Living Beyond ADHD

DrB
  • 4.7 (120)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Daily

After a three-year hiatus due to health challenges, DrB returns to Living Beyond ADHD with a message that hasn't changed — and a conviction that's stronger than ever. In this comeback episode, DrB lays out the truth about adults with ADHD: you are bright, gifted, and capable of extraordinary things. What's holding you back isn't a disorder — it's missing pre-skills and executive function skills that were never taught to you. And the most radical idea of all? Those skills can be learned. Welcome back.

  1. 5d ago

    Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria — The ADHD Wound Nobody Names - 134

    Ever replayed a text message for three days over a single missing exclamation point? That's not "being too sensitive" — it might be Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, an intense emotional response to real or perceived rejection that's common in ADHD brains. In this episode, DrB names the wound nobody talks about, explains why it happens, and shares practical skills for putting a pause between the feeling and the reaction. This one's personal, and it's for anyone who's ever shrunk their life to avoid being turned down. Key Points Covered What Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) is and why "dysphoria" is the operative wordWhy RSD can be triggered by real or imagined rejection, and why that makes it so disorientingHow RSD quietly shapes decisions — people-pleasing, avoiding risk, staying smallThe "five-second pause" as a first-line skill for interrupting the RSD spiralHow to separate the feeling from the facts of what actually happenedBuilding a kinder internal voice, and why sustainable support (like the GSD 9-Month Program) makes these skills stickLinks Mentioned drbarbaracohen.com — All episodes + show resources It Was Never You Masterclass – More Than ADHD Coaching, September 22, 2026, 10 am – 2 pm pacific time + VIP hour:  https://itwasneveryoumasterclass.com/  (Registration is now open) Get Sh*t Done (GSD) Program Information – 9-month program https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/gsdprogram Grant assistance page for help with funding for GSD program: https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/financial-assistance  The Transformation Club (TTC) – if time or money commitments have been holding you back - the affordable membership program for Executive Function skills development: https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/ttcprogram  Free PDF - 13 Signs Weak Executive Functioning Is Holding You Back: https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/Executive-Function  Follow me on Dr B Facebook Page and enjoy live videos and more Follow me on Instagram and enjoy relevant resources  To Help The Show: Subscribe at your favorite listening spot, and my podcast player has social media links (icons) in the episode player so you can share episodes you love with others! Please rate the show and leave a thoughtful review on iTunes so I know you're benefiting from the episodes. The greater the number of reviews, the higher the ranking, and the easier it will be for others to find the show; people who also need this information.  Let's put an end to the worldwide needless suffering together! We can do this!

  2. Sep 1

    What Living Beyond ADHD Actually Looks Like - 133

    The Season One finale. After twelve weeks of truth-telling, skill-building, and identity work — DrB paints the full picture. What does life actually look like when the pre-skills are built, the executive function skills are integrated, the shame spiral is dismantled, and the old identity is replaced with the real one? She doesn't speak in abstractions. She speaks from experience — her own and the hundreds of adults she's worked with. And she extends a clear, direct invitation to those who are ready to stop managing and start transforming. Key Points Covered • The concrete internal changes that come with skill integration • The concrete external changes: work, relationships, possibility • A full description of the GSD 9-month program and who it's for • Why nine months — and what "real transformation" actually requires • The clearest invitation DrB knows how to make Links Mentioned drbarbaracohen.com — All episodes + show resources It Was Never You Masterclass – More Than ADHD Coaching, September 22, 2026, 10 am – 2 pm pacific time + VIP hour:  https://itwasneveryoumasterclass.com/ (site being updated this week; please be patient) Get Sh*t Done (GSD) Program Information – 9-month program https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/gsdprogram Grant assistance page for help with funding for GSD program: https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/financial-assistance  The Transformation Club (TTC) – if time or money commitments have been holding you back - the affordable membership program for Executive Function skills development: https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/ttcprogram  Free PDF - 13 Signs Weak Executive Functioning Is Holding You Back: https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/Executive-Function  Follow me on Dr B Facebook Page and enjoy live videos and more Follow me on Instagram and enjoy relevant resources To Help The Show: Subscribe at your favorite listening spot, and my podcast player has social media links (icons) in the episode player so you can share episodes you love with others! Please rate the show and leave a thoughtful review on iTunes so I know you're benefiting from the episodes. The greater the number of reviews, the higher the ranking, and the easier it will be for others to find the show; people who also need this information.  Let's put an end to the worldwide needless suffering together! We can do this!

