Child and adolescent psychologist providing neurodiversity affirming therapy, assessment and parenting support for children, teens, and their families
19/11/2025
Here they are đđź
1. Letting my kids have more screen time than other families. Itâs not laziness - itâs regulation through connection to special interests.
2. Serving the same âsafeâ meals on repeat. Consistency builds comfort - and nourished kids are more regulated kids.
3. Saying no to social events or sports when weâre all burnt out. Protecting our energy is good parenting.
4. Letting my kids sleep in or take a mental health day.
Rest is recovery, not avoidance.
5. Using headphones, sensory tools, or loops in public.
Meeting sensory needs models healthy self-care.
6. Canceling plans last minute when my child (or I) canât cope. Honouring limits teaches boundaries and emotional safety.
7. Using visuals, timers, or routines that work for us, not the ânorm.â Support isnât a sign of weakness
8. Not forcing social interactions, eye contact, or politeness scripts. Authenticity matters more than masking.
The truth?
The more I parented for our actual needs - not expectations - the calmer, happier, and more connected our family became. đ
And hereâs what Iâve learned: so many ND parents carry guilt for doing what actually works for their families. But the very things that look âdifferentâ to others are often signs of deeply attuned, neuroaffirming parenting.
Whatâs something that used to make you feel like a âbadâ parent, but you now see as a sign of growth, awareness, or love? đđź
17/11/2025
Letâs get honest about thisđ
That âjust stay calmâ advice?
It sounds good, but it doesnât always work when youâre running on empty, your nervous system is on edge, and your child is mid-meltdown.
Hereâs what I teach families instead:
Being regulated is more powerful than being âcalm.â
Because your nervous system is the foundation of how you show up - and your child can feel that difference.
đ
If youâre ready to stop white-knuckling it and start feeling resourced again, Iâd love to help! Get in touch to find out how I can support you and your child in 2026 đ
12/11/2025
When a child spends all day âmaskingâ - pretending to be okay, copying others, suppressing stims, forcing eye contact - itâs exhausting.
As a parent, you canât remove the mask for them, but you can create the safety they need to take it off.
Here are some practical ways to help your child unmask safely đđź
đđź Create a âsafe-to-be-meâ space at home.
Let home be the place where your child can stim, fidget, be quiet, or express big feelings freely. No judgment, no correction, just acceptance.
đđź Validate, donât fix.
When your child shares something that feels hard, resist the urge to reassure or problem-solve first. Instead, say:
âThat sounds really hard.â
âI get why you felt that way.â
Validation builds trust which is the foundation for unmasking.
đđź Encourage authentic self-expression.
Celebrate their special interests, unique ways of thinking, or sensory needs. Let them wear what feels right, decorate their space how they like, and take breaks when they need to.
đđź Communicate with teachers and caregivers.
Help others understand that masking is not âgood behaviourâ, itâs coping. Encourage safe environments where your child can be themselves without fear of judgment.
đđź Model unmasking yourself.
Show them itâs okay to have off days, to say no, to rest, and to be different. When you model authenticity, you give them permission to do the same.
Remember: The goal isnât to force your child to unmask - itâs to help them feel safe enough that they donât need to.
When your child feels safe to show up as their true self, thatâs when they can truly thrive đ
09/11/2025
Masking is common in neurodivergent kids, but itâs often invisible to the adults around them. Many parents, teachers, and even health care providers will tell me that children seem to be âfineâ in their presence or while out in public.
But these same children may come home from school or other outings feeling exhausted, overwhelmed or irritable, and then have huge meltdowns that seem like they âcame from nowhereâ.
By noticing the subtle signs of masking and creating safe, accepting spaces, you can help your child feel seen, supported and free to be themselves đ
06/11/2025
Itâs easy to assume meltdowns are about defiance, manipulation or bad behaviour.
Common beliefs about meltdowns Iâve heard from parents, teachers and even other health professionals include:
â Theyâre doing it to manipulate me
â They just want attention
â Theyâre old enough to know better
â Theyâre misbehaving or âputting it onâ
But a meltdown is simply a stress response. A brain and body that feels overwhelmed and unable to cope with the demands of the situation theyâre in.
