Beautifully Complex

Living in constant urgency can start to feel normal when you have ADHD. But what if so much of that struggle isn’t just ADHD… it’s a nervous system stuck in survival mode?

In this conversation, I sit down with ADHD therapist Jenna Free to unpack what regulation really means and why it’s foundational for thriving with ADHD. We explore how so many ADHD symptoms overlap with fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses, and how that “double load” is what often makes life feel overwhelming and unmanageable.

Jenna shares her three-layer framework for regulation, starting with the nervous system, moving into thoughts and beliefs, and finally into behavior. We talk about how rushing, people-pleasing, avoidance, and perfectionism are often signs of dysregulation, not character flaws. And more importantly, we talk about how to shift them in practical, doable ways.

This episode also brings so much compassion to the role of beliefs like “I’m behind” and how those thoughts keep us stuck in cycles of stress and shutdown. You’ll hear how small, intentional shifts toward awareness, gentleness, and flexibility can create real, lasting change.

For parents, this conversation is especially powerful. Jenna reminds us that our own regulation is the starting point, and that reducing urgency and overwhelm at home can make a meaningful difference for our kids.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, exhausted, or like nothing is working, this episode offers a new lens and a hopeful path forward.

You can find additional resources at parentingadhdandautism.com and Regulated Kids.com — because it’s not just about the struggles, it’s about progress, one step at a time.

Show notes and more resources at parentingadhdandautism.com/357

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/beautifully-complex--6137613/support.

You can find additional resources at parentingadhdandautism.com and Regulated Kids.com — because it’s not just about the struggles, it’s about progress, one step at a time.

There’s a moment most of us recognize when our child’s behavior feels confusing, intense, or completely out of left field. But what if that behavior is actually communication we haven’t yet learned how to interpret?

In this episode, I sit down with occupational therapist Sarah Collins to talk about something that can truly shift how we parent: helping our kids understand and communicate their sensory needs. When kids don’t have the words, or even the awareness for what’s happening in their bodies, it often shows up as “challenging behavior.” And when we can decode that, everything starts to change.

We talk about what sensory processing really is (in a way that actually makes sense), including those lesser-known internal senses like interoception, which helps kids recognize hunger, anxiety, or overwhelm. We also explore how movement supports awareness, why some kids need to move to focus, and how behavior is often a child’s first attempt at self-advocacy.

Sarah shares practical ways to build this awareness, from using everyday observations to introducing simple language frameworks. We also talk about when to talk and when to say nothing at all.

This conversation is about helping our kids feel seen in their bodies so they can begin to understand themselves and eventually advocate for what they need.

This episode will open your eyes in the best way. Listen now and start seeing your child’s needs through a new lens.

Visit our sponsor, Best Part, at https://BestpartKids.com.

You can find additional resources at parentingadhdandautism.com — because it’s not just about the struggles, it’s about progress, one step at a time.

Show notes and more resources at parentingadhdandautism.com/356

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/beautifully-complex--6137613/support.

You can find additional resources at parentingadhdandautism.com and Regulated Kids.com — because it’s not just about the struggles, it’s about progress, one step at a time.

Starting over in parenting is not a sign that you failed. It is one of the bravest, most powerful choices you can make.

In this conversation, I’m talking with Wendy Snyder about why fresh starts matter so much, especially when we’re raising neurodivergent kids and kids with strong wills, big feelings, and nervous systems that experience the world differently. We dig into what it really means to begin again after hard moments, reactive moments, or years of patterns that no longer feel aligned with who we want to be as parents.

Wendy shares so honestly about her own journey from reactive parenting to more responsive, connected parenting, including the deep work of untangling inherited beliefs, healing triggers, and learning how to stop repeating what was handed down to us. We talk about the relief of knowing that when we know better, we can do better, while also acknowledging that knowing better is not always enough when our nervous system is still in survival mode.

