• Diverse Thinking Different Learning

  • By: Karen Wilson
  • Podcast
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Diverse Thinking Different Learning

By: Karen Wilson
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  • Summary

  • Diverse Thinking · Different Learning, a ChildNEXUS podcast, is hosted by pediatric neuropsychologist, mom of two, and ChildNEXUS founder Dr. Karen Wilson. Each week, Dr. Wilson provides support and guidance for parents raising kids with learning differences. Diverse Thinking · Different Learning features informative and inspiring interviews with top experts in their fields, and gives parents and educators the tools and takeaways they need to better understand neurodivergence, learning disabilities, and youth mental health. This podcast informs offers actionable advice to help diverse learners and children with unique needs reach their fullest potential. Parents of diverse learners or children with mental health challenges can access vetted information and connect with qualified professionals at https://www.childnexus.com/.
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Episodes
  • Ep. 186: Final Sprint: Tips for a Strong School Year Finish - Hunja Koimburi

    Ep. 186: Final Sprint: Tips for a Strong School Year Finish - Hunja Koimburi
    May 21 2024
    Welcome back to another episode of Diverse Thinking Different Learning! Tune in this episode as Dr. Karen Wilson welcomes educational therapist Hunja Koimburi to the podcast to discuss end-of-year strategies for students with learning differences. As the school year winds down, students and parents alike face many challenges, including but not limited to completing final projects and managing increased stress levels. Hunja shares his expertise on how parents can support their children during this critical time, highlighting how important it is to understand the unique needs of students with learning differences. He reveals what initially drew him to this field and how his journey from studying economics and law to educational therapy has molded the ways that he helps students. He discusses the importance of using personalized strategies that are tailored to each individual student's unique learning challenge(s), focusing especially on time management and prioritizing tasks. Hunja also elaborates upon practical advice for parents to help their children finish the school year strong, discussing how breaking down large projects into manageable tasks and encouraging a balance between academic commitments and social activities can help relieve overwhelm and stress. Hunja also touches on the importance of helping students reflect on past experiences to improve future performance. As summer quickly approaches, Hunja offers practical ways that parents can effectively use this time to support their child's learning and development, suggesting that parents use the summer to focus on areas that need improvement, but he emphasizes the value of maintaining a balance between relaxation and productive activities to ensure students return to school feeling confident and prepared. Hunja’s insights are a valuable resource for parents seeking to support their children through the end of the academic year and beyond, so tune in to gain practical strategies for helping your child navigate the end-of-year pressures and make the most of their summer break, setting them up for a successful start to the next school year. Show Notes: [2:10] - Hunja Koimburi is here to share his expertise on supporting students with learning differences as they transition to college. [3:01] - Inspired by his experience supporting students with learning differences, Hunja empowers educators and parents to specially tailor teaching and parenting strategies. [5:32] - Hunja emphasizes the importance of addressing learning differences to support students during busy school periods. [8:49] It's important to break down large projects and prioritize them to avoid overwhelm. [11:09] Hunja highlights the need for helping students with learning differences with time management and prioritization. [14:10] Executive functioning coaching can help tackle time blindness and enhance study techniques. [15:01] - Hunja values strategic planning over impulsive optimism to help students with learning differences manage their time. [17:32] - Hunja argues that supporting students with learning difficulties through compassion and practical time management strategies is most effective. [20:56] - Parents can relieve pressure on students by providing external support and temporarily reducing their chores during busy times. [22:43] - Some students experience a downward spiral of anxiety and self-doubt about their academic performance. [24:46] - Providing early deadlines can help students with learning differences manage workloads and reduce anxiety. [26:56] - Help students prepare for transitions and familiarize themselves with upcoming materials in order to reduce stress and overwhelm. [28:17] - Hunja reiterates the importance of early deadlines and long lead times. [31:19] - Short-term rewards motivate students, especially when they're exhausted from a long academic year. [34:51] - Hunja highlights self-paced online tools like IXL and ALEKS for learning differences, adding that there is a need for accountability and additional support. [36:59] - Hunja suggests that while summer is less ideal due to a lack of current work, it can still be useful for passion projects that require accountability. [38:39] - High schoolers can benefit from summer projects like getting a driver's license or applying for jobs. [39:59] - What are the best ways to get in touch with Hunja? About Our Guest: Hunja Koimburi is a Director at Hayutin Education, where he specializes in executive functioning support. He is passionate about the intersection of neurodivergence, executive functioning, and learning. He believes that developing a growing self-understanding of one’s learning profile is key to building lasting executive functioning skills and effective study (and life) skills. This allows us to proactively anticipate challenges rather than always reacting to them. As one of the lead trainers at Hayutin, Hunja prepares educators at Hayutin to support neurodivergent students with ...
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    42 mins
  • Ep. 185: Late Diagnosis: Why Did I Get Missed? with Dr. Monica Blied

