Webinar - Overcoming Maladaptive Daydreaming: What Has and Hasn't Worked
2025-11-07 16:00 UTC
Personal Journeys, Strategies, and Lessons Learned

RECORDING AVAILABLE
Although there is no official treatment for Maladaptive Daydreaming, many people have found ways to reduce or even overcome it. Some, like ISMD Board Member Jayne Bigelsen, needed the help of a psychiatrist and medication to get their MD under control.
For others, medication did not work at all. Former MDers Kyla Borcherds and Rumzi Yousef completely changed their lives without medication, instead addressing the root causes of their daydreaming, working through therapy, learning new coping skills, practicing mindfulness, and filling their lives with meaningful, real-world activities.
Join Jayne, Kyla, and Rumzi for a candid discussion on what has and hasn’t worked in their journeys, and share your own experiences in this interactive session.

Speakers: Jayne Bigelsen (ISMD Board Member), Kyla Borcherds (Former MDer), Rumzi Yousef (Former MDer)
Moderator: Samaa Al Saedi (Student, AUB)
Date: 07/11/2025
Time: 11 AM EST / 4 PM GMT
Online

Jayne Bigelsen is an ISMD Board Member who overcame maladaptive daydreaming with the help of psychiatric support and medication.
Kyla Borcherds is a former maladaptive daydreamer who reduced her MD through therapy, mindfulness, and lifestyle changes.
Rumzi Yousef is a former maladaptive daydreamer who overcame MD by addressing its root causes and building new coping strategies.
Samaa Al Saedi is a Political Studies student at the American University of Beirut and ISMD volunteer, supporting advocacy and community engagement

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2025-11-15, 2025-12-15, 2026-02-15, 2026-03-15
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Newsletter January
2026-01-15

Self-compassion and self-control practical workshop: managing maladaptive daydreaming symptoms
2026-01-23 18:00 - 19:00
The event was be a one hour workshop presented by ISMD Board Member Dr Ramiro Catelan.
He guides audience members through excercises that can help gain control over MD.

Watch the recording!

Learn practical exercises
Join us for an interactive workshop on self-compassion and self-control techniques designed to help you manage maladaptive daydreaming (MD) symptoms.
In this one-hour immersion, Dr. Ramiro Catelan, an MD expert and an evidence-based trained psychologist, will provide you with several practical simple exercises to help you gain control over MD symptoms and foster your personal strategies to deal with this challenge.
Discover experiential techniques, engage in thoughtful discussions, and learn useful tools to enhance your well-being and harness your imagination more effectively. Let’s embark on this journey to better mental health together!

About the Speaker
Ramiro Figueiredo Catelan is a Brazilian autistic and gifted clinical psychologist with extensive experience in evidence-based psychological interventions. He is a board-certified cognitive therapist by the Brazilian Federation of Cognitive Therapies (FBTC). He specializes in working with individuals with autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, giftedness, maladaptive daydreaming, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and borderline personality disorder at his private office. Ramiro holds a PhD in Psychology with a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biochemistry. He is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute of Psychiatry of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), where he leads the Center for Maladaptive Daydreaming and Emotion Dysregulation Research.

He collaborates as a researcher with the Phoenix International Research Group and the International Consortium for Maladaptive Daydreaming Research (ICDMR). He leads Sínteses, an online educational company aimed at training psychologists and psychiatrists in evidence-based practice. Trained in multiple empirically supported treatments, including dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), behavioral activation (BA), and exposure therapy (ET), Ramiro integrates these approaches into his clinical practice.
His work often addresses minority stress and neurodiversity issues, underscoring his commitment to inclusive and affirmative care. His research interests encompass maladaptive daydreaming, emotion dysregulation, and the psychological dimensions of giftedness. He oversees international community affairs as the Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the International Society for Maladaptive Daydreaming (ISMD). He is also a Founding Member and previously served as the First Treasurer for the Brazilian Association for Evidence-Based Psychology (ABPBE). In addition to his clinical and research roles, Ramiro is an active lecturer and trainer, teaching neuro-affirmative healthcare and evidence-based psychological treatments.

