When we think about ADHD, we often think about the symptoms we can see from the outside. But many of the challenges that come with ADHD are happening internally.
Someone may be dealing with racing thoughts, difficulty filtering information, problems regulating attention, or trouble creating structure for themselves even when those challenges aren’t obvious to the people around them.
That’s why in episode 271 of the De Facto Leaders podcast, I talk with Shontaye Glover Jones, pediatric speech-language pathologist and author, about what ADHD can feel like from the inside and how that impacts executive functioning and daily life.
In this episode, we discuss:
- What internal hyperactivity and racing thoughts can look like when ADHD symptoms aren’t obvious externally.
- Why the effects of stimulant medication are often misunderstood, and how medication can help with filtering and focus rather than simply making someone “calmer.”
- Why medication works best when it’s paired with therapy, skill-building, and other interventions.
- Why transitions from highly structured environments to less structured settings can be especially difficult for people with ADHD and executive functioning challenges.
- The importance of learning how to put scaffolding and structure in place for yourself in unstructured environments.
- Shontaye’s book about an autistic Black boy preparing for a trip to the barbershop, and why everyday community experiences may require significant front-loading and preparation for someone with different sensory needs
Shontaye is a children's book author, pediatric SLP, content creator, conference programmer and professional speaker. In 2016, she founded her private practice Having Our Say, LLC to create a space where families and children would feel seen, valued, and be heard. Shontaye works with organizations and school districts around the country with a focus on literacy and creating equitable spaces for all students. Her debut picture book, "Liam's First Cut" (2020) is a story that centers family and neurodiversity as Liam, an autistic Black boy, prepares for his first trip to the barbershop. Her second book The Season of Yes! (2023) is a love letter to her favorite time of year, summer, and spending quality time with her mom during the season of endless opportunities for fun! As a late diagnosed autistic person with ADHD, Shontaye advocates for early identification and support for neurodivergent girls and women.
Listen to our full conversation here.
You can connect with Shontaye Glover Jones on her Instagram page
@havingoursay
On her websites at:
In this episode, I mentioned the
Task Execution and Planning Protocol that helps clinicians and educators support students who present with demand avoidance and require
constant prompting during functional or academic tasks.
You can learn more about the Task Execution and Planning Protocol at:
drkarendudekbrannan.com/taskexecution
What is De Facto Leaders?
On the De Facto Leaders podcast, host Dr. Karen Dudek-Brannan helps pediatric therapists and educators become better leaders, so they can make a bigger impact with their services. With over 15 years of experience supporting school-age kids with diverse learning needs, Dr. Karen shares up-to-date evidence-based practices, her own experiences and guest interviews designed to help clinicians, teachers, and aspiring school leaders feel more confident in the way they serve their students and clients. She’ll cover a range of topics designed to help you support students' emotional and academic growth and set kids up for success in adulthood, including how to support language, literacy, executive functioning, and how to help IEP teams working together to support kids across the day. Whether you want to learn more effective strategies for your therapy session or classroom, be a more influential leader on your team, or find creative ways to use your skills to advance in your career, Dr. Karen has you covered.