The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Understanding PDA in Kids: Demand Avoidance, Anxiety, and the Drive for Autonomy (AuDHD/Autism) Mar 02, 2026

Show notes

If your child looks “fine” at school but falls apart at home, melts down over everyday expectations (homework, transitions, getting out the door), or is sliding into school refusal, this episode will help you make sense of what might be going on, especially when autism, AuDHD, and anxiety are part of the picture.

On this episode of The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast, host Kate Brownfield sits down with Diane Gould, founder of PDA North America and co-author of Navigating PDA in America, for a grounded, parent-friendly conversation about Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) (often reframed as a Pervasive Drive for Autonomy). Diane explains why PDA is best understood through a nervous system lens (not “defiance”), why many traditional behavior plans can backfire, and what actually helps kids who experience everyday demands as a threat response.

This episode is especially helpful if you’ve heard “PDA” mentioned in an evaluation, therapy, or online, and you’re trying to understand what’s real, what’s misunderstood, and what supports are most effective at home and at school.

In this episode, we cover:

What PDA is and how the definition has evolved (and why there’s still debate)
Why PDA often overlaps with autism and/or ADHD and why it’s frequently missed or mislabeled
PDA vs. ODD: how “oppositional” behavior can look similar on the surface but be driven by something very different underneath
The common pattern of masking at school and meltdowns or shutdowns at home, and why parents are often told, “They’re an angel here.”
Why school refusal is so common for PDA kids (and what Diane is seeing in families today)
Why rewards, consequences, sticker charts, strict routines, and compliance-based strategies often don’t work and what to try instead
The role of relationship, trust, and co-regulation, especially as kids get older and school support gets more fragmented
Practical ways parents can reduce stress, protect the nervous system, and support learning without crushing autonomy
What PDA can look like in adulthood and why support systems and interdependence matter

Resources mentioned PDA North America (website): https://pdanorthamerica.org/ Diane Gould: https://dianegouldtherapy.com/

Book: Navigating PDA in America (Diane Gould & Ruth Fidler): Amazon Link

Kate / ADHD Kids Can Thrive: https://adhdkidscanthrive.com/

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Hooked: ADHD, Sports Betting, and One Young Man’s Fight for Recovery Feb 16, 2026

Show notes

If you’re noticing sports betting, fantasy leagues, or “just for fun” gambling creeping into your teen or young adult’s world, especially with ADHD in the mix, this episode is an important listen. Modern betting is fast, private, and built for dopamine… and for some ADHD brains, that combination can become a slippery slope.

Host Kate Brownfield sits down with Saul Malek, an emerging voice on the modern gambling landscape, for a candid conversation about how gambling addiction can escalate quickly, why kids with ADHD may be more vulnerable, and what parents can do to support their child without enabling. Saul shares his personal story: diagnosed with ADHD at age four, pulled in through fantasy sports, and how the shift to digital betting and easy credit accelerated everything, costing him sleep, money, relationships, and nearly his life. Today, he’s been abstinent for more than 5 years and on a mission to educate families and communities.

In this episode, we cover:

Why ADHD can increase risk for addiction (impulsivity, stimulation-seeking, time blindness)
How sports betting evolves from “fun” to compulsion, especially when it’s accessible 24/7
The role of secrecy, shame, and chasing losses (and what it can look like at home)
What helped Saul recover: structure, community, accountability, and ongoing support
How parents can set boundaries, offer support, and avoid enabling, especially with older teens/young adults
Where to start if you’re concerned: meetings, specialized therapy, and reputable resources

Connect to Saul Malek: https://www.saulmalek.com/

Resources mentioned: Gamblers Anonymous (in-person + virtual), gamblersinrecovery.com, and the National Council on Problem Gambling

Connect with Kate, certified ADHD/Executive Function Parent Coach: ADHDKidsCanThrive.com

Enjoyed this episode? Follow, rate, and share with a parent who needs practical, protective guidance for today’s digital world.

