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The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation: The Secret to Finding Balance, Getting Things Done, and Enjoying Your Life
Read by the author.
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!)
Visuals can be found in the audiobook companion PDF download.
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!)
Visuals can be found in the audiobook companion PDF download.
Audible Audio
Published March 17, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
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.
June 11, 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.
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.
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!
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
March 25, 2026
: ̗̀➛ 4 stars
this book just read my mind
this book just read my mind
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.
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.
May 24, 2026
Definitely a book I will be implementing in my day to day life
June 15, 2026
I, like many other women, including this book’s author, am a late-diagnosed person with ADHD. I was 25 years old when, after visiting a psychiatrist for another mental health diagnosis, I left the appointment with a prescription for Vyvanse and a lot more questions than answers. It has been three years since that fateful day, and one thing I have had to learn since my diagnosis is that knowing what is going on does not automatically make it better. In fact, sometimes it has made things incredibly worse. It adds a new and more twisted layer of shame, guilt, and a permeating feeling of loss to the already overwhelming experience of ADHD symptoms. Medication only does so much. The rest is all you.
This book immediately jumped out at me because I am always looking for ways to help myself with the fun little cocktail of mental illnesses my genetics left me to contend with, even if I rarely stick to what I learn. The author was certainly reading my thoughts when she wrote about that in her book. Despite being an admitted self-help book hater, mental health is where I make an exception. I often find that therapy and medication are not always enough to keep my symptoms at a stable enough baseline to actually build anything productive on top of them during therapy. The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation is a great way to start building that baseline.
Jenna Free provides a short, simple, easy-to-follow toolbox for handling day-to-day life with ADHD. I found her framing of many of the problems ADHDers deal with daily within her regulation-dysregulation framework really helpful. It allows her to address ADHD behaviours that are not fully accounted for by symptomatology alone, but also by the unhealthy coping mechanisms we are often forced to build in response to undiagnosed or unmanaged ADHD.
I have seen some criticism mention that the book is unscientific and non-empirical. To that, I would say that psychology as a practice is much more complex than simple cause and effect. The social sciences, especially psychology, have always been particularly vulnerable to replication issues. The human psyche is complex and difficult to plot in a graph with a predictable input and a predictable output. Free never claims that her book is academic or scientific. This is a self-help book based on her own therapeutic practice and on what she has observed in her clients and herself. It should be taken as just that: a series of extremely helpful suggestions on how to tackle daily challenges when you are living with ADHD. I must say that this has helped me tremendously in becoming more aware of where I fall into negative coping strategies, which can then help me bring myself back into a more productive baseline for managing my symptoms and responsibilities.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is either at the beginning of their therapeutic journey with ADHD or really struggling with their day-to-day responsibilities while also juggling this disorder. It might be less enlightening to people who have already tried a very wide range of strategies, but I still think there is something here that will be useful to most people with ADHD. I would also recommend it to clinicians who may be interested in finding new strategies for their patients. I certainly plan on acquiring a physical copy and passing it on to my partner, who, like the author, is also a therapist diagnosed with ADHD, in the hope that he will find it helpful for his own clients.
In terms of the narration, I found Jenna Free’s voice very soothing, and I think it was a great choice to have the book narrated by the author. It really felt as though I were sitting across from her in therapy while she guided me through practical tips and strategies for managing my dysregulation. I will be referring back to this in the future!
Thank you NetGalley and HCCP & HCF Audio for offering me a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!
This book immediately jumped out at me because I am always looking for ways to help myself with the fun little cocktail of mental illnesses my genetics left me to contend with, even if I rarely stick to what I learn. The author was certainly reading my thoughts when she wrote about that in her book. Despite being an admitted self-help book hater, mental health is where I make an exception. I often find that therapy and medication are not always enough to keep my symptoms at a stable enough baseline to actually build anything productive on top of them during therapy. The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation is a great way to start building that baseline.
