Episode #007 — Unleash Your Inner Badass Boss Babe with Dr. Alicia MacDougall

[00:00:07] Melanie Branch: Hello and welcome to another episode of Trailblazers rising. I'm so happy to be here today with my guest, who is a new obsession of mine on social media and a mutual, I'll have, you know, Dr. Alicia MacDougall, and she is a fantastic. naturopathic doctor. And we did have a brief discussion before we started this recording about what it is that she does, but I'm not going to butcher it.

[00:00:30] So I'm going to turn the floor over to you, Dr. Alicia, say hello and tell us a little bit about what a naturopathic doctor does.

[00:00:38] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: Thanks so much, Melanie, for the introduction and for having me. Uh, so yeah, naturopathic doctor are training similar to the conventional medical program. So we still do have that science foundation to it. We're just approaching things a little bit differently. So focusing on more of like the nutrition lifestyle pieces, prescribing supplements.

[00:00:56] Basically, everything else that, [00:01:00] um, that, that you can do to support your health are the tools that we'd be pulling from, um, and then sometimes still working alongside medication. Uh, so it's not necessarily an either or, um, it's just the, the other pieces that are oftentimes missed when we're approaching our health.

[00:01:14] Melanie Branch: I love that. Oh, we need more people like you in this world, more doctors like you in this world. So, uh, without further ado, we will dive into the questions because I really want to know what sparked your entrepreneurial fire. What made you realize this is what you had to do

[00:01:29] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: Yeah. So, I mean, I honestly, like the, the entrepreneurial entrepreneur. Wow, I'm struggling to say that word, apparently, uh, entrepreneurial side of it, uh, that kind of, I fell into that part, I think, more by accident because it's, I think it's something you don't really think of when you're going through school.

[00:01:45] It's just like I was. Going through school to be an ND because I, I liked helping people and I liked science and medicine and all of those pieces and it seemed like a good fit for me and then jump out into the real world and you realize, oh, like you have to, you have to market yourself and you have to promote yourself [00:02:00] and a lot of it really is like, like business focus, like it's a, it's a part of it.

[00:02:04] You can't, uh, can't really avoid. So yeah, it was total accident. Um, and certainly overwhelming at first, but slowly figuring, figuring it out over time. It just, uh, Yeah, it took, uh, took me, it took me by surprise a bit. Uh, not something they cover in naturopathic school, unfortunately.

[00:02:20] Melanie Branch: so they don't cover how to run your own private practice.

[00:02:23] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: No, no, it's uh, very minimal. I'm trying to remember. I think I had a like a I remember there was one class It was they were covering like how to be a professional and it was it was talking about things like make sure your nails are Clipped and like you're dressed professionally and that's about the extent of like business training we got Um, and then they just kind of throw you out there So I think a lot of us left school thinking like yeah you just go to a clinic and patients are gonna find you and everything will be good, but Um, the real world, especially, yeah, especially working in Toronto, like it's, it's a, there's, there's a lot of, there's a lot of NDs here, so it does take certainly a lot [00:03:00] more than just showing up and people finding you.

[00:03:02] Melanie Branch: How interesting I am in Florida and we do not have a lot of NDS as far as I know. So, I mean, if you're

[00:03:10] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: Yeah,

[00:03:10] Melanie Branch: relocate, I know a guy. So let me ask you then when it comes to balancing like the creative and the strategic part of running a business, right? So between creating content for your social media channels, email marketing, I don't know what all you get into.

[00:03:27] And then like. balancing the books and all of the more boring stuff. How do you really walk that line?

[00:03:35] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: boy, yeah, that was probably my biggest struggle jumping in, because it's, I mean, having, having ADHD myself, like I, I was on the side of ADHD that, like, I managed to do well in school because of, like, the structure. Like, I, I figured out the formula to school, like, the structure, kind of the fear of failure and, like, being driven by, like, needing to get grades.

[00:03:53] Like, it, it was enough to keep me, keep things flowing, keep things going well. And then, Yeah, you jump out into the real world and there's a lot of [00:04:00] different things you got to fit into your day and organize yourself and it's, it's hard and it's, uh, it was new. It was something I hadn't done for eight years.

[00:04:07] I was in, uh, in school after high school, right? So, um, I think it really was a learning curve for me of like figuring out, um, basically like playing around with different strategies, like time blocking and, um, like figuring out what's my, what's my capacity each day. Like how much can I, Yeah. Fit in a day realistically without just chronically falling back into burnout.

[00:04:28] Um, and it's, it's been, there's definitely been some cycles up and down from there. Um, but I think it, I think it really is about just like getting an understanding of where your limits are. Um, like knowing how hard you can push yourself and being strict on not going past that. Um, and then yeah, finding a system to kind of organize and balance all of the, all of the different hats you have to wear because there's, there's certainly a lot of them.

[00:04:51] Melanie Branch: There really are, you know, I have this little, I had a Download if you will today of I don't have routines. I have systems and I have [00:05:00] agenda So if I wake up in the morning and I go, okay, I have to do some email marketing I want to send this email out to my fault to my list and I have to pick the kid up from school and I have to do this.

[00:05:12] I have to do that the agenda is Well, I'm going to write the email early in the morning when my creativity is at its highest. Uh, I know that between the hours of 3 and 6 p. m. when I got to pick the kid up from school and take him to tennis or do this or do that, between 3 and 6 p. m. my brain is not going to do work stuff.

[00:05:29] No worky between 3 and 6 is what my brain says. My brain says, go move your body. My brain says, catch up with a friend or a, uh, a client or whatever it is. Reach out to people. Anything that I can do while like, Walking or pacing is really the

[00:05:42] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: hmm. Mm hmm.

[00:05:43] Melanie Branch: 6. Um, so it's really like, all right, so I have a system to get everything done.

[00:05:47] And then I have an agenda as to when those systems are going to be enacted.

[00:05:50] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: Yeah. And I think, I think that that like kind of like structure with like flexibility based on like how you're feeling and like understanding your patterns is so, so important because [00:06:00] I've also tried it where I've like scheduled my week and been like, okay, on these days of business stuff on these days, I'm working on treatment plans, whatever it may be.

