Episodes
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As we continue through our sensory sensitivity series, and with Thanksgiving just a few days away for many of us, we are going to chat about the sense of taste and reflect on our sense of smell before next week's episode! Is there a sense of overwhelm when something hits your mouth? Do you crave some flavors and textures more then others! Either way, many of us can experience a sensitivity to taste and we want to be kind to those sensitivities and be prepared for meals/snack times ahead!
In this episode, I wanted to pause and be sure to bring up a seperation between general sensory sensitivities and exploring something called "Sensory Processing Disorder/Difference" if the sensory experience feels more like an invasion or attack on your system!! When we are looking at SPD, more needs to be explored and often we need to seen additional therapy, such as OT to work through this intense challenge!
The main target/takeway from this episode is to recognize a taste sensitivity and prepare a plan for upcoming events, school lunches, and even going out to eat with others! When we are not prepared, this sensitivity can trigger emotional dysregulation, distractabilty, and even hyperactivity if food has a negative impact and you haven't named taste sensitivity as the why behind the challenging behavior! So much to explore together and tackle as you respond to your sense of taste with kindness and accommodations!
Visit me at www.katelynmabry.com to share your sensory story with me! I would love to connect with you through coaching too! I have some 1:1 coaching spots opening up in the New Year! I would love to come alongside you! I hope those who celebrate Thanksgiving, have a joy filled time with family and friends! I pray you all have a wonderful day! Love you all!
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Do bright lights make you cringe? Do you find it hard to focus with any sort of flickering or flashing light? Do your emotions get real big and intense when you've had lots of screentime!? If that's you, listen in as we discuss the connections between ADHD and sight sensitivities! This is one where we also have to investigate and potentially seperate underlying vision challenges and some symptoms that collide with ADHD symptoms too!
In this episode, we will chat about advocating for accommodations in the classroom and home environments for lights to be adjusted/coverings, switch out flourescent lightbulbs, and how less screen time can be a helpful strategy to be kind to your sensitive sense of sight! I simply want you to journey through your senses with me to highlight and build your toolbox with what you need to success with any sensitivies discovered!
Come visit me at www.katelynmabry.com to share your sensory sensitivity story with me! I look forward to being with you next week as we dive into the topic of taste for Thanksgiving!! Have a great day! Love you all!
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Missing episodes?
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Hello friends!! Are you startled by loud noises? Do small sounds (tapping, breathing, humming, car noises) in your environment make your skin crawl and drive you bonkers!? If so, you may be experiencing sound sensitivity to different degrees!
In this episode, we will discover 3 different types of sound sensitivities, while talking about all of the ways it impacts us in different environments. We will then dive into different ways we can accommodate and advocate for our needs in the school, home, and other social settings!
The 3 different kinds of sound sensitivities include:
Hypersensitivity-You are overly aware of sounds and easily distracted by sounds. Hyperacusis- You feel physical pain in your ear from different sounds. Misophonia- You feel triggered with an intense emotional reaction when faced with different sounds!If any of these resonate with you, take time to reflect and build your environmental toolbox with sound tools (noise cancelling ear buds/headphones, play calming music to drown out triggering noises, ect.) and strategies that work best for you when at school, at home and even when out and about!
Reach out to me at www.katelynmabry.com to share your sensory sensitivity story! I also have some coaching openings coming up in the New Year if you are interested in working 1:1 with me! I look forward to connecting with you! Love you all!
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Welcome to episode 2 of our Sensory Sensitivity Series, where we will explore the sense of touch! This is a tricky sense as some of us experience sensory overload and others seek touch as a means of calming our overwhelmed sensory systems!! WOW! Do you struggle with one or both of these sensory sensitivities when it comes to touch? If so, this episode is for you!
In this episode, we will dive deeper into how touch can trigger big, intense emotional reactions and cause dysregulation. Different touch may include, hugs, hair brushing, teeth brushing, touching sticky things or other textures, tags and other clothes sensitivities, and even holding different items may drive you bonkers! I share some ideas to explore if you are experiencing this touch sensitivity.
