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Welcome to the Send Parenting Podcast. I'm your neurodiverse host, Dr Olivia Kessel, and, more importantly, I am a mother to my wonderfully neurodivergent daughter, Alexandra, who really inspired this podcast.
As a veteran in navigating the world of neurodiversity, I have uncovered a wealth of misinformation, alongside many answers and solutions that were never taught to me in medical school or in any of the parenting handbooks.
Each week on this podcast, I will be bringing the experts to your ears to empower you on your parenting crusade.
144 Episodes
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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 ...
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-mo...
What if the problem was never your child—but the system itself? In this powerful conversation, Dr. Olivia sits down with Esther Jones, mindfulness teacher, mother of three, and author of The Parent’s Handbook to Unschooling Yourself, to explore what happens when we let go of the ‘shoulds’ that weigh parents down. From daily battles over school refusal to the pressure of academic milestones, Esther shares her family’s journey into unschooling—a path that focuses on curiosity, connection...
✨ Click here for SENsory Mother - Laura Ellis ✨ Click here for 30-day Guide to Better Sleep 👉 Join ADHD Warrior Mum: The Recharge Station What if the meltdown in your hallway isn’t defiance at all, but a terrified nervous system asking for help? We go straight to the heart of “challenging behaviour” with Laura, a teacher and mum of neurodivergent twins, who moved from daily crisis to a calmer, kinder home by changing how she understood panic, overload, and connection. Her story spans pr...
Dr Olivia Kessel welcomes back co-authors Georgina Benger and Karen Price to discuss restorative justice as a compassionate, relationship-based approach that helps children understand the impact of their actions and repair harm. • Georgina's research at Cambridge University revealed schools still use the same punishment methods from 1846 despite their ineffectiveness • Traditional punishments fail to teach accountability and create patterns where children accept consequences without understa...
If you're exhausted from daily battles with a child who seems to resist everything – even things they used to enjoy – this episode will change how you see their behaviour forever. Karen Price and Georgina Benger, leading PDA experts who've supported thousands of families, reveal why Pathological Demand Avoidance isn't defiance or manipulation – it's anxiety. Using the heartwarming children's book "Olive's Day" as their guide, they brilliantly illustrate how your child literally "can't, not wo...
The postcode lottery in UK's SEND system isn't just frustrating—it's devastating families. This raw, eye-opening conversation with Rebecca Harrison reveals the shocking truth about educational inequality across neighboring boroughs. Rebecca brings a uniquely powerful perspective as both a former SENCO and mother to two neurodivergent children. Despite her professional background and intimate understanding of the educational system, she's been unable to secure appropriate schooling for her au...
Education systems often fail neurodivergent children, but the right support can transform their learning journey. Julia Silver, founder of Qualified Tutors and mother to five neurodivergent children, shares how tutoring can rebuild confidence and love of learning for children struggling in traditional education. • Understanding that schools can't meet every child's needs – even with the most dedicated teachers • How tutoring offers personalized support that goes to where the student is • The...
Download your free Guide by clicking here: The Zones of Regulation: A Parent's Guide to Understanding Big Emotions Ever felt like your child's emotions are too big for their body? In this tender final episode of our Alexandra ADHD En Masse series, my 13-year-old daughter Alexandra opens her heart about one of the most challenging aspects of living with ADHD – emotional regulation and friendship struggles. With remarkable self-awareness, Alexandra shares how overwhelming emotions can suddenly...
Click here for the ADHD Sleep Guide - 30 days to better sleep Sleep deprivation became our unwelcome companion for eleven long years. My daughter Alexandra would lie awake for hours, plagued by anxious thoughts that seemed to intensify as darkness fell. When sleep finally came, it was fragmented – she'd wake repeatedly, finding her way to my bed most nights seeking reassurance. For families navigating ADHD, this scenario might sound painfully familiar. In this deeply personal conversation, A...
