You Can Grow Your Own Way

We're back with the team from Planet Puberty to cover one of puberty's biggest changes - emotions! This week we dive into mood swings, extreme feelings, lust, friendships and why the brain suddenly spits the dummy. As parents, how can we support our tweens and teens through this tricky stage? And how do we keep ourselves sane?! We talk about all this and more and see what we can detangle.

Remember friendships before children?! Heading out somewhere on a whim, staying up late chatting with wine, regular Saturday walks with coffee, people being available?! We go through a huge transition of how our friendships look when children come into our lives. But what happens when your child is neurodivergent? When milestones look different, social outings need scaffolding and specialist appointments fill your calendar? How do our friendships change? We chat to three parents of neurodivergent children on what their own friendship journey has been like.

The discovery process of understanding our little neurodivergent ones can be an emotional and daunting experience. We can see our children weighed for what they can’t do, have lists made of their deficits and feel our children squeezed into boxes. We'll discuss some of the more frequently used assessments, what they're for and how they're measured. And most importantly, how do we still see our children beyond the reports and results? We’re joined by Stephanie Van Velzen, Occupational Therapist, once again and Rose Purse, Speech Pathologist, who share their knowledge of assessments and their passion for understanding the individuality of each child.

We're back talking all the sticky topics of puberty with Heather Jolly. Today, we deep dive into some of the more daunting changes our bodies can go through and how to discuss them with our neurodivergent tweens. We chat menstruation, strange sensations and period products. We venture into wet dreams, unexpected erections and body shame. We share tools to take the ick out of the conversation and open up honest and helpful dialogue. So let's jump in!

We say it all the time, if you've met one neurodivergent person then you've met one neurodivergent person. So how then do we tailor our strategies and supports to help someone with their individual needs? But what if we could get some guidance? Using QEEG brain mapping and imaging, it is possible to look at how the brain functions to see which areas need greater support. We chat to Daniel Lane from the Perth Brain Centre about how this works and how we can use this information to help us scaffold our children where they need us most. A copy of the images used in this conversation are available at https://bit.ly/3KGetlc.

Let's be real, talking to our kids about body changes and hormones feels scary. It's messy and giggly and feels a bit weird... How do we then navigate the added challenge that neurodiversity can sometimes bring? We chat candidly with Heather Jolly from Family Planning NSW about how to get the conversation started... and ensure it can continue. Part 1 is all about accessing information and how to share it. Let's dive in!

What are neuroaffirming and low demand parenting? Why are they important? And could they have the ability to alter the energy in your family home? Celebrating the individualism of your unique child and placing them at the centre of the decisions made about them is the most effective way to create a positive self image for your child. But what does this look like in practice? And how do we balance this against the need for boundaries and structure? We’ll also talk about how these are different to permissive parenting , and the risks that permissive parenting poses to yourself and your relationship with your child. How do we walk the line to do the best for our child when parenting is already more complex than for many of those around us? Let’s discuss!

In this next episode in our Taboo Topics series, we discuss the realities of child to parent violence, its prevalence amongst children with neurodivergence and its impact. Let’s start by being clear, a child who is neurodivergent is not automatically violent or aggressive, but some are. And it’s parents and siblings who are often impacted by this violence. So how does it happen? We talk to Lee Tempest from VisAble about what it looks and feels like using lived experience. For those experiencing child to parent violence, you are not alone. We will also share any agencies that you may be able to speak to. This won’t be an easy episode, but it’s a very important one.

The world of supports for our neurodivergent child can feel huge and overwhelming. Who does what? How can they help? How often should my child see them? How many supports are too many supports? We want to do the best for our children, but is providing EVERY support the right answer? And can informal supports also have a place in helping your child? We chat to David Trembath of CliniKids, the clinical service of The Kids Research Institute Australia, about how to put your child at the centre of these decisions so you can be neuroaffirming, supportive and help your child be the best they can be.

Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) recently launched Stepping Stone, a program specifically designed to help parents and carers who’s children have additional support needs. So what is Triple P and, most importantly, what is Stepping Stones? And how can it help? Triple P was created in Australia to empower parents to raise an incredible next generation of children. It’s now available in over 30 countries across the world and has seen incredible success. But when your parenting has to look a little different, can Triple P help? We learn a whole suite of skills that are specific to our neurodivergent child, so a program developed for parenting neurotypical children is not likely to provide the correct fit. And that’s why they’ve just launched Stepping Stones. We chat to its creator Professor Mat Sanders about how and why they created Stepping Stones, how it’s different and how it can help.

Neurodivergence can also come with high occurrences of other conditions and complexities, these are referred to as comorbidities. Today we discuss the most commonly occurring conditions - what they are, how they appear and how to spot them. Covering both mental and physical health conditions, this can seem daunting and overwhelming but, as they say, forewarned is forearmed, and, in Leah's own words, understanding these conditions helps us change the statistics and management for our children and those in the future. Leah talks to us not only from her experience running Heale Collab, but also from her own lived experience and shares some incredible knowledge that we can bring into our observation of our own children.

