Journey With Me Through ADHD: A Podcast for Kids

Wow! I have missed connecting with you all so much!! Please forgive my podcast pause! I was down and out for a couple of months after having a major surgery to remove a tumor from my carotid artery (neck). The recovery really has made me realize how much I still struggle with transitioning back into things and my activation skill needs to be exercised to get things started back up again!! This personal experience prompted me to post this episode!  Activation is an executive function skill that can be tricky for our ADHD brains sometimes. "Just get started" is often met with the feeling of overwhelm, feeling stuck, or even frozen in the moment, with the task at hand! In this episode, you will learn a simple formula of steps to take to go from stuck to getting started (activated).. Recognize the need to activate (what is the cause?) Regulate emotions (Practice what help you FIND calm...coloring, legos, movement activity/sport, intentional breaths, etc) & Reframe thoughts ("I will do this one thing NOW, so I can ____ later.") Restore momentum using momentum makers (fidgets, music, break it up into bite size pieces, body double, etc.) Again, I am thrilled to be back with you all! Please reach out if you have any episode ideas or if you'd like to be a guest on my podcast! I know this one might be a little rusty, but I have some super fun episodes planned again, so stay tuned!! If you want to learn more about the 1:1 Coaching I offer, you can visit my website at www.katelynmabry.com to schedule a free consultation or hop on my email list that I will also be getting started as soon as I practice what I preach and put those R's in motion! I only have a few more coaching spots left, so if that's an action step you would like to take with me, schedule now, and I will forward to connecting with you soon! I will look forward to being with you ALL next week! Sending gratitude and love your way! Have a great day!! 

I don't know about you, but when I hear, "you just need to focus" it sends chills up my spine! It's NOT that easy, is it!? One thing I know about our uniquely wired brains is that it's not that we have the inability to focus, it's that our focus drifts from one thing to another when the task is boring or something else entices our interest driven, dopamine seeking brain!  In this episode, you will meet Dr. Norrine Russell, who is the founder of "Russell Coaching." Her and her coaches share the same passion as I do as a coach. We want to come alongside kids/students with a strength-based approach to help them understand and respond to thier brain best in the school and home environments! Dr. Russel and I share with you the 4 R's to practice when working on exercising the skill of refocusing on the task at hand... Recognize-This can be the hardest part! Dr. Russell shares how it's helpful to practice listening for that faint voice inside your head sayind, "this isn't what I am suppose to be doing" and turn up the volume!  Reflect- Ask yourself, "what does my brain need to succeed? Do you need a fidget, alternate seating, movement break, etc. Relax- Practice taking intentional breaths to calm your mind and body down and give yourself love and compassion in that moment. Redirect- This is were you get your engine started doing the task at hand... (give youself a micro-manageable step to take)"start writing for one minute or just do one problem."  You can find Dr. Russell on her website at www.russellcoaching.com to learn more about their coaching program and to tap into her resources!  You can always find me at www.katelynmabry.com to connect with me in any way as well! I always love hearing from you!!! Have a great day! Love you all!  

In light of end of year testing (which I am not a fan of by the way!) I wanted to provide you with some encouragement and support so that you do not feel alone and you have some thought reframing, tools and strategies you can use moving into your upcoming tests.  In this episode I empathize with the fact that testing can feel EXTRA tricky and/or sticky for our busy brains. It is super important to seperate the results of a test from your intelligence. In full transparency, I was a terrible test taker, but it was due to my challenge with the executive function skills needed to execute the format of the test vs. where my intelligence or abilities were at! However, because I struggled with tests, it left me feeling stupid and inadequite much of the time. This spiral took years to climb up from into what I now call my unconditional confidence in my thoughts around test taking, the value I put into the effort given, the attitude towards taking test in resting in doing the best I could with what I knew, and how I treated each test as an opportunity to learn and grow from. I want this same unconditional confidence for you too! Three keys to move into test taking season... Stay CURIOUS about what your brain needs to succeed before, during, and after test taking. Get creative with study strategies, gamify, add color, etc. Whick areas of the test are feeling "sticky?" and what tools could you use to get "unstuck?" Fidgets, movement breaks, practice deciding between answers that look similar, use audible feature during test for added support. Advocate/ Ask for help! Connect with a trusted adult and talk about what accommations or tools would be helpful for you to test with!   Practice self-compassion! Testing can just simply be HARD for those of us with ADHD. You are brilliant in your own unique way. Love on yourself, reminding yourself of all the strengths you do have and where your passion is!  I love and believe in each of you!! Practice makes progress! Visit my website www.katelynmabry.com to order my children's book, "Hi, It's Me! I have ADHD" or to reach out for a FREE coaching consultation. I would also love to hear from you if you have episode ideas or if you'd like to be featured on a future podcast episode!! Hope to hear from you soon! 

You won't want to miss this episode as I interview a brilliant children's yoga instructor, Lauren Chaitoff, who has created a curriculum "Yogi Beans" to use as a tool for children to find calm, create a habit of taking intentional breaths,  practice balance, and becoming mindful of their emotions, while also increasing the skill of concentration!  Join me and Lauren and we discuss all of the wonderful ways that the practice of Yoga can be helpful in your day to day lives. Lauren shares mindfulness strategies, we do belly breaths together, and we explore how yoga can strengthed that struggle with focus! She also shares how the book she wrote, "108 Awesome Yoga Poses for Kids" can be a great resource to get started with!!  You can find Lauren at www.yogibeans.com to check out all of her fabulous resources to try and to learn more about her Yoga movement!  Reach out to me at www.katelynmabry.com if you want to share a question or some of your ADHD journey on this show or if you have a topic you'd like me to cover in a future episode! I would love to hear from you! Love and appreciate you all! 

What are those doctor's called who play fun thinking games and help you understand your unique brain better!? They are called, " Neuropsychologists"!!! In this episode, you will meet two pediatric neuropsychologists from Maryland who have a passion for coming alongside kids and families who find themselves wondering if they have a "different thinking brain!?"  Dr. Yael Rothman and Dr. Katia Fredricksen share what the experience is like visiting a neuropsychologist and they also share more about their brand new book titled, "Different Thinkers- ADHD." This is their first book in the "Different Thinker Series" they are creating. They read a snippet from the book and share the importance of celebrating all of your strengths as you get to know your brain and navigate through things that feel tricky!  You find them on instagram @neuropsychmomdocs to follow their journey in sharing evidence based information to support your kiddo and share with other trusted adults in their lives! You can order the book on amazon to have at home or send to school for educators to use too! https://www.amazon.com/Different-Thinkers-PhD-Katia-Fredriksen/dp/B0CCSP1BX4 Visit my website, www.katelynmabry.com to connect with on a topic idea or to share part of your journey with our friends on this podcast! I look forward to hearing from you soon! Love all of you! 

My favorite thing to on this podcast is to connect and respond to kiddos with ADHD who reach out with great questions! In this episode, you will hear from our friend and listener, Lucas, who asks, "why is my ADHD brain more hyper than other brains!?"  We will focus on the fact that our brains are simply wired in a unique way that causes it to be more "hyper" and create a need to lean into the strengths that a hyper brain brings as we navigate through the struggles that we find comes with a busy brain! It's all about learning and growing through the trials in life and see them as an opportuniry to build skills needed to thrive each and every day!  PLEASE reach out with your questions or experiences to share as we explore and keep staying curious on this ADHD journey together! Email me directly at katelynmabry4@gmail.com to share questions or you can always visit my website where you can find the book I wrote, get on my email list, and/or get on my schedule for a free consultation to see if coaching might be the best next step for you! Wohoo! Love you all and look forward to connecting with you! 

Do you ever wonder about the next step you could take on your ADHD journey? I wanted to take the opportunity on this episode to share how coaching could be a great next step! Yes, I am an ADHD life coach and would love the opportunity to work with you. However, there are many incredible coaches out there to choose from too! You want to be sure it's the best fit for you and your family!  In this episode we talk about the value in understanding your own ADHD brain while finding the best tools, strategies, systems, routines, and habits that work best for YOUR unique beautiful brain! I use the analogy of a flower as we talk about the importance of being rooted in reframing and renewing your thought life to grow a strong stem of tools, strategies, systems, routines, and habits that will result in a beautiful flower when watered by a coach. The sunlight is you and your trusted adult who shed light on the practices that need to be put into place to make transformation happen and to thrive each day with ADHD!  You can go to https://calendly.com/kmabry-1/consultation to schedule your free coaching consultation and learn more! I look forward to connecting with you! If I am not your girl, I can guide you to another coach or another best next step for you!!!  Visit my website at www.katelynmabry.com to check out my book or just to follow me on social media! I would also love to hear from you if you and/or your child have episode ideas or want to share your journey on my podcast! Love you all!! 

