About this episode

Lorelei Brush discusses her novel and the complexities of ADHD within families.

My guest is Lorelei Brush, author of The Boy with the Butterfly Mind, a novel that explores what can happen inside a family when a young child begins showing signs of ADHD and neurodivergence. Lorelei is a former assistant professor of child development and the parent of a neurodivergent child, bringing both professional knowledge and lived experience to the story. We discuss the fear of labeling a child, ADHD across generations, school struggles, marriage and family dynamics, and why supporting a child with ADHD often requires looking beyond symptoms and strategies to understand the whole family. We also explore something different: the power of fiction. Research and expert guidance can teach us a great deal about ADHD, but a story can let us experience a family from the inside, sometimes offering insight, empathy, and even healing that factual information alone may not reach. We talk about the meaning behind a “butterfly mind,” the importance of recognizing a child’s strengths, and why there may not be one right way to help a neurodivergent child thrive. Learn more about Lorelei Brush and The Boy with the Butterfly…

People in this episode

Host: Kate Brownfield

Guest: Lorelei Brush

Topics covered

• ADHD
• neurodivergence
• family dynamics
• child development
• fiction and empathy

Keywords

• ADHD
• neurodivergent child
• family support
• child development
• fiction

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: ADHD Kids Can Thrive, Amazon

Books & works: The Boy with the Butterfly Mind

More episodes of The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast

• ADHD and the Wall of Awful: Why Kids Get Stuck and How Parents Can Help · August 31, 2026 · 30 min
• ADHD, Dyslexia & Belonging: Self-Advocacy for Neurodivergent Teens and Young Adults with Riley Mulcahy · August 24, 2026 · 26 min
• 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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