Real Parenting For Sensitive Moms

Adrienne Bishop and Leah Andreoni
  • 5.0 (4)
  • PARENTING

Parenting while being Highly Sensitive is not for the weak of heart. And since sensitive moms often have sensitive kids, your house is probably filled with big emotions, everyone feeling everyone else’s feelings, strong-willed, gifted, deep-love-bucket kids… and sometimes it can be a lot. On top of that, you’re probably analyzing, noticing, and anticipating everyone’s moods and needs before they even realize how they’re feeling. It’s exhausting. It’s overwhelming. It’s frustrating. And your nervous system probably feels like it’s on overload most of the time. Add in overthinking, anxiety, people-pleasing, and perfectionism, and you’ve got a recipe for a burned-out, stressed-out mom trying desperately to do everything right, hold everything together, and make everyone happy, which, by the way, is an impossible standard. If this is you, I want you to know: you are not alone. And thank God you found this podcast. 😂 No, but really, we are so happy you’re here. I'm Adrienne Bishop, and as a parenting coach for highly sensitive families and a highly sensitive mom myself, I wanted a place where sensitive moms could feel seen, heard, and understood.  So I started this podcast with my friend and fellow highly sensitive mom and therapist, Leah Andreoni, because we know you want answers. You want support. You want to understand yourself. The Real Parenting for Sensitive Moms podcast is here to help you realize you’re not crazy. We’re going to un-shame all the things you secretly shame yourself about. We’ll give you real tools that actually help with your sensitive kids. We’ll help you love your sensitivity. And we’ll help you feel connected to a community of moms who truly get it. WELCOME.  *DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only. It is not to be used for therapeutic or medical advice.  Don’t forget to rate and review Real Parenting! Connect With Us ⁠@adriennebishopcoaching | ⁠@leahandreoni Get's Adrienne's FREE guide - 5 Ways to Stay Calm When Your Kids are Driving you Crazy! - https://www.adriennebishopcoaching.com/5-ways-to-stay-calm/ We love to hear feedback about the show! Send us a text!

Episodes

  1. 2D AGO

    9. Anxiety in HS moms - Tools for Relief and LIVE Hypnosis session!

    Anxiety is incredibly common for highly sensitive moms, especially after becoming a parent. In this episode, Adrienne and Leah have an honest, grounded conversation about how anxiety actually shows up in sensitive motherhood and why parenting can intensify it so much. They explore how anxiety often lives in the body, not just the mind, and how it can look like hypervigilance, overthinking, people pleasing, perfectionism, difficulty resting, and feeling responsible for everyone else’s emotions. They also talk about how overstimulation, lack of solitude, and constant emotional attunement to kids can keep sensitive moms stuck in survival mode. This episode goes beyond awareness and into support. Adrienne and Leah share practical, nervous-system-based tools to help regulate anxiety, including grounding, breathing, co-regulation, somatic practices, temperature regulation, tapping (EFT), and hypnosis techniques designed to interrupt anxious patterns and create new neural pathways. You’ll also hear a live hypnosis example that shows how anxiety can shift when you work with the body instead of against it. DOWNLOAD the FREE Hypnosis tools Cheat Sheet here! We love to hear feedback about the show! Send us a text! 📲 Share this episode with another sensitive parent 🌐 Visit www.adriennebishopcoaching.com or risingsuntherapy.com for more support. *DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only. It is not to be used for therapeutic or medical advice.

    57 min

  2. JAN 21

    8. Mom Rage: A Message, Not a Meltdown with Nicole McNelis

    Have you ever found yourself snapping at your kids and then feeling awful about it afterward? You’re not alone. In this episode of Real Parenting for the Sensitive Mom, we talk with perinatal mental health therapist and researcher Nicole McNellis about mom rage — what it is, why it happens, and why it doesn’t mean you’re a bad mom. We explore how overwhelm, resentment, unrealistic expectations, and nervous system overload can build up and spill over, especially for sensitive, deeply caring moms. You’ll also learn simple ways to understand what your anger is trying to tell you and how to respond with more compassion for yourself. We unpack: The build-up → explosion → guilt cycle so many moms experienceHow resentment, overload, and unrealistic expectations fuel rageWhy highly sensitive, perfectionistic, and people-pleasing moms are especially vulnerableThe difference between outward explosions and internalized rageAnd what your anger is trying to tell you about your needs, boundaries, and supportwhat coping skills work to help you feel betterContact Nicole McNelis: nicolemacnellis.com and on Instagram @therapistmomcollective We love to hear feedback about the show! Send us a text! 📲 Share this episode with another sensitive parent 🌐 Visit www.adriennebishopcoaching.com or risingsuntherapy.com for more support. *DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only. It is not to be used for therapeutic or medical advice.

