300: ADHD and Perinatal Mental Health with Jacqueline V. Cohen, NCC, LPC, ADHD-CCSP, NBCCH-D

Welcome to a very special episode! It’s our 300th episode, which is mind-boggling to think about. Not only that, we also address ADHD in the perinatal period, a very important topic. We all can benefit from a deeper understanding of ADHD and how it impacts perinatal mental health. Join us to learn more! Jacqueline Cohen is a Licensed Professional Counselor, ADHD-Certified Clinical Specialist Provider, Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, coach, consultant, writer, and speaker. She has been in private practice for over 15 years, specializing in perinatal mental health and adult ADHD. Her practice, Therapy Mama, is in Marietta, Georgia, although she is also licensed in Colorado and Florida. She experienced postpartum depression and anxiety after the birth of her son in 2001 and was diagnosed with ADHD ten years later as her son was also diagnosed. Along her journey of discovering how her brain works, she realized that her postpartum depression and anxiety were largely a result of living with undiagnosed ADHD. This experience was the impetus for her work in helping others in similar situations in the journey to parenthood. In this episode, we discuss what ADHD is, what it looks like, and how it might be experienced in the perinatal period. I’m excited to explore this topic with Jacqueline! Show Highlights: How Jacqueline became interested in how perinatal mental health and ADHD intersect How she discovered that her postpartum depression and anxiety were due to undiagnosed ADHD Why “being bored” can cause depression and anxiety in someone with ADHD–because of the way the brain works The basics of what ADHD is How ADHD impacts working memory, impulsivity, organization, time management, planning, and prioritizing Types and descriptions of ADHD variations How ADHD relates to being a highly sensitive person Why someone with ADHD is likely to procrastinate Why many people are diagnosed with ADHD later in life and don’t realize they have suffered How a new mom might realize she has undiagnosed ADHD What masking is, why lower estrogen levels exacerbate ADHD symptoms, and the connection to rejection sensitivity dysphoria Shortfalls in the ADHD assessment process Connect with Jacqueline Cohen Therapy Mama Website Instagram Facebook Resources: ADDA CHADD ADDitude Magazine Visit www.postpartum.net for resources and support!  Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ for information on the grief course.   Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today! Books mentioned in this episode:  Journeys Through ADDulthood by Sari Solden Women with ADD by Sari Solden Gender Issues and AD/HD by P. Quinn and K. Nadeau ADHD 2.0 by John Ratey and Ed Hallowell A New Understanding of ADHD in Children and Adults by Tom Brown The Queen of Distraction by Terry Matlen The ADHD Effect on Marriage by Melissa Orlov The Couples' Guide to Thriving with ADHD by Melissa Orlov A Radical Guide for Women with ADHD Workbook by Sari Solden and Michelle Frank Understanding Girls with ADHD by K. Nadeau, E. Littman, and P. Quinn