René Brooks continues as our guest host of Distraction for ADHD Awareness Month with an in-depth conversation about neurodiversity and Black men. René is joined by John Hazelwood, a mental health advocate and awesome human who is using his voice and experiences to help others. In this conversation John shares some intimate details about his personal mental health journey and speaks about the importance of finding a safe space with people you can relate to. John also stresses the necessity of expressing, not suppressing, your emotions as the pair talk about some of the intricacies of being a Black man with ADHD.  John on Twitter: @j0n_j0n John on Instagram: @adhd_j0nj0n ADHD Mens Support Group on Instagram We want to hear from you! CLICK HERE TO TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY. Or write an email or record a voice memo and send it to connect@distractionpodcast.com.   Distraction is sponsored by Landmark College in Putney, Vermont.  It's the college for students who learn differently! Landmark offers comprehensive supports for students with ADHD and other learning differences, both on campus and online. Learn more HERE! Distraction welcomes Black Girl, Lost Keys blog creator, René Brooks, as our guest host for ADHD Awareness Month! René is an ADHD coach, writer and advocate who also has ADHD herself. From Black Girl, Lost Keys website: René Brooks is a late-life ADHD success story. After being diagnosed 3 times as a child (7, 11 and 25) she was finally able to get the treatment she deserved. René decided that her passion for helping others should be put toward people with this disorder who are struggling in silence or shame. She started Black Girl, Lost Keys to empower Black women with ADHD and show them how to live well with the condition. 

Distraction with Dr. Ned Hallowell

You Think Outside the Box Because You Were Born Outside the Box

René Brooks continues her stint as guest host of Distraction during ADHD Awareness Month! Today's episode is the third and final part of a conversation René had with ADHD advocates: Rhashida Perry-Jones, founding coordinator of CHADD in Philadelphia; Nathalie Thandiwae, a neurodiversity resource navigator who helps parents identify and support their child's unmet needs; and Dr. Loucresie Rupert, a child and adult psychiatrist who focuses on neurodiversity, as well as foster care and adoption.  The episode begins with our guests talking about the importance of parental self-care, as all three are mothers of children with ADHD. Nathalie says, "Our children are intense, and our commitment to them is intense" when talking about why parents need a break. The conversation moves into a discussion about culturally relevant ADHD resources for Black and Brown children with our guests sharing information about neurodiverse Facebook groups, websites and other places to find connection and community with people of color. "It's very lonely trying to navigate all of this by yourself," René shares in this episode while talking about the origins of her blog, Black Girl, Lost Keys. Rhashida's Facebook group, Parenting and Caring for Black and Brown Children with ADHD can be found HERE. You can reach Rhashida directly by emailing her HERE. We want to hear from you! CLICK HERE TO TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY. Or write an email or record a voice memo and send it to connect@distractionpodcast.com.   Distraction is sponsored by Landmark College in Putney, Vermont.  It's the college for students who learn differently! Landmark offers comprehensive supports for students with ADHD and other learning differences, both on campus and online. Learn more HERE! Distraction welcomes Black Girl, Lost Keys blog creator, René Brooks, as our guest host for ADHD Awareness Month! René is an ADHD coach, writer and advocate who also has ADHD herself. From Black Girl, Lost Keys website: René Brooks is a late-life ADHD success story. After being diagnosed 3 times as a child (7, 11 and 25) she was finally able to get the treatment she deserved. René decided that her passion for helping others should be put toward people with this disorder who are struggling in silence or shame. She started Black Girl, Lost Keys to empower Black women with ADHD and show them how to live well with the condition. 