Jenna Free provides a short, simple, easy-to-follow toolbox for handling day-to-day life with ADHD. I found her framing of many of the problems ADHDers deal with daily within her regulation-dysregulation framework really helpful. It allows her to address ADHD behaviours that are not fully accounted for by symptomatology alone, but also by the unhealthy coping mechanisms we are often forced to build in response to undiagnosed or unmanaged ADHD.
I have seen some criticism mention that the book is unscientific and non-empirical. To that, I would say that psychology as a practice is much more complex than simple cause and effect. The social sciences, especially psychology, have always been particularly vulnerable to replication issues. The human psyche is complex and difficult to plot in a graph with a predictable input and a predictable output. Free never claims that her book is academic or scientific. This is a self-help book based on her own therapeutic practice and on what she has observed in her clients and herself. It should be taken as just that: a series of extremely helpful suggestions on how to tackle daily challenges when you are living with ADHD. I must say that this has helped me tremendously in becoming more aware of where I fall into negative coping strategies, which can then help me bring myself back into a more productive baseline for managing my symptoms and responsibilities.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is either at the beginning of their therapeutic journey with ADHD or really struggling with their day-to-day responsibilities while also juggling this disorder. It might be less enlightening to people who have already tried a very wide range of strategies, but I still think there is something here that will be useful to most people with ADHD. I would also recommend it to clinicians who may be interested in finding new strategies for their patients. I certainly plan on acquiring a physical copy and passing it on to my partner, who, like the author, is also a therapist diagnosed with ADHD, in the hope that he will find it helpful for his own clients.
In terms of the narration, I found Jenna Free’s voice very soothing, and I think it was a great choice to have the book narrated by the author. It really felt as though I were sitting across from her in therapy while she guided me through practical tips and strategies for managing my dysregulation. I will be referring back to this in the future!
Thank you NetGalley and HCCP & HCF Audio for offering me a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received a free copy from the publisher through Netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation caught my eye when I saw it on Netgalley and I requested it immediately. I am autistic and suspect I am an ADHD'er as well. I struggle regularly with regulation, so a book focused on regulation sounded great to me. And I am really glad I gave this one a try as it was such a great read. From the way it was formatted to the actual writing and information.
This book is filled with great information and tips. I like how each chapter tackles a specific topic with a certain tips or exercise you can try and apply. I read this book one chapter at a time so I could process the information a bit and applying some of it before reading more. This worked very well. I also like how a lot of the tips really are simple, but still had a profound effect when I applied them to my daily life. As an example I often find myself feeling rushed and stressed and one of the tips I got from this book is that if I have to rush there isn't enough time. Simple right? It helped me recognize these moments and then stop and see how I can change that. I often remove tasks from my planning or shorten tasks so I won't get behind on others. It really has helped a lot and makes me days a lot calmer.
I also like how this book doesn't aim for perfection, for doing it right all the time. Instead of focuses on progress, simply noticing when you're disregulated more often than before or using some of the tips and strategies in this books sometimes.
I also loved how this book was formatted and the layout and size of the chapters. Each chapter is relatively short, it is very to the point with a lot of information in a short time frame. The ending of each chapter has a nice short summary with some questions or strategies that you can apply. The book also has very nice and easy read formatting with colors, artwork or information displayed in different shapes like in circles of another color or with arrows to other bits and such. It made it very easy to read.
All in all I thought this was a wonderful read filled with simple, but profound tips and strategies. This gave me a lot of insight in my behavior and how to change some things. It made me think and see some behavior in different light and I already noticed the difference after applying some of the strategies in this book. The way the book is structured and formatted makes for easy reading. I definitely want to re-read this one and refresh my knowledge in a few months. I can definitely recommend this one to those who are ADHD'ers or think they might be and struggle with regulation.
The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation caught my eye when I saw it on Netgalley and I requested it immediately. I am autistic and suspect I am an ADHD'er as well. I struggle regularly with regulation, so a book focused on regulation sounded great to me. And I am really glad I gave this one a try as it was such a great read. From the way it was formatted to the actual writing and information.
