Autism & Neurodiversity

We struck gold when we invited Doug to come talk about ADHD & autism on our show! Doug is a self-proclaimed research geek who not only has extensive experience working with neurodivergent young people and their families but is also the father to a neurodivergent 26 year old.Doug shares the latest cutting-edge research in naturalistic neurodevelopment coming out of Florida State University and Emory College. There is so much valuable meat to digest in this episode. It’s well worth your time.We discuss the similarities and differences between ADHD & Autism and the prevalence of having both.Doug explains the importance of understanding cognitive fatigue, how it impacts classroom performance, and answers why and what to do about your child who only wants to eat carbs, starches, and sugars.Doug shares with us the one thing research has shown that actually changes the destructive impact of screen use.You’ll learn the thing you’re expecting from your neurodivergent child that is causing you to struggle, what you’re doing that unconsciously exacerbates your child’s anxiety, great tips to help you parent more effectively, and so much more…Doug Maughan is the Clinical Director at Daniel’s Academy, a residential school for young men with academic and social struggles, in Heber City, Utah and also works with neurodivergent young people who also struggle with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in his private practice.What You'll Learn from this Episode:Why behavioral processes don’t work and what does according to new research.What contributes to neurological rigidity.What messaging from the professional realm is causing harm and needs to stop.The reason behind why your neurodivergent child only wants to eat carbs, starches and sugars and why you should let them.According to research, what one thing is the difference between screen use being destructive or beneficial.2 skill sets that will help you parent effectively.What you do that is unconsciously exacerbating your child’s anxiety.Why transitions for neurodivergent people actually cause trauma.The one behavioral principal to keep in mind when you initiate new skill sets.And so much more good stuff…Featured on the Show:To inquire about Doug’s private practice where he specializes in helping young people with Autism and OCD email: [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.

In part one of parenting with confidence, Debbie talks about what parenting with confidence looks like and where that confidence needs to come from to actually be helpful when you need it the most.When you love your kiddos you want to show up as your best self. Listen in to this episode to hear a simple way to practice getting into a confident and secure state of being whether you are parenting a toddler or a teen who is struggling.What You'll Learn from this Episode:Where your confidence needs to come from so you can tap into it when you need it most.A simple tool to help you get out of negative emotional auto-pilot.How to be there for your kids in a more supportive way.How to show up as an emotionally mature parent.How to stop 10-xing upset.How to experience more joy and happiness.📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates.🔵 For deeper support, join our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

