Full-Tilt Parenting: Strategies, Insights, and Connection for Parents Raising Neurodivergent Children

Dr. Christine Koh joins me for a conversation about vulnerability, boundary setting, leaning into discomfort, and making big, messy, life pivots. Christine is a music and brain scientist turned multimedia creative. She is a fierce believer in the power of humans, small moments and actions, and vulnerable, authentic storytelling. She communicates on these beliefs through her work as a writer (she is a contributor at the Washington Post, Boston Globe Magazine, and CNN; co-author of Minimalist Parenting; and founder of the award-winning blog Boston Mamas), podcaster (Edit Your Life, Hello Relationships), designer (Brave New World Designs), and creative director (Geben Communication). You can find her at @drchristinekoh on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

The importance of showing up for ourselves, more now than ever

Ways we can reduce overwhelm in life, especially when navigating really hard things

How the pandemic shifted Christine’s worries and parenting approach

How to set boundaries that are clear and that feel good to you

Why Christine believes intention requires attention and vulnerability

Why now is a great time to consider making a life pivot and change to bring us closer to our true North

 RESOURCES

Dr. Christine Koh’s website


Minimalist Parenting: Enjoy Modern Family Life More by Doing Less by Christine Koh and Asha Dornfest

Edit Your Life podcast

Hello Relationship podcast

Christine on Instagram

Christine on Twitter

Christine on Facebook

Recognizing the Need for Rest — Susan Stiffelman and Debbie Reber (podcast episode)


The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed by Jessica Lahey

Mercedes Samudio Talks About Shame Proof Parenting (podcast episode)

Laura Tremaine


Share Your Stuff, I’ll Go First: 10 Questions to Take Your Friendships to the Next Level by Laura Tremaine

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today we’re exploring something so many of us wrestle with but don’t
always name out loud — the impact of our own fear and anxiety on our
kids. I was actually about to record a solo episode when my friend and
colleague Sheryl Stoller sent me an email, and the sentiment behind it
stayed with me because it put into such simple, clear language the real
impact our fears about their future, their potential, their lives, can
have on our kids. In this short bite-sized conversation, we’ll talk
about how parental anxiety shapes family dynamics, why regulating our
own nervous systems is such a powerful gift we can offer our kids, and
how empathy, validation, and community support can help us move from
fear toward connection.

 

About Sheryl

Sheryl Stoller is a PCI Certified Parent Coach® who has devoted
herself to coaching overwrought parents of children whose abilities,
sensibilities, and behaviors go beyond expectations (gifted,
twice/multi-exceptional) since 2009. This is a personal journey as well
as an academic and professional one for Sheryl. She is deeply gratified
to serve parents the way she had needed when her children were young.

Sheryl integrates many fields of knowledge and training into her
coaching. Most recently, she is receiving her Somatic Attachment Therapy
Certification; and is a Positive Intelligence (PI) Mental Fitness
Coach, through Shirzad Chamine out of Stanford University. Sheryl
Co-Leads two communities of practice for PI – Parents and Families, and
Neurodiversity; and has received rave reviews for her customization of
PI for her “Aligned Parents” and “Get Mental and Emotional Fitness”
Group programs for 2E parents. Connect with Sheryl at:
[email protected]

 

Things you’ll learn from this episode:

How fear in parents can show up as anxiety — and how children often absorb and mirror that energy

Why managing our own fears is one of the most powerful ways we can support our kids

How empathy and validation create safety even when anxiety is present

Why remembering that everything is impermanent can help parents regain perspective

How focusing on past successes builds a child’s confidence and counters fear-based narratives

Why community, positive imagination, and ongoing learning remind parents they’re not alone in this journey

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode digs into the evolving understanding of ADHD and what it really means to parent with collaboration, connection, and support at the center. My guest is Cindy Goldrich, an internationally recognized expert in ADHD and executive function support and the author of 8 Keys to Parenting Kids & Teens with ADHD, a compassionate, research-informed guide that she’s just updated for today’s families. In our conversation, Cindy and I talk about why traditional approaches to ADHD often fall short and how parents can shift from managing behavior to building skills and connection. We also explore the challenges so many families face, what kids with ADHD are actually communicating, and practical, supportive strategies parents can start using right away.

About Cindy Goldrich 

Cindy Goldrich, Ed.M., ADHD-CCSP, is a mental health counselor, certified ADHD Clinical Services Provider, and internationally recognized expert in ADHD and Executive Function support. She is the founder of PTS Coaching, a leading organization dedicated to training and supporting parents, educators, and allied professionals.Cindy is the author of 8 Keys to Parenting Kids & Teens with ADHD: Supporting Your Child’s Executive Function, a compassionate and practical guide grounded in the latest research. She is also the co-author of ADHD, Executive Function & Behavioral Challenges in the Classroom, a widely used professional resource for educators.

Through her signature programs—the Calm & Connected: Parenting Kids & Teens with ADHD/Executive Function Challenges® parent workshop series, the ADHD Parent Coach Academy, and the ADHD Teacher Training Academy —Cindy has supported and trained thousands of parents and professionals worldwide. She also provides direct coaching to parents, students, and adults navigating ADHD and Executive Function challenges with empathy and actionable strategies. Known for her warm, engaging presence and practical wisdom, Cindy continues to advocate for a more compassionate, informed approach to supporting those who think and learn differently.

