Contrary to the medical model of prescribing antibiotics or stitching up a wound, mental health is not simply about "fixing" patients. Therapists can feel pressure from parents or school staff to improve a child’s emotional or behavioral functioning as quickly as possible, but mental health is both a science and an art. It also takes trust and time. In today’s episode, Dr. Matt Zakreski and I talk about how structured approaches and time frames just don’t fit with the flexibility needed when working with neurodivergent kid and teens.

Listen in as Dr. Matt and I discuss flexing the structure, timing, and modality of therapy based on a kid’s skill development, what to expect as parents when your child or teen is in therapy, and how we can empower our kids to take ownership of their mental health journey.

Tune in to find out why it's not one size fits all!

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Sign up for Dr. Emily's weekly newsletter at www.learnwithdremily.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit learnwithdremily.substack.com.

Learn with Dr. Emily is edited by Earfluence.

Helpful Resources
Parent Workshops - https://learnwithdremily.substack.com/s/parent-workshops
Professional Development - Bring Dr. Emily to Your School - https://www.learnwithdremily.com/schools
For Teachers - Regulation Roster and Reframing Behavior Worksheet - https://www.learnwithdremily.com/roster or https://www.learnwithdremily.com/reframingbehavior
Parent Referral Tracker - https://www.learnwithdremily.com/tracker

Parents, you've got all the tech time questions, and Better Screen Time's Andrea Davis has the answers.

• What's the latest info on how much time kids are spending on devices?
• When are kids ready for devices? Specifically for phones?
• When are they ready for social media?
• How do you set boundaries around technology?
• How do you bring up the potential for sexting, nudes, or pornography?
• Is there value in having a family device?
• Are there any apps or hardware that helps with parental controls?
• Is there no hope once your child is down a YouTube rabbit hole?
• What happens when your child breaks the rules on technology?

Wherever you are in your parenting technology journey, this episode is for you!

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Sign up for Dr. Emily's weekly newsletter at www.learnwithdremily.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit learnwithdremily.substack.com.

Learn with Dr. Emily is edited by Earfluence.

Helpful Resources
Parent Workshops - https://learnwithdremily.substack.com/s/parent-workshops
Professional Development - Bring Dr. Emily to Your School - https://www.learnwithdremily.com/schools
For Teachers - Regulation Roster and Reframing Behavior Worksheet - https://www.learnwithdremily.com/roster or https://www.learnwithdremily.com/reframingbehavior
Parent Referral Tracker - https://www.learnwithdremily.com/tracker

While working in the classroom as a teacher in both special education and general education settings, and in helping her own kids learn to read, Melissa Jackson started to notice that the teaching methods she had been taught in teacher prep courses didn't work equally with neurotypical and neurodivergent learners.

So what did she do about it?

Today, Melissa and Dr. Emily King discuss the challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals in traditional educational settings, advocating for a strengths-based approach and emphasizing the importance of collaboration between educators and parents. They also touch on topics like early intervention for children with learning differences, emotional regulation for individuals with ADHD, and task management strategies.

Tune in to gain insights on navigating the complexities of neurodivergent identities with acceptance and self-compassion.

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Sign up for Dr. Emily's weekly newsletter at www.learnwithdremily.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit learnwithdremily.substack.com.

Learn with Dr. Emily is edited by Earfluence.

Helpful Resources
Parent Workshops - https://learnwithdremily.substack.com/s/parent-workshops
Professional Development - Bring Dr. Emily to Your School - https://www.learnwithdremily.com/schools
For Teachers - Regulation Roster and Reframing Behavior Worksheet - https://www.learnwithdremily.com/roster or https://www.learnwithdremily.com/reframingbehavior
Parent Referral Tracker - https://www.learnwithdremily.com/tracker

The hilarious and uber-talented Kim and Penn Holderness (YouTube) just released a new book, ADHD is Awesome, and they're on the show to tell us all about it!

We explore:

• Reframing ADHD as a superpower
• Uncovering strategies like visual cues
• Using timers
• Setting boundaries
• Emotional aspects of ADHD
• Gender differences in expressing emotions
• Personalized teaching methods for neurodivergent students (including Penn's vision for a school specifically for ADHD students)

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Sign up for Dr. Emily's weekly newsletter at www.learnwithdremily.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit learnwithdremily.substack.com.

Learn with Dr. Emily is edited by Earfluence.

Helpful Resources
Parent Workshops - https://learnwithdremily.substack.com/s/parent-workshops
Professional Development - Bring Dr. Emily to Your School - https://www.learnwithdremily.com/schools
For Teachers - Regulation Roster and Reframing Behavior Worksheet - https://www.learnwithdremily.com/roster or https://www.learnwithdremily.com/reframingbehavior
Parent Referral Tracker - https://www.learnwithdremily.com/tracker

PDA most commonly stands for Pathological Demand Avoidance. But Dr. Casey Ehrlich prefers to call it Pervasive Drive for Autonomy or Protective Demand Avoidance. Today, Dr. Ehrlich unpacks why understanding PDA and nervous system responses starts with supporting children's drive for autonomy and equality.

