EVOLVE with Dr. Tay: the podcast for parents of autistic kids

202 | a live coaching session on grief, acceptance, and trusting yourself as an autism parent

EVOLVE with Dr. Tay: the podcast for parents of autistic kids

Show Notes

ABOUT THIS EPISODE (+ scroll for resources) 👇 in this special episode, Dr. Tay shares a live coaching session with Winter, a mom of a 6-year-old autistic boy. listeners are invited inside a real, unscripted coaching conversation — one that mirrors the questions, emotions, and uncertainty so many parents carry quietly.

together, Dr. Tay and Winter explore what it’s like to sit with grief and acceptance at the same time, to question whether current supports are actually helping, and to feel the pressure to “do enough” while also wanting space to breathe. Dr. Tay helps Winter slow things down, name what’s coming up beneath the urgency, and reflect on what alignment, confidence, and quality of life could look like for her family.

this episode offers a window into how parent coaching can help you: feel less alone in the emotional weight of an autism diagnosis untangle urgency from what truly matters right now experiment with supports without shame or fear of “getting it wrong” build confidence in your instincts as your child’s parent reconnect with yourself while still showing up for your child

if you’ve ever wondered what parent coaching actually sounds like — or wished for a space to talk things through out loud with someone who truly gets it — this episode is for you.

TIMESTAMPS 00:00 introduction and episode overview 00:06 meet winter and her journey 02:52 navigating early diagnosis and initial support 04:02 challenges, grief, and emotional struggles 11:57 finding the right support and community 20:30 navigating autism as a first-time parent 20:43 the pressure of early intervention 21:53 the impact of how diagnoses are delivered 23:04 support systems and clinical care 23:47 parenting with confidence and love 27:09 concerns about the future 33:33 advocating for disability needs in public spaces 37:25 building community and self-advocacy 39:54 closing reflections and resources

RESOURCES ⚡️ Connect with Winter @aspectrumfueledpurpose

⚡️ Join EVOLVE: The Membership — a neurodiversity-affirming space for parents to find community, support, and ongoing learning on this journey, with the option to add on a 1:1 coaching session like this ⚡️ Learn more about Dr. Tay’s Whole Family Approach + other services at drtaylorday.com ⚡️ Continue learning + submit questions for future episodes: Instagram → @the.dr.tay TikTok → @the.dr.tay

More from EVOLVE with Dr. Tay: the podcast for parents of autistic kids

Oct 21, 2026

about this episode (+ scroll for resources) 👇 this episode wraps up our three-part series on autistic burnout. dr. tay is joined by amanda diekman, author of The Parent's Handbook for Kids in Burnout, to talk about what burnout recovery can actually look like over time and why healing is rarely linear. amanda breaks down the phases of burnout, how support needs change across each phase, what “deep rest” can look like for kids, and why parents may need to continually recalibrate between accommodation, capacity-building, safety, and trust.

Oct 14, 2026

about this episode (+ scroll for resources) 👇 this episode is part 2 of our autistic burnout series. dr. tay is joined by patrick casale, a neurodivergent therapist, podcaster, entrepreneur, and group practice owner, for a conversation about what autistic burnout can feel like . patrick shares his lived experience with burnout, the overlap between autistic burnout and chronic illness, the impact of societal demands, and why recovery is rarely as simple as “just reduce demands” or “take a break.” this conversation offers both validation and practical insight for parents who are trying to better understand their child’s burnout, support recovery, and recognize early warning signs before the nervous system fully crashes.

Oct 7, 2026

about this episode (+ scroll for resources) 👇 this episode kicks off a three-part series on autistic burnout. dr. tay shares what she sees clinically when autistic kids are in burnout, why it can be so confusing for parents, and why traditional approaches to depression, behavior, or school refusal may not fully capture what is happening. this is a primer episode to help you understand what autistic burnout can look like, what makes it different, and why recovery often requires time, nervous system repair, reduced demands, and support for the whole family.

Sep 30, 2026

about this episode (+ scroll for resources) 👇 if your child is melting down, resisting, avoiding, running, crashing, or seeming impossible to support, sensory may be part of the story. in this episode, dr. tay welcomes laura petix, occupational therapist and author of The Sensory Code, back to the podcast to talk about sensory regulation, sensory profiles, meltdowns, and how parents can start building sensory support into daily life in a way that actually fits their child.

Sep 17, 2026

about this episode (+ scroll for resources) 👇 this episode is for the moms who feel like some weeks they can do it all… and other weeks everything feels harder. dr. tay shares a vulnerable, real-time reflection from the depths of her luteal phase and explains why cycle tracking can be such a powerful tool for understanding mood, energy, capacity, productivity, and parenting. because your hormonal health is not separate from your autism parenting journey. your body, your nervous system, your capacity, and your regulation are all part of the ecosystem your child is living in. you’ll hear about: why the luteal phase can impact mood, energy, and capacity how cycle tracking can help reduce shame and increase self-understanding the connection between hormones, mental health, and neurodivergence why parenting often requires so much “output” energy how to adjust expectations, support, and routines around your cycle why your capacity matters in the whole-family support picture

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