[00:06:07] And then I wake up and my brain's like, nah, not today. This is not the mood today. Like, yeah. Maybe you can do this, but no, like I don't care if this is what you want to want to do scrap that like Say I think having that flexibility is super important to like not just be chronically frustrated with yourself.

[00:06:23] Melanie Branch: Yes. So when it comes to Neurodivergence, ADHD, all of the, the umbrella of neurodivergent, uh, diagnoses that are out there, which is why I like the term neuros spicy. Uh, 'cause I identify as a myriad of neurodivergence. Uh, so I don't like to leave anybody out or focus too much on anything. What, in terms of like supplementation, would you say is a little, a good base for a neurodivergent woman entrepreneur who struggles with, you know, mood and, uh, unpredictable energy level [00:07:00] cycling and really to help prevent that chronic burnout cycle that you and I are both hoping everybody can get out of?

[00:07:06] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: Yeah, for sure So, I mean I do have to just make a little disclaimer that this is not medical advice For the sake of my college not being upset with me but in terms of in terms of supplements I There's, there's certainly an individualized aspect to it, but there's some things that I would say generally most people who are, who are neurodivergent it's worth looking into.

[00:07:26] Um, I often start with like some of the basic things. So like, um, iron, for example, if you haven't had your blood iron levels checked, and if your iron levels are low, um, even in someone that doesn't have ADHD, we see ADHD like symptoms. With iron deficiency, we can see, we see increased rates of anxiety and depression with iron deficiency.

[00:07:47] So something like that is such like a, like a, like a quick fix per se, um, of just like getting it checked and then making sure if it's low, we're supplementing to get you to a good, a good spot with that. Um. So like [00:08:00] looking for deficiencies is, is one of the starting points typically. And then outside of that, when I'm, when I'm talking other supplements, some of my, some of my favorites would be like saffron.

[00:08:10] Um, big fan of saffron for ADHD, depression, anxiety. We have great data for all of them. Um, the ADHD supplement research, I would say it's We've just scratched the surface. Like, there is certainly a long, long way to go. Um, but so far, anyway, that is one of my favorites, um, that helps with some of the, like, executive function, attention pieces with ADHD, but also the, like, the mood aspects and some of the emotional pieces.

[00:08:35] Um, that, that's one of my go tos. Um, Phosphatidylserine is another one that I quite like. That one's a bit of a mouthful. Um, basically it's a phospholipid that helps to buffer our cortisol levels. So we can't always control the stressors. The stressors themselves, but it is giving us a little bit more control over our body's reaction to it So we're getting less of [00:09:00] that cortisol release happening Um, I quite like that one.

[00:09:03] Like we do have data again for attention focus, etc Um, but for the neurodivergent folk who have difficulties maybe turning their brain off before bed Um that like kind of tired but wired picture where your body is exhausted, but your brain just won't shut up thinking about Everything else you got going on.

[00:09:20] Um That's often cortisol at play there. So something like phosphatidylserine can be a great fit to help bring that down. Um, yeah, there's others, there's others that I certainly work with too, but I would say those are kind of like the big three, um, that I'm looking at first would be like the iron, the saccharin, and the phosphatidylserine.

[00:09:37] Melanie Branch: What are your thoughts on rhodiola rosea?

[00:09:41] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: I quite, I quite like it too. Um, especially for, I've been on and off it myself for, for burnout. Um, I, I use it in a lot of burnout patients to, uh, it's It's a nice, um, a nice way to provide some energy, since it is a bit more of like a stimulating adaptogen, [00:10:00] uh, without just kind of stepping on the gas with more caffeine, more stimulants, etc.

[00:10:05] Um, it's like a gentler way to, to provide that, that mood support and energy that can be, again, quite nice for, for those experiencing burnout, or even, not even full burnout, but even if it is kind of, um, teetering in that realm, uh, can still be a great option.

[00:10:20] Melanie Branch: Now I will tell you, I've recently found out that L tyrosine, which is highly acclaimed in the ADHD space. Uh, and I was taking pretty religiously to. Get into work mode, you know, on my work days of like, okay, well, I'm gonna go take my suppies. That's what I call my supplements. I'm gonna go take my suppies and then they're gonna kick in and I'm gonna sit here and I'm gonna go to town.

[00:10:41] I'm gonna get some work done. Um, I was experiencing headaches and that is not something that. I'm wired to do, I'm more of a tummy girl myself personally. Um, so, and I had recently started the Neuro Spicy Academy, uh, with my friend and business partner, Christina, when these headaches started. So I was like, [00:11:00] okay, maybe I just need to be wearing my glasses more.

[00:11:02] So I was wearing my glasses. I was still getting the headaches. I was like, all right, maybe I need to get the blue light glasses. So I was doing that and I was still getting the headaches. I was like, this is cause you got me staring at a computer screen. And I was more used to a lot less computer, more phone, you know, more handwrite, that sort of stuff.

[00:11:16] Um, and I did a little research and I found out L tyrosine can actually cause headaches in some people. Are you familiar with that? And why don't they warn people?

[00:11:24] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: Yeah, I honestly, like, I think, uh, I, it's great that, and I'll try not to go on a full tangent here, but,

[00:11:31] Melanie Branch: We love tangents. Go off.

[00:11:33] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: yeah, I guess it's a ADHD friendly podcast. So, um, but, but yeah, I think, I think it's great that there's so much like health information out there now when people are talking more about supplements and, uh, but I think that's the part that's often missed is like.

[00:11:46] A lot of people will like hype you up about how great this product is, but they don't really talk about, yeah, like sometimes people do experience side effects or, um, supplements, although they're natural, they can like, they can interact with things. And, um, so maybe, yeah, you're taking a medication, [00:12:00] it's interacting with a medication or, um, you have kidney issues, for example, and a supplement is a little harder on the kidneys, like things like that.

