It's Gonna Be Ok!

Parenting is one of the most significant factors that impact a child's mental health. Unfortunately, there's a tendency that your parenting skills can worsen your child's Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) or other mental health disorders.There are cases when parents are unaware they are already contributing to their child's OCD. Thus, it's a must to educate parents about these things. Don't feed your child's OCD.Let's flip the script and help parents understand that there are ways to improve their child's OCD.How OCD works in the brainEverything is about the brain. It's all about how we use the brain to unlearn things, learn what we should do, and learn how to calm the brain. So everything starts with the brain. When we use brain-informed techniques, we use techniques that improve kids and families.When we speak of negative reinforcement, what happens is that we reinforce a behavior that is more likely to happen again. Then it becomes a habit. That's what happens with OCD. Negative beliefs, worries, unwanted thoughts, intrusive thoughts, and fears are reinforced.That's what obsessions, compulsions, and rituals are all about. They don't even have to make sense. Parents must let go of the idea that this has to make sense because that's not the case. It doesn't make sense to them, and it won't make sense to you, either.It even scares the children when you ask them if it makes sense and, if it does, how it makes sense. So what should be done is to avoid reinforcement. We shouldn't reinforce their worries or fears, especially when they're already overwhelmed by them.The more we push back, the more your child's brain says, "The bad thing didn't happen."We push our kids to feel distressed whenever we reinforce these unwanted and intrusive thoughts, worries, or fears. However, we must remember that the more we push back, the more we stop feeding the barking dog.The same can be said for anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems. The more we push back, the more your child's brain says, "Oh, the bad thing didn't happen. The worry didn't happen. I can do this." So it works by pushing down these behaviors, and eventually, we get to extinguish them.Undoubtedly, the journey to treating your child's OCD will be long and challenging. But it's going to be worth everything. That's why it doesn't make sense why around 30% of people drop out of Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP).OCD is such a tyrant. It takes over not just the child struggling with his mental health but also the whole family, who has to work around and learn about OCD.Exposure and Response Prevention teaches parents how not to reinforce desired behaviorsWe've been emphasizing how badly we must stop reinforcement from stopping feeding your child's OCD. We can better accomplish this through Exposure and Response Prevention, which teaches parents how not to reinforce desired behaviors. Instead, strengthen their autonomy and coping skills. One of the most freeing things parents can get is the feeling after extinguishing these behaviors, worries, and fears. Parents must be supportive of their children because they're the CEOs of their families and also because they are the first role models of their children.And so, when they feel like someone understands them, that’s a big deal. Hence, parents should have a positive attitude. They should be ready to do what should be done for the betterment of their children. There is no “magic wand”Parents should know that there is no magic wand because there's this common notion that Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) or some medication will reduce the discomfort their child is experiencing. It can reduce discomfort, but not entirely.With anxiety and OCD, there will always be physical discomfort. That’s why

Although Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is considered to be treatment-resistant, parents shouldn’t lose hope. Don’t let fear or worries ruin your family’s life. Treatments are available for you, effectively stopping OCD in its tracks.There's always room for growth. You can find professional care that will save you thousands of money and long years of pain and worried thoughts. Now, let's talk about these treatments to help us stop OCD symptoms. The more you give in to OCD, the more it gets reinforcedIt's essential to consult with mental health professionals, especially OCD experts, as they are the ones who can significantly help you and your kids. So, do whatever you need to do to get that mental healthcare provider.Remember that the more we give in to OCD, the more it gets reinforced and the harder it is to treat. That’s when your kid’s OCD becomes treatment-resistant, although it doesn't have to be because there are treatments that work and have been proven to be effective. The BrainBehaviorResetTM Program helps calm the brain and make families happy in various ways. So we need to reset the brain by calming it down and then undergo this program. We'll also be releasing our supplement line called Neurotastic, which will help treat OCD, so watch out for that.Using science-backed tools to calm the brain is essential, and it gives us better resultsIt's vital that patients use science-backed tools in calming the brain, as relying on scientifically proven tools gives us better results in treating OCD.We create wiggle room and then couple it with other types of mindfulness-based or evidence-based practices because sometimes, something as simple as breathwork is hard for somebody with OCD for various reasons.Most of the time, they're physically and cognitively jacked up, and the idea of calming down sickens them. When they do that, they might even have a nauseous parasympathetic response, so we have to be mindful.We want to ensure that the techniques and treatments our kids are getting are safe and gentle, which is essential. So we help them through various brain-based activities that calm and regulate the nervous system. Then, we come in with new learning through Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)How OCD hijacks the brain and how to deal with itWe've mentioned that Exposure and Response Prevention therapy does much for the brain. But we also have to couple it with a lot of psycho-education about how OCD hijacks the brain. Educating parents is necessary to inform them about their tendencies to accommodate and reinforce OCD.Many services and activities could be done to help a person feel more in control. But more than that, the first and most crucial part of treating and stopping OCD symptoms is understanding what's happening.You can't address OCD if you don't entirely understand it. If you don't know how sneaky OCD is, the next thing you know is you're already answering the questions your kid has about OCD. The fear is, “If we don’t do x, this bad thing will happen.”Worried or anxious thoughts invade your kid's mind when they have OCD. They fear that something terrible will happen if they don't do something.There are OCD cases that highlight a kid's good performance in school, at home, or elsewhere. But you only sometimes know whether high-performing kids are mentally healthy because they might be able to direct it well. Of course, their perfectionist tendencies will save them academically, but we can see the signs when we look back.Sometimes, our kids say scary and quite worrisome statements that don't necessarily make sense. However, this shouldn't be treated like such a bad thing because, through their statements, we get a glimpse of their thoughts.No matter where you are in your journey, we have...

