Podcasts about adhd

In this episode, Dr. Jockers sits down with Michael Cohen to explore how neurofeedback can help retrain the brain's "electrical software" to improve anxiety, sleep, focus, and emotional balance. You'll learn why nutrition alone may not fully resolve brain fog or nervous system dysregulation, and how the brain can be trained to create healthier patterns.   Michael breaks down how chronic stress, trauma, overstimulation, and poor nervous system regulation can keep the brain stuck in survival mode. You'll discover how different areas of the brain influence mood, attention, overwhelm, and emotional reactivity—and how targeted brain training may help restore balance.   You'll also hear powerful stories of transformation involving ADHD, autism, concussion recovery, anxiety, and trauma healing. This conversation dives into the connection between sleep, brain health, emotional resilience, and the tools that may help people finally feel calm, focused, and mentally clear again.   In This Episode:  00:00 Neurofeedback Success Story 00:34 Interview Setup and Goals 03:38 Meet Michael Cohen 04:28 Brain Software vs Nutrition 06:18 How Neurofeedback Trains 07:28 Sympathetic Overdrive Explained 10:38 Tools to Reset Calm 12:49 Neurofeedback Process Demo 16:12 Brain Areas and Targets 18:27 Electrodes and Brain Mapping 23:53 Case Study and Root Causes 25:55 Mold EMF and Sleep Tips 27:03 Simple Timer Hack 27:16 NFL Brain Recovery Story 29:45 Concussions and Brain Timing 31:42 Nutrition Plus Neurofeedback 34:33 Beyond Pharmaceuticals 35:41 Autism Case Breakthrough 37:20 Trauma and Lasting Healing 42:54 Finding Neurofeedback Help 44:18 Home Training and New Tools 45:09 Brain Entrainment and Devices 47:27 Wrap Up and Sleep Priority 49:53 Final Thanks and Outro   If you want practical, natural strategies to balance your hormones, heal your gut, boost your energy, and slow aging, don't miss The Dr. Josh Axe Show. Dr. Axe blends ancient wisdom with cutting-edge science and brings on world-class experts for unfiltered conversations you won't hear anywhere else. Transform your health from the inside out and subscribe to The Dr. Josh Axe Show, with new episodes every Monday and Thursday. If you're feeling wired, tired, and depleted, it's time to replenish your electrolytes with Relyte from Redmond. Made with Redmond's Real Salt, this clean formula provides essential electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium without any sugar or artificial ingredients. Perfect for those under stress, fasting, or living an active lifestyle, Relyte helps restore hydration, improve energy, and support mental clarity. Visit RedmondLife.com/DrJockers and use code JOCKERS for 15% off today! Support your heart, brain, and overall wellness with Paleovalley's Wild Caught Fish Roe. This whole food source of Omega-3s is rich in EPA and DHA, helping to reduce inflammation and promote brain function. Take control of your health today and save 15% on your purchase at paleovalley.com/jockers with the code JOCKERS.   If you've ever been told your labs look "normal" while still dealing with brain fog, low energy, poor sleep, or unexplained symptoms, I highly recommend checking out SuperPower Health. They go far beyond standard blood work with over 100 biomarkers from one simple blood draw, giving you real insight into your hormones, metabolism, inflammation, nutrient status, toxins, and overall health. I also love that they track your results over time and give you access to an on-demand clinician team right through their app. Head to SuperPower.com and use code JOCKERS to save $20 off your membership. Healthy skin starts at the cellular level, which is why I'm a big fan of OneSkin. Their products were developed by longevity researchers using a proprietary peptide called OS-01, designed to target senescent cells and support healthier, younger-looking skin from the inside out. The science behind this is incredibly impressive, with multiple clinical studies and thousands of five-star reviews backing the results. Visit OneSkin.co/drjockers and use code DRJOCKERS to get 15% off your order today.   "When your nervous system is balanced, everything works better—sleep, focus, mood, and relationships."   Subscribe to the podcast on: Apple Podcast Stitcher Spotify PodBean  TuneIn Radio   Resources:  Get 15% off at RedmondLife.com/DrJockers using code JOCKERS. Save 15% at Paleovalley.com/Jockers with code JOCKERS. Save $20 on your membership at SuperPower.com using code JOCKERS. Get 15% off at OneSkin.co/DRJOCKERS using code DRJOCKERS.     Connect with Michael Cohen: Website:  centerforbrain.com Book: Neurofeedback 101 https://a.co/d/08t1Dul6 Book: The Mind Rewired https://a.co/d/08meFNFP     Connect with Dr. Jockers: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/drjockers/ Facebook – https:/www.facebook.com/DrDavidJockers YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/user/djockers Website – https://drjockers.com/   If you are interested in being a guest on the show, we would love to hear from you! Please contact us here! - https://drjockers.com/join-us-dr-jockers-functional-nutrition-podcast/

What if the problem isn't your brain, but the systems you've spent your life trying to fit into? In this episode, I sit down with David Flink, founder of the Neurodiversity Alliance. We talk about what it means to navigate work, leadership, and identity as a neurodivergent person. David shares how he learned to stop forcing himself into systems that didn't fit, how metacognition changed his life, and why today's younger workers are approaching neurodivergence differently. Get ready to build your life around your strengths instead of constantly trying to fix your weaknesses.  Check out our sponsors: Shopify - Sign up for a $1 per month trial, just go to shopify.com/anxiousachiever Chime - Head to chime.com/achiever to sign up Quince - Head to quince.com/ACHIEVER for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns Monarch - Use code ACHIEVER at monarch.com to get 50% off your first year Physician's Choice - Use code PCPODCAST10 at physicianschoice.com to get 10% off your entire order In this Episode, You Will Learn 00:00 How do you define leadership? 04:00 What became easier for you as you got older as a neurodivergent leader? 08:00 The strengths David has come to love about his dyslexic ADHD brain. 11:15 Why neurodivergent adults spend years unlearning shame. 17:15 Why kids need to become detectives of their own learning styles. 19:00 What metacognition means and why it matters so much. 24:00 Don't let your current environment define your potential. 27:45 Why neurodivergent people often develop extraordinary resilience. 31:15 Can workplaces change for neurodivergent employees? 37:15 How remote work transformed David's company culture. 41:30 Why Gen Z approaches disability and neurodivergence differently. 45:15 How focusing on deficits causes companies to miss great talent. 47:30 What happens to neurodivergence in midlife. 51:45 What is inter-able relationship? 54:15 Why the best teams are built around complementary strengths. Resources + Links Pre-order your copy of David Flink's book, 20% Smarter HERE Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever Watch the podcast on YouTube  Find more resources on our website morraam.com Follow Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam Follow David on LinkedIn @dflink

Caller Questions & Discussion: Dr. Jim discusses why many adult children are deconstructing their parents' faith and explains the three types of people who often walk away from faith: nomads, prodigals, and exiles. I left a 10-year relationship because my avoidant, live-in boyfriend refused to talk through issues, but he keeps sending nostalgic texts. What should I do to finally move on? I'm 58, struggled with substance abuse for years, and I'm finally sober, but my ADHD symptoms are becoming harder to manage. Is there still hope for recovery and mental health healing later in life? We've spent the last 10 years traveling to visit my stepchildren, but they never make the effort to come see us. Should we keep taking the high road and pursuing the relationship, or is it time to set boundaries?

What if the story we've been told about depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and schizophrenia isn't actually supported by the science?In this eye-opening conversation, JJ sits down with investigative journalist and bestselling author Anatomy of an Epidemic creator Robert Whitaker to explore the origins of the “chemical imbalance” theory, the pharmaceutical influence on psychiatry, and what the research actually says about long-term outcomes with psychiatric medications.Robert shares how his career as a medical journalist led him into uncovering contradictions between the public narrative around mental illness and what researchers inside the field were actually finding. Together, JJ and Robert discuss how emotions, trauma, environment, nervous system responses, childhood conditioning, and meaning-making may play a much bigger role in mental health than we've been taught.This conversation dives into:The origins of the serotonin and dopamine imbalance theoriesWhy the “chemical imbalance” story continued despite lack of evidenceResearch on antidepressants, antipsychotics, ADHD medications, and long-term outcomesThe difference between healing and symptom managementHow labeling people can shape identity and behaviorWhy emotions are part of being human—not necessarily disordersThe connection between trauma, interpretation, core wounds, and emotional sufferingThe importance of teaching emotional processing and nervous system regulationOpen Dialogue therapy and alternative approaches to healingWhy society may be over-medicating normal human emotional experiencesJJ also shares her perspective as an Empowerment Strategist, discussing the role of core wound patterns, subconscious beliefs, emotional suppression, and how people can begin reconnecting with their bodies, emotions, and inner resilience.This episode challenges conventional thinking while opening the door to a broader conversation about healing, humanity, and what it truly means to thrive emotionally.Mentioned in This Episode:Anatomy of an EpidemicNational Institute of Mental HealthMad in AmericaNonviolent CommunicationOpen Dialogue TherapyEMDR & neuroplasticity approachesCore Wound MappingConnect with Robert WhitakerMad in AmericaConnect with JJJJ Flizanes Official Website

What if the medications designed to help depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and schizophrenia are actually worsening long-term mental health outcomes?In this powerful and thought-provoking conversation, JJ sits down with investigative journalist and bestselling author Anatomy of an Epidemic creator Robert Whitaker to explore the research behind psychiatric medications, the chemical imbalance theory, and the growing mental health crisis in America.Robert shares how his work as a medical journalist led him to uncover a major disconnect between what the public has been told about antidepressants, SSRIs, antipsychotics, ADHD medications, and mood stabilizers — and what long-term research studies actually show.Together, JJ and Robert discuss:The origins of the “chemical imbalance” theoryWhy serotonin deficiency was never scientifically provenThe pharmaceutical narratives used to market psychiatric medicationsLong-term studies on antidepressants, antipsychotics, ADHD medications, and bipolar treatmentWhy mental health outcomes may be worsening despite increased medication useThe difference between healing and symptom managementHow trauma, childhood conditioning, core wounds, and emotional suppression impact mental healthWhy labeling people can reinforce identity-based sufferingThe importance of emotional processing, nervous system regulation, and neuroplasticityAlternative approaches to healing, including Open Dialogue therapyHow society may be pathologizing normal human emotional experiencesJJ also shares her perspective on emotional healing, Core Wound Patterns, nervous system regulation, and the importance of learning how to feel, process, and move through emotions rather than suppressing or medicating them away.This episode challenges conventional mental health narratives while opening the door to deeper conversations about healing, humanity, and what it truly means to recover.In This EpisodeDepression and the chemical imbalance theorySSRIs and antidepressantsBipolar disorder and mood stabilizersADHD medications and long-term outcomesSchizophrenia research and antipsychotic medicationsEmotional healing and nervous system regulationTrauma, identity, and subconscious beliefsNeuroplasticity and alternative healing approachesMentioned in This EpisodeAnatomy of an EpidemicMad in AmericaNonviolent CommunicationOpen Dialogue TherapyEMDR and neuroplasticity approachesCore Wound MappingConnect with Robert WhitakerMad in AmericaConnect with JJJJ Flizanes Official Website

When kids can't tolerate boredom, it's easy to forget to put on our X-ray vision goggles and chalk it up to too much screen time or even not enough gratitude. Our kids' reaction to boredom triggers OUR watchdog brain! If we can invite our owl to come back, we will almost certainly see that boredom flips our kids' nervous system into protection mode.In this episode, you'll learn:Why boredom can trigger the nervous system to shift onto the protection pathwayHow vulnerability in the nervous system (whether from ADHD, autism, trauma, or any other reason a kid has a vulnerable nervous system) impacts a child's experience of boredom Practical, nervous-system-informed ways to gradually build your child's boredom tolerance Read the full transcript at: RobynGobbel.com/boredomThe Club is welcoming new members from now until Tuesday! Join us now and you can come live to the Parenting with your OWN History of Trauma or Vulnerable Nervous System Masterclass AND the workshop on Mapping Your Child's Nervous System. We can't wait to meet you! RobynGobbel.com/TheClub Immersion Program for Professionals!The Baffling Behavior Training Institute's Immersion Program for Professionals is NOW accepting applications for our 2027 cohorts. You MUST be on the waiting list to be eligible to apply so head to RobynGobbel.com/Immersion and put your name on the waiting list! Let's hang out this summer at two different trainings for professionals!Therapy with Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors- June 1 & 2 in Syracuse, NY RobynGobbel.com/NYPresence in Practice- July 15, 16, & 17 in Rockford, MI (outside Grand Rapids) RobynGobbel.com/Michigan2026 :::Grab a copy of USA Today Best Selling book Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors robyngobbel.com/bookJoin us in The Club for more support! robyngobbel.com/TheClubSign up on the waiting list for the 2027 Cohorts of the Baffling Behavior Training Institute's Immersion Program for Professionals robyngobbel.com/ImmersionFollow Me On:FacebookInstagramOver on my website you can find:Webinar and eBook on Focus on the Nervous System to Change Behavior (FREE)eBook on The Brilliance of Attachment (FREE)LOTS & LOTS of FREE ResourcesOngoing support, connection, and co-regulation for struggling parents: The ClubYear-Long Immersive & Holistic Training Program for Parenting Professionals: The Baffling Behavior Training Institute's (BBTI) Professional Immersion Program (formerly Being With)

In this episode, we explore the nuanced challenge of managing ADHD with stimulant medications during pregnancy. Is stopping the medication always the safer choice — or does untreated ADHD carry risks of its own? Dr. Amanda Koire breaks down the latest evidence to help clinicians make truly informed decisions. Faculty: Amanda Koire, M.D., Ph.D. Host: Richard Seeber, M.D. Learn more about our memberships here Earn 0.5 CME: Prescribing in Pregnancy: What Every Clinician Should Know Pregnancy, ADHD, and Stimulants: Making an Informed Choice

Jake Stauch is the co-founder and CEO of Serval, the AI-native enterprise service management platform. Serval was founded in 2024 and has already raised over $125M across rounds led by Redpoint and Sequoia at a $1B+ valuation. Before Serval, Jake spent five years on the product team at Verkada and earlier founded NeuroPlus, a brain-sensing hardware company that made video games for kids with ADHD.In this episode of Summation, Jake and Auren discuss:Why Anthropic has added more ARR in the past few months than ServiceNow has in the past 20 yearsThe "forward deployed engineer" hire and why he recruits future founders instead of solutions engineersWhy talent density is the only remaining moat in the age of AIThe Silicon Valley collusion around not poaching each other's employeesYou can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Jake Stauch on X at @jakeserval

Ever wondered how someone with a full plate—a thriving business, a family, a neurodiverse household, AND a stack of published books—still finds time to sleep? Or better yet… how they use their ADHD to power all of it? If you've ever felt overwhelmed by your own creativity or wondered if you're “too much,” you're going to love this interview with returning guest and my SEO consultant, Meg Casebolt. Her approach to neurodiversity in business proves that ADHD can be a strategic advantage, not a limitation. Meg is an entrepreneurial powerhouse who perfectly embodies the phrase “multi-passionate with a mission.” I'm talking about building a successful SEO consultancy while cranking out several romance novels, nonfiction books, and helping others find their voices—all with the magic (and occasional mayhem) of an ADHD brain. Her writing strategy and approach to creative writing offer a blueprint for managing multiple projects without burning out. This is not a conversation about “doing it all.” It's about how to let your brain's unique wiring become your greatest asset. Meg shares candidly about her writing journey: from being a childhood word nerd, to losing the joy of writing through academia's rigidity, and then rediscovering the creative spark during the uncertainty of the pandemic. Ever felt like your nervous system is on overdrive? You're not alone—turns out writing romance novels was exactly what Meg needed to dial down anxiety and reclaim hope. This is neurodiversity in business at its most authentic. Here are my top 3 takeaways from our chat:Creativity Needs Structure: Meg breaks big projects like writing novels and business books into manageable, bite-sized sessions—30 minutes a day can add up to published work and reduced overwhelm.Curate Your Input to Cultivate Your Output: Both of us have found that reducing media consumption and focusing on our unique perspectives boosts creativity and clarity—whether you're writing, building, or rebranding.Honor Your Brain (and Your Needs):It's not about doing it all—it's about doing what fuels you. Speaker B balances left- and right-brain work, has learned to say no to platforms that drain her energy, and finds flow by following her interests and intrinsic motivations.About today's guest, Meg Casebolt:Meg Casebolt helps experienced founders, consultants, and creators become findable in AI-powered search—not through keyword tactics, but through strategic authority positioning.As founder of Love At First Search, she works with experts who don't need more SEO advice but do need a new way to be understood by modern search systems. Her approach focuses on helping people become quotable and recommendable: teaching them to claim specific expertise territory and build the signals AI uses to evaluate credibility.Diann's Note: After I lost 10k followers on social media accounts overnight due to hackers, I was determined to learn SEO and started working with Meg. Within 1 year, I rank at the top of all search engines in my niche, and 50% of my clients now find me through online search. Meg's Body of Work: Love at First Search / Signal - SEO membership program (affiliate)Aggressively Human podcast with Jessica LackeySocial Slowdown Meg's podcast and book Happily Ever Indie - for self-published romance authors Meg's romance novels under her pseudonym Bailey Seaborn Recommended by Meg during the episode:Lacy Boggs, The Content Direction AgencyJoanna Wiebe - 12 Books That Will Make You Insanely Smart Your ADHD-ish™ host, Diann Wingert Diann Wingert brings decades of experience as a psychotherapist and serial business owner and is now a sought-after coach to entrepreneurs with ADHD traits. Her style is direct, strategic, and always honest—peppered with the insight of someone who lives and breathes the neurodivergent experience. Diann is a fierce advocate for self-acceptance and meaningful growth at the intersection of neurodivergence and entrepreneurship. She is the creator of the ADHD-ish Method and host of the top-rated ADHD-ish podcast. Connect with DiannReady to work with an ADHD-informed business strategist and coach? Book a free consultation with me. © 2026 ADHD-ish™ Podcast. Intro music by Ishan Dincer / Melody Loops / Outro music by Vladimir / Bobi Music / All rights reserved.