[00:12:07] It's, it's really important to have a good understanding of before you just jump into taking something. Um, And I, so I, I think, um, I, yeah, like, I, I don't know where, where you, like, originally, like, heard about Altairazine and kind of got on that, um, got, went on that journey, but like, it's, whatever source provided that information, like, ideally should have provided a little bit of, um, the background to, um, like, in terms of health and, um, the safety side of it, because they're, yeah, they're not, um, despite being natural, they're not always inert, um, inert supplements, um,

[00:12:40] Melanie Branch: Absolutely. I get that. I like that a lot. Now, when it comes to lifestyle, that is good and supportive for, uh, an ADHD person, a neurodivergent person, um, I have found through all of my research and research is my special interest. So I, um, feel [00:13:00] qualified to speak about it. We know that a low dopamine morning.

[00:13:04] And a high protein diet is very beneficial and it requires. No, doctor, it requires no, like, you can just start making these accommodations now to see a huge improvement in your cognition and your ability to sit still and focus and complete tasks without getting shiny syndrome and going, oh, let me go deal with that.

[00:13:24] Um, so when it comes to like, a low dopamine morning, and which simply means. You're not going to check your phone first thing in the morning. You're not going to scroll first thing in the morning because the amount of dopamine that like the hit of dopamine you get in the morning is the size hit your brain's going to be chasing throughout the rest of the day.

[00:13:40] So if you think about it, like if you are hitting the jackpot of dopamine at 7 am. when you wake up in the morning, that's the size hit that your brain is going to crave for the rest of the day. How can you help our listeners? Um, really manage that and make the most of it from the moment they wake up.

[00:13:56] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: Okay, okay. Yeah, I mean, I, I, I, [00:14:00] uh, I don't think I've explained it necessarily in this way before, but I love, like, I love, uh, I love that kind of low dopamine warning, um, frame, framing of it. Um, I think it, like, a lot of it does really come down to, like, what works, what works for you, but I think there's some commonalities.

[00:14:17] Between all of us is yeah, like jumping on our phones. First thing generally is not a, not a good way to start your day. Um, so like figuring out what does feel good and then putting some, um, like putting, putting barriers in place, I guess, to prevent you from doing those things anyway, because I know many of us, um, we'll have the.

[00:14:37] Best plan for the morning and like kind of have a general idea of what's going to work for us And then we wake up tired, maybe a little moody, whatever it may be And then next thing you know, you're reaching for your phone because it's right there um, so I think like planning for like our best and worst day can be a big piece there like Knowing that, okay, if I'm, if I wake up in a bad mood, I'm more likely to grab my phone, so maybe I should plug my phone in, cross the room, cross the [00:15:00] apartment, um, so that it's that much harder for me to do the thing that isn't going to be helping me, um, and then, again, like, making the, A task that we want to do as easy as possible to access so if my idea of a good morning routine is getting up and going for a walk first thing with my dog, um, like having my clothes laid out having, um.

[00:15:20] Again, like doing like the little things to make that the easy choice over Jumping into the thing that isn't going to set me off on the right path um, I find like planning my day first thing helps me a lot too so that i'm able to kind of Shut off the thoughts of, okay, I got to do this today and not today.

[00:15:38] And this today, the sooner I can kind of jump in and, and just get a grasp on what my day looks like without getting dragged actually into those tasks. That helps me a lot with it. Um, and then, yeah, making sure I take time for, for myself and kind of start things off slow. Um, so that I, I, yeah, not kind of jumping right into that overwhelm of the day.

[00:15:57] Melanie Branch: Yeah, you know, I like to [00:16:00] tell my clients and all the members of the Neuro Spicy Academy, your neurodivergence is not the problem. Your ADHD, your autism, your rejection sensitivity, whatever flavor you align with and you feel like you have or you deal with, that's not the problem. The problem is you're not having accommodations.

[00:16:16] The problem is your executive functioning. The problem is, you know, trying to live to a neurotypical standard when that is going to exhaust. All and use up all of your mental calories, and then you're going to just sit here beating yourself up mentally and emotionally because you weren't able to do all the things that you wanted to do.

[00:16:34] But, like, when it comes to the 8 key executive functions, so organization and all the emotional regulation and all that, if you're spending all your spoons, trying to get dressed and ready in the morning, then the rest of the day is not going to go well.

[00:16:48] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: Yeah, I was, uh, I was just about to bring up spoon theory. So I love that you, you naturally gravitated there. I think it's an amazing way of like, yeah, just being, being real with ourselves because yeah, some days, some days we wake up and we got that, [00:17:00] we got all the spoons available and we, we know we have the capacity to kind of do all the things.

[00:17:04] And then other days we wake up and yeah, maybe there's only a couple of them and we can't, um, if we're not honest with ourselves from the start, then it's, it's, we're just going to end up, yeah, kind of. Feeling like crap as the day goes on, and, um, I feel like we're not, we're not reaching the potential, but we, uh, we don't always start with the, the same level of potential each day.

[00:17:21] Melanie Branch: that's very true. I, you know, I used to work in a very busy restaurant for 5 and a half years. Before I went full time with my business back in 2021 and. When I tell you I worked at a very busy mall, at a very busy restaurant chain, that had a huge gigantic menu, and I would still go to the grocery store after work, I would still go out for drinks with my girlfriends, I would still do all of these things, and now that I am a fully accommodated, neurodivergent, unmasked human being running my own business with more freedom and time and, and, you know, revenue than I've ever experienced, I can't even go to Walmart and Target in the same day. Like, I I have been to the mall before with my children to get [00:18:00] sneakers and we have all hit the wall and ran out of spoons at the same time and just looked at each other. I've been like, I'm out of spoons. And my kids are like, I'm out of spoons too. We're like, let's get out of here. So how has, how have you, when it comes to managing the expectations around like your energetic output and like you say, your capacity, do you have any tips or tricks for like, Not beating yourself up because you're not driven by your trauma drive anymore like you now understand This is what I can do because that's the biggest You know roadblock for all of my clients is like well, I used to be able to do all this Why can't I do this now?