    53 min

  3. JAN 7

    7. ADHD vs Highly Sensitive, What's the Difference? with therapist Avery Wasmanski

    What if the overwhelm you’ve always blamed on anxiety or “being too sensitive” is actually ADHD… or both? In this episode of Real Parenting for the Sensitive Mom, Adrienne Bishop and Leah Andeoni sit down with licensed, trauma-informed therapist Avery Wasmanski to unpack the complex and often confusing overlap between high sensitivity, ADHD, anxiety, and trauma in motherhood.   With both professional expertise and lived experience as a mom with ADHD, Avery helps us explore why so many women are diagnosed late (or not at all), how ADHD shows up differently in moms, and why executive functioning, emotional regulation, and rejection-sensitive dysphoria can make parenting feel impossibly hard. Together, we talk about: The key differences and overlaps between high sensitivity and ADHDWhy anxiety and burnout are so common in undiagnosed momsExecutive functioning struggles vs. sensory overwhelmEmotional reactivity, impulse control, and parenting under stressRejection-sensitive dysphoria and how it impacts moms and kidsThe role of trauma in amplifying ADHD symptomsWhy self-compassion and understanding your brain are essential (not optional)Small, realistic steps to feel more empowered and less overwhelmedIf you’re a mom who feels like your brain never shuts off, you’re exhausted from masking, or you’re wondering whether ADHD might be part of your story, this conversation will help you feel seen, validated, and less alone. Avery's contact information: https://averywasmanskilpctherapy.com/ 📲 Share this episode with another sensitive parent 🌐 Visit adriennebishopcoaching.com or risingsuntherapy.com for more support. We love to hear feedback about the show! Send us a text! 📲 Share this episode with another sensitive parent 🌐 Visit www.adriennebishopcoaching.com or risingsuntherapy.com for more support. *DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only. It is not to be used for therapeutic or medical advice.

    45 min

  4. 12/10/2025

    6. Positive Discipline - the parenting style that actually WORKS for your highly sensitive child

    Connection Before Correction - GET YOUR FREE POSITIVE DISCIPLINE CHEAT SHEET HERE! Parenting a highly sensitive child while being a sensitive parent yourself? We see you. In this episode, Leah and Adrienne dive deep into how Positive Discipline can transform your parenting journey — especially when traditional methods just don’t work. What You’ll Hear: Why sticker charts, timeouts, and yelling backfire with sensitive kidsWhat makes highly sensitive kids tick (hint: their nervous systems are wired for depth)Real-life examples of how connection calms the chaosTools you can use TODAY to build cooperation without shameWhy Traditional Discipline Fails Sensitive kids experience correction as threatTheir brains flip into fight/flight/freeze — no learning happensPunishment = shutdown. Safety = growth.What Positive Discipline Offers Instead Connection before correctionTeaching through empathy, not controlEmotional safety that leads to real cooperationTools We Talk About: Connection First: “You’re upset the tower broke. You were so upset that happened. What can you do to make things better?"Curiosity Questions: “What’s your plan for finishing homework?”Choices Within Limits: “Do you want to brush your teeth before or after pajamas?”Natural & Logical Consequences: “You spilled juice — let’s clean it up together.”Encouragement Over Praise: “You must feel proud of how hard you worked.”Modeling Repair: “I yelled earlier. I’m sorry. I was overwhelmed.”“When you choose curiosity over control, you teach connection over fear.” FREE CHEAT SHEET! GET YOUR FREE POSITIVE DISCIPLINE CHEAT SHEET HERE! 🎧 Listen now and ask yourself: 👉 Which tool do I want to try this week? 📲 Share this episode with another sensitive parent 🌐 Visit www.adriennebishopcoaching.com or risingsuntherapy.com for more support. We love to hear feedback about the show! Send us a text! 📲 Share this episode with another sensitive parent 🌐 Visit www.adriennebishopcoaching.com or risingsuntherapy.com for more support. *DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only. It is not to be used for therapeutic or medical advice.

