The Boy with the Butterfly Mind: A Family’s Journey Through ADHD

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 Mind:https://www.amazon.com/Boy-Butterfly-Mind-Novel/dp/B0FWZZ39BH/

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Timestamps

(00:00) Lorelei Brush and The Boy with the Butterfly Mind(02:23) Why Lorelei wrote a novel about raising a child with ADHD(05:23) How fiction can create insight, empathy and healing(08:00) What does “butterfly mind” mean?(10:40) Helping an ADHD child—and the whole family—thrive(15:19) When school becomes the place a child’s differences are noticed(19:23) ADHD, family dynamics and neurodivergence across generations(22:53) The fear of labeling a child with ADHD(25:30) The parent trap of trying to research and “solve” everything(28:36) There is no one right way to raise a neurodivergent child