Julie Legg speaks with Julio Angel Rivera, a New York City-based writer, mental health advocate, and martial arts coach, about his experience with ADHD, bipolar disorder, depression and CPTSD.

This jiu-jitsu philosophy profoundly resonates with how Julio has come to approach ADHD and mental health, and has learned to flow with challenges and embrace nonlinear paths to progress. Diagnosed at 42, he reflects on the struggles he faced before his diagnosis and the personal growth that followed and shares his insights on neurodivergence, trauma, and resilience.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Decades of training in jiu-jitsu, judo, and MMA provided Julio not only a physical outlet but philosophical grounding.
• Mindfulness has become a vital tool in Julio’s mental health repertoire. He discusses the importance of learning to notice triggers and stay present during moments of dysregulation, which can help to de-escalate situations before they spiral - a skill rooted in both therapy and martial arts discipline.
• Julio is the author of Brokedown Sensei and Internal Jiu-Jitsu (released May 2025) and blogger on Threads, Medium and Substack.

LINKS

• Internal Jiu-Jitsu by Julio Rivera
• Instagram
• Facebook
• LinkedIn - Julio Rivera
• Threads
• Medium
• Substack
• The Missing Piece by Julie Legg

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