TILT Parenting: Strategies, Insights, and Connection for Parents Raising Neurodivergent Children

Big Minds micro-school founder Dr. Melanie Hayes shares her story of starting a school for twice-exceptional learners, and discusses ways 2e students' needs can be met in traditional educational setting.

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A few months ago, I had my friend and colleague Cathy Adams on the show to talk about her book Restoring Our Girls and raising daughters to be emotionally healthy in a complicated world. I knew then that I wanted to have a similar conversation for a future episode, but this time, focusing on boys, specifically about why many teen boys are struggling right now and what we, as parents, can do to support them. I also knew exactly who I wanted to bring on the show to talk about this — Dr. John Duffy.

Through his private practice, bestselling books, and media appearances on CNN, NPR, and the Today Show, John has helped thousands of parents navigate the complex world of raising teens in today’s world. And he’s really got a pulse on the complex inner lives of today’s teen boys.  

In this conversation, we talk about the unique mental health challenges boys are facing today, from increased isolation and anxiety to the messages they are getting from society that are leading to self-doubt and emotional struggles. We also discussed how the pandemic intensified these issues and why paying attention to the media they are consuming is key to connecting with them. John also shared how neurodivergent boys may experience these challenges differently and shared practical strategies for fostering emotional resilience and self-worth.

About my guest

Dr. John Duffy is a Chicago-based clinical psychologist, best-selling author, keynote speaker and national media expert. He has been in private practice for 25 years, specializing in work with adolescents, young adults and their parents. Dr. Duffy has written three best-selling books intended to provide parents with the tools to help their teens and young adults thrive in this persistent age of anxiety. For more than a decade, Dr. Duffy has also spoken to thousands of parents internationally through PTA’s, Fortune 500 corporate programs, and other parenting networks.

Dr. Duffy has written and contributed to articles for CNN, the Washington Post, The New York Times, Your Teen, Time and countless other media outlets. On television, he has been a regular contributing expert on NewsNation and Steve Harvey, and has shared his expertise through frequent appearances on CNN, the Today show, the Morning Blend, and hundreds of appearances on local and regional outlets. On radio, Dr. Duffy is a regularly appearing expert on WGN, WLS and NPR.He shares his current articles on his Substack titled On Parenting and Life.

Things you'll learn

• Why boys are facing a growing mental health crisis, with increasing isolation, lack of hope, and behavioral challenges
• How the pandemic intensified boys' disconnection, highlighting a significant gender divide in mental health
• How societal narratives around masculinity contribute to self-loathing and emotional struggles in boys
• How parents can foster connection by engaging with their sons' interests and understanding their media influences
• Why looking beyond surface behaviors helps parents support boys' emotional well-being and sense of identity

Resources

• Dr. John Duffy’s website
• Rescuing Our Sons: 8 Solutions to Our Crisis of Disaffected Teen Boys by Dr. John Duffy
• Parenting the New Teen in the Age of Anxiety: A Complete Guide to Your Child’s Stressed, Depressed, Expanded, Amazing Adolescence by Dr. John Duffy
• The Available Parent: Expert Advice for Raising Successful Teens and Tweens by Dr. John Duffy
• Dr. John Duffy on Facebook
• Dr. John Duffy on Instagram
• Dr. John Duffy’s Substack, On Parenting & Life
• Parenting the New Teen with Dr. John Duffy (Tilt Parenting Podcast)

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Educator and author Terry Roberts, PhD, discusses his new book "The New Smart: How Nurturing Creativity Will Help Children Thrive," and shares his ideas surrounding the future of work, what the education model is getting wrong and why it needs to change, and more.

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I’m thrilled to welcome back two favorite podcast guests and just all-around wonderful humans, Dr. William Stixrud and Ned Johnson. You might know them from their bestselling book The Self-Driven Child, which I often refer to on this show as one of the most important resources in my parenting life. Well, Bill and Ned have a new phenomenal resource that I can’t wait to share with you — a workbook based on their beloved book called The Seven Principles for Raising a Self-Driven Child. 

Today’s episode features a rich and deep conversation about some of the concepts they support parents in navigating in their new workbook, like why fostering autonomy is key to motivation, emotional well-being, and long-term success, why connection matters more than control, how to support our kids without trying to change them, and ways we can create a home environment that builds confidence and trust. They also share practical strategies for effective communication, including how to guide our kids through challenges without adding pressure or anxiety.

As parents, it is scary to let go of control and to trust our kids to navigate their own problems, but as you’ll hear in this conversation, this is exactly what they need to be motivated. We know we can’t change them, but we can support them in finding the reason to change for themselves.

About William R. Stixrud, Ph.D

William R. Stixrud, Ph.D., is a clinical neuropsychologist and founder of The Stixrud Group. He is a member of the teaching faculty at Children’s National Medical Center and an assistant professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at the George Washington University School of Medicine. Additionally, Dr. Stixrud is the author, with Ned Johnson, of the nationally bestselling book, The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives, What Do You Say: How to Talk with Kids to Build Motivation, Stress Tolerance, and a Happy Home, and The Seven Principles for Raising a Self-Driven Child: A Workbook.

About Ned Johnson

Ned Johnson is president and “tutor-geek” of PrepMatters, an educational company providing academic tutoring and standardized test preparation. A battle-tested veteran of test prep, stress regulation and optimizing student performance, Ned has spent roughly 50,000 one-on-one hours helping students conquer an alphabet of standardized tests, learn to manage their anxiety, and develop their own motivation to succeed. Ned is the host of the The Self-Driven Child podcast. His work has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, The Guardian, Wall Street Journal, US News, Seventeen, and many others.

Things you'll learn

• Why empowering children with autonomy fosters their development, motivation, and ability to navigate their own reality
• Why connection matters more than control, and parents should act as supportive guides rather than enforcers
• The role of self-reflection, an understanding of different temperaments, and a willingness to listen without pressure in effective parenting (guiding)
• How to cultivate respectful environments where children feel safe to explore, make decisions, and learn from their experience
• Why raising self-driven children leads to the best outcomes for their lives as self-determined and self-actualized adults

Resources mentioned

• The Seven Principles for Raising a Self-Driven Child: A Workbook by Dr. William Stixrud & Ned Johnson
• Ned Johnson / Prep Matters
• What Do You Say? How to Talk with Kids to Build Motivation, Stress Tolerance, and a Happy Home by Dr. William Stixrud and Ned Johnson
• The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives by Dr. William Stixrud and Ned Johnson
• Conquering the SAT: How Parents Can Help Teens Overcome the Pressure and Succeed by Ned Johnson and Emily Warner Eskelsen

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Children's picture book author / illustrator Samantha Cotterill discusses her new book series, Little Senses, which highlights the experience of children with sensory issues or ASD, and also shares her own journey of growing up as a girl on the spectrum.

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Today, we are talking about one of the most accessible and impactful tools we’ve got to help our kids thrive. But this tool is so simple and obvious that we may not even realize its immense power. I’m talking about WORDS, as in, the words we use when talking with our children. The language we use with our children can make a profound difference in the way our kids relate to themselves and how their brains process situations. 

We’re going to explore this concept with Lily Howard Scott, an educator, speaker, and author of the new book,The Words That Shape Us: The Science-Based Power of Teacher Language. Lily has spent nearly a decade teaching elementary school and now helps educators create classrooms where children feel known, valued, and empowered. She’s passionate about the ways language can influence how kids see themselves, process emotions, and build resilience, and she wrote this book to help teachers, parents, and any other adults who work with children positively transform how students think, feel, and achieve through effectively tapping into this tool that everyone has access to.

During our conversation, Lily shares how small shifts in the way we speak to children—both at home and in the classroom—can make a huge difference in their confidence, emotional intelligence, and ability to navigate challenges. We talked about practical strategies, like using metaphors to help kids manage emotions and reframing how we talk about mistakes and setbacks. Lily also explained the role that words play in fostering a sense of belonging and emotional safety in children, which is essential for learning and growth, especially for neurodivergent kids who may struggle with self-perception.

These are small shifts that can make a huge difference, so I hope you can take these suggestions and apply them right after you finish listening to this episode. Enjoy my conversation with Lily Howard Scott.

About Lily Howard Scott

Lily Howard Scott (MSEd) is an educator and author. Her work is centered around helping children navigate their inner lives, connect with each other, and take the risks that lead to meaningful learning. Scott presents regularly at national conferences, and her writing about the importance of a child-centric, holistic approach to teaching and learning has been published in Edutopia and The Washington Post, among other publications. For nearly 10 years, Lily taught elementary school in both public and independent settings. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two young children. The Words That Shape Us (Scholastic) is her first book

Things you'll learn from this episode

• Why the language we use shapes how children see themselves, influencing their confidence, emotional intelligence, and self-perception
• The way that subtle shifts in language can create big changes, helping children navigate emotions, embrace mistakes as learning opportunities, and build self-compassion
• Why connection and belonging are essential—children thrive in environments where they feel known, valued, and encouraged to take risks
• How using language tools like "president decider" for thoughts and "feelings as visitors" can help kids manage emotions and self-talk in healthy ways.
• Why it's never too late to start using intentional, supportive language that clarifies feelings, reduces shame, and nurtures creativity and self-trust.

Resources mentioned

• Lily Howard Scott’s Website
• The Words that Shape Us: The Science-Based Practice of Teacher Language by Lily Howard Scott
• Lily on Instagram
• The Antiromantic Child: A Memoir of Unexpected Joy by Priscilla Gilman
• How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain by Lisa Feldman Barrett
• Dr. Bruce Perry
• Dr. Richard Schwartz & Internal Family Systems
• Rainer Maria Rilke
• Ish: Creatilogy by Peter Reynolds
• David Foster Wallace
• On Children by Kahlil Gibran
• Dr. Ross Greene on Using CPS with Very Young Kids (Tilt Parenting podcast)

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Eileen Devine, a neurobehavioral therapist and support coach, discusses supporting children with brain-based neurodevelopmental challenges resulting from pre-natal exposure to drugs or alcohol, as well as the unique challenges for adoptive parents raising atypical children.

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​Today I’ve got a really interesting conversation for you about a relatively new instruction model that is designed to create learning environments that truly meet the needs of every student. It’s called the Modern Classroom Project, and my guest is Robert Barnett, is the co-founder of the model as well as the author of the new book that describes this approach called Meet Every Learner’s Needs: Redesigning Instruction So All Learners Can Succeed. Rob has spent years teaching across different subjects and age groups, and he’s passionate about transforming education to be more flexible, engaging, and student-centered.

In this episode, you’ll hear Rob broke down the Modern Classroom instructional model, which gives students more agency over their learning by allowing them to move at their own pace and collaborate with each other to achieve mastery. He also explained why instructional videos can enhance accessibility, how mastery checks help confirm readiness before advancing to the next lesson, and how, ultimately, this model prioritizes the critical role of teacher-student relationships in fostering engagement and trust. Rob also shared insights into why traditional education systems often struggle to meet the needs of all the learners, as well as how parents can share the Modern classroom resources with their kids’ teachers or school administration.

I love talking with people who are on a mission to shake up big systems, and this is definitely one of those inspirational conversations. I hope you enjoy this conversation with Rob Barnett.

About Robert Barnett

Robert Barnett co-founded the Modern Classrooms Project, which has empowered 80,000+ educators in 180+ countries to meet every learner’s needs. Before that he taught math, computer science, English, social studies, and law, from the middle-school to university levels, at public and private schools in the U.S. and abroad. He is the author of Meet Every Learner’s Needs: Redesigning Instruction So All Learners Can Succeed and he hopes his children will learn in Modern Classrooms someday!

Things you'll learn from this episode

• How the Modern Classroom model supports flexibility, student agency, and individualized pacing for deeper learning
• Why instructional videos enhance engagement, comprehension, and accessibility, allowing students to learn at their own pace
• How mastery checks help confirm readiness before advancing, ensuring a strong foundation for continued learning
• Why building relationships with students fosters trust, engagement, and better behavior management in the classroom
• Why equity in education means adapting teaching methods to support all learners, and parents can advocate for modern approaches that benefit their children

Resources mentioned

• Meet Every Learner's Needs: Redesigning Instruction So All Students Can Succeed by Robert Barnett
• Meet Every Learner’s Needs book website
• Meet Every Learner’s Needs Substack
• Modern Classroom Project
• Book giveaway for listeners
• Khan Academy
• Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
• The Disengaged Teen: Helping Kids Learn Better, Feel Better, and Live Better by Rebecca Winthrop & Jenny Anderson
• The End of Average: Unlocking Our Potential By Embracing What Makes Us Different by Todd Rose

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Nutritionist Jess Sherman shares ideas for how parents can bring more nourishment into their children’s lives, including, or maybe especially those with food sensitivities, picky or aggressive behavior.

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If your child has extreme food aversions, anxiety around eating, or struggles with a very limited diet, you won’t want to miss this conversation. Today we’re diving into ARFID — Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder — or as my guest calls it, “picky eating on steroids.” To talk about ARFID, I circled back to Zoë Bisbing, a licensed psychotherapist and the director of Body-Positive Therapy NYC who specializes in treating eating disorders and body image concerns with an affirming, neurodiversity-friendly approach. Zoë holds a Master of Social Work from New York University, a Bachelor of Arts from Smith College, and a certification in Family-Based Treatment from the Institute for Child and Adolescent Eating Disorders. Today, she’s sharing her expertise on the unique ways ARFID presents in neurodivergent children.

In this fascinating conversation, Zoë broke down what ARFID is, how it differs from other eating disorders, and why she sees it as a form of neurodivergence in its own right. We talked about how sensory sensitivities, anxiety, and even trauma can contribute to restrictive eating, and how the pandemic exacerbated these challenges for many kids. Zoe also explains why traditional eating disorder treatments often don’t work for ARFID and why a child-centered, individualized approach is key to building a positive relationship with food.

And a small ask before I play the episode — if you enjoy this episode, please hit the share episode button on your app and send it to a friend or post a link to it in a community of parents with neurodivergent children. I know that when families are struggling with complex challenges like ARFID, it can be difficult to find neurodiversity-affirming resources.

About Zoë Bisbing

Zoë Bisbing, MSW, LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist, speaker, and content creator. She is the director of Body-Positive Therapy NYC, a group therapy practice, and Body-Positive Home, a learning and healing hub for parents and professionals who want to nurture a more embodied and inclusive next generation… and heal their own food and body stuff while they are at it. You can follow her on instagram @mybodypositivehome for bite-sized body-positive basics and body image healing and her forthcoming Substack, Body-Positive Home.

Zoë holds a Master of Social Work from New York University, a Bachelor of Arts from Smith College, and a certification in Family-Based Treatment from the Institute for Child and Adolescent Eating Disorders. A native New Yorker, Zoë lives in a fiercely neurodivergent-affirming, body-positive home in Manhattan with her husband, three children, and two dogs.

Things you'll learn from this episode

• Why Zoe believes ARFID can be seen as a form of neurodivergence, distinct from other eating disorders
• How the pandemic has worsened mental health issues, including the prevalence and severity of eating disorders like ARFID
• The different ways that ARFID can present in children, including sensory aversions, anxiety-driven restrictions, and extreme selective eating
• How to differentiate between ARFID from anorexia or bulimia is crucial, including not driven by body image concerns but by sensory and other factors
• Why effective ARFID treatment must be individualized and prioritize the child’s comfort, autonomy, and unique needs

Resources mentioned

• Body Positive website
• Body Positive Therapy (serving residents of NY, CT, and NJ)
• Body Positive on Substack
• Zoë Bisbing’s website
• Body Positive on Instagram
• Body Positive Parenting with Zoe Bisbing and Leslie Bloch (Tilt Parenting podcast)
• Noreen Hunani
• Dr. Megan Anna Neff and Dr. Debra Brause on the Complex Relationship Between Traditional Therapeutic Modalities and Neurodivergence (Tilt Parenting podcast)
• Feelings and Body Investigators (FBI) ARFID

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My guest this week is autism and neurodiversity support specialist Kristy Forbes of In Tune Pathways. Kristy is the parent of four autistic children, and has an abundance of emotional, practical, and lived experience both working with and raising children who are neurodivergent. She has an extensive background in early childhood education and psychology, and as you’ll hear from our conversation, is passionate about radical acceptance without the need or intention to fix, change or cure, particularly in regard to children.

Kristy was diagnosed as autistic at age thirty-three herself, and has committed herself to working with children and adults on the autism spectrum, with a special interest on people who, like her, have a PDA expression. In this episode, we share a deep conversation about how parents can truly tune in to who their children are and show up for them in a way that reflects true respect for their children’s neurodivergence. We cover a lot of ground, including the PDA profile of autism, how parents can get clear about their intentions when exploring interventions for their children on the spectrum, how to support families through periods of intensity and very difficult behavior, and the trauma that can result when children are perpetually in fight, flight, freeze or fawn mode because they’re being forced to conform to a way of being that isn’t true to who they are.

Kristy is a wise and genuine spirit who is doing healing work for so many families… I’m grateful to be able to share this conversation with you.

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Listen to an episode of Understood.org's podcast ADHD Aha!, a podcast about ADHD. Hear the unexpected and emotional ways ADHD symptoms surface for kids and adults, and the moments when it clicks that ADHD is real.

Learn more here.

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Today’s conversation feels both important and timely, because they’re tackling a challenge so many parents are facing: how to help disengaged teens reconnect with learning. My guests are Jenny Anderson, an award-winning journalist focused on learning and parenting, and Rebecca Winthrop, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution specializing in education innovation. Together, they’ve been diving deep into the science of student engagement, and today, they’re sharing what they’ve learned about reigniting curiosity and motivation in kids who have checked out of school and their excellent new book, The Disengaged Teen: Helping Kids Learn Better, Feel Better, and Live Better.

In our conversation, Jenny and Rebecca broke down why engagement isn’t just about academics—it’s an intricate mix of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral factors, often even more complex for neurodivergent children. We discussed the connection between technology and disengagement, why traditional models of education often fail to meet kids where they are, and how parents can foster curiosity by modeling a love of learning. Jenny and Rebecca also walked us through the four modes of learning and offered strategies to help kids switch from resistor, passenger, or achiever mode into explorer mode, which is the mode where kids learn best.

One of the most powerful takeaways from this discussion is the reminder that resistance in learning doesn’t equal a lack of interest in learning—it’s often a signal that the context is not working for the student.

Things you'll learn

• Every child deserves access to quality education, but disengagement, exacerbated by technology, has long been an issue
• Engagement is a dynamic mix of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral factors, often highlighted by challenges faced by neurodivergent children
• Parents can bridge the gap between school and real-world relevance by modeling curiosity and fostering the thrill of learning
• Disengagement today carries higher costs, making it vital to connect learning content to children’s interests and help them envision possible future selves
• Resistance in children can become part of their identity, but with emotional coaching and redirection, their agency can lead to growth
• Why staying emotionally connected, fostering curiosity, and engaging in meaningful discussions supports both academic and emotional development

Resources mentioned

• The Disengaged Teen (website)
• The Disengaged Teen: Helping Kids Learn Better, Feel Better, and Live Better by Jenny Anderson and Rebecca Winthrop
• Jenny Anderson’s website
• Rebecca Winthrop on Brookings Institute website
• Giving Some Kids Autonomy Has Surprising Results (New York Times article)
• How to Be Brave (Jenny’s Substack)
• Winthrop’s World of Education (Rebecca’s LinkedIn newsletter)
• Jenny on Instagram
• Rebecca on Instagram
• Cathy Adams on Navigating the Complexities of Raising Daughters (Tilt Parenting podcast)
• Restoring Our Girls: How Real Conversations Shape Our Daughters’ Lives, Help Them with Teen Challenges, and Remind Them That They Matter by Cathy Adams
• Lisa Damour
• The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents by Lisa Damour
• The Self-Driven Child with William Stixrud and Ned Johnson (Tilt Parenting podcast)
• Daphna Oyserman / Future Possible Selves

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Educator and school co-founder Zach Morris shares his insights on how we can emotionally support children through difficult periods, including challenges relating to school anxiety and more

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Parent Coach Margaret Webb joins Debbie to answer a listener question on how to navigate solo parenting as a neurodivergent mom in burnout, balance supporting two neurodivergent kids post-divorce, and find realistic ways to prioritize self-care—even when it feels impossible.

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Picture this. You’re sitting in the neuropsych’s office after you just got your kid’s diagnosis. You’re relieved to have some information on how to help them but have no clue how to explain their neurodivergence to them. Do you talk about the science? Do you wait until they are a certain age where they might understand more about their brains? Or maybe you think about waiting for them to start asking the questions. If you can relate, you’re not alone in wondering what the best way to have this conversation is. And the reality is, the how and when does matter. So for today’s show, I’m bringing on Dr. Liz Angoff, a Licensed Educational Psychologist who specializes in helping families reframe assessments and diagnoses into empowering narratives that celebrate a child’s unique brain.

Liz has spent years working with children and families to make learning differences easier to understand. She’s the author of the Brain Building Books, a resource designed to help kids see their neurodivergence as a strength rather than a limitation.

In our conversation, Liz shares why early and open discussions about neurodiversity are so important, how parents can guide their children through assessments in a way that fosters trust, and why shifting from a deficit-based model to a discovery-based approach can be transformative for the whole family. We also explore how different kids process this information in their own ways—some may embrace it, while others, especially teenagers, might resist labels altogether. She also provides thoughtful strategies to meet kids where they are and help them feel seen and supported. 

If you’ve ever struggled with how to talk to your child about their neurodivergence, this episode is full of practical insights and reassurance.

About Dr. Liz Angoff

Liz Angoff, Ph.D., is a Licensed Educational Psychologist with a Diplomate in School Neuropsychology, providing assessment and consultation services to children and their families in the Bay Area, CA. She is the author of the Brain Building Books, tools for engaging children in understanding their learning and developmental differences. More information about Dr. Liz and her work is available at www.ExplainingBrains.com.

Things you'll learn from this episode

• How early conversations about neurodiversity help normalize differences and make children feel unique and valued
• Why parents should approach assessments as discovery processes rather than problem-solving exercises
• How to prepare children for assessments by discussing their experience to foster understanding and trust
• The importance of respecting how children choose to process information about their neurodivergence, especially teenagers resistant to labels

Resources mentioned

• Dr. Liz Angoff’s Explaining Brains website
• Our Brains: A Workbook to Understand, Celebrate, and Advocate for Your Unique Brain! by Dr. Liz Angoff
• Dr. Liz Angoff on Instagram
• Dr. Liz Angoff’s collection of resources to help families talk to kids about their neurodivergence, including a living spreadsheet
• The End of Average: Unlocking Our Potential by Embracing What Makes Us Different by Todd Rose
• Karen Wilson on Telling Kids About Their Diagnosis (Tilt Parenting podcast)
• Dr. Amy Laurent on Shifting the Conversation from Emotional Regulation to Energy Regulation (Tilt Parenting podcast)

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Marriage and family therapist, licensed psychotherapist, and author Susan Stiffelman talks about her book Parenting Without Power Struggles and shares strategies for staying calm in the midst of conflict with our children.

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Today we’re diving into an urgent and often overlooked issue—the connection between ADHD, the school-to-prison pipeline, and the critical need for early intervention. My guest for today’s conversation is Sarah Templeton, an ADHD activist, counselor, and author whose personal and professional experiences have made her a passionate advocate for mandatory ADHD screenings in schools and the criminal justice system.

Sarah was diagnosed with ADHD, severe dyspraxia, dyscalculia, and sensory processing disorder later in life. As a psychotherapist working with incarcerated individuals, she made a startling discovery—an overwhelming majority of inmates have ADHD that was never recognized or supported in childhood. This realization led her to create ADHD Liberty, a charity focused on increasing awareness, advocating for policy change, and ensuring early intervention for kids who might otherwise fall through the cracks. She’s actually got a book coming out soon about her work in the prison system called The Prison Counselor. Sarah is also the author of How Not to Murder Your ADHD Child, How Not To Damage Your ADHD Adolescent, and Teachers! How Not to Kill the Spirit in Your ADHD Kids, books which are designed to help parents and educators better understand and support neurodivergent kids.

In this conversation, Sarah unpacks why ADHD is so prevalent in the prison population and how mandatory screenings in schools could change the trajectory of countless lives. We discuss the role of teacher training, the need for mental health teams in schools, and the systemic barriers that prevent ADHD from being taken seriously in both education and the justice system.

This episode is eye-opening, informative, and a powerful call to action for parents, educators, and policymakers alike. I hope you enjoy it.

About Sarah Templeton

Sarah Templeton is an ADHD activist and author. She wrote the best selling book How Not to Murder Your ADHD Child — Instead Learn to Be Your Child’s Own ADHD Coach. She followed this up with a book to help teachers understand and manage their ADHD students and a book for parents of ADHD teenagers. As a fully qualified and accredited counsellor and psychotherapist she is passionate about ADHD being understood and stopping anyone trying to ”knock the ADHD out of kids” and instead allowing them to be their authentic selves.

Sarah campaigns relentlessly for mandatory ADHD screening in the education system and the criminal justice system. Her own moderate to severe combined ADHD, severe dyspraxia, dyscalculia and sensory processing disorder went completely missed until she was in her 50s.She doesn’t want this for children now.

Things you'll learn from this episode

• Why ADHD is highly prevalent in the prison population, with estimates suggesting 75-85% of inmates may have undiagnosed ADHD
• How early intervention and mandatory ADHD screening in schools could prevent exclusions and significantly improve life outcomes for children
• Why teacher training and mental health teams are critical in recognizing and supporting students with ADHD, yet remain insufficiently prioritized
• Why governments and police departments need to take ADHD seriously by addressing stigma, promoting awareness, and funding early interventions

Resources mentioned

• Sarah Templeton’s website
• ADHD Liberty
• Headstuff ADHD Therapy
• Sarah on Instagram
• How NOT to Murder Your ADHD Kid: Instead Learn How to Be Your Child's Own ADHD Coach by Sarah Templeton
• HOW NOT TO DAMAGE YOUR ADHD ADOLESCENT: Instead, Coach them Through their Turbulent Teens to Win at Life by Sarah Templeton
• Teachers! How Not to Kill the Spirit in Your ADHD Kids by Sarah Templeton

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Gwen Vogelgang and her 12-year-old son Rylan talk about their new book, "If I Squeeze Your Head I'm Sorry," which allow readers to enter the brain of a child who sees, feels, and understands the world from a refreshingly unique perspective.

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Today’s episode couldn’t be more timely. We’re exploring the important topic of resilience and how to support our kids in navigating challenging times. Joining me is Dr. Tovah Klein, author of the insightful new book Raising Resilience: How to Help Our Children Thrive in Times of Uncertainty.

Dr. Klein is a renowned developmental psychologist and the director of the Barnard College Center for Toddler Development. With over 30 years of experience, she’s dedicated her career to understanding what children need to thrive, regardless of their circumstances. She’s a sought-after advisor to children’s media and organizations, including National Geographic Kids and Apple TV+. 

In her latest book, Tovah explains why resilience isn’t a fixed trait but a skill that can be nurtured through supportive relationships and intentional parenting practices. And so in today’s conversation, we unpack what it means to be an anchor and container for our children, explore the five pillars of resilience—security and trust, emotional regulation, agency, social connection, and self-acceptance—and discuss why understanding our own emotional baggage is key to helping our kids build resilience.  