More often than not, parents are warned how hard it is to treat cases of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). However, we’ve already established in our previous episode that we shouldn’t lose hope because there are solutions.We also briefly mentioned that the best approach parents should do to help their kids is Exposure and Response Prevention. So if you aren't treating yours or your kid's OCD with this therapy, you're wasting your time. Let’s dismantle all these reasons commonly imposed upon us about how people with OCD won’t get better because we can, in fact, get better with OCD. What is Exposure and Response Prevention?Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is a type of psychotherapy that is specifically designed for people struggling and diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder. Although, it can also be used for phobias and anxiety.As one of the most effective forms of treatment for OCD, it will help reduce your kid’s anxieties under the guidance of a therapist in order to manage your OCD symptoms. Why talk therapy is a waste of timeCalming down the brain is important especially before coming in with therapy. OCD hijacks the brain, which then hijacks families. It’s a tyrant and it doesn't care about you. You just so irrationally can't get in there with rational thought. That's why talk therapy is deemed to be a waste of time and money. Some people waste thousands of dollars for such treatment. Most importantly, they will waste hope, good feelings, and positivity. The importance of a good intakeTherapists are very strategic specifically when it comes to teaching you to stretch and get those safe exposures. They might start with the little things that you are not even aware of. As part of the process, you have to make a list of your intrusive thoughts, compulsions, or rituals that may be surprising to you. Once you get in there, you’re going to be able to find a nest of things. A good intake is part of the process to better understand where these things are showing up. So we look for triggers throughout the therapeutic process to be able to teach our kids how to not give into their OCD.Kids should be able to stand up for themselves, to be in charge of their OCD, and to test the boundaries. But what’s even more important is to teach parents not to accommodate it because without the right verbiage, you basically walk on landmines and you don't want to do that. Around 30% of people drop out of therapy because they have to really push hard, and it’s going to be uncomfortable. In fact, many parents are worried and afraid about their kids and how their kids will be in distress. But actually, it’s only going to be momentary. It all boils down to having the right tools and the right resources, reinforcing them, and having the right verbiage. In our BrainBehaviorResetTM Program, we have our own workbook where parents and kids do that. We test the boundaries and we expose them in a safe manner. No matter where you are in your journey, we have resources to help you:Mentioned in this episode:Is It ADHD or Something Else? Take the Quiz to find out!➡️ Join our FREE Natural Parenting Community to receive science-backed resources for your child and family. Join here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/naturalparentingsolutions/ ➡️ Get help from Dr. Roseann and her team. Apply here. https://drroseann.com/apply ➡️ “Is it ADHD or something else?” Take the quiz.  To take the quiz, just text the word "quiz" to 13Alertmore. Then you'll know whether your child has ADHD or something else.

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is said to be one of the most challenging mental health conditions to treat because it is treatment resistant.To better understand what’s going on with kids struggling with OCD, we must first know how to provide them help, and how to get the best treatment. I’m here to help you dispel common myths and misconceptions about OCD.Obsessive compulsive disorder is often misdiagnosed The first and common reason as to why obsessive compulsive disorder is treatment resistant is misdiagnosis. Obviously, if your kid’s condition is misdiagnosed, they won’t be able to get the right treatment. In line with this, having the wrong treatment also causes the resistance of your kid to treatments.Oftentimes, people with OCD opt for cognitive behavioral therapy or talk therapy. However, the best recommendation for treatment which has been proven to be effective is Exposure and Response Prevention which will be discussed in another episode. The more we form a habit, the more likely it is to stay.The first thing we need to do is to make sure that we have a proper diagnosis for our kids. Like what we’ve said, proper diagnosis is important in getting the right treatment.When we don't get that right diagnosis, we end up feeding the barking dog. Parents inadvertently accommodate their kids’ constant questioning. But we have to remember that the more we form a habit, the more likely it is to stay. It’s similar to your sleeping patterns becoming a habit. We get used to the things we usually do. In this case, if we keep accommodating our kids, their actions will just get reinforced every time. With OCD, we have something called negative reinforcement. It's the same thing as the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. The more we do something, the more likely it will happen. Conversely, the less we do it, the less likely it's going to happen. The more you read, the better you get rid of your OCD ways. The same way that the more we engage in the obsessive thinking, intrusive thoughts, compulsions, and rituals, the more likely it's going to happen. If you can visualize you have an intrusive thought, what happens?Intrusive thoughts make it difficult for people with OCD to function in their daily lives. They can visualize these thoughts. Case in point, a kid keeps on asking his mom if it’s going to rain because he’s worried he’ll be struck by lightning. That’s what an intrusive thought is like for kids.Once the kid’s mother confirms that it’s going to rain, the kid does everything in his power to avoid the lightning strike. There’s this high level anxiety prior to the confirmation of his mom. Then, the anxiety shoots down once the kid visualizes that intrusive thought.What happens every time the mother confirms the kid’s question, the baseline goes up. And so, there’s a need for more reinforcement for the baseline to go down to the point of extinguishment or until it gets into a normal range. Exposure and response prevention is the key.Reinforcement requires persistence to unlearn old habits and learn new healthy habits. This is best done through exposure response prevention. When you’re able to do it, what happens is that the brain has this recognition of whether or not something is going to happen or not. And so, the brain begins to relax once it’s reassured. As we’ve previously discussed in other episodes, the best way to calm the brain is through neurofeedback or PEMF.Most people waste so much time on medication, but then there’s no progress with their condition. I highly recommend the exposure response prevention as it is the most effective treatment out there. But we have to always take into consideration proper diagnosis to ensure proper treatment because once your...

If your anxious kid has been going to therapy for a long time but it seems to be ineffective, then your kid might be suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and not anxiety. OCD and anxiety are two disorders that are closely tied to each other but at the same time, they’re different and separate from each other. And thus, the need to distinguish between the two since there’s not enough discussion about it when in fact, it’s important.We have nowhere to go but upWhen someone comes in and gets diagnosed with OCD, I don’t look at that problem negatively. Parents have to be reminded that we have nowhere to go but up instead of scaring them and labelling it as the worst case scenario.Although before starting Exposure Response Prevention, I felt like there was a better success rate with people having heroin addiction as compared to those diagnosed with OCD.Sometimes, neurofeedback and other therapies are just not enough to stop these intrusive thoughts that creep into the minds of people with OCD. Just imagine how this would significantly affect a kid with OCD who has been hijacked with fear. When we answer questions, we’re reinforcing their irrational fearsWhat most parents don’t know is that they’ve been feeding OCD whenever they entertain and answer questions. They have been unintentionally and unknowingly reinforcing irrational fears into the brain of their kid.There’s no need to freak out because there’s a solution for you besides neurofeedback and therapies, and that is Exposure and Response Prevention. We will also be releasing a supplement line for OCD which you might want to watch out for.The difference between OCD and anxietyMany miss the difference between OCD and anxiety in terms of understanding. While OCD often starts with a nexus of anxiety, anxiety has a real worry. In line with this, the basis of OCD is from a minor part of reality but generally, it is completely irrational whereas anxiety is the basis of reality. Obsessive compulsive disorder or what we’ve been calling as OCD stems from irrational fears or uncontrollable and intrusive thoughts. The obsessions are all in an effort to avoid something bad from happening.With anxiety, it’s centred more on worries about things. And so, you can still have a brain that is looping and not turning off but it can be very real. There are many nuances to OCD thoughts which result in people seeking therapy. On the outside, particularly for kids, they might have worried questions, or they might be pulling back and be afraid of trying new things. There are many ways of identifying OCD.If you’re unsure if your kid has OCD or anxiety, it’s best to seek help from a licensed mental health professional who would be able to identify and assess your kid’s mental health condition. Whatever you wish to do, make sure you seek help because both OCD and anxiety can be treatment resistant.Kids are afraid to share what their obsessions areTo reiterate and emphasize, people suffering from OCD have these uncontrollable and irrational fears and such intrusive thoughts are just too much to handle, especially for younger kids. Kids are afraid to share what their obsessions are, because they're often very dark and scary. Instead of sharing these obsessive thoughts, they usually say things to reject engaging in a conversation with their parents or they just ignore.Understanding is a vital part of getting your kids to talk to you about their obsessions. For some, it’s going to be a tougher task to take but we all know parenting is hard and there are many ups and downs. But remember that no matter what is going on with your kid and family, whether it's anxiety, or OCD, it's gonna be okay. Just take one step toward a solution. Watch out for more episodes as we

