Episoder
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This is a teaser of a conversation I had with Stephanie Zukowski, the intern coordinator for the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center (BOEC). BOEC is one of the foremost adaptive sports organizations in the country. We talked about their work, what adaptive sports means, how people with adhd and neurodivergence fit into the adaptive sports world, her thoughts on the idea of adhd as a superpower in rock climbing, and much more! To access the full episode, you can join my Patreon and become a monthly subscriber of Buddy Check.
Join my Patreon to access the full episode, future bonus episodes, essays from me, and discounts on merchandise!
Resources:
If you are interested in BOEC's intern program, get in touch with Stephanie at [email protected] boec.org for more information on all their programming! -
In the season finale of Season 2, a conversation with Jenny Fischer, the CEO of Ocun North America, about how she thinks about her identity as incomplete without an acknowledgment of her adhd but also completely ineffective if she hangs her whole identity on it. As someone who was diagnosed in middle school, Jenny has been sitting with and reflecting on how she relates to her diagnosis for over two decades. This episode turned into something of a meditation on identity, self worth, learning about yourself through climbing, and the fluidity of growing up.
Join my Patreon!
Resources:
Find Jenny on Instagram @jenny.lemonpieOcun Aphantasia: a beautiful Radiolab episode also about accepting your own brain chemistry -
Manglende episoder?
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This episode tackles the second half of the hypothesis I started with this season: what does the climbing community mean to people with adhd and other neurodivergent identities? Do those identities contribute to our misfit identity as climbers, and is that something to pay attention to and protect as climbing overall becomes more mainstream?
Zofia Reych, a climbing anthropologist, historian, and writer weighs in on their experience, and we hear from five other climbers with adhd for their thoughts too.
Join my Patreon!
Resources:
Order Zofia's book Born to ClimbFind Zofia on Instagram @upthatrockAccess Zofia's newsletter on Patreon -
In today's episode, we take the niche theme of this season one step further, diving into the incredibly specific topic of how people with adhd experience and relate to fear in climbing. Even though fear is an important element behind the enjoyment many people with adhd find in climbing, their hyperfocus can become a double-edged sword, leading some climbers with adhd to fixate on thoughts of fear and spiral into all the things that might go wrong.
Join my Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/BuddyCheckPodcast/membership!
Resources:
Strong Mind mental training course -
Todayâs episode explores the narrative that ADHD is a superpower in rock climbing. For some people, the chance to flip the script on their disorder is something they jump at, but for others, it feels like an entirely incomplete way to think about their experience. Seven climbers weigh in on how they think about their brain chemistry in relation to their climbing.
Become a Buddy Check Patron! https://www.patreon.com/BuddyCheckPodcast/membership
Resources:
Ekman, Elizabeth, Arto Hiltunen, and Henrik Gustafsson. 2021. âDo Athletes Have More of a Cognitive Profile with ADHD Criteria than Non-Athletes?â Sports 9 (5): 61. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports9050061.Order Zofia Reychâs book Born to ClimbReceive Zofia's newsletter through PatreonFind Jenny on Instagram @jenny.lemonpie -
Episode three explores what it is about climbing that can make it so intoxicating for people with adhd. Weâll hear from six different climbers about their experiences with flow, challenge, and sensory regulation.
Resources:
The ADHD Brain: Neuroscience 101Order Zofia Reychâs book Born to ClimbSubscribe to Zofia's PatreonFollow Jenny on Instagram @jenny.lemonpie -
In an attempt to assess the percentage of elite athletes with ADHD compared to the general population, I wound up in a deep dive of baseball statistics and the murky way they help to show this pattern. Episode two tells the story of how it came to be that today, the Major League Baseball playersâ association and the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball publish an annual report, available to the public, that shows the number of professional baseball players taking medication to treat ADHD. But numbers by themselves rarely tell the full story.
Subscribe to my Patreon! www.patreon.com/BuddyCheckPodcast/
Resources:
Team Chemistry: The History of Drugs and Alcohol in Major League Baseball by Nathan CorzineMajor League Drug Policy2023 Annual ReportMLB Press Release on 2023 Report2019 report British Journal of Sports Medicine: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in elite athletes: a narrative review -
Episode 1 explains the current state of research into ADHD and dispels some common myths through a conversation with Rose Callaghan, a stand-up comedian based in Melbourne, Australia who uses her comedy to advocate for greater ADHD awareness. Freddie also explains what she is going to be investigating about the overlap between rock climbing and ADHD over the course of season 2.
Resources:
Rose Callaghan's websiteFollow Rose on Instagram and X @operation_rosie and on TikTok @rosecallaghancomedyAttention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and WomenAttention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): Overview of Gender differences, Genetic, Epigenetic, and Non-genetic aspectsGender differences in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: an update of the current evidenceUpdate: Baseball Players, ADHD, and RxDecoding the Overlap Between Autism and ADHDShared heritability of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum DisorderThe neuroscience of the ADHD BrainThe Nugget Climbing Podcast with Dorian Evers -
This is season 2 of Buddy Check: the new misfits, coming July 24th, 2024.
