Ellin Bessner is a Canadian journalist based in Toronto. She is the author of a new book about Canada’s Jewish servicemen and women who fought in the Second World War. The book is called “Double Threat: Canadian Jews, the Military, and World War ll”. Ellin was born in Montreal and graduated with a degree in journalism and political science from Carleton University. Her career as a journalist took her around Canada and around the world, working for CTV News and CBC News, and also stringing for the Globe and Mail, The Canadian Press and other organizations. As a foreign correspondent based in Rome, Italy, during the 1990s, aside from reporting on the Vatican, the Mafia, Italian food, fashion, and opera, and of course, on Italian soccer, Ellin also covered several brutal civil wars in Africa. She’s interviewed Prince Phillip and the Dalai Lama. She was a business anchor for many years at Report on Business Television, now BNN. Ellin has also taught hundreds of budding young journalists, in her capacity as a professor at Centennial College Journalism School in Toronto, and before that, at Seneca College and Ryerson University.
In her spare time, she plays Mahjongg, gardens, and loves the “Outlander” series. She lives in Richmond Hill, Ontario with her husband and two sons. Today we talk about how she discovered her ADHD & Journalism, how her ADHD has helped her in the field, influenced her life, her career, her writing, marriage and her children. Enjoy!
In this episode Peter & Ellin discuss:
0:52- Intro & welcome Ellin Bessner!
1:39- What was school like for you?
4:00- On making the decision to get tested for ADHD
6:00- On deciding to do the work and use self care
7:05- On feeling shame about your ADHD
7:51- On how Ellin discovered Journalism and how she uses her ADHD in the field
9:30- On how she manages her ADHD
11:30- Did you use your hyperfocus when writing & researching your book? “Double Threat: Canadian Jews, the Military, and World War ll”
13:56- What are your top 3 pieces of advice for people with ADHD?
16:00- How can people find you? www.EllinBessner.com via ebessner@gmail.com and on Twitter: @ebessner
16:30- Thank you Ellin for joining us! And thank YOU for subscribing, reviewing and listening. Your reviews are working! Even if you’ve reviewed us before, would you please write even a short one for this episode? Each review that you post helps to ensure that word will continue to spread, and that we will all be able to reach & help more people! You can always reach me via peter@shankman.com or @petershankman on all of the socials. You can also find us at @FasterThanNormal on all of the socials.
16:44- Faster Than Normal Podcast info & credits
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