Your child definitely isnât choosing to have that meltdown. No one wants to feel out of control and overwhelmed!
And the problem with these beliefs đđźis that they leave adults feeling frustrated and looking for someone to blame - sometimes they blame themselves (if I was doing a better job this wouldnât happen) and sometimes they blame their child (if they just tried harder this wouldnât happen).
But neither of these help the child feel safe and secure or teach them how to regulate themselves which is what really needs to happen if we want to see fewer meltdowns.
So next time your child experiences a meltdown, try to shift the lens from frustration and blame to understanding and support. Because meeting nervous systems where theyâre at and responding with connection, safety and co-regulation is how we really create change for ourselves and our kids đ
P.s If you want some help learning how to do this - this is exactly what I teach inside of Mindful Meltdown Mastery - a self paced course for parents that helps you respond to meltdowns without losing it yourself. You can find it on my website (and email subscribers get 50% off đłđ).
27/10/2025
Halloween can be magical⌠but it can also be a lot for neurodivergent kids.
Costumes, noise, and unstructured social time can quickly become overwhelming.
Here are a few ways to make the night easier:
⨠Keep costumes comfortable
⨠Practice before hand
⨠Take breaks or skip parts that feel too much
⨠Offer safe foods or non-food alternatives
⨠Focus on connection and activities your child enjoys
Tell me in the comments â what does a calm, happy Halloween look like for your family?
25/10/2025
Hereâs the ADHD parenting advice that changes everything đ
đ Itâs not an attention deficit â itâs an attention regulation difference.
ADHD isnât a lack of attention. Itâs a difference in how attention is regulated. Which means focus shifts based on whatâs interesting, not just whatâs important.
đ Stop assuming they donât care â they probably care deeply but need interest to engage.
Motivation in ADHD brains is linked to dopamine, not discipline. When a task feels exciting, new, or emotionally rewarding, they can hyperfocus. When it feels routine or pressured, the brain struggles to move into action at all.
đ Stop trying to use logic mid-meltdown â regulation comes before reasoning.
When your child is overwhelmed, their âthinking brainâ goes offline. Calm, co-regulation, and safety bring it back online â not more talking or consequences.
đ Stop asking them to âtry harderâ â itâs not about willpower; itâs about brain wiring.
Challenges with focus, organisation, and follow-through arenât effort issues â theyâre executive functioning differences. Skill-building and support work far better than pressure or punishment.
đ Stop adding more rules â start building smarter systems.
ADHD isnât a discipline problem. Structure, predictability, and brain-friendly systems help far more than stricter limits ever will.
Think: checklists instead of lectures, visual timers instead of time-outs, and strategies that honour their nervous system, not fight against it.
Once you start seeing your childâs behaviour through the lens of their brain, everything changes. You stop fighting the child in front of you â and start supporting the brain inside them.
22/10/2025
Youâve probably heard it before:
âADHD is overdiagnosed these days.â
But the truth is⌠itâs often underdiagnosed â especially in girls and women.
While boys are more likely to show hyperactive or impulsive behaviours, girls often experience ADHD in more internalised ways: overthinking, daydreaming, emotional sensitivity, or internal restlessness.
Because these signs donât fit the âclassicâ ADHD stereotype, theyâre easy to miss or mistaken for anxiety, mood challenges, or personality traits.
And letâs not forget that girls are also less likely to be referred for an ADHD assessment even when they do display similar traits to their male peers.
The result? Many girls and women grow up feeling like theyâre âlazy,â âtoo sensitive,â or ânot trying hard enoughâ â when in fact, their brains just work differently.
This ADHD Awareness Month, letâs shift the conversation from overdiagnosis to under-recognition.
Because understanding the full spectrum of ADHD is the first step toward compassion, support, and thriving.
14/10/2025
⨠LAST CHANCE - We start Thursday! â¨
If youâve been meaning to join the Parenting Neurodivergent Kids groupâŚthis is your sign!
Enrolments close tonight and I donât want you to miss this round - especially if youâve been like like this:
đ Iâm tired of doing this on my own
đ No one really gets my child - or me!
