You want to do everything you can to support your neurodiverse child. That is why you’re here reading this blog, educating yourself, and seeking the skills to be a great parent for your child. I’ve worked with many parents and families of autistic children, teens, and adults. And I’ve been able to see so many people put in the work to learn more and become a better parent for their child.…
My Teen Won’t Go to Therapy: How Can I Help Them
All parents want what’s best for their children.
As a parent, you want your child to live a joyful and fulfilling life. And, you want to provide the support they need to do that. You want to protect your child from being hurt, misunderstood, or rejected. This is true of all parents, and for parents of neurodiverse children and teens, the need to protect your child can feel especially strong.…
Shame and Autism: How Neurodiverse People Struggle With Feelings of Shame and How to Overcome It
Everyone struggles with feelings of shame now and then. But, shame is especially prevalent in the lives of neurodiverse people and others with autism. Shame can be triggered by other people, cultural expectations, and sometimes even our inner critic. It’s a powerful emotion that can have a negative impact on our lives in many ways.…
Pacing With Your Neurodiverse Child: How to Slow Down and Take Things One Step at a Time
Many neurodiverse children need more time than neurotypical children to shift into the next activity.
This can be frustrating for parents who don’t always understand why their child is taking so long to do something that “should” only take a short amount of time. But, as parents, it’s important that we learn how to slow down and take things one step at a time.…
Assumptions About Neurodiversity and Autism
“But you don’t SEEM autistic!”
“Don’t all autistic people have sensory issues?”
“But you can make eye contact!”
“You have too many friends to be autistic!”
We all make assumptions based on our knowledge of a topic. The less knowledge we have, the more assumptions we make. This makes it difficult for the people around us who are different.Autism and the Trouble with Comparison
Have you ever heard the quote “comparison is the thief of joy?” This popular quote from C.S. Lewis rings true, especially in the context of my work as an autism therapist. It’s very common for neurodivergent individuals to negatively compare themselves to neurotypicals. Even when they excel at something or possess a very important character trait, they downplay it because they don’t view it as being important.…
Autism Parents and the Importance of Self-Care
As an autism parent, self-care may feel like a luxury. You’re busy supporting your neurodivergent child and taking care of your other responsibilities, there’s little time for much else. But lately, you feel burnt out and overwhelmed. You know you should be taking better care of yourself, yet you never do.…
Autism and Anxiety: Re-Entry Into the Classroom This Fall
You’re getting ready to go back to in-person school after more than a year of non-traditional learning. Whether it was online learning, hybrid learning, or navigating complicated COVID protocol, it was a difficult year. You just got used to your COVID lifestyle and now you have to pivot and change course again because life is slowly returning to “normal.”…
Autism Parents and The Importance of Finding Community
Autism Acceptance: Autism Parent
You’re an autism parent. This isn’t a label you thought you’d have, yet here you are celebrating autism acceptance month. Many parents go through the stages of grief when they find out that their child is on the autism spectrum. It is normal and understandable as they are grieving the loss of a neurotypical identity and the future they expected for their child.…