Welcome back to Autism, ADHD and Us Three. In this episode, Jenny is joined by children's nurse and sleep consultant Michelle Cyril to talk about neuroaffirming sleep and why traditional sleep advice often does not work for neurodivergent children and teenagers.

Michelle shares the moment she realised that the strategies she used professionally were not working with her own neurodivergent children. Together, Jenny and Michelle explore sensory regulation, busy brains and bodies, transitions, PDA and what it really means to work with a child's brain instead of against it.

Michelle also talks about the period she spent working with neurodiversity consultant Madeleine Woolgar, whose approach changed how she supports her own children. Madeleine's work is tailored to the individual family she is working with, so her specific recommendations are not covered here. Her details are in the links below.

Jenny and Michelle discuss why calm and stillness are not always the answer, how movement and sensory activity can help some children settle, and why your child's natural sleep window may look completely different from other children's. Michelle explains why an earlier bedtime does not necessarily mean more sleep and how parents can rethink routines, baths and expectations.

They also talk about the pressure parents put on themselves when sleep is difficult, why bedtime struggles are not a sign of failure, and how looking after your own regulation can make evenings easier for everyone.

Ultimately, neuroaffirming sleep is about understanding the child in front of you and creating routines that support their brain, body and nervous system.

Useful links

Family Sleep Specialist: https://www.familysleepspecialist.co.uk/
Michelle's free parent resource: https://familysleepspecialist.co.uk/Parent
Neurodivergent Sleep Help Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/neurodivergentsleephelp
Madeleine Woolgar, Neuro Embrace: https://www.neuro-embrace.com/
Madeleine on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neuroembracingmadeleine

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Join Reclaim Yourself: https://www.audhdistically.me/join-the-membership
Work with Jenny: https://www.audhdistically.me/work-with-me
Positivity Pause newsletter: https://www.audhdistically.me/get-my-newsletter
Buy Jenny's book: https://amzn.to/4o58FQf
Audhdistically Me: https://www.audhdistically.me
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/audhdistically.me

Keywords

Neurodivergent sleep, neuroaffirming sleep, autism sleep, ADHD sleep, AuDHD children, neurodivergent teenagers, PDA, bedtime routines, sensory needs, sensory regulation, busy brain at bedtime, sleep window, low sleep needs, teenage sleep, bedtime battles, neuroaffirming parenting, parenting neurodivergent children, nervous system regulation, neurodiversity consultant, Madeleine Woolgar, Autism ADHD and Us Three, Audhdistically Me, Michelle Cyril.

Welcome back to Autism, ADHD and Us Three. It's the first episode of Season 4 - can you believe it?!

In this episode, Jenny is joined by Daniel Curtis for a wide-ranging conversation about neurodivergence, diagnosis, masking, authenticity and what happens when you finally begin to understand yourself differently.

Daniel shares his experience of being diagnosed with ADD and the psychiatrist who told him, very bluntly, that he was “bluffing the world every day”. Rather than simply giving him a diagnosis and sending him on his way, she asked him a much bigger question: now that you know this about yourself, what are you actually going to do differently?

This episode explores masking, vulnerability, creativity, parenting neurodivergent children, the emotional impact of diagnosis and why there is no single correct way to process discovering that you are neurodivergent. Jenny and Daniel talk about the fear that can still surround diagnostic labels, why understanding a child’s neurodivergence can help us support them more effectively and the complicated mix of relief, anger, grief and self-understanding that can follow a diagnosis later in life.

They also explore why authenticity requires vulnerability, why we often connect more deeply with people who are willing to show their imperfections and how understanding yourself can change the way you move through the world.

The conversation turns to purpose, fulfilment and supporting other people through experiences you once had to navigate alone, as Jenny reflects on why so much of her own work comes from wanting other neurodivergent people to feel understood and less alone.

At the heart of the conversation is one simple idea: you do not need to have everything figured out. Sometimes you just need to work out what the next right thing is.

Useful links

Find out more about Daniel Curtis:
https://www.danielcurtishq.com/

Join the Reclaim Yourself membership waitlist or check whether doors are open:
https://www.audhdistically.me/join-the-membership

Work with Jenny, including 1:1 coaching and text coaching options:
https://www.audhdistically.me/work-with-me

Sign up for Jenny’s weekly Positivity Pause newsletter:
https://www.audhdistically.me/get-my-newsletter

Buy Jenny’s book:
https://amzn.to/4o58FQf

Visit Audhdistically Me:
https://www.audhdistically.me

Follow Jenny on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/audhdistically.me

Keywords

Late diagnosed autism, late diagnosed ADHD, AuDHD, ADD, adult ADHD diagnosis, adult autism diagnosis, neurodivergence, neurodivergent adults, masking, autistic masking, ADHD masking, unmasking, authenticity, vulnerability, self-discovery, neurodivergent identity, self-acceptance, late diagnosis, neurodivergent parenting, parenting autistic children, parenting ADHD children, diagnostic labels, autism diagnosis, ADHD diagnosis, neurodivergent creativity, executive functioning, mental health, personal growth, self-awareness, neurodivergent community, neurodivergent support, resilience, Autism ADHD and Us Three, Audhdistically Me, Daniel Curtis.

Welcome back to Autism, ADHD and Us Three. In this community Q&A episode, Jenny answers 10 questions sent in by listeners and Instagram followers about late-diagnosed autism, ADHD and AuDHD identity. This is the final episode of Season 3 as the podcast will be taking its summer break in July and August.

This episode explores the huge emotional reckoning that can come after diagnosis or self-discovery, including identity confusion, masking, self-diagnosis, exhaustion, executive dysfunction, relationships, friendships and redefining success on your own terms.

Jenny talks about why self-diagnosis is valid, why you are not lazy, why masking can be so hard to untangle and how late-diagnosed neurodivergent adults can begin building lives that actually respect their nervous systems, energy and needs.

If you have ever wondered who you are now, whether you have made it all up, why you are so tired or what success even looks like anymore, this episode is for you.

• Who am I now and who have I been?
• Why diagnosis can make your whole life reorganise itself
• Why self-diagnosis and self-discovery are valid
• Why exhaustion is not laziness
• The invisible energy cost of masking, sensory processing and executive function
• How to challenge the lazy script in your head
• What masking actually is and how to start spotting it
• Why relationships can shift after diagnosis
• How to get things done with poor executive function
• Body doubling, timers, rituals and externalising your memory
• How to build a life that respects your AuDHD needs
• Redefining success after late diagnosis

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Useful linksJoin the Reclaim Yourself membership waitlist or check whether doors are open:
https://www.audhdistically.me/join-the-membership

Work with Jenny, including 1:1 coaching and text coaching options:
https://www.audhdistically.me/work-with-me

Sign up for Jenny’s weekly Positivity Pause newsletter:
https://www.audhdistically.me/get-my-newsletter

Buy Jenny’s book:
https://amzn.to/4o58FQf

Visit Audhdistically Me:
https://www.audhdistically.me

Follow Jenny on Instagram:
Keywords

Late diagnosed autism, late diagnosed ADHD, AuDHD, autistic ADHD adults, neurodivergent women, self-diagnosis, autistic self-discovery, ADHD self-discovery, masking, unmasking, executive dysfunction, autistic burnout, ADHD burnout, neurodivergent exhaustion, self-acceptance, neurodivergent identity, adult autism diagnosis, adult ADHD diagnosis, AuDHD relationships, neurodivergent friendships, sensory overload, late diagnosed AuDHD women, autistic women, ADHD women, Reclaim Yourself membership, Audhdistically Me, Autism ADHD and Us Three.