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The hardest part of parenting isn’t the chaos, it’s what we start believing about ourselves and our kids when the chaos keeps coming. For the final chat in our Empowered Parent Program series, we sit down with Sam Primerano to talk about what helps children truly thrive, especially neurodivergent kids with big feelings, intense bodies, and shifting capacity across the day. We get honest about the moments that leave you frazzled, and the simple but powerful skills that help you release stress instead of carrying it into tomorrow.

We dig into nervous system regulation in real family life: why connection matters more than striving, how self-compassion changes the tone of a household, and what “emotion is energy in motion” looks like in practice. Sam shares what helps her move through tough days, from breathing and music to noticing how the body lets go. We also explore why labels like “violent”, “manipulative”, or “liar” can be so damaging, and how a behaviour-as-communication lens protects kids’ self-esteem and keeps pathways open for learning, repair, and growth.

We also talk about the bigger Australian context, including the anxiety and uncertainty around the NDIS and the upcoming Thriving Kids program. We share a grounded approach to staying informed without spiralling, plus a practical step families can take when systems aren’t meeting children’s needs: contacting your federal MP or state MP. We wrap with hopes for the next generation, the role of nature in regulation, and what being an empowered parent really means when you’re running on empty.

If this resonates, subscribe, share it with another parent who needs a softer landing, and leave a review so more Australian families can find the series.

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Parenting can crack open the life you thought you were going to have. One day you’re holding a picture of family holidays, school concerts, easy mornings, and a child who moves through the world the way you expected. Then the real child arrives with their own nervous system, temperament, sensitivities, interests, and ways of communicating, and suddenly “simple” things can take enormous effort. When that gap shows up, it can bring fear, guilt, anger, sadness, envy, and a quiet kind of grief that many parents feel but rarely name.

I take a different approach here and speak directly to the question I keep coming back to: who do you need to become in order to support the child who has come into your life? Not who your child needs to become. We explore the difference between being disappointed in a child and grieving the picture you held, and what can change when you look through your child’s eyes with curiosity instead of “should”. If you’re parenting a neurodivergent child, navigating autism, ADHD, sensory differences, anxiety, or demand avoidance (including PDA), this lens can be especially powerful because it shifts the goal from compliance to connection, regulation, and true communication.

We also talk about how the urge to fix can turn a child into a project, and why parents need support too. I share reflective questions that help you notice what’s happening inside you, separate future fear from present needs, and widen your understanding of both your child and yourself. If this resonates, subscribe to the Empowered Parent Podcast, share the episode with a parent who needs a breath, and leave a review so more families can find it.

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A late ADHD diagnosis doesn’t just add a label, it can rewrite your entire personal history. Sam joins me for an honest, detailed chat about what finally pushed her to seek an adult ADHD diagnosis, how it landed after years of coping, and why the moment of recognition can feel both relieving and confronting. If you’ve ever wondered whether your “anxiety” is really a busy brain, or why you can function for months then suddenly crash, you’ll hear yourself in this story.

We unpack ADHD burnout in the real world: returning to demanding work, parenting three kids, advocating for a neurodivergent child, and pushing until your body forces you to stop. Sam shares what it’s like when your brain can’t sequence tasks the way it used to, and how nervous system regulation becomes a non-negotiable. We also talk about masking, social overstimulation, and that strangely hollow feeling after being “on” around the wrong kind of noise, pace, or people.

From there we move into identity, shame, and healing. We explore rejection sensitive dysphoria, the inner critic, and how diagnosis can depersonalise behaviours so you stop treating every struggle as a character flaw. You’ll also hear practical, down-to-earth regulation tools Sam actually uses including box breathing, feet on grass, visualisation, and sensory anchors like smell, plus how modelling these practices can support kids’ emotional regulation at home.

If you’re navigating adult ADHD, neurodivergent parenting, or simply trying to live with more calm and clarity, press play and come sit with us. Subscribe for more, share this with a parent who needs it, and leave a review so more families can find these conversations.

danabaltutis.com,  mytherapyhouse.com.au, https://mytherapyhouse.com.au/your-childs-therapy-journey/ https://www.danabaltutis.com/services

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Your kid’s “weird” behaviour might be communication, not defiance and the same might be true of your younger self. We sit down with Sam to trace how a culturally diverse childhood, undetected neurodivergence, and unmet emotional needs shaped her school life, her relationships, and the parent she is becoming. Along the way, we talk about the stories we tell ourselves to make sense of our families, and what changes when we finally name what was really going on. 

