Journey With Me Through ADHD: A podcast for kids

I had a few avid listeners ask me to talk about being an ADHD warrior more! This is what sparked this episode. In this episode, you will be encouraged to identify the struggles that may need armor (tools and strategies) applied! This is something that was touched on in past episodes, but the most important piece of armor we can put on is actively thinking (metacognitive thought) about which areas of executive function are struggling the most and brainstorm armor that could be used to fight the battle in those areas! This is a episode meant for empowerment and encouragement to take this step before we move into applying more specific tools and strategies to our lives! This is where kids and trusted adults come together to lay a nice solid foundation to build on and grow from! Send a message now to www.katelynmabry.com if you would like your story heard, strategies shared, or to give ideas for future episodes! This can be done through an interview, or you can submit a voice recording that I can tie into future episodes! Thank you for listening and have a great day! 

Here we are on the final part of our series on ADHD and hypersensitivity! Please listen back to the other two episodes if you haven't yet so that you can get the full gift of what Lafaya has to offer!! So many of us experience hypersensitivity in all sorts of ways, yet we don't identify it for what it is and then it goes untreated. This is a team effort as we walk through the FURR steps alongside each other and learn to "find your calm", "understand your read truth", "respond to your true intentions", and today we are going to talk about "recognizing and celebrating the small steps of improvement in the process!"  There are a few friends on this episode who share what their hypersensitivities look like, so that you know that you're not alone and that many others need to "activate their FURR power" too!  You can find Lafaya at www.lafayaway.com for more resources, or she would love to have you email her questions or comments directly to lafayamft@gmail.com.  You can visit www.katelynmabry.com for additional resources or to set up a free coaching consultation to see if I would be a good fit for your child and family to work with.    

Please note: This episode will be even more valuable if you listen to it alongside your child so that great conversations can come out of it! We are back for part 2 as we talk about the next step in the "Lafaya Way" method of becoming our best hypersensitive selves and RESPONDING in helpful ways. Please listen to (part 1) first, so that this episode will make even more sense! FURR is our acronym that we are are learning about and we previously talked about "finding our calm" (which means much more then just the phrase), and "understanding your real truth." This episode covers the first "R", which is to "Respond with your truest intentions." Lafaya does a great job giving examples of what this looks like in a child's world and how trusted adults can also come alongside and benefit from this strategy as well!  You can find Lafaya at www.lafayaway.com for more resources! Please visit my website at www.katelynmabry.com to order a signed copy of my book, contact me for a free consultation, or request to be a guest on the show! I look forward to hearing from you!  

Please note: This longer episode is an interview and may need to be broken up into parts to be listened to, retained, and experience valuable mid-session conversation with. Do you struggle with some sort of hypersensitivity either physically, emotionally, or both? If so, you are definitely not alone! It is very common for those of us with ADHD to experience hypersensitivity on some level. In this episode, you will hear from expert Lafaya Mitchell, who has been a licensed therapist for 20 years and continues to counsel children and families regarding how to face hypersensitivity. She explains what being "hypersensitive" actually means and she uses a model that she developed "The Lafaya Way" to help those who struggle with hypersensitivity. Today she will share the first two parts of that model. The first is to "Find your calm", and the second is to "Understand your truth." Come join us as we discover how to put these first two steps into practice!  You can find Lafaya, her books, and all of her other resources at www.lafayaway.com   You can also visit www.katelynmabry.com for coaching opportunities and more resources as well.

Too often, the challenges of ADHD are highlighted and focused on. This episode is going to flip the script and hone in on some of the many gifts that come with having an ADHD brain.  The main gift that's talked about is the fact that those with ADHD are great at "thinking outside of the box." To make it a more appealing visual, I came up with the concept of being an "out of the ball pit thinker"! Those colorful balls that both rest in and pop out of a ball pit when being played in makes for a great analogy of how our ADHD minds are drawn to the balls outside of the pit that are filled with creativity, innovation, imagination, and go off course to do things in a different way! I hope this fun visual is a great conversation starter for you all and I hope that you can add to the list of strengths shared as well. Together we can educate, empower, and encourage our kids to move mountains with their amazing minds!  Please send me a message if you or your child would like to share a topic idea or be a guest on a future podcast! Visit me at www.katelynmabry.com  

Have you ever heard the term, "you are who you hang with?!" This is something my parents said to me when I was young and it is something I often think about when choosing who to spend time with and energy on. Friendships can be so valuable, but also can be a source of pain for many. Especially those of us who have ADHD and may struggle with deep seeded feelings of rejection, or just having a hard time making and maintaining friendships. This is when we need to stop and ask yourself, who are the people in my life who I am trying to be "friends" with?  In this episode, we will explore the idea of identifying types of friends using the visual of a stoplight. This green light, yellow light, red light analogy helps us identify who is safe, which relationships need caution/boundaries, and those we may need to stop spending time with and energy on.  Categorizing  also helps to paint a picture of the types of friends we should be seeking out. For parents, it's helpful to identify which types of friendships to facilitate and encourage.  Please message me and let me know if this visual is helpful and if you have any other questions or topic ideas to cover in future episodes.  Visit www.katelynmabry.com for more resources or if you'd like to set up a free consultation. Have a super blessed day! 

ADHD Specialist and speech and language pathologist, Donna Giachino, discusses understanding our ADHD brains, finding like-minded communities, and the importance of visualizing concepts and embracing neurodiversity. Connecting with others who experience the same challenges fosters acceptance and mental well-being. It's crucial to find a safe place and connect with like-minded individuals without judgment or shame.

Exploring the inner script in ADHD brains and the importance of questioning thoughts and seeking evidence of truth. Strategies for countering negative thinking, focusing on positivity, practicing gratitude, and seeking guidance for personal growth.

Exploring the benefits of fidgeting for ADHD individuals, including the release of chemicals like dopamine. Discussion on different types of fidgets and how they assist in focus and retention. Favorite fidgeting toys and how fidgeting helps manage intense emotions. Benefits of fidgeting for calming the mind and body, including a specific fidget toy.

Explore the experiences of a 9 year old with ADHD, including challenges and strengths; Learn about brain processing and the benefits of breaks; Discover strategies for overcoming challenges with reading and memorizing; Find motivation through words of affirmation and music