In this deeply personal episode, Josh and Hannah sit down late at night in their tiny apartment in Japan to talk honestly about the real reason their family moved overseas for a year.

What started as an opportunity to teach abroad slowly became something much bigger — a response to burnout, mental exhaustion, and the growing realisation that something needed to change.

Together they unpack:

• what burnout actually looked like behind closed doors,
• the emotional weight of making a huge decision for a young family,
• parenting children through uncertainty and homesickness,
• the realities of starting again in another country,
• and why they still believe the experience has been worth it.

This episode is not about teaching being uniquely difficult, nor is it an attempt to romanticise moving overseas as the answer to burnout. It’s simply an honest conversation about mental health, family, vulnerability, and what can happen when people choose to support each other through a hard season of life.

There are moments in this episode that feel heavy, reflective, funny, hopeful and raw — which probably makes it one of the most honest conversations we’ve had on the podcast so far.

If this episode resonates with you, we’d love for you to share it with someone else who might need it.

Music Credits:Ember – The Lakes (via Uppbeat)Green Leaf – The Lakes (via Uppbeat)

Follow PTIP on Instagram: @parent_teacher_interview_pod

In Part 2, we zoom out from personal experience to the broader ecosystem around neurodivergent children. Laetitia shares insights from her work with Understanding Zoe and what over 1,000 families have revealed about the realities of raising and supporting neurodivergent kids.

We take a deeper look at the Understanding Zoe platform itself—a tool designed to help families better understand their child’s unique profile, bridge the gap between home and school, and provide practical, personalised strategies grounded in real data from families. It’s about moving beyond labels and toward meaningful, day-to-day support.

This episode is all about community—what it looks like, why it matters, and how we build it.

We also unpack some of the key ideas and resources Laetitia references throughout the episode—helping to reframe how we think about behaviour, connection, and support for neurodivergent children in a way that feels both practical and achievable for families.

We explore the idea that challenges often don’t come from the child themselves, but from a mismatch between the child and their environment. This aligns with the social model of disability, which suggests that greater understanding, flexibility, and acceptance in society can significantly improve outcomes for neurodivergent individuals.

In this episode, we cover:

• Key findings from Understanding Zoe’s research with families
• How the Understanding Zoe platform supports families and schools
• Why support systems—not just strategies—are critical
• The role of schools, parents, and community in shaping outcomes
• Influential ideas and resources for supporting neurodivergent children
• The “double empathy problem” and mutual understanding
• Practical ways to better support neurodivergent children

Resources & Links:

• Understanding Zoe White Paper:
  https://understandingzoe.com/white-paper
• The Rainbow Brain by Sandhya Menon

• The Brain Forest by Sandhya Menon

• Research reference: Autism Acceptance and Mental Health
• Understanding Zoe - https://understandingzoe.com/
• Understanding Zoe Instagram (@understanding.zoe)

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Music Credits:

• Ember – The Lakes (via Uppbeat)
• Green Leaf – The Lakes (via Uppbeat)

In this powerful first episode, we sit down with Understanding Zoe co-founder Laetitia Andrac to explore her late diagnosis of ADHD and autism—and the moment everything finally clicked.

Laetitia shares her personal journey of growing up feeling different, navigating life without answers, and the profound clarity that came with diagnosis later in life. This conversation unpacks identity, self-understanding, and what it really means to view neurodivergence through a strengths-based lens.

We also dive into the concept of autism acceptance—and why it matters so deeply for mental health. Research highlights that a lack of acceptance is strongly linked to higher rates of anxiety, depression, and stress for autistic individuals, while self-acceptance and community connection can act as protective factors.

🔑 In this episode, we cover:

• The experience of a late ADHD and autism diagnosis
• Why so many people—especially women—are missed early
• The emotional impact of finally understanding yourself
• The shift from deficit thinking to neurodiversity
• The importance of identity, language, and self-acceptance

📚 Resources & Links:

• Understanding Zoe White Paper (1,091 Australian families):
  https://understandingzoe.com/white-paper
• Research reference: Autism Acceptance and Mental Health

🎵 Music Credits:

• Ember – The Lakes (via Uppbeat)
• Green Leaf – The Lakes (via Uppbeat)