[00:18:34] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: hmm. Mm hmm, mm hmm. Yeah, I, uh, a couple things, and I think, I think this is something that, I am still certainly, certainly working on, and like, I think we all, um, just with, with Neurodivergent folk, like, it's ingrained in us from such a young age, so it, it does definitely still, still, uh, still take some reminders, um.

[00:18:53] But yeah, part of my, part of, part of my planning my day, I do, I do use the um, I was using a digital [00:19:00] planner and now I just do it in my, my notes of um, the, in the app that I'm using, but I do kind of put in how many spoons I have and then I put in potential barriers. throughout my day too. Um, if I, yeah, if I slept poorly last night, like I should note that and know that I can't put as many things on my to do list as I, as I would like to.

[00:19:20] Um, and then I, I do as much as my body resists to do lists and organizing tasks. Like I need it. Like I, if I don't, it's just chaos. So like giving myself the tough love to be like, no, like this is a non negotiable. You're going to do this and you're going to feel better when you do it. Um, But I find that piece, that piece is huge for me too, and then I'll, I'll include even the small things, so I get those little dopamine hits throughout the day as I'm like, checking off the things I know I'm going to do.

[00:19:49] Um, it just, visually seeing that, it, and like, it brings more, I think, intentionality into like, Focusing on the small wins. Cause it's something that many of us don't [00:20:00] really do. We don't, we don't recognize, um, yeah, like even, even the little things that we're, we're doing for ourselves each day, like, yeah, if I get up and I do my skincare routine, like that's a win.

[00:20:09] Like that's, that's something that I should be, should be celebrating. Um, And instead, it's so much easier for us to look at our, look at our list and say, you know, I didn't get this, this, and this done. Like, wow, I can, I'm always behind. I'm always, I can never, I can never follow through, etc. Um. And that's, that's just how our, our brains are like naturally wired to jump to those pieces.

[00:20:31] So if we're not, if we're not really at being intentional about recognizing each win, uh, and then, um, to tie into that too, I would say, um, there was a concept my, my therapist actually spoke with me about, which I really loved of, um, like, uh, past, past, current and future self. And like, Bringing intentionality into recognizing things that things that I do that support all of those versions of me.

[00:20:56] So, um, yeah, like, if I take my supplements in the morning, that [00:21:00] is that's looking out for currently shot and future Alicia and I'm grateful from that. I love myself enough to do that. Like, and, um, that's really how we kind of build a more, um. Stable, I guess, or, um, stable is not really the word I'm looking for.

[00:21:15] Um, a self worth, I guess, it's not dependent on what we achieve in a day and that, like, external validation. Because if we're, if we're always looking for those pieces, it's a, it's much more easy, it's much easier for us to be, yeah, be disappointed and discouraged and feel like we're falling short.

[00:21:31] Melanie Branch: I found out something today that really rocked my world and it is a rejection sensitive brain Is wired to Is it hurt my feelings when I found this out? Okay. All right a rejection sensitive brain is wired to perceive neutral as negative to amplify negative and to minimize positive so When you are out with friends And you're, you get stuck in that [00:22:00] mindset and that spiral of like, Oh God, everybody hates me.

[00:22:02] Why does nobody like me? It is because you're saying neutral is negative. You're amplifying actual negative things that happen. And then you are minimizing anything positive that happens. And then to add fuel to the fire. Uh, it was a therapist that explained to me that the severity of the trauma that we incur.

[00:22:20] It is not based on the event itself. It is based on how alone you felt when you experienced the trauma.

[00:22:28] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: Oh, interesting. That's, uh,

[00:22:30] Melanie Branch: So when

[00:22:31] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: I haven't...

[00:22:32] Melanie Branch: when your business mindset coach comes to you and says, I would like you to work on a more positive mindset and these are the obstacles that we're up against. It's going to be easy to understand why it's been so difficult thus far, whether you're into manifestation, whether you're into self development and personal development, whether you're into business.

[00:22:49] It doesn't matter if your brain is already hardwired against all of those roadblocks.

[00:22:55] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: Mm hmm, mm hmm. Uh,

[00:22:56] Melanie Branch: I mean, it just.

[00:22:57] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: yeah, and I, I don't know about you, but like, myself, like, I [00:23:00] was, I was late diagnosed, too, so like, I am just, I know many of us are in that boat, and then, um, now at least, like, at least there's, at least there's, And, and explanation. At least we can understand, um, like, uh, RSD and how that impacts us. Whereas, yeah, growing up, like, that, that wasn't there.

[00:23:16] It was just, you would have, we would have these kind of severe emotional reactions to, yeah, real rejection or perceived rejection, whatever it may have been. Um, and just not understood why our body's freaking out when, like, logically we, we feel like we should be fine, but we're not fine.

[00:23:31] Melanie Branch: Yep. Absolutely. And then the, the term emotional flooding, I didn't even need anybody to explain that to me. I just heard emotional flooding and I went, Oh, I bet I know what that is. Just based on, you know, the amount of. And if you think about it too, so where most of us are late diagnosed, most, all of us are late realized.

[00:23:49] That's what I like to say, because I don't believe that the argument of, uh, a professional diagnosis or a self diagnosis is as important as just realizing, Hey, this is my neuro type. [00:24:00] This is what

[00:24:00] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: I would

[00:24:01] Melanie Branch: system in my brain does. And these are the ways that I'm going to improve my, my wellbeing and my lifestyle.

[00:24:08] Um, so when it comes to. You know, understanding, okay, so I am rejection sensitive and I have emotional flooding. Uh, so that means, um, if I'm not taking care of my sensory needs, right? And if I'm sitting at the dinner table and listening to everybody chew, and I've had a stressful day staring at ring lights, and I haven't done anything.

[00:24:30] To like, as soon as I'm done here with this interview, all of these lights that are on around me are going to go off and I'm going to sit back in the dark, staring at a computer screen with blue light glasses on because that's sensorily what I need. So of course, once we figure all this out and we can identify what our neurotype is, then we can start improving like radically.

