In this special episode of Adapting Together, our usual co-host Kevin takes the guest seat to share his personal journey and professional insights as a Licensed Financial Planner and father to a neurodivergent child.

Together with co-hosts Xin Yi and Carmen, we explore the emotional and practical steps families can take to plan for a future where parents may no longer be around.

Intended as an eposide to offer some awareness of what parents can do to secure the wellbeing and future of their children; from writing a will to setting up trusts and choosing guardians, this episode is packed with compassionate advice and actionable tools to help families protect what matters most.

💬 “Planning ahead is not just about responsibility, it’s love in action.”

Resources:

• About Kevin Neoh

• Why Do I Need A Will?
• Wills in Malaysia
• SmartFinance.my

Budgeting Tools / App:

• ⁠YNAB (You Need A Budget)⁠
• ⁠MoneyLover⁠
• ⁠Bank Negara MyTabung

Podcast:⁠

• Kevin's Podcast on Financial Health Insights

Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Financial Planning09:18 Starting Simple18:22 Securing Our Children's Future27:38 Protecting Assets for Reserved for Special Needs Children36:36 Taking Action: Steps for Parents to Secure Their Children's Future

Ever wondered when and how to start Early Intervention for your child? In this episode, we sit down with a Chartered Educational Psychologist, Ms Tan Cheng Yi, to break it all down — from who’s involved in EIP, what options exist in Malaysia, to how YOU as a parent can play a powerful role. ✨ Whether you're just beginning your journey or looking to understand the system better, this one’s for you.🎙️ Tune in now and let's make sense of Early Intervention Programme—together.

In this enlightening episode, we sit down with Ms. Tan Cheng Yi, a Chartered Educational Psychologist, to explore what her role entails, how educational psychologists differ from other mental health professionals, and what kind of support they provide for children with autism and learning differences.Whether you’re a parent wondering if your child is ready for school, or a teacher navigating behavioral concerns in the classroom, this episode offers practical insights, real-life examples, and professional guidance.

Resource:

Ms. Tan Cheng Yi's Profile & Appointment Page

Chapters:00:00 - Introduction01:00 - What is an Educational Psychologist?05:00 - Educational Psychologist, Clinical Psychologist, Psychiatrist09:45 - When Should Parents Consider Seeing an Educational Psychologist?13:45 - What Does an Assessment Look Like?17:30 – School Readiness: What Does It Really Mean?19:55 – Choosing the Right School: Mainstream, PPKI, SPK, Homeschool?23:22 – Growth of Inclusion in Malaysia’s Education System25:20 - Understanding & Managing Behavior in School Settings29:20 - Supporting Children Through Transitions & Growing Academic Demands33:00 - Where to find an Educational Psychologist in Malaysia37:00 - Advice for Parents & Teachers40:47 - Signs of Anxiety and Depression in Children42:40 - Wrap up

In this episode, Kevin and Xin Yi sit down with Alexa Goh, Learning and Development Manager at SEED Autism Service; Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA®) and President of the Malaysia Association of Behaviour Analysis, to demystify Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), a therapy often called the “gold standard” for early autism intervention.

Together, they explore:

• What ABA really means in practice

• How it differs from other therapies

• Common concerns like masking and ethics

• Why it’s often 1:1 and how that impacts cost

• What families can expect from assessments and ongoing support

Whether you’re a parent, caregiver, or professional, this episode offers grounded insights to help you make informed decisions.

Resources:

• Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB)
• Qualified Applied Behavior Analysis Credentialing Board (QABA)
• Malaysia Association of Behaviour Analysis(MABA)

Chapters:

In this heartfelt interview, we sit down with a young lady who grew up alongside her two brothers with autism. She shares what happiness looks like in her family, the challenges she faced as a sister, and the curiosity she felt as a child trying to understand her brothers' condition.

With moments of laughter and tears, this raw and touching conversation offers a rare glimpse into sibling life in a neurodiverse family — full of love, growth, and unforgettable memories.

In this special Father's Day episode, we speak with Andrew—a devoted dad of two autistic sons—who opens up about the family's journey from diagnosis to young adulthood. With honesty and warmth, Andrew shares the challenges, joys, and life lessons of raising his boys, and how their presence has shaped his perspective on life.

Though the episode centers on a father’s voice, Andrew often reflects on the deep partnership he shares with his wife—a source of strength and unity throughout their parenting journey. Together, they’ve built a loving, supportive home grounded in teamwork and resilience.

A moving, down-to-earth conversation about fatherhood, family, and the beauty of embracing the unexpected.

Overview:

When autism enters a family, it can quietly strain the relationship between spouses, emotionally, practically, and relationally.

In this heartfelt episode, Dr. Tae shares how couples can stay connected during the most overwhelming seasons, and how they can navigate stress, role imbalance, and emotional disconnect without losing each other in the process.

Drawing from over a decade of experience working with couples and families, Dr. Tae offers gentle insight, practical tools, and powerful reminders that you and your partner are not alone.