    Ep. 185: Late Diagnosis: Why Did I Get Missed? with Dr. Monica Blied
    May 14 2024
    Hey there, welcome back to Diverse Thinking Different Learning! Today, we're diving into a topic that's often overlooked but incredibly important: late diagnoses of ADHD and autism, particularly in women, people of color, and LGBTQ individuals. It's a conversation that's long overdue, and we're so grateful to have Dr. Monica Blied joining us to shed some light on this crucial issue. As a clinical psychologist and founder of Faces of Health, Dr. Blied brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table. In her private practice, she specializes in providing psychological assessments for adults and children who suspect they may have Autism, ADHD, or learning differences. With a keen focus on supporting adults living with chronic medical and mental illnesses, Dr. Blied has dedicated her career to helping individuals navigate the complex intersection of mental and physical health. Today, dive deep into the reasons why certain conditions like ADHD and autism are often diagnosed late, despite their significant impact on individuals' lives. From systemic biases to misconceptions and missed opportunities for support, Dr. Blied will be sharing invaluable insights and advice for anyone who suspects they may be struggling with an undiagnosed condition and what parents can look for in their children that could be signs of struggle. Show Notes: [2:13] - People are often overlooked and it seems that there are systemic biases. There are studies that show that particularly people of color are misdiagnosed.[3:42] - There are many misconceptions. Something important to remember is that most of the time, certain behaviors are not willful.[6:03] - One reason someone’s diagnosis is missed is fewer outward symptoms or struggles, especially when compared to a sibling.[9:34] - Dr. Blied shares an experience in seeing the similarities and differences in siblings and the tendency to put more focus on one child over another.[11:24] - A late diagnosis could also be due to a family normalizing and nurturing certain behaviors.[13:38] - Externalized behaviors are obvious. The kids who internalize are often missed.[15:46] - Individuals who are born female are often misdiagnosed or completely overlooked as children.[17:44] - The average age of ADHD diagnosis in women is 37. By 18 years old, 80% of women who are autistic are still undiagnosed.[20:45] - Special interests can be misleading.[23:51] - Girls and women tend to be very good at masking, until the demands are more difficult to adjust to.[25:07] - In children, ADHD and autism are diagnosed in 4 boys to every 1 girl. But in adulthood, it is a 1 to 1 ratio. It is a misconception that it is more common in boys.[28:21] - There is the belief, even among medical professionals, that ADHD isn’t a real struggle or problem.[29:12] - Dr. Blied describes what ADHD and autism might look like in a girl especially during childhood.[31:11] - There are higher rates of autism and ADHD in those with other types of medical issues and in LGBTQIA+ individuals.[33:36] - A late diagnosis leads to years of missed opportunities for support and intervention.[34:27] - Dr. Blied shares some first steps and advice if you suspect that you could need a diagnosis or are late diagnosed. About Our Guest: Dr. Monica Blied is a clinical psychologist, adjunct professor of psychology at Pepperdine, and the founder of Faces of Health in Claremont, California. In her private practice, Dr. Blied provides psychological assessments for adults and children who suspect they have Autism, ADHD, and/or learning differences. With a special interest in supporting adults who are living with chronic medical and mental illnesses, Dr. Blied has also developed expertise in the mind-body health connection. She currently serves as the Chair-Elect (and former Treasurer) of the California Psychological Association's Division of Education and Training, where she has been a member of the Executive Board for over 10 years. Since 2020, she has also served as a Medical Advisory Board member with Lupus LA, a role which allows her to continue giving back to her fellow Lupus Warriors. In 2022, Dr. Blied developed the Faces of Health app, which teaches mental health and stress management skills via brief, educational videos, all taught by women of color. In 2024, she added to her online educational suite a course on Adult ADHD and Autism, and another on Stress Management using Neuroscience. Links and Related Resources: Episode 99: Straight Talk About ADHD in Girls with Dr. Stephen Hinshaw Episode 118: Understanding the Intersection Between Autism and LGBTQIA with Dr. Laurie Stephens Episode 119: Autistic Girls – Overlooked and Underrecognized with Megan Beardmore, PhD, NCSP Episode 63: Supporting Youth with Autism and ADHD with Holly Blanc Moses Connect with Dr. Blied: Dr. Blied’s WebsiteDr. Blied’s Mental Health BlogYouTube ChannelEmail: drblied@drblied.com Connect with Us: Get on our Email ListBook a ConsultationGet Support and ...
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    40 mins
  • Ep. 184: Could Pathological Demand Avoidance Clarify My Child’s Challenges? with Dr. Casey Ehrlich

