The ADHD Clarity Coach: ADHD Crash Course

Donae Cannon
  • 4.7 (14)
  • Mental Health
  • Weekly

Feel like everyone else got the manual for adulthood and you missed it? Join the ADHD Crash Course with Donae Cannon! This highly practical and passionately anti-shame podcast is designed for those who are in the thick of learning how to work ADHD; especially those of us diagnosed later in life. Listen for clear and compassionate ideas on how to work with your brain without burning out.  Your host is an ADHD and executive function coach with an occupational therapy background and offers a unique approach for tackling things feel harder than they should: getting started, staying on track, managing time, juggling work and family, and quieting the shame about not keeping up. Whether you’re newly diagnosed, still wondering if it’s ADHD, or have been managing it for years, you’ll find tools that work with your brain instead of against it. ✅New episodes/biweekly: Subscribe so you don’t miss one. 🧠Want support beyond the podcast? Learn about group and 1:1 coaching at www.theadhdclaritycoach.com This podcast is for educational purposes only. Not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Talk with your healthcare provider about your specific needs.

  1. 1d ago

    Ep 144. ADHD Decision Paralysis: 5 Ways to Break Out of It

    🧠🧠FREE  TRAINING! SENSORY STRATEGIES FOR ADHD: Tools for Energy, Calm + Focus: https://theadhdclaritycoach.com/page/sensory-strategies 👥 GROUP COACHING:https://theadhdclaritycoach.com/page/adhd-group-coaching-program (Concept of satisficing: Herbert Simon; maximizers vs. satisficers: Barry Schwartz) Struggling to make decisions with ADHD? This video explores why your ADHD brain get stuck optimizing (trying to make the perfect choice) and how “good enough” decisions can protect your energy budget and build self-trust. If you’ve ever spent 45 minutes researching a hoodie, this one’s for you... 0:00 Why decision-making is so hard with ADHD 0:25 What it means to be an “optimizer” (the dinner example) 1:15 Too many priorities = decision overload 2:00 Decisions, energy budgeting, and self-trust 2:30 Which decisions deserve your energy (and which don’t) 3:10 Optimizing vs. satisficing 3:45 The hoodie story 4:25 Step 1 and 2: Recognize it and notice when it’s happening 5:05 Put rails on your decisions 5:30 Rail #1: Set a time limit 5:50 Rail #2: Pick only one or two priorities 6:35 Make fewer decisions: automate and delegate 7:20 Ask: “What’s the real cost of a not-ideal decision?” 7:55 ADHD, perfectionism, and decisions 🔗 OTHER EPISODES MENTIONED Energy budgeting with ADHD: 6 Ways to Manage Your Energy with ADHD 💬 Tell me in the comments: what decision keeps sucking up your energy? 👋 I’m Donae, an occupational therapist and executive function coach helping people with ADHD build self-trust. If you want support beyond the videos, my group coaching program has rolling enrollment (start anytime, stay one month or the full program) and a private community. Book a free call to see if it’s a fit: https://theadhdclaritycoach.com/page/dc-1ctaquestions #ADHD #ADHDDecisionMaking #ExecutiveFunction #ADHDWomen #Overthinking

  2. Oct 21

    Ep 143. Hyper-focus, Productivity, + Collapse: ADHD's Jello Vs Superhero Mode

    🧠SENSORY STRATEGIES FOR ADHD: Tools for Energy, Calm + Focus  FREE  TRAINING! https://theadhdclaritycoach.com/page/sensory-strategies 👥 GROUP COACHING: https://theadhdclaritycoach.com/page/adhd-group-coaching-program If you have 2 modes: "Superhero": where you get everything done on your list in record time OR  "Jello" where you collapse and need 3 days to recover, this one is for you!  There's nothing inherently wrong with switching between these 2 modes if it works for you, but most of us find that it doesn't work long term. Not only is it stressful, it totally erodes our self trust: we never know if we're going to have a superhero day or a jello day. In order to get things done and be able to trust yourself, you need a 3rd mode! In this video we'll talk about how to do that! #adhdproductivity #adhdfamily Timestamps 0:00 Superhero mode vs. Jell-O mode  1:00 Why the two-mode cycle stops working  2:00 Why productivity-bro advice doesn’t fit ADHD brains  2:45 Why ADHD isn’t really a “superpower”  4:00 How to build your middle mode (task initiation)  4:45 Shrink it until starting feels easy  5:15 Habits, laundry, and the 5-minute start  5:45 Why “just push through” erodes self-trust  7:00 Example: studying without the all-nighter  8:00 You still get all three modes  8:30 How to go deeper