Most people think they know what obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is when they don't. Their misconception is that it's as simple as someone washing their hands to eliminate germs. In a general sense, washing hands and constantly checking something are both manifestations of OCD. But what we don't talk about is fear which is at the core of OCD. So this episode is crucial as we'll tackle everything about OCD for the first time in this podcast series.What is OCD, and how does it develop?People diagnosed with OCD experience no rationalizing. They fear something terrible will happen if they don't complete an act of thought. So, nothing makes sense to them.Their thoughts don't make sense, and it doesn't even matter that these thoughts don't have any form of reality. But there's an irrational fear. A compulsion makes them want to complete an act of thought because of that irrational fear.At some level, OCD is considered anxiety. So, your kid diagnosed with OCD acts in irrational ways to cope with their anxious thoughts and irrational fear.When these thoughts and irrational fear become too much, there are different ways people use to be able to cope. Some people go to the gym and work out, while some try meditation or neurofeedback to help calm their brains. The coping mechanisms to get through the stressors differ in so many ways. This is what OCD is like, except that it's maladaptive. With OCD, intrusive worries, thoughts, and compulsions occur daily for an hour or more. As a result, it interferes with one's daily functioning. Its manifestations appear at home, school, or anywhere else. Kids are good at hiding stuff. Sometimes, they even hide what they're feeling or the changes that happen to them. They're masters at disguising even their OCD. Thus, we must learn about the symptoms and how OCD shows up.How does OCD show up with kids?OCD can be seen in a range of behaviors. To correct the misconception, just because you're organized and clean doesn't mean you have OCD. The case usually is this irrational fear that something terrible will happen if you're not clean or organized, for example.The most common observation associated with OCD is excessive questioning. Kids with OCD always need reassurance, so they keep asking you questions even though you have already answered them once or twice. It doesn't matter how many. They'll come up with more questions every time.OCD has nothing to do with feelingsOne of the biggest misconceptions about OCD is that it starts with intrusive thoughts. No, that's not always the case. OCD has nothing to do with feelings. OCD is about uncomfortable sensations and uncontrollable, fearful, intrusive thinking. But unfortunately, some therapists misdiagnose OCD, which happens all the time. So, when they misdiagnose, they work on a feelings level.Instead, what we want to do is to help our kids to understand what those obsessions are about. We have to treat it and stop accommodating it. Parents usually accommodate all the questions since, as we've mentioned, these kids have a high need for reassurance. Hence, that's what parents need to do - break the accommodation reinforcement cycle. OCD thoughts are dark and disturbingSometimes with OCD, one's thoughts become dark and disturbing, which is why kids of all ages usually don't want to talk about what's happening in their heads.These thoughts also make our kids embarrassed because they make no sense. So when your kid says these things out loud, they're not crazy. Instead, it is OCD taking over their thoughts; these are intrusive thoughts that have run amok, and the OCD has taken over the brain. How OCD is different from anxietyWhereas anxiety is rooted in something that actually...

Sometimes, parents just reach that point where they feel like no matter what they do or no matter how much professional help they get, it seems like they’re not getting anywhere. They seem to lose hope even for their child’s mental health.What parents lack is constant support and encouragement from the people around them that will immensely help them deal with their child and family’s mental health. Luckily, I’m here to help you with that as we discuss in today’s episode the benefits of group coaching in terms of parenting.Who can I trust to help me?Let’s face it. There are many programs and advertisements from unqualified health coaches that have no clinical experience that easily sway parents into helping their children with serious mental health issues like anxiety, depression, OCD, ADD, and the like.If you feel like you’re deep down that rabbit hole and there’s no way out for your child to improve, you can check out our Calm Brain Insider’s Group (https://drroseann.com/calmbrain/) where you can get expert guidance on science-backed solutions to help your child thrive.We created Calm Brain Insider’s Group for people who buy our Calm PEMF – an FDA-approved device that calms the nervous system and boosts mental and body wellness. It’s great for kids and adults and is truly a great investment for the whole family. You can check out my previous podcast episode regarding PEMF to learn more about what it is. What are the benefits of groups?Being so overwhelmed, parents feel lost and they don’t know what to do next. That’s understandable. By joining parent groups, you can get guidance and support.In my Natural Parenting Solutions Facebook group, you can get tools or DIYs but I think what helps more is being a part of a group. It’s just great to be in a safe space where you don’t have to worry about explaining yourself every time. They’ll be there to understand you.Our Group, Calm Brain Insider’s Group, is not a clinical group but we have a team of coaches and clinical professionals. We share our clinical strategies there that serve as natural solutions.More importantly, the group provides emotional support and practical advice. Most of the cases we’ve encountered are extreme but there are also those that are simple everyday behaviors. And like what my friends always say, “Sometimes, you just need Dr. Ro in your pocket.”I’m scientific and analytical especially in addressing these behaviors. That’s what we incorporate in our group. We should understand that we’re never really trained to become parents. It’s all about having your tribe.One of the frequently discussed topics in our group is the isolation that comes when you have a child with special needs, mental health issues, or other difficulties. It gets really overwhelming that you go through a range of emotions – embarrassment, sadness, grief or even anxiety. That’s why it’s helpful to be in a group because you get encouragement and inspiration from the people around you. Without your tribe, you’re more likely to feel isolated. For me, it’s all about having people with the same energy as you do. Surround yourself with people who will truly accept and love you.Choose being in a safe space where you’re free to express yourself. In our group, we have modules that are formed organically by what our group wants. We usually organize the topics that we’re going to cover but our priority is to know what people need so we can focus on the actual solutions.How do I manage these behaviors?There are people with conditions like OCD, anxiety, depression, PANS, PANDAS, autism, and others that come to us. It doesn’t matter what the diagnosis is. We don’t focus on labels and support people with...

