Best Eleni Matheou Podcasts (2024)

1
Workplace self-advocacy, experimentation, and taking chances: What we’ve learned this series 17:49

1y ago17:49

17:49

If there’s one thing we’ve learned throughout this show, it’s that people can thrive at work not in spite of their differences, but because of them. People with learning and thinking differences like ADHD, dyslexia, and dyscalculia all have strengths. But sometimes it takes finding the right job — and the right tools — to allow them to shine. In th…

1
Lessons from a chief marketing officer with ADHD and dyslexia 19:59

1y ago19:59

19:59

It’s the last interview for How’d You Get THAT Job?! For this special episode, our guest is Nathan Friedman, co-president and chief marketing officer at Understood.org. Nathan was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia as a child. Early in his career, he didn’t openly discuss his learning and thinking differences. But now he recognizes the value of being…

1
The intersection of race and neurodiversity: One psychiatrist’s story 15:47

1y ago15:47

15:47

Dr. Loucresie Rupert is a child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist with ADHD. She wasn’t diagnosed with ADHD until she was a medical intern. Now, being open with her patients about her own neurodivergence allows her to connect with them — and be the best doctor she can be. Loucresie didn’t have an easy time getting her diagnosis as a Black woman. …

1
Dyslexia and creativity make this artist pop 13:34

1y ago13:34

13:34

Kristjana Williams is a London-based Icelandic artist with dyslexia. She wasn’t diagnosed until she was 25 and attending Central Saint Martins, an art school with many students who learn and think differently. Now, she’s a renowned collage artist with her own studio. Growing up in Iceland with undiagnosed dyslexia was frustrating for Kristjana. She…

1
ADHD masking: Breaking free and going viral 18:17

1y ago18:17

18:17

Aideé Chávez Frescas is a senior social media manager at Understood. She also has ADHD and creates her own social media content that has gone viral again and again. She shares about her life as a Mexican person living in the United States, and the intersection of being Latina and having ADHD. Her videos and posts help end stigma and show others the…

1
Advice from a career coach with ADHD and dyslexia 16:47

1y ago16:47

16:47

Alex Gilbert is a career coach and consultant with ADHD and dyslexia. She helps people with learning and thinking differences navigate their day-to-day work — and play to their strengths. After working in leadership development for years, she pursued her dream and started her own coaching business, Cape-Able Consulting. Because Alex was diagnosed a…

1
Building an ADHD starter kit 14:02

1+ y ago14:02

14:02

Dan Reis is a product designer at an e-commerce startup — and a listener of the podcast! Like many others, Dan saw his coping skills vanish during the COVID-19 lockdown. This led to him finally getting diagnosed with ADHD. Since then, Dan has made it his mission to explore different tools to build his own “ADHD toolkit.” Through trial and error, he…

1
Changing focus between two jobs fights off my ADHD boredom 15:52

1+ y ago15:52

15:52

Rachel Basoco has ADHD, and she works in two very different industries. She’s a full-time director of advancement and growth for digital communities at Fidelity. She also works part time for 11:11 Media, Paris Hilton’s company, building their Web3 community. She considers herself “the finance bro AND the finance bro’s girlfriend.” Having two very d…

1
Tapping into the strengths of my dyslexic brain 22:09

1+ y ago22:09

22:09

Gil Gershoni is the founder and creative director of the branding firm Gershoni Creative. He says that everything he does, he does dyslexic. Gil sees dyslexia as a hyper-ability. His goal is to show the world that dyslexic thinkers can open new doors and innovate anything. Along with Gershoni Creative, Gil created Dyslexic Design Thinking, a method…

1
Disability inclusion and how to ask for accommodations at work 22:20

1+ y ago22:20

22:20

Claire Odom has always worked in the disability inclusion world, even before she knew she had ADHD. When she related a little bit too much to everyone’s answers in an ADHD focus group, she knew it was time to get evaluated. Now, Claire is a psychotherapist at a private practice that embraces neurodiversity. She’s also a disability inclusion consult…

