We are a therapy collective with a specific focus on neurodiversity, early childhood, brain science, attachment, expressive arts and the power of play.
Parental burnout: the signs we see most often
Published 3 days ago • 2 min read
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Hi Reader,
In practice here, we often meet parents who are experiencing burnout or who are afraid of tipping into burnout and are seeking support as a result. Signs include overwhelming exhaustion, a sense of emotional disconnection from their kids, a loss of pleasure and sense of effectiveness as a parent, and an awareness that the parent you are now is different from the one you used to be. When in a state like this many parents can feel completely unable to engage in self-care, may lose physical function like communication abilities as well.
This month I spoke with Real Work therapist Jenn Mohn, about her experience in working as a therapist for parents. We also did some research on burnout in highly sensitive and neurodivergent parents, and wrote a summary on the blog
“I find so much that talking with clients and getting creative about what works for each individual carer is what works. Likewise, I can offer tools/resources, but even incorporating just one more thing can add to overwhelm so they don't always work for everyone... more often than not they just want to be heard, understood, and validated.” --Real Work therapist for parents, Jenn Mohn
Read more about burnout in both sensitive or neurodivergent parents and those in care professions on our blog:
Brave Spark Drama Club with Mick James offers a truly neuroaffirming experience for kids!
Message from Mick:
Since neuro-affirming care is what The Real Work was built on, I've made it the core of how Brave Spark operates. Here's what that looks like:
Small groups so learning can be personalized.
Weekly lesson plans with games, broken-down steps, and ideas for practicing at home. Families get these several days before each class so kids have time to sit with the content.
Post-class overviews for families covering what happened in the room, what we're working on, and how to support learning at home.
Audio scripts for kids who can't or would rather not learn by reading. It's just me reading the script into a voice memo, but it's made a big difference for kids who learn differently.
Pre-highlighted scripts for kids who want a physical copy, with their lines already shaded in yellow.
Roles adapted to each child's comfort and confidence. We take a beloved story and shape it around the kids in the room. In our Peter Pan, everyone gets a standout moment. Some characters are mostly nonverbal and communicate through comedy and choreographed movement, while others have lines. It's still the story everyone knows, with Neverland, Tinker Bell's pixie dust, and a grumpy Captain Hook who's scared of crocodiles, built so every kid feels successful by the end.
Special Interest Groups are Back!
Fall 2026 Update:
Hi Wonderful families! It’s me, Gabi. Our Nintendo group has been such a hit (and so much fun, for the grown ups as well as the kids) that we will be continuing that group through the fall and winter. I am swapping the Arts and Crafts group for a new topic, which will be Fantasy, Magic, and Fairytales! (Think kids who love princesses, dragons, fairy gardens, magic powers, etc.) Nintendo group is still running as well.
Therapy Collective for Kids, Teens and Parents | Therapist-Designed Resources + Education
We are a therapy collective with a specific focus on neurodiversity, early childhood, brain science, attachment, expressive arts and the power of play.
