We're Not Your Typical Podcast

In this solo episode, the two of us sit down and go back to the very beginning: the moment we first realised something was different about our children. We each talk honestly about the early signs we noticed, the things we brushed off at the time, and the point we couldn't ignore them any more. We share what it was like going to the GP, choosing between the private and NHS routes, the long waits, and the assessment process that followed. We talk about the birth and early days, the sleepless nights, the lockdown months, and how it felt to doubt ourselves along the way. We also talk about where our children are now: the progress, the small wins, getting out of the house again, and food phases. Different doesn't mean less, and if you're at the start of this journey, we want you to know you're not alone. We're also sharing how we're mixing up the show, with more solo episodes alongside our guest conversations. 👉 Join our Patreon for more support, community and behind-the-scenes content: / notyourtypical 👉 Subscribe for weekly episodes on autism, SEND parenting and real family stories. Sponsored by B&W https://www.blackandwhitebridging.co.uk/ #autism #adhd #specialeducation #neurodivergent #autismparenting #SENDparenting #autismawareness #awareness Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Two words: half term. This week it's just the two of us, no guest and no set topic, just real life. We have completely different lives and completely different children, all under the umbrella of the word autism, and we can still relate to each other as parents. In this episode we talk about: - Day two of half term, and the honest reality of juggling it all when your child needs you every minute - Feeling burnt out, and the worry about the future and when respite will ever come - Why being so mindful about what you share online can feel impossible - What happens when a reel goes big and the trolls turn up, the comments we got, and why we don't expect special treatment, just understanding - Getting a diagnosis early, and what it's like when school sees one child and home sees another - Masking, and why a child can look like they're doing "so well" until they get home - The fear that support only arrives when a child hits crisis, and why we will always keep fighting for our children If you've ever felt like you're failing, or been judged from a tiny window into your life, you're not alone. 👉 Join our Patreon for more support, community and behind-the-scenes content: https://patreon.com/NotYourTypical 👉 Subscribe for weekly episodes on autism, SEND parenting and real family stories. Sponsored by B&W https://www.blackandwhitebridging.co.uk/ #autism #adhd #specialeducation #neurodivergent #autismparenting #SENDparenting #autismawareness #awareness Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Have you ever left therapy feeling like you were the problem? This week we sit down with Katie, a neurodivergent therapist who was diagnosed autistic after years of being told everything was trauma. Her first therapist's aim was to "fix" her in a neurotypical way. Katie walked away feeling she was too much for therapy, and that experience is why she now does therapy differently. We talk about: - Why traditional therapy models were built around neurotypical people, and why Katie calls the assumption that the client will always get to the answer "ableist" - Trauma, or sensory overload? Why a good therapist looks at more than one explanation - Schools punishing children who physically can't sit still, and the shame that builds up - Taking her eldest out of school in Year 10, and why more families are choosing to homeschool - Whether the school system can ever change when funding and support aren't there - How Katie's online team of around 21 therapists supports young people aged 12 and over, including play-based and email therapy for those who struggle to communicate - Finding a therapist who really gets it, and why the connection matters most - Getting a reluctant child to open up, and why the word "therapy" can feel like something is wrong with them - How to get in touch with Katie and her team, and claiming back through insurance If you're a parent trying to find the right support for your child, or an adult who has ever felt "too much" for therapy, this one is for you. You're not broken, and you're not alone. Follow Katie on Instagram to find out more about her work. https://www.instagram.com/neurodivergenttherapistuk/ 👉 Join our Patreon for more support, community and behind-the-scenes content: https://patreon.com/NotYourTypical?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink 👉 Subscribe for weekly episodes on autism, SEND parenting and real family stories. Sponsored by B&W https://www.blackandwhitebridging.co.uk/ #autism #adhd #specialeducation #singlemum #neurodivergent #autismparenting #autismawareness #awareness #strugglestory #trauma #traumahealing Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