ON THE OTHER HAND, where are my sensory seekers of touch!? You may relate to seeking touch to stimulate your sensory system to help feel more alert and focused! It can also act as a distraction from overstimulation or overwhelming emotions you are experiencing! I share how my kiddos use our sensory swing as a giant hug to calm their sensory systems down when emotions run high!! I do share some accommodations such as weighted blankets, fidgets, physical activities, heavy lifting (carry laundry basket;) as a way to fulfull that craving of touch, while also acting as self-regulating tools! I share ideas, however, the bottom line is that every child is different and you need to discover what works best for your child in the home and school environments!?
How can you create an environment that is sensitive to your sensory overload or craving for more touch!?
Send me a message through my website at www.katelynmabry.com to share your sensory story! I look forward to continuing to explore your senses with you as next week we move on to the sense of sound!! Love you all!
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Are some of your senses sensitive!? If so, you are not alone and there are many of us who have sensory sensitivities too!! This episode is simply our intro into investigating and exploring how your senses are speaking to you! Stay tuned to your sense of touch, taste, smell, hearing and sight this week to identify if any of these senses are telling you it's TOO MUCH or you may see signs of wanting MORE in some sensory areas! It's amazing how our bodies speak to us! We need need to listen and respond!
I simply want you to heighten your sense of self awareness this week. This next month, we will move through each sense so you can feel aware and prepared for this upcoming holiday season filled with so many sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and things to touch!
Come visit me on my website www.katelynmabry.com to reach out and share your sensory story, reach out to be a guest on a future podcast, or take a peek at the different things I have to offer as a coach, an author, and a passionate ADHD warrior, who is here to come alongside you on your journey! Love you all!
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Living with a busy brain and big emotions can be challenging in itself. When loss of any kind is experienced, it can truly throw anyone on a rollercoaster of emotions, but sometimes those of us with ADHD have those waves hit even harder and it's easy to feel out of control in what we think and feel! I know this is a tough topic! But we can do hard things, and talking about this is both hard and neccessary for moving through any grieving process!
Our family recently lost an extremely close and precious member to her fight with cancer! My sweet, 44 year old sister in law passed way too young and it's hard for any of us to make sense of it. I believe she is now with Jesus and she is in no more pain, but man we miss her here on earth! This grieving journey our family is now on is what prompted me to do this episode! We ALL are grieving so differently and we have a house full of busy brains who are navigating this grief together...
In this episode we will talk about what different types are loss are that triggers grief and walk through what the stages of grieving may look like in different waves. We talk about how it can effect your mind, body and emotional regulation! We dive into different ways/ideas to respond in the seasons of grieving too. I share how one of my girls has been stuck in the anger stage, my other daughter gets tummy aches and doesn't like to talk about it yet, while another is releasing her many thoughts and emotions in a journal.
Bottom line is that there is no right or wrong way to grieve. There is no shame in it and learning to release it in healthy ways will help you move through it more mindfully. Grieving looks different for everyone and it's important to talk to a trusted professional, adult, or friend about how you may be experiencing grief in your life so that you can feel seen and heard through this difficult time.
Come visit my website at www.katelynmabry.com to connect with me or share more topic ideas! I would love to hear from you!! Love you all!
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HEY FRIENDS!! I mean that with my whole heart! Each one of you have a special place in my heart! In this episode we will talk about how friendships can feel tricky sometimes and I share an accrostic poem of different ways to not only discover lasting friendship, but also become the best green light friend possible!
You will learn more about...
Find others who love you for YOU
Recognize if friends are causing you to stumble
Identify green light friends while navigating other colors of friendship
Encourage positive connections
Never be a bully
Declare that you will choose to be a great green light friend!
I dive into each of these and more!! Reach out with any questions, comments or episode ideas for the future at www.katelynmabry.com! I am here to come alongside you on your journey too!