New here? Start with our Start Here playlist — five episodes that will change how you think about motherhood. You know that feeling of fast-walking across the house, going from room to room, shoulders up to your ears — and not even realizing you're doing it until someone asks if you're okay? That rushing feeling isn't just a bad habit. It's your nervous system in fight or flight mode. And if you have ADHD, you might be living there almost all the time. Jenna Free is a therapist, ADHD specialist, and author of The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation. She was diagnosed at 32 — after having two kids in a year and a half — and has since spent hundreds of hours working with ADHD adults to understand the one pattern that shows up in every single one of them: the fight or flight cycle. In this episode, JoAnn and Jenna get into the real reason so many moms feel like they're always drowning — and why more tips and tools are never going to fix it. What you'll learn: What the ADHD fight or flight cycle actually looks like — and why it's not just about the big explosive moments Why rushing and impatience are early warning signals that you're already dysregulated — before you ever snap at your kids The fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses that every ADHD mom will recognize in herself Why people pleasing is actually a survival response — and has nothing to do with being a pushover The one word that tells you immediately you're in dysregulation ("should") Why awareness is always the first step — and what to actually do once you have it The Gap vs. Gain theory and why looking at what you've accomplished (not what's left) literally regulates your nervous system Why your symptoms aren't the ADHD itself — and what's actually making everything so much harder Jenna's biggest insight: "If you put an ADHD brain that's already different in fight or flight, you are quadrupling your symptoms. It's hard on top of hard. But it does not have to be this hard." Resources mentioned: The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation by Jenna Free — available wherever books are sold, including your local library The Gap vs. Gain concept from Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin Hardy Connect with Jenna: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adhdwithjennafree Listen next: Why You're Always the One Remembering Everything (And How AI Can Help) with Sarah Dooley Part 2 of the Yelling Series: Why Your Body Starts the Yelling Before Your Brain Does (Coming Thursday, May 29) Remember: the best mom is a happy mom. Take care of you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever look up and realise a whole month has vanished? This episode is about why that happens — and how to get more life out of the same amount of time. Most people think time speeds up because they're busy. Not quite. Time speeds up when your brain stops noticing. When your days are repetitive, distracted, and half-lived, your memory writes almost nothing down. That's why a week of scrolling disappears, while one difficult, vivid, meaningful afternoon can feel strangely rich. In this episode, I break down the psychology of time perception using examples from TikTok, procrastination, ADHD, novelty, and emotional reframing. The big idea: a full life isn't made from more hours. It's made from more moments that feel real. We talk about why discomfort often stretches time, why autopilot erases it, and how learning to stay with tension can make you calmer, sharper, and more alive. Add novelty on purpose: new places, new conversations, new experiences. Notice when you're escaping discomfort instead of living through it. Use memory as a metric: if nothing stands out, something needs to change. If time keeps slipping through your hands, this episode will help you hold it differently. UPGRADE to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Premium⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠:

Sam Pittis and Katie Breathwick — best friends and co-hosts of You're Wrong About ADHD — compare their very different reactions to being diagnosed with ADHD. Katie came to her ADHD diagnosis through her teenage son and felt a sense of excitement and clarity. Sam felt shaken. He began to see his years of depression, emotional crashes, and coping habits in a new way.  Hear how ADHD shows up uniquely in the two of them, from emotional dysregulation and sensory struggles to disorganization and missed signs in childhood. Also in this episode: gender differences, late diagnosis, and the quiet grief of wondering what might have been. For more on this topic Listen: Building ADHD community Read: 8 common myths about ADHD Watch: ADHD and depression For a transcript and more resources, visit ADHD Aha! on Understood.org. You can also email us at adhdaha@understood.org . Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if the medications designed to help depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and schizophrenia are actually worsening long-term mental health outcomes?In this powerful and thought-provoking conversation, JJ sits down with investigative journalist and bestselling author Anatomy of an Epidemic creator Robert Whitaker to explore the research behind psychiatric medications, the chemical imbalance theory, and the growing mental health crisis in America.Robert shares how his work as a medical journalist led him to uncover a major disconnect between what the public has been told about antidepressants, SSRIs, antipsychotics, ADHD medications, and mood stabilizers — and what long-term research studies actually show.Together, JJ and Robert discuss:The origins of the “chemical imbalance” theoryWhy serotonin deficiency was never scientifically provenThe pharmaceutical narratives used to market psychiatric medicationsLong-term studies on antidepressants, antipsychotics, ADHD medications, and bipolar treatmentWhy mental health outcomes may be worsening despite increased medication useThe difference between healing and symptom managementHow trauma, childhood conditioning, core wounds, and emotional suppression impact mental healthWhy labeling people can reinforce identity-based sufferingThe importance of emotional processing, nervous system regulation, and neuroplasticityAlternative approaches to healing, including Open Dialogue therapyHow society may be pathologizing normal human emotional experiencesJJ also shares her perspective on emotional healing, Core Wound Patterns, nervous system regulation, and the importance of learning how to feel, process, and move through emotions rather than suppressing or medicating them away.This episode challenges conventional mental health narratives while opening the door to deeper conversations about healing, humanity, and what it truly means to recover.In This EpisodeDepression and the chemical imbalance theorySSRIs and antidepressantsBipolar disorder and mood stabilizersADHD medications and long-term outcomesSchizophrenia research and antipsychotic medicationsEmotional healing and nervous system regulationTrauma, identity, and subconscious beliefsNeuroplasticity and alternative healing approachesMentioned in This EpisodeAnatomy of an EpidemicMad in AmericaNonviolent CommunicationOpen Dialogue TherapyEMDR and neuroplasticity approachesCore Wound MappingConnect with Robert WhitakerMad in AmericaConnect with JJJJ Flizanes Official Website

Send us Fan MailIf you enjoyed this deep dive into the music industry, make sure to subscribe to the channel and leave a comment below with your favorite part of the conversation!From his roots in Evansville to building a career in Colorado and back again, DJ Wills joins The Day's Grimm to discuss the reality of the music industry. In this episode, Wills breaks down the grind of being an entertainer, the evolution of his sound, and the essential role of branding for independent artists.We dive into the highs and lows of his journey, exploring how he transitioned from a local music enthusiast to a professional DJ, and why he eventually chose to return to his hometown. Wills shares raw insights into the challenges of social anxiety, the necessity of discipline in a creative career, and his upcoming plans for animated projects and live sets. Whether you are an aspiring producer, a local music fan, or just looking for an honest conversation about the hustle, this episode covers the practical side of turning a passion into a sustainable career.KEY TOPICS COVERED:The importance of branding and marketing over raw popularity in the modern music scene.How DJ Wills transitioned from a local enthusiast to a professional DJ.Challenges of managing social anxiety while performing in the public eye.The role of discipline in maintaining a long-term music career.Why networking with the right people—not just other stars—is critical for growth.Managing multiple creative projects and the importance of saying no to preserve your brand.Insights into moving cities to pursue a career and eventually returning home.The evolution of music distribution and how artists adapt to industry changes.NOTABLE QUOTES:"It's all about branding guys, not popularity. I swear. And just be good at what you do." — Wills"It's pointless to be talented and be great at something if you don't have the discipline." — Wills"I am the brand. I know how I impact these people. I'm not Michael Jackson, but I do have people cry. I have people give me money." — WillsTIMELINE: 00:00 — Intro 00:03 — DJ Wills Joins The Day's Grimm 04:12 — Growing up in Evansville and Early Musical Memories 09:38 — High School Culture and Finding Music 19:26 — The Shift to Home Production and Engineering 24:00 — How "Wills" Got His Name 28:49 — Thoughts on Rap Beefs and Music Business 36:12 — Sampling, DJing, and Copyright Realities 42:30 — Moving to Colorado and the Music Scene 56:12 — Returning to Evansville and Future Projects 1:19:37 — Overcoming the Desire to Quit 1:26:33 — Final Thoughts and Where to Follow[The Days Grimm Podcast Links]- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheDaysGrimm- Our link tree: linktr.ee/Thedaysgrimm- GoFundMe account for The Days Grimm: https://gofund.me/02527e7c [The Days Grimm is brought to you by]Sadness & ADHD (non-medicated)

Hey Team! Today I'm sitting down with Ron Capalbo, known to many as @adhd_ron on the socials. I've gotten to know Ron at a number of ADHD conferences and had a great time at Neurodiversion talking with him about Dungeon Crawler Carl and figured it was time to have him on the pod. Ron is an AACC-certified coach through the ADD Coach Academy who specializes in strengths-based development and helping adults navigate the messy "shame cycle" that so often accompanies an ADHD diagnosis. He's spent years building a community focused on honoring unique brain chemistry rather than fighting a losing battle against it. In today's episode, we explore the "why" behind our perfectionism and how the fear of complacency often keeps us from being proud of our progress. Ron breaks down how to identify your brain's unique operating system, the value of the elevator pitch for self-confidence, and why hitting a seven when you started at a two is actually a massive win, even if your brain is trying to convince you it's a failure. If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at HackingYourADHD.com/297 YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/y835cnrk Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/HackingYourADHD This Episode's Top Tips Try out the 2-versus-9 scale for Expectation Management. We often fail to start because we set the entry-level bar at a 9 (like, cooking 7 nights a week), which can often feel impossible. If instead we intentionally lower our aim to something that's more like a 2, we bypass the brain's "frozen" state and create a low-friction path to initiation. All right, this is a long one, but it's worth it. Many of us with ADHD actively avoid giving ourselves credit because we've been conditioned to fear that if we're satisfied, it will lead to complacency. Mechanically, however, withholding credit creates a narrative vacuum in our operating system - our brain assumes it just didn't happen. It looks at everything left to do, decides we're failing, and triggers a total system freeze, what Ron calls a "cement wall". The fix here isn't forcing toxic positive affirmations your brain knows are fake. It just takes factual data entry. Take a second to acknowledge that you moved from a level one to a level two. You're not throwing yourself a parade; you're just hitting "Save" so your brain has the baseline level to keep moving forward without crashing. Setbacks are inevitable, but the duration of the setback is determined by your level of self-shame. Implementing a grace period or a mental hug isn't about being soft; it's a strategic tool to reduce the time spent in a frozen state and get back to baseline faster.  

I'm back! After retiring the podcast in 2024 and fully believing that chapter was complete, I've returned to Embodied with more clarity, tenderness, and truth than before. In this welcome-back episode, I'm catching you up like an old friend. I talk about the last two years of deep integration, moving home to New York City, reconnecting with Brooklyn, understanding my ADHD and neurodivergence more deeply, and letting go of identities that no longer needed to lead my life. I also share what Egypt, ancestral healing, perimenopause, collaboration, business, money, creativity, and redefining success have been teaching me. So much of what once felt like failure now feels like guidance. Those paths were not mistakes. They were part of the way home. Embodied is back as a space for refuge, revelation, real talk, healing, joy, liberation, midlife truth, and the blissruciating experience of being human. Thanks for tuning in! To check out 1:1 and Collective offerings, stay in touch, and learn about upcoming classes and workshops visit elizabethdialto.com

In this episode of the Translating ADHD podcast, Ash and Dusty explore the concept of emotional permanence—a term that highlights the experience of being stuck in intense emotions, often seen in people with ADHD. They discuss how emotional dysregulation, a common but under-recognized aspect of ADHD, interferes with motivation, goal-directed behavior, and the ability to tolerate distress. Dusty shares personal experiences and therapeutic tools such as distress tolerance and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques that help in recognizing that emotions are temporary and learning to self-soothe rather than react impulsively. Ash and Dusty also discuss practical coaching strategies for clients dealing with emotional overwhelm, including shifting from reactive to curious mindsets to gain clarity and make thoughtful decisions. They emphasize the importance of balancing action and patience, knowing when to push forward and when to allow oneself time to regroup. The episode offers valuable insights into managing ADHD-related emotional challenges by fostering self-awareness, gentle self-talk, and curiosity—helping listeners build resilience and make more grounded choices in their daily lives. Episode links + resources: Join the Community | Become a Patron Our Process: Understand, Own, Translate. About Asher and Dusty For more of the Translating ADHD podcast: Episode Transcripts: visit TranslatingADHD.com and click on the episode Follow us on Twitter: @TranslatingADHD Visit the Website: TranslatingADHD.com

Psychotherapist and author Erica Komisar joins John to make the case that what happens in a child's first 3 years shapes their emotional security for life, and that current childcare policy is built on a dangerous ignorance of child development.They also discuss why ADHD is better understood as a stress response than a disorder, what the evidence tells us about cortisol levels in babies separated from their primary caregivers, why Australia's social media ban is a step in the right direction but far from a complete solution, and what governments could do differently if they genuinely wanted to support families rather than promote institutional childcare.Erica Komisar is a clinical social worker, psychoanalyst, parent coach, and author. With over thirty years of experience in private practice, she works to alleviate pain in individuals who suffer from depression, anxiety, eating, and other compulsive disorders. She is the author of Being There: Why Prioritizing Motherhood in the First Three Years Matters.Visit John's new substack here: https://www.ourcivilisationalmoment.com/Sign up to John's newsletter here: https://johnanderson.net.au/contact/--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------0:00 Trailer0:58 Intro1:10 Why the formative years are critical6:11 The damage of screens and social media13:06 The case for "dumb phones" for kids16:18 Why universal childcare is a bad policy36:58 How short sighted politics is harming children42:33 Is ADHD actually a disorder?50:10 How neglect is impacting low birth rates57:00 Solving the "depopulation bomb" crisis1:01:46 A warning from Romania...

What does thriving actually look like for a late-diagnosed autistic adult?Alexis Kruel gives a pretty specific answer from a life of contradictions.Alexis is a commercial model and actor who was diagnosed autistic at 53 and ADHD shortly after. But this isn't really a diagnosis story. It's a story about what happens when your whole life suddenly plays back differently, and every awkward moment, every friendship that went cold, every dinner party you wanted to escape, finally makes sense.She's built a life that genuinely fits her brain. In this conversation she talks about how she did it — and what she'd tell anyone who's still figuring that out.In this episode:The video that stopped her cold and started everythingSensory life in the 70s — polyester, crinolines, a doomed trip to Stride RiteWhy she was simultaneously popular yet seen as “different”How the fear of being seen inspired her to become a modelHow two autistic people built a marriage that works — and why she thinks that's not an accidentHer advice for finding your comfort after late diagnosisFind Alexis: Instagram & TikTok: @alexiskruel_official YouTube & Facebook: Alexis KruelAlexis Kruel websiteResources mentioned:@whileyouwonderau theartofautism.com Prosper Health — telehealth autism assessments for adultsSupport the showRATED IN THE TOP 0.5% GLOBALLY with more than 1.2 million downloads!If you are an autistic person who has written a book about autism or if you have a guest suggestion email me at info@theautisticwoman.com.InstagramKo-fi, PayPal, PatreonLinktreeEmail: info@theautisticwoman.comWebsiteJune 24-28, 2026 In Rewilding Together

Send us a text message if you have a question you want answered on the podcast.Ever feel like disappointing someone is basically the worst thing that could happen? Like your whole body goes on high alert the second you sense someone might be upset with you?That's not just anxiety. It might be rejection sensitivity dysphoria, and in this episode, ADHD and executive function coach Kelly Dyches breaks it all down in a way that finally makes sense.We talk about why fear of letting people down can feel so physical and so urgent, how it quietly blocks your ability to hear the Spirit, and what small steps actually help when your brain is filling in blanks with worst-case stories._______________________________Get to know our guest:Kelly Dyches is an ADHD and executive function coach who helps people manage their big, busy, beautiful brains. Website: www.ADHDKelly.comInstagram: @ADHDKellyFacebook: Kelly Dyches She also sends a free weekly newsletter packed with ADHD tools and insights._______________________________Stick around for more Mental Health support & resources: 

✨ Join We're Busy Being Awesome (group coaching) If you've ever sat down to plan your day and found your ADHD brain staring at a list where every task seems equally on fire, this episode is for you. Our brains generate urgency signals for nearly everything, and sorting genuine priorities from false ones is one of the harder things we ask our brains to do in real time. In episode 356, we're borrowing from the surprising lens of fire lookouts to walk through four practical checkpoints for deciphering a real priority from false urgency. In Episode 356, You Will Discover: How fire lookouts tell real smoke from pollen plumes, and how we can apply that to ADHD prioritization Four checkpoints for sorting genuine priorities from false urgency What "lightning strike areas" and "high-pollen trees" can teach us about where urgency comes from A simple challenge to help you practice what you learn this week Work With Me: Join We're Busy Being Awesome (group coaching) Learn more about private coaching here Enroll in Overwhelm to Action - step by step course for ADHD Brains Resources From This Episode: Episode 146: 10 Prioritization Traps That Keep The ADHD Brain Stuck Episode 263: ADHD Prioritization Challenges + 2 Powerful Matrices To Help More ADHD Resources: Discover Your ADHD Overwhelm Type - Free Quiz! Get the I'm Busy Being Awesome Podcast Roadmap Free course: ADHD Routine Revamp Learn my Top 10 Tips to Work With Your ADHD Brain Discover my favorite ADHD resources Access the I'm Busy Being Awesome Planning System Stay focused with brain.fm and get a 30-day free trial* This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Disclosure info here. Leave IBBA A Rating & Review! If you enjoy the podcast, would you be a rockstar and leave a review? Doing so helps others find the show and spreads these tools to even more people. Go to Apple Podcasts Click on the I'm Busy Being Awesome podcast Scroll down to the bottom of the page, where you see the reviews. Simply tap five stars; that's it! Bonus points if you're willing to leave a few sentences sharing what you enjoy about the podcast or a key takeaway from the episode you just heard. Thanks, friend! Chapter Outline 00:00 Why Everything Feels Urgent 01:31 Fire Lookout Framework 03:15 Pollen vs Smoke Story 06:03 Checkpoint 1 Source Pattern 09:56 Checkpoint 2 Density Color 12:45 Checkpoint 3 Know Sources 16:13 Checkpoint 4 Ask Another 18:40 Coaching Program Invite 20:40 Weekly Challenge Recap 22:25 Wrap Up and Resources  

SHINING WITH ADHD#220: Traveling with ADHD Kids: Real Talk, Mishaps, and Survival TipsThe Childhood Collective5/27/2026SUMMARYTraveling with ADHD kids can feel like a mix of magical memories, unexpected meltdowns, forgotten chargers, and “why did we think this was a good idea?” moments. In this episode, podcast host and mom Jessica Shaw shares honest stories and practical strategies for traveling with ADHD kids with a little less stress and a lot less pressure. We talk about managing expectations, handling overwhelm, preparing for transitions, and letting go of the idea of the “perfect” vacation. If family trips have ever left you more exhausted than refreshed, this episode will help you laugh, reset, and feel more prepared for the chaos.MEET JESSICA SHAWJessica Shaw is an award-winning journalist and radio host whose work has appeared in The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, and Vanity Fair, and more. She's also the proud mom of two teens who think differently, and the host of the new podcast Everyone Gets a Juice Box, a space where parents connect over the challenges and triumphs of raising neurodivergent kids.LINKS + RESOURCESEpisode #220 TranscriptEveryone Gets a Juice Box PodcastThe Childhood Collective InstagramHave a question or want to share some thoughts? Shoot us an email at hello@thechildhoodcollective.comMentioned in this episode:HungryrootHungryroot offers “good-for-you groceries and simple recipes.” We have loved having one less thing to worry about when it comes to raising kids. For 40% off your first box, click the link below and use CHILDHOOD40 in all caps to get the discount.HungryrootTime TimerWe can't have your attention and not mention Time Timer. This amazing tool helps with activity transitions, independence, and building executive function skills. Head to and use the code TCC to get a site-wide discount.Time TimerCreating Calm CourseCreating Calm is a video-based course that will teach you simple, step-by-step strategies to help you parent a happy and independent child with ADHD (ages 4-12 years old). Whenever and wherever you have an internet connection. Use the code PODCAST for 10% off!Creating Calm Course

How the hell do you plan and work toward long term goals when every day is filled with our "Oh I gotta" tasks?! Oh I gotta get groceries! Oh I gotta take my kid to his friend's house! So many things that we "gotta". When the hell is there time for my self-care, or my big vision?! Today I'm talking about a way to go after those bigger things that always seem to get pushed forward/away. Mentioned in the podcast: join ADHDBB and you can experience the magic of planabilibuddies like Lise! https://adhdbigbrother.circle.so/adhdbbWhen you are ready to move from learning to doing, join ADHDBB and experience firsthand what "next level" peer support looks like. I'll be the first to welcome you in. Let's goooo! https://adhdbigbrother.circle.so/adhdbb