Most people, especially parents, think that the best and only answer to mental health problems is medication. However, that shouldn’t be the first step we should consider when it comes to helping our children.If you’re looking for natural solutions for mental health issues, make sure to stick around and learn more about solutions beyond medication. We’ll particularly tackle all about the Pulsed Electromagnetic Field, otherwise known as the PEMF.PEMF and how it worksA technology I’m sure most people are unaware of is Pulsed Electromagnetic Frequency (PEMF). It is a natural solution that I have been using for years to help increase one’s focus. Personally, I love how PEMF works. In fact, I have my own device called calm PEMF which has been around for some time but I still need custom protocols. Other than that, it’s an amazing device that helps support the brain, body, and your overall mental wellness. I know how challenging it is to have a child struggling with his mental health. That’s why I’m here to provide you with safe ways to regulate the nervous system that are natural so you won’t have to resort to medication. Calm PEMF is a device designed to be portable and convenient for its users. It’s noteworthy to point out that PEMF has been proven to be effective and is backed by science in lowering stress levels and boosting brain function with just a press of a button. Be calm anywhere and anytime with Calm PEMF. If you’re interested in learning more about this device, you can check it here on my website (https://drroseann.com/calmpemf/).What is neurofeedback and how does it work?My love for neurofeedback is evident from my previous podcast episodes where I’ve mentioned how much it has improved my clients’ mental health. In fact, I have been doing neurofeedback therapy for a long time now for thousands of people and I have even conducted over 10,000 QEEG brain maps.Neurofeedback is an amazing tool that changes specific regions of the brain through direct reinforcement in certain areas, whether it’s for training, brain communication, or areas that are under-stimulated or overstimulated.It helps in regulating and calming the brain. Notwithstanding the benefits of neurofeedback, we also want to come in and have new skills. And this is where PEMF comes in handy. We call it Calm PEMF for a reason – it helps calm the brain and can even be used daily.Combining PEMF with biofeedbackI have a friend with Parkinson’s Disease who was able to improve the state of his nervous system by calming it down through PEMF. This prompted me to check out the device and now, I own many different versions of it. There are also some devices in our clinic which combine PEMF with biofeedback which have multiple sensors. Typically, people with PANS, PANDAS, and autism have poor cellular communication and experience mitochondrial difficulties. My own child, JC, has mitochondrial issues and we do many things to support it through his lifestyle and of course, through PEMF. And the best thing about it is that he's a big fan of it and he has been thriving since. How PEMF supports mental wellnessCombining neurofeedback and PEMF has done wonders for me and my clients. But also, incorporating proper lifestyle and dietary changes in your everyday life also contribute to the progress that you’ll gradually see in yourself.You’ll then start to see that your symptoms are going down and that generally, your life is getting better. And if you’re a parent, you’ll definitely notice that it’s less chaotic at home.PEMF, a little device yet a powerhouse, supports cellular communication. It sends a signal – low hertz frequency – between 0 and 200 depending on...

1 in 2 kids in America has a physical or mental health problem. Although we should be worried about the effects of the diagnosis, there's nothing to be ashamed of when your kid is different.As most people say, being different is good, and it's true because we have a diverse population. In scientific terminology, we have been using the term 'neurodiversity,' which we'll discuss further. Now let's talk about how we can help our kids accept themselves and how to get them to celebrate their neurodiversity. It's never too late to have conversations to help our kids celebrate their differencesAs parents, we want the best for our kids: the best educational system, mental healthcare providers, and more. So we are all working hard for our kids to have all these things and more opportunities for them to enjoy such beautiful and comfortable lives. Because we don't want them to experience any discomfort or any problems, we tend to shelter them too much. We've been doing "Bubble Wrap Parenting" for so long that we forget that these kids build resilience through pain, grit, and challenging times.Through these challenges, kids get all those critical coping skills that they need and will be beneficial for them in dealing with issues. That's why engaging them in conversations is essential, as it helps them celebrate their differences.It's never too late to have these conversations, and it all starts at home, considering that parents are the first role models for their kids. So, you must have respectful communication within the family. Avoid using negative words that adversely affect your child's motivation and mental health. Einstein had a genetic defect that allowed his brain to process information at 400 times the rate of a typical brainWhen people talk about being brain smart and being a genius, they usually refer to Albert Einstein, one of the most famous physicists best known for developing the theory of relativity and contributing to the development of the theory of quantum mechanics.Most people are unaware that Einstein had a genetic brain defect along his corpus callosum. As a result, he had 400 times the neural connections. A genetic defect allowed his brain to process information at 400 times the rate of a typical brain. However, there were many different stories about him in his younger years, and some haven't been proven. Although, it's been said that he didn't talk until the age of 4, and that's understandable considering the genetic defect in his brain.His brain was processing too much information that was coming in, which is quite excessive for such a young child. It's even tougher to take in when you have all these roads of information. The brain couldn't handle the pressure.Neurofeedback helps calm the brain downWith all the information coming into the brain that needs to be processed, the most innovative tool that's been a game-changer for most people is neurofeedback. Neurofeedback helps tune everything out, and most importantly, it helps calm the brain down. But, like I've said in other podcast episodes, medication shouldn't be the first solution for our kids. Instead, go for safe and natural treatments that are proven effective and backed by science, research, and peer-reviewed studies.Getting kids to celebrate their brainsOne of the most crucial parts of getting your kids to celebrate their neurodiversity is understanding the brain, how it works, what it's capable of, what we can do, and everything else. You don't have to be a brain expert to be able to give your kids an in-depth understanding of what's happening to them or their brains. Make them understand the importance of having excellent executive functioning skills.Teach and help them better manage impulse control, organization...

One of the hardest things a mother could experience is seeing her child struggling and not knowing what to do. And so mothers tend to try several things to help their children as they are clueless about who to run to for help.If anybody gets what it's like to have a struggling child, it's Kris Rice, an empowerment coach who was part of our BrainBehaviorResetTM program. Join us as Kris shares more about her neurofeedback experience and stories.The more it happens, the more likely you are to repeat itThe statement "The more it happens, the more likely you are to repeat it." is often true, particularly in cases where the behavior in question is constantly reinforced in some way. For example, Kris' daughter would have these compulsive behaviors, which helped confirm her obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) diagnosis. Most people consider it a genetic problem, which is the least likely thing. Instead, it's a habit formed in the brain. You're creating behaviors around a fear that doesn't make sense, but in association, it's called a negative reinforcement cycle.Neurofeedback is a lot of workNeurofeedback was a lot of work, but what made Kris and her daughter stick to the whole process was achieving a different and happier life for her daughter. That motivation was an anchor for them to hold on to as their lives revolved around being better for a little while.They were committed and spent two to three times a week for half an hour for Kris' daughter's treatment. It seems like a bit of time, but you must commit and persistently continue with it every time, as it typically requires multiple sessions over several weeks or months.During each neurofeedback session, the patient must actively engage with the feedback and focus on specific tasks or exercises. It can require significant mental effort and concentration, which can be challenging for some.Overall, it can be a lot of work to undergo neurofeedback. But it can also be a highly effective and rewarding therapy, especially for individuals with neurological and psychological conditions.How does neurofeedback help treat OCD?As mentioned, neurofeedback can treat various neurological and psychological conditions, including OCD. The goal of neurofeedback therapy for OCD is to help the patient learn to regulate their brain activity and reduce symptoms of anxiety and obsessive thoughts.An electroencephalogram (EEG) machine monitors your child's brain activity while focused on specific tasks or exercises. The feedback may come in visual or auditory cues, indicating when your child's brain activity is within a particular range or when they have completed a task.Over time, your child will learn how to recognize better and control their brain activity, which can lead to a reduction in OCD symptoms and improved overall well-being.Why the brain map is so importantBrain mapping, also known as brain imaging, is vital in assessing one's diagnosis and treatment, especially for neurological and psychological disorders.It provides insights into the brain's functional organization, which significantly helps scientists, doctors, and other professionals understand how different areas of the brain are connected in controlling various functions such as perception, movement, emotion, and cognition.Another essential fact about brain mapping is that it aids in diagnosing neurological and psychological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, and more. It also helps doctors monitor the effectiveness of treatments your child is receiving. How to talk to your spouse about holistic treatmentsAs we all know, communication is vital in any relationship. By approaching the conversation with empathy and respect, you can discuss holistic treatments with your...