I love the way Tovah frames resiliency as a skill that is built together between parents and children because so often we think of it as an individual characteristic. And as you’ll hear in this conversation, it all starts with the connection between us. There’s so much food for thought and hope. 

About Dr. Tovah Klein

Tovah P. Klein, Ph.D. is the author of Raising Resilience: How to Help Our Children Thrive in Times of Uncertainty and How Toddlers Thrive: What Parents Can Do Today for Children Ages 2-5 to Plant the Seeds of Lifelong Success. She is also the Director of the Barnard College Center for Toddler Development and a psychology professor at Barnard College, Columbia University. In her role as a researcher and professor and in direct care with parents and children for over thirty years, Klein has helped to define what every child needs to thrive, regardless of their life situations. Working worldwide with programs addressing the needs of children, she is highly sought after as a developmental expert on a range of timely topics and an advisor to children’s media and organizations, including National Geographic Kids, Apple TV+, the Children’s Museum of Manhattan, the Hunts Point Alliance for Children, Room to Grow, and Ubuntu Pathways South Africa.

Things you'll learn

• Why resilience isn’t a fixed trait but rather the ability to adapt and adjust with life’s uncertainties
• What it means for a parent to serve as an anchor and container for their children
• Why awareness of our own emotional baggage is crucial in order to help our kids be more resilient
• What the 5 pillars of resilience are and how to cultivate them
• Why agency and social connection are vital for children's development and building resilience

Resources mentioned

• Dr. Tovah Klein’s website
• Dr. Tovah Klein’s How Toddler’s Thrive website
• Raising Resilience: How to Help Our Children Thrive in Times of Uncertainty by Dr. Tovah Klein
• How Toddlers Thrive: What Parents Can Do Today for Children Ages 2-5 to Plant the Seeds of Lifelong Success by Dr. Tovah Klein
• Barnard Center for Family Development
• Dr. Stephen Porges
• Dr. Michele Borba
• Dr. Michele Borba on How to Help Kids Thrive in an Anxious World (Tilt Parenting)
• You Factor Journal code: Tovah24

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Dr. Stacy Hawthorne and Dr. Jessica Potts of The Davidson Institute talk about the unique needs for profoundly gifted children and share insights on how to support their intellectual and social/emotional development.

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Playing with our kids doesn’t always come naturally to parents. For some of us, it might feel uninteresting, repetitive, or as though the only way to participate is by taking over. But today’s conversation might just change the way you think about play. We’re diving into the transformative power of play as a form of communication that allows our kids to feel safe while exploring what’s going on inside them. Joining me is Georgie Wisen-Vincent, an expert in play therapy and co-author, alongside Dr. Tina Payne Bryson, of the new book The Way of Play: Using Little Moments of Big Connection to Raise Kind and Confident Kids.

In today’s episode, Georgie shares insights from The Way of Play and explains why play is a universal language that helps kids express their feelings and navigate life’s challenges. We discuss how parents can intentionally use play to strengthen bonds, nurture sibling relationships, and reconnect after time apart. Georgie also offers practical strategies for engaging in play effectively, such as mirroring your child’s play to deepen connection and understanding. Plus, we explore how play isn’t just for kids—it’s a lifelong skill that can enhance relationships at every stage of life.

About Georgie Wisen-Vincent

Georgie Wisen-Vincent, LMFT, RPT-S, ECMHS is a nationally recognized play therapy expert and co-author (with Dr. Tina Payne Bryson) of the new book -- THE WAY OF PLAY (Penguin Random House, January 2025). Georgie is the Founder/Director of The Play Strong Institute, a center devoted to the study, research, and practice of play therapy through a neurodevelopment lens, along with Dr. Bryson, the Founder/Executive Director of The Center for Connection, a multidisciplinary clinical practice in Southern California. Georgie is also a child, adolescent, and family psychotherapist and maintains a private practice at The Center for Connection.

The Play Strong Institute offers the Certificate in Play Therapy with a Neurorelational Emphasis, an educational pathway toward becoming a credentialed play therapist. Through the Institute, the Play Strong approach was developed using child-led, adult scaffolded connection and play to help parents, therapists, educators, and care providers augment intervention aimed at the social, emotional, developmental, and learning needs of children from infancy to early adolescence. Play Strong Parenting (a component of Neurofilial Therapy) has been validated by empirical research and is currently being studied with non-parental caregivers and early childhood educators, among other research investigations currently underway.

Things you'll learn

• Why play is a natural language that fosters social-emotional development, allowing children to express their feelings and process difficult experiences
• How parents can strengthen connections by intentionally setting aside time for play and becoming active observers rather than controllers
• How little moments of play can lead to big connections, helping to nurture sibling relationships and strengthen bonds after time apart
• How to engage in play effectively, mirroring our child’s play to enhance connection and understanding
• Why play is a lifelong skill that not only supports children’s growth but also enriches adult relationships and communication

Resources mentioned

• The Way of Play: Using Little Moments of Big Connection to Raise Kind and Confident Kids by Tina Payne Bryson and Georgie Wisen-Vincent
• The Play Strong Institute
• Tina Payne Bryson’s website
• Georgie Wisen-Vincent on Instagram
• Tina Payne Bryson on Instagram
• The Way of Play on the Play Strong Institute website
• The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind by Dr. Dan Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson PhD
• No-Drama Discipline: The Whole-Brain Way to Calm the Chaos and Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind by Dr. Dan Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson PhD

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Zach Morris joins Debbie to answer a listener question on how to address a 17-year-old with ADHD and executive function challenges who is vaping, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing trust, open communication, education on risks, and understanding the motivations behind the behavior while fostering a strong parent-child connection.

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Clinical psychologist, life coach, and author Dr. John Duffy talks about his new book, "Parenting the New Teen in the Age of Anxiety" and shares insights for how parents raising teens can be the emotional support they need and crave.

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Today we’re diving into a topic that’s not just timely but that can transform education for all students: creating neurodiversity-affirming schools. Joining me to share their vision for what’s possible in education are two extraordinary advocates and experts, Amanda Morin and Emily Kircher-Morris who have collaborated on a wonderful new book on the topic, just out today in fact, Neurodiversity Affirming Schools: Transforming Practices So All Students Feel Accepted & Supported.

In today’s episode, we explored why embracing neurodiversity in schools benefits every student, not just those with IEPs. Amanda and Emily unpacked the barriers to change in education, including stigma and fear, and introduce how strategies like Universal Design for Learning (UDL) can be used to create inclusive classrooms. We also discussed the Neurodiversity Affirming Teacher's Compact, a framework for educators to embrace diverse learning needs, and finally, the importance of fostering self-advocacy skills in neurodivergent students.

About Amanda Morin

Amanda Morin is a neurodivergent neurodiversity activist, an award-winning author of six books, early childhood specialist, and nationally known speaker, deeply committed to fostering accessible and inclusive environments for neurodivergent individuals. She leverages her expertise in learning and child development, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), special education, advocacy, and mental health to distill complex data into easily digestible information for parents, educators, and employers who want to advance the mission of creating inclusive content, programs, and strategies to make the world accessible to all. Amanda proudly serves as a subject matter expert for the DUCC (Developing & Using Critical Comprehension) project for the Polarization & Extremism Research & Innovation Lab (PERIL) at American University, sits on the advisory board of Digital Promise’s Learner Variability Project, the professional advisory board of Matan, and the Technical Expert Panel of the American Academy of Pediatrics Center of Excellence on Social Media & Youth Mental Health.

About Emily Kircher-Morris

Emily Kircher-Morris, LPC, is a mental health professional and advocate for neurodiversity, with a deep commitment to creating inclusive and supportive environments for all students. As a Licensed Professional Counselor, she has spent over a decade working with neurodivergent individuals, specializing in providing therapy and resources that empower her clients to thrive. Her passion for this field is deeply personal, as she herself navigated the educational system as a twice-exceptional (2e) student, experiencing firsthand the challenges and misunderstandings that often accompany neurodivergent experiences. This early insight fueled her dedication to transforming educational practices to be more affirming and supportive. In addition to her clinical work, Emily is the host of the popular Neurodiversity Podcast, where she explores a wide range of topics related to neurodivergence, often interviewing leading experts, educators, and individuals with lived experience.

Things you'll learn

• Why neurodiversity-affirming practices in schools benefit all students, not just those with IEPs
• Why recognizing and supporting diverse learning styles is essential for effective teaching and how it’s possible to do so in traditional classrooms
• Why fear of stigma and change remains a major barrier in education, and what we can do about it
• What schools and educators can do to create inclusive, neurodiversity-affirming classrooms
• What Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is and why it’s a critical framework neurodivergent learners

Resources mentioned

• Neurodiversity-Affirming Schools: Transforming Practices So All Students Feel Accepted & Supported by Emily Kircher-Morris and Amanda Morin
• The Neurodiversity-Affirming Teachers’ Compact of Shared Beliefs (PDF)
• Neurodiversity University Education Hub

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Dr. Jill Emanuele, senior director of the Mood Disorders Center at the Child Mind Institute, talks about how parents can best support their children who are struggling in the dynamic with their sibling.

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Today, we’re diving into a complex and nuanced topic—raising daughters in today’s world. Joining me for this conversation is Cathy Adams, a longtime friend of the pod, powerhouse in the parenting space, and champion of mindful, connected parenting.

Her latest book, which takes center stage in today’s discussion, is Restoring Our Girls: How Real Conversations Shape Our Daughters' Lives, Help Them with Teen Challenges, and Remind Them That They Matter. With her background as a clinical social worker, certified parent coach, and former child and family therapist—as well as her experience as a mom of three daughters and university professor—Cathy brings a rich, multifaceted perspective to this important topic.

In this episode, Cathy and I explore the unique challenges girls face today, from societal pressures and cultural conditioning to navigating a fast-paced, often judgmental world. We discuss the importance of parents addressing their own emotional baggage, being mindful of their reactions, and recognizing how fear can hold us back from having the messy but meaningful conversations our daughters need. Cathy also shares strategies for creating judgment-free spaces where girls feel heard, validated, and supported in becoming their authentic selves.

About Cathy Adams

Cathy Cassani Adams, LCSW, co-hosts the long-running Zen Parenting Radio podcast and founded the Zen Parenting Conference in Chicago. She is the author of Zen Parenting and Living What You Want Your Kids to Learn (both Nautilus Award and International Book Award winners) and her upcoming 2025 release, Restoring Our Girls. Cathy is a clinical social worker, certified parent coach, former elementary school educator, and yoga teacher. She was a blogger for The Huffington Post and a former columnist for Chicago Parent Magazine. She previously worked as a Child and Family Therapist and Clinical Educator at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and now teaches in the Sociology and Criminology Department at Dominican University. She lives outside Chicago with her husband, Todd, and their three daughters.

Things you'll learn

• How cultural conditioning and societal expectations on girls can impact them (and what we need to know about it)
• Why parents must address their own emotional baggage to avoid projecting it onto their children
• How being mindful of our own reactions in the moment will help us communicate more effectively with our children
• The role fear plays in preventing meaningful conversations which leads to missed connection opportunities
• The benefits of engaging in messy and imperfect conversations for promoting authenticity
• How to create a judgment-free space where girls feel heard and validated to support their emotional growth

Resources

• Zen Parenting website and resources
• Restoring Our Girls: How Real Conversations Shape Our Daughters' Lives, Help Them with Teen Challenges, and Remind Them That They Matter by Cathy Adams
• Zen Parenting: Caring for Ourselves and Our Children in an Unpredictable World by Cathy Adams
• Zen Parenting 2025 Summit
• Zen Parenting on Instagram
• Cathy Adams on Zen Parenting & Caring for Ourselves and Our Children in an Unpredictable World (Tilt Parenting podcast)
• Zen Parenting on Facebook
• Zen Parenting Radio podcast
• Getting Aligned Through Parenting and Marriage Challenges, with Zen Parenting’s Cathy and Todd Adams (Tilt Parenting podcast)
• Pop Culturing Podcast
• Rescuing Our Sons: 8 Solutions to Our Crisis of Disaffected Teen Boys by Dr. John Duffy

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Creativity coach, speaker, and author Kathryn Haydon talks about the benefits of bringing more creativity into our parenting lives raising differently wired kids.

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Happy New Year, and welcome to the podcast's winter season! I have some really special conversations to share with you this year, and I’m thrilled to kick things off with what I can only describe as an absolutely fascinating conversation with Dr. Amy Laurent about ENERGY—specifically, the power and freedom in shifting the focus from emotional regulation to energy regulation when supporting neurodivergent individuals, including ourselves.

You might remember Amy from her last appearance on the show with Dr. Jacquelyn Fede, where they shared about their autistic-allistic partnership Autism Level UP!—a collaboration dedicated to providing education, accessible resources, and practical strategies to increase active engagement for autistic individuals and their communities. If you haven’t heard that one yet, it’s a great listen! You can find it at tiltparenting.com/session328 or through the link in the show notes for this episode.

In this conversation, we dive into Amy and Jacquelyn’s latest resource, Energy: The Framework, Tools, Strategies & Logic to Support Regulation manual, a comprehensive guide to the Autism Level UP! tools and their innovative approach to energy regulation. Designed with autistic and neurodivergent people in mind—but perfectly suitable for all neurotypes—this manual introduces ways to understand and support energy levels for yourself or others through tools, worksheets, and practical strategies.

I LOVE this resource, so it was a real treat to explore its concepts with Amy. In our chat, Amy shares why energy regulation is often a more accessible and relatable framework than emotional regulation for many autistic people, how the “Energy Meter” helps individuals identify their energy states and foster self-awareness, and how parents can better co-regulate and connect without judgment by recognizing and reflecting on energy states. We talk a lot on the show about becoming fluent in your child, and what we’re covering today takes that concept to an entirely new level.

About Dr. Amy Laurent

Amy Laurent, PhD, OTR/L is the co-director of Autism Level UP! an autistic / allistic partnership dedicated to the provision of education, accessible resources, and practical strategies focused on increasing active engagement for autistic individuals and the members of their communities. She is a co-author of the SCERTS Model and frequently lectures internationally. She is passionate about neurodiversity and helping others to honor and understand the implications of “different ways of being” in relation to navigating the physical and social world. Dr. Laurent strives to practice what she preaches and uses her love of play and movement to meet her own regulatory needs.

Things you'll learn from this episode

• Why energy regulation is a more accessible and relatable framework than emotional regulation for many autistic people
• How the “Energy Meter” helps individuals in identifying their energy levels and needs fostering self-awareness and practical strategies for balance.
• How parents can better co-regulate, connect, and support (without judgment) through recognizing and reflecting on energy states
• Why it’s critical that we tailor tools to meet unique needs of our children (ie: there is no one size fits all)

Resources mentioned

• Energy: The Framework, Tools, Strategies & Logic to Support Regulation by Dr. Amy Laurent and Jac Fede
• Autism Level UP!
• Autism Level UP! on Facebook
• Autism Level UP! on Instagram
• Autism Level UP! Co-founders Amy Laurent & Jacquelyn Fede on Learning From Autistic Self-Advocates (Tilt Parenting Podcast)

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Dr. Stuart Shanker, author of Self-Reg, shares his expertise on self-regulation, offering practical strategies and compassionate insights to help neurodivergent kids and their families manage stress and build self-awareness.

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Jonathan Mooney, author and advocate, explores the neurodiversity movement, scaling advocacy, Universal Design in education, and intergenerational trauma, offering thought-provoking insights and inspiring reflections.

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In this episode, Phyllis L. Fagell, LCPC, shares actionable insights on fostering identity development, belonging, and resilience in children, with a focus on navigating social challenges, promoting inclusivity, and supporting neurodivergent and marginalized kids.

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Academic, teacher, and writer Victoria Biggs shares her experience growing up as an autistic, dyspraxic child and explains how parents can support their similarly wired children

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We live in a society where success is often defined by external markers like prestigious jobs, academic achievements, or traditional milestones. But as parents of neurodivergent kids, we know our children’s paths and timelines often look different. And while their journeys may not align with conventional notions of success, that doesn’t mean they’re any less meaningful or valuable. So, how can we redefine what success means—for our kids and for our families? That’s one of the big questions I explore with today’s guest, child psychologist Dr. Emily King.

In our conversation, Dr. Emily and I dive into redefining success for neurodivergent students, emphasizing the importance of joy, self-discovery, and effectiveness in their learning journeys. We explore how cultural definitions of success can be limiting, what’s happening in American public schools regarding neurodivergence, and the actionable steps we can take to help shift the paradigm. Most importantly, we talk about how to reframe “success” in our families in ways that empower our children to build autonomous, self-actualized lives on their terms.

About Dr. Emily King

Dr. Emily King is a Child Psychologist and former School Psychologist who has worked with neurodivergent children and teens for over 20 years. She received a Ph.D. in School Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she worked at Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute and the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities. She spent five years as a School Psychologist in Houston, Texas specializing in providing school-based mental health services in K-12 public schools. Dr. Emily now works in private practice in North Carolina supporting the mental health needs of neurodivergent youth, their families, and their teachers.

Dr. Emily hosts the Learn with Dr. Emily Substack where you can find her blogs and monthly parent workshops. She is also the creator of The Neurodiverse Classroom, a professional development curriculum for elementary and middle school educators. Dr. Emily has been featured on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, quoted in The New York Times and The Washington Post, and has written for Parents.com. You can learn more with Dr. Emily by listening to her podcast or following her on Substack.

Things you'll learn from this episode

• Why the 2 key ingredients for success for neurodivergent students are joy coupled with effectiveness
• How cultural definitions of success can be limiting for neurodivergent kids, and what we can do about it
• What is the state of neurodivergence understanding in American public schools and what we can all do to shift the paradigm forward
• How we can redefine “success” in our families and for our children in ways that empower them to create autonomous, self-actualized adult lives

Resources mentioned

• Dr. Emily King’s website
• Learn with Dr. Emily (Emily’s Substack)
• Learn with Dr. Emily Podcast
• Dr. Mona Delahooke’s website
• Brain-Body Parenting: How to Stop Managing Behavior and Start Raising Joyful, Resilient Kids by Dr. Mona Delahooke
• Beyond Behaviors: Using Brain Science and Compassion to Understand and Solve Children’s Behavioral Challenges by Dr. Mona Delahooke
• Dr. Mona Delahooke on the Power of Brain-Body Parenting (Tilt Parenting podcast)
• Dr. Mona Delahooke on Looking Beyond Kids Challenging Behaviors (Tilt Parenting podcast)
• Dr. Dan Siegel & the Window of Tolerance
• Stephen Porgess & Polyvagal Theory

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This episode is a deep dive into pathological demand avoidance in children (also known as PDA), which is typically defined as a pervasive developmental disorder that falls under the autism spectrum. It’s a label that’s frequently used in the United Kingdom, and it’s often defined as a complicated and misunderstood condition wherein some people have a heightened anxiety response to demands being placed on them. PDA isn’t universally recognized as a diagnosis, and it’s also a label rooted in controversy.

To talk with us about all of this is friend of the podcast Dr. Melissa Neff, a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in the assessment of ADHD, depression, anxiety, trauma, nonverbal learning disorder, and autism spectrum disorders, about the diagnostic process.

Melissa Neff, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Missoula, MT. She conducts psychological evaluations for children and adults. She specializes in the assessment of giftedness, ADHD, depression, anxiety, trauma, nonverbal learning disorder, and typical and atypical presentations of autism.

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We’ve touched on the theory of self-determination on the show before, but today, I’m thrilled to dedicate an entire episode to this important topic. Joining me for this deeper dive is Dr. Gina Riley, an expert in self-determination theory and motivation. This conversation will resonate with so many of you because it beautifully ties into themes we often explore here, like low-demand parenting and fostering our kids’ natural passions and strengths.

In this episode, Gina explains the theory of self-determination and dives into the science behind why it’s so impactful, particularly for neurodivergent kids. We explore how it connects with autonomy-supportive parenting and discuss the three tenets of cognitive evaluation theory, which examines what fosters intrinsic motivation. We also tackle the hot topic of whether extrinsic motivators like stickers and rewards have a place and how to genuinely connect with our kids' interests—even when they differ from our own.

About Dr. Gina Riley

Gina Riley, Ph.D., is an educational psychologist, Program Director, and Clinical Professor of Adolescent Special Education at CUNY – Hunter College. She has conducted significant research on homeschooling and unschooling, an educational method and philosophy that advocates student intrinsic motivation as a primary means for learning. In addition to her research on self-directed learning environments, Dr. Riley has expertise in Supported Decision Making, an alternative to guardianship for students with disabilities. She is a faculty advisor for Supported Decision Making New York, promoting autonomy and self-determination for individuals with disabilities. 

Dr.Riley also has extensive experience in online, hybrid, and HyFlex education, having been actively involved in the field since 1998. Her contributions to educational psychology and alternative education models have been influential in shaping contemporary discussions on personalized and flexible learning approaches. Dr. Riley is the author of numerous academic articles and three books, including Unschooling:Exploring Learning Beyond the Classroom (Palgrave, 2020), The Homeschooling Starter Guide (Simon & Schuster, 2021), and The Joys of Self Determined Learning: A Collection of Essays (Ricci Publishing, 2022). She is the current President-Elect of the New York State Association of Teacher Educators.

Things you'll learn from this episode

• What self-determination theory is, and how it’s connected to intrinsic motivation
• Why a sense of competence, autonomy, and relatedness, as outlined in the cognitive evaluation theory, are crucial for motivation
• Why it matters that parents focus on facilitating autonomy and decision-making in their children
• What the science says about how and why intrinsic motivation leads to better academic and social outcomes in adulthood
• How intrinsic and extrinsic motivations can coexist and why it’s important that they’re balanced

Resources mentioned

• Dr. Gina Riley’s website
• Gina on Instagram
• Gina on Twitter
• Unschooling: Exploring Learning Beyond the Classroom by Dr. Gina Riley
• The Homeschooling Starter Guide: How to Create and Adapt the Best Education Action Plan for Your Needs by Dr. Gina Riley
• NYS Decision Making Curriculum (free decision making curriculum for schools and homeschools
• I Will Die on This Hill: Autistic Adults, Autism Parents, and the Children Who Deserve a Better World by Meghan Ashburn and Jules Edwards
• Meghan Ashburn and Jules Edwards on Autistic Adults, Autism Parents, and the Children Who Deserve a Better World (Tilt Parenting podcast)
• Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Dan Pink
• The intrinsic motivation of Richard Ryan and Edward Deci
• The Self-Driven Child, with William Stixrud and Ned Johnson (Tilt Parenting podcast)
• The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives by Dr. William Stixrud and Ned Johnson

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Sherri Cawn, a leading practitioner of the DIR/Floortime® model in speech and language development, explores characteristics, assessment, intervention of communication disorders in children.

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I know that parenting kids who are struggling with mental health challenges can sometimes feel overwhelming, as though we’re not equipped to handle what’s happening. When our kids are going through tough mental health moments, it can be isolating, scary, and exhausting. That’s why I’m so grateful for the work of my guest today, Dr. Christine Crawford, the associate medical director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization.

Dr. Crawford is the author of the new book, You Are Not Alone for Parents and Caregivers: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Your Child’s Mental Health—With Advice from Experts and Wisdom from Real Families. It’s an incredibly helpful handbook for any parent navigating this challenging path. The book covers everything from how to talk to our kids about their mental health, to what to do if a long-awaited therapist doesn’t turn out to be the right fit. It also delves into practical and emotional concerns, such as recognizing signs of depression, understanding our critical role as parents in the mental health team, and learning about concepts like the “distress radius” to better gauge the impact of mental health issues.

Finally, a quick content warning: this episode includes discussions of suicidal ideation and other sensitive mental health topics. If these are difficult subjects for you, please prioritize your well-being while listening.

About Dr. Christine Crawford

Christine M. Crawford, MD, MPH is the associate medical director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) which is the country’s largest grassroots mental health organization. She is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Vice Chair of Education at the Boston University School of Medicine. She also provides outpatient psychiatric care to children and adolescents at Boston Medical Center. Additionally, she’s the Medical Director for the Boston Public Health Commission’s School Based Clinician Program in which she provides direct guidance on how best to support the socioemotional wellbeing of children within the Boston Public School System. On behalf of NAMI, she regularly engages with the general public, as well as with organizations, companies, healthcare providers, and fellow clinicians and researchers. She is a trusted source of child mental health expertise for major media outlets including the New York Times, the Washington Post, NPR, the Boston Globe, NBC, and Medscape. She has made on-camera appearances for the Today Show, BBC, and local news affiliates of CBS, Fox, and ABC. She lives with her family in Boston, Massachusetts.

Things you'll learn from this episode

• Why it’s important that we talk openly and frequently with our child about their feelings, starting as early as age three
• What signs to look for in terms of changes in mood or behavior that might indicate our child is experiencing a mental health challenge
• Why parental involvement in mental health care is critical for supporting children’s progress Why learning how to manage and tolerate distressing feelings isn’t just for our struggling kids
• What the “distress radius” is and how to use it to identify the extent and impact of mental health issues within our families
• How and when to seek community support and other resources when a child is navigating a mental health challenge

Resources mentioned

• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
• You Are Not Alone for Parents and Caregivers: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Your Child’s Mental Health―With Advice from Experts and Wisdom from Real Families by Dr. Christine Crawford
• You Are Not Alone book website
• Help for Parents! Symptoms and Steps for Kids' Mental Health Struggles (GoToHealth Media YouTube video)
• Debbie Reber Shares Her Best Self-Care Strategies
• 11 Ideas for Boosting Your Self-Care (PDF)
• Debbie’s Self-Care Planner Template

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Dr. Rita Eichenstein, author of "Not What I Expected: Help and Hope for Parents of Atypical Children," talks about how parents can process the discovery that their child is neurodivergent.

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Debbie Reber and parent coach Margaret Webb answer a listener's question about how to deal with chaotic energy among children during the bedtime transition (as well as other big transitions).

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Dr. Allie Ticktin, a licensed occupational therapist with a specialty in sensory integration and early childhood development, talks about how to tap into the power of play to support a child's learning and development.

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I’ll say right upfront that this is a different kind of episode for the podcast, but stick with me, because today, we’re diving into digital decluttering. I know firsthand the toll digital clutter can take. Raising neurodivergent kids means managing a ton of information — from school communications and teacher emails to scheduling appointments, handling assessments, and organizing documentation. It’s a lot to keep track of, and it can really weigh us down.

If you can relate, this episode is for you. I invited tech and productivity coach Amanda Jefferson, affectionately known as the Tech Whisperer, to help us tackle digital clutter. Amanda guides busy people through streamlining their digital lives and speaks about silencing society’s noisy “shoulds.” She’s a TEDx speaker, one of the world’s first KonMari consultants, and co-host of the Good Enough-ish podcast. Her work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Real Simple, Harper’s Bazaar, and Good Day Philadelphia.

In our conversation, we discussed the importance of digital decluttering, particularly for neurodivergent families. Amanda shared strategies for securely storing essential documents, organizing email to reduce stress, managing passwords, and using what she calls “free assistants” on our devices to make daily routines run more smoothly.

Even if you consider yourself tech-savvy, I think you’ll learn something new in this episode. Enjoy, and hopefully, you’ll walk away with some actionable steps!

About Amanda Jefferson

Amanda Jefferson is a tech and productivity coach, TEDx speaker, one of the world’s first KonMari consultants, and host of the top-rated Good Enough-ish podcast. She has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Real Simple, Harpers Bazaar, Good Day Philadelphia, and more. She was recently named a Top 50 Women Speaker of 2024 by renowned speaker and author Jess Ekstrom. Known affectionately as the Tech Whisperer, Amanda helps busy people declutter their digital lives and talks to audiences about how to quiet the noisy shoulds of society.

