Journey With Me Through ADHD: A podcast for kids

Let's start with credit to my friend and music artist, Matthew West, who wrote and sang the song you hear near the beginning of this podcast. It is titled, "Never Ever Give Up!" You truly all are extrodinary and at times our thoughts tell us a different story! In this episode, we revisit the topic of growth mindset. I discuss how to capture and throw your fixed thoughts in jail, while transforming into a growth mindset train of thought! These visuals will give you something to take away and have a great conversation with!  Check out my website @www.katelynmabry.com for more resources or to contact me with topic ideas or to be a guest on this podcast! 

Raise your hand if the thought of a new school year brings about ALL the feelings?! I know it does for me too! You are not alone! This is something I think MOST kiddos can connect on and those of us with ADHD simply sometimes feel that anxiety at a more intense level and think more often about the unknowns, uncertainty, and all the newness of an upcoming school year!  That's why in this episode, I will share some things to try to get your body, mind, and emotions ready for the upcoming year. We talk about planning a PREDICTABLE ROUTINE for school mornings to gain confidence getting out the door. Practicing a GROWTH MINDSET is the foundational key to easying those anxious thoughts and replacing them with truth and problem solving strategies in your back pocket! Acting as your own best advocate going into the new classroom is another goal to have. This is something that is gradually accomplished after having many meaningful conversations with your trusted adult about what to expect, how to respond to different scenarios, and IDENTIFY/NAME the many thoughts, feelings, and EMPOTIONS going into the year!  Parent Note: Please know that every child responds differently and these tools/strategies given are merely those to try out to see if they would be helpful for your individual child. I will do follow up episodes talking more about how to respond to different scenarios when actually in school. This episode is meant to help ease anxiety and promote a peaceful start to your school year!  Visit my IG account @journey_with_me_through_adhd or my website www.katelynmabry.com for more resources! You can now order the newest release of my best selling book, "Hi, It's Me! I have ADHD" on Amazon! I recently lost reviews during the rerelase and would appreciate you leaving a review too! THANK YOU SO MUCH!! Love and appreciate you all! 

Learn about the importance of boundaries and how they create safe experiences and relationships. Get practical tips for setting boundaries and improving communication. Discover the significance of establishing boundaries for self-care and healthy relationships, and the importance of open conversations with a trusted adult for guidance and empowerment.

Exploring the impact of ADHD on emotions and behaviors, discussing how hurt can be hidden and projected onto others, addressing the importance of identifying and releasing hurt, and promoting forgiveness to break the cycle of hurt

AHHH! Our ADHD brains CRAVE a daily structured routine, but our busy brains have the hardest time CREATING it!! Some days feel impossible to navigate and this is why getting help to put a structured routine in place is a must!  In this episode, you will learn all about WHY our brain craves a structured routine and HOW we can help our brains find success in this area of struggle!  WHY does your brain love structured routines??? 🌟It PROVIDES organization and predictability, which helps us regulate emotions and feel more externally in control in our environment. 🌟It PREVENTS more frequent conflicts. The predictability helps us find more success in coping with stress and anxiety! 🌟It PROACTIVELY builds skills and habits which makes our busy brain so happy to experience success in those skill and habit areas (chores, activities, meals, etc.) HOWEVER executive function challenges need to be taken into account and accommodations may need to be made in this process of growing more independent in some skills… 🌟It PRODUCES more confidence and improves self-esteem as you can continue to set you kiddo up for success within a structured routine! Plus, if it’s a family affair, they don’t feel singled out!🙌🏽❤️ HOW can you help your brain create a structured routine? 🌟CREATE a daily schedule of events (prepare a predictable plan…limit choices and break big activities into smaller, more manageable things/tasks to do.) 🌟CUSTOMIZE it to you and your child’s need. Include brain breaks, movement activities, visuals, visual timers, even time for being spontaneous… 🌟CONNECT: Continue to check in and connect with your child and self-check if there is a need for flexibility or a need to include what our brains also crave…INTERESTS, NOVELTY, URGENCY, or even a dose of DOPAMINE!! You will hear about all this and more when you listen in! Visit my website www.katelynmabry.com to get on my email list, order a copy of my book, or even reach out and share a topic idea! I am also always looking for kiddos to share on the podcast too! I would love to hear from you! 

