Complicated Kids

As Dr. Ortiz writes in his New York Times piece, it turns out that experiencing independence can do as good a job as exposure therapy for anxious kids. Dr. Camilo Ortiz is a clinical psychologist and a professor of clinical psychology at Long Island University. He currently specializes in anxiety and parenting. Join us for this fascinating conversation. To learn more about Dr. Ortiz, visit his website at www.drcamiloortiz.com.

In this week's interview, we're talking about the choreography of parenting through attunement and attachment with the amazing Judith Wides. When it goes well, the dance of parent-child interaction is fun and easy. But for some parents and kids, that dance can be full of missteps. Join us as Judith shines light on how to help parents form unbreakable bonds and open to their children's needs. To find out more about NCRC, the inclusion model preschool we discuss in the episode, visit https://www.ncrcpreschool.org.

Kelley Coleman knew that raising kids would be challenging, but she wasn't prepared for all the things she would need to learn, all the people she would need to find and all the skills she would need to acquire when her second son was born with multiple disabilities. With humor and directness, Kelley has written the book she wished had existed when her son was born, and outlined what parents of complicated kids might need to know on their parenting journey. Join us for lots of laughs and some shifts in perspective you didn't even know you needed. You don't want to miss this one. Find out more about Kelley and her book by visiting www.kelleycoleman.com.

Jason DellaValle - creator of Live Action Fitness - is not your average fitness instructor. He's not even your average adaptive fitness instructor. Jason has developed an inclusive program for kids 10 and up that brings gaming, motivation, executive functioning and social learning into an environment where Complicated Kids are happy to work out and make progress on their fitness goals. What?! Join me for this fun and informative conversation! And find out more about Jason at https://adaptivemovement.live.

Moms in Motion is a fabulous Virginia-based organization that I was delighted to discover recently. Anna Thomas joins me to talk all things Virginia Medicaid Waiver, including: how people qualify (spoiler alert: the waiver is based on the income of the person with the disability!); what services are offered by Moms in Motion; and how to access them. You won't want to miss this conversation about a service that makes a huge difference in the lives of the families it serves. To find out more about Moms In Motion and the ways they can help you navigate the waivers in Virginia, visit their website at www.momsinmotion.net.

This week I am joined by Whitney Ortiz of Eliana's Light, an organization that focuses on providing the care needed for whole families who have a family member with a serious or life threatening medical complexities. In this powerful interview, Whitney and I talk about her story of the struggles that her and her family experienced while caring for Eliana through her heart condition. Whitney shares some often overlooked needs of families in this position, addresses the lack of support for these families and shares with us how she is making a difference in the lives of those in the DC, VA and MD communities. To find out more about Eliana's Light and the incredible impact that Eliana is making on the world even after her passing and the ways that Whitney can help you and your family get some relief from the stressful times of caring for a sick child, visit her website at www.elianaslight.org or email Whitney directly at [email protected]. You can also find more resources that can help by visiting her partner page at www.findhelp.org.

Is mouth breathing just annoying or can it massively affect your health? Speech Language Pathologist and myofunctional expert Dr. Dawn Moore joins me to talk about the importance of nose breathing and how it influences many aspects of our lives. We talk about Dr. Moore's personal and professional experiences with tongue thrusts, how the size and shape of human faces is changing (and not for the better), and why that matters for both kids and adults. To find out more about Dawn, visit her website at www.thetonguedr.com.

When the family of a child with disabilities or delays gets support alongside that child, they all thrive. CEO and Founder of Grounded Learning, Martha Hoffman joins me to discuss the importance of a whole family approach to therapy and support. Martha is a long time educator who stresses the importance of prioritizing the needs of each, individual family member in order to help deal with the unique challenges of living with a child with disabilities. From societal pressures to challenging homework policies, Martha and I cover it all. To find out more about Martha, visit her website at groundedlearningdc.com.