“I was broken. I felt so heartbroken.” 💔 What happens when you receive a diagnosis you never expected, while already navigating the challenges of raising a child with profound autism? In this powerful and emotional episode of We’re Not Your Typical, Jenni opens up about the reality of raising seven children, including her son Bertie, who has Down syndrome, and Ronnie, who is profoundly autistic and non-verbal. Jenni shares the shock of discovering Bertie’s Down syndrome diagnosis after birth, the eight-day wait for answers, and the fear, grief and uncertainty that followed. She also speaks honestly about the reality of being a special needs parent, from ADHD burnout and mental health struggles to the relentless anxiety, exhaustion and isolation that can come with caring for children with additional needs. In this episode, we discuss: - Receiving a Down syndrome diagnosis after birth - Raising a child with Down syndrome alongside a profoundly autistic, non-verbal child - The reality of special needs parenting that social media doesn’t show - ADHD burnout, anxiety and parental mental health - The impact of additional needs on siblings and family relationships - The challenges of respite care, sleep deprivation and constant hypervigilance - Navigating mainstream education and specialist schools - Learning to advocate for your children and trust your instincts - Finding acceptance, strength and gratitude in the unknown This is an honest conversation about the realities of raising children with additional needs: the heartbreak, the exhaustion, the love and the moments that change your entire perspective. If you’re a parent navigating autism, Down syndrome, SEND or neurodivergence, we hope this episode helps you feel seen, understood and a little less alone. 👉 Join our Patreon for more support, community and behind-the-scenes content: https://patreon.com/NotYourTypical?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink 👉 Subscribe for weekly episodes on autism, SEND parenting and real family stories. Sponsored by B&W https://www.blackandwhitebridging.co.uk/ #Autism #ADHD #SENDParenting #NeurodivergentFamily #AutismParenting #AutismAwareness #DownSyndrome #SEND #SpecialNeedsParenting #Neurodiversity Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What happens when you leave an abusive relationship with two young children and have to rebuild your entire life from scratch? In this powerful episode of We're Not Your Typical, we sit down with Evie, better known online as Council House Mama, to hear her story of escaping domestic violence, becoming a single mum, navigating temporary accommodation and raising a neurodivergent child. Evie opens up about the reality of leaving an abusive relationship, the importance of telling someone you trust, and how her best friend helped her take the first steps towards safety. She shares what happened when she left with her two children, the challenges of accessing temporary accommodation, and what it was like to start again in a council property. We also talk about Evie's own autism diagnosis and her son's autism and ADHD, including the signs that were initially mistaken for the effects of trauma. Evie explains her son's masking, struggles with transitions, communication differences, sensory needs and emotional regulation, as well as the support he receives at school. From navigating an autism diagnosis and paying privately for an assessment to finding practical strategies that work at home, Evie shares the realities of parenting a neurodivergent child while managing her own autism. Evie also talks about her journey as a content creator, how sharing her life online grew from a difficult period into a career, and why she chooses to openly discuss council housing, SEND parenting, autism, ADHD and life after domestic abuse. Most importantly, this episode is about finding hope after trauma, building a new life and understanding that starting again is possible. 🎙️ In this episode: • Evie's experience of domestic violence • Leaving an abusive relationship with two children • How to tell someone you trust when you're struggling • Escaping domestic abuse and finding support • Temporary accommodation and homelessness • The reality of starting again as a single mum • Council housing and rebuilding a home • Evie's autism diagnosis • Her son's autism and ADHD diagnosis • Recognising autism beyond trauma • Masking in autistic children • Autism, ADHD and transitions • Communication differences and understanding language • Sensory needs and emotional regulation • Supporting autistic children at school • One-to-one support in mainstream education • Paying privately for an autism assessment • Parenting a neurodivergent child • Life after domestic violence • Council House Mama and social media • Rebuilding your life after trauma • Finding hope after difficult experiences 👉 Join our Patreon for more support, community and behind-the-scenes content: https://patreon.com/NotYourTypical?