In this episode, we talk about May's adventures which include travels to GA, SC, NC, TN, VA, OH, and IN. Highlights were MANY hotel tours, COSI Science Museum, United State Air Force Museum, Thomas Bus Tour, Gem Mining, Waterfall, and time with Family & friends. The IWMF conference for Sandy's conference went well and provided some hope for future treatments. We also talk about Bryce's improvement and growth with social interactions. He has also discovered a new interest in fishing. Lastly, we talk about the discovery of two curves in Bryce's spine caused by Scoliosis. We will be monitoring his growth with x-rays with the expectation that he will need a back brace at some point to prevent the need for surgery as he grows through puberty. You can reach out directly to us if you want to purchase a signed edition of our book, "PARENTING AUTISM: The Early Years." We have several Author copies available.Bryce is a funny, mechanical, HAPPY little guy who was diagnosed with autism at age two and is now twelve years old. His pure joy makes this world a much better place!We are humbled and honored to follow our calling and be Autism Ambassadors while helping others understand our world a little more than they did before listening to the podcast. We also feel called to bring light to a community that has experienced dark days after the "diagnosis". (Luke 1:79)You can follow us on our Parenting Autism YouTube Channel (Parenting Autism Show) and our Facebook & Instagram pages to see stories, pictures, and videos of our autism journey. You can also contact us through Facebook, Instagram, or by email: parentingautism@att.net.NOTE: Most of our Social Media content is on our YouTube channel @parentingautismshow. Please subscribe and follow our adventures! Support the show

Stephen Martin shares the highs and lows of building the Added Nutrition supplement brand, highlighting challenges like product development, trademarking, platform decisions, and managing ADHD and dyslexia in entrepreneurship.TakeawaysThings take three times longer than expected in business.Decision fatigue can overwhelm entrepreneurs.Choosing between Amazon and Shopify impacts control and margins.Understanding your brain's working style is key to managing multiple projects.Business challenges, supplement brand, ADHD, dyslexia, Amazon, Shopify, branding, decision-making, entrepreneurship, product launch, adults with dyslexia, support for adults.Show your support and sign up for a $10 credit at https://addednutrition.com Join the clubrightbrainresetters.comGet 20% off your first orderaddednutrition.comIf you want to find out more visit:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠truthaboutdyslexia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/groups/adultdyslexia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

A personal episode about self-trust through my own AuDHD. I talk about what self-trust actually means for me and how it ties into the self-concept episode from earlier this month. I get into why beating ourselves up after we don't follow through only makes things worse. Weekly bonus episodes, video episodes, ad-free episodes, full archive on Patreon $7.99 monthly or pay annually for a big discount.  Sources Used This Episode: The Truth About ADHD & Self Trust - Healthy ADHD Blog  Learning To Trust Yourself - Focused Mind ADHD Counseling Self Trust & ADHD Breaking The Cycle Of Disappointment - Lightbulb ADHD A Whole Lot Of Things That Support YOU & This Podcast!  We Are A Lot Community + Podcast (Patreon) — $24.99/month: Full community access on Circle plus ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, and video episodes on Patreon. We Are A Lot Community — $17/month: 24/7 support hub with daily body doubling sessions and weekly meetings with Jen & other members and over ten sections of guided online ADHD/AuDHD help hubs made by Jen. (Use code WELCOME7 at checkout and get $7 off of your first month, cancel anytime easily, no sales pressure) Body Doubling Only — $7.99 month: Daily body doubling sessions with Jen & other members. (Use code WELCOME3 at checkout and get $3 off of your first month, cancel anytime easily, no sales pressure) Shop Jen's Favorite ADHD Supports (with Discounts) Brain.fm — A Focus Tool I Use Every Day I listen while I work and I can feel my brain lock in. It's not AI, or binaural beats. Brain.fm is science-backed sound made by musicians and scientists for ADHD brains. I want you to try it for 30 days free, with my link! Little Ouchies - Self Regulation Stim Tools! I LOVE my Little Ouchies. I use them daily when I'm working, writing, thinking, and it really helps me to stay in the moment by regulating my nervous system. I tend to ruminate with Imposter Syndrome when I'm in deep work. It's also just fun and feels good, so even watching TV or other mindless activities are made more stimulating by rolling one in my hands. Get 10% off with this link and use ALOT10 at checkout!  Bookshop.org — Books I Recommend I love Bookshop.org because every purchase supports your local independent bookstore, not Amazon, while still shipping directly to you. I've curated book lists on ADHD/AuDHD and mental health, and you can get 20% off everything when you shop using my link. Hugimals — Weighted Comfort for Kids & Adults I own Hugimals, give them as gifts, and love that they're made by a neurodivergent founder who understands nervous system needs. These weighted stuffed animals and pillows help with anxiety and overwhelm, and you can get 15% off anytime using my link and code JENKIRKMAN (it never expires). The Time Timer - a Cute Visual Time Tool! I use my Time Timer every single day to help me visualize time during work blocks, and to gamify chores. There's no discount, but when you use my link I earn a percentage that goes directly into supporting this podcast. The Big A## Calendar I have the Big A## wall calendar that maps out the entire year and the Big A## personal planner with 365 days in one view, dry erase markers, color coded labels. With my unique link you can get 10% off of your order. Appointed — Planners, Notebooks & Desk Goods Appointed notebooks are my go-to for my spiral notebooks, day planners, calendars and Le Pen pens for list-making, journaling, and planning. Save 15% off with my link and code JENKIRKMAN. Bearaby - Weighted Blankets, Warmables, Stress Pillows I LOVE my Bearaby cooling weighted blankets, the weighted and warmable lap lounger, I need their products daily to regulate and relax. Their products are built to calm the body down and support a. natural sleep cycle.  UnHide - Weighted Faux Fur Blankets, Pillows, Plush Home Goods I LOVE my UnHide faux fur weighted blankets, my squish pillows and my backrest that is always on my bed for my sitting up in bed working days. Get 20% off everything with my link and JENNIFER at checkout.  

Why do kids struggle so much with time management — and why does it often turn into stress, meltdowns, and constant reminders for moms?In this episode, Lori sits down with Mindy Hudon, a speech-language pathologist with more than 30 years of experience helping children with communication and executive function challenges. Mindy is the co-owner of Achieve Speech & Language Services, the creator of the Bee A Time Keeper® clock, and the award-winning author of Kodi's Adventures: How I Learned to Defeat the Time Snatcher.Together, they discuss: Why many children are “time blind”  How executive function impacts planning, transitions, and routines  Why kids may not actually be ignoring you  How visual tools can reduce anxiety and help children self-manage  The connection between ADHD and time management struggles  Practical ways moms can teach kids independence without constant nagging  Simple strategies to make mornings, transitions, and routines easier If you've ever felt frustrated trying to get everyone out the door on time, this episode will help you better understand what's really happening — and give you practical tools you can start using right away.

Drop us some Fan Mail. Thanks!Question: The school thinks my foster son may have ADHD, but I know he's been through a lot of trauma. How do I know what's driving his behavior and how to advocate for the support he actually needs?Resources:The Grandparents' Guide to Back to SchoolHow Do Teachers Understand Adoption and What Can Parents Do About It?A Parent's Guide to Working with the Schools on BehaviorBack to School with Foster and Adopted KidsUnderstood.orgSupport the showPlease leave us a rating or review.  This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:Weekly podcastsWeekly articles/blog postsResource pages on all aspects of family building

Welcome to Hacking Your ADHD. I'm your host, William Curb, and I have ADHD. On this podcast, I dig into the tools, tactics, and best practices to help you work with your ADHD brain. Today, I'm joined by Skye Watterson for our research recap series. In this series, we take a look at a single research paper and dive into what the paper says, how it was conducted, and try to find any practical takeaways. In this episode, we're going to be discussing a paper called A Quantitative Analysis of Fidgeting in ADHD and Its Relation to Performance and Sustained Attention on a Cognitive Task. And so, yeah, this study is investigating the functional role of fidgeting in adults with ADHD and how that affects their performance when doing tasks. Let's get into it. If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at https://HackingYourADHD.com/295 https://tinyurl.com/56rvt9fr - Unconventional Organisation Affiliate link https://tinyurl.com/y835cnrk - YouTube https://www.patreon.com/HackingYourADHD - Patreon

Life is pretty overwhelming right now, and it's affecting the way our brains function. When we can't focus or can't remember things, we typically blame it on things like perimenopause or ADHD – but the literal firehose of data that comes at us every day is an even bigger cause: it's a LOT for our brains to process!Tulsi can help!Truly one of the most versatile and multifaceted herbs on the planet, tulsi is a must-know plant for any herbalist. Its capacity as a nervine is immediately palpable, as it helps us release tension and anxiety without causing any sedation. When taken over the long term, tulsi expresses itself as an adaptogen – helping us to move more easily out of a stress response, back to a comfortable and calm baseline. Tulsi is also very flexible, and can be formulated with lots of other nervines and mental health herbs to create a perfectly personalized formula.Some of our favorite herbs to pair with tulsi include:Ground ivy – for moving the lymph in your head (ear/nose/throat) – and maybe even the glymph in your brain!Elderflower – for draining stuck fluids from the head, and for releasing tense heatGinkgo – for increasing blood flow to the brain and protecting the health of nervesRosemary – for cutting through the fog and sharpening the mindPeppermint – for a breath of cool air moving through your mind, and for releasing tension held in the bellyStill feeling stressed? Check out our new Stress Management course! Learn all about adaptogens, nervines, restoratives, and herbs to lift your spirits in this inexpensive, focused course. It covers everything you need to get through stressful times – and to help the ones you love, too!Like all our offerings, this is a self-paced online video course, which comes with free access to twice-weekly live Q&A sessions, lifetime access to current & future course material, twice-weekly live Q&A sessions with us, open discussion threads integrated in each lesson, an active student community, study guides, quizzes & capstone assignments, and more!PS: If you're in the Boston area, check out Herbstalk on June 6th & 7th! Ryn will be teaching a class there on Affordable Analogues for Expensive Herbs, and the conference as a whole is very much worth visiting. It's the last Herbstalk ever, so don't miss it!If you have a moment, it would help us a lot if you could subscribe, rate, & review our podcast wherever you listen. This helps others find us more easily. Thank you!!Our theme music is “Wings” by Nicolai Heidlas.Support the showYou can find all of our online herbalism courses at online.commonwealthherbs.com!

Becca Lory Hector, an autistic self-advocate, has the lived experience of moving through different environments that afford different access to nature, and natural activities. She, Barry, and Dave discuss the benefits of immersion in nature and nature activities and contrast those benefits with the challenges of limited access. They also discuss the importance of awareness and modifying life routines with sensitivity to seasonal changes.Learn more on our websiteSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Dr. Patrick Porter, Ashok Gupta, and Jack Savage explore with Tara how brain retraining, better sleep, targeted tech like BrainTap, and gentler stimulants with ingredients such as L‑theanine and medicinal mushrooms can calm an overstimulated nervous system and improve focus. Dr. Patrick K. Porter, PhD, is an award-winning author/speaker and the founder of BrainTap®, the leader in technology-enhanced meditation. Dr. Porter pioneered the use of brainwave entrainment to improve clarity, sleep & energy, and remains at the forefront of scientific research. He founded BrainTap with the goal of making this technology accessible to everyone. BrainTap offers over 1800 original audio sessions in 12 languages and serves a worldwide user base with its mobile app and headset.  Ashok Gupta is the mind behind The Gupta Program and a leading expert in the field of neuroimmune conditioned syndromes (NICS). Ashok is an internationally renowned Speaker, Filmmaker & Health Practitioner who has dedicated his life to supporting people through chronic illness, and achieving their potential. As someone who's always had trouble focusing, Jack Savage was prescribed stimulants at the age of 5 until high blood pressure gave cause for serious concern. He quit cold turkey and started drinking lots of coffee. After 1-2 hours of ineffective energy, he'd crash or if he drank too much, he'd feel jittery and anxious. That's when he started researching biohacking, nutrition and functional mushrooms. Jack found that basically all mushrooms are magical, especially when combined with nootropics. This led him to the ingredients in Everyday Dose, which have allowed him to regain control of his life for the first time. RESOURCES: Learn more about Dr. Porter here: https://www.taragarrison.com/blog/drpatrickporter | Instagram: @braintaptech  @drpatrickporter Learn more about Ashok Gupta here: http://www.guptaprogram.com/ | Instagram: @guptaprogram Learn more about Jack Savage here: https://www.everydaydose.com/COACHTARA | Instagram: @everydaydose  Get 10% off Peluva minimalist shoe with coupon code COACHTARA here: http://peluva.com/coachtara Watch the full interview here:  Dr. Porter: https://www.taragarrison.com/blog/drpatrickporter Ashok Gupta: https://www.taragarrison.com/blog/ashokgupta Jack Savage: https://www.taragarrison.com/blog/jacksavage   CHAPTERS: 00:03 – Intro: survival mode and calmer brain 00:23 – Expert stack: Porter, Gupta, Jack from Everyday Dose 04:19 – Sponsor: Peluva barefoot shoes ad 07:12 – Aging and memory, elders and wisdom 08:26 – Pills vs lifestyle: energy, sleep, movement 08:52 – Dementia‑spectrum women's BrainTap study 10:54 – Diagnosis impact and 3×/day BrainTap protocol 11:58 – Morning SMR, coffee dependence, balance/vestibular 13:26 – Afternoon reboot, HRV, memory and focus 15:27 – Night delta session and flipped cortisol 15:46 – 39% neuroplastic change and "senior moments" 18:19 – Off the dementia spectrum and better balance 18:52 – Seminole College golf team and alpha waves 21:20 – BrainTap app vs headset, light and sound 24:00 – Brazil app‑only study vs opioids for pain 37:20 – Psilocybin‑like gamma patterns with BrainTap 44:59 – Everyday Dose coffee extract and low acidity 45:13 – Lion's mane, chaga, fruiting bodies vs mycelium 49:35 – L‑theanine in Everyday Dose and ADHD focus   WORK WITH TARA: Are You Looking for Help on Your Wellness Journey? Here's how Tara can help you: TRY TARA'S APP FOR FREE: http://taragarrison.com/app INDIVIDUAL ONLINE COACHING: https://www.taragarrison.com/work-with-me CHECK OUT HIGHER RETREATS: https://www.taragarrison.com/retreats   SOCIAL MEDIA:  Instagram @coachtaragarrison TikTok @coachtaragarrison Facebook @coachtaragarrison Pinterest @coachtaragarrison   INSIDE OUT HEALTH PODCAST SPECIAL OFFERS: ☑️ Upgraded Formulas Hair Test Kit Special Offer: https://bit.ly/3YdMn4Z ☑️ Upgraded Formulas - Get 15% OFF Everything with Coupon Code INSIDEOUT15: https://upgradedformulas.com/INSIDEOUT15 ☑️ Rep Provisions: Vote for the future of food with your dollar! And enjoy a 15% discount while you're at it with Coupon Code COACHTARA: https://bit.ly/3dD4ZSv   If you loved this episode, please leave a review! Here's how to do it on Apple Podcasts: Go to Inside Out Health Podcast page: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-out-health-with-coach-tara-garrison/id1468368093 Scroll down to the 'Ratings & Reviews' section. Tap 'Write a Review' (you may be prompted to log in with your Apple ID). Thank you!

On this episode of This Week in Pharmacy, we examine two major forces reshaping the profession: the unfinished business of pharmacist provider status and the legal landscape around direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical distribution. In part one, Erik Abel, PharmD, MBA, discusses his May 2026 analysis, “So Pharmacists Want to Be a Provider: Where the Profession Lost Its Way and Perhaps a Path to Get Back.” Abel argues that pharmacy's provider-status challenge is not a lack of clinical evidence, but a lack of operational infrastructure: credentialing, payer contracting, revenue cycle management, interoperability, and scalable business models. In part two, Darshan Kulkarni, PharmD, Esq., joins the show to discuss direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical distribution, legal risk, regulatory scrutiny, telehealth-linked prescribing, manufacturer strategy, and what pharmacists need to understand as drug distribution moves closer to the patient. This week in pharmacy news, Pittsburgh-area pharmacies continue to face uneven access to Adderall and other ADHD medications, years after the FDA first identified shortages in 2022. Patients are still calling multiple pharmacies, switching medications, rationing doses, or going without treatment as availability varies by dosage, formulation, manufacturer, and wholesaler. Pharmacists are also using medication therapy management to protect older adults from preventable medication-related harm. MTM reviews can identify risky prescriptions and OTC products, including diphenhydramine, duplicate therapies, drug interactions, and long-term proton pump inhibitor use that may need reassessment. In 340B news, CVS Health is facing federal lawsuits from major health systems alleging CVS Specialty and WellPartner improperly retained approximately $250 million in savings that should have gone back to covered entities. The litigation adds pressure to debates over PBM integration, contract pharmacy arrangements, and 340B transparency. On Capitol Hill, lawmakers are pressing the Department of Defense to commit to annual audits of the TRICARE pharmacy contract as concerns continue around PBM conflicts of interest, reimbursement practices, network adequacy, and access for independent and community pharmacies.

