Our Review of The Autism ADHD Podcast

Meet Holly Blanc Moses, The Mom/Neurodivergent Therapist. As a neurodivergent adult, the parent of two neurodivergent boys and a licensed clinician with 27 years of experience, she understands what it takes to empower parents and caregivers to support their children and teens with compassion and understanding.

What led Holly to focus on autism and ADHD?

Even as a child, Holly dreamed of becoming a psychologist. She wanted to know why certain activities and skills, whether academics or social interaction and friendships, seemed easier for some kids and harder for others. Why couldn’t she ever remember her locker combination like her peers? Why was she often initially included in a social group but excluded after a short while? It was crushing.

Although she knew many kids were struggling, no one talked about it.  Social, mental and academic difficulties were either minimized or ignored.  She sought to change that, and at university, she majored in psychology, specifically neurodevelopmental differences. Following her passion, she blossomed from getting average grades in middle and high school to graduating at the top of her class at university. She became President of the Honour Society and the youngest student to defend her honours thesis successfully. She continued to graduate school and became a psychologist and counsellor, and she is now in private practice in Raleigh, North Carolina.

When Holly herself was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, it was such an affirmation. She shared, “What a wonderful relief to finally understand that it wasn’t my fault.  I wasn’t lazy; I wasn’t rude. I tried my hardest even when people told me I wasn’t.”

What about Holly’s parenting journey?

Holly wasn’t physically able to give birth to her own children due to several significant medical issues, including severe Crohn’s Disease, an ileostomy and several episodes of many pulmonary emboli. She desperately wanted to be a mother, leading her and her husband to adopt two boys through foster care.

Their older son, who is 20, is autistic with severe ADHD, anxiety, trauma and learning differences. Their younger son, 15, also has severe ADHD, anxiety and a learning disability. Holly homeschools her younger son on top of all her other activities.

What is The Autism ADHD Podcast?

Holly launched the podcast in 2019 to create a safe place for parents who want to learn about supporting their children.

She knows what it feels like to be that parent, to get the stares, to hold your crying child because they weren’t invited to a classmate’s birthday party. She knows what it’s like to have your heart drop when the school calls you again and to have your child misunderstood daily. Holly wanted parents to know they were not alone.

Holly aims to create neurodiversity-affirming podcast episodes that make listeners feel like they are sitting down for coffee with a friend. They discuss compassion, understanding, and practical approaches to supporting their child’s mental health, emotional regulation, social interaction, and academic success.

I have listened to several episodes, including 5 Ways to Support Executive Functioning in Autistic and ADHD Children. Guest educator Cooper Haskins and Holly provide tips, including setting realistic goals, listening to your kids and advice regarding purpose over perfection, trial and error, and letting go of limits. The episode is informative, easy to digest, pragmatic, and warm-hearted.

The Autism ADHD Podcast is the only podcast I know dedicated to co-occurring autism and ADHD. Holly brings her unique perspective as a neurodivergent individual, parent and experienced professional.

A new episode airs every Wednesday, with over 200 episodes to date.

What other activities is Holly involved in?

Holly is a busy woman. She jokes that with her ADHD, she has a thousand ideas and has to remind herself to stay on track.

In addition to the podcast and her private practice Crossvine Counseling, which supports neurodivergent kids, teens and adults through evaluations and therapy, she offers:

• Online parenting workshops on topics that include being a safe person for your child, talking with your child about neurodiversity, social interaction and setting healthy boundaries
• Her YouTube channel, AUTISM ADHD TV with Holly
• Free guides, such as Getting to Know My Child Guide for Neurodivergent Children, provide teachers, coaches, tutors and sitters with the information they need to know to best support each child and enhance their success
• Her Autism ADHD Facebook Group for parents, which currently has over 8,000 members
• Neurodiversity-affirming continuing education training for therapists and educators, ranging from Identifying and Supporting Autistic Girls to A Neurodiversity-Affirming Approach to Supporting Social Interaction in Children and Teens.  Parents can also sign up for the training.

What’s Holly’s advice to parents of autistic kids with ADHD?

Holly doesn’t hesitate: “Love your child. Put aside the judgment of others, the fears, the worries, the ‘shoulds,’ the ‘have to.’ The most important thing is to love them. Connect with them. Listen to them.”

For more information, Holly can be reached at https://www.hollyblancmoses.com/connect.