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink 👉 Subscribe for weekly episodes on autism, ADHD, SEND parenting and real family stories. Sponsored by B&W https://www.blackandwhitebridging.co.uk/ #Autism #ADHD #DomesticViolence #SENDParenting #CouncilHousing #SingleMum #NeurodivergentFamily #AutismParenting #DomesticAbuseSurvivor #CouncilHouseMama #AutismAwareness #SpecialNeedsParenting Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What happens when children with ADHD and other neurodivergent needs are expected to fit into an education system that doesn't fully understand how their brains work? In this episode of We're Not Your Typical, we sit down with Jamie Gilbert, a former assistant head teacher who spent 18 years working with children with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs, around 95% of whom were neurodivergent. Jamie shares his experience working with children with ADHD, autism and other additional needs, and explains why he believes emotional regulation needs to come before academic achievement. We discuss the challenges children can face in mainstream and specialist education, the impact of masking, why children may release their emotions at home after holding everything together at school, and how working memory and executive function can affect everyday life. Jamie also opens up about his own experience growing up with undiagnosed ADHD, including the importance of understanding yourself, building confidence and finding the right tools to regulate your emotions. He explains how movement, sport, positive relationships and dynamic learning can help children engage, and why he believes ADHD should be understood as more than either a "superpower" or a deficit. We also talk about ADHD medication, diagnosis, rejection sensitivity, hyperfocus, working memory, parenting ADHD children, and how parents can adapt communication to better support their children. Jamie also shares more about ADHD School, his virtual educational programme designed to help children understand their ADHD brain, develop executive functioning skills and build their own ADHD toolkit. 🎙️ In this episode: • Understanding ADHD and the ADHD brain • ADHD and emotional regulation • ADHD, autism and neurodivergence in education • Social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs • Why emotional regulation can affect learning • Understanding masking in children • Why children may release emotions at home • ADHD and executive functioning • Working memory and communication • Supporting children with ADHD at home • Movement breaks and ADHD regulation • Hyperfocus and the strengths of ADHD • ADHD diagnosis and understanding the diagnosis • ADHD medication and individual choices • Avoiding the "ADHD superpower" narrative • Helping children understand themselves • Jamie's experience of growing up with undiagnosed ADHD • ADHD School and supporting neurodivergent children 📚 Find out more about Jamie's ADHD School: https://adhdschool.com/ 👉 Join our Patreon for more support, community and behind-the-scenes content: https://patreon.com/NotYourTypical?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink 👉 Subscribe for weekly episodes on autism, ADHD, SEND parenting and real family stories. Sponsored by B&W https://www.blackandwhitebridging.co.uk/ #ADHD #ADHDParenting #ADHDSupport #NeurodivergentChildren #ADHDAwareness #SENDParenting #AutismAndADHD #EmotionalRegulation #NeurodivergentFamily #SpecialNeedsParenting Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Finding the right childcare for an autistic or neurodivergent child can feel incredibly difficult especially when trust, safety and understanding are so important. In this episode, we sit down with Josh, also known as Jossy.cares, an experienced childcare professional who has spent 18 years working with children and families, including children with autism, ADHD and other neurodivergent needs. Josh shares what it is really like to care for neurodivergent children, from supporting non-verbal children and understanding different forms of communication to creating a safe environment where children can be themselves. We also discuss why male carers and male nannies are still relatively uncommon, how parents can build trust with a new carer, the importance of introducing carers gradually, and the challenges parents face when leaving their children in someone else’s care. Josh also opens up about supporting neurodivergent adults at inclusive events and why he believes care should never be seen as a gender-based role. 🎙️ In this episode: • Finding trusted childcare for autistic and neurodivergent children • Caring for non-verbal children • Autism, ADHD and additional needs • How carers can support overwhelmed parents • Building trust between parents, children and carers • Why male childcare workers are important • Supporting neurodivergent adults in social spaces • Creating more inclusive environments • Understanding children through their behaviour and communication 📍 Follow Josh / Jossy Cares on social media to find out more about his childcare services. 👉 Join our Patreon for more support, community and behind-the-scenes content: https://patreon.com/NotYourTypical?