Attention Different | Adulting with ADHD

💡Is ADHD ultimately good, ultimately bad, or ultimately neither good nor bad, but still largely misunderstood? In this episode, we are thrilled to visit with Dr. Roberto Olivardia—a clinical psychologist, lecturer at Harvard Medical School, expert on ADHD, dyslexia, and co-occurring conditions, and a dear friend and colleague of ours. From the challenges of executive dysfunction and procrastination, to the hidden strengths of creativity, imagination, empathy, and hyperfocus, Dr. O...

💡 From Hustle to Burnout and Back Again What happens when the drive to “do more” collides with ADHD? In this episode, Aaron and Stephen sit down with Eric Tivers, licensed clinical social worker, founder of ADHD Rewired, and host of one of the most successful ADHD podcasts with 500+ episodes. Eric shares his raw journey from 90-hour work weeks, scaling too fast, and losing $100K in a year, to confronting burnout, exploring his identity, and rediscovering what it means to live with sustainab...

💡 What happens when misinformation about ADHD and autism comes straight from the top? When public officials spread conspiracy theories and dismiss neurodivergent lives as “less than,” the impact isn’t just political—it’s deeply personal and dangerous. In this roundtable episode, Stephen Tonti, Devin Pitts-Rogers, and Aaron Smith unpack the rhetoric and policies of RFK Jr. as US Secretary of Health and Human Services, exploring how vaccine conspiracies, wellness farm proposals, and anti-medica...

💡 What if laughing at yourself was the key to radical self-acceptance? For years, Ron Capalbo masked his ADHD, relied on urgency to get things done, and pushed himself until panic attacks forced him to stop. What followed was a complete reframe of how he approached ADHD through humor, creativity, and compassion. In this episode of the Attention Different Podcast, we sit down with Ron Capalbo—ADHD coach, content creator, and founder of the nonprofit The Monoceros Initiative. Ron shares how h...

💡 Radical acceptance starts with self-love. What would change if you stopped fighting your ADHD and began accepting it as part of who you are? In this Fireside Chat, we sit down with Xai Yang, a licensed social worker, advocate, and late-diagnosed ADHDer, who shares his journey from shame and stigma to building a life rooted in radical acceptance. From growing up in a Hmong American community where mental health carried heavy taboos, to finally receiving a diagnosis in 2018, Sai opens up abo...

💡 ADHD isn’t about striving for perfection. It’s about learning how to activate your potential. What if you could build a toolbox that helps you manage the chaos, stay consistent, and grow your confidence week after week? In this episode of the Attention Different Podcast, we sit down with Brooke Schnittman, an award-winning ADHD and executive function coach, host of the Successful with ADHD podcast, and founder of Coaching with Brooke. Brooke shares her late-diagnosis ADHD story, how y...

💡Gratitude is a practice. What you choose to remember shapes your experiences and how you feel about your life 🙏♥️. What would shift if you trained your brain to hold on to the good moments instead of the painful or difficult ones? In this Fireside Chat, we sit down with Alexis Schwartz, environmental organizer, planner, and fellow ADHDer. Alexis shares her journey of navigating ADHD from diagnosis in childhood through her adult routines, setbacks, and strength-finding. From externalizing rem...

💡 How do we stay informed without drowning in stress? When the world feels chaotic, the political climate is relentless, and the news never stops, it’s easy for ADHD brains to spiral into overconsumption and burnout. In this Roundtable episode, Aaron Smith, Stephen Tonti, Devin Pitts-Rogers, and David Grabowski gather to unpack the weight of political anxiety, media overload, and what it means to care for your mental health in uncertain times. Through raw stories and honest reflection, the ho...

💡When failure becomes a checkpoint instead of a dead end, it reveals itself as progress in disguise. ❓What would change in your life if you embraced failure as a checkpoint of progress instead of a sign to stop? In this Fireside Chat, we sit down with Tom Franchi—ADHD adult, storyteller, and creative spirit—who shares his journey of burnout, resilience, and finding peace with his ADHD. From reframing failure as growth to exploring radical self-acceptance, Tom opens up about what it means to b...

💡For the ADHDers out there who will or plan to give birth, you deserve support that sees the whole person—your challenges and your strengths. ❓How do you fix a healthcare system that was never designed with ADHD birthers in mind? In this episode of the Attention Different Podcast, we sit down with Alix Bacon (registered midwife, past president of the Midwives Association of British Columbia, and vice president of the Canadian Association of Midwives) and Dusty Chipura (ADHD coach, educator, a...

💡Curiosity without judgment. This is the way. What would shift in your life if you started observing yourself with compassion instead of criticism? In this Fireside Chat, we sit down with Hannah Skewes—writer, photographer, and creative storyteller—who shares her journey of living with ADHD, receiving a late diagnosis, and the challenges of navigating self-doubt and shame. From finding mindfulness in self-observation to reframing perfectionism, Hannah opens up about how compassion, curi...

💡 Let go lightly and quit trying to force yourself into productivity systems that weren’t even built for your brain to start with. In this episode of the Attention Different Podcast, we sit down with Jesse J. Anderson—author of Extra Focus: The Quick Start Guide to Adult ADHD, writer, speaker, and advocate for over 60,000 newsletter subscribers. From getting a diagnosis as late as 36yrs old to quickly becoming one of the most recognizable thought-leaders on being an Adult with ADHD, Jes...

🔥 What does it really take to move from ADHD burnout to radical self-acceptance? In this Fireside Chat, we sit down with Devin Pitts-Rogers—ADHD advocate, creative powerhouse, and our very own podcast host—to explore the tangled web of resolutions, routines, and relapse. From the Rocky Mountains in Tabernash, CO, Devin shares his journey from late ADHD diagnosis to building a toolkit for thriving—inside and outside of work. From bass guitar lessons after a decade away to using FocusMate for a...

💡 If stillness feels impossible, start with the breath–slow it down, more patience follows. In this episode of the Attention Different Podcast, we sit down with Eben Oroz—world-traveler, yoga teacher, breathwork facilitator, and counseling psychologist—to talk about ADHD, executive functioning, and the healing power of yoga. With over 12 years of experience guiding breathwork and meditation across the globe, Eben offers our favorite brand of research-backed brain & body science mixed with...

🔥 What happens when ‘ADHD Burnout’ is normalized and becomes your baseline? In this Fireside Chat, we sit down with Trina Haynes—founder of @MyLadyADHD and co-host of the Brain Waves podcast. Trina brings us an unfiltered conversation about what it means to live in constant overdrive. From late diagnosis to ‘mom guilt,’ from masking to mental exhaustion, Trina opens up about how years of undiagnosed ADHD dramatically shaped her identity—and what it ultimately takes to grow out of those negati...