[00:24:50] So. Tell me some of the, um, the, uh, accommodations that you have in your life and your business that can help other, you know, neurodivergent [00:25:00] entrepreneurs.

[00:25:00] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: For sure. Um, so where do I start with this? Uh, I think too. I'm just thinking about it and I am very ADHD of me, but I tend to something works for me for a while and then I kind of flip to a different tool or I get bored of one thing working and flip around a little bit. Um, so yeah, lots to pull from, but it does.

[00:25:19] I

[00:25:19] Melanie Branch: Yeah.

[00:25:20] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: it certainly takes some trial and error. Um, But yeah, some, some of the things that work, um, so I, again, like just having, forcing structure on myself and same with, again, the, the patients I work with, like, that's a piece that, that needs to be there, um, in some aspect, I don't really care how you're, how you're doing it, um, but choosing a tool that works for you, um, I'm, um, I can mention the, like, the tool I'm currently using is Sensama, which I've really liked, um, It's, um, not sponsored by them or anything, but they, I'm, uh, I'm like pretty.

[00:25:53] Like, yeah, hit me up if you guys are listening. Um, but, uh, but, but yeah, that that's [00:26:00] the one I've found has been really great because it links right with my Google calendar. Um, and it has the flexibility to drag things around. So I've tried some of like the, like the AI ones before where it plans it out for you, but if it plans it out and my brain says, I don't like that, then I, it doesn't work.

[00:26:16] So, um, Yeah, finding a tool that's going to fit your brain. And like, I had to commit to like, make myself watch how to videos, because I found I kept just like, trying an organizational tool, not fully committing to understanding it, and then saying, no, this doesn't work, and then giving up on it. Um, But that, that piece is a, is a big, a big foundational one for me.

[00:26:37] Um, I think recognizing, again, like the type of state that I'm in. So if I'm, if my brain is having a day where it's more all over the place, um, maybe I, maybe I can't listen to music while I'm working. I might have to use, like, I'll do like 40 Hertz binaural beats. I, we have some pretty good data for improved focus there.

[00:26:56] So if I'm struggling to focus, I'll use something like that. Or if [00:27:00] I'm a little more on the anxious side, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. Like I know I need to. add more intentionality into like bricks throughout the day. So really kind of breaking up my day into smaller chunks of time. Um, timers, I'm huge fan of timers.

[00:27:14] The like, the time blindness piece with ADHD is, is a challenging one. And, um, I think both my, myself and people that I've worked with struggle to, because we struggle to estimate how long something's going to take. It's a recipe to kind of overpack our day. And then again, feel discouraged when we don't.

[00:27:33] do all the things. Um, so I'll, I'll often use like the pomodoro technique I quite like, which is essentially you're doing 25 minutes of focused work, no distractions, phones, phones away. It's on, do not disturb your, you have your water ready, you're fed, nothing, nothing ideally should be pulling you away from that time block.

[00:27:54] Um, So it's 25, 25 minutes on, 5 minutes off, and I'll usually do, um, about 2 or [00:28:00] 3 rounds of those before I take a longer break, but, um, I find, I find that works quite well, again, depending on the day. Um, those I would say are my biggest ones. I, um, that I, that I use most consistently. Um, Um, I'll use like little things to like the, um, I will use like the, the two minute rule.

[00:28:19] I try to remind myself if something's going to take less than two minutes, just do it now. Um, if there's the capacity for it instead of procrastinating it, um, there's the, there's a five minute rule too, which works well for some people of, um, if you're really procrastinating something, commit, like set a timer, commit to just five minutes of working on it.

[00:28:38] And then oftentimes we'll continue, um. But yeah, I would say those are some of, those are some of the, the bigger ones that I'll often pull from.

[00:28:44] Melanie Branch: That's funny. I like to call that one just the tip and it's how I get myself to take all of my supplements most days. I'm like, all right,

[00:28:50] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: Yeah. Mmhmm.

[00:28:50] Melanie Branch: we're just going to take three. What are the three most important? Plus that gets my brain like, Right. I'm like, all right, the three most important ones today are going to be this, this, and this.

[00:28:58] Um, all right. And then I've just [00:29:00] opened three bottles and I've swallowed these. So let's just take three more. What's the, what are the three next most important ones? Right. So it's like, I have to talk myself into things all the time because we know the ADHD brain sees every single set. What I don't understand, perhaps you can help me with this doc.

[00:29:13] I don't understand how. We see, our brain sees every single step involved in a shower, for example, right? So from the moment, from the, from the first step, which is getting your ass out of whatever chair you're sitting in, right? And then walking to the bathroom and then disrobing and turning the water on, like we see all those steps, which is why it can be so overwhelming.

[00:29:32] Why then do we also have such an issue with organization of tasks? When we know what every step is. So like, for example, I use Chat GBT for outlines, for emails, for agendas, for all that, right. Because literally I can brain dump and I can say. Hey bud. It's nice to see you. And I talked to my Chat GBT, like he is a person and I'm very nice

[00:29:55] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: Mmhmm.

[00:29:55] Melanie Branch: 'cause you're supposed to be very nice to your

[00:29:57] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: I've heard that. Yeah,

[00:29:58] Melanie Branch: I am. Nice to my ai. [00:30:00] Thank you very much. Uh, so I'll just say, Hey, I need to write an outline for, like at the Neuro Spicy Academy, we do a rebel round table every Tuesday night. So I'll have. You know, the timeframe, and I'll have the topic and I'll say, so I need an outline for our rebel round table.

[00:30:14] We're talking about how to use Chat GPT for business. It's going to be an hour long. Can you help me with that? And he'll just spit it out. And then, cause I see it in my brain, but to get it from my brain to my pause, to the computer, to the screen is where I just go, uh, I don't have it. So when it comes to executive functioning, how do you help your executive function throughout the day?