Things you'll learn from this episode

• How tackling digital clutter bit by bit can lead to noticeable improvements, reducing overwhelm and enhancing focus
• Why setting up an “action-needed” folder can streamline email processing, while Gmail's sorting tools and filters help keep the inbox clutter-free
• What the “cloud” is and why it’s invaluable for securely storing essential documents and making them accessible anytime
• Ideas for streamlining password management
• The types of “digital assistants” available to help with reminders, scheduling, and hands-free task management, making family routines smoother
• How AI tools like ChatGPT can save time on research and assist with documentation, making digital workflows quicker and more efficient

Resources mentioned

• Amanda’s website Indigo Organizing
• The Good Enoughish Podcast
• Work with Amanda on digital decluttering
• Amanda on Instagram
• Amanda’s Free Ultimate Checklist for Organizing your Gmail
• How to Stay on Top of your Gmail … and Actually Have Fun While Doing It 
• Skylight Calendar (Tilt listeners get $40 off purchase of a Skylight Calendar when you go to skylightcal.com/tilt) 
• One Password
• Bringing Clarity Into Your Home, Spaces & Life, with Lisa Viscardi (Tilt Parenting podcast) 

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Debbie talks with four differently wired adults who share their stories of discovering and/or learn more about their own neurodivergence as a result of parenting their differently wired children.

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I’m thrilled to finally welcome Drs. Brock and Fernette Eide to the show! They’re the authors of the groundbreaking, recently updated book The Dyslexic Advantage: Unlocking the Hidden Potential of the Dyslexic Brain. As leading experts in dyslexia, Brock and Fernette have reshaped our understanding of dyslexia through a strengths-based lens. They continue this work through their nonprofit, Dyslexic Advantage, and their social purpose company, Neurolearning. Rather than viewing dyslexia as a disorder, they advocate for understanding it as a unique learning and processing style. In today’s conversation, you’ll hear how their approach brings out the exceptional qualities and talents in dyslexic individuals.

In our discussion, we explored their new approach to dyslexia that begins not with definitions but with how the dyslexic mind functions. We covered the various ways dyslexia can manifest beyond reading challenges, why some twice-exceptional dyslexic kids are often overlooked under traditional definitions, and the importance of embracing dyslexia as part of one's identity. We also dove into strategies for advocating with schools to secure accommodations and discussed different ways students can thrive academically.

This updated edition of The Dyslexic Advantage also highlights how a strengths-centered framework is gaining traction in schools and workplaces, plus new insights into the neurobiology underlying dyslexia and its associated strengths. As you’ll hear from Brock and Fernette, understanding dyslexia more fully allows us to open up conversations with educators about alternative learning strategies that may benefit not just our kids, but all students in the classroom.

About Drs. Brock and Fernette Eide

Leading experts on dyslexia and authors of the groundbreaking book The Dyslexic Advantage: Unlocking the Hidden Potential of the Dyslexic Brain, Brock Eide, MD, MA, and Fernette Eide, MD, have been at the forefront of redefining our understanding of dyslexia. In the updated 2023 edition, they incorporate the latest research and modern techniques to highlight a strength-based approach to dyslexia, moving away from traditional deficit-focused models. This revision features 20 new interviews, insights into how a strengths-centered framework is being implemented in schools and workplaces, and fresh information on the neurobiology that underpins dyslexia and its associated strengths.

The Eides advocate for viewing dyslexia as a unique learning and processing style rather than a disorder. Their influential work has played a pivotal role in transforming conventional views on dyslexia and has inspired countless individuals. Together, they are the authors of The Dyslexic Advantage and The Mislabeled Child, and they founded the nonprofit organization Dyslexic Advantage and the social purpose company Neurolearning.com. They reside in Edmonds, Washington, with their son.

Things you'll learn

• How the traditional focus on weaknesses in dyslexia overlooks the strengths that dyslexic individuals possess
• Why the definition of dyslexia include diverse cognitive processing styles beyond reading challenges
• Why it’s important to recognize the unique learning profiles of twice exceptional children when addressing dyslexia
• How stealth dyslexia in gifted individuals can lead to underdiagnosis and missed support opportunities
• The role that a strengths-based perspective plays in helping dyslexic individuals excel in areas requiring experience-based reasoning

Resources mentioned

• The Dyslexic Advantage (Brock and Fernette’s nonprofit organization)
• The Dyslexic Advantage (Revised and Updated): Unlocking the Hidden Potential of the Dyslexic Brain by Drs. Brock and Fernette Eide
• The Mislabeled Child: Looking Beyond Behavior to Find the True Sources and Solutions for Children's Learning Challenge by Drs. Brock and Fernette Eide
• Neurolearning (dyslexia screening and strengths assessment)

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Licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Melissa Neff talks about the unique challenges for adults who discover their own neurodivergence as a result of going through the diagnostic process with their children.

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When my child was little, one of the most common sleep training methods was the "cry it out" approach. We tried it briefly, and it felt absolutely terrible for all of us. I know many parents can relate to the feelings of desperation and overwhelm that come when a child just isn’t sleeping.

I wish I’d known back then about sleep coaches Macall Gordon and Kim West, also known as The Sleep Lady, who have developed a gentler, effective approach to changing sleep patterns. Their approach, based on years of research and experience with thousands of families, is especially suited for children who are more alert, intense, and persistent than their peers—and who put up a bigger fight at bedtime. Sound familiar? Then this episode is for you.

In their new book, Why Won’t You Sleep?! A Gamechanging Approach for Nonstop, Super-Alert, Big-Feeling Kids, Kim and Macall present a fresh take on sleep training, rooted in understanding a child’s unique temperament. In our conversation, we cover common sleep struggles, misconceptions about sleep training, and why a gradual approach is empowering for both parents and children. They also share tips on setting limits for early risers and managing transitions that encourage peaceful nights. 

About Macall Gordon

Macall is a researcher, speaker, and author specializing in the link between temperament and sleep. She has a master’s degree in Applied Psychology from Antioch University, Seattle with a research-based specialization in infant mental health. She also has a B.S. in Human Biology from Stanford University. She has conducted and presented research on temperament, sleep, and parenting advice at infant and child development conferences around the world. She has been a featured speaker at national sleep conferences and has led webinar-based advanced training for sleep coaches, mental health providers, and others.

She is a certified Gentle Sleep Coach in private practice and is a featured provider on the women’s telehealth platform, Maven Clinic. She is the co-author (with Kim West) of the upcoming book Why Won’t You Sleep?! A Gamechanging Approach for Nonstop, Super Alert, Big-feeling Kids. She comes to this work because she had two sensitive, alert, intense children, and she didn’t sleep for eighteen years.

About Kim West

Kim West, LCSW-C is a mom of two who has been a practicing child and family social worker for over 25 years. She has personally helped over twenty thousand families all over the world gently teach their children how to fall asleep—and fall back asleep without leaving them to cry it out alone. She started training Gentle Sleep Coaches internationally in 2010 and has appeared as a child sleep expert on numerous magazines, newspapers, and television programs including Dr. Phil, TODAY, and Good Morning America. She is the author of five other books.

Things you'll learn

• How gentle sleep coaching can serve as an effective alternative to traditional methods
• Why understanding a child’s temperament is crucial in the success of sleep training
• How behaviorism in sleep training differs from its limited use in other areas of parenting
• Why a gradual approach to sleep training empowers both parents and children, and how to do that
• Why parents of intense children often feel stuck between traditional methods and alternative approaches when it comes to supporting their child’s sleep
• How setting limits helps empower parents while teaching children new sleep-related skills

Resources mentioned

• Macall Gordon’s website
• LIttle Live Wires website
• Kim West, aka The Sleep Lady, website
• Why Won’t You Sleep?! A Game-Changing Approach for Exhausted Parents of Nonstop, Super Alert, Big Feelings Kids by Macall Gordon and Kim West, MSW
• Little Live Wires on Instagram
• Little Live Wires on Facebook
• The Fussy Baby on Facebook
• Little Live Wires on TikTok

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Over the years, countless strategies have been created to help differently wired kids succeed in school and life. But as the neurodiversity movement grows, there's increasing awareness that many of these approaches focus on fitting neurodivergent kids into neurotypical environments and norms, rather than embracing and respecting their unique ways of experiencing the world.

My guest, Elizabeth Sautter, a speech-language pathologist and social-emotional learning specialist, was initially trained in a more traditional “medical model” focused on diagnosing and "fixing" behaviors to promote conformity to neurotypical standards. She co-authored the popular Whole Body Listening Larry series, which aimed to help kids improve listening skills and attention by engaging their whole body. While intended to support neurodivergent students, Elizabeth later recognized that the series reinforced ableist concepts.

Now, Elizabeth is on a mission to promote a neurodiversity-affirming, strengths-based approach that emphasizes acceptance and advocating for individualized support. She’s been instrumental in updating the series with a new, neurodiversity-affirming title: Listen, Learn, and Grow: A Whole Body Listening Larry Story to Help Kids Regulate, Listen, and Engage. As the publisher notes, “Listening Larry is back, and he’s learned a few things about neurodiversity.”

Elizabeth, author of Make Social and Emotional Learning Stick!, co-author of The Zones of Regulation children’s books, card decks, and games, and part of the EveryDay Regulation team, joins me to talk about her journey from traditional speech pathology to embracing a neurodiversity-affirming approach. We’ll dive into the story of Whole Body Listening Larry, how she responded to critical feedback from the neurodivergent community, and the development of new resources that promote inclusivity and understanding. Plus, we’ll explore what it really means to be a “good listener.”

And, as we discuss, Elizabeth’s big goal is to replace the original Whole Body Listening Larry with the updated, neurodiversity-affirming version. So if you see the original in libraries, classrooms, or even on your own shelf, we encourage you to swap it out!

About Elizabeth Sautter

Elizabeth A. Sautter, MA, CCC, is a speech-language pathologist/social-emotional expert, speaker, author, and trainer. She is the author of Make Social and Emotional Learning Stick! Practical activities to help your child manage emotions, navigate social situations & reduce anxiety, along with many other resources, including an online course and community for parents. Elizabeth collaborates with the Zones of Regulation team as a trainer and is a coauthor of the Zones children’s books, card decks, and games. She is also part of the EveryDay Reglation team with the focus on providing neurodiversity affirming resources for whole body regulation. She loves to connect on @elizabeth.sautter (IG), ElizabethSautterMACCCSLP (FB) or www.ElizabethSautter.com

Things you'll learn

• How Elizabeth shifted her focus as an SLP to a neurodivergent-affirming model of support and skill building
• Why listening looks different for everyone (and that's okay!)
• How the Whole Body Listening Larry book series and poster has been rewritten to focus on strengths, self-awareness, and regulation
• Why it's important to model and discuss our own listening styles with children and how to do that
• Ideas for creating inclusive educational environments, and why they benefit all learners, not just neurodivergent individuals

Resources mentioned

• Everyday Regulation website
• Elizabeth Sautter’s website
• Listen, Learn, and Grow: A Whole Body Listening Larry Story to Help Kids Regulate, Listen, and Engage by McAlister Greiner Huynh, Elizabeth A. Sautter, and Kristen Wilson
• Elizabeth on Instagram
• Elizabeth on Facebook
• Whole Body Listening Free Poster download

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Development pediatrician Dr. Mark Bertin talks about his new book How Children Thrive: The Practical Science of Raising Independent, Resilient, and Happy Kids, as well as resilience in our kids and the benefits of mindful parenting.

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Today, I’m excited to share my conversation with Ali Miller on how nonviolent communication (NVC) can help navigate co-parenting dynamics and couple relationships. When raising a neurodivergent child, there are often many opportunities for parents to disagree—whether it’s about the therapies to explore, whether or not to disclose a diagnosis to family members, or even if a diagnosis exists at all. These discussions can be tough and can definitely place a strain on the relationship. But with nonviolent communication, we can learn how to have conversations that feel like a win-win for everyone involved.

Ali Miller is an expert in Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and has been a marriage and family therapist for over twenty years. In 2021, she became certified as a Clini-Coach® specializing in couples communication. As an online coach, she helps couples worldwide improve their communication and conflict resolution skills, allowing them to experience more peace, passion, and possibilities in their relationships.

In this conversation, Ali and I discussed what NVC is and why it’s a comprehensive model that supports all kinds of relationships. We explored how understanding our feelings—and more importantly, the underlying needs behind them—is crucial for effective communication. Ali also emphasized the importance of empathy and self-empathy in the NVC model, and shared how to express our needs to our partners without blame or judgment (while also acknowledging that this doesn’t absolve our partner of responsibility).

This conversation truly highlights how NVC can transform conflict into connection by fostering empathy and understanding between partners. I hope you enjoy it!

About Ali Miller

Ali Miller, an expert in Nonviolent Communication (NVC), has been a Marriage & Family Therapist for over twenty years. In 2021 she became certified as a Clini-Coach® specializing in Couples Communication. As an online coach, she helps couples all over the world level up their communication + conflict navigation skills so they can experience more peace, passion, and possibilities in their relationship.

Things you'll learn from this episode

• What nonviolent communication (NVC) is and why it’s a comprehensive model that can support any and all relationships
• How understanding feelings, and more importantly, our underlying needs, is crucial for effective communication
• The importance of empathy and self-empathy in the NVC model
• Why recognizing universal human needs can bridge gaps in understanding and foster true compassion and understanding
• How to express our needs to our partner without blame or judgment (and why it doesn’t mean our partner bears no responsibility)

Resources mentioned

• Ali Miller’s website
• Ali on Instagram
• Ali’s Private Facebook Group
• The 4 Steps to Stop Any Fight Without Giving In (free mini-course)
• Feelings and Needs Cheatsheets
• Ali’s Podcast: Love Each Other Better
• 8-Week Private Coaching Program for Couples — Stop Fighting! (without stuffing your feelings or sacrificing your needs)
• Marshall Rosenberg and the Center for Nonviolent Communication
• Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life: Life-Changing Tools for Healthy Relationships by Marshall Rosenberg
• Zach Morris on Nonviolent Communication and Whole Person Learning (Tilt Parenting podcast)

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Strategic learning assessment psychologist Dr. Devon MacEachron provides ideas for next steps for parents after receiving a diagnosis for their child. Connect with Tilt Parenting

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My guest for today’s show is likely no stranger to you. He’s been on the podcast before, we’ve co-hosted special live events focused on the mental health crisis among neurodivergent kids, and he’s a key figure in the differently wired revolution. Through his speaking engagements, work as a therapist for kids and adults, and his own lived experience as a neurodivergent individual, he’s a powerful advocate for understanding and supporting neurodivergent students.

Yes, I’m talking about Dr. Matt Zakreski. Today, I’m thrilled to have him back to dive into his brand-new book, Neurodiversity Playbook: How Neurodivergent People Can Crack the Code of Living in a Neurotypical World. Full disclosure: I wrote the foreword for this book, and I was honored to do so because it’s such a valuable resource for so many people. In the foreword, and what I’ll share with you now, is that Matt’s book encourages readers to embrace the full neurodivergent experience, offering deep understanding, validation, and a wealth of practical ideas to help “crack the code” and design a life on their own terms. Neurodiversity Playbook feels like a warm “welcome to the Club” for neurodivergent individuals and those who love and support them.

In this conversation, while we couldn’t cover everything in the book, we touched on some of the big concepts, including why grounding discussions in neuroscience is key to understanding neurodivergence, how to navigate tricky everyday situations like making small talk, and how awareness of neurodiversity has evolved over the years. We also explored code-switching as an empowering tool and how to do it with intention and choice.

About Dr. Matt Zakresk

Matthew “Dr. Matt” Zakreski, PsyD is a high energy, creative clinical psychologist and professional speaker who utilizes an eclectic approach to meet the specific needs of his neurodivergent clients. He is proud to serve the Gifted community as a consultant, a professor, an author, and a researcher. He has spoken hundreds of times all over the world about supporting neurodivergent kids. He is the co-founder of The Neurodiversity Collective and the author of the The Neurodiversity Playbook: How Neurodivergent People Can Crack the Code of Living in a Neurotypical World.

Things you'll learn from this episode

• How Dr. Matt's personal journey informs his professional work and shapes his approach to neurodiversity.
• How neurodiversity awareness has significantly evolved over the years and there is significant progress in understanding.
• How grounding discussions in neuroscience is crucial for understanding neurodivergence.
• How the Neurodiversity Playbook aims to be a practical guide to help neurodivergent humans navigate a neurotypical world.
• How code-switching can be a useful tool for neurodivergent individuals and enhance their ability to adapt.
• Why compromise is essential for fostering understanding and bridging communication gaps between neurodivergent and neurotypical people.

Resources mentioned

• Dr. Matt Zakreski’s website
• The Neurodiversity Playbook: How Neurodivergent People Can Crack the Code of Living in a Neurotypical World by Dr. Matt Zakreski
• The Neurodiversity Collective
• Dr. Matt Zakreski on Facebook
• Suicide and Suicidal Ideation in Neurodivergent Teens & Children, with Dr. Matt Zakreski (Tilt Parenting Podcast)
• Dr. Matt Zakreski dialogues on Gifted Homeschooler Forum
• Failure is FUN…damental (Matt’s talk about National Talent Centre of the Netherlands)
• Mental Health Check-In Masterclass with Matt Zakreski and Debbie Reber, Part 1
• Mental Health Check-In Masterclass with Matt Zakreski and Debbie Reber, Part 2

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Speaker and author Jonathan Oliver shares his personal story of being a differently wired (ADHD and dyslexia), stay-at-home father of two children.

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As a parent of a neurodivergent child, you’ve probably had to let go of the traditional timelines we’re often told our kids should follow, especially when it comes to school milestones. And that requires a big adjustment for us as parents!

But what if we all took a step back and focused more on slowing down?

That’s exactly what my guest today, educator and author Leslie Martino, encourages us to do. With over twenty years of experience as a teacher, homeschooler, and adjunct lecturer, Leslie has a deep passion for helping parents and educators embrace a slower, more child-directed approach to learning. She homeschools her four children and also works as an educational consultant and parent coach, and her new book, The Joy of Slow: Restoring Wonder and Balance to Homeschool Learning, is a powerful guide to this philosophy.

In this conversation, we dive into how slowing down in education leads to deeper understanding and makes space for joyful, spontaneous learning. Leslie shares how creating a learning environment that values curiosity and playfulness—not just during structured learning times, but throughout the day—can foster lifelong learners. We also talk about the importance of connection and relationships in both parenting and education, and how that connection is at the heart of nurturing children who love to learn.

Even if you’re not homeschooling, I promise you’ll take away so much from this episode.

About Leslie Martino

Leslie Martino has over twenty years of experience teaching—as an elementary school teacher, a home educator, and an adjunct lecturer for graduate courses focused on the role of the teacher in supporting children’s individual work preferences. She homeschools her four children and works as an educational consultant, writing curricula, training teachers, and coaching parents to approach learning in an interest-based and child-directed way. She is a speaker on topics of education and motherhood and is also a contributing writer for the Wild + Free homeschooling community.

Things you'll learn from this episode

• Why it’s critical that parents create a learning environment that values curiosity
• How slowing down in education leads to deeper understanding and makes room for learning to be a joyful and meaningful process?
• How spontaneity in learning fosters natural responses and engagement, and how to “build in” room for spontaneity in everyday life
• Why playfulness essential in both parenting and education, and ways to ensure education is an exploratory rather than a linear process
• Why connection and relationship is at the heart of effective education and fostering humans who truly become lifelong learners

Resources mentioned

• Leslie Martino’s website
• The Joy of Slow: Restoring Wonder and Balance to Homeschool Learning by Leslie Martino
• Leslie Martino on Instagram
• The Call of the Wild and Free: Reclaiming the Wonder in Your Child's Education, A New Way to Homeschool by Ainsley Arment
• Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing Out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative Self by Manoush Zomorodi
• Angela Sizer and Maren Goerss on Homeschooling & Thinking Differently About Learning (Tilt Parenting Podcast)
• Think Differently About Learning: A Homeschool Where Parents and Children Thrive by Angela Sizer and Maren Goerss
• Becoming a Critical Thinker: A Workbook to Help Students Think Well in an Age of Disinformation by Julie Bogart
• Julie Bogart on Helping Kids Become Critical Thinkers (Tilt Parenting Podcast)
• Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards

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What comes to mind when you think about raising healthy kids? We often focus on physical health — things like height, weight, and nutrition. But today, we're taking a more holistic look at health with return guest, nutritionist and author Jill Castle. Specifically, e're diving into her new book, Kids Thrive at Every Size: How to Nourish Your Big, Small, or In-Between Child for a Lifetime of Health and Happiness.

In our conversation, we explore why emotional well-being is just as important as physical health, how COVID-19 has impacted kids’ nutrition, and the often-overlooked difference between feeding and eating. Jill highlights how family culture and values shape a child’s overall health and why it's so important to foster a body-neutral environment at home. We also touch on the connection between executive function and eating, plus the role screens and media play in shaping body image.

Before we dive in, a bit about Jill: She's one of the nation’s leading childhood nutrition experts, blending research with practical advice. She believes children can thrive at any size and challenges us to think differently about their health. Jill is the founder and CEO of The Nourished Child®, a nutrition education platform, and the mother of four adult-ish kids.

This conversation feels especially timely as our kids are bombarded with messages about how their bodies should look and behave. Now more than ever, it's crucial to provide them with a strong foundation for understanding health. I hope you enjoy this conversation with Jill Castle.

About Jill Castle

Jill Castle is the author of the book, Kids Thrive at Every Size (Workman, 2024) and one of the nation’s premier childhood nutrition experts. Known for her ability to blend current research, practical application, and common sense, Jill believes that children can thrive at every size. With her paradigm-shifting, whole-child approach, she inspires parents, healthcare professionals, and organizations that serve children and families to think differently about young people’s health and wellbeing. Jill is the founder and CEO of The Nourished Child®, a nutrition education website and podcast for parents, and the mother of four adult-ish children.

Things you'll learn

• How prioritizing emotional well-being is as important as physical health in children
• What a “whole child healthy” approach includes beyond nutrition
• How COVID-19 has impacted children's nutrition as evidenced by increased snacking and coping mechanisms related to food
• Why cultivating a body-neutral family culture is crucial
• How parents addressing their own food baggage and modeling healthy behaviors positively influences children
• Why screens and media significantly influence children's body image and self-esteem
• How parents can become 'size-wise' by understanding the pillars of wellness and working towards raising a healthy, happy child

Resources mentioned

• Jill Castle’s website (private consultation and other services)
• Kids Thrive at Every Size: How to Nourish Your Big, Small, or In-Between Child for a Lifetime of Health and Happiness by Jill Castle
• The Nourished Child website
• The Nourished Child Podcast
• Jill Castle on Instagram
• Jill Castle on Facebook
• Nutritionist Jill Castle with the Facts About ADHD and Nutrition in Kids (Tilt Parenting podcast)

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Flex School founder Jacqui Byrne shares her vision for creating powerful learning communities for gifted and 2e students through her unique educational model.

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Parent coach Zach Morris and Debbie answer a listener's question about sharing a new autism diagnosis with a 10 year old who embraces his neurodivergence but lives in a community / culture where the term "autism" has a negative connotation.

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In today’s conversation, I’m diving into the much-anticipated book Navigating PDA in America with the co-authors and thought leaders in the PDA space, Diane Gould and Ruth Fidler. We've touched on PDA in past episodes, but I learned so much from this book, and I’m excited to share it with you because PDA is a diagnosis bringing a lot of clarity and relief to families. As it gains traction in the neurodivergence space, the more we know, the better we can support PDAers in our communities. In this episode, we talk about the nuances of the PDA profile and how to one might determine if the identification fits, where North America stands in understanding PDA in comparison with the rest of the world, the challenges PDA individuals face in school and how they can effectively be addressed, what type of therapy is best for someone with a PDA profile, and much more.

About Diane Gould

Diane Gould is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker that specializes in serving autistic individuals. As the Executive Director and Founder of PDA North America, she founded the annual PDA North America conference held in Chicago that has changed the lives of hundreds of PDA (pathological demand avoidance/persistent drive for autonomy) families. She co-authored the book Navigating PDA in America with Ruth Fidler which was published in June 2024. In April 2024, Diane was diagnosed as autistic.

Diane has a private practice in the suburbs of Chicago, where she serves neurodivergent children, adults and their families. Over the last 40 plus years, she has worked for both private agencies and school systems. She currently focuses her practice on providing consultation and training. She works primarily with parents and regularly attends school meetings with them. Diane loves to train educators and therapists so they can better serve their students and clients. And learning about PDA, led her to begin the new PDA movement in North America. Diane formed PDA North America at the first American PDA conference in March 2020.

About Ruth Fidler

Ruth Fidler is an Education Consultant specializing in complex presentations of autism, Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) and emotional well-being. She worked at an all age non-maintained special school for 22 years until 2014 and has worked independently since then. Ruth worked within the school promoting interactive approaches and emotional well- being for pupils with varying autistic profiles.

As well as providing training, she regularly observes and monitors teaching and learning, supporting staff to embed and refine good autism and SEND practice. She often presents at local or national events and conferences for parents and for a range of professionals. She is co-author of the following books: Understanding Pathological Demand Avoidance Syndrome in Children, Can I Tell You About Pathological Demand Avoidance?, Collaborative Approaches to Learning, Girls and Autism, Being Julia, and Navigating PDA in America.

Things you'll learn

• How Diane and Ruth came to share their personal journeys working with neurodivergent individuals and collaborate on the book Navigating PDA in America
• The state of understanding and awareness of PDA in North America in comparison with the UK and Australia
• The factors that distinguish a PDA profile of autism, including using socially strategic ways to avoid demands and more
• Ways schools can better support PDA students, such as adopting flexible approaches, building trust, and recognizing the need for fluctuating capacity and recovery time
• Why traditional therapeutic modalities may be ineffective for PDA individuals, and what is most important for therapy to be successful and positive

Resources mentioned

• Diane Gould’s website
• Ruth Fidler’s website
• Navigating PDA in America: A Framework to Support Anxious, Demand-Avoidant Autistic Children, Teens, and Young Adults by Ruth Fidler and Diane Gould
• PDA North America
• PDA Society (UK)

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Neuropsychologist William Stixrud PhD and Ned Johnson talk about their gamechanging book "The Self-Driven Child" and explain the importance of supporting our child's sense of control and autonomy.

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In today's episode, my guest reminds us that no one goes through life unscathed. We all face big, difficult challenges—it's part of being human. And when we encounter these challenges while parenting, it's up to us to help our kids make sense of things in healthy ways that foster resilience. But how exactly do we do that?

My guest, author-illustrator Sara Olsher, is a strong advocate for talking to kids honestly about the big things happening in our families. She speaks from her own experience, having navigated difficult conversations with her daughter during a messy divorce, followed shortly by a cancer diagnosis. Despite her fears about using the word "cancer," Sara knew it was important for her daughter to understand what was happening with accurate information. As Sara explained in our conversation, “Developmentally, the whole world revolves around them. So if you don't talk with children about these things, they’ll invent a story that centers on them, and they may conclude it’s their fault.”

