Does your child have trouble expressing themselves—or maybe they're talking nonstop but struggling to communicate effectively? In this episode of Chaos & Caffeine, Danielle sits down with bilingual speech-language pathologist and ADHD parent advocate Ellie Richter, MA, CCC-SLP, to unpack the often-overlooked connection between speech and language development and ADHD. Ellie shares her expert insights on identifying red flags, when to seek an evaluation, and how overwhelmed parents can advocate for support in schools and beyond.

Whether you’re new to the ADHD journey or neck-deep in IEP meetings and communication meltdowns, this episode will give you the tools, encouragement, and clarity you’ve been craving. We cover:

• How speech delays and ADHD symptoms can overlap (and get misdiagnosed)
• What “typical” language development looks like vs. when to get help
• How to use everyday moments to build language skills
• Why early intervention is everything—and how to get it

Don’t miss this jam-packed episode with one of the most relatable and resourceful voices in the SLP world. Grab your coffee, take a breath, and let’s decode the chaos—one conversation at a time.

Connect with Ellie and steal her resources! 👉

My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theessentialteletherapist/

My Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566987832697

My Website: https://theessentialteletherapist.com/

ADDitude Magazine 504 Accommodations

Sara Ward + resources: https://www.efpractice.com/resources

Tera Sumpter: https://terasumpter.com/

🔥 Resources Mentioned:

This Month’s Sponsor:  Let me introduce you to the little wearable that’s saving my nervous system one meltdown (mine and my kid’s) at a time. The Apollo Neuro is a science-backed device you wear on your wrist or ankle that uses gentle, silent vibrations to calm your nervous system in real time. Think of it like a weighted blanket you can strap on while navigating the school drop-off line or trying not to lose it during the seventh blue-cup meltdown of the day.

👜 Product of the Week: Parenting Simply by Adina Soclof — a gentle, doable intro to positive parenting with rave reviews from parents, bloggers, and experts alike. Check the show notes for the link and why I recommend it to every ADHD parent I coach.

Could Therapy be the Answer? OnlineTherapy.com—because let’s be real, even superheroes like you need a sidekick. Click here to connect with a licensed therapist and start feeling like the rockstar parent you are.

Need a roadmap for ADHD parenting? Join my live workshop, First Steps After the Diagnosis, and get your life back on track. Sign up now!

📧 Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected].

💡 If this episode helped, hit SUBSCRIBE, leave a review, and share it with another ADHD parent!

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So, your kid just got diagnosed with ADHD... and now your brain is spiraling between “Wait, should I medicate?” and “How do I even help them without totally losing myself?”
 Mama, you are not alone—and this week’s episode of Chaos & Caffeine is your lifeline.

In this solo episode, we break down the first 10 steps every newly diagnosed ADHD family needs to take. We’re talking real-deal science (in plain English), emotional survival tips, school support, the truth about medication, and how to walk into treatment—or walk away—with clarity and confidence.

I’ll also share this week’s Product of the Week (it’s a game changer), your parenting affirmation to stay grounded, and the real talk that makes you feel less alone and way more equipped.

🧠 Topics include:

• What ADHD is—and isn’t
• Emotional regulation (for you and them)
• Sleep, nutrition & therapy that actually helps
• School accommodations that don’t take 5 years
• Why medication is last on the list (and how to approach it with zero guilt)

🔥 Resources Mentioned:

This Month’s Sponsor:  Let me introduce you to the little wearable that’s saving my nervous system one meltdown (mine and my kid’s) at a time. The Apollo Neuro is a science-backed device you wear on your wrist or ankle that uses gentle, silent vibrations to calm your nervous system in real time. Think of it like a weighted blanket you can strap on while navigating the school drop-off line or trying not to lose it during the seventh blue-cup meltdown of the day.

👜 Product of the Week: Parenting Simply by Adina Soclof — a gentle, doable intro to positive parenting with rave reviews from parents, bloggers, and experts alike. Check the show notes for the link and why I recommend it to every ADHD parent I coach.

Could Therapy be the Answer? OnlineTherapy.com—because let’s be real, even superheroes like you need a sidekick. Click here to connect with a licensed therapist and start feeling like the rockstar parent you are.

Need a roadmap for ADHD parenting? Join my live workshop, First Steps After the Diagnosis, and get your life back on track. Sign up now!

📧 Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected].

💡 If this episode helped, hit SUBSCRIBE, leave a review, and share it with another ADHD parent!

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Are you parenting a neurodivergent child and feeling like you’re barely holding it together with duct tape and cold brew? In this powerful episode of Chaos & Caffeine, Danielle Kelly sits down with award-winning neurodivergent family coach Talia Zamora to talk about what it really takes to raise differently wired kids in a world that’s still stuck in neurotypical default mode.

