SEND Parenting Podcast

Dr. Olivia Kessel
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Welcome to the Send Parenting Podcast. I'm your neurodiverse host, Dr Olivia Kessel, and, more importantly, I am a mother to my wonderfully neurodivergent daughter, Alexandra, who really inspired this podcast. As a veteran in navigating the world of neurodiversity, I have uncovered a wealth of misinformation, alongside many answers and solutions that were never taught to me in medical school or in any of the parenting handbooks.Each week on this podcast, I will be bringing the experts to your ears to empower you on your parenting crusade. 

  1. EP 165: When Love and Rage Share the Same Roof : ADHD and Emotional Dysregulation

    APR 28

    EP 165: When Love and Rage Share the Same Roof : ADHD and Emotional Dysregulation

    Following her recent Daily Mail feature, Dr Olivia Kessel opens up about one of the most misunderstood and most common aspects of ADHD: emotional dysregulation and flash anger. In this honest and practical episode, Olivia explores why emotional dysregulation isn't in the ADHD diagnostic criteria and why that matters. She unpacks the neuroscience behind flash anger and why reasoning in the moment makes things worse. She also goes into the hidden triggers behind explosions at home, including sleep deprivation, masking at school, hormonal cycles, hunger, transitions, and the "school angel, home devil" pattern so many parents recognise. And she shares the practical tools that transformed daily life in their household. Plus, messages from the community, including parents who felt, for the first time, that their experience was finally being reflected back to them. If you have ever felt trapped, ashamed, or utterly alone in what is happening behind your closed front door, this episode is for you. 🎉 Join Me in Henley — Book Launch, May 7 @ 6:30 PM  👉 RSVP An intimate evening in conversation, connection, and celebration. 📚 New Book — Out May 7  👉 Order your copy Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter. 💬 Connect with Us 🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life. ⚡ Ready to go deeper? Become part of the ...

    30 min
  2. EP 164: EHCPs Made Simpler: The Tool Every SEND Parent Needs to Know About

    APR 21

    EP 164: EHCPs Made Simpler: The Tool Every SEND Parent Needs to Know About

    Can I be honest with you for a moment? For so many parents, the hardest part of the SEND journey is not the diagnosis…  It is the paperwork. The forms. The reports. The endless documents.  The fear of getting it wrong. And for many, that fear becomes so big that they never even make it to tribunal, despite the fact that 95% of cases that get there are decided in favour of families. In this episode, I am joined by Stevie Hayes, founder of Bundle Creator—a tool designed to simplify one of the most overwhelming parts of the EHCP journey. We talk about:  Why the EHCP and tribunal process feels so complex (and why that is not your fault)  The hidden “gatekeeping” role of paperwork that stops families in their tracks  How to break the process down into manageable, bite-sized steps  The shocking statistic that fewer than 10% of families reach tribunal  Practical ways to organise evidence, meet deadlines, and feel more in control  How technology can support neurodivergent parents to navigate a non-neuroaffirming system This is not about pretending the system is easy.  It is about giving you the tools to face it with clarity, confidence, and support. Because you are not failing the system.  The system has not been built for you. And when we change how we approach it, everything begins to shift.  If you have ever felt overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure where to start, this episode is for you. Stevie Hayes: stevie@bundlecreator.co Click here for SEND Bundle The NeuroDiverse toolbox - YouTube **The local authority is responsible for submitting any bundle to a SEND Tribunal. Parents are best prepared when they understand the constraints and can submit their evidence as a partially completed bundle to the local authority.      🎉 Join Me in Henley — Book Launch, May 7 @ 6:30 PM  👉 RSVP An intimate evening in conversation, connection, and celebration. 📚 New Book — Out May 7  👉 Order your copy Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter. 💬 Connect with Us 🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life. ⚡ Ready to go deeper? Become part of the ...

    46 min
  3. EP 163: When Parenting Feels Relentless: Easter Survival for ADHD Mums