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink 👉 Subscribe for weekly episodes on autism, SEND parenting and real family stories. Sponsored by B and W https://www.blackandwhitebridging.co.uk/ #Autism #SENDParenting #AutismDad #EHCP #HomeEducation #NeurodivergentFamily #AutismAwareness #SpecialNeeds #ParentingJourney Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What is it really like raising a child with complex autism and high support needs? In this episode of We’re Not Your Typical, we sit down with Lucy, mum to 16-year-old Jacob, to hear her honest story of raising a child with autism, ADHD, developmental delay and significant care needs. Lucy shares the realities of parenting Jacob from his early diagnosis through to his teenage years, including non-verbal autism, sensory challenges, self-injurious behaviour, toileting, sleep, medication, education and accessing support. She also opens up about the challenges of being a full-time carer, the importance of respite care, supporting siblings and the difficult questions that come with thinking about an autistic child's future and adulthood. This is an honest and emotional conversation about autism parenting, complex autism, high support needs, disability support, respite care and life beyond childhood. If you're a parent of an autistic child, caring for someone with additional needs, or simply want to better understand the realities many families face, this episode is for you. 👉 Join our Patreon for more support, community and behind-the-scenes content: https://patreon.com/NotYourTypical?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink 👉 Subscribe for weekly episodes on autism, SEND parenting and real family stories. Sponsored by B and W https://www.blackandwhitebridging.co.uk/ #Autism #SENDParenting #AutismDad #EHCP #HomeEducation #NeurodivergentFamily #AutismAwareness #SpecialNeeds #ParentingJourney Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When Eri's son Rio was born, she immediately knew something wasn't right. Having seen her brother live with Craniosynostosis, she recognised the signs that others missed. What followed was a journey of multiple brain surgeries, months of uncertainty, and learning to trust her instincts when medical professionals weren't convinced. In this emotional episode of We're Not Your Typical, Eri shares Rio's story, from his diagnosis at birth to undergoing life-changing surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital, and why parents should never ignore their gut feeling. In this episode: 🧠 What Craniosynostosis is and how it affects brain development 🏥 Rio's first surgery at just four months old ⚠️ How routine eye tests revealed dangerous pressure on his brain 💙 The emotional reality of watching your child undergo brain surgery twice 👶 The signs every parent should know to look out for 🙏 Why trusting your instincts can save your child's life ✨ Life after surgery and Rio's recovery journey If you're a parent worried about your child's development, head shape, or you've experienced a rare diagnosis, this episode is filled with hope, awareness, and practical advice. 💬 Have you experienced something similar? Share your story in the comments to help raise awareness for other families. 👉 Join our Patreon for more support, community and behind-the-scenes content: https://patreon.com/NotYourTypical?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink 👉 Subscribe for weekly episodes on autism, SEND parenting and real family stories. Sponsored by B and W https://www.blackandwhitebridging.co.uk/ #Autism #SENDParenting #AutismDad #EHCP #HomeEducation #NeurodivergentFamily #AutismAwareness #SpecialNeeds #ParentingJourney Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What happens when your child's autism and ADHD diagnosis changes your entire life? In this episode of We're Not Your Typical, Ben shares his family's powerful journey through school refusal, late autism and ADHD diagnoses, parenting challenges, and how those experiences inspired him to build an AI-powered app designed specifically for neurodivergent families. Ben opens up about navigating mainstream education, masking, therapy, marriage, late diagnosis as an adult, ADHD medication, and the realities of raising neurodivergent children. He also explains how his app, SYLVA, aims to support families with personalised parenting advice, emotional support, and practical tools for everyday life. In this episode we discuss: - Autism and ADHD diagnosis in children and adults - School refusal and masking - Parenting neurodivergent children - Marriage and relationships under pressure - Late autism and ADHD diagnosis - ADHD medication myths and realities - AI support for neurodivergent families - DLA forms, NHS waiting lists and family support - Emotional wellbeing for parents - Building technology to help SEND families Whether you're parenting an autistic child, navigating ADHD, waiting for a diagnosis, or simply looking for support, this conversation offers practical advice, reassurance, and hope. 👉 Join our Patreon for more support, community and behind-the-scenes content: https://patreon.com/NotYourTypical?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink 👉 Subscribe for weekly episodes on autism, SEND parenting and real family stories. Sponsored by B and W https://www.blackandwhitebridging.co.uk/ #Autism #SENDParenting #AutismDad #EHCP #HomeEducation #NeurodivergentFamily #AutismAwareness #SpecialNeeds #ParentingJourney Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.