Things you'll learn from this episode  

How reduced stigma and a deeper understanding of neurodiversity are reshaping the ADHD conversation for families and schools

Why parenting the child you have means recognizing their unique needs, strengths, and developmental pace

How collaborating with kids can reduce power struggles and build self-awareness and confidence

Why enabling and supporting are fundamentally different—and how teaching skills fosters true independence

How prioritizing connection over correction leads to healthier, more resilient parent–child relationships

Why focusing on potential and creating low-stress zones can positively transform family dynamics

Resources mentioned

Cindy Goldrich’s PTS Coaching website


8 Keys to Parenting Kids & Teens with ADHD: Supporting Your Child's Executive Function by Cindy Goldrich


ADHD, Executive Function & Behavioral Challenges in the Classroom by Cindy Goldrich

Cindy Goldrich on LinkedIn

Cindy Goldrich on Instagram

Cindy Goldrich on Facebook

Free Download for Tilt

Pre-order 8 Key to Parenting Kids & Teens with ADHD

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Kristin Neff, pioneering self-compassion researcher, author, and teacher, talks about the power and benefits of practicing self-compassion as parents to differently wired children.

In our conversation, Kristin shares what she has learned about self-compassion, both through her research and her own experiences parenting an autistic child. She goes deep into what self-compassion really looks like,  why we are often more compassionate to others than ourselves, and shares some strategies for strengthening that self-compassion muscle both for ourselves and our kids. 

ABOUT DR. NEFF

Kristin Neff is an Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. She is a pioneer in the field of self-compassion research, conducting the first empirical studies on self-compassion over fifteen years ago. She has co-developed an empirically supported training program called Mindful Self-Compassion, and is author of the books Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself, Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook, and Teaching the Mindful Self-Compassion Program: A Guide for Professionals.

 

THINGS YOU’LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE:

How Dr. Neff got into the work of self-compassion research

What it looks like to practice self-compassion

Why we judge ourselves so harshly and what keeps us from being a better self-friend

What it means to practice self-comfort

Strategies parents can use to accept and BE with their suffering

How to teach kids and teens about self-compassion

 

RESOURCES MENTIONED: 

Dr. Kristin Neff’s website


Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself by Dr. Kristin Neff


The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook:  A Proven Way to Accept Yourself, Build Inner Strength, and Thrive by Kristin Neff: 


Teaching the Mindful Self-Compassion Program: A Guide for Professionals by Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s episode is a deep dive into tactile defensiveness and sensory distress, especially around clothing. My guest is Kathryn Hamlin-Pacheco, an occupational therapist who helps kids and families understand their brains and bodies through everyday neuroscience. Kathryn will break down what’s actually happening in the brain and nervous system when children experience tactile defensiveness, and why clothing can feel so overwhelming for some kids. We talk about the role of co-regulation, how parents can help create positive associations with getting dressed, and practical strategies for supporting children in navigating their sensory experiences with more safety and less stress. This episode is a grounding, compassionate look at sensory processing—and a reminder that when we understand what’s underneath the behavior, everything shifts.

About Kathryn Hamlin-Pacheco

Kathryn (Katie) Hamlin-Pacheco, M.S., OTR/L, ASDCS, is an occupational therapist, former teacher, author, and founder of the Brain Executive Program. Kathryn is an Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist (ASDCS) and holds certifications in Neuroscience for Mental Health Professionals and in Brain Structure and Function: Application to Sensory Integration and Processing. She graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy, where she also worked with the Virginia Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities program to pursue her desire to be an advocate and leader in pediatric healthcare.

She has shared her work at AOTA’s Inspire Conference (the world’s largest gathering of occupational therapy practitioners!), Sensory Integration Education’s international conference, and at William & Mary’s Center for Gifted Education. In addition, Katie has written for OT Practice Magazine, Autism Parenting Magazine, Washington Family Magazine, and Stars & Stripes Magazine. Her book, How to Be a Brain Executive: And Get Sensory Sharp!, was a top Amazon release in two categories.

Things you'll learn from this episode 

How tactile defensiveness reflects a nervous system response rather than behavioral resistance

Why understanding sensory processing is essential for supporting children with clothing challenges

How co-regulation helps children feel safe, connected, and more able to tolerate sensory input

Why play and low-pressure practice can make clothing experiences more manageable

How creating calm environments and positive associations supports sensory integration over time

Why sensory health is a vital part of children’s overall well-being

Resources mentioned


Brain Executive Program (Kathryn Hamlin-Pacheco’s website)

Kathryn’s online Sensory Dressing Course


How to Be a Brain Executive: And Get Sensory Sharp! by Kathryn Hamlin-Pacheco

Brain Executive Program on Instagram

Brain Executive Program on Facebook


Deb Dana on Befriending Our Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory (Tilt Parenting podcast)


Dr. Stephen Porges & Karen Onderko on the Safe and Sound Protocol (Tilt Parenting podcast)


Dr. Mona Delahooke on the Power of Brain-Body Parenting (Tilt Parenting podcast)


Brain-Body Parenting: How to Stop Managing Behavior and Start Raising Joyful, Resilient Kids by Dr. Mona Delahooke


Sensory Processing Differences with Carol Kranowitz (Tilt Parenting podcast)


The Out-of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Differences by Carol Kranowitz

Polyvagal Card Deck: 58 Practices for Calm & Change


Polyvagal Practices: Anchoring the Self in Safety by Deb Dana

Debbie’s TedxBerlin talk: What if Feeling Broken Wasn't the End of the Story?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices