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Beautifully Complex — Kids & Family
Beautifully Complex

Parenting a neurodivergent kid is one of the hardest things you will ever do. If you are exhausted, overwhelmed, and wondering why nothing seems to work, this is the place for you.

I am Penny Williams, parenting coach, author, and mom who’s in the trenches alongside you. Each week on Beautifully Complex, I bring you honest conversations and real strategies for raising kids with ADHD, autism, anxiety, and learning differences. Our kids aren’t broken, just wired differently.

My work is grounded in the SIGNAL Framework™, a nervous-system-first approach I developed around one core truth: regulation is required before any skill or strategy can take hold.

Every episode delivers insights you can actually use to reduce your stress, rebuild your confidence, and create a family life that feels good for everyone in it. I’ve helped thousands of families worldwide, and this community is here for you too.

New episodes drop every week. Subscribe so you never miss one.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/beautifully-complex–6137613/support.

Copyright: © Copyright Penny Williams

Latest Episodes:

PAP 105: Under Pressure! Insights from a Teen with ADHD, with Penny Williams and Son, Luke Oct 01, 2020

Show notes

This is an episode you should listen to with your neuro-atypical kids! I have been trying to get my son to do an episode of the podcast with me for a couple years, and he finally agreed. In this episode, you'll meet my son, Luke, a nearly 18-year-old with ADHD, ASD, LDs, and a gifted IQ. We jumped on the microphone and found out he has a lot to say about growing up with differences and learning challenges. I posed this question to him: What are some things parents and teachers did for you that really helped you over the years, and what are some things we did that weren't helpful at all, or even harmful. The common message woven throughout our conversation was pressure — how parents and teachers amp it up, and how it causes kids like him to be less able to meet expectations. He also shares what he really needs from the people in his life, and even has a message of hope and perseverance for your kids. So listen in an meet my funny, compassionate, insightful boy who has inspired this podcast and all the work that I do.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/beautifully-complex--6137613/support.
You can find additional resources at parentingadhdandautism.com. It's not just about the struggles, it’s about progress, one step at a time.

PAP 104: How to Build Confidence, Overcome Social Anxiety, and Handle Bullying with Jeffrey Kranzler, Ph.D., LCSW-C Sep 24, 2020

Show notes

Many children and teens struggle with confidence, social anxiety, and bullying, but kids with ADHD often struggle even more with this challenges. In this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, Dr. Jeffrey Kranzler talks about his new book, "The Crimson Protector," and the themes that are woven into the story to help kids build confidence, manage social anxiety, and deal with bullying. You'll learn that managing all of these situations boils down to building a sense of control, and how to help your child do just that.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/beautifully-complex--6137613/support.
You can find additional resources at parentingadhdandautism.com. It's not just about the struggles, it’s about progress, one step at a time.

PAP 103: Finding the Truth Within the Lies Sep 10, 2020

Show notes

Society has always thought of lying as a character flaw. While willful lying to deceive is not acceptable and could be an indicator that someone lacks integrity, it's not that simple when talking about kids with ADHD and/or autism. There are many reasons that individuals lie. To avoid negative consequences and to impress others are the top two. When the child is neuro-atypical though, lying just isn’t always that simple. In this episode, I outline the five main reasons your child may be lying to you, and how to reframe this behavior so that you can successfully address it and improve it. Hint: Punishment won't make it stop.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/beautifully-complex--6137613/support.
You can find additional resources at parentingadhdandautism.com. It's not just about the struggles, it’s about progress, one step at a time.

PAP 102: Caring for Your Child's Health During Uncertain Times Sep 03, 2020

Show notes

We're in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic and filled with uncertainty and a lot of intense feelings. That's true for most of us as adults, and it's doubly true for our kids. There's a lot of helplessness during uncertain times like these and that lack of feeling in control of life can be extra tough for kids to navigate. In this episode, I'm talking with Dr. Shelli Dry about how we can help our kids navigate their big emotions and care for their mental health in the midst of uncertainty. Dr. Dry offers several parenting strategies and resources we can provide to our kids to help them move forward, despite the uncertainty. When we give kids resources — things they know that they can fall back on — when the world is saying, "We don't know what's next," your child can say "I don't either, but I know that I have these things I can do to help me feel better about myself and what's going on in the world."
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/beautifully-complex--6137613/support.
You can find additional resources at parentingadhdandautism.com. It's not just about the struggles, it’s about progress, one step at a time.