" Why fit in when you were born to stand out!" Dr. Suess was on to something with this quote! Too often being "different" is tied to a bad thing and ALL kids struggle with the desire to just want to fit in with their peers. This challenge is greater for those of us with ADHD, because many kids and adults put on masks and try to cover up their unique traits and tendancies to be liked by others.  In this episode, I share my own personal experience of trying to fit in as a kid and then you will hear from 10 and 12 year olds who share their experience with trying to fit in and practicing ways to stand out! This is a great conversation opportunity!  Being your true self will attract authentic/real friends and allow you to gain confidence in the unique way you have been created! Letting your true self shine through your gifts, strengths, traits, and abilities is when you will experience real joy in life with people who get you or love you for who you are!  Go to www.katelynmabry.com to get on my email list! Please contact me with any future epidsode topics or to share a part of your child's ADHD journey. 

A FEW NOTES: Please forgive my audio quality as I experienced difficulty with my microphone this episode, but wanted you to hear from Dr. Kojo! Also, this is a longer episode that you may want to listen to in two parts. Lastly, I have been doing every other week due to family struggles, but I will be starting up with every week again after this week! Thank you all for being here and for listening! I hope it is helpful!  You guys are in for a treat with this episode!! We have the pleasure of hearing from Dr. Kojo Sarfo, who is a mental health nurse practicioner, a psychotherapist, and a social media content creator with over 2 Million followers across his platforms! He creates relatable and educational videos and skits for all to enjoy. Dr. Kojo not only works with individuals with ADHD, but he also lives with an ADHD brain that he is learning about right alongside all of us!  In this episode, you will hear from Dr. Kojo about this struggle with time management and how it effects all areas of his life. He then shares some tools and strategies he puts into place to help with that battle. He also shares his strength of getting things done under pressure and being able to connect with others who have challenges like he does. All of his insights, knowledge, and experience he shares is so valuable. You can find Dr. Kojo Sarfo primarily on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. His handle is @drkojosarfo. Check out my website at www.katelynmabry.com to schedule a FREE coaching consultation, to grab a copy of my book, or to get on my email list for more resources!   

In this episode, the guest, Michelle Lum, a pharmacist and fellow ADHD brain, simplifies the explanation of ADHD medication. She discusses how it can be one piece of armor to navigate environments that are not conducive to a uniquely wired brain. The importance of open conversations about medication, its role in managing attention and staying on task, and the need for personalized medication are emphasized. Listeners are encouraged to explore different strategies alongside medication.

ADHD and procrastination go hand in hand! This is because when we are faced with a task to do, there are a lot of executive function skills needed to start, carry out, and complete that task! There is also the overwhelm factor, avoidance due to fear of failure, or even the mere fact that the task at hand is super boring to our brains!!  In this episode, we will talk about "why" we procrastinate and some steps to take to move from procrastination to productivity! 1. Setting visual timers 2. Breaking tasks into bite size pieces 3. Self-advocate for interests, novelty, urgency, and doses of dopamine. The biggest takeaway is having a conversation about what you procrastinate about and how you can best help your brain battle that tendency to conquor the tasks ahead! What steps do you need to practice in your home or at school to tackle procrastination head on? Sign up for my upcoming newsletters for more resources at www.katelynmabry.com  Email me at katelynmabry4@gmail.com to share episode topic ideas or if your child would like to share on this podcast!   

Do you hear a lot of " I can't" or "I always" or I'm not good at..." Often times our brains can go to the extreme and hang onto the negative! This all or nothing thinking can take you down a slippery slope of fixed negative thoughts that leave you in a bad place mentally and emotionally! That's no fun!!  In this episode, you will hear a skit from actor and fellow ADHD brain Connor DeWolfe who gives examples of what it looks like to live with an all or nothing thought process! You will then learn what all or nothing thinking is and how to combat it with three steps to put into practice!!  1. Identify what is really true. 2. Define what your success looks like. 3. Make bite size goals. The key is to practice these things in all sorts of all or nothing thinking scenarios to exercise your brain to see the silver lining and find hope in those areas of frustration.    I am still looking for friends to share part of their journey with us or to give topic ideas for future episodes! You can visit my website at www.katelynmabry.com for more resources, to order my book, or to message me about a free ADHD coaching consult.