The Challenges of Finding ADHD Support & Culturally Relevant Resources for Black and Brown Children

Today our guest host René Brooks continues the conversation about the unique needs of children of color with ADHD. This episode focuses on the lack of knowledge about neuroscience in many practitioners, providers and educators; and how the burden to teach them often falls on parents' shoulders. Listen to hear our guests' experiences, as well as some insightful advice for parents on navigating the system, including managing expectations, dealing with implicit and explicit bias; and how to reframe your child's behavior for school professionals. Rhashida Perry-Jones is the founding coordinator of CHADD in Philadelphia. Nathalie Thandiwae is a neurodiversity resource navigator who helps parents identify and support their child's unmet needs. And Dr. Loucresie Rupert is a child and adult psychiatrist who focuses on neurodiversity, as well as foster care and adoption. All three of today's guests have children with ADHD.  Rhashida's Facebook group, Parenting and Caring for Black and Brown Children with ADHD can be found HERE. You can reach Rhashida directly by emailing her HERE. We'll be releasing more of this conversation in a future episode so keep an eye out for it, or subscribe to Distraction wherever you listen so you don't miss an episode! Distraction welcomes Black Girl, Lost Keys blog creator, René Brooks, as our guest host for ADHD Awareness Month! René is an ADHD coach, writer and advocate who also has ADHD herself. From Black Girl, Lost Keys website: René Brooks is a late-life ADHD success story. After being diagnosed 3 times as a child (7, 11 and 25) she was finally able to get the treatment she deserved. René decided that her passion for helping others should be put toward people with this disorder who are struggling in silence or shame. She started Black Girl, Lost Keys to empire black women with ADHD and show them how to live well with the condition.  We want to hear from you! CLICK HERE TO TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY. Or, email your thoughts to connect@distractionpodcast.com.   Distraction is sponsored by Landmark College in Putney, Vermont.  It's the college for students who learn differently! Landmark offers comprehensive supports for students with ADHD and other learning differences, both on campus and online. Learn more HERE!

It's Time to Re-Educate Clinicians and Teachers About Neurodiversity

Today our guest host, René Brooks is joined by a trio of amazing women for a conversation about the unique needs of black children with ADHD. Rhashida Perry-Jones is the founding coordinator of CHADD in Philadelphia. Nathalie Thandiwae is a neurodiversity resource navigator who helps parents identify and support their child's unmet needs. And Dr. Loucresie Rupert is a child and adult psychiatrist who focuses on neurodiversity, as well as foster care and adoption. All three of today's guests have children with ADHD and share their experiences and advice for other parents of black and brown neurodiverse children.  We'll be releasing more of this conversation this week so keep an eye out for it, or subscribe to Distraction wherever you listen so you don't miss an episode! Distraction welcomes Black Girl, Lost Keys blog creator, René Brooks, as our guest host for ADHD Awareness Month! René is an ADHD coach, writer and advocate who also has ADHD herself. From Black Girl, Lost Keys website: René Brooks is a late-life ADHD success story. After being diagnosed 3 times as a child (7, 11 and 25) she was finally able to get the treatment she deserved. René decided that her passion for helping others should be put toward people with this disorder who are struggling in silence or shame. She started Black Girl, Lost Keys to empire black women with ADHD and show them how to live well with the condition.  We want to hear from you! CLICK HERE TO TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY. Or, email your thoughts to connect@distractionpodcast.com.   Distraction is sponsored by Landmark College in Putney, Vermont.  It's the college for students who learn differently! Landmark offers comprehensive supports for students with ADHD and other learning differences, both on campus and online. Learn more HERE!

How Parents in Communities of Color Are Helping Children with ADHD

We're welcoming Black Girl, Lost Keys blog creator, René Brooks, to Distraction as our guest host for ADHD Awareness Month! René is an ADHD coach, writer and advocate who also has ADHD herself. Today our guest host is joined by Inger Shaye Colzie, a psychotherapist and ADHD leadership coach, for a conversation about accommodations. They talk about the treatment journey and how you have to figure out what you need help with, and then practice asking for it. As you'll hear in today's episode, René says advocating for yourself is a skill that you need to develop, as there are things that she would never have dreamed of asking for when she was first diagnosed, that she doesn't think twice about asking for now.  The pair also talk about the give-and-take aspect of accommodations, and how everyone needs help in some part of life, whether they have ADHD or not. And that's where your strengths can come into play, as you'll hear them discuss.  Like René, Inger Shaye was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, and was a therapist for 15 years before being diagnosed herself. Learn more about Inger Shaye Colzie on her website by clicking HERE.  And you can find  her Facebook group here: Black Women with ADHD From Black Girl, Lost Keys website: René Brooks is a late-life ADHD success story. After being diagnosed 3 times as a child (7, 11 and 25) she was finally able to get the treatment she deserved. René decided that her passion for helping others should be put toward people with this disorder who are struggling in silence or shame. She started Black Girl, Lost Keys to empire black women with ADHD and show them how to live well with the condition.  We want to hear from you! CLICK HERE TO TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY. Or, email your thoughts to connect@distractionpodcast.com.   Distraction is sponsored by Landmark College in Putney, Vermont.  It's the college for students who learn differently! Landmark offers comprehensive supports for students with ADHD and other learning differences, both on campus and online. Learn more HERE!

