Episode 9 - Supporting Students with Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Trauma

In this short, practical episode, Charlotte and Carla unpack how to approach those early‑year parent–teacher interviews with confidence, curiosity, and calm. They explore how to build rapport quickly, honour neurodivergent learners and their families, navigate cultural and linguistic differences, and structure conversations so everyone feels supported — including you. If you want a bite‑sized reset that turns interviews from pressure to partnership, this one’s for you.

In this episode of Think Different, Teach Better, we move from understanding anxiety to action. We explore practical, evidence-informed strategies teachers can use every day to support anxious students — without lowering expectations or increasing dependence. We discuss: • Predictability, routines and pre-correction • Co-regulation and emotional safety • Dr Claire Hayes’ Inverted Triangle • Reducing reassurance and building coping capacity • Uncertainty training in the classroom This episode is for educators who want to create calm, inclusive learning environments where students feel safe enough to learn — even when things feel hard.

The start of a new school year, or even returning after a break, can spark significant anxiety for many students. In this episode, Charlotte and Carla unpack what anxiety really is, why transitions trigger it, and how it presents in classrooms through behaviours like avoidance, perfectionism, shutdown, and emotional outbursts. They also share simple, in‑the‑moment strategies teachers can use to support students during those high‑pressure transition points. A must‑listen for educators wanting to create calmer, safer, and more predictable learning environments.

In Part 2 of Seb’s interview, we go deeper into what it’s really like to live with OCD and ADHD at the same time — not just as diagnoses, but as an ongoing internal tug-of-war. Seb describes the clash between a brain that craves certainty, safety, and “doing things the right way,” and another that seeks movement, stimulation, and flexibility. Together, they create exhaustion, inconsistency, and behaviour that is often misunderstood in school. This episode explores: • The emotional and energy cost of managing that internal battle • What teachers often miss when they focus on one diagnosis in isolation • The difference made by teachers who truly understood • Strategies that helped — and approaches that made things harder • What an ideal school day could look like for students with OCD and ADHD This isn’t about motivation or effort. It’s about reducing friction so students can meet expectations — not lowering them. A must-listen for educators who want to move beyond “Why won’t they?” and start asking, “What’s colliding for them right now?”

In this episode of Think Different, Teach Better, Seb shares his lived experience of navigating school with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) — with a particular focus on how OCD is often misunderstood in educational settings. Diagnosed with OCD in Year 6 and later with ADHD in Year 9, Seb reflects on what school felt like before and after diagnosis, how these two conditions interacted internally, and how behaviours were frequently misinterpreted by adults. This conversation offers educators valuable insight into the internal experience of OCD — beyond common stereotypes — and highlights how thoughtful, flexible teaching practices can make a meaningful difference for neurodivergent students. Content warning: This episode includes a brief reference to suicide and self-harm. Part 2 continues the conversation, exploring what didn’t work, what schools can learn, and how classrooms can be designed to better support students with OCD and ADHD.