Helping your child understand their diagnosis is already a challenging task to do as it is. So, let's not make it any harder for you, your children, or your family by tolerating the acts and opinions of family members who don't understand your child's diagnosis. It's not just your child who has to be educated about these things. It would help if you also learn how to deal with family members who don't understand your child's diagnosis because they'll always have an opinion. Even random people outside have an opinion, but it's not their business to mind. Let's dive in and learn how to set boundaries for you, your children, and your family.A lot of women, in particular, are not great at setting boundariesWhile mentoring many people, I've encountered employees, especially women, who find it difficult to set boundaries, which is understandable. Everyone has an opinion when they see your child acting differently. Sometimes, they voice out these opinions to you. Other times, they don't.Sometimes, people give you their opinion out of love, and they think that's the right thing to do. But then, you get affected by what they say, which would also affect your parenting skills and how you help your children deal with their diagnosis. That's why there's a need for us to set up boundaries.How do you deal with people who don't understand dyslexia?You tend to be overwhelmed when your family members' opinions get to you. But it would be best if you learned how to manage that. Otherwise, you may go down the rabbit hole or find yourself searching random things about your child's diagnosis in the middle of the night on Google.I have firsthand experience in dealing with a dyslexic child who also has PANS. Everyone might think they already know what dyslexia is, but they don't. It's an auditory processing problem and not a visual processing problem, which is a common misconception.It's not your job to sort out the stuff your family members come at you with. However, you can offer your insights and inform them how you're helping your child with their diagnosis. Tell them you're working with a specialist or getting professional help. How to deal with people who don't want to engage in conversationWe've said that sharing information with others is not your job. It's important to set boundaries, especially when dealing with people who have several opinions but don't have the intent to listen and want to refrain from engaging in conversation.Putting up boundaries will change you positively because sometimes, you're just never going to win with certain people when trying to engage with them in a conversation. Understanding and communication should be a two-way thing, not just one-sided.Aside from letting them know that they've crossed the line when trying to open up your mind to certain things regarding your child's diagnosis, startling statements also work well. Sometimes, you must respectfully say that the treatment you're giving your child is science-backed and works well for your child and the rest of your family.When you set a boundary, sometimes people get upsetSometimes, people don't know when they've already crossed the line. So when we set boundaries, they get upset. But for some reason, it's always about them and never about you. That's when you realize just how important setting boundaries is. But if you have a family member willing to learn, share the information they need. Great conversations help enlighten them further about your child's situation. We must understand where they're coming from – maybe out of love or concern – and they want to help.No matter where you are in your journey, we have resources to help you:Mentioned in this episode:Is It ADHD or Something Else? Take the Quiz to find...

For parents, it's already hard enough to discover that their kid is diagnosed with a particular mental health disorder, and it's even harder for them to find the right time and manner to talk to their kids about their diagnosis.That's why I'm here; to guide you on how to talk to your kid about their issues and diagnosis so that we can help them be better individuals and great contributors to society.How do we talk to kids about their diagnosis?The frequently asked question we get from parents is how to talk to kids about their diagnosis - whether it may be ADHD, anxiety, dyslexia, OCD, depression, or other mental health disorders - without making them feel bad or stigmatized. Your kid most probably knows something is going on because they are struggling. So, the most important thing to do is to talk to them about it. They are going to imagine worse possible scenarios than worry about some label that's been imposed upon them.What we have to keep in mind is that a label is only a label. It shouldn't limit our kids from doing things they usually do. So, we must understand these clinical conditions to know the challenges and the gifts that come with them.When kids understand these things, they at least have an idea of what they can do about it, which is crucial because our help can only go so far if they don't take action themselves. Parents are the CEOs of their kids and familyParents are the CEOs of everything - kids, mental health, physical health, and everything else within their family. So they need the right solutions to help their kids improve their mental health. The first step is talking to them about their diagnosis.First, we should always think about the developmental level. We want to use language that is appropriate for each level. But we also have to consider that the child's age sometimes doesn't match their emotional maturity. Always start with your kids and ask them what they know. We want to make sure that we will talk to these kids so they can hear and explicitly understand us. That's why it's crucial to educate yourself about these clinical conditions to see these situations in a different light. We have to know the root cause of these issues.It's also best to get reliable information besides Google. We must provide professional help to ensure that our kids are on the right path to improvement. Ongoing conversations are importantTrying to teach and talk to your kids about their diagnosis shouldn't be just a one-time thing. Instead, you must hold continued conversations about everything relevant and essential to their situation so that they can know how to deal with it themselves.If you talk to them at a young age, you also have to keep reinforcing these as they continue to age so that there won't be any confusion as regards their clinical diagnosis and symptoms. So, we must be consistent to ensure they get comfortable with their diagnosis. Being involved in your kid's life is also a good step in being able to talk to your kid easily about their diagnosis. It's better when they can express their thoughts, frustrations, and feelings freely. We always have to use a positive stance and acknowledge the hard stuffTalking to your kids about their diagnosis may be challenging, but we must use a positive stance and acknowledge the hard stuff when we do so. We want them to be comfortable, accept their situation, and remind them they're not alone in this journey. Many people are willing to help, and there are remedies available.When you finally have that talk, make sure to check in on them from time to time. Have conversations or even small talk because the more kids know, the more they love themselves. No matter where you are in your journey, we have resources to help...

