Kristy Forbes joins me to talk about what autistic burnout is and how it presents, why “deep rest” is critical for someone experiencing autistic burnout, and how autistic burnout is differentiated from mood disorders or depression. We also talk frankly about the challenges of seeing burnout in autistic / PDA children through a neuronormative lens, and how that may lead to therapies and strategies that may be the opposite of what a child in autistic burnout actually needs.

About Kristy Forbes Kristy Forbes is an Australian-based autism & neurodiversity support specialist with experience working with clients both nationally and internationally. This includes neurodivergent people and their families; and professionals who wish to support them, such as educators, psychologists, pediatricians, allied health professionals, support workers and integration aides. Her work is informed by her extensive professional experience as an educator (Early Childhood, Primary and Secondary teaching), as an integration aide to children with social, emotional and behavioral differences, and as a childhood behavioral and family support specialist. Kristy has degrees in Political Science, Education, Literature, Film and Art. Her most valuable insights, however, come from lived experience.

Kristy is formally identified autistic, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) as well as being a parent to four neurodivergent children, all with varying neurodivergent experience and expression including being non speaking, apraxia, dyspraxia, tourettes and PDA. She has the unique experience and insight of many perspectives: the teacher, the support specialist, the parent, the partner and the neurodivergent person (including the child she once was!).

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Today we’re diving into the complex and often overwhelming world of allergies, asthma, and related conditions—and what it really takes to support kids (and families) living with them. My guest is Dr. Zachary Rubin, a double board-certified pediatrician and allergist/immunologist who’s known for making allergy science accessible and understandable to millions. He’s also the author of the new book, All About Allergies, which is a clear, compassionate guide to managing allergic diseases.

In our conversation, Dr. Rubin breaks down how the immune system responds in different allergic scenarios, what’s behind the rise in things like pollen counts and food allergies, and how conditions like asthma fit into the bigger picture. We also talk about practical strategies for managing symptoms, supporting kids in everyday life, and reducing some of the stress and uncertainty that can come with allergies. 

 About Dr. Zachary Rubin

Dr. Zachary Rubin is a double board-certified pediatrician and allergist/immunologist who practices at Oak Brook Allergists in the Chicago area. A nationally recognized medical educator and public health advocate, he shares evidence-based, accessible information on allergies, asthma, and public health with over 3 million followers under the handle @rubin_allergy. Dr. Rubin earned his medical degree from Case Western Reserve University, completed his pediatrics residency at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago, and his allergy/immunology fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis. Outside of medicine, he enjoys swimming, hiking, golfing, hula hooping, and spending time with his wife, daughter, and three German Shepherds. All About Allergies is his first book, offering a clear, compassionate guide to managing allergic diseases.

Things you'll learn from this episode

• How allergies work in the body and how the immune system responds across different triggers and scenarios

• Why the connection between allergies and neurodivergence is gaining attention, despite ongoing research gaps

• How environmental changes, including climate factors, are contributing to rising allergy prevalence

• Why understanding diagnosis, prevention, and emergency planning is essential for managing food allergies

• How asthma functions as an allergic lung condition and what that means for long-term health

• Why addressing the emotional, social, and practical realities of living with allergies is key for
  supporting kids and families

Resources mentioned

• Dr. Zachary Rubin’s Substack

• All About Allergies: Everything You Need to Know About Asthma, Food Allergies, Hay Fever, and More by Zachary Rubin, MD

• Dr. Zachary Rubin on Instagram

• Dr. Zachary Rubin on Threads

• Dr. Zachary Rubin on Facebook

• Dr. Zachary Rubin on YouTube

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Today we’re diving into what it really looks like to advocate for our neurodivergent kids in school in a way that’s truly aligned with who they are. My guest is Dr. Destiny Huff, a trauma therapist, advocate, and educator whose work is deeply informed by her own lived experience as a late-diagnosed autistic mother.

In our conversation, we explore the limitations and pitfalls of traditional IEP processes, what a genuinely neurodiversity-affirming approach can look like in practice, and how families can build more effective, collaborative relationships with schools. Destiny shares both big-picture reframes and practical strategies, offering a grounded, honest look at how to navigate systems that weren’t designed with our kids in mind, while still holding onto possibility and meaningful change.

About Dr. Destiny Huff 

Dr. Destiny Huff, LPC, is a late-diagnosed Autistic and ADHD mental health therapist, non-attorney special education advocate, and national speaker. She is the founder of Destiny Huff Consulting, where she supports families and schools in implementing neuroaffirming practices and navigating the IEP process.