We love working with Josh and you’re going to appreciate the perspectives he shares with us in this episode.Josh is an educational consultant who helps families and young people when they’re in crisis and things aren’t working. He matches young people with the best programs for their needs.Josh has dedicated 25 years to working with students and young adults who struggle with learning, attention, social, emotional and behavioral issues, with a focus on specialized placements.He has a well-earned reputation as an honest, direct, and passionate advocate who has the drive, knowledge, and ability to affect change and directly assist students who are struggling, and their families.He visits hundreds of schools and therapeutically driven programs all over the country each year and knows what to look for, especially after working at programs before going into consulting.He shares important things to consider when you create a launch into adulthood plan for your neurodiverse son or daughter.What You'll Learn from this Episode:What types of services educational consultants offer.What goes into making informed decisions.What many neurodivergent young people need in order to have social opportunities.What often happens if we don’t find acceptance for our child’s diagnosis.Josh’s recommendations for parents to focus on teaching their neurodivergent child.What you need to be willing to do to still have a wonderful authentic relationship with your neurodivergent son or daughter.One of the biggest mistakes parents make when making plans for their son or daughter’s transition into adulthood.Featured on the Show:To connect with Josh please visit Josh Doyle Consulting, email him at [email protected] or call (508) 717-1714.Visit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about out our specialized mentoring program for neurodiverse young adults.📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates.🔵 For deeper support, join 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, Jason explains why neurodivergent young people are so susceptible to screen addiction and overuse. He talks about what the real problem is and why taking a sobriety approach to gaming and screen addiction isn’t realistic or sustainable.Jason shares what actually helps neurodivergent young people find balance in their screen use and how you can support them effectively.Gaming and technology are not the problem. Understanding the real problem will increase your ability to influence and offer useful support.What You'll Learn from this Episode:The two major reasons neurodivergent young people are so susceptible to screen addiction and overuse.Why video games are much more addictive now especially for neurodivergent brains.The problem with taking a sobriety approach to gaming and screen addiction.Why just taking away screens and game systems doesn’t work long term.The only thing we’ve found to help neurodivergent young people develop balance with screen use.Why gaming and technology is not the problem and understanding the pitfalls of thinking it is.What the real problem is and how to help.📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates.🔵 For deeper support, join 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 like you were a bad mom or dad? Have you ever had a professional tell you your child is normal and he will “grow out of it?”We’re delighted to share with you this conversation we had with Patricia & Maximilian. They’ve been happily married for over 30 years and are both professionals with a business background.They’re also the parents of a young adult who is twice exceptional: extremely intelligent and creative on the one hand and high functioning autistic with anxiety and OCD on the other hand.Their son has been dealing with anxiety and OCD since he was 12 years old. He did not receive a formal autism diagnosis until nearly 18 years old. They feel very fortunate to have been able to help him – and their family – through several therapeutic interventions. He eventually attended a wilderness program and a therapeutic boarding school, followed more recently with transitional support through our school NeuroDev.Their son is now living relatively independently and attending college. He feels successful and openly credits the comprehensive support he received for his positive trajectory, his ability to manage his anxiety, and his social awareness.They talk openly about their struggles and share some important realizations they made along the way that helped their son.What You'll Learn from this Episode:What you can do when love, consistency, and good parenting isn’t enough.How to cope when family doesn’t accept a diagnosis.Why the way you parent a neurotypical child doesn’t always work with a neurodivergent child.The problem with just letting your child fail.The important thing every parent needs to understand.What you can do if you find yourself at the limit of what you can teach your child.Why the parenting you provide may not be entirely sufficient without other support.The two parenting attributes that will serve you well.Featured on the Show:Parent support organization- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) (Local support groups are also available through this organization.)Visit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about out our specialized mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow Debbie on Instagram!📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates.🔵 For deeper support, join our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

Life can feel like one big juggling act, especially when you’re parenting a neurodivergent son or daughter. Do you ever “drop the ball” sometimes or… a lot of the time?If you ever think it’s too much and feel overwhelmed, this episode is for you.I share a simple way to lessen your stress and free yourself up to not only enjoy parenting, but your life more.What You'll Learn from this Episode:One of the biggest things that contributes to parental overwhelm.A helpful way to evaluate your priorities.How to free yourself from overwhelm.How to focus on what’s most important to you.What gift Debbie encourages you to give yourself.How to stop creating extra stress for yourself.How to support yourself in your goals and quality of life.📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates.🔵 For deeper support, join our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.

It’s time for some neurodivergent girl talk! We invited Caitlin to come talk about the unique presentation and issues neurodivergent females experience. They’re often misunderstood and misdiagnosed or go undiagnosed until later than their male counterparts.Unfortunately, because three times as many boys are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as are girls, most of the research has been directed at neurodivergent males.This makes it even more important for us to understand some of the key differences in how females present and to understand their unique needs.We appreciate Caitlin joining us and sharing her deep understanding and tips for how to best support our neurodivergent female loved ones.Caitlin Galt is a licensed clinical mental health counselor who works with a young adult population at Aspiro Wilderness Therapy Program. She specializes in Autism Spectrum Disorder, NVLD, family systems, anxiety, identity issues, mood disorders, trauma, addictive behaviors, and ADHD.You’ll want to share this episode far and wide with anyone parenting or mentoring neurodivergent females.What You'll Learn from this Episode:Red flags to keep an eye out for if you suspect your daughter may be neurodivergent.What differentiates a neurodivergent diagnosis in females from other common misdiagnosis.Why females often get misdiagnosed or diagnosed later than their male counterparts.Why neurodivergent females struggle to navigate social situations.What is masking and why is it more common among neurodivergent females than in males.The importance of comprehensive mentoring and teaching of relationship skills.Caitlin’s tips for parents of neurodivergent females.📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates.🔵 For deeper support, join our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.♾️ Visit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about out our specialized co-ed program for neurodivergent young adults.

