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structuredsuccess.ca
Structured Success
@structuredsuccess.ca
2.5K followers 100 following 1.2K posts
ADHD Coach & Academic Strategist | Guiding ADHD, autistic, and neurodivergent clients through lived experience | they/her | #AuDHD | www.structuredsuccess.ca
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structuredsuccess.ca
Me: I can't. I've tried and it doesn't work for me
My ADHD coach: (*) Has anyone ever taught you how to?

Me: ...no... actually.
Them: Why don't we start there

Me: *shocked pikachu face*
Shocked pikachu face
October 28, 2025 at 3:21 PM
structuredsuccess.ca
I woke up this morning to find that last night I started to write a post... This is how far I got before I got distracted:

"I know that f"

Well done me. 🎉
Bluesky posting box with "I know that f" followed by NOTHING
October 27, 2025 at 3:09 PM
structuredsuccess.ca
ADHD'ers: Yes~ I can definitely do that. I don't think I have anything going on.

Our calendar:
A very busy google calendar, colour-coded with multiple overlapping events
October 4, 2025 at 2:12 AM
structuredsuccess.ca
Neat-o....
CAMH's mental health toolkit for the neurodivergence category with one option: "I'm supporting a neurodivergent young person"
September 21, 2025 at 5:42 PM
structuredsuccess.ca
I've been away touching grass in multiple national and provincial parks for the last 10 days.

In that time, I'm sure that nothing of political or social consequence happened right? ...right?

Instead of sharing the news, let's share photos from our last mini-adventures! Here's some of mine
Curious fox at the roadside Lake Superior from Noisy Bay Lake Superior from Noisy Bay Lake Superior from Noisy Bay
September 18, 2025 at 3:10 PM
structuredsuccess.ca
Nothing feels as good as climbing out of ADHD crisis mode alive and (mostly) in one piece.

...it's too bad it's almost always followed by massive existential crisis from understimulation and lack of urgency...
Arya Stark stepping out from rumble, fire, and ash: alive.
August 14, 2025 at 8:43 PM
structuredsuccess.ca
The air has turned into poisonous pea soup again :(
Screenshot from Weather Canada's Air Quality Index showing both an air quality warning and a reading of 10+ or Very High Risk
July 14, 2025 at 2:45 PM
structuredsuccess.ca
Our back deck is the adopted home of this beauty: A Mourning Cloak butterfly, emerging from it's chrysalis and waiting for it's wings to set
Mourning Cloak Butterfly, shortly after emerging from it's chrysalis, waiting for it's wings to set Mourning Cloak Butterfly, shortly after emerging from it's chrysalis, waiting for it's wings to set Mourning cloak butterfly chrysalis, two days earlier
July 7, 2025 at 2:09 AM
structuredsuccess.ca
Executive dysfunction got me in trouble again :(

I don't have to do all of it to make progress.
I don't have to do all of it to make progress.
I don't have to do all of it to make progress.
I don't have to do all of it to make progress.
I don't have to do all of it to make progress.
Bart Simpson, in detention again, writing lines of "I don't have to do all of it to make progress."
June 10, 2025 at 8:57 PM
structuredsuccess.ca
Don't forget the essentials!
A fluffy grey and white cat gently packed in an open suitcase.
June 8, 2025 at 8:05 PM
structuredsuccess.ca
Of course, exactly where one Zone ends and another begins is going to be different from person to person, and what we need and the skills that work are going to be different as well.

So remember: These Zones aren't set in stone. Adapt them to fit you!

Here's a blank version to help with that:
Worksheet Page 4. It has the Five Zones: Regroup, Stop, Watch, Slow, and Go!, with blank space to fill-in examples of emotions you associate with each zone and your needs in that Zone
May 27, 2025 at 8:21 PM
structuredsuccess.ca
The final Zone (Go!) probably needs the least explanation.

This Zone is for times when we're feeling chill, calm, focused, curious, or engaged, and the goal for this Zone is to capture the moment and enjoy yourself.

