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The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation: The Secret to Finding Balance, Getting Things Done, and Enjoying Your Life
One minute you’re on a roll, churning out work like a machine. Then, the next day even putting on socks feels overwhelming. Sound familiar? This frantic crash cycle isn’t just a personality quirk or laziness. As therapist Jenna Free (@adhdwithjennafree) explains, the real culprit to your ADHD highs and lows is dysregulation.
If you have ADHD (or simply suspect you do) and you’ve found yourself frustrated with all of the hacks—half-completed planners, too many screenshots to count, timers going off every 30 minutes, and sticky notes covering your desk and walls— you’re not alone. If all these “solutions” have fallen flat and you’re struggling to keep your head above water—this book is for you.
The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation can help you reset your nervous system, gain control of your life, and even begin to enjoy it.
What you’ll discover inside:
* Reasons why ADHD often feels like chaotic highs and crashing lows
* Explanations of how fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses shape your daily struggles
* Practical steps to reset your nervous system, thoughts, and actions
* Tools to help you stop avoiding tasks
* Prompts to help you zoom out to what really matters most
* Engaging sidebars and fun graphics to bring the teachings to life
What you won’t find inside?
* Quick fixes and band aids
* Hard assignments and homework
* Shame and shoulds
Plus, this book is full of fun graphics and illustrations, so if the thought of a long, boring book is overwhelming you—no fear! As someone who has ADHD herself, Jenna made this book specifically designed with your brain in mind! If you're ready to rethink how you approach ADHD, take back control, and finally live a life that doesn’t feel so hard, we’ve got you.
(P.S. You'll even figure out why putting on socks feels impossible some days. . . and how to overcome it!)
If you have ADHD (or simply suspect you do) and you’ve found yourself frustrated with all of the hacks—half-completed planners, too many screenshots to count, timers going off every 30 minutes, and sticky notes covering your desk and walls— you’re not alone. If all these “solutions” have fallen flat and you’re struggling to keep your head above water—this book is for you.
The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation can help you reset your nervous system, gain control of your life, and even begin to enjoy it.
What you’ll discover inside:
* Reasons why ADHD often feels like chaotic highs and crashing lows
* Explanations of how fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses shape your daily struggles
* Practical steps to reset your nervous system, thoughts, and actions
* Tools to help you stop avoiding tasks
* Prompts to help you zoom out to what really matters most
* Engaging sidebars and fun graphics to bring the teachings to life
What you won’t find inside?
* Quick fixes and band aids
* Hard assignments and homework
* Shame and shoulds
Plus, this book is full of fun graphics and illustrations, so if the thought of a long, boring book is overwhelming you—no fear! As someone who has ADHD herself, Jenna made this book specifically designed with your brain in mind! If you're ready to rethink how you approach ADHD, take back control, and finally live a life that doesn’t feel so hard, we’ve got you.
(P.S. You'll even figure out why putting on socks feels impossible some days. . . and how to overcome it!)
224 pages, Hardcover
Published March 17, 2026
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March 26, 2026
Book 2 ⭐ | Audio 3 ⭐
This book should have opened with a disclaimer: this is the author’s personal, non-clinical theory of ADHD, not an evidence-based guide.
The Simple Guide To ADHD Regulation promises ADHD help beyond timers, planners, sticky notes, routines, and productivity hacks. The claim is that day-to-day ADHD struggles are caused by an underlying state of nervous system dysregulation and fight/flight/freeze/fawn, rather than a collection of separate executive function deficits. Instead of another productivity book, readers are promised a nervous-system framework that explains why ADHD feels so difficult and how to finally get it under control.
What it actually delivers is an unproven personal theory with no evidence, citation or published peer-reviewed work to back it up. Then, it provides the solution: decades-old CBT, mindfulness, and ADHD coaching advice delivered in nervous-system language.
The book claims ADHD feels like chaotic highs and crashing lows because of fight-or-flight trauma response. If this were true, the book would include documentation of studies and research. Also, the world's leading ADHD experts would have published papers or books about it. But it doesn't even have a "works cited," "research" or "bibliography" section in the back of the book. Zero source material.
The author created this theory on her own, with no research, data or science to back it up. For example, look at the chart in Chapter 1 about ADHD vs Dysregulation symptom levels. No data, no number labels, no details, nothing but meaningless green and purple bars. Completely made up.
🚩 The book reduces ADHD symptoms to dysregulation
According to this book, the great mystery of ADHD has finally been solved. Forget executive function, dopamine, working memory, time blindness, and attentional regulation. The "real culprit to your ADHD highs and lows is dysregulation."
Remarkable.
Except it isn't true. Dysregulation is a symptom of ADHD, not the explanation for ADHD.
The book's premise is the dysregulation claim, then it works backward from there. If you're procrastinating, avoiding a task, scrolling, binge eating, overwhelmed, distracted, forgetful, stuck, exhausted, or unmotivated, the answer is dysregulation. The book treats dysregulation like the master key to ADHD. It flattens a complex neurodevelopmental condition into a single explanation and sidelines working memory problems, task initiation deficits, reward signaling, time blindness, attentional capture, switching costs, executive fatigue, sleep, hunger, medication, and environment.
The phrase "reset your nervous system" gets thrown around constantly in this book, but what does that actually mean? A nervous system isn't a computer, you can't reboot it. The book never defines what a "reset" looks like, how it would be measured, or how a reader would know if they succeeded. The phrase sounds scientific while remaining vague enough to mean anything.
The book describes a dysregulation cycle where perfectionism, overwhelm, ADHD paralysis, rushing, urgency, overstimulation, negative self-talk, low motivation, under stimulation, exhaustion, and even low dopamine are all the same nervous system issue. If you experience one of these issues, the book argues that the answer is dysregulation and to follow the steps in part 2 and later.
