From Punishment to Partnership: Cultivating Harmony in a Neurodiverse Household-Theresa Regan

Interactions within a typical household often follow a "policing" model, grounded in rules, expectations, and a focus on shortcomings. The common messages tend to be “Do better” and “Be better.” In this episode from the 2025 Neurodiverse Love Conference Dr. Regan discusses how recognizing the neurological differences among household members can transform this policing culture into one that fosters creativity, innovation, and collaboration. This method promotes curiosity and problem-solving while reducing feelings of shame and blame. Such a shift encourages a strategy-based approach that helps each household member get their needs met as effectively as possible, while also understanding when their needs may not be fulfilled within the household and why.

Bio: Dr. Theresa Regan, PhD, CAS is a neuropsychologist with over 30 years of experience in hospital settings, specializes in autism in adolescents and adults. As the founder and director of an Autism Diagnostic Clinic in central, Illinois she has conducted nearly 1,000 autism evaluations and has provided care to clients across multiple states. She is the author of the Understanding Autism book series, host of the Autism in the Adult podcast with over half a million downloads across 150 countries, and a developer of continuing education courses, including the Zur Institute Autism Certificate courses for professionals. A dedicated clinician and educator, Dr. Regan combines professional expertise with personal insight as the mother of an autistic young adult. For more information, explore her website at: adultandgeriatricautism.com