[00:30:33] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: yeah. So it's, it's, uh, it's a, it's another tough one. Cause you certainly like you look at the whole, like you look at all those steps, even though we can recognize the steps, you look at them and they all feel important and they all feel overwhelming. And our brains struggle to like, think, think of it in a way that like, okay, no, just focus on this first and then we can move to this and this and this.

[00:30:53] Um. So I do think like, or when you organize your day, like taking that into consideration and breaking things down as small and small as possible, [00:31:00] as small as possible is important. Um, but then also, like, you don't want to, like, have the full thing in front of you either. So if you have, like, and I'm, I'm still, I'm still guilty of this oftentimes, and I have to remind myself not to just put everything that I have to get done on, like, today, for example, if I know I realistically won't get to all of it, um, and then even from there, like, trying to break it down even more, um, I'll sometimes have, um, have, have patients, um, like, use it.

[00:31:29] Like a sticky note where they put maybe like one to three things at a time on the sticky note and then they're putting the rest of their to do list away, but these three are my top priority. Um, three things feels a lot less overwhelming than the full to do list and then it's not that you can't go back and get more things once you finish them, but just not having that, that big list glaring at you the whole time really does, does change the feel.

[00:31:53] Um. I do in the app I use to, it does have a focus mode, which, which I like, I, I swear the, um, they don't promote [00:32:00] it for ADHD, but I think they, it's definitely ADHD friendly. Um, it's in the focus mode, basically it pops up and you just see the task you're working on. Um, and then you has a timer, so it'll time how long you actually take to get through it and then compare it to what you estimated.

[00:32:15] So, um, helps you get more realistic and kind of guesstimating what those, how long. Your typical task would take, but again, it hides the big scary to do list that you don't want staring at you all day.

[00:32:28] Melanie Branch: that's incredible. I like that. What is the name of that app again?

[00:32:30] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: Uh, sun sama. Uh, yeah, right. Let me make sure I'm pronouncing that correctly. Sun. Yeah, it's on Sama. It's on Sama.

[00:32:36] Melanie Branch: Uh, the Michael Jackson mama say mama's song instantly started playing in my head when he said son Sama, so we will definitely check out that app. I like anything that will help with organization and task management and task initiation, which is also 1 of those 8 key executive functions because we throw around the term.

[00:32:55] Executive dysfunction and executive function, and I would like everyone to know that [00:33:00] technically it is executive function and that you struggle with executive function, but the term executive dysfunction is just very fun. And we like to talk about my executive dysfunction. I call it, um, and this is a term I got from my friend and business partner at the Neuro Spicy Academy, mental calorie loads, right?

[00:33:16] So. When we talk about breaking down your to do list into a month and then a week and then a day and like an hour, that sort of stuff, you don't want to pair a bunch of high mental calorie tasks together, right? So if you know that you are going out to dinner and drinks with your girlfriends, Probably don't aim to be super social all day long.

[00:33:36] Right? So like, I'm not going to go live on TikTok and make content and do a podcast interview and have to go out with my friends at night. Cause I, I won't be able to withstand all of that. I will burn out. I will be very, very tired. I will need days of recovery time for that. So really think about, you know, what's going to require a lot of mental calories and then break it up accordingly.

[00:33:56] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: Mm hmm. Mm hmm. Yeah, I've, uh, I've [00:34:00] even, I've, sometimes I play around with, like, color coding tasks based on, like, how much they drain me and how much they, like, take out of me. I don't always do it. It's something that I do want to do more of and get a better understanding of that. But, um, But yeah, it's different, different types of tasks drain you in different, different ways, for sure.

[00:34:18] And like, knowing, knowing what your limits are socially from a cognitive perspective, focus perspective, et cetera, uh, really goes a long way and is going to help, yeah, prevent you from diving back down into that not so fun burnout category.

[00:34:31] Melanie Branch: Yeah, absolutely. And you know, um. The trauma drive is something that's kind of new for me to new to my wheelhouse, but it's essentially how we used to be able to do so much stuff right before we were accommodating our neurodivergence. And when we were still just trying to live a neurotypical life, um.

[00:34:51] And that's what was propelling you forward was, okay, well I have to show up and I have to take care of people and I have to do this and I have to do that and la la la and da da da. And then you have that big, [00:35:00] huge burnout moment of just like bottoming out. I know a lot of us hit it during the quarantine, during the pandemic, when we were all able to just slow down.

[00:35:07] And if you didn't burn out then, then you started realizing your burnout soon after when you were like, wait a minute. I, especially those of us that were working in a very busy restaurant and then you had, you know, two months off of your very busy restaurant and you were just able to like live and have fun.

[00:35:21] If you were here in Florida, you were fighting for, uh, uh, uh, I won't even get into it cause that's a whole nother comment. Ah, there's a whole nother, a whole nother thing. Um, but like, then they want you to go back to performing at the same level and you're like, wait a minute, that's not possible anymore.

[00:35:36] I don't have, I don't have those settings anymore. Right. And that's. Something that my clients really are hard on themselves about when they come to me and they're like, well, I used to be able to do all of this. And now I just can't do all of this. And everybody wonders why I can't do all this. And I know personally, I held myself to the standard that every day should be a high energy day.

[00:35:55] And if you have ADHD, you know what a high energy day is. It's when you wake up, you [00:36:00] feel great, you get a lot done. You're in a good mood. People want to be around you. You want to be around people, never make plans. On your high energy day, by the way, because the day that those plans come up, you're no longer high energy.

[00:36:09] And you're like, why did I do this to myself? But the sooner you can understand that your energy cycles are going to go up and down and up and down and up and down and that. Everybody likes you more on a high energy day, but everybody still likes you on a low energy day. You know, really that flexibility is it's just so important.

[00:36:28] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: for sure, for sure. And I do think too, um, like with the pandemic, I, I definitely saw a shift in, um, like people that had never experienced like, uh, like, like social anxiety or really anything kind of within that realm. All of a sudden they were experiencing it or yeah, like they, they felt like they could have a very jam packed social schedule and then.

