If you’ve ever been told you or your child has anxiety, ADHD, or both—but it never fully explained what was actually happening—this conversation will feel like a breath of fresh air.

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Giancarlo Licata, director of Vital Brain Health, to unpack what’s really going on in the brain beneath these labels—and why understanding how the brain is firing matters more than the diagnosis itself.

We talk about anxiety, attention, and regulation through a neuroscience lens that’s nuanced, practical, and deeply validating for parents and high-achieving adults alike.

In this episode, we’re diving into:

• Why “anxiety” and “ADHD” are often too blunt to be helpful.
• A powerful way to understand rumination, fear, and fast processing—and how inherited traits, stress, and trauma can mix and match to drive anxiety and overwhelm.
• The order of operations your brain actually needs.
• The difference between calming your nervous system in the moment and actually lowering your baseline over time—and why both matter if you want lasting change.
• What brain mapping and neurofeedback can reveal and rewire

If you’ve ever felt like you’re throwing coping tools at a nervous system that’s already maxed out—or wondering why nothing seems to stick—this episode will help you see the bigger picture with clarity and compassion.

🎉 Special Offer: The first 5 families who inquire with Vital Brain and mention code “Alive & Well” will receive complimentary airfare for their child to Los Angeles for brain mapping—with at-home brain training to follow.

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