1-1 Parent Support

I know that as a parent you want to do what is right for your children.

I know firsthand the precarious sensitivity involved in raising a teen who is ‘wired differently’ in a world wired for ‘normal’. 

• You might still be exploring a diagnosis of Autism or ADHD for your teen or get your head around your teen’s diagnosis and what this means for you and your family.
• Your teen might have recently come out to you as lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual, non-binary, or transgender or they may be questioning their sexuality and/or gender and you are not sure how to handle this with understanding and sensitivity.
•  You may be navigating how to do the best for your teen while navigating ‘the system’ (school, medical and mental health), differing parenting styles with a partner, spouse or co-parent and while trying to shield your teen from other people’s beliefs and judgments.
• You may be struggling with how to manage your teen’s behaviour so that they don’t hurt themselves or others.
• You may be struggling to support your teen with their anxiety, depression, panic attacks, melt-downs, shut-downs and suicidal thoughts.
• This is all while you struggle with your own emotions, grief and neurodiversity along with juggling the rest of ‘life’.

It can feel overwhelming and relentless!

We all know that when our children are not doing well we are not doing well either.

I know that you and your teen may have been dismissed and that their challenges may have been blamed on bad parenting. (Even though we both know that you are doing the very best that you can for your child). 

You are not alone!

The heartbreaking reality is that Neurodivergent teens (by no fault of their own) are more likely to be affected by mental health challenges, dysregulated behaviours, school refusal,  co-occurring medical conditions, low employment rates, discrimination and bullying.  The consequence of this is higher suicide rates and low life expectancy rates.

It is worrying, I know.

Evidence suggests that Neurodiverse people, particularly Autistics, are 8 times more likely to be gender diverse and have a lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, or asexual sexual orientation, compared to neurotypical people (National LGBT Health Education Center). This alongside the alarming, disproportionally high rates of depression, anxiety and suicide in Neurodivergent people and those who belong to the LGBTQ+ community, helps us to capture the picture of how challenging it is for them to be both Neurodivergent and Queer individuals in society, as this can place them in a double minority! 

In a recent article published by the University of Cambridge, Elizabeth Weir, a PhD candidate at the Autism Research Centre in Cambridge, and the lead researcher of their study, said, “Understanding the intersectional identities of autistic individuals who are asexual, bisexual, homosexual, or ‘other’ sexuality is key. Healthcare providers and educators must use language that is affirming and accepting of all sexual orientations and gender identities.”

Parenting your teens in today’s modern times can feel really daunting, especially since there is so much prejudice and misinformation out there. 

Traditional parenting strategies don’t work for our complex teens! We need a different set of tools in order for our children to thrive.

Seen Heard Accepted Parenting Allyship Program is focused on Four Things:

• Secure Attachment with a Parent or Significant Adult.
• Accepting and Affirming your Teen’s Neurodivergent and LGBTQ+ identities.
• Connection before Correction, Problem-Solving or Advice Giving.
• Adapting your Parenting Approach to your Teen’s Needs, Strengths and Difficulties.

Research has found that a parenting approach that focuses on mutual respect, trust, acceptance and connection can be a powerful protective factor for our children.

Connection-Focused Parenting – a trauma-informed approach based on modern neuroscience is proven to de-escalate dysregulated behaviours and have long-term mental health benefits.

When we feel better we do so much better!