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Hey you amazing ADHD warriors!! I use the word worriors because it really does feel like a battle in our minds and emotions sometimes, doesn't it!!? I hear SO often...These emotions are like 0-100 sometimes! YEP! Those of us with ADHD busy, beautiful brains have a tendency to experience emotions to a whole new level as we are faced with different triggers and internal executive function challenges throughout each day (this absolutely varies per person!)
In this episode we will get curious about those big emotions and investigate the one that almost all of us come up against...ANGER...It comes fast and furious, often out of left field too! No worries, I am here to tell you that you are not alone and there are ways to exercise that brillant brain of yours to strength the skill of responding to that intense emotion doing something other than LOSING it!
This is a topic we will revisit again as this just scratches the surface of understanding and responding to our feeling of ANGER! First step is always recognizing and raising self awareness of what is driving the anger? Are their underlying feelings that need to be named? What is the driving thought that is spiraling the anger deeper? Now let's take action...
REMOVE yourself- This step is HUGE! When your anger is in charge and you stay in the space it was triggered, it's next to impossible to settle your nervous system and find calm! So move those feet to a safe and calm space that where you can practice the next step...
REGULATE yourself (younger kiddos may need coreguation to accomplish this)- What can you do to find calm? Legos, coloring, music, sensory swing, walk/play outside, take a bath/shower...what does your body and mind respond best to?
RESPOND/RECONNECT- This is the step that you revisit the conversation with a person you were angry at, revisit homework that triggered anger (with a plan to strategically move through the rest), reconnect with person or activity at hand...
If you find these podcast episodes helpful and want to connect more, visit www.katelynmabry.com to reach out, check out my resources, connect with me to share a episode topic idea or to be a guest on a future podcast... or even to book a free coaching consultation to see if that might be a next step for your family! I look forward to hearing from you soon. Love and appreciate you all!
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I know I talk a lot about the importance of foundational mindset and taking control of your thought life, but a HUGE part of that is becoming self-aware and mindful of what we are feeding our thoughts and what we are physically nourishing our bodies and minds with!
In this episode, you will hear from certified Holistic Nutritionist, Kara Ungaro, who is not only brilliant in her effort to stay on top of studying the body and mind, but also has some awesome analogies, including fueling your body with what it needs... this will help you visualize so that we better understand the the value of practicing the "stop, start, keep" practice in order to start making some positive changes each day! On a fun side note, she's also my big sister!
You can connect with Kara to schedule a FREE 1:1 consultation by emailing her at [email protected] to learn more about how you can customize a plan for you and/or your child to ensure you are getting the nutrients that you need to succeed and thrive each day!
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Please don't get me wrong, I am not a big fan of homework! To be completely honest, I feel that often homework loads need to lighted and in some cases eliminated if it's not neccessary for deeper understanding...studies show there is no significant difference in learning between children who do and don't do homework and if it's a mental and emotional burden, I feel it should be addressed as something that needs to be adjusted based on the type of learner! BUT, I also know that homework is required for most students and my episode today can also apply to any type of task or chore too.
Our busy brains love systems and order...but a lot of the time we have a hard time creating it for ourselves. Recognizing the need for a system and taking ownership of the thought shift around practicing the system regularly makes a world of difference when it comes to thriving in that system created!
In this episode, you will hear a train that leads into the topic of creating a homework system that runs smooth and if it does get derailed, that is simply a signal to fix, adjust, or add to the part of the system that isn't working!
Discover WHERE, WHEN, and HOW you want your homework system to run at home to make it a smooth ride and discover the beautiful benefits of turning this into a habit that will help you thrive each day!
Visit me at www.katelynmabry.com to reach out with questions, give podcast episode ideas, or to just check out the resources I have available! I look forward to hearing from you! Love you all!
