The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast

My guest is Lorelei Brush, author of The Boy with the Butterfly Mind, a novel that explores what can happen inside a family when a young child begins showing signs of ADHD and neurodivergence. Lorelei is a former assistant professor of child development and the parent of a neurodivergent child, bringing both professional knowledge and lived experience to the story.
We discuss the fear of labeling a child, ADHD across generations, school struggles, marriage and family dynamics, and why supporting a child with ADHD often requires looking beyond symptoms and strategies to understand the whole family.
We also explore something different: the power of fiction. Research and expert guidance can teach us a great deal about ADHD, but a story can let us experience a family from the inside, sometimes offering insight, empathy, and even healing that factual information alone may not reach.
We talk about the meaning behind a “butterfly mind,” the importance of recognizing a child’s strengths, and why there may not be one right way to help a neurodivergent child thrive.
Learn more about Lorelei Brush and The Boy with the Butterfly Mind:https://www.amazon.com/Boy-Butterfly-Mind-Novel/dp/B0FWZZ39BH/
FREE ADHD Parent Reset7 Things to Do Differently When What You’re Trying Isn’t Working
Get the free guide:https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/IUVgRZz
For private ADHD parent coaching and the Anchor Your ADHD Family community:https://adhdkidscanthrive.com/
Timestamps
(00:00) Lorelei Brush and The Boy with the Butterfly Mind(02:23) Why Lorelei wrote a novel about raising a child with ADHD(05:23) How fiction can create insight, empathy and healing(08:00) What does “butterfly mind” mean?(10:40) Helping an ADHD child—and the whole family—thrive(15:19) When school becomes the place a child’s differences are noticed(19:23) ADHD, family dynamics and neurodivergence across generations(22:53) The fear of labeling a child with ADHD(25:30) The parent trap of trying to research and “solve” everything(28:36) There is no one right way to raise a neurodivergent child

Why can a child with ADHD know exactly what they need to do and still feel unable to start?
Homework, chores, schoolwork, and everyday responsibilities can quickly turn into procrastination, avoidance, frustration, or conflict. But what if there is something happening beneath the behavior?
In this episode of The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast, Kate Brownfield, ACC, ADHD Parent Coach, talks with ADHD and executive function expert Brendan Mahan, author of Overcoming the Wall of Awful, about the emotional barriers that can make it difficult for people with ADHD to start, continue, or complete tasks.
Brendan created the concept of the Wall of Awful to describe the emotional barrier that can build from repeated experiences of failure, disappointment, rejection, frustration, and shame.
He explains five ways people try to get past the Wall of Awful and why some approaches work better than others. Kate and Brendan also explore practical ways parents can help, including creating a “door” through the wall, climbing it, body doubling, scribing homework, reducing pressure, and gradually fading support as a child builds confidence and independence.
For parents who find themselves asking, “Why won’t my child just do it?”, this conversation offers a different way to understand what may be happening beneath the struggle.
Instead, we might ask:
“What is making this task feel so hard, and what support would help my child move forward?”
Learn more about Brendan Mahan and Overcoming the Wall of Awful:https://brendanmahan.com/the-wall-of-awful-book/
FREE ADHD Parent Reset7 Things to Do Differently When What You’re Trying Isn’t Working
Get the free guide here and learn practical ways to reduce power struggles and better support your child with ADHD.
For more ADHD parenting support, visit ADHDKidsCanThrive.com.

ADHD, dyslexia, learning differences, school struggles, and feeling different can leave neurodivergent kids questioning where they fit and parents wondering how to help them build confidence, independence, and a sense of belonging. What helps a child move from struggling to truly believing in themselves?
In this episode of The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast, ADHD Parent Coach Kate Brownfield, ACC, talks with Riley Mulcahy, founder and executive director of The Riley Project, about dyslexia, neurodivergence, belonging, self-advocacy, and helping kids who learn differently find their voice and understand their strengths. Riley shares his own journey from significant early learning challenges to graduating college with honors in English.
Riley explains the difference between simply fitting in and truly belonging, why neurodivergent kids need opportunities to hear the experiences of others like them, and how parents can gradually help children develop self-advocacy skills as they grow. Kate and Riley also discuss IEPs and 504 plans, school support, learning differences, strengths-based parenting, and why behavior is often communication.
You’ll also hear thoughtful insights on the impact of school and social exhaustion, the importance of including young people in conversations about their own needs, and why children need to hear more than what they struggle with; they also need help discovering who they are and what they can contribute.
Most importantly, Riley reminds parents that a child’s struggles today do not define what they will be capable of tomorrow and that every neurodivergent young person deserves to feel seen, understood, and that they belong.
Learn more about Riley Mulcahy and The Riley Project:https://therileyproject.org/
ADHD Parent Coaching + Resources:ADHD Parent Coaching for Families | ADHD Kids Can Thrive

ADHD, academic pressure, homework stress, executive function struggles, and the pressure to succeed can leave kids overwhelmed and parents wondering when to push and when to step back. What does success really look like for a child with ADHD?
In this episode of The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast, ADHD Parent Coach Kate Brownfield, ACC, talks with Dr. Denise Pope, Senior Lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Education and co-founder of Challenge Success, about ADHD and school stress, student well-being, academic pressure, and redefining success for kids who may not thrive on a traditional path.
Dr. Pope explains why some students are simply “doing school” rather than truly engaging in learning, what happens when academic demands exceed a child’s coping skills, and how parents can support executive function, emotional regulation, belonging, and motivation without adding unnecessary pressure.
You’ll also hear practical insights on homework overwhelm, playtime, downtime, and family time, different learning paths, screens and social media, and how AI may affect students with ADHD.
Most importantly, Dr. Pope reminds parents to look beyond grades and achievement and keep seeing the whole child in front of them.
Learn more about Dr. Denise Pope and Challenge Success:https://challengesuccess.org/
ADHD Parent Coaching + Resources:https://adhdkidscanthrive.com/