The fight-or-flight claims are supposedly the trigger for dysregulation. The book repeatedly describes ordinary ADHD struggles through the lens of survival responses. Trying to get all your tasks done at once, procrastinating, feeling overwhelmed, rushing through things, or getting stuck in paralysis are presented as signs that you're living in fight-or-flight. Those experiences are frustrating and exhausting, but they aren't evidence that your nervous system is facing a life-threatening emergency.
One of the most troubling assertions the book makes is that readers stop blaming their ADHD and start thinking in terms of dysregulation instead. Dysregulation is real and it can make ADHD symptoms worse. But replacing ADHD with dysregulation as the primary explanation does not make the condition easier to understand. It tells you to reframe the symptoms without helping you solve the root issue.
Dysregulation is a recognized medical state caused by trauma, stress or physical illness, as detailed in the Cleveland Clinic Overview of Emotional Dysregulation and Healthline's Guide to Nervous System Dysregulation.
n.
📌 The treatments for dysregulation are ordinary CBT/coaching tools
The advice the book provides is primarily basic CBT, DBT, mindfulness, and ADHD coaching concepts that ADHD readers have seen a hundred times already. The ADHD Greatest Hits Album: Break the task down, prioritize, set boundaries, challenge your thoughts, take a walk, tell yourself you are safe, and celebrate small wins.
That advice, while science-backed, is ordinary, not ground breaking or revolutionary. These are concepts that have been around a long time and the book repackages them as new and unique.
This book hinges on a foundation of hyped-up dysregulation, survival mode, primal brain, safety, danger, and evolutionary responses. Then it's solution is a priority list, self-talk script, or sticky note (which is specifically mentioned in the blurb).
See for yourself how these are standard and basic tools at Cleveland Clinic’s Guide to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and the NHS Self-Help CBT Techniques resource pages.
When the book introduces "Neutral Thinking" and separating judgment from reality, it is simply repackaging core mindfulness skills from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), such as Radical Acceptance and a Non-Judgmental Stance. These established clinical frameworks are widely accessible for free via resources like the Cleveland Clinic’s Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) page.
If ADHD procrastination comes from low dopamine, task initiation, and executive function, task chunking makes sense as one workaround. But if the claim is that your nervous system believes you are facing an existential threat, a priority list does not match the scale of the problem.
To understand how a human body responds during a true biological survival crisis, look at the Cleveland Clinic’s Breakdown of the Fight-or-Flight Response. Comparing task paralysis on a couch to an active primal threat response isn't how the nervous system operates.
🚩 Dysregulation reframing sends readers toward the wrong explanation and therefore the wrong solution
Can't start the report? Dysregulation. Forgot the appointment? Dysregulation. Lost track of time? Dysregulation. Ate the chips? Dysregulation. Can't get off the couch? Dysregulation. Missed a deadline? Dysregulation.
Now every problem gets solved with regulation techniques when the actual fix might be food, medication, a timer, body doubling, a checklist, a calendar reminder, sleep, or a better system.
The book also gives almost nothing for the moment when everything goes sideways. If someone is already spiraling, snapping, frozen, bingeing, doomscrolling, or avoiding the task, they need a concrete strategy to interrupt the pattern. The book mostly tells you what to think about after you notice what is happening, which assumes you can notice it in real time.
Those solutions completely ignore the biological reality of interoception, the body's internal awareness of bodily signals like heart rate, muscle tension, or stress. As detailed by the Cleveland Clinic’s Article on Interoception and CHADD’s Guide to Interoceptive Awareness in ADHD, ADHDers often don't notice these cues until they hit critical mass. The brain misses physical cues that you're hungry, tense, overloaded, hot, clenched, anxious, or exhausted until they snap at someone or collapse. Advice like “notice your body” assumes access to signals that many ADHD people don't necessarily receive in real time.
Dysregulation is a symptom of ADHD, not the explanation for ADHD. ADHD involves executive function deficits, working memory problems, task initiation difficulties, reward regulation, time blindness, and attentional issues. Reducing all of that into "dysregulation" is lazy and destructive because it encourages readers to look for answers in the wrong place.
🚩 There is no evidence presented for the claims or charts
In every ADHD book I read, I always check the author's credentials, often to see if they're from "Camp Clinical" or "Camp Coach." The author of this book is from both. Although books by clinicians typically have robust references and citations, coaches usually have at least a handful.
It's devastating that this book doesn't contain a single citation or references. There's no bibliography or scientific support for the charts and claims. The ADHD vs. dysregulation graphics look like data, but there are no numbers or citation of a peer-reviewed study. Personal theory is not enough for claims this broad.
👉 Should you read this book?
If you are looking for emotional affirmation and want to feel less alone in your struggles, the relatable descriptions in this book might offer some comfort.
However, if you buy into the "dysregulation" theory and write off your daily ADHD struggles as a constant need to recover from a "fight-or-flight" trauma crisis, you're going to miss out on real ADHD tools that offer practical, concrete solutions.
When you are frozen on the couch staring at a messy room, the framework in this book says you're experiencing an evolutionary survival threat and need to talk yourself into feeling "safe" before you can move. It forces you into a stressful loop of endless, ineffective self-monitoring.
In contrast, an excellent book that just came out called Cleaning from the Fringes offers actionable tools you can use right now to conquer the overwhelm and actually get yourself off the couch. It recognizes that the problem isn't a life-or-death trauma loop; it's executive function and decision fatigue. It gives you immediate, body-based strategies to bypass your stalled thinking brain and get moving.
Audiobook:
The audiobook is narrated by the author. The quality is good, but the book is very short, and so is the audiobook. 2 hours and 53 minutes isn't a lot of content. So, 3 stars because its listenable and professionally recorded, but the content of the book is still an issue.
Accompanying PDF:
Extra graphics that should have been in the book. It gives audio readers some illustrations that obviously aren't included in the audiobook. But you have to put in your email address and get on the author's mailing list to get it. Doesn't add anything special.
This book should have opened with a disclaimer: this is the author’s personal, non-clinical theory of ADHD, not an evidence-based guide.
