Untangled: ADHD, Trauma, & Mental Health

This episode features Dr. Matt Penson, a primary care pediatrician with Children's Medical Associates in West Broward County, joining the host to unpack what's really happening with ADHD and autism diagnoses in kids today — including the shift from 1 in 11 to 1 in 9 children now diagnosed with ADHD.The conversation covers early autism screening as young as nine months old, the long wait times families face to see a pediatric neurologist for a formal diagnosis, and why so many "straightforward" ADHD cases still need a specialist's involvement once anxiety, depression, or other comorbidities are in the picture. Dr. Penson and the host also dig into the often-overlooked population of teens presenting with ADHD symptoms for the first time, the gender gap in diagnosis, IEPs and 504 plans, medication diversion and abuse risk, and why rejection-sensitive dysphoria deserves far more attention than it gets.A practical, detailed conversation for any parent or caregiver trying to figure out where their child fits in — and what steps to take next.

What happens when a young adult falls through the cracks between therapy sessions and real life? On this episode of Untangled, Dr. Priti Kothari sits down with Bianca da Silva, founder of Healing Roots and a case manager serving the Boca Raton and Palm Beach County community. Bianca specializes in a novel, hands-on approach to mental health support — meeting clients where they actually live, not just in an office.We dig into what executive functioning really means for kids and young adults with ADHD, why "accountability" isn't as simple as it sounds, and how isolation has quietly become one of the biggest post-COVID mental health struggles for young people. Bianca shares how she builds trust with clients, bridges communication between families and providers, and helps individuals reconnect with community — from pickleball courts to job training to local nonprofits like the Recovery Hub.We also get into a candid conversation about the pressure facing today's families: standardized testing, two-income households, and why what looks like "enabling" is often just exhausted, loving parents doing their best in a system stacked against them. Plus, Bianca opens up about her vision for an independent living home designed for young adults building life skills before stepping into full independence.If you've ever wondered what support looks like after the therapy appointment ends, this episode is for you. And if you take one thing away — it's this: it's never too late.

On this episode of Untangled, host Dr. Priti Kothari is joined by psychologist and yoga instructor Sara Baena for a conversation on trauma, the unconscious mind, and the mind-body connection.Sara shares her background in psychoanalysis, drawing on Freud and Jung, and how she came to write her book, Your Healing Is Your Success. She and Dr. Kothari explore how trauma gets stored not just in the unconscious mind but in the physical body, and how practices like yoga, breathwork, and meditation can help release it.The conversation covers:How unresolved trauma from childhood shows up in the body and nervous systemThe four trauma responses — fight, flight, freeze, and fawn — and how they relate to the sympathetic nervous systemSpecific yoga poses, including backbends, tree pose, and butterfly pose, and what each can help releaseThe role of Ujjayi breath and conscious breathing in shifting the body into a parasympathetic, calming stateUsing color and visualization, including chakra colors, as a tool for healingWhy reaching out for help is a sign of strength, not weaknessHow the education system often overlooks emotional regulation and self-love, and what that means for children growing up todayDr. Kothari and Sara close with a candid discussion on the growing loneliness epidemic, the importance of community and human connection, and why self-healing work is becoming essential for the world moving forward.Whether you're curious about the psychology of trauma, looking for practical tools to calm your nervous system, or interested in how yoga and mental health intersect, this episode offers real, actionable insight.Learn more about Sara Baena's book, Your Healing Is Your Success, available on Amazon.

ADHD is about far more than trouble paying attention. For many children and adults, the biggest challenge lies in executive functioning—the mental skills that help us plan, organize, manage time, regulate emotions, and complete everyday tasks.In this episode of Untangled, Dr. Priti Kothari is joined by psychologist Dr. Evan Melman to explore how executive functioning shapes daily life for people with ADHD. Together, they discuss why medication is only one part of treatment, the importance of coaching and behavioral strategies, and how parents, educators, and clinicians can better support those navigating ADHD.The conversation covers time blindness, working memory, emotional regulation, procrastination, executive functioning coaching, and practical tools like timers, checklists, and digital apps. Dr. Kothari and Dr. Melman also address the emotional impact of ADHD, including self-esteem, rejection sensitivity, and why so many adults are only now discovering they've been living with ADHD their entire lives.Whether you're a parent, educator, healthcare professional, or someone living with ADHD, this episode offers practical guidance, hope, and a reminder that with the right support and understanding, people with ADHD can thrive by building on their unique strengths.

