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Navigating Neurodiverse Education Podcast
Welcome to the "Navigating Neurodiverse Education" podcast, where we offer strategies and insights to help parents create the ideal learning environment for their neurodiverent child. Whether you're a parent or a supportive family member, you'll find practical advice and inspiring discussions for the educational journey ahead.
Episodes
78 episodes
Podcast 78 When rigid Meets Rigid - Inflexible thinking in Neurodivergent Classrooms
When Rigid Meets Rigid — Inflexible Thinking in Neurodivergent ClassroomsWhat happens when both the teacher and the student are neurodivergent… and neither brain can bend?In this powerful and eye-opening episode, R...
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Episode 78
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24:18
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Podcast 77 - Trust the Process of the School
Trust the School Process: Why It Matters for Your ChildRaising a neurodivergent child in school can feel overwhelming, confusing, and at times deeply frustrating. You want your child supported, understood, and progressing — but so...
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Episode 77
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29:01
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Podcast 76- How To Use Declarative Language for PDA's Successfully
How to Use Declarative Language for PDA SuccessfullyIf you’re parenting or teaching a child with Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), you’ve probably experienced this moment:You ask your child to do something simple…&nb...
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Episode 76
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19:24
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Podcast 75 When Rigid Meets Rigid: Navigating Inflexible Thinking in Neurodivergent Families
🎧 Podcast Blurb (show notes / website)Podcast 75 — When Rigid Meets Rigid: Navigating Inflexible Thinking in Neurodivergent FamiliesDoes your home ever feel like it explodes over the smallest things?The wrong bowl.
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Episode 75
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14:11
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Podcast 74 What Schools Mean By “Testing” — And Why It Often Doesn’t Fit Our Neurodivergent Kids
Episode Title: What Schools Mean By “Testing” — And Why It Often Doesn’t Fit Our Neurodivergent KidsYou sit in a school meeting and hear the words:“We’ve completed testing.”And suddenly your mind races.<...
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Episode 74
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26:34
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Podcast 73 The Hardest Walk: Helping Your Child Transition From Home to School Without Escalating Anxiety
Episode 73 — The Hardest Walk: Helping Your Child Transition From Home to School Without Escalating AnxietyFor many families raising neurodivergent children, the hardest part of the school day isn’t learning… it’s the school gate....
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Episode 73
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20:02
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Podcast 72 The 3R's: Why Neurodivergent Kids Need Downtime (Recharge, Re-energise & Recoup)
The 3 R’s: Why Neurodivergent Children NEED Downtime (Recharge, Re-energise & Recoup)What if many of the behaviours we see at school and home… aren’t defiance at all?In this episode, I share a very real lesson I’ve been...
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Episode 72
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22:18
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Podcast 71 - Growing Focus Together: Sensory Integration for Home and School
Growing Focus Together: Sensory Integration for Home and SchoolCynthia is an Occupational Therapist with more than 25 years of experience supporting neurodivergent learners in schools, homes, and community settings. Her work helps...
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Episode 71
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1:40:13
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Podcast 70 Soft Starts Matter: Supporting Neurodivergent Students at the Beginning of the School Year
Soft Starts Matter: Supporting Neurodivergent Students at the Beginning of the School YearThe start of the school year is often described as a “fresh start” — but for many neurodivergent students and students with complex needs, i...
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Episode 70
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22:30
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Podcast 69 The Back-to-School Toolkit: Secondary Edition
The Back-to-School Toolkit: Secondary School Edition Supporting Your Neurodivergent Teen Through the New School YearSecondary school can feel relentless for neurodivergent teens — and for the parents supporting them.<...
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Episode 69
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20:47
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Podcast 68 The Back-to-School Toolkit: Primary Edition
The Back-to-School Toolkit: Primary School EditionStarting a new school year can feel overwhelming — especially when your child is autistic, ADHD, anxious, sensory-sensitive, or still developing communication skills.In this...
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Episode 68
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23:58
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Podcast 67 How Can I Set My Child Up to Thrive Long-Term?
How Can I Set My Child Up to Thrive Long-Term?So many parents of neurodivergent children worry about the future — self-advocacy, friendships, high school, independence… and whether they’re doing enough now.
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Episode 67
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21:33
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Podcast 66 When School Isn’t Working: What Are My Options for My Neurodivergent Child?
