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SEND Parenting Podcast
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.
Episodes
151 episodes
Holiday Sleep Survival For Neurodiverse Kids
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 s...
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19:05
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 ...
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35:59
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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: P...
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51:12
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 consultan...
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41:04
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...
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54:55
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
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1:00:12
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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 m...
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1:03:57
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?...
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48:06
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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 be...
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1:05:35
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EP 141 Unschooling Yourself: Letting Go of the ‘Shoulds’ in Parenting
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 Unsc...
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Episode 141
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1:02:48
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EP 140: Meltdowns, Decoded
✨ Click here for SENsory Mother - Laura Ellis✨ Click here for 30-day Guide to Better Sleep 👉 ...
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1:11:02
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EP 139: Why Punishments From 1846 Still Don't Work Today
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.• Georgi...
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46:36
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EP 138: Anxiety, PDA and self-regulation with Caryn Price & Georgina Benger
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'v...
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Episode 138
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46:34
EP 137: The broken UK SEND system with Rebecca Harrison, founder of SEN Home Ed Circle
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.Rebe...
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Episode 137
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49:20
EP 136: Education systems fail neurodivergent children with Julia Silver, founder of Qualified Tutor
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 a...
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Episode 136
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54:53
EP 135: ADHD affecting emotions - a girl's story
Download your free Guide by clicking here: The Zones of Regulation: A Parent's Guide to Understanding Big EmotionsEver felt like your child's emotions are too big for their body? In this tend...
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Episode 135
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14:18
EP 134: ADHD and sleep struggles
Click here for the ADHD Sleep Guide - 30 days to better sleepSleep deprivation became our unwelcome companion for eleven long years. My daughter Alexandra would lie awake for hours, plagued b...
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Episode 134
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14:03
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ADHD Medication: a teen's experience
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. 👉 Dow...
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Episode 133
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18:51
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EP 132: Mother and Daughter Navigate ADHD Together
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<...
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18:30
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EP 131: Self-regulation for neurodivergent children with Nicola McAllister from The Regulated Child
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...
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Episode 131
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58:48
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EP 130: Why are neurodiverse girls being ignored with Sara Donnelly, former headteacher
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 o...
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Episode 130
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53:38
EP 129: Protecting your child online with Emily Keeney of the ICO (Information Commissioner's Office)
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 harve...
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Episode 129
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35:52
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EP 128: Most children have multiple diagnosis with Lizzie Shearing and Liz Britton from Learning DNA
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, Lizzi...
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1:03:30
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EP 127: Parenting Your Neurodivergent Child with Diane Dempster, co-founder of Impact Parents
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 ho...
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Episode 127
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40:51
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EP 126: ADHD Parenting: Heal Yourself, Help Your Child with Randy Free of Aspire Coaching
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 a...
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Episode 126
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50:39
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