Learn with Dr. Emily

As parents, we are all are working toward the same goals: Raise a human that is independent and kind. Many of us start with goals like “successful” and ”happy,” but because these are such relative terms, I find it more helpful to define goals within the framework of independence, which is my definition of success anyway. I also don’t think I know any kind people who aren’t also generally happy peo...

Welcome to another Q&A podcast!  Full disclosure, I can't answer complex or detailed questions about dynamics between kids, or teachers and kids, or parents and kids, when I don't know the full story. But what I can answer is general topics that keep coming up with parents, teachers, and kids, whether it's a clinical topic, an educational topic, a child psychology question, or just a general p...

As a parent or teacher, what should we do when our child is in the middle of a meltdown? Today we welcome Dayna Abraham, a National Board Certified educator, parent of three neurodivergent children, and an ADHD adult herself. Dayna introduces her Calm the Chaos framework, which consists of four key principles: Connection, Understanding, Empowerment, and You (the parent as a calm presence). These p...

I’m just going to say it: Homework is a thorn in the side for most parents raising neurodivergent kids. In case you haven’t experience it, let me explain: You wake up in the morning ready to implement your well-crafted morning routine that includes the most efficient way to get your child clothed, fed, packed up, and in the car with the fewest moments of frustration, tears, and conflict with sibli...

Are you facing the dilemma of whether homeschooling is the right choice for your neurodivergent child? Are you concerned about the challenges it might bring, such as college admissions or socialization? Today, we sit down with Amy Langston, an autistic self-advocate, to explore her remarkable homeschooling journey. Discover how she and her family tackled the decision to homeschool, overcame obstac...

As parents and educators, we know that children often experience a “honeymoon” the first day (or week) of the new school year. It’s a time when many children are blissfully distracted by their new outfit, their new backpack, their new teacher, their new pencil, or their new classmates so they often make it through the first few days or weeks just fine. But at some point, many children begin to set...

Today we unpack the sense of interoception, responsible for conveying vital information about our body's internal condition. What is its role in recognizing hunger, emotions, discomfort, and more? And, how can interoceptive awareness be derailed or heightened in neurodivergent kids and teens? Teachers, parents, and caregivers - tune in for a better understanding of how neurodivergent children navi...

Welcome to my very first Q&A podcast!  Full disclosure, I can't answer complex or detailed questions about dynamics between kids, or teachers and kids, or parents and kids, when I don't know the full story. But what I can answer is general topics that keep coming up with parents, teachers, and kids, whether it's a clinical topic, an educational topic, a child psychology question, or just a gen...

It's back to school time, which means one of the most important topics I love talking about is so relevant right now - the parent teacher partnership. As you might know, I can get on my soapbox about all of us trying to come together to help all of our kids, but especially our neurodivergent kids who have more conflict, more ideas, and more brainstorming that needs to happen when we are trying to...

As someone who was in school from age 4 through 26, August is my New Year. But August can be a mix of emotions for many. Some want to squeeze out the last drops of summer and some (often many) are out of money and out of ideas, so we all start yearning for that school-week routine.  Does your family’s school routine need an upgrade? --- Sign up for Dr. Emily's weekly newsletter at www.learnwithdre...

Today, Penny Williams shares her personal journey as a parent of a neurodivergent child, starting with her son's ADHD diagnosis at age six and his subsequent diagnosis of autism spectrum and learning disabilities. The challenges she faced led her to become a passionate advocate for neurodivergent families.  Dr. Emily and Penny discuss the importance of understanding the biology-behavior connection...

When a child is first identified as autistic or receives a diagnosis of ADHD, a learning disability, or sensory processing differences, parents can feel both overwhelmed by the information and relieved to have a plan. Yet, sometimes the plan is even overwhelming. As a former school psychologist, I was trained to identify concerns and recommend solutions. The more solutions the better, right? Not a...

