The Untypical Parent™ Podcast

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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 Papyrus, a UK charity dedicated to the prevention of suicide in young people.

We talk openly about suicide. Gently. Honestly. Without drama. Without sensationalising it. But without avoiding it either.
If you are a parent who has ever heard your child say the words that is every parents worst nightmare, “I don’t want to be here anymore,” this episode is for you.
We talk about:
The myths that stop us talking about suicide
Why talking about it does not “put the idea in someone’s head”
The impact on parents and family members
The difference between mental illness and suicidal thoughts
Why neurodivergent young people can be at higher risk
What actually happens when you call Hopeline247
And something we don’t say enough to parents during these times… 

I also share a little of my own family’s experience, and why Papyrus became a lifeline for us when we needed them.

If you take one thing from this episode, please, please let it be this:
You do not have to do this alone. Reach out.
We never know what could be going on for families behind closed doors. By sharing this episode wherever you can, you might just help someone who needs to see it today. 

If you need support
Papyrus runs Hopeline247, a confidential support service for young people under 35 who are struggling with suicidal thoughts, and for parents or carers who are worried about a young person.
📞 Call: 0800 068 4141
📱 Text: 88247
🌐 www.papyrus-uk.org
(Available 24/7)
If you’re outside the UK, please look for a local suicide prevention helpline in your country.
Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn
You can also find Ged on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ged-flynn-394273b/

If you would like to donate to Papyrus so they can continue to be the lifeline that families need you do so here
Support the show
I'm Liz, The Untypical OT. I support parents and carers in additional needs and neurodivergent families to protect against burnout and go from overwhelmed to more moments of ease.
🔗 To connect with me, you can find all my details on Linktree:
https://linktr.ee/the_untypical_ot

And if you'd like to contact me about the podcast please use the text link at the top or you can email at:
[email protected].

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 a perfect picture or being “good at art”. It’s about expression, regulation, confidence and wellbeing.
In this episode, I’m joined by Julie Bevan from Dot Kids, an organisation using creativity to support children’s confidence, emotional expression and wellbeing.
We talk about why creativity matters for both children and parents, how schools sometimes shift the focus from exploration to perfection, and why many adults lose their connection to creativity as they grow older.
We also explore how simple creative activities — even doodling or making marks on paper — can support mental health, self-regulation and family connection.
If you’ve ever thought “I’m not creative” or feel like you lost that part of yourself somewhere along the way, this episode might help you see creativity a little differently.
In this episode we talk about:
Why creativity supports wellbeing for both kids and parents
How perfection and outcomes can take the joy out of art
The role creativity plays in emotional expression and regulation
Why many adults stop creating as they get older
Simple ways families can bring creativity back into everyday life
The work Julie is doing through Dot Kids
You might even feel inspired to pick up a paintbrush, doodle on a page, or simply try something creative again.
Links and resources
DotKids
Julie Bevan – LinkedIn
www.dotkids.co.uk
Julie mentions two artists in particular during the episode they are Yayoi Kasama and Frida Kahlo
If you enjoy the podcast, don’t forget to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes.
I love to know how and what you do that's creative. Lets build a bank of ideas of creative things we can do as parents. Have fun!!
Support the show
I'm Liz, The Untypical OT. I support parents and carers in additional needs and neurodivergent families to protect against burnout and go from overwhelmed to more moments of ease.
🔗 To connect with me, you can find all my details on Linktree:
https://linktr.ee/the_untypical_ot

And if you'd like to contact me about the podcast please use the text link at the top or you can email at:
[email protected].

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 health and your whole family.
From there we get into boundaries, not just “rules for kids”, but the boundaries we need as parents to stay well. We talk about how to hold boundaries at home, how to protect yourself in meetings, and why noticing your nervous system signs (and stepping out when you need to) is a skill worth practising.
We cover:
The trauma and exhaustion of fighting for provision
Boundaries as protection (not punishment)
Teamwork at home + sharing the load
Handling meetings without reacting in the moment
Modelling emotions and recovery for our kids
Links:
Sunshine Support + Sunshine Academy
Chrissa’s podcast: Sip of Sunshine
 
Support the show
I'm Liz, The Untypical OT. I support parents and carers in additional needs and neurodivergent families to protect against burnout and go from overwhelmed to more moments of ease.
🔗 To connect with me, you can find all my details on Linktree:
https://linktr.ee/the_untypical_ot

And if you'd like to contact me about the podcast please use the text link at the top or you can email at:
[email protected].

