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The Untypical Parent™ Podcast
Welcome to The Untypical Parent™ Podcast, a place for parents in neurodivergent, SEN and additional needs families. Here we talk about the messy and the sparkles, share ideas you can actually use, and give you space to take what might work and leave what doesn't.
Hosted by me, Liz Evans — The Untypical OT, a dyslexic, solo parent in a neurodiverse family, this show explores everything from parental burnout and sensory needs to dyslexia, ADHD, and chronic illness. You’ll hear from experts and parents alike, sharing tips and stories to help you create a family life that works for you, because every family is unique and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to families.
If you’ve ever felt that “typical” parenting advice doesn’t fit your world, this is your place for connection, practical tools, and encouragement without the judgment.
Welcome to your backup team. We've been expecting you.
Episodes
43 episodes
You’re Not Alone: Autism, ADHD, School Struggles, Diagnosis & Parenting
“I learned quickly that I am my child’s voice. No one else will care the way I do.” This quote from Greer captures the heart of our conversation. Greer shares her experience of autism, ADHD, school systems, a...
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Season 4
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Episode 5
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37:15
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My brain has a soundtrack - anyone else?
This week I share a comment from a listener. Sharon Thompson wrote what it’s like parenting in a neurodivergent family, the realities people don’t always see, and the strength it takes to keep showing up.And in amongst that I’m bringing...
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Season 4
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Episode 4
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11:18
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Fostering children with SEND: the highs, the lows, and a lot of love (Jordan Garratt)
Content Note: This episode includes discussion of foster care, trauma, low mood and suicidal feelings. If these topics are difficult for you, please take care while listening. If you are struggling, please consider spea...
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Season 4
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Episode 3
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53:57
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Parenting in a neurodivergent family is...... like riding a bike with a flat tyre...
In this short series, parents in neurodivergent families tell us what it's really like. In this episode Laura explains "parenting in a neurodivergent family is like riding a bike with a flat tyre, with a blindfold on, one hand tied behind your ...
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Season 4
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Episode 2
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11:01
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Why Parenting Feels So Hard When You Have ADHD & RSD
In this episode, Laura Kerbey, author and founder of PAST (Positive Assessments, Support and Training), shares her lived experience of growing up undiagnosed with ADHD, and how that shaped not only her childhood but adulthood and parenthood as ...
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Season 4
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Episode 1
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51:37
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I Dropped A Ball And Nearly Missed Christmas: Life In A Neurodivergent Family
In this bonus episode of The Untypical Parent Podcast, I admit something slightly embarrassing: I dropped a ball… a Christmas-shaped ball. Somewhere between broken legs, work deadlines, end-of-term chaos, questionable diary scheduling,...
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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15:25
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Untypical Parenting: Friends, Laughter and Connection
Untypical Parenting One Year OnThe best stories start where the script stops working. Marking a full year of The Untypical Parent Podcast, we sit down with two people who helped shape it from day one, Charlotte from Badger Education, my...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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54:49
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Neurodivergence, Dadhood, Diagnosis, And Doing Your Best
What if “perfect” parenting is the wrong goal, and honest repair is the real superpower? I sit down with David, the Dad behind NeuroDad’s Diary, to explore what changes when a late ADHD diagnosis reframes years of anxiety, overwhelm, and self-c...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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50:38
Squirrels, Penguins, And Parenting
In this episode I sit down with Steph Simpson, a late-identified ADHD mom on a pathway for autism assessment, to explore how a simple language shift—calling ADHD “squirrels” and autism “penguins”—reshaped her family’s daily life. Instead of lab...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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34:06
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When Your Parenting Plane Gets Diverted to Amsterdam
What happens when your carefully planned parenting journey takes an unexpected turn? For Archie, specialist ADHD nurse prescriber and director of ADHD Care Limited, raising a neurodivergent child meant learning to embrace a completely different...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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54:03
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BDD: What is it? Early Signs, Misdiagnosis, and How Parents Can Help
I sit down with Sam Milburn to unpack body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), what it is, why it hides in plain sight, and how parents can spot early signs. We share practical next steps, from navigating CAMHS to using scripts that break reassurance lo...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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49:40
