Full-Tilt Parenting: Strategies, Insights, and Connection for Parents Raising Neurodivergent Children

Today we’re talking about one of my favorite topics — what it really means to connect, collaborate, and let go of control as our kids grow into themselves as they enter the transformative teen years. My guest is Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart, a pediatric psychologist and parent coach who helps overwhelmed parents raise confident, emotionally healthy kids and teens, and the author of the brand new book,...

Many of our kids spend a LOT of time engaging on screens and with technology, and I don’t know about you, but for me it feels like this is an ever-changing, and fast-changing landscape, and one that can be hard to stay on top of. Whether we’re talking about assistive technology, videos, games, or social media, these forms of media continue to offer new ways of interacting, developing relationships...

My guest today is education leader and author Chris Balme, here to talk about his brand-new book Challenge Accepted: 50 Adventures to Make Middle School Awesome. In it, Chris gives middle schoolers themselves the tools to turn the ups and downs of adolescence into an adventure filled with meaning, growth, and connection. In our conversation, Chris shares why adventure and healthy risk-taking are s...

Today is an important conversation about online communities and internet rabbit holes. And I felt pulled to tackle this topic for the show because I know that the past few years in particularly has been a time where differently wired kids have beenspending a LOT more time online and connecting with people they may not have even meant in real life and doing their identity development largely online...

In this Parent Lean In episode, Margaret Webb joins me to answer a listener's question about those tough moments when our kids are totally dysregulated—especially after long, overstimulating school days. We get into why these behaviors happen, how important it is for kids to release pent-up energy, and what it really means to co-regulate. We also talk about how to stay grounded ourselves when thin...

Today we’re talking about raising girls—what it means to help them feel strong in both body and mind, and how we as parents can nurture that confidence from an early age. My guest is Kate Rope, an award-winning journalist and the author of the new book, Strong as a Girl: Your Guide to Raising Girls Who Know, Stand Up for, and Take Care of Themselves. In this episode, we talk about empowerment, sel...

Where is the line between healthy gaming and unhealthy gaming? How much gaming is too much? And when does a gaming habit evolve into gaming addiction? These are some of the questions regarding screen time that I hear from many parents, and they highlight some of the ongoing challenges families face in raising children who can be responsible tech users and whose screen use and gaming doesn’t interf...

Today we’re diving into the world of empaths and highly sensitive people—what it means to be one, what makes it complicated, and why it’s also such a gift. My guest, psychiatrist, author, and empath Dr. Judith Orloff, shares her own journey as a highly sensitive child and how it shaped her work as a psychiatrist. We talk about the science behind sensitivity, how to recognize a highly sensitive chi...

Dr. Devorah Heitner, a digital media and technology expert and the author of "Screenwise" talks about how parents can mentor their kids to develop a healthy relationship with screens (phones, online games, and more). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today I’m talking with writer and memoirist Nefertiti Austin about her journey parenting a neurodivergent child and the many realizations that come with it, which she writes about in her new book, She’s Just Spirited: Parenting a Neurodivergent Child and the Diagnosis That Changes Everything, continues that deeply honest exploration, this time through the lens of raising a differently wired child....

Becca Wertheim, a second-grade teacher at an inclusion school in North Carolina, talks about her experience as a teacher meeting the individual educational needs of a group of students with diverse learning styles, and her insight for parents who are looking for better support and communication with the teachers in their children’s lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/...

Today we’re talking about dyslexia—what it is, what it isn’t, and how parents can best support their children after a diagnosis. My guest is Rebecca Bush, a Certified Academic Language Therapist, Licensed Dyslexia Therapist, and founder of Lead Changes, a private practice that supports children with dyslexia, as well as the author of the new book Dyslexia and Your Newly Diagnosed Child, a compassi...

My guest for this episode, Dr Jody Carrington, a clinical psychologist, speaker, and author based in Alberta, Canada, has spent most of her career working with children and families who have experienced trauma, and has learned that kids can only be as okay as the adults in their lives are okay. The result of her insights is the wonderful book Kids These Days: A Game Plan for (Re)Connecting With Th...

Debbie Reber and Zach Morris answer a listener's question about how parents can support their kids' search for meaning and connection while navigating their own struggles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today we’re diving into the ways our own trauma can shape how we show up as parents, and how we can begin to break those inherited cycles with Dr. Robyn Koslowitz, a clinical child psychologist, trauma treatment expert, and author of Post-Traumatic Parenting: Break the Cycle, Become the Parent You Always Wanted to Be. In our conversation, Robyn shares insights from her book, including the concept...

If you’re the parent of a differently wired kid with a diagnosed learning disability, you likely have had experience with Individualized Education Plans, otherwise known as IEPs. And if this is you, my hunch is you have some feelings about IEPs and the whole process — the stresses, the unknowns, the fact that it might feel like you have to understand a completely different language just to get the...

In this episode I’m talking with Julie Green, author of the memoir Motherness, a powerful exploration of generational autism, parenthood, and radical acceptance. Julie, who was late-diagnosed herself and is raising an autistic child, takes us inside her journey of self-discovery and diagnosis, and we talk about the emotional complexities of coming to understand our own neurodivergence while parent...

Amanda Morin of Understood joins Debbie for a special back-to-school episode to help families prepare for easing into the coming school year with as much confidence and serenity as possible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’m thrilled to share this conversation with Dr. Stephen Porges and Karen Onderko about the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP), a therapeutic approach grounded in Stephen’s groundbreaking polyvagal theory. Stephen, a Distinguished University Scientist and originator of the polyvagal theory, has spent decades helping us understand how our nervous system shapes behavior, connection, and healing. Karen, w...

Author, youth advocate, and co-founder of PEN (Parent Education Network) Dewey Rosetti talks about her new book, "Bright Kids Who Struggle in School" and teaching from a strengths-based approach. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today we’re diving into a topic that doesn’t get nearly enough attention in parenting spaces—neurodiversity-affirming nutrition. My guest is Naureen Hunani, a Montreal-based family nutritionist, pediatric dietitian, and mom of two who brings both professional expertise and lived experience to this work. Naureen is passionate about helping families create a positive, shame-free relationship with fo...

Fitness instructor, ADHD counselor, and author Gabriel Villarreal talks about how exercise is "medicine" for kids with ADHD, autism, and more, and how to get kids motivated to exercise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this Parent Lean In episode, Debbie is joined by parent coach Margaret Webb to answer a listener's question about a challenge so many parents face—when your child seems to hold it together at school, only to fall apart at home. We get into what might be going on under the surface, including masking, the toll it takes, and how things like routines, 504 plans, and even spoon theory can help. We a...

In this conversation, I talk with child behavior and adoption expert Bryan Post about how trauma, stress, and fear can shape the way our kids behave—and how we respond as parents. Bryan shares powerful insights about what’s really going on beneath the surface when kids are acting out, especially in families with adopted or foster children. We dive into the difference between parenting from love ve...

Parent coach, Washington Post columnist, and author of "Parenting Outside the Lines" Meghan Leahy talks about embracing imperfection and vulnerability in our parenting lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices