You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? The Hilarity and the Hard of Raising Humans with Neurodiversity
Gwen & Kristen
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 into those conversations too. Thanks for tuning in. They already think you're rather fantastic. To get more of Gwen & Kristen, join our newsletter: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/
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Top 10 You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? The Hilarity and the Hard of Raising Humans with Neurodiversity Episodes
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Ep 26: Rewiring a Dysregulated Brain Using the Science of Neuroplasticity with Carol Garner-Houston of Brain Harmony
You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? The Hilarity and the Hard of Raising Humans with Neurodiversity
06/13/24 • 51 min
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 result in slow, steady progress, using the principles of neuroplasticity can help accelerate and regulate the brains of our kids much faster. And that’s where Brain Harmony comes in.
In today’s episode, Gwen and Kristen are joined by Carol Garner-Houston to discuss neuroplasticity, what a therapy accelerant is, and how Brain Harmony can make a difference –quickly– in the lives of our neurodivergent kids.
This episode might change your life, and you can’t miss it. Let’s dive in!
In this episode, you’ll learn...
[00:00] Intro
[01:03] Kristen’s not-so-good morning
[04:46] Gwen’s revelation on summer planning
[08:03] The therapy that was life-changing for Gwen and her kids
[16:19] How the brain reacts during therapies and how Brain Harmony helps to accelerate that process using
[23:30] The scientific basis for Brain Harmony and an explanation of neuroplasticity
[30:06] Gwen’s experience with Brain Harmony and why she appreciated using it for her family
[37:37] How accelerants like Brain Harmony can help calm a dysregulated nervous system
[41:41] What you actually hear when you listen to Brain Harmony
[45:36] The symptoms that Brain Harmony can help treat and how to start working with Brain Harmony
Get the Brain Harmony quiz here!
Get the Brain Harmony course on screen safety!
Get full show notes and the episode transcript: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/post/ep-26
If you can’t get enough of us, and want stay up to date with our other projects and ways you can connect, join our newsletter: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/
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
You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? The Hilarity and the Hard of Raising Humans with Neurodiversity
05/23/24 • 51 min
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, not anymore, and it could be a major game-changer for our neurodivergent loved ones.
In today’s episode, Gwen and Kristen are joined by two guests, Jen VanSkiver and James Bobel, to discuss new audio technology that could be revolutionary for those with auditory processing disorder. James describes what this new technology feels like and how it works. He also discusses possible use cases with Jen as they imagine just how inclusive the world could be if this technology were implemented broadly.
This is such a mind-blowing episode, and you can’t miss it. Let’s dive in!
In this episode, you’ll learn...
[00:00] Intro
[01:05] Some really big life updates for both Gwen and Kristen
[06:56] How Rylan is handling the big change in the Vogelzang household
[09:46] What auditory processing is and how it affects the neurodivergent community
[17:07] What HOLOPLOT is and how it is transforming audio engineering by controlling sound
[21:07] Where and how this new technology is being implemented
[28:37] What it feels like to experience HOLOPLOT audio technology
[35:35] How Jen VanSkiver envisions using HOLOPLOT technology and the endless ways it can make spaces more accessible for everyone
[47:59] The Last Word with Rylan
Get full show notes and the episode transcript: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/post/ep-25
If you can’t get enough of us, and want stay up to date with our other projects and ways you can connect, join our newsletter: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/
Ep 24: It’s Our Birthaversary: A Look Back and the Future of the Podcast
You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? The Hilarity and the Hard of Raising Humans with Neurodiversity
05/09/24 • 30 min
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, reading notes sent to us by you lovely listeners, offering advice here and there, and we’re going to be pretty raw and honest about the future of the podcast.
Quite frankly, we need your help to keep this podcast going. If you want to support us and the production of YDWAHR, consider donating to our GoFundMe here:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/fund-the-future-of-you-dont-want-a-hug?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet&attribution_id=sl:05e43f5c-1789-4820-8549-9a5b3e1f75f6
In this episode, you’ll learn...
[00:00] Intro
[01:04] Gwen and Kristen celebrate a very special birthaversary
[02:52] Gwen’s Rylanism that captures the very real feelings she’s having about her kids today
[09:15] What Gwen and Kristen have learned after a year of podcasting
[12:02] Listener emails we’ve received covering isolation from local community, finding reassurance and joy in this podcast, and affirmations for Gwen’s bird obsession
[18:05] Kristen’s advice on teaching autistic children how to swim
[26:03] The future of You Don’t Want a Hug, Right?
Get full show notes and the episode transcript: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/post/ep-24-it’s-our-birthaversary-a-look-back-and-the-future-of-the-podcast
If you can’t get enough of us, and want stay up to date with our other projects and ways you can connect, join our newsletter: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/
Ep 22: Flipping the Lens: the Autistic Experience with Becca Lory Hector
You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? The Hilarity and the Hard of Raising Humans with Neurodiversity
04/11/24 • 71 min
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 extensive bout of autistic burnout. She explains why her burnout occurred, what support she wished she had received, and what might have kept her from getting to that point, if only she’d had the language and framework to ask for the support she needed.