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Autistic Girls, Women and Non Binary People with Cathy from The Autistic Girls Network
Kathy Wassell, CEO and founder of the Autistic Girls Network Charity, talks with me about her journey creating supportive spaces for neurodivergent individuals, particularly women and girls who are often missed in traditional diagnostic pathway...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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45:29
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Demand Avoidance Decoded
What actually is PDA?Speech and language therapist Libby Hill cuts through the confusion with clarity and compassion, drawing on decades of clinical experience and her work with leading PDA researchers."There's demand avoidance, ...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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48:13
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Why Neurodivergent Parents Are Epic
In this episode, Jodie talks about her journey from unconsciously trying to be the “perfect yummy mummy” to showing up as her real, neurodivergent self in parenting. A big turning point was her eldest daughter’s autism diagnosis, which set her ...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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55:15
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Navigating the September Back-to-School / Learning Shifts in Rhythms for Neurodivergent Families
Ever noticed how we pour endless energy into helping our kids through back-to-school transitions, but we completely forget about ourselves? Welcome back to the Untypical Parent podcast for Season Three, where we're diving straight into what can...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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22:44
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F1 & Sparkles: How Racing Cars Connected Us
The summer holidays bring a unique rhythm to neurodivergent families with a "sweet spot" emerging between the transition from school and the anxiety of returning. This episode explores finding connection through our children's special interests...
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Season 2
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Episode 11
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31:08
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Parenting with Chronic Illness: Finding Your Path
Chronic illness doesn't come with a parenting manual. That's why this conversation with Rebecca (the Chronically Resilient OT) feels like a breath of fresh air for anyone trying to raise children while managing their own health challenges.<...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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50:14
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Parenting On High Alert: Living with Childhood Epilepsy
What happens when your child's first seizure changes everything? Nicole Bateman, host of "Conversations with a Send Mum" podcast, takes us beyond the stereotypical understanding of epilepsy into a world most people never see. "Befo...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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38:14
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Finding Your Neurodivergent Family's Holiday Sweet Spot
PLEASE NOTE THERE HAS BEEN A CHANGE OF NAME FOR THE VIDEO AND TOP TIPS DOWNLOAD. IT IS NOW CALLED THE NEURODIVERGENT FAMILY HOLIDAY GUIDE - it does what is says on the tin.Ever felt like your family is the only one struggling through wha...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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18:44
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ADHD, Hormones & Parenting: What no one tells you about
Sarah West shares her journey as a late-diagnosed ADHD woman navigating the challenges of perimenopause while parenting two neurodivergent daughters. She explains how declining estrogen levels during perimenopause can significantly worsen ADHD ...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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54:57
Finding Each Other in the Hardest Moments of Neurodivergent Parenting
Have you ever felt completely alone while managing your child's meltdown in public? That moment when all eyes seem to be on you, judging your parenting skills, and you just wish someone would silently acknowledge they understand what you're goi...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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22:22
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Is A Good Enough Parent, Good Enough?
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the pressure to be the perfect parent? Take a deep breath – you're not alone, and this conversation might be exactly what you need to hear.Speech and language therapist Ruth Jones talks with me about the...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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54:48
Dyslexic Parenting (part 2): My Brain Uses a Postage Stamp When Others Have A4 Pages
Part 2Ever wondered what it's like navigating complex systems with dyslexia while trying to advocate for your children's needs? The mental gymnastics can be exhausting, yet this challenge remains largely invisible in discussions about&nb...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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22:40
The Consent Compass: Navigating Parenting Beyond "Because I Said So"
What happens when we throw away the parenting rulebook and embrace our authentic, imperfect selves? In this fascinating conversation with Jen Wilson (aka Irregular Jen), we explore the radical idea that perfect parenting is not only impossible—...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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56:46
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Dyslexic Parenting part 1: When Your Kids Outspell You
Parenting while dyslexic introduces unique challenges—especially when kids outstrip you in literacy. In this opening instalment of a two-part series, I share my personal journey navigating dyslexia in a family where words don’t always come easi...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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22:23
