Show Notes: The CEO Resignation Follow Up

Title: Accepting the Resignation: Taking the Keys Back

Host: Stephanie Buckley, AMFT, ADHD Parenting Strategist & Family Systems Coach

Episode Summary

In the second installment of the "Dear Parent" series, Stephanie Buckley provides the formal response to the child's "resignation" from Episode 1. This episode features the Parents' Acceptance Speech a powerful script designed to help you and your partner reclaim the "Executive Suite" of your home. Stephanie explains why returning a child to their rightful role is a restorative act of love that stabilizes the entire family system.

Key Takeaways

• The Parents' Acceptance Speech: A definitive script for Mom and Dad to establish a unified, sturdy front and take back the "final say."
• Structural Restoration: Why a clear hierarchy is not about dominance, but about creating the systemic harmony necessary for a family to thrive.
• The 4 Restoration Shifts:
1. The Protected Passenger: Shifting from hyper-vigilance to felt-safety.
2. The Creative Director: Moving from manipulation (managing adults) to mastery (age-appropriate skills).
3. The Learner-in-Training: Shifting from the pressure of performance to the freedom of trial and error.
4. The Regulated Nervous System: Moving from cortisol-driven chaos to adult-led containment.
• The "Ceiling" Concept: How being a sturdy leader allows your child the freedom to be "messy" and "small" because they trust you won't break.
• ADHD & Executive Function: Why neurodivergent children need you to be their "External Executive Function" to succeed in the real world.

The "New Job Description" for the Child

• Role: The Learner / Explorer / Protected Member.
• Mandate: Growth, play, and age-appropriate contribution.
• Benefit: The removal of adult-level weight, allowing for secure attachment and nervous system regulation.

Resources Mentioned

• Download the Speech: Get the Parents' Acceptance Speech script at ThePathToPeaceTherapy.com
• Connect with Stephanie: Follow on Instagram @ThePathToPeaceTherapy
• Next Episode: The Boardroom Scripts: How to hold the line during the initial protest.

Title: Dear Parent, The Letter Your Child Would Write To You If They Could!!

The CEO Resignation

Host: Stephanie Buckley, AMFT, ADHD Parenting Strategist & Family Systems Coach

Episode Summary

In the series premiere of the "Dear Parent" series, Stephanie Buckley explores the "Upside-Down Pyramid" in modern homes. We often think we are empowering our children by giving them the "final say," but from a Family Systems perspective, we are actually over-promoting them into a role they are neurologically unequipped to handle.

Stephanie reads the "CEO Resignation Letter" a perspective shifting look at the anxiety and exhaustion children feel when they are forced to be the boss of their parents.

Key Takeaways

• The Management Crisis: Why "Collaborative Parenting" can accidentally turn into "Abdicated Authority."

• The CEO Resignation Letter: A heart-opening script written from the child's perspective, asking for the keys to the house to be taken back.

• The Sturdy Container: Moving from being a negotiator to a "Sturdy Pilot" who provides the emotional containment children need to feel safe.

• The ADHD Connection: Why clear boundaries and a "Proper Hierarchy" are essential for the neurodivergent brain to find peace.

• House to Home: How restoring the natural order of the family transforms a stressful building into a harmonious sanctuary.

The "Hierarchy Check-In" Questions

• Are you notifying your child of the plan, or asking them for permission?

• Is your child managing your emotions, or are you containing theirs?

• Does your child feel "big" and anxious, or "small" and protected?

Resources Mentioned

• The CEO Resignation Kit: Get the full scripts, "Boardroom" cheat sheets, and the Hierarchy Audit at my [Stan Store].

• Connect with Stephanie: Reach out for sessions or follow for daily strategies on Instagram @ThePathToPeaceTherapy.

• Website: ThePathToPeaceTherapy.com

Is your home feeling tense, reactive, or constantly on edge? In this episode, Stephanie Buckley breaks down what it really means when a family is running on stress hormones.

You'll learn how elevated baseline cortisol affects tone, transitions, sleep, emotional regulation, and connection inside a household. Stephanie explains the role of the amygdala in threat detection, how chronic stress lowers frustration tolerance, and why what looks like a behavior problem may actually be a biology pattern.

This episode covers:

• What baseline cortisol is and how to recognize it

• How the amygdala drives reactivity

• Why transitions become explosive

• The difference between hyperarousal and burnout

• Practical "safety signals" that help lower stress chemistry over time

• The role of sleep, protein, sunlight, reduced evening stimulation, and gut stability in emotional regulation

If you're tired of walking on eggshells and ready for steadiness in your home, this episode will give you both clarity and direction.

Connect with Stephanie Buckley:

Parenting Strategist & Family Systems Coach

Website: ThePathToPeaceTherapy.com

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @ThePathToPeaceTherapy

Welcome back to The Path To Peace Podcast. I'm Stephanie Buckley, an ADHD Parenting Strategist and Family Systems Coach, mother to a thriving twenty-three-year-old neurodivergent son with ADHD, and married for over three decades.