The Simple Guide To ADHD Regulation promises ADHD help beyond timers, planners, sticky notes, routines, and productivity hacks. The claim is that day-to-day ADHD struggles are caused by an underlying state of nervous system dysregulation and fight/flight/freeze/fawn, rather than a collection of separate executive function deficits. Instead of another productivity book, readers are promised a nervous-system framework that explains why ADHD feels so difficult and how to finally get it under control.
What it actually delivers is an unproven personal theory with no evidence, citation or published peer-reviewed work to back it up. Then, it provides the solution: decades-old CBT, mindfulness, and ADHD coaching advice delivered in nervous-system language.
The book claims ADHD feels like chaotic highs and crashing lows because of fight-or-flight trauma response. If this were true, the book would include documentation of studies and research. Also, the world's leading ADHD experts would have published papers or books about it. But it doesn't even have a "works cited," "research" or "bibliography" section in the back of the book. Zero source material.
The author created this theory on her own, with no research, data or science to back it up. For example, look at the chart in Chapter 1 about ADHD vs Dysregulation symptom levels. No data, no number labels, no details, nothing but meaningless green and purple bars. Completely made up.
🚩 The book reduces ADHD symptoms to dysregulation
According to this book, the great mystery of ADHD has finally been solved. Forget executive function, dopamine, working memory, time blindness, and attentional regulation. The "real culprit to your ADHD highs and lows is dysregulation."
Remarkable.
Except it isn't true. Dysregulation is a symptom of ADHD, not the explanation for ADHD.
The book's premise is the dysregulation claim, then it works backward from there. If you're procrastinating, avoiding a task, scrolling, binge eating, overwhelmed, distracted, forgetful, stuck, exhausted, or unmotivated, the answer is dysregulation. The book treats dysregulation like the master key to ADHD. It flattens a complex neurodevelopmental condition into a single explanation and sidelines working memory problems, task initiation deficits, reward signaling, time blindness, attentional capture, switching costs, executive fatigue, sleep, hunger, medication, and environment.
The phrase "reset your nervous system" gets thrown around constantly in this book, but what does that actually mean? A nervous system isn't a computer, you can't reboot it. The book never defines what a "reset" looks like, how it would be measured, or how a reader would know if they succeeded. The phrase sounds scientific while remaining vague enough to mean anything.
The book describes a dysregulation cycle where perfectionism, overwhelm, ADHD paralysis, rushing, urgency, overstimulation, negative self-talk, low motivation, under stimulation, exhaustion, and even low dopamine are all the same nervous system issue. If you experience one of these issues, the book argues that the answer is dysregulation and to follow the steps in part 2 and later.
The fight-or-flight claims are supposedly the trigger for dysregulation. The book repeatedly describes ordinary ADHD struggles through the lens of survival responses. Trying to get all your tasks done at once, procrastinating, feeling overwhelmed, rushing through things, or getting stuck in paralysis are presented as signs that you're living in fight-or-flight. Those experiences are frustrating and exhausting, but they aren't evidence that your nervous system is facing a life-threatening emergency.
One of the most troubling assertions the book makes is that readers stop blaming their ADHD and start thinking in terms of dysregulation instead. Dysregulation is real and it can make ADHD symptoms worse. But replacing ADHD with dysregulation as the primary explanation does not make the condition easier to understand. It tells you to reframe the symptoms without helping you solve the root issue.
Dysregulation is a recognized medical state caused by trauma, stress or physical illness, as detailed in the Cleveland Clinic Overview of Emotional Dysregulation and Healthline's Guide to Nervous System Dysregulation.
n.
📌 The treatments for dysregulation are ordinary CBT/coaching tools
The advice the book provides is primarily basic CBT, DBT, mindfulness, and ADHD coaching concepts that ADHD readers have seen a hundred times already. The ADHD Greatest Hits Album: Break the task down, prioritize, set boundaries, challenge your thoughts, take a walk, tell yourself you are safe, and celebrate small wins.
That advice, while science-backed, is ordinary, not ground breaking or revolutionary. These are concepts that have been around a long time and the book repackages them as new and unique.
This book hinges on a foundation of hyped-up dysregulation, survival mode, primal brain, safety, danger, and evolutionary responses. Then it's solution is a priority list, self-talk script, or sticky note (which is specifically mentioned in the blurb).
See for yourself how these are standard and basic tools at Cleveland Clinic’s Guide to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and the NHS Self-Help CBT Techniques resource pages.
When the book introduces "Neutral Thinking" and separating judgment from reality, it is simply repackaging core mindfulness skills from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), such as Radical Acceptance and a Non-Judgmental Stance. These established clinical frameworks are widely accessible for free via resources like the Cleveland Clinic’s Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) page.
If ADHD procrastination comes from low dopamine, task initiation, and executive function, task chunking makes sense as one workaround. But if the claim is that your nervous system believes you are facing an existential threat, a priority list does not match the scale of the problem.
To understand how a human body responds during a true biological survival crisis, look at the Cleveland Clinic’s Breakdown of the Fight-or-Flight Response. Comparing task paralysis on a couch to an active primal threat response isn't how the nervous system operates.
🚩 Dysregulation reframing sends readers toward the wrong explanation and therefore the wrong solution
Can't start the report? Dysregulation. Forgot the appointment? Dysregulation. Lost track of time? Dysregulation. Ate the chips? Dysregulation. Can't get off the couch? Dysregulation. Missed a deadline? Dysregulation.
Now every problem gets solved with regulation techniques when the actual fix might be food, medication, a timer, body doubling, a checklist, a calendar reminder, sleep, or a better system.
The book also gives almost nothing for the moment when everything goes sideways. If someone is already spiraling, snapping, frozen, bingeing, doomscrolling, or avoiding the task, they need a concrete strategy to interrupt the pattern. The book mostly tells you what to think about after you notice what is happening, which assumes you can notice it in real time.