    Ep. 184: Could Pathological Demand Avoidance Clarify My Child’s Challenges? with Dr. Casey Ehrlich
    May 7 2024

    Some parents may describe their child as very strong-willed. That child may show an extreme avoidance of everyday demands, expectations, and requests. But what if the behaviors are not an indication of strong will, but rather occur because a child feels overwhelmed by demands and perceives them as threats to their autonomy and self-control? Are there specific strategies that would be helpful when raising a demand-avoidant child or teen?

    Today, we’re going to be talking about Pathological Demand Avoidance with Dr. Casey Ehrlich. She is the CEO and founder of At Peace Parents where she specializes in teaching parents and therapists practical skills in the home or clinical setting to accommodate neuroception-driven demand avoidance and nervous system differences through creative techniques.

    Show Notes:
    • [3:10] - Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) is considered a nervous system disability. Dr. Ehrlich explains why this is and shares alternative names for it.
    • [5:41] - Many parents and clinicians have found that the strategies they have tried have not worked or made things worse.
    • [7:39] - Dr. Ehrlich describes a recent situation with her son that demonstrates sudden nervous system activation in PDA.
    • [9:33] - We need to understand the root cause of behaviors that are interfering with your ability to connect with your child.
    • [10:57] - PDA may show up as a regression or can surround a primary need.
    • [12:58] - PDA is often misunderstood.
    • [15:04] - With a background as a social scientist, Dr. Ehrlich explains some of the research about PDA and why many children and teens are not correctly identified.
    • [17:45] - Accommodations include autonomy, equality, trauma-informed play, nervous system signals of safety, communication, lowering demands, humor, novelty, and more.
    • [21:38] - PDA is happening on a subconscious level. It isn’t about emotions.
    • [23:37] - It can be confusing as a child gets older because they do begin using social strategies and we may not see escalation as nervous system dysregulation.
    • [27:46] - Pausing to de-escalate is crucial.
    • [29:24] - Is PDA only seen in people with autism?
    • [30:42] - Connections can only be made when PDAers feel a sense of safety.
    • [33:21] - Awareness is the first step.
    • [35:55] - Dr. Ehrlich learned more about PDA as a mother than a clinician.
    • [40:41] - Dr. Ehrlich hosted a podcast called PDA Parents where she talks about her experiences across eight episodes. She also hosts the At Peace Parents Podcast.
    About Our Guest:

    Casey Ehrlich, Ph.D. (she/her) is a social scientist, parent coach, and educator, and the CEO and founder of At Peace Parents. Casey brings 15 years of work experience and expertise in social science methodology to help parents and therapists understand how to connect with and accommodate PDA Autistic children. She is currently working on empirical research with the University of Michigan Medical School on Pathological Demand Avoidance in children and teens.

    Connect with Dr. Ehrlich:
    • At Peace Parents on Instagram
    • Dr. Casey Ehrlich on YouTube
    • Email: cehrlich@atpeaceparents.com
    Links and Related Resources:
    • Free Clarity Masterclass
    Connect with Us:
    • Get on our Email List
    • Book a Consultation
    • Get Support and Connect with a ChildNEXUS Provider
    • Register for Our Self-Paced Mini Courses with LIVE AMA Sessions

    The Diverse Thinking Different Learning podcast is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical or legal advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Additionally, the views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are not considered treatment and do not necessarily reflect those of ChildNEXUS, Inc. or the host, Dr. Karen Wilson.
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    49 mins
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