Strategies For Protecting Your Autistic Child from Burnout. As a parent of an Autistic child or teen, understanding the unique ways their brain processes information can be incredibly helpful in giving them the support they need and protecting them from Autistic Burnout. One such concept is Monotropism—a term that refers to a person’s ability to […] Read more…
Parenting Education
Changing Bedtime From Stress Filled To Connection Filled With Laura Hellfeld
For many parents of neurodivergent children, bedtime is one of the hardest and most stressful times of the day. If this is true for you and your family, you’re not alone, as many neurodivergent individuals find sleep challenging. In this episode, I chat with Laura Hellfeld, neurodivergent nurse and sleep consultant. Here are some of […] Read more…
Exploring ARFID with Elen Nathan from The Playful Place
Today, I am joined by Elen Nathan from The Playful Place to give us insight into ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder). Here is what we chatted about: What is ARFID? What causes ARFID and how can we know if our child (or we) are affected by ARFID? What can we do as parents to […] Read more…
Making Sense of Our Emotions
In this solo episode, I talk about a topic that is often shut down in parenting communities. The topic of experiencing grief for various aspects of our parenting journey. In our Instagram society, where we just see the highlights, the happy moments the joyful moments of parenting we can feel ‘wrong’, ‘broken’ and isolated because […] Read more…
Supporting Your PDA Child With Kate Kleinau
Today on the show I chat with Kate Kleinau, who you may know from her Facebook and Instagram accounts as Raising PDA Kids. In this episode, Kate and I chat about: How her son’s autistic burnout in his early childhood years led her to discover that he was PDA. The things she and her husband […] Read more…
The Nine Sensory Systems With OT Elen Nathan From The Playful Place – Part One
Today I am joined by occupational therapist and sensory integration practitioner, Elen Nathan. In this episode: To get your free sensory system screening tools: https://sensationalbrain.com/free-resources You can connect with Elen Nathan here: Website: https://theplayfulplace.co.nz/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePlayfulPlace Click here to find out more about the Neurodivergent Family Toolbox If you would like to join the conversation […] Read more…
Why They’re Not ‘Fine’ – Exploring Autistic Masking Through a Polyvagal Lens
Does your child seem ‘fine’ at school, in a social situation or with grandparents, but melts down with you?
This blog explores what is happening for them through a trauma-informed, nervous system lens. Read more…
Understanding Autistic Burnout
Autistic burnout is a very real and serious condition that can affect all autistic children, teenagers and adults. This chronic condition can cause extreme exhaustion, loss of executive functioning and social skills and an increased risk for depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicidal ideation.
All autistic people are at risk for developing autistic burnout (even little children). However, the risk of developing autistic burnout is increased significantly if you are undiagnosed and or in the adolescent years or the transition years between teenager and young adult.
This blog explores what autistic burnout is and how you can protect your autistic child or teen’s mental and emotional wellbeing.
Read more…
Understanding RSD in ADHD
Rejection sensitivity dysphoria (RSD) is when you experience severe emotional pain because of failure or feeling rejected.
RSD is linked to ADHD, Autism, BPD and CPTSD and experts suspect it happens due to differences in brain structure. These differences mean your brain can’t regulate rejection-related emotions and behaviours, making them much more intense.
For a person who experiences RSD, their brain is wired to interpret neutral events/feedback as negative, and their brain is wired to discount positive events/feedback and their brain is wired to amplify the negative events/feedback. Read more…
Navigating Conflict With Your Neurodivergent Teen
When bringing together and considering the perspectives and needs of everyone in our neurodivergent families there are bound to be conflicts. It is inevitable.
Let’s face it, conflict is part of life especially when we are parenting teens and parenting neurodivergent teenagers can add complexity to this.
It is a parent’s job to set boundaries that we feel will keep our children healthy and safe. It is our teenager’s job to push up against those boundaries and to strive for independence. It’s how we were made! It’s biological! Read more…