  3. Aug 25

    Relationships, ADHD, and the Mess In Between - 132

    ADHD doesn't stay contained to the person who has it. It ripples through every relationship — with partners, friends, family, employers. In this honest, compassionate episode, DrB looks directly at how ADHD shows up in relationships (inconsistency, forgotten commitments, emotional intensity, hyperfocus that fades), the skills that change those patterns, and a heartfelt word to the people who love adults with ADHD. No blame. No shame. Just clarity and a path forward. Key Points Covered • How ADHD patterns show up in relationships — honestly named • The gap between intention and impact — one of the most painful ADHD dynamics • 4 relationship skills: self-awareness, communication, repair, systems • Why "I have ADHD" is not a relationship free pass — and what to say instead • A message to the partners, friends, and family of adults with ADHD Links Mentioned drbarbaracohen.com — All episodes + show resources It Was Never You Masterclass – More Than ADHD Coaching, September 22, 2026, 10 am – 2 pm pacific time + VIP hour:  https://itwasneveryoumasterclass.com/ (site being updated this week; please be patient) Get Sh*t Done (GSD) Program Information – 9-month program https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/gsdprogram Grant assistance page for help with funding for GSD program: https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/financial-assistance  The Transformation Club (TTC) – if time or money commitments have been holding you back - the affordable membership program for Executive Function skills development: https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/ttcprogram  Free PDF - 13 Signs Weak Executive Functioning Is Holding You Back: https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/Executive-Function  Follow me on Dr B Facebook Page and enjoy live videos and more Follow me on Instagram and enjoy relevant resources To Help The Show: Subscribe at your favorite listening spot, and my podcast player has social media links (icons) in the episode player so you can share episodes you love with others! Please rate the show and leave a thoughtful review on iTunes so I know you're benefiting from the episodes. The greater the number of reviews, the higher the ranking, and the easier it will be for others to find the show; people who also need this information.  Let's put an end to the worldwide needless suffering together! We can do this!

  4. Aug 18

    Emotional Dysregulation: The Symptom Everyone Ignores - 131

    The ADHD symptom that affects every relationship, every workplace moment, every day — and almost never makes it into the mainstream conversation. Emotional dysregulation is not being "too sensitive." It's a neurological reality: a brain with compromised emotional brakes, flooding with intensity and staying flooded. In this episode, DrB explains the science, introduces rejection sensitive dysphoria (one of the most impactful and least discussed ADHD experiences), and walks through the specific skills that build real emotional regulation over time. Key Points Covered • What emotional dysregulation actually is — neurologically, not judgmentally • The difference between feeling strongly and being dysregulated • Rejection sensitive dysphoria: what it is, how it sounds, what it costs • 4 skill-building approaches: naming, nervous system regulation, the pause, processing • The gift on the other side: intensity as depth, empathy, and passion Links Mentioned drbarbaracohen.com — All episodes + show resources It Was Never You Masterclass – More Than ADHD Coaching, August 25, 2026, 10 am – 2 pm pacific time + VIP hour:  https://itwasneveryoumasterclass.com/  Get Sh*t Done (GSD) Program Information – 9-month program https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/gsdprogram Grant assistance page for help with funding for GSD program: https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/financial-assistance  The Transformation Club (TTC) – if time or money commitments have been holding you back - the affordable membership program for Executive Function skills development: https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/ttcprogram  Free PDF - 13 Signs Weak Executive Functioning Is Holding You Back: https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/Executive-Function  Follow me on Dr B Facebook Page and enjoy live videos and more Follow me on Instagram and enjoy relevant resources To Help The Show: Subscribe at your favorite listening spot, and my podcast player has social media links (icons) in the episode player so you can share episodes you love with others! Please rate the show and leave a thoughtful review on iTunes so I know you're benefiting from the episodes. The greater the number of reviews, the higher the ranking, and the easier it will be for others to find the show; people who also need this information.  Let's put an end to the worldwide needless suffering together! We can do this!

  5. Aug 11

    The Identity Trap: Who You've Been Told You Are - 130

    Who told you who you are? For most adults with ADHD, the answer is: other people. Teachers, parents, partners, report cards, diagnoses. In this deeply personal episode, DrB examines how ADHD identity gets constructed from negative reflections, what living inside a broken identity actually costs you, and a practical four-step framework for building a new one. This is not positive thinking. This is identity work — one of the most powerful and underutilized tools in ADHD transformation. Key Points Covered • How ADHD identity is formed from other people's limited perceptions • The shift from "I struggled" to "I am a struggler" — and why it matters • What a shame-based identity costs you: ceiling, energy, relationships • 4-step framework: audit, trace origins, find counter-evidence, act first • Why identity shifts through action, not through waiting to feel differently Links Mentioned drbarbaracohen.com — All episodes + show resources It Was Never You Masterclass – More Than ADHD Coaching, August 25, 2026, 10 am – 2 pm pacific time + VIP hour:  https://itwasneveryoumasterclass.com/  Get Sh*t Done (GSD) Program Information – 9-month program https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/gsdprogram Grant assistance page for help with funding for GSD program: https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/financial-assistance  The Transformation Club (TTC) – if time or money commitments have been holding you back - the affordable membership program for Executive Function skills development: https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/ttcprogram  Free PDF - 13 Signs Weak Executive Functioning Is Holding You Back: https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/Executive-Function Follow me on Dr B Facebook Page and enjoy live videos and more Follow me on Instagram and enjoy relevant resources To Help The Show: Subscribe at your favorite listening spot and my podcast player has social media links (icons) in the episode player so you can share episodes you love with others! Please rate the show and leave a thoughtful review on iTunes so I know you're benefiting from the episodes. The greater the number of reviews, the higher the ranking, and the easier it will be for others to find the show; people who also need this information.  Let's put an end to the worldwide needless suffering together! We can do this!

