The Brain Science Behind Emotional Dysregulation and 9 Skills That Actually Help

This episode explores the neuroscience behind emotional dysregulation in ADHD, emphasizing understanding, compassion, and practical skills to manage intense emotions effectively.

Key Topics

• Neuroscience of ADHD and emotional regulation
• Impact of dopamine and norepinephrine on emotions
• The role of the prefrontal cortex and amygdala
• Rejection sensitivity and emotional stickiness
• Practical skills for emotional regulation

Takeaways

• Emotional dysregulation in ADHD is rooted in brain wiring, not character flaws.
• The prefrontal cortex develops later in ADHD, affecting impulse control and regulation.
• Using external supports and systems can help manage emotional responses.
• Naming emotions activates the regulation part of the brain.
• Simple, ADHD-friendly skills like grounding and the stop skill are effective.

Sources: Based on Emma McAdam / Therapy in a Nutshell — 'Why ADHD Makes Emotions So Intense'

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Website ~ www.risingtidecoaching.org & www.insidethepicklejar.com

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Have you ever felt like the system is set up to keep you down? You're not alone.

Tag someone who needs to hear this!

In this episode, we dive deep into the struggles of being neurodivergent in a workplace that isn’t equipped for you. The pressure to mask your true self is real, and it costs us more than we realize.

You deserve a workplace that values your unique brain, not one that makes you feel broken for being different. Knowledge is power, but it only works if you use it.

Let’s advocate for ourselves and each other. Knowledge is power, but only if we use it.

You were never the problem. Let’s change the narrative together.

Full episode - www.insidethepicklejar.com

❤️ #Neurodivergent #WorkplaceWellness #MentalHealthAwareness #WeirdGirlsClub #InsideThePickleJar

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Website ~ www.risingtidecoaching.org

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🥒Welcome to Inside the Pickle Jar!

Have you ever felt the heaviness that comes with being late? 💚
It can sit in your chest like a stone.
But I want you to know something important:
You’re not the only one who feels that way, and you’re not doing anything wrong.

Sometimes our brains experience time differently.
For many neurodivergent folks, time doesn’t move in neat little boxes.
It stretches… it shrinks… it slips away.
And that can make getting places on time feel harder than it “should.”

But here’s the truth:
Chronic lateness isn’t a flaw in your character.
It’s a pattern in your nervous system... one that deserves understanding, not shame.

There are gentle ways to support yourself:
- You can make time more visible with timers or alarms.
- You can give yourself extra room to move between tasks.
- You can prepare a few things ahead of time so the morning feels softer.
- And you can pause for a breath before shifting gears, letting your body catch up to your mind.

You are not broken.
You are a human being doing your best in a world that wasn’t built with your brain in mind.

And when we understand ourselves with kindness, something beautiful happens:
We stop fighting who we are…
and start building a life that fits.
If this speaks to you, there’s more waiting in the links below.

Patreon ~ www.patreon.com/InsideThePickleJar
YouTube ~ www.youtube.com/@TonyaWeaverCoach
Instagram ~ www.Instagram.com/tonya_weaver_coach
LinkedIn ~ www.linkedin.com/in/tmweaver/
Etsy ~ www.etsy.com/InsidethePickleJar
TikTok ~ www.tiktok.com/tonyaweaver606
Website ~ www.risingtidecoaching.org

Full video from the HealthyGamerGG and is a great watch: https://youtu.be/1onkZGsknsk?si=rNDb5v0r83uPcyVy

#Neurodiversity #SelfCompassion #InsideThePickleJar

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Ever felt guilty for doing nothing? Let’s talk about how embracing ‘Niksen’ can be your secret weapon. 👇

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Niksen, the Dutch practice of doing nothing, is more than just a trend. For neurodivergent minds, it’s a lifeline.

Imagine sitting quietly without a to-do list, allowing your thoughts to drift like leaves on a stream. In a world obsessed with productivity, this radical act of simply being is necessary.

But why do we resist pausing? It’s tough! Our brains are wired for stimulation, making stillness feel unsafe. Yet, in this stillness lies the key to peace and creativity.

In this episode, discover the Dutch principle of Niksen and learn how doing nothing can benefit neurodivergent individuals. Explore practical tips to embrace aimlessness for mental well-being. Listen to the last 5 minutes for a guided practice.

🥒Connect with Tonya here:

Patreon ~ www.patreon.com/InsideThePickleJar
YouTube ~ www.youtube.com/@TonyaWeaverCoach Instagram ~ www.Instagram.com/tonya_weaver_coach
LinkedIn ~ www.linkedin.com/in/tmweaver/
Etsy ~ www.etsy.com/InsidethePickleJar
TikTok ~ www.tiktok.com/tonyaweaver606
Website ~ www.risingtidecoaching.org

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NeuroWell (Applying Brain Science to Build Safe, Supportive, and Proactive Schools)

In this second half of the conversation, Lisa Riegel continues the discussion on how our brains shape the way we learn and behave. She talks more about her book NeuroWell and reminds us that every child and every grown‑up, too, carries a whole world inside their mind. When we understand a little more about how the brain works, it becomes easier to see behavior not as “good” or “bad,” but as communication.

Lisa helps us notice how much context matters. A child’s actions often make perfect sense when we understand what their brain is trying to manage. Sometimes, misunderstandings about the brain can make teaching harder than it needs to be, so she encourages us to prepare educators with the science that helps them see children with compassion and clarity.

She also talks about creating school communities where everyone feels supported...teachers, students, and families alike. Big changes don’t have to happen all at once; even tiny steps can lead to something wonderful. And when we walk together, especially with our neurodivergent neighbors, those steps feel a little lighter.