You can listen wherever you get your podcasts or check out the fully edited transcript of our interview at the bottom of this post.In this episode of The Peaceful Parenting Podcast, my guest is Dr. Justin Coulson, an Australian parenting expert and father of 6 who has his PhD in psychology and is the author of 10 books on parenting and the co-host of the Happy Families podcast with his wife, Kylie. We discuss the psychology behind peaceful parenting, including how self-determination theory explains kids' challenging behavior. Dr. Justin also shared his three E's of discipline.Know someone who might appreciate this episode? Share it with them!And if you love the podcast, FREE ways to help us out:1- Rate and review the podcast in your podcast player app2- “Like” this post by tapping the heart icon ♥️3- Share this with a friend. THANK YOU!We talk about:* 1:45 – Introduction to Dr. Justin Coulson and his personal parenting turning pointHow struggles with anger and discipline led him to rethink everything and study psychology.* 08:20 – Learning to regulate ourselves, practicing repair, and growing over time.* 15:50 – Why peaceful parenting starts with the parent's self-awareness and regulation.* 19:50 – Understanding behavior through compassion and curiosity.* 20:50 – The HALTS frameworkHow hunger, anger, loneliness, tiredness, and stress impact children's behavior.* 23:00 – Self-determination theory and parenting* 33:00 – The 3 E's of Effective Discipline* 41:50 – How to use the 3 E's in everyday parenting moments.Real-life examples: screens, sibling conflict & collaboration* 49:00 – Building trust and the “goodwill bank” with kidsWhy collaborative parenting pays off when tough limits are needed.* 53:30 – Advice to his younger parenting self: “soft eyes”A powerful reflection on kindness, connection, and showing up with compassion.* 56:30 – Where to find Dr. Justin CoulsonHis podcast, books, and upcoming work on boys and healthy masculinity.Resources mentioned in this episode:* Dr. Justin's website and podcast* Yoto Screen Free Audio Book Player* The Peaceful Parenting Membership* Evelyn & Bobbie brasConnect with Sarah Rosensweet:* Instagram* Facebook Group* YouTube* Website* Join us on Substack* Newsletter* Book a short consult or coaching session callxx Sarah and CoreyYour peaceful parenting team- click here for a free short consult or a coaching sessionVisit our website for free resources, podcast, coaching, membership and more!>> Please support us!!! Please consider becoming a supporter to help support our free content, including The Peaceful Parenting Podcast, our free parenting support Facebook group, and our weekly parenting emails, “Weekend Reflections” and “Weekend Support” - plus our Flourish With Your Complex Child Summit (coming back in the summer for the 3rd year!) All of this free support for you takes a lot of time and energy from me and my team. If it has been helpful or meaningful for you, your support would help us to continue to provide support for free, for you and for others.In addition to knowing you are supporting our mission to support parents and children, you get the podcast ad free and access to a monthly ‘ask me anything' session.Our sponsors:YOTO: YOTO is a screen free audio book player that lets your kids listen to audiobooks, music, podcasts and more without screens, and without being connected to the internet. No one listening or watching and they can't go where you don't want them to go and they aren't watching screens. BUT they are being entertained or kept company with audio that you can buy from YOTO or create yourself on one of their blank cards. Check them out HEREEvelyn & Bobbie bras: If underwires make you want to rip your bra off by noon, Evelyn & Bobbie is for you. These bras are wire-free, ultra-soft, and seriously supportive—designed to hold you comfortably all day without pinching, poking, or constant adjusting. Check them out HERESarah: Hey, everyone. Welcome back to another episode of the Peaceful Parenting Podcast. Today's guest is Dr. Justin Coulson. He's an Australian parenting expert with a PhD in psychology, the author of 10 books on parenting, the co-host of the Happy Families podcast with his wife, Kylie, the father of six children, and, last but not least, grandfather of one.We discuss the psychology behind peaceful parenting, including how self-determination theory explains kids' challenging behavior. Dr. Justin also shared his three E's of discipline, which I just loved.If you like this episode, please share it with a friend so more parents can learn about peaceful parenting. If you're a fan of the podcast, you can help us out not only by sharing it, but by leaving a review and a five-star rating in your podcast player app. While you're there, don't forget to follow the show so you don't miss an episode.If you'd like to support us even more, you can become a supporter on Substack to help us offset the cost of making the show. We'll put a link in the show notes.Let's meet Dr. Justin. I hope you enjoy this conversation and get as much out of his insights as I did.Sarah: Hello, Dr. Justin, and welcome to the podcast.Dr. Justin: Sarah, I'm so glad to be with you. Thanks for having me on.Sarah: Yeah, and it's morning for you, evening for me—nice—and I'm just glad that we could make this time to talk to each other. I really appreciate it. Thank you. So, could you just tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do?Dr. Justin: Sure. I grew up on the east coast of Australia, about an hour north of Sydney. Geographically, that kind of locates where I was. I was the teenage boy that every parent hopes they will not have. I don't think I was a particularly bad kid, but I certainly wasn't a good kid.My parents were spending a small fortune—I'm a 1975 baby, I turned 50 last year—but this was in the late '80s and early '90s. My parents were spending so much money to send me to a private school. Because we were on the coast—a very quintessentially Australian thing—I was wagging school.Do you say “wagging school” in Canada? Is that a term Canadians use?Sarah: No, but I think we get the context. I think it means not going to school.Dr. Justin: Yeah, I was truant. They thought I was there, but I wasn't.Sarah: We say skipping.Dr. Justin: I was skipping school. Okay, yeah. We call it a school wag.So I would go to school in the morning and get my name marked off in roll call. Then I would sneak out of the school. Across the road from the school, there were bushes—kind of a forest, or whatever you might call it in Canada and America. I would get changed out of my tie, long pants, and black school shoes, throw on some board shorts and a T-shirt.My surfboard was stashed in the bush, and I'd grab it from the hiding place. Then I'd jump on a bus, go to the beach, and surf all day. Afterward, I'd get a bus back to school in the afternoon, change back into my uniform, and race into the school just in time to get my name marked off, looking like I'd been at school all day.This was in the days before schools communicated with parents via email and text, because none of that existed. I was able to get away with it.So I finished high school. I scored in the bottom 15%—Sarah: Goodness.Dr. Justin: Not just my class, but of the entire state of New South Wales. My parents were devastated.I didn't care. I wanted to have a media career. I wanted to be a radio announcer. So I got into radio. If you've ever listened to the radio—and no offense to radio people—you know you don't have to do well at school to be good at radio. You just have to be able to sit on the microphone and say things that make sense.I knew I could do that, so school didn't matter to me. I didn't care about it. That's what I did.But this is where it intersects with parenting.About 10 years into my radio career, my wife and I were having some challenges, particularly around my parenting. We had a threenager and a newborn baby.That three-year-old—I had always held the opinion that my children would do as they were told, and if they didn't, I would make sure they understood that I was the father and that their job was to do as I said.So I was very punitive. I basically made all of the parenting mistakes you can imagine when I would get angry, frustrated, and ill-tempered. It's not that I was a bad father—I spent a lot of high-quality time loving my kids—but I was also really short-fused and highly aggressive.Frankly, I went from threatening to hitting really fast. You call it spanking; we would call it smacking. I was very, very quick to smack or spank my three-year-old, and it wasn't working.After one particularly bad incident where things escalated, I really did lose control. I didn't just spank her once. There were multiple spankings. This was like a 10-minute escalation session where it just got worse and worse and worse.My wife was out at the time. When she came home, I said to Kylie, “I'm a bad father. I'm not doing this well. I'm making a lot of mistakes, and here's what happened while you were out.”Full confession: Kylie has always been this wonderfully supportive wife—very kind, gentle, compassionate, soft-spoken, thoughtful, considerate, empathic—all of those beautiful attributes that I prize and treasure in my good wife.She was none of those things that day.She had fire in her eyes and said, “You are not living up to the father that I hoped you would be, and you're also not living up to the husband I need you to be.”And it took me back, because I was already feeling downcast. I felt like I was failing anyway, and she just—it was like she picked up a great big lump of wood and whacked me over the head with it and said, “No.”Of course, she didn't actually do that, but that's how it felt. It felt physical. Visceral. Like, Ow. This is serious.I left my radio career shortly thereafter.I was working at one of the biggest radio stations in Australia at the time, and I gave up all the backstage passes with global superstars and hanging out with record company executives at the best restaurants, eating their food so they could bribe me to play their music on the radio station. I went back to school.I became a full-time student. I worked part-time at three different jobs while studying full-time. I'd sleep under the desk at university so I could do the study and the work—Sarah: No surfing this time?Dr. Justin: No surfing this time, no. I was just so committed to it.After eight and a half years of full-time study, I graduated with a doctorate. I had to do a couple of other qualifications first, including a psychological science degree. I graduated with a doctorate in psychology and became a university lecturer.Along the way, Sarah, we went from having our two kids at that point to having our third child in my first year of study, our fourth child in my fifth year of study, and our fifth child while I was doing my doctorate. Shortly after I left the university setting, stopped lecturing, and started writing books and giving talks, we had our sixth child.So we're the parents—Sarah: Amazing.Dr. Justin: —of six daughters. Today, they range in age from 12—the youngest—to the oldest, who is in her mid-to-late 20s. She and her husband have a baby now. They've been married for a few years.Sarah: Wow. You're a grandpa.Dr. Justin: A grand—I'm a grandpa. We have a two-and-a-half-year-old grandbaby, four adult children, one in her teens, and a 12-year-old.So that's kind of my very short version of the journey.Along the way, I've written a bunch of books. We've got a TV show in Australia called Parental Guidance. We've had three seasons of that show on primetime TV. I've got a website and all the things that you'd expect—a podcast and so on.Sarah: What did you do when you had that aha moment—that realization that you weren't being the kind of dad you wanted to be, and your wife also agreed that you weren't being the kind of dad she wanted you to be? What did you change?Because you just mentioned that you spent eight and a half years going back to school. I imagine that you made some changes before you had six kids. So what did you do right away, maybe for anyone listening who can relate to those feelings of rage and feeling triggered by your child?Dr. Justin: Sarah, the first thing I'd say is that there was no linear change, and there were no immediate changes, because I didn't know what to do.I was unskilled. I was uneducated. I didn't know anything about psychology, and I clearly didn't know anything about parenting.But I found a mentor. I have a faith background, and there was a writer who wrote eloquently and compassionately. I just felt like he understood me, and he became a mentor to me.I also discovered a guy called Alfie Kohn. You might be familiar with Alfie Kohn.Sarah: Oh, Alfie Kohn was the first thing I ever read about parenting—Dr. Justin: Oh, great.Sarah: —before I even had kids. And he was on the podcast last year, which felt like a full-circle moment between how influential—I told him on the podcast, “You have probably had the biggest influence on me—not only in my parenting, but in my life's direction—of any single person out there.”So, sorry, fan-girl moment. I'm right there with you with Alfie Kohn.Dr. Justin: Yeah. I've gotten to know Alfie over the years as my academic career advanced and I began to understand where he took his research from.I read his book Punished by Rewards—I think it was a 1993—Sarah: That was my first one too.Dr. Justin: Yeah, it's a 1993 publication or something.Sarah, it was just so influential.What happened was, I was doing my university degree and learning things, and honestly, I'd be sitting there thinking, Hang on, the things they're teaching me in these university courses seem to clash with what Alfie Kohn taught me in Punished by Rewards.So I spent a lot of time in the notes section at the back—you know, all the references nobody ever reads?Sarah: Mm-hmm.Dr. Justin: As I went through them, I discovered researchers named Edward Deci and Richard Ryan from the University of Rochester in upstate New York.They had developed a theory known as self-determination theory.A large portion of Alfie Kohn's work is based on self-determination theory.So I really dug deep into that. I still love Alfie, but I moved very much into the academic side because I became a university lecturer and really got into the nitty-gritty of understanding the deepest depths of what self-determination theory is all about. That has become the foundation of the work that I do.And to your question: nothing is linear when you are trying to make improvements.Whether you're trying to change your diet, exercise, get your finances in order, or improve your relationships, you have insights. You have moments where you think, Oh my goodness, this is what I need to do. I need to show up with warmth on my face and soft eyes.And then three hours later, one of your children does something, and you forget what soft eyes look and feel like. You look at them with hard eyes, frustration in your voice, and short, clipped sentences.Then half an hour later, you think, Oh, self-awareness. I missed that.So it's this gradual process: two steps forward, one step back. Three steps forward, one step back. Four steps forward, three steps back. Eight steps forward, no steps back.Over the years, I had this beautiful experience—and maybe you've had a similar experience in your family as you've raised your kids.We were maybe in my third or fourth year of study. My wife has an early childhood background. She knows child development. She knows what kids need.She was a little skeptical about a lot of the things I was starting to talk about and discover as I went through university and got into the depths of what the research meant—comparing and contrasting it with what was mainstream, but actually not always quite right.We had some tension around how we should respond to the children. I was moving away from that authoritarian bent and developing ideas around exploring their world more.One night, I came home from university a little late. It was probably around 9:00 p.m. Our three children were still awake.As I drove into the driveway, all the lights in the house were on. The windows were open. Looking through the living room window, I could tell the house was—to put it politely—a mess.And as I stepped into the house, the kids—it was just awful.I walked over to Kylie and said, “Honey, it looks like it's been a pretty tough day.”I was trying to be compassionate and empathic. I was really trying to do what psychology says is the right thing to do.Kylie looked at me without hesitation and said, “Don't give me any of that psychology crap. I've had the worst day in the world.”Then she stormed out and said, “You fix it,” and walked into the bedroom and closed the door.Again, this is not how my wife usually is, but it had been a really rough day. The kids were feral. The house was a mess.I looked at my priorities. I sat down with the child who was struggling the most and worked with her for two or three minutes. She calmed down, I gave her a little food, and put her to bed.Within about 20 minutes, I had all three kids in bed, and I was so proud of myself.I stepped into the kitchen and started tidying up. I thought, I'll just give Kylie some space.After another 30 or 40 minutes of tidying, I stepped into the living room and said, “Honey, I know you're really upset. It's been a pretty tough day. I wasn't trying to be judgy or anything.”And she said, “It's fine for you. You're not dealing with it all day. You walk in and think you can just snap your fingers and everything's fine.”Then she looked at me and said, “But tonight, you walked in and it feels like you snapped your fingers and everything's fine.”And we had this beautiful conversation where she said, “I've been resenting the things you've been trying to tell me because it felt like you were telling me I was wrong.“But I've been watching, and I'm actually seeing that the things you're doing are working, and our family is feeling better.”It took four or five years to get there, Sarah.It's not like I had this epiphany—I'm a bad father, I need to change—and suddenly I was a good dad.There were many embarrassing, shameful moments after that epiphany where I still made terrible decisions and treated the children badly.Even today, I still lose my temper, say things I shouldn't, and get frustrated, because kids are kids and we're fallible humans.But we call parenting parenting because it's about us. If it were about children, we'd call it childrening.Which sounds silly, right?Dr. Justin: But what I've really discovered is that if I can learn how to regulate myself—high emotions equal low intelligence—then I can regulate my emotions, turn them up or down appropriately for the context, and keep them in harmony with my long-term goals, which are to have loving, kind relationships with my children.If I can do that, I'm going to approach them with a tremendously different focus than I will if I'm looking for a short-term fix.And that is something—Anger is a habit. Yelling is a habit. Time-out is a habit. Reward charts are a habit.We can create other habits. We just have to understand the processes and principles behind those habits and then practice them, like we practice a song on the piano, until we finally get it right.Sarah: I love that.So you and Kylie really had a journey—a back-and-forth dance of your own processes and your own development.I do love how you say it's really about us. Whenever I'm working with clients, after a couple of sessions they'll say, “You know what? This isn't even about my kid. This is just about me.”Dr. Justin: Yes. Yes.Sarah: Nobody wants to believe that at first, because it's so much easier to think, I've just got to change them and what they're doing.But it's really all about what we're bringing to the moment and what we're bringing to the relationship.Dr. Justin: I get in trouble sometimes for being overly provocative and saying things that are insensitive, so a quick warning:I want to say what I'm about to say with all the compassion in the world and all the tenderness and care in the world, because I work with people every single day who are dealing with exactly the struggles you're talking about.I want to step into the world of neurodiversity—ADHD, autism, trauma—those kinds of areas.What we're talking about applies there as well. It's just harder.Sarah: Mm-hmm.Dr. Justin: But ultimately, if I'm raising an ADHD child or a child who's been through a traumatic experience, once again, parenting is not about them. It's about how I show up for them.So I can say, “Well, my child's like that,” or, “I'm like this because of the diagnosis,” or because of the label, or because of the trauma, or because of the neural networks doing what they're doing.I can say all of those things, and many people do. It's understandable, and I have all the compassion in the world for them when they do.But the key thing I want to highlight is that in spite of all of those challenges your child might be facing—or even that you might be facing—today begins now.It begins with what you put on your face and what you think in your mind.If we can soften our features and go to our children with kindness and compassion while still holding appropriate limits—or working with them to develop appropriate limits—then what we can say is:“Yes, that bad thing happened,” or, “Yes, we are dealing with this difficulty, so what are we going to do about it?”We can fall into the I can't do anything way of thinking, which is really ineffective and doesn't help at all.Or we can step into I have this incredible thing psychologists call agency, or self-efficacy, where I can make a decision now, and if we work on it, we can actually improve things.It might be a longer, harder road. There may be more obstacles to climb over than a typical family without those challenging circumstances.It may be harder.But we can always improve.I never want to be the person who puts limits on what kids can do or what parents can do.If we change our language, change our focus, and recognize that this is a long game—Sarah: Mm-hmm.Dr. Justin: —which requires sustained effort every single day, it's extraordinary the progress we can make and the changes we can create in our home and our family.Sarah: For sure. Yeah.And unfortunately, it's a long game, right? Because I think today we always want quick answers and solutions.Really, it's just showing up every day as best you can and repairing when you don't show up the way you wish you had.And I think another really important part of it—which you were talking around a little bit—is trying to understand our child's experience and see things from their perspective.I was just talking to a client about that today:What's the most emotionally generous explanation you can come up with for their behavior?Because we don't actually know why anyone does anything, since we're not in their brain.But we often jump to, They're being rude on purpose, or They're trying to annoy me.Really, if we can think, Well, I don't know why they're doing this, but there's probably a reason, because kids want to be good. They want to be connected with us.And just reminding ourselves that they're not giving us a hard time—they're having a hard time.That actually makes it easier, I think, to show up as your best, most compassionate self—with, as you say, soft eyes and warm features.Dr. Justin: Yeah.No child wakes up in the morning thinking, Today's the day. I'm just going to ruin everything.This is the perfect opportunity. My parents are tired and frazzled. There's a cost-of-living crisis. There are all these challenges happening, and if ever there was a moment—it's now. I'm going to do it today.They don't wake up thinking that.Like you said—and you said it so perfectly—kids really do want to please us.I know some parents listening to me say that right now are thinking, No, no. My child does not want to please me.And so the question becomes: Why? Why are they struggling?And maybe this is a nice way for me to bring in some of the principles I learned as I went deeper into self-determination theory.There are a couple of times when children are almost guaranteed to be challenging, and this has nothing to do with self-determination theory. This is just general psychology and wellbeing.I always think of Germany. A police officer tells you to stop, but they don't say the word stop because they're German.In German, the word for stop is halt—H-A-L-T.So we add an S to the end, and the acronym becomes:Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired, or Stressed.Sarah: Mm-hmm.Dr. Justin: Those are the five times when you can all but guarantee your children are not going to be doing well.If they are hungry, get some food into them—ideally a little protein, because it's satiating and helps them feel full quickly.If they're angry, then we've got to remember: high emotions equal low intelligence.You can't think straight in a high emotional state.So our job is to get curious, not furious, because if we fight fire with fire, we end up with a scorched-earth policy and everything gets burned.Dr. Justin: Lonely.I could be sitting right next to you, Sarah, and feel disconnected and lonely—Sarah: Mm-hmm.Dr. Justin: —even if we were very close.Our children are sometimes literally sitting at our kitchen bench, and they feel alone. They feel a little lost. Because of the way we're responding to them—with hard commands, correction, and direction rather than connection—they feel lonely.Tired.I don't even need to explain that.Even as adults, I don't know any couple who, at the end of witching hour—or whatever you might call it in North America, that 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. stretch when the kids—Sarah: Yeah.Dr. Justin: —are just oof…It's the end of that period, and you're exhausted, the kids are exhausted, and you look at your husband or wife and say, “You know what? We are so tired. We're shattered. But boy, are we nailing it tonight.”Nobody ever says that when they're tired—Sarah: Yeah.Dr. Justin: —because you're not nailing it. You're just hanging in there.And it's the same with kids.Then the S is for stressed, and that includes sickness, because sickness is a stress on the body as well.Those five indicators are going to let you know when your child is likely to be challenging, and I think they're really good to watch out for.But if we go a little deeper and talk about self-determination theory, it says that each of us has these needs.You have them, Sarah, and I have them, and our children have them—even your mother-in-law has them.We have three basic psychological needs.When we're in environments where those needs are supported, oh my goodness, we thrive. These are environments we're drawn to and attracted to. We approach them with a smile on our face and can't wait to be there.But if the environment is what researchers call need-thwarting or need-frustrating—meaning it frustrates and thwarts those needs—then we avoid it.Sarah: Mm-hmm.Dr. Justin: Or, if we're in those environments, we act in ways that are challenging.So the basic psychological needs are:Number one: a sense of relationship, or relatedness. That's the technical term they use.Relatedness is a sense of mutual belonging.Sarah: So would it be similar to mattering? Like you feel like you matter to somebody?Dr. Justin: Yeah. There's been a lot of talk recently about mattering.But it's reciprocal mattering. It's not just one-way.It's I matter to you, but you matter to me.Sarah: Yeah.Dr. Justin: Let me use Mother's Day as an example.We just had Mother's Day in Australia at the start of May.If I've got a great relationship with my mother-in-law, and it's Mother's Day, I'm probably going to spend the morning with my wife and family while my children celebrate their mum. Then maybe at lunchtime, we head over to the in-laws to celebrate my wife's mum.If I feel like that relationship need is supported at my mother-in-law's—meaning there's mutual belonging, I matter to her, she matters to me, we enjoy one another's company, and it feels good—I'm going to say:“Great. Let's get in the car. Let's go. What do we need to do?”But if I'm going to a need-frustrating environment—if there's tension, antagonism, snide remarks, eye rolls, silence, defensiveness, or wounds from bad things that happened in the past—that environment doesn't feel good to me.So I'm going to say to Kylie:“Honey, why don't you take the kids to your mum's? Have a great lunch. We've made a big mess this morning, and I think the best thing I can do for your Mother's Day”—and I'll frame it nicely, of course—“is stay home, tidy the house, clean up the kitchen, get everything ready, and put dinner on for tonight so you can have your perfect Mother's Day dinner. I'll see you in four hours.”And then I send her out the door.Why?Because my in-laws' home has become a need-thwarting or need-frustrating environment. I just don't want to be there.And if I am there, I'm going to be sullen and sulky. I might try my best for half an hour and then say, “Oh, this is too hard,” and retreat—Sarah: Or text. The adult version of misbehavior.Dr. Justin: Yes, exactly. Exactly.But if I'm a child in a need-thwarting or need-frustrating environment, I'm going to get into fights with the kids I don't like.Or I'm going to say, “I don't want to go to school because everyone picks on me because I don't regulate my behavior properly because I've got ADHD.”Right?So school becomes a place I don't want to go.Or maybe you have a faith background and your child doesn't have any friends at church.Or you've signed them up for soccer, but they don't know anyone on the team.And they're saying, “Yeah, but I don't want to go.”It all comes down to relationship.Relationship is the basic psychological need that's being thwarted.Now, the second basic psychological need is competence.Competence, I would describe as feeling like I can do the thing I'm being asked to do.Sarah: Or that I want to do.Dr. Justin: Yeah. We'll get to want to in just a second, because want-to is the third basic psychological need—autonomy.So stay with me on competence for a second.Competence is capability. Capacity.It's not even necessarily about being able to do something—it's about feeling like you're making progress toward the goal.Let's say I'm joining acrobatics and trying to learn how to do a handstand.That's really tricky. It's a tough skill.If I show up every week to acrobatics, even if I've got great friends there—so my relationship need is supported—and I love my coach, but every time I try to do a handstand my shoulders buckle, my elbows aren't straight, my form is wrong, I fall over, or I can't stay up…After four or five or six weeks, I'm going to say:“I don't like this anymore. I'm out.”I had a daughter who wanted to come cycling with me.I'm a really keen cyclist. I ride on the road. I'm a middle-aged man in Lycra.But I also ride on the velodrome.You've seen those velodrome bikes at the Olympics—the indoor track where they go around and around and around.You might have noticed that after they finish the race, they keep pedaling and do another 10 laps.The reason is twofold.Number one: there are no brakes on those bikes.And second: they use what's called a fixed gear, meaning that when the wheels are spinning, the pedals are spinning.If you stop pedaling, you're going to get thrown over the handlebars because the wheels are still moving, which means the pedals are still moving, even if you try to stop them.So you just have to keep riding until the bike slows down.My daughter wanted to come to Friday night velodrome racing with me.We didn't have the money, but we spent all this cash on a bike, the Lycra, the helmet, the special shoes—it cost a lot, and I was a poor university student.But my daughter wanted to cycle with me, and I wasn't going to miss that opportunity. So we sacrificed and made it happen.Unfortunately, she was competing against girls who had been riding for four, five, or six years.For the first few weeks, she gave it a good go, but she was losing by several laps every race.After about a month, she said:“Dad, I don't want to do this anymore.”And my response was:“But I've spent all this money.”But what was really going on was that as much as she liked the girls and the atmosphere, she didn't feel competent—Sarah: Mm-hmm.Dr. Justin: —and she didn't see progress.She didn't feel like she was ever going to master the activity, so her motivation and wellbeing plummeted.Cycling became a need-thwarting environment for her.Whether it's piano, violin, rock climbing, cycling, swimming, math, PE class—it doesn't matter.If your kids don't feel like they can do the thing, they're going to push back.They're going to say:“This is too hard. I don't like it.”They won't use these exact words, but what they're really saying is:“This is a need-frustrating environment for me. I don't like it. I don't want to be there.”And then they start to act out.My mom got to the stage with me as a 13-year-old boy where she was physically holding me by the arm and dragging me into my piano lessons.Dr. Justin: Which brings me to my third and final basic psychological need, which is autonomy.A lot of people hear the word autonomy and think it means freedom—that kids can do whatever they want. They think it means independence.That's not what autonomy means, certainly not in the strict scientific form we're talking about within this theory.Rather, autonomy comes down to identifying the value of an activity and therefore endorsing the actions required to do the activity.See, if I, as a 12-year-old, looked at piano and thought:This is going to be a lifelong skill that will bring me joy, that I'll be able to share with others, that I can use in service of my family and community. If I can play piano or keyboard, I could be in a band. I could do all of these things.If I identified the value in the activity, then I would endorse the work required to learn it.So autonomy is not about freedom and independence. It's about choice based on values.That's a lot when you're thinking about three-, four-, and five-year-olds, but not necessarily—Sarah: No, I love that.We talk about that all the time in my communities—how important it is for kids to have autonomy.And I think you can have autonomy even when kids can't be independent, right?Because you can't have a four-year-old who's independent, but you can have a four-year-old who can make decisions that matter.Dr. Justin: Yes, yes.And that decision goes well beyond, Do you want to wear the blue suit or the green one?Sarah: I'll quote our friend Alfie Kohn. He says, “Kids should have the ability to make decisions that make adults gulp a little bit.”Dr. Justin: I love it. Yes. Beautiful.Let me give an adult version of this, and then I'll swing it back into childhood, because sometimes parents hear this and think, This isn't quite computing for me.In Canada, you drive on the right-hand side of the road.Sarah: Mm-hmm.Dr. Justin: And it's true that if you choose to drive on the left-hand side of the road, the authorities will probably get involved. You may cause harm to somebody. You could even end up in prison.But even in the middle of the night, when nobody's on the road, I can't imagine there are too many Canadians who get in the car and think:Tonight's the night. Nobody's watching. I'm gonna drive on the left.You are being absolutely controlled by the government and by the law. You're driving on the right-hand side of the road.But because you identify the value in driving on the right-hand side of the road, nobody has to compel you to do it.You just do it because you endorse the idea that driving on the right is safer. It's what you need to do.So our job with our children is twofold.First, when it comes to these basic psychological needs, we want to help them be in environments—or create environments—where those needs are supported.We want to send them to a school where they have good relationships, where somebody says, “Hey, come sit with us,” where teachers know them by name and smile when they see them and are excited to support them.A school where they're able to experience progress—which might mean less emphasis on grades and more emphasis on developing capability.And a school where they feel like they have some say in where they're going and what they're doing.Rather than being forced to attend a school like I was when I was a teenager, they get to say:“No, I want to go to that school because that's where my friends are.”Or:“That's where the teachers help me feel good.”Or:“That's where my interests lie.”That's the basic psychological-needs concept.Now let's bring that into discipline, which is what started this whole conversation.Based on this theory—and I guess it ties back to a lot of what Alfie Kohn has said as well—I developed a little model that's really easy to memorize and even easier to enact.I call it the Three E's of Effective Discipline.The Three E's of Effective Discipline are need-supportive.If you look at the root of the word discipline, it comes from the idea that we teach, guide, and instruct—that we show the way to follow.Sarah: Mm-hmm.Dr. Justin: But if you look at the modern definition of discipline, the modern definition is punish.Punish means exact retribution. It means hurt. It means make someone pay a price.Sarah: Make people feel bad on purpose.Dr. Justin: Yeah. That's exactly right.And I'm interested in disciplining our kids, not punishing our kids.Punishment is need-thwarting, right?If you make someone feel bad on purpose, there goes the relationship. They feel incompetent, and you've taken away their autonomy.So standard discipline strategies—whether it's time-out, spanking, yelling, withdrawing privileges, taking away the iPad, bribery—all of those standard discipline practices trample over basic psychological needs.We've got to come up with something better.So I developed the Three E's of Effective Discipline, which are basically this:On a beautiful bed of empathy, we explore, we explain, and we empower.Sarah: Ooh, I love that.Dr. Justin: Explore basically means I sit down with my child at an appropriate time.Because we always try to fix things right here, right now.Sometimes we need to, but often intervention simply to make sure people and property aren't hurt—that's all you need.Then you can say to your child:“We'll have a chat about this later when nobody's got a head full of steam.”Kick it down the road.You don't have to fix things right here, right now. Most of the time, it's just not necessary.So once everyone is calm, you explore.You say:“Hey, I've noticed there's been a lot of tension in our home lately between you and your brother.”Or:“Have you noticed that for the last few weeks we've had so much conflict about screens?”And your child says, “Yeah.”And you say:“I just want to listen because parenting's about parents, right? I must be getting something wrong here. Can you help me understand what I'm missing? Where am I going wrong? What's the real problem from your perspective?”Now, there are three things that make this better.Number one: never do it with an audience.Kids always want to save face. They don't feel competent when we start these conversations in front of other people.Number two: have some treats.Because once you're feeding them, they're like:“Oh, I'm not in trouble. We're just chatting, and there are cookies,” or a thick shake, or something like that.And number three: take notes.When you're trying to solve problems—and that's really what discipline is—The Three E's of Effective Discipline are about problem-solving.Discipline—meaning helping, teaching, guiding, instructing—is really about solving problems.So if I want to solve problems effectively in my home—if I want to discipline my children well—I'm trying to say:“Where are you coming from? What am I missing?”When you take notes on what your kids are saying, it's amazing how much information they give you because they realize:You're really listening to me.Sarah: Yeah. You're taking me seriously. You're writing down what I say.Dr. Justin: They're blown away by it.So they'll tell you a bunch of stuff.Now, every now and then they won't. Sometimes they'll shrug and say, “I don't know.”And you can say:“Well, if you don't know, that's fine. But if you did know…”This drives kids crazy, but it's my favorite sentence.“If you did know, what do you think the answer would be?”Sarah: Mm-hmm.Dr. Justin: And they roll their eyes.“Well, I don't know. That's what I said. If I knew, I'd tell you, but I don't know.”And I say:“I know you don't know, and I understand that if you did know, you would tell me. But if you did know, what would you tell me?”Sarah: I love that.Dr. Justin: They get this feeling—it's like this horrible psychological trick where:I don't know the answer, but if I had to come up with one, I guess I'd say this…And now the conversation starts.You get momentum.Sarah: You Jedi mind-trick them.Dr. Justin: Yeah. It's beautiful.And you write it down.At no point are you allowed to interrupt.At no point are you allowed to tell them they're wrong.At no point are you allowed to respond with your adult wisdom.You just listen.Sarah: Okay, and we're still on explore?Still on the first E?Dr. Justin: We're still on the first E.You make all these notes, and once it sounds like they've told you everything, you say:“All right. So what you're telling me is…”And then you read the notes back.This is the oldest psychological strategy in the book—I'm not saying anything new here.If they say, “Yes, that's what I'm saying,” you say:“All right. Great. I've got it.”If they say no, then you say:“Oh, what have I missed? How did I get this wrong? Clarify it for me.”And they give you more information.But there's a really valuable question at the end.When they say, “Yes, that's what I'm saying,” you ask:“Fantastic. Is there anything else?”Sarah: Mm-hmm.Dr. Justin: The power of asking that extra question is profound.It forces them to go deeper.Sometimes they'll say, “No, that's it.”But often, their first answers are shallow answers to get you off their back.They're thinking:I'm telling you what I think you want to hear.But when you say:“Got it. You're happy with this answer? Fantastic. Is there anything else going on?”That's when they look at you and think:Oh—you're actually serious about this. You really care.Sarah: And you're really listening to me.Dr. Justin: Yeah.And it's profound what children will give you after you ask, “Is there anything else?”Once you've got everything written down, confirmed, and you're clear, the next step is explain.Dr. Justin: Now, there are a couple of things around explain.Explain is basically the part where you tell them what they need to know. This is the parent bit.But all too often, we step into lecturing, and the kids fall asleep. They're like, “Oh, here we go again. I thought this was going to be different, but it's no different after all.”So there are a couple of things we need to get right here.Number one: if you're going to explain anything to your children, my recommendation is that you keep it to less than 20 seconds.Now, there's no science around this. This is just my experience in talking with parents and kids in my own family. I find that if you talk for more than 10 to 20 seconds, kids really do tune out, and it goes back to the way things have always been.The second thing is that I always ask permission.“Now that I've listened to you, Sarah, there are just one or two things I'd love to run by you about what's going on. Do you mind if I do that?”I want to make this absolutely clear: as a parent, you do not need your child's permission to tell them things. I really, absolutely, honestly believe that. As the parent, you have the right to tell them stuff they need to know.But this isn't about rights. This is about effectiveness.If I launch into, “Well, Sarah, now that I've listened to that, I get it, but I need to tell you these two things,” I'm already bringing defensiveness back into the relationship.Sarah: Mm-hmm.Dr. Justin: Barriers are coming up.Whereas if I say, “Sarah, this is so helpful. As I've listened to you, two things have come to mind. Do you mind if I share both of those with you?” Your instant response, even as I say it—I'm watching your face—Sarah: I'm nodding.Dr. Justin: And you're going—Sarah: Yeah.Dr. Justin: Yeah. I actually want to know.You're opening up your heart and mind to me, and we're just role-playing this.Sarah: Yeah, yeah. Mm-hmm.Dr. Justin: And that's what our kids do. They're like, “Oh, okay.” Because we've given them the courtesy of listening—Sarah: Well, and you're not trying to use your power over them.Dr. Justin: Exactly.This is a non-coercive, really supportive conversation.And I still haven't had this happen. A lot of parents will say, “Well, what happens if they say no?”And I'm like, “I've raised six kids, and they've never actually looked at me and said, ‘Now that I think about it, no, I don't need to know anything that you…'”They've just never done it.But even if they did—Sarah: Well, if they do, it's probably that they're—what did you say? When emotions are high, intelligence is low. Maybe it wasn't the right time to have the conversation.If they're saying no, then they're probably still angry and holding onto whatever was going on for them.Dr. Justin: Exactly.But if they're that angry, they're probably not going to have explored nicely with you anyway.Sarah: Yes, exactly. So pick—Dr. Justin: A different time.You're probably not even going to—Sarah: Get to that point. Yeah.Dr. Justin: So it's very much: keep it really short, ask permission, and then share.Sarah: Okay. So give me examples.You said, “We've been fighting about screens,” was one example. You also gave the example of, “You've been fighting a lot with your brother.”So in the explain—10 to 20 seconds—choose one of those scenarios. After hearing your child, what would you say in that 10 to 20 seconds?Dr. Justin: I did this just the other day with my 16-year-old daughter, Lily, who is on social media more than she should be. There's been some tension and conflict.I listened. She shared some ideas, and I said, “There are just a couple of things I want to run by you. Is that okay?”She said, “Sure, Dad.”I said, “Great. There are certain times when we're trying to connect or have family time, and there are certain contexts where you're on your device and we just can't reach you.”She looked at me and said, “Yeah, I know.”I said, “Okay. The second thing I want to highlight is that we've noticed you're sleeping in because, even though you're not supposed to, you've been taking your phone into your bedroom at night and staying up late scrolling. Unless I'm reading it wrong, I'm pretty sure that's what's been happening.”And she said, “No, I have been, Dad. You're right.”So it's just two really succinct sentences where I'm stating what I'm seeing. I'm sharing my experience.Sarah: Mm-hmm.Dr. Justin: If it were the sibling fighting, I'd say, “Yeah, your brother is really annoying. I get what's going on. Sometimes I wish he didn't live in our house as well.”I might have a joke with them about the challenge associated with that.And then I might say, “So when this happens, can I just share how it feels for me? It breaks my heart. I love both of you so very much, and my dream is for our family to enjoy being in one another's company and to look forward to conversations and jokes and doing the things we do. When this stuff is going on, it feels like that's a pipe dream.“And secondly, psychologically—you know I've got this PhD in psychology—I know that there's damage being done to the way your brother feels about himself. That's what I'm worried about.”So I've had both of those little conversations on two different topics, sharing two different things, and both were about 10 seconds each.Sarah: Mm-hmm.Dr. Justin: Again, it's conversational. It's not lecture-style.Sarah: And it's from the heart.I can feel it, even though this is just an example you're giving. I can feel that it's from your heart—that you're really being open and sharing with your child what your true concerns are.You're not trying to power over or control. You're really sharing a heartfelt sentiment.Dr. Justin: Yeah. Thank you. That's the goal.You won't always do that, but that's the goal.The reason there's a problem is because your values are not being upheld in the home, and you're trying to communicate that in a way that shows you honor them and that they've got a brain.Now, we've used two really grown-up versions—or teenage versions, I guess. But you can have the same conversations with three- and four-year-olds. It's just shorter. It's simpler.Usually, with those conversations, in a pretty tight timeframe—60 to 90 seconds—you've done the whole process.There is a higher-order—Sarah: Okay, so what's the third part?Dr. Justin: Just before I get to that one, if you really want to do the advanced version of explain, what I'll often do after I've explored with my child is say:“Okay, so this is the bit where I'd normally explain what's going on from my point of view. I wonder if you can tell me what you think I'm going to say here.”Sarah: Ah.Dr. Justin: And so I get them to explain the explain to me.The reason that's so effective is that whenever my mouth is the one that's moving, my brain is the one that's working.If I can get their mouth moving, their brain is doing the heavy lifting.Sarah: Love that.Dr. Justin: That's really, really effective.And then the last one—Sarah: Is empower.And you're also helping them see things and develop empathy, right? To see things from somebody else's perspective.Dr. Justin: Yes. Powerful.The last one is empower.That's literally as simple as saying, “Okay, so I get where you're coming from. We've had that conversation very thoroughly. You know what my challenge is here. What do you think we should do?”“Where do we go from here? How do we solve this in a way that we can both feel good about?”It's true that every now and then, your child will shrug their shoulders and say, “I don't know.”Or they'll shrug and say, “Well, we should just do what I want to do.”And as a parent, that's where you step in and say my favorite line:“Don't you just wish? Don't you just wish we could?”Sarah: Mm-hmm.Dr. Justin: Because—well, let me ask you, Sarah. When I say, “Don't you just wish,” or, “Wouldn't it be good if we could?”—same thing—what have I actually said?Sarah: Total empathy. Heaps of empathy.Dr. Justin: Total empathy.But I've also said something else really clearly.Sarah: That that's not going to work.Dr. Justin: Correct. The answer is no.But it's a no with so much love, kindness, empathy, and gentleness in it—Sarah: Mm-hmm.Dr. Justin: —that your child goes, “Oh, yeah. I know.”And then you say, “So let's see if we can come up with a solution that will work.”What else might work for you when it comes to your brother?What else might work for you when it comes to the party on Friday night that I'm not willing to let you go to?What else could work when it comes to our screen challenges? Because this is an ongoing issue for us, isn't it?Every now and then, you won't get an answer right away. You'll say, “Well, let's talk about it again tonight,” or, “Let's talk about it again tomorrow once you've had some time to think about it.”But I'm big on deadlines.“We need to have this worked out by the end of the weekend, okay? I don't want to go through another week of this. We've got to find a solution. If we haven't had another chat by tomorrow night, we're going to sit down and work it out then.”And I also don't have a problem at this point—Laura Walker is a researcher at BYU in Utah, and she did a study published in the Journal of Adolescence where she found that parents who use these kinds of strategies—she's not talking about the Three E's of Effective Discipline, because that's the thing I developed, but it's based on the same sort of theory that she researches—Parents who use these kinds of strategies, even when they do have to step in and say, “All right, well, we haven't come up with a solution, so it's going to be my way,” kids are much more likely to be responsive and compliant—Sarah: Mm-hmm.Dr. Justin: —because we've been through a process with them that is not autocratic. It's not authoritarian.They've felt like they had a voice. Their perspective has been seen and heard. They've had some input.And even though they don't get what they want all the time—because we're the parents, and sometimes the fact that we've climbed 47 rungs on the ladder of life and they've only climbed 13 is all we need.Sarah: That's what I call in my work the goodwill bank.When your kids experience you as collaborative, non-coercive, and not power-tripping—when they know, over the period of their childhood, that they can trust you to take their preferences into account and be respectful of them—then when you do have to say no about something, even if they don't like it, there's this goodwill bank behind you and this level of trust.When you mentioned, “You can't go to the party on Friday,” I never had that issue with my kids because everything was so collaborative.We'd have similar conversations. I didn't have—I'm not very good at thinking of things like the Three E's—but similar kinds of processes where they'd say why they wanted to go, I'd say what my concerns were, and then they'd invariably say, “Oh, yeah, you're probably right.”It was never, “You can't go.”It was, “These are my concerns. This is what I've been thinking about.”Because they experienced that whole process over years of parenting, you don't get the pushback because they don't feel like you're power-tripping them.Dr. Justin: Yeah.Sarah, I had an experience with one of my adult children who was still living at home. I think she was maybe 19 or 20 when this happened.She wanted to go and do something, and I said to her, “You're an adult. You do get to choose for yourself whether you will do this or not, but I've got some really big concerns about you doing it.“I actually think you're putting yourself into a dangerous situation. There's some history, some volatility, and some challenges if you go and involve yourself in this particular activity. Tell me why this is so important to you.”So she walked me through it, and I said, “Okay, I get it. How do my concerns stack up against your desire to be there?”And she said, “Dad, I get what you're saying, but I want to go.”And I said, “Okay, so…”You used that beautiful term, the goodwill bank. I can't remember exactly what my words were, but I'm going to use your term right now, because I essentially said:“I'm going to use the goodwill I've built up with you over the last however many years and step in really firmly and say you're making a mistake.“As your dad, even though you're an adult, I want to forbid you to go. That's how strongly I feel about this. To the degree that I can, I forbid it.“Ultimately, you will choose because you are an adult, but I don't want you there.”Sarah: I'm going on the record.Dr. Justin: Yeah, yeah.“I need you to trust that this is a bad idea. We can come up with any number of other activities you could do instead, with different people in a different location, but this is a bad idea, and you have none of my support should you go.“If you go and something goes wrong, you call me and I'll come rescue you. But it is a bad idea, and I forbid it.”And I couldn't believe I was saying those words. I've never said them in my life, and now I was saying them to an adult.But she looked at me and said, “Okay.”Sarah: Mm-hmm.Dr. Justin: She didn't fight me. She didn't say, “I can do what—”Sarah: No, because you built up the history with her of how she experienced you.Dr. Justin: Yeah. She was like, “Wow, this is serious. He's never said that before. If he feels that strongly, maybe he's right. Maybe I need to find an alternative.”So anyway, that's the Three E's of Effective Discipline.I feel like I've talked too much, Sarah. I wanted to be much more conversational, but I get carried away when we—Sarah: No, no. I love it.I feel like it's very complementary to the things that I teach, and you've given me some new things to teach parents as well.I love having sort of snappy—the Three E's of Discipline. I think that's great. I love it. I'll share it.Dr. Justin: Yeah, please. Absolutely.It's helped so many millions of parents.Sarah: Yeah.Well, I love that we've connected across the world—from the other side of the world to each other—and I look forward to hopefully talking to you again in March of 2027 when your book Boys comes out.I figured we were going to talk about that, but we had such a lovely conversation about peaceful parenting, discipline, and—oh my God, it's gone right out of my head—Dr. Justin: Self-determination theory.Sarah: Self-determination theory.I think it was a really great conversation, and I really appreciate you sharing all of your experience and wisdom.Dr. Justin: I loved the conversation.Like I said, it was too one-sided. I wish we'd been able to go backward and forward a bit more, but let's do it again.Let's chat again next year when the book comes out, and we'll talk about boys and how to help them.There's so much talk about toxic masculinity.Sarah: Mm-hmm.Dr. Justin: Wouldn't it be great if we could give them a view of healthy masculinity—a model of that to follow?That's what my book is all about: how we can guide boys into a healthy form of masculinity.Sarah: Well, for folks in Australia, your book is coming out in June 2026. For folks in North America, it's not coming out until spring 2027.So I will definitely be ringing you up and having you come back on to talk about the book when you've got your North American release. I know we're going to have a great conversation then.Before I let you go, though, I have a question that I ask all my podcast guests:If you had a time machine and you could go back and tell your younger parent self something, what advice would you give yourself?Dr. Justin: Jean-Jacques Rousseau said there is—I can't remember the quote exactly—but: What wisdom is there that is greater than kindness?I've paraphrased it. It's not perfect, but it's something along those lines.Interestingly, Rousseau had, I think, five children—maybe six—and he put them all into orphanages somewhere in the first 18 months of their lives so he could spend more time writing and focusing on how to be a good person, which I just find criminal. I can't believe it.So take it for what it's worth, but “What wisdom is there that's greater than kindness?” is what Rousseau said.I've mentioned this idea of soft eyes a couple of times. If I could go back, I would teach myself about kindness. I'd teach myself about many of the things we've talked about today.But I just want to quickly share the story of soft eyes.As an academic, I want everything I say to be evidence-based. There is no evidence that I'm aware of where people have done any kind of randomized controlled trial where parents are asked to interact with their children with soft eyes, neutral eyes, hard eyes, or anything like that.Soft eyes is this idea—I was giving a presentation at a public library one time, and an elderly lady stepped into the back of the room, sat down, and listened to the last 25 or 30 minutes of my presentation. She must have liked what she could hear from the corridor outside, and she stepped in to listen.After everybody had left, she walked over to me and said, “I really enjoyed what you shared. I'd love to tell you something my grandmother said to me.”So we're going back into the early 1900s.Her grandmother said, “Whenever you're talking to your children about matters of discipline, make sure you have soft eyes.”And I thought, I really like that.Because if you try to have a conversation with somebody and your eyes are soft, you just can't say mean things. You can't say harsh things. You can't have harsh thoughts.If you soften your eyes, your face softens and your heart softens. You have this beautiful compassion and kindness, this ability to see the best in them rather than the worst in them, to assume positive intent.There's something gorgeous about soft eyes.So I would go back and quote Rousseau better than I just quoted him to you, and I would tell my younger self that soft eyes will make a tremendous impact on all of my relationships.Sarah: Ah.There's an American—I don't know if you've heard of him in Australia—but he's a pretty well-known marriage counselor, Terry Real.Dr. Justin: Oh, yeah. I quote him in my book.Sarah: Yeah, yeah. He does a lot of work about—well, he says something like, “There's nothing that harshness can accomplish that kindness can't accomplish better.”Dr. Justin: That's so beautiful.Sarah: Mm-hmm.Dr. Justin: Thank you. That's inspiring. I'm so glad you shared that.Sarah: Yeah. I love it.It's hard to remember, but I think it is true. And I wish that—and I know the world needs a dose of that right now.Dr. Justin: Yeah. Yeah.Sarah: One hundred percent.Well, thank you so much.Where's the best place for folks to go and find out more about you and what you do?Dr. Justin: Probably my podcast, the Happy Families Podcast. My wife and I drop a 15-minute nugget of parenting wisdom every day, five days a week.Sarah: Oh, wow!Dr. Justin: Yeah. It's a lot of content, but it's bite-sized chunks, and it's entertaining. We're fun. We get to do it together.And the Happy Families Podcast. I've got a website called happyfamilies.com.au, but basically, if you like what we've talked about—Sarah: We'll link to all of that in the show notes. We'll link to your website and your podcast, and I'm sure it's easy to find you.Dr. Justin: That sounds great. Thanks, Sarah.Sarah: Thank you so much.Dr. Justin: What a great, great conversation. Lovely to be with you.Reimagine Peaceful Parenting with Sarah Rosensweet Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sarahrosensweet.substack.com/subscribe

