Best Gwen & Kristen Podcasts (2024)

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Ep 28: Adulting on the Spectrum: What the Transition from School to Adulthood Looks Like for Our Neurodivergent Kids 49:35

8d ago49:35

49:35

Helping your child transition to adulthood isn’t for the faint of heart for any parent… but when you're helping a neurodivergent child navigate the process, it’s even harder. Sure, there’s help– if you know where to ask for it. And your locality probably has a system or service that can offer support– but it has a different title in every state. An…

1
Ep 27: We’re Back! (Sorry We Forgot To Tell You We Left!) 45:51

2M ago45:51

45:51

We’re back! As you may have noticed, we took the summer off of podcasting as our families navigated some big changes and milestones this summer. We didn’t mean to disappear, but we *may* have forgotten to tell you that we were taking a break. Sorry about that. So today, we’re catching you up on all the changes in our lives during the last few month…

1
Ep 26: Rewiring a Dysregulated Brain Using the Science of Neuroplasticity with Carol Garner-Houston of Brain Harmony 51:25

5M ago51:25

51:25

When it comes to the brains of our neurodivergent kids and friends… There can be a lot going on. Constant input that they struggle to filter, regular therapy that they may not be able to implement yet, and expectations from a society that’s not built for them: it can be so overwhelming and dysregulating. And while manual therapy interventions can r…

1
Ep 25: Sound That’s Just for You: How Technological Breakthroughs in Audio Engineering Are Making the World More Accessible with Jen VanSkiver and James Bobel 51:49

5M ago51:49

51:49

Imagine with us for a moment: What would it feel like to be in a concert hall… but having a personalized audio experience created for your own individual needs? And not only that, but someone ten feet away from you could have their own audio experience tailored to their preferences that is incredibly different from your own. Sound fictional? Well, …

1
Ep 24: It’s Our Birthaversary: A Look Back and the Future of the Podcast 30:47

6M ago30:47

30:47

One year!! Can you believe we made it this far, friends? Because we sure can’t. You Don’t Want a Hug has officially been published for a year, and it has been a wild ride. In today’s episode, we’re sharing joy, frustration, hope, and gratitude as we look back on this last year of podcasting. We’ll be discussing the many lessons we’ve learned, readi…

1
Ep 23: Puberty & Autism Don’t Mix: Navigating Puberty with Our Neurodivergent Kids 44:16

6M ago44:16

44:16

And we’re not going to sugar coat it friends: navigating puberty with neurodivergent kids is rough. And it’s not just because we have to explain to our kids the importance of showering and explaining the function of certain parts of their anatomy in great and uncomfortable detail. Puberty also brings with it some intense emotional and personality c…

1
Ep 22: Flipping the Lens: the Autistic Experience with Becca Lory Hector 1:11:28

7M ago1:11:28

1:11:28

Burnout. It’s a word that comes up often in society and is often synonymous with being tired and needing a vacation. But when it comes to neurodivergent folks, autistic burnout can look radically different and have long-lasting effects. In today’s episode, Becca Lory Hector shares her experience of being diagnosed with autism as an adult after an e…

1
Neurodiverse Families and the Many Faces of Isolation [Replay] 45:46

7M ago45:46

45:46

Isolation and loneliness are realities for parenting raising humans with neurodiversity. We’ve experienced both and know how difficult it can be through the many ages and stages of our kids’ lives. In today’s episode, we talk all about isolation and loneliness and their impact on neurodiverse families. We go into the data behind it, share stories r…

1
Ep 21: The Purgatory of the Therapy Waiting Room 34:12

8M ago34:12

34:12

Therapy plays an important role in our neurodiverse children’s lives… But let’s be real: the act of constantly driving all over to drag our kids into dingy, uncomfortable waiting rooms multiple times a week is not fun. In this episode, Gwen and Kristen dive into this phenomenon: why parents of neurodiverse kids end up in this situation, how to make…

1
Ep 20: Inclusion over Ego: How the Special Olympics Organization Embraced Universal Design with Jen VanSkiver 47:56

8M ago47:56

47:56

Sports can be critically important to a child’s development and even their family’s place in the community. That’s why our kids, regardless of ability, deserve more than a church basement to hone those social connections and their skills as athletes! In today’s episode, we’re interviewing Jen VanSkiver, Chief Officer of Strategic Growth for Special…

