SEND Parenting Podcast

• EP 146 Why Pregnancy Hits Harder for Neurodivergent Mums

  You are not imagining it. Pregnancy, birth, and early parenting are more overwhelming for many neurodivergent mums — and no one tells you why.In this eye-opening episode, doula and neurodiversity advocate Alix Myers joins Dr Olivia to unpack the hidden challenges that make the perinatal journey feel so intense. If you ever wondered why you struggled more than other mums, this episode finally gives you the answers, validation, and tools you deserve.✨ What You Will Learn🧠 Sensory Overload in PregnancyWhy hormonal shifts amplify sensory sensitivities — and how to make your body feel safer and calmer.🏥 Creating a Neuro-Safe Birth PlanHow lighting, sound, communication style, and advocacy can completely change your birth experience.🤐 The Hidden Danger of “Masking” in LabourWhy so many neurodivergent women go quiet under stress, and how this leads to medical teams missing signs of distress.🍼 Feeding Without OverwhelmPractical guidance for breastfeeding, chest feeding, or bottle feeding — without sacrificing your mental health.🧩 Executive Function in PostpartumWhy everything feels 100 times harder, and how simple systems can reduce chaos and protect your wellbeing.🤝 How Partners Can Truly Support YouFrom non-verbal cues to boundary-bouncing — what your partner really needs to know.💛 Why This Episode MattersIf pregnancy or early motherhood felt harder than it “should,” this conversation offers compassion, clarity, and solutions. You will walk away feeling understood, supported, and far less alone.Contact Alix Myers Virtual Doula 💬 Connect with Us Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a safe space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand. And if you are ready to go deeper, join our ADHD Warrior Mum’s Recharge Station — your space for group coaching, access to experts, support, connection, and calm.

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• EP 145: Finding Their Tribe

  Many neurodivergent children struggle to make and keep friends — not because they do not care, but because they experience the world differently. In this episode, Dr Olivia speaks with Kirsten, founder of Uncommon, a unique online community that helps neurodiverse children build friendships and confidence through shared interests like gaming, art, and creativity.Kirsten shares her personal journey to an autism diagnosis, why traditional social spaces often fail neurodivergent kids, and how Uncommon’s mentoring model is transforming lives. Together, they explore what true belonging means — and how finding your tribe can change everything.Whether your child is shy, anxious, or struggling to connect, this episode will give you hope, practical insights, and a new perspective on social growth for neurodiverse children.🌐 Learn more about Uncommon  💬 Connect with Us Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a safe space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand. And if you are ready to go deeper, join our ADHD Warrior Mum’s Recharge Station — your space for group coaching, access to experts, support, connection, and calm.

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• EP 144: When School Doesn't Fit: The Homeschool Solution

  What if the problem isn't your child—it's the system?If school mornings feel like a battlefield and your child is shrinking under constant pressure, this episode offers hope. Dr. Olivia sits down with Cassie Olguin—homeschooling mother of three (including neurodivergent twins) and Outschool education lead—to explore what learning looks like when you step outside the traditional classroom.Cassie's Journey: From early motor delays and night terrors to navigating autism, ADHD, OCD, and anxiety, Cassie shares the messy, real path many families walk. You'll discover how labels became tools for changing the environment—not verdicts on her daughter's potential.What You'll Learn: ✨ Charter homeschooling demystified – How oversight works without rigid timetables ✨ Personal pace over grade levels – Why your child doesn't need to "keep up" ✨ Practical strategies that worked – Delaying reading until readiness, reframing maths as everyday numeracy, using interest-led classes ✨ Outschool's magic – Live sessions with expert tutors (think: veterinary science with a practicing vet, maths through Minecraft, virtual history escape rooms) ✨ Redefining success – Why standardised tests don't measure intelligence, creativity, or resilienceThe Twin Perspective: Perhaps most moving: Cassie's twins are taking completely different educational paths through adolescence. One thrives with college-level work; the other flourishes at a gentler pace. Different tracks, equal worth.Key Takeaways for Parents:Start without decision paralysis—you don't need to figure it all out at onceFind your support network and share resourcesOutsource subjects you don't love (yes, really!)Mastery-based learning vs. arbitrary grade levelsSmall online classes that respect sensory needs and attention spansIf your child is struggling, this conversation offers relief, clarity, and a roadmap forward.💡 Subscribe to never miss an episode 💬 Share this with a parent who needs hope ⭐ Leave a review to help more families find practical, compassionate supportClick here for OutschoolCoupon Code: SEND40Terms: Offer expires 12/31/25 at 11:59 pm PDT. Registered Outschool account required. Enter code at checkout for $40 USD off a new membership. $40 off membership only valid for first-time memberships. Limited to the first 500 users. Cannot be combined with another offer. Subject to Outschool's Terms of Service💬 Connect with Us Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a safe space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand. And if you are ready to go deeper, join our ADHD Warrior Mum’s Recharge Station — your space for group coaching, access to experts, support, connection, and calm.