    55 min

  5. 11/26/2025

    5. Why Your Kid Freaks Out Over Tags and You Hate Perfume: How Physical Sensitivity Impacts Moms & Kids

    Leah and I are back this week for podcast Episode 5: Why Your Kid Freaks Out Over Tags and You Hate Perfume: How Physical Sensitivity Impacts Moms & Kids. We’re diving into something most people have never heard of: the 8 sensory systems that shape how highly sensitive kids (and their moms!) experience the world (and cause meltdowns).  If you’re parenting a highly sensitive child while being sensitive yourself, you know how overwhelming life can feel. This episode is your roadmap to understanding physical sensitivity and how it influences behavior, emotions, and even meltdowns. When I found out that there were 8 senses, not just the basic five, I finally understood why I am the way I am. It was incredibly freeing.  So today, we’re breaking down all eight sensory systems that impact sensitivity: Tactile (Touch): Tags, messy hands, tight hugs — too much touch can feel like pain.Auditory (Sound): Vacuums, hand dryers, multiple voices — sound can be physically overwhelming.Visual (Sight): Bright lights, cluttered rooms, busy patterns — visual input can trigger anxiety.Olfactory (Smell): Perfume, food smells, diapers — sensitive noses pick up everything.Gustatory (Taste): Picky eating isn’t just picky — it’s sensory. Bland foods feel safe.Vestibular (Balance & Movement): Swings, stairs, car rides — movement can be scary or addictive.Proprioception (Body Awareness): The secret weapon for calming overstimulated kids and moms. Think weighted blankets, deep pressure, pushing, pulling, climbing. It’s organizing, regulating, and almost always soothing.Interoception (Internal Signals): Hunger, thirst, bathroom needs, emotional awareness — sensitive people feel it all… or not at all.What Actually Helps - Sense by Sense General Principle: Accommodate when you can, build tolerance gradually when neededUse calming sensory input (especially proprioceptive) to regulatePrevent overload rather than manage meltdownsTactile Solutions: Sensory-friendly clothingLet kids cut tags out themselvesSensory-Friendly Clothing Brands Smartknit Kids - seamless socks specifically designed for sensitive kidsPrimary - tagless, soft basics with flat seamsTarget's Cat & Jack line - affordable tagless options with sensory considerationsNoise Management: Loop earplugs - discreet noise reduction for kids and adultsCalmer earbuds by Flare Audio - reduce overwhelming frequenciesNoise-canceling headphones - Puro Sound or Muted brands for kidVisual Solutions: Dimmer switchesSunglasses indoors if neededOlfactory Solutions: Unscented productsKitchen exhaust fansGustatory Solutions: No pressure eatingGradual exposure through food chainingVestibular Solutions: Don't force playground equipmentCar sickness accommodationProprioceptive Input Heavy work activities (pushing, carrying, climbing)Weighted blankets (brands like Gravity, YnM, SensaCalm)Tight hugs (if welcome)Chewing gum or crunchy We love to hear feedback about the show! Send us a text! 📲 Share this episode with another sensitive parent 🌐 Visit www.adriennebishopcoaching.com or risingsuntherapy.com for more support. *DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only. It is not to be used for therapeutic or medical advice.