When Reading Is Hard: Dyslexia, Visual Processing & ADHD Support (with Diane Gutierrez) Feb 02, 2026

Show notes

If reading turns into tears, avoidance, or exhaustion in your home, this episode offers a fresh, practical angle: instead of forcing the brain to adjust to the text, what if the text adjusted to your child?

Host Kate Brownfield sits down with Diane Gutierrez (co-founder of Cognition Labs and a mom in a neurodiverse family) for a two-part conversation on reducing reading strain for dyslexia/visual-perceptual differences, and on real-life parenting strategies for ADHD families. Diane shares how adjustable text tools can lower cognitive load and improve comprehension, plus the lived wisdom that helped her family navigate school, stress, mental health, and the long haul of raising kids with ADHD and dyslexia.

In this episode, we cover:

Why “the text should adjust to us” (and how that supports comprehension + reduces fatigue)
How Cognition Labs transforms books, PDFs, notes, and scanned images with 15+ adjustable settings
Tools families use most: syllabication support, confusable-letter fixes (b/d/p/q), and visual settings that reduce strain
Why these supports may help kids with ADHD, by reducing cognitive load during reading
Parenting wisdom from a home where ADHD affects nearly everyone: meaning over pressure, consistency over perfection, rest as a requirement
When to consider therapy/coaching support and why it’s okay to switch if it’s not the right fit
Advocacy and testing: how understanding a child’s brain can change the path forward

Resources mentioned: Cognition Labs: https://www.cognitionlabs.com/
Connect with Kate, certified ADHD/Executive Function Parent Coach: ADHDKidsCanThrive.com | Coaching inquiries: https://adhdkidscanthrive.com/appointment/

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Julia Ross on Amino Acids, Mood, Cravings, and Attention: Practical Nutrition Ideas for ADHD Families Jan 30, 2026

Show notes

If you’ve ever wondered whether there are nutrition-based supports to consider when ADHD brings big swings in mood, sleep, cravings, irritability, or focus, especially when medication isn’t preferred, isn’t available, or you’re looking for complementary tools, this episode offers a practical, hopeful starting point.

Host Kate Brownfield sits down with Julia Ross, M.A., N.N.T.S., best-selling author of The Mood Cure, for a grounded conversation about nutritional psychiatry and the role targeted nutrients (including amino acids) may play in supporting attention, stress, sleep, and emotional regulation.

In this episode, we cover:

Why foundational nutrition (especially steady fuel + breakfast) can matter for mood, attention, and regulation
How Julia’s work in addiction recovery led her toward nutrient therapy and “brain chemistry” support
The amino acids discussed in The Mood Cure and how they’re framed as potential supports for stress, sleep, cravings, and focus (with a strong emphasis on going slowly and listening to the body)
Why blood sugar dips (hypoglycemia) can show up as irritability, anxiety, “hangry” meltdowns, and intense sugar cravings, especially after school
How to think about trialing changes cautiously, including the importance of collaborating with a licensed clinician (especially for kids and anyone on medication)
Why parents deserve support too, because caregiver stress and sleep matter in the whole family system

Resources mentioned: JuliaRossCures.com

Important note: This episode is educational and is not medical advice. Always consult a licensed clinician before starting supplements or making medication changes, especially for children.

Connect with Kate, certified ADHD/Executive Function Parent Coach |Whole Person Approach: ADHDKidsCanThrive.com

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Step Away: Resilient Parenting Strategies for ADHD Families Nov 03, 2025

Show notes

Host: Kate Brownfield, Certified Whole Person & ADHD Parent Coach
Guest: Dr. Kate Lund, clinical psychologist, peak performance coach, TEDx speaker, and author of Step Away: The Keys to Resilient Parenting

Episode Overview

In this empowering “Kate + Kate” episode, Kate talks with Dr. Kate Lund about what resilient parenting really looks like when you’re raising kids with ADHD, big emotions, or health challenges. Drawing from her own medical journey (hydrocephalus as a child), 20+ years as a psychologist, and parenting 18-year-old twins, Dr. Lund explains resilience not as “pushing through,” but as a lifestyle: managing your stress response daily so you can ride the waves of homework battles, morning chaos, and dysregulated kids. She teaches a simple, science-backed tool, the Relaxation Response, that parents can practice for 5 minutes in the morning and at night to lower reactivity, model calmness, and create a more regulated home.

