Welcome to Learn with Dr. Emily!

Where parents and educators come together for neurodivergent youth

What if I told you that nurturing neurodivergent children wasn’t about changing them, but about changing us? Mindset shift, right?

Traditional parenting strategies and traditional education approaches are all about the adult setting expectations and the child rising to meet them. But what happens when a child doesn’t have the skills to meet those expectations? Stress happens, that’s what. Parent stress, teacher stress, and child stress. All of this stress leads to the dysregulation of everyone’s nervous system, which breaks down the connection within the adult-child relationship. Why is that so important?

We know from neuroscience that a safe adult-child relationship is the container for healthy development and learning. This sense of safety grows out of the feeling of emotional co-regulation within a relationship and is the foundation needed for children to face challenges, take risks, make mistakes, and feel confident to try again. As adults, we must first strengthen our own emotional regulation in addition to better understanding the neurodiverse needs of our children.

If you are a parent who has been following me for a while, you are likely noticing a pivot in my work to include teachers in our discussions. This is intentional. In my work with children in my psychology practice, I have learned that a therapist can only take a child so far in their understanding of skills and strategies. The co-regulators in a child’s world (i.e., parents, teachers, and other caregivers) are invaluable to lasting emotional wellness and growth.

This blog will intentionally be a space for parents AND teachers raising and teaching neurodivergent youth. Some posts will lean more towards parenting and some more towards education. I encourage you to stay for it all. Parents need to hear the perspectives of our teachers and educators need to hear the perspectives of parents. I truly believe that listening to the challenges and successes of each other is not only missing from the current conversation in parenting and education but is the key to building collaborative relationships that will foster the success of our children.

Let’s stay connected!

~Dr. Emily

**All content provided is protected under applicable copyright, patent, trademark, and other proprietary rights. All content is provided for informational and education purposes only. No content is intended to be a substitute for professional medical or psychological diagnosis, advice or treatment. Information provided does not create an agreement for service between Dr. Emily W. King and the recipient. Consult your physician regarding the applicability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to you or your child's symptoms or medical condition. Children or adults who show signs of dangerous behavior toward themselves and/or others, should be placed immediately under the care of a qualified professional.**