Those solutions completely ignore the biological reality of interoception, the body's internal awareness of bodily signals like heart rate, muscle tension, or stress. As detailed by the Cleveland Clinic’s Article on Interoception and CHADD’s Guide to Interoceptive Awareness in ADHD, ADHDers often don't notice these cues until they hit critical mass. The brain misses physical cues that you're hungry, tense, overloaded, hot, clenched, anxious, or exhausted until they snap at someone or collapse. Advice like “notice your body” assumes access to signals that many ADHD people don't necessarily receive in real time.
Dysregulation is a symptom of ADHD, not the explanation for ADHD. ADHD involves executive function deficits, working memory problems, task initiation difficulties, reward regulation, time blindness, and attentional issues. Reducing all of that into "dysregulation" is lazy and destructive because it encourages readers to look for answers in the wrong place.
🚩 There is no evidence presented for the claims or charts
In every ADHD book I read, I always check the author's credentials, often to see if they're from "Camp Clinical" or "Camp Coach." The author of this book is from both. Although books by clinicians typically have robust references and citations, coaches usually have at least a handful.
It's devastating that this book doesn't contain a single citation or references. There's no bibliography or scientific support for the charts and claims. The ADHD vs. dysregulation graphics look like data, but there are no numbers or citation of a peer-reviewed study. Personal theory is not enough for claims this broad.
👉 Should you read this book?
If you are looking for emotional affirmation and want to feel less alone in your struggles, the relatable descriptions in this book might offer some comfort.
However, if you buy into the "dysregulation" theory and write off your daily ADHD struggles as a constant need to recover from a "fight-or-flight" trauma crisis, you're going to miss out on real ADHD tools that offer practical, concrete solutions.
When you are frozen on the couch staring at a messy room, the framework in this book says you're experiencing an evolutionary survival threat and need to talk yourself into feeling "safe" before you can move. It forces you into a stressful loop of endless, ineffective self-monitoring.
In contrast, an excellent book that just came out called Cleaning from the Fringes offers actionable tools you can use right now to conquer the overwhelm and actually get yourself off the couch. It recognizes that the problem isn't a life-or-death trauma loop; it's executive function and decision fatigue. It gives you immediate, body-based strategies to bypass your stalled thinking brain and get moving.
Audiobook:
The audiobook is narrated by the author. The quality is good, but the book is very short, and so is the audiobook. 2 hours and 53 minutes isn't a lot of content. So, 3 stars because its listenable and professionally recorded, but the content of the book is still an issue.
Accompanying PDF:
Extra graphics that should have been in the book. It gives audio readers some illustrations that obviously aren't included in the audiobook. But you have to put in your email address and get on the author's mailing list to get it. Doesn't add anything special.
May 6, 2026
This book allowed me to feel seen and I'm grateful to have read it for that reason alone. However, I would have liked more detailed advice provided and I don't think all this contained was personally life-changing.
Read
March 18, 2026This one hit me perfectly! I picked this up hoping for something actually helpful (and not just another pile of ADHD “tips”), and it delivered. I really liked how simple and approachable it is—short chapters, clear ideas, and strategies that feel doable instead of overwhelming. A lot of it is basic on the surface, but in a way that actually makes it easier to apply in real life.
What stood out most was the focus on regulation instead of just productivity hacks. It helped me look at my patterns a little differently and notice what’s actually going on when I’m stuck or avoiding things.
I’d recommend it if you want something quick, practical, and ADHD-friendly—especially if longer, more detailed books tend to lose you like they do me.
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Celebrate for the ARC!
What stood out most was the focus on regulation instead of just productivity hacks. It helped me look at my patterns a little differently and notice what’s actually going on when I’m stuck or avoiding things.
I’d recommend it if you want something quick, practical, and ADHD-friendly—especially if longer, more detailed books tend to lose you like they do me.
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Celebrate for the ARC!
April 22, 2026
Best ADHD book I've read yet because of its simplicity and practicality. How many books have you read that tell you "get an agenda, use post-it notes, set alarms," which leaves you with one more thing to do and a constant reminder of your overwhelm and deficits. Just me?
Jenna Free strips our actions down to regulation, and the neurodivergent's tendency to fall into disregulation. The world wasn't but for neurodiverse brains, which layers a lot of anxiety and shame into the way we think about ourselves. Learning how, and committing to, keeping yourself regulated is the comfort zone from where we can make better informed decisions.
Alongside colourful pages and charming illustrations, Free gives us just enough information to feel confident in our ability to approach ADHD, not to change, but to listen to ourselves.
Highly recommended.
Jenna Free strips our actions down to regulation, and the neurodivergent's tendency to fall into disregulation. The world wasn't but for neurodiverse brains, which layers a lot of anxiety and shame into the way we think about ourselves. Learning how, and committing to, keeping yourself regulated is the comfort zone from where we can make better informed decisions.
Alongside colourful pages and charming illustrations, Free gives us just enough information to feel confident in our ability to approach ADHD, not to change, but to listen to ourselves.
Highly recommended.
June 20, 2026
The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation: The Secret to Finding Balance, Getting Things Done, and Enjoying Your Life
I really enjoyed this fun and interesting ADHD book!
Free is such a warm and fun writer that I couldn't put it down.
This book is filled with a ton of practical tips to help regulate yourself. I truly learned a lot and found it very informative and useful.
Some of the tips sounded counter-intuitive at first, but then totally worked in the end when I tried them.
Definitely recommend this book to anyone with ADHD or if your loved ones have it.
Check it out!
4.3./5
I really enjoyed this fun and interesting ADHD book!
Free is such a warm and fun writer that I couldn't put it down.
This book is filled with a ton of practical tips to help regulate yourself. I truly learned a lot and found it very informative and useful.
Some of the tips sounded counter-intuitive at first, but then totally worked in the end when I tried them.
Definitely recommend this book to anyone with ADHD or if your loved ones have it.
Check it out!
4.3./5
July 16, 2026
This audiobook is narrated by the author and is clear, relatable and practical. I appreciate that, while there are concepts that certainly apply to my son’s adhd, the life examples here are of adult women, professionals and mothers. It speaks to the many dimensions of how I’ve experienced, accommodated, compensated for and been exhausted by my adhd, not knowing until age 45 that I have it. This is a great resource and I know I’ll come back to it.
