Dr. Shawn Horn, PsyD

11/16/2025

To all the Unicorns in a Donkey world….I celebrate YOU today!!!

💜 Dr. Shawn






🎥

11/15/2025

Attending the International Conference on ADHD 2025 here in Kansas City, hosted by ACO, ADDA, and CHADD.

The theme—Connect, Learn, THRIVE—captures exactly what this weekend has been.

There’s nothing like being in a completely neuroaffirming space with others who share the same passion:

✨ empowering the ADHD community
✨ advocating for better understanding
✨ connecting with compassion
✨ educating with evidence-based hope

Grateful for the conversations, the learning, the laughter, and the sense of belonging.

💜 Dr. Shawn

10/24/2025

Ever notice that people with ADHD tend to sprinkle emojis everywhere? It’s not just a “quirky texting habit.” There’s actually psychology behind it.

💬 1. We feel big.
ADHD brains experience emotions intensely and fast. Emojis help us match that energy—words alone can feel too slow or flat.

⚡️ 2. We want to be understood.
Text can sound cold or abrupt, and ADHDers often worry about tone. Emojis act like emotional punctuation marks that say, “Hey, I’m friendly! I care!”

🧠 3. We think in pictures.
When your working memory is juggling a million tabs, a quick visual cue is easier than crafting the perfect sentence. Emojis = cognitive shortcuts.

🎨 4. Dopamine loves color.
Bright, expressive icons keep our brains engaged. A tiny burst of novelty can make digital conversation feel more alive and rewarding.

🤝 5. We value connection.
At the core, emojis are about belonging. They help our nervous system feel safe and seen in the social world—one smiley face at a time 🙂💛

So if you’re an emoji-overuser, don’t sweat it. You’re not “too much”—you’re just communicating in HD. 🌈

❓Now tell me—Do you relate?

💜 Dr. Shawn

10/24/2025

If you’ve ever heard “just eat right” — and felt that wave of frustration or shame — you’re not alone.

🧠 You see, for a neurotypical brain, “eating right” might sound simple.

But for an ADHD brain? It’s a full-blown executive-function triathlon.

First, you have to remember you even need groceries.

Then you have to make a list — prioritizing what you actually need vs. what your dopamine wants.

Then schedule time to go, manage transitions, and drive there without getting distracted by five other errands…

…then comes emotion regulation when someone cuts you off in traffic.

Nervous system regulation when the music’s too loud or a toddler’s melting down in aisle three.

Impulse control when the cookies are on sale.

And working memory to recall what’s in your fridge and how much money’s in your account.

So no — it’s not just about knowing what to do, willpower or motivation. It’s about doing what we know.

It’s about executive functioning — the brain’s management system — and that system is working overtime just to get food on the table.

Next time someone says “just eat right,” remember:
for ADHDers, doing the thing before the thing takes more effort than the thing itself. Because it’s not that we’re lazy, unmotivated, or [fill in the blank] our nervous system and executive functions are simply working overtime.

⚡️When we understand the brain story behind our struggles, we can rewrite the shame story.

⚡️ Let’s stop shaming and start understanding — that’s the Shame-Buster way!

❓Who relates to this?

❓What’s the hardest part of “eating right” for your ADHD brain?

Share with someone who needs to know the brain story behind why it’s not that simple.

💜 Dr. Shawn

10/23/2025

Can you relate?

Check out Dr. Shawn’s video.

10/02/2025

This music is engineered to move back and forth between your ears, creating an immersive 3D sound that feels like it’s flowing through your head. To feel it:

👉 Place your phone right in front of your chin

👉 Press play & close your eyes

👉 Notice how the sound bounces ear to ear

Many people describe it as soothing, grounding, or even calming — like a little nervous system reset. Everyone’s experience is unique, but it’s a fun way to give your brain a mini break. 🧠✨

💬 Try it and let me know in the comments what you felt!

📲 Share this with a friend who would enjoy a little brain mini break.

