
199 | should my autistic child do a social skills group?
EVOLVE with Dr. Tay: the podcast for parents of autistic kidsShow Notes
this week’s episode was inspired directly by a diagnostic feedback session inside dr. tay’s clinical practice. one parent asked a question that so many others wonder:
“should i be teaching social skills to my autistic child… and if so, how?”
in this episode, dr. tay breaks down why traditional social skills approaches often miss the mark, how they can unintentionally promote masking, and what a neurodiversity-affirming approach looks like instead.
you’ll learn:
why “social skills” often = neurotypical norms what actually helps autistic kids build authentic connection practical ways to support social growth at home, without scripts or forcing how to understand what your child needs based on their motivation, interests, and neurotype
TIMESTAMPS 00:00 introduction and episode inspiration 00:21 diagnostic feedback and recommendations 01:57 therapeutic approaches and parent coaching 04:34 addressing social skills in autistic children 05:52 neurodiversity affirming approaches 08:00 practical strategies and role-playing 12:04 real-life situations and empathy building 16:16 parental involvement and social skills groups 23:03 conclusion and next steps
RESOURCES ⚡️need more support navigating this? Join EVOLVE the membership — a neurodiversity-affirming space to ask YOUR questions. ⚡️ learn more about Dr. Tay’s Whole Family Approach + current services, including her small group therapy model, at drtaylorday.com ⚡️ keep learning Instagram → @the.dr.tay TikTok → @the.dr.tay
More from EVOLVE with Dr. Tay: the podcast for parents of autistic kids
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.
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.
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.
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.
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