    MAR 31

    EP 163: When Parenting Feels Relentless: Easter Survival for ADHD Mums

    Easter holidays can feel like a breaking point for many ADHD mums. Less structure. More demands. And that quiet, heavy loneliness that no one else seems to understand. In this deeply honest solo episode, Dr. Olivia shares what came up again and again in her group coaching this week:  👉 the invisible load  👉 the emotional exhaustion  👉 and the feeling of doing it all alone If you are heading into the holidays feeling overwhelmed, stretched, or already running on empty… this episode is for you. This is not about perfect routines or getting it “right.”  This is about something far more important: Not losing yourself in the process. Inside this episode, you will find:  Why parenting a neurodiverse child can feel so relentless (and why it is not your fault)  The hidden “invisible load” so many mums are carrying  A powerful mindset shift to take the pressure off this holiday period  One simple daily anchor to help you reconnect with yourself  A short guided meditation to calm your nervous system and give you space to breathe Because you are not just the organiser, the advocate, or the regulator. You are a person within this, too. And you matter. If this episode resonates, please share it with another mum who might need to hear this today.  🧘‍♀️ Meditation Link  🎉 Join Me in Henley — Book Launch, May 7 @ 6:30 PM  👉 RSVP An intimate evening in conversation, connection, and celebration. 📚 New Book — Out May 7  👉 Order your copy Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter. 💬 Connect with Us 🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life. ⚡ Ready to go deeper? Become part of the ...

    15 min
  4. EP 162: Why rejection hits so hard...ADHD & RSD explained

    MAR 24

    EP 162: Why rejection hits so hard...ADHD & RSD explained

    Have you ever watched your child fall apart over something that seems small — a correction at school, a cancelled plan, a simple “not now”… and wondered what is really going on? In this powerful solo episode, Dr Olivia explores Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD) — a term you may have seen everywhere on social media, but one that is often misunderstood. Blending medical insight, real-life parenting experience, and practical tools, this episode unpacks: • What RSD actually is (and why it is not in the DSM)  • The science behind emotional dysregulation in ADHD  • Why some experts support the term — and others challenge it  • What RSD really looks like in children and teenagers (especially girls)  • Why your child is not “overreacting” — and what their brain is doing instead  • The link between ADHD, rejection, and lived experience over time Most importantly, Dr Olivia shares practical, compassionate strategies to help you support your child: • How to respond in the moment (what helps — and what makes it worse)  • How to build emotional awareness before meltdown  • Why validation matters more than logic  • How to gently reduce avoidance and build resilience  • The role of therapy and when to consider medication If you have ever felt confused, exhausted, or alone trying to support a child who feels everything so deeply, this episode will help you understand what is really happening — and how to move forward with confidence. You are not alone in this. And neither is your child.  🎉 Join Me in Henley — Book Launch, May 7 @ 6:30 PM  👉 RSVP An intimate evening in conversation, connection, and celebration. 📚 New Book — Out May 7  👉 Order your copy Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter. 💬 Connect with Us 🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life. ⚡ Ready to go deeper? Become part of the ...

    32 min
  5. EP 161: Raising ADHD Teenagers with Jheri South

    MAR 17

    EP 161: Raising ADHD Teenagers with Jheri South

    The teenage years can feel particularly intense when you are parenting a child with ADHD. Many parents expect things to get easier as children grow older — yet for many families, adolescence brings new challenges: emotional outbursts, school struggles, growing independence, and the feeling that your once-connected child is suddenly pushing you away. In this episode of the SEND Parenting Podcast, I am joined by therapist and ADHD specialist Jheri South, who works closely with teenagers and their families. Together we explore what is really happening in the ADHD teenage brain and why this stage can be so complex — not just for teenagers, but for parents too.  Jerry shares both professional insight and personal experience as a neurodivergent parent raising seven neurodivergent children. Her work focuses on helping families understand behaviour through the lens of brain development, emotional regulation, and the unique wiring of the ADHD brain. In this conversation, we explore: • Why ADHD teenagers often seem three years behind in executive functioning • The impact of constant criticism on self-esteem in ADHD children • Why traditional parenting approaches based on punishment often backfire • How rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) drives emotional reactions and meltdowns • Why connection matters more than control during the teenage years • Practical strategies parents can use to support independence without losing connection We also talk honestly about the emotional side of parenting ADHD teens — the fear that your child may struggle in life and the worry that you are somehow getting it wrong. Jheri reminds us of something many parents need to hear: ADHD teenagers are not broken. They are developing differently — and with the right understanding and support, they can thrive. If you are navigating the teenage years with an ADHD child and wondering whether things will ever get easier, this episode offers reassurance, insight, and practical tools to help you support your child through this stage.  Learn more about Jheri South and her work 🎉 Join Me in Henley — Book Launch, May 7 @ 6:30 PM  👉 RSVP An intimate evening in conversation, connection, and celebration. 📚 New Book — Out May 7  👉 Order your copy Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter. 💬 Connect with Us 🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life. ⚡ Ready to go deeper? Become part of the ...

