Bills? What Bills?

I don’t even try to “stay on top of” finances anymore. I just:
● Use autopay for everything
● Auto-transfer money between accounts
● Avoid late fees and surprise overdrafts
● Free up brain space for better things (like snacks or naps)

I Love Plants, But I Will Forget to Water Them

So my office is full of self-watering plant pots.
They drink when they’re thirsty. I just… exist near them.
Still feels cozy and green
No more droopy guilt-plants
I get to feel like a plant parent without actually parenting

My House Kinda Runs Itself

I’ve ADHD-proofed my environment. That means:

● Lights turn on/off by themselves
● A/C knows when to cool things down
● My outdoor watering system skips watering if it rains
● TV + Laptop shut off after I forget about them
● Fridge yells at me when I leave it open (thank you, fridge)
● Microwave beeps… and keeps beeping until I actually grab my food

It’s like I live with tiny, helpful robots.

Sleep = Outsourced

My iPhone handles my bedtime:
● Weekday alarm?
● Weekend alarm?
● Bedtime reminder every night?
● Me remembering to set any of that? (and that’s okay)

I Lose Everything. Constantly.

So I stuck trackers on:
● My phone
● My wallet
● My keys
● …even the cat (don’t judge)

No more 20-minute panic hunts before appointments.

Why It Works

Automation isn’t about being “extra.” It’s about survival.
For ADHD brains, it:
● Reduces decision fatigue
● Prevents “oh no I forgot AGAIN” shame spirals
● Saves mental energy
● Makes routines feel less like a chore and more like a background hum

Want to Try It? Start Small.

You don’t need a techy smart home. Just pick one thing:
● Autopay one bill
● Grab a self-watering plant pot
● Set one repeating alarm
● Stick a tracker on your most lost item

That’s it. Tiny changes = huge relief.

Bottom line:

Automation isn’t cheating or lazy.
It’s self-respect for your brain.
Let your systems do the remembering, so you don’t have to.
Because ADHD brains deserve ease, too.

Annabelle Denmark (she/they), MA, LPC is a therapist based in Lakewood, CO, They specialize in trauma informed (Parts work, TIST, EMDR and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy) individual therapy for neurodivergent adults. They are currently doing research on ADHD in women with perimenopause.
You can find them at https://www.renegadecounseling.com

I was born and raised in France, where fresh, crusty bread is a daily staple. There’s nothing quite like the smell of a well-baked loaf, with its crispy golden crust and airy crumb. After years of struggling to find good bread where I live, I decided to take matters into my own hands.

Naturally, this led to an ADHD-fueled hyperfocus on sourdough baking. For the past two months, I’ve been in an “all or nothing” deep dive—buying books (half-read), learning fancy baking terms, and accumulating new kitchen gadgets. I’ve watched endless videos, rapidly scrolling past the slow parts, soaking in just enough information to get started.

And, of course, my kitchen has turned into a gluten-covered disaster multiple times.

Here’s what I’ve learned from my chaotic but rewarding sourdough journey:

1. Time Is an Illusion

I used to think baking had to happen at a specific time—like, start at 6 AM for the perfect loaf. Nope. Now, I begin whenever my brain allows me to. Sometimes that’s 2 PM. Sometimes later. And that’s okay. Start your starter in the morning for baking in the afternoon, or the night before for mixing the next morning.

2. Low-Maintenance Starter Strategy

I’m not great at maintaining routines, so my sourdough starter lives in the fridge until I need it. When I’m ready to bake, I take out 40g of starter, feed it 80g flour and 80g water, and use all but 40g—then back to the fridge it goes. No daily feeding required.

3. Impatience Calls for a Warming Mat

ADHD and waiting? Not a great combo. I use a warming mat to speed up fermentation because I tend to forget about my dough otherwise. (And when I forget, things get… weird.)

4. Hyperfocus Is a Superpower (Until It’s Not)

I’ve realized that I won’t stay obsessed with sourdough forever. ADHD interests fade, and that’s okay. I use my hyperfocus phase to build a solid foundation—learning by doing, tweaking recipes, and getting a feel for the process. That way, when my interest inevitably shifts, I’ll still know how to bake without overthinking it.

5. Trust Your ADHDer Intuition

Strict timelines don’t always work for me, so I’ve learned to bake by feeling instead. I pay attention to how the dough looks, feels, and smells rather than relying on exact timers. ADHD intuition is a gift—use it! Over time, you’ll start to sense when the dough is ready to move on to the next step.