In this solo episode of Perfect Prey, Dr. Christine Cocchiola explores the connection between coercive control, childhood trauma, attachment, and the growing number of children being diagnosed with ADHD and other behavioral disorders. Dr. Cocchiola challenges listeners to consider a critical question: what if many of the behaviors we label as “problematic” are actually trauma responses? What if children living within coercively controlling family systems are being misunderstood rather than truly seen?Drawing from the work of Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, Dr. Gabor Maté, Dr. Bruce Perry, and betrayal trauma theory, this episode examines how trauma can manifest as fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses in children — and how coercive control fractures attachment, identity, safety, and regulation. Dr. Cocchiola also discusses how predatory parents weaponize children, how attachment is intentionally disrupted, and why protective parents play such a critical role in healing and rebuilding safety for their children.What we coverThis episode is essential listening for protective parents, clinicians, educators, advocates, and anyone trying to better understand trauma, child behavior, and coercive control.How trauma can mimic ADHD symptomsFight, flight, freeze, and fawn trauma responses in childrenCoercive control within family systemsHow predatory parents fracture attachment intentionallyWhy dysregulated children are often misunderstoodAttachment, authenticity, and child developmentTrauma, dissociation, and emotional regulationThe impact of coercive control on school performance and behaviorWhy children exposed to abuse may appear oppositional or disengagedProtective parenting and reigniting attachmentBroken attachment, broken safety, and “broken brain”How systems often pathologize traumatized children instead of protecting themWhy listenIf you are raising a child impacted by coercive control, navigating post-separation abuse, or working professionally with children and families, this episode offers a trauma-informed framework for understanding behavior through the lens of attachment and survival.Dr. Cocchiola invites listeners to shift away from asking “What's wrong with this child?” and instead ask: “What happened to this child?” Connect with Dr. Christine:Protective Parenting Program: https://www.coercivecontrolconsulting.com/services/for-parents/Dr. C's Community: https://go.drcocchiola.com/innercirclecommunityOfficial site: https://www.coercivecontrolconsulting.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrCocchiola-coercivecontrol/videosTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.c_coercivecontrolInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.cocchiola_coercivecontrol/TEDxTalks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp2qByKOue4&t=24sBooks:https://url-shortener.me/c/FramedBookhttps://url-shortener.me/c/EveryMomentOfEveryDayIf this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who may need this conversation, subscribe to Perfect Prey, and leave a review — it helps other survivors and protective parents find support and validation.