She and Dr. Emily also discuss the alarming issue of burnout in children, and the transformative power of play therapy in regulating emotions.

If you're looking to create a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for neurodivergent children, this episode is a must listen.

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Casey Ehrlich, Ph. D. (she/her) is a social scientist, parent coach and educator, and the CEO and founder of At Peace Parents, LLC.

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Sign up for Dr. Emily's weekly newsletter at www.learnwithdremily.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit learnwithdremily.substack.com.

Learn with Dr. Emily is edited by Earfluence.

Helpful Resources
Parent Workshops - https://learnwithdremily.substack.com/s/parent-workshops
Professional Development - Bring Dr. Emily to Your School - https://www.learnwithdremily.com/schools
For Teachers - Regulation Roster and Reframing Behavior Worksheet - https://www.learnwithdremily.com/roster or https://www.learnwithdremily.com/reframingbehavior
Parent Referral Tracker - https://www.learnwithdremily.com/tracker

Parenting is challenging. Add neurodivergence and a busy job to the mix, and sometimes (ok, often) you feel like you deserve that glass of wine. But does it make things better or worse? Are you a sober-curious parent?

Today, Casey Davidson and Dr. Emily share their personal journeys of transitioning to sobriety, shedding light on the challenges of moderation and the addictive nature of alcohol. There are both physical and emotional benefits of reducing alcohol intake, but societal pressures around alcohol, particularly for women and mothers, can make even being sober-curious a challenge.

So what can we do about it?

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Casey Davidson is a sobriety coach for busy women, and the host of the Hello Someday Podcast.

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Sign up for Dr. Emily's weekly newsletter at www.learnwithdremily.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit learnwithdremily.substack.com.

Learn with Dr. Emily is edited by Earfluence.

Helpful Resources
Parent Workshops - https://learnwithdremily.substack.com/s/parent-workshops
Professional Development - Bring Dr. Emily to Your School - https://www.learnwithdremily.com/schools
For Teachers - Regulation Roster and Reframing Behavior Worksheet - https://www.learnwithdremily.com/roster or https://www.learnwithdremily.com/reframingbehavior
Parent Referral Tracker - https://www.learnwithdremily.com/tracker

On today’s podcast, Dr. Lori Desautels joins me to discuss how students experience trauma at school, and how we need to move away from traditional discipline approaches and towards promoting emotional regulation for students and educators. We dive into practical strategies in an effort to promote a positive learning environment for all students.

This episode is for teachers wanting to better understand the emotional experience of their neurodivergent students as well as for parents wanting to know what to advocate for when collaborating with their child’s team.

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Dr. Lori Desautels is an Assistant Professor at Butler University and author of several books, including Connections Over Compliance: Rewiring Our Perceptions of Discipline.

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Sign up for Dr. Emily's weekly newsletter at www.learnwithdremily.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit learnwithdremily.substack.com.

Learn with Dr. Emily is edited by Earfluence.

Helpful Resources
Parent Workshops - https://learnwithdremily.substack.com/s/parent-workshops
Professional Development - Bring Dr. Emily to Your School - https://www.learnwithdremily.com/schools
For Teachers - Regulation Roster and Reframing Behavior Worksheet - https://www.learnwithdremily.com/roster or https://www.learnwithdremily.com/reframingbehavior
Parent Referral Tracker - https://www.learnwithdremily.com/tracker

Much of the content on this podcast centers around raising neurodivergent kids. But what about when they become young adults? How do we think about higher education options and entering the workforce?

Today, North Carolina Business Committee for Education Executive Director Caroline Sullivan joins Dr. Emily to discuss the groundbreaking LiNC-IT program. Launched in 2018, LiNC-IT provides invaluable support for neurodivergent individuals in the workforce, offering job coaches, tailored training, and personalized assistance.

Plus, Caroline and Dr. Emily discuss the challenges neurodivergent young adults face in higher education, and they highlight North Carolina's innovative programs that bridge the gap between education and employment for autistic individuals.

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Caroline Sullivan is the executive director of the North Carolina Business Committee for Education (NCBCE), which is a business led education and workforce nonprofit in the office of the Governor. NCBCE focuses on promoting work based learning, providing professional development opportunities and closing the home / work connectivity gap for students.

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Sign up for Dr. Emily's weekly newsletter at www.learnwithdremily.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit learnwithdremily.substack.com.

Learn with Dr. Emily is edited by Earfluence.

Helpful Resources
Parent Workshops - https://learnwithdremily.substack.com/s/parent-workshops
Professional Development - Bring Dr. Emily to Your School - https://www.learnwithdremily.com/schools
For Teachers - Regulation Roster and Reframing Behavior Worksheet - https://www.learnwithdremily.com/roster or https://www.learnwithdremily.com/reframingbehavior
Parent Referral Tracker - https://www.learnwithdremily.com/tracker