Autism & Neurodiversity

Parenting is one of those jobs that rarely matches up with our expectations. The challenges of parenting an autistic or neurodivergent is an experience many of us were not well prepared for.Sometimes it's hard to adjust our expectations for what it would be like, what our child would be like, and what our definitions of success look like.If you are feeling disappointed and frustrated, if your relationship with your family is strained, if you often feel unhappiness with your current situation, you will hinder your ability to show up as the parent you want to be. You will continue to struggle to support your child, teen, or young adult in what they need.When you align your expectations with reality, parenting becomes more satisfying.Be sure to follow "Debbie Grygla" on Instagram👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you.📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates.🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

It takes resilience to grow, develop, and be happy and successful in life when we have very real struggles. Resilient children, teens, and young adults are more willing to try things and try at them for longer. Low resilience leads to giving up quickly or even refusing to try.Get some insightful tips on how to foster resilience in your child, teen, or young adult, especially if they are autistic or neurodivergent. Help them embrace failure as a learning opportunity and create a supportive environment where it's safe to experiment and grow.Be sure to follow "Debbie Grygla" on Instagram👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you.📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates.🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Parenting an autistic and/or neurodivergent child can be a challenging yet rewarding journey. As they transition into adulthood, the question of independence often arises. In this episode, Jason explores practical strategies to help neurodivergent young adults navigate the path to self-reliance. Join him as he delves into essential life skills, self-advocacy, safety considerations, and strategies for overcoming obstacles. He'll also discuss the importance of celebrating milestones and providing ongoing support.Be sure to follow "Debbie Grygla" on Instagram👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you.📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates.🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Do you want to raise a confident child, teen or young adult? One who is not afraid to take risks, try new things, and perseveres in the face of challenges? When you get skilled at building their self-confidence you can help them be more successful even if they are autistic, an ADHDer or neurodivergent with disabilities that make things extra challenging.Unfortunately, sometimes the harder we try to build their confidence the more it goes down.It's because we're focusing on the wrong things.Discover the secret to building the kind of confidence that will have your loved one succeeding and thriving.Be sure to follow "Debbie Grygla" on Instagram👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you.📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates.🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Do you have a teen or young adult in your life who is pulling away from you? If so, you're not alone. Many teens and young adults but especially autistic and neurodivergents go through a phase where they need to distance themselves from their parents in order to grow and develop their own identity.When you understand why neurodivergent young people pull away and have strategies to help them through this process, you can play a vital role in supporting their growth and development and reconnecting.Follow "Debbie Grygla" on Instagram👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Our young people, especially our autistic and neurodivergent, thrive when they're met with support and empathy, and spiral down when they're met with shame-based approaches and rejection.It can be challenging to offer empathy, especially when your child, teen, or young adult is behaving negatively or acting out.But empathy is an essential tool for crushing shame and boosting well-being. When you practice empathy, you help your children feel seen, heard, and understood.This can help them to regulate their emotions, develop a sense of self-worth, and overcome challenges.In this podcast episode, we'll discuss the importance of empathy in parenting. We'll also explore the challenges of offering empathy, and how to overcome them.If you want to learn how to parent with more empathy, this episode is for you.Listen now and learn how to:Crush the hold shame has on your loved onesSupport their confidence and sense of well-beingBuild connection, attachment, and trustDevelop your own emotional regulation skillsParent more effectivelyFollow "Debbie Grygla" on Instagram👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you.📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates.🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Does your autistic or neurodivergent loved one swing between manic, over the top, emotions and depression? In this episode, Jason talks about the challenges of extreme swings in emotionally dysregulated states. This can lead to problems in their relationships, at work, and in other areas of their lives. Being more aware of the signs of mania can help us be more effective in supporting the development of emotional regulation skills.Follow "Debbie Grygla" on Instagram👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you.📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates.🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Have you ever tried to stop yelling at your kids, only to find yourself yelling again? Have you tried rewarding and punishing, but it's not working?If so, you're not alone. Many of us were parented with shame-based approaches, and we may be unintentionally using the same approaches with our own kids. But the research shows that shame-based parenting is ineffective and destructive.In this episode, learn what shame-based parenting is and why it's so harmful How to identify shame-based parenting behaviors in yourself. How to break the cycle of shame-based parenting and start raising happy, resilient kids.If you're concerned about the impact of shame-based parenting on your kids, this episode is for you. This episode is especially important for parents of autistic, neurodivergent, highly sensitive, anxious, or strong-willed kids. These kids are more likely to be negatively impacted by shame-based parenting.Follow "Debbie Grygla" on Instagram👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Time blindness is a common challenge for autistics and neurodivergents. It can make it difficult to estimate how long it will take to complete a task, to plan ahead, and to meet deadlines. This can lead to frustration and anxiety for both parents and their children. Understanding some of the nuances of time blindness can help us develop more supportive strategies.Follow "Debbie Grygla" on Instagram👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Have you ever felt powerless, confused, angry, or resentful because you were struggling to hold healthy boundaries with your child, teen, or young adult? Or maybe you thought you were holding boundaries, but they felt ineffective or even damaging to your relationship?In this episode, I share my insights on how to set healthy boundaries with love, in a way that strengthens your relationship, connection, and attachment, while also fostering healthy autonomy and development.I talk about the importance of boundaries, both for you and your child, as well as the difference between holding healthy boundaries and using boundaries inappropriately. I also share some tips for setting healthy boundaries with love, and discuss some common challenges that parents face when setting boundaries, and how to overcome them.If you're ready to learn how to set healthy boundaries with your child, teen, or young adult in a way that strengthens your relationship and fosters their growth and development, then this episode is for you.Follow "Debbie Grygla" on Instagram👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you.📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates.🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Learn how saying 'yes' can strengthen bonds, promote open communication, and guide your child's growth. Discover practical strategies to shift from conflict to connection, leading to empowered, confident kids. Tune in for a fresh perspective on effective parenting.Follow "Debbie Grygla" on Instagram👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you.📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates.🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