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 package (Education Otherwise Than At School), my son is considering returning to school.
And I am terrified.
Not because he isn’t capable.
But because for many neurodivergent children, autistic, ADHD, PDA, school trauma doesn’t disappear overnight. Children do not go from “I can’t cope” to “I’m fixed.”
There is no switch.
In this episode I talk about:
• The Lego-in-the-dark metaphor for parenting a neurodivergent child
 • Why safe circles matter more than perfect solutions
 • EOTAS as structured recovery, not failure
 • The fear of losing EHCP support too soon
 • Why graded transitions matter
 • The all-or-nothing approach many families face
 • How to know when it’s time to take the next step
 • Making leaps without losing the safety net
This is an honest episode about risk, recovery, fear and hope.
If you’ve ever sat at 3am wondering whether you’re making the right decision for your child, this one’s for you.
There is hope.
But there has to be flexibility.
If this resonates, please don't hesitate reach out, you are not doing this alone.

Support the show
I'm Liz, The Untypical OT. I support parents and carers in additional needs and neurodivergent families to protect against burnout and go from overwhelmed to more moments of ease.
🔗 To connect with me, you can find all my details on Linktree:
https://linktr.ee/the_untypical_ot

And if you'd like to contact me about the podcast please use the text link at the top or you can email at:
[email protected].

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 of the perfect parent and unpack why children need different versions of us. From there, Lee maps the physiology and psychology of stress: the stress bucket that fills with daily demands, and the burnout cliff that sneaks up when we keep pushing past our limits. You’ll hear how fight, flight, freeze, and even fawn show up in kitchens, school emails, and tense bedtime routines. We draw a clear line between energising, values-led pressure and the draining strain of immovable systems, think tribunals, slow services, and endless forms, and why “pleasant persistence” can protect your health without giving up your voice.

The heart of the conversation tackles inner beliefs that magnify stress. We explore sensitivity that makes a child’s anxiety echo in your body, the inner critic that turns every misstep into a verdict, and the slide from useful guilt into corrosive shame. With insights from Brené Brown and Kristin Neff, Lee offers a fierce form of self-compassion: boundaries, pauses, and choices that prioritise well-being so you can stay connected at home and effective with professionals. We also reframe self-care as shared family care and stack practical micro-tools you can use today, even on the busiest weeks.

Lee talks about SPICE, her five-part framework: Success (small wins), Physical (gentle movement), Important (values-first tasks), Connection (micro-moments that bond), and Enjoyable (simple pleasures that help you exhale). No lofty routines, just realistic, repeatable practices designed for parents managing neurodivergent and neurotypical needs, tight schedules, and high stakes. If you’ve felt “stressy,” close to the edge, or unsure how to help your nervous system settle when the system won’t budge, this conversation offers language, tools, and real hope.

If this helped, follow the show, share it with a friend who’s carrying too much, and leave a review so more parents can find these tools. Your story might be the light someone else needs.

If you want to connect with Lee you can find her here:
Dr Lee David - Instagram
The Choice Space Podcast - Instagram
In this episode Lee and I spoke about: 
Kirsten Neff - https://self-compassion.org/
Dr Richard Duggins 
Brene Brown - https://brenebrown.com/

Support the show
I'm Liz, The Untypical OT. I support parents and carers in additional needs and neurodivergent families to protect against burnout and go from overwhelmed to more moments of ease.
🔗 To connect with me, you can find all my details on Linktree:
https://linktr.ee/the_untypical_ot

And if you'd like to contact me about the podcast please use the text link at the top or you can email at:
[email protected].