Organizing an ADHD Brain

Do you reach for your phone, a snack, or a drink when you're exhausted and overwhelmed? In this episode of Organizing an ADHD Brain, we explore how to move from cheap dopamine to real joy with ADHD.
We explain why the ADHD brain craves quick dopamine hits when stuck in fight or flight, and Megs shares the small, everyday joys that have helped her practice being present: mini walks, play, family game nights, singing lessons, and more. You'll also learn how micro-practices and a new view of self-care can help you nourish your body and your life without adding another thing to your to-do list.
Mentioned in this episode:
How joy is a more satisfying alternative to cheap dopamine
Simple, low-effort ways to add delight to your week
How self-care can be reframed as "nourishing your body,"
How micro-practices and play build tiny habits that add up
Dopamine Menu (Mentioned in the episode): https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/dopaminemenu

00:00 Dopamine, Joy, and ADHD
02:31 Play is Better than Candy
07:04 Self Care in a New Light
07:57 How I Have Been Finding Joy ... So Far
10:53 Hiking with a Friend
11:41 Art with the Spouse
12:42 Kids Helping with Dinner
13:24 Fresh Air
14:07 Decorating the Office
14:58 Starting the Fireplace and Family Time
17:45 Singing Lessons
19:57 Final Thoughts and Homework

Website: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/
Blog: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/blog
Events: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/adhd-events

CONNECT
🔗 Instagram:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/megscrawford/
🔗 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@Organizing.an.adhd.brain
🔗 LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/MegsCrawford
🔗 Pintrest: https://www.pinterest.com/OrganizingAnADHDBrain/

#ADHD #DopamineMenu #Micropractices #ADHDCoach #ADHDMom #ADHDStrategies #SelfCareTips
Share your thoughts with Megs!
Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start
The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain
You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

We are joined again by psychotherapist and trauma specialist Deserae Kofoed to talk about what it looks like to notice trauma responses and ADHD overwhelm in real life, and what to do about them.
We share honest, messy, real-world examples of nervous system regulation, emotional triggers, self-compassion, and how to build coping skills when your brain feels hijacked. You'll learn why ADHD symptoms and trauma symptoms can look so similar, why "name it to tame it" works, and why the best time to practice is when you're not flooded.
Mentioned in this episode:
How to spot a trauma or stress response in your body
Practical tools for calming your nervous system
Why kindness beats self-criticism when you're exhausted
The harm reduction approach to coping
Connect with Des!
🌐 Website: https://www.deseraekofoed.com
Resources on ADHD and Executive Function:
(Freebie) Dopamine Menu: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/dopaminemenu
What Are ADHD Executive Functions?: https://www.additudemag.com/slideshow...
How to Improve Executive Function with ADHD: https://www.additudemag.com/how-to-im...
Time Management Skills and Organization Help for ADHD: https://www.additudemag.com/time-mana...

00:00 Intro
02:10 What Are the Symptoms of Trauma?
10:12 What Is It Like When You're Just Reacting to Things?
11:28 Noticing Your Own Reactions is the First Step
19:59 The Harm Reduction Model, Compassion, and Self Love
23:38 Regulating While Being Exhausted
31:22 What Progress Looks Like
36:39 We Need Community and The Emotional Flu
40:48 Inner Kindness Avatars and External Soothing Mechanisms
44:15 Final Thoughts and Advice

Website: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/
Blog: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/blog
Events: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/adhd-events

CONNECT
🔗 Instagram:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/megscrawford/
🔗 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@Organizing.an.adhd.brain
🔗 LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/MegsCrawford
🔗 Pintrest: https://www.pinterest.com/OrganizingAnADHDBrain/
#ADHD #NervousSystemRegulation #TraumaHealing #Psychotherapy #CopingSkills
Share your thoughts with Megs!
Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start
The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain
You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

Struggle with letting go of clutter, even when you know it's holding you back?
In this episode we break down what letting go actually looks like for the ADHD brain, not the Pinterest-perfect version, but the real, messy, emotional process. We walk through the real reasons ADHDers get stuck in decluttering cycles: overwhelm, emotional decision-making, all-or-nothing thinking, and the myth that the right bin will fix everything.
Learn how to make one decision at a time, build self-trust through small actions, and understand why it’s okay that letting go is uncomfortable. If you're ready to stop buying organizing products as a substitute for actually organizing, this episode is for you.
Mentioned in this episode:
What it actually takes to start letting go of clutter, even when you don't feel prepared
The emotional and executive-function process behind decision-making, decluttering, and organizing with ADHD
Practical mindset shifts for building self-trust, managing emotional discomfort, and creating systems that stick
Resources on ADHD and Executive Function:
(Freebie) Dopamine Menu: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/dopaminemenu
What Are ADHD Executive Functions?: https://www.additudemag.com/slideshow...
How to Improve Executive Function with ADHD: https://www.additudemag.com/how-to-im...
Time Management Skills and Organization Help for ADHD: https://www.additudemag.com/time-mana...
00:00 What We Think Letting Go Should Look Like
 04:47 Do I Have to Feel Like Letting Go?
 07:27 Is Organizing About Changing Your Environment?
 09:01 What Letting Go Actually Is and What It Looks Like
 12:16 Asking Yourself What Do I Want to Do?
 17:39 What Happens when You Let Things Go?
 24:59 Towels on the Floor Story
 28:06 It's Okay to Feel Uncomfortable
 30:17 Letting Go Is Different for Family Heirlooms
 34:42 Up Next Week
Website: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/
Blog: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/blog
Events: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/adhd-events

