Full-Tilt Parenting: Strategies, Insights, and Connection for Parents Raising Neurodivergent Children

Today we’re exploring a more holistic, humane approach to supporting neurodivergent learners — one that starts with understanding the nervous system and builds from there. My guest is Dr. Emily King, a child psychologist who has spent more than 20 years working with neurodivergent youth in both school settings and private practice. She’s the creator of The Neurodiverse Classroom®, a professional development curriculum for educators, and the author of her new book The Neurodivergent Learner, which we’ll be talking about today.

In our conversation, Emily and I talk about why safety and regulation are foundational for learning, how relationships at school can shape outcomes in powerful ways, and what it means to redefine success for kids who don’t fit traditional models. We also explore practical ways parents can partner with schools to better support their children, and how shifting our lens can open up new possibilities for growth, connection, and well-being.

About Dr. Emily King

Dr. Emily King is a child psychologist who has worked with neurodivergent learners for over 20 years. She received a Ph.D. in School Psychology from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and began her career in Houston, Texas, specializing in school-based mental health in K-12 public schools. She has since worked in private practice in North Carolina supporting the mental health, executive functioning, and social needs of neurodivergent youth. Dr. Emily hosts the Learn with Dr. Emily Substack, where she provides parent workshops, is the creator of The Neurodiverse Classroom®, a professional development curriculum for educators, and her first book, The Neurodivergent Learner, was released in August 2026.

Things you'll learn from this episode

How mental health, education, and neurodivergence are deeply interconnected in shaping a child’s experience

Why building felt safety and a true sense of community at school is foundational for learning

How navigating IEPs, homework, and behavior systems benefits from a flexible, relationship-centered approach

Why prioritizing social satisfaction over social achievement supports authentic connection and well-being

How parents can assess and choose school environments that truly fit their neurodivergent child

Why leading with relationships and adaptability strengthens both parenting and advocacy

Resources mentioned

Dr. Emily King’s website

Learn with Dr. Emily (Emily’s Substack)

Learn with Dr. Emily Podcast

Dr. Emily on Instagram

Dr. Emily on Facebook

Free downloads on Emily’s website

Redefining Success for Neurodivergent Children, with Dr. Emily (Tilt Parenting Podcast)

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Dr. Stuart Shanker, author of Self-Reg, shares his expertise on self-regulation, offering practical strategies and compassionate insights to help neurodivergent kids and their families manage stress and build self-awareness.
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Today, I’m joined by Bryden Carlson-Giving, an occupational therapy practitioner and the creator of the EMPOWER model, the first neurodiversity-affirming OT framework. Bryden is both neurodivergent and disabled himself, and his work focuses on helping practitioners challenge ableism and create more supportive, affirming environments for neurodivergent individuals.

In our conversation, Bryden walks us through the EMPOWER model and what it looks like in practice, especially when it comes to evaluations, goal-setting, and therapy approaches. We talk about how ableism can show up in subtle and systemic ways, and what it means to truly shift toward inclusive, affirming care. This is a thoughtful, important conversation about reimagining support — not just in therapy, but across education and systems more broadly.

About Bryden Carlson-Giving

Bryden Carlson-Giving, OTD, OTR/L is a neurodivergent and disabled occupational therapy practitioner (OTP) with experience in pediatric outpatient, inpatient, and school-based settings. Bryden earned his post-professional doctorate from Boston University, where his research focused on creating a toolkit to support OTPs in challenging ableism within the OT profession. This work led to the development of the first neurodiversity-affirming occupational therapy model, the EMPOWER model. He received the 2024 Emerging Leader Award from Boston University, and is the editor of the first neurodiversity-focused occupational therapy book, titled Neurodiversity-Affirming Occupational Therapy: Empowering Approaches to Foster Neurodivergent Participation.