Do you ever feel like you have a bully living inside your head!? I know I do and sometimes we just allow it to live there and become used to it! Join me in saying goodbye to that inner bully and hello to self-compassion!  In this episode I talk about my own experience with my inner bully who says, "what is wrong with you!" I then discuss how we can kick that bully out and invite in a thought that will serve us better..." I am worthy of love and acceptance!" Then ask the question: "What can I offer myself in this MOMENT? What do I need?" This question allows you to practice a pause and to process what you can do in that moment to help regulate and find calm! This is HARD to do sometimes and parents this takes our modeling too! The first step is awareness and planting seeds.  We also explore the idea of a "moment" in this episode. Our all or nothing brains too often make moments feel like eternity! Join me to retraining and reframing our brains to invite thoughts that drive us in a growth, forward thinking direction. Again, this takes time and practice in developing this skill! I am right here with you on this journey!!  Visit my website www.katelynmabry.com to contact me for a free ADHD coaching consult, to check out my book, or to follow my journey on social media! Have a great day! Can't wait to be with you next week! 

Who else is guilty of  coming up to something and reacting with "I'll do that later." Some say that is just being a "procrastinator" but I do believe that we have some control over this tendency starting with the thought that is driving that behavior. Thought control is one of the most powerful tool we can have as ADHD brains!!  In this episode, I talk about the why behind "I'll do that later." Some explanation is that our brain sees the task as boring and our attention turns elsewhere or it's simply overwhelming to get started and so we simply put it off! Don't fret! Let's practice together! What can we do!? Practice inviting in the thought "Do this now, so I can ________(insert your interest) later." Sometimes we have to talk back to our sassy brain to reframe thoughts and create better habits Create urgency to "do it now!" and put momentum makers into place as needed (5 minutes before dinner, play music, example, "first put dishes away, then play video games."  On a smaller scale, practice "do it now" when it comes to putting garbage in the garbage can, or putting the underware in your laundry basket! Sounds silly, but you totally know what I'm talking about and you can make the change! I did and you can too! Wohoo!  Come visit me on my website www.katelynmabry.com for more resources, check out my book, my coaching services, and reach out if you have an episode idea! Thank you for being here! Love you all! 

Note: This episode is a little longer and can be listened to in parts. The end especially is for trusted adults to hear about a fantastic resource for their own ADHD journey, but the entire episode is a GREAT conversation guide to use with your child!!  Does it ever feel like ADHD is holding you back from your full potential or do you ever feel like, "they just don't get me and do I even understand me"!? If any of these questions have crossed your mind, this episode is for you!  In this episode you will meet my fabulous fellow ADHD Coach and Author, Brooke Schnittman, who shares with us what she would tell her 10 year old self if she could! She was diagnosed later in life and experienced bullying and self-doubt early on in life. Through Brooke's journey she has discovered what it means to not only perservere with ADHD, but to thrive and live life to her full potential!  Brooke is a best selling author and shares with us more about her new book titled, "Activate Your ADHD Potential." This book is not only a great read, super educational, but also takes you on a journey of action steps that will leave you feeling like you are truly on your way to reaching your full potential! You can find this resource and more at www.coachingwithbrooke.com. You can also visit my website, www.katelymabry.com for resources, snag my book for a Christmas gift, or jump on a free consultation call to see if coaching might be the best next step for you. If I am not the right fit, that's ok! I will send you to Brooke or another trusted coach who will be! We are on this journey together! Love you all! 

Does it ever feel like your brain is like a rock and you get stuck on thinking about things or obsessed with things going a certain way!? Well I know this skill can be hard for me too, so let's explore it together!!  Flexible thinking is an executive function skill that needs to be exercised and developed for some of us with ADHD. In this episode, we will discuss why flexible thinking is hard and some strategies we can use to stretch that muscle to become stronger! When we strengthen that flexible thinking muscle, that also helps in the area of emotional regulation as well!! Win win!!  So come join me as we discover ways to stretch that flexible thinking muscle...visit my website www.katelynmabry.com for more resources, check out my book, and/or contact me with questions or future episode topic ideas! I would love to hear from you!! Have a great day! Love and appreciate you all for being here!! You are never alone on this journey! 

Are you looking for an inovative way of engaging your kids in completing the tasks within their daily routine!? Look no further...JOON is a super cool game app that couples virtual quests with the quests of daily tasks!! This momentum maker has potential to spark that motivation you are looking for! In this episode, you will hear from Dr. Joe Raiker, a psychologist who specializes in the ADHD brain. He is also a part of the development of Joon as a tool for kiddos who struggle to carry out those non-preferred tasks! He shares how this game will help with behavior managment as it ignites excitement and motivation, while also bridging communication and connection!  You can go to https://www.joonapp.io/ to learn more about how Joon could be a helpful tool for you!! Check it out and let me know how you like this tool so I can share with Dr. Joe and his team. Their goal is to continually make improvements to make it the most useful tool possible.  Reach out to me at www.katelynmabry.com to share your thoughts on Joon, share another topic idea, or to be a future ADHD warrior guest on this podcast. I look forward to hearing from you!

Hey Hey Hey!!! NOTE: This is an episode not only has a special guest, but she reads you her brand new book at is on the market now called "Listen, Move, Grow!" (This is why this episode runs a little longer!) Have you ever been told to sit still, cross your legs, and fold your hands in your lap...but that feels like torcher and you have a hard time listening because your body wants to move!!? Well if so, you are not alone and I have good news for you, your brilliantly unique mind is made to move and can often listen better when you allow your body to move.  In this episode, you will hear from Speech Pathologist and fellow author, Elizabeth Sautter, who shares her own journey in discovering the power of listening in different ways. Open your big imaginations as you listen and visualize the story that she reads. Also, use this as a communication tool for advocating for home and school accommodations to help you become the best listener possible through listening to what your body needs to succeed!  You can find Elizabeth, her books and all of her fantastic resources at www.elizabethsautter.com. Make sure if you do purchase her book, you leave a review and share it will teachers, family and friends! This is something that is so important to understand and embrace as we continue to get to know our neurodivergent brains better and respond with love and kindness to what each individual brain needs!  Reach out to me at www.katelynmabry.com to check out my book at connect with me if you have episode ideas or if you would like to be a guest on a future episode! Kids love to hear from kids! Have a great day! Love you all! 

Hey there!! Do you ever get fixated on something going a certain way!? When plans alter do your feelings go bonkers!? If so, you are not alone and there is a WHY behind WHAT you are experiencing. We hear about how physical transitions are hard for our ADHD brains sometimes, but have you ever considered "mental transitions?" This is something that our all or nothing brains find super tricky sometimes!  In this episode, you will hear from my friend and fellow ADHD coach, Tyler Dorsey (owner of Focus Forward ADHD Coaching). She will give you insight into her own experience when it comes to the battle of mental transitions, help you see where it may be showing up in your life, and give you steps to take to become more aware of this struggle so that you can intentionally work through it. Awareness is always the first step to any type of struggle area that you'd like to grow it! The more we know, the more we grow! You need to get curious before getting furious!  This is a great episode to really break apart and use as a guide for valuable conversation and collaborative problem solving as you apply it to your own life! Trusted adults, there is even a segment at the end where Tyler speaks straight to you too!  Absolutely check out www.focusforwardresources.com to gain access to some awesome resources and look into investing in some great content that will cover many struggle areas while providing you will more knowledge and support!  As always, you can reach out to me through my website at www.katelynmabry.com, hop on my email list, check out my book for kids, or book a free consultation to explore 1:1 coaching opportunities. I would LOVE for your kiddos to join me on my future podast too, so reach out with audio clips, or even to share topic ideas!!! Your insight is the best!!! Love you all!  