FREE GUIDE: ADHD Medication Made Simple 💊 Understand how ADHD medication works, the different options available, and how to talk to your child about it with confidence. 👉 Download your free guide here What's it really like to take ADHD medication as a teenager? Forget the clinical explanations—today my daughter Alexandra bravely takes us behind the curtain of her medication journey with refreshing honesty that only a young person living the experience can provide. The journey begins w...
FREE GUIDE for Parents of ADHD Girls 🎁 Discover the often-missed signs of ADHD in girls — so you can spot them early and get the right support. 👉 Download your free guide here Ever wondered what ADHD actually feels like from the inside? In this intimate first episode of our special summer series, I'm joined by my daughter Alexandra who courageously opens up about her experience living with ADHD before and after diagnosis. The morning battlefields we once faced will sound painfully familiar...
What if your child's meltdowns or shutdowns aren't actually about behavior, but biology? Nicola McAllister, education consultant with 30+ years of experience and mother to an autistic son, reveals the science behind self-regulation that transforms how we support our neurodivergent children. Through her compassionate lens, we discover that what looks like "difficult behavior" is actually a stress response—our children's bodies responding to perceived threats with the only tools they cur...
Sara Donnelly, a head teacher of 14 years, shares why she's leaving education leadership after witnessing the system repeatedly fail neurodivergent children, in particular, girls. We also delve into why: • Girls with neurodiversity are often missed because they present differently than the stereotypical profile • Signs to watch for in autistic girls include subtle stimming, hypervigilance, and struggling to maintain (not make) friendships • Many professionals still believe myths like "she ca...
The digital world offers a unique sanctuary for neurodiverse children—a place where they can connect, explore, and engage in ways that might feel challenging in person. But this digital refuge comes with hidden costs as platforms silently harvest our children's personal data, using it in ways most parents don't fully understand. Deputy Commissioner Emily Keaney from the Information Commissioner's Office pulls back the curtain on what's really happening when your child scrolls through social ...
The gap between what neurodiverse children need and what traditional education provides continues to widen, leaving parents desperate for answers while waiting years for diagnoses and appropriate support. In this eye-opening conversation, Lizzie Shearing and Liz Britton share how Learning DNA's revolutionary approach is transforming outcomes for children with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other neurodevelopmental differences. At the heart of their methodology is the recognition that most child...
We dive into a powerful conversation about parenting neurodivergent children from the inside out with guest Diane Dempster, coach, speaker, and co-founder of Impact Parents. Diane shares her personal journey as a "recovering yelling mom" and how she discovered that the way we show up as parents matters more than what we do. • How the "Super Mom trap" catches neurodivergent parents who try to do everything for their children • Why parents are "the missing link" in helping neurodivergent child...
What if your journey to help your child with ADHD actually begins with healing yourself? Randy Free, founder of Aspire Coaching, offers a refreshing perspective that might just transform your family dynamics. When traditional parenting approaches fail with neurodivergent children, parents often feel trapped in cycles of conflict, meltdowns, and mutual frustration. Randy's personal story of raising two children with ADHD resonates deeply—the hours spent on homework, the struggles within an in...
Financial planning for neurodivergent children is not just about money but about love, responsibility, and the legacy we leave when we're no longer here. • Cara explains how her journey with her autistic son during COVID lockdown led to creating SendProtect after noticing financial advisors weren't addressing SEND-specific needs • SendProtect offers free educational events, webinars and consultations to help SEND parents understand long-term financial planning • Life insurance policies shoul...
What happens when the child you thought you knew begins to slip away? For Guy Shahar, watching his one-year-old son Daniel lose words, self-feeding abilities, and connection was heartbreaking. "It's like you're losing your child," Guy shares, describing the helplessness that washed over him and his wife as traditional medical pathways offered little beyond frustration and dismissal. Their story takes an unexpected turn when they follow their intuition to a small therapy center in Israel, emp...
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