The School Can't Experience
For parents and caregivers of young people who struggle to attend school, and related education and health professionals. We share experiences and insights into what is going on for our young people and how we can offer support.
Episodes
In this episode host Leisa Reichelt is joined by Dr Kara Johns to discuss the crucial role that General Practitioners (GPs) can play in supporting families struggling with School Can’t.
Dr. Johns, a GP from South Australia, shares her personal and professional insights on handling School Can't situations. They explore the importance of building strong GP-family relationships, navigating the Australian health system, and the Med...
In this episode of the School Can't Experience Podcast, host Leisa Reichelt discusses the recent Australian Network for School Attendance Conference with Tiffany Westphal and Louise Rogers from School Can't Australia.
They share valuable insights and highlights from the event, discussing various topics such as the impact of stressors on student attendance, the importance of lived experience in shaping policies, and the co...
In our first parent/young person duet episode, Simone and her teenager Yani share their journey through years of school struggles, home education, and eventually finding a path forward that works. Together, they talk openly about the challenges of separation anxiety, dyslexia, School Can’t, and the toll it takes on both parent and child.
What shines through is their honesty, resilience, and the strength of their relationship as they...
In this episode of the School Can't Experience Podcast, host Leisa Reichelt speaks with Symone Wheatley-Hey, an advocate for neurodivergent voices in education.
Symone shares her personal journey of navigating 'School Can't' as a sole parent to two neurodivergent children. The discussion covers Symone's experiences with home education, the impact of PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) on schooling, and the ...
Returning guest Dr. Naomi Fisher joins host Leisa Reichelt and School Can’t Australia’s Tiffany Westphal and returning guest Dr. Naomi Fisher to deep dive into the pressing issue of parental burnout.
Dr. Fisher, Clinical Psychologist and expert in supporting parents with burned out School Can’t kids, provides valuable insights into recognizing, understanding, and combating burnout among parents and carers.
You’ll get practical tips...
In this episode, you’ll meet Diana, a mother of two young people with School Can’t experiences. Diana joins host Leisa Reichelt to candidly share her experiences supporting her son James through his struggles with mainstream schooling.
From early signs like separation anxiety and hating birthday parties and swimming lessons, to the challenges of advocating for access to Distance Education including supports for undertaking the Highe...
In this episode of the School Can't Experience Podcast, host Leisa Reichelt is joined by South Australian parents Kate and Daniel, who discuss their experiences caring for three neurodivergent children, two of whom they are currently home educating.
They share their challenges with the traditional school system, the transition to home education, the realities of day to day life and low demand parenting, and strategies they use...
In this episode, host Leisa Reichelt is joined by School Can't mum Nicola, who shares her family's journey through School Can’t challenges.
Nicola discusses the challenges her family has faced in finding the best way to support her children in their well being as well as their education. She shares the challenges of shifting her mindset, having come from a background that valued academics. Nicola talks about her grief for...
In this heartfelt episode of the School Can't Experience Podcast, host Leisa Reichelt is joined by Jane, a School Can’t parent.
Jane shares her journey with her son Johnny, who was diagnosed with ADHD and autism, and the struggles they faced within the school system. Despite a series of setbacks, Jane's advocacy led to finding a supportive educational environment where Johnny is now thriving.
00:00 Welcome to the Sch...
In this episode of the School Can't Experience Podcast, host Leisa Reichelt is joined by Louise Rogers from School Can't Australia and their guest, Eliza Fricker.
Eliza, known for her insightful School Can't Illustrations and webinars, shares her personal journey of navigating 'School Can't' with her daughter. They discuss the challenges of the school environment, the emotional toll on parents, and the...
In this episode, host Leisa Reichelt compiles into stories shared by six parents—Jennie, Marissa, Mark, Jane, Emma, and Lisa—who talk about their struggles and revelations while caring for children who struggle with school attendance.
From early signs of stress and school-related anxiety to burnout, the episode highlights common themes like masking, parent blaming, and the importance of understanding nervous system responses.
As pa...
This episode features a conversation with Tiffany Westphal, Director at School Can't Australia. With host, Leisa Reichelt, Tiffany helps us explore the top six school-based stressors identified in a survey conducted for the Senate Inquiry into School Refusal.
They discuss the nature of stressors, and the key findings from the research, providing valuable insights for parents, carers, and educators to better support children st...
In this episode, host Leisa Reichelt is joined by Lisa McLean as they discuss her daughter Mia's struggles with school attendance and anxiety.
Lisa shares her family's journey from identifying early signs of anxiety in primary school, navigating high school challenges, understanding the mind-body connection, to ultimately finding alternative educational pathways.
They discuss the stress and pressure felt by the entire fam...
This week we’re talking with Emma Brooksby, Managing Director at U&I Educational Partners, about the demands school places on executive function.
Emma, who has ADHD and a background as a school principal, shares her journey and offers insights into how executive function challenges manifest in educational settings and ways to support students who have executive function challenges.
We explore strategies to help kids succeed despi...
This week we return to our Lived Experience series and host Leisa Reichelt is joined by Mark Thompson, a father of two daughters from the south coast of New South Wales.
Mark shares the struggles and triumphs of raising his autistic daughter, codename Bluey, as she faces challenges with attending school. From the daycare where Bluey thrived, to the increasing difficulties in preschool and beyond, Mark shares their journey through t...
Dr. Ross Greene, founder of the Collaborative and Proactive Solutions (CPS) model joins host Leisa Reichelt and guest Louise Rogers from School Can't Australia in this episode of the School Can't Experience podcast.
Dr. Greene explains the philosophy behind CPS, focusing on identifying and solving problems that cause challenging behaviours rather than just addressing the behaviours themselves. He discusses practi...
In this episode of the School Can't Experience Podcast, host Leisa Reichelt is joined by clinical psychologist Adelle Sushames to discuss innovative methods for improving communication with neurodivergent children.
Adelle shares her journey, introduces the card decks she has created (Spoon Thieves, Spoon Savers, ND Me), and explains how these tools help children articulate their experiences and needs.
The conversation covers t...
In this episode of the School Can't Experience Podcast, host Leisa Reichelt chats with clinical psychologist Monique Mitchelson, co-host of the Neurodivergent Woman Podcast.
They explore the often misunderstood concept of resilience, especially for our neurodivergent young people.
Monique, who is autistic and ADHD herself, shares her journey and highlights the challenges and necessary shifts in education systems to support neur...
In this episode of the School Can't Experience Podcast, host Leisa Reichelt is joined by School Can’t Australia’s Tiffany Westphal and expert guest, Anna Clarke, to discuss the importance of neurodiversity affirming care.
Anna, a psychologist and play therapist, shares her personal and professional journey as a late-diagnosed autistic and ADHD individual. The conversation explores the principles and challenges of neuro affirmi...
In this episode of the 'School Can't Experience Podcast,' host Leisa Reichelt speaks with Jackie Hall, founder of the Parental Stress Center.
Jackie shares her journey to understanding the four ‘stressful thinking lenses’ that can make difficult parenting situations much more stressful, and how we can shift our mindset to alleviate distress. Jackie emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and challenges traditiona...
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