Episode 151: Loving Your Past Self: Adult ADHD Discovery and Reparenting Your Inner Child [featuring Monica Leblanc]

Show Notes

In this episode, I spoke with Monica Leblanc, a seasoned therapist, coach, freelance writer, and Enneagram teacher, as she shared insights from her journey, particularly around her recent ADHD diagnosis and the importance of loving past versions of ourselves to stay present.

Key Takeaways:

1. Compassion for Past Selves: Monica highlights the need for compassion when reflecting on past versions of ourselves. This is especially relevant for those with late-in-life neurodivergent diagnoses, like ADHD, where understanding and compassion for "past parts" are crucial for healing.
2. Impact of Medication: Both Monica and I discussed the stigma surrounding medication for neurodivergent individuals. Monica spoke openly about how medication has transformed her executive functioning and brought clarity and progress in her work and daily life.
3. Authenticity and Alignment: Monica shared her journey from feeling like a "hot mess" in business to finding alignment in her personal and professional life. Her story underlines the value of authenticity and re-parenting one's inner child to create a successful, meaningful career.

More about Monica:

Monica is a therapist, coach, freelance writer, and enneagram teacher. Based out of Asheville, NC, she sees clients in her boutique therapy practice who want more connected relationships with themselves and their dear ones. She uses a combination of parts work (Internal family systems), the enneagram, and dynamic attachment repatterning experiencing (DARE) to help recovering people pleasers alchemize their pain into purpose and meaning and create alignment in their choices.

Monica is also the co-owner along with Elizabeth Gillette of HELD, an integrative attachment collective, coaching program, and retreat host. Through HELD, participants' attachment work is amplified through community and cozy container so that relational shifts can be seen quickly and last sustainably. HELD participants receive exclusive access to Monica’s enneagram courses and workshops. 

Monica teaches the enneagram in the embodiment tradition which is a lineage based in body energetics and utilizing awareness of our enneagram pattern for personal growth and alignment. She teaches public workshops, offers corporate retreats, and has online courses. 

The HELD retreat is September 13–15, 2024 in Old Fort, NC. AN ENTIRE WEEKEND of attachment work, nature immersion and experiences, cozy yoga, nourishing meals, experiential parts work, and therapeutic creative practices. Learn more here: monica-leblanc.com/upcoming & elizabethgillette.com/heldretreat

• Social Media: @connectingwithmonicaleblanc