Description
When Kaitlin Soulé’s daughter was little, she cried easily and fell apart when things felt unfair. Kaitlin knew those feelings well. She’d had them too as a child. She just never let them out.
Kaitlin is a licensed marriage and family therapist, an Understood Expert, and a mom of three. She learned she has ADHD at 37, around the time her son was being assessed. Her son’s ADHD was obvious. Her daughter’s was quieter, and it looked a lot like Kaitlin’s. Drifting into daydreams during homework. Waiting until the last minute. And feeling everything in a big way.
In this episode, Kaitlin tells Jessica what it’s like to watch your daughter live out loud what you kept inside. Some of it stings. Kaitlin admits part of her wanted to say “Put that away” — something she used to tell herself. Seeing her daughter also made her wonder how she’d held it all in, and what her life might have looked like if someone had noticed.
But there’s also healing here. Kaitlin talks about how being open with her daughter about ADHD, including her own late diagnosis, changed how she sees herself. When she looks at how bright and capable her daughter is, she can finally believe that was true of herself as a child, too. And she’s glad her daughter feels safe enough to show who she is.
For more on this topic
Listen: Why their son’s ADHD divided these Couples Therapy stars https://www.understood.org/en/podcasts/everyone-gets-a-juice-box/couples-therapy-adhd
Read: A Little Less of a Hot Mess: The Modern Mom’s Guide to Growth and Evolution, by Kaitlin Soulé https://www.amazon.com/clp/B09LRF4F37?lv=shuf&channelId=500
For a transcript and more resources, visit Everyone Gets a Juice Box on Understood.org. https://www.understood.org/en/podcasts/everyone-gets-a-juice-box/adhd-healing-parent
You can also email us at podcast@understood.org.
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