1
When carpentry skills and ADHD run in the family 22:57

1+ y ago22:57

22:57

Michael Upshall Senior and Junior both have ADHD. This father-and-son duo doubles as boss and employee in their carpentry business, Probuilt Design + Build. In both work and life, they understand how the other thinks. For Michael Sr., school never matched how his brain worked, and he left high school in the 10th grade. That’s when he took up an app…

1
Workplace disclosure as an editor with dyslexia 19:48

1+ y ago19:48

19:48

Darcey Gohring was diagnosed with dyslexia as a child. But she didn’t feel comfortable disclosing her dyslexia at work until she was a manager. She was scared that her co-workers in the editing and writing world would look at her work differently. Now, she teaches writing classes and is an editor at Zibby Magazine. When Darcey was diagnosed, her fa…

1
How dysgraphia and written expression challenges inspired a film festival 20:18

1+ y ago20:18

20:18

Isaac Zablocki always had messy handwriting and trouble getting his thoughts down on paper. When he was growing up, teachers in both Israel and the United States assumed his challenges had to do with switching between languages. It wasn’t until college that he was diagnosed with dysgraphia, dyslexia, and ADHD. Because it was hard for Isaac to expre…

1
BONUS: Workplace tips and coping skills we’ve learned 21:13

1+ y ago21:13

21:13

Trying to figure out the right job can be challenging — and feel pretty lonely — especially when you have learning and thinking differences. But luckily, there are ways to smooth your career path, and people to get advice from. In this bonus episode of How’d You Get THAT Job?!, host Eleni Matheou shares what we’ve heard throughout the show so far, …

1
Managing your emotions with ADHD: One lawyer’s story 20:20

1+ y ago20:20

20:20

Dina Ragab is a lawyer with ADHD working on the California high-speed rail project. Dina has always known that she was “neurospicy,” but therapists couldn’t see past her anxiety to the ADHD underneath. It wasn’t until after law school that she was diagnosed, went on medication, and realized there were ways to manage her sometimes all-consuming emot…

1
ADHD hyperfocus brings this journalist’s research to the next level 27:38

1+ y ago27:38

27:38

Omar Mouallem is a journalist and filmmaker with ADHD. Omar has worn many hats — journalist, documentary filmmaker, “fake dean” of his self-made school Pandemic University School of Writing, and real professor — all without a college degree. When he began writing Praying to the West, he struggled to focus on one topic for an entire book. That led O…

1
How balancing anxiety and ADHD understimulation led to my “just right” job 23:30

1+ y ago23:30

23:30

Delia Gallegos combined her love of fandoms with her business experience to create the perfect job for her ADHD. Delia is the chief financial officer of Black Nerds Create (BNC), a collective for marginalized creators to make fandom content. Delia first joined BNC as a side hobby to her business operations career. But during the pandemic, she took …

1
A wastewater engineer cuts the crap about ADHD at work 17:24

1+ y ago17:24

17:24

Scottie Donovan is a New York City wastewater engineer with ADHD. When she entered the field, being on the frontlines of a pandemic wasn’t what she expected. But since wastewater helps determine positive COVID-19 cases, she’s played a vital role in public health information. She’s also heard enough poop jokes to last a lifetime. Scottie chose to st…

1
Coping with anxiety and dyslexia to become a “Top Chef” competitor 21:46

2y ago21:46

21:46

Luke Kolpin is a chef with dyslexia. He’s cooked in high-pressure environments, from Top Chef to the critically acclaimed Noma in Copenhagen. Luke didn’t have the best relationship with school when he was first diagnosed with dyslexia. After high school, he started taking community college courses. But he still wondered what he really wanted to do.…

1
Inattentive ADHD: A freelance writer shares her journey to diagnosis 33:38

2y ago33:38

33:38

Hanna Brooks Olsen is a freelance writer with ADHD. Coming to her ADHD diagnosis was a long journey. Like so many, Hanna thought ADHD was purely hyperactivity, and she didn’t fit that description. But when she learned about the inattentive aspect of ADHD, she saw the connection to her life. She realized that her ADHD symptoms were intertwined with …

