In this episode I talk with Clare Baker from Restlessminds UK.
Clare and I go deep into the raw realities of parenting, neurodivergence, and the often unseen emotional toll of navigating a broken education system. Clare shares her powerful story of becoming a mum at 19, being diagnosed with ADHD later in life, and why she chose to remove her daughter from mainstream education to protect her mental health.

We unpack:
💥 Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA)
💥 Advocacy for SEN children and neurodivergent families
💥 Clare’s experience with ADHD, and raising neurodivergent kids
💥 The problem with current attendance policies and the push for punitive "solutions"
💥 How empowerment starts with informed parenting and challenging outdated systems

Clare also opens up about masking, burnout, and the importance of showing up authentically—as a parent, practitioner, and person. Her lived experience and fierce advocacy are a lifeline for families stuck in survival mode.

🔥 If you're a parent, educator, or practitioner walking the line between compassion and bureaucracy—this episode is essential listening.

You can find Clare here:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/restlessmindsuk
Website: https://restlessmindsuk.org/


I'm Liz, The Untypical OT. I work with parents and carers in additional needs and neurodivergent families to support them with burnout, mental health and well-being. When we support parents, everyone benefits.

🔗 To connect with me, you find all my details on Linktree:
https://linktr.ee/the_untypical_ot

☕ If you’d like to support the podcast, you can buy me a coffee here:
https://buymeacoffee.com/the.untypical.ot

And if you'd like to contact me about the podcast please email at:
contact@untypicalparentpodcast.com

Click here to text the show

Support the show

The Untypical Parent Talks to Herself

Why we often say "no" even when we desperately need support?

In this episode, I’m talking about something so many of us struggle with—accepting help. You know that pressure to have it all together and do everything ourselves? Yep, that. I get into how thinking of help as some kind of transaction can actually make it harder to let people in, and how sometimes we push support away so much that people stop offering altogether. I share what I’ve learned about figuring out the kind of help that actually feels supportive (and not just like one more thing to manage), and why having clear expectations with the people around us makes a big difference. I also look at why we were never meant to parent or live in isolation—there’s real history behind that! I’m working on seeing help as a form of connection, not failure, and I’ll share some practical ways I’ve been trying to get more comfortable with receiving it. Plus, a reminder that support comes in many forms—not just the obvious or practical stuff.

The link for this month's parenting pause moment: The Sensory Side to Parenting: Unlock the Sensory Secret to Smoother Parenting and More Peaceful Moments
https://info.the-untypical-ot.co.uk/sensory-side-of-parenting

🔗 To connect with Liz, find all the details on her Linktree:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/the_untypical_ot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

☕ If you'd like to support the podcast, you can buy me a coffee here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/the.untypical.ot⁠⁠

Topics: If you have a request for a particular topic when it comes to parenting in additional needs families, please just drop the podcast an email at contact@untypicalparentpodcast.com

Click here to text the show

Support the show

What happens when your perfectly planned approach to parenting collides with the unpredictable reality and it doesn't end up fitting the job description! Helen Buzdugan knows this territory intimately. As a late-diagnosed ADHDer, careers advisor, and founder of True To You Careers, Helen shares her raw, emotional journey from parenting, discovering not only hers but her children's neurotype, from juggling work and parenting, to burnout and then recovery.

Helen's story begins with a self-confessed perfectionist approach to parenthood, to her noticing the diverging paths between her experience of parenting and those of other parents, whose challenges seemed to ease while hers intensified. Helen's experience ultimately led her to create her business helping parents in neurodivergent families find employment that accommodates their complex lives.

Helen brings a unique perspective to the workforce challenges facing parents and carers in neurodivergent households, highlighting the valuable transferable skills parents develop through advocacy, from research abilities to negotiation tactics honed in countless school meetings. Her practical advice includes understanding workplace rights like emergency leave for dependents, separating immediate crisis management from long-term career planning, and building essential support systems.

Ready to transform your approach to balancing career and family? Connect with Helen's free resources and community support to discover work that truly works for your neurodivergent family life.

You can find Helen on:

Facebook, LinkedIn and her links page

I'm Liz, The Untypical OT. I work with parents and carers in additional needs and neurodivergent families to support them with burnout, mental health and well-being. When we support parents, everyone benefits.

To connect with me you'll find all my links on Linktree:

The Untypical OT Linktree

If you would like to contact me about the podcast please email me at:

contact@untypicalparentpodcast.com

Click here to text the show

Support the show