Accommodations and Learning to Ask For What You Need

We're welcoming Black Girl, Lost Keys blog creator, René Brooks, to Distraction as our guest host for ADHD Awareness Month! René is an ADHD coach, writer and advocate who also has ADHD herself. Today she is joined by Inger Shaye Colzie, a psychotherapist and ADHD leadership coach, for a conversation about how to work in conjunction with your therapist, psychiatrist or other healthcare provider so you can actually make progress and move forward. They also talk about how to navigate "the ADHD conversation" with your family and why you don't necessarily have to tell them anything.  Like our guest host René, Inger Shaye was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, and was even a therapist for 15 years before being diagnosed herself. They talk about how the lack of ADHD education for professionals affects black women and children in particular, as they are much less likely to be diagnosed. The pair also talk about the importance (and difficulty) of finding a culturally competent provider who understands where you are coming from. René shares the story of feeling like a fish out of water the first time she went to talk to someone, and how that changed when she found the right therapist. Learn more about Inger Shaye Colzie on her website by clicking HERE.  And you can find  her Facebook group here: Black Women with ADHD From Black Girl, Lost Keys website: René Brooks is a late-life ADHD success story. After being diagnosed 3 times as a child (7, 11 and 25) she was finally able to get the treatment she deserved. René decided that her passion for helping others should be put toward people with this disorder who are struggling in silence or shame. She started Black Girl, Lost Keys to empire black women with ADHD and show them how to live well with the condition.  We want to hear from you! CLICK HERE TO TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY. Or, email your thoughts to connect@distractionpodcast.com.   Distraction is sponsored by Landmark College in Putney, Vermont.  It's the college for students who learn differently! Landmark offers comprehensive supports for students with ADHD and other learning differences, both on campus and online. Learn more HERE!

Developing a Collaborative Relationship with Your Clinician Is Critical to Managing ADHD

It's the end of September and that means it's time to say goodbye to our guest host, CNN's Alisyn Camerota. In this ep, Alisyn shares a farewell message with our listeners, and we share a little behind the scenes audio from our recording sessions with the longtime news anchor and first time podcast host!  We're welcoming Black Girl, Lost Keys blog creator, René Brooks, to Distraction as our guest host for ADHD Awareness Month! René is an ADHD coach, who also has ADHD herself. She has some really interesting episodes planned for October. Take a listen to hear some of what René has in store for our listeners! Mark your calendar for Rene's first episode on Tuesday, October 5th!   We want to hear from you! CLICK HERE TO TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY. Or, email your thoughts to connect@distractionpodcast.com.   Distraction is sponsored by Landmark College in Putney, Vermont.  It's the college for students who learn differently! Landmark offers comprehensive supports for students with ADHD and other learning differences, both on campus and online. Learn more HERE!