As a teen, Jerry Bures had a conflicted relationship with his authoritarian father. So, he decided that when he had children, he would be a different kind of parent to his 6 children (including one with severe and complex medical needs). It sounded simple enough, but it isn't an easy journey. Join us for this conversation about Crisis Parenting, parenting complicated kids, balancing sibling relationships, and taking care of ourselves in the midst of it all. To find out more about Jerry and classes he runs for parents, visit www.instituteforconfidentparenting.com.

Who is forgiveness for? Whom do we need to forgive? And Why? Dr. Layla Salek is a psychologist who works with families of children with developmental disabilities. Those are some of the questions that we talked about in a conversation about growing up with and then treating kids with trauma, as well as lessons learned from those experiences. To find out more about Dr. Salek, visit her website at www.drsalek.com.

Pathological Demand Avoidance or Pervasive Drive for Autonomy -- what is PDA? Join me and Casey Ehrlich, of At Peace Parents, to unpack the acronyms and what they mean. We'll talk about kids' nervous systems and the high levels of stress that kids with an ASD (autism spectrum disorder) PDA profile have. We'll make sense of their behavior and discuss some "bad parenting" techniques to make things smoother at home. To find out more about Casey and how she may be able to shed some light on PDA issues with your child, visit her website at www.atpeaceparents.com.

This week's episode of the Complicated Kids Podcast features fellow SLP, Ayurvedic health counselor and founder of Evolved Therapy, Erin Browning. Erin shares with us her extensive experience and innovative approach to therapy. We talk about how traditional education in speech and language therapy often focuses narrowly on specific aspects without considering the broader context of a person's needs, the importance of breathing properly in order to support all functioning of the body and the importance of building rapport, trust, and genuine connections with clients. To find out more about Erin, visit her website at www.evolved-therapy.com.

I was delighted to be joined by Ayelet Marinovich, founder of Learn with Less. We covered a RANGE of topics, including how becoming parents changed the way we think about our roles, how Ayelet leveraged her need for connection as a new mom into the programs she now runs for families and facilitators, how all of child development is interrelated, and how toys are OPTIONAL. As we gear up for the holidays, you'll want to stay tuned till the end of the episode for some pro tips on toy selection. To find out more about Ayelet, visit her website at www.learnwithless.com. Or find her on all the socials at learnwithless. If you want to grab her Infant and Toddler Blueprint, go to www.learnwithless.com/blueprint.

Ron Shuali came on the podcast to not only inform with his knowledge of child development and education but also to entertain and delight with his "neurohacks" for staying calm and his larger-than-life persona. Suffice it to say that we both had a blast recording this episode. We hope you have a blast listening to it: there are so many nuggets! To find out more about Ron and how you can get him to speak at your organization, visit www.ronspeak.com. You will not be disappointed.

What are Emotional Support Parents? Well, they are NOT Helicopter Parents or pushovers or permissive parents. They ARE parents who are highly attuned to the needs of their highly sensitive (often anxious) children. Being an ESP is often necessary (because the child in question has a lot of emotional needs) but also exhausting for parents. Join us to talk about Emotional Support Parents and how parents can both support their complicated kids while also guarding their own parental mental health. Claire Lerner is trained as a clinical social worker, psychotherapist, and child development specialist with over 30 years of experience working with children and families in a range of capacities. She is also the author of "Why Is My Child In Charge?" which can be found on her website www.lernerchilddevelopment.com.

Dr. Taylor Day is a child psychologist in private practice who is thinking about autism a little differently from many others in the field. She and I sat down to discuss how to support all the family members, not just the autistic ones; why early intervention and early diagnosis is so important, and how an autism diagnosis can be made as early as 14 months. (DON'T WAIT!) We talk about "Mommy Gut" and how that's a real thing, and we also give some tips for managing the mental (and TIME) load of having a child with an autism diagnosis. Don't miss this engaging conversation with a wonderful and experienced professional. To find out more about Dr. Day, visit her website at www.drtaylorday.com.

