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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.
157 Episodes
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Choosing how to get an ADHD or autism diagnosis can feel overwhelming — and confusing. But the pathway you choose does not just affect how long you wait. It affects your child's support, medication access, and long-term outcomes. In this episode, Dr Olivia Kessel is joined by Reemz — a member of the SEND Parenting community with direct experience working inside NHS CAMHS and supporting a family member through Right to Choose. Together, they break down: The NHS CAMHS diagnostic pathwayThe Righ...
Sleep problems are one of the most overlooked — and misunderstood — parts of ADHD. In this episode of the SEND Parenting Podcast, Dr Olivia Kessel breaks down the science behind ADHD and sleep, explaining why up to 70% of children with ADHD struggle with sleep, and why this is not behavioural, it is biological. Drawing on research and lived experience, Dr Olivia explains how delayed melatonin release and circadian rhythm disruption affect the ADHD brain, and why many children are simply not b...
Why do children with ADHD seem exhausted by the end of the day? Why do meltdowns often hit after school? And why does it feel like they are constantly craving sugar? In this episode, adapted from a live masterclass inside the ADHD Warrior Mum community, Dr. Olivia Kessel is joined by Lucinda Miller, founder of NatureDoc and author of Brain Brilliance, to explore how brain fuel affects energy, focus, emotional regulation, and behaviour in children with ADHD. We discuss: Why the ADH...
Applying for an EHCP can feel overwhelming, intimidating, and emotionally draining — especially when your child is already struggling. In this episode, Dr. Olivia Kessel is joined by Dr Abigail Fisher and Eliza Fricker, co-authors of The Essential EHCP Guide for Parents and Carers, to gently demystify the EHCP process and remind parents of one crucial truth: You are not failing. The system is hard. Together, we break down what an EHCP really is, when to apply, and the common myths that delay ...
In this powerful and honest conversation, I am joined by Michael McLeod, internationally recognised ADHD and executive function specialist and founder of GrowNOW ADHD, to unpack what ADHD really is and why so many children and families are being failed by outdated models of support. We explore why ADHD is best understood as a developmental executive function disorder, with emotional regulation at its core — not laziness, defiance, or lack of willpower. Michael explains why traditional approac...
Christmas is often sold as magical and restorative. For many mums of neurodiverse children, it is exhausting. In this honest, deeply personal episode, Dr Olivia Kessel shares a raw Christmas Eve moment that reveals the hidden burnout so many mothers carry. This is a conversation about emotional regulation, guilt, shame, and the invisible labour of neurodiverse parenting. If you made it through the holidays feeling drained, snappy, or empty, this episode is for you. Burnout is not a failure. I...
The holidays can be magical… and completely exhausting when your child has ADHD. Late nights, travel, sugar, screens, unfamiliar beds, and heightened emotions can quickly undo even the most carefully built sleep routine. If your child’s sleep falls apart during the holidays, you are not failing. This is genuinely harder for ADHD brains. In this episode, Dr. Olivia Kessel shares practical, realistic strategies to help you protect your child’s sleep during the festive season and gently reset ro...
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...
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 inte...
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 p...
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 Over...
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 U...
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...
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...
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