHealthMatters #WeightLossJourney #TimeManagementTips #ProductivityHacks #OvercomingProcrastination #WeightLossMotivation #NonScaleVictories #BodyPositivity #MindfulEating #MovementSnacks #RoutineBuilding #GoalSetting #HealthCoaching #SelfCareStrategies #PrioritizeYourself

Ready to unlock your potential, manage anxiety/stress, and improve your focus?In this illuminating episode of the Being the Best Version of Yourself podcast , Dr. Carey Heller sits down with integrative breathwork practitioner Heidi Tacktill to explore the transformative power of breathwork for both adults and children.In this episode, you will learn: What Breathwork Really Is: Understanding the three main types of breathwork: acute, daily, and therapeutic.Breathwork for Focus and ADHD: Simple techniques, like the "breath of fire," that can help you or your children improve focus and get ready for the day.The Science of Regulation: How breathing directly impacts the nervous system to move you into a calm, "rest and digest" state, essential for learning and emotional balance.Navigating Executive Functioning Challenges: Heidi shares a powerful, simple starting point—bringing awareness to the breath to bring yourself back to the present moment and into your body. She also illustrates a great visual activity to do during a meditation activity for people who struggle with staying focused. Parenting and Co-Regulation: Why working on your own nervous system first is the most crucial step in helping your children achieve calm and regulation, especially when dealing with anxiety.Easy Ways to Get Started: Practical tips for incorporating breathwork into your daily routine—it doesn't have to be just sitting meditation; movement, music, and writing can also be mindful practices.Therapeutic Breathwork: How circular breathing can help release deeply stored emotional patterns and trauma from the body.Heidi's Free Resource: Ready to try it out? Heidi offers a free morning breathwork reset on her website to help you start small and feel the benefits right away.Connect with Heidi Tacktill:Website: https://heiditacktill.com/Instagram: @HeidiTacktillConnect with Dr. Heller:Website: www.hellerpsychologygroup.comInstagram:@Carey_Heller_Psy.D./@HellerPsych#Breathwork #AnxietyRelief #ADHD #FocusTips #NervousSystemRegulation #ParentingTips #SelfCare #Mindfulness #mentalhealth #wellness

Join Dr. Carey Heller, a licensed psychologist specializing in ADHD, as he shares his expert advice on how to help kids with ADHD thrive in sports. In this episode, Dr. Heller discusses the unique challenges these children face and provides practical, actionable strategies for both coaches and parents. Learn how to keep kids engaged and focused, give effective feedback, and communicate in a way that builds their confidence and ensures a positive sports experience. This is a must-listen for anyone who coaches or parents a child with ADHD and is intentionally short so you can listen to it right before leaving for practice, while folding laundry, or at whatever time is convenient for you. For written tools, check out Dr. Heller's article on this topic: https://washingtonparent.com/coaching-kids-with-adhd-in-sports/

Are you ready to unlock your optimal self? In this insightful episode, Dr. Carey Heller sits down with Stephanie Valentine, a holistic nutritionist, clinical hypnotist, and mental health wellness coach.Stephanie reveals her holistic approach to food, emphasizing it's not just about calories, but powerful fuel that directly influences your emotions and executive functions through the intricate gut-brain connection. Discover practical strategies for personalized nutrition, from simplifying meal planning with batch cooking and grab-and-go options to managing decision fatigue.They also discuss the importance of listening to your body's hunger cues, flexible hydration guidelines over rigid rules, and fostering healthy family eating habits by making mealtimes fun and device-free. Plus, Stephanie shares valuable insights on supporting high-level young athletes and navigating the potential pitfalls of intense sports culture, highlighting the crucial role of coaches and mindful eating for long-term well-being.Join Dr. Heller and Stephanie Valentine for a conversation packed with actionable advice to help you cultivate a balanced, sustainable lifestyle and become the best version of yourself, inside and out!Dr. Carey Heller info:Website: www.hellerpsychologygroup.comInstagram: CareyhellerPsyDYoutube: HellerpsychologyStephanie Valentine info:Website: https://svliving.com/Instagram: @s.v.livingYoutube: @stephanie.valentineNew cookbook: https://svliving.com/products/lovewhatsonyourplate