As the mother of two neurodivergent learners in public school special education, Dr. Huff brings both lived and professional experience to her work. She focuses on dismantling deficit-based narratives in education and addressing the intersection of race, disability, and trauma.

Dr. Huff has presented nationally and co-hosts The Affirming Village Podcast, where she explores advocacy, disability justice, and the realities of navigating special education systems.

Things you'll learn from this episode 

• How Dr. Huff’s journey from parent to advocate informs her approach to neurodiversity-affirming support

• Why individualized, meaningful IEPs matter more than compliance-driven plans

• How systemic barriers like underfunding and lack of training impact school support for neurodivergent students

• What distinguishes traditional IEPs from neuroaffirming ones—and how that shows up in real life

• How documenting data at home can strengthen advocacy for accommodations and services

• Why supporting kids in understanding themselves and building self-advocacy is essential, alongside leveraging community and advocacy to create change

Resources mentioned

• Neuroaffirming Advocacy: A Neuroaffirming Guide to Special Education Advocacy

• Destiny Huff Consulting

• Advocating for Kids, Inc. (Cheryl Poe)

• Affirming Village Podcast with Lisa Baskin-Wright

• Dr. Destiny Huff on Instagram

• Dr. Destiny Huff on Facebook

• Lisa Baskin Wright

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Eliza Fricker joins me to talk about PDA or pathological demand avoidance – and in fact I know many people interpret PDA as persistent desire for autonomy. I’ve done a few episodes on PDA before but never from a parent’s perspective so after reading Eliza’s book, The Family Experience of PDA, I knew I wanted to share her perspective with the Tilt community. During this episode, we talked about how demand avoidance is more extreme in a child with a PDA profile vs. the inflexibility and rigidity we might see in other neurodivergent kids, what Eliza has learned about herself parenting a child with PDA, and what her resistance was to the changes needed to her parenting style.

Eliza also gave out some great tips for teachers who have a PDA student in their classroom and for parents who are struggling with family, friends, or people close to them who aren’t willing to understand what PDA is and what that means for their family.

Things you'll learn from this episode

* What makes demand avoidance more extreme in children with PDA

* Eliza’s experience in changing her parenting ways to become more flexible

* Tweaks teachers can use to work with children who have PDA in a classroom setting

* How PDA may look different than “typical demand avoidance” that we might see in some neurodivergent children

* What Eliza has learned about herself from parenting a child with PDA

* Advice for parents who are raising a child with PDA

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Today we’re talking about autistic burnout—what it is, how it shows up in children and young people, and what it actually takes to support recovery. My guest is Jodie Clarke, an autistic and ADHD professional with more than 20 years of experience specializing in autistic experience and mental health, particularly in children and teens. In this episode, Jodie talks about the signs and causes of autistic burnout, how it’s often misunderstood or missed altogether, and what meaningful support really looks like. This is an essential conversation for anyone supporting autistic kids—grounded, validating, and full of important shifts in how we understand and respond to burnout.

 About Jodie Clarke

Jodie Clarke is an autistic and ADHD professional with over 20 years’ experience, specialising in autistic experience and mental health with a focus on children and young people . She is currently completing a PhD exploring autistic burnout in children and young people. Jodie is also a parent to 3 neurodivergent children of her own.

Things you'll learn from this episode 

• How Jodie Clarke’s personal journey into neurodivergence shapes her advocacy around autism and burnout

• Why masking plays such a significant role in autistic burnout for children and teens

• How autistic burnout shows up in young people and the signs parents can learn to recognize

• Why lowering demands and creating safe, low-pressure environments is essential for recovery

• How societal and family expectations can contribute to burnout and delay healing

• Why supporting recovery involves trusting parental intuition, unlearning conditioning, and helping kids reconnect with their authentic selves

Resources mentioned

• Jodie Clarke’s website

• Stop the World I Want to Get Off: A Guide to Understanding and Supporting the Recovery of Autistic Burnout in Children and Young People by Jodie Clarke

• Young, Autistic, and Burned Out by Jodie Clarke

• Luke Beardon at Sheffield Hallam University

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Our family has gone through our fair share of big changes, which you’ll hear all about in this episode, so this is something that I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about. Especially as a parent of a differently wired kid, I know that there are some extra challenges that might come up when their routines, environment, life circumstances, or supports change, and our kids are also more likely to be resistant to changes (even if they are beneficial). So today I’ll be sharing the strategies I’ve personally found helpful while going through big transitions with Asher. 