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Webinar Zoom Link

Managing Maladaptive Daydreaming for Academic Success
2026-03-06 17:00 - 18:30 | Online Meeting Link: Managing maladaptive daydreaming symptoms
A Discussion on Managing Maladaptive Daydreaming for Academic Success

This event will focus on sharing strategies for managing maladaptive daydreaming (MD) for students as well as holding a discussion to provide space to tailor strategies, hear feedback from the community, and collaborate on MD management for academic success.

Do you struggle to focus and study due to maladaptive daydreaming?
This workshop and discussion addresses challenges faced by folks with maladaptive daydreaming, lead by a therapist and fellow maladaptive daydreamer.
This session will provide effective strategies to manage MD to support academic success.
ZOOM LINK

Meet the speakers:
Jayne Bigelsen is an advocate who has spent over twenty-five years working in social justice and public policy in New York and now works on behalf of young people experiencing homelessness and survivors of human trafficking. She has significant experience in communications, fundraising, grant management, and legislative advocacy. Additionally, Jayne struggled with Maladaptive Daydreaming from early childhood until the age of 25. Jayne has co-published three peer-reviewed journal articles on MD with Dr. Eli Somer and Dr. Cynthia Schupak. She spoke of her experience regarding MD in this article in the Atlantic.com
Jane Kemp is a psychotherapist who specializes in working with clients with OCD, Neurodivergence and Complex Trauma, many of whom experience maladaptive daydreaming. Her professional background spans clinical psychology research, hospitals, outpatient clinics, and community health centers. Additionally, Jane is a maladaptive daydreamer and is passionate about supporting folks in their process of healing both psychotherapeutically and communally at the ISMD.

MD Newsroom: Share & Yield
2026-03-26 15:00 - 16:00
Dear ISMD Members,
We’d like to invite you to the first session of a new recurring cross-team initiative: the MD Newsroom: Share & Yield.
While we usually work within our specialized circles, the “Newsroom” is designed as a broad meeting for all of us to converge. The goal is to create a shared space to exchange the latest insights, findings, and developments regarding Maladaptive Daydreaming within the global “infosphere.”
We know that many of you independently encounter relevant news, academic papers, or public discussions. Whether you have found a significant scientific update or a minor but interesting observation, this meeting is the space to share those discoveries and brainstorm new ideas.
The philosophy of Share & Yield is that by sharing individual “finds,” the entire Society yields a richer, more cohesive understanding of the current MD landscape. This collective intelligence is vital not only for our growth, but also for better defining the direction and impact we want to impress upon the ISMD as we move forward.
Our inaugural meeting will take place on:Thursday, March 26th, at 2:00 PM UTC (3:00 pm London Time) via Google Meet. Link we’ll be sent only to ISMD Members.

Active or Over-Active Imagination? A Jungian perspective
2026-04-10 15:00 - 16:30 | Online Meet Link
Active or Over-Active Imagination? A Jungian perspective

This webinar offers a historical overview of Carl Jung’s thinking about fantasy life, his first explorations of unusual mental states and his growing understanding that the “unconscious mind” was capable of producing extremely elaborate imaginative narratives.
In the Victorian era, these imaginal states were not well-understood and were sometimes interpreted by naive observers and or by the daydreamers themselves as “esoteric” experiences, like “past lives” or contact with “beings from other dimensions.”
Jung had a profound capacity for immersive daydreaming himself which he documented in his famous “Red Book.” Over time, Jung’s understanding and treatment 0f patients with strong fantasy ability evolved and led to the development of a therapeutic technique which he called “active imagination,” which permitted patients to reflect on the psychological meaning of their fantasies.
This technique for the exploration of imaginal life as a means of self-understanding and personal development is still practiced by Jungian analysts and individuals today.

Date: 10/04/2026
Time: 3 PM GMT
Online: Link to the Zoom call
You can add this event to your calendar using the button below.
The event will automatically appear in your local time zone.

Meet the speaker:
Susan Meindl is a licensed psychologist in private practice in Montreal. She is a graduate of the McGill Counseling Psychology program and the Argyle Institute Psychoanalytically Oriented Psychotherapy program. She is a member of the Ordre des Psychologues du Quebec, the Ordre des Conseillers et Conseillères d’Orientation du Québec, an OPQ certified supervisor of psychotherapy, and a qualified member of the Quebec, Canadian and International Psychoanalytic Associations.

