In this episode of Regulated & Relational, hosts Julie Beem and Ginger Healy sit down with two fathers on a mission to transform the way families and schools understand neurodiversity—Carl Young and Joel Sheagren.

Carl and Joel are the co-creators of Embracing Hope: A Caregiver’s Guide to Neurodiversity, a groundbreaking book that bridges lived experience, creative storytelling, and research-based strategies to empower families raising children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and trauma.

👉 Get the book on Amazon: Embracing Hope 👉 Learn more about the project: embracinghopebook.com

This book challenges deficit-focused narratives, instead celebrating the strengths, creativity, and resilience that neurodivergent individuals bring to their families and communities.

Through a blend of:

• Personal stories from caregivers and neurodivergent individuals
  

• Fictional vignettes that illustrate everyday challenges
  

• Evidence-based interventions that can be adapted to each family’s needs
  

…readers are invited to move beyond labels and see the unique gifts of every child.

In our conversation, Carl and Joel share:

• Why they recognized a critical gap in resources for parents raising neurodiverse teens
  

• How storytelling and character-driven vignettes help families engage with complex content
  

• The surprising and transformative insights from Embracing Hope that resonate most with overwhelmed caregivers
  

• How community, creativity, and advocacy can shift families from survival to thriving
  

This book is more than a manual—it’s a companion for families, educators, and allies who are seeking practical tools, renewed confidence, and the reassurance that they are not alone.

Join us for this inspiring conversation about resilience, advocacy, and the future of supporting neurodiverse children and families.

In this unforgettable episode, Ginger and Julie sit down with the one and only Barb Clark—a powerhouse trainer, parent, and advocate known for saying the things most people are too afraid (or too tired) to say out loud. With her signature honesty, humor, and hard-earned wisdom, Barb opens up about raising kids with complex needs, navigating Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), and what it really takes to help families thrive—not just survive.

Barb shares her own parenting journey—including the very recent revelation of her own FASD diagnosis at age 56—and how it’s reshaped her perspective on everything from behavior to burnout. Together, we explore why traditional parenting strategies often backfire with neurodivergent kids, and how brain-based, compassion-rooted approaches can shift the entire family dynamic.

This episode is a must-listen for educators, caregivers, and anyone supporting children impacted by trauma, prenatal exposure, or hidden disabilities. It’s filled with relatable stories, regulation strategies you can use today, and more than a few laugh-out-loud moments.

Because as Barb says, “There is always hope—even if it’s buried under a pile of unfolded laundry.”

• What FASD really is—and why it’s more common than most people think
  

• How emotional regulation and brain-based strategies change the game for kids and caregivers
  

• Why traditional behavior charts and consequences often fail neurodivergent kids
  

• Barb’s personal journey—from raising a child with FASD to discovering her own diagnosis
  

• Tips for educators and leaders working with students impacted by trauma or prenatal substance exposure
  

• Practical, real-world advice you can use immediately
  

• Why humor, honesty, and connection are essential parenting tools
  

Barb’s book, Raising Kids and Teens with FASD: Advice and Strategies to Help Your Family Thrive, will be released October 21, 2025.

In This Episode, We Explore:Preorder Barb’s Book: https://a.co/d/eDc38tv

In this foundational episode of Regulated & Relational, Ginger and Julie dive deep into attachment disorders—what they are, how they’re diagnosed, and the realities families face when raising children with these challenges.

From the history of Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) and Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder (DSED) to the proposed Developmental Trauma Disorder (DTD), Ginger and Julie unpack decades of evolving research, personal experience, and practical tools for caregivers and professionals. They also address the hallmark behaviors—like manipulation, triangulation, lack of empathy—and explore why these behaviors occur, and how to respond in ways that promote healing and connection.

This conversation is both honest and hopeful—acknowledging the challenges while sharing effective therapeutic parenting strategies, the importance of pacing and dosing nurture, and the long-term potential for growth and change.

• The history and evolution of attachment disorder diagnoses in the DSM
  

• How RAD and DSED differ—and why splitting the diagnosis has caused confusion
  

• Prevalence rates and why research has been limited
  

• How attachment disorders can be mistaken for, or co-exist with, autism
  

• The why behind hallmark behaviors:
  

• • Manipulation and control
    

  • Triangulation between adults
    

  • Lack of cause-and-effect thinking
    

  • Low empathy
    

• Therapeutic parenting strategies, including:
  

• • Offering limited, safe choices
    

  • Making implicit care explicit
    

  • Pacing and dosing nurture to build trust
    

  • Reducing chaos and avoiding power struggles
    

• Why Developmental Trauma Disorder matters—and how it may fill gaps in our understanding of trauma’s impact on children
  

• Hopeful outcomes and the critical importance of early intervention and ongoing support
  

• Attachment & Trauma Network: www.attachmenttraumanetwork.org
  

• National Institute of Health prevalence statistics (2023)

• Reactive Attachment Disorder - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537155/ (Published: May 1, 2023)

• Introduction to children's attachment - NCBI: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK356196/

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537155/#:~:text=Epidemiology,Adolescent%20Well%2DBeing%2C%20No.
  

• Research on RAD subtypes: Dr. Charles Zeanah (2004)https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4342270/

• ACEs Study: CDC ACEs Resources