
Misunderstood By My Parents: Healing from the Trauma of Neurodivergent Parenting: Giji Dennard
Neurodiverse Love with Mona Kay, MSW, Ph.D.Show Notes
Being understood, by both loved ones and strangers, is one of the core heart desires of every human being. Child development becomes particularly challenged when parents’ neurodivergence repeatedly contributes to children feeling misunderstood by their primary caretakers. Years of this disconnect can create a variety of emotional and mental health dysfunction in the children. During this session from the 2025 Neurodiverse Love Conference Giji Dennard explored several of the effects of this dilemma, then offers hope for healing through the her 3-step jumpstart program.
Bio: As a passionate, creative, and articulate storyteller, Giji Dennard brings a cornucopia of academic, professional, and real-world experience to every communication--written or oral—with particular expertise in the areas of healing in parent-child relationships, identity cultivation, and Kingdom living. From state champion orator in high school to sole female speaker at the inaugural Father-Shift Conference, she has engaged and inspired audiences for over five decades with her transparency and empathy. In 2022, Giji Dennard wrote and published Strange Fruit: A Paradigm for Changing the World by Our Choices (a digital devotional) and the 2nd Edition of Hungry for Wholeness: A Call to Pursue Healing & Restoration in Your Father-Child Relationship, first published in 2012. Giji is on a mission to help you unstop the wellsprings in your life to pour out your full potential. Learn more about Giji at https://www.wellfedresources.com/
More from Neurodiverse Love with Mona Kay, MSW, Ph.D.
It has been an honor and a privilege for me to have hosted and co-hosted the Neurodiverse Love podcast since the fall of 2020. I will be forever grateful to my dear friend Olga, who agreed to start this podcast journey with me in the middle of the pandemic, and to all my co-hosts who have partnered with me along the way: Manecia, Greg, Nicole and Bronwyn.
This wonderful conversation is one of the amazing panel discussions from the 2025 Neurodiverse Love Conference.
The four part Neurodiverse Love Docuseries shows how 4 neurodiverse couples navigate different communication styles, emotional needs, sensory and physical intimacy differences, and employment and special interests. In addition, three therapists/coaches who work with neurodiverse couples share strategies, tools and insights that can help neurodiverse couples navigate their strengths, challenges and differences. Check out the first 2 episodes here: https://www.neurodiverselove.com/the-documentary
The intro and first two episodes of the Neurodiverse Love Docuseries are available here. The first episode addresses communication differences and the second episode focuses on emotional reciprocity.
This episode is a very informative panel discussion from the 2025 Neurodiverse Love Conference. The following individuals participated in this conversation and I hope you find the information they shared helpful.