If you've ever felt stuck in your attempts to build a meaningful bond, Debbie is here to share a powerful tool that can transform your relationship into one of influence and connection. Discover how this tool can lead to better support for your child's success, development, and overall happiness while enhancing the joy and fulfillment you experience in your relationship. Tune in and embark on a path of growth and understanding in your parenting journey.Follow "Debbie Grygla" on Instagram. 👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you.📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates.🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

"How do you motivate them?" It helps to understand dopamine, the neurotransmitter connected with feeling good and motivated. ADHDers have issues with dopamine levels and transmission. They need more support to increase their dopamine. Novelty is a powerful tool that can help.Follow "Debbie Grygla" on Instagram. 👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you.📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates.🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

In this episode we explore what may appear as laziness or self-sabotage, but is actually a battle with three anxiety-induced barriers.These common barriers overwhelm and frustrate neurodivergent individuals, hindering their progress.Learn how mindful and intentional mentoring can guide them towards taking that leap of faith, break free of barriers, and unlock their motivation.What You'll Learn from this Episode:Uncover the complexities behind the shared challenges neurodivergent individuals faceDelve into how Pathological Demand Avoidance affects personal drive and initiative.Discover the connection between OCD and spiraling anxiety levels.Get insight into “analysis paralysis” and its impact on the ability to make decisions.Get tips for how to support motivation.Featured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

As we celebrate our 100th episode of this podcast, we reflect on our difficult parenting journey and compare what we used to think was most important to what we value now. Join us as we share what we’ve learned matters most.In this episode, you'll be able to:Delve into the power of practicing presence for savoring life’s most precious moments.Explore how nurturing deep relationships can be a fundamental cornerstone in parenting.Get a fresh perspective on the importance of addressing individual needs over conforming to societal norms.Learn the vital role of self-care in maintaining a balance between personal wellbeing and parental responsibilities.Delve into the impacts of accepting imperfections and encouraging the development of a growth mindset in your child’s upbringing.Featured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