1
Ep 19: Universal Design for Classroom Spaces with Virginia Tech 45:31

9M ago45:31

45:31

The classroom is the essential component across every school from K-12 to higher education. So why is it that physical space is often overlooked as being a central player in the learning experience? If you’re a parent to a child with a disability, then you know that their environment can make all the difference! In today’s episode, we’re interviewi…

1
Ep 18: Autism, Unconscious Bias, and the Intersection of Race and Disability With Jackie Bess 54:38

9M ago54:38

54:38

Being a parent of neurodivergent children is challenging enough for most of us. But what does that look like when you introduce racial bias into the mix? How does that affect the way parents and children with disabilities are perceived by their schools and their providers? In today’s episode, we’re interviewing Jackie Bess, a wife and mom of three …

1
Ep 17: Neurodivergence and Paving the Way for a More Equitable Healthcare System With Robin Ennis 45:22

10M ago45:22

45:22

Few things are more important to us as humans, especially to neurodivergent children, than access to quality healthcare. But did you know that Black and Hispanic children are less likely to be identified with autism than white children? This simple fact invites a closer look into the social currency that many of us take for granted and why the heal…

1
Ep 16: Legos, Alone Time, and Adjusted Expectations: How to Survive the Holidays with Neurodiverse Kids 40:10

11M ago40:10

40:10

As parents of neurodiverse kids, navigating the holidays can be…. a lot. Trying to get our kids to tolerate all the events, all the activities, and all the routine changes on top of everything else is exhausting, frustrating, and quite frankly, maybe not worth it for us and our kids. And who says we actually have to do all of this stuff anyway? In …

1
Ep 15: The Obvious, the Quirky, Even the Implausible: Here Are the Things We’re Grateful For from Our Neurodiverse Parenting Journey 43:11

12M ago43:11

43:11

We have so much to be grateful for, and what better time to acknowledge that than with Thanksgiving just on the horizon? Since expressing gratitude is essential to our health and happiness, especially as parents of neurodiverse children, we’re on a mission to be more intentional with how we recognize all the things we have to be thankful for each a…

1
Ep 14: It’s Spooky Season: Our Top Tips on Tackling Halloween with Neurodiverse Kids 39:34

1y ago39:34

39:34

Halloween can sometimes be a struggle for neurodiverse children. There’s costumes and candy and strangers to consider. Halloween can be adapted to fit the needs of your family. Don’t feel like it has to be the same, traditional Halloween you see in the movies. That’s not always real life, friends. And if your kid tries to poop in someone else’s hou…

1
Ep 13: IEP Strategies to Set You and Your Neurodiverse Child Up for Success 58:47

1y ago58:47

58:47

Standardized testing and educational plans are a reality of life for us as parents of neurodiverse students. But it can be a bit daunting to think about, especially if you’re new to the process. There are forms and meetings and legalities that can overwhelm you if you’re not prepared. And honestly, it’s hard to be prepared for something you don’t k…

1
Ep 12: Suicide Prevention for the Neurodiverse Population with Anne Moss Rogers 1:07:11

1y ago1:07:11

1:07:11

TW: This episode discusses suicide. Please listen with care. It's suicide prevention month and we know that our population of neurodiverse youth and adults are impacted greatly by suicide, by suicidal ideation, and mental health issues because of bullying and other social challenges. It’s a vital topic, and one that’s hard to discuss, but we really…

1
Ep 11: Back to School Series: 5 Questions to Ask Yourself When Partnering with Your Neurodiverse Child’s School Team 1:00:23

1y ago1:00:23

1:00:23

Most of us with neurodiverse children have IEP or 504 plans, and that means your child will have a team working with them at school. The team, your child, and you form an important dynamic when it comes to your child’s education and, from our experience, starting the year off on the right foot makes all the difference. In today’s episode, we’re con…

1
Ep 10: Back to School Series: How to Alleviate Stress and Ease Anxiety for Neurodiverse Families 49:59

1y ago49:59

49:59

It’s back to school time, friends, and it's such a difficult time for neurodiverse families. There’s a lot of mental and physical prep work we have to do in order to get ourselves and our kids ready for the transition from summer. If you’re in the early years of back to school time, don’t worry, it does eventually get a bit easier as you get more e…

1
Ep 9: Reflections, Insights, and Fond Memories from Working with Neurodiverse Students 32:15

1y ago32:15

32:15

Kristen recently retired from her work at The Joshua School, a non-profit, facility school, approved by the Colorado Department of Education that partners closely with local school districts to provide the intensive services many of the students need. It was such a meaningful experience in her life and it’s something we really need to talk about. I…

1
Ep 8: Repetitive Behavior and Restricted Interests: Superpower and Coping Mechanism for the Neurodiverse 1:00:23

1+ y ago1:00:23

1:00:23

Many neurodiverse people have special interests and engage in repetitive behaviors. These interests are a crucial way for our kids to connect with others. But sometimes their interests and behaviors can be limiting, especially in school or other social settings. In today’s episode, we talk about why neurodiverse kids engage in special interests and…

1
Ep 7: The Ninth Circle of Hell: Traveling When You’re a Neurodiverse Family 1:01:04

1+ y ago1:01:04

1:01:04

Family travel is supposed to be fun, right? We’re bonding and making memories and all that jazz. In a perfect world, we’d agree with you, but the reality is a bit more miserable when you’re traveling as a neurodiverse family. In today’s episode, we talk about how to plan for your trip in advance and get your neurodiverse kids used to the idea long …

1
Ep 6: Going Down the Rabbit Hole of Diagnoses with Neurodiverse Children 1:00:46

1+ y ago1:00:46

1:00:46

Both of us have spiraled down the rabbit hole of diagnosis with our children. As a parent, when you first hear about autism, you don’t know what you don’t know. You find yourself asking, “Are these behaviors normal?” many, many times. What even is “normal”, anyway? In today’s episode, we talk about the term “diagnosis”, the data around autism diagn…

1
Ep 5: The Summer Suck: The Struggles of Summer with Neurodiverse Kids 39:58

1+ y ago39:58

39:58

Ahhh, summer time. Swim lessons, water parks, summer camps - it’s the dream life, right? *insert record scratch* For neurodiverse families, that’s not really the case. Instead, summer can be really hard for us. In today’s episode, we talk about the struggles of summer, how we try to cope, and how summer is harder on parents than the kids. Plus, you…

1
Ep 4: How Our Neurodiverse Kids Navigate Friendship 50:19

1+ y ago50:19

50:19

Making friends can be hard for anyone at any age, but it’s especially hard for neurodiverse children. We’ve had a front row seat to the experiences our kids have had trying to make friends and the lessons they’ve learned (and often have to re-learn) about who to let into their friendship circles. In today’s episode, we talk about the data behind ma…

1
Ep 3: Neurodiverse Families and the Many Faces of Isolation 45:56

1+ y ago45:56

45:56

Isolation and loneliness are realities for parenting raising humans with neurodiversity. We’ve experienced both and know how difficult it can be through the many ages and stages of our kids’ lives. In today’s episode, we talk all about isolation and loneliness and their impact on neurodiverse families. We go into the data behind it, share stories r…

1
Minisode: Neurodiversity and the Autism Spectrum: Words You Need to Know 23:23

1+ y ago23:23

23:23

We’re bringing you a mini episode today, and it’s one we had to record to rectify something we just realized: not everyone knows what neurodiversity means, or what autism spectrum disorder actually entails. In today’s episode, we’re getting back to basics and digging out the DSM-5 to define these terms for anyone who might not be aware. Let’s norma…

1
Ep 2: An Introduction to Our Cast of Characters 55:20

1+ y ago55:20

55:20

We have a lot of experience parenting some fiercely amazing, neurodiverse kids and we have so many stories about that to share with you on this show. But before we dive deep into those stories, we wanted you to get to know us and our families a bit better. In today’s episode, we interview each other and talk about where we live, our difficult journ…

1
Ep 1: We’re Not Your Average Parenting Podcast 32:35

1+ y ago32:35

32:35

Well, hello there. We’re your hosts, Gwen and Kristen, nice to meet you. This is the very first episode of You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? If you’re looking for honest and often irreverent conversations about parenting humans with neurodiversity, then you are in the right place. In today’s episode, we’re sharing our mission and our perspective, not le…

1
You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? The Hilarity and the Hard of Raising Humans with Neurodiversity 1:43

1+ y ago1:43

1:43

Join Gwen & Kristen on their proverbial couch (the most INCLUSIVE of couches) as they share irreverently honest stories and wisdom gained through a collective 35 years of parenting FIERCELY EPIC neurodiverse humans. These friends have spent eons talking together about the hilarity and the hard of their parenting journeys and they want to invite you…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Gwen & Kristen Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

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You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? The Hilarity and the Hard of Raising Humans with Neurodiversity

Gwen & Kristen

1
Ep 28: Adulting on the Spectrum: What the Transition from School to Adulthood Looks Like for Our Neurodivergent Kids 49:35

1
Ep 27: We’re Back! (Sorry We Forgot To Tell You We Left!) 45:51

1
Ep 26: Rewiring a Dysregulated Brain Using the Science of Neuroplasticity with Carol Garner-Houston of Brain Harmony 51:25

1
Ep 25: Sound That’s Just for You: How Technological Breakthroughs in Audio Engineering Are Making the World More Accessible with Jen VanSkiver and James Bobel 51:49

1
Ep 24: It’s Our Birthaversary: A Look Back and the Future of the Podcast 30:47

1
Ep 23: Puberty & Autism Don’t Mix: Navigating Puberty with Our Neurodivergent Kids 44:16

1
Ep 22: Flipping the Lens: the Autistic Experience with Becca Lory Hector 1:11:28

1
Neurodiverse Families and the Many Faces of Isolation [Replay] 45:46

1
Ep 21: The Purgatory of the Therapy Waiting Room 34:12

1
Ep 20: Inclusion over Ego: How the Special Olympics Organization Embraced Universal Design with Jen VanSkiver 47:56

1
Ep 19: Universal Design for Classroom Spaces with Virginia Tech 45:31

1
Ep 18: Autism, Unconscious Bias, and the Intersection of Race and Disability With Jackie Bess 54:38

1
Ep 17: Neurodivergence and Paving the Way for a More Equitable Healthcare System With Robin Ennis 45:22

1
Ep 16: Legos, Alone Time, and Adjusted Expectations: How to Survive the Holidays with Neurodiverse Kids 40:10

1
Ep 15: The Obvious, the Quirky, Even the Implausible: Here Are the Things We’re Grateful For from Our Neurodiverse Parenting Journey 43:11

1
Ep 14: It’s Spooky Season: Our Top Tips on Tackling Halloween with Neurodiverse Kids 39:34

1
Ep 13: IEP Strategies to Set You and Your Neurodiverse Child Up for Success 58:47

1
Ep 12: Suicide Prevention for the Neurodiverse Population with Anne Moss Rogers 1:07:11

1
Ep 11: Back to School Series: 5 Questions to Ask Yourself When Partnering with Your Neurodiverse Child’s School Team 1:00:23

1
Ep 10: Back to School Series: How to Alleviate Stress and Ease Anxiety for Neurodiverse Families 49:59

1
Ep 9: Reflections, Insights, and Fond Memories from Working with Neurodiverse Students 32:15

1
Ep 8: Repetitive Behavior and Restricted Interests: Superpower and Coping Mechanism for the Neurodiverse 1:00:23

1
Ep 7: The Ninth Circle of Hell: Traveling When You’re a Neurodiverse Family 1:01:04

1
Ep 6: Going Down the Rabbit Hole of Diagnoses with Neurodiverse Children 1:00:46

1
Ep 5: The Summer Suck: The Struggles of Summer with Neurodiverse Kids 39:58

1
Ep 4: How Our Neurodiverse Kids Navigate Friendship 50:19

1
Ep 3: Neurodiverse Families and the Many Faces of Isolation 45:56

1
Minisode: Neurodiversity and the Autism Spectrum: Words You Need to Know 23:23

1
Ep 2: An Introduction to Our Cast of Characters 55:20

1
Ep 1: We’re Not Your Average Parenting Podcast 32:35

1
You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? The Hilarity and the Hard of Raising Humans with Neurodiversity 1:43

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