The Individual Matters Podcast

What Kids Really Need to Learn: A Brain Based Approach is a powerful conversation for parents, teachers, and educators who want to better understand student behavior, learning, and emotional regulation. In this episode, leadership strategist and former educator Lisa Riegel, Ph. D., shares a brain-based, neurodevelopmental approach to helping kids focus, manage emotions, and thrive in school and at...

In this episode, “Conscious Home Design: How Our Space Shapes Our Life,” we explore how the environments we live in directly influence our happiness, health, relationships, learning, and overall sense of meaning. This conversation is perfect for anyone interested in self improvement, optimized living, intentional design, or creating a home that truly supports a full and balanced life. Watch this e...

In The Less Stress Doc’s Guide to a Calmer Life, retired physician and stress expert Dr. Gary Sprouse (“The Less Stress Doc”) breaks down what stress really is, why our bodies react the way they do, and how we can take back control with simple, effective techniques. He shares clear examples, practical tools, and easy steps anyone can use to feel more grounded and less overwhelmed. If you’re feelin...

Out of Your Head, Into the Holidays is a powerful personal development and self improvement episode designed to help you manage holiday stress, anxiety, and depression with practical, relatable strategies. In this conversation, author, blogger, and software developer Brian Sachetta shares clear, actionable tips for navigating the emotional challenges that come with the holiday season. If you are a...

Get your kids ready for the school year with confidence! In this episode of our parent education podcast, we sit down with expert parent coach Rachel Poirier to share expert back-to-school tips that help ease anxiety, build routines, and support executive functioning skills. Whether you're a parent, teacher, mental health counselor, or work with children in any capacity, this video is packed with...

In this inspiring episode, we sit down with a remarkable teen who shares her journey of embracing Superpower Thinking —a mindset shaped by the unique gifts of ADHD and dyslexia. Through her personal story, she offers powerful insight into how learning differences can become strengths when properly understood and supported. Venice Mitchell is Miss Mesa County Teen 2025. Now competing for the title...

Feeling stuck? In “Getting Unstuck: An Enneagram Coach’s Guide to Change” , we explore powerful tools for personal growth, emotional awareness, and lasting transformation. Whether you're a parent, clinician, teacher, counselor, or simply someone striving for self-improvement, this episode is packed with valuable insights on how to overcome internal blocks and create meaningful change using the Enn...

Are you a parent navigating the challenges of raising a neurodivergent child? In “Guiding Bright Minds: Parent Support and Resources for Neurodivergent Children,” we dive deep into expert strategies, support systems, and educational resources for parents of children with ADHD, dyslexia, autism, and other learning differences. Tiffany Feingold shares valuable insights on how to advocate for your ch...

Are you looking for powerful ways to support neurodiverse students in developing critical thinking, social skills, and cognitive flexibility? In this eye-opening episode, Brian Reynolds (The Bridge Teachers) explores how playing Bridge can be a game-changer for neurodiverse thinkers, including children with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other cognitive differences. Bridge isn’t just a classic card g...

Want to raise confident, kind, and responsible kids - and scaffold standards that are true to your family's beliefs? In this episode, we dive into the importance of family values and how they shape your and your child's character, behavior, and emotional well-being. Whether you're a parent, teacher, or family therapist, this discussion is packed with expert parenting tips to help you instill lifel...

Are you looking for powerful strategies to nurture your child’s natural curiosity while supporting their unique learning style? Whether you're a parent, educator, or mental health professional, this video dives deep into parenting with wonder—helping children explore, question, and thrive in their own way! Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0iEJ_1vh8fU 🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Podcast: ✔️ How...

Gabriele Nicolet ("Toddler Whisperer", Parent Coach, and Speech-Language Therapist) discusses the important decision of whether to tell your child they have a diagnosis such as ADHD. Parents, teachers, mental health clinicians, speech-language pathologists, and occupational therapists will find valuable insights on how to navigate diagnoses and neurodevelopmental evaluations. We discuss the benefi...