It’s tricky to navigate through essential developmental experiences–even more so with autistic or neurodivergent young people. You may even find that you’re sheltering them from those experiences. What if there was another way? A way in which you and your autistic or neurodivergent young person experience less stress and more delight because you’ve been given the tool to do so.What You'll Learn from this Episode:What critical thing you need to do during their development journeyWhat unintended message you might be sendingWhat role autonomy plays in developmentHow to navigate through difficult experiences with more delight and less stressThe developmental experience you don’t want to wasteFeatured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Even with the best of intentions neurodivergent individuals can become emotionally dysregulated. It is a common experience among these young people and it is often misunderstood or overlooked by those around them. Through personal stories we aim to give you the tools to better support your young people in managing their emotions and findings ways to thrive.What You'll Learn from this Episode:What are some causes of emotional dysregulationTips for avoiding intense emotionsHow experiences can be too positiveWho experiences emotional dysregulationEffects of emotional dysregulationFeatured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Is there a better way to view your child’s development and behavior rather than by age? Do you find yourself getting derailed by your expectations of their behavior and developmental stage? In this episode we explore a supportive lens that facilitates a more positive frame of mind for the expectations you have for your child–a lens which benefits them and you.What You'll Learn from this Episode:What are the clues to different developmental stagesHow to avoid setbacks when interpreting things incorrectlyImportant consideration for different stages of developmentWhat is reflected in their behaviorHaving a framework to answer why a behavior is taking placeFeatured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

We’re all doing our best to raise happy and successful children. Even with the best of intentions, things can go in the opposite direction of what we intended. In this episode, Jason shares a personal story about a negative experience he had while parenting his son and the important lesson in it if you want to improve your relationship with the child, teen or young adult you’re parenting or working with.What You'll Learn from this Episode:What makes our best intentions often go wrongThe two parts that together will determine the quality of your relationshipsWhat you need to build a relationship of influence with your child, teen, or young adultWhat to work on if you want to improve your parental relationshipWhat to focus on to help curb negative experiencesFeatured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Have you ever thought about homeschooling your neurodivergent child only to be derailed by your own thoughts of inadequacy? With our guest, Shannon Biancamano, we discuss how homeschool can be a real possibility. She shares her experience and insights into how she successfully does just that with her own neurodivergent children.What You'll Learn from this Episode:Some mind shift changes that allow you to consider homeschoolingThe benefits of schooling neurodivergent children at homeHow trial and error lead to developmentHow you’re able to do what public school does without the stressHow homeschooling can give you greater chances to connect and help foster mental health and happinessFeatured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.Find Shannon in instagram @mystoryhisglory👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Emotional regulation is more than just maintaining a state of calmness. It requires an awareness of self and the ability to connect with others we trust.Another part of emotional regulation is being able to sit in our negative emotions, which are a normal part of the human experience. When we understand that nothing has gone wrong, we are able to develop greater emotion regulation skills.If we model that sadness is bad our children will try to avoid it at all costs. If we label our emotions, rather than avoid them, we are better able to face them head on in the future. Leaning into those stressful circumstances has an immense positive impact.What You'll Learn from this Episode:One area we can focus on for big improvement in quality of life long-termWhy humans are not supposed to be happy all the timeWhat emotion regulation entailsHow mentoring ongoing skill development benefits neurodivergent childrenHow focusing on fixing triggers is more beneficial than practicing regulationFeatured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Our role in co-regulation can have a significant impact on an autistic or neurodivergent’s ability to develop self-regulation skills.Multiple studies suggest this impacts every area of their life and well-being.Are the approaches you’re taking offering co-regulation or co-escalation?This matters!What You'll Learn from this Episode:Why co-regulation matters more than we may realize.What the three developmental stages of self-regulation are and the role caregivers play.How autistic and neurodivergents have extra challenges in developing regulation skills.What approaches you may be using that are actually offering co-escalation.How to support through co-regulation.Featured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.Co-regulation from Birth through Young Adulthood: A Practice Brief👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Have you ever wondered if you are an effective mentor? Is there anything else you could be doing to meet your full mentoring potential? In this episode we talk about four types of roles a mentor can fulfill to reach to their fullest potential.As you build a foundationally strong mentoring relationship your mentee will begin to see greater benefits because trust and collaboration are evident. This type of relationship will help lessen their struggles, allow them to face future challenges head on and give you the opportunity to influence them for good.What You'll Learn from this Episode:How to become an effective mentorFour types of roles a mentor can fulfillThe benefits of each roleHow to decide which role your mentee needs nowHow to become a better mentorFeatured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