    1 hr

  6. 11/12/2025

    4. Postpartum for the Highly Sensitive Mom: When it’s Harder than you Expect

    The postpartum period is one of the most transformational times in a woman’s life. She is changing from the inside out - from brain changes to cellular changes and it can be very overwhelming for the sensitive mom.    During pregnancy and after giving birth, drastic hormonal shifts occur and you are expected to manage all of this with elegance, grace, looking good and enjoying every moment.  That is not the reality for most moms, and these expectations can cause a host of problems during motherhood, including postpartum disorders. In this episode, we explore how highly sensitive moms uniquely experience the postpartum period. We discuss what the symptoms of postpartum anxiety, depression, and postpartum OCD look like and how to take care of yourself during this tumultuous and beautiful time.    Recognizing symptoms of a postpartum disorder early is key, and in this episode we talk about how to know what those symptoms are and when to seek professional help. Management of these symptoms, whether on the normal spectrum or a disorder may include therapy—especially cognitive behavioral therapy—medication like SSRIs, and strong support systems.  We also talk about how lifestyle changes such as better sleep, nutrition, and mindfulness help immensely to keep you emotionally healthy. We’ll talk about: Why sensitivity amplifies emotional and physical challengesWhat to do when symptoms become overwhelmingHow to create a smoother, more supportive postpartum experienceEven if you're past this phase of motherhood, this podcast will be so healing for you as a senstiive mom, because, let's be honest, you never stop being "postpartum" and it may even help you feel like you weren't crazy for feeling the way you felt or having the struggles you had. What Helps Highly Sensitive Moms Thrive during postpartum and how can you prepare? Gentle support systems: Empathetic friends, family, or therapists who validate and listenQuiet time and boundaries: Guilt-free space to recharge and protect emotional energyMindfulness and grounding: Practices that soothe the nervous system and reduce overstimulationProfessional help: Therapy, medication, or support groups tailored to postpartum mental healthIf you or a highly sensitive mom you know is pregnant, or you are in your 4th trimester, this episode is for you! Professional Resources: Postpartum Support International: postpartum.net Perinatal Partners Network: perinatalpartnersnetwork.com Postpartum Stress Center: postpartumstress.com We love to hear feedback about the show! Send us a text! 📲 Share this episode with another sensitive parent 🌐 Visit www.adriennebishopcoaching.com or risingsuntherapy.com for more support. *DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only. It is not to be used for therapeutic or medical advice.

    38 min

  7. 10/29/2025

    3. Motivating Your Child the Way They’re Wired: Using the 4 Temperaments

    How many of us have struggled to motivate our kids to cooperate? Or just get stuff done? In this episode of Real Parenting for the Sensitive Mom, Leah and Adrienne explore how understanding your child’s temperament can transform the way you motivate them. Drawing from Kathleen Edelman’s book A Grown-Up’s Guide to Your Kids’ Wiring, they break down the four temperaments—Sanguine, Choleric, Phlegmatic, and Melancholic—and how each one responds to different types of encouragement, expectations, and communication. Parenting is 80% trying to get your kids to do things—and it’s hard. But when you understand how your child is wired, everything changes. Leah and Adrienne share personal stories, practical tips, and mindset shifts that help you stop pushing your wiring onto your kids and start parenting the child you actually have. Key Takeaways Motivation becomes easier when you stop expecting your child to act like you.Each temperament thrives under different conditions—fun, control, connection, or clarity.Adjusting your language and expectations can unlock cooperation and confidence.Understanding your own temperament helps you navigate parent-child dynamics more gracefully.The best parenting happens when we honor who our kids truly are—not who we wish they were.Resources Mentioned A Grown-Up’s Guide to Your Kids’ Wiring by Kathleen EdelmanTemperament quiz for kids (available in the book)Don’t forget to rate and review Real Parenting! 🌐 Connect With Us ⁠@adriennebishopcoaching | ⁠@leahandreoni ✨ Get's Adrienne's FREE guide - 5 Ways to Stay Calm When Your Kids are Driving you Crazy! - https://www.adriennebishopcoaching.com/5-ways-to-stay-calm/ *DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only. It is not to be used for therapeutic or medical advice.  We love to hear feedback about the show! Send us a text! 📲 Share this episode with another sensitive parent 🌐 Visit www.adriennebishopcoaching.com or risingsuntherapy.com for more support. *DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only. It is not to be used for therapeutic or medical advice.

    44 min

  8. 10/15/2025

    2. Real Self-Care for HS Moms: Not Just Another Thing on Your To-Do List

    Are you struggling to find time for self care? Does it feel like just one more thing on your to-do list that you're failing at? In this episode, Adrienne and Leah explore what self-care really looks like for highly sensitive moms. From sensory-friendly environments to emotional wellness and creative outlets, they offer practical, bite-sized strategies to help you feel more grounded, supported, and seen. This isn’t about adding more to your plate—it’s about shifting how you care for yourself in a way that honors your sensitivity. Key Takeaways Self-care is a lifestyle, not a checklistSmall changes can have a big impact on your nervous systemConnection and solitude are equally importantCreativity and movement help release emotional tensionSleep hygiene and nourishment are foundational to resilience🌐 Connect With Us ⁠@adriennebishopcoaching | ⁠@leahandreoni ✨ Get's Adrienne's FREE guide - 5 Ways to Stay Calm When Your Kids are Driving you Crazy! - https://www.adriennebishopcoaching.com/5-ways-to-stay-calm/ *DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only. It is not to be used for therapeutic or medical advice.  We love to hear feedback about the show! Send us a text! 📲 Share this episode with another sensitive parent 🌐 Visit www.adriennebishopcoaching.com or risingsuntherapy.com for more support. *DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only. It is not to be used for therapeutic or medical advice.