Our children are growing up in schools filled with neurodiverse learners. While this gives me hope for normalizing the presence of neurodiversity, inclusive mindsets don’t just appear out of thin air; they evolve when we stay open to learn about our differences. We make this evolution of inclusivity possible when we teach ALL children how they learn best, not just those who need something extra. F...

In my work with parents of young children, many come to me after noticing some concerns with their child’s developmental milestones. While all children develop at their own pace, some young children experience challenges with emotional regulation, language and motor milestones, and/or sensory processing that leave their parents wondering if an evaluation is needed.  Most parents already know that...

Parents, we’re in the thick of it. Summer. I don’t know about you, but this summer is already feeling more hectic than any in recent memory. Is this the first full-out summer since the pandemic? Am I just running low on parent stamina? Or is it just that driving my kids to activities feels like an additional part-time job? Whatever the reason, I’m here to commiserate with you. I’m also here to enc...

When I talk to parents and teachers of neurodivergent kids and teens, especially those raising and teaching autistic children, I often hear, “I can’t figure out what motivates her,” or “He only cares about video games” or even, “I can’t get them to care about anything.”  Here’s the thing: I’ve never met a kid without interests . As the trusted adults raising and teaching neurodivergent kids, we ma...

Simply put, children don’t do everything we ask them to do when we ask them to do it. As adults, we often assume this is because they are not understanding what we said so we try communicating the same expectation again by repeating ourselves, sometimes in a louder and more frustrated voice. If that doesn’t work, our own frustration grows, which can stop us from remaining emotionally regulated and...

Teachers, you made it. It’s summer! As you pause to take a breath and recenter yourself, I want you to know that I see all you are doing. You are asked to do so many things with too little time and energy. This week, I’m here to remind you that you CAN find time for yourself, even during a busy school year. The most important thing to know is that a little bit of time will go a long way. As you re...

If you are an elementary educator, you are already teaching a neurodiverse group of learners. So there are gonna be things that come up that you feel like you don't know how to do, or you need to consult with colleagues. So, I want you to know you don't have to have a special education degree, but there are three things that I do believe are key to your mindset as an educator of neurodiverse learn...

Today we dive into why school is so hard for neurodivergent students, and the messages and feedback that I get from teachers on what they need to make school better for our students. This topic is always on my mind this time of year as we go into testing season, which as we all know, if you're listening to this podcast, you have a child in your life that testing probably does not work for. --- Sig...

Educators, it's time to shift our mindset by understanding what polyvagal theory, the importance of brain-body connection, and how we can better support our children. We all know that the fields of psychology and education still haven’t fully integrated the wisdom we’re learning from research and neuroscience, and often rely on methods that seek to alter kids behavior through rewards and consequen...

I know you all come here to read my thoughts on raising and teaching neurodivergent kids and teens. But, I’m taking a little detour today because this topic is for all parents. I was talking to a good friend the other day. We were exchanging stories about how our kids are starting to ask questions about puberty and I was pretty sure that I had grossed out mine by talking about body hair. My friend...

Social-Emotional Learning is a term that gets thrown around a lot. Schools can see it as something that needs to be taught in a very scripted way. However, therapists often think of Social-Emotional Learning as something we are always practicing as it’s integrated into our everyday experiences. So what exactly is Social-Emotional Learning, and how can we utilize SEL to help our neurodivergent kids...

As a child psychologist working with families for over 20 years, here are the top three most common issues that get in the way of kids getting good sleep and my tips for getting back on track. All parents know that sleep is important. No one knows sleep deprivation like a new parent with an infant who wakes every two to three hours to be fed or changed. I recall five hours of sleep being my person...

Dr. Tina Payne Bryson joins us today to discuss parent-child attachment (it’s more than just rocking your baby), disciplining with empathy, connection, and regulation, and the 4 S's for raising the whole-brain child. Dr. Tina Bryson is a psychotherapist and the Founder/Executive Director of THE CENTER FOR CONNECTION in Pasadena, California. She's a NY Times Bestselling author and has written sever...