Kelly Mahler is an occupational therapist who specializes in interoception, and I was so happy to have recorded this interview with her. Kelly sheds light on how interoception, the awareness of our internal body signals, significantly impacts children's (and adults'!) emotional well-being. Discover how interoception is distinct from other sensory processes and how it influences so many aspects of daily life, including emotional regulation. We chat about the role of mindfulness practices in enhancing children's self-awareness by making them more attuned to their body's signals. We also explore the use of interoception in toilet training, a crucial skill for kids' independence and development. This episode offers a profound perspective on emotions as informative rather than "good" or "bad" and provides valuable resources for parents and professionals interested in delving deeper into interoception. To find out more about Kelly visit her website at www.kelly-mahler.com.

What do we do when articulation therapy isn't working? Join me and Arielle Gates, a speech-language pathologist, to answer that question. We discuss how articulation disorders, specifically difficulties in pronouncing sounds like the letter "R," can be intertwined with myofunctional issues. We explore the signs and symptoms in older elementary school-aged children and the importance of considering the broader context of airway and muscle function. Arielle also shares a success story of a child who underwent a myofunctional journey, and emphasizes the significance of a multidisciplinary approach involving professionals like dentists, ENTs, physical therapists, and occupational therapists. To find out more about Arielle and her practice visit her website at www.stellarslp.com.

Lacie Brueckner and Kat Pendergast joined me to talk about death and dying and how to help kids through this tough subject. Lacie and Kat are the authors of "Goodbye Bella," a book that helps children cope with the loss of a beloved pet. Our conversation leads into the importance of discussing death with children and provides valuable insights into how to navigate the grieving process, as well as ways to honor and remember those who have passed away. Kat and Lacie share their personal experiences and the positive impact their book has had on families dealing with pet loss and other forms of grief. This episode highlights the significance of open conversations about death and the healing power of sharing memories and emotions with children. You can find the book on Kat's website at katssocks.com or on Amazon.

This week's Complicated Kids Podcast episode features parent coach, school principal and ex-arsonist (more on that), Ben Pugh. Ben helps parents better understand their relationships with their children and changes their perspective to create understanding and support. Ben talks with us about his experience that really led him to support kids and parents the way that he does, the impact of prioritizing your own healing to better support the decisions that your children are making, how it's never too late to improve your relationships and combat generational trauma, and much more. To gain a new perspective from an educator, former troublemaker, and enlightened human being, give this inspiring episode a listen. To find out more about Ben and how he may be able to help you improve your relationships, visit, www.benpughcoaching.com/relationship.

In this episode of the Complicated Kids Podcast, I am joined by Ed Thompson, the CEO and founder of Uptimize, to discuss the importance of neurodiversity in the workplace. Ed shares insights from his book, "A Hidden Force: Unlocking the Potential of Neurodiversity at Work," and explains how Uptimize is leading the way in training organizations to embrace neurodiversity. We chat about the impact of neurodiversity on organizations, including the benefits of diverse thinking styles, the challenges neurodivergent individuals face, and the concept of masking. Ed highlights the value of creating inclusive and supportive work environments and provides real-world examples of how Uptimize's approach has helped organizations hire and retain top talent. To find out more about Ed and Uptimize, visit uptimize.com or grab a copy of his book "A Hidden Force: Unlocking the Potential of Neurodiversity at Work" on Amazon. This episode challenges common misconceptions about neurodiversity and underscores the financial and cultural benefits of fostering inclusivity and diversity in the workplace.

Dr. Dan Shapiro is one of my favorite people to talk to about child development. Dr. Dan is the founder of Parent Child Journey, Author, and a Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician. This interview was recorded a couple of years ago, but it still holds up. We discuss what professionals should parents seek out first, why kids can't do things today that they were able to do yesterday (performance inconsistency), and how challenging behavior IS communication. Dr. Dan shares his wealth of knowledge and experience as we talk about navigating child development challenges, the power of positive assumptions, his "time-in" method, and his parent coaching program, Parent Child Journey. Check out this episode to hear from one of the leaders in providing support for parents in need of some guidance. To find out more about Dan's parent coaching program and get access to his amazing books, visit his website at www.parentchildjourney.com.