There are many barriers to effective parenting, but in this episode we’re going to discuss one of the biggest barriers that I frequently coach parents on, judgement. It often causes our neurodivergent loved ones to become stagnant in their progress and stay there. It keeps us as a mentor in a lower brain nervous system state, where worry, fear and anxiety thrive. This often sends our mentee into that same state as well, which in turn prevents them from learning and growing.What You'll Learn from this Episode:How judgment sabotages our mentoring effortsDifferences of lower and higher brain statesThe benefits of higher brain states in neurodivergentsWhy overcoming our judgmental tendencies can be a game changerHow to better understand and support your loved oneFeatured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Human nature leads us to naturally impute our own needs and understanding of the world on others, but is this best method of developing a relationship with your neurodivergent loved one?We often ask questions that aren’t beneficial for that relationship, like “How social are they?”What if instead we asked, “Does my loved one want to interact with others?”With their needs in mind we avoid imputing our own desires onto them, which frequently causes them to spiral down a negative path.What You'll Learn from this Episode:Why self-reflection as a mentor is importantThe benefits of differentiating between your needs and your mentees needsThe different levels of support neurodivergent individuals needHelpful information about attachment & relationshipsA better measurement standard to determine level of functioningFeatured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Why is a supportive mentoring relationship so important? One of the most effective ways to connect and garner trust with our autistic or neurodivergent loved one is by developing this type of relationship. Mentoring is more than just words–It is more than advice. As we tune into their individual and unique needs as a mentor we avoid unrealistic expectations and better position ourselves to support their development and overall well-being.What You'll Learn from this Episode:How to build trust with your neurodivergent loved oneWhy hyper-focusing on helping them doesn’t helpImportance of realizing that each unique individual has unique needsHow to cultivate a collaborative mentoring relationshipBenefits of connection as a mentorFeatured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Take advantage of the expertise of therapeutic consultant Shayna Abraham. She has been helping parents and families navigate therapeutic treatment decisions for 20 years and shares great insights, like alternatives to traditional university, how to overcome the struggles families face, and why it is so important for parents to find like-minded, supportive communities.What You'll Learn from this Episode:What is a therapeutic consultant and how they can helpAlternatives to college for neurodivergent individualsAdvice for parents about boundaries, loving too tightly and stagnationTips and resources for parents to find supportive communities and self-carePhilosophy of the gap year (It’s not what you think)Featured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.If you would like to learn more about Shayna Abraham, the ALT Fair, or therapeutic consulting, you can go to the following sites: www.preparetobloom.com; www.collegealternative.org or email her at: [email protected]👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Does neurodivergence automatically predispose one to mental health issues? Why is it so difficult for an autistic or neurodivergent individual to manage mental illness? In a subset of this community, severe mental illness is a very real and debilitating issue. There are steps you can take to mitigate the negative effects of those issues.What You'll Learn from this Episode:What it means to be severely mentally illHow mental illness affects neurodivergent individualsStrategies to manage a severely mentally ill diagnosisImportant points for caregivers to considerHow to affect change in lifestyles of the mentally illFeatured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Are you parenting from a behavioral or default mode? Is your child behaving or complying out of fear? Are they stuck in a fight-or-flight brain state? Fear and power tactics damage relationships and development in children, especially neurodivergent children. Learn how to parent from a position of connection and collaboration to strengthen your relationship with your child.What You'll Learn from this Episode:Who loses when we engage in power strugglesWhy influence of power is an illusionHow connection and collaboration lead to deeper relationshipsHow to recognize what is actually in your controlWhy power struggles reduce your ability to positively influence othersFeatured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Neurodivergent children have a more difficult time growing or developing resilience during struggles. For this reason, well-meaning parents often create an environment where their children are not challenged, but instead remain in a constant state of comfort. Learn why this creates comfort and family harmony in the short term, but doesn’t provide the skills necessary for neurodivergent children to succeed later in life and how to prevent or change this mistake with your loved one.What You'll Learn from this Episode:Why comfort is the enemy of growthThe difference between being uncomfortable and overwhelmedThe higher thinking of seeking to be comforted vs being comfortableWhat is necessary for a parent to be a healthy mentorHow doing hard things now makes things easier later in lifeFeatured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

