ContinuOWL Learning | How to Burn Bright without Burning Out: Lessons from the Adult ADHD brain featuring Michaela Thomas — July 8, 2026 | Community Exchange
The Boniuk Institute at Rice University conducts research, teaches, and produces public programming dedicated to advancing religious tolerance in Houston and beyond.
Success is often built on working harder, pushing through, and doing more. But for many people with ADHD, that approach eventually comes at a cost. In this compassionate and practical webinar, infused with a sense of humor, Clinical Psychologist and ADHD specialist Michaela Thomas explores why bright, capable, high-achieving people with ADHD are particularly vulnerable to burnout. Drawing on her Pause Purpose Play�� framework, Michaela will unpack the hidden patterns that often sit beneath burnout, including perfectionism, people-pleasing, anxiety, and relentless self-criticism. Whether you are navigating a late diagnosis, supporting someone with ADHD, or simply recognizing yourself in the cycle of overworking and overwhelm, this session will help you understand why burnout happens and what it takes to create a more sustainable way of living and working. Key takeaways Understand why people with ADHD are at increased risk of burnout and how burnout can look different from typical stress and exhaustion. Recognize common patterns such as perfectionism, overcompensating, masking, and the feeling of being "too much" yet "not enough." Learn how to identify your early warning signs before burnout takes hold. Discover practical strategies to work with your brain rather than against it. Explore how self-compassion, boundaries, and sustainable success can help you burn bright without burning out. About the Speaker Michaela Thomas is a Clinical Psychologist, therapist, advanced AuDHD coach, and founder of The Thomas Connection. Recently named Great Britain's ADHD Coach of 2026, she is the author of The Lasting Connection: Develop Love and Compassion for Yourself and Your Partner and the host of the top-ranked podcast Pause Purpose Play with Michaela Thomas. Specializing in the intersection of perfectionism and ADHD, Michaela helps ambitious adult professionals "burn bright without burning out." Her work has empowered countless individuals to soften anxiety and stress while creating sustainable success through her signature Burn Bright® program. See more upcoming webinars at
