Non Linear Learning - Rethinking Education for Neurodivergent Learners

NOTE, I recommend that you check out the YOUTUBE VIDEO with subtitles HERE  Imane uses a speech generating device - and sometimes the audio isn't completely clear - even though Imane's thoughts are beyond Crystal Clear. So do check out the VIDEO version of this podcast, so you can soak in Imane's beautiful language completely. [I would have uploaded the video here, but have a data limit] In this l...

Kathlena, the Allergy Chef , has over 200 food allergies and intolerances, so many more than others can even imagine. And having been through this complex and hard journey, brings a uniquely empowered and scientific mindset to working with food restrictions.  I can truly say that talking to Kathlena changed my perspective on how to work with foods. If you want to understand how to make cooking a p...

Synsthete and Writer Sofi Ghassaei is a minimally speaking Autistic teen with a very fierce voice.  In this podcast, Sofi shares her world view, her experience with food, reactions, sensitivities, friendship and joy. She ends with "We are here to make you learn and find love, so pay attention." Please do pay attention to this SHORT but RICH podcast - heavy with experience, rich with meaning, and l...

Kris Rice provides soul care for mamas raising kids with mental health challenges. In her words Ditch guilt ~ Create clarity ~ Find freedom.  In this podcast, we explore the non-negotiables behind reaching such a state, getting over the conditioning that society presents - *perfect life, perfect kids, accomplishment* etc.  You can find Kris at https://instagram.com/krisricecollective  Disclaimer:...

Clinical Nutritionist: Jennifer Caryn Brand, an expert on skin health for kids, talks to us about why elimination diets don't often work for eczema. If you know someone with eczema, the chances are they have been put through the diet ring-around a few times.  Jennifer argues that gut health can be a much more significant factor. Tune in to understand what gut health means and when you should and w...

In this episode, I talk about 3 reasons why Biomedical Intervention may not work for your child with Autism or Down Syndrome, and how to find the traps that hold your child back. And why you might want to give it a fair chance anyway.  If you want to find out more about what gut health actually means and 5 strategies that can help you get started on the path to gut health for your child with Down...

My colleague Loren Edelson, Functional Nutrition Pracitioner, mother and Canoe Instructor (I love her multi-passionate life) has unique expertise on navigating the challenges of an anti-inflammatory diet socially. Here she shares her story - her struggles, and the tools she uses to navigate stressful social situations. Loren blogs about her experiences - you can follow her HERE. . . .In other news...

How do you go from a Fix-It approach to It will be OK to It is already OK? Listen in to hear the inspiring story of Jamie Handley, non-speaking Autistic, who spells to communicate (and I am proud to say, my student). As we split the worlds into models and opinions, I find it inspiring that we are already OK! "We are all Cognitively Intact" says Jamie. My favorite message from the podcast is when J...

What do learning disabilities, attention, focus and behavior have to do with vision? Join me as I discuss this topic with Trent McEntire, founder of www.fireupyourbrain.com as he leads us through different ways that vision can be impacted misunderstood as learning disabilities.  Also if exploring Learning Hacks is your thing, check out my free ebook at www.functionalnutritionforkids.com/learning D...

In this episode, Tiffany , AAC user and Autistic Parent of neurodivergent kids talks to us about the myth of supremacy of speech. Have you been waiting to use AAC, so your child's speech doesn't get pushed to the side? Have you been waiting with bated breath for every word your child is saying? Have you been worried that AAC is a crutch that you don't want to use? Tiffany, in her crystal clear way...

In part 2 of my conversation with Dr. Jill Crista, she talks about how neuroinflammation is triggered in PANS and PANDAS and autoimmune encephalitis by seemingly trivial phenomena. If you have a child triggered into behavioral "regression" by a seemingly trivial situation, this podcast can help you understand why.  Dr. Crista emphasizes that Gut Health is the place to start. If you are struggling...

Dr. Jill Crista walks us through the maze of neuroinflammation in part 1 of my conversation with her.  We discuss neuroinflammation in Autism, the difference between OCD related PANS and PANDAS , how to know when autoimmunity has kicked in, the importance of diet and most importantly how mold is persistent and can be a trigger in the driest of climates. For a free guidebook on how to optimize gut...

I wish today that today’s guest Ethan Nagy was my very first guest not just because of the gems of insight he gifts to us in this podcast but because his perspective is unique and mindset shifting. Ethan Nagy is a non speaking autistic who uses a letter-board to communicate. He learned to spell using a method called S2C (please see I-ASC.org for more info). Ethan is a disabilities advocate and aut...