We all know the old adage of You Are What You Eat, but how true is this for our neurodivergent children? Having a regular healthy diet when you are neurodivergent can provide a whole range of challenges. Sensory preferences, digestive discomfort, anxiety about food and other issues can make getting proper nutrition really tough. But what are the benefits of finding ways to inject certain nutrients into your child’s diet? Can nutrition have an impact on our child’s brain health and ability to manage their energy and regulation? And, on the flip side, what happens when a child’s diet is overlooked? We talk to dietician Eleni Georgiou about where to place your energy when trying to get your child to eat well, where you will get your most bang for buck and what to just let slide. We get right into the guts of all things food.

Any parent will navigate challenging behaviours from their children almost every day? But what happens when those behaviours are more frequent, extreme or developmentally inappropriate? How do we build fulfilling relationships with our children when their social and emotional language can be so different to ours?   We chat to Chelle Taylor of Blossomtree Psychology about the grit and muck of parenting, about the days when when it all feels too hard and about how to change the lens on making connections with your neurodivergent child.   This is the first episode in our Taboo Topic themed episodes and we look forward to bringing you more real and unfiltered conversations about the tough stuff.

So what are Learning Disorders? Let’s talk Dyslexia, Dysgraphia and Dyscalculia. How do we define them? How can parents and teachers identify them? What myths do we need to bust about them? We explore the every day challenges that these disorders can create, methods for identifying and supporting, and how we show our children that there are so many ways to be smart! Join us for this in depth discussion with Natalie Trigg, the Director of Thrive Specialist Resource & Community Centre and President of its governing charity, Thrive Teach Nurture Grow Inc. We also want to send a HUGE congratulations to Natalie and the team for their recent recognition. Thrive TNG has just been awarded Australian Dyslexia Association certificate is in recognition of Educational Centres in Australia providing exceptional services for dyslexia and related challenges. This award is very rarely handed out so is an incredible honour showing just how much work Thrive TNG does to support young people with dyslexia.

We cover a lot of loaded definitions on this podcast, and Giftedness is pretty high up there in terms of being incorrectly represented and misunderstood. So let’s get real and talk about what Giftedness actually is, the various types of Giftedness, and how to support your child through it’s challenges. We also delve into the term 2E, what it means and how it appears. We discuss the challenges of people seeing the behaviour rather than the child and how to support them. Dr Susan Nikakis, Vice President of the Victorian Association for Gifted and Talented Children (VAGTC) and author of numerous books on educating gifted children, brings her passion and knowledge to this conversation. This is the final episode of Season 2.

Use the power of language to give you strength to get through those tough times.

Set intentions, create focus and use affirmations to strengthen your resolve.

When you need to shake out the cobwebs to get the job done, this helps clear the fog

A style of breathing to help bring peace and clarity

Take three deep cleansing breaths to calm your nervous system

The conversation around self care is EVERYWHERE at the moment and it’s a buzz term that’s being bandied about for parents and carers of children with neurodivergences. But how much of it is helpful? What is TRUE self care? Why is it important? And how can we find realistic and achievable ways to help us be the best we can, to also give our children our best? Also released this week are a collection of mini-sodes that walk you through short, realistic moments of calm that you can call on in those moments when it all feels out of control. Carer burn out is a real and way too frequent condition and we want to help you find realistic ways to stem the tide. We’re joined by Sheree Inglis, Wellbeing Coach, Yoga Teacher & Reiki Master who’s passion is empowering women to prioritise their own wellbeing. I can’t think of anyone better to take part in this conversation!

Have you ever noticed that certain body movements can help your children feel safer in their own skin? Do you have a wriggler or a roller or a bouncer? Do they seek out your touch or shy away from it? Understanding your child’s vestibular, proprioceptive and tactile systems can be a key to helping them feel grounded and comfortable when other stimuli are overwhelming. We will be discussing what these systems are, why they are so important to the neurodivergent child and how you can be proactive in introducing ways that help these systems to support your child’s regulation journey. We're joined by Lisa Hughes of Occupational Therapy Helping Children as she shares more than thirty years experience of helping children feel comfortable in their bodies.

Occupational Therapists (OTs) can seem like magical “catch-all” wizards for our neurodivergent children. So in this episode we break down what an OT is, what they do and how they do it. We delve into the many ways an OT can support your neurodivergent child’s growing brain and why are they are fast becoming the essential spoke to your child’s support wheel. We’ll also answer some of our audience questions about OTs so we can demystify the incredible work that they do. Speaking with Stephanie Van Velzen, an OT for over `15 years and Practice Director of Uplift Therapy Ballarat, she’ll aim to help us understand how an OT can support your neurodivergent child.

Anxiety and neurodivergence seem to like hanging out together A LOT! Current statistics have approximately half the neurodivergent population also diagnosed with Anxiety. So why do we think they're such great friends? Let’s delve in to why Anxiety often partners up with a range of neurodivergent disorders. What triggers this pairing? How do we spot it? And how can we help our neurodivergent children navigate the symptoms of anxiety within their brain and body? Have a listen to this informative and insightful conversation with Laura Addabo, Psychologist at The ASD Clinic to learn more.