I love talking with people who take their personal experiences and hard-earned wisdom and turn them into tools to help others feel more supported and confident. That’s exactly what Sara did, and today, she shares her journey with us. You'll hear how she navigated her divorce and used her daughter’s anxiety as an opportunity to learn the power of visual schedules and open communication in helping kids cope with tough situations. She also discusses the series of children’s books she’s written to help parents tackle heavy topics like chronic illness, hospice, cancer, and emotions. One thing that really stood out to me was how going through hard times can actually prepare our kids to live with uncertainty.

In addition to her books, Sara is the founder of Mighty and Bright, a company that helps kids and adults manage their lives more easily with magnetic visual schedules. She shares how she discovered visual schedules almost by accident, but how they transformed her daughter’s anxiety overnight. They sound like a game changer for many families, so definitely check out her resources if they resonate with you.

I hope you enjoy this conversation with Sara Olsher.

About Sara Olsher

After surviving a divorce and cancer all before she turned 35, mom and author-illustrator Sara Olsher took the lessons she learned about helping kids through major life changes and wrote a book. Then another, and another. She now has twelve picture books under her belt, and is the founder of Mighty and Bright, a company that helps kids and adults understand and manage their lives more easily using magnetic visual schedules. Sara was chosen as a 2023 Remarkable Woman by Nexstar Media.

Things you'll learn

• Why open communication and honesty are crucial when discussing difficult topics with children
• How visual schedules provide a sense of control and security for children, especially when they’re experiencing anxiety related to life circumstances
• How children's books can be powerful tools for explaining complex concepts like chronic illness, divorce, and death
• Why ongoing communication and flexibility are key in supporting children as they foster adaptability
• How parents can heal their own trauma and create a deeper connection with their children by addressing difficult topics openly and honestly

Resources mentioned

• Sara Olsher’s website
• Mighty and Bright
• Mighty and Bright on Instagram
• Mighty and Bright on TikTok
• What Happens When… book series

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Dr. Manju Banerjee, VP of Educational Research and Innovation at Landmark College, talks about Landmark's vision for helping neurodivergent students thrive in college and in their careers.

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Just as technology evolves rapidly, so too do the ways drugs are consumed. For parents, it can be challenging to recognize when our kids are using, especially since many products on the market now resemble harmless school supplies or candy. And then if we find our kids are engaging in drug use, how do we even begin to navigate that?

That’s what we’re going to explore today with my guest Brenda Zane, whose oldest son struggled with an addiction to a high-risk lifestyle and illicit drugs for over five years. After nearly losing him to two fentanyl overdoses, Brenda left her marketing career to serve other families dealing with the fear, confusion, and feelings of helplessness of having a child who’s misusing drugs or alcohol, becoming a family advocate and co-founding the nonprofit organization Hopestream Community, where she serves parents of teens and young adults who struggle with substance misuse and mental health challenges.

This is such a powerful conversation and one I truly recommend all parents to listen to, no matter the age of their children, as it’s important to understand the landscape for drug access and use in the lives of today’s kids. During this episode, Brenda and I talked about the importance of open communication and understanding the reasons behind drug use, the dangers of high-potency THC products in younger users, and the challenges parents face when their teenagers experiment with substances, as well as explore the idea that there is a difference between “typical experimentation” and problematic use when talking about marijuana. I know that this can be one of those uncomfortable topics that many of us would rather avoid thinking about, especially if we have a history of substance abuse in our families, but it’s important for our kids' safety that we do the research and create spaces for these conversations to be had at home.

One last thing, please know that this episode contains references to drug abuse, overdosing, and mental health issues. So do what you need to do to take care of yourself if these are triggering themes for you.

About Brenda Zane

Brenda Zane is a family advocate and co-founder of the nonprofit organization Hopestream Community. She’s passionate about serving parents of teens and young adults who struggle with substance misuse and mental health challenges. Brenda’s oldest son struggled with an addiction to a high-risk lifestyle and illicit drugs for over five years. After nearly losing him to multiple fentanyl overdoses, Brenda left her marketing career to serve other families dealing with the fear, confusion, and feelings of helplessness of having a child who’s misusing drugs or alcohol. You can hear Brenda weekly on the Hopestream podcast.

Things you'll learn

• How today’s marijuana is significantly more potent than traditional marijuana and how that can impact a developing adolescent brain
• Why parents need to stay informed about new drug delivery methods, such as vape pens and edibles, to effectively address drug use in their children
• What some of the reasons behind drug use are, including coping with social anxiety or seeking acceptance
• How leveraging a child's strengths in positive activities can help redirect their focus and prevent problematic drug use
• Why it’s critical that parents create a safe space for teenagers to talk about their experiences and the reasons behind their substance use
• When to seek support from therapists and communities that provide resources and guidance for parents navigating these challenges

Resources mentioned:

• Hope Stream Community website
• Hope Stream Community on Instagram
• Hope Stream Podcast
• Worried Sick: A compassionate Guide for Parents of Teens or Young Adults Misusing substances (free ebook)
• HINDSIGHT: Three Things I Wish I Knew When My Son was Misusing Substances (free ebook)
• The Addiction Inoculation: Raising Healthy Kids in a Culture of Dependence by Jessica Lahey

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Pediatric psychologist and author Mona Delahooke talks about her new book "Beyond Behaviors: Using Brain Science and Compassion to Understand and Solve Children's Behavioral Challenges."

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Parent coach Margaret Webb and Debbie discuss how to help an autistic child with low self-esteem. They explore the importance of giving the child time to regulate and be alone, rather than assuming it is a sign of low self-esteem. They also discuss the window shade age, where children become aware of their differences from their peers. They emphasize the need to support effort rather than outcome and to make sure the child feels valued. The conversation ends with a reminder to trust in oneself as a parent and seek support if needed.

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My fall season is officially starting today and I’m kicking it off with a conversation with Dr. Billy Garvey on mental health. Billy, a developmental pediatrician with over 20 years’ experience working with children in Australia, met last year while he was traveling around the world on a fellowship to explore the connection between how children are parented and their mental health as adults. One of the outcomes of that fellowship is Billy’s new book, which is called 10 Things I Wish You Knew About Your Child's Mental Health, which he was kind enough to send me an advanced copy of. So I wanted to bring him on the show to talk about that, but really to expand on that initial conversation I had with him but so that you all could be a part of it, too. We covered a lot of ground in this extra long episode, including challenges of accessing mental health support in Australia, the need for true inclusion and what that actually means, the importance of unconditional love for kids, attachment and temperament, the role of self-esteem, and the limitations of certain diagnoses, and much more.

About Dr. Billy Garvey

Dr Billy Garvey is a developmental pediatrician with over 20 years’ experience working with children in a number of settings. He is a senior specialist at one of the largest tertiary pediatric hospitals in the world where he sees families, trains clinicians and other professionals working with children and conducts research in child development and mental health.

Dr Billy’s clinical and research interests include child development and mental health, multidisciplinary collaboration, improving health literacy and promoting community engagement to support all families. He holds clinical, advocacy and research roles in government and not-for-profit organizations at a national, state and local level. He is currently undertaking a PhD piloting a model to support child emotional and behavioral development in primary schools and is a Churchill Fellow exploring how social media can be used to support parenting. He is also the founder of Guiding Growing Minds, a social enterprise that aims to give all children the opportunity to reach their potential and live rich and meaningful lives. The Pop Culture Parenting podcast is part of this vision.

Things you'll learn

• Why access to mental health support for children in Australia is a challenge, with long wait lists and limited availability of specialists
• How unconditional love and support are essential for helping children develop a positive sense of self and navigate challenges, and what that looks like in action
• Why the younger generation shows promise in driving positive change and embracing neurodiversity
• How secure attachment and sensitive parenting contribute to promoting healthy child development, and ways attachment can be strengthened over time
• Why self-esteem is best cultivated through consistent support, celebrating successes, and providing opportunities for growth
• The negative implications (and unhelpfulness) of diagnoses like oppositional defiance disorder (ODD) and conduct disorder (CD)

Resources mentioned

• Dr. Billy Garvey’s website Guiding Growing Minds
• Ten Things I Wish You Knew About Your Child’s Mental Health by Dr. Billy Garvey
• Pop Culture Parenting (podcast)
• Dr. Tina Payne Bryson
• Dr. Mona Delahooke
• Dr. Dan Siegel
• Dr. Bruce Perry
• Thomas Boyce’s The Orchid Child and the Dandelion (Talks at Google)
• Jurassic Park and Co-Regulation (Pop Culture Parenting podcast)
• Forrest Gump and Kids Who Are Different (Pop Culture Parenting podcast)
• Thelma & Louise and Mental Health First-Aid (Pop Culture Parenting podcast)
• Blade Runner and Neurodiversity (Pop Culture Parenting podcast)

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Author and thought leader Jordan Shapiro, PhD, talks about his new book "The New Childhood" and why he believes parents should consider embracing and supporting the role of screens and technology in children's lives.

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There is a lot of misinformation and stigma around neurodivergence that can create extra barriers and challenges for our families. This is especially true for Tourette syndrome, which is often referred to as “the most misunderstood well-known condition,” often the punchline of jokes on late-night TV and sitcoms.

Its in large part because of these misconceptions and difficulty accessing resources that my guest today, Michele Turk, found herself at a loss when her 11 year old son Michael was diagnosed with Tourette. In her new memoir, What Makes Him Tic? A Memoir of Parenting a Child with Tourette Syndrome, she writes vulnerably about the challenges they faced as a family in getting the right support, navigating school, social, emotional, and academic challenges, and how she evolved from thinking she had to fix Michael to understanding her job was to accept him and help him do the same. She wanted the world to know he was so much more than the boy who shouted obscenities hundreds of times a day.

Because Michele has worked as a journalist for three decades, covering parenting, health, and education for outlets like Parents, Parenting, Elle, USA Weekend, The Washington Post, Brain, Child, and Next Avenue, she was compelled to write about her journey as she was in it, and that close up, honest perspective, blended with ample reporting on Tourette make What Makes Him Tic a compelling and informative read.

In this episode, Michele talks with us about the misconceptions about Tourette’s that she came across often in her work as a journalist and her private life as a parent. We also talked about what some of the early symptoms were and how they managed them, how differently she and her husband approached the diagnosis and what it took for them to get on the same page, how her son’s diagnosis impacted her daughter, and more.

Things you'll learn

• How parenting a child with Tourette syndrome be challenging and isolating, and why is it important to trust your gut and seek appropriate medical care
• What the most common misconceptions of Tourette are
• What makes navigating the school system so challenging for children with Tourette
• Ideas for navigating complex sibling dynamics in a mixed neurotype household
• How finding a passion or interest can help build self-esteem and provide a sense of belonging for children with Tourette

Resources mentioned

• Michele Turk’s website
• What Makes Him Tic?: A Memoir of Parenting a Child with Tourette Syndrome by Michele Turk
• Yale Child Study Center Tic and OCD Program Designated Center of Excellence
• Debbie and Her Husband Derin Talk About Their Journey of Parenting a Differently Wired Child (Tilt Parenting episode)
• Tourette Association of America
• Tourette Association Conference (Tic Con)
• Dr. Robert King
• Billie Eilish on Living with Tourette Syndrome (Harper’s Bazaar)
• How American Idol’s James Durbin Manages Life With Tourette’s and Asperger’s (Tourette Association of America)

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Psychotherapists Heather Turgeon and Julie Wright (The Happy Sleeper) talk about how to handle difficult situations in a way that’s respectful of the child and supports their social and emotional development.

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Listen to an episode of Understood.org's podcast "In It," a podcast for families with kids who learn and think differently, hosts Gretchen Vierstra and Rachel Bozek. This episode is called ADHD & Puberty, and features an interview with Dr. Roberto Olivardia.

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Okay, so I’ll just say right at the top that my guest today is NOT a parenting expert. He is, however, a neurodivergent researcher, educator, author, and thinker who has some fascinating things to share about helping our kids energize their brains, spark ideas, and ignite action.

Dr. Jeff Karp was that young kid who struggled greatly in school because of his learning disabilities, but when a tutor during the summer after second grade asked him this question – how did you think about that? – everything for him changed. He began to be more self-reflective. By thinking about thinking and how he approached learning, he was able to explore and create tools and systems to help him reach his goals both in school and in daily life.

Jeff is still thinking about thinking today, and shares his ideas in his fascinating book, LIT: Life Ignition Tools: Use Nature's Playbook to Energize Your Brain, Spark Ideas, and Ignite Action. ​​After I read his book, I wanted to bring him on the show because he embodies so much of what we talk about here at Tilt – encouraging our kids to understand how their brain works, get curious about their own strengths and gifts, and figure out ways to “hack themselves” so they can design lives that allow them to play to those strengths.

As a child, Jeff developed ways to navigate school and life that were based on his curiosity, passion, creativity, and connection to nature. Over the years, he’s evolved his approaches into LIT (Life Ignition Tools) and wrote this book to share them with the rest of the world.

About Dr. Jeff Karp

Dr. Jeff Karp holds the Distinguished Chair at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and is a Professor at Harvard Medical School and MIT. He is an elected fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, Royal Society of Chemistry, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, Biomedical Engineering Society, and the Canadian Academy of Engineering.

Specializing in bioinspired medical innovation, Dr. Karp leads a research lab focused on harnessing lessons from nature. He has published over 165 peer-reviewed papers with more than 34,000 citations and has delivered nearly 400 invited lectures. He holds over 100 patents, and his lab’s technologies have led to the formation of thirteen companies.

His notable innovations include a tissue glue for sealing holes in a beating heart, targeted therapies for osteoarthritis and Crohn’s disease, smart needles, a nasal spray that neutralizes pathogens, and immunotherapy approaches for cancer.

Dr. Karp is also dedicated to mentoring the next generation of bioengineers. He has received multiple mentoring awards, and 30 of his trainees have secured faculty positions.

Things you'll learn

• How self-reflection and “thinking about thinking” can lead to transformative experiences and strategies for learning and focus
• What LIT (life ignition tools) is and how they can be used to support positive shifts and movement
• How being intentional in your actions and reawakening your senses can deepen your experiences
• What the LEB (low energy brain) dimmer switch is and how it helps regulate energy levels
• Why being aware of “bothered awareness” can become a motivator
• How practicing cycling through your senses helps one connect more deeply with the world and tap into your powerful biology

Resources mentioned

• Dr. Jeff Karp’s author website
• Dr. Jeff Karp’s KarpLab website
• LIT: Life Ignition Tools: Use Nature's Playbook to Energize Your Brain, Spark Ideas, and Ignite Action by Dr. Jeff Karp
• Jeff’s TEDx Talk Insight Outside: Harnessing Nature’s Secrets
• Jeff’s TEDx Talk: Turning Failure into Success: 3 principles of Radical Simplicity
• Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard by Chip and Dan Heath
• Brian Stevenson / Equal Justice Initiative
• Transcendental Meditation

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Dr. Sharon Saline, a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in working with children, adolescents, and families who are dealing with ADHD and other learning disabilities, talks about a child’s emotional journey as they come to understand and accept the way their brain is wired.

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Executive function coach Seth Perler joins Debbie to answer a listener question about how to best address adolescent impulsivity and disruptive behavior in a way that diffuses intensity while also effectively working toward growth.

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What does the word capable mean to you? My guest, Dr. Deborah Winking, defines a capable person as an individual living a meaning-filled life determined by them and those who love them with the maximum level of autonomy and agency that they can achieve and authentically access. She’s on a mission to show that there’s a version of capable for every child that is unique to them, and it’s what she writes about in her new book, Raising Capable Kids. The 12 Habits Every Parent Needs Regardless of their Child's Label or Challenge.

Deborah, an educator, school leader, consultant and researcher, has a Ph.D in Educational Psychology, and is the mother of four children, including one child born with a rare neurological syndrome. She’s worn many hats over the course of her career, including working with and advocating for countless children and families, teaching at the New England Center for Autism where she started the first work experience and supported employment program there, and conducting a 5-year evaluation of the New York City Schools Early Childhood Inclusive Education Initiative. She currently works in a public school teaching bilingual disabled learners. In addition to the book we’re talking about today, Deborah is also the author of a memoir called Capable: A Story of Triumph For Children the World has Judged as "Different.”

But for today’s show, Deb shared the story of raising her son Jack and how focusing on the near future, or the next 15 yards as she calls it, helped her stay grounded. We also explored the concept of capable through multiple examples, the role of agency, our vision as parents, and more. I hope you enjoy our conversation!

About Deborah Winking, Ph.D

Deborah Winking, Ph.D is the mother of four (including one child born with a rare neurological syndrome), and has worked with and advocated for countless children and families over the years as an educator, school leader, consultant and researcher. 

Deborah has a Ph.D in Educational Psychology from the University of Illinois. She taught students with autism at the New England Center for Autism and started the first work experience and supported employment program there; designed the authentic and portfolio assessment program for the Minneapolis Public Schools; conducted the 5 year evaluation of the New York City Schools Early Childhood Inclusive Education Initiative; worked at the University of Washington Center for Educational Leadership training school leaders and teachers across the country in equity based and student centered instructional practices. She currently works in a public school teaching bilingual learners with disabilities. Deborah is the author of two books Capable, and Raising Capable Kids-The 12 Habits Every Parent Needs Regardless of label or Challenge.

Things you'll learn from this episode

• How parents who are raising their kids to be capable share important mindsets and behaviors
• What it means to be capable, defined as living a meaningful life with autonomy and agency
• Why setting a vision of being capable with your child important, and how can it be adjusted as necessary
• How self-compassion and learning from mistakes are crucial in the parenting journey

Resources mentioned for Raising Capable Kids, Regardless of Diagnosis or Challenge

• Dr. Deborah Winking’s website
• Raising Capable Kids. The 12 Habits Every Parent Needs Regardless of their Child's Label or Challenge by Dr. Deborah Winking
• Capable on Facebook
• Capable on Instagram
• Email Deborah directly at debwinking@outlook.com
• Meghan Ashburn and Jules Edwards on Autistic Adults, Autism Parents, and the Children Who Deserve a Better World (Tilt Parenting episode)
• I Will Die on This Hill: Autistic Adults, Autism Parents, and the Children Who Deserve a Better World by Meghan Ashburn and Jules Edwards
• Self-Determination Theory
• The Art of Case Study Research
• Go to us.JKP.com and enter the code TiltRCK20 to get Raising Capable Kids for 20% off, plus free shipping.

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Amanda Morin of Understood joins Debbie for a special back-to-school episode to help families prepare for easing into the coming school year with as much confidence and serenity as possible.

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If you’ve ever used the word “baffling” when describing your child’s behavior, this episode is for you. My guest is Robyn Gobbel, an expert in relational neuroscience and interpersonal neurobiology, the author of Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors: Brain-Body-Sensory Strategies that Really Work and the host of the podcast The Baffling Behavior Show.

As a psychologist, Robyn has always been passionate about working with those kids who have more tricky or extreme behaviors, and she does that by harnessing the power of neuroscience. Through her work with families, she decodes the latest brain science into easy-to-understand principles and metaphors to help parents become an expert in their child's behavior.

During this episode, Robyn and I explore the core issues underlying nearly all struggles in children — dysregulation, disconnection, or feeling unsafe — and how understanding the brain's operation in either connection mode or protection mode can transform our approach to parenting. We also touched upon Robyn’s metaphors for the three brain states: the owl (calm), the watchdog (vigilant), and the possum (withdrawn), which can help us better understand and respond to our children's needs.

I have a hunch many of you will resonate with Robyn’s experience of feeling like she wasn’t doing enough for the kids she was working with, or that it was her fault they continued to struggle. I know I did. And I also find the reminder that it takes time to figure out how to best support our kids, and ourselves, empowering and optimistic. I hope you feel the same after listening to this episode!

About Robyn Gobbel

Robyn Gobbel, MSW, loves coffee, P!NK, and everything about the brain. Once (recently!) her teenager went ballistic on her for getting ANOTHER (glitter!) coffee mug in the mail.Robyn loves cultivating deep, resonant connections with anyone who is up for it, and is especially fond of all the grown-ups in the world who love and care for kids impacted by trauma- helpers, healers, educators, and parents.

Her favorite thing ever (besides glittery coffee mugs) is teaching anyone who will listen to harness the power of neuroscience.What would change in the world if we could all do that? To see, be with, feel, and deeply know each other…and ourselves. Robyn thinks everything could change. You can get your hands on all sorts of free resources at her website, including her podcast, The Baffling Behavior Show. Robyn is the author of Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors: Brain-Body-Sensory Strategies that Really Work.

Things you'll learn

• What relational neuroscience and interpersonal neurobiology is
• Why maladaptive behaviors are in fact adaptive responses to specific environments or experiences
• What underlies nearly all struggles in children — dysregulation, disconnection, or feeling unsafe
• How the brain operates in either connection mode or protection mode
• Why Robyn created the metaphors for the 3 brain states: owl (calm), watchdog (vigilant), and possum (withdrawn)
• How and why caring for our own regulated state helps us better support others

Resources mentioned

• Free resources on Robyn Gobbel’s website
• Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors: Brain-Body-Sensory Strategies That Really Work by Robyn Gobbel
• The Baffling Behavior Show (Robyn’s podcast)
• Being With (Robyn’s training program for professionals who work with parents
• The Club (Robyn’s online community for parents)
• Interpersonal Neurobiology, explained by Dr. Dan Siegel
• Bonnie Badenoch
• Dr. Dan Siegel
• Dr. Tina Payne Bryson
• Dr. Allan Schore
• One Child: The True Story of a Tormented Six-Year-Old and the Brilliant Teacher Who Reached Out by Torey Hayden
• Dr. Stephen Porges
• Dr. Bruce Perry
• Dr. Mona Delahooke

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Licensed marriage and family therapist, parent coach, and speaker Debbie Steinberg Kuntz )Bright & Quirky) walks us through a 6-step strategy that parents can employ to help their child thrive that fits the unique way they are wired.

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The movement surrounding neurodivergence has evolved so much since I started Tilt Parenting, which I launched as “revolution for differently wired kids” back in 2016. I see changes everywhere — in the language we use, the parenting discussions we have, the deeper understanding of diagnostic criteria for things like autism and ADHD, the adaptations some companies are making to support their neurodivergent employees.

A few months ago, I grabbed a coffee with my friend Marcus Soutra, who until recently was the co-founder and president of Eye to Eye, a national organization dedicated to enhancing the educational journey and outcomes of neurodiverse youth, and we got into a deep conversation about all of these changes, and we thought, hey, why not have this conversation for the podcast to explore it further for the Tilt community. So here we are.

So that’s what this episode is. A thoughtful look at things like how the language and identity within the neurodiversity community has shifted, why community is a cornerstone of the movement, the ways privilege and access impacts a student’s ability to fully embrace neurodivergence, the potential pros and cons of neurodiversity content on social media apps like TikTok, self-identifying versus formal diagnoses, generational differences in experience, how we can help advance the movement in our everyday lives, and much more.

About Marcus Soutra

Marcus began his professional journey as a public school teacher before immersing himself in the grassroots movement of Eye to Eye and ultimately running it for nearly twenty years. Drawing from his experiences as both an educator and an individual with dyslexia and ADHD, Marcus deeply understands the challenges faced by students and teachers in navigating the educational landscape. His commitment to dismantling barriers and fostering confidence among diverse learners is evident in his work and advocacy efforts. Marcus has just embarked on a new venture with For The Good Consulting, where he leverages his expertise, network, and personal journey to support other organizations in scaling their missions.

Things you'll learn

• How the language and identity within the neurodiversity movement has evolved towards embracing neurodivergence
• Why community is a cornerstone of the neurodiversity movement
• How privilege impacts the ability to embrace neurodivergence, particularly regarding access to resources
• Where stigma surrounding neurodivergence persists, and how individuals are challenging stereotypes
• Why early identification and support is crucial for the success of neurodivergent individuals in school and beyond
• How parents can effectively advocate by supporting their child's self-advocacy and building supportive communities

Resources mentioned

• For the Good Consulting (Marcus Soutra’s website)
• Marcus Soutra on LinkedIn
• Email Marcus
• Eye to Eye website
• Rise Act
• Judy Singer
• Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman
• Understood
• Dr. Mel Houser and All Brains Belong

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Author and former NY Times Motherlode editor KJ Dell'Antonia talks about her book "How To Be a Happier Parent" and what she learned about how parents can bring more happiness into their daily lives.

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Parent coach Zach Morris joins Debbie to answer a listener question about how to help a twice-exceptional 8 year old (ADHD and Autism), be more flexible and less argumentative in a way that supports the whole family's emotional regulation.

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For some people, going to the doctor isn’t as simple as going to the doctor. In fact, for many parents of neurodivergent kids, and for many neurodivergent people themselves, interacting with healthcare systems requires researching, planning, and strategizing ahead of time in the hopes of a smooth appointment. Unfortunately, all too often, medical appointments are uncomfortable, stressful, and in some cases traumatic, because they environments and approaches to healthcare aren’t neurodivergent affirming.

As a result, traditional healthcare models often fail their neurodivergent patients, which is why today’s conversation is so important, as my guest is a doctor who is passionate about changing medical practices to be more neuroinclusive and community-based on this episode. Dr. Mel Houser is a family physician and Founder and Executive Director of All Brains Belong VT, a nonprofit organization in Montpelier, Vermont with a mission to support the health and belonging of people with all types of brains. All Brains Belong has pioneered an innovative model that integrates medical care with social connection, employment support, and community education.

In this conversation, Mel introduced me to the All Brains Belong Vermont, a revolutionary community-driven healthcare model that goes beyond medical care. We also talked about why the traditional healthcare system often fails neurodivergent patients and the serious consequences when they opt out of the medical system, the critical need for healthcare to address not just physical, but also social and emotional needs, and practical strategies on advocating for better healthcare, from understanding access needs and requesting accommodations to challenging the defaults of the current system.

About Dr. Mel Houser

Dr. Mel Houser is a family physician and Founder and Executive Director of All Brains Belong VT, a nonprofit organization in Montpelier, Vermont with a mission to support the health and belonging of people with all types of brains. All Brains Belong has pioneered an innovative model that integrates medical care with social connection, employment support, and community education.

Things you'll learn

• How all Brains Belong Vermont has developed a community-driven healthcare model that integrates medical care with social connection and employment support
• Why the traditional healthcare system often fails neurodivergent patients
• What the consequences are when neurodivergent people opt out of the medical system
• Why it’s critical that healthcare address patients' social and emotional needs
• What universal design for healthcare is and how it can improve experiences for neurodivergent people
• How we can all advocate for better healthcare by learning about access needs, requesting accommodations, and challenging system defaults

Resources mentioned

• All Brains Belong (Dr. Mel Houser’s website)
• All Brains Belong on Instagram
• All Brains Belong on Facebook
• Dr. Mel Houser on LinkedIn
• All Brains Belong Resource, ALL THE THINGS (Free resource for navigating neurodivergent healthcare)
• All Brains Belong Kid Connections (Free customized friend-making program for kids age 4-17 based on shared interests)
• Everything is Connected to Everything: Improving the Healthcare of Autistic & ADHD Patients
• Brain Club: (Weekly virtual community education program for older teens & adults)
• Practical Strategies for Neuroinclusive Healthcare (webinar)
• Milton’s ‘double Empathy Problem’: A Summary for Non-academics

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Marisa Meddin, founder of Talk College To Me and the creator of The 7 Day College Admissions Crash Course For Parents, discusses how students can become the strongest possible college applicants they can be.