1
Undiagnosed dyslexia and low self-esteem: Becoming a fashion designer 24:54

2y ago24:54

24:54

Rohan Chhabra found out he had dyslexia during graduate school by tagging along with a friend to her evaluation. He went in knowing nothing about dyslexia — and came out with a diagnosis. After learning more about it, so many things about how his brain worked finally made sense. Dyslexia had been guiding his life and his career choices, and he hadn…

1
Dyslexia gave me problem-solving powers — and a career in politics 18:51

2y ago18:51

18:51

Robert Carroll, a New York State Assembly member, has dyslexia. He was born and raised in the district he represents, the 44th Assembly District in Brooklyn. Growing up with dyslexia helped make Robert an independent, out-of-the-box thinker. Sometimes it was hard for him to read or think the “right” way, so he learned to see things differently. Aft…

1
ADHD, time management, and PTSD: What made me a career coach 28:50

2y ago28:50

28:50

Phoebe Gavin has ADHD — and a passion for helping others thrive in the workplace. She’s an executive director of talent and development at Vox.com, a veteran, and a private career coach. Phoebe was diagnosed with ADHD as a child, and she enlisted in the military after high school. Transitioning back into civilian life was difficult, but she had a m…

1
Dyslexia and delivering the punchline: A comedian's story 28:01

2y ago28:01

28:01

Liz Miele is a comedian with dyslexia. She has an eye for spotting comedy in her daily life, and a thousand jokes up her sleeve. Being a comedian fits perfectly with her creative, storytelling brain. Her material comes straight from her experiences — like repeating the phrase “commitmentless sperm” until she can say it smoothly on stage. She puts h…

1
Career advice from an ADHD coach, and how he got there 30:14

2y ago30:14

30:14

Brendan Mahan has ADHD — and the drive to help others navigate their own ADHD landscapes. From a young age, Brendan knew he wanted to help people. When his college major options left little room to do that, he forged his own path. Now, he’s an ADHD coach and podcast host. From parenting to marriage to the workplace, Brendan’s got you covered. And h…

1
From rebellion to biomedical research: Working in a lab with ADHD and dyslexia 24:01

2y ago24:01

24:01

Help us make our podcasts better. Take our listener survey. Growing up with ADHD and dyslexia, Jacquelyn Spathies didn’t picture herself one day working on a doctorate in biomedical studies. Teachers told her she wasn’t trying hard enough and discouraged her from dreaming big. Kids bullied her about her school supports. Like lots of kids with dysle…

1
Freelance photography puts my ADHD in focus 26:49

2y ago26:49

26:49

Ryan Walter Wagner needs a schedule, yet daily variety, to work with his ADHD. Ryan has lived multiple lives, from touring in his punk band, to owning his own record store, to working in a portrait studio. Now, he thinks he’s finally found his home in freelance photography. Being his own boss fits his need for freedom and doing things in his own wa…

1
Being a ship captain floats my ADHD boat 22:02

2y ago22:02

22:02

Ship captain Dave Gugliotti has ADHD — and a love for the ocean. Full of energy, yet calm under pressure, Dave’s strengths help him flourish on open water. As the seasons change, so does his work. Every day is different, with varied activities and constant repairs to keep Dave’s bouncing mind happily engaged. Dave's never been one to sit still, and…

1
Say cheese! A wedding photographer finds the perfect shot for her ADHD and dyscalculia 25:17

2y ago25:17

25:17

When you have ADHD and dyscalculia, you need lots of tricks for keeping up while running a business. Taking advantage of her smartphone is just one of the tricks Lindsay Miguelez uses. Like so many of us, when Lindsay was growing up, she was told that she wouldn’t always have a calculator in her pocket to help with math. Thank goodness that was wro…

