Empowering Exceptional Minds

Educational Therapy LLC

Welcome to Empowering Exceptional Minds —the podcast where we dive into real conversations about neurodiversity. We interview parents, individuals, and professionals to explore the challenges, strengths, and unique experiences of diverse learners and thinkers. We discuss ADHD, Executive Functions, dysgraphia, autism, dyscalculia, dyslexia, written expression, auditory processing, visual processing, learning disabilities, evaluations, assessments, parenting and professional development.

  1. 2d ago

    Not What I Expected: The Unexpected Journey of Parenting With Dr. Rita Eichenstein

    What happens when the child you imagined is different from the child you have? In this heartfelt episode of Empowering Exceptional Minds, Maayan sits down with Dr. Rita Eichenstein, pediatric neuropsychologist and author of Not What I Expected, to explore the emotional journey of parenting a neurodivergent child. Together, they discuss the unexpected emotions parents may experience following a diagnosis, including shock, denial, anger, guilt, grief, and the gradual journey toward acceptance. They explore the pressure of parental expectations, the importance of recognizing and celebrating a child's unique strengths, and why parents need support just as much as their children do. This conversation offers an important reminder: acceptance doesn't mean giving up on growth. It means letting go of the child we imagined and making room to truly understand, appreciate, and celebrate the child in front of us. A meaningful conversation for parents, educators, and professionals who support neurodivergent children and their families. https://drritaeichenstein.com/ https://www.amazon.com/Not-What-Expected-Atypical-Children/dp/0399171762/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2WINWAK8ROZS8&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.kKltIeUhJFJpwdUSYsBVLVk0FC3UWjw8Qcgl1GBLTfBjw1YnQaiWwHobEK1xwK8D1QBnoGF-FfvGUfNL4Kz2dtay-U5PSVLduPuJCPJyVUzKBynxlq9p5lnlzSel-WFS7nyf6-pky1SCnLBuPB0vNmbKY_mqnQF28V3OaC-f6eXVwriLWwn0FhMGZLU0VH8LWkRuZNKLBGzKMkErKV4MdnaqPr6dMzZWsarKoMFiiVI.-2I4AKZu4tsqFGskw_1yBZ9OGYbS8BZx4_faov-hNB8&dib_tag=se&keywords=not+what+i+expected+book&qid=1793660401&sprefix=not+what+I+%2Caps%2C223&sr=8-1

  2. Oct 26

    Clean Your Room! Why This Simple Request Turns Into a Family Battle?

    Is your child’s bedroom a disaster zone? Are you tired of reminding them to pick up clothes, put things away, and clean up after themselves? Before you ask them to clean their room again, there may be something important you’re missing. In this episode of Empowering Exceptional Minds, Maayan Glaser-Koren sits down with Jessica Kennedy, certified neurodiversity coach, productivity consultant, and professional organizer, to explore why organizing can be so challenging for neurodivergent children, teens, and adults. A messy room isn’t always about laziness, defiance, or a lack of motivation. Organizing requires a complex set of executive functioning skills, including planning, decision-making, task initiation, working memory, and the ability to create and maintain systems. Add sensory sensitivities, emotional overwhelm, and a long day at school, and even a seemingly simple request can become a source of conflict. Together, Maayan and Jessica discuss how parents can move away from nagging, shame, and power struggles toward practical, compassionate strategies that actually work. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why “clean your room” can feel like an overwhelming, undefined task. How executive functioning challenges affect organizing, decluttering, and maintaining routines. Why traditional organizing systems don’t work for every child—and how to create systems that fit your child’s needs. How sensory sensitivities and after-school overwhelm can affect a child’s ability to follow through. Ways to build independence by offering choices, breaking tasks into manageable steps, and using timers, music, visual cues, and body doubling. How to set reasonable household boundaries without turning every messy room into a battle. Why functional is more important than perfect when creating spaces that work for your family. If you’re a parent who feels like you’re constantly asking your child to clean up, this conversation offers a different perspective: What if the goal isn’t a picture-perfect bedroom, but a child who gradually learns what works for them? Jessica Kennedy Owner, JOY - Jessica Organizes You LLC https://www.jessicaorganizesyou.com

