Podcast Summary: Translating ADHD – Understand, Own, Translate: Finding the Real Causes Behind ADHD Struggles (October 13, 2025)

Overview

In this episode, ADHD coaches and hosts Asher Collins and Dusty Chipura revisit the foundational model of their podcast—Understand, Own, Translate—emphasizing how this process helps ADHD adults identify the real causes behind their struggles and move towards lasting, authentic change. Using relatable client stories and personal experiences, they break down why common advice fails, how self-awareness develops, and how individuals can translate their needs into successful self-advocacy.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Revisiting the Core Model: Understand, Own, Translate

[01:09]

• Purpose of the Episode: The hosts aim to revisit the foundational “understand, own, translate” model that guides both their podcast and their ADHD coaching.
• Quote:
  “This is a model that Cam and I came up with when we first launched this show, and one that...still really works...and speaks to what we do as ADHD coaches.” — Asher [01:16]

2. Step 1: Understand – Beyond Symptoms to Causation

[01:49] – [09:32]

• Surface vs. Root Causes: The common advice focuses on symptoms (like “get a planner!”), but true progress comes from understanding what’s actually going on.
• Relatable Client Story:
  • Struggle: A client is stuck in an endless email loop, especially with “hard emails” (e.g., requests for favorites after delivering photos).
  • Discovery Process: Through repeated sessions, the real block—guilt and shame around certain emails—finally emerges.
  • Resolution: Only by identifying the true cause (not wanting to deal with “hard emails”) does the client make progress.
• Verbal Processing:
  • Clients often gain insight by speaking their experiences aloud, with the coach acting as a thought partner.
  • Quote:
    "Clients are always asking me the difference between, like, therapy and coaching. ...there’s that need for people to just, like, process through talking." — Dusty [06:45]
  • Executive Dysfunction Analogy:
    "Think of your executive functioning like a gas tank... If you’ve used all of that, it’s not like you have a separate little tank for self monitoring that’s still full of gas. It’s out of gas." — Dusty [08:20]
• Awareness Disconnect: Awareness may exist about behaviors, but not about the causes; externalizing through language helps bridge the gap.

3. Step 2: Own – Accepting ADHD and Finding Middle Ground

[16:17]–[26:43]

• Acceptance is Ongoing: Even as ADHD is managed better, struggles continue. Accepting this is critical to progress.
  • Quote:
    “Accepting that ADHD is always going to be a part of the picture...ADHD moments where I just plain mess up...do happen.” — Asher [16:24]
• The Ownership vs. Excuses Dilemma:
  • Clients struggle to distinguish between valid reasons and excuses, or between “it’s all my fault” and “it’s not my fault.”
  • Personal Example: Dusty describes the mental strain of coordinating a chaotic family day, leading to a communication overload with her partner and a subsequent self-compassionate meltdown.
  • Quote:
    “I could have just been like, you’re so annoying... In the past...but I was able to understand this is my issue. But at the same time, I can advocate for what I need.” — Dusty [22:01]
• Moving Beyond All-or-Nothing Thinking:
  • Progress is not linear; one setback does not erase past growth.
  • Quote:
    “Learning to...separate past from present...distinguishing between the now and the mistake in the moment, and not piling on every mistake...” — Asher [24:07]

4. Step 3: Translate – Self-Understanding and Self-Advocacy

[26:44]–[36:39]

• Internal and External Translation:
  • Developing language to understand and express ADHD experiences to oneself and others fosters self-advocacy.
  • Client Example: Overcomplicating is both a trigger word and a real need for one client, depending on the context; breaking down what’s useful vs. unhelpful complicating reframes her experience.
  • Quote:
    “It’s taken her from a place where overcomplicating is like almost a trigger word...to a...pause, disrupt, pivot moment with that behavior.” — Asher [28:44]
• Navigating External Resistance:
  • Clients may face pushback when advocating for their needs in relationships or at work.
  • Quote:
    “Sometimes starting to push back on that narrative...can be met with resistance from outside. And so that’s where I think the role of a coach is so important.” — Dusty [29:47]
  • Story: One client was discouraged from using visual reminders at home due to a partner’s preference, highlighting the need to stand up for what genuinely works.
• Self-Worth and Boundaries:
  • Self-advocacy is not possible from a “one down” (low self-esteem) perspective; growth comes through repeated cycling of this process.
  • Quote:
    “Maybe you’re allowed to have respect even if you make mistakes. ...People can choose me or not choose me, and that’s okay.” — Dusty [35:33]
  • Humor:
    Dusty references a meme about self-acceptance: "That’s me with the laser shooting out of my eyes." [36:26]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the coaching process:
  “Putting language to our lived experiences as ADHD people can help us slow down and examine and find the hard email and find what the real roadblock actually is for us in that moment.” — Asher [09:54]

• On self-monitoring:
  “When you are at your most executive dysfunctionee, you also have the least self awareness.” — Dusty [08:50]

• On self-advocacy:
  “Being able to articulate what you need, being able to do that, not from a place of one down or apologizing...that’s where we would go as ADHD people is, oh, I’m going to fix it, I’m going to make it better...and then we’d get stuck in this failure loop.” — Asher [33:06]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Revisiting the model and why ADHD advice fails: [01:09]–[06:45]
• Story: Email struggles and finding real causes: [01:49]–[09:32]
• Role of verbal processing and self-awareness: [06:45]–[09:32]
• Discussing ownership and acceptance: [16:24]–[20:40]
• Personal example: family day, communication overload: [17:39]–[24:01]
• Separating past from present, avoiding catastrophizing: [24:01]–[26:43]
• Translate: internal reframing and external advocacy: [26:44]–[36:39]

Closing Thoughts

The episode vividly illustrates the Understand, Own, Translate model as a dynamic, cyclical process that moves ADHD adults from self-blame and chronic frustration to authentic self-understanding and empowered self-advocacy. The hosts’ anecdotes and analogies make these often complex, emotional processes feel relatable and actionable, leaving listeners with both empathy and clear takeaways for their own journeys.