The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast

Kate Brownfield
  • 4.4 (31)
  • Parenting
  • Updated Weekly

Join Kate Brownfield, ACC, ADHD & Executive Function Parent Coach, author, and host of The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast, as she speaks with leading ADHD experts, clinicians, educators, researchers, authors, and advocates in the ADHD and neurodiversity community. Created for parents and caregivers raising children and teens with ADHD and related neurodivergent needs, the podcast explores the many layers of ADHD parenting, including executive function, emotional regulation, school and homework challenges, family dynamics, nervous system regulation, treatment options, anxiety, sleep, screen time, learning differences, self-esteem, and the everyday work of helping a child thrive. Kate brings a compassionate, practical, and whole-child perspective to each conversation, combining professional training with lived parenting experience. Her goal is to help parents better understand what may be happening beneath their child’s behavior, feel less alone, and become more confident in supporting their child, themselves, and their family. Learn more about ADHD parenting support, resources, and the podcast at https://adhdkidscanthrive.com/

  1. 1d ago

    ADHD, Dyslexia & Belonging: Self-Advocacy for Neurodivergent Teens and Young Adults with Riley Mulcahy

    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

  2. Aug 17

    ADHD and Academic Pressure: Are We Raising Successful Kids or Stressed-Out Kids? with Dr. Denise Pope

    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/

  3. Aug 3

    ADHD and Sleep: Practical Strategies for Neurodivergent Kids with Dr. Melisa Moore

    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 Moore https://www.drmelisamoore.com/ The Good Sleep Guide for Neurodivergent Kids https://www.drmelisamoore.com/book ADHD Parent Support Anchor Your ADHD Family A 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 Coaching https://adhdkidscanthrive.com/private-adhd-parent-coaching/ For more ADHD parenting resources and podcast episodes, visit: https://adhdkidscanthrive.com/

  4. Jul 28

    ADHD Parent Training: What If Your Child Isn’t the First One Who Needs to Change?

    What if your child with ADHD is not the first person who needs to change? When mornings, homework, screens, and bedtime become repeating battles, it is easy to believe your child simply needs more motivation, better behavior, or stronger consequences. But what might change if the parent changed the environment, expectation, or response first? In this episode of The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast, Kate Brownfield, ACC, ADHD Parent Coach, explores what can happen when parents stop waiting for their child with ADHD to be the first one to change. Kate explains how challenges with executive functioning, emotional regulation, transitions, time awareness, motivation, and follow-through can turn ordinary family moments into ongoing power struggles. She shares why adding more reminders, pressure, lectures, or consequences does not necessarily build the skills a child is struggling to access—and may sometimes create more resistance, anxiety, shutdown, or shame. Kate also discusses why ADHD parent training and parent support can be so valuable. It is not because parents are doing something wrong. Raising a child with ADHD often requires a different understanding of behavior and a different set of tools. This episode explores co-regulation, the role of the parent nervous system, and what it means to become the more grounded, anchored adult in the room while still holding boundaries and expectations. Parents are invited to consider a different question when their child is struggling. Instead of asking, “Why won’t my child change?” ask: “What can I change in the environment, expectation, or response that could help my child succeed?” ADHD Parent Support Anchor Your ADHD Family A 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 Coaching https://adhdkidscanthrive.com/private-adhd-parent-coaching/ ADHD Kids Can Thrive https://adhdkidscanthrive.com/ For more ADHD parenting resources, podcast episodes, and support, visit ADHDKidsCanThrive.com.

  5. Mar 16

    What the Science Really Says About ADHD: Dr. Stephen Faraone on Medication, Misinformation, and Evidence-Based 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.

  6. Mar 2

    Understanding PDA in Kids: Demand Avoidance, Anxiety, and the Drive for Autonomy (AuDHD/Autism)

    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.

  7. Feb 16

    Hooked: ADHD, Sports Betting, and One Young Man’s Fight for Recovery

    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.

  8. Feb 2

    When Reading Is Hard: Dyslexia, Visual Processing & ADHD Support (with Diane Gutierrez)

    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.

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4.4
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About

Join Kate Brownfield, ACC, ADHD & Executive Function Parent Coach, author, and host of The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast, as she speaks with leading ADHD experts, clinicians, educators, researchers, authors, and advocates in the ADHD and neurodiversity community. Created for parents and caregivers raising children and teens with ADHD and related neurodivergent needs, the podcast explores the many layers of ADHD parenting, including executive function, emotional regulation, school and homework challenges, family dynamics, nervous system regulation, treatment options, anxiety, sleep, screen time, learning differences, self-esteem, and the everyday work of helping a child thrive. Kate brings a compassionate, practical, and whole-child perspective to each conversation, combining professional training with lived parenting experience. Her goal is to help parents better understand what may be happening beneath their child’s behavior, feel less alone, and become more confident in supporting their child, themselves, and their family. Learn more about ADHD parenting support, resources, and the podcast at https://adhdkidscanthrive.com/

Information

  • Creator
    Kate Brownfield
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    30
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2020 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast

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