Educational Therapy LLC

🎙️ NEW PODCAST EPISODE: Medication Without Fear 💙

When it comes to OCD and ADHD, conversations about medication can be filled with uncertainty, fear, and stigma. What are the facts? When is medication appropriate? How can families make informed decisions with confidence?

Join me and psychiatrist Dr. Malcolm Norman for an honest, compassionate discussion about OCD, ADHD, and the role medication can play in treatment. We tackle common myths, address parental concerns, and explore how evidence-based care can help children, teens, and adults thrive.

In this episode:
✔️ Understanding OCD and ADHD treatment options
✔️ Common misconceptions about medication
✔️ When medication may be beneficial
✔️ How to reduce stigma and support families
✔️ Empowering parents with knowledge and confidence

Mental health treatment should never be driven by fear. Let's replace stigma with understanding and help families access the support they need.

🎧 Listen now and join the conversation!
https://open.spotify.com/episode/62lGsG6mFMheMPTP69h3lb?si=Fv8IOl9zSD2ZuDLobHnvmA

https://youtu.be/pgFX6OAbgrc

Summer reading with a goal and log

A summer reading log isn't just about books. It's goal setting, self-monitoring, and habit building in disguise. Let kids set their own target and track it themselves. The EF gains are as real as the pages turned. 📚

Cooking a simple meal from scratch

This summer, hand the kitchen over. Letting kids plan and cook a simple meal builds sequencing, task initiation, and real-world independence all at once. Start with a two-ingredient smoothie. End with a full breakfast. Watch the confidence grow. 🍳

🥋 Martial arts: discipline meets executive function

Kata, sparring, and drills all require one thing above all else: inhibitory control — the ability to stop a habitual reaction and substitute a deliberate one. Practitioners learn to read their opponent, pause before reacting, and execute complex sequences from memory. Research shows martial arts training significantly improves EF scores in children.

🏀 Basketball: split-second decisions, big cognitive gains

Reading a defense, calling a play, and adjusting when it breaks down — all within 2 seconds. Basketball is a real-time executive function workout. Players must shift attention rapidly, inhibit impulsive shots, and keep track of teammates' positions simultaneously. Pick-up games count too.

🎮 Minecraft: where creativity meets executive function

Before placing a single block, your brain is already working — planning a structure, gathering resources in the right order, and managing time wisely. Minecraft is a masterclass in task initiation and working memory. You hold a mental blueprint while adapting on the fly. That's not just gaming. That's cognitive training.

Must-Ask Questions For IEP and 504 with Melinda Davis-Gillinger

In this candid and empowering episode of Empowering Exceptional Minds, I sit down with educational advocate Melinda David-Gillinger to unpack one of the most confusing and emotional moments many families face in special education.

We discuss:
✨ The real difference between an IEP and a 504 plan
✨ Why schools may recommend a change in services
✨ Red flags and subtle language parents should pay attention to during meetings
✨ What data and documentation families should always request
✨ How to advocate effectively without feeling combative
✨ The biggest mistake parents make before signing paperwork

Melinda also shares her personal journey into educational advocacy, what advocates actually do behind the scenes, and why so many families feel overwhelmed navigating the system alone.

🎧 Listen now and share with a parent who may need this support.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/must-ask-questions-for-iep-and-504-with-melinda/id1847450393?i=1000766437995

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5fxDT # # ?si=Oki1i3s9QK-CM5SMKsQClg


onechild

Must-Ask Questions For IEP and 504 with Melinda Davis-Gillinger Podcast Episode · Empowering Exceptional Minds · May 6 · 52m

Chess: the original brain trainer

Every move in chess demands that you think several steps ahead — a skill psychologists call prospective memory. You must hold your opponent's last move in mind while planning your own next three. Studies consistently link regular chess play to improved impulse control and planning in both kids and adults.

New on Empowering Exceptional Minds 🎙️
This week, I had the privilege of speaking with Andreas, LCSW about masking and autism — a topic that deserves far more awareness and understanding.
We explored how many autistic individuals learn to mask traits, behaviors, and needs in order to fit societal expectations, and the long-term emotional and mental health impact this can create.
Our conversation covers:
• Autistic masking in school, work, and relationships
• Burnout and emotional exhaustion
• Identity and authenticity
• Creating more sportive environments for neurodivergent individuals
This episode is especially valuable for educators, parents, clinicians, employers, and advocates working to build more inclusive communities.
🎧 Listen now and join the conversation.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-mask-understanding-autistic-burnout/id1847450393?i=1000769632335
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1VuIqLdkQRoq7soyhjxAGa?si=gl8cvN87RTq9OwEO3bR_4g
https://youtu.be/4IZ5QtoWSRo?si=GH6nLwXW_ev5rOzP

Beyond the Mask: Understanding Autistic Burnout, Survival, and True Self-Advocacy with Kory Andreas What does it actually cost to fit in?In this episode, we sit down ...

Hi,

I’m excited to share a new episode of Empowering Exceptional Minds featuring — CFO, consultant, musician, and founder of MyAdult ADHDCoach.com

In this episode, we dive into ADHD in the workplace through both the employee and employer perspective. We discuss executive functioning challenges, workplace accommodations, leadership, late ADHD diagnosis, productivity, and the unique strengths neurodivergent professionals bring to organizations.

Dr. Severino shares practical and relatable strategies for reducing overwhelm, managing priorities, and fostering more inclusive and supportive work environments.

This conversation is especially valuable for:
• Adults navigating ADHD at work
• Employers, HR professionals, and managers
• Educators, coaches, and clinicians
• Anyone interested in neurodiversity in the workplace

Listen here:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/navigating-adult-adhd-in-the-workplace-with-dr/id1847450393?i=1000768554597

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5UU1v34u3W2E6H8F6R95z1?si=jb0LDtwNRcS8e3EsSASUOQ

https://youtu.be/qElSaOYZsOM?si=IUiCpI84DZEDXO4n

Navigating Adult ADHD in the Workplace with Dr. John Severino, PsyD Can you be highly successful, deeply creative, and still struggle with the day-to-day demands of executive dysfunction? Absolutely.In this episode of Empower...