Making A Podcast Isn't Always Easy

We're welcoming Black Girl, Lost Keys blog creator, René Brooks, to Distraction as our guest host for ADHD Awareness Month! René is an ADHD coach, who also has ADHD herself. She has some really interesting episodes planned for October. Take a listen to hear some of what René has in store for our listeners!  From the Black Girl, Lost Keys website: René Brooks is a late-life ADHD success story. After being diagnosed 3 times as a child (7, 11 and 25) she was finally able to get the treatment she deserved. René decided that her passion for helping others should be put toward people with this disorder who are struggling in silence or shame. She started Black Girl, Lost Keys to empire black women with ADHD and show them how to live well with the condition.  And mark your calendar for Rene's first episode next Tuesday, October 5th!   We want to hear from you! CLICK HERE TO TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY. Or, email your thoughts to connect@distractionpodcast.com.   Distraction is sponsored by Landmark College in Putney, Vermont.  It's the college for students who learn differently! Landmark offers comprehensive supports for students with ADHD and other learning differences, both on campus and online. Learn more HERE!

Black Girl, Lost Keys Creator René Brooks Guest Hosting ADHD Awareness Month

You might know Greg Montgomery from his time in the NFL with the Houston Oilers, the Detroit Lions and the Baltimore Ravens. His accomplishments as an NFL punter include being named All Pro and playing in the 1994 Pro Bowl, All AFC twice and All Time Best Punter by The Oilers. But as good as he was at football, Greg struggled with his mental health.  He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1997 and became a vocal advocate for raising awareness about mental health struggles. Unfortunately Greg succumbed to his own mental health struggles in 2020 when he committed suicide. His family speculates that social isolation resulting from the pandemic contributed to his death. His sister, Margot Montgomery Moran, joins our guest-host Alisyn Camerota, to share her brother's story and talk about the foundation that she, along her with father and other brother, Steve, created to honor Greg and continue his mission of helping others with mental illness, The Gregory H. Montgomery Jr. Foundation. Alisyn grew up in the same town as the Montgomery family and was a friend of Greg's as you'll hear her talk about.  September is National Suicide Prevention Month. We can all help prevent it. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for your or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. Call 1-800-273-8255 for free and confidential support 24/7. CHAT is also available at National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.org.  Or visit BeThe1To.com to find the 5-step safety plan for emotional crises mentioned in this episode. #BeThe1To We want to hear from you! CLICK HERE TO TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY. Or, email your thoughts about this podcast to connect@distractionpodcast.com.   This episode is sponsored by Landmark College in Putney, Vermont.  It's the college for students who learn differently! Landmark offers comprehensive supports for students with ADHD and other learning differences, both on campus and online. Learn more HERE!

Former NFL Player's Suicide Last Year Sparks His Family's Fight to Help Others

Are people born with a natural ability to recover quickly from difficulties or is this a skill that can be learned? That's the subject of today's conversation between our guest host, CNN's Alisyn Camerota and Lenore Skenazy, founder of the Free-Range Kids movement and Let Grow, the organization that's leading the movement for childhood independence.  As Lenore says in this episode, "...there are some things that need tension, need a little bit of resistance for them to get strong and resilient... That's why people do weight training, right? You need something pushing against the bone for the bone to become stronger. And children need something in their lives that's isn't just simple an obvious and pleasant and a trophy for them to become strong too, for them to become anti-fragile."  Alisyn and Lenore discuss the importance of letting children do things on their own, and Lenore shares some simple steps parents can take to help a child increase their independence in a way that is comfortable for both kids and parents. Learn more about the Let Grow organization and download a FREE copy of the Let Grow Independence Kit HERE. Get a copy of Lenore's book, Free-Range Kids: How Parents and Teachers Can Let Go and Let Grow, HERE. We want to hear from you! CLICK HERE TO TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY. Or, email your thoughts about this podcast to connect@distractionpodcast.com.   This episode is sponsored by Landmark College in Putney, Vermont.  It's the college for students who learn differently! Landmark offers comprehensive supports for students with ADHD and other learning differences, both on campus and online. Learn more HERE!

Is Resilience Learned Or Genetic?