Talia shares her own story as a mom of two autistic sons, how she ditched the corporate world to create a coaching business rooted in compassion, and why helping overwhelmed ADHD and autistic parents is her mission. We dive into executive function dysfunction, guilt spirals, building a business while parenting neurodivergent kids, and how to redefine success as a family—without losing your damn mind.

If you’re an ADHD parent looking for validation, real talk, and actionable support—this is the episode you didn’t know you needed but will play on repeat. Grab your lukewarm coffee and tune in. You're not alone, and you’re definitely not failing.

🧠 Need help navigating an ADHD or autism diagnosis? 💥 Feeling like traditional parenting advice is failing your spicy little human? ☕ Just want to hear two moms keep it real about neurodivergent life?

This one’s for you.

🎯 Connect with Talia! 👉

https://www.linkedin.com/in/taliazamora/

www.taliazamora.com

🔥 Resources Mentioned:

This Month’s Sponsor: Play Therapy Supply! They offer incredible products designed to support ADHD families, from sensory tools to therapeutic games that help kids thrive. Check out their fantastic selection at playtherapysupply.com!

👜 Product of the Week: The Ultimate Sensory Kit from PlayTherapySupply.com

Whether you're cruising the Caribbean or stuck in airport purgatory, the Sensory Kit from PlayTherapySupply.com is your new vacation BFF. Packed with fidgets, squishies, stress balls, and textured toys, this all-in-one kit helps keep your ADHD kiddo calm, regulated, and off the edge when the environment gets overstimulating (because it will).

Could Therapy be the Answer? OnlineTherapy.com—because let’s be real, even superheroes like you need a sidekick. Click here to connect with a licensed therapist and start feeling like the rockstar parent you are.

Need a roadmap for ADHD parenting? Join my live workshop, First Steps After the Diagnosis, and get your life back on track. Sign up now!

📧 Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected].

💡 If this episode helped, hit SUBSCRIBE, leave a review, and share it with another ADHD parent!

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Are you dreaming of a family vacation without the meltdowns, chaos, and needing a vacation from your vacation? In this week’s episode of Chaos & Caffeine, ADHD parenting coach and your favorite scary mommy blogger, Danielle Kelly, spills the tea on how she managed her neurodivergent kiddo on a cruise without losing her damn mind.

We’re talking real-life hacks, science-backed strategies, and cheeky truth bombs to help you keep your ADHD child regulated, happy, and maybe even sleeping through the night—whether you're cruising the Caribbean or stuck in airport hell.

Get the lowdown on how to maintain routines while traveling, keep your kids moving (hello, stair cardio), turn boredom into adventure with scavenger hunts, and make sure your whole fam actually enjoys the vacation. Plus, a killer product of the week from our friends at PlayTherapySupply.com and a powerful parenting affirmation to anchor your sanity.

This episode is your ADHD vacation survival guide—because your kids deserve the adventure, and you deserve peace.

🔥 Resources Mentioned:

This Month’s Sponsor: Play Therapy Supply! They offer incredible products designed to support ADHD families, from sensory tools to therapeutic games that help kids thrive. Check out their fantastic selection at playtherapysupply.com!

👜 Product of the Week: The Ultimate Sensory Kit from PlayTherapySupply.com

Whether you're cruising the Caribbean or stuck in airport purgatory, the Sensory Kit from PlayTherapySupply.com is your new vacation BFF. Packed with fidgets, squishies, stress balls, and textured toys, this all-in-one kit helps keep your ADHD kiddo calm, regulated, and off the edge when the environment gets overstimulating (because it will).

Could Therapy be the Answer? OnlineTherapy.com—because let’s be real, even superheroes like you need a sidekick. Click here to connect with a licensed therapist and start feeling like the rockstar parent you are.

Need a roadmap for ADHD parenting? Join my live workshop, First Steps After the Diagnosis, and get your life back on track. Sign up now!

📧 Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected].

💡 If this episode helped, hit SUBSCRIBE, leave a review, and share it with another ADHD parent!

Support the show

Tired of white-knuckling it through your kid’s ADHD meltdowns while running on fumes, cold coffee, and guilt? Same, girl. Same. 

In this raw, real AF episode of Chaos & Caffeine, I sit down with the incredible Hilary Russo—Certified Havening Techniques® Practitioner, holistic health coach, trauma-informed care educator, and one of New Jersey’s Top 3 Alternative Medicine Practitioners in 2024. 

We’re diving into the gritty realities of parenting a child with ADHD (yes, including the “why are your shoes in the freezer” moments), and how techniques like Self-Havening® can help us regulate our own emotional chaos before we spiral alongside our kids. 

We talk executive dysfunction, generational trauma, emotional dysregulation, and how overstimulated parents can create calmer homes without becoming crunchy crystal cult leaders (unless that’s your thing, then bless). 