Unlock your career potential! This episode dives into the crucial role of time management and organization in achieving professional success and increasing your earnings. We explore how effective planning, prioritization, and execution can help you get ahead. Learn to optimize your workflow, eliminate time-wasting habits, and create a system for consistent achievement.#timemanagement #organization #careers #productivity #mindset #mentalhealth For additional resources:1) Improving Productivity in the Workplace by Dr. Carey Heller https://a.co/d/9hvaN9c2) https://mypersonalassistant.pmfm.ai/3) https://asana.com/resources/eisenhower-matrix4) https://hellerpsychologygroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/ATTN_06_2021_Right_Organizational_System.pdfFollow Dr. Heller on Youtube at Hellerpsychology and Instagram at Carey_heller_psyd

Attention ADHD Dads! Tired of the nagging? Done with always feeling tired, trying to keep up, and having your kids be frequently annoyed at you for forgetting something or not paying attention? Dr. Carey Heller dives into practical strategies to help you thrive in fatherhood. Learn how to manage household tasks, improve communication, and reduce reminders from a partner by understanding your ADHD brain. Discover simple self-care tips, the power of visual checklists, and how to have collaborative conversations with your partner. This episode is packed with actionable advice to help you be the best version of yourself, reduce stress, and build stronger relationships. Tune in for a supportive and understanding approach to navigating fatherhood with ADHD.Additional resources:ADHD Dads Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/492162373116213ADHD Dads Meetup Group: https://www.meetup.com/adhd-dads-virtual-groupDr. Heller's info:www.hellerpsychologygroup.comInstagram: carey_heller_psy.dKeywords: ADHD, ADHD Dads, parenting, fatherhood, communication, organization, executive function, self-care, relationships, checklists, visual reminders, Being the Best Version of Yourself.

In this podcast episode, Dr. Heller is joined by special guest Lauren Eckert, owner of Life Solved Coaching. They focus on the mindset, role of mental health, and other factors beyond simply identifying a strategy or tool that are essential to enhancing your executive function skills or helping your kids to do so. In addition, listeners can come away with a conceptual understanding of how to make improvements in their own lives as well as some practical tips for specific strategies to use.  Lauren Eckert https://www.lifesolvedcoaching.com/

In this episode, Dr. Heller is joined by special guest, Tarra Stubbins. She is a time management professional who previously spent ten years on the road supporting touring musicians and entertainers and now has her own business coaching people on how to manage their time and create the life they desire. Tarra provides a wealth of knowledge on why simply using tools you find on Google likely won't cut it and offers some insights into designing a time management plan and mindset that will help you be effective in achieving your goals. Would you like to be more efficient, less stressed, and have greater control over your time so you can do more of the things that you enjoy? If so, listen to this podcast episode and start making changes today. Tarra Stubbins https://www.tarrastubbins.com/about Dr. Carey Heller www.hellerpsychologygroup.com

On this podcast episode of Being the Best Version of Yourself, Dr. Carey Heller is joined by Marina Kerlow, LGMFT. The two professionals discuss a variety of ways to help kids improve their ability to regulate their emotions in the moment as well as strategies to help with this longer term. The end result is that kids with good emotion regulation skills become adults who can handle stress, negative situations, and other emotionally charged experiences with resiliency and success. Marina Kerlow, LGMFT https://www.marinakerlowtherapy.com/ Carey Heller, Psy.D. www.hellerpsychologygroup.com

Dr. Carey Heller is joined by guest Lisa Guillot, PCC, a creative mindset coach and personal branding expert. People often think about branding when it comes to a business, but conscious awareness around the idea of branding yourself in your personal life is not often focused on. Add to this the role that an internal mindset plays on your outward appearance. Fascinating discussion that will get you thinking about your mindset, personal branding, motivation, and so much more.  Carey Heller, Psy.D. www.hellerpsychologygroup.com Lisa Guillot www.bebrightlisa.com

Dr. Carey Heller is joined by Dr. Dara Abraham, a psychiatrist in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They discuss adult ADHD, focusing on what improvements can be expected from medication versus what psychotherapy/coaching helps people achieve. A Comprehensive approach that is not one size fits all is usually necessary to help adults with ADHD to thrive in life. Furthermore, the two clinicians discuss some practical coping strategies, especially around planning and organizing.  www.drdarapsychiatry.com

Dr. Heller is joined by guest Megan Meyers (former NFL cheerleader, dance studio owner, and now an online business expert) who discusses her experiences with starting her own online businesses in order to be able to be present as a parent in the ways that she wants. They discuss ways to simplify processes and obligations as well as prioritize. This podcast is great for getting some ideas and increasing your motivation to make a change in your life if you want a better work/life balance with parenthood. 