Anxious parents weren't born over night, but a shift can be pinpointed to 1984, when the first missing child's picture was put on a milk carton as part of the National Child Safety Council's Missing Children Milk Carton Campaign. At the same time, the 24-hour news cycle was coming into existence and local stories were frequently becoming national news, a rarity prior to this new news cycle. As a result parents became increasingly aware of the dangers  that could befall their children, and the "helicopter parenting style" become more of the norm than the exception.  Alisyn's guest today is author Lenore Skenazy, who coined the term "free-range kids" after making headlines for letting her 9 year old ride the subway alone. Through her organization, Let Grow, Lenore is on a mission to make it easy, normal and legal to give kids back some freedom.   The pair talk about why parents are so much more anxious now and how society has shifted from sympathizing with parents to blaming them when something bad happens to a child. Get a copy of Lenore's book, Free-Range Kids: How Parents and Teachers Can Let Go and Let Grow, HERE, and learn more about the organization Let Grow HERE. We want to hear from you! CLICK HERE TO TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY. Or, email your thoughts about this podcast to connect@distractionpodcast.com.   This episode is sponsored by Landmark College in Putney, Vermont.  It's the college for students who learn differently! Landmark offers comprehensive supports for students with ADHD and other learning differences, both on campus and online. Learn more HERE!

Anxious, Stressed Out Parents Are Constantly Weighing Worst-Case Scenarios

Our guest-host, CNN's Alisyn Camerota, is joined by Bethany Johnson and Dr. Margaret M. Quinlan to continue the conversation about why so many moms feel like they're never good enough at home or at work. "The threshold for women to be called a bad parent is far lower than it is for men still, and that's an institutional thing..." Bethany says in this episode. The trio talk about how having a helpful partner can make a big difference when raising kids, but it will never make up for some of the systemic problems that exist, like the lack of good childcare. They also talk about a better way we can support moms and each other on social media that does not involve offering advice. Our guests today co-wrote the book, You're Doing It Wrong! Mothering, Media, and Medical Expertise and share some of the historical underpinnings of why so many mothers struggle with feelings of shame and guilt regarding their kids.  Bethany L. Johnson (MPhil, M.A.) is a doctoral student in the history of science, technology and the environment at the University of South Carolina and a research affiliate faculty in the department of communication studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She studies how science, medical technology, and public health discourses are framed and reproduced by institutions and individuals with structural power from the 19th century to the present; specifically, she studies epidemics and reproductive health. She has published in interdisciplinary journals such as Health Communication, Women & Language, Departures in Critical Qualitative Research, Journal of Holistic Nursing, and Women's Reproductive Health.  Margaret M. Quinlan (Ph.D.) is a Professor of Communication Studies, Director of an Interdisciplinary Minor, Health & Medical Humanities and Core Faculty Member of the Interdisciplinary Health Psychology Ph.D. Program at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She examines the nexus of public perceptions of medicine, science, and technology, both historically and presently. She investigates the role communication plays in public understandings of medical expertise, illness, wellness, caring, treatment, health, and healing. Dr. Quinlan has authored approximately 40 journal articles, 17 book chapters and co-produced documentaries in a regional Emmy award-winning series (National Distribution with PBS and available on Amazon). We want to hear from you! CLICK HERE TO TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY. Or, email your thoughts about this podcast to connect@distractionpodcast.com.   This episode is sponsored by Landmark College in Putney, Vermont.  It's the college for students who learn differently! Landmark offers comprehensive supports for students with ADHD and other learning differences, both on campus and online. Learn more HERE!

