The Threads of Life

Trish O'Dwyer
The Threads of Life

Trish O'Dwyer primarily solo hosts an informal, 20-30 minutes, once monthly podcast for parents of autistic and/or neurodiverse children (all ages), their families and friends plus anyone wanting to understand what it's really like and how to support. The aim is for listeners to be able to take a breather, listen to someone they connect with, who knows what they are living and to feel validated and less isolated. I hope you laugh, you may cry, you may even gain some valuable real-life information and help. Above all, you will know that you are supported and that you are not alone. It is story telling in an honest & uplifting way, purely from the perspective of a parent who is learning on the go and making mistakes every day. I am parent to a wonderful nonspeaking autistic and adhd boy called Henry plus his two siblings Ben (adhd) and Abi. Topics to be talked about in a wholly non-academic fashion will be things like beginnings and diagnosis; meeting needs; judgement; relationships; transitions; regulation; sleep & sleep deprivation; literal minds; real autism awareness & general family life - teens, holidays, ageing, the works! Take this time for yourself and enjoy. Let’s keep the conversations going.

  1. 29 ОКТ.

    My Journey with Spelling to Communicate S2C - Part B

    #1 Continuing the S2C journey with my son Henry who is 13, non-speaking autistic and adhd. He is learning to point to letters of the alphabet on stencils to answer questions from age appropriate lessons and I am learning to become his co-regulation partner (CRP) on the stencils/boards. It is a long journey that takes an enormous amount of commitment. It is fraught with inconsistencies and frustrations, takes many people to be invested in it, heaps of belief and the determination to never give up. But what could be more important right? It will eventually lead to Henry being able to spell out his own thoughts and ideas giving him not only access to communication at last but agency and autonomy too. How incredible and how exciting. #2 Guest N/A #3 Time Stamps 0:00 Intro to episode and Part A recap. 1:00 What S2C sessions look like and involve. 3:13 Becoming a co-regulation partner (CRP). 9:30 What your practitioner will teach you the parent about: speech vs language; types of motor; presuming competence; the boards/stencils and how to use. 14:35 Paradigm shifts to make as a parent. 19:35 What is least dangerous assumption you could make? 20:57 Where I am at with Henry so far and how it has gone during the past 9 months or so. #4 Summary Part A recapBecoming a CRPLearning about elements of S2C: speech v language; motor; competence; boardsParadigm shifts to makeWhere Henry and I are at in our journey now after 9 months or so #5 References/Links/Books: see links below #6 Calls to Action mid-roll: my monthly newsletter on www.thethreadsoflife.co.uk #7 Social Media see @_thethreadsoflife_ #8 Next Episode November and tbc

    33 мин.
  2. 20 СЕНТ.

    What Does Progress Look Like?

    #1 Taking a look at what progress actually looks like for parents of neurodivergent children and adults. How their progress is typically measured. They are growing and developing all the time regardless. A brief look into Apraxia for nonspeaking individuals. Recognising that it's can't not won't; believing it gets better by just being there for them and learning every day. Learning to recognise, acknowledge and celebrate the wins, even what to others may seem tiny or insignificant. #2 Guest: N/A #3 Time Stamps: 0:00 Intro 0:13 Neurodivergent children are measured against what neurotypical children their same age can do. Not fair or appropriate. 1:14 No-one in education is harnessing the potential of the ND mind or even being curious. 3:25 The environment you place them and their amazing brains in is key. 5:00 Nonspeaking, minimally or unreliably speaking individuals and Apraxia 6:35 There is no look to listening or to intelligence 10:07 Using my son as reference for and naming examples of - me reaching out to parents and their children/adults who are really struggling right now. 16:12 There is model or previous generation experience or anything even from most of our parents on how to support and raise an ND child. 18:30 It gets better! It does. Example - sleep. 21:38 The water trick and recognise, acknowledge and celebrate the tiny wins. They are actually BIG wins. #4 Summary neurodivergent minds are simply brains that work in a range of different ways.How ND children's progress is typically measured in education.Apraxia, the brain v body disconnectThere is no look to intelligence or to listening.Reference to and examples of what progress looks like in my own son Henry who is nonspeaking, autistic and adhd.There is no guide or support for parents.It does get better, there IS progress, they do grow up.Recognise, acknowledge and celebrate the tiny wins, they are what progress looks like and they are huge! #5 Calls to Action Pre-roll: My Journey with S2C episode mention. Mid-roll: Uniquely Human Podcast. End-roll: none #6 References/Links None #7 Social media N/A #8 Next Episode tbc

    27 мин.
  3. 24 МАЯ

    Our Children Can be Happy and They are Lovely Humans

    #1 A look into how often others/society makes assumptions about neurodivergent and/or disabled people's intelligence just by what they see. having heard about the children/adults and their parents struggles the assumption is that they are always miserable and struggling and a real challenge for their parents, as if there is no joy. What is presuming competence and the true meaning of inclusion, all in Mum/S2C Practitioner-speak! #2 Guest N/A #3 0:00 Intro/Welcome, I'm back 2:51 Today's episode 2:51 The assumption by others/people/friends you know that our autistic and/or neurodivergent children are always struggling and unhappy and that it is an exhausting all day every day challenge for parents. 10:15 There is always a unique personality with interesting thoughts and ideas in every neurodivergent or disabled person you meet. 11:06 What is presuming competence? 12:57 Definition - Cheryl Jorgensen 2005 15:57 Speaking age appropriately to my autistic non speaking son Henry 20:53 Podcast - follow - review - share. Thank you. 23:58 The true meaning of inclusion 25:15 Interested in S2C? Have a look at www.i-asc.org #4 Assuming and judging others intelligence by what we seeAll neurodivergent people have unique personalities with their own thoughts and ideas and they are most often fascinating, interesting, humorous, lovely, lovely people. Be curious.Presuming CompetenceSpeaking age appropriately to disabled peopleThe true meaning of inclusionInterested in S2C? #5 Calls to Action Pre-roll: web page Mid-roll: podcast follow/review/share End-roll: look up I-ASC #6 Next Episode - tbc

    27 мин.
  4. 23 ФЕВР.