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• EP 143: Stop Mothering Me! Understanding Your Teen’s Push for Independence

  Half-term chaos, slammed doors, sharp words—if that sounds familiar, you are not alone. In this episode, Dr Olivia Kessel sits down with teen expert Kim McCabe to unpack why your once-snuggly child suddenly bristles at “How was your day?” and how to respond without losing your cool or your connection. From the teenage brain’s rebuild to the unique load neurodiverse teens carry, we explore what is really happening under the surface—and the simple shifts that can change everything at home.Kim explains why after-school meltdowns often land on parents, how masking drains emotional capacity, and what co-regulation looks like in real life. Together, we cover how to use short validating phrases instead of lectures, hold boundaries that reflect your core values, and create safe outlets for big feelings that do not harm anyone. You will hear why permissiveness can feel like indifference to teens, how to choose a few non-negotiables, and when to step back so your young person can save face and recover their balance.We also share low-pressure ways to rebuild closeness: monthly parent–teen “dates,” visiting their world first—whether that is gaming, football, memes, or TikTok—without judgment, and narrating your own self-regulation to model coping. Whether you are parenting girls or boys, mums or dads, neurotypical or neurodiverse, the principles hold true: be the parent, team up with other adults, and protect your own capacity. Calm and loving is your superpower—but it needs fuel.If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a parent who needs a boost, and leave a quick review so more families can find these tools. And if you are ready for deeper support, check the show notes for details on the Recharge and Connect SEND Summit—join us in person or via live stream.💬 Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeIf today’s conversation with Kim McCabe resonated with you, you can find out more about her work at Rites for Girls, where she supports parents and teens through the transitions of adolescence. Explore her brilliant book, From Daughter to Woman: Parenting Girls Safely Through Their Teens, and discover her Weekend Retreat for Mothers of Daughters — a beautiful space to reconnect, reflect, and parent with greater awareness and ease.💬 Connect with Us Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a safe space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand. And if you are ready to go deeper, join our ADHD Warrior Mum’s Recharge Station — your space for group coaching, access to experts, support, connection, and calm.

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• EP 142 Saying yes until she failed changed everything

  Burnout has a way of making even the smallest task feel impossible. We open with a lifeline for parents raising neurodivergent children, then sit down with campaigner and founder Agnes Agyepong to trace how postnatal depression and isolation became the spark for two powerful vehicles of change: the Glow Mama Awards and a research-led movement tackling maternal and SEND inequalities.Agnes shares the surprising role social media played in her recovery—authentic posts, wry humour, and micro-moments of solidarity that made her feel seen. That insight grows into Glow Mama, a people’s choice awards platform celebrating the creators who keep mothers going at 3 a.m. From there, Agnes dives into the Black maternal health crisis and the environmental factors that stack the odds against families long before labour begins, culminating in the Black Child Clean Air Report and cross-sector partnerships. The throughline is clear: these are public health problems that show up in clinics, classrooms, and on our streets.We dig into SEND inequity with lived experience. Agnes talks about being treated with suspicion when her son was self-harming, becoming a school governor to be heard, and the way adultification bias and rigid behaviour policies fast-track exclusions before support arrives. We challenge the outdated, industrial model of schooling and argue for personalised education that works for every brain. Practical guidance runs throughout: why a Year 3 screening won’t secure legal protections, how an Educational Psychologist’s report unlocks exam access and durable support, and how to build an evidence trail that proves whether a school can meet need.If you want clear next steps, we’ve got them: back petitions so policymakers see the data, write your MP so SEND rises in local triage, connect with specialist groups for Education Other Than At School pathways, and join community networks that share tactics without gatekeeping. Neurodivergent thinkers are not problems to be fixed; they are the innovators we need. Subscribe, share with a caregiver who needs hope, and leave a review to help more families find real tools and real change.💬 Connect with Us Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a safe space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand. And if you are ready to go deeper, join our ADHD Warrior Mum’s Recharge Station — your space for group coaching, access to experts, support, connection, and calm.

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