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Welcome to The Untypical Parent Podcast: The Bookshelf , a new series celebrating the books that shape, support, empower and sometimes just bring joy to neurodivergent families.

In this special episode, I'm joined by parent Joanne Parry, alongside bestselling author Elle McNicoll, whose books have become deeply meaningful for many neurodivergent children and families.

Joanne shares the powerful moment her daughter first saw herself reflected in A Kind of Spark, and why Elle’s stories have become part of her family’s “quiet rebellion”, buying the books for schools, libraries and friends so more children can feel understood.

Elle talks about growing up as a high-masking autistic girl, the lack of representation she experienced, and how that inspired her to write stories where neurodivergent children are fully-rounded, loved, complicated and heroic, not reduced to stereotypes or “lessons”.

This is a warm, honest and hopeful conversation about identity, belonging and the life-changing power of books.

Books Mentioned

• A Kind of Spark
• Show Us Who You Are
• Unapologetic Love Story

About Elle McNicoll

Elle McNicoll is a bestselling and award-winning autistic author whose books centre neurodivergent young people with authenticity, warmth and humour. Her stories have resonated with families around the world and A Kind of Spark was adapted for television by the BBC.

You can find Elle and her books here:
Elle McNicoll Official Website
Instagram

Connect with Joanne & Family Avenues

Family Avenues

Thank you to this season’s sponsors:

Terri Wyse & Rachel Helm
They are offering EBSA support through webinars and workshops.Podcast listeners receive £5 off using this code UNTYPICALPARENT5

Link below to go straight to Insta

The Untypical Parent Podcast

The Untypical Podcaster

Support the show

I'm Liz, The Untypical OT. I specialise in burnout protection, event accessibility and inclusion, and supervision, with a love of podcasting.

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

And if you'd like to contact me about the podcast please use the text link at the top.

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text

Your life can fall apart twice, once on the outside and once in your head, and you still might not know what the real issue is. I’m joined by Chris Braid, co-host of The After Party, to talk about what happened when a mental breakdown, divorce, financial pressure, chronic pain, and emergency spinal surgery collided, and how a late ADHD diagnosis finally gave a clearer map of why things happened they way they did.

As parents, many of us carry stress that makes quick coping tools feel tempting. We explore the link between neurodiversity, depression, and addiction, plus what actually helps an ADHD brain feel regulated day to day: work that fits, creativity, music, and a movement-based mindfulness ritual through Pilates and yoga.

You don't want to miss this one.

You can find Chris on:

Instagram: The After Party Invite

Facebook: The After Party

We spoke about AA if you need further information you can find that here

Thank you to this season’s sponsors:

Terri Wyse & Rachel Helm
Together, they are offering webinars and workshops focused on EBSA for both parents and professionals

8th July – Webinar for School Leaders

2nd September – Webinar for Parents & Families

16th September – Joint Workshop (Parents + Schools)

Podcast listeners receive £5 off using this code UNTYPICALPARENT5.

Link below to go straight to Insta

The Untypical Parent Podcast

The Untypical Podcaster

Support the show

I'm Liz, The Untypical OT. I specialise in burnout protection, event accessibility and inclusion, and supervision, with a love of podcasting.

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

And if you'd like to contact me about the podcast please use the text link at the top.

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text

A one-legged goose might not be the hero you’d expect… but maybe that’s exactly the point.

This episode is part of something new I’m trying this season.
As someone who’s dyslexic and has never really connected with traditional reading, I wanted to find a different way to explore books. So I’m inviting authors, parents and professionals to come on and share stories in a way that feels more accessible, especially for those of us who don’t see ourselves as “readers.”

In this episode, I’m joined by author Ryan Ritter, who shares the story behind his children’s book Frederick the One-Legged Goose, and how it all started with one little boy going through cancer treatment.

What began as a way to help a single child understand difference, change, and uncertainty quickly grew into something much bigger.

We talk about:

• Why representation and disability awareness matter from a young age
• How stories can shape empathy, acceptance, and belonging
• The power of seeing difference as a strength, not something to fix
• Why this book isn’t just for children with disabilities… but for every child

If we want children to grow into adults who accept difference…
we have to start with the stories we give them.