Wowee can we all relate to this one to some degree!!? Many times are busy brains are working faster than we can keep up with and those words race out alone with some behaviors that we think, oops, afterwards! Impulse control is one of those executive function challenges that is talked about, but we don't intentially work on strengthening that skill. Your brain is a giant muscle, and you can practice exercises that can strengthen and improve this area of weakness.  In this episode, you will learn more about WHY it is a challenge to keep those words and actions under control, and I will share a helpful practice to work on managing and strengthing that impulse control skill.  STOP (imagine that stop sign with your big imagination) when the words are about to be released (this takes practice of being self-aware of those busy thoughts). BREATH- Taking intentional breaths pauses your thoughts while you redirect your focus to the breathing. (You may need to zip your lips and move your feet if those emotions are in charge) THINK- This is where you think about if your words and/or actions are going to be helpful or hurtful. RESPOND in a kind and respectful way- Whether the response is positive or negative, we can practice and have control over how we treat others. "I don't like how you are treating me, so I am going to play with someone else." or " That is so exciting for you! I hope sometime I can do that too!" or "I don't get it! Can you please explain it in a different way!?"  I hope these takeaways are helpful in your journey towards strengthening that impluse control skill! Thank you for being you! You have a beautifully brilliant brain that is capable of wonderful things! Let's keep exercising your skills that feel tricky and lean into your strengths each and every day!  Come visit me on my website www.katelynmabry.com to learn more about 1:1 ADHD Life Coaching, to order my book, or to email me about a future podcast episode idea! Remember, I am always looking for guests to come on and share your ADHD journey with all of our listeners! I hope to hear from you soon! Love you all!

Some days we can feel bogged down with the struggles that come with having an ADHD brain, but that's when I want you to remind yourself of the ways your brain learns differently and how you can respond to that difference to potentially enjoy something you once found boring. You are very cabable of doing anything you set your mind to, but you just may need to find an alternate route to get there!  In this episode, you will hear from fellow author Sivan Hong, who has written a series of children's books called "The Super Fun Day Series" geared towards kiddos up through about 3rd grade. This series covers a variety of topics around navigating how neurodivergent kids overcome challenges they are faced with, like going to school on Monday morning!! Such a relatable series that you should check out and share with your child's school too.  Sivan shares her story and how she personally faced the challenge of reading and spelling as a child, but through investigating different ways her brain learned best (reading audio books) she discovered a newfound love for reading, later becoming a college professor!! Her message is simple...you CAN do ANYTHING when you put the right tools and strategies in place that work best for YOUR brilliant brain!! You can find Sivan on IG @sivan_hong_author or on her website at www.sivanhong.com.  You can also visit my website www.katelynmabry.com for more resources, to get my children's book, chech out coaching opportunities with me, or to stay connected via social media platforms. Have a wonderful week! Love you all! 

PLEASE NOTE: This episode does run a little longer than most and may need to be listened to in parts!!! But it's good stuff all the way through!!! Do you even eat something and think, "this is wayyy too sweet" or "I need to add more salt to these potatoes!? Does this thought match the "too much" and "too little" (all or nothing) range of emotions that sometimes arise throughout your day or at school!?  If this analogy resonates with you and your kiddo, you will want to listen in on this episode as I interview child psychologist, Dr. Chassia Boczko (Dr. B). As we continue our back to school theme, Dr. B and I discuss the challenge of transitioning into the new school year and what it means to be intentional about finding your "just right" emotional regulation zone in mind and body!  Dr B is a well known clinical psychologist based in Woodmere, New York. She is also the founder of "GoBe Society," which is dedicated to assisting children, families, and professionals with practical tools for emotional regulation and parenting. Check out her program at www.gobesociety.com  You can also visit my website at www.katelynmabry.com for more resources, to order my book, or to schedule a free coaching consultation to see if that would be a potenial next step for your family. I would love to come alongside you on your ADHD journey! Love you all!   

Being under pressure is one of those contradictions for those of us with ADHD brains. Thinking under pressure leaves us overwhelmed and often paralyzed, yet when faced with acting under pressure we tend to thrive and it becomes a superpower!  In this episode, you will hear some lyrics from the song, "surface pressure" that is featured in the movie "Encanto!" The words to this song speak right into what many of us face when it comes to that thinking that drives feeling pressure...the struggle is real and the song is relatable! Next I share three steps to practice taking when faced with that emotional internal pressure... Express to a trusted adult the internal pressure, overwhelm, stress, anxiety felt... Release it!  Explain to your trusted adult how you freeze, feel frantic or freak out inside when faced with that mental and emptional pressure! Explore different tools and/or strategies to take action on to help eleviate that mental and emotional feeling of pressure. Also explore how you can use your superpower of taking action when faced with urgency! This is where you can start practicing healthy urgency habits...I am not saying stay up till late hours or always wait until the last minute! Use your creative brain to create it in the moments you choose to make momentum to get stuff done!  Thank you for being here! I love each of you and please know I am here if you'd ever like to reach out and share a episode topic idea, be a guest on an episode, or just ask me questions about your own ADHD journey! You can visit my website, www.katelynmabry.com to hop on my mailing list, check out my book, or schedule a FREE ADHD coaching consultation to discover if that would be the next best step for you and your family! Have a great day!    

Transitioning  back to school can come with a rollercoaster of thoughts, feelings, and big emotions! The first step we need to take in transitioning is to lean into those big feelings and figure out where your mindset is at, so you can own it and move it if needed into this new school year!  In this episode, you will meet my friend and fellow ADHD Coach Will. He lives in Fort Collins Colorado with his dog, Dash, who is his best friend. He was a D1 athlete in track and cross country, where is was able to release just a portion of his superpowers!  Will is a rockstar as he specializes and is #1 in coaching teens around the world to build confidence, grow their mindset, and overall thrive on their ADHD journey! His passion is to coach tweens and teens how to be "unstoppable!" Will just scratches the surface with us today as he talks about owning and accepting emotions that come and focusing emotions and efforts on what we CAN control (attidude, effort, how we treat others, etc.) He also explains the difference between having "conditional confidence" vs. "unconditional confidence" as we move through the day. Are you banking your confidence on the "if's" of the day or are you standing firm in your confidence of moving what you can control in your day!? Such brilliant insight and helpful takeaways to try!! Practice asking yourself continually, "what can I control" about this situation, interaction, negative thought, feeling of rejection!? This question practiced daily will be a game changer for your unconditional confidence to grow!  You can find fabulous Coach Will at https://www.coachingwithwill.com/. Follow him on social media if possible as he puts out some awesome, valuable content on a daily basis! Check out my website, www.katelynmabry.com to check out my book, send me episode ideas, get your child on this show, or to look into the resources I have available too! I look forward to hearing from you! Love you all! 

Do you find yourself at the boiling point and having a hard time controlling those burst of anger!! If so, you are not alone! Those big intense emotions are no joke when you live with ADHD and I wanted to speak directly to the topic of anger so you can capture those thoughts behind the anger and take steps to pull yourself into finding calm and growing in your response to that intense emotion! In this episode, you will do some visualizing!! Stop sign Smoke Detector Money Prayer/Mindful practices Each symbol has a purpose to help you practice recognizing that smoke inside, pausing, and become aware that angry words and actions can cost you to lose relationships, etc., and finally you need to customize the last step...I choose to pray and turn to God's word/truth...you may choose to practice mindset shifts and exercise zipping your lip and moving your feet, etc...where can you go to use soothers and find your calm!?  So happy you are here! Visit my website www.katelynmabry.com for more resources, check out my book, get on my email list, or book a free consultation to see if ADHD life coaching would be a helpful next step for you and your family! Can't wait to be with you next week when we jumpstart a series of back to school episodes!! Love you all!!! 

"There's so much about me that you don't know!" This is a quote from the song that my daughter shares with you in this episode and it was a very fitting line to what I want to talk about! There is so much under the surface when it comes to living with an ADHD brain! Too often we are stuck feeling like, "they just don't get me!" This also leaves others reacting to the surface behaviors or tendancies seen with misunderstanding and often hurtful words, just because they aren't seeing under the surface!  In this episode, I will ask you to visualize an iceburg and customize it to see what's on and under your own surface! I then ask you to practice three things in response to this visualization and helping others understand you better... Shed the shame Share feeling statements (this takes some digging to identify what these truly are) Show up just as you are and educate others along the way!    Visit my website at www.katelynmabry.com to book a free coaching consultation (or clickhttps://calendly.com/kmabry-1/consultation ) You can also check out my book and get the latest episode with other valuable resources when you join my email list! I look forward to hearing from you! Love you all! Have a great week! 