💜 Dr. Shawn

📸 FYI, this photo is from my trip to Maui. The sunsets are amazing!

10/02/2025

Well, to be fair, they do look similar…🤪

Who relates??

Happy ADHD Awareness Month!

🧡 Dr. Shawn

09/27/2025

It’s time to talk about one of the most painful and misunderstood ADHD struggles: emotion regulation and our social lives.

Do you ever…

✔️ Interrupt, “talk too much,” or overshare—then replay what you said on a loop, full of regret and shame?

✔️ Feel like you know what to do socially but can’t access it in the moment?

✔️ Struggle to regulate your emotions, especially around others?

You’re not alone. Many ADHDers live with a painful gap between what we know and what we actually do.

And most of the “solutions” we’ve been given? Just more “should” and formulas that don’t work for our brains.

That’s why I wrote “Thrive Socially with Adult ADHD!”

This book addresses the critical missing links: emotion + nervous system regulation and the social executive functioning (SEF) skills that empower emotion regulation and make social success possible.

In this book, I introduce the Social Executive Functioning model, Polyvagal Theory—the neurophysiological foundations of emotions, attachment, communication, and self regulation— combined with latest research in ADHD —all in a strength-based approach that honors ADHD brains.

Inside, you’ll learn how to:

✅ Build a shame-free growth mindset and lasting resilience

✅ Transform your personal shame story into a nervous system story

✅ Map, navigate, and regulate your states

✅ Use SEF skills to empower social skills

✅ Discern safe vs unsafe people, healthy vs. unhealthy boundaries, and foster self-leadership.

No more shame. No more guessing games. Just real tools for thriving— socially, and emotionally!

📖 “Thrive Socially with Adult ADHD” releases Dec 1.

👉 Want to be one of the first to preorder → Comment THRIVE and I’ll DM you the link!

08/02/2025

Brilliant! What is your favorite part?

https://youtu.be/OpHiqHqQMWM?si=4yGAb49SYYASsHdj

This video represents my disability. I've also have autism, but this I also have to so sit back and watch the entertainment and the education of this video

05/14/2025

🥁🤩 BIG NEWS!!!! My new book, “Thrive Socially with Adult ADHD” is available for PRE-ORDER NOW!

Here is the link:

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

03/13/2025

https://youtube.com/shorts/Tz-HNVeLzEY?si=pkIE9t8cDhqWjv9P

02/23/2025

⚡ CRYING IS A SUPERPOWER! ⚡

Did you know crying is actually good for you?

Research shows that tears help soothe your nervous system by triggering a calming response.

Here’s how your nervous system works:

👉 Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS)– the “fight, flight, freeze” response that kicks in when you’re stressed.

👉 Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS)– the “rest and digest” response that calms you down.

When you’re upset, the SNS floods your body with stress hormones. If the stress gets overwhelming, ⚡ Superhero Crying⚡ comes to the rescue!

Crying activates the PNS, showering your system with oxytocin and endorphins—your body’s natural “feel-good” chemicals. That’s why you often feel lighter and more grounded after a good cry.

But that’s not all! Tears also:
✨ Improve and protect your vision
✨ Have antibacterial properties that keep your eyes healthy

So the next time your body tells you to cry, let it out!

It’s one of the healthiest things you can do. Suppressing tears prevents your nervous system from doing its job of restoring balance.

If you’re someone who says, “Don’t cry,”
try this instead:
💙 “Would you like a hug?”
💙 “Yes, this is really hard.”
💙 “It’s okay to cry.”
💙 “I’m here with you.”

When my clients cry in therapy, they often say, “I’m sorry.” I remind them: “No apologies needed. This is the crying room—a safe space to let it out.” I sit quietly, compassionately, without interrupting. The tears just are, and that’s okay.

Isn’t it amazing how our bodies are wired for healing?

👉 📸 *Artwork by me!* 🦸‍♀️⚡