In this episode, Stephanie Buckley explores why saying "no" is not harmful it's essential. Frustration tolerance is a developmental skill that must be built intentionally through calm, consistent boundaries and delayed gratification.

Stephanie explains the neuroscience behind emotional regulation, including how the amygdala and prefrontal cortex work together during disappointment, why dopamine functions best with delay, and how over-negotiation weakens resilience.

You'll learn why tears are not damage, why limits create safety, and how practicing manageable frustration at home prepares children for a world structured around expectations, boundaries, and outcomes.

Saying no isn't rejection. It's preparation.

Resources: ThePathToPeaceTherapy.com Instagram: @ThePathToPeaceTherapy Email: [email protected]

Peace is possible and you don't have to do this alone.

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In this episode of The Path to Peace Therapy Podcast, Stephanie Buckley explores what happens when family hierarchy flips and children unintentionally become the emotional or logistical leaders of the home.

Through the lens of Family Systems Theory and nervous system science, she explains why kids are not wired to carry adult-level responsibility and how role confusion quietly fuels anxiety, cortisol, and behavioral dysregulation.

You'll learn why structure lowers anxiety, the difference between authoritarian and authoritative parenting, and how reclaiming calm leadership actually creates safety and connection.

If this resonates, share it with a parent who needs permission to lead again.

Resources: ThePathToPeaceTherapy.com Instagram: @ThePathToPeaceTherapy Email: [email protected]

Peace is possible and you don't have to do this alone.

More episodes that can be super helpful!!!

Dear Parent, This is why I'm taking the iPad, iPhone and computer away from your neurodivergent child and no, I'm not ruining your child's life. I'm saving their nervous system.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/49K17b38xaSUNMURffzJ2k?si=U03TEjAATLWWEsD3ySpmCQ

I'm Giving You Permission to Take It Away Why Removing the iPad, iPhone, and Gaming Consoles Why Saying No to Screens Is a Nervous System Intervention!!

https://open.spotify.com/episode/016ao6gZxz7FLi3oda4sth?si=Fy2w1_OAR2CIK1pvgj_J8g

When Screens Hijack the ADHD Brain: Video Games, Social Media, and Dysregulation

https://open.spotify.com/episode/077PxA3kibjwLJwG6jxdas?si=3UdFZqvYSjuPXQazZNnCvw

Dear Parent, This Is Why I'm Taking the iPad, iPhone, and Computer Away From Your Child

And No, I'm Not Ruining Your Child's Life I'm Saving Their Nervous System!

In this episode of The Path to Peace Therapy Podcast, Stephanie Buckley gives parents clear, compassionate permission to take screens away and explains why doing so is not cruel, outdated, or punitive, but a necessary nervous system intervention for neurodivergent children, especially those with ADHD.

Stephanie breaks down how video games and social media hijack dopamine regulation, spike cortisol, and shut down executive functioning, making transitions, school, and daily routines feel impossible. She explains why meltdowns after turning off screens are not manipulation, but signs of neurological dependency and why holding the boundary is exactly how regulation is learned.

This episode also explores how excessive screen use reshapes the entire family system, turning parents into referees and routines into negotiations, and why restoring structure, predictability, and real-world regulation is essential for long-term emotional health.

If you've been afraid to say no, worried about backlash, or stuck avoiding meltdowns, this episode is your wake-up call—and your permission slip.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• Why screens are uniquely dysregulating for neurodivergent and ADHD brains

• What's actually happening in the brain when your child melts down after screens are removed

• How dopamine dependency fuels emotional explosions and power struggles

• Why limiting screens protects—not harms—your child's nervous system

• What to say (and not say) when you take devices away

• How removing screens can restore calm, connection, and leadership in the family system

About the Host

Stephanie Buckley is a Parenting Strategist and Family Systems Coach, an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, and the mother of a thriving, now 23-year-old neurodivergent son with ADHD. She has been married for over three decades and brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work with families.

Connect with Stephanie

Website: ThePathToPeaceTherapy.com Instagram: @ThePathToPeaceTherapy Email: [email protected]

Disclaimer

This episode is for educational purposes and to provide support. It is not a substitute for professional mental health evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment.

In this episode of The Path to Peace Therapy Podcast, Stephanie Buckley gives parents permission to take screens away—and explains why limiting iPads, phones, and gaming is a necessary nervous system reset for neurodivergent children with ADHD.

You'll learn why over-explaining makes dysregulation worse, how to hold boundaries without power struggles, and what to replace screens with so kids can rebuild regulation through movement, creativity, and connection.

This episode is a direct, compassionate wake-up call for parents ready to lead again.

Host: Stephanie Buckley, Parenting Strategist & Family Systems Coach, Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, mother to a thriving 23-year-old neurodivergent son with ADHD, married for over three decades.

Connect: ThePathToPeaceTherapy.com Instagram: @ThePathToPeaceTherapy Email: [email protected]

Disclaimer: Educational purposes only. Not a substitute for professional mental health care.