I think we all crave a more pleasant home evironment, don't we!? Well sometimes those of us with ADHD have emotions and behaviors that are triggered and cause an environment to become more unpleasant. This holds true for siblings and even trusted adults too!!  In this episode, you will hear two of my kiddos give a very realistic example of the unpleasant bickering we often were hearing in our home. Recently, we began to impliment the incentive of "pleasantness points" to work toward a common family goal in order to become more self-aware and create a more pleasant environment while home and even when out and about! Pleasantness points are given without being asked for them and when the trusted adult catches the child making a pleasant choice like, giving a compliment, using the power of apology, helping around the house without being asked, taking a breath and walking away from a dysregulated sibling, using feeling statements when upset, etc... reach out and let me know if you impliment this and it's helpful for your family too!  If you like this episode and want to recieve weekly episode right to your inbox, go to my website www.katelynmabry.com to hop on my email list. You can also check out my book and set up a free consultation to see if ADHD coaching would be a helpful next step for your family! Love you all and look forward to hearing from you! 

We enter into Summer with so much excitement and wonder of what it will bring! But sometimes, those of us with ADHD find ourselves feeling off or funky because of the unknown and lack of structure. I feel you on this and my 3 daughters diagnosed with ADHD feel this too! That's why I want to take this episode to talk about 3 things we can do to smooth out the remainder of the Summer so that fun can be had, calm can be found, and chaos feels more manageable!  Set a semi-structured morning routine (there can still be flexibility): This will set you up for more successful, fulfilling days. Remember that our brains CRAVE structure, but we have a hard time creating it! Summer can be tricky with different schedules, but preparing a predictable plan the night before for the next day will allow for smoother transitions each day. Stay well rested and hydrated! Two things that tend to slip in the Summer days! Lack of sleep and dehydration can completely heighted those emotions and other ADHD challenges. This is why setting a sleep plan and even setting reminders to hydrate can really make a difference. Practice making your body move! It's super easy to stay in your jammies all day and even get sucked into too much technology...but that bandaide of pleasure leaves us feeling icky if too much technology time is spent! Get in the habit of putting down devices and making your body move in some way...go for a hike, jump on the trampoline, play a sport, take the dog for a walk, have a dance party in the living room, etc.  Next week we will dive even deeper into some things we can do as a family to make our homes more pleasant as we curb conflict with compliments and set family goals to work together on achieving through the choices we make! I look forward to being with you next week! Love you all!  Check out my website, www.katelynmabry.com for more resources. You can also go to www.focusforwardadhd.com to set a FREE consultation with me to see if you'd like to work with me as your family's ADHD coach. I would love to come alongside you. 

WHY IN THE WORLD DID I WALK IN HERE!? This is something that both kids and parents alike can relate to and a great example of a connection we can make with each other as we navigate this whole idea of the struggle our ADHD brain has in the skill area of "working memory!?"  The answer is, YES! Your working memory is working and it is not broken, even though it feels that way sometimes! The bottom line is that often times we are faced with a "weaker working memory" that needs to be stretched and strengthened! This is especially important to be intentional with because our weak working memory can be a huge trigger for emotional dysregulation! If we want to continue practicing the regulation of our emotions, then we need to really think about how we can strengthen that working memory!!  In this episode, I will talk about what a working memory, how it tends to be weaker in our ADHD brains, and the steps we can take to work on strengthening it!!  Exercise- Train your working memory to get stronger through finding memory apps that you can play during tech time, doodle, journal memories, internal repetition, play card games and other fun memory building activities as a family. Encourage- Be encourgaged to chunk things up into bit size memory successful pieces, practice encouraging yourself with positive self talk, etc. Educate- Continue to educate yourself and others about the challenge you face with working memory and the tools that can be used to help accommodate and grow this area of struggle. Get reminders in your face through visual charts, timers, whiteboard, post-it's and come up with a memory system during the school year that will help with assignement recall and completion! If you liked this episode and would love to recieve weekly reminders of upcoming episodes, go to my website www.katelynmabry.com and get on my email list. You can also check out my coaching options to see if it would be a good fit for your family! I would love the opportunity to come alongside your family as you continue on this ADHD journey!! Love you all! 

It sounds so simple, but it can be the most powerful tool for our ADHD brains that we have right at outside our door! Simply stepping outside in the fresh air, sunlight, with any sort of greenery and the bonus of nature sounds like bird or breeze has a profound effect on your stress level, mood, concentration, intelligence, productivity and overall health!  In this episode, you will join me outdoors to hear all about the benefits of using nature as a tool for your ADHD brain! I encourage you to listen to this episode outside too so you can brainstorm ways to use nature on a daily basis to help your mind, body, and emotions too! Nature can be a tool for regulation and a way to find that calm you so desire in the midst of choas. You can couple nature with that intentional mindset practice as you close your eyes and use breaths, prayer, or meditating on what you are grateful for to reset your mind, body and emotions too!  Go to my website www.katelynmabry.com to hop on my email list, check out my Summer Coaching Program https://focusforwardadhd.com/journey or look ahead at hiring me as a 1:1 coach for your child this next new school year! We can work together to advocate and get the year started on the right foot, setting your child up for a successful school year! I look forward to hearing from you! Love you all!! 

TRANSITIONS can be super duper tricky for our ADHD brains for many reasons! For starters, it required the executive function skill of "task switching" and like other multi-step processes, transitions have different types and steps to consider as you learn to navigate through them!  Transition Types: Physical, mental (internal) and emotional (also internal)...those last two are ones we often forget to consider when looking at transitions throughout the day!  Steps in trasitioning: 1. Moving away from a task (this is especially hard when it's a high interest activity) 2. Navigating in between two tasks, activities, or environments 3. Starting a new task/activity (this is especially hard when it is non-preferred) The first step is to see through the lens of difficulty from the perspective of the ADHD brain and become self aware as an ADHD brain of the transition types and steps that are tricky for you! Let's talk take-away..."nuggets of knowledge" Raise self-awareness of why and when transitions are tricky Establish routines and systems that work best for your brain by pulling out the tools that work... Tools to try...Visual timers (you want it in your face), visual reminders for the same reason and allows for anticipation of what's expected and coming next. This also always for time to be chunked and check-ins to be made. Movement through transitions can add an element of fun and gamify going from one thing to the next!  Music is always magical and makes transitioning fun too!  Continue collaboratively problem solving alongside child and let them lead transitions when possible! I hope this information and these take-aways were helpful to you! If you are looking for a great group coaching session to join this summer check out the group I am launching "Journey to Becoming Mom Again!"https://focusforwardadhd.com/journey You can also get the link on my website www.katelynmabry.com and make sure to join my email list to recieve weekly emails with up to date podcast episodes and more resources! We are on this journey together remember! Love you all! 

Hey Everyone!!  I have missed talking with you guys these last few weeks! I was on vacation in Mexico and brought back a validated nugget of knowledge that is helpful for our ADHD brains and I wanted to speak on how it can feel tricky to transition back into the swing of things when you've been away, your schedule is changed, or you just need to go from one task to another! I felt this a lot when I was trying to get back into my routine after returning from Mexico! In this episode, you will hear me talk about all of the benefits of WATER! It's amazing calming tool right at our fingertips! Being by the ocean all week when I was away really gave me a sense of how truly calming that simple sound of water is! It was the most relaxed I have felt in years! That got me thinking...water is such a great tool for our ADHD brains in so many ways! Making sure you are well hydrated with water will reduce brain fog and even help with working memory and energy levels for productivity. If you live by any body of water and you feel dysregulated, you can make it a habit to take trips to physically feel the calming mind and body effects of simply being near water. If you don't live by a body of water, you can simply use the water in your home to splash your face when those emotions run high, or hop in the shower as a regulation technique and as an added bonus, showers can spark your brilliantly creative mind too. I get some of my best ideas in the shower! LOL!  You'll also hear me talk about transitions in this episode, but we just scratch the surfact as next week we will dive deeper into this struggle! The first step is always to simply practice self-awareness of the struggle! This is a great conversation starter to investigate different areas of life, different environments, or even day to day task switching that feels extra hard sometimes. We need to identify before any growth can be made!  Don't forget to check out the great program I will be running this summer! "Journey to Becoming Mom Again" is a program designed for mama's of kids with ADHD. I am on a mission to create a connected community of moms, where you can become more educated, empowered, and encouraged to understand your child's brain better, respond more appropriately and effectively to behaviors, and become their best advocate both at home and at school! Go to www.focusforwardadhd.com/journey to book a free consultation and see if this program would be right for you! You can also visit my website www.katelynmabry.com to get on my email list (only one email each week;) check out my book, or reach out to me with a podcast episode request! I would love to hear from your kiddos too!! We are on this journey together!! Love you all!   