🔗 Links & Resources

• Find Frederick the One-Legged Goose on Amazon and Waterstones
• Follow Ryan on Instagram: @RyanThe_Author_
• Keep an eye out for the next book: Frederick’s Hop

Link below to go straight to Insta

The Untypical Parent Podcast

The Untypical Podcaster

Support the show

I'm Liz, The Untypical OT. I specialise in burnout protection, event accessibility and inclusion, and supervision, with a love of podcasting.

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

And if you'd like to contact me about the podcast please use the text link at the top.

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text

One meeting can spiral into weeks of stress when you’re neurodivergent and constantly second-guessing what you said, how you came across, or what everyone “really meant.” Dr Jay Spence, a clinical psychologist and co-founder of Avro AI, talks about a different way to look at communication breakdowns: most damage comes from misunderstood difference, not bad intent.

Elaine Lee, Avro’s co-founder, shares the story behind the product. After years in high-performing tech roles, repeated burnout, and a late diagnosis of ADHD, dyslexia, and autism, she realised how often people are judged for signals that simply don’t translate across brains. Her reflections on masking, workplace friction, and repairing relationships through better understanding shape the values behind Avro AI.

We dig into what an AI meeting assistant can actually do in real life: sitting alongside Zoom or Teams, creating accurate records, then helping you prep, rephrase, and debrief with less guesswork. We also tackle the hard question head-on: does this kind of tool support authentic communication, or does it push people toward neurotypical “norms”? Jay explains why choice matters, and why the goal is a bridge, not a makeover.

To connect with Jay and Elaine you can find them here

And through LinkedIn

Elaine Lee

Jay Spence

Thank you to this season’s sponsors:

Terri Wyse & Rachel Helm
Together, they are offering webinars and workshops focused on EBSA for both parents and professionals.

08.07.26 School webinar

02.09.26 Parent/carer webinar

16.09.26 Joint Workshop

Podcast listeners receive £5 off using this code UNTYPICALPARENT5.

Link below to go straight to Insta

The Untypical Parent Podcast

The Untypical Podcaster

Support the show

I'm Liz, The Untypical OT. I specialise in burnout protection, event accessibility and inclusion, and supervision, with a love of podcasting.

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

And if you'd like to contact me about the podcast please use the text link at the top.

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text

Do you ever feel like reading just… isn’t built for you?

In this solo episode, I talk about my honest experience with dyslexia, distraction, and why traditional reading has always felt like hard work rather than relaxation. From unfinished books to skipping straight to the ending, I reflect on the frustration and the quiet sense of missing out.

But this episode isn’t about giving up on books. It’s about finding a different way in.

So I've had a brand new idea.

I'm inviting listeners, parents, professionals, and authors to come onto the podcast for short 5–10 minute chats to share books they love, without spoilers, so more people who might not be typical readers, can discover stories and ideas in a way that actually works for them.

Message on the link at the top or on Insta HERE

Link below to go straight to Insta

The Untypical Parent Podcast

The Untypical Podcaster

Support the show

I'm Liz, The Untypical OT. I specialise in burnout protection, event accessibility and inclusion, and supervision, with a love of podcasting.

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

And if you'd like to contact me about the podcast please use the text link at the top.

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text

In this episode of The Untypical Parent Podcast, I’m joined by Dr Kim Collett for a really honest conversation about the reality of parenting, and why knowing the “right” thing doesn’t mean it’s easy to do it.

Kim has a PhD in inclusive education and lectures on special educational needs and disabilities. She also lives in a neurodivergent household. Together, we explore the gap between theory and real life, and why even professionals with years of knowledge and experience still struggle with the day-to-day reality of parenting.

We talk about school experiences, masking, anxiety, and the pressure to “fit in,” as well as the guilt so many parents carry when they feel like they’re getting it wrong.

This episode is not about fixing everything.

It’s about understanding why it feels so hard, and reminding you that you’re not the only one.

A gentle reminder from this episode

There is no perfect way to parent.
There is no single strategy that works for every child.
And you are not failing because it feels hard.

I mention Brene Brown and empathy vs sympathy here's the link to watch it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZBTYViDPlQ&list=PLOol2H2m6gNOdrOnWV_lJ3dDslWSqtzqQ&index=1

🔗 Connect with Dr Kim Collett

You can find Kim sharing more about inclusion, neurodivergence and education on:

• Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dr_kim_collett/
• LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-kim-collett-fhea-41637537b/

Thank you to this season’s sponsors:

Terri Wyse
👉 https://www.instagram.com/wyseinclusion/

Rachel Helm
👉 https://www.instagram.com/helmeducationconsultancy/

If you’re supporting a child or young person struggling to access school, do reach out to them.