In part 2, Jason continues to draw from a presentation he gave at a Young Adult Transition Association (YATA) conference.Jason gets to the heart of why we need to throw out the usual timelines for neurodivergent teens and young adults and makes the case for a high school re-do.He shares the short list he uses at NeuroDev as a barometer of where a student is at and offers four ways to motivate a teen or young adult to get their unmet and underdeveloped needs met.Those needs go far beyond just educational and performative tasks.He takes a hard look at how we may contribute to our teens experiencing secondary and tertiary issues on top of the primary issues associated with a neurodivergent diagnosis.If you are looking for ways to better support your teen, don’t miss this episode.As Jason says, “You can either make it really hard and be miserable throughout the entire process, or you can accept it for what it is and enjoy the journey.”What You'll Learn from this Episode:What meeting our children where they’re at can look like.Understanding what Jason calls, “Comparison Fatigue.”What is KEY for neurodivergent teens and young adults to be OK.What teens & young adults need to develop well.Four ways to motivate teens & young adults.What we all need to feel good enough.What happens when teens get knocked down too much.Why primarily wanting our kids to DO WELL can be a big mistake and the wrong issue to focus on.Featured on the Show:Visit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about out our specialized program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow Debbie 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.

We’re so happy Joanna came by for another visit at our school, NeuroDev. Joanna has her own podcast ‘Success Is Subjective’ that we enjoy listening to that you’ll want to check out, too. So, of course, we asked her to be a guest on our podcast and record an episode while she was with us.Joanna is a Treatment Placement and Therapeutic Gap Year Consultant, who helps young adults and their families during the important transition time into adulthood.Along with the many challenges of neurodivergent parenting, are the worrisome questions surrounding what will happen to them when they become an adult.It doesn’t have to be a big, scary, looming black hole. There are many good options and supports out there, especially if we keep an open mind.No matter the age of your neurodivergent son or daughter, this episode will help you better prepare for the important adult transition stage.What You'll Learn from this Episode:What you can’t overlook when planning for the transition to college or independence.What you can expect for a timeline.Why you need a plan for how to step back.When it may be a bad idea to push college.Why your focus may change when you consider the bigger picture.Options to help other than traditional college.The benefits of getting support for parenting a neurodivergent adult versus a neurodivergent child.Featured on the Show:Find Joanna at lilleyconsulting.com, Success Is Subjective podcast, Instagram, facebook, and check out some great articles she’s written.Visit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about out our specialized program for neurodivergent young adults.About Jason & Debbie: Debbie is a skilled Certified Parent Coach and Jason is a veteran Clinical Therapist who founded NeuroDev, a school and mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults, together we have 5 children, 3 of which are adopted and neurodivergent that we've raised into adulthood. ⁠We practice and teach NDM or Neuro-Developmental Mentoring, a neuro-science backed, field-tested approach to support your child, teen, or young adult's well-being and development.⁠👉 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 Jason’s first solo episode, he draws from a presentation he gave at a previous Young Adult Transition Association (YATA) conference. He has found one of the most successful treatments for the neurodivergent young adult population has nothing to do with treatment.He goes into detail about the developmental model as it applies to neurodivergent young people. This understanding gives important insights into how to better influence children. It also helps you to be ready for which developmental stage that delays really become apparent.This part 1 episode sets the stage for what a high school re-do is and why it’s often so needed.What You'll Learn from this Episode:Understanding the developmental model and applying it to neurodivergent young people.What stage delays become more obvious so you can be ready for it.The importance of a “high school re-do” for some young adults and what it can look like.What parents tend to focus the most on and why it’s a big mistake.The difference between performance versus well-being or doing well versus being well and it’s implications.Understanding primary, secondary, and tertiary issues with neurodiversity.Why and how to meet young people where they’re at to connect.Featured on the Show:Visit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about out our specialized program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow Debbie on Instagram!👉 If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to leave a quick 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 are delighted to have Nichol, the Executive Director of Summit Achievement wilderness therapy program in Stow, ME, on our show. He is truly someone who “gets it” and does great work with autistic and neurodivergent clients. Nichol shares some great nuggets of insight and approaches like the concept of “safe struggle” from his experience working with this population that you will want to start using.If you are unfamiliar with what wilderness programs are, this is a great introduction to one of the best for serving our communities’ young people. We discuss when a wilderness therapy program is appropriate for neurodivergent young people, especially when an outpatient clinical or residential setting isn’t working.Listen in this week on our discussion and learn from Nichol’s great perspectives from years of experience and passion for his work.What You'll Learn from this Episode:The benefits of working through “safe struggle” to overcome challenges.Why the “outdoor effect” accelerates results.Why we don’t change when were comfortable.The advantage of wilderness therapy for neurodivergent young people.How the Summit hybrid wilderness model helps clients take what is learned outdoors and apply it in real life settings.Teaching “tone, tact and timing,” improving executive functioning skills and handling transitions.Why pot vaping can be attractive to neurodivergent young peopleFeatured on the Show:Nichol Ernst, LCSWVisit Summit Achievement to learn more about Nichol’s wilderness treatment program and Summit Traverse to learn more about their short-term therapeutic boarding school program.Link for Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare (OBH)Link for National Association for Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP)Visit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about out our specialized program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow Debbie 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 first solo episode with Debbie, she talks about some of the challenges in neurodivergent parenting. You love your son or daughter and want them to be happy. You want the best for them, but it's hard to figure it out what to do.There's a lot of conflicting advice and approaches out there. How do you know if you're doing it right? How do you know what's going to help your loved one?Listen in as she points out from personal experience what positive results really boil down to- every time.What You'll Learn from this Episode:How do you know if you’re doing it right?Why you can say and do all the “right things” according to experts and still get a negative result.What positive results really boil down to- every time.Why doing the work on yourself is so worth it even if it’s hard. Featured on the Show:Visit NeuroDevMentoring.com to learn more about out our specialized program for neurodivergent young adults.Follow Debbie 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.