With Mother's Day approaching here in the US and a program of mine being launched that you don't want to miss, I decided to dedicate this episode to talk about WHY we sometimes get caught up in the cycle of reaction with mom and some steps to take to become a better responder!  At the beginning of this episode, you will hear from my 6 year old ADHD warrior, who wanted to share part of a song she wrote with you! I would love for you to submit a song too as I love to hear the creativity and silly nature shine through!  WHY the cycle of reaction? We react based on lack of knowledge and understanding or past beliefs or experiences We react because that emotional side of our brain is triggered and has taken over  We react based on fear or the unknown As moms continue to learn, kids can... Communicate thoughts and feelings for better understanding Give mom grace, honor, and respect while she is learning Give mom unconditional love while she discovers how to best respond to your uniquely wired brain Lean in and connect with mom so you can grow together ATTENTION MOMS!!! In this episode I announce a program I'm launching alongside "Focus Forward ADHD" with Tyler Dorsey! We have been working hard to create a very special program customized for moms who have kids with ADHD (approx. ages 7-12). In this program you will have an opportunity to have both 1:1 coaching and group coaching sessions with me and a wonderful community of moms who are in the same boat, trying to navigate the wavy waters! You will experience transformation as you discover more about your individual child's brain and feel empowered to impliments tools and strategies in your home while also advocating for your child when they return to school! You don't want to miss this great opportunity to learn and grow to experience life change! Go to http://focusforwardadhd.com/journey to sign up for a FREE consultation to see if this program would be the right next step for you! Wohoo!   You are loved and you are more than enough!! Have a great day!! 

Do you ever look at a task, goal, assignment, or big picture and think, "that just feels too far and like too much?" If so, you are not alone! This is a tendancy our ADHD brains have. When faced with "all of the things" we tend to shut down and do nothing...But we can make a change and this episode will help you discover ways to get to that finish line!  In this episode, you will meet ADHD coach Ryan Mayer from Cleveland Ohio. Coach Ryan talks about his personal experience with the struggle to tackle those non-preferred tasks and keep the momentum to get to that finish line. Ryan shares this awesome visual of  seeing these "too big" tasks as a mile race and considering the idea of doing small sprints to equal the mile and make it to the finish line! He also talks about the importance of shifting from the big picture to the building blocks of getting there!  PLEASE NOTE: Near the end of this episode, you will want a trusted adult listening so you can get the scoop on a great new course Ryan is launching! This episode is being published before this course goes live, but stay tuned for that 30% discount code as I will add it to these show notes once available! You can follow Ryan by visiting his website https://ryanmayercoaching.com/ and hopping on your preferred social media outlet. That being said, hop on my website www.katelynmabry.com to get on my email list and I will share the updates, added resources and discount code through there too! Wohoo! 

Dr. Ned Hallowell, a Psychiatrist and ADHD guru said, "Connection is like a daily vitamin you need to take...Never worry alone!" (You can also go back and listen to the two episodes where I interview Dr Hallowell himself (Episodes 68, 69 & 70) I love the value he puts on the power of connection and wanted to share more about some tangable takeaways for kids to do on a daily basis!  Research shows that everyone needs connection, but it's discovered that connection is super valuable to the ADHD brain and how we are wired!  The tricky part is that sometimes we tend to turn away from connection and disconnect when feeling overwhelmed, unseen, misunderstood, or simply have the feeling of wanting to explode, flee, or freeze in different situations. This is WHY this topic and takeaway is so important. We need to go against the grain of our initial reaction and move toward intentionally connecting with others both in word and action!  In this episode, you will learn 3 "T's"to try to intentially practice making connections in your day to day life!  Talk with a trusted adult or green light (safe) friend about your feelings. Take action to intentionally make connections with safe friends and/or adults who "get you!" Treasure connection time and practice leaning into it...even when you feel the urge to push away! I hope these strategies are helpful for you! Go to www.katelynmabry.com to hop on my email list, check out my book to use as a great conversation starter with your kiddo newly diagnosed, or simply visit the site to stay connected with me in different ways, including reaching out to get your child on an upcoming episode, or checking out my group launching this summer called, "Journey to Becoming Mom Again." This will include 1:1 coaching calls and a community to find your connection in! Visit www.focusforwardadhd.com to schedule a free consult today! I look forward to hearing from you!! You are seen, understood, and loved! Have a great day!

ACCOUNTABILITY! It's a big word that we ALL need!! Our ADHD brains are wired in a way that requires accountability to be exercised so that we can grow that muscle. In this episode, you will learn about 3 different ways you can put accoutability into place in order to hold yourself responsible for tackling task that come your way! Please note: This is something that is not expected to be mastered until much older, but it's never to soon to start strengthening this skill!  Connect-Find and ask a trusted person to help you carry out tasks and remember things. This is someone who will build you up and encourage you, even when you fall. Collect- Discover and build up your toolbox with things that work best for your brain! Set alarms/reminders on phone, Alexa, ect. Use check lists or post-its, write on a whiteboard... just make sure it's something that's in your face! Create-Come up with a system that works best for your brain! Put urgency in place and give yourself immediate reward after completing non-preferred tasks (ie: I can play my video game after completing my homework before dinner!)  I hope this is helpful for you and your kiddo to navigate together! Please reach out with questions, future topic ideas, or if you'd like to be a guest on a future podcast episode! Email me at katelynmabry4@gmail.com or visit my website www.katelynmabry.com to get on my weekly email list, check out my children's book, or to schedule a free ADHD coaching consultation. I look forward to hearing from you! Have a blessed weekend! You are loved!

Do you feel like you sometimes live in a state of fear? Fear of rejection, fear of the unknown, fear of not getting something right, fear of talking to others...the list could go on and on, right!? Living with ADHD can heighten this feeling of fear and leave us feeling paralyzed by tasks, social interactions, and can lead to perfectionism, anxiety, and even send us down a spiral of obsessive negative thinking! UGH, no thank you!!! Let's tackle this topic head on so we can get out of that fear cycle and find ways to overcome day to day fears that pop up!  In this episode, you will meet TV star, Justin Maina, who was an athlete on the show America Ninja Warrior. Justin lives in San Diago California where he is now on a mission to help others through an outreach called, love fearless! Justin is also passionate about the current project he's working on now called "Fear Hunter." This show will be featured on YouTube, where he will be on the hunt to find others who are experiencing different types of fear in their lives and helps them gain confidence and truth in the face of their fears! How cool is that!? Justin shares how fear is something we can come up against and take steps through. He talks about his experience on the ninja warrior show, and gives the 3 steps he takes to overcome fear...1. Pray/release your fear to a trusted adult 2. Self-Talk 3. Paint a picture of the outcome of overcoming fear. This is an episode you don't want to miss! You can find Justin on instagram @justinmainaofficial. You can also hop over to my website www.katelynmabry.com to get on my email list for weekly updates, check out my book, or schedule a free coaching consultation! Lot's of resources out there as we continue on this ADHD journey together! Love you all fearlessly!!     

Waiting for the last minute to get an assignment done isn't just procrastination! Rushing out the door at the last minute, isn't just time blindness!! Guess what!!? Our ADHD brains crave and thrive on URGENCY!  In this episode, I invite you into my own use of urgency as I recorded this just 15 minutes before going to get my kiddos from school! That sense of urgency drove my motivation and momentum to get it done before leaving!  When you have the intention of getting something accomplished, creating your own sense of urgency is a strategy that may help gain the momentum you need too! Use preferred activities as tools, set a visual timer or alarm on your watch/phone!  Which areas of your life can you use urgency as a strategy/tool for momentum!? If you'd like to recieve weekly emails with my most recent podcast episode and added resources, hop on my email list www.katelynmabry.com! Visit www.focusforwardadhd.com to schedule a FREE ADHD coaching consult to discover if that would be a potential next step for you and your kiddo to take!  I look forward to being with you again next week! Please email me with topic ideas or if your kiddo would like to be featured in a future episode!! Kids LOVE hearing from other kids! You are seen, you are understood, and you are loved!!! 