ADHD-Friendly Sourdough Recipe

The easiest recipe I’ve found (and tweaked) is from The Perfect Loaf. Here’s how I make it work for my ADHD brain:

• I skip the levain step. Straight to mixing what I created with my starter. I only use levain if the recipe is NOT sourdough bread.
• I don’t follow strict timelines—I shorten the bulk ferment by 30 minutes since I keep things warm.
• I speed up the preshape step—waiting only 15 minutes because the dry Colorado air messes with my dough.
• I adjust the fridge time as needed—sometimes longer, sometimes shorter, depending on my mood and schedule.

You can find the original recipe here: Simple Weekday Sourdough Bread – The Perfect Loaf

Sourdough baking as an ADHDer is messy, experimental, and unpredictable—but also incredibly satisfying. If you’ve been thinking about trying it, just start. Make the process work for your brain, trust your intuition, and most importantly—enjoy the bread!

Annabelle Denmark (she/they),  LPC is a therapist based in Lakewood, CO, They specialize in individual therapy for neurodivergent adults. Annabelle utilizes IFS, EMDR and sensorimotor psychotherapy to support people on their healing journey.  You can find them at www.renegadecounseling.com

What if I told you that you can train your brain to slow down, like a diver gently surfacing from the depths of the ocean? With mindful attention, you can regain clarity and focus by progressively slowing down your mind and body. The method I’ll describe is a simple yet powerful exercise that requires nothing more than your gaze and a willingness to take things slow. It’s a practice that can be particularly helpful for ADHDers or anyone feeling chaotic, overwhelmed, or in need of grounding.

The Exercise: Mindful Gaze for Calming Focus

This practice helps you shift from a state of frantic distraction to focused calm by simply observing your surroundings in a slow, deliberate manner. It’s a bit like doing a mental reset, allowing you to gently reel your attention back in.

Step 1: Start with 5 Things You Can See

To begin, pick a comfortable spot in your environment—your office, a room, even outdoors—where you can observe without interruptions. Let your eyes softly scan the room and choose five objects around you.

For the first object, settle your gaze on it. Really look at it. Tell yourself, “I have nothing else to do but focus on this one object.” For the next 5 seconds, allow yourself to just see it. Pay attention to its details—its color, shape, texture, even shadows or light that touch it. Don’t rush this. You only have this one task.

Step 2: Transition Slowly to the Second Object

When you’re ready to move on, do so slowly. Let your gaze travel softly from the first object to the second one. As your attention lands on the second object, take your time. This time, allow yourself 8 seconds to observe it. Again, remind yourself, “There’s nothing else to do right now except focus on this object.”

Take in the details with your eyes. Notice if your body starts to feel a bit calmer, as though you’re gently moving through water. With each passing second, you might feel the rush of urgency begin to quiet.

Step 3: Slower Still for the Third Object

As you transition to the third object, slow down even further. Take your time to let your gaze shift from the second object to the third. Once you land on it, spend 10 seconds soaking in the details. There’s nothing else to do but observe. No rush. No pressure. Just quiet, focused attention.

You’re progressively teaching your mind to slow down by stretching the space between tasks, just like a diver pausing between stages of ascent to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

Step 4: Continue Until You Feel Calm

You can continue this process with the fourth and fifth objects, extending the time spent with each new focus point. Or, if you start to feel calmer after the third or fourth object, that’s okay too. The point is to progress slowly and allow your mind to catch up with the present moment.

Beyond Sight: Exploring Other Senses

Once you complete the visual portion of this mindfulness activity, you can extend the practice to other senses. For example, focus on four things you can smell, or three things you can hear, progressively slowing down as you move between each.

This exercise is not about achieving a specific outcome but about cultivating a mindful state where you feel grounded and focused, in your body and in the present. For ADHDers, sensory-sensitive folks, or anyone who feels scattered, it’s a powerful way to calm your brain and refocus your energy. Give yourself the gift of slowing down, one gaze at a time.

