Episode 87: Psychoanalysis (Part 2): ADHD Ways to Focus Without Force [featuring Kourosh Dini]

For ADHDers who feel overwhelmed by the challenges of maintaining focus and managing anxiety around a flood of to-dos and expectations, finding effective strategies can make all the difference. In this episode, Patrick Casale and Dr. Megan Anna Neff, two AuDHD mental health professionals, along with Dr. Kourosh Dini, a clinical psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, musician, and creator of Waves of Focus, discuss how creative minds, including ADHDers, can harmonize play and productivity without succumbing to stress or societal pressures. Top 3 reasons to listen to the entire episode: Discover practical strategies to navigate anxiety and enhance focus: Find out how Dr. Dini's "Waves of Focus" framework can provide actionable techniques to improve your concentration and manage anxiety, tailored specifically for neurodivergent individuals. Deep dive into the fascinating links between creativity, agency, and play: Understand how playful exploration can be a powerful tool in forming your identity and maintaining mental health. Learn about innovative methods to foster a genuine sense of agency: Gain insights into 3 simple practices that can transform your relationship with your tasks and decisions, bolstering your executive function and autonomy. As you reflect on this episode, think about how you can integrate more play into your daily routines and find your internal rhythm. Consider ways to nurture your sense of agency and make mindful choices that align with your true self. More about Dr. Kourosh Dini: As a clinical psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, and musician, Kourosh has both experienced and seen the great difficulties creatives as well as those with ADHD or anxiety can have. He created the Waves of Focus, a framework that has fundamentally changed how many of his students and clients engage their work and play. Academics include Northwestern University as a part of the Integrated Science Program with a focus in the neurosciences. His medical degree and residency in adult psychiatry were obtained through the University of Illinois at Chicago. He pursued further studies in child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Chicago. Kourosh also practices psychoanalysis having graduated from the Institute for Psychoanalysis, and maintains a private practice in Chicago involving therapy, meditation, and medication management. Author of Creating Flow with OmniFocus, Taking Smart Notes with DEVONthink, and Workflow Mastery. Sign up for the Weekly Wind Down newsletter for a free PDF, "Your First Step to Breaking Free from Force-Based Work” at https://wavesoffocus.com/Your-First-Step-to-Breaking-Free-from-Force-Based%20Work . Get a 2 Weeks/$20 trial subscription to the Waves of Focus membership: https://wavesoffocus.circle.so/checkout/waves-of-focus-dollar20-trial-and-subscription Websites: kouroshdini.com and kouroshdinimd.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kouroshdinimd ———————————————————————————————— 🎙️Listen to more episodes of the Divergent Conversations Podcast 🎙️ Spotify 🎙️ Apple 🎙️ YouTube Music ▶️ YouTube 💬 Join Divergent Conversations Underground ———————————————————————————————— Thanks to Our Sponsors: ✨ Neurodivergent Insights Autistic Burnout Resources If you’d like to supplement your learning on burnout, you can check out Neurodivergent Insights' resources on burnout. We have articles, an Autistic Burnout course, workbooks, and print books! Visit: neurodivergentinsights.com/burnout-resources ———————————————————————————————— 💬 Join Divergent Conversations Underground Divergent Conversations Underground is a space for messy conversations, real connection, and unfinished thoughts in a neurodivergent-affirming community. If you’d like to go deeper with us into more nuanced, searching conversations, join here: divergentconversations.substack.com ———————————————————————————————— Mentioned in this episode: Neurodivergent Insights' Autistic Burnout Resources If you’d like to supplement your learning on burnout, you can check out Neurodivergent Insights' resources on burnout. We have articles, an Autistic Burnout course, workbooks, and print books! Visit: https://neurodivergentinsights.com/burnout-resources