The challenges that come with parenting autistic and / or neurodivergents can be hard. There may be things you dislike or even downright hate. It’s hard to show up and parent effectively when we feel this way. What if you could love your parenting experience? Would you show up differently? Be more effective? Learn how to love your experience and show up in a way that supports your neurodivergent’s development and well-being.What You'll Learn from this Episode:What can often happen when you love parenting.One of the biggest things that get in the way of having a good parenting experience.What we often think is our job that gets in the way of our effectiveness.What our job really is as parents.What to focus on if you want to love parenting.Featured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

There are some common mistakes we see parents making when they set goals for themselves or to help their autistic and/or neurodivergent loved ones. Don’t make these mistakes!What You'll Learn from this Episode:Why the type of goals we set can be a problem.Why a focus on timelines doesn’t work in goal setting for autistic and/or neurodivergent young people.How to look at needs versus wants.One of the most common types of goals that parents set that aren’t in our control.Our role in goal support and mentoring.Featured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

If you want to achieve your parenting goals easier then create a plan to set yourself up for success. Don’t rely on will-power alone. Learn how to have more fun and make it easier to work on your parenting goals.What You'll Learn from this Episode:Why relying on your will-power is not an effective way to reach your parenting goals.Why you need to look at the obstacles in the way of your goals.How to go about creating strategies to support yourself in your parenting goals.The biggest obstacle in the way of achieving your goals.The key thing to do to be more successful.Featured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

The balance of power in a mentoring type relationship with a young person is continually adjusting as a child develops into adulthood.As you parent, shifting ownership to them is an important part of their development. When they are autistic and/or neurodivergent and have a different timeline for developmental milestones it can create challenges as they start adulting.In this episode are some principals to consider when navigating these shifts.What You'll Learn from this Episode:What someone has to feel in order to do something differently.Why you want a relationship of influence instead of a relationship of power.Are you giving then what they want or what they need?The important shift that’s a necessary part of development.The impact ownership of decisions has long-term.Featured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

When one of the children, teens, or young adult’s you’re parenting or working with is autistic and/or neurodivergent they have higher support needs.Having parental goals is important if you want to meet their needs effectively. We as parents and mentors are the leaders. We choose the direction, focus, and goals. We set the pace, hopefully informed by our families needs and developmental stages.When you’re getting pulled in different directions or there are many things your loved one is struggling with it’s important to have one or two main goals to help you focus so you can get some momentum and avoid overwhelm.Choose a goal and achieve it so that this year looks differently than your last year.What You'll Learn from this Episode:Why it’s helpful to choose one or two goals to focus on in your parenting.What can happen when you don’t have clear goals.What you want to do before you choose a goal.Tips for getting started.The two questions to ask yourself to help you stay committed to your goal.Featured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Autism and Co-occuring diagnosis are commonly missed and create complexities that many treatment providers may be missing.Many of our autistic and neurodivergent children, teens, and young adults are being traumatized, triggered, shamed, and misunderstood because their unidentified needs aren’t being addressed in their treatment plans or by their clinicians and providers.We’re excited to bring you this episode of our chat with Tatiana Mathews, the Clinical Director for Atlanta Specialized Care, who shares valuable insights from her extensive experience and expertise working individually and in a case management role with autistic and neurodivergent clients with sophisticated co-occuring diagnosis.Some of the topics we discuss with Tatiana include common stereotypes in the mental health community leading to poor care, patient blaming, what good case management should look like, glaring wholes in psych testing, signs a therapist or provider has quit, and what is needed to improve outcomes for our autistic and neurodivergent young people.What You'll Learn from this Episode:The common stereotypes in the mental health community that lead to poor care.One of the big clues there’s something more to be considered in a treatment plan.What good case management should look like.Signs a therapist or provider has quit.The most glaring whole in psych testing and what turns up in most neurodivergent’s testing.Featured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.Atlanta Specialized Care serving the greater Atlanta, Georgia area or call (770) 815-6853.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you.📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates.🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

