Hyperfocus with Rae Jacobson

podcast@understood.org

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Why people with ADHD quit therapy

July 02, 2026

Finding a therapist is hard. Finding one who actually understands ADHD? That’s a different problem entirely. Clinical psychologist Dr. Michelle Frank, who has ADHD herself, breaks down why people with ADHD struggle to stick with therapy. She looks at everything from the executive function demands of just getting there, to sensory issues, to the rejection sensitivity that makes you think “Does my therapist hate me?!” Plus: How to advocate for yourself in the room, even when your provider doesn...

Head, heart, hormones: Why women’s ADHD care should treat the whole person (classic)

June 18, 2026

Last year, Hyperfocus took a field trip to San Diego for an ADHD conference called APSARD, which stands for the American Professional Society of ADHD and Related Disorders (quite a mouthful). A conference of ADHD professionals might not sound fascinating, but it was — and we learned a ton. But there was one person and one talk I really wanted to find: A keynote speech about how ADHD affects women’s bodies by Dr. Sandra Kooij.  What Sandra is doing is something so sensible and radical: Looking...

Why people with ADHD can’t sleep (and what actually helps)

June 04, 2026

If you have ADHD, you’re probably exhausted — and there’s a real neurological reason for it. Sleep expert Marlee Boyle, co-founder of Sleep Works, joins us to explain why ADHD brains are wired against a good night’s rest. Plus how perimenopause can make it worse. She walks us through CBT-I techniques, the truth about melatonin, and some surprisingly low-tech tools that can fix your circadian rhythm. If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, this one is for you. For more on this to...