Parenting Neurodivergent Kids

You survived the first years of your child's life and thought, whew the intense crying and tantrums should be winding down! But they're not. Did you jinx yourself? It's not at all how you imagined and you are having 20-minute power struggles before school about putting on socks. Who knew socks would be such a hot-button topic!? You've lived an entire day's worth of struggles and worries before most people have had their first cup of coffee. You're thinking of getting your child assessed, or maybe the school suggested it, or you just got an official diagnosis and are trying to learn EVERYTHING that you can. You want to make up for the lost time not knowing your kiddo was different, having tried to make them fit a mold they were never designed to fit.

Common Concerns

Anxiety & Depression... and their good buddy, Anger

It may sound wild, but anxiety and depression are natural reactions to overwhelming and complicated situations and experiences. It's our body's way of protecting us! But it's pretty inconvenient when you're trying to parent on Expert Level. You know your own anxiety and depression (which often shows up as rage) are making things worse with your sensitive neurospicy child, but you're not quite sure how to shift the pattern.

Your Kid's Attachment

Because of how you molded to fit your neurodivergent child's needs, or maybe you didn't, you worry - do they need me too much?, or why don't they need me like I see other kids need their parents? You worry about how this will impact them as they grow up and enter adulthood. You're wanting to learn how to repair past attachment difficulties (like being the angry mom - we've all been there!) and how to set them up for healthy attachments in the future.

Identity & Balance

You made it through the initial jolt into parenthood and eventually re-tooled your identity to align with this massive life shift. But now you're struggling to maintain your self as you devote so much time and energy into supporting your autistic or ADHD (or AuDHD) kid. When does mom get her time? What does mom even like anymore? And the classic experience of realizing your own possible neurodivergence as you learn so much about your child.

My Expertise & Approach

Well... I've been there! I have two neurodivergent children myself, and this isn't at all how I imagined my life would look. But I have found my way through the dark jungle of grieving how I thought parenting would be, into a place where I love these darn kids SO much and their neurospiciness adds a fun flavor to our life.

I approach this type of work with compassion, wanting to hear and see you and your family's struggle, ask the tough questions to support you in coming to the hard and real answers. We can role play and try on new ways of parenting. I am always collecting resources and am happy to link you up with supports in our Asheville community and beyond. I also encourage journaling, collaging, and any other form of expression, and bringing that into our sessions to provide a deeper, richer understanding of your self and your family.

If this sounds like something you might be interested in, click below to reach out and schedule a quick call or a first session.

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