 In this episode of Untangled, Dr. Priti Kothari sits down with longtime friend and community leader Lalita to explore how happiness can be found even after devastating loss and isolation. Lalita opens up about the loneliness she faced after her divorce, how volunteering as a hospital "pink lady" became her lifeline, and how that early service eventually grew into Camp Haven, the nonprofit she and her husband founded to support the homeless in Vero Beach. The conversation moves through resilience, intergenerational trauma, domestic violence resources, and the importance of healing in community rather than alone. Dr. Kothari and Lalita share a powerful message for anyone feeling stuck: reach out, get involved, and know that what you give comes back a hundredfold. 

In this episode of Untangled, Dr. Priti Kothari welcomes longtime collaborator Heather Thompson, a master's-level special education teacher and tutor with over 30 years of experience in the field. Together, they break down what parents need to know once a child is identified as struggling in school — from psychoeducational evaluations and IEPs/504 plans to the specific interventions available for dyslexia and other learning disabilities.Heather walks through the differences between three well-known approaches to dyslexia — Orton-Gillingham, Wilson, and Lindamood-Bell — and explains which students benefit most from each. Dr. Kothari brings the clinical perspective, discussing how medication for ADHD fits alongside (not instead of) educational and executive functioning support, and why the rising rates of ADHD diagnoses reflect both greater awareness and increasing academic pressure on kids.The conversation moves beyond academics into executive functioning as a life skill — time management, organization, daily routines, and self-regulation — and the emotional toll that undiagnosed or unsupported learning differences can take, including low self-esteem, rejection sensitive dysphoria, and depression. Dr. Kothari and Heather close with a heartfelt discussion on why patience, unconditional support, and helping kids find and pursue their genuine passions matter more than chasing a "perfect" major or career path.A must-listen for parents navigating a new diagnosis, and for anyone curious about how clinicians and educators work together to support the whole child.

Healing doesn't happen overnight—but every step forward matters.In this episode of Untangled, Dr. Priti Kothari sits down with Noah Crane, founder of the World Healing Tour, to explore how healing from trauma begins with caring for yourself. Noah shares her personal journey through childhood adversity and the lessons that inspired her mission to help others find peace, purpose, and resilience.Together, they discuss practical strategies for navigating emotional pain, the importance of self-compassion, patience, gratitude, and surrounding yourself with supportive people. They also explore why healing is a lifelong journey, how to manage setbacks, and why small, consistent steps can lead to lasting transformation.Whether you're working through past trauma, supporting someone you love, or simply looking to cultivate more peace in your life, this conversation offers hope, encouragement, and actionable tools to help you move forward.In this episode, you'll learn:Why healing starts with yourselfHow childhood trauma can shape adulthoodThe power of self-compassion and patiencePractical ways to stay grounded during difficult momentsWhy gratitude, connection, and purpose are essential for healing

In this powerful episode, Dr. Priti Kothari — child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist based in Boca Raton, Florida — sits down with Dr. Lynn Tress, a fellow clinician and trauma survivor who has traveled all the way to the ancient Daintree Rainforest in northern Australia to train with pioneering healer Melanie Tonia Evans.Together, they unpack one of today's most talked-about — and most misunderstood — topics: narcissistic abuse. What does narcissism actually mean clinically, versus how it's thrown around in pop culture? Why are empaths so consistently targeted? And what happens to your body, your nervous system, and your soul after years of this kind of abuse?Dr. Tress shares her deeply personal journey through narcissistically abusive relationships, why traditional psychotherapy fell short for her, and how she found Melanie Tonia Evans' Quanta Freedom Healing — an energetic, somatic-based approach that goes beyond talk therapy to release trauma stored deep in the body. From attachment styles and the four F's of PTSD, to the parasitic nature of narcissism and the remarkable transformation she witnessed in a fellow seminar attendee — this episode is raw, real, and full of hope for anyone who has ever felt trapped, gaslit, or broken down by someone they loved.

