The Relational Toll of ADHD Over Time with Dr. Dodge Rea

About this episode

Dr. Dodge Rea discusses the subtle relational challenges faced by individuals with ADHD and their partners, emphasizing the importance of communication and understanding.

--- Join the Declutter Challenge! Registration is now open through May 15! https://takecontroladhd.com/declutter --- It's not the blow-ups that do the most damage in a relationship — it's the quieter stuff. The look you misread, the deadline you missed again, the apology you've given so many times it stopped meaning anything. For those of us with ADHD, these small misconnections harden faster because we arrive already carrying a lifetime of being told we're too much or not enough. Dr. Dodge Rea is back to help us name what's really happening beneath the surface when relationships start to calcify. Dodge walks us through the concept of misattunement — the challenge of being both intact and in touch at the same time — and why ADHD brains and neurotypical brains can miss each other without anyone being at fault. He shares a powerful reframe: "It's not your fault and it's not your fate, but it is yours." Both partners have ownership work to do, and it starts with putting down the shame long enough to actually talk about what's hard. From the kitchen stepladder analogy to his expanded Ferrari metaphor, Dodge offers language that makes the invisible patterns in ADHD relationships…

People in this episode

Hosts: Pete, Nikki

Guest: Dr. Dodge Rea

Topics covered

• ADHD
• relationships
• misattunement
• communication
• shame
• authenticity

Keywords

• ADHD
• relationships
• misattunement
• communication
• shame
• authenticity
• neurotypical
• emotional connection

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