Managing maladaptive daydreaming symptoms
2026-05-22 18:30 - 19:30 | Online Meeting Link: Managing maladaptive daydreaming symptoms
Managing maladaptive daydreaming symptoms
Self-compassion and self-control practical workshop

Join us for an interactive workshop on self-compassion and self-control techniques designed to help you manage maladaptive daydreaming (MD) symptoms.

In this one-hour immersion, Dr. Ramiro Catelan, an MD expert and an evidence-based trained psychologist, will provide you with several practical simple exercises to help you gain control over MD symptoms and foster your personal strategies to deal with this challenge.

Discover experiential techniques, engage in thoughtful discussions, and learn useful tools to enhance your well-being and harness your imagination more effectively.

Let’s embark on this journey to better mental health together!

Meet the Speakers:
Ramiro Figueiredo Catelan is a Brazilian autistic and gifted clinical psychologist with extensive experience in evidence-based psychological interventions. He is a board-certified cognitive therapist by the Brazilian Federation of Cognitive Therapies (FBTC). He specializes in working with individuals with autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, giftedness, maladaptive daydreaming, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and borderline personality disorder at his private office. Ramiro holds a PhD in Psychology with a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biochemistry.
He is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute of Psychiatry of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), where he leads the Center for Maladaptive Daydreaming and Emotion Dysregulation Research. He collaborates as a researcher with the Phoenix International Research Group and the International Consortium for Maladaptive Daydreaming Research (ICDMR). He leads Sínteses, an online educational company aimed at training psychologists and psychiatrists in evidence-based practice. Trained in multiple empirically supported treatments, including dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), behavioral activation (BA), and exposure therapy (ET), Ramiro integrates these approaches into his clinical practice. His work often addresses minority stress and neurodiversity issues, underscoring his commitment to inclusive and affirmative care. His research interests encompass maladaptive daydreaming, emotion dysregulation, and the psychological dimensions of giftedness.
He oversees international community affairs as the Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the International Society for Maladaptive Daydreaming (ISMD). He is also a Founding Member and previously served as the First Treasurer for the Brazilian Association for Evidence-Based Psychology (ABPBE). In addition to his clinical and research roles, Ramiro is an active lecturer and trainer, teaching neuro-affirmative healthcare and evidence-based psychological treatment.
Jayne Bigelsen is an advocate who has spent over twenty-five years working in social justice and public policy in New York and now works on behalf of young people experiencing homelessness and survivors of human trafficking. She has significant experience in communications, fundraising, grant management, and legislative advocacy. Additionally, Jayne struggled with Maladaptive Daydreaming from early childhood until the age of 25. Jayne has co-published three peer-reviewed journal articles on MD with Dr. Eli Somer and Dr. Cynthia Schupak. She spoke of her experience regarding MD in this article in the Atlantic.com

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Screenshot this QR code and share it everywhere.

VIDEO CALL LINK
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The event will automatically appear in your local time zone.

Lost in Your Mind: Understanding Maladaptive Daydreaming and Reclaiming Your Time
2026-05-28 17:00 - 18:00
ISMD x xTiles: A Global Partnership for Mental Health Awareness
We are thrilled to announce an official partnership between ISMD and xTiles. This collaboration marks a significant milestone for our association: xTiles has recognized the profound impact of Maladaptive Daydreaming and has invited us to share our expertise with their global community.
By providing a platform to discuss MD, xTiles is demonstrating a deep commitment to neurodiversity and mental health. This webinar is a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between productivity tools and the specific needs of our community, showing that with the right support and technology, reclaiming control of your time is possible.

You sit down to work, but hours slip by as your mind drifts elsewhere.
​For many, this is more than a distraction—it’s Maladaptive Daydreaming: an intense urge to daydream that consumes hours and leaves you feeling stuck. Most people don’t know it has a name.
​Join our live session with Valeria Franco, founder and advocate, as she shares her story of living with and overcoming Maladaptive Daydreaming.
​

​We’ll discuss:

​What Maladaptive Daydreaming is and how to spot it

​Its overlap with ADHD, anxiety, and neurodivergence

​Why willpower isn’t enough—and what helps

​How Valeria uses xTiles to manage her time and projects

​Practical tools for reclaiming your time

​This webinar is for anyone who wants to regain control of their mind.
​About Valeria Franco: Valeria is an Italian marketing professional, mental health advocate, and founder of organizations supporting people with Maladaptive Daydreaming. She works closely with experts in the field.
Book your Seat

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Please note that the scheduled time is set in UTC.
The event will automatically appear in your local time zone once added to your calendar.

