Oct 20
I’ve always had a general idea of what an occupational therapist does, but I didn’t realize just how many areas of ADHD they can help with until I invited occupational therapist Vanessa Goreklin onto the podcast.
As a licensed OT, Vanessa’s work focuses on helping ADHDers live their lives to the fullest while harnessing their unique skills. She may not have ADHD herself, but both her son and husband do, which has given her real-life experience in understanding ADHD.
Vanessa works with her clients to develop skills in everything from basic self-care to executive functioning to exercise, taking into account that the ADHD brain has different needs, motivations, and ways of doing things than a neurotypical brain.
She says, “The neurotypical world is for people who stand in line and color in the shapes just so, and are very, very good at showing up and doing exactly what they're supposed to do. And that's not people with ADHD, who can do what they're supposed to do but they have new and creative and wonderful ways of doing it.”
Vanessa believes that occupational therapy can be a key to unlocking the potential of people with ADHD, and my hope is that our conversation gets people talking about all the ways occupational therapy can be a wonderful support for ADHDers through every stage of life.
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"You are okay if you have ADHD. It's okay to be different in the way that you look at things and it's valuable. It's worth it. So stick with the way you look at things. Try to get yourself heard. Try to get your point across and keep going, because it's okay to be a little different."
- Vanessa Gorelkin
"If you were having struggles with getting yourself to be active, try to think about, what are the things you truly enjoy and what physical activities are associated with that thing? What gives you value? You may not even have to enjoy it as much as find value in it. Like, I'm not sure if I enjoy the laundry as much as I find a way to get some more physical exercise if I'm stuck inside doing the laundry. And that has value to me."
- Vanessa Gorelkin
"The neurotypical world is for people who stand in line and color in the shapes just so, and are very, very good at showing up and doing exactly what they're supposed to do. And that's not people with ADHD, who can do what they're supposed to do but they have new and creative and wonderful ways of doing it."
- Vanessa Gorelkin
- Vanessa highlights the nuances of ADHD and how it can manifest differently in individuals, challenging the traditional classification of inattentive, hyperactive, or combined types.
- Vanessa suggests using activities as exercise for individuals with ADHD, such as cleaning or breaking up laundry.
- Vanessa suggests finding activities that bring value and enjoyment to individuals with ADHD, as mastery and positive attention can help motivation.
[27:33 - 38:50] ADHD and Strategies
- Vanessa shares her experience with her son's educational journey, including his struggles in a high-level science program and the impact of COVID-19 on his learning.
- Vanessa shares her experience living with ADHD, including her unique approach to reading menus (zeroing in on appetizers, entrees, and desserts) and how it helps her narrow down her choices.
- Vanessa shares her experience with ADHD and how she found a way to hack her alarm system to work for her.
- Vanessa shares tips for managing ADHD, including establishing a bedtime routine and taking medication consistently.
- Vanessa emphasizes the importance of adapting to cognitive tasks while also addressing practical life responsibilities to promote neuroplasticity and cognitive improvement.
- Vanessa suggests strategies for coping with cognitive difficulties, including occupational therapy and learning specific skills to improve mood and success.