Tonight's episode is a gift.Dr. Priti Kothari sits down with two of the most respected clinicians in the Boca Raton mental health community — Jackie DeVito, LCSW, and Tim Andrews, therapist and coach — for a deeply moving conversation about trauma, relationships, and the courage it takes to heal. Together, Jackie and Tim are the founders of Courageous Hearts and co-authors of the newly released book Courageous Connection: How to Transform Limiting Beliefs, Heal Past Wounds, and Build Extraordinary Love That Lasts, available now on Amazon.What makes Jackie and Tim's approach so powerful — and so rare — is that they've lived the work themselves. Both went through their own healing journeys before becoming clinicians, and both continue that work today. Their model brings male and female therapeutic energy into the room together, creating a dynamic that traditional couples therapy simply can't replicate.In this episode, they explore:Why we recreate our childhood wounds in our adult relationships — and how to finally break that cycleThe inner child: what it means, where the damage happens, and how healing beginsThe victim triangle and the three roles we unconsciously play in our relationshipsWhy traditional couples therapy is often insufficient — and what a more effective model looks likeNarcissistic abuse, gaslighting, and how early childhood experiences set the stage for adult entrapmentWhy staying in an unhappy marriage "for the children" may be doing more harm than goodThe courage it takes to choose yourself — and what that models for your kidsTransgenerational trauma and how healing one person can shift an entire family systemDr. Kothari also walks listeners through the chapters of Courageous Connection, covering attachment styles, reparenting, breaking free from powerlessness, boundaries, forgiveness, and the four pillars of intimacy.Whether you are in the thick of a painful relationship, recovering from trauma, or simply trying to understand why you keep ending up in the same cycles, this conversation meets you exactly where you are — with no judgment, and a whole lot of hope.Resources Mentioned:Courageous Connection by Jackie DeVito & Tim Andrews — available on AmazonCourageousArtsCoaching.com — workshops, intensives, and upcoming affordable online modulesThe Crappy Childhood Fairy — social media and podcastThe Holistic Psychologist — social media and resourcesKristen Neff, PhD — self-compassion research and workbook, UT AustinJohn Bradshaw — Homecoming, Healing the Shame That Binds YouJoe Dispenza, Mel Robbins — additional thought leaders referencedOnsite Workshops — four-day intensive program, Nashville, TNStay tuned — Jackie and Tim will return to Untangled when their online modules launch.

When a child receives a diagnosis of autism or ADHD, families are often handed a prescription and a list of acronyms — ABA, BCBA, RBT — and left to figure out the rest on their own. In this first episode of Untangled, Dr. Priti Kothari sits down with Laura Williams, founder of Limitless Tomorrow ABA and president of the Palm Beach Association of Behavioral Analysis, to cut through the confusion and give families a clear, hopeful roadmap.Laura brings 20 years of clinical experience to a conversation that covers the full journey — from spotting early red flags at home and in preschool, to navigating the referral process, to understanding exactly who does what on your child's care team.In this episode:What a BCBA does — and how they're different from an RBTEarly developmental milestones and red flags to knowHow to get a diagnosis when the wait list is a year longThe "trifecta" of services: ABA, occupational therapy, and speech therapyHow BCBAs coordinate with schools, insurers, and other providersWhy Florida is one of only two states that allows RBTs in schoolsWhen medication fits into the picture — and when it doesn'tFinding the "islands of giftedness" in every childWhether your family is just starting this journey or you've been navigating it for years, this episode is packed with practical guidance, honest answers, and genuine encouragement.Dr Priti Kothari | Boca Raton Psychiatrist | Child PsychiatristMental Health Services | Dr Priti Kothari | Psychiatrist Boca Raton

What happens when a psychiatrist with 20 years of experience, a Princeton education, and a lifelong passion for advocacy decides to start a podcast? You get Untangled.Dr. Priti Kothari is a board-certified child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist based in Boca Raton, Florida — and she's seen it all. From toddlers to seniors, from ADHD and autism to trauma, mood disorders, and women's mental health, she brings a rare whole-lifespan perspective to the conversations that matter most.Trained at Johns Hopkins and Sheppard Pratt, where she served as chief resident, she has spent decades not just treating patients, but fighting for them. Her advocacy roots stretch back to the 1980s, when she was a teenager raising her voice for AIDS awareness in New York City. That fire hasn't dimmed.Untangled was built for the families in South Florida and beyond who are quietly struggling — searching for providers, resources, and understanding around trauma, neurodivergence, and displacement, and too often coming up empty.Each week, Dr. Kothari sits down with renowned experts and community voices to untangle the complex, stigmatized, and often misunderstood corners of mental health — with warmth, clinical depth, and zero judgment.This podcast is for you. To feel empowered, educated, and ready to heal.