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As my guest said in the episode you’re about to listen to, you don’t have to be a mental health professional to have mental health conversations. In fact, I would say that talking about difficult mental health topics outside of medical settings is not just helpful — it’s necessary in that it both normalizes mental health challenges and reduces the stigma that’s often associated with such struggles.

Author and Illustrator Cara Bean also knows this to be true, and is committed to exploring these topics through her art, specifically comics. Cara sees comics as a powerful tool both for teens to learn about mental health, and for parents to lean on for important conversations about complex topics. Which is exactly why she wrote her new book, Here I Am, I Am Me: An Illustrated Guide to Mental Health.

Every chapter in this therapist-recommended book explores a different aspect of mental health, from the brain and the mind, to feelings and emotions. By portraying complex neuroscience concepts with a cast of illustrated characters, Cara offers an accessible, approachable understanding of what’s going on in the brain that empowers readers.

I really love Cara’s book and so wanted to have her on the show to talk about her process for writing it, and how we can use it to support kids going through hard stuff. So in this conversation, Cara explained the way she visualized thoughts and feelings, why she felt so strongly about including detailed brain science in her book, and the power of metaphors to explain the impacts and struggles of addiction, depression, anxiety, and suicidality, making these heavy topics more relatable and easier to understand.

About Cara Bean

Cara Bean is the author of Here I Am, I Am Me: An Illustrated Guide to Mental Health and Draw 500 Funny Faces and Features. She provides interactive workshops on creativity with people of all ages and backgrounds in various public forums. Cara is passionate about drawing and believes that the simple act of doodling on paper can lead to the investigation of complex ideas.

When she is not teaching, she makes comics that delve into poetic self introspection, playful storytelling and topics relevant to teens and teaching. Cara is currently working on comics projects that speak directly to kids and address mental health. Cara lives in Massachusetts with her husband and their dog Raisin.

Things you'll learn

• How comics can provide an honest and accessible way to discuss complex issues
• The benefits of visualizing thoughts and feelings through thought bubbles and metaphors for enhancing understanding
• Why Cara felt so strongly about including detailed brain science in the book in order to foster understanding of emotional health and reactions
• How Cara leaned into the power of metaphors to explain the impact and struggles of things like addiction, depression, anxiety, and suicidality
• Why Cara wrote her book Here I Am, I Am Me for, and how different readers might approach engaging with it

Resources mentioned

• Cara Bean’s website
• Here I Am, I Am Me: An Illustrated Guide to Mental Health by Cara Bean
• Draw 500 Funny Faces and Features by Cara Bean
• Snakepit graphic pamphlet for adults
• John Porcellino (King-Kat Comics)
• The Breakthrough Years: A New Scientific Framework for Raising Thriving Teens by Ellen Galinsky
• Ellen Galinsky Takes Us Through The Breakthrough Years and Raising Thriving Teens (Tilt Parenting Podcast)
• Graphic Medicine
• Bill Waterson (Calvin & Hobbes)
• The Addiction Inoculation: Raising Healthy Kids in a Culture of Dependence by Jessica Lahey
• Jess Lahey on Her New Book The Addiction Inoculation (Tilt Parenting Podcast)

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Julie Skolnick, the founder of With Understanding Comes Calm, shares tools and strategies for how parents can powerfully advocate for our kids and understand them as learners so we can show up as the best parent we can be.

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If you have a child approaching their college years, this episode is packed with invaluable advice. I’m thrilled to have Dr. Perry LaRoque here to discuss what neurodivergent students need to successfully navigate college and his book Taking Flight: College for Students with Disabilities, Diverse Learners and Their Families.

So, what does a “successful college experience” actually mean? Perry broke it down for us, emphasizing the importance of the core values of awareness, regulation, expression, and dynamic determination. Perry also highlighted the essential skills for independence, such as frustration tolerance and the importance of seeking help when needed, and explored some of the unexpected challenges that students might face, from managing dorm life to maintaining proper sleep hygiene. We also discussed the various resources available on most college campuses and how students can maximize these support services and why meeting with professors can be a game-changer for a struggling student.

We all know that our kids are way more than the grades they get at school and this conversation is full of insights into how to approach the college experience more holistically. I hope you enjoy it!

About Dr. Perry LaRoque

Dr. LaRoque is the founder and president of Mansfield Hall. He earned his doctorate in special education from the University of Wisconsin and has served in a variety of leadership roles serving at-risk youth and people with disabilities. Before returning for his doctoral work, Dr. LaRoque worked in an assisted-living care facility for adults with intellectual disabilities and taught special education in several public schools. Upon returning for his doctoral studies, he continued his service in the field and served as a teacher and mental health specialist in a children’s residential psychiatric program at Meriter Hospital in Madison, WI.

In addition to writing, Dr. LaRoque is also the co-founder of the College STEPS Program, a non-profit with a mission of providing post-secondary education to students with developmental disabilities in various locations across the East Coast.

Dr. LaRoque has served as an Adjunct Professor at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and University of New Hampshire and as an Assistant Professor at the State University of New York at Potsdam. He is published in several major education journals for his work on educating students with disabilities and has presented at numerous national and international conferences. Dr. LaRoque also served on the Vermont Special Education Advisory Council, which is an appointed position by the Governor. Most recently, he was an Associate Professor and the Special Education Program Director at Johnson State College in Vermont, where he was instrumental in creating the first dual-certification Elementary Education program in Vermont and also started the Think College Program at Johnson State College.

Things you'll learn

• What a “successful college experience” actually means
• The role that the values of awareness, regulation, expression, and dynamic determination play in a student’s ability to thrive at university
• Why developing essential skills for independence, such as frustration tolerance and seeking help, is crucial for
• What some of the challenging areas are for students that they may not be anticipating, including dorm life, sleep hygiene, and more
• What types of resources are available on most college campuses and how students can take advantage of support services
• Why meeting with professors can make all the difference for a struggling student

Resources mentioned

• Dr. Perry Laroque’s website
• Taking Flight: College for Students with Disabilities, Diverse Learners and Their Families by Perry Laroque, PhD
• Mansfield Hall
• Virtual Hall
• Top College Consultants (Eric Endlich’s website)
• Eric Endlich on Gap Year Experiences for Neurodivergent Students (Tilt Parenting podcast)
• College Steps
• Think College

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Executive functioning/education coach Seth Perler explores the concept of resistance in differently-wired kids and shares strategies and tools for how parents can support their kids in learning how to face their resistance.

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Parent coach Margaret Webb joins Debbie to answer a listener question about getting the most out of time spent with a developmental pediatrician, especially when the pediatrician may be minimizing concerns reported by the parents and there is little opportunity to explore questions and goals during appointments.

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Today, we're diving into a topic that will probably resonate with every parent: helping kids navigate the complex emotion of anger. And to explore this critical topic, I’m excited to welcome back the insightful Ginger Whitson, who will share her expertise while we discuss her book How to Be Angry: Strategies to Help Kids Express Anger Constructively.

We know that anger is a normal, natural, and physiological experience that all human beings are born with the capacity to feel. Yet many neurodivergent kids struggle with knowing how to experience and express their anger constructively, and they are in need of strategies and non-shaming guidance rather than what so often happens – they are punished for their behavior. So that’s what we get into in this episode — why anger in children can be so uncomfortable for adults to tolerate or respond to, strategies for teaching children alternatives to aggression, violence, or passive behavior, name assertiveness, the importance of adults stepping in as calm presences to help regulate a child's emotions and foster healthy coping mechanisms, and more.

By equipping our kids with these tools, we can support their emotional development and help them navigate their feelings more effectively. Enjoy this wisdom-packed episode with Ginger Whitson.

About Ginger Whitson

Signe Whitson (Ginger) is a licensed social worker and international educator on topics related to child & adolescent mental health. She is the author of seven books, including How to Be Angry: Strategies to Help Kids Express Anger Constructively. Ginger is also the Dean of Students at a K-8 school in northeastern Massachusetts and the COO of the Life Space Crisis Intervention Institute.

Things you'll learn

• Why anger is a normal, natural, and physiological experience that all human beings are born with the capacity to feel
• How the way individuals perceive events determines whether they feel anger, and why it varies from person to person
• Why children who are aggressive or have difficulty managing their anger need adults to help them learn skills to express their anger constructively, rather than being punished for their behavior
• Why being a calm presence for an angry child essential for helping them regulate their emotions and develop healthy coping mechanisms
• How teaching children assertiveness skills and providing them with alternatives to aggression, violence, or passive behavior contributes to their emotional development

Resources mentioned

• Signe Whitson’s website
• How to Be Angry: Strategies to Help Kids Express Anger Constructively by Signe Whitson
• Life Space Crisis Intervention Institute
• 8 Keys to End Bullying on Facebook
• 8 Keys to End Bullying: Strategies for Parents & Schools by Signe Whitson
• The 8 Keys to End Bullying Activity Book for Kids & Tweens: Worksheets, Quizzes, Games, & Skills for Putting the Keys Into Action by Signe Whitson 
• Dr. Megan Anna Neff and Dr. Debra Brause on the Question: Does Traditional Therapy Work for Neurodivergent Kids? (Tilt Parenting episode)
• Dr. Mona Delahooke on the Power of Brain-Body Parenting (Tilt Parenting episode)
• Raising Good Humans with Mindful Mentor Mama Hunter Clarke-Fields (Tilt Parenting episode)
• Dr. Lori Desautels on Rethinking Our Perceptions of Discipline in Schools and at Home (Tilt Parenting episode)

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Executive functioning/education coach Seth Perler talks with 14-year-old Asher about resistance — what it is, why it shows up, how it gets in kids' ways, and what to do about it. This is a special back-to-school episode aimed at kids.

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I’m extremely interested in Dr. Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal theory and the context it offers for understanding the nervous system experience of our kids. So I was especially interested when my guest’s book, Staying Connected With Your Teen: Polyvagal Parenting Strategies To Reduce Reactivity, Set Limits, and Build Authentic Connection, came onto my radar. Yshai Boussi is the founder of Portland Family Counseling, a therapy practice that specializes in helping children, adolescents, families, and parents. His focus is mentoring at-risk youth, working in residential treatment facilities, and leading intensive experiential workshops for at-risk youth, and he’s adept at applying polyvagal theory to helping parents foster deeper connection and reduce conflict.

In this conversation, we discussed how to build and maintain supportive relationships with teens, the crucial difference between "acceptance" and "agreement" when validating a teen's emotional experience, the power of co-regulation, and how a child's state of regulation affects their "story" and meaning-making about themselves and their experiences. A lot of great takeaways in this one, and I will admit to sending the rough cut to my husband Derin to listen to because I found so much of what we discussed highly relevant — I didn’t want to wait!

About Yshai Boussi

Yshai Boussi is a Licensed Professional Counselor and has been working with youth and families for over 20 years. He is the founder of Portland Family Counseling, a therapy practice that specializes in helping children, adolescents, families and parents. His experience includes mentoring at risk youth, working in residential treatment facilities and leading intensive experiential workshops for at risk youth. As a systems trained family therapist since 2003, Yshai has worked extensively in community mental health settings as well as private practice. In addition to working professionally, he and his wife Mariah (also a therapist) are proud parents of a 15 year-old daughter, 12 year-old son, and adult foster son. Yshai is the author of the newly released book, Staying Connected With Your Teen: Polyvagal Parenting Strategies To Reduce Reactivity, Set Limits, and Build Authentic Connection.

Things you'll learn from this episode

• Why today’s teens feel so disconnected and lonely
• How P.A.C.E. (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, Empathy) is the “attitude of connection” when it comes to engaging with teenagers
• What the difference between “acceptance” and “agreement” is when it comes to validating a teen’s emotional experience
• What the Polyvagal Theory is and awareness of its role can help us understand and better support struggling adolescents
• Why a child's state of regulation in any given moment affects their “story” and meaning-making about themselves and their experiences
• Why one of the most powerful things an adult can do for a teenager is to co-regulate

Resources mentioned for:

• Yshai Boussi’s website
• Staying Connected With Your Teen: Polyvagal Parenting Strategies To Reduce Reactivity, Set Limits, and Build Authentic Connection by Yshai Boussi
• Yshai Boussi on Instagram
• Deb Dana’s website, Rhythm of Regulation
• Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory by Deb Dana
• Deb Dana on Befriending Our Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory (podcast episode)
• Dr. John Duffy’s website
• Parenting the New Teen in the Age of Anxiety: A Complete Guide to Your Child’s Stressed, Depressed, Expanded, Amazing Adolescence by Dr. John Duffy
• Parenting the New Teen in the Age of Anxiety, with Dr. John Duffy (podcast episode)
• Dr. Daniel Hughes and PACE
• Revelations in Education, Dr. Lori Desautel’s website
• Intentional Neuroplasticity: Our Educational Journey Towards Post Traumatic Growth by Dr. Lori Desautels

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Independent filmmaker Marc Smolowitz (13th Gen) talks about his upcoming film "The G Word", which tackles issues related to giftedness, equity, and social justice for a broad audience.

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I refer to Dr. Ross Greene’s Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS) model in just about every talk I give to a parent community. Dr. Greene’s quote “Kids do well when they can” changed my life when I first read it about 15 years ago, and it remains as powerful today. So I was especially excited to welcome back to the show child psychologist and author Dr. Ross Greene to talk about how his problem solving model can be effectively used with very young children, even infants.

If you are new to CPS, I highly encourage you to go back and listen to our first conversation for the show, where we explored this approach in detail. But in the meantime, in this conversation we delved into why it’s crucial to shift from a compliance-focused approach to one of collaboration and understanding, even starting as early as age two. We also talked about how what we often label as a "difficult baby" is actually an infant struggling to meet our expectations, how using CPS can significantly enhance their well-being, and why we want to question the underlying reasons behind adult concerns — all of these are concept explored in the powerful new documentary, It's Never Too Early: CPS with Very Young Kids.

Ross W. Greene, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and the originator of the innovative, evidence-based approach called Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS), as described in his influential books The Explosive Child, Lost at School, Lost & Found, and Raising Human Beings. He also developed and executive produced the award-winning documentary film The Kids We Lose, released in 2018. Dr. Greene was on the faculty at Harvard Medical School for over 20 years, and is now founding director of the non-profit Lives in the Balance. He is also currently adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychology at Virginia Tech and adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Science at the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia. Dr. Greene has worked with several thousand kids with concerning behaviors and their caregivers, and he and his colleagues have overseen implementation and evaluation of the CPS model in countless schools, inpatient psychiatric units, and residential and juvenile detention facilities, with dramatic effect: significant reductions in recidivism, discipline referrals, detentions, suspensions, and use of restraint and seclusion.

• Never Too Early: CPS with Young Kids (documentary)
• The Explosive Child: A New Approach for Understanding and Parenting Easily Frustrated, Chronically Inflexible Children by Dr. Ross Greene
• Lives in the Balance (Dr. Greene’s website)

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This episode features a conversation with licensed clinical psychologist and board certified dance/movement therapist, Dr. Lori Baudino. Dr. Baudino provides therapeutic support to assist parents in understanding, handling, and accepting the challenges of parenting and the complexities of a developing child. She specializes in supporting children identified with special needs, including those with learning disabilities, early life traumas, academic/behavioral/emotional challenges, children on the Autism Spectrum, and with chronic acute illnesses.

In our conversation, we talk about the mind-body connection, and how teaching differently wired kids to tap into this relationship and understand their body’s unique language can be a valuable tool as they learn to regulate their emotions, better understand social communication, and more.

About Dr. Baudino: Dr. Lori Baudino has been a practicing clinician for over a decade. She received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology and Masters in Creative Arts Therapy – Dance/Movement Therapy, which identifies symptoms and creates ways to express psychological and emotional experiences through the mind/body connection, ultimately transforming words into action. Dr. Baudino is the National Clinical Spokesperson for The Andréa Rizzo Foundation. With their sole funding, she brought the first Dance/Movement Therapy Programs to UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, where she provides bedside therapy to children with cancer, special needs and terminal illness. She has specialized in supervising, facilitating, and providing treatment for children with special needs and their families, and has worked in psychiatric hospitals and at rehabilitation centers for trauma, addiction, and pain management. Learn more at Dr. Lori Baudino.

Things You'll Learn From This Episode:

• What “body knowledge” is and why it’s so important for differently wired kids
• How the mind and body are connected
• How to learn how to recognize the body language and movement profiles of rigidity, tantrums, and more
• The ways in which body knowledge can support a child’s development
• How we can learn to be tuned in to our child’s body language
• How Dr. Baudino uses movement and physical play to help children better understand their emotions
• What mind-body integration means and why this is what we’re going for

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In this solocast, Debbie Reber answers a listener question about what she does to recharge, fill her energetic and emotional reserves, and make time for herself.

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Many parents of neurodivergent kids end up homeschooling at some point or another, for a period of time — some by choice, some because the school environment stopped being the right fit for our kids. If homeschooling is something you’ve considered, have done, or are currently doing,you are going to love this episode. I’m joined by Maren Goerss and Angela Sizer, two former teachers turned homeschooling parents and advocates, the hosts of the Homeschool Unrefined podcast, and the authors of the new book Think Differently About Learning: A Homeschool Where Parents and Children Thrive.

I loved this conversation where we explored homeschooling from many different angles, including considerations when homeschooling neurodivergent kids, the common barriers parents face, and why trusting the process and our children is crucial, yet challenging, in a homeschooling environment. We also talk about way viewing children as individuals worthy of respect and autonomy can revolutionize the learning experience, and how following our children's interests can lead to more meaningful and effective education.

Angela Sizer earned her Master’s in Teaching and taught in public schools for seven years. For a decade, she homeschooled her own children and loved watching them explore their passions and get excited about learning. These experiences strengthened Angela’s commitment to respecting how children learn and highlighted the role neurodivergence and mental health play in the process.

Maren Goerss has her Master’s in Education and taught elementary school for eight years. As part of a neurodivergent family, Maren sees learning differences as superpowers and leans into their strengths. After being a homeschool parent for years, Maren has become an ADHD parent and life coach.

Together, Angela and Maren created the podcast, Homeschool Unrefined, in 2016 to share their experience and knowledge as educators and homeschoolers while encouraging parents to notice how their children are always learning. Their podcast and book are a call to parents to reconsider their expectations of their children and themselves. They advocate for doing less, leaning into strengths, and enjoying the process.

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In this episode of the TILT Parenting Podcast, I’m excited to share with you a conversation I recently had with filmmaker Tom Ropelewski. Tom is the director of the highly acclaimed documentary 2e: Twice Exceptional, which came out in 2015, and he’s currently wrapping up post-production on a follow-up film, called 2e2: Teaching the Twice Exceptional.

Tom’s films center around Bridges Academy, a school for twice-exceptional kids in Studio City, CA that seems to have figured out the best way to meet the educational needs of these unique learners. In our conversation, Tom shares his story and personal why behind making these films, talks about the educational model at Bridges, describes how his films are helping to bring awareness of 2e kids’ into the mainstream, and gives us a sneak peek at his new film coming out later this year.

About Tom: Thomas Ropelewski has written and directed for both film and television. He wrote and made his feature directorial debut with the Orion Pictures comedy MADHOUSE, starring John Larroquette and Kirstie Alley. Other film credits include LOVERBOY, THE KISS, LOOK WHO’S TALKING NOW and THE NEXT BEST THING. His television work includes serving as writer/executive producer for three seasons of Paramount TV’s action/sci-­‐fi series SEVEN DAYS. Recently, Ropelewski produced and directed the documentary, CHILD OF GIANTS: My Journey with Maynard Dixon and Dorothea Lange. The film has been screened at film festivals, colleges and museums around the world. It has also aired on KCET/San Francisco’s “Truly CA” documentary series. He currently resides in Berkeley, CA and is married to screenwriter Leslie Dixon (MRS. DOUBTFIRE, HAIRSPRAY, THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR, LIMITLESS).

Things You'll Learn From This Episode:

• Tom’s personal why for creating documentaries
• How Bridges Academy successfully supports 2e kids
• The story behind Tom’s film, 2e: Twice Exceptional
• The focus of Tom’s follow-up documentary, coming in 2018: 2e2: Teaching the Twice Exceptional
• How Tom’s documentary helped to expand general awareness of 2e / twice-exceptional
• Why it’s critical to use a strengths-based approach when educating 2e kids

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As I’m sure I’ve said on the show before, there’s no amount of money that could convince me to go back and relive my teenage years. But I do genuinely love and have so much empathy for kids in this phase of life and all that it entails, which is why I’m so happy to share today’s conversation on the show.

I had a chance to sit down with renowned parenting and childhood development expert Ellen Gallinsky, who has just published a phenomenal book called The Breakthrough Years: A New Scientific Framework for Raising Thriving Teens. Ellen spent nearly ten years talking with teenagers about what they think about, what they would like to know, how they feel, and perhaps most interestingly, what they would like adults to understand about them. She shares her discoveries in The Breakthrough Years, and through it, offers a paradigm-shifting comprehensive understanding of adolescence.

So in this conversation, we explore some what Ellen shares in her book, including why this phase of life is clouded by so many negative stereotypes and misconceptions, the pivotal brain development and skill acquisition happening during the teen years, the power of "shared solutions" problem-solving in fostering life and executive function skills, and what Ellen learned about teens' need for belonging and how we can support this essential aspect of their development.

About Ellen Galinsky

Ellen Galinsky is President of Families and Work Institute, President of the Work and Family Researchers Network (WFRN), and senior advisor at ACF at HHS. Previous jobs include Chief Science Officer at the Bezos Family Foundation and faculty at Bank Street College. Her life’s work revolves around identifying important societal questions, conducting research to seek answers, and turning the findings into action. Her research is focused on work-life, children’s development, youth voice, child-care, parent-professional relationship, and parental development. She’s the author of Mind in the Making and The Breakthrough Years. She’s also authored 90 books/reports and 360 articles.

Career highlights include serving as President of NAEYC, a fellow of the National Academy of Human Resources, a parent expert on the Mister Rogers Talks with Parents TV series, receiving a Distinguished Achievement Award from Vassar College and the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award from WFRN. 

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Our “Kid’s POV” special podcast episodes featuring conversations with my son Asher are particularly popular, especially among members of the community who like to co-listen with their own differently-wired children. And from time to time, we get emails from listeners who want to know more about Asher and how he deals with certain situations.

A few months ago, we did a special episode where Asher tackled listener’s questions specifically related to his social life, and in today’s episode, we’re going to go through some other listener questions, covering everything from how Asher handles big emotions and thinks about his diagnoses to how he stays positive when he gets in trouble just for being who he is. And because many listeners are just curious to know more about who Asher is and what he’s interested in, I threw in a couple of personal questions at the end about his favorite books, games, movies, hobbies, and more.

Pro tip: This is a good episode for co-listening! When Asher and I listen to podcasts, we dump a puzzle out on the dining room table and listen while building the puzzle. It makes for a nice combination!

Things You'll Learn From This Episode:

• How Asher identifies and/or fits in with other kids his age
• Whether his diagnosis is an important part of how he sees himself
• How Asher self-soothes when feeling sad or scared or other big emotions
• Whether his deep areas of interest are ever an issue in relationships with others
• Whether Asher ever feels down about himself because of challenges that crop up related to his neurodivergence

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As parents, we want more than anything to help our kids thrive, to protect them from pain and harm, and avoid some, or maybe all, of the mistakes we made in our own lives. But what happens when our kids are struggling with really big, difficult, and scary, maybe even life-threatening, stuff? And none of our efforts to “fix” things are making a difference?

That’s the focus of today’s show and I am absolutely thrilled to be in conversation about it with Kristina Kuzmic, a mental health advocate, author, comedien and self-described “cheerleader for her fellow humans.” Kristina has just come out with a powerful new book I Can Fix This! (And Other Lies I’ve Told Myself while Parenting My Struggling Child), in which she writes about her complex journey of parenting a child struggling with mental health and substance abuse. She wrote it to help other struggling parents reject ideas that keep families stuck and, with her trademark authenticity and wisdom, dispel the lies we believe as parents.

This is SUCH a deep, raw, and generous conversation and it is exactly the conversation a parent feeling hopeless and overwhelmed in figuring out how to help their child needs to hear. Truly balm for the soul.

About Kristina Kuzmic

After immigrating to America from Croatia during the war in her homeland, and later facing more challenges (divorce, single parenting, poverty, mental health challenges), Kristina’s goal became clear: to be for others what she needed when she was at her lowest.

In 2011, when Oprah crowned Kristina the winner of Mark Burnett’s reality TV competition “Oprah’s Search for the Next TV Star,” Oprah said, “What is that THING…that’s so charming and charismatic and connected to the audience that makes you feel like, ‘I know her, I want to be her, I’m like her’… Kristina has all of that. She is an ‘IT PLUS’ girl… I wanna watch her!”

Since working with Oprah, Kristina has branched out on her own, creating videos about juggling all of life’s challenges, and encouraging her audience to prioritize their mental health. She has quickly become a viral sensation with 2.9 million Facebook followers, over 670,000 Instagram followers, and more than a billion video views.

Kristina’s first book, Hold On But Don’t Hold Still has been translated to seven languages. Her second book, I Can Fix This! (And Other Lies I’ve Told Myself while Parenting My Struggling Child) was released in May 2024.

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When I launched the Tilt Parenting website in April 2016, I was excited to share with the world the Tilt Manifesto, a document outlining my vision for a more positive, more inclusive, and more all-around awesome experience for parents raising differently-wired kids, as well as my ideas for how we can get there together.

Because it’s important to us that the ideas behind the Tilt Manifesto are consumed and shared as broadly as possible, and because I know that the Manifesto is a kind of a long read and one thing we parents of atypical kids don’t necessarily have a lot of lying around is spare time, I decided to dedicate an entire episode of the podcast to the Manifesto. In it, I not only share my personal story of how I shifted my experience raising Asher from one where I felt overwhelmingly frustrated, stressed, and isolated to one full of acceptance, optimism, and possibility, but I lay out 10 ideas for things we can start doing today to shift the parenting paradigm to one that embraces our kids and our experience raising them.

So, if you haven’t had a chance to read the Manifesto yet, or you have read it but could use a fresh burst of inspiration, I invite you to sit back and have a listen, and join me in imagining what could be when we join together to shift the experience for families with differently-wired kids.

Things You'll Learn From This Episode:

• Debbie Reber’s personal story of raising her twice-exceptional son
• Why the current parenting paradigm is broken and outdated, especially for parents with atypical kids
• How though our journey raising our differently-wired children is unique to us and who our children are, we are tied together through shared experiences of parenting outside the lines
• The 10 things parents everywhere can start doing right now to take a lead in shifting the parenting paradigm

Resources Mentioned:

• The TiLT Manifesto (download link for PDF)
• Neurodiversity: What Does it Mean for 2015? by John Elder Robinson (Psychology Today)
• Margaret Webb Life Coach

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In this episode, Debbie and Seth discuss how parents can balance the concepts from the book ‘The Self-Driven Child’ with the challenges of supporting a child with ADHD and executive functioning issues. They emphasize the importance of scaffolding and giving children control over their lives while still providing support. They also discuss the need for parents to do their own inner work and manage their own anxiety in order to effectively support their children. The episode concludes with a discussion on the importance of planning and setting goals for children’s development.

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I’m SOOO excited to share this conversation with you, as it’s been a few months in the making and it’s on a topic I’m personally very interested in and I feel like not enough people are talking about — and that topic is, the intersection of traditional therapeutic modalities and neurodivergence.