In this episode, I talk about key things such as why being honest when communicating with your kid is so important to help them understand and process change, how being vulnerable can be a way to show support, how to validate our kids’ feelings about the changes or transitions, and how to identify their concerns so you can make plans to address them in advance. I also share about what adjustment disorder is and the kind of extra support you might need during transitions. 

 What You'll Learn in this Episode

• The benefits and growth that can come from navigating big changes as a family

• Why honesty is so important when communicating with your child about big changes

• What to share versus what not to share with your child about the transitions you go through

• How to validate the big emotions and thoughts that big transitions can bring up in your child

• The importance of doing your own work as a parent to be able to support our kids during transitions

• What adjustment disorder is and the extra support you might need to help your child through one

• How being vulnerable with your kids can be really supportive for them

• Identifying the concerns that our kids have and coming up with plans to address them in advance

• Creating new routines to create security for our kids during big transitions

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This is a short, special mini-episode I’m sharing because my friends at Elmbridge University (formerly Bridges Academy) let me know that enrollment is now open for the next cohort of their truly unique graduate program in cognitive diversity in education, and application deadlines are coming up in June.

When Dr. Susan Baum—one of the leading voices in twice-exceptionality and Chancellor of the program—said she could join me for a quick conversation about her work and what makes this program so impactful, I said absolutely. In this brief chat, Susan shares insights into supporting twice-exceptional learners, why environment matters so much, and how this program is helping educators better understand and serve complex, neurodivergent students. If you want to learn more, you can head to https://elmbridge.edu/.

About Dr. Susan Baum

Susan Baum, Ph.D., is Chancellor of Elmbridge University’s Graduate School for Cognitive Diversity in Education (formerly Bridges) and Co-director of the 2e Center for Research and Professional Development at Bridges Academy, a school for twice exceptional students. The author of many publications concerning the needs of special populations of gifted students including the award-winning 3rd edition of her seminal work To Be Gifted and Learning Disabled, Susan is a popular international speaker whose message is celebrating neurodiversity. She served on the Board of Directors of the National Association for Gifted Children and is past president and co-founder of the Association for the Education of Gifted Underachieving students. She is recipient of the Weinfeld Group’s Lifetime Achievement Award for her work in educating the twice-exceptional child.

Things You'll Learn in this Episode

• The rise in awareness and identification of twice exceptional individuals, including advocacy and policy changes in schools

• Common misconceptions in education about giftedness and disabilities, and Baum’s theory of green — the paradoxical profile of these students

• The importance of tailored environmental components — intellectual, social, emotional, physical, and creative — for thriving twice exceptional students

• The evolution and impact of the Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity (now Elmbridge University)

Resources Mentioned

• Elmbridge University 

• Bridges Academy

• Twice-Exceptional and Special Populations of Gifted Students (Essential Readings in Gifted Education Series) by Dr. Susan Baum

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Today we’re talking about something many families know they need to think about—but often don’t know where to begin: financial planning for children with disabilities. My guest is Mary McDirmid, a Chartered Special Needs Consultant and the co-founder and COO of All Needs Planning, a nationwide firm built by caregivers, for caregivers. In our conversation, Mary walks us through why proactive planning matters so much and what it can actually look like in practice. We talk about creating comprehensive care plans, protecting essential benefits, and building a long-term vision that supports not just financial security, but overall well-being. This is an empowering, practical conversation designed to help families feel more prepared, more informed, and more confident about the future.

About Dr. Devon Price 

Mary McDirmid, ChSNC, is the COO and co-founder of All Needs Planning — a nationwide financial planning firm built by caregivers, for caregivers. A Chartered Special Needs Consultant, Mary brings both professional expertise and lived experience as a parent navigating the special needs journey. She specializes in helping families create comprehensive plans that address the financial, legal, and care needs of loved ones with disabilities — from diagnosis through adulthood and beyond. Mary is co-author of the upcoming book Care, Protect, Grow: A Guide to Building Lasting Security for Your Loved One with Special Needs (Wiley, May 2026), which provides a compassionate, step-by-step roadmap for families facing the question of “what happens when I’m no longer here?”