[00:36:49] We just got, we got used to staying at home. So it's jumping back into that. It's like relearning something that was so, so just like second nature to us for the longest time. [00:37:00] Um, and, and that certainly has its, has its implications too, but I would say it's, yeah, amplified for the ADHD brain.

[00:37:06] Melanie Branch: Absolutely. So tell me again, how long have you been a ND? That is a naturopathic doctor.

[00:37:13] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: Uh, yeah, about, about two and a half years now. I, uh, I was a 2020 graduate, so jumped into the work field during the pandemic, which was lots of fun.

[00:37:21] Melanie Branch: Oh my goodness. So what is your day? What does a regular day in your naturopathic doctor life look like?

[00:37:28] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: So it depends on whether I'm like, I have certain days where I'm seeing patients, certain days where I'm not. Um, so they do end up being a little bit of a mix, but usually there's a chunk of time where I am working one on one with patients, whether that be virtually via video calls, or I do work in person at a clinic in Toronto as well.

[00:37:46] Um, Outside of that, I'm working on treatment plans for patients, so usually doing, doing research for, for the case, kind of putting together recommendations in a way that makes sense for them and it's going to be bite sized for them to work on in between appointments. [00:38:00] Uh, so that takes up a big chunk of my time.

[00:38:02] Um, and then around that, like, there is quite a bit in terms of, like, keeping up with, with emails and messages from patients. There's, um, the business side of it, too, so. Working on social media stuff, working on, I do have some other projects in the works, too, of like other offerings that'll be coming out, um, hopefully not too far in the future, um, but like working on basically expanding my offerings beyond one on one care has been something that, um, has been a, been a side project for me, um.

[00:38:33] And then yeah, outside of that, I would say, um, in terms of like work hours, the other piece would be, um, well, admin stuff. I intentionally, intentionally probably didn't talk about the admin stuff because I absolutely hate the admin side of it.

[00:38:46] Melanie Branch: the admin? It's the worst.

[00:38:48] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: Yeah. Yeah. Those are the, those are the tasks get procrastinated, but we eventually get to those.

[00:38:53] Um, and then, uh, and then, yeah, basically any other work time I have left, it's, it's just dedicated to learning, so that's [00:39:00] where I kind of dig into the, like, for fun, for fun reading, um, usually on something mental health or ADHD related.

[00:39:06] Melanie Branch: Yeah, yeah, I would love if more people like you were active in the mental health and wellness space because You know having an open mind about it having a solid, you know footing of education and experience put together is so important and again a naturopathic doctor might be for you if You know, you're dealing with things outside of the, uh, the line of fine.

[00:39:33] Tell me about that again. We talked about this before we hopped on here. But Dr. Megan Walker talks about the line of fine and then where a naturopathic doctor comes in.

[00:39:42] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: Yeah, yeah, so, um. The, uh, one of, one of my, my mentors, Dr. Dr. Megan Walker, her, um, the way she puts it, I think sums it up perfectly that, um, with naturopathic medicine, it's not necessarily an either or of like conventional medicine or naturopathic, um, but we each have our role. So you could go see [00:40:00] your family doctor, your conventional medical doctor, and basically their job is to make sure you're not dying.

[00:40:04] So they get you to that line of fine. They make sure, okay, none of your blood works show that you have a disease. Great. You're okay. Go home, but maybe you still feel like crap. So that's, uh, that's where we come in. That's where I add, uh, naturopaths, other, other healthcare practitioners. Um, because I, most people aren't okay with just being fine.

[00:40:24] We want to, we want to feel good. We want to. feel, we want to feel great. Um, we don't, we want to live our life without, um, like having aspects of our health hold us back. Um, so, so yeah, that's where we need kind of more of a collaborative model when we're approaching, when we're approaching medicine, whether it be mental health or other aspects of your health.

[00:40:40] Melanie Branch: I love that so much. Ah, I love it so much. Okay, so before we get into the lightning round of fun, neuro spicy questions, tell everybody, Dr. Alicia, where they can find you. And again, everything will be linked to these videos. Um, but tell everybody where they can find you, um, and how they can work with you.

[00:40:59] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: For sure. [00:41:00] So, um, my website is dralesha. ca. Uh, so I have kind of my, my info up there, what I'm about and booking links there if you were interested in working together. I, I do, I do offer free, free 15 minute consults for anybody that was curious about naturopathic medicine. Unfortunately, I can only see people who live in Ontario, so that is a little barrier there for now.

[00:41:21] But again, hoping to kind of launch some other offerings that extend my reach a little bit more in the coming months. Um, so keep an eye out for that. And then in terms of social media, then the main one I'm using right now, um, is Instagram. So my Instagram is Dr. Dr.AliciaMac. So like Dr.AliciaMac.

[00:41:38] Um, and that's where I share most of my content. Um, maybe someday I'll get on, uh, get on TikTok. I don't know how, uh, how Melanie manages to do it all, but, uh, it's, uh, it's on the, it's on the future plan list too.

[00:41:51] Melanie Branch: Um, I do love TikTok when it comes to, you know, reach. And I like Instagram when it comes to connection. And I like, I want to like LinkedIn and [00:42:00] I'm getting there slowly. And,

[00:42:01] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: Oh boy. Uh, uh,

[00:42:03] Melanie Branch: YouTube, I feel like I might've just missed the boat when it came to YouTube, cause I am 37 and I know people that are in their twenties are really into YouTube and I know like.

[00:42:14] Some early 30s are really into YouTube. I just never really, I'd rather Google something or look it up on TikTok. So I'm that weird Intermediate thing, but I'm sure I can help you, uh, break into whatever social media market that you want to. Cause, uh, social media is, you know, really the name of the game when it comes to, uh, service based businesses.

[00:42:32] Absolutely. So, yeah. All right. Are you ready for the lightning round? It's five questions that I ask everybody on this show. And it's all about just the fun neurodivergent stuff.

[00:42:42] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: Sounds good.

[00:42:43] Melanie Branch: question number one. What is your favorite social media platform to use, personally?

[00:42:48] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: Um, for, um, we'll, we'll say TikTok for, for me, for me, like just enjoying myself, not in terms of like business, I would much rather watch TikToks.