Specifically, I wanted to examine how some therapies may not meet the unique needs of neurodivergent individuals and what it means for a therapist to be truly neurodivergent-affirming. 

And I have two wonderful guests to get into it with me — author, parent of neurodivergent children and neurodivergent clinical psychologist Dr. Megan Anna Neff, who’s been on this show twice before, and Dr. Debra Brause, the parent of an autistic ADHDer, and a licensed psychologist and therapist who works from a neurodivergent-affirming stance.

And get into it we do. In this conversation, Megan Anna, Debra, and I explore what some limitations and challenges are for neurodivergent clients working with therapists who don’t understand their neurotypes, how therapeutic approaches can be adapted to provide sensory safety and center the client's experience and agency, why cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) may not be as effective for differently wired people, as well as the potential limitations of standard strategies like mindfulness and visualization as. Most importantly, we'll discuss the qualities to look for in a therapist who is truly neurodivergent affirming —what that means, and how it can make all the difference in a child's therapeutic journey. Megan Anna and Debra shared a lot of resources as well that you can go back to if you are a parent looking to get your child therapy. 

Dr. Megan Anna Neff is the founder of Neurodivergent Insights where she creates education and wellness resources for neurodivergent adults, the co-host of the Divergent Conversations podcast, and the author of Self-Care For Autistic People, which is the book we talked about last time she was on the show. As a late-diagnosed AuDHDer , Dr. Neff applies their lived experiences to their professional focus. They are committed to broadening the mental health field's understanding of autism and ADHD beyond traditional stereotypes. 

Dr. Debra Brause helps couples embrace who their children are, and provides support and guidance through this unique journey. Her professional training includes diagnostic assessment for learning disabilities at the UCLA Office for Students with Disabilities, and clinical work in community mental health settings including The Southern California Counseling Center and the Maple Counseling Center. 

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In this special kid’s POV edition, Asher and I talk about SCREEN TIME. Like many families with children (differently-wired or not), the issue of screen time — how much, what kind, and when — is something we are constantly grappling with. And because like many other differently-wired kids, Asher is really into the games and projects he’s got going on in his virtual world, we’ve struggled to come up with an approach that feels good for Derin and me as parents while also helping Asher learn how to be more responsible for his time and behavior online (and after he shuts down).

In this episode, Asher and I detail our current approach for tracking screen time, which we co-designed in such a way that it will help him learn to track his own time, set intentions for how he will spend his time, and stay emotionally regulated both while online and when it’s time to get off. (That’s the goal anyway!). And if you want to give our approach a try, download our Screen Time Planning Worksheet below!

Things You'll Learn from This Episode:

• The strategy we’re using to help Asher learn to be more responsible for his screen time, as well as support more peaceful transitions from screen to the real world
• Why time warnings might actually create anxiety rather than smooth transitions
• How frequent brain breaks can support healthy screen time habits

Resources Mentioned:

• Download a PDF of Asher’s New and Improved Screen Time Planning Worksheet
• The Productivity Planner from Intelligent Design
• The Pomodoro Technique
• Time Tracker Visual Timer and Clock from Fun and Function

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Today, we're delving into a topic that's both profound and hopeful: the harm of childhood trauma and the incredible power of resilience. Joining me on the show is Dr. Marc D. Hauser, who's here to unravel these complex topics in a way that's accessible and empowering for all parents. Through his groundbreaking work, including his new book Vulnerable Minds: The Harms of Childhood Trauma and the Hope of Resiliency, which is what we’re diving into today, Marc brings scientific evidence about childhood trauma to a broader audience and sheds light on the pathways to healing and growth.

In this conversation, we explore what constitutes a traumatic experience and why neurodivergent children may be more vulnerable to their effects, as well as ACES, or Adverse Childhood Experiences, often misunderstood but profoundly influential in shaping a child's journey. Marc helps us understand their significance in the context of resilience.

About Marc Hauser

Marc Hauser is a scientist, educator, author, consultant and public speaker. Hauser’s scientific research, including over 300 published papers and seven books, has focused on how the brain evolves, develops, and is altered by damage and neurodevelopmental disorders, with an emphasis on the processes of learning and decision-making, as well as the impact of traumatic experiences on development. Hauser’s educational and consulting work has focused on the implementation of quantitative, brain-based methods for teachers, clinicians, and doctors working with children who have different disabilities, including especially those that result from a history of traumatic experiences.

Hauser earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Bucknell University, a PhD from UCLA and Post-doctoral fellowships from the University of Michigan, Rockefeller University, and University of California-Davis. From 1992-2011, he was a Professor at Harvard University. In 2013, he founded the company Risk-Eraser, dedicated to providing software and consulting to programs focusing on students in special education.

His most recent book Vulnerable Minds, published in March 2024 by Avery-Penguin-Random House Publishing, New York.

Things you'll learn from this episode

• How Vulnerable Minds makes scientific evidence about childhood trauma accessible to a broader audience
• How traumatic experiences are defined
• The impact of trauma on neurodivergent children as well as ways in which these kids are more vulnerable to trauma
• What it means for a school to be trauma-informed in action
• What ACES are and how their assignment and meaning is frequently misinterpreted and misunderstood
• The role of nature and nurture when it comes to whether other not an experience results in trauma or is met with resiliency

Resources mentioned for the Harm of Childhood Trauma and the Hope of Resiliency

• Dr. Marc D. Hauser’s author website
• Vulnerable Minds: The Harms of Childhood Trauma and the Hope of Resiliency by Dr. Marc D. Hauser
• International Children’s Aid Network (iCAN)
• Marc Hauser on X
• Marc Hauser on Instagram
• Marc Hauser on Linkedin
• Marc Hauser on Facebook
• Dr. Vincent Falliti
• Stephen Porges and Polyvagal Theory
• The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Health and Development in Young Children (National Institute of Health Study)
• The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk, MD
• What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey
• Kelly Mahler on Understanding and Supporting Kids’ Interoception Experience (Tilt Parenting Podcast)
• Lori Desautels on Shifting Educational Systems Toward Post-Traumatic Growth (Tilt Parenting Podcast)
• Revelations in Education, Dr. Lori Desautel’s website
• Intentional Neuroplasticity: Our Educational Journey Towards Post Traumatic Growth by Dr. Lori Desautels

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Former teacher, reading specialist, teacher and parent educator, and coach, Heidi Nord, joins the show for a conversation about dyslexia.

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Parent coach Zach Morris joins Debbie to answer a listener question about whether or not to relocate from a big city to a less stressful environment and one with access to nature, in order to preemptively support a child's mental health.

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In a world overflowing with information and complexity, critical thinking isn't just a useful skill; it's an essential life raft. From navigating complex interactions to making informed decisions, our children need the ability to think critically now more than ever. But what does that really mean? And how can we as parents nurture this skill in our children? I invited author and Brave Writer founder Julie Bogart back to the show to help us answer these questions and to talk about her new book, Becoming a Critical Thinker: A Workbook to Help Students Think Well in an Age of Disinformation.

In this conversation, we got into so many things. And as you’ll hear, I could have talked to Julie for hours. But for this episode, you can expect to hear Julie’s thoughts on how and why we can foster critical thinking in our children, how considering multiple perspectives and incorporating diverse viewpoints leads to better problem-solving, what parents can do to encourage self-awareness, open-mindedness, and curiosity, and much more.

About Julie Bogart

Julie Bogart is known for her common sense parenting and education advice. She’s the author of the beloved book, The Brave Learner, which has brought joy and freedom to countless home educators. Her new book, Raising Critical Thinkers, offers parents a lifeline in navigating the complex digital world our kids are confronting.

Julie’s also the creator of the award-winning, innovative online writing program called Brave Writer, now 22 years old, serving 191 countries. She home educated her five children, who are globe-trotting adults. Today, Julie lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, and can be found sipping a cup of tea while planning her next visit to one of her lifelong-learning kids.

Things you'll learn from this episode

• Why critical thinking is essential to navigate complex issues and make informed decisions
• How considering multiple perspectives and incorporating diverse viewpoints leads to better problem-solving and policy-making
• How parents can play a crucial role in fostering critical thinking skills in their children by encouraging self-awareness, open-mindedness, and curiosity
• Why traditional models of authority and obedience in parenting are being replaced by a more collaborative and respectful approach that values children's reasoning and autonomy
• How the Becoming a Critical Thinker workbook helps students develop skills such as vetting sources, analyzing data, and considering multiple perspectives
• Why engaging in perspective-taking and tolerance can help neurodivergent kids deconstruct ideas and accept other points of view

Resources mentioned for Helping Kids Become Critical Thinkers

• Julie Bogart’s Brave Writer website
• Julie Bogart’s Blog at Brave Writer
• Brave Writer Writing Blitz
• Brave Writer Podcast
• Becoming a Critical Thinker: A Workbook to Help Students Think Well in an Age of Disinformation by Julie Bogart
• Raising Critical Thinkers: A Parents’ Guide to Growing Wise Kids in the Digital Age by Julie Bogart
• The Brave Learner: Finding Everyday Magic in Homeschool, Learning, and Life by Julie Bogart
• Julie Bogart on Instagram
• Julie Bogart on Facebook
• Julie Bogart on Twitter
• Julie Bogart on Moving Through Writing Resistance for Differently Wired Kids (Tilt Parenting podcast)
• Herman Kahn
• Noam Chomsky
• The Vow (HBO Documentary series)
• Killing Us Softly documentary (Jean Kilborne)

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Tilt Parenting founder Debbie Reber shares the story behind creating Tilt — why she developed it, what her vision is, and what she hopes Tilt will do in the world.

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Parent coach Margaret Webb joins Debbie to answer a listener question about how to best create a sense of safety in a child's nervous system when they are being aggressive or physical, while also protecting oneself in that moment.

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Have you ever felt paralyzed by all the “stuff” involved in charting a path and advocating for your child? I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s put off calling the insurance company or establishing a relationship with a new health care provider because at the time it felt too overwhelming and daunting. But what if there was a resource that provided everything parents and caregivers need to know about navigating all the complex, but critical, aspects of raising a neurodivergent child? How great would that be?

I’ve got some good news for you! Today’s guest, Kelley Coleman, has created that resource — it’s her brand new book called Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child: Your Guide to the Essential Systems, Services, and Supports. Kelley’s book draws upon over a decade of experience, including her own experience parenting a child with multiple disabilities. It’s an honest, relatable, actionable roadmap to the practicalities of parenting a disabled child, featuring personal stories, expert interviews, and the foundational information parents need to know about topics including diagnosis, school, doctors, insurance, financial planning, disability rights, and what life looks like as a parent caregiver.

In this conversation, Kelley, a feature film development executive turned author and advocate for parent caregivers and individuals with disabilities, shares so many insights from her book, including the difference between being a parent and being a caregiver, strategies for navigating Insurance, working with medical teams, and other daunting systems, future care planning, and so much more.

Seriously, Kelley has created SUCH an incredible resource in this book, because she’s researched, and mapped, and made simple and doable the key things and tools parents need to stop wasting unnecessary time, money, and stress as they navigate this journey.

Enjoy the episode, and please share it with others who would benefit from Kelley’s insight and positive approach so that they can spend less time filling out forms, and more time loving their children exactly as they are.

About Kelley Coleman

Kelley Coleman is a feature film development executive turned author and advocate for parent caregivers and individuals with disabilities. Her book Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child: Your Guide to the Essential Systems, Services, and Supports draws upon over a decade of experience, including her own experience parenting a child with multiple disabilities. Kelley lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two boys, and her son’s trusty service dog.

Things you'll learn from this episode

• What the difference is between parenting and caregiving and why it’s an important distinction to make
• What some of the most common challenge nondisabled parents face embracing disability in their children
• Why it’s critical that parents and caregivers have access to practical information (and why it’s so hard to find)
• Strategies for navigating Insurance, working with medical teams, and other daunting systems
• Why financial planning is so important and how to get started
• The benefits of connecting with experts and disabled leaders in the disability community

Resources mentioned for Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child

• Kelley Coleman’s website
• Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child: Your Guide to the Essential Systems, Services, and Supports by Kelley Coleman
• Kelley Coleman on Instagram
• Kelley Coleman on Facebook
• Emily Ladau’s website
• Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally by Emily Ladau
• Activist Emily Ladau on Demystifying Disability (Tilt Parenting Podcast)
• Judy Heumann (disability rights activist)
• Rebecca Cokley (disability rights activist)
• After Revealing He Couldn’t Read, Former Convict Is Inspiring Others on TikTok — Here’s How (People Magazine article about Oliver James)

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Kelly Hirt, a public school elementary school teacher and the parent of a homeschooled 2e child shares her strategies for "boosting" exceptional children to they can thrive in school and in life.

Connect with Tilt Parenting

• Visit Tilt Parenting
• Take the free 7-Day Challenge
• Read a chapter of Differently Wired
• Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram

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In this solocast, Debbie Reber answers a listener question about how to navigate family vacations and travel with a young child who is tied to routine.

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I’ve been a longtime fan of Kim and Penn Holderness, who I’ve had a parasocial relationship with for years as I love to consume and share their funny music videos, vlogs, and skits. And in more recent years, it’s exciting to see them talking openly and with humor and authenticity about Penn’s ADHD and how together, Kim and Penn navigate their marriage and raising kids in their mixed neurotype household.

All that say, I loved having a chance to sit down with Kim and Penn to talk about their brand new book, out next week, called ADHD is Awesome: A Guide to (Mostly) Thriving with ADHD, which they wrote because they are on a mission to reboot how we think about ADHD by taking us inside their ADHD world, and all highs, lows, and moments in between. I think what I loved about their book, and this conversation, the most is that Kim and Penn are real and open about how beautiful, and yes, messy, it can be to navigate family life as a person with ADHD or as someone married to an ADHDer. And so in today’s conversation, that’s what we hear about — how Penn has learned to hack himself to manage his ADHD-related challenges, the ways in which ADHD has enriched their family life, how Kim has reframed her thinking and approach to support Penn’s executive function challenges and be an “ADHD whisperer” while also taking care of her own emotional and mental well-being.

After listening to this episode, I highly recommend you go to their Instagram or YouTube and check out their content. Their first book together, Everybody Fights, about how couples can fight better and end your arguments feeling closer, more loved, and better understood, came out in 2021. The book we’re talking about today, ADHD is Awesome, comes out April 30.

About Kim and Penn Holderness

Kim and Penn Holderness have been married for sixteen years. For seven of those years, they have chronicled their marriage and their family with funny music videos, vlogs, skits, and a podcast. Their videos have resulted in over a billion views and 4.5 million followers across social media.

Penn and Kim honed their storytelling skills with twenty-five combined years in the TV news business. Today, they own their own company, Holderness Family Productions, where Kim is Chief Executive Officer and Penn is Chief Creative Officer.

As well as creating content for their channels, they also work alongside brands and agencies to shape product launches and marketing campaigns. Their book about improving communication in marriage was released March 30, 2021.

Penn and Kim live in Raleigh, North Carolina, with their children, Lola and Penn Charles, and fluffy dog, Sunny.

Things you'll learn from this episode

• How Penn navigated being diagnosed with ADHD in college and how that impacted his understanding of self and identity
• The power of “operation mindset shift” and reframing ADHD traits as strengths
• How Kim came to understand how Penn’s brain wiring impacted his executive functioning
• How Penn has “hacked” himself to manage his ADHD symptoms and challenges
• The power of empathy, comfort, and connection when navigating a mixed neurotypes relationship
• What some of the “upsides” are for friends and family members of people with ADHD

Resources mentioned for How ADHD is Awesome in Love & in Life

• The Holderness Family
• ADHD is Awesome: A Guide to (Mostly) Thriving with ADHD by Kim and Penn Holderness
• The Holderness Family Podcast
• ADHD is Awesome Book Trailer (YouTube)
• Everybody Fights: So Why Not Get Better At It? by Kim and Penn Holderness
• Dr. Ned Hallowell
• Dr. Ned Hallowell on How Parents Can Best Support Their Children with ADHD (Tilt Parenting podcast)
• Dr. Emily King
• Learn with Dr. Emily (podcast)
• ADHD 2.0: New Science and Essential Strategies for Thriving with Distraction - from Childhood Through Adulthood by Dr. Ned Hallowell
• Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood through Adulthood by Dr. Ned Hallowell and Dr. John Ratey

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Tilt Founder Debbie Reber talks about the importance of having a self-care practice, and shares her best strategies for making self-care a regular part of daily life.

Connect with Tilt Parenting

• Visit Tilt Parenting
• Take the free 7-Day Challenge
• Read a chapter of Differently Wired
• Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram

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Executive function coach Seth Perler joins Debbie to answer a listener question about how to help a neurodivergent student prepare for the increased demands and expectations of middle school.

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I’ve done one episode just about self-care for this show — it’s a solocast from five years ago where I shared twelve strategies and ideas for creating a sustainable, doable self-care practice. I’ll have a link to that in the show notes page for this episode.

Today’s episode is about self-care, too, but the focus is on self-care for autistic people, and joining me is return guest Dr. Megan Anna Neff of Neurodivergent Insights. Megan Anna has just published a brand new book called Self-Care for Autistic People: 100+ Ways to Recharge, De-Stress, and Unmask! which she wrote to help autistic people accept themselves, destigmatize autism, find community, and take care of physical and mental health.

I really enjoyed going inside this book because, as we discuss, self-care is so much more than what it appears to be on the surface. Megan Anna considers self-care to be a collective effort that includes the well-being of the community, a framework that really resonated with me. So we talk about that, along with other ideas from Megan Anna’s book, including how internalized ableism can hinder self-care, considerations for navigating self-care for individuals with PDA, and insights into co-regulation, sensory considerations, and how advocacy and accommodations in the workplace can also be forms of self-care.

About Dr. Megan Anna Neff

Dr. Megan Anna Neff (she/they) is a neurodivergent Clinical Psychologist and founder of Neurodivergent Insights where she creates education and wellness resources for neurodivergent adults. Additionally, she is co-host of the Divergent Conversations podcast.

As a late-diagnosed AuDHDer (Autistic ADHD), Dr. Neff applies their lived experiences from a cross-neurotype marriage and parenting neurodivergent children to their professional focus. They are committed to broadening the mental health field's understanding of autism and ADHD beyond traditional stereotypes. This personal-professional blend enriches their work and advocacy within neurodiversity.

Dr. Neff is the author of Self-Care for Autistic People and a forthcoming book on Autistic Burnout. Additionally, she has published in several peer-reviewed journals on topics ranging from neurodivergence, place attachment, relational psychoanalysis, social psychology, and integration of spirituality into psychotherapy.

Passionate about distilling complex research into visually accessible formats, she translates research into visual pixels which you can find on her website, Instagram, and digital workbooks. Additionally, Dr. Neff is passionate about community building and creating digital communities by and for neurodivergent individuals.

Things you'll learn from this episode

• Why self-care should be approached with self-attunement and an understanding of one's own needs
• Why self-care is a collective effort that includes the well-being of the community
• How internalized ableism can hinder self-care and why it’s important to address it
• Ideas for navigating self-care for individuals with PDA regarding autonomy, co-regulation, and sensory considerations
• Ways to practice self-care in the workplace, including self-disclosure, documentation, and setting realistic expectations

Resources mentioned for Self-Care for Autistic People

• Dr. Megan Anna Neff’s website
• Self-Care For Autistic People by Dr. Megan Anna Neff
• * A special bonus offer for Tilt Parenting community *
• Divergent Conversations Podcast
• Neurodivergent Insights on Instagram
• Neurodivergent Insights on Facebook
• Dr. Megan Anna Neff on LinkedIn
• Dr. Megan Anna Neff’s Link in Bio
• Dr. Megan Anna Neff on Diagnoses and Misdiagnoses (Tilt Parenting Podcast)
• Sarah Wayland
• Is This Autism? A Guide for Clinicians and Everyone Else by Dr. Donna Henderson and Dr. Sarah Wayland

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Marriage and family therapist and author Jeremy Schneider ("Fatherhood in 40-Minute Snapshots") talks about what prevents some dads from being the father they want to be and explains how couples can strengthen their relationship.

Connect with Tilt Parenting

• Visit Tilt Parenting
• Take the free 7-Day Challenge
• Read a chapter of Differently Wired
• Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram

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Parent coach Zach Morris joins Debbie to answer a listener question about how to find the balance in supporting a young adult whose depression and anxiety is preventing him from taking steps toward his stated goals.

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As many listeners know, Asher is doing a gap year this year, having graduated from high school last summer. And so I’ve been pretty immersed in this topic, but I’ve been getting so many questions from families who want to know more about navigating gap year. And in fact, I’ve been hearing more and more about the benefits of gap years for ALL students, not only neurodivergent kids, especially since the pandemic. The questions I get the most are what exactly is a gap year? How is a parent to know if their child would benefit from taking a gap year? How should a student be spending their time between high school and college, if that is indeed the next step for them? And where should I start when it comes to finding and vetting the best programs and possibilities for a child taking this year between high school and what comes next?

To explore this topic, I invited Dr. Eric Endlich, a clinical psychologist, founder of Top College Consultants, and expert who guides students with learning differences and mental health challenges through the college application process. I asked Eric how we can determine as parents whether our kid is ready or not for college, what types of gap year experiences for neurodivergent students exist, and how universities perceive a student taking a gap year when considering their application. We also talked about how to find the right program for your student and how to do some voting to make sure it’s the right fit.

As you’ll hear from the episode, Eric has a wealth of knowledge about ways to navigate the sometimes lengthy and unique runway for neurodivergent students. I hope you enjoy this conversation!

About Dr. Eric Endlich

Eric Endlich, Ph.D., clinical psychologist and founder of Top College Consultants, guides students with learning differences and mental health challenges through the college application process. Dr. Endlich has served on the Learning Differences/Neurodiversity and DEI Committees of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), and was honored by IECA with a “Making a Difference” award for contributions such as a database of neurodiversity-friendly colleges. He co-teaches a course, Working with Students with Learning Differences, and co-manages a 16,000-member Facebook group for parents of college-bound neurodivergent students. A national presenter, researcher and professional writer, Dr.Endlich has been interviewed by various media including Forbes, Money magazine, College Confidential and U.S. News & World Report.

Things you'll learn

• The key components when considering a student’s college readiness, including academic capabilities and independence skills
• What types of gap year experiences are possible (from formal programs to DIY)
• How colleges perceive gap years, as well as whether to apply to universities before or during a gap year
• A look at the types of formal gap year programs specifically designed to support neurodivergent students
• Strategies and insights for researching and vetting gap year programs

Resources mentioned

• Top College Consultants
• Top College Consultants' Articles
• Neurodiversity in College (Top College Consultants' Resource)
• Top College Consultants on Facebook
• Young Scholars Academy
• The Dorm (therapeutic treatment center for young adults)
• Parents of College Bound Students with Learning Disabilities, ADHD and ASD (Facebook group)
• Dynamy Gap Year program
• Mansfield Hall (post-graduate program in Connecticut)
• Mitchell College
• Landmark College Summer Program
• Middlebridge School (post-graduate program in Rhode Island)
• SOAR Gap Year program
• Semester Off Program (Massachusetts)
• Franklin Academy (post-graduate program in Connecticut)
• Winston Transitions (non-residential post-graduate program in New York)
• CIP Transition Program at Berkeley (California)

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Author and gifted education advocate Deb Douglas explains the importance of helping gifted learners advocate for themselves, as well as how parents can support them in doing so.

Connect with Tilt Parenting

• Visit Tilt Parenting
• Take the free 7-Day Challenge
• Read a chapter of Differently Wired
• Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram

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Parenting Coach Margaret Webb joins Debbie Reber for this Parent Lean-In episode, where they answer a listener question:

Our 9 year old (autism, ADHD, anxiety) struggles with games/ any competition and responds with physical aggression when he loses. We have tried many therapies and medication with no changes in this area. We know this is a nervous system response and possible PDA response, thus accommodate at home by allowing him to win. However he has started to play games at school and is having outbursts as his peers don't accommodate and will win. I'm not sure if our accommodations are inadvertently creating more issues as he is so used to winning and if we should create more opportunities at home for him to lose so he can learn to work through it, however I feel like we've tried that and he still was never able to cope. Would love any ideas!

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If I told you there was a passive intervention that could help your kiddo and your family increase the window of tolerance in the way the world is received, would you believe me? Well today, I’m sharing a conversation on exactly that — it’s called the Safe and Sound Protocol, and it’s essentially a therapeutic listening program designed to support emotional regulation and neuroception. I was first introduced to SSP by a therapist our family was working with and I wanted to know more about how it works, and how it can support kids who have what Dr. Mona Delahooke refers to as a less-sturdy nervous system platform.

I reached out to educator, author, and bodyworker Autum Romano to join me for this conversation, as she is passionate about nervous system regulation as a foundation for transformative whole health. Autum, who is also neurodivergent and twice-exceptional, is known for her intuitive healing approach. She recently collaborated with Dr. Porges on a case study for his upcoming book on the benefits of the Safe and Sound Protocol, and last year published her own childrens’ book called Body Wisdom and the Polyvagal Theory, which introduces polyvagal theory in an easy-to-understand way.

In this conversation, we talk about what neuroception is and why it’s critical to helping our kids develop a felt sense of safety, as well as what the Safe and Sound Protocol actually is. She explains how it essentially re-patterns the brain’s nervous system through listening, creates a safe space for brain and body integration, and leads to impactful, long-lasting results.

This is a fascinating conversation about polyvagal, neuroception, and nervous system support that definitely left me wanting to know, and experience, more. I hope you get a lot out of it.

About Autum Romano

Autum Romano is an educator, author, and bodyworker who’s passionate about nervous system regulation as a foundation for transformative whole health. Autum holds certifications as a Neuromuscular Therapist, Licensed Massage Therapist, Safe and Sound Protocol Provider, Craniosacral Therapist, Reiki Master, and Certified Trauma Informed Care Provider with over 27 years in the field and more than 25,000 massages given. Known for her intuitive healing approach, Autum is also neurodivergent and twice-exceptional. She recently collaborated with Dr. Porges on a case study for his upcoming book on the benefits of the Safe and Sound Protocol.

In collaboration with her son, Autum has authored a children’s book titled Body Wisdom and the Polyvagal Theory. Crafted for pre-readers and individuals with dyslexia, their goal is to democratize the Polyvagal Theory, viewing it as a user manual for the body. They aim to make this valuable knowledge accessible to a diverse and inclusive audience.

Things you'll learn:

• How neuroception works to detect safety or threat without conscious awareness
• The ways in which body work can help individuals understand their neuroception
• What the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is and how it stimulates the ventral branch of the vagus nerve through music
• The benefits of going through the SSP on our kids’ window of tolerance and nervous system
• How Autum’s book Body Wisdom and the Polyvagal Theory introduces polyvagal theory to kids of all ages

Resources mentioned:

• Autum Romano’s website
• Autum on Instagram
• Autum on Facebook
• Body Wisdom and the Polyvagal Theory by Autum Romano
• Dr. Stephen Porges and Polyvagal Theory
• Safe and Sound Protocol
• My Grandmother's Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies by Resmaa Menakem
• Deb Dana’s website, Rhythm of Regulation
• Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory by Deb Dana
• Deb Dana on Befriending Our Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory (Tilt Parenting Podcast)
• To receive 10 percent of Autum’s Safe & Sound Protocol Home Program, use the code TILT

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In this week’s episode, I’m talking with Elisheva Schwartz, a dyslexia researcher, mother, wife, intelligence re-definer, and host of The Dyslexia Quest podcast. Elisheva is on a mission to empower the dyslexic community to fully understand both the strengths and the difficulties of the processing style.