Sam shares candid reflections on sensory sensitivities, including how discomfort with clothing and touch can lead to shame and misunderstandings. We unpack why parents should pause before assuming sexualised behaviour, how to look for sensory triggers, and how calm, respectful responses can protect a child’s dignity. We also explore school experiences like fear, shutdown, selective mutism and private “quirks” that can be forms of self-regulation for autistic and ADHD kids, especially when the world feels too loud or unpredictable. 

The conversation turns to family violence, dysregulation and intergenerational trauma, including what it’s like when a family system has limited emotional regulation and poor impulse control. Sam talks about the decision to end the cycle, the reality of setting boundaries with a parent who can’t meet you emotionally, and how to hold compassion without abandoning yourself. If you’re parenting a neurodivergent child or healing your own past while raising kids, you’ll leave with language, perspective and practical boundary ideas you can use straight away. 

If this resonates, share it with a parent who needs it, subscribe so you don’t miss next week, and leave a review to help more families find the show. What part of your childhood are you rethinking now?

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A toddler who can’t tolerate socks. A child who goes quiet for hours at childcare, then suddenly finds their voice. A kid at a party who slips outside with a juice box and quietly watches the clouds because that’s what their body needs. These moments can look like stubbornness or rudeness from the outside, but Sam helps us see them for what they often are: communication from a neurodivergent nervous system.

We unpack the everyday realities of neurodivergence in families, including sensory sensitivities around clothing and school uniforms, unpredictable “scratchy” days, and the challenge of dressing for the weather when temperature cues don’t land the same way. We also talk about social communication, selective mutism, and why some kids genuinely thrive with one favourite person instead of a big friend group. Along the way, we reflect on how speech pathology supports more than speech: it builds self-understanding and the ability to advocate for needs before overwhelm hits.

The conversation widens to sibling differences and masking. Sam shares insights about Ambrose’s intensity and how “big and loud” can sometimes be a strategy to manage anxiety and control confusing social dynamics. We finish with grounded advice for parents at the start of the journey: talk and listen, stay curious about your own reactions, find a therapist who feels right for your child and for you, and get mental health support when grief or old shame surfaces.

If this resonates, subscribe, share it with someone who needs a kinder lens on behaviour, and leave a review so more families can find the series. What’s one moment that changed how you understand your child?

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Sam was a full-time nurse who couldn’t stop moving, couldn’t sit with herself, and felt like rest meant failure. Then she became a mum and everything changed, not neatly, not politely, but in the way matrescence often does: it cracks you open and forces you to finally meet yourself.

We talk with Sam about the woman she was before children and the mother she’s becoming now, including the hidden drivers underneath “go, go, go” energy. Sam shares how trauma and an abusive relationship shaped her need for control, and how an ADHD diagnosis later helped her make sense of what looked like anxiety. We also unpack how pregnancy and postpartum can collide with mental health, especially during COVID, when isolation and uncertainty ramped up her perinatal anxiety and left her feeling raw.

Sam speaks candidly about getting support through PANDA and the Gidget Foundation, accessing perinatal mental health care via telehealth in Australia, and why medication and the right GP can be lifesaving when things get dangerous. We also get practical about the day-to-day: self-compassion when nothing gets finished, working out your real capacity, managing sensory overload, and the small transition rituals that help her shift from nurse mode to mum mode. Plus, we chat about sibling bonds, rebuilding meaning, and having a true co-parent in her husband Joseph.

If this resonates, share it with a parent who needs steady hope, then subscribe and leave a review so more mums can find these stories and support.

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“You are not allowed to take my peace.” That line lands hard because it comes from someone who spends her days caring for others and her nights parenting three kids aged five and under. We’re joined by Sam Primerano, a registered nurse and mum, who speaks with rare honesty about what family life looks like when the household runs on big feelings, sensory load, and constant co-regulation. It’s chaotic, it’s loving, and it’s exhausting, and Sam doesn’t pretend otherwise.

We talk about capacity and burnout in plain terms: what nursing asks of you emotionally, how an under-resourced healthcare system can grind people down, and why “righteous anger” can be a healthy signal that your boundaries matter. Sam shares the real work of saying no, holding the line, and choosing where her limited energy goes, so her family gets the best of her rather than whatever is left.

