Rachel Daley, LISW

06/02/2025

There’s been a lot of misinformation going around challenging well established research on ADHD and further stigmatizing our community. One of the most accomplished researchers who has dedicated his life to helping people with ADHD better understand their brains and get the supports and treatment they need to have better lives, Dr. Russell Barkley, has posted a rebuttal to the MAHA report that came out last week- he covers the response from the ADHD research perspective, but I think it’s important to know that there were a lot of issues with the legitimacy of this report, such as researchers being cited in studies that do not even exist.

My best advice for this moment is to pay attention, stay calm, and remember that facts are facts and what we know to be true about ADHD, Autism, and mentall health in general cannot be taken away.

00:00 Introduction02:37 Problems in the MAHA Report – Overdiagnosis of ADHD09:50 Are we over-medicating children with ADHD medications13:59 Children young-fo...

04/28/2025

Here’s my professional take on the goings on right now:

Somebody in a group of neurodivergent clinicians that I follow said to the original poster who shared this petition that there’s no point because we just have a fascist government and nothing can be done. All we can do is support our clients right now.

I call bullsh!t. As a clinician and as a human, I will never comply with any fascist agenda nor should you.

Sign all the petitions. Call out their lies, stay groundeded in your truth and laugh in their faces if they tell you your truth is wrong. You know they are the ones that are wrong.

They don’t deserve our respect. The narrative they do not align with their actions. People who have spewed lies for decades do not deserve to be given a chance in a position as powerful such as this. And for the record, everything he has said and done since he came in has been incredibly harmful and he’s only further approved all of our fears to be true.

Ignoring fascism is what helps it grow. Speaking out is how we make sure they go away and never come back.

I was so heartened a couple weeks ago by all the people that spoke out for the autistic community. We need to keep this energy going sign the petitions speak up. Keep it moving people we’ve got fascists to fight.

More to come in future days about how I feel on all of this. I’ll share resources, information that I believe to be science based and accurate. I’m also happy to talk to anybody that has any questions about neurodivergence or mental health in general to the best of my professional abilities.

Don’t believe the lies. We’re not going back.

https://chng.it/SWb2BXxk6Byed

Can you spare a minute to help this campaign?

04/16/2025

The beautiful young man smiling in that photo is Victor Perez.

Victor was 17 years old when he was shot and killed by police ten days ago in his own back yard. He did not survive.

Victor was my daughter’s neurokin. He was autistic and had an intellectual disability. He also had cerebral palsy. He was nonverbal.

He had picked up a knife and family members were trying to get it away from him when a neighbor, desperately misreading the situation, called police.

According to NPR News, “Officers opened fire within about 12 seconds of getting out of their patrol cars and made no apparent effort to de-escalate the situation.”

They shot him nine times from the other side of a chain link fence.

"Everybody was trying to tell the police, no, no," [his aunt, Ana] Vazquez said. "Those four officers didn't care. They didn't ask what was happening, what was the situation."

Twelve seconds.

Nine shots.

From behind a fence.

There are no words big enough or strong enough or harsh enough. There never will be.

May there at the very least be justice. And may his family someday, somehow find peace.

{Image is a photo of Victor sitting in what appears to be a classroom with Santa. They are both smiling broadly. Text reads, “Rest in peace, Victor.” h/ t to Autisticamente Marcela for the photo.}

03/06/2025

Medscape shares the current and historical process for removing FDA approved safe and effective medication. Not something that’s going to happen overnight and they won’t have their review in until August.

I will continue to post updates that I see. Feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns. Any calls to actions or information I get from CHADD or ADDitude or other reputable sources, I’m going to try to post here on my page and in CHADD Toledo groups.

A new federal commission will ‘investigate’ decades-old mental health as well as weight loss drugs, prompting concerns from clinicians and patients. What could the FDA do to restrict or revoke approvals for these drugs?

02/26/2025

🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨

CHADD has put out a call to action for members and others concerned with access to services for people with ADHD due to recent EO's and cuts to funding.

As a community, we are at risk of losing:

🚨Treatment options for ADHD
🚨Section 504 protections, in both educational and workplace settings
🚨Funding that helps support CHADD and the ADHD community
🚨Progress made in the availability of evidence-based ADHD information

If you would like to take any action steps on your own- please check their recommendations.

If you would like to get involved with Toledo's CHADD chapter please reach out to me and/or join our
Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BHZDQ5s58/

Advocacy information here:

CHADD has always been at the forefront when the ADHD community faced adversity. We continue to step up, meeting these obstacles and the new ones that seem to pop up each day. But we don’t do this alone. We need you to step up with your ADHD community and make your voice heard. We are not alone if ...

02/15/2025

Due to some harmful statements being made I wanted to share this. I endorse what this article is stating.

Senator Tommy Tuberville’s recent comment about treating ADHD with “the belt” is drawing ire from those living with the condition. Research has found spanking and other forms of corporal punishment to be ineffective and harmful to kids’ mental health.

01/19/2025

This may end up being the thesis of my career.
Really excited to talk about the ways in which internalized shame manifests in people with ADHD- why that is, how it impacts us and finally how we can heal ourselves and break those patterns for the next generation.
I'm presenting through CHADD of Ohio, but you don't have to be a CHADD member or even an Ohio resident to join so if you are interested in hearing me talk for an hour about something I'm incredibly passionate about, feel free to tune in this Thursday at 12pm! Registration is in the link.

We are super excited to start 2025 off with some amazing programming. And as we grow, there is more to come. Please watch your emails for additional information. Also check our website for information!

11/19/2024

06/03/2024

New logo. 🥳

I’ve been coming back to this several times over the past couple months and now I’m finally going to rip off the bandaid. It’s always a battle between the impulsive first choice and over analysis leading to paralysis… anyone else?????
The lack of trust in self and perfectionist mindset can be a real barrier for us ADHDers.

Taking the leap. Here I am! 🤸‍♀️