Libsyn Directory

Ep. 180: 6 Fundamental Habits for Better Sleep with Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown

Release Date: 04/09/2024

Ep. 270: When Getting It Right Never Feels Good Enough: Anxiety, OCD, and Perfectionism with Lauren Stutman, Psy.D

Diverse Thinking Different Learning

We warmly welcome Lauren Stutman, Psy.D to Diverse Thinking Different Learning for this episode. Dr. Lauren Stutman is a licensed clinical psychologist and the founder and clinical director of (Child Anxiety Reduction Experts), a multidisciplinary practice that specializes in anxiety, OCD, and other related challenges in children and adolescents. Drawing on more than two decades of clinical experience (as well as her own childhood experience with anxiety and OCD), Dr. Stutman is passionate about translating evidence-based psychological concepts into practical tools that children and families...

Ep. 269: When Smart Kids Struggle: The Hidden Cost of Undiagnosed Learning Differences with Paul R. Johnson, EdD

Diverse Thinking Different Learning

The author of the book , , joins us for this episode. He is the owner and C.E.O. of Leschi Leadership LLC, a consulting firm focused on helping organizations and leaders navigate complex challenges, strengthen performance, and achieve sustainable success, and he brings extensive leadership experience from organizations such as Boeing, Microsoft, Starbucks, Junior Achievement, and the Seattle Symphony, giving him a broad perspective on organizational effectiveness and strategic change. A lifelong learner and educator, Dr. Johnson holds a bachelor’s degree from Seattle University,...

Ep. 268: Teaching Kids to Manage Big Emotions: DBT Skills for Elementary Schools with Dr. Elizabeth Dexter-Mazza

Diverse Thinking Different Learning

We are happy to warmly welcome Dr. Elizabeth Dexter-Mazza to the show for this episode. Dr. Dexter-Mazza is a licensed clinical psychologist and certified DBT therapist with more than 25 years of experience in clinical practice, training, and consultation. She co-authored DBT-based social-emotional learning curricula for elementary and secondary students and co-owns Mazza Consulting & Psychological Services and DBT in Schools with her husband, Jim Mazza. She also provides DBT treatment and professional training internationally, working with adolescents, adults, families, mental health...

Ep. 267: When School Accommodations Aren’t Enough: Why Neurodivergent Students Need Skill-Building Too

Diverse Thinking Different Learning

Dr. Wilson brings us another solo episode this time, opening up about how accommodations can make an enormous difference for students who learn and process information differently. Extended time, audiobooks, speech-to-text, movement breaks, preferential seating, and other means of support can truly reduce barriers and help students participate more successfully in school, but what happens when those supports improve performance but do very little to address the underlying skills a student still needs to develop? Dr. Wilson touches upon the distinction between accommodations, interventions,...

Ep. 266: The Myth of the Resilient Child: When “Pushing Through” Becomes Harmful

Diverse Thinking Different Learning

This week, Dr. Karen Wilson is touching upon resilience and how our definition of it can sometimes be part of the problem. She challenges the idea that resilience means pushing through stress, staying quiet, or succeeding no matter the emotional cost. After all, a child who appears to be thriving on the outside may actually be running on empty. After a recent conversation with a parent, Dr. Wilson felt inspired to explain why good grades, athletic success, and responsible behavior don't always reflect a child's well-being, and she explores the important difference between coping and genuinely...

Ep. 265: Back-to-School Anxiety in Neurodivergent Kids: Why the Transition Is So Hard and How to Help

Diverse Thinking Different Learning

Transitioning back to school after summer vacation can be challenging for many children, especially those who are neurodivergent. Continuing the Summer Solo Series, Dr. Karen Wilson shares seven practical, actionable strategies to help make the transition smoother. Dr. Wilson explains why even children who are genuinely excited to return to school may still experience significant anxiety. Changes in routine, increased cognitive and sensory demands, unfamiliar environments, and shifting social expectations can create overwhelming stress before classes even begin. Understanding these challenges...

Ep. 264: What an Assessment Can and Cannot Tell You

Diverse Thinking Different Learning

Dr. Karen Wilson continues the Summer Solo Series to address assessments and how they can be informative yet also have their fair share of shortcomings. They can be life-changing but are often misunderstood, and Dr. Wilson unpacks what psychological and educational evaluations can actually tell us, where their limitations lie, and why they should be viewed as tools for understanding rather than crystal balls that predict a child’s future. Dr. Wilson explores why so many mental health and neurodevelopmental diagnoses rely on behavioral patterns instead of definitive medical tests and how...

