If you’ve ever found yourself spiraling trying to figure out…
Is this ADHD? Anxiety? High sensitivity? Sensory issues? Something else? — you are so not alone.

In this episode, we sit down with Alane Freund and walk through real parent scenarios that will probably feel very familiar.

We talk about a 4-year-old with intense, daily meltdowns that seem to come out of nowhere…
An 18-month-old who won’t separate or engage socially…
A teen dealing with anxiety, OCD, and school refusal…
And even what “inattentive ADHD” can look like in a highly sensitive kid who’s constantly in their own world.

This is one of those conversations where you start to realize…it’s not as clear-cut as we’ve been told.

Inside the episode, we get into:

• Why highly sensitive kids can look like they have ADHD (even when they don’t)
• How anxiety shows up in the body (nausea, headaches, shutdowns) and why it’s often misunderstood
• The concept of kids being “half their age” when they’re overwhelmed and how that changes how you respond
• Why tantrums aren’t something you fix in the moment (and what actually helps instead)
• What to do when your child refuses school, including options most parents don’t even realize they have
• The difference between temperament vs. diagnosis (and why that matters so much)

We also talk a lot about you as the parent, your nervous system, your triggers, and why your regulation matters more than any strategy.

Because the truth is…these kids can feel confusing, intense, and honestly overwhelming at times.

But they’re also incredibly perceptive, thoughtful, and capable of so much when we understand how to support them.

This episode will help you feel more clear, more grounded, and less like you’re guessing your way through every hard moment.

Get Alane's FREE GIFT here: 10 Pillars of Resilience

https://alane-freund.mykajabi.com/10-pillars-of-resilience

Find Alane here:

Alane Freund | Are You Highly Sensitive
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Find Adrienne on Instagram here and find Leah on Instagram here

Clutter stresses me out, but getting my kids to actually help clean it up? That's a whole other battle. And if you've ever resorted to threatening screen time or bribing with dessert just to get the toys off the floor, first of all, same. But also, this episode is going to change the way you think about all of it.

Leah and I sat down with Ann Dooley, founder of Simple Joy with Ann and creator of the Dooley Method, and I genuinely walked away from this conversation seeing things differently.

Ann is a certified master level KonMari consultant, a parenting coach, and author, and her whole approach is about connection first, which honestly fits in perfectly with everything we talk about on this show.

We get into why threats and bribes actually backfire, like, they're literally triggering your kid's fight or flight response, which explains so much. We also talk about how the home you grew up in shaped the way you deal with clutter today, whether you're the person who keeps everything or the person who throws it all away. Both extremes come with a lot of baggage, and a lot of us are just on autopilot repeating patterns we never even chose.

Ann walks us through her SHINE framework — Seen, Heard, Independent, Nurtured, Engaged — and how using it helps kids actually build internal motivation to help around the house instead of just avoiding it. And she closes the episode with a guided meditation that I genuinely did not see coming but absolutely needed.

If you've ever just done it all yourself because it felt easier than dealing with the meltdown, this episode is for you. It's one of those conversations that sticks with you.

Guest: Anne Dooley | simplejoywithann.com | @simplejoywithann

You may have heard that in order to feel better and regulate your nervous system you need to "process" your emotions.

But how the heck do you do that?

Enter TAPPING - the easy, accessible tool that will help you process and release emotions, and feel better fast - and your kids can use it too!

In this podcast episode we are talking with Nicole Sabella — dancer, wellness coach, and founder of The Nourished Dancer — to explore the transformative practice of EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques), also known as tapping.

Nicole breaks down how tapping works using the body’s acupressure points to calm the amygdala, reduce cortisol, and help us process tough emotions — from anxiety and overthinking to parenting frustrations and performance stress. Whether you're a busy mom, a sensitive soul, or just navigating life’s daily overwhelm, tapping offers a simple, science-backed tool you can use anytime, anywhere.

You’ll hear:

- A step-by-step walkthrough of a tapping session (perfect for beginners!)

- How tapping differs from talk therapy, mindfulness, and CBT

- Real-life applications for moms and kids — from bedtime worries to sibling squabbles

- Why it’s not about “fixing” emotions, but moving through them with self-compassion

- Tips for introducing tapping to neurodivergent children and teens

- And a powerful reminder: "The only way out is through."

Nicole also shares how tapping supports emotional regulation, nervous system balance, and confidence — whether you're facing a big presentation, a tough conversation, or just the chaos of a school morning.

Plus: practical advice for building a 5-minute tapping habit, when to work with a certified practitioner, and how to start small (even if you're skeptical!).

👉 Learn more about Nicole at https://thenourisheddancer.com or connect on Instagram @nicole.e.sabella.