About the Author: Annabelle Denmark (she/they), MA, LPCC is a therapist based in Lakewood, CO, They specialize in individual therapy for neurodivergent adults, working with complex PTSD, grief, anxiety and depression. You can find them at www.renegadecounseling.com

That’s the journey I decided to undertake—to delve into my neurodivergent identity through writing this post and reaching others. As I sit in my living room, finding comfort in the familiar scenes of “American Dad,” for literally like the billionth time this year (no exaggeration needed here), I realize how crucial this show has become in navigating my life.

Being someone with both Autism and ADHD, I’ve embarked on a quest to truly comprehend my unique identity and confront the rumination that often accompanies it. My feet involuntarily tap, echoing the rapid pace of my thoughts, and in that moment, I consciously acknowledge this behavior—a significant step in my journey of self-discovery. Why am I struggling to write about this? What do I write about? Ultimately, how do I reach people?

Reflecting on life instances that align with my diagnoses, I engage in a conversation with the part of me that ruminates about what is going wrong. It’s a moment where my research-oriented mind kicks in, gathering evidence to reassure myself and silence any lingering doubts. The constant stream of thoughts, capturing every detail of the day but struggling to write about said experience, brings me back to a comment from a grade school English teacher—my jumpy writing, a struggle that persists but also defines my unique perspective as both irritating and invigorating.

ADHD and the DMN Cycle

In my exploration of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), I was referred to the book “ADHD 2.0,” which delves into the dynamic interplay between the Task-Positive Network (TPN) and the Default Mode Network (DMN). These contrasting mental states, described as the Angel and Demon mindsets, shape the cognitive experiences of individuals with ADHD. The TPN, activated during focused tasks, represents the Angel mindset, enabling deliberate concentration and purposeful engagement. However, excessive focus can lead to hyperfocus, trapping individuals in a singular task and hindering disengagement.

Conversely, the DMN, or Demon mindset, becomes active when the mind is not specifically engaged in a task. This network fosters expansive, imaginative, and creative thinking, allowing unique connections between concepts. However, for those with ADHD, the DMN poses challenges. The book introduces the concept of a glitchy switch, highlighting the difficulty in smoothly transitioning between the TPN and DMN in the ADHD brain.

While neurotypical individuals’ toggle between TPN and DMN, in ADHD, both networks can be simultaneously active, competing for dominance. This unique interaction, termed anticorrelation, contributes to the internal struggle individuals with ADHD face between creativity and negativity.

The book suggests that the malfunctioning toggle switches between the TPN and DMN are a core aspect of ADHD, resulting in a continuous battle between creative expression and depressive tendencies within the same individual. The DMN, a source of creativity, can become a Demon when it intrudes on the TPN, leading to moments of misery, despair, and self-doubt. This struggle, often observed in creative individuals, highlights the complexity of ADHD and its impact on the balance between focus and imagination.

Bringing it all Together

Understanding the DMN cycle has not only deepened my self-awareness but also transformed my approach to assisting others. As I find myself still engrossed in watching “American Dad” two weeks later, grappling with what to write in this blog post, the power of rumination is evident.

Gazing back at the TV, the quirky character of Roger makes me laugh, offering reassurance that my doubts and challenges will eventually be overshadowed by my ability to embrace my DMN cycle. Even if the cycle persists, I marvel at it, acknowledging it as a wellspring of strength rather than something requiring fixing.

What has been ‘fixed’ is my relationship with this unique identity, now a valuable insight I can share with my clients. It’s remarkable what a bit of psychoeducation can achieve—trusting the process of my own neurodivergent brain to navigate where it needs to go. The journey continues, but it’s a journey worth embarking on. Embrace your uniqueness, glean lessons from it, and trust the process—it might lead you to a realm of self-discovery and strength you never knew existed. Reflecting on my rumination before, during, and at the conclusion of writing this blog post, I click SUBMIT.

Reference:
Barkley, R. A., & Dr. J. J. Ratey. (2021). ADHD 2.0: New Science and Essential Strategies for Thriving with Distraction—from Childhood through Adulthood. Ballantine Books.

About the author: Deanna serves as a Counseling intern with expertise at People House. Specializing in an Emotionally focused and Internal Family System approach, she employs a strength-based perspective when working with individuals. Deanna finds fulfillment in collaborating with people from diverse backgrounds, particularly those who are neurodivergent, dealing with trauma, or facing challenges related to anxiety and depression. If you’re interested in seeking support from Deanna, feel free to contact her via email at deannaedwards@peoplehouse.org.