Cultivating a sense of resilience in ourselves and our kids is crucial. That's why I was thrilled to welcome, psychologist, youth leader, and author of Mastering Resilience: Transforming Into Your Purpose, Dr. Lorry Leigh Belhumeur. Lorry and I talk all about her book, including her motivation for writing it, who the book is for, and what kind of results people can see from following her recipe for resilience. We also talk about our shared passion for uplifting youth and the profound impact that cultivating resilience can have, not just on kids, but also on their adults. To find out more about Lorry, visit her website at www.masteringresilience.com. You can also find her book at Barnes and Noble and Amazon.

This week I had the opportunity to speak with Educational Consultant, Stephanie Frumkin. Stephanie has been an educator and worked with educators for her entire career. Stephanie and I talk about how she helps parents find the right educational structure for their children. We talk about the different models of school, the difference between private, public and homeschool, and what she can do to assist children with special educational needs such as 504 plans and/or IEPs. Listen to the latest episode of the Complicated Kids Podcast to hear more. To find out more about Stephanie and how she may be able to help you or your child with educational decisions, visit her website at www.exceptionaleducationalsolutions.com.

In this week's episode of the Complicated Kids Podcast I talk about treating the whole system in our kiddos. I go into the importance of realizing the connections between different parts of the system, the benefits of sleep, nutrition, environment, and breathing and how they are all connected. I talk about some things that could cause issues with your child's behavior that may not be apparent and how one problem in one system can cause other systems to have issues. Listen to the episode to find out more about the connections between body systems and behavior.

What is Applied Behavior Analysis, who does it and how can we individualize therapy WITH child development in mind. Join Becca Correll, owner of the Language and Behavior Center, and me for this engaging conversation. We'll chat about collaboration between professionals, how she came to ABA, and what this approach has done to help her clients.

In this week's Complicated Kids Podcast I chat with SpeechKids therapist and mother, Keisha Berry. Keisha has been homeschooling her children for 10 years now and shares with us some of apprehension she experienced before committing to homeschool, the freedom and ease she experiences with her role facilitating her children's learning, how important it is to have a tribe that can help, and how she utilizes a schedule to keep surprises from disrupting her day. Listen to the podcast to here more about Keisha's experience homeschooling her children, being a working mom, and creating amazing human beings in the process. Visit SpeechKids.com to find out more about Keisha.

In this week's Complicated Kids Podcast we'll talk about the importance of teacher fit for Orchids. In general, Orchids are highly sensitive which makes them sensitive to the energy of other people. I talk about things to look for that will let you know that they are not a good fit, and what steps to take if you do notice these signs.

What is self-directed education? This week on the Complicated Kids Podcast, I sit with Catina Sweedy from the Embark Center for Self-Directed Education to talk about just that. We discuss the benefits of an education model where kids are "in charge" who benefits from that model, and how. We also talk about why traditional educational models often don't serve "square peg" kids. Listen to the podcast to hear more about this alternative form of education. To find out more about Catina and her non-profit, visit www.embarkcenter.org.

In this week's Complicated Kids Podcast episode, I talk with you about taking a hiatus from speech therapy and discontinuing it altogether. I touch on some scenarios where it is okay to take a break, somewhere I would suggest not losing momentum, and what it looks like when we reach a point where your kiddo will no longer need speech therapy.

This week I spoke with the very intuitive and highly experienced parent coach, Jen Kiss. Jen is not only a parent coach, but one that specializes in helping parents with neurodiverse children as the mother of a neurodiverse child herself. Jen and I talk about her experience as a mother, some of the things she told herself in early motherhood, and what strategies she has learned along the way for nurturing her Orchid child. We also talk about the societal expectations of parents and children, the extra needs of orchid children, and myths about parenthood. To find out more about how Jen may be able to help you, visit her website at www.happyparentingandfamilies.com.

Michelle Tresemer is a successful professional with 2 thriving businesses. She, her husband and two of their children all have ADHD. Join us as we talk about the life hacks that help Michelle and her family stay organized as well as the mindset shifts that happened as a result of her diagnosis. We also chat about fighting the diagnosis and what it looks like to surrender and know your weaknesses in order to address them in a way that works for you. Get in touch with Michelle at www.pupshoot.com.