We all have unintentional thoughts that drive emotions, actions, and decisions! Our ADHD brains too often are driven by those big, intense, deep emotions that have a negative underlying thoughts!! I have GREAT news!!! You CAN choose to move your thoughts in a different direction as you become secret agents of your emotions!!!  In this episode, you will hear from my friend and fellow ADHD coach, Kamden Hainsworth. She shares this great example of having the power to choose which direction your thoughts and emotions go by becoming a secret agent of your underlying thoughts. Discovering what's really going on in your mind, allows you to choose to stay mad/sad or move towards patience/compassion. That being said, it's healthy to verbally express those mad/sad emotions and then navigate where they are coming from! At the end of this episode, you get to hear from Kamden's daughter, Evann, who shares a persoanl story of how becoming a secret agent of her emotions was super helpful to her!  You can find Kamden at www.adhdirectory.com or on IG @kamden_adhd. Make sure you go to my website to hop on my email list for weekly episodes straight to your inbox and added resources, check out my book, or schedule a free coaching consultation at www.focusforwardadhd.com  

Too often we focus on our challenges and don't take time to highlight the incredible strengths beyond the struggles, one being the gift of spontaneity!  In this episode, You will hear from my buddy and fellow ADHD coach, RJ Porfilo! He so generously and spontaneously carved out time to record this episode today! I thought the topic of celebrating our spontaneity would be a perfect topic to talk with him about! Coach RJ explains what it looks like to be spontaeous and how in the stone age, this strength was life saving!! He also shares his personal experience with it and how you can take on a challenge to discover it and count it as a win!  Check out RJ's podcast "The Power of ADHD" or find him on Instagram @rj.illo. Go visit my website to get on my email list and recieve weekly emails with the latest podcast episode with added tips and added resources. Visit www.focusforwardadhd.com to schedule a free ADHD coaching consultation.  I hope you all are well and take this opportunity to celebrate your spontaneity! 

"You took my ______!" "That's not fair you have_________!" " I want _________ now!" Sound familiar!? One of the big challenges we face with multiple kids under one roof is sibling conflict! This becomes even more of a struggle when we have kiddos with highly intense emotions and trouble regulating those big emotions!!  I for one know that my kiddos who all have emotional regulation struggles, tend to break out in fights quite frequently and we have to be intentional to help lead them to resolving the conflict and finding ways to get along!  In this episode, we will explore WHY kids with ADHD and their siblings tend to fight more often and WHAT steps we can take to resolve the conflict more quickly and restore relationships through connection and better understanding!  Sneak peak of episode content: "Why" may include: Feelings of jealousy, competitiveness, wanting to be included, feeling like things aren't fair, and the crazy one is seeking that negative pleasure of dopamine by stirring up conflict!! Being misunderstood, lack of knowlege around the struggles ADHD brings. Now what can we do!? Connect through common interests Practice working together on things Create space and practice walking away to find calm when lava starts to boil up! Celebrate your siblings strengths/Encourage and compliment each other Respect your siblings space and give time, just like you want them to give you Practice gentleness, kindness, and self-control with words and actions Educate them on the WHY and how your emotions hijack your thinking brain sometimes! Understanding will lead to connection and compassion. This is a door to open to ask for help in the future if the sibling is able to! Becoming self-aware of the WHY and choosing even just one or two steps to take toward connection before conflict will take you on a road to recovering those valuable sibling relationships!  Go to my website www.katelynmabry.com to get on my email list for weekly episodes straight to your inbox with added resources. You can also check out my book, follow me on social media, and/or get on my schedule for a free ADHD coaching consultation! Find the right next step for you to grow on your ADHD journey!! Have a great day! Love you all! 

Have you heard of ADHD and "MASKING!?" It was a term coined by Dr. Russel Barkely, who uses it to discribe how kids and adults with ADHD sometimes find ways to "camoflauge" symptoms and/or areas of struggle! For example, acting "too quiet and overly careful when in conversations with others or obsessively checking to see if they have things in the right place, or internalizing intense emotions, reacting in a way others expect vs how you actually feel, hold back urges to move body, and mimic peers in social situations in an effort to fit in or be liked! Sound familiar!?  I know it does to me! I think I covered most of what is on this list growing up! You may think, what is so bad about masking sometimes!? Well, in SOME ways it can be helpful, but in other ways it can be harmful. Let's unpack what is harmful and find some helpful strategies to work through those hurtful masking moments!  Why can it be harmful? Can result in guilt and shame to be burried deep. May prevent diagnosis that could be helpful in getting you the resources you need to succeed. Causes higher anxiety and internalized stress levels It's hard to truly know who you are and what your purpose is when covering up your true self. How can we help? IDENTIFY which masking is helpful vs. harmful? PRACTICE working through symptoms and emotions vs avoiding them (This is where a therapist and/or an ADHD coach would be helpful.)  CONNECT with like minded individuals and get involved in an ADHD community where you feel seen, heard and better understood! Love you all and hope you can unmask to see the incredible human you were created to be!! Check out my website at www.katelynmabry.com to sign up for my newsletter, check out my book, or book a coaching consultation with me! We are on this journey together remember! Have a great day!

Our ADHD brains can feel tricky sometimes. There are times where it feels so chaotic up there that a lot of time behavior follows suit and matching the wild ride of our thoughts and emotions. In these moments of mental overwhelm, we need to PRACTICE pausing and asking ourselves, "what does my brain and body need right now!?"  In this episode, you will start by hearing a joke from my friend, who is also an ADHD warrior! Sometimes your brain needs a little laughter! Next, we will talk about how we can ask ourselves this question and then explore different ways to help our mind and body find it's calm so that our emotional brain can rest and our thinking brain can help us make better choices with both words and actions!  As you can contiue to practice the PAUSE, which takes a lot of practice and consistency, I introduce some self talk strategies that will help you get to a better place before reacting to a highly emotional situation!  PRACTICE..."I will be slow to speak, quick to listen, slow to get angry." Again, it's never perfect, but with practice you can improve and become more mindful as you learn and grow through different triggers!  Check out my website at www.katelynmabry.com for more resources, to get on my email list to receive one email a week with latest episode and added tips! You can also go to www.focusforwardadhd.com to set up a free coaching consultation and discover if that could be the right next step for you and your child!  We are on this journey together!! Have a great week! You are all loved and appreciated! 

AHHH! This can be such a tricky thing to do! Let's first discover WHY we have such a tendance to blurt out answers, thoughts, and feelings often at inappropriate times!? Struggle with impluse control We are afraid we are going to forget what we want to say! Struggle to prioritize time and place. The emotions hijack the thinking part of the brain and blurting is driven by emotion rather than intentional thought! Knowing the why helps trusted adults respond to the struggle vs. treating it just as a problem to punish.  In this episode, you will hear from my buddy Isaac (9 years old) who shares his own struggle with blurting out in school and gives some tips and tools that have been working well for him to grow in this area! The three things he suggests are using "calm strips, squishy balls, and practice self-talk" as methods of keeping his hands busy while he waits for his turn to speak and the fidgeting allows for better concentration on the lesson as a whole!  I follow up Isaac sharing with three things to practice in preparation for those moments when you want to blurt out in class or in other social situations.... Anticipate: Become more self-aware of the times/patterns of blurting! Prepare a plan: Once you can start anticipating when the blurting often occurs, you can then put a plan in place to practice leading up to those times!  Practice using the tools and techniques that work best for your brain! For Isaac, he found the calm strips, squishy balls, and self-talk helpful...BUT for you those tools may look different! Here are a few more to try... Doodle pad Different types of fidgets (ie: jewelry, gum, quiet and stretchy (may need to be a little more durable so they dont break so easily as you put all that tension on it!) Alternate seating (wabble chair, ball chair, standing during lesson, band on legs of chair, etc. Take movement breaks when possible I would love for you to message me with what works well for you!! This is where you want to channel that creativity and ask yourself, "what does my ADHD brain need!?" Would you or your child like to send in an audioclip to share on a future podcast episode!? We would love to hear from them!! Email me at katelynmabry4@gmail.com to learn more or just send me an authentic audioclip sharing about struggles, strengths or any other insights about living with and ADHD brain! Kids LOVE hearing from other kids and so do I!!! Get on my email list at www.katelynmabry.com to get these episoded delivered directly to your inbox each Friday with added resources! You can also go to www.focusforwardadhd.com if you want to schedule a free consultation and learn more about what hiring an ADHD life coach would look like!  Can't wait to be with you again next week! Love you all! ~ Katelyn  