Neurofeedback jacks up the brain to an Einstein level. That's why many people get shocked when they learn how much of a game-changer neurofeedback is, especially in improving one's executive functioning and attention.Let's help your kids get things done and be more organized through the help of neurofeedback. It is a reminder that your kids are not lazy or hopeless and are not doing things on purpose.Let's dive into the discussion and ensure your kids will be more attentive and focused with better and higher stress tolerance.Start with the result, work backward, and teach the skillsThe biggest takeaway in being able to help our kids is for us to start with the result, work backward, and teach the skills. But to do that, we must have the patience and persistence to help us get through the tough challenges.Make sure to focus on the micro steps. After all, progress is progress, no matter how small. It will be a long journey, but change doesn't happen overnight. Just trust the process. In this case, the process is our BrainBehaviorResetTM (BBR) Program.When we work one-on-one with someone, we walk them up from the base camp to the summit. You don't get to jump through the base camp. It's not how life works. The brain needs reinforcement. It doesn't matter how intelligent your kid is. Reinforcement is important. What we can do to accelerate the process of helping our kids have better impulse control, cognitive flexibility, and stress tolerance, however, is by undergoing neurofeedback.What can we do to enhance the brains of these kids?Nowadays, the percentage of kids experiencing mental health issues is alarming. It has been heightened, especially during the pandemic, where kids have ADHD, OCD, anxiety, PANS, PANDAS, and more.Some kids find controlling their impulses and staying focused and motivated challenging. As a result, they have executive functioning issues. Some kids experience the same thing alongside another mental health issue, while some have executive function disorder as a standalone. We must focus on the structures and communication areas to enhance our kids' brains. It is where neurofeedback comes into the picture. Our previous podcast episodes mentioned how neurofeedback is a safe and effective tool, as evidenced by thousands of research and peer-reviewed studies for years.What neurofeedback does is it takes in ADD in executive functioning. Most of the time, we will have under-stimulated communication, so the brain performance isn't reaching the expected level. Instead, it shifts the brain from being unfocused to focused. Generally, what you see is the brain's communication areas underperforming. We call them "Waze brains" since they don't use the highway and send them off to go on the back roads. These kids' brains do not function as efficiently for many reasons. It may be because of genetics or birth trauma. It may be stress or a poor diet. The list goes on.Neurofeedback is like balancing the wheels of a carTo jack up the brain, we need a lot of nutrients. Another solution to get the brain working more smoothly is having neurofeedback, which is similar to balancing the wheels of a car. Everything goes from the dysregulation and under or overstimulation to getting them to work correctly.Like balancing a car, you'll see kids in calmer behavior and less stressed because they can see the results and solutions, which is a big problem for kids with executive functioning issues. But, unfortunately, they tend to need more ability to see the end results.Kids with executive functioning issues find it difficult to manage problems, but with the help of neurofeedback, stress is mitigated, and they get to face their problems and know what they need to do about them. What is neurofeedback, and how does it...

Previously, we’ve discussed how significantly important it is for kids to have great executive functioning skills. We’ve emphasized that when kids struggle with their executive functioning, they oftentimes have a hard time getting their emotions in check and accomplishing tasks.Since we already learned the important things about executive functioning, the next thing we have to do now is to teach our kids how to have better executive functioning skills.Is it possible to teach executive functioning?Executive functioning is something that can be taught. It’s possible to shift from working awfully hard with outcomes that are not good for you or your child to working smarter and developing skills for your kids that will help them today in school and in the future with their job and relationships.People with poor executive functioning skills have no sense of time and have poor organizational skills. They have no idea how to plan or prioritize which things make up advanced executive functions. That means they always need someone to tell them what they need to do, which can be frustrating. There are tools and resources that will help you improve outcomes. For starters, make sure to maintain good time management and a high stress tolerance to avoid frustration.How do we change executive functioning?What we want and need to do is to teach our kids how to think about the outcomes and stay focused. We’ve already established in our previous episodes that attention is the brain's ability to stay alert while executive functioning is for planning and prioritizing for a future event or outcome. When we teach our kids about future outcomes, we want to activate the part of their brain that is kinesthetic. We also want to activate the visual centers of their brain, which comes through patient conversations and it’s easier that way.Skills, not pillsNeurofeedback speeds things up. But we have to teach skills, and there's no shortcut for that. We have to go for safe and natural remedies. So, we prioritize skills rather than pills. Usually, when parents get frustrated, they go with medication. Some have tried neurofeedback with me but are not willing to do therapy which is not good at all. We have to build skills. When you're shifting things, you have to expect that you’re going to get pushed back. That’s a normal part of the process. It’s also going to be a bit of an uncomfortable journey regardless of your kid’s age. That’s why it’s necessary to warn parents beforehand because being uncomfortable comes with change. That's perfectly normal considering that the brain is going to go through an adjustment period, and your kids are going to start building confidence at a deeply subconscious level. They're going to start rewiring their brain, and they'll start seeing the outcomes.The greater the constancy and reinforcement, the more it happensAlthough everyone’s timelines are different from each other, we need to observe constancy and reinforcement. The greater the constancy and reinforcement, the more it happens.Most people don’t like being constant, which is why they don’t work out every day. But in order for us to achieve the goals that we want, we have to be consistent in what we do.We can expect our children to do what we won’t do for ourselvesYou cannot automatically assume that if you are good at a certain thing, your child is going to be good at it as well. That’s not how it works and that’s not how it should be.You should also be challenged that if you’re not good at something, it is an opportunity for you and your kids to learn some skills and uplevel the brain, executive functioning skills and relationships at work, in school and at home. We can’t expect our children to do what we won't do for...

Surely, it has already crossed many parents’ minds how they could get their kids to improve their work production or how they could be faster in terms of getting things done.Though it sounds negative if we think about the need to make your bright kid work faster, there’s a solution to that. The secret is improving their executive function skills.We can help them be organized and focused so that they’ll be able to be more efficient in getting things done. With that, let’s dive into the discussion of advanced executive functioning skills.What are advanced executive functioning skills?In our last podcast episode, we talked about foundational skills which are essential in executive function and we’ve pointed out that we can’t build a house without a solid foundation.Without these foundational skills, we can’t get to these higher level skills nor can we expect our kids to have amazing outputs without reinforcing those foundational skills in place.As for advanced skills, these are all the things that can be taught and so, we need to reinforce and shape them. We need to get them to ensure that our kids will be efficient in getting things done. With foundational skills, they get to start tasks and control their impulses whereas with advanced skills, we get them to plan and prioritize. At the heart of executive functioning is the ability to plan and prioritize.At the heart of executive functioning is the ability to plan and prioritize. And we’ve always said that kids who lack executive functioning skills mean they don't see an end result to whatever they’re doing; they don't think about outcomes.And so at school, when a teacher says they have to do something, it sounds like a foreign language to them because they don’t understand. For those who have great executive functioning skills, they always think about the outcomes. Planning and prioritizing starts with showing the end result and working backwards. You can learn more on how to do this in our reset toolkit which is easy and affordable for parents to get their kids’ skills to dive deeper.What works for you and your family.When finding solutions, you always have to look at what works for you and your child. Most kids with executive function disorder are time blind. They don’t have a sense of what time it is. You let your child take his or her time doing something when there’s a lot of time to spare but make sure to set a limit especially when there are more important things to do. Let them understand the concept of time. Goal-directed persistence requires a lot of reinforcement and a lot of clarity.Working towards a goal and you have the skills to persist translates to having goal-directed persistence. What it means is that we have broken down a task and it’s clearly laid out. Goal-directed persistence requires a lot of reinforcement and a lot of clarity. We can’t simply assume that because our kids have high IQ that they entirely understand what they need to. That’s the reason as to why most kids don’t persist and just give up. Sometimes, talking to yourself helps and your brain works by listening to itself. That’s what metacognition is. However, people with executive functioning don't talk to themselves in their brain in the same way. What we need to do instead is to talk out loud. When you think about a task, you have to say your message across to your kids to make sure that they understand. Don’t just have a metacognitive conversation. How to scaffold stress tolerance in your kids.Sometimes, even when kids are not able to organize their thoughts, they find many different ways to get an outcome in doing something. But then, we still have to teach them how to manage dealing with stress.There are many...