This book is filled with great information and tips. I like how each chapter tackles a specific topic with a certain tips or exercise you can try and apply. I read this book one chapter at a time so I could process the information a bit and applying some of it before reading more. This worked very well. I also like how a lot of the tips really are simple, but still had a profound effect when I applied them to my daily life. As an example I often find myself feeling rushed and stressed and one of the tips I got from this book is that if I have to rush there isn't enough time. Simple right? It helped me recognize these moments and then stop and see how I can change that. I often remove tasks from my planning or shorten tasks so I won't get behind on others. It really has helped a lot and makes me days a lot calmer.
I also like how this book doesn't aim for perfection, for doing it right all the time. Instead of focuses on progress, simply noticing when you're disregulated more often than before or using some of the tips and strategies in this books sometimes.
I also loved how this book was formatted and the layout and size of the chapters. Each chapter is relatively short, it is very to the point with a lot of information in a short time frame. The ending of each chapter has a nice short summary with some questions or strategies that you can apply. The book also has very nice and easy read formatting with colors, artwork or information displayed in different shapes like in circles of another color or with arrows to other bits and such. It made it very easy to read.
All in all I thought this was a wonderful read filled with simple, but profound tips and strategies. This gave me a lot of insight in my behavior and how to change some things. It made me think and see some behavior in different light and I already noticed the difference after applying some of the strategies in this book. The way the book is structured and formatted makes for easy reading. I definitely want to re-read this one and refresh my knowledge in a few months. I can definitely recommend this one to those who are ADHD'ers or think they might be and struggle with regulation.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Received this book as a part of Goodreads Giveaways.
I entered the giveaway because it was a book about ADHD. I got diagnosed at age 31 so its something new I am looking into for last 2ish years.
I did not know who the author was and hadn't interacted with any of the content she had created before.
That said, this book was amazing! I had always known I have to put so many rules on myself to have enough energy to get through the week. And I hated myself for it. I wasn't even diagnosed then, but I already had rules on when my TV turned off and lights and fans and alarms with a motivational video and everything was externalized. Then when I was diagnosed, a lot of it started making sense - but I didn't know what to do with it.
This book really put into words a lot of the things I was doing and wanting to do and thinking about.
1. Loved the design! The colors, fonts, diagrams, illustrations - loved all of them. Being a visual person, it made me feel instantly safe. Like I was among friends. A lot of literature and content I interact with about ADHD does manage to still make me feel like a failure.
2. Regulation as a practice - Very important, not only for ADHD folks but I would say for everyone. So many times, I read a regulation practice suggestion or explanation and did immediately go "okay thats not gonna work" and she has mentioned "If you think it's not gonna work, have you really tried it?" and I was like yeah well.... not really .... I think the language used was also very gentle and kind and felt accepting. It addresses almost every single thing I personally do and the problematic thinking I have (probably not for everyone?) but it was almost like it was written for me!
3. I did read the book in a few sittings (like we were advised not to do!!!) but I am gonna go back and now work through them one by one. Like a workbook. But just reading it made me feel like extra space opened up in my brain and someone just gave me the permission to try something else for a change than just beating down myself into submission through fear.
All in all, I think it is going to be my "When everything seems loud, please refer" book, and stay on my night stand for the foreseeable future.
I am really glad I won the giveaway for this one and I actually sat and read it. ♥️
I entered the giveaway because it was a book about ADHD. I got diagnosed at age 31 so its something new I am looking into for last 2ish years.
I did not know who the author was and hadn't interacted with any of the content she had created before.
That said, this book was amazing! I had always known I have to put so many rules on myself to have enough energy to get through the week. And I hated myself for it. I wasn't even diagnosed then, but I already had rules on when my TV turned off and lights and fans and alarms with a motivational video and everything was externalized. Then when I was diagnosed, a lot of it started making sense - but I didn't know what to do with it.
This book really put into words a lot of the things I was doing and wanting to do and thinking about.
1. Loved the design! The colors, fonts, diagrams, illustrations - loved all of them. Being a visual person, it made me feel instantly safe. Like I was among friends. A lot of literature and content I interact with about ADHD does manage to still make me feel like a failure.
