In this episode of The Soaring Child Podcast, host Dana Kay sits down with happiness expert Matt O’Neill to explore one of the most transformative—but often overlooked—tools in parenting: cultivating happiness from the inside out. As a father of four, author, and the creator of The Good Mood Revolution podcast, Matt shares actionable insights into how happiness isn't just a fleeting feeling, but a skill that can be built—even in the chaos of daily life with ADHD. From managing meltdowns to reframing negative emotions like fear, overwhelm, and guilt, Matt offers science-backed strategies to help parents shift their perspective and become the steady, joyful presence their children need.

Dana and Matt dive into real-world challenges many families face—from job loss and emotional exhaustion to the feeling of being stuck in a loop of negativity—and how small mindset shifts can create profound change. With personal stories, spiritual grounding, and practical techniques like emotional journaling and daily gratitude, this conversation will leave you empowered to embrace the beauty in the hard moments and lead your family with more love, compassion, and resilience. Dana Kay, founder of the ADHD Thrive Institute and a dedicated functional health practitioner, brings her signature warmth and wisdom to another heart-centered conversation that parents won’t want to miss.

• Thriving with ADHD Book - adhdthriveinstitute.com/book

[2:20] Meet Matt O’Neill
[3:42] Is Happiness a Skill?
[5:20] The Role of Perspective in Parenting
[6:08] The Eight Core Negative Emotions
[8:22] How to Shift from Overwhelm to Acceptance
[10:55] Reframing Stories to Reduce Stress
[13:40] Daily Habits to Cultivate Joy
[36:37] The Power of Gratitude and Self-Love[37:50] Final Thoughts and Resources

"Happiness is completely a skill."

"It's our happiness that changes their behavior, in my opinion."

"Acceptance heals all wounds—it’s not time."

"The story I’m telling myself is, this is really hard."

"Gratitude is the gateway drug to happiness."

"Overwhelm is just another word for hopelessness."

"My job is to fill my cup."

"Stress becomes toxic when we lose hope that the future is going to be bright."

"There’s no one else inside of you that’s making choices about how you feel."

"Rome was not built in a day. Let’s think about today."

• Podcast: https://mattoneill.com/podcast/

• Website: https://mattoneill.com/

🔗WEBSITES:

• https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/

• https://dana-kay.com/

👋SOCIALS:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ADHDThriveInstitute/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adhdthriveinstitute/

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ADHDThriveInstitute

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/adhd-thrive-institute/mycompany/

• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/adhdthriveinstitute/

• Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@adhd_thriveinstitute

📕INTERNATIONAL BEST SELLING BOOK:

• Thriving with ADHD – https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/book/

💻FREE MASTERCLASS

• Free Reduce ADHD Symptoms Naturally Masterclass - https://bit.ly/3GAbFQl

⭐COURSES & PROGRAMS

• ADHD Parenting Course – https://info.adhdthriveinstitute.com/parentingadhd

• ADHD Thrive Method 4 Kids Program – https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/packages/

Welcome to the debut episode of Crack The Code, a private podcast for parents navigating the often overwhelming world of ADHD. Host Dana Kay, Board-Certified Health and Nutrition Practitioner and founder of the ADHD Thrive Institute, shares her raw, personal journey of raising a child with ADHD, and what she discovered after traditional approaches fell short. This isn’t another list of parenting hacks or behavior charts. It’s a compassionate, science-backed look into what’s really going on inside your child’s body.

In this powerful first episode, Dana introduces a groundbreaking new perspective on ADHD, one that goes beyond labels and into the underlying biological stressors like inflammation, gut imbalance, and nutrient depletion. If you’ve tried everything and still feel stuck, this series is your new roadmap. Tune in to the first of six exclusive, private podcast episodes.

Don’t Miss the Rest of this Exclusive Private Podcast Series HERE - https://bit.ly/44ByMWU

[4:49] Dana’s Personal ADHD Parenting Journey

[9:25] Why Traditional Approaches Often Fail

[9:33] The “House on Fire” Analogy

[11:10] The Biology Behind Behavior

[11:59] What’s Coming in Episode 2

If you’re anything like I was…you’ve hit that point where “fine” doesn’t feel honest anymore.

Tired of trying things that don’t work and being the one left to pick up the pieces when they don’t?

This isn’t your typical podcast. And it’s definitely not another list of behavior hacks.

You’ll understand what’s actually driving your child’s symptoms—not just what they look like on the surface.

I remember staring at those prescription bottles on the kitchen counter thinking, “This cannot be the way.”

We weren’t going to survive this if we kept doing more of the same.

Imagine your child’s body like a house. And right now—it’s on fire.

Most of what we’re taught to do is basically chasing the smoke around with a spray bottle.

When both parents understand the biology behind the behavior, everything shifts.

You don’t have to chase symptoms anymore. You don’t have to do this alone.

🔗WEBSITES:

• https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/

• https://dana-kay.com/

👋SOCIALS:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ADHDThriveInstitute/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adhdthriveinstitute/

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ADHDThriveInstitute

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/adhd-thrive-institute/mycompany/

• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/adhdthriveinstitute/

• Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@adhd_thriveinstitute

📕INTERNATIONAL BEST SELLING BOOK:

• Thriving with ADHD – https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/book/

💻FREE MASTERCLASS

• Free Reduce ADHD Symptoms Naturally Masterclass - https://bit.ly/3GAbFQl

⭐COURSES & PROGRAMS

• ADHD Parenting Course – https://info.adhdthriveinstitute.com/parentingadhd

• ADHD Thrive Method 4 Kids Program – https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/packages/