    1h 5m
  6. EP 160: ADHD Meds, Demystified

    MAR 10

    EP 160: ADHD Meds, Demystified

    Deciding whether to try ADHD medication can feel overwhelming for many parents.  There is a huge amount of misinformation online, and the decision can feel heavy, emotional, and confusing. In this episode, I sit down with Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Dr Giovanni Giaroli to break down what ADHD medication actually does in the brain — in clear, parent-friendly language. We explore: • How ADHD medication works in the prefrontal cortex and executive brain • The difference between stimulant and non-stimulant medications • Why finding the right medication is often a journey of careful titration • Common side effects and what parents should realistically expect • How medication interacts with autism, anxiety, OCD and PDA profiles • Why medication alone is not the whole picture — and how sleep, exercise, nutrition and support work alongside it Dr Giaroli also explains why ADHD medication has one of the strongest evidence bases in child psychiatry, while still requiring a personalised approach for every child. If you are navigating this decision for your child, this conversation will help bring clarity, reassurance, and science to the discussion. Giaroli Clinic 🎉 Join Me in Henley — Book Launch, May 7 @ 6:30 PM  👉 RSVP An intimate evening in conversation, connection, and celebration. 📚 New Book — Out May 7  👉 Order your copy Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter. 💬 Connect with Us 🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life. ⚡ Ready to go deeper? Become part of the ...

    57 min
  7. EP 159: When Puberty Hits ADHD: The Perfect Storm

    MAR 3

    EP 159: When Puberty Hits ADHD: The Perfect Storm

    Why does everything suddenly feel harder when puberty begins? In this powerful and honest conversation, I am joined by Dr Jess Morgan — former NHS paediatrician and now educator — to unpack what is really happening in the brain and body when puberty meets neurodivergence. We explore: Why emotional outbursts are developmental, not defianceHow hormonal changes amplify ADHD and sensory sensitivitiesThe brain science behind mood swings and impulsivityWhy masking becomes more exhausting in adolescenceThe hidden mental health toll of “trying to fit in”Practical ways to support regulation without escalating conflictWhat happens when puberty collides with parental menopauseIf you have felt blindsided by the intensity of adolescence — particularly with a neurodivergent child — this episode will help you understand the why behind the behaviour, and offer compassionate, practical ways to respond. Because this is not about bad parenting.  It is about brain development, hormones, and learning to tread gently — with our children and ourselves. The survive and thrive collective Dr Jess Morgan TedX on reconnecting with your inner child 🎉 Join Me in Henley — Book Launch, May 7 @ 6:30 PM  👉 RSVP An intimate evening in conversation, connection, and celebration. 📚 New Book — Out May 7  👉 Order your copy Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter. 💬 Connect with Us 🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life. ⚡ Ready to go deeper? Become part of the ...

    59 min
  8. EP 158: Shut the Fluff Up: The Parenting Shift That Transforms Behaviour

    FEB 24

    EP 158: Shut the Fluff Up: The Parenting Shift That Transforms Behaviour

    In this powerful and honest conversation, Dr Olivia Kessel is joined by parenting coach Alison Solomon to explore one uncomfortable truth: what if the biggest shift in our child’s behaviour has nothing to do with them and everything to do with us? Alison shares the moment she calls the “arrow through the heart,” when she realised her child was not the problem, her reaction was. From that moment, everything changed. In this episode, we explore: • What actually happens in the brain when a child is dysregulated  • Why adding logic to an emotional brain makes things worse  • The power of silence and when to stop talking  • How to create emotional safety at home  • Why oppositional traits may be future strengths  • The “golden apology” and how modelling accountability builds resilience This is not about blame. It is about empowerment. Because when we regulate first, everything else begins to shift. If you have ever found yourself talking more and getting nowhere, this episode will land. 🎉 Join Me in Henley — Book Launch, May 7 @ 6:30 PM  👉 RSVP An intimate evening in conversation, connection, and celebration. 📚 New Book — Out May 7  👉 Order your copy Beyond the Label: Empowering Parents of ADHD Girls A powerful blend of science and lived experience to help you truly understand and support your daughter. 💬 Connect with Us 🌱 Join our SEND Parenting Private WhatsApp Community — a free, safe, welcoming space to share, learn, and feel supported by parents who truly understand the realities of neurodiverse family life. ⚡ Ready to go deeper? Become part of the ...

    53 min
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Trailer

About

Welcome to the Send Parenting Podcast. I'm your neurodiverse host, Dr Olivia Kessel, and, more importantly, I am a mother to my wonderfully neurodivergent daughter, Alexandra, who really inspired this podcast. As a veteran in navigating the world of neurodiversity, I have uncovered a wealth of misinformation, alongside many answers and solutions that were never taught to me in medical school or in any of the parenting handbooks.Each week on this podcast, I will be bringing the experts to your ears to empower you on your parenting crusade. 

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Olivia Kessel
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    166
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 SEND Parenting Podcast
  • Show Website
    SEND Parenting Podcast

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