2. Regulation as a practice - Very important, not only for ADHD folks but I would say for everyone. So many times, I read a regulation practice suggestion or explanation and did immediately go "okay thats not gonna work" and she has mentioned "If you think it's not gonna work, have you really tried it?" and I was like yeah well.... not really .... I think the language used was also very gentle and kind and felt accepting. It addresses almost every single thing I personally do and the problematic thinking I have (probably not for everyone?) but it was almost like it was written for me!
3. I did read the book in a few sittings (like we were advised not to do!!!) but I am gonna go back and now work through them one by one. Like a workbook. But just reading it made me feel like extra space opened up in my brain and someone just gave me the permission to try something else for a change than just beating down myself into submission through fear.
All in all, I think it is going to be my "When everything seems loud, please refer" book, and stay on my night stand for the foreseeable future.
I am really glad I won the giveaway for this one and I actually sat and read it. ♥️
June 2, 2026
I think my experience with this book was shaped by the fact that I'm not new to my ADHD journey. For someone who is newly diagnosed or just beginning to understand why they think, feel, and function the way they do, I can see this book being much more impactful and supportive.
One challenge for me was that many of the suggested strategies, such as using affirmations or mantras to interrupt negative thought patterns, are difficult to implement once I'm already caught in an anxiety spiral. Since anxiety often accompanies my ADHD, I've found that I need different tools and coping mechanisms to break those cycles. As a result, some of the advice in this book didn't feel particularly practical for my own situation.
That said, I appreciated the book's emphasis on the idea that much of the paralysis, overwhelm, and pressure associated with ADHD stems from dysregulation rather than personal failure. Increasing awareness of this perspective is valuable, and I'm encouraged to see more literature being published in this area.
While the content itself wasn't especially helpful or groundbreaking for me, I did enjoy the presentation. The illustrations were engaging, colorful, and effective at holding my attention. The visual approach made the information much more accessible and enjoyable than the often dry, clinical discussions of ADHD and emotional dysregulation found in many psychological articles and academic books. For readers looking for an approachable introduction to these concepts, this book may be a helpful place to start.
One challenge for me was that many of the suggested strategies, such as using affirmations or mantras to interrupt negative thought patterns, are difficult to implement once I'm already caught in an anxiety spiral. Since anxiety often accompanies my ADHD, I've found that I need different tools and coping mechanisms to break those cycles. As a result, some of the advice in this book didn't feel particularly practical for my own situation.
That said, I appreciated the book's emphasis on the idea that much of the paralysis, overwhelm, and pressure associated with ADHD stems from dysregulation rather than personal failure. Increasing awareness of this perspective is valuable, and I'm encouraged to see more literature being published in this area.
While the content itself wasn't especially helpful or groundbreaking for me, I did enjoy the presentation. The illustrations were engaging, colorful, and effective at holding my attention. The visual approach made the information much more accessible and enjoyable than the often dry, clinical discussions of ADHD and emotional dysregulation found in many psychological articles and academic books. For readers looking for an approachable introduction to these concepts, this book may be a helpful place to start.
March 17, 2026
In the five years since I received my late ADHD diagnosis, I have read so many books & articles to try to gain a better understanding of…everything. I’ve often found myself with a feeling like, “well, I’m glad I was diagnosed, but now what?” This book, “The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation” by Jenna Free, is the first that has felt so relatable that I cried from just how seen I finally felt. Hands down, this is the best book about ADHD that I have read.
Free breaks everything down & explains it all in such a gentle & accessible way & this was the first time I found that I could actually understand how/why dysregulation occurs & what I can do about it. It also came into my life at a perfect time, just as I was realizing that my years-long exhaustion was due to burnout of many shades, including ADHD burnout. Along with her podcast, Free’s book has become a necessary tool in my daily functioning & burnout recovery.