The diet to support hyperactivity or disregulation can include many things. BUT The number 1 thing to do if your child is hyperactive is Balance Blood Sugar. Did you know that the symptoms of hyperactivity are close to identical to symptoms of high and low blood sugar in many kids? Disclaimer: The information in this Podcast is for educational purposes only. Vaishnavi Sarathy, Ph. D. is an educato...

Octavia Walker leads us through the murky world of self- and society- imposed expectations on moms of children with disabilities. Expect to hear terms like self-care smashed to smithereens (I hope you are as tired of being asked to self-care as I am)...  Expect to be held accountable and have hard insights ....  Happy listening! Disclaimer: The information in this Podcast is for educational purpos...

This short podcast is for parents who want actionable strategies to conquer picky eating disorder.  Picky eating or self-restricted eating can be a vicious cycle of nutrient deficiency, inflammation, gut issues and more restricted eating.  Follow this 5 step technique to break this cycle and shift from inflammation to diverstiy.  You can find more actionable strategies in my free ebook that you ca...

Are you interested in a Resilience Mindset for your child? Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge takes us through the many misunderstandings behind mental health in kids.  4:00 The Journey to get your kids’ help is unnecessarily complex. 6:15 Resilience in Kids.  8:20 Resiliency Mindset.  9:35 There is no magic pill, medication included. How to do the work. 10:00 Why is there a lack of resiliency: is it overp...

Does your child have constant infections, eczema, rashes, allergies, brain fog, anxiety or behavioral challenges? Did you know any of these could be caused by Food Sensitivities? In this podcast we explore the reasons your child might want to consider going Dairy Free and the one primary thing to remember while doing so... Disclaimer: The information in this Podcast is for educational purposes onl...

Tamar is one of the most experienced and respected OTs I know and one of the few people I know that truly thinks outside the box.  In this episode Tamar talks about the value of  -looking at motor first -what parents of young children should keep in mind -the value of curiosity and wonder as opposed to a "fix-it" mindset, and -what a new OT can keep in mind. You will find this podcast to be invalu...

In this episode Vaish and Jodi Cohen talk about how essential oils can be that "bypass" or "magic bullet" that can stimulate the vagus nerve, calm fight-or-flight, and bring children (and adults) into a parasympathetic state. Essential Oils can work when more traditional foods and supplements don't, because they can diffuse through the skin, and reach the brain quicker through the olfactory system...

Nutritionist Jess Sherman brings back simplicity to the sometimes very complicated world of dietary interventions for "picky" eaters. She asks us as parents to: Get Curious and Ask What is going on in the body with her 3-pillar framework: 1 Address Nutrient Deficiencies 2 Resolve Stress / Digestion 3 Deep dive into Digestive imbalance and dysbiosis.  Disclaimer: The information in this Podcast is...

If you are looking to address: -mood -behavioral dys-regulation -focus and/or -hyperactivity, there are a few fundamental principles that can help you design a diet (often mislabeled as an Autism Diet) that helps your child through the symptoms that they struggle with. This is more accurately a food-based approach for symptoms that often co-exist with Autism, but are truly more common these days f...

In this podcast for parents facing anxiety and sometimes delayed trauma like symptoms, Dana Frost leads us through the 4 qualities of a healthy breath. heart rate variability heart-centered breathing how to change your default trigger state. All of these techniques can be used also by children that have some control over their breathing.  Listen on... Disclaimer: The information in this Podcast is...

Danille Ryan Broida is a mycologist, the National Educator of FOUR SIGMATIC and is teaching the world about a life on Functional Mushrooms.  We discuss: -MUSHROOMS AND CONNECTIVITY -WHEN DANIELLE USES MUSHROOMS THEREPEUTICALLY -MUSHROOMS FOR COGNITION AND FOCUS -HOW ARE CULINARY MUSHROOMS DIFFERENT FROM FUNCTIONAL EXTRACTS? -HOW TO CHOOSE MUSHROOMS? Disclaimer: The information in this Podcast is f...

OCD can be debilitating for children, frustrating and many times more so for kids with expressive difficulties, non-speaking for example. Autism and OCD expert Dr. Elisa Song talks to us about very accessible means of tackling OCD step by step. Always find a Functional Medicine Doctor to help you with any supplements.  2:10 The first things that Dr. Song addresses: GUT , NEUROTRANSMITTERS, FOODS I...