Suppose your baseline feels higher than that of other parents because your child is more intense or more dysregulated. In that case, this episode will help you stop comparing, honor your unique context, and build steadiness that you can actually sustain.

What We Talk About (Highlights)

Resilience as a lifestyle
Managing your stress response
The Relaxation Response (Herbert Benson)
Modeling regulation
Avoiding the comparison trap
“Step away” moments
Ripple effect for ADHD families: Calm first, then coach skills

Resources & Links

Guest: Dr. Kate Lund https://www.katelundspeaks.com/
Book: Step Away: The Keys to Resilient Parenting https://www.katelundspeaks.com/book

About Your Host, Kate

I’m Kate Brownfield, Certified Whole Person & ADHD Parent Coach, author of How We Roll: A Parent’s Journey Raising a Child with ADHD, and host of The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast. I help parents understand ADHD through a whole-person lens—because every child is unique, and so is every family.

🌐 Find me: ADHDKidsCanThrive.com

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Share this with a parent who’s parenting from a high baseline and needs a 5-minute tool today 💛

You Are Not Broken: Reframing Depression and ADHD as Unfinished Business Nov 02, 2025

Show notes

Episode Overview

In this empowering “Kate + Kate” episode, Kate talks with Dr. Kate Lund about what resilient parenting really looks like when you’re raising kids with ADHD, big emotions, or health challenges. Drawing from her own medical journey (hydrocephalus as a child), 20+ years as a psychologist, and parenting 18-year-old twins, Dr. Lund explains resilience not as “pushing through,” but as a lifestyle: managing your stress response daily so you can ride the waves of homework battles, morning chaos, and dysregulated kids. She teaches a simple, science-backed tool—the Relaxation Response—that parents can practice for 5 minutes morning and night to lower reactivity, model calm, and create a more regulated home.

If your baseline feels higher than other parents’ because your child is more intense or more dysregulated, this episode will help you stop comparing, honor your real context, and build steadiness you can actually sustain.

What We Talk About (Highlights)

Resilience as a lifestyle: Why it’s daily stress modulation, not one heroic moment.
Managing your stress response: If we start “high,” every challenge spikes us to shutdown.
The Relaxation Response (Herbert Benson): Choose a soothing word/phrase + breathe → practice 5 minutes a.m./p.m.
Modeling regulation: Regulated parent → calmer energy in the house → kids see what’s possible.
Avoiding the comparison trap: Your life, your child, your bandwidth—design for your context.
“Step away” moments: Why parents sometimes need a 5-minute reset before re-engaging.
Ripple effect for ADHD families: Calm first, then coach skills (homework, mornings, transitions).

Resources & Links

Guest: Dr. Kate Lund
Book: Step Away: The Keys to Resilient Parenting
Technique discussed: The Relaxation Response (Herbert Benson)

About Your Host, Kate

🌐 Find me: ADHDKidsCanThrive.com

Enjoyed this episode?

Subscribe to The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast
Share this with a parent who’s parenting from a high baseline and needs a 5-minute tool today

ADHD and Emotional Regulation: Helping Kids Manage Big Feelings — Dr. Blaise Aguirre Oct 20, 2025

Show notes

What do you do when your child with ADHD is overwhelmed, highly emotional, or completely losing it? Kate Brownfield talks with Dr. Blaise Aguirre, child and adolescent psychiatrist, Director of the 3East Continuum at McLean Hospital, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and expert in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).

Dr. Aguirre explains why behavior that looks like defiance may actually reflect missing emotional-regulation skills, why parents need to regulate themselves before trying to reason with an upset child, and how curiosity, validation, DBT tools, and appropriate ADHD treatment can help protect a child’s self-worth and strengthen the parent-child relationship.