From there, we shift into neurodivergent parenting, autism and ADHD diagnosis, and what neuro-affirming therapy actually feels like on the ground. Sam explains why some services felt clinical and fruitless, and why connection before correction changed everything once her son started accessing therapeutic play sessions, occupational therapy, and speech therapy in a space that genuinely enjoyed him. The conversation widens again as Sam reflects on pursuing her own neurodivergent diagnosis, making accommodations for herself, and looking back at childhood and family relationships with more compassion than shame.

If you’re parenting a neurodivergent child, questioning your own wiring, or trying to find support that fits, listen along and tell us what part hit home. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a review so more families can find the show.

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Brad’s doing the things many families are told to stop hoping for: he’s building a life with purpose, friendships, and a sense of belonging, not just “being cared for”. Graham joins us for a heartfelt final check-in on how Brad is travelling now, why small routines like journalling matter, and how volunteering at a school canteen can become real confidence, dignity, and community connection.

We also talk honestly about what changes for parents when the caring load eases. Graham and Tracy are learning to plan for themselves again while still staying connected through strong systems: written shift reports, digital documentation, and photo updates that create real transparency. That practical approach feeds straight into their next chapter as founders of All For One Ability Services, moving carefully, building foundations, and designing supports that start in the community and can grow towards day programs and short term accommodation when a person chooses it.

Then we get into the big topic families are living with every day: the NDIS. Graham shares why the NDIS has been crucial for Brad’s choice and control, identity, and safe supported living, and why plan reviews can trigger real anxiety when funding uncertainty puts families back on the hook. We also explore why therapy should be ongoing maintenance for adults, what better looks like for the disability support workforce, and the “weather” we bring into a shift, because feelings often land before words.

If you know a parent or carer who needs hope grounded in real life, share this conversation. Subscribe to the Empowered Parent Podcast, leave a review, and tell us: what would you change to make disability support in Australia safer and more human?

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Watching your child step into independence can be the proudest moment and the most unsettling one. Graham Clark joins us to speak honestly about what happened when his son Bradley, an autistic young adult, moved into his own home and Graham’s full-time carer role began to change. What do you do when the routines that once held you together disappear, and the question “Who am I now?” will not go away? 

We talk about carer identity and why so many parents lose themselves in survival mode. Graham shares what burnout looked like for him, how carrying every decision became a “burden”, and why building a team around your loved one can protect your mental health. He also opens up about the darker stretch of uncertainty and grief that followed the transition, the isolation of having no support network for himself, and receiving a PTSD diagnosis in 2023. Therapy becomes a turning point, not as a quick fix but as the steady maintenance that helps him notice early warning signs and respond with care. 

You will also hear practical guidance on disability support in Australia and the NDIS space: finding the right support workers, relying on word of mouth, letting an established team mentor new staff, and taking safety seriously with checks and qualifications like Certificate III and NDIS screening. We finish with a grounded reminder that asking for help can start with one call to a helpline, your GP, or services like Beyond Blue and Carer Gateway. If this resonates, subscribe to the Empowered Parent podcast, share the episode with a fellow carer, and leave a review so more families can find it.

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Buying a home for your child sounds like a practical decision until you realise it also forces a whole new identity for everyone involved. We sit down with Graham to unpack how his family moved from assuming Bradley would live with them forever to building a supported home where he can grow into adulthood with safety, dignity, and choice. Along the way, we talk about OCD, tics, anxiety, and what it looks like when a young person’s needs are expressed through behaviour rather than neat explanations. 

A big thread through our chat is the power of curiosity. Graham shares how a developmental educator helped him notice patterns, understand what he was seeing, and stop defaulting to “No, that’s not possible.” We explore what a developmental educator actually does in the home, why predictable routines and tailored resources matter, and how the right professionals can take pressure off parents while still keeping the child’s voice at the centre. 

We also get very real about the NDIS logistics: comparing living options, deciding against a shared model that didn’t suit Bradley, then dealing with rosters, staffing, funding changes, medication processes, and the learning curve of managing a team. Graham speaks honestly about the emotional load, survival mode, and later recognising PTSD, plus the surprising signs of adulthood when Bradley starts setting boundaries and claiming his space. If you’re planning future living options and independent living supports, this conversation will give you language, ideas, and hope. Subscribe, share this with another parent, and leave a review so more families can find it.

danabaltutis.com,  mytherapyhouse.com.au, https://mytherapyhouse.com.au/your-childs-therapy-journey/ https://www.danabaltutis.com/services