Artists are carrying a lot right now. Burnout. Pressure. Perfectionism. The feeling that you have to do business a certain way in order to succeed online.In this episode of the Made Remarkable podcast, I sit down with artist, teacher, and Create to Breathe founder, Tish Reed, for a deeply honest conversation about creativity, motherhood, mental health, community, teaching art online, and building a business that actually fits your life.Tish shares how she walked away from art for years after becoming a mother, the depression and creative disconnection that followed, and the powerful moment that brought her back to painting. What started as quietly writing painful thoughts onto a canvas became the foundation for the work she teaches today.We also talk about: • Why creative play matters more than perfection • The difference between selling art and teaching art • How artists lose themselves trying to create for buyers • Building a slower, more sustainable teaching business • Why YouTube is becoming a powerful platform for artists • The pressure of Instagram and content burnout • ADHD, motherhood, nervous systems, and creative energy • Letting your business grow at the pace that works for your real life • Why Build It Remarkable is more mentorship than “course”This conversation is for artists, teaching artists, and creative educators who want to build something meaningful without becoming another exhausted content machine online.You can find Tish Reed at Create to Breathe, on YouTube at Tish Reed Art, and through her beautiful Play-ing Cards designed to help artists reconnect with creative play and presence. For transcripts, more links mentioned in the episode, and for the full episode show notes

Emily Fleming and Jeff Fox join Daniel and me to talk about Emily's new venture, caboodles, chin hairs, ADHD and how it's represented online, our Ren Faire experience, nu metal, buy nothing groups, relationships, sniff chat, our favorite words and more! Get yourself some new ARIYNBF merch here: https://alison-rosen-shop.fourthwall.com/ Subscribe to my Substack: http://alisonrosen.substack.com Podcast Palz Product Picks: https://www.amazon.com/shop/alisonrosen/list/2CS1QRYTRP6ER?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsflist_aipsfalisonrosen_0K0AJFYP84PF1Z61QW2H Products I Use/Recommend/Love: http://amazon.com/shop/alisonrosen Check us out on Patreon: http://patreon.com/alisonrosen   This episode is brought to you by BLISSY (http://blissy.com/bestfriend) Use code "bestfriend" for 30% off. Buy Alison's Fifth Anniversary Edition Book (with new material): Tropical Attire Encouraged (and Other Phrases That Scare Me) https://amzn.to/2JuOqcd You probably need to buy the HGFY ringtone! https://www.alisonrosen.com/store/ Try Amazon Prime Free 30 Day Trial

Michelle will own that she is so over-the-moon excited for her guest today - lovingly called The Funniest Person On Earth - her ADHD takes over and she literally can't shut the f**k up. Yes, folks, MAMRIE HART from the This Might Get Weird podcast joins us in the world's coldest studio for an hour of literal guffaws amongst friends. On the non-exisent outline: Hairless dogs gone wild, Hollywood auditions gone horribly RIGHT, and anticipation for this week's Survivor finale (no spoilers!) that pose an American History X conundrum we truly hate. Most of the episode is spent recapping their Mother's Day Brunch from Heaven/Hell, where meals never get made and cars possibly towed, while Mich works on her Rosie Perez impression in real time. Safe to say parts of this had us crying laughing.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We've all said it. "I'll deal with it later." And somehow, later never comes. The thing just sits there — not in your calendar, but in your head. It pings you in the shower. It shows up right before you fall asleep. That's an energy leak.This week, Ari Tuckman returns for his sixth appearance to unpack what's actually happening when we tell ourselves "later." What is the ADHD brain doing in that moment? Are we making a real decision, or just kicking the can? And how do we tell the difference?We dig into:The two flavors of procrastination — not feeling the future vs. avoiding the discomfortWhy "later" needs a "when," and what specificity actually changesThe difference between a task that needs doing and a decision that needs makingHow to close an open loop that's been open way too longGoing toward positives vs. avoiding negatives, and why one of those is more sustainableTime estimation, and why some things aren't knowable until you startAri's new book, the ADHD Productivity ManualGuest SpotlightAri Tuckman, PsyD is a psychologist, author, and international presenter specializing in ADHD. He's given more than 600 presentations and podcast interviews across America and nine other countries, and is the author of four books: ADHD After Dark, Understand Your Brain, Get More Done, More Attention, Less Deficit, and Integrative Treatment for Adult ADHD. He chairs the CHADD Conference Committee. This is his sixth appearance on the show.Links & NotesAri's website: https://drarituckman.comAri on Instagram: @AriTuckmanPsyDBooks by Ari Tuckman:ADHD After DarkUnderstand Your Brain, Get More DoneMore Attention, Less DeficitIntegrative Treatment for Adult ADHDADHD Productivity Manual (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast (01:13) - Join us over on Patreon! (02:13) - Introducing Ari Tuckman (03:06) - "I'll do it later..." ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Did you know that 75 percent of successful door-to-door reps might have ADHD? Discover how to turn distraction into a sales superpower and level up your game with The D2D Experts.We are redefining what it means to be an out-of-the-box thinker. If you have ever felt like your patience level is very low because you only want to focus on things you care about, this conversation is going to change your perspective.We break down why traditional environments fail the most innovative minds and how being relentlessly obsessed is the ultimate secret weapon for closing deals on the doors.In this episode, Sam Taggart sits down to explore the raw truth about ADHD and entrepreneurship, tracing a wild path from fruit trees to Forbes.We hear a powerful firsthand story from our guest about surviving the medical approach of being prescribed Ritalin at seven years old, and how that struggle led to building a school specifically designed for out-of-the-box thinkers.Thank you for listening! Don't miss out on future episodes! Subscribe to The D2D Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. You may also watch this podcast on YouTube!You may also follow Sam Taggart on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for more nuggets on D2D and Sales Tips.

When a neurodivergent child or teen struggles with daytime focus, emotional volatility, or low frustration tolerance, caregivers naturally look for behavioral or psychological explanations. However, chronic sleep deprivation frequently hides behind these daytime struggles, acting as an unseen amplifier for executive dysfunction and sensory overload. Dr. Melisa Moore, a clinical psychologist and board-certified behavioral sleep medicine specialist at Rady Children's Health San Diego, joins Emily Kircher-Morris to reframe sleep not as an isolated nighttime issue, but as a continuous 24-hour biological reality deeply intertwined with neurodivergence. They talk about specific genetic, chronobiological, and comorbid factors that cause sleep disorders, the structural differences in adolescent circadian rhythms, and methods to address bedtime sensory traps. TAKEAWAYS Neurodivergent individuals experience higher rates of sleep disorders due to shared genetic roots, co-occurring medical conditions, and baseline variations in biological clocks. ADHDers often experience a natural circadian rhythm delay of up to two hours, while autistic people often possess highly inconsistent circadian patterns from night to night. Daytime sleepiness in younger children rarely presents as lethargy and instead as hyperactivity, increased irritability, dysregulation, and an increased use of negative emotion words. Shifting the bedtime linguistic framework from "trying to sleep" to "waiting for sleep to arrive" reduces cognitive pressure and lowers physiological alertness. Underlying physiological issues like obstructive sleep apnea or periodic limb movement disorder directly mimic or exacerbate the core diagnostic criteria of ADHD, including severe inattention and social friction. Perfectionism can be difficult to identify in therapy, and once identified, still very difficult to overcome. If you're a mental health professional, join us for Overcoming Perfectionism in Therapy: Supporting Neurodivergent Clients Who Keep Moving the Finish Line. Matt Zakreski will present this 1.5 hour continuing education course on June 5th at 1:00 pm Central, and if you can't join us live, that's okay. The video will be available afterward for anyone who registers, and either version is APA and NBCC approved for 1.5 hours of continuing education credit. Register now or learn more at this link, or just go to neurodiversity.university. Dr. Melisa Moore, PhD is a clinical psychologist and board-certified behavioral sleep medicine specialist who focuses on sleep and mood challenges in children, teens, and young adults. She works at the sleep center at Rady Children's Health San Diego and also provides care through her private practice, supporting clients across the country with a specialization in neurodiversity. Dr. Moore is the author of The Good Sleep Guide for Neurodivergent Kids, offering practical, research-informed strategies to help families improve sleep in ways that are both effective and affirming. BACKGROUND READING Melisa's website, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn The Neurodiversity Podcast is on Facebook, Instagram, BlueSky, and you're invited to join our Facebook Group. For more information go to www.NeurodiversityPodcast.com If you'd like members of your organization, school district, or company to know more about the subjects discussed on our podcast, Emily Kircher-Morris provides keynote addresses, workshops, and training sessions worldwide, in-person or virtually. You can choose from a list of established presentations, or work with Emily to develop a custom talk to fit your unique situation. To learn more, visit our website.