  3. Oct 20

    What will it look like when I'm done? A conversation with Sarah Ward

    Why is it so difficult for some children and adults to get started, manage time, and follow through—even when they know exactly what they need to do? In this episode, Maayan Glaser-Koren sits down with Sarah Ward, MS, CCC-SLP, a leading executive functioning expert and co-director of Cognitive Connections, to discuss practical ways to develop executive functioning skills and support greater independence. Sarah shares insights from more than 30 years of experience and explains why traditional tools like planners and checklists may not be enough. Together, they explore mental simulation, time blindness, situational awareness, and the power of the Done, Do, Get Ready approach. ✨ What you'll learn: Why executive functioning is more than organization and reminders How mental imagery and mental simulation help us plan tasks Supporting individuals with aphantasia who cannot easily visualize Understanding time blindness and the time horizon The ACE Your Time strategy: At a specific time, Chill time, and Extra time How analog clocks and visual time tools can improve time awareness Using situational awareness: Space, Time, Objects, and People How to help children and adults plan backward from a clear goal Why starting with “What will it look like when I'm done?” can change the way we approach tasks Sarah also shares practical examples from everyday life, including getting ready for school, completing errands, and helping students move through multistep tasks with less adult prompting. About Sarah Ward Sarah Ward, MS, CCC-SLP, is co-director of Cognitive Connections LLP and co-developed the 360 Thinking Executive Program with Kristin Jacobsen. She provides training and consultation to support executive functioning development. 🔗 Sarah Ward's resources: https://www.efpractice.com/team-members-1/sarah-ward About Maayan Glaser-Koren Maayan is an educational therapist, ADHD educator, and autism-informed professional and the founder of Educational Therapy LLC. She supports children and adults with executive functioning and learning differences. 🌐 Website: https://educationaltherapyllc.com

  4. Oct 13

    Organize Your Thoughts, Communicate Your Message

    Ever know what you want to say but struggle to organize your thoughts, find the right words, or get started? In this episode of Empowering Exceptional Minds, Maayan sits down with Suzy Carbrey, speech-language pathologist, ADHD coach, and author of You’re Not Doing It Wrong, to explore the powerful connection between executive functioning, communication, and self-talk. Discover practical strategies to manage overwhelm, navigate workplace conversations, and build systems that work with your brain, not against it. 💛 Because you’re not broken—you may just need a different approach! 🎧 Listen now and discover tools you can start using today. https://a.co/d/021uq7f8 Suzy Carbrey ADHD & Executive Functioning Coachsuzycarbrey.com

  5. Oct 5

    Why Can’t I Just Do It? Executive Functioning in Adults

    Do you know what you need to do—but somehow just can't get yourself to do it? In this episode of Empowering Exceptional Minds, Maayan Glaser-Koren talks with educational therapist and executive function coach Eric Kaufman about the everyday challenges adults face with executive functioning. They discuss procrastination, working memory, emotional regulation, task initiation, prioritization, workplace challenges, and practical strategies for getting things done without constantly feeling overwhelmed. You'll hear about: Why procrastination happensHow emotions affect task initiationWorking memory and using external remindersThe ABC method and Eisenhower MatrixBreaking overwhelming tasks into smaller stepsUsing self-talk to move forwardWhy there is no one-size-fits-all EF strategyStarting small and celebrating progressMost importantly, your brain isn't broken. Executive functioning is a set of skills, and we can build strategies that work with the way our brains work. 🎧 Follow Empowering Exceptional Minds for more conversations about neurodiversity, ADHD, learning differences, and practical strategies for everyday life. This podcast is for educational and informational purposes and is not a substitute for professional or medical advice. https://www.upskillspecialists.com/team

  6. Sep 29

    Beyond the After-School Collapse: Somatic Tools with Lisa Danahy

    Did you know that many "behavioral issues" in children aren't behavioral at all—they’re sensory? Following up on our last conversation with Aaron about sensory integration, we’re taking a deeper dive into the specifics of how our nervous systems process the world around us. In this episode, host Maayan sits down with Lisa Danahy, founder of Create Calm, featured Hay House author, and international speaker with over 30 years of experience across education, healthcare, and community organizations. Lisa breaks down the complex science of stress and human behavior into relatable, practical strategies you can use immediately in the classroom or at home. The 8 Sensory Systems: Moving beyond sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch to explore Vestibular (balance), Proprioception (body awareness), and Interoception (internal signals like hunger or heart rate). Behavior vs. Sensory Processing: Why a child's meltdown might actually be an unmapped hunger signal or a shrunk "window of tolerance"—and how to spot the difference between sensory modulation and discrimination issues. Somatic Regulation Techniques: Experiential tools to ground the nervous system, including: 🎈 Balloon Breath: Aligning mind and body through intentional breath. 🤲 Body Tapping: Activating proprioception to feel "back inside the body." 🧺 The "Washing Machine": Using twisting and sound to release tension via vestibular engagement. Co-Regulation in Practice: Why adult energy dictates child regulation, and how to use mindfulness for somatic awareness rather than behavior control. Support for Neurodivergent Students: Effective, non-verbal physical "containers" (like weighted tools or child’s pose) for nonverbal or autistic learners. Lisa Danahy is the founder of Create Calm, a Hay House author, and an international speaker. For over three decades, Lisa has dedicated her career to making stress science and nervous system regulation accessible, engaging, and transformative for educators, healthcare workers, and communities worldwide. Learn more about her work at Create Calm. https://createcalm.org/ https://a.co/d/0bk52982 👉 Missed our previous episode on sensory integration with Aaron? Be sure to go back and give it a listen to get the full picture! https://open.spotify.com/episode/5oHQllOf8ql7lGfjMf9rCT?si=-T4Kz7G7TOGJHU496Kw_ZA Enjoying the show? Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review on Spotify to help other educators and parents find these tools!

