
ADHD and Emotional Regulation: Helping Kids Manage Big Feelings — Dr. Blaise Aguirre
From The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast by Kate Brownfield
October 20, 2025 · 35 min · Episode 115
About this episode
Dr. Blaise Aguirre discusses DBT tools for emotional regulation in ADHD kids and the role of medication.
What do you do when your child with ADHD is overwhelmed, highly emotional, or completely losing it? Kate Brownfield talks with Dr. Blaise Aguirre, child and adolescent psychiatrist, Director of the 3East Continuum at McLean Hospital, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and expert in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Dr. Aguirre explains why behavior that looks like defiance may actually reflect missing emotional-regulation skills, why parents need to regulate themselves before trying to reason with an upset child, and how curiosity, validation, DBT tools, and appropriate ADHD treatment can help protect a child’s self-worth and strengthen the parent-child relationship. Resources:The Mood Tools App: https://www.mood.org/appADHD parent coaching and resources: https://adhdkidscanthrive.comFree ADHD Parent Reset: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/IUVgRZz
People in this episode
Host: Kate Brownfield
Guest: Dr. Blaise Aguirre
Topics covered
- ADHD
- DBT
- emotional regulation
- parenting
- medication
- child psychiatry
Keywords
- ADHD
- DBT
- emotional regulation
- medication
- parenting strategies
- child psychiatry
- crisis management
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School
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- ADHD and the Wall of Awful: Why Kids Get Stuck and How Parents Can Help · August 31, 2026 · 30 min
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- ADHD and Academic Pressure: Are We Raising Successful Kids or Stressed-Out Kids? with Dr. Denise Pope · August 17, 2026 · 32 min
- ADHD and Sleep: Practical Strategies for Neurodivergent Kids with Dr. Melisa Moore · August 3, 2026 · 40 min
- ADHD Parent Training: What If Your Child Isn’t the First One Who Needs to Change? · July 27, 2026 · 15 min
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