Hi, I’m Benjamin, a musician and recent master’s graduate in music therapy. I was diagnosed with ADHD in 2022, and that experience shaped not just my studies but the research I went on to do. When I started my master’s, I knew it would be challenging, but I did not realise how much my ADHD would shape the journey.
My first placement as a trainee music therapist was tough. I found it hard to adjust, things felt heavier, and I did not get the support I really needed. But my second placement was completely different: there was more understanding, more flexibility, and it gave me the space to feel like a better version of myself. My dissertation grew out of that experience. I wanted to understand how music therapy trainees with ADHD experience support during placement; what helps, what hurts, and what makes us feel safe enough to do good clinical work.
The Hardest Parts
The hardest part was editing and re-reading my own work. My ADHD brain can make long projects feel like climbing a mountain. Coaching with Laura really helped. Body doubling is a game changer for me. Just having someone there, even virtually, made it easier to focus and push through.
Another challenge was staying objective. I had some painful experiences of not being supported, and it was tricky to keep my research balanced. My notes were also all over the place, literally scattered across my desktop with no real order. My brain does not naturally file things neatly, and that was frustrating.
ADHD & Academia: The Real Struggle
Procrastination, perfectionism, over-focusing on tiny details; all of these became massive overwhelm. That about sums it up.
What helped? Small routines. Going to the library every day gave me accountability and quiet company; other people working there helped calm my inner critic. Music helped too, as it helped me focus. Anything that makes you feel proud of yourself, as cheesy as that sounds; sometimes I even listened to music I wrote.
Regular meetings with Laura, who really understands IPA research, boosted my confidence and kept me moving. Rejection sensitivity dysphoria is an ADHD thing; we can react disproportionately to praise and criticism, and her level head and warmth helped loads. Using technology like Speechify was good because sometimes I find reading exhausting, so hearing things out loud helped me process the research.
I also had to learn to stop before burnout hit. Breaks became non-negotiable. Something that really helped, that I wish I had done a lot sooner, was the Pomodoro Technique: setting a timer for 25 minutes of focused work, then taking a 5 minute break. After four rounds, I would give myself a longer rest. It kept me from burning out and helped me reset when I started spiralling into overthinking. It did not always work; sometimes I just had to accept my brain was not going to play ball.
And I do need to say, my ADHD medication makes a big difference, but it is still so easy to hyperfocus and forget to eat or drink, so I had to watch for that.
Support That Changed Everything
Laura’s support was huge. IPA research can feel abstract and slippery; it is all about going deeper than what is said on the surface. My brain is naturally abstract, which is a gift and a curse, but Laura helped me turn that into a strength and made me feel confident that I was on the right track. Her calming presence made me feel more regulated; another thing ADHD can do is make you worry a lot, and she seemed to understand my way of working and adapted to that.
I also want to shout out my study skills tutors. Their support was brilliant and really helped me get through the practical, day-to-day challenges of academic writing and structure. But it was Laura’s specific expertise in IPA that got me over the final hurdle; having someone who deeply understands that style of research made the difference between me feeling stuck and me finishing strong.
What I Would Tell Past Me
Get support early. Do not wait until you are overwhelmed. There is a kind of internalised ableism that tells you needing help is not okay, but it is. Humans are meant to lean on each other.
If you need an extension or deferral, take it. You do not have to keep pace with everyone else; the neurotypical timeline was not made for everyone. I felt a bit down on myself when I deferred, but now I know it was necessary. I was burning out from personal stuff on top of ADHD, and slowing down really helped.
How I Feel Now
It has been a long road with stops, starts, and a fair bit of chaos, but finishing this dissertation means a lot. I hope I pass, of course, but mostly I am just proud that I saw it through, even when it felt impossible.