If you want the autistic and neurodivergent child, teen, or young adult you parent or work with not to fail, meaning you want them to succeed with their goals, you’ll want to teach and model HOW to fail. The right way to fail. The useful way to fail. How to use fails to succeed. Failing and then shutting down and giving up is a common issue for many or our neurodivergent young people.What You'll Learn from this Episode:Why learning how to fail is more important than succeeding.Why failing is an important life skill.What fails mean.What fear of failure can cause.How to fail in 5 simple steps for success.Featured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Staying curious may be one of the essential ingredients to empathy and our ability to connect with the young people we parent and mentor.One of the goals of NDM or Neuro-developmental Mentoring,™️ the approach we developed and teach, is to shift our focus from trying to fix a problem to a focus on mentoring development.To be an effective mentor you you can’t fake curiosity. There are nuances to utilizing curiosity effectively.What You'll Learn from this Episode:Why curiosity is such a valuable tool.What belief is useful for curiosity.Why NDM (Neuro-developmental Mentoring™️) focuses on a shift from fixing problems to mentoring development.What you can’t fake when it comes to curiosity.What may be keeping us from being curiousFeatured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.Young Adult Transition Association (YATA) Conference👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

When our autistic and neurodivergent young people struggle and get stuck and their development slows or stalls out, there’s one thing that’s usually at the bottom of their struggles. It’s not their neurodivergent brain or their disabilities.It’s shame-based thoughts, stories, and beliefs they’ve internalized. They might pick these up from being a neurodivergent in a neurotypical dominate culture and society. Fails, social struggles and their different developmental timeline can also lead them to beliefs shame-based things about themselves. Even all our efforts to help them can come across like we’re trying to “fix them” and therefore they must be broken.Practicing an NDM (Neuro-developmental Mentoring™️) approach and doing the work of un-shaming can help them expand their capacity and resilience to overcome challenges and accelerate their development. Because when they un-shame themselves their more willing to try things without fear of failing overcoming them.What You'll Learn from this Episode:Why all the interventions, supports, and helps might not be working.Why NDM (Neuro-developmental Mentoring™️) and un-shaming is so effective at removing shame-based thoughts, stories, and beliefs.How we might be inadvertently reinforcing their shame-based beliefs.How behaviors can reveal shame-based thoughts.How to do the work of un-shaming.Featured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Are you heading for an identity crisis? When so much is required for supporting someone who is neurodivergent, oftentimes our identity, our labels for ourselves and how we see ourselves turns into a focus on giving and being there for our loved ones. This can create issues for us especially when things shift as they get older. Jason has some great tips for dealing with this and improving your quality of life. Get full show notes here: JasonDebbie.com/75

Demotivating is the last thing we want to be doing, but motivation can be a big challenge. We want our autistic and neurodivergent young people to succeed in what their motivated to pursue, create, and do in the world.One of the biggest mistakes parents and mentors make is in how they’re unintentionally demotivating their young person.Learn how to break the pattern that are sabotaging your efforts to support them.What You'll Learn from this Episode:One of the biggest mistakes parents and mentors make.How to stop showing up in a way that demotivates them.How to grow your relationship and connection.How to break the patterns that are sabotaging your work and efforts to help.The thing you will want to educate all of your support team about.Featured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.For more on how to motivate your autistic and neurodivergent young person listen to episode 72. How to Motivate Autistic and ND Young People with Debbie👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Aging into legal adulthood is not the same thing as developing into an adult who is ready for the rights and responsibilities governmental laws bestow on adults.Our autistic and neurodivergent young people often still need our support and guidance even if they have turned 18, which is the age most states and countries consider by law to be a legal adult.This legal shift can be intimidating especially if you’re not ready for it.There are ways you can still advocate for what they need until they are developmentally ready to do it on their own.What You'll Learn from this Episode:When autistic and neurodivergent young adults tend to hit their stride.When to consider getting a power of attorney.Tips for continuing to advocate for them.The risks inherent in the developmental process.What mistake not to make.Featured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Jason and I get asked all the time, “How do you motivate them?”The short answer is you can’t.But there are things you can do as a parent and mentor to tap into their own desires and support their success while building your relationship in the process.What You'll Learn from this Episode:Why many common approaches don’t work.The common assumptions around why our young people perform or don’t perform how we would like.How to tap into long-term motivations.The four things to consider that go beyond motivation for why a young person may seem unmotivated.Why it takes a complete shift and not just trying something once or twice.Featured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.Give episode 63. Emotional Dysregulation and 28. When They’re Not Motivated for more help on this topic.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