💥 Hilary shares actionable tools, brain science (without putting us to sleep), and inspiring stories from the frontlines of her healing practice. 

☕️ Grab your mug, lock yourself in the bathroom if you have to, and press play. This one’s for the parents who are trying their damn best. 

Listen to learn: 

• How to stop spiraling during your kid’s ADHD meltdown
• What Self-Havening® actually is and why it works
• How to break generational cycles of trauma with your child
• Tools for regulating your nervous system without another app or Pinterest board

🧠 ADHD parenting doesn’t come with a manual—but this episode comes pretty close.

Connect with Hilary 👉

Havening Happy Hours 

https://www.hilaryrusso.com/events

Havening Trainings and Certifications
https://www.hilaryrusso.com/training 

HUG it Out 5 Day Challenge
https://www.hilaryrusso.com/5daychallenge

https://hilisticallyspeaking.com/
https://www.instagram.com/hilaryrusso

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hilaryrusso
https://www.facebook.com/HIListicallySpeaking

🔥 Resources Mentioned:

This Month’s Sponsor: Play Therapy Supply! They offer incredible products designed to support ADHD families, from sensory tools to therapeutic games that help kids thrive. Check out their fantastic selection at playtherapysupply.com!

🛑 PRODUCT OF THE WEEK:  Parenting Simply by Adina Soclof — a gentle, doable intro to positive parenting with rave reviews from parents, bloggers, and experts alike. Check the show notes for the link and why I recommend it to every ADHD parent I coach.

Could Therapy be the Answer? OnlineTherapy.com—because let’s be real, even superheroes like you need a sidekick. Click here to connect with a licensed therapist and start feeling like the rockstar parent you are.

Need a roadmap for ADHD parenting? Join my live workshop, First Steps After the Diagnosis, and get your life back on track. Sign up now!

📧 Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected].

💡 If this episode helped, hit SUBSCRIBE, leave a review, and share it wi

Support the show

• What Behavior Parent Training actually is (no jargon, just real talk)
• Who it helps and why it works (hello, brain science!)
• My personal experience attending BPT solo — and why that decision changed everything
• The proven BPT strategies I still use daily in my neurodivergent household
• How YOU can start implementing this at home — even without enrolling in a full program

Support the show

Are you a parent raising neurodivergent kids—while also managing your own ADHD, autism, or sensory overwhelm? Then baby, this episode of Chaos & Caffeine was brewed just for you.

Host Danielle Kelly sits down with powerhouse mama Karaleigh Garrison—a neurodivergent motivational speaker, singer, and host of the Be the Dream podcast—to talk about what it really looks like to navigate motherhood with a differently wired brain.

Together, they unpack:

• Raising children with autism, ADHD, and emotional dysregulation
• How Karaleigh turns trauma into healing through music, mindset, and self-compassion
• Real-life hacks for emotional regulation, meltdown moments, and school struggles
• Why neurodivergent moms NEED to follow their creative callings
• How to build a life that honors your unique brain—and your child's

Whether you're brand new to this journey or neck-deep in the diagnosis spiral, this episode is a heart hug, a kick in the pants, and a reminder that you are absolutely not alone.

🧠✨ Neurodivergence isn’t a flaw—it’s a superpower. And Karaleigh is living proof.

Connect with Karaleigh 👉

Website: karaleighgarrison.com 

Album: https://open.spotify.com/album/0JqR0m7KFTR5D61nTbvglX?si=JeljsXG-TYW85XQ_dFb2eQ

Free Jumpstart Journal:  http://subscribepage.io/YCauoK

🔥 Resources Mentioned:

This Month’s Sponsor: Play Therapy Supply! They offer incredible products designed to support ADHD families, from sensory tools to therapeutic games that help kids thrive. Check out their fantastic selection at playtherapysupply.com!

 🛑 PRODUCT OF THE WEEK: Struggling with your child’s impulse control and emotional regulation? This week, I’m highlighting The Stop, Relax, and Think Board Game from PlayTherapySupply.com! 🎲 

Could Therapy be the Answer? OnlineTherapy.com—because let’s be real, even superheroes like you need a sidekick. Click here to connect with a licensed therapist and start feeling like the rockstar parent you are.

Need a roadmap for ADHD parenting? Join my live workshop, First Steps After the Diagnosis, and get your life back on track. Sign up now!

📧 Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected].

💡 If this episode helped, hit SUBSCRIBE, leave a review, and share it with another ADHD parent!

Support the show

Does your ADHD child struggle with focus, emotional outbursts, or never finishing what they start? The culprit? Executive dysfunction.

In this episode of Chaos & Caffeine, we’re breaking down the 9 executive functions, how ADHD hijacks them, and science-backed, practical strategies to help your child build these crucial life skills.