  3. Oct 13

    Ep 142. Can't Start? Believe Yourself When Things Are HARD!

    🧠SENSORY STRATEGIES FOR ADHD: Tools for Energy, Calm + Focus  FREE  TRAINING! https://theadhdclaritycoach.com/page/sensory-strategies 👥 GROUP COACHING: https://theadhdclaritycoach.com/page/adhd-group-coaching-program _________________________________________________________________ Ever struggle to start and think, "Why can't I just DO this? It's not even that hard"? Stop doing that to yourself! In this video, I explain why believing it's hard (even when no one else does) is the first step to getting unstuck and a client story about a thank-you note that sat on her list, draining her energy, for eight months. #ADHD #ExecutiveFunction #ADHDWomen #LateDiagnosedADHD #ADHDCoach #TaskInitiation #ADHDShame #ADHDTips #WorkWithYourBrain Time Stamps 0:00 Why can't I just start? (it's "not even that hard") 0:25 Stop doing this to yourself: believe it's hard 1:00 The manual vs. automatic transmission brain 2:00 You don't need anyone else to agree with you 2:40 Kim's story: the thank-you note she couldn't write 3:30 Why nothing felt like "enough" 4:30 The 30-minute cap that made it doable 5:15 Swap "this is no big deal" for "something here is sticky" 5:50 Why powering through drains your energy budget 6:50 Common reasons you're stuck (perfectionism, too many steps, unclear tasks) 7:50 Your environment and body state: the hidden friction 8:50 Building self-trust in a way that's sustainable 9:20 How to get more support

  4. Sep 22

    Ep 141. Stop Trying to Be Consistent- Try This Instead

    Group Coaching is OPEN!  Think you need to be consistent to succeed with ADHD? Think again. In this video, we unpack why "consistent" is the wrong goal for ADHD brains — and why persistence and flexibility will actually get you further. Timestamps: 00:00 – Why "consistency" is the wrong goal for ADHD 00:56 – How coaching differs from OT: the client defines "done" 02:03 – A client's realization that her "consistent" dream life sounded horrible 03:12 – Flexibility in habits: the running example 04:38 – Why persistence is a core ADHD strength 05:38 – Small versions still count: building self-trust 06:40 – Where to find more support (coaching + mailing list)

  5. Sep 8

    Ep 140. Why Do People With ADHD Overwork and Burn Out?

    NOW OPEN! Learn more about our group! https://theadhdclaritycoach.com/page/adhd-group-coaching-program People with ADHD often overwork and burn out — not because of laziness or poor productivity, but due to specific ADHD-related challenges. In this episode, we break down four key drivers and how to work with them instead of against them. Timestamps: 00:00 – Why ADHD leads to overworking and burnout 00:00 – Time blindness: it's a math problem, not a productivity problem 01:53 – Working in cycles: hyperfocus vs. downshifting 04:00 – Rejection sensitivity and the trap of saying "yes" 06:06 – Self-advocacy at work without disclosing a diagnosis 08:00 – Where to get more support (coaching info)

  6. Sep 1

    Ep 139. My 5th Podcast Anniversary: 4 Things They Say I Shouldn't Be Doing!