Thanks to NetGalley for an opportunity to read this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley for an opportunity to read this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 19, 2026
: ̗̀➛ 4 stars
this book just read my mind
this book just read my mind
September 8, 2026
4 Stars- Lots of great info about the ADHD brain with easy to implement action items.
August 23, 2026
Very practical and actionable!
June 21, 2026
Thank you to the author/publisher for providing a copy of this audiobook.
This was one of those books that felt less like learning brand-new information and more like finally having words for things I had already been experiencing. Instead of focusing solely on productivity, this book approaches ADHD through the lens of regulation, accommodations, masking, and sustainable ways to function in daily life. The tone was approachable and easy to follow, and I found myself pausing frequently to think about how the concepts applied to my own experiences.
Several ideas really stood out to me. The discussion around overcompensation hit especially hard, as did the reminder that accommodations are not just things schools or workplaces provide—they can be tools we create for ourselves. I also appreciated the focus on asking, “What is the purpose of this task?” and recognizing that sometimes perfectionism gets in the way of the actual goal. The sections on consciously cutting corners, chipping away through small actions, and avoiding decision limbo all felt practical rather than overwhelming.
What I appreciated most was that the book wasn’t trying to turn ADHD readers into productivity machines. Instead, it encouraged flexibility, self-awareness, and building systems that work with your brain instead of constantly fighting against it. While some concepts were familiar, the overall message was a helpful reminder that success doesn’t always come from doing more—it can also come from making life more sustainable. 4.5⭐
Who Should Read/Listen? Readers with ADHD, those exploring possible ADHD traits, or anyone interested in practical discussions around masking, accommodations, executive functioning, and regulation. This is especially well suited for people who are tired of advice that focuses only on productivity and want a more balanced approach to understanding how their brain works.
This was one of those books that felt less like learning brand-new information and more like finally having words for things I had already been experiencing. Instead of focusing solely on productivity, this book approaches ADHD through the lens of regulation, accommodations, masking, and sustainable ways to function in daily life. The tone was approachable and easy to follow, and I found myself pausing frequently to think about how the concepts applied to my own experiences.
Several ideas really stood out to me. The discussion around overcompensation hit especially hard, as did the reminder that accommodations are not just things schools or workplaces provide—they can be tools we create for ourselves. I also appreciated the focus on asking, “What is the purpose of this task?” and recognizing that sometimes perfectionism gets in the way of the actual goal. The sections on consciously cutting corners, chipping away through small actions, and avoiding decision limbo all felt practical rather than overwhelming.
What I appreciated most was that the book wasn’t trying to turn ADHD readers into productivity machines. Instead, it encouraged flexibility, self-awareness, and building systems that work with your brain instead of constantly fighting against it. While some concepts were familiar, the overall message was a helpful reminder that success doesn’t always come from doing more—it can also come from making life more sustainable. 4.5⭐
Who Should Read/Listen? Readers with ADHD, those exploring possible ADHD traits, or anyone interested in practical discussions around masking, accommodations, executive functioning, and regulation. This is especially well suited for people who are tired of advice that focuses only on productivity and want a more balanced approach to understanding how their brain works.
April 27, 2026
2.5 ⭐️
I don’t think I learned anything new, maybe a new perspective/understanding of previous advice. I can’t say I learned it new as it helped with understanding but wasn’t groundbreaking.
I felt like my dad was giving the same old advice, just stop thinking about it and write yourself reminders. Overall this read like someone selling themselves and their practice that was tailored for a particular type of ADHD people (anxious type) and I would not recommend it to friends and family.
Thank you to Harper Celebrate and NetGalley for letting me read this early copy and share my honest thoughts
I don’t think I learned anything new, maybe a new perspective/understanding of previous advice. I can’t say I learned it new as it helped with understanding but wasn’t groundbreaking.
I felt like my dad was giving the same old advice, just stop thinking about it and write yourself reminders. Overall this read like someone selling themselves and their practice that was tailored for a particular type of ADHD people (anxious type) and I would not recommend it to friends and family.
Thank you to Harper Celebrate and NetGalley for letting me read this early copy and share my honest thoughts
June 19, 2026
It’s a good book! Nothing life changing but definitely has helped me be more aware to be able to notice disregulation on top of my ADHD. It’s a book I’ll definitely need to come back to and work through piece by piece.
April 13, 2026
I’ve read a lot of books on ADHD. This one is by far the best for where I’m at. It’s like the author has a front seat row to the mess in my brain. She gets it.
May 24, 2026
Definitely a book I will be implementing in my day to day life
July 19, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for the audiobook copy!
I was intrigued to read this as someone with ADHD and as a psychologist who works with lots of people diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood. I found this book to be very easy to understand, encouraging, and generally realistic to incorporate and practice in a self-help context. Now listen, did I play this at 2.5x speed all in one go while cooking dinner, eating it, and begging my puppy to go potty outside? No comment. But clearly I have some work to do around regulation and I think this book would be helpful to lots of folx new to offering themselves compassion in response to ADHD symptoms. Is dysregulation all there is to ADHD? No, but I don’t think that’s what this author is suggesting. I think this is a great foundation to start at to figure out what will sustainably work for you, as opposed to trying about a bunch of organizational techniques and hoping you stick to them.
I was intrigued to read this as someone with ADHD and as a psychologist who works with lots of people diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood. I found this book to be very easy to understand, encouraging, and generally realistic to incorporate and practice in a self-help context. Now listen, did I play this at 2.5x speed all in one go while cooking dinner, eating it, and begging my puppy to go potty outside? No comment. But clearly I have some work to do around regulation and I think this book would be helpful to lots of folx new to offering themselves compassion in response to ADHD symptoms. Is dysregulation all there is to ADHD? No, but I don’t think that’s what this author is suggesting. I think this is a great foundation to start at to figure out what will sustainably work for you, as opposed to trying about a bunch of organizational techniques and hoping you stick to them.