If you have a child with learning differences like dyslexia, this is a must-listen-to episode, as Elisheva gets personal and shares her story of her own childhood of struggling to reconcile her passion for learning with repeatedly being told she was learning disabled. Luckily for the rest of us, Elisheva has channeled the pain of her own childhood journey to helping families raising kids with learning differences help their kids feel empowered and confident about who they are, while also knowing how to advocate for them in school. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

 About Elisheva: Elisheva Schwartz is a dyslexia researcher, mother, wife, intelligence re-definer, and podcast host. She’s on a mission to decode the dyslexic mind and empower the dyslexic community to fully understand both the strengths and the difficulties of the processing style.

Both her academic background in Cognitive Science and Education, as well as her own personal experiences with dyslexia, allows Elisheva to draw on a unique blend of both the personal and scientific. Elisheva often writes about dyslexia, cognition, learning, creativity and intelligence, and maintains an occasional column at The Creativity Post.

Additionally, Elisheva often speaks at universities and conferences, with some of her latest speaking engagement including The International Dyslexia Association (Panel) and University of Philadelphia. 

THINGS YOU’LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Elisheva’s personal why for creating The Dyslexia Quest
• What the biggest roadblocks are for kids with learning differences like dyslexia in a traditional school setting
• What reframing dyslexia to view it through a strengths-based lens looks like
• How parents can help kids feel more positive about their learning differences
• How parents can work with schools to get them the support their child needs
• Elisheva’s advice on how parents can best approach their child’s learning differences and support their child
• What parents can expert in their journey of supporting their kids
• What the gifts of dyslexia are

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• The Dyslexia Quest Podcast
• Elisheva on Instagram
• Elisheva on Facebook
• The Dyslexic Advantage: Unlocking the Hidden Potential of the Dyslexic Brain by Brock L. Eide
• Dyslexic Advantage (website)

Support the show

Connect with Tilt Parenting

• Visit Tilt Parenting
• Take the free 7-Day Challenge
• Read a chapter of Differently Wired
• Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram

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I can’t tell you how many parenting books I’ve read, but I can tell you that sometimes when I finish reading a parenting book, I feel a sense of loss or stress or as if I'm somehow behind and need to backtrack to get things going in the right direction. So when I come across a book that feels supportive and accessible, I’m always happy to share it with you. And that is definitely the case with The 5 Principles of Parenting: Your Essential Guide to Raising Good Humans, the new book by friend of the pod Dr. Aliza Pressman.

I think what I love so much about Aliza’s work is that she compassionately reminds us that there’s no one “right” way to raise good humans. Instead, in her book she helps parents charge a manageable course for raising good humans that’s in alignment with our own values and our children’s unique temperaments. The five principles outlined in her book that she walks through with us in this conversation – Relationship, Reflection, Regulation, Rules, and Repair – can be used to get things right often enough, because there’s not getting a perfect score in parenting. Lots of great reminders in this conversation, and the one I appreciated the most is that even though what it takes to raise good humans may sound simple, that doesn't mean that it’s easy, or that it’s not going to feel messy. In fact, it’s most definitely going to feel messy, and that’s okay!

About Dr. Aliza Pressman

Dr. Aliza Pressman is a developmental psychologist with nearly two decades of experience working with families and the health care providers who care for them. Aliza is an assistant clinical professor in the Department of Pediatrics in the Division of Behavioral and Developmental Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital where she is cofounding director of The Mount Sinai Parenting Center. Aliza is also the host of the award-winning podcast, Raising Good Humans. She holds a BA from Dartmouth College, an MA in Risk, Resilience, and Prevention from the Department of Human Development at Teacher’s College and her PhD in developmental psychology from Columbia University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Aliza also holds a teaching certificate in mindfulness and meditation from The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California at Berkeley. Aliza is the mother of two teenagers.

Things you'll learn from this episode

• The definition of a 'good human' is subjective and varies from family to family
• The five principles of parenting are relationship, reflection, regulation, rules, and repair
• Resilience is an important aspect of parenting, especially for neurodivergent children
• The principles can be applied to various parenting situations, including sibling conflicts
• Parenting is supposed to be messy — there is no one-size-fits-all approach

Resources mentioned for the 5 Principles of Parenting

• Aliza Pressman’s website
• The 5 Principles of Parenting: Your Essential Guide to Raising Good Humans by Dr. Aliza Pressman
• Aliza’s Raising Good Humans Podcast
• Aliza on Instagram
• Mount Sinai Parenting Center
• SeedingsGroup
• W. Thomas Boyce (Orchid Children)

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Math for Middles founder Adrianne Meldrum explores common math challenges for atypical learners, why a multisensory math approach works, and how to help kids struggling with math push through their blocks.

Connect with Tilt Parenting

• Visit Tilt Parenting
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• Read a chapter of Differently Wired
• Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram

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It’s been a while since we’ve talked about OCD on the show, so when anxiety and OCD expert Natasha Daniels reached out about her new book, Crushing OCD Workbook for Kids, I was excited to get into it all and pulled together a lot of questions ready to make this conversation as helpful as possible for our community.

You may know Natasha from her popular AT Survival Parenting podcast, or some of her other books like Anxiety Sucks: A Teen Survival Guide, How to Parent Your Anxious Toddler, Social Skills Activities for Kids, andIt’s Brave to Be Kind, or from her past visit to this show. She has more than two decades of experience as a child therapist, and combines her clinical expertise with her lived experience in her work, as she’s raising her three kids with anxiety and OCD. You also may have seen her work featured in places like Huffington Post, Scary Mommy, PsychCentral, The Child Mind Institute and The Mighty.

So for today’s conversation, I wanted to do a deep dive into OCD and learn more about what it is, how it manifests, signs of OCD that might be missed by parents, how to tease out when something is OCD versus anxiety or ADHD or other types of neurodivergence, and lastly, how parents can support their children if they have OCD. And of course, Natasha shared some insights and tools from her new Crushing OCD Workbook for Kids, which is truly a powerful, and easy-to-use resource for any child navigating OCD and the challenges that come along with it.

About Natasha Daniels

Natasha Daniels is an anxiety and OCD child therapist with over two decades of experience. She combines both her clinical expertise with her lived experience, raising her own three kids with anxiety and OCD.

She is the author of several books including Anxiety Sucks: A Teen Survival Guide, How to Parent Your Anxious Toddler, Social Skills Activities for Kids, It’s Brave to Be Kind, The Grief Rock, and Crushing OCD Workbook for Kids.

She is the creator of the website AT Parenting Survival, As well as the host of the show AT Parenting Survival Podcast and the Youtube channel, Ask the Child Therapist. Her work has been featured in various places including Huffington Post, Scary Mommy, PsychCentral, The Child Mind Institute and The Mighty.

Things you'll learn from this episode

• How OCD begins and manifests in children
• What intrusive thoughts or feelings are and how they can lead to compulsions
• Why OCD is often misdiagnosed as ADHD, anxiety, or self-harm and why it’s important to receive an accurate diagnosis
• What exposure response prevention (ERP) therapy is and how it supports individuals with OCD
• What OCD with support looks like over time with helpful treatment and the development of coping skills
• The importance of early intervention in supporting children with OCD
• How Natasha’s book Crushing OCD Workbook for Kids provides evidence-based tools and strategies to help children understand and manage their OCD

Resources mentioned for Unmasking Autism

• Natasha Daniels’ website
• Crushing OCD Workbook for Kids: 50 Fun Activities to Overcome OCD With CBT and Exposures by Natasha Daniels
• Natasha Daniels Talks about Anxiety and OCD in Kids (Tilt Parenting Podcast)
• AT Parenting Podcast
• AT Parenting Survival Online Courses
• AT Parenting survival on Instagram
• AT Parenting survival on Youtube
• Filmmaker Chris Baier Helps Families Get Unstuck from OCD (Tilt Parenting Podcast)
• UNSTUCK: An OCD Kids Movie (Available with Spanish, French, Russian, Greek, Portuguese subtitles and an audio description)
• Help for Childhood Anxiety and OCD with Dr. Eli Leibowitz (Tilt Parenting Podcast)
• Space Treatment website

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Author, coach, and mindfulness expert Michelle Gale (Mindful Parenting in a Messy World) talks about how mindfulness not only supports our children's development, but allows us to parent with more joy and confidence.

Connect with Tilt Parenting

• Visit Tilt Parenting
• Take the free 7-Day Challenge
• Read a chapter of Differently Wired
• Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram

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I married a gamer and my 19-year-old is also a gamer, so I’m no stranger to the reality of video games being a significant part of daily life. But where’s the line between healthy gaming and unhealthy gaming? How much gaming is too much? And when does a gaming habit evolve into gaming addiction?

These are some of the questions regarding screen time that I hear from many parents, and they highlight some of the ongoing challenges families face in raising children who can be responsible tech users and whose screen use and gaming doesn’t interfere with their lives in a way that can be harmful or keep them stuck.

So when I learned of the new book How to Raise a Healthy Gamer: End Power Struggles, Break Bad Screen Habits, and Transform Your Relationship with Your Kids by Dr. Alok Kanojia, I knew I wanted to invite him onto the show to talk about all things gaming with us.

In this conversation, we talked about how we as parents can know whether our child is addicted to video games or not, why screen time limits and restricting gaming time are at odds with the goal of raising a healthy gamer, and how to shift to a holistic approach that considers overall well-being and goal-setting. We also talked about why children with ADHD are more susceptible to addictive behaviors surrounding gaming and how to raise healthy gamers from a young age.

A packed episode that is a must-listen for any parenting whose child interacts with online or video games. Good, good stuff.

About Dr. Alok Kanojia

Dr. Alok Kanojia is a Harvard-trained psychiatrist specializing in the intersection of technology x mental health. Also known as ”Dr. K” to millions of people on the internet, Dr.Kanojia is the cofounder of Healthy Gamer, a mental health platform that serves the digital generation. He has inspired millions of people with online content while overseeing the mental health coaching of thousands of young people. He is widely regarded as the foremost expert on video game addiction and most prominent mental health authority for young people. When he’s offline, he’s usually traveling, gardening, or grilling with his family.

Things you'll learn:

• How to determine if your child has a gaming addiction, and why it's important to trust your instincts
• Why screen time limits and carrot and stick approaches surrounding a child’s gaming is at odds with the goal of raising a healthy gamer
• Why children with ADHD are more susceptible to addictive behaviors surrounding gaming
• The importance of engaging in open and non-judgmental communication with your child about their gaming habits and the impact it has on their life
• How to shift to a holistic approach that considers overall well-being and goal-setting
• Ideas for proactively creating healthy gaming habits with younger children

Resources mentioned:

• Healthy Gamer website
• How to Raise a Healthy Gamer: End Power Struggles, Break Bad Screen Habits, and Transform Your Relationship with Your Kids by Dr. Alok Kanojia
• Growing Up in Public: Coming of Age in a Digital World by Dr. Devorah Heitner
• Dr. Devorah Heitner on Parenting Kids Growing Up in Public (Tilt Parenting Podcast)
• Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World by Dr. Devorah Heitner

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Nutritionist and author of the book "From Mac & Cheese to Veggies, Please" talks about how we can help our children overcome their picky eating habits.

Connect with Tilt Parenting

• Visit Tilt Parenting
• Take the free 7-Day Challenge
• Read a chapter of Differently Wired
• Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram

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Montessori is often thought of as an educational philosophy, but my guests for today’s episode, Simone Davies and Junnifa Uzodike, are committed to bringing Montessori into the home and guiding parents through the principles of Montessori to enhance their children's development and foster respectful relationships with their families and the world.

Over the years, I’ve learned how much alignment there is in the strength-based parenting approach we subscribe to in our community, where we see and respect our children as the unique humans they are, with the core principles of Montessori, which prioritizes meeting our children where they are and being a guide for them as they navigate their childhood.

So I invited Simone and Junnifa to come on the show to talk about how we can apply these Montessori principles to parenting our neurodivergent kids and some of the other concepts they write about in their lovely new book, The Montessori Child: A Parent's Guide to Raising Capable Children with Creative Minds and Compassionate Hearts.

About Simone Davies

Simone Davies is the author of The Montessori Toddler and co-author of The Montessori Baby and The Montessori Child books, comprehensive guides to raising children in a Montessori way.Simone is an AMI Montessori educator based in Amsterdam. She also has a popular blog, instagram and podcast “The Montessori Notebook” and is mother to two young adults. Simone currently runs parent-child Montessori classes in Amsterdam at her school Jacaranda Tree Montessori.

About Junnifa Uzodike

Junnifa Uzodike is an AMI trained Montessori guide for the 0-3, 3-6 and 6-12 levels. She is the co-author of The Montessori Baby and The Montessori Child book with Simone Davies. She is also the founder and head of school at Fruitful Orchard Montessori in Abuja, Nigeria. Since discovering Montessori in 2011, Junnifa has continued to build her knowledge and experience in child development using Montessori principles. She has three children whom she has raised using Montessori principles from birth. Junnifa’s Montessori work includes guiding children at Fruitful Orchard, mentoring teachers and closest to her heart is supporting parents in implementing Montessori from birth. She inspires parents around the world to bring Montessori into their lives by sharing her Montessori journey and offering courses and other resources via her blog.

Things you'll learn:

• What the philosophy of Montessori is and the planes of development
• Why the Montessori approach to parenting can be a good fit for neurodivergent children
• How to raise children who have a strong moral compass
• The role of family agreements to reduce conflict and support healthy family dynamics
• What scaffolding looks like in Montessori when helping children expand their sense of capability and responsibility

Resources mentioned:

• Simone Davies’ website, The Montessori Notebook
• Junnifa Uzodike’s website, Nduoma Montessori
• The Montessori Child: A Parent's Guide to Raising Capable Children with Creative Minds and Compassionate Hearts by Simone Davies and Junnifa Uzodike
• The Montessori Toddler: A Parent's Guide to Raising a Curious and Responsible Human Being by Simone Davies
• The Montessori Baby: A Parent's Guide to Nurturing Your Baby with Love, Respect, and Understanding by Simone Davies and Junnifa Uzodike
• The Montessori Notebook on Instagram
• Nduoma Montessori on Instagram
• Simone Davis on Montessori and Differently Wired Children (Tilt Parenting Podcast)
• The Power of Empathy and Staying Calm in Difficult Situations (podcast episode with Simone Davies)
• Setting Up Your Home to Support Your Child’s Growth (podcast episode with Simone Davies)

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Author, entrepreneur, and founder of the Good Life Project Jonathan Fields talks about his book "How to Live a Good Life: Soulful Stories, Surprising Science and Practical Wisdom."

Connect with Tilt Parenting

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• Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram

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A theme we often touch upon on this show is how the discourse surrounding neurodivergence and the language used when referring to neurodivergence is ever-evolving. I’ve observed on social media and in other spaces how conversations about terminology can be confusing, divisive, alienating, and complicated to navigate. Disability is one of those terms that can be uncomfortable for some people, including parents of neurodivergent kids, to embrace, but my hope is that this conversation will help you have a deeper understanding of what it means to be disabled, how ableism shows up and hurts all members of the disability community, including our kids, and how we can be better allies in the disability

To talk about this, I invited disability rights activist and writer Emily Ladau onto the show. Emily wrote a wonderful book called Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally, and in today’s conversation, we explore some of the core ideas in her book. As always, we covered a lot of ground in this episode, including what it actually means to be disabled, why the euphemism “special needs” is problematic for many people, how ableism is normalized in our society, disability etiquette do’s and dont’s to keep in mind for future interactions, and so much more.

About Emily Ladau

Emily Ladau is a passionate disability rights activist, writer, storyteller, and digital communications consultant whose career began at the age of 10, when she appeared on several episodes of Sesame Street to educate children about her life with a physical disability. Her writing has been published in outlets including The New York Times, CNN, Vice, and HuffPost and her first book, Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally, was published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House, in September 2021. Emily has spoken before numerous audiences, from the U.S. Department of Education to the United Nations. Central to all of Emily’s work is harnessing the power of storytelling to engage people in learning about disability.

Things you'll learn from this episode

• The difference between models of disability, including the medical, social, and charity model
• Why it’s critical that we recognize and address internalized ableism in order to promote inclusivity
• What intersectionality is and ways disability intersects with other marginalized identities
• What should be considered when looking at accommodations and accessibility when meeting the diverse needs of individuals
• Do’s, don’t’s and best practices when it comes to disability etiquette

Resources mentioned for Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally

• Emily Ladau’s website
• Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally by Emily Ladau
• The Accessible Stall (Emily’s podcast)
• Words I Wheel By (Emily’s Facebook page)
• Emily on Instagram
• Emily on LinkedIn
• Tyler Fedder (Illustrator)
• D’Arcee Neal
• The Platinum Rule

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Clinical child and family psychologist Dr. Laura Anderson talks about gender noncomformity in children and explores the link between autism and gender dysphoria and gender fluidity.

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• Take the free 7-Day Challenge
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• Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram

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I have such a fascinating conversation for you today. A few months ago, I heard about something called the Theory of Positive Disintegration — a theory created by K. Dabrowski, whose name I was familiar with because of his bringing attention to the idea that gifted children have inborn traits known as overexcitabilities – and I was instantly curious. Positive Disintegration – what does that mean exactly? It sounded complicated, and good, but also messy. So I wanted to know more.

That’s when I learned of the work of Dr. Chris Wells, who is the founding president of the Dąbrowski Center and who is dedicated to sharing knowledge and resources about this profound theory and the psychology of giftedness.

I invited Chris on the show to explore the Theory of Positive Disintegration with us, and fortunately for all of us, they said yes. And I will just say upfront — there is a lot that goes into understanding this theory and the implications it has for our differently wired children. So in today’s episode, we are only scratching the surface of this theory. But I am so excited for the opportunity to share this conversation because I believe this fascinating framework has the potential to offer a new perspective on neurodivergence and mental health that is important for families in our community to explore.

One last thing, this episode includes mention of suicidality and suicide attempts, so if those are trigger topics for you, please take care of yourself while listening.

About Chris Wells

Chris Wells, PhD, LSW, is a neurodivergent writer, social worker, and Dąbrowski scholar with a passion for studying and applying the theory of positive disintegration. As the founding president of the Dąbrowski Center and co-host of the Positive Disintegration Podcast, Chris is dedicated to sharing knowledge and resources about this profound theory and the psychology of giftedness.Chris provides specialized consulting services to clinicians and educators internationally, delivering deep insights into positive disintegration and its practical applications. They also offer their unique blend of lived experience and professional expertise as an advocate and speaker for mental health awareness and suicide prevention. Chris lives with their partner and teenage son in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.

Things you'll learn:

• What the Theory of Positive Disintegration is and how it offers an alternative perspective on mental health struggles
• What the five domains of Dabrowski’s Overexcitabilities
• How the connection between overexcitabilities and the autonomic nervous system can provide insights into nervous system regulation
• How the Theory of Positive Disintegration fits in with traditional therapeutic modalities
• How anxiety and depression might be signs of growth and development

Resources mentioned:

• Chris Well’s substack Positive Integration
• The Dabrowski Center
• The Positive Disintegration Podcast
• Dabrowski’s Overexcitabilities
• “Mellow Out,” They Say. If I Only Could: Intensities and Sensitivities of the Young and Bright by Michael Piechowski
• Michael Piechowski
• Adults with Overexciteabilities Facebook Group
• Living With Intensity: Understanding the Sensitivity, Excitability, and the Emotional Development of Gifted Children, Adolescents, and Adults edited by Dr. Susan Daniels and Dr. Michael Piechowski
• Welcome to Positive Disintegration (Positive Disintegration Podcast)
• Depression and Anxiety in Development (Positive Disintegration Podcast)
• Positive Disintegration in Children and Adolescents (Positive Disintegration Podcast)
• Disintegration and Neurodivergence (Positive Disintegration Podcast)

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In this episode of the Tilt Parenting Podcast, I have a powerful and thoughtful conversation with Dr. Barry Prizant, one of the world’s leading authorities on autism. Barry is recognized as an innovator of respectful, person- and family-centered approaches for individuals with autism and neurodevelopmental disabilities. He has more than forty years of experience as a scholar, researcher, and international consultant, and he’s an adjunct professor at Brown University, a certified speech-language pathologist and director of Childhood Communication Services, a private practice.

Barry is also the author of the must-read book Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism, which suggests a major shift in our understanding of autism. Instead of classifying “autistic” behaviors as signs of pathology, he sees them as part of a range of strategies to cope with a world that feels chaotic and overwhelming. As you listen to our conversation, you’ll know exactly why I was so excited to bring Barry onto the show. He is at the forefront of the revolution in helping to change the way neurodiversity is perceived in the world and frankly I’m just so grateful there are people like him in the world doing this critical work. I hope you enjoy the episode.

THINGS YOU’LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Barry’s personal story for how he came to be doing this work
• How things can change for autistic kids when we reframe and view their “behavior” through a new lens
• The relationship between trust and emotional regulation
• Barry’s perspective on the use of language such as “high-functioning” and “low-functioning” autism
• Why words like “oppositional” and “noncompliant” in relation to an autistic person’s behavior are usually completely off-mark
• The very real cost of pathologizing autism
• Barry’s powerful ideas for how he is trying to shift thinking around the way autism is perceived
• What should our goals be with regards to the long-term vision for our autistic children?
• The story behind Barry’s book Uniquely Human

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Barry Prizant’s website
• Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism by Dr. Barry Prizant
• The S.C.E.R.T.S. Model

Connect with Tilt Parenting

• Visit Tilt Parenting
• Take the free 7-Day Challenge
• Read a chapter of Differently Wired
• Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram

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It’s been a little while since Margaret Webb, my absolute favorite parenting coach and the lead parenting coach in the Differently Wired Club, was on the show, but I’m so so so excited to have her one to talk about much anticipated book, Hero’s Journey in Parenting: Parenting the Child You Didn’t Expect While You Were Expecting. Margaret is a certified Master Life Coach, parenting coach, nature-based coach, former elementary school teacher, wife, and mother of a now 20-year-old autistic son. I’ve personally experienced first-hand how deeply and profoundly Margaret’s approach can support parents raising neurodivergent kids, and so I’m truly thrilled that she’s making her insights and learning available to the rest of in her new book.

While we couldn’t explore all the transformational concepts in Margaret’s new book, I did my best to touch upon some of the biggies, including the power in reframing parenting as a hero’s journey, how incorporating archetypes such as the queen/king, child, warrior, and community builder into our framework can provide valuable perspectives and tools for parenting, why recognizing and addressing shadow forces, such as limiting beliefs and unhelpful patterns, can lead to personal growth and more effective parenting. We also discussed why it’s so crucial to understand a child's developmental age in a given moment and how it can help parents tailor their approach and better meet their child's needs.

And honestly, a lot more. This is one of those episodes you’ll probably want to listen to more than once. And then you’ll want to get Margaret’s book. It’s really that good.

About Margaret Webb

Margaret Webb is a certified Master Life Coach, parenting coach, nature-based coach, former teacher, wife and mother. As a life and parenting coach, she weaves together her experience as an elementary education teacher with the tools she’s learned in Martha Beck’s Life Coach Training, Sagefire Institute’s Nature-Based Coach Training, and what she’s applied to her own life as a mom of a now 20-year-old son with special needs.

Things you'll learn:

• Parenting is a hero's journey, and it is important to approach it with curiosity, playfulness, and a willingness to learn and grow.
• How using archetypes, such as the queen/king, child, warrior, and community builder can provide valuable perspectives and tools for parenting.
• Recognizing and addressing shadow forces, such as limiting beliefs and unhelpful patterns, can lead to personal growth and more effective parenting.
• Understanding a child's developmental age in a given moment can help parents tailor their approach and better meet their child's needs.

Resources mentioned:

• Margaret Webb’s website
• Margaret on Facebook
• Margaret on Instagram
• Hero’s Journey in Parenting: Parenting the Child You Didn’t Expect While You Were Expecting by Margaret Webb
• Parenting the Child You Didn’t Expect When You Were Expecting, with Margaret Webb (Tilt Parenting Podcast)
• Margaret Webb on What to Do When Grandparents Don’t Understand Our Child (Tilt Parenting Podcast)
• Margaret Webb on How to Get Through the Most Difficult Moments With Our Kids (Tilt Parenting Podcast)
• Margaret Webb Shares Tools and Mindsets for Surviving the Summer Break (Tilt Parenting Podcast)
• Byron Katie’s The Work

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Parenting coach Margaret Webb shares her best strategies for dealing with our children's intense and explosive behavior, both in the moment and in the aftermath.

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If you are parenting a neurodivergent kid, you probably have a lot of experience getting feedback about your child — in IEP meetings, parent teacher conferences, therapists, neuropsychs, school counselors. And, so often this feedback is highlighting what’s hard or challenging and what needs to be improved, which, honestly, takes its toll on us and our kids. It can leave us feeling drained, discouraged, and overwhelmed.

If you relate to this experience in any way, you’re going to appreciate today’s conversation with Dr. Jade Rivera, as she is going to talk with us about a new way she and her team are providing feedback with a completely different, and much more positive and optimistic, focus.

Jade is the Lab Director for the new Strength-Based Assessment Lab at Bridges Graduate School, which uses the Suite of Tools, developed by twice-exceptional thought leaders Dr. Susan Baum and Dr. Robin Shader, to identify what a child likes, loves, and excels at. The goal of the Lab is to empower students, families, educators, and professionals in creating positive and collaborative learning experiences for children facing challenges in their educational environments.

So today, Jade talks with us about her work and the Strength-Based Assessment Lab — what a strengths-based assessment is and how it’s conducted, what differentiates a strength and a talent, how to encourage our kids to pursue their interests without putting pressure on them to live up to our idea of potential. We also talked about how to get strength-based goals incorporated in IEPs and how to approach meetings when we are trying to shift the focus to our child’s strengths.

About Dr. Jade Rivera

As the Lab Director for the Strength-Based Assessment Lab at Bridges Graduate School, Dr. Jade Rivera leads the Lab to empower students, families, educators, and professionals in creating positive and collaborative learning experiences for children facing challenges in their educational environments.

With over fifteen years of experience, she has designed and led micro-schools beloved by quirky and sensitive children, uniquely positioning her to provide insights into positive niche construction, strength-based pedagogy, and talent development for neurodivergent children. Her training in Nonviolent Communication and Montessori credential inspire her educational philosophies and practices, including project-based learning, dual-differentiation strategies, and gradeless classrooms.

In 2016, the California Association for the Gifted honored Jade for distinguished service on behalf of gifted and twice-exceptional children. More recently, she was recognized as a “person to watch in the 2e movement” by 2e News. She earned her Ed.D. at Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in 2022. She is honored to continue as a professor at the same school, supporting others as they envision a strength-based world for neurodivergent humans.

Things you'll learn:

• How the Strength-Based Assessment Lab at Bridges Graduate School gathers information from the child, caregivers, and professionals in the child's life to identify strengths, environmental obstacles, and dreams for the child's potential
• The difference between recognizing and supporting a gifted or twice-exceptional child's strengths and talents and placing pressure on them to reach a certain potential
• How parents and educators can incorporate a strengths-based approach in traditional school settings
• Ideas for including strength-based goals in IEPs
• Why it’s important to foster opportunities for a child to demonstrate what they love and what they're good at, even in small ways

Resources mentioned:

• The Strength-Based Assessment Lab at Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Development
• Jade Rivera on Substack
• Susan Baum
• Robin Schader
• Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education
• Dr. Joseph Renzulli
• Sunnyside Micro-School
• Sandra Kay / Talent Development

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A frank and open conversation with sex education expert Amy Lang about the risks, impact of, and reality of kids' exposure to pornography.