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After my last self-advocacy episode, I was asked to dive deeper and talk about facing the fear many kiddos have when it comes to advocating for their needs. I decided to point blank use the word FEAR as an accronym and put a positive twist to it as a means to give you all a guideline for growing that self advocacy muscle, even in the face of fear!!
In this episode, you will learn 4 steps to take in order to develop that skill of self advocacy at school, at home, and even in social situations!
Find- a trusted adult to turn to.
Educate- yourself on how your beautiful brain works and what tools, strategies and systems work best for your brain!
Act- respecfully and with curiousity as you advocate for your needs.
Reflect- on how speaking up for your needs will be helpful and beneficial in so many ways.
I hope this is helpful for you all as you face this self- advocacy fear and try it out as a means of practicing self-awareness and voicing how you learn and grow best!!
If you are interested in looking into 1:1 coaching as your next step, I would love to come alongside you on your journey! It's an incredible process where I am seeing transformational, life-changing results with my clients. I say that humbly and mindful that everyone is on a different part of their journey! I am here for you and love you all very much! Visit www.katelynmabry.com to set up a consultation or to just check out my other resources! I look forward to connecting with you!
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When it comes to the statement, "out of sight, out of mind," that hits home at a whole new level for those of us with neurodivergent/ADHD brains! I lived off of visual charts as a child!! Between our working memory battle, attention lost, and organization that is all over the place...WE NEED THINGS IN OUR FACE in order to be successful at accomplishing what we set out to do each day!!
In this episode, you will meet Sara Olsher, who is the founder of Mighty & Bright Co. She shares a little science behind WHY movable visuals are valuable and she is in the business of creating and customizing a visual chart system that works best for you and your family! They are super cool and I can't wait to order some for my family too!
I want to encourage you to also advocate for use of visuals in your child's classroom setting too! This may look different depending on their age and classroom teacher, but it is super important to set our kiddos up for success by guiding them with visual support!
Check out www.mightyandbright.com to learn more about Sara and what she's created! She also has an incredible line of children's books that speak into difficult times. That is another great resource to foster those hard conversations!
Once you have checked that out, then hop over to www.katelynmabry.com to reach out with episode ideas, questions, or if you'd like to learn more about the 1:1 coaching I have to offer! I look forward to hearing from you! I love and appreciate you all! Looking forward to being with you again next week!
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Sometimes it's easy to ask for help at home and with those we feel comfortable with, but when it comes to asking for help or educating others in a respectful way in a space or place that raises challenges, that is a little more tricky!!
In this episode, you will start by hearing a fun Beetles song that speaks into the desire for HELP and then we quickly transition into talking about this timely topic of the skill of self-advocacy! This is a skill many kiddos have a hard time practicing and carrying out in the school environment especially! I want trusted adults to lean in too as there are some cases where there needs to be advocacy right off the bat to help teachers best understand the WHY behind behaviors seen at school or unseen challenges that often go unnoticed! We want to be advocating at every level in hopes of setting up an environment to thrive in!
Remember these 3 things to practice self-advocating...
Stay curious Sum up clarification Seek supportI hope these are helpful practices as you start this new school year! I would love to dive deeper with you as an advocate by your side. If that support sounds like a next step you'd like to take, hop on my consultation schedule www.katelynmabry.com. You can also reach out with episode topic ideas or if your kiddo would like to be a guest on a future episode! You are seen and loved!
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Did you know that "Dyslexia" is a learning difference that many (not all) kids with ADHD have? It actually something that effects approximately 5-10% of the population globally! This is often something that falls through the cracks in school and needs to be leaned into if reading continues to be a challenge for you!
In this episode, you will meet co-authors and mother/son due, Lynn and Jonathan Greenberg who share their personal journey with Dyslexia, while also sharing a taste of thier book with you too!
You can find this book on Amazon or visit their website www.creativecabcompany.com to learn more and contact them!
Visit my website www.katelynmabry.com with reach out if you want to be a guest on this podcast, share episode ideas, or to check out my resources too! I'm here for you! Love you all!