August 17, 2026
Narrated by the author
Thanks to HCCP & HCF Audio | Harper Celebrate for providing this Audiobook for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
This was a relatable audiobook about ADHD with many good tips and tricks for regulating your nervous system.
I’m not sure if I fully agree with the premise of the “culprit” of ADHD “just” being dysregulation. It’s certainly helpful to have ways of regulating the body and the mind, but I think there are some things that are going to be fundamentally difficult for a neurodivergent brain. Regular life and society are often dysregulating, but even in your perfect conditions, ADHD brains might not cooperate.
I listened to the audiobook, so I’m not sure of the ebook/ physical copy, but I would love to have had some citations. This seemed like an “off the cuff,” “anecdotal” memoir of the author’s own lived experience. This made for a relatable listen, but I wasn’t sure of some of her science and evidence. However, many of the techniques seemed like they would be easy enough to incorporate into everyday life and would be helpful with regulation.
Ultimately, I wish this would have been a memoir or an essay: “I have ADHD, this is what helped my dysregulation, thus helping my ADHD.”
Thanks to HCCP & HCF Audio | Harper Celebrate for providing this Audiobook for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
This was a relatable audiobook about ADHD with many good tips and tricks for regulating your nervous system.
I’m not sure if I fully agree with the premise of the “culprit” of ADHD “just” being dysregulation. It’s certainly helpful to have ways of regulating the body and the mind, but I think there are some things that are going to be fundamentally difficult for a neurodivergent brain. Regular life and society are often dysregulating, but even in your perfect conditions, ADHD brains might not cooperate.
I listened to the audiobook, so I’m not sure of the ebook/ physical copy, but I would love to have had some citations. This seemed like an “off the cuff,” “anecdotal” memoir of the author’s own lived experience. This made for a relatable listen, but I wasn’t sure of some of her science and evidence. However, many of the techniques seemed like they would be easy enough to incorporate into everyday life and would be helpful with regulation.
Ultimately, I wish this would have been a memoir or an essay: “I have ADHD, this is what helped my dysregulation, thus helping my ADHD.”
August 27, 2026
As a therapist I'm always looking for books with practical tools and simple explanations to pass on to clients. This book did not disappoint with tools that are useful and enough psychoeducation to get people motivated to use them.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. This is definitely one to add to my library
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. This is definitely one to add to my library
August 26, 2026
This book out words to everything I’ve experienced all my life. I wish I’d had it sooner because understanding how ADHD disregulates us is so so valuable.
September 9, 2026
Great perspective on ADHD. Very read-able and very practical for those with ADHD. The author does a great job explaining what causes dysregulation for the ADHD brain, how to regulate, and how to change thought patterns. I’d recommend for any adult with ADHD. This was a fast 2 hour listen, I loved it so much I’ll be buying the physical version.
August 3, 2026
As a long suffering ADHD-er, I definitely did not expect to find this short, under 3-hour audiobook to give me many new insights into how I think and how I cope. Boy was I wrong! It’s safe to say that everyone in my family I should expect to be gifted a copy of this book from me. I have a feeling that this little guide would be useful to even those of us who don’t have ADHD. It’s packed full of strategies that seem so simple, but are so effective.
Free breaks down her techniques into simple, straightforward steps. For example:
1. Notice disregulation
2. Notice self-soothing behaviors
3. Interrupt disregulation
This helps readers (especially those of us with raging ADHD, her target audience) understand the essence of regulation work in manageable pieces. In fact, she encourages readers to take time between each section to practice the behaviors and reassures us that the magic is in the repetition, not in
perfection. It’s clear by the way it’s written that she not only has worked with many people with ADHD, but that she is one of us as well.
I received an ALC from NetGalley, but will 100% be purchasing a print copy for easier reference! I would recommend this book to anyone with ADHD, as well as anyone who struggles with disregulation regardless of their diagnosis.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC in exchange for my honest review!
Free breaks down her techniques into simple, straightforward steps. For example:
1. Notice disregulation
2. Notice self-soothing behaviors
3. Interrupt disregulation
This helps readers (especially those of us with raging ADHD, her target audience) understand the essence of regulation work in manageable pieces. In fact, she encourages readers to take time between each section to practice the behaviors and reassures us that the magic is in the repetition, not in
perfection. It’s clear by the way it’s written that she not only has worked with many people with ADHD, but that she is one of us as well.
I received an ALC from NetGalley, but will 100% be purchasing a print copy for easier reference! I would recommend this book to anyone with ADHD, as well as anyone who struggles with disregulation regardless of their diagnosis.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC in exchange for my honest review!
August 3, 2026
I was diagnosed with ADHD at 40, so I’m still learning why my brain works the way it does. This audiobook really helped put words to things I’ve struggled with for years, especially the cycle of feeling overwhelmed, avoiding tasks, pushing myself too hard, and eventually burning out.
I appreciated that Jenna Free didn’t make ADHD sound like something that just needs more discipline or better time management. Instead, she focuses on understanding your nervous system and finding ways to work with your brain instead of constantly fighting against it. The advice felt realistic and manageable rather than overwhelming. 🙏🏼
As an audiobook, I also enjoyed that Jenna narrated it herself. It felt personal, like listening to someone who genuinely understands what living with ADHD is like instead of being lectured.
While some of the ideas weren’t completely new to me, I still found the book validating and encouraging. If you’ve recently been diagnosed with ADHD, or you’re trying to better understand why certain things feel so much harder than they seem to for everyone else, I think this is a great place to start.
I appreciated that Jenna Free didn’t make ADHD sound like something that just needs more discipline or better time management. Instead, she focuses on understanding your nervous system and finding ways to work with your brain instead of constantly fighting against it. The advice felt realistic and manageable rather than overwhelming. 🙏🏼
As an audiobook, I also enjoyed that Jenna narrated it herself. It felt personal, like listening to someone who genuinely understands what living with ADHD is like instead of being lectured.