On this episode, Carey Heller, Psy.D. is joined by Gabrielle Czaja, PT, M.ATI, M.AmSAT. She is a Physical Therapist, Alexander Technique teacher, and Holistic Educator. They discuss simple adjustments to sitting that can greatly improve mood, reduce anxiety, enhance focus, and so much more, as part of a holistic approach to focusing on one's body.  https://GabrielleCzaja.com

Dr. Carey Heller speaks with Catherine Gagnon, a health coach and nurse practitioner, about the mind-body connection with treating mental health and chronic illnesses. ADHD and issues with getting started as well as following through to make health-related changes are also discussed. Finally, a variety of practical strategies and how to get started with making improvements are provided. 

In this podcast episode, Carey Heller chats with Jill Broder, Nancy Hafkin, Pam Tedeschi, and Joan Green, who are fellow members of the Collaborative Resource Network. This group has been meeting monthly for almost a decade, and was started to provide an opportunity for professionals in related fields who work with children, teens, young adults, and families to get to know each other and collaborate. This episode provides listeners with insights into how professionals can more effectively collaborate and what gets missed when they do not. Additionally, a variety of practical strategies are informally discussed. Furthermore, listeners can come away with a better understanding of some of the different types of resources available to help their children, teens, young adults, and themselves thrive in life academically, socially, emotionally, and across all other domains as well.  Contact info: https://www.collaborativeresourcenetwork.com/ Podcast Episode Participants: Carey A. Heller, Psy.D. Licensed Psychologist Heller Psychology Group  6320 Democracy Boulevard Bethesda, Maryland 20817 www.hellerpsychologygroup.com Jill Broder, M. Ed. Jill Broder's Tutoring Center Broder Accredited Academy 10000 Falls Road Suite 208 Potomac, MD 20854 jillbrodertutoringcenter.com Nancy Hafkin, Ph.D. https://covingtonandhafkin.com/our-therapists/nancy-hafkin/ 4300 Montgomery Avenue, Suite 201 Bethesda, MD 20814 info@covingtonandhafkin.com Joan L. Green, M.A. CCC-SLP Improving Communication, Cognition and Productivity with Tech-Savvy Strategies, Solutions and Support Licensed and Certified Speech-Language Pathologist Assistive Technology Specialist & Tech Coach Founder of Innovative Speech Therapy www.innovativespeech.com Pam Tedeschi Tedeschi Educational Consulting Certified Educational Planner, AICEP Commissioner Independent Educational Consultants Association;  Professional  Member 10220 River Road Suite 111 Potomac, MD  20854 website: www.pmtedcon.com Disclaimer: We have no formal business relationship with each other, but come together monthly to collaborate and often work with each other as part of a team approach to helping specific individuals with whom we work.

Ever wonder if productivity is different on the other side of the world? In this episode, Dr. Carey Heller chats with Hollie Bakerboljkovac, a mental health counselor in Australia. She explains the idea of sacred productivity, which involves finding value in the things that you do. The two professionals then have a lively discussion on productivity, positives, negatives, and finding a good balance. Many practical strategies are discussed. Furthermore, the clinicians reflect on their own personal experiences with productivity and how different circumstances have led to changes over time in how they approach this in their own lives. Whether you struggle to be productive, have difficulties tolerating not being productive, don't know where to begin, or have trouble finishing, you can find value in this podcast episode. 

Being motivated for some things can be tough. Even for things that you enjoy, sometimes it is hard in the moment to take action. Dr. Heller discusses these issues and provides a few tips for setting up a plan, breaking down necessary steps into parts, and facilitating sufficient motivation to follow through on doing things that you want to do. Next time you think, I should go for a walk, cook, be healthier, get more sleep, or something else, know that if you take action you can make those thoughts a reality. 

In this episode, Dr. Heller briefly illustrates the idea that parenting as a human (i.e., someone who makes mistakes, doesn't always handle situations perfectly) has many benefits over always striving to be perfect and masking any imperfections. This can make you more relatable to your child, provide good learning experiences, and model genuine problem solving situations. Striving to do a good job parenting is important, but acknowledging and making good use of the mistakes along the way is also crucial to effective parenting.