From Sensory Overload To Strengths-Based Parenting with Sara Hartley

Send us Fan MailBig feelings don’t have to mean big blowups. We sit down with author and mom Sarah Hartley to unpack the real-world signals of ADHD and sensory processing disorder, why two siblings can present in opposite ways, and how small environmental tweaks can turn daily battles—showers, transitions, loud crowds—into manageable routines. Sarah takes us inside her home during the pandemic, when early intervention paused and anxiety surged. The fix wasn’t perfection. It was creativity: a DIY sensory gym with crash pads and a climbing wall, plus structured games that paired movement with focus to help organize input, not just add more of it.Sarah also shares the heart behind Purposefully Me, her 14-book series for elementary kids. Centered on a fourth-grade classroom, the books tackle ADHD, autism, dyslexia, anxiety, bullying, school drills, and Down syndrome with warmth and clarity. The goal is simple and bold: help neurodivergent kids feel seen, give peers and teachers the right words, and move classrooms toward a strengths-based model that values hyperfocus, creativity, and curiosity. We talk candidly about masking, late diagnosis, and why representation—from classrooms to sports heroes—matters for self-belief.The practical centerpiece is Sarah’s ALIGN method: Awareness, Listen and Label, Identify triggers, Grounding, and Nurture. She walks us through a fast, in-the-wild example at a packed baseball game that turned overwhelm into buy-in in under a minute. Whether you’re a caregiver, educator, or an adult managing your own sensory needs, you’ll leave with tools you can use today and a fresh lens on neurodiversity that spotlights strengths over deficits. If this conversation helps you or someone you love, subscribe, share the episode, and leave a review with your favorite takeaway—what part of ALIGN will you try first? Support the show