This week's Complicated Kids Podcast episode features special education expert, child advocate, and founder of the Weinfeld Education Group, Rich Weinfeld. Rich has spent nearly 50 years in education and thrives in helping advocate for those with developmental delays and learning disabilities find the right care. We talk about his process for gathering information about the clients he works with, what the collaboration with other professionals in the child's life looks like, the basis of his services, and what they seek to accomplish in The Weinfeld Education Group. We also talk about what 2E or twice exceptional means. Watch the video to find out more. To find out how you can work with Rich and his team of 15 amazing special education professionals, visit www.wegadvocacy.com.

This week I welcome back Karese Laguerre to talk a little more about myofuctionality… specifically tongue tie. Karese has a background as a dental hygienist but helps children with oral dysfunction and breathing issues in her free time. We start by explaining what a tongue tie is, how it can affect a child from birth on, the process and considerations of correcting the tongue tie, and some of the myths and rumors around this. We also talk about the troubles with breastfeeding, when it is not a good idea to correct a tongue tie with surgery, and much more. Watch the video to hear more. To find out more about Karese and how she may be able to help you, pick up her book Accomplished: How To Sleep Better, Eliminate Burnout, and Execute Goals, or visit her website www.themyospot.com.

This week's episode features a wonderful conversation with the brilliant Karese Laguerre to talk about her work in myofunctional therapy. Karese has a background as a dental hygienist but helps children with oral dysfunction and breathing issues in her free time. We talk about some of the things that cause these issues, how she evaluates her clients, how she got into providing this kind of help, and some of the things to look out for that may be warning signs of myofunctional issues. Watch the video to hear more. To find out more about Karese and how she may be able to help you, pick up her book Accomplished: How To Sleep Better, Eliminate Burnout, and Execute Goals, or visit her website www.themyospot.com.

Amazing SLPs and Authors of children's books Holly Rosensweig, Stephanie Cohen, and Stephanie Anderson join me to discuss the strategies they use to keep children engaged, help them learn early sounds, and learn to say new words. We discuss how their backgrounds in speech therapy inspired them to write their books, what influenced the visuals they chose, and future projects they will be sharing with the world soon. Stephanie Anderson can be reached at her website, www.twinCitiesSpeechTherapy.com or on Instagram and Facebook @TwinCitiesSpeechTherapy. You can find her book, The Imitation Book, on her website or Amazon. Stephanie Cohen is on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok @LearnToTalkWithMe. Her Learn to Talk with Me book series is at at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Walmart, and independent bookstores around the country. Find Holly and her new book, Let's Go Puppy, releasing on June 27th, 2023 at www.StoryBookConnection.com or on Instagram @StoryBookConnection.

In this week's Complicated Kids Podcast episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with SpeechKids SLP and amazing human being, Rose Reyling. Rose has been with SpeechKids since October of 2020 and is thriving with all of her clients, proving what an amazing asset she is to not only the SpeechKids team but kiddos that need support in their speech and language development. We talk about her past experience as an SLP, some of her favorite types of clients, and how she has seen parents and kids soar in virtual and microdose settings. Check out this podcast to hear more of Rose's expertise.

What a treat to be joined by Drs. Sarah Wayland and Donna Henderson today! Their new book: Is This Autism: A Guide for Clinicians and Everyone Else is the jumping-off point for our conversation, but we dive into so much more: the varied health effects of autism that are often missed, what autism actually looks like sometimes, and what autistic girls have taught us about autism. You won't want to miss this one.

Child psychologist and author, Shoshana Levin Fox joins me this week to talk about her work with kids on the autism spectrum. We cover diagnosis, treatment and - most importantly -- putting the child at the center of our intervention. And although we didn't resolve whether autism is or isn't misdiagnosed, we did have a lively conversation about it. To learn more about Shoshana, visit www.shoshanalevinfox.com or pick up her book, An Autism Casebook for Parents and Practitioners: The Child Behind the Symptoms.

