The ADHD Advice Every Parent Needs w/ Lisa Richer

What happens when a parent knows something is different about their child, but no one seems to listen? In this episode of the Attention Different Podcast, Stephen Tonti and Aaron Smith sit down with 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐚 𝐑𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 ‪@Journey2bloom‬ neurodiversity consultant, special education advocate, and founder of Journey to Bloom, to discuss what it really takes to support neurodivergent children beyond a diagnosis. Drawing from her own experience raising two neurodivergent sons, Lisa shares how trusting her instincts, navigating early intervention, and learning to advocate within the education system transformed not only her children's lives but her own. Together, they explore why early intervention matters, how parents can build the right support team, what schools often get wrong about IEPs and 504 Plans, and why neurodiversity should be understood through a strengths-based lens rather than a deficit model. The conversation also dives into masking, burnout, radical acceptance, and how creating environments where children can authentically be themselves leads to better outcomes for everyone. ✨Highlights✨ ✔️Why trusting your parental instincts can make all the difference. ✔️What early intervention really is and how families can access it. ✔️The differences between IEPs and 504 Plans. ✔️How to advocate effectively during school meetings. ✔️Why "fixing" neurodivergent children is the wrong goal. ✔️What radical acceptance looks like in parenting and education. ✔️How masking develops and why authentic self-expression matters. ✔️Practical strategies for building a support team around your child. “𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑔𝑖𝑓𝑡 𝐼'𝑣𝑒 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑚𝑦 𝑘𝑖𝑑𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒 𝑎𝑢𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑠, 𝑛𝑜 𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡.” — 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐚 𝐑𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 Whether you're a parent, educator, clinician, or neurodivergent adult, this conversation offers practical guidance, validation, and hope for creating environments where every child has the opportunity to thrive. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺: Hosts: Aaron Smith, Devin Pitts-Rogers & Stephen Tonti Producer: David Grabowski Editor: Ian Hernandez Sound Mix & Theme Music: David Grabowski -------------------------------------------------------------------- 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗨𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺: Lisa Richer   / journey2bloom   Stephen Tonti   / adhdtonti   Aaron Smith   / potentialwithinreach   New Merch - https://www.redbubble.com/people/attn... -------------------------------------------------------------------- At Attention Different, our mission is to spark conversations through media and events that empower individuals with ADHD by celebrating their unique strengths. We're here to shift perceptions, building a community where ADHD is recognized not as a limitation, but as a source of resilience and creativity. Together, we proudly declare: 'We’re not just living with ADHD, we’re thriving with it.' -------------------------------------------------------------------- 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗨𝘀: • Website - https://www.attentiondifferent.com • Instagram -   / attention_different   • Facebook -   / attndifferent   • X - https://x.com/attndifferent -------------------------------------------------------------------- 👍 If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone to remind them why trusting their gut matters and show them how to turn that intuition into action. #ADHD #Autism #Neurodiversity #Parenting #SpecialEducation #IEP #504Plan #ExecutiveFunction #MentalHealth #AttentionDifferent