Resources:
The Mood Tools App: https://www.mood.org/app
ADHD parent coaching and resources: https://adhdkidscanthrive.com
Free ADHD Parent Reset: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/IUVgRZz

Slow to Launch: Helping ADHD Teens and Young Adults Build Independence — Dr. Tamara Rosier Oct 13, 2025

Show notes

What do you do when your young adult with ADHD is technically grown but doesn’t seem ready to launch?

In this episode of The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast, Kate Brownfield, ACC, welcomes back Dr. Tamara Rosier, founder of the ADHD Center of West Michigan and author of Your Brain’s Not Broken and You, Me, and Our ADHD Family.

This conversation focuses on one of the most stressful stages of ADHD parenting: the transition from the later teen years into young adulthood, roughly ages 16–26.

Your child may be capable and intelligent, yet struggling to move forward with college, work, independence, daily responsibilities, or leaving home. Some young adults become overwhelmed and retreat into gaming, screens, or avoidance. Others want independence but may not yet have the executive-function skills to manage everything adulthood requires.

And parents are left wondering: Do I help more? Step back? Push? Wait? Set a boundary?

Dr. Rosier explains why this transition can take longer for young people with ADHD and how parents can support growth without taking over their child’s life.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why the transition to adulthood may look different for young people with ADHD
• Why some ADHD young adults become “slow to launch”
• What may be underneath excessive gaming, withdrawing, or avoiding adulthood
• How anxiety, discouragement, and fear of failure can keep a young adult stuck
• Why protecting the parent-child relationship still matters
• The difference between empathy and unintentionally enabling
• How to recognize your young adult’s resourcefulness and capabilities instead of focusing only on what they cannot do
• Why parents cannot force independence, but can set boundaries
• What a healthy boundary actually is—and how it differs from a rule
• Why writing down family boundaries can create clarity
• How to scaffold independence little by little rather than abruptly withdrawing support
• When parents may be working harder toward a goal than their young adult is
• How to shift the relationship from parent-child toward adult-to-adult
• Why giving young adults increasing agency is an important part of helping them grow

One of the most powerful ideas in this conversation is simple:

“I’m willing to help you. I’m not willing to work harder than you.”

Parents can stay loving, connected, and supportive while also letting their young adult take responsibility, make choices, solve problems, and gradually build a life of their own.

If you’re parenting an ADHD teen or young adult and quietly wondering, “Will my child ever be able to do this on their own?”, this conversation offers perspective, practical boundaries, and hope.

Learn more about ADHD parent coaching and resources:
https://adhdkidscanthrive.com

Get the free ADHD Parent Reset:
https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/IUVgRZz

OCD vs Anxiety vs ADHD in Kids: ERP, Diagnosis & Next Steps w/ Dr. Tamar Chansky Oct 06, 2025

Show notes

Episode Summary

OCD vs. anxiety in kids, ERP treatment, and co-regulation for families. Dr. Tamar Chansky explains how to tell OCD from general anxiety, where it overlaps with ADHD, and how parents can lower fear, connect first, and coach skills that stick. We cover PANS/PANDAS (sudden-onset OCD after infections), when to seek medical evaluation, and first-line care like Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) plus hopeful long-term outcomes and “tune-ups” during new life stages.

Guest

Dr. Tamar Chansky, founder of the Children’s and Adult Center for OCD and Anxiety, author of Freeing Your Child from Negative Thinking, Freeing Your Child from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and Freeing Yourself from Anxiety. She’s known for translating evidence-based care into clear, compassionate strategies families can use right away.

Episode Overview

Parents often confuse anxiety (“what-ifs,” future worry) with OCD (intrusive thoughts + compulsions). Dr. Chansky clarifies the difference and shows how naming patterns as “OCD-normal” separates the child from the disorder and lowers shame. You’ll learn why parent nervous-system regulation is step one, how ERP works through stepwise “courage challenges,” when medication may help (especially with co-occurring depression in teens), and how to approach PANS/PANDAS: treat medical triggers first, then layer CBT/ERP as needed. Bottom line: pediatric OCD is highly treatable, and families can expect progress plus occasional “tune-ups” during transitions.