Book Discussion: Extreme Imagination
2026-07-29 16:00 - 17:00
Book Discussion: Extreme Imagination
Kyla Borcherds shares the four steps that helped her heal from maladaptive daydreaming

Extreme Imagination was originally published in October 2024 and was enthusiastically welcomed by the maladaptive daydreaming community. Over the following year, the book helped maladaptive daydreamers understand and manage their condition. Sadly, it was unavailable for some time, but it is about to be republished.
To celebrate the relaunch of Extreme Imagination, Kyla Borcherds joins us to share her personal story of overcoming both maladaptive daydreaming and depression, and how writing Extreme Imagination was an important part of her healing journey. She will also walk through the four-step plan outlined in the book, which she believes can help anyone with maladaptive daydreaming cultivate a healthier relationship with their imagination.
The session will open with a presentation by Kyla, followed by a live Question & Answer session.

Meet the Speaker:
Kyla Borcherds was 46 years old when she discovered that the compulsive story-weaving she had experienced all her life had a name: maladaptive daydreaming. As she learned more about the condition, she shared what she was learning on her blog, The Daydream Place, which ultimately became the inspiration for Extreme Imagination. Kyla volunteers for the ISMD as one of the editors of Dreamweaver Narratives and is a moderator of the r/MaladaptiveDreaming subreddit. She lives in Birmingham, UK, with her husband, children, and a few very special fictional characters.

VIDEO CALL LINK

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Daydream to Canvas: Creative Expression in Maladaptive Daydreaming
2026-08-24 15:30 - 16:30 | Online Meet Link
Daydream to Canvas
Creative Expression in Maladaptive Daydreaming

If you live with maladaptive daydreaming, you already know how vivid your mind is. You build whole worlds and complex stories in your head. But when you try to turn them into real-life art, like writing, drawing, scrapbooking, something gets lost. What you make on paper never matches what you saw inside. That gap is frustrating, and it makes a lot of people give up on making things entirely.
We are holding a simple one-hour workshop to tackle this issue.
This session is not about technical skill, and it is not about making something perfect. It has one main goal: to help you understand your brain so you can get your thoughts out of your head without overthinking.

What we will cover

The Science of Creativity
We will dive into what creativity actually is, what happens in the brain when you create, and how maladaptive daydreaming changes this process.
Removing Creative Blocks
We will talk about why bringing your daydreams into the real world feels so hard, and how you can overcome these obstacles.
A Quick Art Exercise
A simple prompt to help you map out one piece of your inner world using words, sketches, or collage.
The Italy Exhibition
We have an exhibition in Italy made specifically for daydreamers. We will share how you can submit your work and show your world to others.
Open Chat
A casual space at the end to ask questions and connect with others in the community.

This workshop connects to something bigger.
Maladaptive Daydreaming Italia and the University of Padua are hosting “The Shapes of Maladaptive Daydreaming” — a first-of-its-kind exhibition at the University of Padua this October. It is open to all daydreamers who want to share their creative work: drawings, paintings, writing, and more.
During this workshop, we will walk you through exactly how to take part. Learn more about the exhibition →

Meet the Speakers:
Saumya Jaiswal has a background in clinical psychology and works as a counselor, but her real perspective comes from living through the same mind loop. Having spent years navigating maladaptive daydreaming, she went on a personal journey to untangle her brain, overcome MD, and bring her true creativity back to life. Today, she combines clinical knowledge with lived experience as a mindset coach, guiding others to move past internal blocks, understand how their minds work, and turn their vivid inner worlds into real, physical creation.

Valeria Franco is the Vice President, Treasurer, and head of Communications at ISMD. Valeria founded the first non-profit association for Maladaptive Daydreaming in Italy. A former MDer herself, she is committed to spreading proper information about MD, leading Italian and international online communities since 2016. After a Master’s degree from the University of Padua in Cultural Tourism Management, she received a Counseling Diploma in order to provide better support for people in her communities. She is an art communicator and works as a marketing and communication freelancer, specialising in the art and non-profit field.