Emily Griffin is a perinatal, parenting and relationship coach and therapist. She and I sat down recently to talk about complicated kids and complicated parenting. We covered everything from that sense of panic we all feel when Baby comes home, to Complex Childhood Trauma and why it's so important to attend to our own needs in order to attend to our kids' needs. To find out more about Emily and how you can use her expertise to help, visit her website at HappyParentsHappyBabies.com.

In this week's episode of the Complicated Kids Podcast I welcome back Education Advocate Consultant and educator, Kristen Eccleston. This time we talk about the importance of building relationships and trust with students. We'll discuss important boundaries in those relationships, different strategies for building trust, and how paying attention to the little things that are important to kids can go a long way. To find out more about Kristen visit her website at www.theneurodiverseteacher.com.

In this week's podcast, I talk with the Founder of Clever Noodle, education specialist, and mom of a neurodiverse child, Jacquelyn Davis. Jacquelyn and I talk about her journey helping her youngster how to read, the overwhelm in the public school system, advocating for your children, and much more. To learn more about how Jacquelyn and Clever Noodle are changing the education game, visit www.clevernoodle.com.

This week I am joined by the founder of Truth In Common, Deanna Troust, to talk about keeping kids safe in the online world. Deanna and I discuss technology and kids, dis- and misinformation on the internet and apps, algorithms and how they affect what you see online, the constant battle to ensure your kids feel free but also protected from online negativity, and much more. Find out more about Deanna by visiting her website www.truthincommon.org.

SLP and author, Christina Pompeo, joins us this week to talk about everything dyslexia. Christina co-wrote the book The Speech Pathologist Guide to Dyslexia with a few other SLPs and spoke with us about her journey in creating her part. We'll talk about diagnosing dyslexia, the importance of phonological awareness, and some of the challenges for SLPs in treating dyslexia. To find out more about Christina, visit www.connectbyclp.com or connect with her on Instagram @ChristinaPompeo.

In this week's podcast I talk about developmental milestones and why they are important, and why they are not, especially in complicated, or orchid kids. I talk about how often we should check in on these milestones, how that changes with age, and what we need to do to support our child being where they are at the moment. These milestones are just an average age for when a child should be performing certain behaviors and does not mean that every child MUST be doing these things to be okay. Listen to the podcast to hear more.

In this week's podcast, I had the absolute pleasure to chat with Kristen Eccleston. Kristen is an Award Winning Education Advocate Consultant, keynote speaker and published author that helps families understand their options and resources for getting their children the help they need in school. She has worked with thousands of students and families in addition to some of the major global management consulting firms. After more than 15 years in the school setting, Dr. Eccleston left classroom teaching to significantly amplify her impact on mental health and neurodiversity approaches in schools and workplace settings. Join us as we dive into the world of education and how to advocate for your child's needs. Find out more about Kristen and how she can help you and your family by visiting www.wegadvocacy.com.

In this video I get to talk with trained therapist and child development and parent expert, Claire Lerner. Clair has been helping parents dissect their child's behavior with her expertise since the late 80's and is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to dealing with your kids. We talk about how she helps parents to better understand the issues that they may face and that are unique to each child. She helps parents by assisting them in understanding why they are acting the way that they are. Not only does it have to do with their environment, but the context of the situation. We often don't give enough credit to the little things and how they are able to make our children feel the way that they do.

In this interview I had the amazing opportunity to chat with an absolute powerhouse in the SLP community, Sara Rosenfeld Johnson. Sara not only helped in making Oral Placement Therapy make sense to SLPs throughout the world, but she is an author, founder of TalkTools, mother of 3 and grandmother of 8. Sara discusses her career, the struggles she faced as a student, the obstacles she overcame as a therapist, and what she discovered about the link between mind and body when it comes to speech therapy.

In this week's podcast I sat down with author, non-profit creator, dietician, and nutritionist, Kelly Dorfman. Kelly has worked with doctors throughout the country and children and their families throughout the world in order to help those that have developmental issues figure out if the food they are eating may be the cause of some of those issues.

During this interview, I get to talk to the amazing Martha Adler about a tough subject. Tune in to hear more about our children's experience with death and what different ways we frame it for them can result in.