She also shares what a workplace that doesn’t only include neurodivergent folks, but offers them truly belonging, would look like, and why this change is so necessary for our workplaces.
Becca shares so much of herself, and her insights are so enlightening for the parents of autistic and neurodivergent kids. Let’s jump in!
In this episode, you’ll learn...
[00:00] Intro
[02:07] Gwen and Kristen recap their lives since the last episode and share their Rylanism and Grahamism
[09:54] An introduction to who Becca Lory Hector is and why she’s so passionate about advocacy
[13:07] Becca’s experience of receiving an autism diagnosis as an adult
[17:03] The way Becca’s autism presents, after masking for so many years
[22:10] Becca’s perspective on how parents can prepare their autistic children to advocate for themselves
[26:24] What autistic burnout is and how it presents differently than is often portrayed in society
[34:58] The support Becca wishes she could have received while recovering from autistic burnout
[43:16] Why our workplaces need to change and not just for those with neurodivergence
[48:21] The “B” in DEIB and why it’s crucial when it comes to making space for autistic folks in the workplace
[58:17] The Last Word
Get full show notes and the episode transcript: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/post/ep-22-flipping-the-lens-the-autistic-experience-with-becca-lory-hector
If you can’t get enough of us, and want stay up to date with our other projects and ways you can connect, join our newsletter: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/
Ep 16: Legos, Alone Time, and Adjusted Expectations: How to Survive the Holidays with Neurodiverse Kids
You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? The Hilarity and the Hard of Raising Humans with Neurodiversity
11/22/23 • 40 min
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 today’s episode, we’re sharing our best holiday tips for surviving the holiday season, including managing schedules, adjusting the gift-giving process, and resetting expectations for what a fun holiday looks like. The truth is, the holiday season doesn’t have to look any certain way. We get to decide what works best for our families and how we want to enjoy this precious time we get with them.
If you’re already feeling a little overwhelmed by the holiday season coming up, this episode is for you!
In this episode, you’ll learn...
[02:19] Why the holiday break is so different from summer break when it comes to the change in routine for neurodiverse kids
[08:04] How managing –and not overscheduling– events during the holiday season can help your stress level during the holiday season
[13:20] Why you might want to rethink your process of gift-giving for neurodiverse kids
[16:34] Why Legos are absolutely magical for neurodiverse kids during the holiday season
[18:09] Why prioritizing your favorite holiday activities can be so helpful and why it’s okay to let go of the ones that don’t work for your family
[24:12] Why letting go of societal expectations and embracing what works for your unique kids can make the holidays so much more enjoyable
[28:04] Aaaaand that includes letting go or adjusting formal dinners if you need to
[30:44] The Last Word
Get full show notes and the episode transcript: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/post/ep-16-legos-alone-time-adjusted-expectations-how-to-survive-the-holidays-with-neurodiverse-kids
If you can’t get enough of us, and want stay up to date with our other projects and ways you can connect, join our newsletter: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/
Ep 6: Going Down the Rabbit Hole of Diagnoses with Neurodiverse Children
You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? The Hilarity and the Hard of Raising Humans with Neurodiversity
07/04/23 • 60 min
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 diagnoses, and our rabbit hole experiences with multiple diagnoses of autism, Tourette’s, OCD, and more with our children. If you’re currently experiencing this with your own children, we see you. We’ve been there.
In this episode, you’ll learn...
[10:49] The data around autism diagnosis, and why some folks with autism actually prefer not to use the term diagnosis
[21:25] Kristen’s rabbit hole diagnosis experience with her children
[30:16] Our shared experience with Tourette’s syndrome diagnoses for our kids
[41:22] Gwen’s rabbit hole diagnosis experience with her children
[55:03] The Last Word from our kids on what they think it means to be diagnosed with something
Get full show notes and the episode transcript:
If you can’t get enough of us, and want stay up to date with our other projects and ways you can connect, join our newsletter: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/
Ep 1: We’re Not Your Average Parenting Podcast
You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? The Hilarity and the Hard of Raising Humans with Neurodiversity
05/24/23 • 32 min
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 lessons or lectures. We’re also giving you an introduction not only to us and our goals and values, but also to our children, because their voice is just as important as ours. We’re so excited to share from our proverbial couch to yours. Let’s get started!
In this episode, you’ll learn...
[02:15] How we met (spoiler: there was alcohol and fried food involved)
[07:13] Some quirky background info you should know about us
[12:51] The story behind the name, “You Don’t Want a Hug, Right?”