I genuinely think about this book everyday. I will definitely buy a physical copy for myself when it’s released & I have already recommended this book to so many people, including my therapist, my psychiatrist, many friends, & the psychology professors that I work with. (Me: I have been trying to reach you about your nervous system’s extended dysregulation!)
Thank you to Harper Celebrate & NetGalley for providing a digital advance copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions expressed are my own.
Free breaks everything down & explains it all in such a gentle & accessible way & this was the first time I found that I could actually understand how/why dysregulation occurs & what I can do about it. It also came into my life at a perfect time, just as I was realizing that my years-long exhaustion was due to burnout of many shades, including ADHD burnout. Along with her podcast, Free’s book has become a necessary tool in my daily functioning & burnout recovery.
I genuinely think about this book everyday. I will definitely buy a physical copy for myself when it’s released & I have already recommended this book to so many people, including my therapist, my psychiatrist, many friends, & the psychology professors that I work with. (Me: I have been trying to reach you about your nervous system’s extended dysregulation!)
Thank you to Harper Celebrate & NetGalley for providing a digital advance copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions expressed are my own.
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
May 27, 2026
The best book on ADHD I’ve read in years.
“A lot hinges on the fact that, in most circumstances, people are not allowed to hit you with a mallet.” Terry Prachett 'Unseen Academicals'
There have been points in my life when I felt like I would never stop worrying about what might happen and what I might have done or not done to prevent the worst from happening. I felt like I had a metaphorical mallet hanging over my head for a long time. It began to feel like that was just how my brain worked. This quote from a Terry Prachett book helped me to begin to unpick that thinking, this book has given me the language to allow me to name some of those feelings.
This book helps you to spot the clues that you might be becoming dysregulated and how to deal with it. The section on getting stuck on the sofa staring at all the chores that surround you felt particularly helpful. Also this is not a book that gives you more to do. You don’t have to produce a chart to encourage productivity, or sign up to an app, or try to remember morning affirmations. All it asks is that you recognise how you brain might be reacting and cut yourself some slack for that. It really is helpful and I would certainly recommend it.
Thank you to the publisher for a review copy of this book.
“A lot hinges on the fact that, in most circumstances, people are not allowed to hit you with a mallet.” Terry Prachett 'Unseen Academicals'
There have been points in my life when I felt like I would never stop worrying about what might happen and what I might have done or not done to prevent the worst from happening. I felt like I had a metaphorical mallet hanging over my head for a long time. It began to feel like that was just how my brain worked. This quote from a Terry Prachett book helped me to begin to unpick that thinking, this book has given me the language to allow me to name some of those feelings.
This book helps you to spot the clues that you might be becoming dysregulated and how to deal with it. The section on getting stuck on the sofa staring at all the chores that surround you felt particularly helpful. Also this is not a book that gives you more to do. You don’t have to produce a chart to encourage productivity, or sign up to an app, or try to remember morning affirmations. All it asks is that you recognise how you brain might be reacting and cut yourself some slack for that. It really is helpful and I would certainly recommend it.
Thank you to the publisher for a review copy of this book.
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 23, 2026
The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation by Jenna Free is an approach to managing ADHD through the lens of nervous system regulation. The information is helpful and easy to understand, and the steps are actionable. I appreciated that this book doesn't focus on productivity "hacks," but rather regulating the nervous system, flexibility, and building systems based on what works for the individual.
As someone with ADHD who has struggled with burnout I found that Jenna Free's simple and practical approach lowered the barrier for entry. There were things in the book that sounded counterintuitive, but as she said over and over (I'm paraphrasing), "if it doesn't work, you can always go back to the way you were doing it before." I found that encouraging and it often gave me the oomph to try.
The audiobook had a good cadence and flow. I loved listening while doing other activities. It gave me the opportunity to implement some of her suggestions as she talked through them.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. I think it's a great resource for anyone looking for tools to help manage their ADHD. It's something I can see myself coming back to again and again, so I purchased a physical copy of the book.
Thank you to HCCP & HCF Audio and NetGalley for the ALC. All opinions are my own.