Things you'll learn from this episode  

• Why early, ongoing planning is essential for families raising children with special needs

• How the Care, Protect, and Grow framework supports a comprehensive, long-term vision for care

• How creating and regularly updating care plans ensures continuity and security for loved ones

• Why involving siblings and considering long-term roles is an important part of the planning process

• How active advocacy and participation shape more effective, personalized support systems

• When and how to begin these conversations so families feel prepared rather than overwhelmed

Resources mentioned

• Mary McDirmid’s website

• Care, Protect, Grow: A Guide to Building Lasting Security for Your Loved One with Special Needs by Mary McDirmid

• Book a free meeting with Mary

• Care, Protect, Grow (on Mary’s website)

• All Needs Planning Learning Lab

• ABLE National Resource Center

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In this Parent Lean-In episode, Debbie answers a listener’s question about how to travel and navigate vacations with a child who is tied to routines. Debbie shares her past experiences and offers tips for pre-trip planning, addressing concerns ahead of time, establishing new routines while traveling, being flexible, using visual aids, and getting the child active and moving, and more.

Resources Mentioned

• Debbie and 11-year-old Asher on Successful Vacations for Differently Wired Kids (Tilt Parenting podcast)

• Download a PDF of our Family Goals Worksheet

• Download a PDF of our Vacation Concerns Worksheet

• Download a PDF of our Daily Vacation Planner Worksheet

• Look at our Departure Plan whiteboard

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Today we’re exploring what it means to reconnect with our bodies and how that can transform not just our emotional health, but our parenting and relationships as well, with Celia Bray, a psychologist, somatic therapist, and the award-winning author of Inscribed: Your Body’s Hidden Script. In our conversation, Celia shares her own journey from disconnection to what she calls somatic mastery, and why learning to tune into our body’s signals can be such a powerful guide for decision-making and regulation. We talk about simple, accessible practices parents can begin using right away, and how developing this awareness can shift how we show up—for ourselves and for our kids—with more presence, clarity, and ease.

 About Celia Bray

Celia Bray is a psychologist, somatic therapist, and award-winning author of Inscribed – Your Body’s Hidden Script. With over 20 years’ experience, she has lived and worked internationally across Australia, India, Kenya, and beyond, blending psychology with embodied healing practices. Celia is the founder of Somatic Psychology International, where she supports people to unlock the wisdom written in their bodies so they can heal, grow, and live authentically. She also facilitates Open Floor Movement, Therapy in Motion, and Family Constellations, empowering individuals and communities to reconnect with their freedom and joy.

Things you'll learn from this episode

• How Celia Bray’s personal journey from emotional suppression to somatic healing informs her work

• Why Gestalt therapy’s focus on present-moment, body-based awareness can be so transformative

• How trauma and emotional experiences are held in the body—and how somatic practices can support release and integration

• How simple practices like “Landing in the Body” build awareness and reconnect us with our internal cues

• Why resistance to body awareness is common, especially within certain cultural contexts, and how to navigate it

• How somatic work can influence parenting, decision-making, and emotional resilience, and where to begin exploring it

Resources mentioned

• Celia Bray Somatic Psychology

• Celia Bray’s YouTube Channel

• Inscribed–Your Body’s Hidden Script: Decode Your Body’s Wisdom for Emotional Healing, Wise Choices, and the Path to an Awesome Life by Celia Bray

• Pat Ogden’s Sensory Motor Therapy — For further somatic therapy practices

• Trauma-Informed Yoga — Explore gentle body-based trauma release

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11-year-old Asher joins me to share our best tips and strategies for making travel run more smoothly and having successful vacations with neurodivergent kids. As much as many families and their children may love going on vacation, the change in routine, different foods, shifting expectations, and new stimuli can even turn a trip to “The Happiest Place on Earth” (Disneyland) into one full of stress, anxiety, meltdowns, and other challenges. And while we know this rings true for pretty much any and every family, for parents raising differently wired kids, the extremes highs and lows can bigger. In this episode, Asher and I share what we’ve learned over the years when it comes to making sure everyone’s needs and expectations on any given vacation are met, or at the very least, addressed, and walk listeners through the different schedules and planners we’ve we incorporated into our vacation prep. We hope you take away a tip or two to make your next family holiday a more peaceful experience for the whole family!

Things you’ll learn from this episode

• The benefits of talking through and getting clear on expectations (for all members of the family) prior to leaving for a vacation

• A strategy for using the collaborative problem solving approach to identify, address, and pre-solve concerns ahead of time

• How to make departure day go more smoothly

• The benefits of exploring and researching aspects of a vacation time well in advance of the trip (including accommodations, activities, etc.)

• A strategy for using written schedules coupled with frequent reviews during a vacation keeps everyone’s expectations in check

• The benefits of bringing a child into the planning process (and letting them determine some of what will happen on vacation)

• Why it’s useful to work with your child to discover what they need most on vacation and then incorporating it into your daily plan (ie: rest, chill time, etc.)

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