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Whether it's sadness, joy, anxiety or other emotions leading into this new school year, know you are absolutely not alone!! I've got you! In this episode, you will hear a fun snippet of the Inside Out 2 movie trailer and I challenge you to lean into the many emotions you're experiencing starting this new school year!!
You will walk through 3 I's to practice as you come up against those many emotions!
Identify the thoughts that are driving your emotions! (Name it, claim it, tame it, reframe it!) Ignite the power of YET to promote forward thinking Imagine the "what if's" that lead you to feeling hopeful for what's to come!I hope these three I's are a helpful guide for you to use as those many emotions emerge! It is absolutely ok and totally normal for you to feel all the feelings! It's what we choose to do with them that makes a difference!
If you enjoy my podcasts and are looking to dive deeper, I have a few spots left for 1:1 coaching come September! I would love to come alongside you and your family on your ADHD journey! Schedule a free consultation today! www.katelynmabry.com
Love and appreciate each and every one of you!!
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Wow! I have missed connecting with you all so much!! Please forgive my podcast pause! I was down and out for a couple of months after having a major surgery to remove a tumor from my carotid artery (neck). The recovery really has made me realize how much I still struggle with transitioning back into things and my activation skill needs to be exercised to get things started back up again!! This personal experience prompted me to post this episode!
Activation is an executive function skill that can be tricky for our ADHD brains sometimes. "Just get started" is often met with the feeling of overwhelm, feeling stuck, or even frozen in the moment, with the task at hand!
In this episode, you will learn a simple formula of steps to take to go from stuck to getting started (activated)..
Recognize the need to activate (what is the cause?) Regulate emotions (Practice what help you FIND calm...coloring, legos, movement activity/sport, intentional breaths, etc) & Reframe thoughts ("I will do this one thing NOW, so I can ____ later.") Restore momentum using momentum makers (fidgets, music, break it up into bite size pieces, body double, etc.)Again, I am thrilled to be back with you all! Please reach out if you have any episode ideas or if you'd like to be a guest on my podcast! I know this one might be a little rusty, but I have some super fun episodes planned again, so stay tuned!!
If you want to learn more about the 1:1 Coaching I offer, you can visit my website at www.katelynmabry.com to schedule a free consultation or hop on my email list that I will also be getting started as soon as I practice what I preach and put those R's in motion! I only have a few more coaching spots left, so if that's an action step you would like to take with me, schedule now, and I will forward to connecting with you soon!
I will look forward to being with you ALL next week! Sending gratitude and love your way! Have a great day!!
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I don't know about you, but when I hear, "you just need to focus" it sends chills up my spine! It's NOT that easy, is it!? One thing I know about our uniquely wired brains is that it's not that we have the inability to focus, it's that our focus drifts from one thing to another when the task is boring or something else entices our interest driven, dopamine seeking brain!
In this episode, you will meet Dr. Norrine Russell, who is the founder of "Russell Coaching." Her and her coaches share the same passion as I do as a coach. We want to come alongside kids/students with a strength-based approach to help them understand and respond to thier brain best in the school and home environments! Dr. Russel and I share with you the 4 R's to practice when working on exercising the skill of refocusing on the task at hand...
Recognize-This can be the hardest part! Dr. Russell shares how it's helpful to practice listening for that faint voice inside your head sayind, "this isn't what I am suppose to be doing" and turn up the volume! Reflect- Ask yourself, "what does my brain need to succeed? Do you need a fidget, alternate seating, movement break, etc. Relax- Practice taking intentional breaths to calm your mind and body down and give yourself love and compassion in that moment. Redirect- This is were you get your engine started doing the task at hand... (give youself a micro-manageable step to take)"start writing for one minute or just do one problem."You can find Dr. Russell on her website at www.russellcoaching.com to learn more about their coaching program and to tap into her resources!