Is bedtime one of the hardest parts of your day?
For many children with ADHD, autism, or other forms of neurodivergence, sleep struggles are not simply behavioral. Brain biology, sensory sensitivities, anxiety, delayed circadian rhythms, and difficulty transitioning can all make it harder to fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake feeling rested.
In this episode of The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast, Kate Brownfield, ACC, ADHD Parent Coach, speaks with pediatric sleep expert Dr. Melisa Moore about why traditional sleep advice may not work for neurodivergent children and what parents can do instead.
Dr. Moore is a clinical psychologist, board-certified specialist in behavioral sleep medicine, and author of The Good Sleep Guide for Neurodivergent Kids. Drawing from her clinical expertise and her experience raising a neurodivergent child, she explains why persistent sleep challenges are not necessarily defiance or a sign that parents are doing something wrong.
Kate and Dr. Moore discuss:
• Why ADHD and autism can affect sleep• Delayed circadian rhythms and nighttime bursts of energy• Flexible bedtime routines and visual sleep schedules• Sensory challenges during nighttime routines• Sleep associations and frequent nighttime waking• How screens may affect children differently• Stimulant medication and sleep• Melatonin, magnesium, and other sleep supplements• When to consult a pediatrician or pediatric sleep specialist
This conversation offers practical ADHD sleep strategies, a more individualized approach to bedtime, and reassurance for exhausted parents who feel as though they have already tried everything.
Learn More About Dr. Melisa Moorehttps://www.drmelisamoore.com/
The Good Sleep Guide for Neurodivergent Kidshttps://www.drmelisamoore.com/book
ADHD Parent Support
Anchor Your ADHD FamilyA 90-day ADHD parent coaching program with recorded education, live coaching, and an online parent community. Join anytime for $97 total.https://adhdkidscanthrive.com/anchor-your-family-adhd-parent-coaching/
Private ADHD Parent Coachinghttps://adhdkidscanthrive.com/private-adhd-parent-coaching/
For more ADHD parenting resources and podcast episodes, visit:https://adhdkidscanthrive.com/

If you feel like you are saying the same thing over and over to your child with ADHD and nothing is changing, this episode is for you.
In this solo episode, I explain what ADHD parent training is and why changing a parent’s approach can sometimes change recurring patterns at home. I discuss how ADHD can affect executive functioning, emotional regulation, transitions, time awareness, motivation, and follow-through; why more reminders, pressure, lectures, or consequences do not always build the skills a child needs; and how parents can look differently at struggles involving homework, screens, mornings, bedtime, and emotional outbursts.
I also share a practical question parents can use when they feel stuck:
What can I change in the environment, expectation, or response that might help my child succeed?
Free ADHD Parent Reset:7 Things to Do Differently When What You’re Trying Isn’t Workinghttps://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/IUVgRZz
Private ADHD Parent Coaching:https://adhdkidscanthrive.com
The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast:Available wherever you listen to podcasts.
Timestamps
(00:00) ADHD Parent Training: What If Your Child Isn’t the First One Who Needs to Change?(00:38) Why Parents Keep Waiting for Their Child to Change(02:11) Changing How We Understand ADHD Behavior(03:55) What Is ADHD Parent Training?(05:44) When Parent Training Can Help(07:29) ADHD Is More Than a Behavior Problem(08:29) Becoming the Grounded Adult in the Room(09:55) How a Parent’s Response Affects the Interaction(11:11) Understanding ADHD Is Not Permissive Parenting(11:55) Environment, Expectation & Response(13:02) Why Small Parenting Shifts Matter(13:16) ADHD Parent Coaching & Support(14:32) Continuing to Learn as Your Child Grows
About Kate Brownfield, ACCKate Brownfield is an ICF Associate Certified Coach, Certified ADHD and Executive Function Parent Coach, author, host of The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast, and founder of ADHD Kids Can Thrive.
DisclaimerThis podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical, psychological, behavioral, or mental health care.

What does the science really say about ADHD? In this episode of The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast, Kate Brownfield talks with Dr. Stephen Faraone, one of the world’s leading ADHD researchers and founder of the ADHD Evidence Project, about ADHD medication, misinformation, co-occurring conditions, and evidence-based treatment. This conversation helps parents better understand what’s supported by research, what gets overstated online, and how to think more clearly about treatment decisions for kids and teens with ADHD.
In this episode:
ADHD myths vs. evidence
stimulant vs. non-stimulant medication
ADHD medication and addiction concerns
anxiety, depression, and other co-occurring conditions
behavior therapy, CBT, and skill-building support
Resources mentioned:ADHD Evidence Project: https://www.adhdevidence.org/ADHD Kids Can Thrive: https://adhdkidscanthrive.com/
Enjoyed this episode? Follow, rate, and share with a parent who wants a more grounded, research-based understanding of ADHD treatment, medication, and support.

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/
 
Enjoyed this episode? Follow, rate, and share with a parent who needs a clearer, calmer framework for PDA, demand avoidance, school refusal, autonomy needs, and nervous system support.

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.

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/
Enjoyed this episode? Follow, rate, and share with a parent who could use practical, hopeful tools.