1. Overcommitting. This is the start of the cycle and it feels absolutely wonderful. The person feels excited about new projects, or has a brand new idea and starts imagining what could be. For example, starting a new hobby (soap making) and deciding to create a logo (soapy monkey), start a website (www.soapymonkey.com), find sponsors, change the world (buy one bar of soap, send one to a community that doesn’t have soap?), all the WHILE learning to make basic soap and feverishly buying supplies on Amazon at 11pm on a Friday night, while driving home from a concert. I just made the names up, so feel free to steal them. Everything feels fresh, full of new beginnings and flowing with creativity. I have noticed that people with ADHD can be very creative and a force to be reckoned with when working on something they believe in. They can also be very persuasive for a short time, while the creativity and novelty moves through them.
2. Increased Stress: As the project settles, reality hits and the person is now having to work with new demands (making soap), added on to the demands of daily life (job, family). The person with ADHD may start losing some of their momentum and question the sanity of their new project, especially after going to Whole Foods and noticing 500 brands of craft soap.
3. Pushing Through: Despite feeling overwhelmed, individuals might try to push through and continue working on all their commitments, hoping they can handle it all. There is also history there, as the cycle happened before but the person wants to prove once and for all that this is it, the dream project that was waiting to happen.
4. Decreased Energy and Motivation: Committing to a new (or several) projects, ideas and organizations takes emotional and physical energy that the person with ADHD may not be able to sustain. The rush of novelty is gone, creativity is replaced by daily grind.
5. Burnout: Eventually, the cumulative stress and exhaustion can lead to burnout. Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion. The person may also feel like a failure, noticing how they can’t follow things through and succeed.
6. Rest and Recovery: After experiencing burnout, individuals may need to take a step back, rest, and engage in self-care activities to recover and replenish their energy and motivation.

Breaking the cycle involves recognizing the signs of over-commitment and taking steps to manage one’s workload, set realistic boundaries, and prioritize self-care. It’s crucial to find a balance between commitments and personal well-being to prevent burnout and maintain overall mental and physical health. For individuals with ADHD, time management strategies, seeking support from friends, family, or professionals, and practicing stress-reducing techniques can be helpful in managing the cycle of overcommitting and burnout.

The content of this blog is based on my personal and clinical experience. It is not a diagnostic tool. If you suspect you might have ADHD, please seek assessment by a qualified professional.

About the Author: Annabelle Denmark (she/they), MA, LPCC is a therapist based in Lakewood, CO, They specialize in individual therapy for adults with ADHD and/or trauma. You can find them at www.renegadecounseling.com

As I continue my work in understanding ADHD through reading, my personal experience and my client’s experience, I realize that it is never helpful to assume that someone with ADHD can do things like everyone else does, nor is it helpful to assume that they can’t do it at all. Meditation needs to be adapted to the ADHD brain and not the other way around.

Killing two birds with one stone

If meditation is the time for the ADHD brain to come up with the most brilliant ideas, why not let it be that way?  Let’s see what would happen if you let your brain have fun with some ideas while gently training it to be quiet for a few minutes.

To accomplish this, I divided the 10-15 minutes meditation time into four parts.

• The brain fill (3 minutes)
• The brain dump (1-2 minutes)
• The slowing down (5 minutes)
• The leftover brain dump (1-2 minutes)

1. The brain fill

Find a comfortable place to sit, in a place that has as little distraction as possible. 
Set a 3-minute timer
Try to sit upright, if possible, eyes closed, jaw relaxed, shoulders relaxed, hands resting. 
Start the meditation.
If your brain feels blissfully relaxed, great, continue. If your brain fills up with information, to-do lists, ideas, etc, let it do its thing.

2. The brain dump

At the end of the 3-minute timer, take a notebook or a notebook app, and write down the content of your thoughts as quickly as possible. You can organize them through the app, as you go, or later. Do what’s most efficient while being able to retrieve your notes later.

3. The (maybe) slowing down

Set the timer for 5 minutes. 
Try to sit upright, if possible, eyes closed, jaw relaxed, shoulder relaxed, hands resting. 
Start the meditation.
Notice any lingering thoughts and let go. Notice, let go. You know you can write them later because you just did that. Notice your breathing and focus on that. Hopefully you can find a moment of peace. If not, don’t worry, just do the next step.

4. The leftover brain dump

At the end of the timer, write down any remaining thoughts or ideas. Congratulate yourself for a very productive time. 
Rinse and repeat steps 3 and 4 if you have time.

