167: Happiness Tools for ADHD Families with Matt O’Neill

In this episode of The Soaring Child Podcast, host Dana Kay sits down with happiness expert Matt O’Neill to explore one of the most transformative—but often overlooked—tools in parenting: cultivating happiness from the inside out. As a father of four, author, and the creator of The Good Mood Revolution podcast, Matt shares actionable insights into how happiness isn't just a fleeting feeling, but a skill that can be built—even in the chaos of daily life with ADHD. From managing meltdowns to reframing negative emotions like fear, overwhelm, and guilt, Matt offers science-backed strategies to help parents shift their perspective and become the steady, joyful presence their children need.

Dana and Matt dive into real-world challenges many families face—from job loss and emotional exhaustion to the feeling of being stuck in a loop of negativity—and how small mindset shifts can create profound change. With personal stories, spiritual grounding, and practical techniques like emotional journaling and daily gratitude, this conversation will leave you empowered to embrace the beauty in the hard moments and lead your family with more love, compassion, and resilience. Dana Kay, founder of the ADHD Thrive Institute and a dedicated functional health practitioner, brings her signature warmth and wisdom to another heart-centered conversation that parents won’t want to miss.

Links Mentioned in the Show: 

• Thriving with ADHD Book - adhdthriveinstitute.com/book  

Key Takeaways:

[2:20] Meet Matt O’Neill
[3:42] Is Happiness a Skill?
[5:20] The Role of Perspective in Parenting
[6:08] The Eight Core Negative Emotions
[8:22] How to Shift from Overwhelm to Acceptance
[10:55] Reframing Stories to Reduce Stress
[13:40] Daily Habits to Cultivate Joy
[36:37] The Power of Gratitude and Self-Love[37:50] Final Thoughts and Resources

Memorable Moments:

"Happiness is completely a skill."

"It's our happiness that changes their behavior, in my opinion."

"Acceptance heals all wounds—it’s not time."

"The story I’m telling myself is, this is really hard."

"Gratitude is the gateway drug to happiness."

"Overwhelm is just another word for hopelessness."

"My job is to fill my cup."

"Stress becomes toxic when we lose hope that the future is going to be bright."

"There’s no one else inside of you that’s making choices about how you feel."

"Rome was not built in a day. Let’s think about today."

How to Connect with Matt O’Neill

• Podcast: https://mattoneill.com/podcast/ 

• Website: https://mattoneill.com/ 

Dana Kay Resources:

🔗WEBSITES:

• https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/

• https://dana-kay.com/

👋SOCIALS:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ADHDThriveInstitute/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adhdthriveinstitute/

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ADHDThriveInstitute

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/adhd-thrive-institute/mycompany/

• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/adhdthriveinstitute/

• Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@adhd_thriveinstitute

📕INTERNATIONAL  BEST SELLING BOOK:

• Thriving with ADHD – https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/book/

💻FREE MASTERCLASS

• Free Reduce ADHD Symptoms Naturally Masterclass - https://bit.ly/3GAbFQl

⭐COURSES & PROGRAMS

• ADHD Parenting Course – https://info.adhdthriveinstitute.com/parentingadhd

• ADHD Thrive Method 4 Kids Program – https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/packages/