In this video, we explore the power of a strengths-based approach to education and how it can transform the learning experience for students. Jen Wilger of Temple Grandin School helps us discover why focusing on a child’s unique strengths, rather than their weaknesses, is key to fostering engaged, motivated, and successful learners. Whether you're a parent, teacher, school administrator, or mental...

Dr. Leanna Dudley is a developmental optometrist, follow of Optometric Vision Development and Rehabilitation Association, and founder of Denver Vision Therapy. This is part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Dudley about how vision and motor skills develop in childhood and adolescence. In this episode, she explains the relationships between vision skills and dyslexia, ADHD, and autism. Listen to Part...

Leanna Dudley is a developmental optometrist, follow of Optometric Vision Development and Rehabilitation Association, and founder of Denver Vision Therapy. She joins the podcast to talk about the following: • What are the symptoms of vision problems in children? • How do vision and motor develop together? • What are the basic vision skills, and how are they measured? • How can you tell if a kid ne...

What is co-regulation? Why is co-regulation essential when parenting neurodivergent children? How can parents learn to co-regulate? Lianna Purjes, MSEd, MSW, LCSW, is a licensed therapist and neurodivergence coach at Coaching With Lianna. She works with adults and parents to help them manage emotions in healthy ways, get organized, and communicate their needs effectively. She holds master’s degree...

An information-packed episode with Gabriel Nicolet – Toddler Whisperer, Parent Coach, and Speech Therapist. This is a must-watch for parents and anyone who works with kids! Gabriele is a co-founder of Raising Orchid Kids – an online, global parent education and coaching practice. She hosts The Complicated Kids Podcast, focused on such topics as child development, parenting tips, raising quirky lea...

Author and speaker Abigail Griebelbauer shares her journey with dyslexia, how it led to writing children’s books (including “D is for Darcy Not Dyslexia”), and her passion for spreading awareness and understanding through the talks she gives. She holds a degree in Special Education/Elementary Education and has traveled extensively. Connect with Abigail: Website https://abigailgriebelbauer.com/#/ I...

Beacon College is the first accredited college in the nation exclusively for students with learning disabilities, ADHD, and other learning differences. Its mission is to empower students to reach their full potential by providing personalized academic support, career counseling, and social skills development. Academic programs include business, humanities, social sciences, and studio arts. Student...

Language-based learning disabilities (LBLDs) describe the constellation of learning challenges that impact students with ADHD, executive function problems, specific learning disorders (dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia), and visual and auditory processing problems. In his book, "Helping Your Child with Language-Based Learning Disabilities," Daniel Franklin, Ph. D., explains how and why these issue...

An information-packed episode about how and why vision issues impact child development, learning, and life success. This is a must-watch for parents, optometrists, pediatricians, and teachers! Dr. Richard Graebe, OD, FCOVD, is a Behavioral and Neuro Rehabilitation Optometrist and learning expert at the Neuro-Visual Performance Institute in Versailles, Kentucky. He is one of a select group of inter...

Josh Guddat returns to the podcast to discuss ADHD from a teacher’s perspective. This time, he shares ideas for how parents can support ADHD learners at home, including how to use routine, timers, incentives, chunking, and self-talk. To listen to Josh’s tips for ADHD in the classroom, check out Episode 23 . Josh is a middle school teacher with twenty years’ experience in the classroom. He and his...

Sara Colorosa works with job seekers around the country to assess and support their work readiness, explore jobs or careers that align with their skills and interests, and coach parents and caregivers in ways to nurture school and work fitness in their children. In this episode, she discusses: · The difference between a job and a career · What it means to be work ready · How to align skills, knowl...

Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) is a condition where the brain has difficulty processing and interpreting auditory information, despite normal hearing ability. This means that people with CAPD might struggle to understand and make sense of sounds, especially in complex listening environments. Dr. Megan Locke, Au. D., CCC/A, is an audiologist and executive director of Able Kids Foundati...

What is neurodiversity? What are the unique gifts of, and challenges faced by, neurodiverse individuals? How are these strengths identified and leveraged? And what neurodiversity resources and connections are available in Colorado? Lea Anne Paskvalich, founder and CEO of Next Steps Consulting, joints the podcast to share key perspectives, as well as tips and strategies, based on her two decades of...