[00:42:59] Melanie Branch: Yeah, [00:43:00] TikTok is it. All right, this is a fun one. What is the most recent rabbit hole you've gone down?

[00:43:04] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: Uh, honestly, it's been ADHD really. It was, um, cause I was, yeah, I was only diagnosed a year ago. So basically since I was diagnosed, that's been my, that's been my obsession of, of just, yeah, learning, learning everything there is to know. Cause it's, uh, helps, helps me out, helps my patients out and it's lots of fun to learn about.

[00:43:23] Melanie Branch: I know it is. It's so fun to learn about it. Um, all right. I am a firm believer that we can use shows to, uh, help us with our emotions. So we have emotional support shows. Um, and then we can also use shows to help us manifest whatever it is that we're trying to attract in. Right? So you can watch shows about people who have what you want and you can then like get on that level, quote unquote.

[00:43:44] Um, and then when you're having some sort of. You know, thing that you're working through, your emotional support shows will always be there for you. So, can you share with us your current emotional support show and or a manifestation show that you like?

[00:43:58] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: Ooh, I don't know if I, at least not [00:44:00] recently. I don't think I've, I've, I've used like a TV show in that way. Um, like that's what you mean, right? Like a, like a TV show or something. Yeah. I would

[00:44:07] Melanie Branch: you always, like a lot of people, they say friends or, you know, mine is Parks and Rec, that sort of thing.

[00:44:13] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: Gotcha. Okay. That just like that light, easy to watch. Um, probably the office then I would say, um, again, I said, I feel like it's a, the, uh, it's a, it's a, it's a basic answer, but yeah, that, that one's probably like a, that's a nice easy watch. Um, Yeah, just or re watching like re watching like movies like I really like a lot of like I like soul and like What's the other one inside out like those like Pixar

[00:44:36] Melanie Branch: Oh yeah.

[00:44:37] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: the cute little messages in them. Um, I watch those fairly regularly, too I find they're a nice little nice little little boost and an easy watch. Mm

[00:44:45] Melanie Branch: Oh, I like that. Yeah. Cause you know, there's a lot of like emotionality that goes into taking on a new show. And I, I'm a, I love the HBO shows that have like eight episodes. I'm like, I can handle this. I can take this on. [00:45:00] I can do this. Absolutely. But then like, when it comes to, I want to fall asleep and not.

[00:45:05] Have to turn anything off it's gonna be like Downton Abbey because that's just a nice peaceful show to listen to that's not gonna wake You up, and you're not gonna be mad if you miss anything All right fourth question, and you're a doctor, so I'm gonna be ashamed that I'm asking you this Have you had any water today, and do you want to share your emotional support cup with everyone?

[00:45:22] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: Yes, I've, uh, I've certainly, I've have, uh, have my friendly, friendly water bottle here with me. My, my brother's dog, actually, um, it was his favorite chew toy when we first, when he first got him. So that's why it's kind of beaten up a little bit,

[00:45:35] Melanie Branch: I love

[00:45:36] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: well loved. Yeah. Um,

[00:45:38] Melanie Branch: And it's pink for anybody listening. It's pink so I approve it

[00:45:41] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: Yeah, yeah. I think I, I use, I probably not surprisingly, I lose them quite frequently.

[00:45:46] So the color gets, the benefit of that is I get to try a new one in a new pretty color each time. So we're on pink for now.

[00:45:51] Melanie Branch: Yeah. All right. Last question. What is your current dopamine snack or meal?

[00:45:57] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: Ooh. Um, okay. I mean, [00:46:00] these aren't going to be very naturopathic of me, but that's okay. Um, we all love, we all love some balance. So, um, yeah. Um, I mean, pizza has always been like my favorite food. Um. Pizza, or like, yeah, if I'm, if I'm feeling like I need a little boost, sushi is another one that's certainly a go to.

[00:46:16] Melanie Branch: nobody has said sushi yet. Okay.

[00:46:18] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: uh, yeah, um, yeah, I was a little moody last night. We got sushi. I feel better today, so we'll bring the sushi. Um, oops, spilling my water bottle now. Uh, and then snack, I, um, I've been on this, uh, jalapeno jack, um, do you guys have kernels in the U. S.? Colonel's Popcorn, is that a Canadian thing? It's a popcorn store.

[00:46:37] Um, Colonel's it's called, might be a Canadian thing. Um, but anyway, I, there was a, there was this flavor that me and my dad always used to get growing up that I really loved and I hadn't touched it in years, but it's been my, it's been my like addiction lately of like my, uh, yeah, my, my, my fun dopamine stack when I'm craving something to, uh, to give me that little boost.

[00:46:57] It's very good. Would recommend if you guys ever get a [00:47:00] Colonel's.

[00:47:00] Melanie Branch: Okay. Kernels. Look it up. I'm going to try and figure it out. I love go popcorn. I love, I'm a big proponent of heavily peppering my popcorn,

[00:47:09] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: Oh, interesting. See, I'm a, I'm a bit of a,

[00:47:12] Melanie Branch: I like, I like it a lot of pepper. Yeah.

[00:47:15] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: See, I'm a, I'm a bit of a baby with spice. I, uh, I, I can, I've come a long way, but pepper used to be too spicy for me as a kid, so we have to, yeah, we have to tread lightly there for me.

[00:47:25] Melanie Branch: What a gentle baby. I can't even, I know I want my popcorn to be like as black as my tank top when it comes to putting pepper on it. Yeah, absolutely. Love it. Oh my gosh. Well, Alicia, Dr. Alicia, I am. So thankful and grateful that you were here on the podcast. And I want everybody that is listening to go follow her on all the socials that you can possibly find her on Instagram first.

[00:47:46] And I want to thank everybody for listening and hanging out and we will talk again soon. Okay. Bye.

[00:47:51] Dr. Alicia MacDougall: Thanks so much, Melanie. Thanks, guys. Bye.

[00:47:53] [00:48:00]