JOIN THE WORKSHOP

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The event will automatically appear in your local time zone.
VIDEOCALL LINK

Share your artwork! Exhibition at the University of Padua
2026-10-16 - 2026-10-23 | University of Padua, Via Venezia 8, Padova, PD, 35020, Italy
“The Shapes of Maladaptive Daydreaming”
A maladaptive daydreaming live event will take place in Autumn in Italy:
Tell us about your experience with Maladaptive Daydreaming: write about it, paint it, or draw it.
October 16–23, 2026

An exhibition dedicated to the works of people who live with maladaptive daydreaming: this is the exceptional event that will be held at the University of Psychology of Padua, Italy!
It’s not an art exhibition in the strict sense, but rather an exhibition of creativity. What does that mean? It means that no particular artistic “quality” is required—only the expression of your inner world and your relationship with maladaptive daydreaming.
The exhibition opens on October 16, 2026, and will remain open for two weeks, free of charge. Send us your artwork and take part in this wonderful awareness initiative!

Download and share our poster with the QR code!

The University of Padua, which has worked with the Italian Association Maladaptive Daydreaming Italia (MD Italia) in the past, has decided to support an event to raise awareness on Maladaptive Daydreaming.
Who’s behind the project?
The initiative is promoted by Valeria Franco (Vice President of the International Society for Maladaptive Daydreaming and Vice President of MD Italia) and Sara Spisto (Vice President MD Italia) in partnership with Prof. Salcuni and Dr. Elisa Mancinelli of the Department of Developmental and Social Psychology (DPSS) at the University of Padua.

Why is it so important?
“For the first time in history, we are organizing an event of this kind: we have held meetings and conferences before, but never an exhibition. The financial and logistical support provided by the Department of Psychology, Social Sciences and Cognitive Sciences (DPSS) at the prestigious University of Padua — which boasts one of the largest psychology departments in Italy — lends credibility to the initiative, offering a concrete opportunity to promote understanding and raise awareness.
“In a world where people still write to us saying that mental health professionals don’t believe them when they talk about Maladaptive Daydreaming, having the University of Padua on our side is extremely important,” says Valeria Franco.

A Deliberate Choice: An Exhibition
The event is not a symposium or a conference, but rather an exhibition of artistic and creative works, which we anticipate will include painting, drawing, photography, and poetry.
The primary objective of this event is not to provide a comprehensive overview of maladaptive daydreaming, but rather to raise awareness of its existence.
As Valeria Franco asserts, “A concerted focus on the concept of ‘Awareness’ is imperative, as individuals must be cognizant of its existence for them to be able to acquire further knowledge on the subject.”
The idea is that the exhibition is like a seed. We expect to see a lot of future mental health professionals, along with other professionals and interested members of the public at the exhibition. This will create the perfect conditions for the exhibition to take root and grow in the future.

Submit your artwork! Here’s how to do it.

Work specifications
Fixed size: A3 (29.7 x 42 cm) or 35 x 50 cm cardstock
Maximum weight: 300 g
You can submit artwork like drawings, paintings, collages, photographs, and poetry.
*If you want to use a technique that isn’t listed here, please contact us to check that it’s OK.
**You must use our templates for poetry.
Registration and participation

Register online to give us your details and confirm that you have read and agree to the rules.
Attach the identification tag to the back of your artwork.
You may submit up to three works, using different techniques if you wish.
Entries should be submitted to the following address by 21 September 2026 – address will be provided soon! In the meantime, start creating and subscribe!
The artist is responsible for any printing and shipping costs.
Frames are not permitted. If you wish, you may create a paper mount, provided it does not exceed the maximum dimensions.
Pick-up: Collection will only be possible in person within one week of the exhibition closing. Any works not collected within this timeframe will be considered donated.

Disclaimer: The decision regarding the exhibition of works is at the sole discretion of the Maladaptive Daydreaming Italia Association. This decision may depend on various factors, such as the number of submissions received, how relevant the work is to the theme, and its suitability (works may be excluded if they are deemed offensive, in accordance with the principles set out in our bylaws).

Links and downloads
Registration and Rules
Poetry Template on Canva (create a copy; do not edit this file).
Poetry Template in Word.
Printable Label in Word.
All documents shared Drive

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I agree to receive email communications from ISMD *I agreeCaption
The caption will be displayed alongside your artwork. Please ensure you complete this section correctly, as we will print it without making any corrections.
If you are submitting more than one piece of artwork, please provide a separate caption for each one.
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