SEND Parenting Podcast

• EP 149: Surviving the Holidays

  December promises twinkly lights and cosy moments, yet many parents feel like they’re sprinting through a minefield. I open up about the invisible load that spikes stress during the holidays—noise, judgment, lost routines, sensory overload—and explain why your nervous system interprets it all as danger. When the body tips into fight, flight, or freeze, calm isn’t a choice you’re failing to make; it’s a state you can learn to access with fast, reliable tools.We unpack the zones of regulation for parents—blue, yellow, red, and green—and walk through a relatable holiday scenario to show how we slide from steady to overwhelmed in small steps. Then I share a three-step reset you can use anywhere: notice, name, navigate. You’ll learn a one-minute breath pattern to switch off threat mode and a 5-4-3-2-1 grounding sequence to anchor back in the present. From there, we get practical about hotspots: setting boundaries for family gatherings, using code words and pre-planned exits, lowering the bar to get out the door, and choosing “good enough” bedtime routines after big days.The heart of this conversation is a reframe: you’re not a bad mum; you’re a tired human carrying a load most people can’t see. Perfection is brittle, but presence is resilient. Trade the Instagram script for small, humane choices that protect your energy and your child’s regulation—leave early, say no, order takeaway, let the outfit go, and pick connection over performance.If you’re craving steady ground, join the Seven-Day Calm Parent Challenge. For £10 you’ll get daily guidance, audio support, a private community, and a live Q&A to help you map triggers, practise resets, set boundaries, and release guilt. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs it, and leave a review to help more parents find these tools. Let’s choose present over perfect together.👉 Join the 7-Day Keeping Calm Challenge (£10)💬 Connect with Us 🎄 Early Christmas Gift: Join my free webinar on Keeping Calm During the Holidays 📅 Tuesday 9 December at 12:00 pm (UK time) 👉 Click here to receive the Zoom details. 🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a safe space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand. ⚡ Ready to go deeper? Become part of the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Recharge Station — your space for group coaching, expert guidance, real connection, and the calm you deserve.

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• EP 148: Parenting PDA: Strategies That Actually Work

  If parenting your child feels like a constant battle—and every strategy you have been told to use only makes things worse—you are not alone. Many families live this struggle daily without realising there is a name for what they are seeing: Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA).In this episode, we speak with Rachel Crutcher and Sarah Stewart from the PDA Society, two experts who have walked this path both personally and professionally. Together, we uncover why everyday demands trigger such intense anxiety, why rewards and consequences backfire, and how a calm-first, collaborative approach can finally bring relief.You will hear the early signs many parents miss—demand avoidance even for things a child usually loves, the need for control, and the familiar pattern of fine at school, meltdown at home. Once you understand PDA through a can’t-not-won’t lens, everything begins to make sense.Your guides walk you through the practical steps that transform family life: • How to lower demands without lowering expectations • How to spot the hidden “micro-demands” that drain your child before the day has even begun • How humour, choices, and written prompts make requests feel safe • Why treating a PDA child like a “mini adult” (explaining the why, asking permission, collaborating) reduces anxiety instantlyWe also tackle one of the biggest pain points for PDA families: school. You will learn how masking works, which adjustments truly help, and what flexible, trauma-aware practice looks like in real life. If your school’s ethos is rigid, we help you recognise when it is not the right fit—and where to turn for support and SEND-law guidance.For families with siblings, we share a simple principle that reduces resentment and restores harmony: use collaborative, low-demand strategies with everyone. It is fair. It is kind. And it works.Finally, we show you where real, ongoing help exists—through the PDA Society’s free guidance service, moderated parent communities, self-paced learning hub, professional training, and bespoke school consultations.If you are exhausted, overwhelmed, or unsure what to try next, this episode will give you both clarity and hope. You can understand your child. You can reconnect. And things can get better.If this conversation supports you, follow the show, share it with your community, and leave a review—your story may be the encouragement another parent needs.PDA Society PDA Society Link Tree💬 Connect with Us 🎄 Early Christmas Gift: Join my free webinar on Keeping Calm During the Holidays 📅 Tuesday 9 December at 12:00 pm (UK time) 👉 Click here to receive the Zoom details. 🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a safe space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand. ⚡ Ready to go deeper? Become part of the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Recharge Station — your space for group coaching, expert guidance, real connection, and the calm you deserve.

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• EP 147: Neurodiverse Futures: Work That Works

  So many parents of neurodivergent children lie awake at night wondering the same thing: “What will happen when my child enters the workplace?”In this episode, Dr. Olivia sits down with Jenefer Livings, HR consultant, workplace needs assessor, and mother to a neurodivergent child, to demystify what neurodiversity at work really looks like. Together they explore how shifts in workplace culture, flexible working, and better understanding of executive functioning are transforming what is possible for neurodiverse adults.You will learn:Why traditional school subjects do not predict your child’s future career successHow to identify strengths—not just struggles—in your teenagerWhat reasonable adjustments and Access to Work actually meanHow parents can support teens to self-advocate with confidenceWhy the right workplace can unlock your child’s brilliance (and how to spot the wrong one)The rising opportunities in self-employment and entrepreneurship for differently wired mindsThis is a hopeful, practical conversation for any parent wanting to help their child step into adulthood with confidence, clarity, and a sense of possibility.Click here for Silk Helix💬 Connect with Us 🎄 Early Christmas Gift: Join my free webinar on Keeping Calm During the Holidays 📅 Tuesday 9 December at 12:00 pm (UK time) 👉 Click here to receive the Zoom details. 🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a safe space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand. ⚡ Ready to go deeper? Become part of the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Recharge Station — your space for group coaching, expert guidance, real connection, and the calm you deserve.

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• 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 🎄 Early Christmas Gift: Join my free webinar on Keeping Calm During the Holidays 📅 Tuesday 9 December at 12:00 pm (UK time) 👉 Click here to receive the Zoom details. 🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a safe space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand. ⚡ Ready to go deeper? Become part of the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Recharge Station — your space for group coaching, expert guidance, real connection, and the calm you deserve.

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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 🎄 Early Christmas Gift: Join my free webinar on Keeping Calm During the Holidays 📅 Tuesday 9 December at 12:00 pm (UK time) 👉 Click here to receive the Zoom details. 🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a safe space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand. ⚡ Ready to go deeper? Become part of the ADHD Warrior Mum’s Recharge Station — your space for group coaching, expert guidance, real connection, and the calm you deserve.

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