Mind Material
Original essays on the odd connections my brain makes, seen through a Turbo Thinker™ lens, scattered with client session anecdotes and sprinkled with wonder. Come get curious with me.
Emotional Regulation and ADHD
The ability to keep your emotions in check does not come naturally to many Turbo Thinkers, even the adult ones! How do you pause, name your feelings, then decide how to react to a situation in a calm manner?
Finding Community Through Online Support Groups
Life with ADHD can be hard. Whether it is your own brain, your partner’s or your child’s that ramps up at turbo speeds, the effects can be overwhelming and sometimes confusing. How do you know what is normal? How do you know what to do? How do you share your concerns without fear of ridicule and shame? Add to that a global pandemic, and insecurities overflow.
How Can You Make a Difference Right Now?
Before action, there must be thought. Turbo thinkers tend to be an impulsive bunch, so how can you pause to think before you act? How can you choose the most appropriate and effective action? Turbo thinkers tend to struggle with decision-making, so how can you reflect on what action would be most aligned to your objective?
12 Challenges for Turbo Thinkers™
Laughter Challenge: How often can you laugh today? Can you laugh with someone else? A smile is contagious and laughter even more so. Can you make someone else laugh and brighten their day? Even the corniest joke might just do the trick. Fake it till you make it. Raise your oxytocin levels. Raise someone else’s. It feels great!
10 Tips for Turbo Thinkers™
What is the #1 task you need to accomplish today? Rather than thinking of all that you have to do, should do and could do, narrow it down to one, two or maximum three small tasks that you want to have completed by the time you go to bed tonight. Make sure they are specific and in alignment with your purpose. Write them down and put them where you can see them. With our minds buzzing during this transition period, have a bit of compassion for yourself. Just accomplishing one thing might be good enough.
The Group Coaching Approach
The group coaching approach taught me to get comfortable with vulnerability in front of my peers. Even though I did not know most of these people and might never meet any of them in person, my level of discomfort began at an all time high. How could I reveal all of my challenges and shortcomings to them? With time, as everyone began to let go and put themselves out there, we all relaxed into the sessions, volunteering to take risks and make mistakes for the benefit of the entire group.
Follow Through on Commitment: Using Accountability Groups
Accountability groups can provide encouragement and motivation to follow through on commitments. Who are your accountability partners? Reach out to set a time and place to meet today.
Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
Reinventing your space allows you to reinvent your life. Clear your path of clutter to achieve your life’s purpose. Mamasay mamasa mamakusa.
Looking Back to Look Forward
Before setting your new year’s resolutions, take time to celebrate how far you have come this past year. Review all that you have learned, what you will repeat and what you will leave behind. Celebrate your talents and strengths. Look at how awesome you have become! And the best is yet to come!
Solidify Your New Years' Goals BEFORE January
Now is a good time to plant that seed and start thinking about opportunities. What went well for you in 2019? What were you able to accomplish? What did you enjoy doing most? Celebrate the successes you experienced. What would you like to repeat? What would you like to improve? What was missing? What do you need to be your best self? To live your life according to your purpose?
Strength in Numbers: We're Better Together
There is strength in numbers. Alone we are good, but we are better together.
Anxiety and the ADHD Brain
Anxiety comes up frequently in coaching sessions. In addition to coaching, the fields of positive psychology, CBT, and EFT can all help with treating anxiety. Learn more about anxiety and the ADHD brain, and how these treatment modalities work.
ADHD Awareness Month: Debunking Myths & More
Even though October is officially ADHD awareness month, I feel that every month should be ADHD awareness month, especially in New Orleans where it is still stigmatized and misunderstood by many. I have heard so many erroneous comments like, “ADHD isn’t real.”
Our Podcast Episode is Live!
Adela Baker, Founder/CEO of Mind Coach NOLA, was recently featured on Molly Thayer's Control Freak podcast. Adela and Molly touched upon topics such as executive function skills, the effects of technology on the brain, and how to spark intrinsic motivation.
Stay Tuned for Our Control Freak Podcast Episode!
Listen in each week as we take a fresh and funny look at our complicated lives - covering everything from love to business to all of our freaky issues. Learn a little, laugh a lot, and get things in control…together. This is Control Freak.
Recommended Reading: My ADHD Looks Nothing Like Your ADHD
“All three of my sons have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. So do both of their parents. And most of their friends. All of this is to say I’ve seen a lot of ADHD manifestations in my time and I’ve come to realize something important: No two cases of ADHD are alike.”
Executive Function Checklist
Actually, we coach all students and adults in the New Orleans and Louisiana area even if they do not have a formal diagnosis.
Recommended Reading: Louisiana Has Highest Rate of ADHD
Louisiana's children are experiencing a shocking impact from Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), according to a new study of medical claims by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA).
Getting Honest with Rejection
We often feel that the rejection of an idea we have or a role we’d like to fulfill is a rejection of us as a person. Another person’s opinion or oversight can make us feel unworthy or unloved. Our creative minds wander to extrapolate from the simple rejection to the worst possible scenario. It is human to sometimes think “I am not good enough” or “I am not worthy” but not healthy to stay in that mindset.
Progressive's Lifestyle Spotlight
Last week Big Easy Magazine featured Mind Coach NOLA as one of their Progressive Lifestyle Spotlights. We are Louisiana’s first team of certified coaches that specialize in developing executive function skills.