What We Talk About (Highlights)

Language that helps: call patterns “OCD-normal,” separate child from disorder; connect → then problem-solve
Anxiety vs. OCD: anxiety = “what-ifs”; OCD = intrusive thoughts + compulsions (“superstition on steroids”)
Emotional regulation: parent down-regulation enables child co-regulation
PANS/PANDAS: sudden spikes after infections (e.g., strep/Lyme/post-viral); treat medical cause first; add CBT/ERP later
First-line care for pediatric OCD: ERP with stepwise “courage challenges”; meds not first-line for most kids, may help some—especially teens with depression
Parent power: Coaching parent responses can rival direct child therapy
Outlook: highly treatable; skills + neuroplastic change; periodic “tune-ups” during new stages (“last-yearing it”)

Resources & Links

Dr. Tamar Chansky & books: https://tamarchansky.com/
PANDAS Physicians Network: https://www.pandasppn.org/practitioners/

About Your Host

Kate Brownfield, Certified Whole Person & ADHD Parent Coach; author of How We Roll: A Parent’s Journey Raising a Child with ADHD; host of The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast. Every child with ADHD is unique, so are their strengths and struggles.
Website & coaching: ADHDKidsCanThrive.com

Free Download

Get the first 3 chapters of How We Roll free: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/On1ABRH/first3chapters

Need Support?

Schedule a free consultation: https://adhdkidscanthrive.com/appointment/

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Rewiring Attention: Movement, Sensory & Brain-Based Strategies for ADHD Sep 29, 2025

Show notes

Episode Summary

A brain-based roadmap for ADHD beyond “attention.” Dr. Rebecca Jackson explains how sensory, motor, and cognitive development shape attention, executive function, and emotional regulation, and how targeted, non-medication interventions (movement, sensory input, nutrition) can build lasting change. We cover bottom-up readiness before top-down strategies, practical daily routines, and assessments that reveal measurable gaps, enabling parents to help kids thrive at school and in life.

Guest

Dr. Rebecca Jackson, brain health expert, board-certified cognitive specialist, and former chiropractor known for her work at Brain Balance, is the author of Back on Track. She focuses on how sensory-motor development underpins attention, executive function, and emotion regulation, translating neuroscience into everyday tools for families.

Episode Overview

ADHD often reflects uneven development across systems—not just lapses in focus. Dr. Jackson walks through a bottom-up approach: strengthen sensory pathways and motor control first, then layer academics and behavior strategies. You’ll learn why movement is medicine (heart-rate spikes, balance, coordination), how sensory inputs raise a child’s tolerance threshold, and what nutrition tweaks (protein-forward mornings, whole-food swaps, lower inflammation) can do. We also discuss screen use with intention and how to start with assessments that identify strengths and track progress.

What We Talk About (Highlights)

ADHD is more than attention: sensory, motor, and cognitive systems develop unevenly
Bottom-up vs. top-down: build brain readiness before piling on strategies
Movement as medicine: heart-rate spikes, balance/coordination, frequent micro-breaks
Emotional regulation: mature sensory pathways (sight, sound, touch) to raise tolerance
Nutrition basics: reduce inflammation/“brain fog,” protein-first breakfasts, whole-food swaps
Screens with intention: entertainment time can crowd out sensory-motor input
Getting started: assessments that reveal strengths and measurable developmental gaps

Resources & Links

Dr. Rebecca Jackson’s book, Back on Track: https://drrebeccajackson.com/

About Your Host

Kate Brownfield, Certified Whole Person & ADHD Parent Coach; author of How We Roll: A Parent’s Journey Raising a Child with ADHD; host of The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast. Every child with ADHD is unique—so are their strengths and struggles.
Website & coaching: ADHDKidsCanThrive.com

Free Download

Get the first 3 chapters of How We Roll free: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/On1ABRH/first3chapters

Need Support?

Schedule a free consultation: https://adhdkidscanthrive.com/appointment/

Enjoyed this episode?