While some of the ideas weren’t completely new to me, I still found the book validating and encouraging. If you’ve recently been diagnosed with ADHD, or you’re trying to better understand why certain things feel so much harder than they seem to for everyone else, I think this is a great place to start.
July 27, 2026
This is a quick listen — I finished it easily in an afternoon, and it would work just as well spread out over a few work commutes. It is narrated by the author, she has a pleasant voice so it is easy to listen to and gain practical knowledge from.
I would recommend this title for someone newly diagnosed with ADHD, or possibly someone trying to understand a loved one who just got a diagnosis and is seeking more clarity. It’s a solid starting point, not a deep dive.
The strategies here are the basics, nothing you’d call a secret or a groundbreaking new approach. If you’ve already read a lot on ADHD or been managing it for years, you probably won’t find much new here. Although, as a lifelong manager of my own diagnosis and my self-made little tribe’s ADHD, I did appreciate the very pointed mention of too many alarms, too many stickys, etc. and it just gets lost. Sigh. So true.
Worth picking up if you’re at the beginning of figuring this out. Less so if you’re looking for advanced or unconventional strategies.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Celebrate for the advance audio copy. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.
I would recommend this title for someone newly diagnosed with ADHD, or possibly someone trying to understand a loved one who just got a diagnosis and is seeking more clarity. It’s a solid starting point, not a deep dive.
The strategies here are the basics, nothing you’d call a secret or a groundbreaking new approach. If you’ve already read a lot on ADHD or been managing it for years, you probably won’t find much new here. Although, as a lifelong manager of my own diagnosis and my self-made little tribe’s ADHD, I did appreciate the very pointed mention of too many alarms, too many stickys, etc. and it just gets lost. Sigh. So true.
Worth picking up if you’re at the beginning of figuring this out. Less so if you’re looking for advanced or unconventional strategies.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Celebrate for the advance audio copy. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.
July 19, 2026
I found to be a thoughtful and practical read. Some of the concepts were familiar, but Jenna Free presented them in ways that gave me new perspectives and tools.
One of the ideas that resonated most was the importance of stopping the fight against reality. Letting go of the "could" and "should" and returning to what is. That shift in mindset felt both grounding and compassionate. The discussion about feeling relief instead of joy after accomplishing goals really resonated with me. I had never put words to that experience, but it described me perfectly. It made me reflect on how often I rush to the next task instead of celebrating what I've achieved. I also appreciated the sections on judgmental thinking. I'm often my own harshest critic, so having those patterns named and practical strategies to challenge them was incredibly helpful. One of my favorite takeaways was the distinction between healthy accommodations and overcompensation, along with the reminder that we can create accommodations for ourselves not just expect them from work or school. If you're newer to your ADHD journey, I think this book will offer a strong foundation. If you've been learning about ADHD for a while, there may be some review, but I still found plenty of valuable insights and fresh ways of thinking about familiar concepts. Overall, it's an approachable, validating guide that I'd happily recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance listening copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
One of the ideas that resonated most was the importance of stopping the fight against reality. Letting go of the "could" and "should" and returning to what is. That shift in mindset felt both grounding and compassionate. The discussion about feeling relief instead of joy after accomplishing goals really resonated with me. I had never put words to that experience, but it described me perfectly. It made me reflect on how often I rush to the next task instead of celebrating what I've achieved. I also appreciated the sections on judgmental thinking. I'm often my own harshest critic, so having those patterns named and practical strategies to challenge them was incredibly helpful. One of my favorite takeaways was the distinction between healthy accommodations and overcompensation, along with the reminder that we can create accommodations for ourselves not just expect them from work or school. If you're newer to your ADHD journey, I think this book will offer a strong foundation. If you've been learning about ADHD for a while, there may be some review, but I still found plenty of valuable insights and fresh ways of thinking about familiar concepts. Overall, it's an approachable, validating guide that I'd happily recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance listening copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
August 19, 2026
This book has no research to back it up, not even 1 citation!!! Purely opinion and absolutely no evidence. A pretty cover with beautiful graphics, but no substance.
March 28, 2026
Reading The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation by Jeana Free felt genuinely refreshing. As someone with ADHD, I’ve come across a lot of advice that either feels overly clinical or just unrealistic—but this book struck a different tone. It was practical without being overwhelming, and supportive without feeling patronizing.
What stood out most to me was how approachable and doable the strategies felt. Instead of pushing rigid systems or one-size-fits-all routines, the book focused on understanding how ADHD actually shows up in everyday life and offered ways to work with it rather than against it. That shift alone made a huge difference in how I viewed my own habits and challenges.
I also appreciated how validating it was. So many of the examples and explanations made me feel seen, like my struggles weren’t just personal failings but part of a bigger, understandable pattern. That kind of reassurance is powerful, especially when ADHD can often come with a lot of frustration or self-doubt.
Overall, I found this guide genuinely helpful and different from anything I’ve read before. It gave me tools I can actually imagine using, and more importantly, it helped me feel a bit more in control and less alone. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone with ADHD who’s looking for realistic, compassionate support.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC and allowing me to give my honest review
What stood out most to me was how approachable and doable the strategies felt. Instead of pushing rigid systems or one-size-fits-all routines, the book focused on understanding how ADHD actually shows up in everyday life and offered ways to work with it rather than against it. That shift alone made a huge difference in how I viewed my own habits and challenges.
I also appreciated how validating it was. So many of the examples and explanations made me feel seen, like my struggles weren’t just personal failings but part of a bigger, understandable pattern. That kind of reassurance is powerful, especially when ADHD can often come with a lot of frustration or self-doubt.
Overall, I found this guide genuinely helpful and different from anything I’ve read before. It gave me tools I can actually imagine using, and more importantly, it helped me feel a bit more in control and less alone. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone with ADHD who’s looking for realistic, compassionate support.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC and allowing me to give my honest review
July 20, 2026
Even if you don’t have ADHD, you should read this book. She mostly talks about being dysregulated and how to be regulated. And if you can’t afford the book, please follow her on Instagram and listen to her podcasts. But I will say the book is very pretty and has some fantastic illustrations too!