[15:25] Our goals for this podcast, especially helping you to remember that you’re a whole human being outside of being a parent
[20:30] Our values and how they’ve informed our lives and our parenting
[23:21] The structure you can expect from our episodes
[27:22] The Last Word (from our kids), explaining what dignity means to each of them
Get full show notes and the episode transcript:
https://www.youdontwantahug.com/post/ep-1-we-re-not-your-average-parenting-podcast
If you can’t get enough of us, and want stay up to date with our other projects and ways you can connect, join our newsletter: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/
Ep 4: How Our Neurodiverse Kids Navigate Friendship
You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? The Hilarity and the Hard of Raising Humans with Neurodiversity
06/06/23 • 50 min
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 making friends when you have autism, learning what friendship and loyalty mean, and how we can help to facilitate friendship for our neurodiverse children.
In this episode, you’ll learn...
[06:24] The data on people with autism and friendships
[12:57] How our kids’ friendships began to change when their friends joined sports activities and how our culture is very sports obsessed
[18:24] How we’ve had to define friendship for our kids and be gatekeepers to those who don’t reciprocate friendship
[28:54] How there’s hope for our older kids and making friends after the loneliness of early childhood years
[31:57] How we have a whole different understanding of what friendship looks like for our neurodiverse children and how each child has made progress in their own way
[37:25] The importance of having family members who adore and appreciate our kids
[43:49] The Last Word from our kids and their experiences making friends as a child
Get full show notes and the episode transcript: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/post/ep-4-how-our-neurodiverse-kids-navigate-friendship
If you can’t get enough of us, and want stay up to date with our other projects and ways you can connect, join our newsletter: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/
Minisode: Neurodiversity and the Autism Spectrum: Words You Need to Know
You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? The Hilarity and the Hard of Raising Humans with Neurodiversity
05/24/23 • 23 min
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 normalize the experiences our children are having and reflect that with the words we use.
In this episode, you’ll learn...
[01:00] A Graham-ism and Rylan-ism to open the show
[09:24] Why we’re getting back to basics and talking about the terminology used for neurodiversity
[11:31] What autism spectrum disorder is and how that diagnosis can differ greatly among families
[14:21] How the term neurodiversity is used to describe the idea that people experience and interact with the world around them in different ways
[16:44] Why the term neurodiversity seems to be used more in our culture even though it’s been around since the ‘90s.
Get full show notes and the episode transcript:
If you can’t get enough of us, and want stay up to date with our other projects and ways you can connect, join our newsletter: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/
Ep 28: Adulting on the Spectrum: What the Transition from School to Adulthood Looks Like for Our Neurodivergent Kids
You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? The Hilarity and the Hard of Raising Humans with Neurodiversity
10/22/24 • 49 min
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. And don’t forget that the type of diploma or certificate your child receives from high school can affect the type of support they can qualify for. Feeling overwhelmed yet?
Well, before you start hyperventilating, in today’s episode, we’re sharing all the things we’ve discovered while launching our neurodivergent kids, so you’ll have an idea about what support to look for when it comes to your own kids. We’re covering Medicaid, job programs, when the school transition starts, where to look for support, and even the personality changes our kids undergo through this process.
If you have an older neurodivergent child and you’re feeling overwhelmed about the future, you need this episode. Let's dive in!
In this episode, you’ll learn...
[00:00] Intro
[02:18] Why we’re talking about what the transition to adulthood looks like with kids on the spectrum
[04:39] A Rylanism and Grahamism to lighten the mood
[09:41] Where to start when it comes to helping your neurodivergent child transition from school to adulthood
[15:09] Gwen’s experience of struggling to find information on the services available for the transition process
[22:55] The difference between guardianship and power of attorney for our kids
{25:05] What Medicaid qualification looks like for some of our kids and who can help you navigate the process
[29:00] Some educational considerations and decisions to keep in mind during the transition process
[33:23] How the transition to adulthood changes our kids into radically different humans
[41:34] The Last Word with Rylan and Graham
Get full show notes and the episode transcript: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/post/ep-28
If you can’t get enough of us, and want stay up to date with our other projects and ways you can connect, join our newsletter: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/
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FAQ
How many episodes does You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? The Hilarity and the Hard of Raising Humans with Neurodiversity have?
You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? The Hilarity and the Hard of Raising Humans with Neurodiversity currently has 31 episodes available.
What topics does You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? The Hilarity and the Hard of Raising Humans with Neurodiversity cover?
The podcast is about Health & Fitness, Parenting, Kids & Family, Mental Health, Podcasts and Neurodiversity.
What is the most popular episode on You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? The Hilarity and the Hard of Raising Humans with Neurodiversity?
The episode title 'Ep 27: We’re Back! (Sorry We Forgot To Tell You We Left!)' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? The Hilarity and the Hard of Raising Humans with Neurodiversity?
The average episode length on You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? The Hilarity and the Hard of Raising Humans with Neurodiversity is 47 minutes.
How often are episodes of You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? The Hilarity and the Hard of Raising Humans with Neurodiversity released?
Episodes of You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? The Hilarity and the Hard of Raising Humans with Neurodiversity are typically released every 14 days.
When was the first episode of You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? The Hilarity and the Hard of Raising Humans with Neurodiversity?
The first episode of You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? The Hilarity and the Hard of Raising Humans with Neurodiversity was released on May 15, 2023.
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