In this conversation, Michelle welcomes therapist and EmpowerMind Solutions founder Dr. Kristen Williamson to bust the myth that ADHD and autism are deficits—and to show both parents and late-diagnosed adults how to turn “weird” traits into everyday superpowers.

Kristen shares:

• The diagnosis after 30 that changed everything. A lifetime of “too much” finally made sense when Kristen received back-to-back ADHD and autism confirmations at 38 and 39—then realized her entire family tree was “neuro-spicy.”
• Why girls (and moms) get missed. Early screening tools were built for 8-year-old white boys; masking, cultural norms, and medical gas-lighting leave women and people of color labeled “anxious” or “lazy” instead of autistic.
• Lawn-mower parenting vs. life skills. Clear every obstacle and your complex kid never learns to fold laundry, shower, or self-advocate. Kristen explains how to swap “mowing down struggles” for bite-size checklists and visual timers.
• 100 percent failure, 100 percent restart. ADHD brains abandon routines—and that’s OK. From alarm sounds to shower visors, Kristen demonstrates how curiosity beats shame every time a system breaks.
• Humor as a sensory aid. Why walking backward down the street, laughing at grocery-store meltdowns, and telling the story without passive-aggressive digs defuses stigma for kids and adults alike.

Quote to tape on the fridge:
“Your brain isn’t broken—it just writes in its own language. Learn the language, and the superpowers come online.”

Whether you’re parenting a meltdown-prone eight-year-old or wondering why your own coping skills collapsed at menopause, Kristen’s roadmap proves it’s never too late to ditch shame, get curious, and build a life that fits.

👤 About Dr. Kristen Williamson
A Licensed Professional Counselor and founder of EmpowerMind Solutions LLC, Kristen specializes in supporting neurodivergent adults—especially those diagnosed with ADHD or autism later in life—through self-compassion, practical strategies, and neurodiversity advocacy.

🔗 Connect with Kristen
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kristensmith0045
TikTok: @empowerminds.solu

#ComplexKidsSimpleSolutions #NeuroSpicy #LateDiagnosis #LawnMowerParenting #ADHDAutism #LifeSkills

Listen to this episode and more at
https://wisdom4complexkids.com/complexkidssimplesolutions

🎧 Connect with Michelle:
Website: www.wisdom4complexkids.com
Instagram: @michellechoairy
Join the community: Wisdom 4 Complex Kids Facebook Group

💌 Have a question or want to share your story? Email Michelle at michellechoairy@gmail.com

🧠 Want simple tools that actually work?
Download the free advocacy toolkit: wisdom4complexkids.com/the-ultimate-advocacy-toolkit-pdf

In this conversation, Michelle sits down with Cleverely operations lead Michael Israel to unpack the hidden reason babies and complex kids are still left in hot cars—and the 15-second fix that turns back-seat checks into second nature.

Michael shares:

• A dad’s near-miss that sparked a movement. One foggy commuter morning, a tech-savvy father forgot his son was still riding behind him. The memory lapse ended safely—but exposed a blind spot that kills dozens of U S children every summer.
• Why no one is “too careful.” Your brain can only juggle 7–8 data points at once; add work calls, grocery lists, or medical-equipment prep and any parent’s memory buffer overflows.
• Seat-belt déjà vu. How Cleverely’s $30 plug-in device swaps high-priced sensors for randomized voice prompts—training you to glance at the back seat the same way the 1970s trained us to click a belt.
• The number you never hear: 65,000 U S near-miss rescues a year—cases that don’t make national stats but leave lasting trauma.
• Easy wins for busy families. One-minute install, no app, no Wi-Fi, plus bulk programs for NICUs, CP clinics, and respite-care fleets so every caregiver hears the reminder.

Quote to tape on the fridge:
“Every time you exit, eyes to the back seat—even when the seat is supposed to be empty. That habit is the real safety device.”

Whether you’re hauling orthotics, wheelchairs, or a week’s worth of meds, Michael’s message is simple: habitualize the glance, and hot-car headlines fade into history.

👤 About Michael Israel

A former tech-startup strategist turned safety advocate, Michael leads U S partnerships for Cleverely, an Australian-born company dedicated to ending pediatric hot-car deaths through habit-building reminders.

Listen to this episode and more at
https://wisdom4complexkids.com/complexkidssimplesolutions

🎧 Connect with Michelle:
Website: www.wisdom4complexkids.com
Instagram: @michellechoairy
Join the community: Wisdom 4 Complex Kids Facebook Group

💌 Have a question or want to share your story? Email Michelle at michellechoairy@gmail.com

🧠 Want simple tools that actually work?
Download the free advocacy toolkit: wisdom4complexkids.com/the-ultimate-advocacy-toolkit-pdf

In this conversation, Michelle sits down with author and psych-nurse T.L. McCoy to unpack how a single genetic mutation—and a determined grandma—sparked the inclusive middle-grade adventure Delilah versus the Ghastly Grimm.

TL shares:

• The diagnosis that changed everything. Her granddaughter’s first-year seizures led to a Dravet-syndrome finding—and a crash course in gene mutations, med trials, and 40-minute seizures that land kids in the ICU.
• Why representation can’t wait. Only 3.4 percent of children’s books feature disabled protagonists; TL set out to fix that by giving complex kids a hero who battles villains and seizure triggers.
• Electric powers & indigo doors. How Delilah’s electro-chemical brain storms became literal lightning bolts in a fantasy world—and why kids on the spectrum of any disorder immediately “get” the metaphor.
• The advocacy playbook. From pushing past “it’s probably nothing” to finding the off-label med (Fintepla) that delivered a seizure-free year, TL explains why parents must “be a Karen” when instincts say something’s off.
• Grace for the grown-ups. Care-giving is a 24/7 marathon; TL’s practical reminders help moms and grandparents claim support, community, and rest without guilt.

Whether you’re drowning in therapy schedules, hunting for medically accurate fiction, or wondering how to pitch your hospital library, TL’s journey proves inclusive stories heal more than we realize.

👤 About T.L. McCoy

Founder of Blue Round Book Group, LLC, TL is a 30-year psychiatric nurse and former special-education school director. Her debut novel Delilah versus the Ghastly Grimm blends fast-paced fantasy with an authentic portrayal of life-threatening seizure disorders.

🔗 Connect with TL

• Facebook: T.L. McCoy
• X: T.L. McCoy
• Website: Blue Round Group Book

Listen to this episode and more at
https://wisdom4complexkids.com/complexkidssimplesolutions

🎧 Connect with Michelle:
Website: www.wisdom4complexkids.com
Instagram: @michellechoairy
Join the community: Wisdom 4 Complex Kids Facebook Group

💌 Have a question or want to share your story? Email Michelle at michellechoairy@gmail.com

🧠 Want simple tools that actually work?
Download the free advocacy toolkit: wisdom4complexkids.com/the-ultimate-advocacy-toolkit-pdf