đ I just want to know if Iâm on the right track
This group is a place where youâll be understood - where you can exhale, learn, laugh, and connect with parents who truly get it
Across 6 weeks, weâll explore practical, beuroaffirming tools to help you support your child without the guilt, battles, or burnout.
Youâll leave feeling calmer, clearer, and more confident in how you parent your unique child
So if youâve been sitting on the fence - this is your nudge!
We start this Thursday, October 16th and once enrolments close tonight, I wonât be running another group until next year
Join us! Weâd love to see you there đ
13/10/2025
Wondering if the Term 4 Parenting ND Kids Group is right for you?
Hereâs how to know đ
âď¸Youâre parenting an Autistic and/or ADHD child (even if they havenât been formally identified)
â Youâre exhausted by meltdowns and shutdowns
â You want calmer mornings and fewer battles
â You want your child to feel supported and understood
â You want to stop second-guessing yourself every day
If you tick even one of these boxes, youâre the perfect fit.
đ Spots are open now - register via link in bio.
10/10/2025
Today is World Mental Health Day â a reminder that mental health is not one-size-fits-all.
For neurodivergent people, mental wellbeing is deeply connected to whether their differences are understood, accepted, and supported.
Too often, unidentified neurodivergence contributes to anxiety, depression, and burnout later in life (or even early in life - Iâve seen many neurodivergent young people deep in burnout).
And for those who are diagnosed, mental health support that isnât neuroaffirming can sometimes do more harm than good.
So here is your reminder for today:
We canât talk about mental health without talking about neurodiversity.
Because true wellbeing begins when people are seen and supported for who they are đ
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Sarah Conway Psychology posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Helping you become the parent youâve always wanted to be!
Our play based tools help you move away from punitive parenting, and towards mindful parenting that focuses on building skills, strengthening relationships and nurturing emotional intelligence in your kids. We believe that all kids deserve to grow up free from shame, blame, and fear. And we know that by focusing on connection, teaching skills to manage emotions and modelling these skills ourselves, we can build an entire generation of emotionally healthy kids. Kids that change the world for the better. Are you in?
Hi, Iâm Sarah!
Iâm a mum of 4, a child and adolescent psychologist and the founder of Mindful Little Minds. Iâve worked as a child and family therapist for more than a decade, and I am super passionate about the emotional health of your kids. I believe that ALL kids deserve a childhood without fear, shame or guilt. I also believe, no - I know without a doubt - that you are trying your absolute best to be the best parent you can be for your kids.
I also know that parenting is HARD. Managing their big emotions and challenging behaviours is hard. And managing your own emotions is probably even harder. Especially if youâve never been taught how. But you can teach your kids these skills, even if you were never taught them yourself. You can give them the tools you never had. And in the process, you can raise emotionally intelligent, mindful kids that build a better future for all of us. If we want to change the world, we have to start by changing the way we raise our kids.
Hereâs how I can help:
Tools:
In the shop youâll find tools for parents and children. Our range of books, games, journals, toys and courses focus on building emotion regulation skills. Our tools help both you AND your child learn to better understand and manage emotions so you can reduce the conflict and reactivity in your home and build your childâs emotional intelligence and resilience. You can find our range of tools in the marketplace here
Information:
On the blog youâll find information. Education. Free resources. Tips and strategies to help you parent in a more mindful way. I help you understand the WHY. We uncover the reasons behind your childâs challenging behaviour, and then I show you how to change your approach so that you can deal with the behaviour calmly and with intention. I show you how you can use these challenging behaviours as teachable moments that strengthen your connection, build your childâs emotional intelligence and self regulation skills, and help you feel confident as a parent! Youâll find the blog here.
Support:
And in the Facebook group, youâll find support and community. This is where you can connect with other parents and educators on their own mindful parenting journey. Share information and support each other while we learn (and teach our kids) emotion regulation skills. Inside the group you can ask questions, share ideas, participate in challenges, get tips from me, and access exclusive freebies. You can join our community here
And if you prefer to hang out on social media, you can follow me on Instagram, or of course, follow this page!
Want more FREE resources?
Check out my FREE Mindfulness workbook for kids here
Iâm so glad youâre here. Letâs change the way we raise our children. Letâs break the cycle of reactivity and shame. Together.