This title came to me as I was working out at the gym today and so did the silly rap I decided to record at the beginning of this episode;) Too often shame is something that is tied to getting an ADHD diagnosis! Let's get rid of that ASAP!! ADHD can feel like a game sometimes, doesn't it!? Trying to figure out how to play, what move to make, which tool/piece to use, and there is always strategy to figure out too!! One card that we need to make sure is not a part of our game is SHAME! This is a very intense emotion, often triggered by those fixed thoughts we talk about! As ADHD warriors we can combat ways in different ways...Here are 5 ways that will hopefully help lead you down a path of progress from shame to shining your beautiful bright light! 1. Bring any shame thoughts/feeling into the light/ share with trusted adult/friend.  2. Unravel and pick apart shameful feelings to compare it to what is true!  3. Detach what you do from who you are! What do you place your identity in!? 4. Recognize triggers...What are your shame triggers? When you identify those triggers, then you can put them to rest. 5. CONNECT with others! Shame often occers when feeling disconnected, so do the opposite and intentially connect with those you love and trust. When you throw away the card of shame...you can play the card of confidence, the card of self- compassion, and the card of caring for others! That sounds like a pretty awesome game!!  Hop on my email list when you go to my website www.katelynmabry.com so you can get the latest podcast episode right in your inbox each Friday! I also add some more fun resources on there too!Wohoo! Message me if you want to submit an audio and be a star on an upcoming episode!! You can book a free coaching consultation at www.focusforwardadhd.com. We can get rid of your shame card together!  Love you all!      I used this article below as a reference and guide while applying it to living with shame as an ADHD warrior!  https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/where-science-meets-the-steps/201501/5-ways-silence-shame

CHORES...AHHHH! It has become such a bad word that kids are only motivated to do through incentives and money making. This is where I want to challenge you to make a mindset shift!  Instead of chores being a bummer, what if we look at them as an opportunity!?  An opportunity to grow confidence and self-esteem An opportunity to feel more independent An opportunity to learn life skills for your future An opportunity to develop good habits  Gaining all of these things through this opportunity will allow you to live in a space that will make your mind happy. One thing we know is that our brain craves a clear space, but we have a hard time creating it!! Our struggle with executive function skills makes it tricky to get started, stay motivated, prioritize, organize, task switch, and simply finish the chore at hand! This is where we need a PLAN! Ask yourself, "what does my brain need to be successful!?"  1. BREAK chores down (Just like all other things...ONE step at a time and celebrate that success) 2. Embed motivational tools (music, a preferred task to look forward to, make it novel and fun) 3. Create a checklist or post-it system to stay on track (this is an added tip that is not included in this episode as I'm thinking about as I publish this ;) You will also hear from Tate, who is one of my coaching clients. He was so nervous, but "did something hard" and was so brave to share his "power of chore" experience with you all! I would love to hear from more of you too! Go to www.katelynmabry.com to get on my mailing list to recieve weekly episodes with added tips, and this is where you can email me with topic ideas, audio clips, and I would just love to hear how this podcast is helpful to you!  Love and appreciate each and every one of you!!

When we hear "you need to focus" that sends chills up your spine, doesn't it!? It sure does mine! Oh how I wish it were that easy! But in this episode you will be introduced to the word "FOCUS" in a whole new light as we see it through the lens of helping us connect with others in different environments!  Do you find it hard to connect sometimes? Whether it's an interaction with peers, connecting with trusted adults, or even having positive interactions with siblings at home...these can all feel a little harder due to the fact that social interactions often need some work when we live with and ADHD brain and that's OK! We all need work on areas of our lives! In this episode you will meet Speech Language Pathologist and Parent Coach Angie Grandt who shares with us how to use this FOCUS accronym as a helpful tool for connection! Angie specializes with working parents and kids who have been adopted too! Such an awesome resource to have as you continue to form that connect with each other!  F igure out what you want to say O bserve- Are they ready to listen? C reate your message U se your senses- Was your message understood? S elf-correct if needed Hop over to my website www.katelynmabry.com to get on my mailing list to recieve a graphic with this acronym along with continue to recieve weekly episodes right to your email each Friday! You can also book a free ADHD Coaching consult with me or another highly qualified ADHD coach who is a right fit for you www.focusforwardadhd.com   Check out Angie's fabulous resources too! Book a free session with her @http://www.calendly.com/angiegrandt/freesession  Angie's social media connections: FB: http://www.facebook.com/groups/connectedparentswithangie/ IG: http://www.instagram.com/connectedparentswithangie/ I still would absolutely love to feature your voice on this podcast! Please send a message if interested! Love you all! 

Do you ever change your bedroom around when you get bored of the set up? Does your brain get excited when a novel idea comes flooding in!? That's because our brains crave novelty. This means that my brain craves novelty too and wants to change up my podcast intro song!! This is where you come in! I need your brilliant mind with it's creativity and out of the box thinking abilities to help me come up with a new intro for this podcast! Should it be a rap, more classical sounding, another fun ditty that sounds little different?! I want you to email me at katelynmabry4@gmail.com with your thoughts and ideas! I also want to encourage you once again to share your voice!! The more we know, the more we can connect and grow! When you send it an short audio clip of your personal experiences, struggles, strengths, areas of question, etc. We can highlight these things on this podcast, learn from each other, and bounce ideas of what tools and strategies are helpful, along with questions that may need clarification so you can take steps forward! Email me your audio clip or a request for a prompt/question that you can go off of! I want this year to be collaborative as we grow together on our ADHD journey!  If you'd like to take it one step further and look into ADHD Life Coaching, I'd love to set up a free consultation with you! You can set that up at www.focusforwardadhd.com. You can also check out my book and other resources on my personal website www.katelynmabry.com .  Love you all and can't wait to hear from you!

Make a New Year resolution they say!? Our ADHD brains say NOPE! Instead, let's create micro goals to practice and turn into HABITS! Creating habits allow you to do things without needing those executive function skills that are so tricky for us so often!  "Easier said then done" you say!? You are absolutely right! This is why you need a plan to create the habit. Set yourself up for success by setting alarms, reminders, post-it notes, visual checklist on a visible calendar (the key it to be sure it is in your face!) Try different tools and strategies until you discover what works best for YOUR brain! In this short but sweet episode, I recap some past take-aways as I encourage you to celebrate strengths, reflect and respond to some changes you'd like to make, habits you'd like to create in 2023, along with the question of how you plan to take steps to get there. Step by step and day by day you need to give yourself grace, practice lots of self compassion, be in tuned with your mindset and intentional about growing in all areas.  I want to make it a habit in 2023 to have more of you ADHD warriors as guests on this podcast. Please email me an MP3 audioclip sharing thoughts, tips, or things to try on your ADHD journey (katelynmabry4@gmail.com) I will use your clip as an topic prompt and feature it on a future episode! You can visit www.katelynmabry.com to get on my email list and recieve weekly episode updates with added resources! If you are interested in hiring an ADHD Life Coach, you can go to www.focusforwardadhd.com to set up a free consultation. Love you all! Happy New Year!

We hear, "It's the most wonderful time of the year!" This is true for many and I for one am so grateful for what this season brings! As much a Christmas and the holiday season in general brings good cheer, it can also feel like a time of choas and disorder with all that is going on over the break!  In this episode you will hear my little ditty, "Hey Hey Hey, Ho Ho Ho, It's holiday season and we need to know, what to do over break, when we come prepared it's a piece of cake!" Corny I know, and you will hear that my 10 year old isn't amused by my rhyme, but I'm hopeful it will be helpful to you!! Entering into break with a predictable plan will help you to feel more in control of those big intense emotions that often comes with the unknown. Remember, we crave order, but have a hard time creating it! This is why intentionally coming up with some sort of structure during break will be a helpful tool to use! Also, savor any extra rest given! Your brain and body will thank you for it! I give tips in this episode to stay hydrated, eat protien first thing in the morning, and make sure to get that body moving too!! The last part of the episode I share 3 R's to try to do during break. REST...REFLECT...RENEW! As I stated before, rest when you can to strengthen and grow that busy brain. Reflect on what tools and strategies work best for your brain and continue investigating what you can continue to try to tie into your day to make your brain and body happy! Continue to Renew that mind on a daily basis! On average, kids with ADHD hear 20,000 more negative comments before the age of 10!! That just hightens the negative self-talk that we too often let live in our heads! This doesn't have to be the way it is!! Choose daily to move those negative thoughts aside and push forward those growth thoughts that speak love and strength into your mind and heart!  Trusted Adults!!! Check out my website www.katelynmabry.com to get on my email list and recieve a weekly email with the latest episode along with more tips and resources! Also, please message me if your kiddo would like to share his or her thoughts on the show! Kids feel even more empowered hearing from other kids!  Sending hugs and love to all of you celebrating Christ's birth and/or simply celebrating with friends and family holiday season! 