You can always find me at www.katelynmabry.com to connect with me in any way as well! I always love hearing from you!!! Have a great day! Love you all!
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In light of end of year testing (which I am not a fan of by the way!) I wanted to provide you with some encouragement and support so that you do not feel alone and you have some thought reframing, tools and strategies you can use moving into your upcoming tests.
In this episode I empathize with the fact that testing can feel EXTRA tricky and/or sticky for our busy brains. It is super important to seperate the results of a test from your intelligence. In full transparency, I was a terrible test taker, but it was due to my challenge with the executive function skills needed to execute the format of the test vs. where my intelligence or abilities were at! However, because I struggled with tests, it left me feeling stupid and inadequite much of the time. This spiral took years to climb up from into what I now call my unconditional confidence in my thoughts around test taking, the value I put into the effort given, the attitude towards taking test in resting in doing the best I could with what I knew, and how I treated each test as an opportunity to learn and grow from. I want this same unconditional confidence for you too!
Three keys to move into test taking season...
Stay CURIOUS about what your brain needs to succeed before, during, and after test taking. Get creative with study strategies, gamify, add color, etc. Whick areas of the test are feeling "sticky?" and what tools could you use to get "unstuck?" Fidgets, movement breaks, practice deciding between answers that look similar, use audible feature during test for added support. Advocate/ Ask for help! Connect with a trusted adult and talk about what accommations or tools would be helpful for you to test with! Practice self-compassion! Testing can just simply be HARD for those of us with ADHD. You are brilliant in your own unique way. Love on yourself, reminding yourself of all the strengths you do have and where your passion is!I love and believe in each of you!! Practice makes progress! Visit my website www.katelynmabry.com to order my children's book, "Hi, It's Me! I have ADHD" or to reach out for a FREE coaching consultation. I would also love to hear from you if you have episode ideas or if you'd like to be featured on a future podcast episode!! Hope to hear from you soon!
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You won't want to miss this episode as I interview a brilliant children's yoga instructor, Lauren Chaitoff, who has created a curriculum "Yogi Beans" to use as a tool for children to find calm, create a habit of taking intentional breaths, practice balance, and becoming mindful of their emotions, while also increasing the skill of concentration!
Join me and Lauren and we discuss all of the wonderful ways that the practice of Yoga can be helpful in your day to day lives. Lauren shares mindfulness strategies, we do belly breaths together, and we explore how yoga can strengthed that struggle with focus! She also shares how the book she wrote, "108 Awesome Yoga Poses for Kids" can be a great resource to get started with!!
You can find Lauren at www.yogibeans.com to check out all of her fabulous resources to try and to learn more about her Yoga movement!
Reach out to me at www.katelynmabry.com if you want to share a question or some of your ADHD journey on this show or if you have a topic you'd like me to cover in a future episode! I would love to hear from you! Love and appreciate you all!
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What are those doctor's called who play fun thinking games and help you understand your unique brain better!? They are called, " Neuropsychologists"!!! In this episode, you will meet two pediatric neuropsychologists from Maryland who have a passion for coming alongside kids and families who find themselves wondering if they have a "different thinking brain!?"
Dr. Yael Rothman and Dr. Katia Fredricksen share what the experience is like visiting a neuropsychologist and they also share more about their brand new book titled, "Different Thinkers- ADHD." This is their first book in the "Different Thinker Series" they are creating. They read a snippet from the book and share the importance of celebrating all of your strengths as you get to know your brain and navigate through things that feel tricky!
You find them on instagram @neuropsychmomdocs to follow their journey in sharing evidence based information to support your kiddo and share with other trusted adults in their lives! You can order the book on amazon to have at home or send to school for educators to use too! https://www.amazon.com/Different-Thinkers-PhD-Katia-Fredriksen/dp/B0CCSP1BX4
Visit my website, www.katelynmabry.com to connect with on a topic idea or to share part of your journey with our friends on this podcast! I look forward to hearing from you soon! Love all of you!
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