Episode 650: Michele Portlock, Raising Neurodivergent Children

Listen, Learn & Love Hosted by Richard Ostler

Richard Ostler

Religion & Spirituality

4.8 • 839 Ratings

🗓️ 1 June 2023

⏱️ 76 minutes

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Summary

My friend Michele Portlock (married mother of 4) joins us to share her story. Michele talks about parenting neurodivergent children (e.g. ADHD, Autism) which led her to go back to college to get a Masters Degree in special education and start an LLC called Navigating the Spectrum—which also includes a podcast. Michele brings her experience as a parent, academic training, and professional work to bring more tools and understanding to “better show up” for neurodivergent children. I learned so much listening to Michele. Michele also talks about her gay daughter Brielle who recently graduated college. She talks about working through autism, anxiety, and dark times around her sexual orientation—to now a thriving daughter who is doing much good in the world with her college work and her plans for a PhD. Michele talks about the correlation between neurodivergent children and not being straight—but she clearly points out that being neurodivergent is a diagnosis while not being straight is who people are. And ending being neurodivergent doesn’t change someone sexual orientation/gender identity. Michele also talks about the journey to love and support her daughter Brielle as she has stepped away from the Church and rebuilding their relationship in new and thoughtful ways. Thank you, Michele, for being on the podcast and your wonderful work in our community. I encourage all parents (even without neurodivergent children) to listen to this podcast to learn how we can better love and support others. Podcast Links: Website: www.micheleportlock.com Instagram: @navigating.the.spectrum Ministering to LGBTQ Latter-day Saints Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1433556613672143 Richard Ostler Book: Embracing LGBTQ Latter-day Saints: Deseret Book: www.deseretbook.com/p/listen-learn-and-love-embracing-lgbtq-latter-day-saints Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/1462135773

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome listeners to another episode of Listen, Learn, and Love hosted by Richard Osler.
0:09.6	I'm really glad to have a guest on the podcast that's talked about a subject we've never talked about.
0:16.1	And that's neurodivergent children.
0:19.1	My guest is Michelle Portlock. Welcome to the podcast, Michelle.
0:23.4	Hi, Richard. Thanks for having me. And Michelle has one L in her Michelle. So when you see her name in
0:30.1	your mind, don't put two Ls in it. And Portlock, I figure you can spell without my help.
0:37.4	Michelle is joining us from Parker, Colorado, a beautiful
0:41.0	part of, I think a suburb south of Denver that I've driven through, a beautiful part of the
0:45.6	world with the mountains on her west, if I got my geography ride. She's a ward release society
0:52.9	president. She's a mother of four neurodivergent children.
0:57.3	She is a master's degree in special education, and one of her four children identifies as gay.
1:04.9	And so we've never really talked about the link between neurodivergent children like children with ADHD.
1:13.5	I can't say that, Michelle.
1:15.4	You've got it.
1:15.9	You've got it.
1:16.3	ADHD and also autism.
1:18.8	And I kind of sense there's a correlation, but she will talk about this, this is a difference.
1:26.0	But there is some correlation there and she's coming
1:28.6	this from a academic background she also started an LLC called navigating the
1:36.5	spectrum we'll linking we'll link to that in the show notes she hosts her own podcast so i really
1:42.0	encourage you if you've got neurodivergent children to check out Michelle's resources.
1:47.4	So professionally, she's in this space.
	...

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