You can’t build a house without a good foundation and the same applies to executive functioning. The same way that a roof can’t go on the house without a good foundation. Many people struggle with accomplishing things and producing work even at the starting point.It is thus important for us to discuss the foundational skills of executive function to know where we should start. It will also definitely help us reach higher level skills like writing and completing high level work.What are the foundational skills for executive functioning?We’ve mentioned that executive functioning is divided into two aspects: foundational skills and advanced executive functioning skills. For now, we’ll be focusing on the foundational skills to have a solid ground and in depth understanding on what executive function is.These skills are response inhibition, working memory, emotional control, good flexibility in your brain, sustained attention, staying on task, being able to stick with it, and starting tasks, or what we call task initiation. But first, we have to clarify that attention is the brain's ability to alert whereas executive functioning is planning or prioritizing for a future event, results or outcome. And so, people with great executive functioning tend to visualize or think about the results when they’re accomplishing tasks. As for people without good executive functioning, they have a hard time focusing and visualizing these outcomes. So the number one foundational skill for executive functioning is response inhibition which means putting the brakes on, being able to shift gears, engaging in a task, and controlling your impulses at the same time.Commonly, kids with ADHD or executive function disorder are easily distracted. When we talk about distractibility, we’re referring to the brain's inability to control impulses. And if we don't control ourselves behaviorally and cognitively, we can't build from it.It’s all about reinforcing and shaping the behaviors you want.They say practice makes perfect and there’s some truth behind it since it’s all about reinforcing and shaping the behaviors you want. And that takes a lot of practice more than you might think. In fact, as I’ve mentioned in one of my previous podcast episodes, it takes 34 times to master something at a neat level. If you have a learning or processing problem, anything that's interfering with your thinking, anxiety, depression, it's going to be three times that amount. We always have to consider the brain in parenting. We need to look at research. We need to make informed decisions. Also, we have to keep in mind that our kids aren't doing this or acting like this on purpose. If you think your kids are doing this on purpose, they're not. It’s important for kids to learn how to self-regulate to support their controlled responses. To emphasize, we have to shape the behaviors we want. We want to show them what to do and then reinforce them. That's how behaviorism works and it’s a great resource for parents. What are the different kinds of memory?When we talk about memory, there are all sorts of memories. We have working memory, visual memory, auditory and kinesthetic. According to the different amounts of memory, we have long term recall and short term recall. So we have a complex field of memories.But what we use a lot is the working memory. It's pretty useful when we need to hold a certain amount of information for a short amount of time. That's our working memory. We have to hold multiple commands all the time. That's why we use working memory too much. We scaffold things to help us remember we do structure, we do routines, we do batching. We write things down. There are so many ways to help support us. Emotional control is more about cognitive...

Contrary to many people’s beliefs, medication is not and should not be the first and only answer to your child’s mental health problem. There are other solutions available for you and your child. You just have to decide which one is appropriate for your child and works effectively.For today’s episode, we’ll be discussing with Becky Wells, who is one of my good friends, all about what to do when your child struggles with behaviors at school. Moms need each other to learn from each other.Having children who struggle with their mental health impacts every aspect of life and of being a mother. That is why moms have to help each other out. However, like what we always say, not everything works for everyone; what may work for one mom may not work for you.We truly have to treat home as an environment of connection and of nourishing our families and not stressing so much about things that don't matter. I’m doing all the right things but why is my child having a hard time?No matter how careful we are in raising our children, things will not work out as planned all the time. In some cases, we try to walk on eggshells to avoid outbursts that would cause a ripple effect to everyone around us. Although sometimes, we can’t control things from happening.When your child makes an outburst, don’t panic. It is most probably because his nervous system was activated and he could not lower his stress levels to be able to rest. Many people don’t understand that the magic is in the little pieces.The hesitation of some people in continuing with their treatments is understandable considering that they can’t see themselves in the solution. They usually only see the gaps and never the game.Get rid of the belief that you’re doing something wrong that’s why your child is not recovering faster. You have to trust the process. It may take a long time to see positive changes but it’s going to be worth the time, effort and money you’ve spent. To reiterate what we’ve mentioned in our previous episodes, we shouldn’t think that our children are acting the way that they do on purpose. Their brains were just triggered to be in an overdrive state and they don’t know how to regulate their system.Behaviors don’t change without being reinforced and practiced.One of the most important insights that Becky got was that the road to recovery and progress starts within us. Nobody is immune to stress but we have to remind ourselves that if we’re on edge and we’re not taking good care of ourselves, our nervous systems are activated.It’s important to have a vision of what you want to achieve. For Becky, within a couple of days to a week, she had a clearer understanding of what’s happening. She knew about the factors that were hurting her child.The reality is that mothers are just as happy as their happiest child. And as much as we want to see instant progress or treatment for our children, it’s not going to happen immediately.It may cause some parents to doubt or blame themselves and the treatment their child is getting but that shouldn’t be the case. Parents are not to be blamed. Set your mindset and believe that your child is going to get better. You also have to make micro changes as behaviors don’t just change without them being reinforced and practiced the same way. Steering away from the mentality of instant gratification.We’ve been led to believe that if we take medication, we’ll see changes immediately. That’s a wrong mentality. We have to shift our mentality to affirming to ourselves that nature takes its time but it accomplishes everything throughout a long period.You have to believe and honor the process. And we also have to honor ourselves and our children. Let us not put so much pressure on ourselves and...

One of the most misunderstood parts of the brain is in the frontal lobes where focus and executive functioning are both being managed. Though it may seem difficult to have a deeper understanding as to how executive functioning works, we have to try our best to avoid misdiagnosis. Most kids experiencing executive functioning issues get misdiagnosed with ADHD and vice-versa. Thus, it’s crucial for us to understand the differences between these two. People with great executive functioning skills see the end result of everything.What’s good about having great executive functioning skills is that you get to see the end result of everything. They want a house and they start visualizing what kind of house they’re going to get. When making dinner, they know that it’s a stiry fry because it’s got chicken in it, water, chestnuts, and bamboo shoots. Put a little bok choy in there. They see think, and act with the results in mind.On the other hand, people with poor executive functioning go into a grocery store, and they don't know what they need to buy. When they throw things in the car and they get home, they realize that they have nothing in their pantry to actually make a meal. People with ADHD always have executive functioning problems.When someone is correctly diagnosed with ADHD, it has a lot to do with control, attentional shifting, attentional control, and alerting. You tend to struggle with everything and so it impacts your performance in school, at home or at work. It even creates conflicts in relationships.Executive functioning is closely intertwined with ADHD. They both deal with sustaining attention, starting tasks, and working memory which are foundational skills of executive function. We must understand that despite being intertwined, they are two separate concepts.People with ADHD always have executive functioning problems but not everybody with executive functioning problems has ADHD. So why do we misunderstand these two? Why are we really causing this difficulty with parents?Executive functioning is a set of skills.Executive functioning is of significant importance because it is a set of skills. Its foundational and advanced skills can be taught and can be learned. In line with this, there are many natural and holistic things that have been shown to dramatically improve attention. Equally helpful are our own neurofeedback supplements coming out for people with focus problems since there’s nothing in the market that are available and as effective. And so, we have to understand that these are things that can be taught. If school professionals are not really understanding what executive functioning is and they're doing what they're doing, which is saying, let's start with a checklist. That's not the way you build executive functioning skills. Executive Functioning DysfunctionProblems with impulse control arise in small ways even for children younger than 12 years old but it looks different for everybody. Some might experience emotional changes whereas others have more disruptive behaviors. There are some cases wherein a lovely and cheerful teenager couldn’t focus. You might have a toddler who can't keep his hands to himself. The behavioral changes they show could be ADHD or executive functioning. You often see it as a comorbid thing; something that's there with other things, it can also just be there on its own.We want to make sure that we understand that these things can co-occur with other things. We don’t want our kids misdiagnosed with ADHD or other mental health illnesses. We don’t want to have to guess whether they need help with executive functioning. But what they don’t need is an ADD pill.Executive functioning is something that can be taught now when it co-occurs frequently with...