As someone with ADHD who has struggled with burnout I found that Jenna Free's simple and practical approach lowered the barrier for entry. There were things in the book that sounded counterintuitive, but as she said over and over (I'm paraphrasing), "if it doesn't work, you can always go back to the way you were doing it before." I found that encouraging and it often gave me the oomph to try.
The audiobook had a good cadence and flow. I loved listening while doing other activities. It gave me the opportunity to implement some of her suggestions as she talked through them.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. I think it's a great resource for anyone looking for tools to help manage their ADHD. It's something I can see myself coming back to again and again, so I purchased a physical copy of the book.
Thank you to HCCP & HCF Audio and NetGalley for the ALC. All opinions are my own.
June 23, 2026
🎧 As someone who does not have an official ADHD diagnosis but is an owner of a spicy brain, I felt seen by this book, and I think that's basically the main point.
There is not much you can learn in 3 hours of audio about a literal mental illness. In my opinion, even the most valuable advice would feel like an oversimplification in such a short format, but I feel like the author successfully passed on her message. I should indeed call and book myself a therapist because many of this book's points rang true for me.
Some of her techniques are pretty straightforward, and I could say I will try to apply them more in day-to-day life, BUT... this book feels like an extended and simplified brochure your therapist would give you. You should still go and see the therapist, though, because you will probably not fix your life by reading this guide.
The audiobook itself is narrated by the author, who is actually a good narrator. It was really easy to listen to. I would say the language chosen is very simple and widely approachable, and the audio version could be a good incentive to pick this up if you feel like it could be helpful on your mental health journey.
ALC via NetGalley
I am leaving this review voluntarily.
There is not much you can learn in 3 hours of audio about a literal mental illness. In my opinion, even the most valuable advice would feel like an oversimplification in such a short format, but I feel like the author successfully passed on her message. I should indeed call and book myself a therapist because many of this book's points rang true for me.
Some of her techniques are pretty straightforward, and I could say I will try to apply them more in day-to-day life, BUT... this book feels like an extended and simplified brochure your therapist would give you. You should still go and see the therapist, though, because you will probably not fix your life by reading this guide.
The audiobook itself is narrated by the author, who is actually a good narrator. It was really easy to listen to. I would say the language chosen is very simple and widely approachable, and the audio version could be a good incentive to pick this up if you feel like it could be helpful on your mental health journey.
ALC via NetGalley
I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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.
June 12, 2026
I’m not sure how to rate this book. The ideas and information are correct and could be helpful. I think the simplicity is a good thing, especially for anyone new to this kind of ‘work’. I agree with a lot of what the author says about the likelihood that people are conflating their nervous system dysregulation symptoms with their ADHD brain. That is a helpful thing to be aware of because it can empower and give hope to people who are struggling.
But for me there also felt like there was an element that reminded me of the unhelpful ‘just think positive’ ‘’keep yourself grounded’ kind of refrains that were popular a few years ago. Where it’s a nice idea in theory but the practice is where people stumble (understandably).
I think a lot of people innately know the things outlined in this book but struggle to implement them and I’m not sure this book is long enough to effectively address this. I have to say this might be in part due to me getting this through NetGalley & I didn’t have access to the pdf so maybe that address this in more depth.
But for me there also felt like there was an element that reminded me of the unhelpful ‘just think positive’ ‘’keep yourself grounded’ kind of refrains that were popular a few years ago. Where it’s a nice idea in theory but the practice is where people stumble (understandably).
I think a lot of people innately know the things outlined in this book but struggle to implement them and I’m not sure this book is long enough to effectively address this. I have to say this might be in part due to me getting this through NetGalley & I didn’t have access to the pdf so maybe that address this in more depth.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The Simple Guide To ADHD Regulation; The Secret To Finding Balance, Getting Things Done, And Enjoying Your Life is an empowering, educational, relatable, honest, compassionate, inspiring, factual, and gentle read! As a social worker, I hoped to learn how to better help my clients with ADHD from this book and absolutely did. I was so shocked at the warmth this book is written with and how easily the author explains the science of dysregulation and tactics to overcome symptoms. This is a book is written candidly as if the reader is a close friend without confusing jargon. Perhaps this is because the author is a counselor for ADHD with ADHD. She truly gets it and I believe so many people would benefit from reading this book. The blend of personal experience and professional knowledge is fantastic!