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There are so many parenting styles — attachment, helicopter, positive, peaceful, authoritarian, authoritative, and on and on. And those of us parenting neurodivergent kids know there is no one-size-fits-all approach for navigating the day-to-day, even when our big picture goal is similar — to raise children who grow up to know themselves deeply and are prepared to live self-actualized lives, whatever that may look like for them.

So I really loved learning about the focus of Dr. Emily Edlynn’s work on autonomy-supportive parenting, which she defines as “raising our children to understand their authentic selves, including developing self-respect, self-worth, behaving by values, the ability to self-govern, and feeling a sense of volition, or control over choices and actions.” She explains how to do this in her new book, Autonomy Supportive Parenting: Reduce Parental Burnout and Raise Competent, Confident Children, and that’s what we get into in today’s show.

During this conversation, we talk about the ways in which autonomy-supportive parenting nurtures a child's autonomy, competence, and relatedness, which are actually the three needs that must be met according to self-determination theory, what “controlling parenting” is and how it can have negative effects on a child's well-being, and how to balance autonomy support with appropriate support and intervention when parenting a neurodivergent child or a child who is experiencing mental health challenges. We also discussed what keeps parents from adopting autonomy supportive parenting and how to navigate it when one’s partner isn’t on the same page in terms of parenting approach.

About Dr. Emily Edlynn

Dr. Emily Edlynn is a clinical psychologist, author, mother of three, and co-host of the Psychologists Off the Clock podcast. She pens the regular parenting advice column, Ask Your Mom, for Parents.com, has written for national outlets such as Washington Post, Scary Mommy, and Motherly, and has been featured as an expert across parenting articles in outlets such as the New York Times, CNN, and BBC. Emily works with children, teens, and families as the Director of Pediatric Behavioral Medicine at a private practice in Oak Park, IL. She lives in Oak Park with her endlessly supportive partner, three opinionated and charming children, and two rescue dogs. Emily’s new book, Autonomy-Supportive Parenting: Reduce Parental Burnout and Raise Competent, Confident Children is out now.

Things you'll learn:

• Autonomy supportive parenting (ASP) is a science-based approach that nurtures a child's autonomy, competence, and relatedness
• What “controlling parenting” is and why it can have negative effects on a child's well-being
• How ASP can be applied to neurodivergent kids by providing external structure and scaffolding while still promoting their sense of agency
• How to balance autonomy support with appropriate support and intervention when parenting a child with mental health challenges
• What gets in the way of parents embracing ASP
• How to navigate it when one’s partner isn’t on the same page in terms of parenting approach

Resources mentioned:

• Dr, Emily Edlynn’s website
• Autonomy-Supportive Parenting: Reduce Parental Burnout and Raise Competent, Confident Children by Dr. Emily Edlynn
• Emily Edlynn’s free newsletter on Substack
• Emily on Instagram
• Emily on LinkedIn
• All Joy and No Fun: The Paradox of Modern Parenthood by Jennifer Senior
• How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success by Julie Lythcott-Haims
• Julie Lythcott-Haims on Helping Differently Wired Kids Launch (Tilt Parenting Podcast)
• Growing Up in Public: Coming of Age in a Digital World by Dr. Devorah Heitner
• Unconditional Parenting: Moving from Rewards and Punishment to Love and Reason by Alfie Kohn
• I Will Die on This Hill: Autistic Adults, Autism Parents, and the Children Who Deserve a Better World by Meghan Ashburn and Jules Edwards

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NPR Journalist Anya Kamenetz discusses her new book "The Art of Screen Time" as well as her takeaways on the latest research surrounding screen time and differently wired kids.

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Overwhelm, sadness, guilt, stress, and exhaustion are common experiences for parents raising neurodivergent children, and this is especially true when that child is navigating the complex landscape of also living with a serious or chronic illness. Unpredictability, financial strain, impact on the siblings, uncertainty about a child’s prognosis can all present significant challenges and lead to parental burnout.

But according to my guest, Dr. Maureen Peteren, it’s possible for parents of chronically ill children to regain control of their lives and thrive at fulfillment. And she would know, as she has a distinct birds-eye view both as a general pediatrician and allergist/immunologist, she has spent her career caring for patients with a variety of acute and chronic health problems and first-hand experience of being a parent of a child with long-term health issues.

I asked Maureen, who is also the author of the book Reclaiming Life: A Guide For Parents of Chronically Ill Children, to talk with us about the ways in which managing chronic illness in children requires parents to navigate overwhelming emotions and advocate for their child's health, even when that advocacy can feel uncomfortable; how maintaining perspective and turning challenges into gifts can help parents cope with the emotional toll of parenting a child with a chronic illness, and the importance of open communication with children and involving siblings in the care process in order to foster understanding and support within the family.

Whether your child has asthma, severe allergies, diabetes, or some other chronic health condition, Maureen’s guidance and coaching will give you practical strategies and reframes for finding more peace in your day-to-day lives.

About Maureen Michele Petersen

Maureen Michele Petersen, MD is an award-winning physician, life coach, author, and mom. As a general pediatrician and allergist/immunologist, she has spent her career caring for patients with a variety of acute and chronic health problems. She is an accomplished life coach who helps parents of chronically ill children regain control of their lives and thrive at fulfillment. Maureen is the mother of three amazing children and has first-hand experience with being a parent of a child with long-term health issues.

Things you'll learn from this episode

• How to navigate overwhelming emotions that come up due to the unpredictability and uncertainty that accompanies chronic illness in kids
• Strategies for maintaining perspective and turning challenges into gifts
• How to create a culture of open communication with other children / siblings in the care process in order to foster understanding and support within the family
• How to effectively advocate with healthcare providers by staying curious and engaged and being aware of emotions

Resources mentioned for Finding Peace in Parenting a Child with Chronic Illness

• Dr. Maureen Michele’s website
• Maureen on Instagram
• Maureen on Facebook
• Reclaiming Life: A Guide For Parents of Chronically Ill Children by Maureen Michele, MD

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Author Melissa Wardy shares her personal story of discovering her children's anxiety disorder and adapting her life to support who they are.

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We’ve talked a lot about advocating for our children on the show, but today, we are adding the additional consideration of race to the conversation, because we know that families raising differently-wired kids of color experience additional roadblocks when it comes to getting support in all kinds of environments, fostering empowering neurodivergent identities and much more. My guests for this rich conversation are Jaya Ramesh and Priya Saaral, authors of the brand new book Parenting at the Intersections: Raising Neurodivergent Children of Color.

They came to this big through their lived experience as neurodivergent moms raising neurodivergent kids in this intersection of race, identity, and disability. Jaya is a psychotherapist in private practice specializing in supporting BIPOC neurodivergent individuals and couples in having more authentic relationships. And Priya is a play therapist and a parenting coach specializing in the emotional well-being of neurodivergent children and parents.

Parenting at the Intersections is a wonderful book, and I did my best to explore some of the concepts they thoughtfully write about, including how parenting at the intersections involves navigating multiple marginalized identities and systems of oppression, why identity development is a complex process for children at the intersections, how parents can create conditions for their kids to be seen and respected, and the ways in which advocating for kids in the education system requires awareness of rights, documentation, and support from organizations and advocates.

About Jaya Ramesh

Jaya Ramesh, MA LMHC, is a psychotherapist in private practice in the greater Seattle area, specializing in supporting BIPOC neurodivergent individuals and couples in having more authentic relationships. She also supports organizations in creating an anti-racist culture in the workplace.

About Priya Saaral

Priya Saaral, MSW, LICSW, RPT-S is a neurodivergent mama, a play therapist, and a parenting coach in the Greater Seattle area, specializing in the emotional well-being of neurodivergent children and parents by helping them reconnect to their playful spirit amidst personal and structural adversity

Things you'll learn:

• How parenting at the intersections involves navigating multiple marginalized identities and systems of oppression
• Why identity development is a complex process for children at the intersections, and how parents can create conditions for their kids to be seen and respected
• The ways in which advocating for kids in the education system requires awareness of rights, documentation, and support from organizations and advocates.
• How unschooling can be a form of resistance in the context of raising neurodivergent children of color.
• How parents who aren't raising children of color can still benefit from learning about the experiences and challenges faced by these families.
• Why community support is crucial in mitigating the loneliness and providing understanding for parents raising neurodivergent children of color.

Resources mentioned:

• Parenting at the Intersections: Raising Neurodivergent Children of Color by Jaya Ramesh and Priya Saaral
• Website for Parenting at the Intersections
• Parenting at the Intersections on Instagram
• Jaya on Instagram
• Priya on Instagram
• Jaya on Linkedin
• Cheryl Poe and Advocating 4Kids
• Akilah Richards on Unschooling and Raising Free People (Tilt Parenting Podcast)
• Raising Free People: Unschooling as Liberation and Healing Work by Akilah Richards

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Debbie talks with Julie Neale talks about her journey as mother to two differently wired boys and how she's supporting mothers in living an E.P.I.C. life through Mother's Quest.

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Many of our kids spend a LOT of time engaging on screens and with technology, and I don’t know about you, but for me it feels like this is an ever-changing, and fast-changing landscape, and one that can be hard to stay on top of. Whether we’re talking about assistive technology, videos, games, or social media, these forms of media continue to offer new ways of interacting, developing relationships, and even exploring identity, and this has added to the complexity of raising neurodivergent kiddos. So I invited Dr. Meryl Alper, a researcher on the social and cultural implications of communication technologies with a focus on disability, digital media, and children and families’ tech use to join me to talk about how we should be thinking about our kids’ relationship with screens and tech.

I reached out to Meryl after reading her new book, Kids Across the Spectrums: Growing Up Autistic in the Digital Age, which explores the often-misunderstood technology practices of young autistic people, as well as what it means to be “social” in a hypermediated society.

So that’s what we get into: the factors that influence a child’s relation to media, how digital media is creating spaces for kids to develop their identities online, and what we – parents, schools – should be doing to better educate kids on safely interacting with online communities and new technologies. We also talked about fandoms and how they have become a part of identity and belonging development, and why every parent needs to spend time understanding how their children are using and consuming media.

If your child, autistic or otherwise neurodivergent, regularly engages with screens and tech, you’ll get a lot out of this episode.

About my guest

Dr. Meryl Alper is an Associate Professor of Communication Studies at Northeastern University, where she researches the social and cultural implications of communication technologies, with a focus on disability, digital media, and children and families’ tech use. Dr. Alper is the author of Digital Youth with Disabilities (MIT Press, 2014) and the award-winning Giving Voice: Mobile Communication, Disability, and Inequality (MIT Press, 2017). Her latest book, Kids Across the Spectrums: Growing Up Autistic in the Digital Age (MIT Press, 2023), explores the often-misunderstood technology practices of young people on the autism spectrum, as well as what it means to be “social” in a hypermediated society. 

Dr. Alper also draws on nearly 20 years of professional experience in the children’s media industry as a researcher, strategist, and consultant with organizations such as Sesame Workshop, PBS KIDS, Nickelodeon, and Disney. Prior to joining the faculty at Northeastern, Dr.Alper earned a Ph.D. and M.A. from the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California.She also holds a B.S. in Communication Studies and History from Northwestern University, as well as a certificate in Early Childhood Education from UCLA.

Things you'll learn:

• Why representation in media is crucial for autistic children to develop a sense of identity and belonging
• How technology can provide opportunities for connection and community for autistic children
• Special considerations parents and educators could keep in mind regarding online safety for neurodivergent children
• The importance of advocating for media literacy education that is catered to neurodivergent children
• Why understanding the individual needs and experiences of neurodivergent children is essential when making decisions about their technology use

Resources mentioned:

• Meryl Alper’s website
• Kids Across the Spectrums: Growing Up Autistic in the Digital Age by Meryl Alper (via MIT Press website)
• Download / read the Introduction to Kids Across the Spectrum (PDF)
• MIT Press open access version of Kids Across the Spectrum (digital only)
• Meryl Alper on LinkedIn
• Scratch
• Wonder by R.J. Palacio

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You may have heard about the “lost generation of autistic women,” which refers to those women whose diagnoses were missed when they were younger because of the male gender bias in the diagnostic criteria. But that phenomenon doesn’t just apply to autism – the same thing goes for girls and ADHD. There’s actually been a lot written about this in recent years, including a popular 2020 article in The Guardian called The Lost Girls: Chaotic and Curious, Women with ADHD All Have Missed Red Flags That Haunt Us.

It’s true that the stereotype of a kid with ADHD is that energetic, impulsive, disorganized boy. But in girls especially it can also look like perfectionism and having a hard time receiving feedback, forgetfulness, misreading social cues and struggling with friendships, drifting off, and inconsistency in schoolwork. 

In this episode, you’ll hear about why ADHD in girls often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, what kind of ineffective coping strategies girls with ADHD may to hide their struggles, and what some of the early symptoms are and how to recognize them. We also talked about the challenges of how rejection sensitive dysphoria, which co-occurs in many people with ADHD, may impact girls, and ADHD burnout.

About Dr. Sharon Saline

Sharon Saline, Psy.D., clinical psychologist and author of the award-winning book, What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew: Working Together to Empower Kids for Success in School and Life and The ADHD solution card deck specializes in working with children, teens, adults and families living with ADHD, learning disabilities, twice exceptionality and mental health issues. With decades of experience as a clinical psychologist and educator/clinician consultant, she guides educators, clinicians, families and adults towards effective communication, closer connections and greater understanding. She lectures and facilitates workshops internationally on topics such as ADHD and neurodivergence, executive functioning, the anxiety spectrum, motivation, perfectionism and working with different kinds of learners. 

Things you’ll learn:

• Why ADHD in girls often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed due to the different ways it presents compared to boys
• How girls with ADHD may exhibit symptoms such as anxiety, depression, forgetfulness, difficulty listening, and problems with social interactions
• Why girls with ADHD may develop ineffective coping strategies to hide their struggles, leading to challenges in school, relationships, and emotional regulation
• Why early diagnosis and support is crucial for girls with ADHD to help them succeed academically, socially, and emotionally
• The ways in which RSD (rejection sensitive dysphoria) can complicated social struggles for ADHD girls

Resources mentioned:

• Dr. Sharon Saline’s website
• Sharon’s YouTube Channel
• Sharon on Instagram
• Sharon Facebook
• What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew: Working Together to Empower Kids in School and Life by Dr. Sharon Saline
• The ADHD Solution Card Deck: 50 Strategies to Help Kids Learn, Reduce Stress & Improve Family Connections (created by Dr. Sharon Saline)
• Sharon Saline on What Our ADHD Kids Wish We Knew (Tilt Parenting Podcast)
• Dr. Megan Anna Neff on RSD (Neurodivergent Insights)
• Sharon Saline on RSD (Additude Today)
• Dr. Donna Henderson and Dr. Sarah Wayland on Their Book Is This Autism? (Tilt Parenting Podcast)
• Is This Autism? A Guide for Clinicians and Everyone Else by Dr. Donna Henderson and Dr. Sarah Wayland
• The Lost Girls: Chaotic and Curious, Women with ADHD All Have Missed Red Flags That Haunt Us (The Guardian)

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Author and life coach Andrea Owen shares her personal story of how she continues to live her best life while accepting and embracing who her differently-wired son is.

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Debbie talks with cultural changemaker, author, and entrepreneur Jess Weiner about how to become successful advocates to best support our differently-wired kids.

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Peter Shankman talks about his new book, Faster Than Normal: Turbocharge Your Focus, Productivity, and Success with the Secrets of the ADHD Brain, and his story of learning how to manage his ADHD and tap into the gifts that come along with the diagnosis.

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I’m happy to share a rich conversation with strategic parenting coach Heather Chauvin about the plight many mothers of neurodivergent kids find themselves in — prioritizing everyone else’s needs over their own and why it’s so critical that we get out of this pattern.

This is a deeply personal topic for Heather. The way she describes it, by living in survival mode as a parent to her three kids, she was robbing herself of joy, robbing her kids of joy by not being a present parent, and robbing her loved ones of fulfilling relationships. And then in 2013, the universe got her attention when Heather was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Going through that unexpected journey pushed Heather to take a deeper stand for change and explore how cultural expectations sabotage our dreams. 

I wanted to bring Heather on the show for this conversation because I hear from so many mothers who are in various states of struggle in their parenting lives — pouring everything into their kids, running on fumes, sacrificing so much, putting incredible pressure on ourselves to do it all and do it well. Yet, as much as we love our kids and want to be their safe place, we can’t do that unless we are being that for ourselves first.

During this conversation, we talked about what dying to be a good mother syndrome is and why so many mothers suffer from it, why trusting yourself can be the best ally in parenting, and how to approach choosing yourself when you think you don’t have time.

Even though this episode is framed for mothers, it’s a good listen for anyone who is a caregiver, especially if you’ve been feeling like your energy is low or frantic, and that has become the norm.

About Heather Chauvin

Heather Chauvin is a leadership coach who helps ‘successful’ women courageously and authentically live, work, and parent on their own terms.

Heather started her career as a social worker helping adults understand children’s behavior. But it wasn’t until 2013 when a stage 4 cancer diagnosis pushed her to take a deeper stand for change, uncovering how cultural expectations sabotage our dreams. She has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Real Simple Magazine, Mind Body Green, Google, and more.

When Heather isn’t working, you will find her living out what she teaches which may include kayaking Alaska, snowboarding, hiking, or anything else that challenges what she believes is possible for herself (and inviting her children along the journey). Life is full of opportunities. It’s time to feel alive.

Things you'll learn from this episode

• How motherhood and one’s priorities change as our kids get older
• How trusting in yourself and your intuition can be a powerful ally in motherhood
• What “dying to be a good mother syndrome” is and why so many mothers are living in that space
• How Heather helps moms take the first steps toward choosing themselves and what it actually looks like
• How to approach choosing yourself if you don’t think you have the time

Resources mentioned:

• Heather’s website and free gifts
• Dying to Be a Good Mother: How I Dropped the Guilt and Took Control of My Parenting and My Life by Heather Chauvin
• Heather on Instagram
• Heather’s Emotionally Uncomfortable podcast
• The Energetic Time Management Habit Challenge

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Video game researcher Dr. Rachel Kowert talks about the impact of video games in differently-wired kids' lives and busts some myths about the potential harms and benefits of gaming.

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I get a lot of requests for different topics to cover on this show, and bullying is a theme that has come up multiple times. And understandably, since we know that children and teens with learning disabilities, ADHD, autism, are much more likely to experience bullying and social rejection. And we know that being on the receiving end of bullying can be traumatic and have long-lasting negative impacts.

So I reached out to Ginger Whitson, an author, mental health professional, educator, and expert educator on bullying, crisis intervention, and child and adolescent emotional and behavioral health and invited her to join me on the show. Because the concept of bullying evokes such strong feelings and likely a lot of misunderstanding about what even qualifies as bullying, that’s where I asked Ginger to start — what exactly IS bullying? And does the bullying today’s kids and teens experience look and feel different from back when we were in school? I mean, with the addition of technology, it just feels like a completely different ball game. I also asked Ginger to guide us on how we should best respond if our child tells us they’re being bullied, if there are ways we can “bully proof” our kids, and how we can preemptively prepare them so they feel they have a plan for dealing with negative behavior from other kids.

In addition to her important work with children and her books, including Friendship & Other Weapons: Group Activities to Help Young Girls Aged 5-11 to Cope with Bullying and The 8 Keys to End Bullying Activity Program Workbook, Ginger, whose work can be found under the name Signe Whitson, is also the C.O.O. of the Life Space Crisis Intervention (LSCI) Institute, an international training program that helps adults turn problem situations into learning opportunities for young people who exhibit challenging behaviors.

About Signe Whitson (Ginger)

Signe Whitson (Ginger) is an author, educator, and mental health professional with 25 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and families. She is also the C.O.O. of the Life Space Crisis Intervention (LSCI) Institute, an international training program that helps adults turn problem situations into learning opportunities for young people who exhibit challenging behaviors.

Things you'll learn:

• What bullying looks like today, taking into consideration the technology our kids use and other changes society has gone through in past decades
• A definition of bullying and what’s at stake for a child experiencing bullying
• Essential strategies parents should follow if their child has been or is being bullied
• Characteristics or traits that make kids more likely to be bullied
• How to talk with kids who have a heightened sense of rejection about bullying and social rejection
• Ways to bully-proof our kids and resources we can share with them
• How we can all contribute to raising more empathetic kids

Resources mentioned:

• Signe Whitson’s website
• 8 Keys to End Bullying on Facebook
• 8 Keys to End Bullying: Strategies for Parents & Schools by Signe Whitson
• The 8 Keys to End Bullying Activity Book for Kids & Tweens: Worksheets, Quizzes, Games, & Skills for Putting the Keys Into Action by Signe Whitson
• How to Be Angry: Strategies to Help Kids Express Anger Constructively by Signe Whitson
• Odd Girl Out, Revised and Updated: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls by Rachel Simmons
• Rosalind Wiseman
• Queen Bees and Wannabes, 3rd Edition: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boys, and the New Realities of Girl World by Rosalind Wiseman
• Dr. Robyn Silverman Explains How to Talk to Kids About Anything (Tilt Parenting podcast)

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Tia Smith shares her story of raising her twice-exceptional daughter (dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, processing issues, and giftedness) and found a way to chart a path that's allowed her daughter to thrive.

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Does your child ever seem disconnected to their body? Maybe they would completely forget to eat if you didn’t remind them because they never experience hunger, or they can play outdoors for hours in freezing weather but because they’re not really noticing how cold it is, they leave the hat, gloves, and coat at home. Or on the flip side, maybe your child is intensely connected? Maybe they experience such strong internal or external body sensations that it is hard for them to pay attention to anything else or it spikes their anxiety or triggers them into fight or flight mode?

These are just a few examples of extremes and variances in interoception awareness, which is essentially the language of our bodies. And for most neurodivergent kids, interoception is a factor in their ability to hear or feel, pay attention, and ultimately respond to the messages their bodies are sending them at any given time.

I wanted to explore this concept of interoception and differently wired kids more deeply for the show, so I reached out to Kelly Mahler, an occupational therapist who specializes in interoception and is a co-principal investigator in several research projects pertaining to topics such as interoception, self-regulation, trauma, and autism.

Kelly answered my big questions about interoception, including how it relates to sensory processing differences or SPD, why it’s essential that we help our children get to know their bodies’ unique language, and the relationship between ADHD, autism, and interoception. We also talked about what happens in our kids’ brains when they increase their interoceptive awareness, and effective strategies for helping our kids develop in this area.

About Kelly Mahler

Kelly Mahler OTD, OTR/L, earned a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Misericordia University, Dallas, PA. She has been an occupational therapist for 20 years, serving school-aged children and adults. Kelly is winner of multiple awards, including the 2020 American Occupational Therapy Association Emerging and Innovative Practice Award & a Mom’s Choice Gold Medal. She is an adjunct faculty member at Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, PA as well as at Misericordia University, Dallas, PA. Kelly is a co-principal investigator in several research projects pertaining to topics such as interoception, self-regulation, trauma & autism.

Things you'll learn from this episode:

• What interoception is and how it relates to sensory processing differences
• What the spectrum of interoception awareness is and how extremes may manifest
• The relationship between ADHD, autism, and interoception challenges
• How to support a child with poor interoception awareness to become more tuned in to their body’s internal experience
• What happens in our brains when we start to increase our interoception awareness
• How to help older kids who’ve been on the receiving end of compliance-based strategies to reconnect with and trust their bodies

Resources mentioned:

• Kelly Mahler’s website
• Kelly on Instagram
• Interoception: The 8th Sensory System (Facebook group)

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A conversation with the author of The Gift of Maybe, Allison Carmen, about what happens when parents raising differently-wired kids let go of their need for certainty and embrace the possibility of "maybe."

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So we’ve talked about mindfulness on this show before, and if you’re in my Differently Wired Club, you know that mindfulness meditation is something I explore from time to time but really struggle with implementing in the way I think I’m supposed to. Like, I always feel like I’m doing it wrong or it’s just not for me.

But as my guest today, Hunter Clarke-Fields, explains, there are many accessible ways to practice mindfulness, even for people like me who feel like they can’t, or don’t want to, slow down. And there’s just no disputing the powerful way that mindfulness can support us in helping us be more present, more grounded, more calm, more open, and more curious when navigating all the big, challenging stuff with our neurodivergent kids.

During our conversation, Hunter demonstrates a few mindful techniques to regulate yourself when you need it that are very doable even if you only have 3 minutes — I’ve actually been doing them since we recorded this, and I’m still at it! Hunter also shared strategies to show our kids compassion when they are struggling and introduces us to what has become one of my most favorite positive self-talk phrases — “permission to be human” — as a reminder when we have less than brilliant parenting, or life, moments. She ended the conversation with a beautiful reflection on why it’s important to see our kids for who they are and be willing to be open to the changes that happen every day for them.

About Hunter Clarke-Fields

Hunter Clarke-Fields MSAE, E-RYT (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a Mindfulness Mentor, Mindful Mama podcast host, mom, global speaker, and number 1 bestselling author of Raising Good Humans, as well as her most recent book, Raising Good Humans Every Day (Aug 1, 2023). Hunter has over 20 years of experience in meditation and yoga practices, and helps moms bring more calm and family cooperation into their daily lives. She is a Mindfulness Meditation Teacher, the creator of the Mindful Parenting Course and Teacher Training, and has taught mindfulness to thousands worldwide, including a recent trip to Egypt. Hunter presents talks on parenting, and is a certified teacher of Parent Effectiveness Training. In addition, Hunter coaches smart, accomplished, over-stressed individuals on how to cultivate mindfulness. Hunter is the mother of two active daughters, who challenge her every day to hone her craft! Her work has appeared in CNBC Make It, Parade, Motherhood Moment, The Hollywood Digest, along with on ABC Portland, NBC Milwaukee, CBS South Bend, Kansas Public Radio, and many podcasts.

Things you'll learn from this episode:

• What we can learn about our values in moments of shame or discomfort when we don’t show up as the parent we want to be
• How Hunter uses the philosophy of “permission to be human” to show herself compassion and accept mistakes will happen
• What mindfulness is and what being a mindful parent means
• Ways to practice mindfulness that are not traditional meditations
• Strategies for showing our kids compassion when everyone (them, us) is struggling
• Why it’s essential that we see our children as they are in the present moment (and not how they were yesterday)

Resources mentioned:

• Hunter Clarke-Fields’ website Mindful Mama Mentor
• Raising Good Humans Every Day: 50 Simple Ways to Press Pause, Stay Present, and Connect with Your Kids by Hunter Clarke-Fields
• Raising Good Humans: A Mindful Guide to Breaking the Cycle of Reactive Parenting and Raising Kind, Confident Kids by Hunter Clarke-Fields
• Raising Good Humans book website
• Mindful Parenting Podcast
• Mindful Mama Mentor on Instagram
• Mindful Mama Mentor on Facebook
• Hunter Clarke-Fields on LinkedIn
• Plum Village Tradition

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Author and changemaker Courtney Macavinta (The Respect Institute) explains why differently-wired kids are especially vulnerable to the “school to prison pipeline,” and how we can make respect the status quo.

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