Living with ADHD can often feel like navigating a minefield, especially when it comes to relationships. Impulsivity, distractibility, memory issues, and struggles with self-reflection can create a myriad of obstacles. In this episode, I share personal anecdotes to illustrate how these ADHD symptoms impact our ability to build and maintain strong connections.One key takeaway is the importance of understanding our unique brains. By doing so, we can improve our relationships by fostering deeper ...

In this episode, we’ll explore what masking is, how it impacts our relationships and self-perception, and why it’s so crucial to create spaces where we can be our authentic selves. For those of us with ADHD, masking often means hiding or downplaying our symptoms to fit societal norms or meet others’ expectations. This behavior is frequently learned from caregivers who, sometimes with the best intentions, teach us to conform. But while masking might help us navigate certain social situations, ...

Welcome to the episode where we dive into making vacations enjoyable and low-stress, especially if you have ADHD. Today I’m sharing my personal experiences and practical advice on how to manage ADHD during your travels. Here’s what we cover:1. The Importance of Rest and Planning AheadLearn why it’s crucial to balance relaxation with careful planning.Tips on making decisions in advance to minimize stress in unfamiliar environments.2. Avoiding OverloadDiscover strategies to avoid sensory and ac...

Today we delve deep into the complex and often misunderstood relationship between diet and ADHD symptoms. I’m bringing you a topic that’s close to my heart, sparked by my own journey and curiosity about the potential of nutrition in managing ADHD. But, as we’ll explore, it’s not as straightforward as it may seem.I’ve always been fascinated, and admittedly a bit skeptical, about how what we eat impacts our mental health, especially when it comes to ADHD. With a rise in functional medicine prac...

I’m back with another “everything but the kitchen sink” podcast episode. Honestly, I was struggling with my capacity to create content for the podcast. So, I’m honoring the capacity I have. Because ADHD is all about meeting yourself where you’re at, right?If you’re looking for tips and tricks on improving your life with ADHD, I might steer you to the other 250 podcast episodes we’ve recorded. This one is more of a wild look into my mind at the moment. So, buckle up.I’m sharing some hot t...

In this episode, the incredibly amazing Brooke Schnittman joins us.Brooke is one of my favorite colleagues and I'm so happy to introduce her to you. She’s the founder of Coaching With Brooke, an ADHD & executive function coaching company for students and adults.Brooke and her team help kids and teens with ADHD by educating them on the 'why' behind their struggles and providing executive function coaching. Coaching made a huge difference in Brooke's life, so much so that she decided t...

This episode is going all in on a spicy topic. That’s right, we’re talking about sleep. Or for some of you ADHDers, lack of sleep.Do we know it helps us live a healthy life? Of course. But the practicality of getting ourselves to bed at a reasonable time is so hard. Before we can figure out HOW to improve our sleep though, we need to understand WHY sleep is hard for us. Trouble sleeping isn’t a symptom of ADHD, but the symptoms of ADHD (impulsivity, hyperactivity, time blindness, etc.) m...

What if you could change your life in 7 minutes? I’m here to tell you it’s possible. In fact, I’m doing it myself. It’s called The 7-Minute Principle, and it’s the idea you can do anything for 7 minutes.Here’s an example. A former student of mine had drama around doing the dishes. For years and years, she HATED doing them.One day, she decided to time herself. It took her 7 minutes. All of the drama dropped immediately because - let’s be honest, you can do anything for 7 minutes and it’s not t...

They are baaaaaaack! Everyone’s favorite psychotherapists, Helen Villiers, and Katie McKenna, are back to finish the conversation on emotionally abusive behaviors they see in parent-child relationships. They quite literally wrote the book on this topic. These two brilliant ladies co-authored You're Not the Problem: The Impact of Narcissism and Emotional Abuse and How to Heal. In this podcast episode, we’re diving even deeper into the impact of narcissistic parents and the role past trauma...

We’ve had some truly amazing guests on the podcast lately, and our most recent guest is no exception. Dr. Layne Norton is an evidence-based nutrition coach and self-proclaimed 'nerd who lifts heavy things.' He has a Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences, 4 USA Power Lifting National Titles, and 1700 clients in his coaching program. His resume is stacked, to say the least. But being diagnosed with ADHD at age 6, Layne has had to overcome some serious challenges both in his personal and professional...

You might remember psychotherapists Helen Villiers and Katie McKenna from episode 200 where we talked about toxic relationships and their impact on ADHDers. You may also know their podcast called In Sight: Exposing Narcissism. Well, since we last visited, they’re ALSO co-authors of You're Not the Problem: The Impact of Narcissism and Emotional Abuse and How to Heal. I’m honored to have these two incredible ladies back on the podcast to discuss some of the emotionally abusive behaviors...

I’ve been married to Greg Carder for almost 20 years years. This man is the only one for me! But when I tell you we couldn’t be more different... He's calm, steady, and methodical, and he doesn't mind mundane tasks like laundry. I mean, COME ON! Through a lot of trial and error combined with years of ADHD research on my end, we’ve learned a thing or two about how to be a good partner. More specifically — how to be a good partner to someone who’s neurotypical when you have ADHD. I’ve...