  7. Sep 22

    Why Does My Child Fall Apart After School? The Sensory Connection With Aaron

    Why might a student press incredibly hard on their pencil, bump into things, avoid sports, or completely fall apart after holding it together all day at school? In this episode of Empowering Exceptional Minds, Maayan sits down with occupational therapist Aaron DeNardo, founder of Laughing Giraffe Therapy, for a fascinating conversation about the connection between the brain, body, sensory processing, movement, and learning. Aaron explains what occupational therapists actually look for during an evaluation—including fine and gross motor skills, visual processing, sensory processing, body awareness, and functional skills. Maayan and Aaron dive into primitive reflexes, proprioception, vestibular processing, and interoception, and how these systems can influence movement, regulation, coordination, attention, and everyday functioning. The conversation includes practical examples of what these challenges can look like in the classroom—from difficulty copying from the board to pencil pressure, clumsiness, avoiding movement, and exhaustion after school. Most importantly, Maayan and Aaron discuss a message every parent and educator needs to hear: behavior is communication, and children are doing the best they can with the skills and nervous systems they have. You’ll also hear why connection and attunement matter, how play can reveal valuable information about a child, what school-based OT can address, and why homework can sometimes become counterproductive when a child is already overwhelmed. If you’re a parent, educator, therapist, or anyone supporting a neurodivergent child, this conversation offers a different way of looking at the behaviors we often misunderstand—and a reminder to get curious about what might be happening underneath. Listen, learn, and see the child behind the behavior. https://laughinggiraffetherapy.com/

  8. Sep 14

    The Moon Cactus Effect: Autism, Adulthood, and Finding Your Bloom Later in Life

    What happens when a life-altering diagnosis arrives at 48 — not in childhood, but in the middle of adulthood, after decades of unexplained struggle? In this episode, we sit down with Robert Caldwell, journalist, science fiction author, and self-advocate on Alabama's Interagency Autism Coordinating Council, to talk about what it means to finally understand yourself later in life. Robert shares the story behind his moving "moon cactus" metaphor — comparing developmental disabilities to a mutation that can't survive alone, but becomes something beautiful when grafted onto the right support. We dig into how undiagnosed autism shaped (and sabotaged) his early career in journalism and web design, how his neurodivergent perspective fuels the strange, imaginative worlds of his science fiction, and the discrimination he faced — and only recognized in hindsight — as an invisible disability. We also get into Robert's advocacy work, including his fight to protect voting access for disabled Alabamians, and his message to anyone recently diagnosed as an adult: this isn't the end of your story — it might be the key that finally makes sense of it. Whether you're autistic, love someone who is, or work with neurodivergent individuals, this conversation offers a powerful reframe on late diagnosis, resilience, and the "superability" that can come with seeing the world differently. Topics covered: Late autism diagnosis • Workplace discrimination • Creative writing as neurodivergent expression • Disability advocacy • Voting rights • The moon cactus metaphor https://robertwcaldwell.home.blog/page/2/ https://a.co/d/0eFEexd8 https://a.co/d/08NJeyNz https://a.co/d/032SASMU

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Welcome to Empowering Exceptional Minds —the podcast where we dive into real conversations about neurodiversity. We interview parents, individuals, and professionals to explore the challenges, strengths, and unique experiences of diverse learners and thinkers. We discuss ADHD, Executive Functions, dysgraphia, autism, dyscalculia, dyslexia, written expression, auditory processing, visual processing, learning disabilities, evaluations, assessments, parenting and professional development.

Information

  • Creator
    Educational Therapy LLC
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    60
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Educational Therapy LLC
  • Show Website
    Empowering Exceptional Minds

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