✅ Why ADHD kids struggle with impulse control, memory, and organization
 ✅ How to teach emotional regulation & task management without the battles
✅ My must-have ADHD tool of the week (spoiler: it’s a game that actually works!)

🔥 Resources Mentioned:

This Month’s Sponsor: Play Therapy Supply! They offer incredible products designed to support ADHD families, from sensory tools to therapeutic games that help kids thrive. Check out their fantastic selection at playtherapysupply.com!

 🛑 PRODUCT OF THE WEEK: Struggling with your child’s impulse control and emotional regulation? This week, I’m highlighting The Stop, Relax, and Think Board Game from PlayTherapySupply.com! 🎲 

Could Therapy be the Answer? OnlineTherapy.com—because let’s be real, even superheroes like you need a sidekick. Click here to connect with a licensed therapist and start feeling like the rockstar parent you are.

Need a roadmap for ADHD parenting? Join my live workshop, First Steps After the Diagnosis, and get your life back on track. Sign up now!

📧 Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected].

💡 If this episode helped, hit SUBSCRIBE, leave a review, and share it with another ADHD parent!

Support the show

In this must-listen episode of Chaos & Caffeine, I’m joined by the incredible Dr. Willough Jenkins—psychiatrist, professor, and medical director at Rady Children’s Hospital—to break down exactly what’s going on inside your child’s ADHD brain.

We talk about the mental health struggles ADHD kids face, how to recognize signs of anxiety and depression, and what you as a parent can actually DO to help them without burning out or losing your sanity.

Dr. Jenkins shares her top insights on emotional regulation, how to get real support from your child’s care team, and why parent guilt needs to get kicked to the curb.

So if you’ve ever cried in your car after an IEP meeting (same), or wondered if you’re screwing it all up—this episode is the permission slip, pep talk, and professional insight you didn’t know you needed.

Grab your coffee, take a deep breath, and let’s dive into the beautiful chaos of ADHD parenting.

Connect with Dr. Jenkins 👉 

www.willoughjenkins.com

@drwilloughjenkins (socials)

🔥 Resources Mentioned:

This Month’s Sponsor: Play Therapy Supply! They offer incredible products designed to support ADHD families, from sensory tools to therapeutic games that help kids thrive. Check out their fantastic selection at playtherapysupply.com!

📚 Product of the Week:
✅ The Whole-Brain Child – A must-read for understanding how your child’s brain works. Grab the Workbook that accompanies the book, too!
✅ Responsibility Chart – A game-changer for ADHD kids learning independence

Could Therapy be the Answer? OnlineTherapy.com—because let’s be real, even superheroes like you need a sidekick. Click here to connect with a licensed therapist and start feeling like the rockstar parent you are.

Need a roadmap for ADHD parenting? Join my live workshop, First Steps After the Diagnosis, and get your life back on track. Sign up now!

📧 Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected].

🎧 Hit follow & share this episode with another ADHD parent who needs it!

🎧 Subscribe & Review to support ADHD parents everywhere! 

Support the show

Tired of yelling, guilt, and meltdowns ruling your household? It’s time for a game-changer. In this episode of Chaos & Caffeine, I’m breaking down the science-backed reasons why positive parenting is the only way to parent a neurodivergent child without completely losing your mind. We’ll dive into ADHD brain chemistry, why dopamine is the key to better behavior, and how praise and positive reinforcement actually rewire your child’s brain for success. Plus, I’ll share my own transformation from triggered to (mostly) tranquil and give you actionable, real-world strategies to stop the chaos and start seeing real change.

💡 In this episode, you’ll learn:
✔️ Why ADHD kids struggle with traditional discipline
✔️ The neuroscience behind why positive reinforcement works
✔️ Practical ways to regulate yourself before responding to your child
✔️ How to set firm but loving boundaries that actually stick
✔️ My favorite ADHD parenting tools to build independence & confidence

🔥 Resources Mentioned:

This Month’s Sponsor: Play Therapy Supply! They offer incredible products designed to support ADHD families, from sensory tools to therapeutic games that help kids thrive. Check out their fantastic selection at playtherapysupply.com!

📚 Product of the Week:
✅ The Whole-Brain Child – A must-read for understanding how your child’s brain works. Grab the Workbook that accompanies the book, too!
✅ Responsibility Chart – A game-changer for ADHD kids learning independence

Could Therapy be the Answer? OnlineTherapy.com—because let’s be real, even superheroes like you need a sidekick. Click here to connect with a licensed therapist and start feeling like the rockstar parent you are.

Need a roadmap for ADHD parenting? Join my live workshop, First Steps After the Diagnosis, and get your life back on track. Sign up now!

📧 Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected].

🎧 Hit follow & share this episode with another ADHD parent who needs it!

🎧 Subscribe & Review to support ADHD parents everywhere! 

Support the show