PAP 101: Sensory Challenges: What You Need to Know & How to Help, with Nikki Perez, OTR/L Aug 27, 2020

Show notes

Our sensory systems are how the brain processes all the information that’s around us. When one or more of the sensory systems is off kilter, it creates challenges in moving through the world from day to day. And these sensory challenges can often trigger anxiety and/or negative behavior. In this episode, I’m talking with occupational therapist, Nikki Perez, about all things sensory — from the different sensory systems, what behaviors may be caused by sensory avoidance or sensory seeking, and what you can do at home to help ease your child’s sensory needs. There are many activities and tools and resources mentioned in this episode. Don’t miss it.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/beautifully-complex--6137613/support.
You can find additional resources at parentingadhdandautism.com. It's not just about the struggles, it’s about progress, one step at a time.

PAP 100: Let's Talk Behavior! A Q&A with Penny Williams & Sarah Wayland, PhD Aug 21, 2020

Show notes

When we talk with parents about the struggles they experience raising kids with ADHD and/or autism, all of the various challenges boil down to one thing — behavior. In this special 100th episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, my colleague, Sarah Wayland and I hosted a Q&A session with parents all about behavior. We discuss what causes challenging or intense behavior, aggression, kids who only have inappropriate behavior at home, strategies and tools for calming, and so much more.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/beautifully-complex--6137613/support.
You can find additional resources at parentingadhdandautism.com. It's not just about the struggles, it’s about progress, one step at a time.

PAP 099: ADHD & Fatherhood: This One’s For the Dads, with Larry Hagner Aug 07, 2020

Show notes

I talk a lot about motherhood on this podcast, because that’s the world I know. On this episode, we get a father’s perspective. Larry Hagner, founder of the Good Dad Project, joins me to discuss growing up with ADHD, raising a child with ADHD, and being an intentional man and dad to better connect with your kids and support their journey to success. Connection is the key — "without connection you have no influence."
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/beautifully-complex--6137613/support.
You can find additional resources at parentingadhdandautism.com. It's not just about the struggles, it’s about progress, one step at a time.

PAP 098: Ditching Toxic Stress & Hardwiring Your Brain for Happiness, with Jodi Aman Jul 31, 2020

Show notes

Anxiety affects more and more kids and adults every day. It’s taking over lives and eroding the confidence of our kids (and ourselves). But, as therapist Jodi Aman outlines in her new book and explains in this episode, anxiety can be dramatically improved and brains can be hardwired for happiness. Join us in this episode to learn about the inner critic, how the “monkey mind” feeds and grows anxiety, and what parents can do to help teens and themselves reduce anxiety and be more confident. Happiness is attainable for everyone when the work is done to shift your mindset.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/beautifully-complex--6137613/support.
You can find additional resources at parentingadhdandautism.com. It's not just about the struggles, it’s about progress, one step at a time.

PAP 097: Conscious Parenting and the Impact of Stress on Behavior, with Dr. Nima Rahmany, DC, CCWP Jul 23, 2020

Show notes

We all want four things in our lives that contribute to our happiness: less stress, connection to others, purpose, and meaningful relationships. Many things get in the way of achieving these things for our kids with ADHD and/or autism (and ourselves), including a frequently triggered nervous system and dysregulation, the way our own past traumas have shaped the way we parent, our expectations of our kids, and wanting to protect our kids from the negative events in our own childhood. On this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, I’m talking with Dr. Nima Rahmany, a chiropractor and educator specializing in helping individuals and professionals get to the ROOT CAUSE of their physical and emotional challenges, from stressed, depressed, and anxious to living Powerfully Aligned and on Purpose. We discuss connection, trauma, triggers, regulation, and the autonomic nervous system and the way these are all interconnected and are clues on how to integrate mind-body tools to go deep with our kids and truly help them build regulation and connection from the bottom up. This all culminates in recognizing behavior as adaptive instead of abnormal, which puts parents in the best position to truly improve behavior and help our kids achieve success and happiness.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/beautifully-complex--6137613/support.
You can find additional resources at parentingadhdandautism.com. It's not just about the struggles, it’s about progress, one step at a time.

PAP 096: What the Nervous System Tells Us About Understanding & Improving Behavior Jul 09, 2020

Show notes

If your child has ADHD (or is on the autism spectrum), behavior is likely top of mind for you. They act in ways we don’t understand, find inappropriate, or don’t approve of when we view behavior through the traditional behavior lens. Brain-based science now helps us understand behavior and how our autonomic nervous system — our physiology — drives how we feel and how we respond to how we feel. In this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, psychologist and behavior expert, Mona Delahooke, PhD, explains Dr. Stephen Porges’s Polyvagal Theory and how to harness an understanding of the autonomic nervous system to appropriately and positively address behavior challenges. While everything we discuss is backed by brain science, we’ve broken it down into simple terms. This conversation is one that all of us can understand and includes proven strategies to implement with your child right now.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/beautifully-complex--6137613/support.
You can find additional resources at parentingadhdandautism.com. It's not just about the struggles, it’s about progress, one step at a time.

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