raising neurodiverse kids
Every mum's journey is different and there is no easy ride. Raising neurodiverse kids can present it's own set of unique highs and lows which can be hard to understand for people that have not experienced it.
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Raising a neurodiverse child brings immense love and joy, but it can also be exhausting and frustrating—not because of your child, but because the systems meant to support them often don’t. From rigid school structures that prioritise compliance over individuality, to the hidden or unconscious bias you encounter from people who should champion and not limit your child, to healthcare systems and practices which are designed to see your child as something to be 'fixed'. Dealing with these challenges daily takes a toll.
Society tends to favour neurotypical ways of thinking, leaving neurodiverse children and their families navigating a world that wasn’t built with them in mind. From the simplest things like grocery shopping, to a preference for words over actions, every day brings a new challenge. It falls to us, as mothers to constantly educate, advocate, problem solve and create environments and systems that support our kids all while supporting them to regulate their emotions, while we manage our own. Over time this can lead to stress, burnout, and feelings of isolation.
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If you are a neurotypical mum raising a neurodiverse child it can be challenging to understand your child and how they see the world. If you are a neurodiverse mum raising a neurodiverse child it can be a challenge to juggle competing sensory needs, provide scaffolds, manage the admin and social needs all while regulating yourself.
Common challenges raising ND kids
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Overwhelmed – Managing demands, appointments, emotional needs and advocacy everyday
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Frustrated – Facing inflexible systems can leave you feeling powerless and unheard
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Exhausted – Navigating meltdowns, sensory challenges, and daily routines can be draining
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Isolated – A lack of understanding from others can make you feel like no one truly “gets it”
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Guilty – Doubting yourself, your decisions, your efforts and if your mood is affecting your child
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Anxious – Worrying about your child’s safety, health and happiness now and into the future
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Angry – Feeling let down by systems and processes that fail to support neurodiverse children
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Depressed – Feeling hopeless and like you are just treading water, achieving nothing
You are not alone in these struggles, and you deserve support too. As mums, we are often the primary parent and feel the weight of this responsibility more. It is important to have some time and space to voice your feelings, to process your emotions and have strategies in place for your own self-care and support.
it doesn't have to be this way
Feelings are not good or bad, but some are much harder to sit with and feel more unpleasant for us. The good news is that feelings can not hurt us and they are not facts - they can be heard, processed and changed. Feelings only have the power we choose to give them.
You are the most qualified person to raise your child
Even on the hard days
I am lucky enough to work with mums every day who are incredible mums. Every day they get way more right than they get wrong and it is a privilege to help them see themselves in a different light. I create a space to vent feelings safely, to speak freely, without judgement or fear. We focus on building strengths and identifying strategies to support you and your emotional needs. We focus on filling your cup, helping you to regulate and build resilience to ride the highs and lows.
I help clients to feel:
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Resilient – Facing challenges head-on and growing stronger with every obstacle overcome
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Empowered – Giving yourself permission to ditch the 'shoulds' and other's expectations
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Confident – In your choices and the role you play in your child's life
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Compassion – For yourself and your child as two perfectly imperfect human beings
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Proud – Of your child's strengths and the awesome human they are becoming
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Connected – Knowing you are not alone and building supports
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Calm – More regulated and in the present, allowing setbacks and meltdowns to wash over us
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Hopeful – Believing that, together, you and your child can create a brighter future.
Diagnosis debrief sessions
For many parents, diagnosis of their child is a confronting process. Most parents share that the process feels dehumanising and disempowering and that there is little to no support for parents, once they are handed the report. It can take time, effort and energy to process feelings and life just seems to move on without making the space. Often parents can feel very differently about the process and be mentally in different places to their partner. Time is needed to work out what this all means for you as a mother, as a partner, as a family and what you need to adjust, adapt and let go of to support yourself and your family.
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To help parents with this process, I offer a special 90 minute 'diagnosis debrief' session to process some of the feelings and fears you are experiencing and set some practical next steps to take you forward in your neurodiverse parenting journey. These sessions can be run with or without your parenting partner. In this special 90 minute session clients will:
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Share their child's diagnosis story
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Understand the 'grief' or adjustment process
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Identify feelings, worries and questions
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Practice emotion diffusion and mindfulness in the moment
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Discuss ableism and identify strength based, neuroaffirming strategies moving forward
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These sessions are longer to allow for more time to process the experience. Sometimes it might lead into ongoing counselling for a period, joining support or small groups but for many clients the process is validating and affirming and they want to continue self-learning. To support clients with this, I have created a neuroaffirming parenting pathway to continue self-learning with brilliant neuroaffirming sources from across the web.
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Sessions are $200 ex GST for the 90 minutes and each client will be provided with a neuroaffirming learning pathway to keep their learning going with carefully curated resources from across the web including webinars, videos, podcasts, articles, books and even cartoons to help you learn more about yourself in a strengths based, positive way.
To get started, you can book a free 15 minute, no obligation, discovery call to see how a diagnosis debrief might support you or you can dive right in and book your session today.
Other ways I can support you
Dive deep into your feelings in a one on one counselling session and speak your mind without fear of judgement. My only goal is to help you to achieve your mental health objectives. Learn new strategies to feel differently about yourself, your child and your relationships.
In addition to AuDHD and ADHD coaching, I specialise in coaching mums who are returning to work and mums that need to rebalance their lives and parenting responsibilities. More directive than counselling, sessions focus on practical tools and mindset - tailored to your life.
Our small groups have no more than 10 participants and run for 90 minutes. Meet other mums raising neurodiverse kids and share stories, process feelings and learn from each other.
Sessions are focused on different topics but are always strengths focused.
Not sure what you need? That's OK - I am here to help. You can reach out via email with all your questions
or book a free, no obligation discovery call via the links below:
Other resources to support you
Sometimes, we like to learn at our own place, on our own and dive down the rabbit hole. To help mothers raising neurodiverse kids on their learning journey, I have made a number of self help tools and articles available which I have designed for busy mums that don't have a lot of time to spend on themselves.
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These resources are curated and tagged so you can easily find what you are looking for, and come back to access more, when you are ready. You can keep and share as many as you like, just remember to let people know where you got them.
If you enjoy these tools, don't forget to subscribe via the link below and each week, I will share new insights, articles and tools with you - delivered straight to your inbox and entirely for free.
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