Have you ever found yourself snapping at your kids and then feeling awful about it afterward? You’re not alone.

In this episode of Real Parenting for the Sensitive Mom, we talk with perinatal mental health therapist and researcher Nicole McNellis about mom rage — what it is, why it happens, and why it doesn’t mean you’re a bad mom.

We explore how overwhelm, resentment, unrealistic expectations, and nervous system overload can build up and spill over, especially for sensitive, deeply caring moms. You’ll also learn simple ways to understand what your anger is trying to tell you and how to respond with more compassion for yourself.

We unpack:

• The build-up → explosion → guilt cycle so many moms experience
• How resentment, overload, and unrealistic expectations fuel rage
• Why highly sensitive, perfectionistic, and people-pleasing moms are especially vulnerable
• The difference between outward explosions and internalized rage
• And what your anger is trying to tell you about your needs, boundaries, and support
• what coping skills work to help you feel better

Contact Nicole McNelis: nicolemacnellis.com and on Instagram @therapistmomcollective

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What if the overwhelm you’ve always blamed on anxiety or “being too sensitive” is actually ADHD… or both?

In this episode of Real Parenting for the Sensitive Mom, Adrienne Bishop and Leah Andeoni sit down with licensed, trauma-informed therapist Avery Wasmanski to unpack the complex and often confusing overlap between high sensitivity, ADHD, anxiety, and trauma in motherhood.

With both professional expertise and lived experience as a mom with ADHD, Avery helps us explore why so many women are diagnosed late (or not at all), how ADHD shows up differently in moms, and why executive functioning, emotional regulation, and rejection-sensitive dysphoria can make parenting feel impossibly hard.

Together, we talk about:

• The key differences and overlaps between high sensitivity and ADHD
• Why anxiety and burnout are so common in undiagnosed moms
• Executive functioning struggles vs. sensory overwhelm
• Emotional reactivity, impulse control, and parenting under stress
• Rejection-sensitive dysphoria and how it impacts moms and kids
• The role of trauma in amplifying ADHD symptoms
• Why self-compassion and understanding your brain are essential (not optional)
• Small, realistic steps to feel more empowered and less overwhelmed

If you’re a mom who feels like your brain never shuts off, you’re exhausted from masking, or you’re wondering whether ADHD might be part of your story, this conversation will help you feel seen, validated, and less alone.

Avery's contact information: https://averywasmanskilpctherapy.com/

📲 Share this episode with another sensitive parent 🌐 Visit adriennebishopcoaching.com or risingsuntherapy.com for more support.

We love to hear feedback about the show! Send us a text!

Connection Before Correction - GET YOUR FREE POSITIVE DISCIPLINE CHEAT SHEET HERE!

Parenting a highly sensitive child while being a sensitive parent yourself? We see you. In this episode, Leah and Adrienne dive deep into how Positive Discipline can transform your parenting journey — especially when traditional methods just don’t work.

What You’ll Hear:

• Why sticker charts, timeouts, and yelling backfire with sensitive kids
• What makes highly sensitive kids tick (hint: their nervous systems are wired for depth)
• Real-life examples of how connection calms the chaos
• Tools you can use TODAY to build cooperation without shame

Why Traditional Discipline Fails

• Sensitive kids experience correction as threat
• Their brains flip into fight/flight/freeze — no learning happens
• Punishment = shutdown. Safety = growth.

What Positive Discipline Offers Instead

• Connection before correction
• Teaching through empathy, not control
• Emotional safety that leads to real cooperation

Tools We Talk About:

• Connection First: “You’re upset the tower broke. You were so upset that happened. What can you do to make things better?"
• Curiosity Questions: “What’s your plan for finishing homework?”
• Choices Within Limits: “Do you want to brush your teeth before or after pajamas?”
• Natural & Logical Consequences: “You spilled juice — let’s clean it up together.”
• Encouragement Over Praise: “You must feel proud of how hard you worked.”
• Modeling Repair: “I yelled earlier. I’m sorry. I was overwhelmed.”

“When you choose curiosity over control, you teach connection over fear.”

FREE CHEAT SHEET! GET YOUR FREE POSITIVE DISCIPLINE CHEAT SHEET HERE!

🎧 Listen now and ask yourself: 👉 Which tool do I want to try this week?

📲 Share this episode with another sensitive parent 🌐 Visit www.adriennebishopcoaching.com or risingsuntherapy.com for more support.

We love to hear feedback about the show! Send us a text!