While receiving a diagnosis is incredible for helping to explain why your child may have felt a bit like a fish out of water in a neurotypically organised world, it can be just the beginning of your journey. It can seem incredibly daunting if you make the decision to tell family and friends about your child’s diagnosis. Where do you start? What do you say? And how do you ensure they see your child as the individual that they are, not just the diagnosis? We chat to Holly Karten, a disability activist and artist with lived experience, about navigating complex and emotional conversations with positivity and advocacy for your child.

The terms Regulation and Co-regulation are used often when discussing how parents and carers can help the emotional state of their neurodivergent children. But what exactly do these terms mean? And what is the difference between them? If we are to co-regulate our children, how do we look after ourselves to ensure we’re in an emotional state that is healthy for us both? How do we make sure we can access the best parts of our brain and respond in the most appropriate way? And does regulated equate to calm? Should our children always be calm? We chat to Diana Silva, founder of the Keywell app that helps parents better understand their neurodivergent child.

As many of our ND kidlets are heading to a brand new year of school, this felt like the perfect time to discuss navigating school for our children. So much of our time with and for our children is spent navigating all things school - teacher meetings, funding applications, independent learning plans, early pick ups, modified timetables... So our first episode for this season and for this year is with the incredible Kristie Miller, former small school principal and now Creative Arts Therapist, discussing the impact of busy classrooms, identifying the individual in the child and what an equitable and fair education should look like for all our children. Buckle up, this is one thought provoking conversation! Be sure to follow and subscribe to not miss an episode.

People with a neurodivergence often appear to have aversions and reactions to (or to seek out) certain sights, sounds, smells, tastes and textures. What is this? Why does it happen? And how do we support our children in navigating the world so that they are not overwhelmed by these experiences? What is the difference between Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS)?   We chat with Stephanie Van Velzen, Practice Director and Occupational Therapist at Uplift Therapy Ballarat, about all things sensory!

The Hidden Disability Sunflower Program started in London 8 years ago but has been rapidly gaining momentum in the last few years. What is it? How can it help your ND person? And how do you access it? We interrupt our Definitions episodes of S1 to bring you this discussion with Justin Bruce, the Director of Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Australia and New Zealand to see how the program is changing experiences for people with hidden disabilities.

Developmental trauma has a huge impact on the lives of those that experience it but its consequences are broadly misunderstood. So what IS Developmental Trauma? How is it caused? How does it display? How do you identify it at different ages and stages of life? How can it be challenging for someone who has experienced Developmental Trauma? We chat with Chelle Taylor, Clinical Psychologist who specialises in supporting infants and young children.

FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) is frequently misunderstood and lacks the education and awareness of many other neurodivergences. However current data shows that FASD is as prevalent as Autism. So what IS FASD? How does it display? How do you identify it at different ages and stages of life? How can it be challenging for someone who has FASD? What are FASD’s hidden strengths? And how do we de-stigmatise FASD for parents to enable them to support their child?   We talk with Prue Walker who is a clinical social worker specialising in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and has worked in the out of home care space for over 20 years. She is a fierce and passionate advocate for children with FASD.

What is a Motor Disorder? Let’s talk Tourette’s, Dyspraxia and other motor disorders. How do we define these disorders? What myths do we need to bust about them? How can we identify them? What are the different signs at different ages? What are their challenges and superpowers? Let's dive in!   We speak with Dr Amanda Maxwell, Clinical Psychologist, who specialises in supporting people with motor disorders.

ADHD has been discussed in many ways over the years. It’s loaded with misconceptions, beliefs and judgements. So what IS ADHD? How does it display? How do you identify it at different ages and stages of life? How can it be challenging for someone who has ADHD? What are ADHD’s superpowers? We chat with psychologist Anthony Brown of ADHD Therapy.   *Please note, any mention during the podcast of referring to Anthony Brown as a Dr is the error of the podcast and not of Anthony himself.

Autism. It’s loaded with misconceptions, beliefs and judgements. So what IS Autism? How does it display? How do you identify it at different ages and stages of life? How can it be challenging for someone who has Autism? What are Autism’s superpowers? What was Asperger's Syndrome? What does Level 1 Level 2 and Level 3 mean?   We chat with Helen Graham, CEO of Autism SA.

This is our first episode and we want to start at the very beginning. What is neurodivergence? What is its definition? What are the implied or defined rules of using the term? What disorders does it include? Does being neurodivergent automatically mean you have a disability? When and how is it used?

Welcome to the Teaser episode of You Can Grow Your Own Way, a podcast for parents and carers of neurodivergent children. Being a carer for a neurodivergent child can seem like an overwhelming new world. We’re here to help you breakdown the diagnosis, navigate the big feelings and hear stories of real family life. With specialists and those with lived experience, we’re a little ND decoder in your back pocket. We’ve been there, we get it, we got you!