You’ll learn:

• Why spouses cope differently — and how to understand each other

• • How to talk about stress, burnout, and invisible labour
  • What it means to move from crisis mode to shared partnership

In this episode of Adapting Together, we sit down with Faith Foo, a registered clinical counsellor and EMDR practitioner, to unpack two deeply personal and essential topics for every parent of a child on the autism spectrum:
Acceptance and Self-Care.

With warmth, humor, and powerful analogies, Faith helps us understand how emotional overwhelm, guilt, and isolation are normal parts of the journey — but also how we can process, move forward, and heal, one moment at a time.

📞 Connect with Faith:

For those needing someone to walk alongside you in this journey, Faith Foo can be reached through HERE, or send her an ⁠⁠email by clicking here⁠⁠

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

03:10 – The Emotional Impact ofDiagnosis

06:20 – What Acceptance Really Means

08:20 – Denial vs Acceptance (The Inand Out Loop)

10:10 – Cultural Challenges inMalaysia

12:40 – A Real Story: Guilt, Fatigue,and Love

16:00 – What Self-Care Really Means

21:20 – Signs of Burnout

23:30 – Fighting Guilt About PuttingYourself First

28:40 – Supporting people toTransition towards acceptance

35:10 – Grounding Techniques for DailyStress

34:00 – Your Pause Button

36:30 – Don’t Miss the ‘Now’ WhileWorrying About the Future

40:40 – Wrap up

In this second part of our conversation with Dr. Rajini Sarvananthan, Consultant Developmental Pediatrician, we dive deeper into what every parent needs to understand about autism—not just the diagnosis, but the emotional, practical, and societal layers that come with it.

Whether you're still waiting for answers or already navigating your child’s journey with ASD, this episode offers much-needed clarity, compassion, and encouragement.

Make sure you stay till the end for some pleasant surprise.

🧠 What you will learn:

• The difference between speech delay and autism-related communication impairment

• What Global Developmental Delay (GDD) really means—and why it confuses so many parents

• • The impact of the pandemic on children’s development
  • Will too much screen time cause children to have Autism?

• How long it takes parents to accept a diagnosis—and why denial can delay progress

• The role of parental acceptance in enabling early intervention and long-term support

• How to think about the OKU card (disability card) in Malaysia, what it helps with and some common concerns.

  
  

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Why This Matters:
We normalize real conversations about autism—from labels and therapy access to parent guilt, time constraints, and societal misunderstandings.

This is not just an episode about facts, but also about support, lived experience, and resilience.

🎙️ Hosted by Kevin Neoh, Carmen Loke, and Gan Xin Yi.

📌 If you haven’t listened to Part 1 yet (Episode 2), we strongly recommend starting there before continuing with this episode.

📩 Got a question or experience to share? Drop us a message—we’d love to hear from you.

• Instagram
• Email

Resources:

⁠Spotify: Episode 2- Part 1 with Dr. Rajini⁠

⁠Apple Podcast: Episode 2 - Part 1 with Dr. Rajini⁠

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

00:37 Introduction

02:30 Delay vs. Diagnosis: What’s the Difference?

06:35 GDD, ASD, ADHD — Understanding the Labels

10:10 Why More Children Are Being Diagnosed Today

14:15 Did the Pandemic Cause Autism?

19:15 Screen Time: Misconceptions, Guidelines & Real Talk

24:10 Parental Acceptance vs Denial: What It Means for Your Child

28:13 The OKU Card in Malaysia: Benefits, Myths & Concerns

35:57 Final Words from Dr. Rajini + Her Personal Side

37:42 Wrap up

38:45 Artwork by Individuals with Special Abilities

In this episode of Adapting Together, we’re honored to sit down with Dr. Rajini Sarvananthan, a highly respected Consultant Developmental Paediatrician at ParkCity Medical Centre and Baby & Beyond Child Specialist Clinic.

With decades of experience supporting neurodivergent children and their families, Dr. Rajini helps us understand the early signs of autism, the diagnostic journey, and what happens after the diagnosis.

Whether you’re a parent just starting this journey, a caregiver waiting anxiously for an appointment, or someone looking to better understand developmental differences, this episode is designed to support you in coping.

What You’ll Learn:

🧠 What Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) really means

🧩 Why the cause of autism isn’t so easy to pinpoint (and why it’s not your fault)

👩‍⚕️ The role of developmental paediatricians, and how they differ from clinical psychologists

🌈 How early can a diagnosis be conducted

💡 What to expect during a developmental assessment

👨‍👨‍👧 What parents can do while waiting for a professional diagnosis

🎙️ Hosted by Kevin Neoh, Carmen Loke, and Gan Xin Yi, this episode offers both clinical insight and heartfelt reflection as parents and professionals navigate autism in Malaysia.

Got a question or topic you’d like us to cover?

📩 Drop us a message at [email protected] . We'd love to hear from you.

📌 NoteThis is Part 1 of our conversation with Dr. Rajini. Stay tuned for Part 2 in Episode 3!

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Autism Awareness

04:08 Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

12:10 Role of Developmental Pediatricians

15:55 Diagnosis and Early Intervention

23:57 Navigating the Assessment Process

30:03 Advice for Parents During Waiting Period