CONNECT
🔗 Instagram:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/megscrawford/
🔗 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@Organizing.an.adhd.brain
🔗 LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/MegsCrawford
🔗 Pintrest: https://www.pinterest.com/OrganizingAnADHDBrain/
#Decluttering #Organizing #ADHDcoach #ProfessionalOrganizer #SelfTrust #HomeOrganization #MentalHealth #Neurodivergent #ADHD #ADHDbrain
Share your thoughts with Megs!
Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start
The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain
You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

Do you actually know what you want out of life, or are you stuck in the "I'll figure it out someday" loop?
In this episode, we break down why so many ADHDers struggle to identify their goals, passions, and purpose and why that's not a personal failing, but it's actually an executive function and dopamine-driven challenge. We unpack the "hobby graveyard," the danger of using AI as a decision-making crutch, and why knowing what you don't want is just as valuable as knowing what you do.
Megs also shares her own journey breaking away from social media as a real-world case study in messy, non-linear progress.
If you're an adult with ADHD who feels behind, indecisive, or like everyone else got a "purpose manual" you never received, this episode will help you reframe what progress actually looks like.
Mentioned in this episode:
Why ADHD brains struggle to "just know" what they want
How the "hobby graveyard" keeps you stuck
What “progress” actually means
Megs' personal, honest story of quitting social media
How to ADHD: https://www.youtube.com/@HowtoADHD
Resources on ADHD and Executive Function:
(Freebie) Dopamine Menu: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/dopaminemenu
What Are ADHD Executive Functions?: https://www.additudemag.com/slideshow...
How to Improve Executive Function with ADHD: https://www.additudemag.com/how-to-im...
Time Management Skills and Organization Help for ADHD: https://www.additudemag.com/time-mana...
00:00 What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?
 04:57 Having Big Dreams but Executive Function Gets in the Way
 07:35 How AI Doesn't Actually Help You
 08:51 How Do We Even Know if We Are Making Progress?
 13:41 Knowing What You Don't Want is Progress
 17:22 Journey to Breaking Away From Social Media
 22:18 What If We're Wrong about What We Want?
 26:02 Don't Lose Sight of Progress by Focussing on the End Result
 31:21 Conclusion
Website: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/
Blog: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/blog
Events: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/adhd-events

CONNECT
🔗 Instagram:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/megscrawford/
🔗 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@Organizing.an.adhd.brain
🔗 LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/MegsCrawford
🔗 Pintrest: https://www.pinterest.com/OrganizingAnADHDBrain/
#selfimprovement #hobbygraveyard #ADHDtips #executivedysfunction #ADHD #neurodivergent
Share your thoughts with Megs!
Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start
The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain
You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com

Is it ADHD or is it trauma?
In this episode of Organizing an ADHD Brain, Megs sits down with licensed psychotherapist Deserae Kofoed aka “Des” to unpack the fascinating overlap between ADHD symptoms and trauma responses.
Des shares her own surprising journey of suspecting she had ADHD, getting a QEEG brain scan, and discovering the truth about what's actually happening in her nervous system.
Together, they break down the science of the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala, explain what nervous system regulation really means, and dive deep into the difference between "big T" and "little T" trauma.
If you've ever wondered why you're so reactive, why emotional dysregulation shows up alongside ADHD, or how childhood experiences shape your adult coping skills, this conversation offers clarity, compassion, and real tools for healing. This episode is essential listening for anyone navigating ADHD, trauma recovery, nervous system regulation, or perimenopause-related brain fog.
Mentioned in this episode:
How ADHD vs. trauma show up differently in the brain
An explanation of nervous system regulation
The difference between "big T" and "little T" trauma
Practical, real-life stories of co-regulating with children, breaking cycles of people-pleasing, and building new coping skills that last
Connect with Des:
🌐 Website: https://www.deseraekofoed.com
Resources on ADHD and Executive Function:
(Freebie) Dopamine Menu: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/dopaminemenu
What Are ADHD Executive Functions?: https://www.additudemag.com/slideshow...
How to Improve Executive Function with ADHD: https://www.additudemag.com/how-to-im...
Time Management Skills and Organization Help for ADHD: https://www.additudemag.com/time-mana...
00:00 She Thought She Had ADHD but she didn't!
 12:31 What is Nervous System Regulation?
 22:15 What is Trauma?
 24:47 Emotional Disregulation and ADHD
 30:13 Big T vs Little T Trauma
 33:29 How Older Generations Dealt with Trauma
 39:46 Healing Trauma
 44:49 Fire Alarm Story
 49:46 Coping Skills the Good and Bad
 56:39 The Magic of the Parasympathetic Nervous System
 58:42 Where to Connect with Des
Website: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/
Blog: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/blog
Events: https://www.organizinganadhdbrain.com/adhd-events

CONNECT
🔗 Instagram:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/megscrawford/
🔗 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@Organizing.an.adhd.brain
🔗 LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/MegsCrawford
🔗 Pintrest: https://www.pinterest.com/OrganizingAnADHDBrain/
Editing done by Ian Gilliam at Sabr Media LLC: https://www.iangilliam.com/sabr-media-llc
#ADHD #Trauma #NervousSystemRegulation #MentalHealth #Neurodivergent #Perimenopause #EmotionalRegulation #Psychotherapy #SelfRegulation
Share your thoughts with Megs!
Would you like to learn more about hiring Megs as your ADHD coach? Start here> The Perfect Place to Start
The Community is OPEN! Join right here: Organizing an ADHD Brain
You can also learn more about the community HERE> OrganizinganADHDBrain.com