Brendan Mahan helps parents understand why a child who knows what to do and may even want to do it can still struggle to get started. In this conversation, he explains the “Wall of Awful” and how parents can help their child move forward without unintentionally making that wall harder to overcome. The secret this week is… You CAN Get Past The Wall
Welcome to Episode 328 of Autism Parenting Secrets.
This week, I’m joined by Brendan Mahan, an ADHD and executive function consultant, coach, speaker, and author of Overcoming the Wall of Awful.
The Wall of Awful is Brendan’s model for the emotional barrier that can build between us and the things we struggle with or have failed at.
For neurodivergent kids, those barriers can become especially significant.
And what looks like laziness, defiance, or a lack of motivation from the outside may have something very different underneath it.
Brendan explains why getting curious about what’s making something difficult is so important and how we parents can sometimes unknowingly “add bricks” to our child’s wall.
We also explore practical ways to lower the barrier to getting started, including scaffolding, breaking tasks into smaller pieces, helping a child envision the end result, and giving them greater agency.
And Brendan shares an important lesson from his own parenting journey about the difference between helping because our child genuinely needs help and stepping in because it’s difficult for us to watch them struggle.
The secret this week is…
You CAN Get Past The Wall
You'll Discover:
About Our Guest:
Brendan Mahan, M.Ed., M.S., is an ADHD and executive function consultant, coach, and speaker. A veteran educator and former teacher, principal, and mental health clinician, he specializes in helping people affected by ADHD, autism, and anxiety lessen the impact of their struggles.
Brendan is the host of The ADHD Essentials Podcast and creator of the Wall of Awful model. His book, Overcoming the Wall of Awful: Why It’s Hard to Get Things Done with ADHD, Autism, and Anxiety (and How to Do Them Anyway), explores the emotional barriers behind procrastination, avoidance, and overwhelm.
References in this Episode:
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