By meditating this way, you accomplish several things:

• You are training your working memory to hold a thought until you can write it
• You have created new ideas that can help you in your life.
• You have successfully attempted your own form of meditation.

Feel free to modify this in relation to the minute count and the format. Make it yours. As you continue, you can add more minutes to the second meditation.

The content of this blog is based on my personal and clinical experience. It is not a diagnostic tool. If you suspect you might have ADHD, please seek assessment by a qualified professional.

About the Author: Annabelle Denmark (she/they), MA, LPCC is a somatic therapist based in Lakewood, CO, They specialize in individual therapy for adults with ADHD and/or trauma. You can find them at www.renegadecounseling.com

ADHD symptoms

Adults who have recently been diagnosed with or suspect that they may have ADHD experience a wide array of symptoms, from difficulties honoring deadlines, staying organized, following through on a project or finding motivation. A part of ADHD that is not often mentioned is the difficulties individuals might have with conversations, be it in a group or with one person.

ADHD in social situations

In the case of ADHD, the person is usually well aware of what is happening around them. They understand the social cues, and they can read body language well. However the struggle becomes apparent when a conversation takes place, between two or more. If you imagine a conversation being a bit like a tennis match, where, overall, equivalent amount of time is shared between the two (or more) partners, with adequate pauses and silently agreed upon reactions, the person with ADHD will be the person running to the net….or to the opponent’s side of the court. The person with ADHD will be interrupting the flow of the conversation with ill timed thoughts (in the middle of someone else’s sentence) or with silences, as they lose track of the flow and get lost in their own mind. Some may side track to a completely different topic. Some may converse on several tracks, interweaving themes and getting lost in between.

The interruptions are common for people with ADHD, and there are several reasons for it:

• Dopamine production: People with ADHD historically produce less dopamine than the norm, leading them to seek more. Dopamine is the “pleasure hormone” of the brain. If the person with ADHD is less interested in the topic, having a less pleasurable experience, their brain will start looking for other ways to entertain itself and produce more dopamine. The person might interrupt the conversation to reroute it to a more entertaining space.
• Working memory: People with ADHD tend to have poor working memory, the memory that is used daily to remember where, for example, one placed their keys, or what needs to be done next, or being able to place a thought in a temporary hold to get back to it later. In this case, the person with ADHD will have a thought in the middle of a conversation that they know might disappear if they don’t tend to it. The fear of losing the thought will cause them to express it, causing disruption.
• Impulsivity: People with ADHD tend to have poor impulse control, immediately reacting to a perceived want or need. This is due to low dopamine production and to having poor working memory. That impulsivity, when not managed, will show up in terms of interruption of the flow of conversation with new thoughts, checking one’s phone, googling data in the middle of a sentence, etc.

The shame of ADHD and interruptions

I have often heard clients recount their experiences in groups, feeling that they took too much space or that they were perceived as rude for interrupting. Those clients feel guilt and sometimes shame for their behavior, believing that there is something wrong with them, and feeling that they are “bad”, “selfish”, or “antisocial”. This awareness of how they showed up, and not being able to do anything about it, causes them to feel a great amount of pain.

What to do about it

If you believe that you have ADHD, or if you have been diagnosed with ADHD, here are several tools to help you manage interruptions :

• Warn your conversation partner. ADHD is not an excuse, it is an explanation. Warning your partner that you may interrupt, and letting them know that it’s ok for them to call you out, can help you develop a moment to moment awareness and give you a chance to adjust their behavior.
• Have a note book with you (or a phone with a note taking app). If an important thought comes up, you can warn your partner that you need to pause for a second to write something down. That way you do not disrupt the flow with irrelevant information
• Remove distractions: put your phone on “do not disturb”
• Start noticing when you interrupt and stop talking. As soon as you notice, stop yourself and quickly apologize with a couple of words. When you do that, you train your brain to be more mindful and to go back to the conversation.
• Understand that it takes time, patience and a lot of mishaps. When you go home, start thinking about what others shared, instead of what you did or didn’t do right. You will always have an opportunity to try again.

About the Author: Annabelle Denmark (she/they), MA, LPCC is a therapist based in Lakewood, CO, They specialize in individual therapy for adults with ADHD and/or trauma. You can find them at www.renegadecounseling.com