Things you'll learn from this episode

How Bryden’s journey into occupational therapy led to creating a neurodiversity-affirming toolkit

Why the Empower model centers strengths-based practice, anti-racism, disability justice, and trauma-informed care

How inclusive evaluations can look in practice, especially within school-based systems

Why implementing neurodiversity-affirming approaches in bureaucratic settings comes with both challenges and opportunities

How ongoing self-reflection and unpacking internalized ableism are essential for practitioners

How parents, educators, and therapists can take practical steps to amplify neurodiversity-affirming work

Resources mentioned

Neuridivergent Nexus (Bryden’s website)

Neurodiversity-Affirming Occupational Therapy: Empowering Approaches to Foster Neurodivergent Participation edited by Dr. Bryden Carlson-Giving

Bryon Carlson-Giving on Instagram

Activist Emily Ladau on Demystifying Disability (Tilt Parenting podcast)

Kassiane Asasumasu (coined the term neurodivergence)

Dr. Destiny Huff on Neurodiversity-Affirming Advocacy in School (Tilt Parenting podcast)

Dr. Jade Rivera and Strength-Based Assessments (Tilt Parenting podcast)

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Linda Murphy describes declarative language as a positive, thoughtful communication style that emphasizes understanding, patience, respect, and kindness, and as you’ll hear from our conversation, it is an ideal communication style for really all children, but especially neurodivergent children and kids whose nervous systems are triggered by demands or more imperative communication styles. We discussed the different ways we can communicate with our children, the language we use, and the effects that simple shifts in the way we have conversations can have in our daily interactions with them. We also explored what is declarative language versus imperative language, as well as the relationship between co-regulation and declarative language and why we should use them in tandem.

Things you'll learn from this episode

* What it means to use declarative language (versus imperative language)

* Why declarative language is so effective for neurodivergent children, and especially those who are wired to be more demand avoidance

* Why declarative language is more effective when paired with co-regulation

* Common language and communication styles that place demands on kids that we may not be aware of (including questions)

* How to introduce declarative language communication and how it can support a child’s learning and development

* What we can hope to see in a child or an adolescent that has been on the receiving end of this style of communication

* What to say instead of “Did you hear what I said”?

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Today we’re diving into dysgraphia—what it is, how it’s different from general handwriting struggles, and why so many kids go unsupported for far too long. My guest is Kelli Fetter, a certified handwriting specialist and occupational therapist, and the founder of Handwriting Solutions. Kelli breaks down the neurological underpinnings of dysgraphia, how it can show up differently from child to child, and why early recognition is so important. We talk about the role of assessment, how to distinguish dysgraphia from more general handwriting difficulties, and what meaningful support can look like at home and in school. This is a practical, eye-opening conversation for anyone trying to better understand—and advocate for—a child struggling with writing.

About Kelli Fetter

Kelli Fetter, MS, OTR/L is a Certified Handwriting Specialist and the founder of Handwriting Solutions, LLC, where she and her team provide world-class handwriting, reading, and spelling tutoring to students virtually across the globe. Beyond her direct work with families, Kelli is a recognized leader in teacher and therapist education, equipping professionals with evidence-based strategies that transform student outcomes.

With a career rooted in occupational therapy, Kelli has practiced in pediatric outpatient clinics, early intervention programs, preschools, and private schools, and has also served as an adjunct professor in pediatrics and kinesiology. Her expertise spans handwriting, dysgraphia, and dyslexia, supported by extensive advanced training in these areas.Kelli’s passion is deeply personal, fueled by her own daughter’s journey with dyslexia and dysgraphia. This lived experience drives her mission to empower parents, educators, and therapists with the tools and confidence they need to unlock every child’s potential.

Things you'll learn from this episode

How dysgraphia differs from messy handwriting and why it’s rooted in complex neurological processes

Why handwriting is such a demanding task for the brain, involving multiple systems working together

How to recognize common signs like avoidance, frustration, and inconsistent output

Why dysgraphia is often overlooked in schools and the importance of comprehensive assessment and advocacy

How to balance skill-building with technology accommodations to support functional success

Why focusing on confidence and real-world skills matters more than striving for perfect handwriting

Resources mentioned

Handwriting Solutions (Kelli’s website)

Handwriting Solutions Blog

Red Flags of Handwriting Struggles (freebie)

Schedule a free consultation

Email Kelli

Kelli on Instagram

Kelli on Facebook

What is Dyscalculia? Parent Advocate Laura Jackson Talks About her Family’s Journey with a Math Disability (Tilt Parenting episode)

Rebecca Bush Offers a Pathway for Parents with Newly-Identified Dyslexic Kids (Tilt Parenting episode)

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