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BONUS episode with Hazel Findlay. Some final pearls of wisdom from Season 1. Hazel shares how she thought about her climbing in the months immediately following her father's death and why she is passionate about mental training and coaching for climbers.
Stay tuned for information on Season 2 of Buddy Check! Coming the first week of July 2024!
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In the season finale of Season 1 of Buddy Check, I interviewed my ex-boyfriend who taught me to climb and with whom I lived in that slide-in Lance camper on the back of our red 1992 Chevy pick-up truck. I asked him the questions I asked of others this season. Questions like - why did you originally want me to learn to climb, was it difficult for you to always have to be the leader in our climbing, and what does climbing mean to you? We close out the season the way we started - back to heterosexual romantic relationship dynamics and their overlap with our climbing ones. Back to why I started down this road in the first place.
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Joshua Jackman has been coaching youth climbing teams in Spokane, Washington in one form or another since 2003. In this episode, we talk about the changes he has witnessed in 20 years of coaching and he shares some of his philosophies for supporting his athletes to become the best climbers they can be. It's a conversation about youth athletes, but it's really a conversation about how to think about your climbing as a lifelong activity, whether you're a beginner or a veteran climber.
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BONUS episode! This bonus episode is a Q&A with Kevin all about overcoming the fear you donât need by understanding the gear you do. Listen to Kevin nerd out on bolts, bolted anchors, quick draws, ropes, and more to develop your understanding of the gear needed for sport climbing - for your safety and for your fear management practice.
Resources:
Kevin's websitefollow him on IG @kevhamrichand the organization he mostly guides through @verticalpursuitsclimbingClimb Smarter by Dr. Rebecca Williams -
Today, a round up of guides and coaches discussing if itâs their job to encourage their clients and students to find their stretch zone or if their role as a mentor is simply to meet people where theyâre at, whatever that means for the day.
We close out the episode with a story from Kevin about the importance of finding joy in wherever you are with your climbing, a little meditation on presence if you will, because the hamster wheel of always seeking harder harder harder doesnât promise to give your life greater meaning.
Learn with Kevin!
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This weekâs episode is all about guides as a type of climbing mentor. First, we hear from Kevin, a friend of mine and an AMGA certified rock guide about some of the general benefits of hiring a guide, what to look for, and what an AMGA certification actually means in the world of climbing guides. And then from Cecil, an instructor and guide for the Seattle-based non-profit Climbers of Color. Cecil talks about the benefits of learning from a guide who not only empathizes with your life experiences but one who is intentionally teaching climbing skills for a new generation of climbers to get outside and feel empowered to do so.
Resources:
Climbers of ColorKevin's websiteand his IG: @kevhamrichAMGA websiteCity Rock climbing gymCirque climbing gym -
In this episode, we look more at the idea Hazel brought up of taking responsibility for your own climbing journey, through my own experience and a story from Gillian, who you also heard from in episode three. You'll also hear from four of the other women I interviewed about why climbing remains incorporated into their lives.
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In episode four, we walk through the basics of understanding mental training techniques for climbing with Hazel Findlay. Hazel is a professional climber and mental training coach, known for her first ascents of big walls around the world as well as her strength in single pitch sport and trad climbing. She is the third person to send Magic Line in Yosemite, a 5.14c single-pitch trad route that was originally put up by Ron Kauk in 1996.
We talk about her early days in climbing, understanding fear, and effectively using exposure therapy to overcome fear in climbing through developing strong self awareness and accurately assessing the correct challenge level for you to make progress, rather than staying in avoidance or creeping toward panic. Hazel also shares some insight specific to navigating fear and developing a healthy mindset when climbing with your romantic partner.
Resources:
Arno Ilger: The âGodfatherâ of Mental Training in Climbing on the Curious Climber Podcast Strong MindPerformance Hacks training videosClimb Smarter by Rebecca Williams -
BONUS EP! The bet stands.
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This episode explores the relationship between mental health and climbing. In trying to navigate the relationship between anxiety and climbing in my own life, I was looking around at other women in climbing who I perceived to have a handle on it. Youâll hear from two of them in this episode. Youâll also hear from Becca Wallingford about the research she conducted for her Masterâs in Social Work. She interviewed nine women to understand if and how climbing could be used as a type of therapy for people navigating mental illness.
Resources:
Wallingford, Becca, âReclaiming Control in the Vertical Realm: A Qualitative Study on Female Rock Climbers with Mental Illnessâ (2020). Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342277704_Reclaiming_Control_in_the_Vertical_Realm_A_Qualitative_Study_on_Female_Rock_Climbers_with_Mental_Illness. -
Episode 2 of Buddy Check looks at two ways of thinking differently about navigating our climbing partnerships that overlap with our romantic ones. First, what can we learn from queer partnerships, where traditional gender norms are already subverted to some extent?
And then, a conversation with a couples counselor about better communication strategies to increase equity in heterosexual romantic climbing partnerships in order to acknowledge and address the tendency to limit ourselves within traditional gender roles.
Resources:
@frontrangequeerclimbers on InstagramDorian Evers, therapist based in Boulder, CO: http://www.cultivategrowththerapy.com/ - Vis mere
