ADHD Poetry For Acceptance

This two-part course supports you in moving from shame to self-acceptance and pride on your ADHD journey. Through a blend of personal storytelling , reflective poetry by Sandhya and guided prompts, you’ll explore how school experiences, social expectations, and late diagnosis can impact your sense of self.

Along the way, we’ll introduce key psychological concepts such as internalized beliefs and ableism, and explain how they shape the way you view yourself. You’ll gain insight into why you may have struggled for so long — and begin to reframe those experiences with clarity and compassion.

Each session offers both emotional support and practical teaching to help you understand your inner world and reconnect with your strengths.

This course is for anyone ready to better understand their ADHD and start telling a new story — one rooted in truth, acceptance, and pride.Throughout this course, you will hear two poems, each exploring a different part of the ADHD journey. After each poem, they will be invited to reflect using an optional journaling prompt. And if writing doesn’t feel right, they are welcome to simply sit quietly or record their reflections as a voice note.

This is a space for compassion, reflection, and connection. Listeners are invited to engage with an open heart, knowing it’s okay to feel whatever arises. There is no right or wrong way to experience this — every feeling is welcome here.

We’ll also explore how school experiences might have shaped the way you see yourself now especially if you were told things like “you’re not trying hard enough” or “you should know this by now.”

Some of the poems shared may touch on difficult emotions. If at any point a listener feels overwhelmed, it’s important to remember they are not alone. It is okay to seek support, whether by talking with a trusted friend, a therapist, or a healthcare provider.

While some poems may stir uncomfortable emotions, the deepest hope of this course is to help participants feel seen, heard, and a little less alone. For anyone who has spent years wondering why things felt so hard or why they never quite fit the mould, this course offers a gentle reminder: it was never their fault.

Lección 1: ADHD School Shame And The Stories We Carry

In this session, we’ll start with a poem that explores the fear and shame of freezing under pressure at school, something you may know all too well. Maybe you’ve had a moment like that, where your mind went blank and you felt judged or exposed.

You’ll be invited to look back on those experiences with more compassion and offer your younger self the kindness and reassurance you needed at the time.

We’ll also explore how school experiences might have shaped the way you see yourself now especially if you were told things like “you’re not trying hard enough” or “you should know this by now.” These repeated messages can lead to **internalised shame** and **negative self-beliefs**, even long after childhood.

We’ll introduce the psychological concept of **internalised ableism** — the quiet shame that can build when the world misunderstands your needs, and you start believing those misunderstandings are your fault.

You’ll learn how:

- Early moments of struggle can leave lasting emotional imprints
- External judgment can become internal self-criticism
- Reflection and self-compassion can help gently shift how you view the past

You’ll hear a poem written by Sandhya to bring this experience to life, followed by a guided journaling prompt to support your healing process. There’s no pressure to get it “right.” Whether you write, speak your thoughts aloud, or simply reflect quietly, this is your space.

Music by Music of Wisdom:
Poetry by Sandhya Coyle

Lección 2: ADHD – Standing Proud - Reclaiming Identity – From Shame To Pride

In this module, you’ll shift from the weight of shame into the power of self-acceptance and pride. You’ll hear the poem ADHD Standing Proud, a personal tribute to the journey of embracing Sandhya's neurodivergent identity and finding the courage to stop hiding.

You’ll be invited to reflect on your own path, celebrate what you’re proud of, and explore a journaling prompt — or simply sit in quiet reflection — to deepen your self-acceptance.

We’ll explore how a late ADHD diagnosis can lead to a flood of emotions: grief, relief, clarity, and how years of feeling “different” often stem from living in a world that didn’t understand your needs.

You’ll learn about the concept of internalised ableism and how societal messages about what’s “normal” can affect your self-worth over time. This module explains how those messages can become internalised, creating patterns of self-blame and low confidence, even though the issue was never yours.

You’ll be guided to:

- Recognize how outside judgment can shape your inner voice
- Reflect on how you’ve survived, adapted, and kept going
- Begin to shift your story from self-doubt to self-celebration

This session combines compassionate teaching, personal reflection, and powerful storytelling to support you in reclaiming your identity, not with shame, but with pride.

Music by Loborio Conti – On A Piano
Poetry by Sandhya Coyle

Reviews

Thank you so much for sharing your poems and vulnerability. I enjoyed them thoroughly. They touched a sweet little one deep inside of me that struggled in school throughout. Though I have a deep desire to learn.
I also learned about my ADHD later in life. In my mid 40's, I was diagnosed a hand full of years after my eldest daughter was.
Your poems helped me feel peaceful and loving towards myself:)

Hits me in the feels. I’ve know I have ADHD for about 30 years now but never could identify what caused my shame.
Today I am PROUd of all I managed to accomplish in spite of my flaw” and consider it a gift instead.”
Thank you!
Jen