    37 min

  9. 10/01/2025

    1. What it means to be a Highly Sensitive Mom and Why it is Important to Know

    Do you feel overwhelmed as a mom more than others? Are you anxious about your parenting? Do you feel your kids feelings and want to fix them to feel better? You may be highly sensitive.  In this episode, Adrienne Bishop and Leah Andreoni explore what it means to be a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) and why understanding this trait is crucial for moms and their children. Adrienne, a parenting coach and integrative hypnotist, shares her personal journey as a sensitive mom raising three sensitive kids. Leah, a Certified Perinatal Mental Health Therapist and Family Therapist, brings her clinical expertise in supporting sensitive women across the motherhood spectrum. Together, they unpack the D.O.E.S. framework—Deep processing, Overstimulation, Emotional reactivity, and Sensory sensitivity—and how these traits show up in everyday life, from strong reactions to noise and touch to emotional exhaustion and empathy overload. Key Takeaways: HSPs make up 15–20% of the population; it’s a temperament, not a disorder.Sensitivity in moms can lead to overstimulation, emotional intensity, and heightened reactions to sleep deprivation, clutter, and social pressure.Sensitive kids may show signs like separation anxiety, perfectionism, sensory aversions, and emotional shutdowns that are often misunderstood.Recognizing sensitivity helps reduce shame, improves emotional health, and allows parents to respond to root causes rather than just behaviors.This podcast offers validation, practical tools, and community for sensitive families navigating parenting with empathy and intention.Don’t forget to rate and review Real Parenting! 🌐 Connect With Us ⁠@adriennebishopcoaching | ⁠@leahandreoni ✨ Get's Adrienne's FREE guide - 5 Ways to Stay Calm When Your Kids are Driving you Crazy! - https://www.adriennebishopcoaching.com/5-ways-to-stay-calm/ *DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only. It is not to be used for therapeutic or medical advice.  We love to hear feedback about the show! Send us a text! 📲 Share this episode with another sensitive parent 🌐 Visit www.adriennebishopcoaching.com or risingsuntherapy.com for more support. *DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only. It is not to be used for therapeutic or medical advice.

    41 min
  • 9 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Parenting while being Highly Sensitive is not for the weak of heart. And since sensitive moms often have sensitive kids, your house is probably filled with big emotions, everyone feeling everyone else’s feelings, strong-willed, gifted, deep-love-bucket kids… and sometimes it can be a lot. On top of that, you’re probably analyzing, noticing, and anticipating everyone’s moods and needs before they even realize how they’re feeling. It’s exhausting. It’s overwhelming. It’s frustrating. And your nervous system probably feels like it’s on overload most of the time. Add in overthinking, anxiety, people-pleasing, and perfectionism, and you’ve got a recipe for a burned-out, stressed-out mom trying desperately to do everything right, hold everything together, and make everyone happy, which, by the way, is an impossible standard. If this is you, I want you to know: you are not alone. And thank God you found this podcast. 😂 No, but really, we are so happy you’re here. I'm Adrienne Bishop, and as a parenting coach for highly sensitive families and a highly sensitive mom myself, I wanted a place where sensitive moms could feel seen, heard, and understood.  So I started this podcast with my friend and fellow highly sensitive mom and therapist, Leah Andreoni, because we know you want answers. You want support. You want to understand yourself. The Real Parenting for Sensitive Moms podcast is here to help you realize you’re not crazy. We’re going to un-shame all the things you secretly shame yourself about. We’ll give you real tools that actually help with your sensitive kids. We’ll help you love your sensitivity. And we’ll help you feel connected to a community of moms who truly get it. WELCOME.  *DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only. It is not to be used for therapeutic or medical advice.  Don’t forget to rate and review Real Parenting! Connect With Us ⁠@adriennebishopcoaching | ⁠@leahandreoni Get's Adrienne's FREE guide - 5 Ways to Stay Calm When Your Kids are Driving you Crazy! - https://www.adriennebishopcoaching.com/5-ways-to-stay-calm/ We love to hear feedback about the show! Send us a text!

Information

  • Creator
    Adrienne Bishop and Leah Andreoni
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    9
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Real Parenting For Sensitive Moms
  • Show Website
    Real Parenting For Sensitive Moms