This episode is full of compassion for parents who feel stuck in shame, who are trying to unlearn punishment-based parenting, and who want to create more safety, trust, and connection at home. We also talk about modeling emotional literacy, the power of co-regulation, why relationship matters more than control, and how our kids can call us into our own healing.

It’s never too late to change your parenting. You can interrupt old patterns. You can repair. You can build something different.

Listen now and be encouraged that every new moment is a chance to start fresh.

Visit our sponsor, Best Part, at https://BestpartKids.com.

You can find additional resources at parentingadhdandautism.com — because it’s not just about the struggles, it’s about progress, one step at a time.

Show notes and more resources at parentingadhdandautism.com/355

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/beautifully-complex--6137613/support.

You can find additional resources at parentingadhdandautism.com and Regulated Kids.com — because it’s not just about the struggles, it’s about progress, one step at a time.

There’s nothing more heartbreaking than watching your child stand on the outside, longing to belong. I’ve been there, and I know how deeply it can affect not just our kids, but us as parents too. In this episode, I’m joined by friendship expert Caroline Maguire to talk about why making and keeping friends can feel so hard for neurodivergent kids, teens, and even adults.

We unpack the real reasons behind social struggles, from executive function challenges and emotional regulation to differences in interests, communication styles, and developmental timelines. Caroline shares powerful insights into why trying to “fit in” often backfires, and how true belonging comes from embracing who our kids already are.

We also talk about how to support our kids in finding their people in ways that actually work for their brains. That means leaning into their interests, choosing environments that fit their energy and sensory needs, and letting go of outdated expectations about how friendships are “supposed” to look. We even dive into the challenges young adults face when the built-in social structure of school disappears, and how to rebuild connection in a more intentional way.

If you’ve ever worried that your child might never find real connection, this conversation will offer both reassurance and practical direction. Friendship is learnable, belonging is possible, and our kids don’t have to change who they are to get there.

Listen in for a conversation that will shift how you think about connection, confidence, and what it really means to find your people.

You can find additional resources at parentingadhdandautism.com. It’s not just about the struggles, it’s about progress, one step at a time.

Show notes and more resources at parentingadhdandautism.com/354

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Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/beautifully-complex--6137613/support.

You can find additional resources at parentingadhdandautism.com and Regulated Kids.com — because it’s not just about the struggles, it’s about progress, one step at a time.

Feeding your child shouldn’t feel like a daily battle between fear and survival, but for so many of us parenting neurodivergent kids, it does. When your child eats only a handful of foods, it’s easy to spiral into worry about their health, their growth, and what the future might look like.

In this conversation, I’m joined by dietitian Brittyn Coleman to unpack what’s really going on beneath selective eating. We talk about why “picky eating” isn’t the right lens for neurodivergent kids and how sensory sensitivities, anxiety, oral motor challenges, and even interoception all play a role. This isn’t about defiance or control. It’s about a nervous system trying to stay safe.

We also dig into why traditional strategies like pressure, bribing, or removing safe foods often backfire and can actually make eating more stressful and restrictive over time. Instead, we explore how to shift toward a sensory-informed, compassionate approach that builds trust, reduces dysregulation, and creates real progress.

You’ll hear practical ways to start supporting your child right where they are, including how to identify their sensory preferences, redefine what progress looks like, and reduce mealtime stress for everyone at the table. We also talk about filling nutritional gaps in a way that works for kids with sensory sensitivities.

If mealtimes feel overwhelming in your home, this episode will help you see your child’s experience differently and give you a more supportive path forward. Take a breath, lean in, and listen.

You can find additional resources at parentingadhdandautism.com and Regulated Kids.com — because it’s not just about the struggles, it’s about progress, one step at a time.

Show notes and more resources at parentingadhdandautism.com/353

Best Part: ****https://bestpartkids.com/

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/beautifully-complex--6137613/support.

You can find additional resources at parentingadhdandautism.com and Regulated Kids.com — because it’s not just about the struggles, it’s about progress, one step at a time.