Do you have too many books but the thought of decluttering them paralyzes you? I'm sharing my best tips on how to review and declutter the five main categories of books, including how to overcome the mindset roadblocks that come up during the process! Resources Mentioned: Libby app How to view Kindle highlights Related Episodes: Episode 10: The MOST Challenging Type of Clutter for Moms! 4 Kinds of Aspirational Clutter and How to Finally Let Go Episode 11: Holding onto EVERYTHING Sentimental? 3 Decluttering Hacks you HAVE to Try Episode 157: 7 Cognitive Biases That Cause Clutter (and What Do Do About Them) *** I help moms declutter their homes, heads, and hearts. Contact - > info@simplebyemmy.com  Podcast -＞ https://momsovercomingoverwhelm.podbean.com/ Learn -＞ https://www.simplebyemmy.com/resources Connect -＞ Join our free Facebook group Decluttering Tips and Support for Overwhelmed Moms Instagram -＞ @simplebyemmy and @momsovercomingoverwhelm   *** Don't Know Where to Start? *** 5 Steps to Overcome Overwhelm -＞ https://simplebyemmy.com/5steps/ 5 Mindset Shifts for Decluttering -＞ https://simplebyemmy.com/mindset/ Get podcast playlists for decluttering mindset, tactical decluttering tips, ADHD, getting kids & family on board, and more! https://www.listennotes.com/@momsovercomingoverwhelm/playlists/   Wanna work with me to kick overwhelm to the curb, mama? There are three options for you! Step 1: Join a supportive community of moms plus decluttering challenges to keep you on track at the free Facebook group Decluttering Tips and Support for Overwhelmed Moms Step 2: Sign up for the weekly Decluttering Tips and Resources for Overwhelmed Moms Newsletter and see samples here: https://pages.simplebyemmy.com/profile Step 3: Get more personalized support with in-person decluttering and organization coaching (Washington DC metro area)! https://www.simplebyemmy.com/workwithme

What if the most powerful tool for mental health recovery isn't a medication — it's your metabolism?  Dr. Erin Louise Bellamy joins Dr. Vera Tarman for a deep dive into ketogenic metabolic therapy: what it is, how it works, and why it may be one of the most underutilized interventions in both psychiatric care and food addiction recovery.  Dr. Bellamy is a chartered psychologist, CEO of IKRT (International Ketogenic Research & Therapy), and a research fellow at the University of East London. She has been researching and applying ketogenic metabolic therapy in clinical settings since 2014, with a background that bridges eating disorders, psychiatric research, and metabolic health.  In this episode, Vera and Erin discuss:  How Erin went from eating disorder and alexithymia research to ketogenic metabolic psychiatry — and why the field's "biopsychosocial" model was missing the bio  The difference between metabolic psychiatry, ketogenic therapy, and therapeutic carbohydrate restriction — and why the terminology matters  What carbohydrate range actually produces therapeutic ketosis (and why "dirty keto" doesn't cut it)  The shared mechanistic pathways across psychiatric diagnoses — including mitochondrial dysfunction, insulin resistance, and neuroinflammation  Why antipsychotic medications create metabolic dysfunction, and how ketogenic therapy can help offset those side effects  The GABA/glutamate shift that makes ketones naturally anxiolytic — and why this may work differently than the serotonin model of depression  The "buffer effect": what it feels like to be in ketosis when you're a food addict — and why some people describe it as a pane of glass between themselves and a trigger food  How ketogenic therapy compares to GLP-1 medications (Ozempic/Wegovy) for reducing food noise — and Erin's concerns about the long-term research  MCT oil vs. exogenous ketones: when each is useful, and when exogenous ketones are counterproductive  Applying ketogenic therapy to people with ADHD, bipolar disorder, and co-occurring food addiction  How to support vegan or plant-based clients who want to pursue ketogenic therapy  Why the first week matters most — and how to help clients through withdrawal without triggering a binge  The 19-person IKRT group program published in Frontiers — and what's coming next in the research  Connect with Dr. Erin Bellamy:  

In Part 2 of the Listen to Yourself series, Lesley Logan delivers a hands-on toolkit for hearing your intuition more clearly and telling it apart from fear. She breaks down what real intuition actually feels like in the body, why so many high achievers struggle to access it, and how to build trust in your inner voice through small, repeatable habits. The episode closes with journal prompts, simple daily practices, and one intuition-led decision that completely changed where Lesley lives today. Tune in for the practical follow-up listeners have been asking for. If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co mailto:beit@lesleylogan.co. And as always, if you're enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/#follow-subscribe-free.In this episode you will learn about:How to calm a busy mind using meditation, breathwork, or guided practice.Why true intuition feels calm and steady, not frantic or fearful.Journaling prompts that uncover patterns and reveal your gut's voice.The body sway test and other small practices that strengthen instinct.How to overcome doubt by slowing down and recalling past hunches.Episode References/Links:Breath by James Nestor – https://www.mrjamesnestor.com/breathThe Artist's Way by Julia Cameron – https://a.co/d/0ip3UjJBE-Squared by Pam Grout – https://a.co/d/07pIwZuhEp. 559 with David Corbin – https://beitpod.com/ep559Ep. 388 with Lauren Zoeller – https://beitpod.com/ep388Submit your wins or questions - https://beitpod.com/questions If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox. https://lovethepodcast.com/BITYSIDEALS! DEALS! DEALS! DEALS! https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentCheck out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper's Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentBe in the know with all the workshops at OPC https://workshops.onlinepilatesclasses.com/lp-workshop-waitlistBe It Till You See It Podcast Survey https://pod.lesleylogan.co/be-it-podcasts-surveyBe a part of Lesley's Pilates Mentorship https://lesleylogan.co/elevate/FREE Ditching Busy Webinar https://ditchingbusy.com/Resources:Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gLesley Logan website https://lesleylogan.co/Be It Till You See It Podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjogqXLnfyhS5VlU4rdzlnQProfitable Pilates https://profitablepilates.com/about/Follow Us on Social Media:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesley.logan/The Be It Till You See It Podcast YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gFacebook https://www.facebook.com/llogan.pilatesLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-logan/The OPC YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnlinePilatesClasses Episode Transcript:Lesley Logan 0:00  The fear. Voice is so loud because we spent so much time listening to it, we have had way more experience listening to the fear instead of listening to our intuition, and that may be because just of the life that you've had prior to this. Lesley Logan 0:17  Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started. Lesley Logan 1:00  Hello, Be It babe. Hi. Welcome back to our Listen to Yourself series. I'm so happy you're here. Okay, so if you missed Tuesday's episode, you're gonna probably want to hear that one, because it does talk about what is our intuition. What is listening to ourselves? And then also, why is it so freaking hard? And by the way, after listening to all the different reasons it's hard, it's an I'm actually shocked any single one of us can listen to our intuition at all. So I also shared some stories about different times I listened to mine and didn't listen to mine. And I just want to say thank you to all of you who shared your takeaways from that episode. It really means so much to me. You know, it's I record these alone in a room and talking to myself. So I really appreciate when you all share how the episodes affected you, or takeaways and wins and things like that. So questions you have that answer those on Thursday episodes, wins and aha moments, I'll share on Friday episodes, but today we're talking about the tools to help you listen to yourself better. Listen to your intuition better. So sources for this information will be in the show notes. But I have to say, this is kind of fun. There's lots of different things. So here's the deal my, Be It babe. I know that it's easy to try to do all the things at once, and I'm gonna, I'm gonna ask you to pick a couple of these things that sound good and the ones that don't immediately sound easy for you, just ditch them. Save them for later. Give them to a friend, right? Please. My overachievers who are listening, who are in recovery, don't try to do them all. Lesley Logan 2:20  Okay? So some of these might sound redundant as we go through, but know that sometimes we hear same thing in slightly different way. It kind of makes a little more sense to us. So here we go. How do we hear our intuition better? Calm the mind? Use meditation or breathing techniques to quiet the noise. So I will say I love doing breath work, or I like a guided meditation. I know that sounds opposite of listening to yourself, but if you just have music playing for me and I have to just sit still, I'm gonna tell you right now my mind ain't quiet. I kind of need someone that's like, look at this cloud. Watch this thing, right? That's kind of my MO. So if you're like that, find guided meditations or breath work. If you haven't read the book, Breath, that is one of my favorite books of all time to recommend. So I highly recommend it. Okay, tune into the body. So pay attention to physical sensations such as a sense of lightness aligned like an alignment, or a sense of thinking or tightening feeling like not aligned. So lightness is going to fill a line, tightening is not going to fill a line. And that means you're going to have to start body scanning, right? So you might do this one time a day. Maybe you do it in the morning, or you do it at night, to start to just notice where you already feel tight or where you don't feel tight, and so you can know yourself. Because, sometimes it's like a doctor might ask, Oh, how long have you feeling like that? You're, oh, I actually don't know. So it is if you're going to tune into the body, which I highly recommend you do, finding ways to make that a habit. I use this. I use OPC to help our members with this. I use Pilates for myself. So when you do the 100 is going to feel different each and every time you do it, depending on what time of day you do it, depending on what happened the day before, how you slept, all that information, and that is a way to tune into your body. So for me, body scanning I only do when I'm trying to fall asleep, to be completely honest, or if I'm in a breath work that's guided, they're like, pay attention. I've truly used my Pilates to go because I do the same exercises. And I'm oh, I could get more out of that, right? That is a great way to feel what feels light and what doesn't feel light so that I can kind so that when I feel lightness, I know I'm in alignment when I feel tightness and making a decision, I feel like I'm not. So that can be helpful, but that takes time, so just be nice to yourself about learning how to feel alignment and business alignment in your body. Lesley Logan 4:34  Pause and reflect instead of reacting immediately to emotions. Pause to see if the feeling is a panic response or calm, enduring insight. So this is interesting, right? As an ADHD person whose brain goes 17 miles ahead of most people, I am like, let's take instant action, and then, of course, I'll regret how quickly I made a decision, not that the decision is a regret, but how I handled it. Right? So something I am trying to work on is just like, take a moment. Why am I upset? What am I wanting to have happen? What might be all the different ways I could have that happen? And then in taking that pause, it really lets me feel what my inner knowing is actually trying to tell me, which is, you're actually not upset about this thing, you're upset about this thing, and it's coming out here. I think that that takes that also just takes time. So I also wanted to find out, does intuition sound like something? Because if we're going to hear it, what does it sound like? Right? So intuition often feels like a calm, quiet and immediate inner knowing or gut feeling that provides certainty without logical explanation, which is different than anxious thoughts, which are frantic and fearful. True intuition is neutral, steady and frequently experiences a physical sensation, such as a quiet, grounded insight, a sinking feeling, or a sudden, clear, non emotional, not joy. I think it might not have an actual sound to it, but it has from all this research. It doesn't feel you don't feel uneasy when you're listening to your intuition. It feels this is so normal and natural. I think that will help if those, for those of you who are getting having a hard time differentiating between gut intuition and anxiety, right? Lesley Logan 6:20  So trusting your intuition involves cultivating inner quiet paying attention to bodily sensations. Those are somatic markers. We have some, had some great somatic guests on the show, like Lauren Zoeller, so definitely listen to her episodes. If you want to dive into somatics more, you got to practice the intuition in low stake situations. So that's going to be helpful, because we don't want to be making our first decision on a high stakes situation, you got to is it going to the gym, right? It's like a muscle. So key methods for listening to your intuition are going to be in meditation, journaling and slowing down. That's going to help you distinguish that feelings from fear by identifying physical signs like tension or calm and validating past experiences. You can build confidence in your intuition. And I, will say, you know how I get on every guest I'm like, if you're gonna tell us how to journal, what are we journaling about? And I think this is where, if you are trying to listen to your gut more, maybe the journaling is a form of question, why do I feel that way? Why is this coming up? What? How does this make me feel? Where do I feel this in my body? Then you can, you know, write it out, and that can be really helpful. So asking yourself questions based on the gut instinct that you're feeling that might help you discover if it's truly from you, if it's from fear. I can't I mean, slowing down. Oh my god, right. So as I said, there's gonna be a few more here that might sound the same, but we're talking about a different way that might help you. Lesley Logan 7:41  So widening your mind, reducing mental noise, or meditation and deep breathing, or spending time in nature to better hear your voice. So I love this suggestion, because I don't think people get on nature enough. If you've read the book The Artist's Way she has, you go on artist dates, and sometimes it's like just taking your shoes off and walking in grass, right? I think that that can be really helpful. And so if you have a hard time quieting your mind, maybe that's what you're practicing. Listening to your body. We talked about that tightness versus the ease. Journaling daily, we talked about that this is really good. Write down your thoughts and hunches to uncover patterns in your thinking and recognize your intuition has guided you correctly. So taking a legal pad of paper and just writing out what's on your mind, you'll recognize patterns quickly, because, especially if you force yourself to do three pages, here's what happens. Some of you guys are overthinking your thoughts and just gonna say, don't even try to read your writing. Just write. Right? David Corbin will say, close your eyes and just write. But, I think that some people could overthink the journaling, which means you're not quieting your mind. You're not going to get your intuition, but just writing. And what I found when I was doing The Artist's Way page is I found why I was inactive in a lot of decisions, because I was I had so much fear, but I wasn't able to articulate that. And I've been feeling that in my body, but I couldn't get it to my brain. And so it really helped me go, oh, this is what I'm afraid of. Okay, well, is that gonna happen? How could that happen? How can I avoid that happening? Okay, now I can make the decision, right? So you're gonna practice with easy decisions to build trust by following your gut on small daily choices such as, what to eat or who to reach out to. So we're not making big decisions on your job or your relationship. You're just like, hmm, I feel like having a sandwich right now. Okay, let's go have a sandwich right now. Was that? Was that your intuition, right? Like reaching out to a friend? Oh, I feel I should call this person, call them, or at least text them, right? Try that out. Lesley Logan 9:30  So this one is a little bit. Might be a little woo-woo. Okay. But if you read the book E-Squared, you'll, you won't think it. So use the body sway test. Stand up, relax and think of a decision. Feel if your body moves forward, that's a yes or backward, that's a no. My girlfriend, she wanted to see if she if I was drinking something, and she was like, oh, I wonder if that would work for me. And so she closed her eyes, she held it in her hand, and she's like, will this help me? And then her body leaned forward. I watched it happen. I swear to God, so that could be helpful, right? Some other key practices to strengthen your intuition. So, getting quiet, and this means getting in nature or quiet for 10 to 15 minutes daily. I know that's a lot, because, you know that's 1% of your day, so just keep that in mind. Notice physical sensations. I think a lot of us are really not connected to our bodies, which is why I'm such a passionate person about having a consistent Pilates practice, but noticing physical sensations, right? Being able to really notice, oh, my feet are cold right now, or you know just what's going on your body? There's things that are changing all the time.Lesley Logan 10:30  Differentiating from fear. So in Tuesday's episode, we talked about how like, fear can also say it's intuition. So intuition is generally calm and patient and persistent, whereas anxiety feels urgent and chaotic, intense, trusting, small signals. So this is really, this is where I find, like, My intuition is the most helpful. And once I start to notice these, I start to notice bigger ones, but small signals that something just something's going on. You're like, oh, you know, that's what a hunch, right? What a hunch. I'm going to follow that hunch, and then that way, with these little signals, we actually can actually lead to bigger decisions without waiting for the big gut instinct. Like, you should do this, right? Some people do a coin flip method. That's not something I would love, but, it might help you, right? Because, I think if you put a head, I'm going to do this, tails, let me do this, and then it flips. You're like, oh, it's tails. Well, that tells you what you really wanted. You wanted a head. So go to the heads. And then visualize outcomes. Imagine living with each option for a few days to see which brings a sense of peace or relief. And I think that also is helpful for understanding how you feel when your gut instinct is telling you to do something. What does ease feel like in your body? It might feel different than what it feels like for me, right? And then clean up emotions. Suppressed emotions can block intuitive signals, so acknowledge and process fear and anxiety clear the wave for clearer and quieter and more confident guidance. And so I think that that's important. I think a lot of us have a lot of bottled up emotions, which I like to do breath work because or exercise, because you can just, like, emotions just leave the body. Oh my gosh. If you were like, why did I cry in that workout today? Because it wanted to get out. It wanted to get out. And you got to stop suppressing these things because it's clogging up your channels through your intuition. Lesley Logan 12:14  So, in thinking about intuition, I was just thinking about okay, there's obviously a confidence thing here. And if you don't have confidence, you often have doubt, right? So like, how do we how do we figure out how to overcome doubt? And so I think this requires all of us, high achieving, busy people, to slow down, because your busy schedule can mask the intuition because you're not creating space to even hear it. So I'm not saying quit things. I'm not saying stop doing things. What I'm saying is how can you say no to some things, like, look at your schedules, or anything you can, like, take off of it this week. What pressures are you doing? It makes it really easy to start feeling what you're feeling, which means getting into your intuition. Also, I think another thing you can journal about that will help you overcome doubt is recalling past times your hunch was right. I think you need a little have, not a burn book, but some sort of wins hunch book where you put any hunches you followed on and then they were right. That's going to help with the confidence that you need to overcome the doubt that is this my intuition, or is this fear, right? And then being patient, developing trust in your intuition, takes time and consistency, and it is particularly going to take time if you're an overthinker, right? Just something to keep reminding yourself about, because I get it like I have so many things I want to do, I have so many things I care about. And the reality is, I'm one human being, and I can only do so much in a day. And if I'm too busy, I'm missing out on on picking up on things that might just be the best way to dial this way or that way, that can change the course of the impact I want to make. Right? Sometimes we just get on a path and we're doing the we're following the directions, this is the path I made, and I'm here, I'm going to just follow this path. And then there's like, Hey, do you want this path over here? And you're like, I'm too busy to see that ding. And it's like, hey, do you want to see this path over here? It's going to get you there fast. And you're like, Oh, this is the path. Because I'm too busy. I'm not thinking about it, right? Lesley Logan 14:13  I also wanted to give you some prompts for your journal that will help you when it comes to our intuition. So here they are, and we'll have these in the blog, in the show notes, so you can just copy and paste them. What is my body trying to tell me right now? You can even ask. I'll just give you a little second. We can hit pause. What is my body trying to tell me right now? If I were to trust myself completely, what would I do? Would you do anything differently? I would trust myself completely. What would I do? What is the gut feeling I have about blank and why? So if you're like, I don't hear my gut she's not talking to me. Well, what do you think the gut feeling is about that thing? Why do you think that what is one thing I know to be true? So even if I cannot logically explain it, what is one thing I know to be true? And I think that's helpful, it's almost like, oh, that I know that to be true, and it feels like this in my body. So if it feels like this, and this thing over here I'm thinking about feels the same, even if I don't have logic for it, then I then they can both. The feelings are the same, so they can both be true. What does my inner voice feel like? Is it a sound, a feeling or a vision? I think this is helpful, because I hear it as a voice, right? But some of you are more kinesthetic, and you feel it, or you hear some sort of sound. I know people that there's a scent that they'll smell, and then they'll literally, when they hear it, when they smell that scent, they'll stop, and they'll listen to themselves, and they'll actually hear their intuition. And then the scent doesn't fit anywhere. So for example, let's say the scent is Jasmine. There'll be no jasmine plant around, but they smelled Jasmine, and then they paid attention to what they were thinking, and that was how they did it. Or is it a vision? Can you see it happening in your brain playing out? So some more prompts. Recall a time you ignored your gut and what happened. So that helps you figure out what the signs are. Recall a time you trusted your intuition. What was that outcome? When do I most feel in touch with my inner voice? What am I doing when I feel the most in touch with my inner voice, that will help you go and find it. Maybe it's like, oh, when I walk outside, well, then that helps you, because then if you need to hear it and make a decision, and you're like, I don't want to do get the hell outside, right? What is one fear that stops me from listening to my intuition? What is one fear that stops me from listening to my intuition? Like, what are you afraid of? If you listen to it? Isn't it so interesting how when we like call out our fear and we actually say it out loud, how silly it sounds? Lesley Logan 16:47  All right, how can I honor my needs today? Another prompt for your journal. How can I honor my needs today? What does the best version of myself need to know today? That's a be it till I see it. What is the best version of myself need to know today? What feels heavy or forced right now? What feels light and flowing right now? And then you can complete the sentence I am ready for link. Lesley Logan 17:15  And then last thing I just want to leave you with is different ways to journal, because I know you. I know you, and that's why I it on our guests, like, you can't just say journal. You have to tell them what to journal about. So I gave you those prompts, but you can do free writing. I talked about that's like The Artist's Way, or what David Corbin does, just like writing. What's like just going just write your thoughts. Or you can do more of a set the scene type thing. So you create a quiet space. You take a few deep breaths, and you use your journal to remove distractions. So you're probably gonna have more of a prompt there. But you're gonna take a quiet time, ask yourself the question, take some deep breaths. But set the scene. For me, I will just write anywhere some people need to go, in their writing corner that's setting the scene, and then you have to review. So in The Artist's Way, you don't read the notes back, but if you're doing the book during one of the weeks closer to the end, you do go back, and she has you look for certain words to see what the patterns are, and that's going to help you understand the recurring themes, words or feelings. When you do that, that helps you realize your gut is talking to you and that your intuition is there, it makes it easier for you to listen to it in the future without that. Lesley Logan 18:26  So think I want to just leave you with this building trust. Building up that trust to listen to your intuition, it's necessary to pause so you can distinguish between the true intuitive calm and the loud, reactive fear. And I really do think that some of the reasons why so many of us have a hard time listening to our intuition, aside from what society's pressures are, is that the fear voice is so loud because we spent so much time listening to it, we have had way more experience Listening to the fear instead of listening to our intuition, and that that may be because just of the life that you've had prior to this. And I need you to give yourself kindness and grace, and I need you to consider getting help around that, some professional help. If journaling for you like, I've journaled all this. Lesley, this is stupid, great, then you might need some help. And if you I've had help, get different help, right? Because I can say confidently that at the times I've listened to my intuition, they've always led me, yes with obstacles, yes with some pain, yes with some frustration, but they've always led me further along and closer to the person I want to be. And I can connect the dots looking back, but I can definitely could not connect the dots when I was in it. There was no logical pattern for how he's gonna get from a point A to point B. Lesley Logan 19:44  This house that we're in, I told people I wanted to move by June 1st. I was like, oh, I live there on June 1st. And they're like, you can't buy a house in nine days. There's always 30 days of extra. Watch me do it. We found a person who wanted to rent to own. Guess what? Move in nine days. Bought the house on our contract to deed, and we did it, you know. And there were so many times when logic was going to say, that's not gonna work out. I just kept trusting, like, what feels right? When I walked in this house, I was like, I don't use any other houses. This is the house. They said. The rooms are exactly where I want them to be. Is it perfect? The outlets are fucking crooked. No, I gotta fix those. But I think that's where using your gut instinct to get yourself like when you trust it, when you can hear it, when you've got that muscle, it really helps you not focus on what logic is saying. Because if I'd focus on logic, then I would have waited probably a couple more months. Maybe we'd more taxes. Then it had been too expensive. We might have moved to Vegas. We wouldn't be able to we wouldn't, we would not be in our neighborhood. I can tell you that right now, and been priced out. We've been in a different neighborhood and have an office somewhere. Lesley Logan 20:48  So I'll just say, maybe the last thing to say is this, be mindful of whose opinions you listen to that let you let talk you in or out of what your gut instinct says. I have some people my life that when they disagree with me, I just lean heavier. I'm like, oh yeah, because you don't like this idea. I know it's a good one, but that might not be you. Maybe if someone says those things to you, you actually doubt yourself. And I would say they don't get to know the decisions that you're making, not until you get stronger at it. You're amazing. I hope that these two episodes on intuition are helpful. We have ina next week talking about listening to your body to heal yourself. And we're going to keep these amazing series going. If you have more topics, or you want me to dive in even deeper, you have a question, send it in, because that question could end up becoming a two episode series that we dive into and that could lead into a guess all that kind of stuff. Don't keep it to yourself. How can we help you be it till you see it if we don't know what you're trying to be it till right, all right. Thanks so much. And until next time, be it till you see it. Lesley Logan 21:49  That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @BeItPod. Brad Crowell 22:31  It's written, filmed and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan and me Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 22:36  It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.coBrad Crowell 22:41  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi. Lesley Logan 22:48  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.Brad Crowell 22:51  Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Reflections from host Sarah Olivieri ... The Hidden Cost of "Efficient" Leadership Most nonprofit leaders I work with want to move faster, decide cleaner, and hold the standard. From the outside, that looks responsible. From the inside, something else is usually happening. When a leader skips the relational work because it feels slow, the cost doesn't disappear. It moves. It shows up later as rework, attrition, board friction, and team members who go quiet in meetings because they have stopped expecting to be heard. The bill comes due downstream, where it is harder to trace. The truth is, the time you spend being human with your team is not extra. It is the infrastructure that makes everything else faster. Source of Insight I've been thinking a lot about this lately. I recently had a conversation about exactly this with Yerachmiel Stern, the executive director of Pesach Tikvah, and it was an important reminder to me that there are still many leaders out there who think compassion is "soft" and a "waste of time". Those leaders are missing out on the important role compassion plays in a well run, highly effective organization. The Tone You Set Is the System You Get The single most underrated piece of organizational design is the emotional state of the leader walking into the room. Not the agenda. Not the org chart. The leader's tone. When a leader walks in, regulated, warm, and present, the team's nervous system gets a signal: it's safe to think out loud here. Hard things can be named here. Mistakes can surface here without triggering self-protection. That signal is doing real operational work. It is shortening the time between a problem appearing and a problem getting solved. When a leader walks in tight, transactional, or performatively calm, the team picks that up too. People stop volunteering information. Decisions move underground. The same problems take three meetings to surface that should have taken one. In short: The leader's nervous system sets the team's nervous system. That isn't a vibe. It's a throughput metric. Information moves faster in a regulated room than a guarded one. This is why "read the room" is not a soft skill. It is a leadership requirement. Before you open your mouth in a meeting, you are already leading. The Goalposts Question One of the cleaner ways to diagnose whether a leader is operating from infrastructure or from extraction is to watch what happens when a team member brings a request that doesn't fit the existing rule. The old reflex is to point at the rule. Policy says no. Budget says no. We don't do that here. The infrastructure-minded leader asks a different question:  "Is this rule still serving the outcome we actually want, or is it serving the convenience of saying no?" Sometimes the answer is genuinely no, and the leader holds the line. Often the rule was set in a different context, the request is reasonable, and the cost of saying yes is much smaller than the goodwill you lose by reflexively saying no. In short: Rules are tools, not identities. When the rule no longer serves the outcome, the rule is the problem. Saying yes when you can is a form of system maintenance. This isn't about being a pushover. It is about staying connected to why the rule existed in the first place. Hiring for the Heart, Not the Resume Conventional hiring asks: Have you done this exact job before? It optimizes for risk reduction. It also reliably under-selects for the people who would have been excellent in the role with a slightly different background. Relational hiring asks a different question: what does this person actually want to do, and is that aligned with what we need done? The shift sounds soft. It is not. It is one of the highest-leverage operational moves a CEO or executive director can make. People who are doing work that matches what they actually want to do produce more, stay longer, and require less management. People who are doing work they took because it was available produce less, leave sooner, and require constant supervision. In short: Match the heart to the role. Heart-aligned hires need less management. Heart-misaligned hires cost twice: once in their tenure, once in the rehire. You will not get this right every time. Nobody does. But shifting the question from "have you done this" to "do you want to do this" changes your hiring math permanently. (For more on the underlying skill of leading with this kind of attunement, see) The Power of Soft Skills for Nonprofit Leaders. Compassionate Release The harder version of this same principle shows up in firing. Most leaders avoid letting someone go for too long. They tell themselves they are being compassionate. The person needs the job. The team is already stretched. The performance gap isn't catastrophic. We'll give it another quarter. What is actually happening, in most of these situations, is that the person being kept in the wrong role already knows. Their nervous system knows. Their family knows. The team knows. Everyone is in a quiet, low-grade limbo that costs energy from every direction at once. When the leader finally has the conversation, the most common response isn't anger. It's relief. Sometimes spoken, sometimes not. The person was waiting to be released from a fit that was never going to work, and they were too loyal, too scared, or too tired to release themselves. I call this a compassionate release. The compassion is in the clarity, not in the delay. In short: Limbo is more painful than a clean ending. Delay is a form of harm dressed up as kindness. Compassionate release ends the cost on both sides. Holding someone in a misfit role isn't generosity. It's a tax everyone is paying, and the longest-paying account is the person you think you're protecting. The Ford and the Cadillac There is a version of nonprofit leadership that aims for "good enough." The reasoning sounds responsible. We don't have unlimited resources. We can't deliver gold-standard service to every client. We have to triage. We have to be realistic. This framing adds risk. The math isn't wrong. The framing is. It confuses two different things: what you can deliver structurally, and how you deliver what you have. Two organizations can offer the exact same baseline service, and one will feel like an extraordinary experience and the other will feel like a transaction. The difference isn't the budget. The difference is the personal touch wrapped around the delivery. One line from my conversation with Yerachmiel stayed with me: "If you give the clients that personal touch, the Ford could be better than the Cadillac." What I appreciate about this framing is that it explains the mechanism. The personal touch is what converts a service into a relationship. The relationship is what produces retention, referrals, advocacy, and the willingness to come back when things get hard. None of that requires more money. All of it requires presence. I had this experience recently in an emergency room. The equipment was advanced. The diagnostics were thorough. The most meaningful 30 seconds of the entire visit was a staff member taking a breath, asking how I was doing, and telling me my chair could recline. He delivered the most excellent service of the visit, and it cost him nothing. That is the Ford becoming the Cadillac. The structure didn't change. The presence did. When Going Slow Is Going Fast The hardest piece of this for high-performing leaders to internalize is that the relational work, which feels slow, is what creates the speed. I learned this with my own son, who is on the autism spectrum and has ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, and anxiety. The clinicians who took an extra five minutes to let him regulate consistently finished on time. The clinicians who tried to muscle through and just hold him still consistently turned a 30-minute appointment into a two-hour event. Sometimes the visit had to be rescheduled at a different office entirely. The "fast" approach was the slowest approach. The "slow" approach was actually the fastest one. The math is unambiguous once you start counting all the hours, not just the visible ones. In short: The relational time isn't extra. It's structural. Skipping it doesn't save time. It moves the cost. Going slow at the start is what produces speed at the finish. This same pattern shows up everywhere a nonprofit leader operates. With board members. With staff. With donors. With clients. The minutes you invest in being a person before you are a transaction are the minutes that compound. Humility Is a Confidence Move There is an older model of leadership that equates confidence with never apologizing, never being wrong, and never being visibly uncertain. It's still around, and it's slowly being retired for a good reason. Confidence in a leadership role isn't the absence of mistakes. It is the willingness to absorb the final responsibility for the outcome, mistakes included. When the team trusts that the leader will carry the weight at the macro level, the leader is then free to be humble and openly learn at the everyday level. That doesn't subtract from authority. It deepens it. People follow humans, not personas. (For more on this, see The Power of Vulnerability with Becca Pearce.) What This Makes Possible When compassion is treated as infrastructure rather than personality, a few things shift. What shifts: Meetings get shorter because information surfaces faster. Hiring gets cleaner because you're matching hearts to roles, not resumes to slots. Firing gets kinder because delay stops getting confused with mercy. Service quality goes up without the budget going up. The leader stops carrying the team's nervous system as a second job. None of this is about being softer. It is about understanding what creates throughput in a human system, and building for it on purpose. It's Work That Compounds… and we like that This isn't about doing less work. It's about doing work that compounds. Nonprofits can run on compassion and run on time. They can hold high standards and hold their people. They can deliver excellent service without spending more. Not by pushing harder, but by building systems that treat human connection as the structural asset it actually is. About the Guest Yerachmiel Stern is the Executive Director of Pesach Tikvah, where he has dedicated his career to expanding access to quality mental health care. Before stepping into this role, he spent a decade as Borough Park Clinics Director, bringing affordable, sophisticated services to underserved neighborhoods. A Touro University graduate, he began at Pesach Tikvah as an intern and counselor, later becoming known for his work with children and his expertise across multiple therapeutic modalities. Today, Mr. Stern is leading the organization into its 40th year, advancing excellence in mental health and developmental disability services.  Connect with Yerachmiel: Www.pesachtikvah.org Be sure to subscribe to Inspired Nonprofit Leadership so that you don't miss a single episode, and while you're at it, won't you take a moment to write a short review and rate our show? It would be greatly appreciated! Let us know the topics or questions you would like to hear about in a future episode. You can do that and follow us on LinkedIn.

