Dr Kirstin Barchia

25/07/2025

Emotion regulation is a key driver in adhd. Read more here

When most people picture ADHD, they miss this key piece—emotion regulation. Dr Kirstin Barchia shares how to support your teen’s emotions with connection and calm.

25/07/2025

So much focus of adhd support is on school that parents often miss the hidden dangers that may undermine all of their efforts to support their teen.

Come join me at my upcoming live training online training. You can register here https://www.kirstinbarchia.com.au/ADHD

24/07/2025

One minute it's calm...

The next — tears, yelling, slammed doors.

And you're left wondering:

What just happened?

ADHD isn’t just about distraction.

It affects how emotions are felt and expressed.

Big feelings. Fast reactions.

Now add in the teenage brain…

and things can escalate in a flash.

This isn’t bad parenting.

And your teen isn’t choosing to be difficult.

Their brain is still learning how to manage emotions.

If this sounds familiar…

I’ve created something to support you.

A live webinar for parents of teens with ADHD.

Not just another list of strategies.

But real understanding.

And tools to bring more calm and connection into your home.

🧠 Parenting a Teen with ADHD

📅 Live webinar happening soon

🎟️ Limited spots

Click here to register https://www.kirstinbarchia.com.au/ADHD

24/07/2025

Comment adhd and I will send you the link to register for my live training next week.

23/07/2025

When most people think of ADHD, they picture a teen who’s easily distracted… maybe even one who can’t sit still.

But there’s something just as important…and often missed.

ADHD also comes with difficulties with emotion regulation.

Some experts have argued that it's emotion regulation difficulties that make it harder to suppress or regulate urges and impulses which leads to the distraction and impulsive behaviour seen in ADHD.

ADHD can be particularly difficult during the teen years as changes in the brain at this time also lend to a period of increased impulsivity and intensity of emotions.

The error many parents (and teachers) make is trying to change teen behaviour rather than support them with emotion regulation.

🤯 Exploding over being asked to put their shoes away,

🤜punching or swearing at their sibling when provoked,

📲 or retreating to their room, scrolling for hours, or refusing to get off devices
.. are all signs of emotion regulation difficulties common in ADHD.

And when emotions are high, yelling and threatening consequences often escalates the behaviour rather than bringing compliance and the behaviour change you are after.

So how can you help your teen with emotion regulation?

Emotions are regulated in two ways:

Skills – things an individual does to regulate their emotions (e.g. breathing, mindfulness, routines).
Relationships – when someone else's calming presence helps to co-regulate.
Your relationship with your teen and how you interact with them, is one of the most important ways you can help them to regulate emotions.

While the teen years are challenging. Your connection with your teen is important to help them regulate and understand their emotions.

But when relationships are already strained, it’s even harder to help your teen manage their emotions, especially in the heat of the moment.

That’s why I’m hosting a live training to support parents of teens with ADHD, to help you move from arguments and nagging to connection and action.

You can register here https://www.kirstinbarchia.com.au/ADHD
Places are limited.

23/07/2025

ADHD effects emotions and family life. Comment adhd to learn more

18/07/2025

Parenting a teen with adhd presents many challenges and hidden dangers. Join me for my upcoming new live parent training coming up the end of July click here for more info www.kirstinbarchia.com.au/adhd

18/07/2025

To discipline means to teach. There’s many ways to teach our teens. Rewards and consequences are not the only way and it’s way better when we teach them in ways they truely learn to change their own behaviour.
Comment teach to learn more.

18/07/2025

Behaviour always has a context and when we understand the behaviour we are better equipped to help change it. Comment dance and I will send you info about an upcoming live training for parenting teens with adhd

18/07/2025

Some things are just too pretty not to share

16/07/2025

14/07/2025

When your teen swears at you or calls you a terrible parent, it hurts.

It’s hard to hear.

Advice from others to “not take it personally” can help a little… but it still hurts.

Because words matter.

Their words to you matter.

I see you.

It’s hard.

But what’s also hard…is to not bite back…especially when you’re tired and busy or they hurt their siblings.

Your words to them matter too.

We all carry the words of our parents for the rest of our lives.

You know this as an adult.

Think about it for a minute…

…you can probably still hear your parents’ voice in your head, whether you like it or not.

It can be hard to see the impact of your words on your teen when they seem to not listen, throw in their earbuds, or shrug and walk away.

But what you say counts.

Not just for today, but for their whole lives.

What you say to them, what you think about them, how you respond to them… it follows them.

That time you yelled, “What’s wrong with you?”…

It sticks.

And can come out later in life as an anxiety that deep down “there’s something wrong with me”.

And while you may already know that what you say counts…

…the reality of parenting today is that it can be really hard to always be thoughtful about what you say to your teen.

You can’t be perfect. And it would feel weird and robot like if you were always sunshine and words of positivity over your teen.

Being perfect or not doesn’t matter.

But what you say to your teen matters.

How you repair when you say something in the heat of stress matters.

And what you think about them underneath all that they throw at you matters.

You can use your influence to build their resilience.

The words you use when you respond to your teens’ difficulties either create or reinforce negative thoughts about themselves or speak internal strength and resilience into their lives, not just for today but for the future.

So next time your teen says something hurtful to you I want to encourage you to take a breath, pause, and be thoughtful in your response to them.

This is more difficult for some families, particularly when the teen has ADHD. Comment adhd and I can send you a link to register for my upcoming live training.