Note: This Zone is not the goal!
Zone 5) Go! I am happy, calm, at peace, curious, or accomplished. I need to Enjoy the moment by, for example, following the dopamine, pursuing a goal, or doing preventative self-care
May 27, 2025 at 8:21 PM
structuredsuccess.ca
The fourth Zone (Slow) describes times when we just can't get moving.

We might be feeling sad, bored, understimulated, sick, or dissociated; but progress, movement, and sometimes even thinking feels like it takes more effort.
Zone 4) Slow. I am understimulated, bored, sick, tired, sad, or depressed. I need to give myself kindness by, for example, consulting my dopa-menu, stimming, stretching, accepting slow progress.
May 27, 2025 at 8:21 PM
structuredsuccess.ca
The next Zone (Watch) is for times that we're feeling off kilter.

We might be feeling confused, stressed, nervous, lonely, slightly dissociated, or on edge.

Emotions in this Zone can be sneaky, lowering our defenses or threatening to spiral towards other Zones
Zone 3) Watch. I am stressed, worried, anxious, on edge, or lonely. I need to stabilize my mood by, for example, doing a body scan meditation, slow/gentle movement, or practicing opposite action.
May 27, 2025 at 8:21 PM
structuredsuccess.ca
The second Zone (Stop) is for times when we're feeling very heightened, threatened, or on edge. Usually this feels like having a lot (or even too much) energy and like we could spiral out of control.

This can include feeling angry, panicky, scared, or extremely stressed.
Zone 2) Stop. I am angry, impulsive, scared, or panicky. I need to bring my energy back down by, for example, box breathing, cold exposure, or intense movement.
May 27, 2025 at 8:21 PM
structuredsuccess.ca
The first Zone (Regroup) describes times when we're in distress and just need to weather the storm.

These emotions can feel out of control, overwhelmingly powerful, or completely consuming, and fighting against them rarely works.

Examples include meltdowns, mania, panic attacks, fury, etc
Zone 1) Regroup. I am melting down, furious, livid, in acute panic, or manic. I need to weather the storm, for example doing a grounding exercise, distraction, or retreating to a safe place.
May 27, 2025 at 8:21 PM
structuredsuccess.ca
Rather than having to identify the exact emotion, the goal is to figure out which Zone of emotion we're in.

These Zones group emotions into larger buckets based on the type of emotion, how it feels in our body, and (most importantly) what we need when we're experiencing them
The 5 Zones from the worksheet: Re-group, Stop, Watch, Slow, and Go!
May 27, 2025 at 8:21 PM
structuredsuccess.ca
Emotional regulation is hard.

It's especially hard when you have ADHD, BPD, autism, or other neurodivergent conditions that create executive function barriers, flash emotions, or struggles to even identify what the emotion we're feeling is in the first place.

So I made something to help (🧵)
Worksheet Page 1 Box 1) Pause. Notice that you need to check in with yourself Box 2) Reflect. Consult the chart and meet yourself where you're at Box 3) Act. Try one or more suggested actions. Even if you don't feel like it, it can still help Worksheet 2: The Chart. Zone 1) Regroup. I am melting down, furious, livid, in acute panic, or manic. I need to weather the storm, for example doing a grounding exercise, distraction, or retreating to a safe place. Zone 2) Stop. I am angry, impulsive, scared, or panicky. I need to bring my energy back down by, for example, box breathing, cold exposure, or intense movement. Zone 3) Watch. I am stressed, worried, anxious, on edge, or lonely. I need to stabilize my mood by, for example, doing a body scan meditation, slow/gentle movement, or practicing opposite action. Zone 4) Slow. I am understimulated, bored, sick, tired, sad, or depressed. I need to give myself kindness by, for example, consulting my dopa-menu, stimming, stretching, accepting slow progress. Zone 5) Go! I am happy, calm, at peace, curious, or accomplished. I need to Enjoy the moment by, for example, following the dopamine, pursuing a goal, or doing preventative self-care Worksheet 3: The Flowchart. I am melting down, furious, livid, in acute panic, or manic. This means I'm in the Regroup Zone. I need to weather the storm by, for example doing a grounding exercise, distraction, or retreating to a safe place. I am angry, impulsive, scared, or panicky, so I'm in the Stop Zone. I need to bring my energy back down by, for example, box breathing, cold exposure, or intense movement. If I am stressed, worried, anxious, on edge, or lonely, then I must be in the Watch Zone. I need to stabilize my mood by, for example, doing a body scan meditation, slow/gentle movement, or practicing opposite action. When I am understimulated, bored, sick, tired, sad, or depressed, I'm in the Slow Zone. I need to give myself kindness by, for example, consulting my dopa-menu, stimming, stretching, accepting slow progress. When I am happy, calm, at peace, curious, or accomplished, I'm in the Go Zone! I need to Enjoy the moment by, for example, following the dopamine, pursuing a goal, or doing preventative self-care
May 27, 2025 at 8:21 PM
structuredsuccess.ca
I think I've got the draft done now. I'm so excited! I'm gonna properly post the worksheet and thread soon!