  6. Aug 4

    Why You Start Everything and Finish Nothing (And How to Change It) - 129

    The drawer of half-started projects. The course you paid for and never finished. The business idea that burned bright for three weeks and then vanished. Sound familiar? In this episode, DrB takes apart the start/finish problem at the neurological level — explaining why task initiation is hard (it's not laziness), why follow-through breaks down (it's not lack of character), and exactly what skills change both. If you've been carrying shame about your unfinished things — this episode will transform how you understand them. Key Points Covered • Task initiation: why the ADHD brain struggles to fire the starting signal • The novelty-seeking brain and why projects lose their pull • Why "I should do this" is never enough motivation for an ADHD brain • 5 skill-based strategies: activation design, smallest next action, completion rituals, accountability, emotional work • Reframing the "unfinished project" story from character flaw to skill gap Links Mentioned drbarbaracohen.com — All episodes + show resources It Was Never You Masterclass – More Than ADHD Coaching, August 25, 2026, 10 am – 2 pm pacific time + VIP hour:  https://itwasneveryoumasterclass.com/  Get Sh*t Done (GSD) Program Information – 9-month program https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/gsdprogram Grant assistance page for help with funding for GSD program: https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/financial-assistance  The Transformation Club (TTC) – if time or money commitments have been holding you back - the affordable membership program for Executive Function skills development: https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/ttcprogram  Free PDF - 13 Signs Weak Executive Functioning Is Holding You Back: https://www.drbarbaracohen.com/Executive-Function Follow me on Dr B Facebook Page and enjoy live videos and more Follow me on Instagram and enjoy relevant resources To Help The Show: Subscribe at your favorite listening spot and my podcast player has social media links (icons) in the episode player so you can share episodes you love with others! Please rate the show and leave a thoughtful review on iTunes so I know you're benefiting from the episodes. The greater the number of reviews, the higher the ranking, and the easier it will be for others to find the show; people who also need this information.  Let's put an end to the worldwide needless suffering together! We can do this!

  7. Jul 28

    Time Blindness Is Real — Here's What To Do About It - 128

    "You're always late." "How did you forget — it was TODAY." Adults with ADHD hear these sentences constantly — and have spent years unable to explain the experience underneath them. This episode names it: time blindness. DrB explains the neurological reality of how ADHD brains experience time (hint: it's not the same as everyone else), why willpower doesn't help, and five concrete, skill-based strategies that actually work. This is not about trying harder. It's about working smarter with the brain you have. Key Points Covered • Time blindness: the neurological reality behind ADHD and time • Now vs. Not Now: how ADHD brains actually experience time • Why willpower and trying harder make things worse, not better • 5 concrete strategies: visible time, time buffers, transition alarms, timing yourself, accountability • The skill-based approach to becoming reliably on time Links Mentioned • drbarbaracohen.com — All episodes + show resources • Get Sh*t Done (GSD) 9-Month Program — drbarbaracohen.com • It Was Never You Masterclass, August 25, 2026, 10 am – 2 pm pacific time / link coming soon

  8. Jul 21

    The Shame Spiral and How to Get Out of It - 127

    Beneath the disorganization, the unfinished projects, the chronic lateness, and the avoidance — there is almost always shame. In this episode, DrB goes straight to the root. She explains the difference between guilt and shame, traces where ADHD shame comes from, breaks down the mechanics of the shame spiral, and offers a clear, practical path out. This is not feel-good talk. This is skill-based, brain-based work that changes the foundation everything else is built on. Key Points Covered • Guilt vs. shame — and why the difference matters for ADHD adults • How ADHD shame is built across a lifetime of misunderstanding • The shame spiral: trigger → story → nervous system → paralysis • 4 concrete steps to interrupt and exit the shame spiral • The long-game: building a new relationship with yourself Links Mentioned • drbarbaracohen.com — All episodes + show resources • Get Sh*t Done (GSD) 9-Month Program — drbarbaracohen.com • Masterclass coming August 25, 2026 – It Was Never You Masterclass – 10 am – 2 pm Pacific Time – links and more information coming soon.

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4.7
out of 5
120 Ratings

About

After a three-year hiatus due to health challenges, DrB returns to Living Beyond ADHD with a message that hasn't changed — and a conviction that's stronger than ever. In this comeback episode, DrB lays out the truth about adults with ADHD: you are bright, gifted, and capable of extraordinary things. What's holding you back isn't a disorder — it's missing pre-skills and executive function skills that were never taught to you. And the most radical idea of all? Those skills can be learned. Welcome back.

Information

  • Creator
    DrB
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    134
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 @2026 Living Beyond ADHD with DrB
  • Show Website
    Living Beyond ADHD

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