Dr. Katy Unwin joins Kate Morris and Dave Whittingham to explore vital strategies for supporting families with neurodivergent members within the context of church.

The discussion focuses on the sensory barriers that often hinder autistic individuals from engaging in church activities, highlighting the significant findings from Katy's recent research on this topic. She emphasizes that understanding these challenges is essential for fostering an inclusive community where all members can thrive. The trio delves into practical solutions, such as helping neurodivergent people to have some level of control, creating sensory roadmaps and encouraging flexibility within church settings to meet diverse needs. They tackle the complexity of accommodating differing sensory preferences, ultimately advocating for a church environment that welcomes everyone.

Takeaways:

• In this episode, Dr. Katy Unwin discusses both the sensory barriers and sensory enjoyment that autistic individuals may experience when engaging with church, emphasizing the positive impacts of awareness and accommodation.
• The conversation highlights the importance of control over sensory environments for autistic people, as it can significantly enhance their engagement and sense of community.
• Katy’s findings suggest that both autistic and neurotypical individuals appreciate certain sensory aspects of church services, indicating a shared enjoyment that can be leveraged to create inclusive environments.
• The podcast encourages parents to advocate for their neurodivergent children in church settings, offering practical strategies to communicate sensory needs to church leaders effectively.
• Throughout their discussion, the importance of creating sensory roadmaps for church services is emphasized, allowing families to prepare for the sensory experiences they may encounter.
• Finally, the speakers stress the need for churches to foster a culture of understanding and acceptance, enabling all members to participate without feeling overwhelmed or excluded.

Links referenced in this episode:

• autismchurch.com

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To financially support this podcast, donate at our GoFundMe page here.

To read helpful articles from Kate, head to her Substack page, An Extraordinary Normal

This podcast is a part of the Faithful God Network. Discover more great podcasts at faithfulgod.net

Kate and Dave dive into the complexities surrounding anxiety in neurodivergent children, particularly focusing on the role of the amygdala in their emotional responses.

They discuss how neurodivergent people may experience heightened anxiety due to their brain interpreting everyday stimuli as threats, triggering a fight, flight, or freeze response.

Kate and Dave offer insights into how parents and carers can support children by collaboratively reducing or mitigating triggers and incorporating strategies to regulate through the stress response.

Ultimately, they highlight the importance of compassion and understanding as parents equip their neurodivergent children with strategies to face the world with confidence.

Takeaways:

· Neurodivergent children often experience heightened anxiety due to their unique brain processing, impacting their daily lives.

· The amygdala plays a key role in interpreting stimuli, more often naming stimuli as threats in many neurodivergent people.

· Ongoing exposure to triggers can raise baseline anxiety levels in neurodivergent people, making it vital for parents and carers to understand their experiences.

· Reducing and mitigating triggers can reduce the frequency of the threat response.

· Developing strategies for emotional regulation is vital for helping neurodivergent children navigate daily challenges and reduce anxiety.

Visit our website here

To financially support this podcast, donate at our GoFundMe page here.

To read helpful articles from Kate, head to her Substack page, An Extraordinary Normal

This podcast is a part of the Faithful God Network. Discover more great podcasts at faithfulgod.net

To continue thinking about meltdowns, see Kate's 3-part series of articles here: https://anextraordinarynormal.substack.com/p/neurodivergent-meltdowns-part-1

Citations

Andrews, D. S., Aksman, L., Kerns, C. M., Lee, J. K., Winder-Patel, B. M., Harvey, D. J., Waizbard-Bartov, E., Heath, B., Solomon, M., Rogers, S. J., Altmann, A., Nordahl, C. W., & Amaral, D. G. (2022). Association of Amygdala Development With Different Forms of Anxiety in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Biological Psychiatry (1969), 91(11), 977–987. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.01.016 - This study shows that in autism, differences in amygdala development are linked to higher anxiety.

Attwood, T. (n.d.). The impact of anxiety on daily life. Attwood and Garnett Events. https://www.attwoodandgarnettevents.com/blogs/news/autism-the-impact-of-anxiety-on-daily-life

Citkowska-Kisielewska, A., Rutkowski, K., Sobański, J. A., Dembińska, E., & Mielimąka, M. (2019). Anxiety symptoms in obsessive-compulsive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Psychiatria Polska,...

Kate and Dave dive into the complexities of life that can be both stressful and rejuvenating, focusing particularly on the experiences of neurodivergent children. They discuss how the love of God drives us to work hard on understanding and caring for our children. They highlight the importance of understanding attention differences, social experiences, and the need for predictability in daily routines. Throughout the discussion, they emphasize that while some aspects can be draining, others can provide energy and comfort. By the end, they reiterate the significance of curiosity and adaptability in parenting, encouraging listeners to tailor their approaches to meet the unique needs of their children.

Takeaways:

• The discussion emphasized the importance of understanding sensory processing differences to help neurodivergent children manage their environments effectively.
• Kate and Dave highlighted how attention differences can manifest in both rejuvenating and draining ways for neurodivergent individuals, impacting their daily experiences.
• They stressed the significance of predictability in routines for neurodivergent children, as it provides comfort and reduces anxiety about unexpected events.
• The speakers shared insights into the social experiences of neurodivergent children, particularly how they may appear fine outwardly while struggling internally during social interactions.

Visit our website here

To financially support this podcast, donate at our GoFundMe page here.

To read helpful articles from Kate, head to her Substack page, An Extraordinary Normal

This podcast is a part of the Faithful God Network. Discover more great podcasts at faithfulgod.net

Citations:

Attwood, T., & Garnett, M. (2023, July 17). Exploring friendship in high school [Video]. Attwood and Garnett Events. https://www.attwoodandgarnettevents.com

Kunchulia, M., Tatishvili, T., Parkosadze, K., Lomidze, N., & Thomaschke, R. (2020). Children with autism spectrum disorder show increased sensitivity to time-based predictability. International Journal of Developmental Disabilities, 66(3), 214–221. https://doi.org/10.1080/20473869.2018.1564447

Raymaker, D. M., Teo, A. R., Steckler, N. A., Lentz, B., Scharer, M., Delos Santos, A., & Nicolaidis, C. (2020). “Having all of your internal resources exhausted beyond measure and being left with no clean-up crew”: Defining autistic burnout. Autism in Adulthood, 2(2), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2019.0079

Wolfberg, P., & Buron, K. D. (Eds.). (2024). Learners on the autism spectrum : preparing educators and related practitioners (Third edition.). Routledge.