We're so honored to have Dr. Abby Jenkins and Dr. Todd Corelli both licensed psychologists with 30+ years of experience between them, to be our first guests on our show.We’ve learned over the years that not all psychological evaluations are created equal. We invited Abby and Todd to share what goes into getting a good one because they do great ones. They also have great perspectives to share relating to a neurodiverse type diagnosis.They do assessments and administer psychological and psycho-educational evaluations in order to clarify each individual’s psychological functioning, learning profile, and any learning difficulties for a wide range of potential problems including ADHD, executive functioning, other learning disorders, depression, Bipolar Disorder, anxiety disorders, Autism, personality disorders, trauma, addiction and many other diagnostic issues.What You'll Learn from this Episode:What does a good psychologist do?What goes into getting a good psych eval and why it’s worth investing in a good one.What is needed to diagnose Autism or other neurodiverse diagnoses.What they say to parents hesitant to put labels on their child.What advise they have for parents.Featured on the Show:Where to find Dr. Abby Jenkins: abbyjenkinsphd.comWhere to find Dr. Todd Corelli: drtoddtalks.comFor more support visit: NDM.Circle.so👉 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.

Friend hello, and welcome to this first episode of Autism & Neurodiversity with your hosts, Jason and Debbie!In this episode, we're inviting you into our personal journey of raising neurodivergent kids who have experienced trauma, and how that led us to develop Neuro-Developmental Mentoring, or NDM for short. We'll share how the amazing breakthroughs in neurodiversity research have helped us better understand and nurture our children's growth and how they can help you too.As we navigated the complexities of raising neurodivergent kids, we realized that traditional approaches weren't always enough. That's why we created the NDM Circle Community, a safe space where parents and professionals can find personalized resources and support for working with neurodivergent children, teens, and young adults.This episode is all about rewriting the narrative for neurodivergent families and offering a fresh perspective on what true support can look like. Whether you're a parent, professional, or simply curious about neurodiversity, this podcast will give you the insights you need to foster well-being and development in truly meaningful ways.About Jason & Debbie: Debbie is a skilled Certified Parent Coach and Jason is a veteran Clinical Therapist who founded NeuroDev, a school and mentoring program for neurodivergent young adults, together we have 5 children, 3 of which are adopted and neurodivergent that we've raised into adulthood. ⁠We practice and teach NDM or Neuro-Developmental Mentoring, a neuro-science backed, field-tested approach to support your child, teen, or young adult's well-being and development.⁠📩 Want more insights and practical tools? Be sure to join our email list for inspiration and updates.👉 For deeper support, join our NDM Circle Community at NDM.Circle.so—a space for parents and professionals navigating the complexities of parenting neurodivergent young people.