What adults call “bad behavior” may actually be an invisible struggle they haven’t taken the time to understand. In this deeply funny, moving, and wonderfully unpredictable conversation, Bruno and Cisco sit down with Dr. Monica Jackman—occupational therapist, mindfulness expert, creator of the OpenMind program, and author of Mindfulness for Preschool and Kindergarten. Through decades of clinical experience, her own late ADHD diagnosis, and some truly unforgettable stories, Monica shows us what becomes possible when we stop asking, “What’s wrong with this person?” and become curious about what might be happening underneath.
We explored:
What ADHD can feel like from the inside—and the child who perfectly described it as “fidgeting with my mind.”
Why trying to pay attention can feel like having popcorn stuck between your teeth while someone tells you where treasure is buried.
How our behavior appears in high-definition and full color while our intentions remain almost completely invisible.
Why children sometimes prefer to look “bad” rather than risk looking “dumb.”
The quiet, well-behaved children who may be struggling even more than the disruptive ones.
A restrained, nonverbal woman whose “aggression” was actually her desperate attempt to communicate unimaginable physical pain.
How Monica built trust with deaf-blind residents—and helped them experience music through their skin.
The unforgettable man who believed walking backward made him invisible whenever he went looking for cake.
How our brains can begin judging whether someone is trustworthy within roughly 100 milliseconds.
Why ADHD may not be an absence of attention, but a mind overflowing with curiosity, associations, and competing points of interest.
The many forms meditation can take—from walking and drawing to the simple combination of attention and awareness.
The lotus growing from the mud, the moth trapped by artificial light, and what both reveal about struggle, distraction, and addiction.
Why understanding harmful behavior does not mean excusing it—and why sometimes the only way to be right is not to crash.
The power of loving-kindness, believing yourself without external validation, and those rare moments when an entire family laughs until everyone cries.
What began as a conversation about helping children became something much bigger: an exploration of the invisible child, history, nervous system, and struggle living inside every one of us. Monica didn’t simply join the Vibe Sesh—she became part of it.
You can find out more about Dr. Monica Jackman at: https://littlelotustherapy.com
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