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I was talking with a friend recently who attended a presentation on “school anxiety.” The school counsellor focused on behavioural strategies to manage school avoidance, but my friend felt like the talk was missing the mark. As both a parent and a counsellor who has lived through and seen this play out many times, I completely agreed with her. School avoidance . . . . Wow . This is a topic I have avoided writing about for a long time. In my previous blog posts, you can see

There is a part of school avoidance that no one really talks about. We talk about the child, the anxiety, the behaviour, the attendance, the plans, the meetings, the strategies. But we don’t talk enough about what this does to parents. . . because this experience changes you as a parent. It starts slowly. At first, you think it’s just a phase. Then you think it’s a bad teacher. Then you think maybe it’s anxiety. Then you think maybe you just need a better routine, a better re

I am sitting in a beautiful, luxurious spot in Mexico during spring break when an email pops into my inbox from Kristy Forbes. The subject line is a blog post titled “I want to try school again…”  I stare at the email for a moment before opening it, already fighting back tears, unsure if I can handle what’s inside. That sentence — I want to try school again  — is one I have heard in our own house, and hearing it still feels triggering. And I am a therapist. There was a period

I was driving home when my phone started lighting up. Messages poured in—WhatsApp threads, Facebook groups—sharing the news that the Autism Funding Unit (AFU) was being dismantled and that funding for autistic families in BC would change next year. I felt it immediately: a knot in my stomach, a deep sadness. It sat heavy in my body before I could even name it. Leaning into my wise mind - I negotiated with myself - the AFU funding hasn’t always been easy to use. Sure, we’ve ac

I often work in sessions with parents who are navigating big  emotions from their kids—while struggling to stay regulated themselves. Many parents come in asking the same question: How do I stay calm when my child is completely dysregulated? The honest answer is: there isn’t a simple one. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to remaining calm during intense, highly emotional moments. And for many parents—being told to “just regulate yourself” can feel unrealistic, invalidat

Some weeks feel heavier than others. I watch my kids struggle, desperate for a win, and it can feel impossible to know how to help. I find myself questioning what I’m doing wrong as a parent, wondering how to support them as they keep trying—again and again—to succeed against the odds. They’re being asked to measure themselves by neurotypical standards in a world that wasn’t built for how their brains work. And when success feels just out of reach, it’s not because they aren’

Welcome back! In Part 1, we explored how ADHD affects the brain and executive functioning. In this section, we focus on practical strategies to support the ADHD brain — from nutrition and movement to sleep, time management, and workplace accommodations. Increasing Compassion for ADHD Living with ADHD can feel frustrating, inconsistent, and overwhelming. Joseph M. Carver, PhD, offers vivid metaphors to help us understand this experience: “Imagine trying to thread a needle, in

In a previous blog, I shared my personal journey with ADHD — my experiences, challenges, and insights living with this neurodiverse brain. These two-part blogs focus more specifically on strategies and tools that clients can try to support ADHD symptoms . The goal is to provide practical, evidence-informed ideas, while recognizing that ADHD is an incredibly individual experience. ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) is often misunderstood as a problem of attention

It’s IEP season again, and so many parents are asking the same question: “How do I help my child’s teacher truly understand and support them?” I often tell my kids (and my husband!) that I learn best by making mistakes. My hope in sharing this is that you can learn from where I’ve gone wrong (there are many!)—and from the moments that went beautifully right. The Power of the Right Fit Parenting a child with Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) means navigating classrooms, teac

I still remember the first time I felt that confusing mix of emotions — confusion, guilt, and eventually shame — when working with a...

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re somewhere on the confusing, isolating, and often overwhelming journey of parenting a child...

The start of a new school year brings excitement, nerves, and a whole lot of change. For many kids, it's a mix of emotions. But for...

When I first picked up Scattered Minds  by Gabor Maté, I thought I was reading it to better understand ADHD in my children—and maybe to...

If you’ve ever found yourself in the middle of your child’s meltdown feeling helpless, angry, or even ashamed—please know, you’re not...

For many parents of neurodiverse children, especially those on the autism spectrum, anxiety is a familiar — and deeply misunderstood —...