What Are My Options If the Current School Isn’t Working?When school isn’t working, parents are often left feeling trapped — unsure whether to keep pushing, change schools, explore flexible options, or step away altogether.I...
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Episode 66
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23:10
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Podcast 65 Who Can Support My Child Beyond the Classroom?
Who Can Support My Child Beyond the Classroom?When school can’t meet every need — and it often can’t — parents are left navigating a confusing world of therapists, tutors, and support services.In this ep...
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Episode 65
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17:54
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Podcast 64 The Summer Holiday Survival Guide for Parents of Neurodivergent Kids
The holiday season is meant to be joyful — but for many families with neurodivergent children, it can feel overwhelming, exhausting, and anything but relaxing.In this episode of Navigating Neurodiverse Education, we talk honestl...
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Episode 64
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16:09
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Podcast 63 How to Make School Feel Safe: 3 Things Every Parent Needs to Know
How Can We Make School Feel Safe?Safety is the number one concern for families of neurodivergent children — and it goes far beyond locked gates and supervision.In this episode of Navigating Neurodiv...
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Episode 63
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19:41
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Podcast 62 Preventing Family Burnout - Making School sustainable for Everyone
In this episode of Navigating Neurodiverse Education, Ruth Smoker-Cornell tackles a topic every family needs to hear: burnout and how to prevent it.Burnout doesn’t happen because families aren’t trying hard enough — it happens w...
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Episode 62
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26:52
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Podcast 61 Preparing for Next Year: A Parent’s Guide to Smooth Transitions, Teacher Handovers & Setting Your Child Up for Success
The start of a new school year can feel overwhelming for neurodivergent children — and for the parents supporting them. New teachers, new routines, new expectations… and all the uncertainty that comes with Term 1.In this episode of N...
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Episode 61
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36:18
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Podcast 60 End-of-Year School Reports: What Parents Really Need to Look For (and What to Ignore)
End-of-Year School Reports: What Parents Really Need to Look For (and What to Ignore)It’s report review season — and for parents of neurodivergent children, this time of year brings stress, confusion, and a LOT of questions.
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Episode 60
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26:20
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Podcast 59 Surviving the End-of-Year Chaos: How to Support Your Neurodivergent Child Through Fatigue, Change, and Big Feelings”
Term 4 is here… and for many neurodivergent children, the final weeks of school feel overwhelming. Sensory overload, unpredictable routines, assemblies, excursions, tired teachers, and emotional burnout combine into the perfect storm —...
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Episode 59
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28:02
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Podcast 58 The Future of Education Choice – Why hybrid models, microschools, and online learning are redefining traditional schooling and what this means for families
This week, we sit down with Cassie Olguin — an inspiring mum of three and a passionate advocate for education choice. With 11 years of homeschooling experience, including supporting a neurodiverse learner, Cassie has seen firsthand how tailorin...
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Episode 58
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1:16:30
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Podcast 57 When Teachers Stop ‘Getting’ Your Child: How to Rebuild Connection in 3 Practical Steps
Has Your Child’s Teacher Suddenly Stopped “Getting” Them?When teacher–student connection breaks, everything can feel harder — behaviour escalates, confidence drops, and school starts to feel like a battle. But there a...
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Episode 57
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29:30
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Podcast 56 Tracking Your Child’s Growth – Academic, Social & Emotional Progress
🎙️ Podcast Episode 56: Tracking Your Child’s Growth – Academic, Social & Emotional ProgressWondering how to know if your neurodivergent child is truly thriving — academically, socially, and emotionally?In this ep...
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Episode 56
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37:07
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Podcast 55: Signals & Support – Early Mental Health Signs
Do you know how to spot subtle changes in your neurodivergent child that could signal emotional or mental health challenges?In this episode, Ruth shares both her own a real-life story and another of Emma and her 9-year-old autisti...
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Episode 55
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20:44
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Podcast 54 Understanding PDA: Supporting Your Child to Thrive in Any Learning Environment
“Understanding PDA: Supporting Your Child to Thrive in Any Learning Environment”Do you have a child who struggles with small requests, sudden meltdowns, or school refusal? They might have a PDA profile — and it’s not defianc...
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Episode 54
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37:07
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