When you are parenting or working with autistic and neurodivergent young people there is a line between giving your best and martyring or burning yourself out.Don’t set yourself up for failure.Learn the equation for assessing how much to give and to who.What You'll Learn from this Episode:How to assess the line between giving your best and burning yourself out.The equation for effort and return on investment.How to not set yourself up for failure.Why sacrificing yourself may not get you what you want.Why giving more and more of your time, energy, and resources often gives you less and less back.Featured on the Show:For more on this topic listen to episode: 9. Dropping the Ball with Debbie and 55. Avoiding Burnout with JasonJoin our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Many of us with good intentions are sabotaging development.Over time, this can be really discouraging when you’ve invested your time, energy, emotions, and even money, and your neurodivergent young person is still struggling and not making much progress.Listen in for one of the biggest things we see that gets in the way of development.What You'll Learn from this Episode:The biggest thing we see that gets in the way of development.Why we don’t develop when we’re in a lower brain / survival state.What we do as parents and mentors that can influence or trigger sustained lower brain states.When development does happen.What you have to navigate to support sustainable development.Featured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Rigidity issues cause a lot of problems and frustrations for many parents and mentors.When you examine what may be behind rigidity for many autistics and neurodivergents it can be easier to handle and come up with more effective responses.What You'll Learn from this Episode:What someone values when their rigid.What makes it hard for us to see the big picture.How to work with rigidity.When it might be worth it to push thing when you weigh the costs.The helpful questions to be asking yourself to gain more insight.Featured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.Jason mentioned Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) here’s another episode where he goes into what it is in more depth: JasonDebbie.com/16👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you.📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

If you’ve heard the phrase, “You need to meet them where they’re at,” you may be wondering what it really means and why it’s so important when you’re parenting and mentoring neurodivergent young people.When neurodivergents have developmental challenges and their own unique timelines outside the bell curve of their neurotypical peers, meeting them where they’re at and not where we think they should be or where we would like them to be is how we help them grow.Understanding this and doing it consistently are two different things.What You'll Learn from this Episode:What gets in the way of your ability to meet your autistic and/or neurodivergent where they’re at.What it looks like to really meet them where they’re at in their developmental stage.Why it’s so important for long-term growth.How to “meet them” effectively.What questions to ask yourself.Featured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.Alt fair: Saturday, September 10th, 2022, 12:00-3:00 pm, 490 Riverside Dr New York, New York 10024, free to all attendees. Get the details: collegealternative.org/alt-fair👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Problems and conflicts are always going to come up.In this episode, Jason shares an example of how some positive things came from some difficult challenges between some of our students at our school NeuroDev.He changed their names and some of the details to protect privacy.This experience is a great example of what can come from conflicts (which are inevitable) and how with a good relationship, a principled approach, and focusing on what really matters, we can support development.What You'll Learn from this Episode:Why a willingness to not avoid the hard things can lead to opportunities for development and growth.Why having an effective approach based in true principles works.What never is going to stop and what we can do.What it takes to maximize success and minimize damage.A specific example of how a hard situation led to some big positive winsFeatured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

There are nuances with assessing someone’s capabilities that many people miss.In this episode, I share one of the common ways we assess that’s causing lots of frustration and disappointment. It sets us up for unfair and dishonest expectations.It can also hinder development. Listen in for what it is and what you’ll want to do instead.What You'll Learn from this Episode:The assessment measure that mistakenly sets you up for inaccurate expectations.Why it’s not a good indicator of development.What is a better indicator of development.How you may be using things against your neurodivergent child, teen, young adult, or yourself.What good assessment always takes into account.Featured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

The difference between the strengths and weaknesses of our neurodivergent young people can feel frustrating.Passing judgement hurts our relationship.Honest assessment is necessary, but ignoring weaknesses doesn’t work.In this episode, Jason shares the approach and philosophy we take at NeuroDev to support development.What You'll Learn from this Episode:What assessments give us false expectations.The difference between judging and assessing.What shows up in testing for neurodivergents with learning differences or challenges.What usually helps someone get a job and contributes to losing their job.What you don’t want to ignore when you do honest assessment.Featured on the Show:Join our email list so you can get our free 3-part video course: Start Parenting Confidently With 3 Simple StepsVisit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about our specialized co-ed mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow us on facebook and Debbie on Instagram! Join the conversation and comment to share your insights from this episode.👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 5 star review sharing your favorite takeaway. It helps us create more meaningful content for listeners like you. 📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates. 🔵 For deeper support, consider joining our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.