Untangled: ADHD, Trauma, & Mental Health

Dr. Priti Kothari

Mental health can feel overwhelming, confusing, and isolating — but it doesn’t have to. Welcome to Untangled — ADHD, Trauma & Mental Health, hosted by Dr. Priti Kothari, a psychiatrist based in Florida specializing in child, adolescent, and adult psychiatry.Every week, Dr. Kothari breaks down the topics that matter most — from ADHD and neurodivergent experiences to trauma, healing, and everyday mental wellness. Whether you’re navigating your own journey, raising a neurodivergent child, or supporting someone you love, this podcast is your space to learn, reflect, and feel less alone.Expect honest conversations, expert insights, and a stigma-free zone where complex topics are made simple.🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other major platforms — in both video and audio formats. New episodes every week.

Episodes

  1. Jul 14

    Ep. 5 - Understanding Dyslexia, ADHD, and Executive Functioning with Heather Thompson

    In this episode of Untangled, Dr. Priti Kothari welcomes longtime collaborator Heather Thompson, a master's-level special education teacher and tutor with over 30 years of experience in the field. Together, they break down what parents need to know once a child is identified as struggling in school — from psychoeducational evaluations and IEPs/504 plans to the specific interventions available for dyslexia and other learning disabilities. Heather walks through the differences between three well-known approaches to dyslexia — Orton-Gillingham, Wilson, and Lindamood-Bell — and explains which students benefit most from each. Dr. Kothari brings the clinical perspective, discussing how medication for ADHD fits alongside (not instead of) educational and executive functioning support, and why the rising rates of ADHD diagnoses reflect both greater awareness and increasing academic pressure on kids. The conversation moves beyond academics into executive functioning as a life skill — time management, organization, daily routines, and self-regulation — and the emotional toll that undiagnosed or unsupported learning differences can take, including low self-esteem, rejection sensitive dysphoria, and depression. Dr. Kothari and Heather close with a heartfelt discussion on why patience, unconditional support, and helping kids find and pursue their genuine passions matter more than chasing a "perfect" major or career path. A must-listen for parents navigating a new diagnosis, and for anyone curious about how clinicians and educators work together to support the whole child.

  2. Jun 23

    Ep. 2 - Courageous Connection: Healing Inner Child Trauma, Breaking Free from Narcissistic Abuse, and Building Extraordinary Love

    Tonight's episode is a gift. Dr. Priti Kothari sits down with two of the most respected clinicians in the Boca Raton mental health community — Jackie DeVito, LCSW, and Tim Andrews, therapist and coach — for a deeply moving conversation about trauma, relationships, and the courage it takes to heal. Together, Jackie and Tim are the founders of Courageous Hearts and co-authors of the newly released book Courageous Connection: How to Transform Limiting Beliefs, Heal Past Wounds, and Build Extraordinary Love That Lasts, available now on Amazon. What makes Jackie and Tim's approach so powerful — and so rare — is that they've lived the work themselves. Both went through their own healing journeys before becoming clinicians, and both continue that work today. Their model brings male and female therapeutic energy into the room together, creating a dynamic that traditional couples therapy simply can't replicate. In this episode, they explore: Why we recreate our childhood wounds in our adult relationships — and how to finally break that cycleThe inner child: what it means, where the damage happens, and how healing beginsThe victim triangle and the three roles we unconsciously play in our relationshipsWhy traditional couples therapy is often insufficient — and what a more effective model looks likeNarcissistic abuse, gaslighting, and how early childhood experiences set the stage for adult entrapmentWhy staying in an unhappy marriage "for the children" may be doing more harm than goodThe courage it takes to choose yourself — and what that models for your kidsTransgenerational trauma and how healing one person can shift an entire family systemDr. Kothari also walks listeners through the chapters of Courageous Connection, covering attachment styles, reparenting, breaking free from powerlessness, boundaries, forgiveness, and the four pillars of intimacy. Whether you are in the thick of a painful relationship, recovering from trauma, or simply trying to understand why you keep ending up in the same cycles, this conversation meets you exactly where you are — with no judgment, and a whole lot of hope. Resources Mentioned: Courageous Connection by Jackie DeVito & Tim Andrews — available on AmazonCourageousArtsCoaching.com — workshops, intensives, and upcoming affordable online modulesThe Crappy Childhood Fairy — social media and podcastThe Holistic Psychologist — social media and resourcesKristen Neff, PhD — self-compassion research and workbook, UT AustinJohn Bradshaw — Homecoming, Healing the Shame That Binds YouJoe Dispenza, Mel Robbins — additional thought leaders referencedOnsite Workshops — four-day intensive program, Nashville, TNStay tuned — Jackie and Tim will return to Untangled when their online modules launch.

  3. Jun 16

    Ep. 1 - What is ABA — and Does My Child Need it? With Laura Williams, BCBA · Limitless Tomorrow ABA

    When a child receives a diagnosis of autism or ADHD, families are often handed a prescription and a list of acronyms — ABA, BCBA, RBT — and left to figure out the rest on their own. In this first episode of Untangled, Dr. Priti Kothari sits down with Laura Williams, founder of Limitless Tomorrow ABA and president of the Palm Beach Association of Behavioral Analysis, to cut through the confusion and give families a clear, hopeful roadmap. Laura brings 20 years of clinical experience to a conversation that covers the full journey — from spotting early red flags at home and in preschool, to navigating the referral process, to understanding exactly who does what on your child's care team. In this episode: What a BCBA does — and how they're different from an RBTEarly developmental milestones and red flags to knowHow to get a diagnosis when the wait list is a year longThe "trifecta" of services: ABA, occupational therapy, and speech therapyHow BCBAs coordinate with schools, insurers, and other providersWhy Florida is one of only two states that allows RBTs in schoolsWhen medication fits into the picture — and when it doesn'tFinding the "islands of giftedness" in every childWhether your family is just starting this journey or you've been navigating it for years, this episode is packed with practical guidance, honest answers, and genuine encouragement. Dr Priti Kothari | Boca Raton Psychiatrist | Child Psychiatrist Mental Health Services | Dr Priti Kothari | Psychiatrist Boca Raton

About

Mental health can feel overwhelming, confusing, and isolating — but it doesn’t have to. Welcome to Untangled — ADHD, Trauma & Mental Health, hosted by Dr. Priti Kothari, a psychiatrist based in Florida specializing in child, adolescent, and adult psychiatry.Every week, Dr. Kothari breaks down the topics that matter most — from ADHD and neurodivergent experiences to trauma, healing, and everyday mental wellness. Whether you’re navigating your own journey, raising a neurodivergent child, or supporting someone you love, this podcast is your space to learn, reflect, and feel less alone.Expect honest conversations, expert insights, and a stigma-free zone where complex topics are made simple.🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other major platforms — in both video and audio formats. New episodes every week.