Do you ever look around and think, "why are they doing that faster than me?" or "why is it taking me more steps to get this project done?" If so, you are absolutely not alone! Sometimes it feels things come easier to those around us and we work so hard for the same goal or result! Right!?  This is because our ADHD brains need us to show it some compassion and find the way that it figures stuff out best! We need to honor the fact that we are out of the box thinkers and at times things need to be looked at or presented differently so we can fully understand it. More steps, visuals, lists, whatever it takes isn't wrong, but simply your own unique way...that's OK!  In this episode, you will hear from Melanie Buckley, who is a therapist who works with kids and adults with ADHD. She lives in Denver Colorado and works for a wonderful mental health company called, "Family Care Center." Melanie herself was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 6 and has very personal and professional insite into this topic at hand. She shares her own experience with this feeling of doing things at different rates or in different ways and gives wonderful analogies to better understand and feel more confident in the way your brain learns best! She explains that 2+2=4, but you may it may make more sense that 3+1=4 in your mind. This is a visual of how we can get to to same result or goal by taking different paths. Same holds true for doing a project. You want a wall to be painted blue...Your friend may paint it in two steps and with one paintbrush and you may paint it in 5 steps and use more paint tools to finish it up! Neither way is right or wrong, it's simply unique to the way each of you feel most comfortable and confident gettiing it done!! Malanie is a great resource and you can find out more about this amazing company at https://www.fccwellbeing.com/clinic-locations/colorado-springs/. Check out my website www.katelynmabry.com to get on my email list and recieve the latest podcast episode straight to your inbox each week. I also included added tips and resources that may be helpful for you on your journey. You can also snag a copy of my book "Hi, It's Me! I have ADHD." This is a great conversation starter and makes a great teacher gift too!  Can't wait to be with you again next week! Love you all!   

Abolutely hypersensitive senses can be a trait that those of us with ADHD have! This is also something that can trigger emotional dysregulation or other misguided reactions due to low self-awareness. In this episode, you will start out hearing from our 8 year old friend Geovanne who has a brilliant ADHD brain like you and I do. He shows his vibrant personality and great sense of humor as he shares his strengths of creativity, along with having a strong "sniffer!" I ran with this point he made because I think many of us can relate!  This episode is meant to ignite self-awareness and conversation around hypersensitivities you may be facing both at home and at school. It's important to name these and bring them to light so that you can find ways to take care of your needs in those hypersensitive situations. Everybody is different and responds well do different tools and strategies. That's why I want to leave you with this as a discussion piece to unpack a little! We can revisit this topic in more detail durine future episodes!  Visit my website www.katelynmabry.com to get on my mailing list and recieve up to date episodes with added resources. You can also reach me on my site to submit your own audio or to set up a free coaching consult with me go to www.focusforwardadhd.com. I look forward to hearing from you!  Love you all! 

Do you even feel anxious in different situations and you wish you had something to do to help your mind and body find calm!? Look no further! In this episode, you will meet Michael and Luce who are the cofounders of Calm Strips. This brilliant product sticks on and off of any surface (phone, ipad, desk, etc.) and has texture that helps calm your nervous system when that anxious energy strikes! Not only do they have texture, but also come in a variety of designs, while also offering breathing techniques too! This multi-purpose tool can be helpful during test taking, homework time, or even used to ease those big emotions that can come when stuck in traffic! It's a great tool for kids and trusted adults alike! Michael shares that kids seem to enjoy trading the stickers as well, which is a great way to promote inclusion of the tool among peers. They are a helpful tool that also look cool!  You can connect with Michael or Luce and learn more about how you can get your own set of calm strips at www.calmstrips.com. This would make a great stocking stuffer or teacher gift!  Go to my website www.katelynmabry.comto get on my email list and recieve the most recent podcast episode each week with additional tips and resources! And if ADHD Life Coaching is on your radar, go to www.focusforwardadhd.com to set up a free consultation! I would love to dig deeper with you and your kiddos to help ensure you are thriving as you continue find what works best for you and your ADHD brain! 

Did you know that movement actually has the power to help your brain grow and function better throughout the day!? It's true! In this episode, you will meet Dr. Patrick LaCount who is a Psychologist from Fort Collins Colorado. Dr. LaCount specializes in helping those living with ADHD explore how their brains are built and how to individually thrive using customized treatment! One thing he is most passionate about is encouraging those with ADHD to get their bodies moving!! He shares how movement releases those endorphins, norepinephrine, and dopamine of course! These joy chemicals not only make us feel emotionally better, but also improve focus, motivation, and productivity, along with memory benefits and overall improvements in executive function skills. He shares the greatest secret about movement and that is the fact that it actually acts like water to our growing minds! We are not only exercising our bodies, but our brain reeps the benefit of getting stronger as well!! Wohoo!   Movement to start your day, throughout breaks in the day, and/or before an activity that requires focus is a great way to incorperate the joy feeling along with all the benefits of what movement releases to your brain! YES, it is HARD sometimes to get your body moving, especially when you just don't feel like it! BUT, this is when we encourage you to investigate that mindset and MAKE your body move! Your brain will thank you for it!  You can find Dr. LaCount at www.practicalpsychservices.com where you can learn more about him and his services as well as discover other ways to connect with him!  Hop on my website www.katelynmabry.com to get on my mailing list to recieve my weekly episodes sent straight to your inbox with additional tips and resources.  Happy Thanksgiving to my US friends and I celebrate all of your around the world as I am thankful for each and every one of you!!!  Love you all! 

ADHD is a neurological difference that research shows often runs in the family! In this episode, we talk about why it is important to get your ADHD diagnosis so that it can act as a roadmap for how your brain works differently. On this journey you will discover which Executive Function skills are extra tricky, they why behing big, intense emotions, what it means to have rejection sensitivity in relationships, and so much more! Investigating these things allows you to lean into your strengths as you continue to put tools in your toolbox to work through the struggles. The more we know, the more we grow! I also share this new and upcoming online diagnosis option. Go to https://get.donefirst/katelyn to check them out. I was honestly hesitant at first, but after talking with founders of this company, I hear the passion and urgency to help people who are wondering if they might have ADHD and want to figure out next steps. They work to better themselves as an online option day by day. After a quick free assessment, you are partnered with a licensed Psychiatrist who specializes in ADHD (these can be hard to find in your area). Once diagnosed, you will be offered an individualize treatment plan. They do offer medication and as you all know, I feel this can be a helpful TOOL given the correct type and amount, however your treatment should never stop there! They offer 24/7 customer care and resources on their site. Please know that different treatment options work for different people, but this is a great way to skip a long line and discover the explanation behind the challenges faced. Please let me know how your experience is with them! If you are diagnosed, you can look into more resources at www.katelynmabry.com. Check out my book, "Hi, It's Me! I have ADHD" as a conversation starter and print out my printable facial expressions as a follow up activity to begin identifying those big emotions.  1:1 Coaching is another option I offer. I am currently booked, but am taking clients come the New Year! Visit www.focusforwardadhd.com to schedule a free consultation and learn more! You were made to thrive with the incredible brain you've been given! I am here for you! Love you all!  

Raise your hand if you hear "I'm bored" or you struggle internally with this thought!!? We have busy brains, what can be boring about that;) This is a common struggle that those of us with ADHD brains have because we are constantly seeking that dopamine and when we are low, we feel a deep sense of bordom.  In this episode, you will hear from Dr. Tish Gentile, who is a doctor of health and science from New England.  She is an ADHD advocate and mentor as she shares her personal story of growing up with ADHD and has a passion for helping others on their journey!  Keep listening as we dive deeper into the hot topic of bordom! Dr. Tish shares her personal reaction to bordom being getting in fights with her siblings, impulsive shopping and more! She encourages listeners to be patient with yourself as you learn to respond best to your brain. The first step is identifying those moments of bordom and how you are in the habit of reacting. If it's with big, intense emotions and unhealthy habits, then look at tools you can add to your toolbox or strategies you can try to discover new habits to form in those moments. Allow your brain to be creative and expressive. Ask yourself, "how can I entertain my brain?"  You can find Dr. Tish on IG @ truly_tish_adhd... there is a link in her bio to find her blog and podcast! She says to send her a direct message if you have any questions too! Wohoo! As always you can visit my website www.katelynmabry.com to get on my email list so you can get my weekly emails that include the newest episode along with further resources and tips to try! You can also order a copy of my book "Hi, It's Me! I have ADHD" if you'd like another recource for jumpstarting that conversation about ADHD! Please message me with questions or set up a consult if you'd like to learn more about coaching!  We are on this journey together! Love you all!