    Group Coaching is OPEN!  I just celebrated my 5th year of making this podcast! The old me would have burnt out a long time ago, but I've done things differently this time and it's made a difference! Today I'm sharing 4 of my counter intuitive approaches that have helped me keep the joy and stay with it! And one thing I've NOT done very well.:D

  7. Aug 18

    Ep 138. The Goldilocks Zone of ADHD Focus (And How to Find Yours)

    Group Coaching is OPEN!  A lot of us with ADHD have the same problem Goldilocks had — we're looking for "just right," not too much, not too little.  In this video, occupational therapist and ADHD executive functioning coach Donae breaks down why finding that just-right zone of pressure is the key to getting started, staying focused, and actually finishing what matters  (without white-knuckling through it). You'll learn what body doubling actually is, why announcing your plans out loud can backfire, and how to figure out what kind of gentle accountability works for your brain. Timestamps:  00:00 — The Goldilocks problem with ADHD attention  01:00 — Why deadlines feel like the only way to get moving  02:00 — Finding your "just right" pressure zone  03:00 — What body doubling actually is (and isn't)  04:00 — Why announcing your plans can backfire  05:00 — How to find what works for your brain #executive functioning #body doubling, #ADHD focus tips

  8. Aug 11

    Ep 137. Why Traditional Organizing Advice Fails ADHD Brains — And What to Do Instead

    Group Coaching is OPEN! Struggling to stay organized with ADHD? You're not lazy or "bad at this" — most organizing advice just isn't built for how our brains actually work. In this episode, I break down how to create home, digital, and project organization systems that support ADHD memory and reduce overwhelm — instead of fighting against it. You'll learn: ✅ The real definition of "organized" (hint: it's not about looks) ✅ How to balance memory vs. visual overwhelm ✅ Why clear, contained storage works better than hiding things away ✅ How to organize by "point of action" to reduce friction ✅ How to build "drop zones" so you stop losing your keys, phone, and mail ✅ Why "good enough" beats Pinterest-perfect organizing ✅ How to build resets into your system so it actually lasts Whether you're organizing your kitchen, closet, home office, or digital files, these ADHD-friendly organizing tips are designed to work with your brain, not against it. Chapters: 0:00 – Why organizing feels so hard with ADHD 1:00 – Balancing memory vs. overwhelm 2:00 – Clear storage & container depth 3:00 – Labeling for your brain, not everyone else's 4:00 – Why traditional organizing advice falls short 5:00 – Organizing by point of action (shoe example) 6:00 – Real client examples: toothbrushing stations & trash cans 7:00 – Building categories that make sense to YOU 8:00 – Drop zones: how to stop losing your keys 9:00 – Good enough vs. Pinterest-perfect 10:00 – Why every system needs regular resets 11:00 – How to work with me (1:1 & group coaching) 💛 Want personalized support building a system for your ADHD brain? 1:1 Coaching: https://theadhdclaritycoach.com/page/individual-coaching Group Coaching Program: https://theadhdclaritycoach.com/page/adhd-group-coaching-program #ADHD #ADHDOrganizing #ADHDCoach #ADHDTips #NeurodivergentFriendly #ADHDBrain #ADHDLife #OrganizingTips #ADHDCoaching

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4.7
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Feel like everyone else got the manual for adulthood and you missed it? Join the ADHD Crash Course with Donae Cannon! This highly practical and passionately anti-shame podcast is designed for those who are in the thick of learning how to work ADHD; especially those of us diagnosed later in life. Listen for clear and compassionate ideas on how to work with your brain without burning out.  Your host is an ADHD and executive function coach with an occupational therapy background and offers a unique approach for tackling things feel harder than they should: getting started, staying on track, managing time, juggling work and family, and quieting the shame about not keeping up. Whether you’re newly diagnosed, still wondering if it’s ADHD, or have been managing it for years, you’ll find tools that work with your brain instead of against it. ✅New episodes/biweekly: Subscribe so you don’t miss one. 🧠Want support beyond the podcast? Learn about group and 1:1 coaching at www.theadhdclaritycoach.com This podcast is for educational purposes only. Not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Talk with your healthcare provider about your specific needs.

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