    In the home with neurodiverse children 24 hours at a time

    #1 This is not an episode on bad parenting or bad children, its an episode why we feel like bad parents and why our autistic and/or adhd and/or neurodiverse children are often made to feel this way. How us parents wish someone could come into our homes and simply observe and offer helpful advice on how to make getting through each 24 hr cycle easier + have someone who actually can witness and believe us and our children. Why its a challenge every single day and what a quick run through of 24 hours in the home is like. #2 Guest N/A #3 Time Stamps: 0:45 Intro to this episode 1:00 feeling like a bad parent 2:37 who is there for the parent for those 12-16 hours every day? 2:57 what we wish we had...someone actually come into our home to observe 3:30 someone to believe us and believe our children 6:00 my experience with this actually happening for me and the difference it made 8:30 rant about social service 11:39 Friends or relatives or 1:1's or ta's etc wanting to know what its actually like and how to help 14:57 can't NOT won't 17:00 The 24 hours! #4 Summary feeling like a bad parentwhat we parents wish someone would do for uswhy social services does not work for neurodiverse familiesour autistic and/or adhd and/or neurodiverse are not bad or difficult, just different and with unique sensory challengeswhat a 24 hour cycle can be likehow to be a better friend or relative and helpyou are not alone, your child will be okSpellX event online. Free! #6 Calls to Action: Pre - roll: I am 20 episodes in...thank you for your listens and shares and follows Mid-roll: newsletter sign up via website and how to find it quickly End roll: The free online SpellX event #7 SpellX - see research links #8 next Episode- tbc

    26 мин.
  5. 16 ФЕВР.

    Food Wars - autism, adhd, spd, the neurodiverse

    #1 Food wars vs food relationships and the battle with their sensory systems that are constantly changing. There is so much more going on than just the food. It's different to the neuro-typical journey of fussy or picky eaters. My own experiences and advice from having raising a now 20 yr old son who is adhd plus my youngest Henry who is on speaking, autistic and adhd, age 12. They do grow and develop and their eating habits, relationships with food and mealtimes do get better. Look to professionals (nutritionists, dietitians etc)who are autistic themselves and/or actually live the autism journey as parents for the right advice e.g Yaffi Lvova. #2 GUEST: N/A #3 0:00 Intro 0:48 'food wars' should really be 'food relationships' 1:37 It's not war against the child, its against their sensory systems 2:00 Its not just about the food 4:04 what's especially tough for parents 5:31 my own experiences and examples with two of my 3 children 9:37 under/over weight 11:25 Nutritionist and other 'experts' advice 14:00 mix it up, experiment, try not to get riled, forget the traditional rules/norms/manners 17:25 The younger years and thinking things would never get any better, and the now 22:00 Our childrens brains work differently, it is not the same 22:30 Yaffi Lvova, nutritionist and dietitian who lives it and knows the autism journey. #4 food wars vs food relationshipsit's about so much more than the foodwhat we all know as fussy or picky eatersit's different for autistic, adhd, spd, neurodiverse childrenexpert advice should come from those who are actually autistic or actually live itmy own experiences wiht a 20yr old adhd son and a 12 yr old non speaking, autistic and adhd younger son. it will get better, it takes time and adjustments, experimenting, mixing things up, never giving up # 5 Calls to Action pre-roll: new name, website, newsletter mid-roll: thank you for the listens + follow + review/comment #6 see under 'research links' #7 N/A #8 n+Next Episode...tbc

    24 мин.

Об этом подкасте

Trish O'Dwyer primarily solo hosts an informal, 20-30 minutes, once monthly podcast for parents of autistic and/or neurodiverse children (all ages), their families and friends plus anyone wanting to understand what it's really like and how to support. The aim is for listeners to be able to take a breather, listen to someone they connect with, who knows what they are living and to feel validated and less isolated. I hope you laugh, you may cry, you may even gain some valuable real-life information and help. Above all, you will know that you are supported and that you are not alone. It is story telling in an honest & uplifting way, purely from the perspective of a parent who is learning on the go and making mistakes every day. I am parent to a wonderful nonspeaking autistic and adhd boy called Henry plus his two siblings Ben (adhd) and Abi. Topics to be talked about in a wholly non-academic fashion will be things like beginnings and diagnosis; meeting needs; judgement; relationships; transitions; regulation; sleep & sleep deprivation; literal minds; real autism awareness & general family life - teens, holidays, ageing, the works! Take this time for yourself and enjoy. Let’s keep the conversations going.

Чтобы прослушивать выпуски с ненормативным контентом, войдите в систему.

Следите за новостями подкаста

Войдите в систему или зарегистрируйтесь, чтобы следить за подкастами, сохранять выпуски и получать последние обновления.

Выберите страну или регион

Африка, Ближний Восток и Индия

Азиатско-Тихоокеанский регион

Европа

Латинская Америка и страны Карибского бассейна

США и Канада