Lisa offers simple, practical ways educators can build classrooms where every child’s nervous system feels welcome, understood, and safe. It’s a gentle reminder that when we care for the whole child, we help them grow into who they’re meant to be.

✨You can find Lisa connections here:

www.lisariegel.com

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

www.epinstitute.net

Lisa's author page

JAKAPA About Us | JAKAPA

🥒Connect with Tonya here:

Patreon ~ www.patreon.com/InsideThePickleJar
YouTube ~ www.youtube.com/@TonyaWeaverCoach Instagram ~ www.Instagram.com/tonya_weaver_coach
LinkedIn ~ www.linkedin.com/in/tmweaver/
Etsy ~ www.etsy.com/InsidethePickleJar
TikTok ~ www.tiktok.com/tonyaweaver606
Website ~ www.risingtidecoaching.org

Support the show

NeuroWell (Applying Brain Science to Build Safe, Supportive, and Proactive Schools)

In this first half of the conversation, Lisa Riegel invites us to slow down and take a kind look at how our brains shape the way we learn and behave. She talks about her book NeuroWell and reminds us that every child and every grown‑up, too, carries a whole world inside their mind. When we understand a little more about how the brain works, it becomes easier to see behavior not as “good” or “bad,” but as communication.

Lisa helps us notice how much context matters. A child’s actions often make perfect sense when we understand what their brain is trying to manage. Sometimes, misunderstandings about the brain can make teaching harder than it needs to be, so she encourages us to prepare educators with the science that helps them see children with compassion and clarity.

She also talks about creating school communities where everyone feels supported...teachers, students, and families alike. Big changes don’t have to happen all at once; even tiny steps can lead to something wonderful. And when we walk together, especially with our neurodivergent neighbors, those steps feel a little lighter.

Lisa offers simple, practical ways educators can build classrooms where every child’s nervous system feels welcome, understood, and safe. It’s a gentle reminder that when we care for the whole child, we help them grow into who they’re meant to be.

✨You can find Lisa connections here:

www.lisariegel.com

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

www.epinstitute.net

Lisa's author page

🥒Connect with Tonya here:

Patreon ~ www.patreon.com/InsideThePickleJar
YouTube ~ www.youtube.com/@TonyaWeaverCoach Instagram ~ www.Instagram.com/tonya_weaver_coach
LinkedIn ~ www.linkedin.com/in/tmweaver/
Etsy ~ www.etsy.com/InsidethePickleJar
TikTok ~ www.tiktok.com/tonyaweaver606
Website ~ www.risingtidecoaching.org

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🌿 Summary

In this episode, I wander into the heart of radical self‑acceptance and what it really means to love myself on purpose. I talk about the “pickle jar” as a way to understand how I’ve been shaped, and sometimes trapped, by expectations that were never designed for my particular wiring.

I explore how shadow work helps me meet the parts of myself I once hid away, not to fix them, but to understand them. I share the small, doable steps that have helped me begin this journey, especially as a neurodivergent human learning to celebrate my own flavor. I also read a portion of the book Love by Leo Buscaglia, a childhood favorite author (I explain why and you might relate). My hope is that listeners feel invited to soften toward themselves, to honor their uniqueness, and to remember that self‑acceptance is something we practice, not something we perfect.

🧡 Takeaways

• Radical self‑acceptance is something I choose...an active, loving decision I make about myself.
• I can’t offer others what I haven’t learned to give myself.
• Understanding what makes me unique helps me feel more at home in my own life.
• Shadow work helps me explore the parts of myself I’ve tucked away.
• Naming my patterns without judgment is the first step toward accepting them.
• Journaling helps me notice my emotional rhythms and truths.
• Small moments of authenticity help me build trust with myself.
• Celebrating tiny victories nourishes my sense of self‑worth.
• My neurodivergence is a meaningful part of who I am, not a flaw.
• Radical self‑acceptance is a practice I return to again and again.

✨Connect with me

Patreon ~ www.patreon.com/InsideThePickleJar
YouTube ~ www.youtube.com/@TonyaWeaverCoach
Instagram ~ www.Instagram.com/tonya_weaver_coach
LinkedIn ~ www.linkedin.com/in/tmweaver/
Etsy ~ www.etsy.com/InsidethePickleJar
TikTok ~ www.tiktok.com/tonyaweaver606
Website ~ www.risingtidecoaching.org

Support the show

🥒In this episode of Inside the Pickle Jar, I come back to the second part of our conversation about shadow work. It’s a tender kind of inner exploration, inspired by the ideas of Carl Jung. In the last episode, I talked about how easy it is for any of us to get tangled up in our own thoughts — especially when we’re carrying old beliefs or wearing a persona we think the world expects from us.

🌟Today, I take your hand a little more gently and walk with you through some of the ways we can meet those hidden parts of ourselves. I talk about simple, comforting practices — like journaling, pausing to visualize what we’re feeling, and giving ourselves permission to be curious instead of afraid. These are small steps, but they help us turn toward our shadows instead of away from them.

💚My hope is that, as you listen, you’ll feel encouraged to challenge the beliefs that have been holding you back and to welcome every part of who you are. Because when we do that, when we let all our pieces come home, we grow into more authentic, wholehearted versions of ourselves. And that’s such a lovely thing to witness.

Visit my Patreon to join our community of neurodivergent souls: https://www.patreon.com/InsideThePickleJar

🥒Connect with Tonya:

🕸️Website - http://www.risingtidecoaching.org

👏Patreon - https://www.Patreon.com/InsideThePickleJar

📣Etsy - https://www.etsy.com/InsidethePickleJar

🔗 LinkedIn ~ www.linkedin.com/in/tmweaver/

🚇https://www.youtube.com/@TonyaWeaverCoach

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