More episodes

When Screens Hijack the ADHD Brain: Video Games, Social Media and Dysregulation.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/016ao6gZxz7FLi3oda4sth?si=Fy2w1_OAR2CIK1pvgj_J8g

You're Not Bad at Parenting: Your ADHD Household is Missing Proper Systems

https://open.spotify.com/episode/077PxA3kibjwLJwG6jxdas?si=3UdFZqvYSjuPXQazZNnCvw

n this episode of The Path to Peace Therapy Podcast, Stephanie Buckley explains why video games and social media are especially dysregulating for neurodivergent children with ADHD and why behavior challenges are often rooted in brain chemistry and family systems, not defiance or laziness.

Stephanie breaks down how dopamine dysregulation, screen-based stimulation, and inconsistent routines can sabotage emotional regulation, transitions, and cooperation, and why parents searching for a "quick fix" actually find the most relief by addressing the biology of the child and the structure of the family system together.

This episode offers a compassionate, science-based reframe to help families move from chaos to calm.

Host: Stephanie Buckley, Parenting Strategist & Family Systems Coach, Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, mother to a thriving 23-year-old neurodivergent son with ADHD, married for over three decades.

Connect: ThePathToPeaceTherapy.com Instagram: @ThePathToPeaceTherapy Email: [email protected]

Disclaimer: For educational purposes only. Not a substitute for professional mental health care.

If you feel like you are parenting all day long and nothing is actually changing, this episode explores why. In this episode of The Path to Peace Therapy Podcast, I break down why willpower and consequences fail in ADHD households and how differences in executive functioning impact daily behavior. Drawing from clinical neuropsychology and lived experience, I explain how environmental scaffolding reduces burnout, supports regulation, and creates sustainable change for neurodivergent families.

ABOUT THE HOST

I'm Stephanie Buckley, a Parenting Strategist and Family Systems Coach specializing in ADHD, OCD, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and neurodivergent family dynamics. I have been married for over three decades and am the mother of a thriving 23-year-old neurodivergent son with ADHD, experiences that deeply inform both my personal and professional work. In addition to supporting families, I help athletes overcome mental blocks, regulate emotions under pressure, and build the psychological skills needed for consistent performance and long-term success.

CONNECT & RESOURCES

Website: ThePathToPeaceTherapy.com Instagram: @ThePathToPeaceTherapy Email: [email protected]

If you are in California, I offer virtual sessions for families outside the Hermosa Beach and South Bay area.

DISCLAIMER

This episode is for educational purposes and to provide support. It is not a substitute for professional mental health evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment.

In this episode, Stephanie Buckley moves beyond the "broken brakes" metaphor of ADHD to look at the high-performance engine underneath. We explore the ADHD Ferrari Paradox: why these brilliant minds "redline" in standard environments and how parents can shift from being "mechanics" trying to fix a problem to "Chief Engineers" fueling a superpower.

1. The Bone-Deep Truth: Acknowledging the Friction

Before we fuel the engine, we validate the heat. Stephanie discusses the invisible marathon of neurodivergent parenting, including:

• Sensory Overload: The hyper-vigilance of navigating a world that is "too loud" for a high-spec nervous system.

• The Morning Gauntlet: Why transitions and executive function collapse feel like a daily race you can't win.

• The Heartache of Social Disconnect: Supporting a child whose "Floodlight" brain is misunderstood by a "Spotlight" world.

2. The Ferrari Engine: Understanding the Interest-Based Nervous System

Why does the Ferrari idle low? We dive into the neurobiology of the ADHD brain:

• The Dopamine Gap: Why "Importance" doesn't motivate an ADHD brain, but "Interest" turns the key.

• Hyperfocus as Mastery: Protecting the "Deep Work" states where 500% productivity happens.

• The Lateral Innovator: How "Random" connections are actually advanced pattern recognition.

3. The Four Pillars of the Superpower

• The Flow State Elite: Mastering complex skills at an accelerated rate through Hyperfocus.

• The Architect of Innovation: Using Divergent Thinking to solve "unsolvable" problems.

• The Relational Alchemist: Turning "Thin Skin" into high-level Intuition and Leadership.

• Kinetic Momentum: Reframing hyperactivity as the stamina required for high-stakes environments.

4. The Chief Engineer's Toolkit: Shifting the Environment

Practical strategies to stop the "redlining" at home:

• Dopamine-First Priming: Using movement and music to warm up the engine.

• The "Trojan Horse" Strategy: Leveraging current obsessions (like Dinosaurs) to deliver low-interest skills.

• Collaborative Autonomy: Asking "How does your brain want to do this?" to foster self-advocacy.

5. The Shield Against Shame

Stephanie concludes with a call to action: Protecting your child's spirit from a world that wants them to trade their "Ferrari engine" for a "bicycle."

• The Legacy Script: "The world wants to redraw your map. My job is to make sure you keep your pen."

Quotes from the Episode

"A Ferrari redlines when it's stuck in traffic. The friction you feel isn't because your child is broken it's because they are a high-performance machine forced to drive on a gravel road."

"Your job is to believe in the Superpower before they have the evidence to believe in it themselves."

Resources Mentioned

• Website: ThePathToPeaceTherapy.com

• Social: @ThePathToPeaceTherapy