The Animals of Our Brain
Understanding Neuroscience with Animals: Calm the barking dog to bring back the wise old owl and elephant who never forgets
💻 Event Details
📅 Tuesday, April 7th | ⏰ 5:30 PM CST | 💻 Online via Zoom
💸 FREE for all Middle and High School Students and their Parents
🔗 RSVP to get your Zoom link to join
The Animals of Our Brain: Understanding Neuroscience with Animals
Have you ever:
Snapped at someone and immediately regretted it?
Frozen during a test or presentation?
Spiraled after someone didn’t text back?
Felt your heart pounding and didn’t know why?
You’re not “too sensitive.”
You’re not “overreacting.”
And you’re definitely not broken.
You just have a very loyal watchdog in your brain.
🧠 Meet the Animals Running Your Brain
At our last session I mentioned the barking dog to explain a topic and the students were interested in learning more about the animals in our brain. We’ll talk about some I’ve mentioned before and introduce some new characters:
🐶 The Watchdog (Amygdala) – the part of your brain that scans for danger and sometimes barks at everything.
🐘 The Elephant (Hippocampus) – the memory keeper that reminds you of every awkward moment you’ve ever had.
🦉 The Wise Owl (Prefrontal Cortex) – the decision-maker that helps you pause, think, and choose what to do next.
🐜 ANTs (Automatic Negative Thoughts) - persistent negative thoughts that you need to shoo away to feel and perform better.
🦊 The Fox (Reticular Activating System) - the gatekeeper of sensory information.
🐢 The Turtle (Default Mode Network) - the quiet thinker and daydreamer.
And most importantly… what to do when the dog barks so loudly that it scares away the owl.
This is not a lecture. It’s an interactive, real-life skills workshop.
Who Should Attend?
✔ Middle & high school students
✔ Teens with ADHD
✔ Teens with anxiety
✔ Teens who struggle with emotional intensity
✔ Teens who want better control over reactions
No diagnosis required. Just bring your curious brain.
Why This Matters
When emotions run high it’s because your watchdog is doing its job a little too enthusiastically.
Anxiety and ADHD often go together, but everyone is at risk of their dog being overprotective and keeping the other animals from doing their dogs.
The good news?
You can train the dog.
With practice, teens can learn to:
Pause instead of react
Respond instead of explode
Think clearly even when stressed
Build confidence in handling hard moments
This class gives them practical tools they can start using immediately.
About the speaker
Dr. Kristen Stuppy is a Kansas City area pediatrician dedicated to helping kids understand and manage their ADHD. In her clinical work she prescribes medication when needed, but she also knows that many families face real barriers to accessing therapy or coaching. By leading these monthly ADHDKC events, she creates an accessible way for middle and high schoolers to learn practical tools, build lifelong skills, and feel supported along the way.
She recently talked about this topic briefly on a podcast:
Important Information
This session is presented by a licensed physician and is intended to provide general information, guidance, and support around ADHD-related topics. While we’ll cover helpful strategies and leave time for questions and discussion, please keep in mind that this presentation is not a substitute for personalized medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
All participants must agree to CHADD’s Participation Agreement before attending:
If you have specific concerns about your own situation or that of a loved one, we encourage you to follow up with your healthcare provider or a qualified mental health professional.
We also ask that everyone respect the privacy of others and help us maintain a supportive, inclusive space for open dialogue.
✅ Ready to Join?
Reserve your spot and get ready to understand your brain — and build tools that actually work.