1
An actor and YouTuber with ADHD talks about social media burnout 34:23

2y ago34:23

34:23

When Eric Tabach, a YouTube host and producer for the channel Yes Theory, went to Ukraine, he didn’t just want to create a video. He wanted to make a difference in the war. Eric grew up with ADHD in a Ukrainian family in Russia. As a child, his endless energy and racing mind led him into theater and into making YouTube videos at home. Eventually, h…

1
Smooth like butter, like ADHD undercover 30:43

2y ago30:43

30:43

Alex Bilowitz put in the elbow grease to create a thriving career as a record producer, songwriter, and composer — and he did it all with ADHD. He was part of the team that wrote the lyrics with BTS for the hit song “Butter.” In this episode, Alex talks about what led him to his career, and what it takes to break into the music world. Though he was…

1
Can coffee be a career? ADHD, dyslexia, and making four roles into one dream job 22:09

2+ y ago22:09

22:09

What if you loved coffee so much that you made it your career? That’s exactly what David Rubinstein is doing — and it’s working for his ADHD and dyslexia. In this episode, David shares how his unique combination of interests and learning differences led him on a career path with stops along the way as an electrician and as a champion cyclist. Today…

1
Why remote work suits my ADHD brain 20:12

2+ y ago20:12

20:12

Alonna Nicole Williams calls herself an “Energizer Bunny” with ADHD. She says she’s been bouncing off the walls since she was a little girl, all the way into the modern workplace. Mini breaks, flexible scheduling, and work accommodations have helped her create a work life that matches her ADHD needs. But it hasn’t been easy. In this episode, Alonna…

1
ADHD, invisible disabilities, and making the digital world accessible 23:58

2+ y ago23:58

23:58

Albert Kim first got interested in digital accessibility because of his ADHD, dyslexia, and invisible disabilities. He wanted to make websites and apps usable for everyone, including himself. After all, he uses a screen reader and text-to-speech to read text online. However, when Albert started to explore a career in digital accessibility, some of …

1
A translator of Japanese manga reflects on ADHD and his love for comics 23:46

2+ y ago23:46

23:46

From the first moment Paul Starr saw the Japanese anime series Robotech (aka Macross), he was hooked. But did it have something to do with his ADHD? He’d never been motivated about anything before, but now he threw himself into learning Japanese so he could read comics. One thing led to another, and eventually Paul started to work as a translator f…

1
Never finished college — a finance pro with ADHD on how she built a nontraditional career 20:56

2+ y ago20:56

20:56

Whitney Valentine-Wafer has ADHD and never finished college. Yet she’s served as chief financial officer for several organizations and built a career as a nonprofit finance professional. Her journey includes employers like Creative Commons and the San Francisco Ballet. Whitney shares how she was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult — and how she found h…

1
“Math dyslexia” can’t stop this chef and business owner 19:08

2+ y ago19:08

19:08

By the time Raquel Fleetwood was diagnosed with a learning disability at age 8, she had already discovered her passion: cooking. By 16, inspired by her Black Latino roots, she was selling cheese flans in NYC — and building confidence with each gig that followed. Now, Raquel is the owner and chef of a catering company that delivers 75,000 meals in a…

1
A niche podcaster on myths, mushrooms, ADHD, and anxiety 24:43

2+ y ago24:43

24:43

Julia Schifini, who has ADHD, left her day job and embraced the opportunity to turn weekly chats with her best friend into a podcasting career. As creator of the popular Spirits mythology podcast, she’s found her niche in topics like Greek mythology, Dungeons & Dragons, and more. Along the way, she also taught herself sound engineering. Listen to h…

1
A TV wardrobe pro on “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” opens up about language-based learning challenges 22:06

2+ y ago22:06

22:06

After getting a fashion degree from a college with a learning disabilities program, Stevie Ondra decided to follow her childhood dream: TV and film. She started as a production assistant on an indie film, and worked her way up in the costume and wardrobe department. Today, she works on hit television shows like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Gossip Gir…