Send us Fan MailShownotes can be found at https://www.profitwithlaw.com/534.What if the reason your law firm feels stuck has nothing to do with how hard you're working — and everything to do with what you're focused on?In this talk from the Make ADHD Your Genius™ Summit, Moshe Amsell — founder of Profit With Law and CPA to law firm owners — breaks down the exact framework he uses with his clients to go from overwhelmed and underpaid to running a profitable, scalable firm.Moshe shares the real math behind why solo law firm owners stay stuck (hint: it's not your hourly rate), why systems and processes are the last thing you should be focused on right now, and the surprisingly simple 12-month planning method that gives ADHD minds the structure and clarity to actually execute.Chapters:[00:00] Learn how to overcome overwhelm and boost law firm productivity[03:14] Discover Moshe's journey to helping lawyers achieve business growth[10:02] Why attorneys get stuck in the solo practice trap[12:44] Recognize the real law firm growth bottleneck—it's not systems or processes[16:04] See how billing efficiency impacts your practice's income[18:32] Stop waiting—hire key team members to scale your firm[20:41] Avoid costly hiring mistakes that hold your practice back[22:53] Break down big law firm decisions into manageable, low-risk steps[26:24] Build a practical 12-month plan for predictable firm revenue[28:48] Calculate how many clients your law practice really needs[30:39] Set the right law firm payroll and scaling benchmarks[32:54] Unlock attorney referrals and local network marketing on a budget[34:41] When to implement systems and processes for law firm efficiency[40:03] Master weekly planning habits for consistent law firm success Resources mentioned:

Una reflexión sobre los cambios que están pasando en las redes sociales y cómo proponer formatos que nutran tus procesos creativos en vez de adaptarte al ritmo actual. En este episodio abordamos:-Una propuesta mental para manejar los cambios en el mundo digital. Sobre todo si tu negocio depende de esto-La hipersensibilidad y cómo afecta tu vida (para bien y en términos de cansancio)-El poder de reconocer tus puntos débiles para fortalecer tu vida-Active Journaling y los pros de hacerte preguntas constantemente para elegir tus creencias actuales y el lugar desde el que funcionas-Mi experiencia con Vyvanse (pastilla para el ADHD) los pros y contras que he experimentado hasta ahoraÚnete al chat de Coffuelled Community y aporta a la conversaciónInstagram: @marguga__

The renowned physician discusses the role of trauma in our lives, showing up as addiction, chronic disease and mental illness, and how recognising his own led to true healing. (R)Dr Gabor Maté was born in Budapest to a Jewish family, just before Nazi tanks rolled into the city.His mother risked handing him to a stranger on the street to try and get him to safety.Many years later, after establishing himself as a successful physician in Canada, Gabor looked at the problems in his work and marriage and wondered if they were linked to that early trauma.He uses his own experiences as a test case for the effects of trauma on the body and the body-mind connection. Dr Mate is internationally renowned for his ideas around the lifelong impact of trauma.He believes it is contributing factor to rates of addiction, chronic disease, and mental illness, as well as ADHD.His views are sometimes described as unorthodox by his critics, but Dr Mate argues that understanding trauma of all kinds allows for real healing, as has happened in his own life.Further InformationThe Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness and Healing in a Toxic Culture by Dr Gabor Maté with Daniel Maté is published by Penguin Random House.This episode of Conversations was first broadcast in 2025

Many neurodivergent people move through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum feeling misunderstood and unsupported in healthcare settings that were not designed with their minds in mind. In this episode, doula and founder of Neurodivergent Birth Victoria White shares how her own later-in-life autism and ADHD diagnoses reshaped her understanding of her postpartum experiences and why many neurodivergent parents struggle in systems that often assume everyone processes in the same way. Learn about how sensory processing, communication, and executive functioning challenges can shape the perinatal experience for neurodivergent families and the small changes that can help neurodivergent people feel safer, more supported, and empowered. (04:30) The four support pillars of neurodivergent birth (10:11) How sleep deprivation impacts neurodivergent parents (12:02) Hormones, estrogen, ADHD, and postpartum changes (19:05) Barriers to adult diagnosis and self-identifying as neurodivergent (22:14) Strategies for sensory support, communication, and birth planning (25:50) Supporting executive functioning during pregnancy and postpartum (28:27) "Think neurodivergence first": what healthcare workers need to understand (30:33) Supporting neurodivergent partners during birth (31:31) Neurodivergence and cesarean birth experiences (36:53) Victoria's book Why Neurodivergent Birth Matters (38:27) Research groups, mental health resources, and the Neurodivergent Birth Podcast (39:22) Reasonable accommodations and disability protections in maternity care Resources Learn more about Neurodivergent Birth: ndbirth.com/ Get free, downloadable fact sheets and planning resources: ndbirth.com/downloads Listen to the Neurodivergent Birth podcast: ndbirth.com/podcast Maternity Autism Research Group: maternityautismresearchgroup.co.uk/ PANDAS Foundation: pandasfoundation.org.uk/ For more information about Evidence Based Birth® and a crash course on evidence based care, visit www.ebbirth.com. Follow us on Instagram and YouTube! Ready to learn more? Grab an EBB Podcast Listening Guide or read Dr. Dekker's book, "Babies Are Not Pizzas: They're Born, Not Delivered!" If you want to get involved at EBB, join our Professional membership (scholarship options available) and get on the wait list for our EBB Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the EBB Childbirth Class.

This week on the podcast, I'm joined by ADHD counselor Jenna Free to talk all about emotional regulation, nervous system regulation, and why ADHDers need to stop rushing.Jenna is a Certified Canadian Counsellor (CCC) who specializes in helping ADHD brains move out of fight-or-flight and into a state where they can function at their best—while honoring neurodivergence and individual needs.Together, we explore the four stress responses—fight, flight, freeze, and fawn—and how chronic rushing keeps so many ADHDers stuck in survival mode. We also discuss why slowing down can feel so uncomfortable, what regulation actually looks like in real life, and how nervous system support can improve productivity, relationships, emotional resilience, and overall quality of life.If you're constantly overwhelmed, reactive, exhausted, or feeling like you can never fully relax, this episode will help you understand why.Jenna also shares insights from her book, The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation.Watch this episode on YouTubeWant help with your ADHD? Join FOCUSED!Have questions for Kristen? Call 1.833.281.2343Hang out with Kristen on Instagram and TikTokSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.