June 21, 2026
As someone whose ADHD has felt almost unbearable since losing my grandma, I was incredibly hopeful going into this book. For the first time in a long time, I felt genuinely seen and understood. Jenna Free does an excellent job explaining dysregulation and how it impacts everyday life, and so many of the examples felt painfully familiar.
Where I struggled a bit was that I wanted more practical help and fewer additional steps to manage. As someone with ADHD, I often don't recognize the pattern until after the emotional blowup has already happened. Sometimes I don't even realize I haven't eaten all day until it's nighttime and I'm suddenly starving. While I understand what the author is saying about regulation, it often feels more like a symptom of something deeper rather than the root cause itself.
That said, the validation alone was worth the listen. Jenna narrates the audiobook herself, and she has a warm, engaging voice that made the content easy to follow and feel personal.
📚🎧 If you've been feeling overwhelmed, stuck in cycles of burnout, grief, or emotional highs and lows, this may help you feel a little less alone. 💜
Thank you Netgalley for an ALC in exchange for a honest review.
Where I struggled a bit was that I wanted more practical help and fewer additional steps to manage. As someone with ADHD, I often don't recognize the pattern until after the emotional blowup has already happened. Sometimes I don't even realize I haven't eaten all day until it's nighttime and I'm suddenly starving. While I understand what the author is saying about regulation, it often feels more like a symptom of something deeper rather than the root cause itself.
That said, the validation alone was worth the listen. Jenna narrates the audiobook herself, and she has a warm, engaging voice that made the content easy to follow and feel personal.
📚🎧 If you've been feeling overwhelmed, stuck in cycles of burnout, grief, or emotional highs and lows, this may help you feel a little less alone. 💜
Thank you Netgalley for an ALC in exchange for a honest review.
June 22, 2026
I listened to the audiobook version of The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation and really enjoyed it. It was an easy listen, easy to understand, and packed with practical advice that felt realistic to implement.
What I appreciated most was the book’s focus on nervous system regulation rather than just managing ADHD symptoms. Instead of offering another collection of planners, timers, and productivity hacks, it explains why ADHD can feel like a constant cycle of overwhelm, stress, and burnout, and provides tools to help break that pattern.
The author writes from both professional and personal experience, which makes the book feel relatable and encouraging rather than judgmental. The concepts of fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses were explained in a way that was simple and applicable to everyday life. I also appreciated that the strategies felt manageable and focused on long-term change rather than quick fixes.
If you have ADHD or struggle with feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or constantly in survival mode, this book offers practical tools and a fresh perspective. It’s an accessible, encouraging read that helped me better understand how regulation impacts productivity, motivation, and overall well-being.
What I appreciated most was the book’s focus on nervous system regulation rather than just managing ADHD symptoms. Instead of offering another collection of planners, timers, and productivity hacks, it explains why ADHD can feel like a constant cycle of overwhelm, stress, and burnout, and provides tools to help break that pattern.
The author writes from both professional and personal experience, which makes the book feel relatable and encouraging rather than judgmental. The concepts of fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses were explained in a way that was simple and applicable to everyday life. I also appreciated that the strategies felt manageable and focused on long-term change rather than quick fixes.
If you have ADHD or struggle with feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or constantly in survival mode, this book offers practical tools and a fresh perspective. It’s an accessible, encouraging read that helped me better understand how regulation impacts productivity, motivation, and overall well-being.
June 10, 2026
4.5 stars rounded up. This is a good book for what it is and the scope it covers. Some of the stuff may seem like some common sense, but it's a very good introduction to how to think about and work with your ADHD AND your nervous system, especially if you've never had much introspection or learned coping strategies. I appreciate that it's a pretty quick read, especially for people who are not known for their attention spans lol. The charts and pictures included also help to summarize the teachings and add visual inter3st so that it's not so monotonous.
I have to take notes and make action plans and practice the teachings, but I'm excited to try it out :) (I'm so dysfunctional and dysregulated it's debilitating lol)
A minor nitpick is that I wish she would have elaborated more on what a boundary is, and how it's different from a rule, especially because she's a therapist. The vast majority of people who have co-opted that word have no idea what it means think it's a rule that they force on others lol.
I have to take notes and make action plans and practice the teachings, but I'm excited to try it out :) (I'm so dysfunctional and dysregulated it's debilitating lol)
A minor nitpick is that I wish she would have elaborated more on what a boundary is, and how it's different from a rule, especially because she's a therapist. The vast majority of people who have co-opted that word have no idea what it means think it's a rule that they force on others lol.
July 12, 2026
4.25 ⭐️
I’ve read a number of ADHD-focused books, and I really enjoyed this one. I liked that it zeroed in on dysregulation and how to overcome it, rather than giving a vague overview of the vast number of symptoms of ADHD. Jenna seems like a fantastic therapist, giving realistic, small, actionable steps that are easy to implement and that take the shame out of not doing things well.
I did not exactly listen to her advice to take the book one chapter at a time, and instead binged it in 2 days like any ADHD’er in a hyper focused state. But I plan to revisit the book and go through it more slowly next time, so I can start implementing the suggestions one at a time.
Jenna did great narrating the book, and her caring nature really came through on the audiobook.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Celebrate for the audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I’ve read a number of ADHD-focused books, and I really enjoyed this one. I liked that it zeroed in on dysregulation and how to overcome it, rather than giving a vague overview of the vast number of symptoms of ADHD. Jenna seems like a fantastic therapist, giving realistic, small, actionable steps that are easy to implement and that take the shame out of not doing things well.
I did not exactly listen to her advice to take the book one chapter at a time, and instead binged it in 2 days like any ADHD’er in a hyper focused state. But I plan to revisit the book and go through it more slowly next time, so I can start implementing the suggestions one at a time.
Jenna did great narrating the book, and her caring nature really came through on the audiobook.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Celebrate for the audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review.
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