For now, what do y'all know about Zones of Regulation? :D
A teaser for a coming Zones of Regulation worksheet. Four pages, slightly purple with geometric blocks around key words. There's clearly writing but it isn't meant to be readable... yet
May 25, 2025 at 5:52 PM
structuredsuccess.ca
For folks who don't want to download:
A note on Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria… Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) is an American diagnosis, but it isn’t given in the UK list of diagnoses. RSD includes being sensitive to rejection, and feeling an intense level of emotional pain when thinking that there has been a rejection. Whilst in recent years many people have associated RSD with ADHD, it is not thought that people experience RSD as a symptom of ADHD. However, we’ve just seen that people who experience ADHD are more likely to have had more experiences of rejection and criticism throughout their lives because of their ADHD symptoms. In addition, we know that people with ADHD usually tend to feel emotions more intensely than others. It therefore makes sense that people with ADHD might identify with the definition of RSD, but it won’t be given as a diagnosis in the UK.
April 19, 2025 at 5:35 PM
structuredsuccess.ca
7) Yes, yes, yes, yes! This section (attached below) is such an important aspect of this entire conversation.

In my opinion, this is more important than the focus on the empirical, objective evidence for ADHD. I want an article about this, especially from a critical psychological perspective please
Sonuga-Barke goes further, arguing that the entire decades-long quest for a biomarker has been “a red herring” for the field. He understands his colleagues’ desire to find airtight evidence for the biological nature of A.D.H.D. that could help them defend the diagnosis against those who would dismiss it altogether. “In the field, we’re so frightened that people will say it doesn’t exist,” he says. “That this is just bad parenting, from the right, or this is just a product of our postindustrial society, from the left. We have to double down because we’re terrified of what will happen to the kids who can’t get the meds. We’ve seen the impact they can have on people’s lives.” But the reality, he says, is that “there literally is no natural cutting point where you could say, ‘This person has got A.D.H.D., and this person hasn’t got it.’ Those decisions are to some extent arbitrary. That doesn’t mean that the suffering associated with A.D.H.D. is imaginary, it just means it’s on a continuum. And that is the conundrum — the empirical crisis — for A.D.H.D.”
April 13, 2025 at 6:10 PM
structuredsuccess.ca
Me, battling with my ADHD executive dysfunction: Come on, let's get up and do something, anything. On 3, okay? 1, 2, 2 and a quarter... 2 and a half...

My dog one of my biggest supporters:
My dog, Korra, sound asleep on my lap 30-seconds after climbing on top of me
December 28, 2024 at 4:24 PM
structuredsuccess.ca
Smaug, the dragon from the hobbit, laying on a pile of gold. Smaug is labelled "you" and the gold is labelled "ADHD Coping Strategies"
December 19, 2024 at 11:38 PM
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That is all
An American Pelican flying over a creek in central Alberta
November 24, 2024 at 3:35 AM