328: Behavior Is a Signal: How to Decode What It’s Telling You, with Penny Williams
Behavior isn’t random. It’s not about disrespect, laziness, or a “bad attitude.” Every outburst, shutdown, or refusal is your child’s nervous system sending a signal.In this episode of Beautifully Complex, I’m unpacking what those signals really mean and why the labels we often put on behavior — defiance, aggression, avoidance — miss the mark. You’ll learn how to look past the surface to see the need underneath, and how shifting from control to curiosity changes everything.When you learn to decode behavior as a signal, you stop fighting the symptom and start supporting your child where they actually are. That’s the foundation of raising regulated, resilient kids who feel seen and understood.Press play and discover how to start listening to the signals beneath your child’s behavior.You can find additional resources at parentingadhdandautism.com and Regulated Kids.com — because it’s not just about the struggles, it’s about progress, one step at a time.Show notes and more resources at parentingadhdandautism.com/328Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/beautifully-complex--6137613/support.
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327: How Animal Instincts Signal What's Underlying Behavior, with Penny Williams
What if your child’s meltdowns weren’t about defiance, disrespect, or “bad behavior” at all—but simply their nervous system doing what it was designed to do? In this episode, I unpack how animal instincts like Lumi the Owl, Prickles the Porcupine, Bolt the Cheetah, and Tuck the Possum signal what’s happening beneath the surface. When you learn to spot the state and meet the need, you stop wrestling with behavior and start tending the roots.We’ll talk about how to recognize each instinct, what your child actually needs in those moments, and how to support without shame, blame, or power struggles. These aren’t loopholes; they’re nervous-system-savvy ways to bring safety and connection back online.Take a deep breath with me. Let’s step into a gentler, more effective way to parent your beautifully complex child.👉 Tune in now to learn how animal instincts can transform the way you respond to your child’s behavior.You can find additional resources at parentingadhdandautism.com and Regulated Kids.com — because it’s not just about the struggles, it’s about progress, one step at a time.Show notes and more resources at parentingadhdandautism.com/327Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/beautifully-complex--6137613/support.
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326: Hidden in Plain Sight: Misdiagnosis & Missed Diagnosis with Monica Garty Juice, PNP, PMHS
Your child’s biggest struggles might be the very things no one else sees.In this powerful conversation with pediatric nurse practitioner and mental health specialist Monica Garty Juice, we explore how subtle signs of neurodivergence often get dismissed, misdiagnosed, or go completely unnoticed — and what that means for our kids. Monica shares why so many complex kids are “hidden in plain sight,” how masking shows up in daily life, and what it looks like to finally be seen.We also talk about how parents often become the “quarterback” of their child’s care team — even when they’re exhausted and overwhelmed — and why slowing down and tuning into the full picture is one of the most powerful things we can do.If your child looks like they’re holding it together, but then melting down at home… this episode will feel like a deep exhale.Listen now and let this be your reminder: You’re not imagining it. You’re not alone. And you can trust your gut.You can find additional resources at parentingadhdandautism.com and Regulated Kids.com — because it’s not just about the struggles, it’s about progress, one step at a time.Show notes and more resources at parentingadhdandautism.com/326Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/beautifully-complex--6137613/support.
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325: Unlocking the Best Possible Outcomes in Special Education, with Michelle Pianim
Ever walk into a school meeting and feel like you're already behind before you even sit down?In this episode, I’m talking with special education consultant Michelle Pianim about how we shift from feeling powerless in IEP meetings to taking proactive, confident steps for our neurodivergent kids. We unpack the culture of inclusion (or the lack thereof), how to become the expert in the room about your child, and what to do when you feel like you've hit a wall with your school team.Michelle brings decades of experience — and serious wisdom — to this conversation, including practical strategies to ask for what your child needs, gather the right data, and advocate with clarity instead of conflict.This episode is for every parent who’s ever walked out of a school meeting thinking, “What just happened?”🎧 Listen now and open the door to better outcomes, stronger advocacy, and a team that works with you — not around you.You can find additional resources at parentingadhdandautism.com and Regulated Kids.com — because it’s not just about the struggles, it’s about progress, one step at a time.Show notes and more resources at parentingadhdandautism.com/325Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/beautifully-complex--6137613/support.
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324: How to Step Back Without Letting Go, with Kristin Lombardi, MA & Christine Drew, Ph.D.
What if the way you help your child is actually holding them back?In this powerful conversation with Kristin Lombardi and Christine Drew, co-authors of Spectrum of Independence, we unpack the hard-to-navigate space between support and overdoing. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering, “Am I empowering or enabling?” — this episode is a must-listen.We explore how to slowly and compassionately fade our support, why independence isn’t about going it alone, and how morning and bedtime routines can become moments of growth instead of daily battles. With real talk, gentle truth-telling, and deeply empathetic strategies, we help you make space for your child’s autonomy without sacrificing connection.Listen now to start shifting from doing it for them to teaching them how.You can find additional resources at parentingadhdandautism.com and Regulated Kids.com — because it’s not just about the struggles, it’s about progress, one step at a time.Show notes and more resources at parentingadhdandautism.com/324Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/beautifully-complex--6137613/support.
Join parenting coach and mom-in-the-trenches, Penny Williams, as she helps parents, caregivers, and educators harness the realization that we are all beautifully complex and marvelously imperfect. Each week she delivers insights and actionable strategies on parenting and educating neurodivergent kids — those with ADHD, autism, anxiety, learning disabilities... Her approach to decoding behavior while honoring neurodiversity, and parenting the individual child you have will provide you with the tools to help you understand and transform behavior, reduce your own stress, increase parenting confidence, and create the joyful family life you crave. Penny has helped thousands of families worldwide to help their kids feel good so they can do good.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/beautifully-complex--6137613/support.
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