Save Your Advice and Offer Support Instead

Most moms have experienced "mom guilt" or "mom shame" at some point in their children's lives. On today's podcast we talk about the very real, historical reasons why this happens, and about the long-running sentiment in the United States that a woman's true job is to be a good mother. And now with the added pressures of measuring up on social media and taking care of your family in a pandemic, it's no wonder so many moms feel inadequate.  Our guest-host, CNN's Alisyn Camerota, is joined by Bethany Johnson and Dr. Margaret M. Quinlan for a fascinating conversation about the history of mom guilt in America. The pair co-wrote the book, You're Doing It Wrong! Mothering, Media, and Medical Expertise and share some of the historical underpinnings of why so many mothers struggle with feelings of shame and guilt regarding their kids.  Bethany L. Johnson (MPhil, M.A.) is a doctoral student in the history of science, technology and the environment at the University of South Carolina and a research affiliate faculty in the department of communication studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She studies how science, medical technology, and public health discourses are framed and reproduced by institutions and individuals with structural power from the 19th century to the present; specifically, she studies epidemics and reproductive health. She has published in interdisciplinary journals such as Health Communication, Women & Language, Departures in Critical Qualitative Research, Journal of Holistic Nursing, and Women's Reproductive Health.  Margaret M. Quinlan (Ph.D.) is a Professor of Communication Studies, Director of an Interdisciplinary Minor, Health & Medical Humanities and Core Faculty Member of the Interdisciplinary Health Psychology Ph.D. Program at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She examines the nexus of public perceptions of medicine, science, and technology, both historically and presently. She investigates the role communication plays in public understandings of medical expertise, illness, wellness, caring, treatment, health, and healing. Dr. Quinlan has authored approximately 40 journal articles, 17 book chapters and co-produced documentaries in a regional Emmy award-winning series (National Distribution with PBS and available on Amazon). We want to hear from you! CLICK HERE TO TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY. Or, email your thoughts about this podcast to connect@distractionpodcast.com.   This episode is sponsored by Landmark College in Putney, Vermont.  It's the college for students who learn differently! Landmark offers comprehensive supports for students with ADHD and other learning differences, both on campus and online. Learn more HERE!

Our Society Has Been Shaming Moms For Centuries

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people in the United States and as Dr. John Draper says in this episode, "It's not going to be the mental health system that fixes this. It's going to be parents, schools and the media that's going to make a difference."  Our guest-host, CNN's Alisyn Camerota, is joined by Dr. Draper, the project director of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Network, to continue the conversation from this week's previous episode.  Alisyn and he talk about the shortage of mental health care resources available and the good news about what parents can offer their kids that therapists can't. They also discuss the critical importance of talking about suicide and why you shouldn't shy away from the subject. September is National Suicide Prevention Month. We can all help prevent suicide. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for your or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. Call 1-800-273-8255 for free and confidential support 24/7. CHAT is also available at National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.org.  Or visit BeThe1To.com to find the 5-step safety plan for emotional crises mentioned in this episode. #BeThe1To We want to hear from you! CLICK HERE TO TAKE OUR LISTENER SURVEY. Or, email your thoughts about this podcast to connect@distractionpodcast.com.   This episode is sponsored by Landmark College in Putney, Vermont.  It's the college for students who learn differently! Landmark offers comprehensive supports for students with ADHD and other learning differences, both on campus and online. Learn more HERE!

How to Help Someone Who Is Struggling with Suicidal Thoughts

The rates of suicide have increased by 10% every year for the past 5 years, and have gone up steadily since 2007. Why is this happening and what can we do about it? Our guest-host, CNN's Alisyn Camerota, is joined by Dr. John Draper, the project director of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Network, to talk about the alarming rise in suicide attempts, particularly in girls aged 12-17. They discuss what triggered this increase and to what extent the pandemic and resulting social isolation have contributed to the problem.  Alisyn also shares some of her own personal struggles with depression as a teenager as well as her concerns for her own kids' mental health. September is National Suicide Prevention Month. We can all help prevent suicide. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for your or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. Call 1-800-273-8255 for free and confidential support 24/7. CHAT is also available at National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.org.  What do you think of this episode? Email your thoughts to connect@distractionpodcast.com.   This episode is sponsored by Landmark College in Putney, Vermont.  It's the college for students who learn differently! Landmark offers comprehensive supports for students with ADHD and other learning differences, both on campus and online. Learn more HERE!

We Need To Talk About Suicide

Struggling with distractions in this amped up world? Renowned ADHD expert Dr. Ned Hallowell guides us through stories, guests, tips, calls, and lots of surprises too. If you’re pulled and prodded all day from many directions or tied to your smartphone and apps, this insightful and entertaining journey will help you regain control of your life in a fun and novel way. Give it a listen and.. wait, did you see that bird?

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Distraction with Dr. Ned Hallowell

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