The Untypical Parent™ Podcast

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text When the Unthinkable Happens: Life After Child Bereavement Content note: This episode discusses child bereavement and childhood cancer. Please listen gently and take care of yourself, or choose to come back another day. I was worried about this episode. Worried I'd say the wrong thing. Worried I'd upset Nici. Worried I wo...

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text The Book That Inspired a Six-Year-Old to Write Sometimes we don't realise the ripple effect our actions can have.  In this episode of The Bookshelf , I'm joined by author, editor and writing coach Cara A'Court to talk about two very special books. Cara shares the story behind her own novel, Three People, Three Countr...

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text When Difference Stops Being Something to Fix Sara Momtaz joined me to talk about her daughter and the journey that began when she was told her baby would be born with Down syndrome. We talk about the realities of parenting a child with complex needs, the assumptions people make, and how quickly life can change when the future you i...

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text What if the biggest lessons about being human come from the people society is most determined to change? In this Bookshelf episode, I'm joined by author Elly Chapple to talk about her book Diagnosis Human and the extraordinary lessons she learned from her daughter. Together we talk about what happens when we stop trying to mak...

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text Parents are often told to rest more, practise self-care, or take a break when they're overwhelmed. But what happens when the demands never stop? In this episode, I have the absolute pleasure of talking with fellow occupational therapist, Rhiannon Crispe, where we talk about burnout, parenthood, values, boundaries, belonging an...

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text Welcome to The Untypical Parent Podcast: The Bookshelf , a new series celebrating the books that shape, support, empower and sometimes just bring joy to neurodivergent families. In this special episode, I'm joined by parent  Joanne Parry, alongside bestselling author Elle McNicoll, whose books have become deeply meaningful for...

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text Your life can fall apart twice, once on the outside and once in your head, and you still might not know what the real issue is. I’m joined by Chris Braid, co-host of The After Party, to talk about what happened when a mental breakdown, divorce, financial pressure, chronic pain, and emergency spinal surgery collided, and how a late...

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text A one-legged goose might not be the hero you’d expect… but maybe that’s exactly the point. This episode is part of something new I’m trying this season. As someone who’s dyslexic and has never really connected with traditional reading, I wanted to find a different way to explore books. So I’m inviting authors, parents and professio...

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text One meeting can spiral into weeks of stress when you’re neurodivergent and constantly second-guessing what you said, how you came across, or what everyone “really meant.” Dr Jay Spence, a clinical psychologist and co-founder of Avro AI, talks about a different way to look at communication breakdowns: most damage comes from misunder...

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text Do you ever feel like reading just… isn’t built for you? In this solo episode, I talk about my honest experience with dyslexia, distraction, and why traditional reading has always felt like hard work rather than relaxation. From unfinished books to skipping straight to the ending, I reflect on the frustration and the quiet sense of...

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text In this episode of The Untypical Parent Podcast , I’m joined by Dr Kim Collett for a really honest conversation about the reality of parenting, and why knowing the “right” thing doesn’t mean it’s easy to do it. Kim has a PhD in inclusive education and lectures on special educational needs and disabilities. She also lives in a neuro...

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text Over 170,000 children in England were severely absent from school last year, according to the Department for Education. Behind that number are families, schools, and children all trying to navigate something incredibly complex. In this episode, I’m joined by Terri Wyse (Wise Inclusion) and Rachel Helm (Helm Education Consultancy),...

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text Parents are often so busy meeting everyone else’s needs that they stop noticing their own. And when that happens, burnout and overwhelm can build long before we even realise what’s going on. In this episode, I'm joined by occupational therapist and interoception expert Kelly Mahler for a conversation about why parents need to...

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text I recorded this one in my car, on my phone, because the irony finally caught up with me: I cannot keep talking about untypical parenting and ditching perfection while I’m secretly trying to manufacture a “perfect” milestone episode. So I just got on with it and recorded it, in my car.  Episode 50, I can't quite believe it. Thi...

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text Content note: This episode contains conversation about suicide. Please look after yourself when listening.  This episode is a special one. It’s part of Podcasthon 2026, where podcasters come together to raise awareness for charities that matter. For me, this one is personal. In this conversation, I’m joined by Ged Flynn CEO from Pa...

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text In this episode I'm joined by Julie Bevan founder of DotKids where we explore creativity.  Creativity often feels like something we leave behind in childhood. Somewhere between school expectations, work, parenting and the pressure to be productive, many of us stop creating altogether. But creativity isn’t just about producing...

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text In this episode of The Untypical Parent Podcast , I’m joined by Chrissa Wadlow from Sunshine Support, and this one turns into a proper real-life chat (the kind I know so many of us need). Chrissa shares her journey as a SEND parent, including the very real reality of battling systems, being judged, and the toll that takes on your h...

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text Living in a neurodivergent family can feel like walking barefoot through a dark room full of Lego. In this episode, I share a powerful metaphor from listener Lindsay Morris, and then take you into something very real happening in my own family right now. After four years of recovery, support and rebuilding trust through an EOTAS pa...

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text What if the smallest straw isn’t the cause of your collapse, but the clue you’ve been carrying too much for too long? We sit down with Dr Lee David, GP, CBT therapist, author, and host of The Choice Space, to make stress understandable, visible, and workable for real families navigating complex lives. We start by ditching the myth...

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text Parenting in a neurodivergent family is many things. Boring is most definitely not one of them. In this episode, I reflect on a listener message from Carla Berlin that perfectly captures something so many of us live every day: the exhaustion, the unpredictability, and those incredible moments where our children completely amaze us....

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text  “I learned quickly that I am my child’s voice. No one else will care the way I do.”   This quote from Greer captures the heart of our conversation.  Greer shares her experience of autism, ADHD, school systems, and the realities of raising a neurodivergent child in the UK. Originally from the US and now based in England, Greer open...

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text This week I share a comment from a listener. Sharon Thompson wrote what it’s like parenting in a neurodivergent family, the realities people don’t always see, and the strength it takes to keep showing up. And in amongst that I’m bringing a little lightness too… because I’ve realised something about myself, I regulate with singing....

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text Content Note: This episode includes discussion of foster care, trauma, low mood and suicidal feelings. If these topics are difficult for you, please take care while listening.  If you are struggling, please consider speaking to someone you trust or seeking support. In the UK & ROI, Samaritans are available 24/7 on 116 123 or at...

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text In this short series, parents in neurodivergent families tell us what it's really like. In this episode Laura explains "parenting in a neurodivergent family is like riding a bike with a flat tyre, with a blindfold on, one hand tied behind your back… oh and I just realised the other wheel fell off".  If this episode r...

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text In this episode, Laura Kerbey, author and founder of PAST (Positive Assessments, Support and Training), shares her lived experience of growing up undiagnosed with ADHD, and how that shaped not only her childhood but adulthood and parenthood as well. Laura talks honestly about how deeply she wanted to be a parent, alongside how chal...