Link below to go straight to Insta

The Untypical Parent Podcast

The Untypical Podcaster

Support the show

I'm Liz, The Untypical OT. I specialise in burnout protection, event accessibility and inclusion, and supervision, with a love of podcasting.

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

And if you'd like to contact me about the podcast please use the text link at the top.

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text

Over 170,000 children in England were severely absent from school last year, according to the Department for Education.

Behind that number are families, schools, and children all trying to navigate something incredibly complex.

In this episode, I’m joined by Terri Wyse (Wise Inclusion) and Rachel Helm (Helm Education Consultancy), who are supporting the podcast this season, to talk about emotionally based school anxiety (EBSA).

Here's the important part:

Parents and schools are often on the same side
But the system can push them apart

We talk about:

• What EBSA really is (and why language matters)
• Why “just make them go to school” isn’t the answer
• The reality for families trying to keep their children safe
• The pressures schools are under behind the scenes
• How relationships can break down, and how to rebuild them

This isn’t about blame.

It’s about understanding, collaboration, and finding a way forward — together.

Together, they are offering webinars and workshops focused on EBSA for both parents and professionals.

Upcoming Sessions:

• 📅 8th July – Webinar for School Leaders
• 📅 2nd September – Webinar for Parents & Families
• 📅 16th September – Joint Workshop (Parents + Schools)

Podcast listeners receive £5 off using this code UNTYPICALPARENT5.

• School webinar
• Parent/carer webinar
• Workshop

This episode is supported by:

Terri Wyse – Wise Inclusion Terri Wyse
https://www.instagram.com/wyseinclusion/

Rachel Helm – Helm Education Consultancy
https://www.instagram.com/helmeducationconsultancy/

Link below to go straight to Insta

The Untypical Parent Podcast

The Untypical Podcaster

Support the show

I'm Liz, The Untypical OT. I specialise in burnout protection, event accessibility and inclusion, and supervision, with a love of podcasting.

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

And if you'd like to contact me about the podcast please use the text link at the top.

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text

Parents are often so busy meeting everyone else’s needs that they stop noticing their own.

And when that happens, burnout and overwhelm can build long before we even realise what’s going on.

In this episode, I'm joined by occupational therapist and interoception expert Kelly Mahler for a conversation about why parents need to understand their own interoception, not just their child’s.

Interoception is our ability to notice and make sense of the signals coming from inside the body. It helps us recognise things like hunger, tension, exhaustion, overwhelm, anxiety and discomfort, the early signs that something isn’t right.

But many parents are so used to pushing through, holding everything together and ignoring what their body is saying that they lose touch with those signals altogether.

This episode isn’t about quick fixes or a step-by-step solution to burnout.

It’s about something deeper, understanding what might be missing.

Because if we don’t notice what our body is telling us, we can’t respond to it. And that’s often where burnout begins.

We explore how interoception can act as a kind of internal compass helping us recognise when something feels off, when we need support, or when we are heading towards overwhelm.

We also talk about how this doesn’t just apply to children. Every parent has their own sensory profile, their own internal signals, and their own limits, and learning to notice these can be a powerful first step in protecting energy and supporting wellbeing.

This episode is a valuable listen for parents, carers, OTs, teachers and anyone supporting neurodivergent children or living in the reality of family life where the demands rarely stop.

If you are exhausted, overwhelmed, or feel like you’re constantly coping but not really checking in with yourself, this conversation will help you understand why — and where to start.

You can find Kelly here:

https://www.kelly-mahler.com/

On Facebook and Instagram

Thank you to this season’s sponsors:

Terri Wyse
👉 https://www.instagram.com/wyseinclusion/

Rachel Helm
👉 https://www.instagram.com/helmeducationconsultancy/

If you’re supporting a child or young person struggling to access school, do reach out to them.

Link below to go straight to Insta

The Untypical Parent Podcast

The Untypical Podcaster

Support the show

I'm Liz, The Untypical OT. I specialise in burnout protection, event accessibility and inclusion, and supervision, with a love of podcasting.

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

And if you'd like to contact me about the podcast please use the text link at the top.