Every once in a while, I struggle to know what to do for a podcast. This was one of those episodes. So, I decided to take questions posted in the FOCUSED Slack by our community members and answer them publicly. And you know what? This ended up being so much fun. Because those of us with ADHD are very similar. We’re human beings with ADHD brains. And that is a common experience that just binds us together.  So, I know reading these questions and answering them will be helpful for you. We’re...

I’m beyond excited to share this episode with the one and only Oliver James. At 35 years old, Oliver is learning how to read for the first time. You might have seen him on TikTok, Good Morning America, The Rachael Ray Show, or NPR, where he’s shedding light on functional illiteracy. After being diagnosed with ADHD and OCD as a child, Oliver spent most of his life struggling to keep up both in and out of the classroom until a string of bad choices found him in prison. On the other side,...

I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was in college. While I’d like to think that was like 5 years ago, it was actually a lot longer. It was much harder to get a diagnosis back then.  In fact, the ADHD diagnosis process was different 5 years ago when I started my podcast. It’s 2024 now, and I’m thrilled to say it’s easier than ever before for adults to get an ADHD diagnosis. This isn’t me saying it’s easier to FOOL clinicians into falsely diagnosing you. I mean it’s easier for people who have...

The I Have ADHD Podcast is a clear, concise, and FUN podcast for adults with ADHD. Host Kristen Carder is an ADHD expert who has been supporting ADHDers for over a decade. Kristen began working with ADHD students in 2012 and transitioned to mindset coaching for ADHD adults in 2019. Let's just say she entered the ADHD field long before it was a trending topic on TikTok. Join Kristen to learn about how ADHD impacts every area of your life...from the boardroom to the bedroom...and how you can...

This week, I blew up at my son. At the time, I felt justified (don’t cross mama’s boundaries) but the more I sat with the situation, I knew I was in the wrong. The whole thing made me feel ick and got me thinking about the “right way” to apologize. Note: These are tips for apologizing in a perfect world. If you’re activated, feeling defensive, or in self-judgment mode, it’s going to be way harder to put these into action. Here’s the thing: Being human is hard. We all want safe, connected...

I’ve got something incredible to share with you. As an adult, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. Did you know this?! Pause. Breathe. Let that soak in. Many of us grew up in situations where we didn’t feel we had autonomy or the right to self-govern. We didn’t feel like we were in charge of our lives. So, in adulthood, we struggle to recognize that we have control over what we say yes and no to. Why is this a problem? Because, as adult ADHDers, it takes us so much mental and...

If you’ve ever wanted a look inside the brain of Kristen Carder, this episode is for you. Buckle up, it’s going to be a bumpy ride. Maybe it’s the fact that I’ve been sick or that I’ve just got things I want to say that don’t fit into a topic we’ve covered on the podcast lately… but this episode is going to be me dumping the contents of my brain for all to see (or…hear?!). So, find a comfy spot on the couch, grab your beverage of choice, and let’s chat! In this episode, I’m sharing about…How...

If you’ve ever wanted a sneak peek at what happens inside FOCUSED, this podcast episode is for you. I recently added a new course to my group coaching program called How to Build Self-Trust Even with ADHD. It’s been so impactful I had to share a coaching call we had on the topic. Self-trust is hard for those of us with ADHD. If you feel alone, I encourage you to listen to this coaching call. It will help you understand yourself better. Whether you grew up with parents who interrupted your...

On the latest podcast episode, I had the absolute honor of talking with my business and life coach, Breian Elliott, about the topic of saying sorry. We’re digging DEEP into why we feel the need to apologize so much when we should be saying sorry, and why it’s detrimental to constantly be in sorry mode. Spoiler alert: When you’re apologizing and haven’t done anything wrong, you’re actually putting the other person in an uncomfortable position. Brien’s breaking down the 6 different types of...

We get to enjoy the delicious Jen Kirkman on another episode of the podcast! The TV writer, comedian, New York Times best-selling author, podcaster, and FOCUSED member shared part 1 of her ADHD story. Jen’s story of misdiagnosis, navigating a career in the public eye, and figuring out how to use her diagnosis to help other people inspired so many of you. In part 2, we get to learn…  How Jen found ADHD coaching (spoiler: it was listening to this very podcast)The different ways she uses talk...

Today's episode is part 1 of a 2-part interview with my dear client, Jen Kirkman. Jen is currently a writer/producer on the one-hour comedy Etoile for Amazon Prime. She was a writer/producer on 4 seasons of the The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon Prime). Jen hosts a weekly solo podcast, "You Are A Lot" (An ADHD Podcast) - which is about navigating life with ADHD. Jen is a New York Times Bestselling author of two books. She has toured the world as a stand-up comedian and has two critically...

How long is your to-do list right now? If you’re like most ADHDers, you’ve got a laundry list of things that you’ve been carrying around for years now — and it’s anchoring you down. It’s time to stop holding this never-ending to-do list over your head and feeling guilty about not accomplishing the things on it. This isn’t serving you. I want to help you remove this unnecessary pressure from your life. In this podcast episode, we’re walking through how to let go of that anchor weight so you...

When it comes to ADHD, there are a lot of myths out there. For instance, you may have heard (or believed) that ADHD is an excuse. I can’t tell you how often I see clients worry that they’re using it as an excuse while working to set their lives up for success. Look: ADHD is NOT an excuse. It’s an explanation. It’s an explanation of why certain things are hard for you, why your memory sucks, why you’re terrible with time management, why you have exposed emotions. Other myths like ADHD is...