Ep. 263: Summer, Screens, and Sanity: Helping Kids Find Balance When School’s Out

Diverse Thinking Different Learning

Dr. Karen Wilson takes on an important topic solo this episode - screen use during the summertime when kids are out of school. With routines loosened and independence increased, many tweens and teens drift toward longer, more frequent device use, and what often begins as “just a little YouTube” can quietly stretch into hours of electronic usage, whether it be gaming, scrolling, and/or late-night screen time, often negatively impacting sleep, mood, and motivation along the way. This podcast, however, isn't here to frame screens as a simple matter of discipline or “too much time online.”...

Ep. 262: Balancing Summer Rest and Learning Support for Diverse Learners with Ashley Harding

Diverse Thinking Different Learning

For this episode, we are replaying another episode of Diverse Thinking, Different Learning, this time episode 239, in which we sat down with to discuss why it’s so important to allow students time for rest, rejuvenation, and exploration of their interests outside of academics, especially during the summer months. As a reminder, Ashley is a fourth-generation educator and is deeply committed to educational equity. She holds degrees from USC and Tufts University in Child Development, and her career spans more than a decade, during which she has supported students and families in private and...

Ep. 261: When Helping Becomes Overhelping: Helping Neurodivergent Kids Build Independence

Diverse Thinking Different Learning

This week on Diverse Thinking Different Learning, we are discussing the crucial challenge of supporting neurodivergent children without doing so in a way that hinders them from independence. Joining us to take on this topic is , founder of . Dr. William is also a tenured Chemistry professor at College of the Canyons in California, and has spent more than ten years supporting neurodivergent students as they transition from K-12 systems, helping them build confidence and independence in academic settings. Dr. Williams helps us understand why “helicopter parenting” is not a simple label...

More Episodes

Welcome back to another discussion about sleep! We've previously delved into why sleep is crucial for our well-being, and today, we're taking it a step further. In this episode, we'll explore practical strategies that you can implement at home to ensure that not only our children are getting good quality sleep, but the whole family.

Joining me is Dr. Afolabi-Brown, a triple board-certified sleep medicine physician and pediatric pulmonologist, who will guide us through the science of sleep and offer invaluable tips to improve sleep quality for neurodivergent children and their families.

To help families establish healthy sleep habits, Dr. Afolabi-Brown introduces the CREATE acronym, outlining six fundamental strategies for good sleep hygiene: Consistency, Routines, Environment, Assigned bed for sleep, Technology management, and Elimination of disruptions. You will also hear real-life success stories of families who have implemented these strategies and witnessed remarkable improvements in sleep quality.

Whether you're a parent, caregiver, or simply interested in optimizing sleep for yourself or loved ones, this episode is a valuable resource to transform your sleep habits and promote overall well-being.

Show Notes:

[3:40] - Dr. Afolabi-Brown explains the amount of sleep that is recommended by age group.
[5:08] - It’s not enough to consider the quantity of sleep. There’s a lot that could impact sleep quality.
[8:03] - Neurodivergent children may exhibit daytime sleepiness. Dr. Afolabi-Brown describes some of the things you may notice.
[10:31] - Insufficient and poor quality of sleep affects our physical health, our brain health, and could cause social-emotional issues.
[12:06] - Sleep is healing and restorative.
[13:18] - We can change our relationship with sleep by understanding its importance.
[15:10] - CREATE is an acronym for the six fundamental habits for good sleep hygiene.
[15:44] - C: Consistency
[16:33] - R: Routines
[17:10] - E: Environment
[17:34] - A: Assigned bed for sleep
[18:08] - T: Technology
[18:23] - E: Eliminate
[20:18] - Choose small things to change first and then add more as you get used to them.
[22:38] - Neurodivergent children need even more structure than neurotypical children especially when it comes to sleep routines.
[26:28] - Dr. Afolabi-Brown provides some strategies for calming a busy brain at night.
[30:23] - Dr. Afolabi-Brown shares the story of a successful sleep intervention that changed the sleep quality of an entire family.

About Our Guest:

Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown is a triple board-certified sleep medicine physician and pediatric pulmonologist. She founded RestfulSleepMD, where she helps high-achieving professionals and their children change their relationship with sleep so they can move from being drained and exhausted to thriving in their families, careers, and relationships. She achieves this through clinical practice (The Restful Sleep Place), coaching, speaking, and organization consultation. She is a best-selling author and has been featured on various media outlets, including ABC. She obtained her sleep medicine training at the University of Pennsylvania and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Connect with Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown:

Links and Related Resources:

Connect with Us:

The Diverse Thinking Different Learning podcast is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical or legal advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Additionally, the views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are not considered treatment and do not necessarily reflect those of ChildNEXUS, Inc or the host, Dr. Karen Wilson.

Show Notes:

About Our Guest:

Connect with Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown:

Links and Related Resources:

Connect with Us:

TOPICS