#ad #gifted Thank you to @harpercelebratecooks for the gifted copy!
#ad #gifted Thank you to @harpercelebratecooks for the gifted copy!
June 15, 2026
I read this as a parent, partner, child, and sibling of ADHD family members. Did it resonate with me? No. Most of the suggestions in this book are things I've always implemented. Would they help my family members? Maybe. I think the ways people find to navigate a world that was not designed for people with these neurodivergent folks is nuanced. Some thing that works for one person, may not work for another. And I think it has a lot to do with whether someone is able to begin to and continue to use these tools. Would I recommend this book to someone with ADHD? If they were curious, yes. I am a big fan of reading and learning about perspectives on neurodivergence. Even if it wouldn't help me personally, one thing could trigger a new tool in their arsenal. But it would have to be someone who wants to hear it. Someone who is willing to accept that not everything works for everyone.
3.5 stars, rounded up.
3.5 stars, rounded up.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Simple Guide to ADHD Regulation by Jenna Free is one of the best books on ADHD that I have ever read. The author presents background information in a way that is easy to understand with helpful and fun, colorful graphics. Her warmth and compassion shine through as she presents very simple and practical tools for regulation out of a fight, flight, freeze, or fawn approach. This is one I will be purchasing for myself and family members, as I want a hard copy to keep close at all times.
I am grateful to NetGalley and the publisher Harper Celebrate for the opportunity to read an ebook copy of this amazing book in advance in exchange for my honest review.
I am grateful to NetGalley and the publisher Harper Celebrate for the opportunity to read an ebook copy of this amazing book in advance in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
An excellent resource about ADHD and emotion regulation. One of my favourite takeaways is how context can be a great emotion regulation tool for us ADHDers. I’ve always been accurately aware of how I want to give so much explanation or context to people when I hurt their feelings or crave that to be given to me when I’m upset, and it helps to know this isn’t just a weird quirk but is instead my attempts at regulating my emotions.
This is definitely something I’ll be purchasing a hard copy of to keep on hand for personal and professional use.
Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Celebrate for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is definitely something I’ll be purchasing a hard copy of to keep on hand for personal and professional use.
Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Celebrate for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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 8, 2026
Received this for free through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This audiobook is narrated by the writer. She reads this at a wonderful pace and there are prompts for pausing to practice skills throughout the book. I listened to this audiobook as a psychologist with ADHD. I often times work with patients who have ADHD. This book provides real strategies for self regulation that are better than many that I’ve read about and tried before. It’s just a lot more practical that most of the standard ADHD recommendations/practices. I’m looking forward to listening to this again in the future and recommending it to others.
March 19, 2026
4.5 stars rounded up. A solid guide filled with lots of useful context, helpful explanations, and actionable steps! The book itself, which I won a finished hardback copy of in a Goodreads Giveaway, is lovely, with wonderfully colorful graphics that add texture without being overwhelming. The pages are also short enough (physically and in terms of text length) that the guide is accessible, which is critical given the content. Will be sharing this book with others and I look forward to our conversations about it!
June 6, 2026
Now see, this is how a self help book about ADHD is done right. Jenna Free gives easy to follow and consice instructions on how to get out of your executive dysfunction and better regulation of your executive functions. It's probably the best guide I've read on this subject. I received the book and audiobook from NetGalley but I decided to purchase both, since this is information I want to absorb further.
I'd really like to thank HarperCollins Focus and NetGalley for the advanced copies of this book.
#HarperCollinsFocus
#NetGalley
#JennaFree
I'd really like to thank HarperCollins Focus and NetGalley for the advanced copies of this book.
#HarperCollinsFocus
#NetGalley
#JennaFree
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