Being organized and having a structure is beneficial even in daily activities that you do such as starting tasks and using up your working memory and this is what executive functioning is all about.As emphasized even in our previous episodes, we’ve said that it’s a must for us to maintain our healthy brain and make sure that there’s a healthy balance of neurotransmitters that would help us process information easier and faster. Let’s dive into the topic of executive functioning and know more about how this affects our kids’ mental health.What is executive functioning? Sometimes, the brain automatically maps out a big picture where all these pieces fit in; it organizes the ideas altogether. This comes in handy especially during brainstorming with others and they’re not too organized. And so, it’s important to gather information, structure these ideas, and organize them accordingly to make an outcome.We also have to talk about the foundational and advanced components when we talk about executive function. It can be impacted by ADHD, autism, OCD, pan's pandas, anxiety, depression, and dyslexia. In fact, dyslexia usually gets misdiagnosed with ADHD when they just have an executive functioning issue. There’s this foundational skill called response inhibition which pertains to your self-control. You're able to control your responses and you're able to think things through without being impulsive. If we don't have that, nothing is going to be built. That’s why this is a foundational skill. It also includes working memory, emotional control, flexibility, sustained attention, and starting tasks. Why do kids struggle with mental health?Kids suffering from anxiety, depression, OCD, or other mental health conditions, tend to be unfocused and inattentive. It’s like they’re not there when you’re talking to them. And so, sometimes, parents have a hard time identifying what’s wrong with their kids. They still don’t know why their kids struggle with their mental health. People with great executive functioning, however, are able to be focused and organized. They see results because of their foundational and advanced components.Parents, like caregivers, always have the power to help improve their kid’s mental health condition and behavior. Never give that power to anybody else whether it’s a doctor or other professionals. The control is all in your hands and you have to take better care of it by fully utilizing the tools and resources that you learn from this podcast.How to build your executive functioning and how does it differ from attention?We’re all about achieving a calm brain and a happy family. And so, it’s great seeing families creating a different life and being happier. That’s why it’s important for us to have good executive functioning and focused attention although those two concepts are not the same.It's all about seeing the expected outcome that we’ve set and what we need to do for our kids. Working memory just doesn’t automatically pop up. For some, it works better than others. But these skills can be built just like a muscle.Undoubtedly, if we’re not keeping our emotions and behaviors in check, and we’re not regulating our response inhibition, emotional control and real foundational skills, we're going to run into more problems. And when we think about the difficulties with task initiation, which is a common problem, switching gears transitioning can be a problem. These skills are what makes executive functioning different from attention. It is a brain skill and these are skills outside of attention. And outside of these are skills that are outside of intelligence.Kids with executive functioning issues start to show their difficulties when they have to manage a lot of tasks at once.Initially, it’s...

Sometimes, parents are left wondering if their kids have ADHD based on their behaviors but they’re not sure. Is that a normal thing or are we just expecting too much from our kids?It’s understandable that we assume that they have ADHD when they show inattentiveness or they get unfocused when we’re trying to talk to them. But how do we know if it’s still normal behavior and when it’s already considered as ADHD? And that’s what I’m here to do. I’ll point out the differences between the two and help you understand your kid’s behavior better.Have you ever wondered if your kid has ADHD or is it normal behavior?Sometimes, your kids can be a little rambunctious and they may have a hard time listening. They may only be able to focus when they're playing video games. Maybe your kid does have ADHD or maybe it's normal behavior. Maybe it's a developmental phase. ADHD is one of the most common mental health conditions affecting kids not only in the United States but also in the whole world even though the US has the highest rates of ADHD in the world. In fact, the rates for psychiatric medication for ADHD have completely skyrocketed during the pandemic. Many people struggled with focus, having kids at home and dealing with all these things. What’s normal for the brain?What we know about the brain is that when you’re more structured, you’ll be more organized and you’ll hold and process information better and easier. Simply put, your working memory is going to be stronger and everything will be more organized.The usual attention span of a two year old child is around 4 to 6 minutes and generally, every two years after that, it can increase by about 6 or so minutes. And so, the attention span that a 10 year old can hold is for about 20 to 30 minutes.When we are enjoying ourselves, we have way better attention.There’s an estimated amount of time for the attention span of a person depending on the age. Consequently, this estimation can be longer or shorter depending on whether or not your child likes what he or she is doing.This is because when we are enjoying ourselves, we have better attention since the brain is more stimulated. On the other hand, when it's boring, the brain isn’t stimulated and so your attention may be diverted to another or you get distracted from time to time.Certainly, our kids with ADHD are more kinesthetic visual learners and they are generally not auditory learners. So how do we know it's a problem? Just like if it's anxiety or depression, if your focus is getting in the way of your daily functioning, it's more likely to be a problem. Do we have high expectations for our kids’ behaviors? Because parents want the best for their kids, they set expectations for their kids but sometimes, their expectations are just too high to fulfill. Sometimes, their expectations are even ridiculous. In fact, the most ridiculous expectation I’ve ever seen for a child's behavior is when I had an encounter with a mother who was very upset that their four year old couldn’t make her bed perfectly. In what world does a child 4 years of age be able to make their bed? So when we think about our kids and what they're doing, let’s carefully think about the expectations we’re setting out for our kids. Are they too high? Is the task clear? Have you made the implicit what you assume they know, explicit? Do they really know what to do? When we are seeing a pattern of difficulty, we have a problem.Another signal for us to know that there’s already a problem with our kid’s behavior is when we see a pattern of difficulty. We have to look closely and check if there’s something already going on with our kids.And so, it’s necessary to do analysis in the Brain Behavior Reset (BBR)...