1
Dyslexia is why this production manager is so good 23:18

2+ y ago23:18

23:18

As a child with dyslexia, Frank Imperiale always had to think 10 steps ahead to account for his reading challenges and anxiety. Today, thinking ahead is a skill that’s served him well in his career as a production manager for live events. His impressive list of credits includes the NYC Marathon, comedy shows, concerts, and more. Get Frank’s advice …

1
Why I chose to be a school counselor (and the role of NVLD) 20:33

2+ y ago20:33

20:33

Not many people are aware of nonverbal learning disabilities (NVLD). Fewer still know the challenges of finding a job when you have NVLD. Michaela Hearst, who has NVLD, shares her career journey — and how she decided to be a school counselor so she could be there for students with learning differences. She also talks about how a social work degree …

1
Harnessing ADHD hyperfocus for a career in visual effects 22:19

2+ y ago22:19

22:19

Sometimes, people with ADHD can thrive in jobs that require hyperfocus. That’s true of Jo Shaffer, a self-taught visual effects artist who says working on motion graphics is a perfect fit for how their mind works. Learn how Jo gets paid to come up with fun computer-generated graphics for companies and advertisers. Jo also shares thoughts on the con…

1
Horse saddles, leatherwork, and ADHD 20:53

2+ y ago20:53

20:53

Heath Howes has built hundreds of custom horse saddles for riders. Growing up, he had trouble with reading and writing, as well as ADHD. But he found his strengths in art and three-dimensional thinking. Listen to his thoughts on how to find a career working with your hands. To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode…

1
Engineering my career as a woman with ADHD 24:12

2+ y ago24:12

24:12

As a female engineer with ADHD and learning differences, Kellie Williams is breaking ground in a male-dominated field. Learn what she’s done to thrive in spite of harassment and ill-fitting equipment made for men. And find out the tools and accommodations she uses at work for her ADHD. To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit…

1
Why this clinician with ADHD decided to work with foster kids 24:13

2+ y ago24:13

24:13

This “absent-minded professor” always wanted to work with kids. So Robert Benjamin focused on strengths like emotional IQ to get a job managing therapy services for foster kids and their families. Hear how he handles job challenges that come with ADHD and executive function issues. To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the…

1
Finding a fashion job with nice co-workers who get your ADHD 18:35

2+ y ago18:35

18:35

Zo V says sometimes she just can’t pay attention. But when she has the chance to be creative, this nice girl from Brooklyn gets hyperfocused as a seamstress in the fashion industry. Find out how Zo found a job that fits her differences. To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood. We love hearing f…

1
A dating coach on ADHD and super-connecting 27:35

2+ y ago27:35

27:35

Steve Dean once put a sign up in a NYC park offering “free dating advice.” Learn how this ADHD super connector became a dating coach who helps people find love. And get his surprising advice on how to find your own unique career path. To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood. We love hearing fro…

1
Real estate agent... the perfect job for her dyslexia and ADHD 27:33

3y ago27:33

27:33

Gracen Gantt sold her first house as a real estate agent in college. But it was almost by accident. Because of her learning differences and ADHD, she couldn’t meet college math and foreign language requirements, so she switched her major to retail management. To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Unders…

1
How dyslexia and ADHD helped a first-time novelist 22:33

3y ago22:33

22:33

His young adult novel, The Taking of Jake Livingston, is a best-seller on Amazon. Find out how dyslexia and ADHD shaped Ryan Douglass’ unique approach to writing. He also shares how being Black and LGBTQ impacts his learning differences. To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood. We love hearing …

1
Teacher or comedian? An ADHD career story 22:17

3y ago22:17

22:17

“Did Ben Franklin die of syphilis from a lady of the night?” As a kid with ADHD, Chris Ivan hated school, but he found his calling as a history teacher by bringing comedy into the classroom. Hear why Chris thinks teaching is an awesome career for people who learn and think differently. To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Eleni Matheou Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

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