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I understand the unique journey you're on, so I won't judge you or prescribe one-size-fits-all solutions. Instead, I'll work alongside you, respect your individual parenting style, while co-creating practical strategies tailored to your family's needs.

If you're ready to explore how I can support you, let's chat.

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Christian Vinceneux occupational therapist and a parent coach
Hi, I'm Christian Vinceneux

A neurodivergent coach serving neurodiverse families

As a kid, I often felt different. I was shy, forgetful, distracted, anxious; I was a daydreamer, deeply imaginative, and curious. I was empathetic and concerned with others’ wellbeing. I was reprimanded for talking too much, as well as for being too shy and quiet. I wanted to make friends but often felt socially awkward. I was often told by my teachers that I was gifted but that I wasn’t working to my potential.

Growing up in a neurodiverse family created a unique set of experiences where I learned to adapt to the unique traits of people around me. I became hyper-aware of how many sensory factors affected the well-being of those around me as well as my own.

When I started working with neurodivergent children, I realized how much I had in common with them. But it wasn't until much later, when I had enough information and self-awareness, that I realized I was neurodivergent. I eventually understood how much my own neurodivergence and upbringing in a neurodiverse family prepared me for working with neurodivergent individuals.

I’m much aware of the impact of growing up neurodivergent in a world that doesn’t understand it and often rejects it. My lifelong commitment to personal development has brought greater understanding and growing self-acceptance. Who I am today is very much linked to my neurodivergence. I can see more clearly than ever how it has shaped my personality, interests, career, and relationships. I’ve been able to let go of much of the shame linked to some of the challenges of neurodivergence, while also appreciating its strengths.

My personal and professional growth have been intertwined in so many ways. With a blend of passion, humility, empathy, and understanding, I deeply believe that I am meant to do this work.

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Published by Christian Vinceneux on Feb 14, 2025

From screen time to family time. A success story about Noah.

In this story, Noah's family successfully navigates their challenges by collaboratively developing a sustainable plan to reduce screen time, improve homework engagement, and foster stronger family connections, ultimately empowering Noah to express his emotions and take ownership of his responsibilities.

From screen time to family time. A success story about Noah.

We Feel Like We're Losing Our Son

When Noah’s parents contacted me, they were overwhelmed.

Noah was 14 and autistic, and his only interest seemed to be for screen time.

He had been refusing to participate in family activities. His grades were getting worse, in spite of his parents spending an incredible amount of time supporting him with his homework.

Whenever his parents set limits, he pushed back. Arguments were constant, and he had meltdowns at least 3 times a week.

His parents felt they were losing him. Some of these challenges were typical of what many teens go through, but autism made things a lot more complex.

How Do We Get There?

Noah’s parents were very clear on the goals they wanted to work on.

They wanted Noah to:

1. Spend less time on screens

2. Engage more with the family

3. Be more invested in homework.

They craved quality time and less conflict. They just didn’t know how to make it happen. They weren’t sure it was even possible.

Finally A Positive Shift

After 3 months of working together, Noah’s parents implemented a new plan for screen time that Noah agreed to, which was very important.

Homework became easier. Noah started showing more ownership of what he needed to do. He became willing to participate in family meetings on Sundays where everyone shared their wins and challenges.

He was showing more interest in family activities. Arguments and the meltdowns decreased. His parents saw their relationship with Noah improve. They felt they could breathe again. They were no longer in fight or flight all the time.

What Helped?

We first had to understand what was truly going on. We used Noah's behavior as data to understand what were the contributing factors.

In the same way that his parents felt stuck, Noah felt stuck. He resented his parents’ help with homework but he knew he couldn’t succeed on his own.

He wanted to be more independent but felt incompetent. I suspected that his time on screens was a way to cope with his anxiety and resentment. Even though it wasn’t very effective, he was using screen time to self regulate.

We developed a sustainable screen time plan with a specific  schedule. The key was to include Noah in the process and help him find different outlets to self regulate, like riding his bike, shooting hoops, and taking his dog for walks.

Noah struggled expressing his emotions, which led to blowing up, isolating, or shutting down. I knew we had to find ways to help him in this area.

To address this challenge, his parents learned to reframe their expectations and focus more on what Noah needed to succeed in that moment.

They learned to validate his emotions and express their own emotions differently. They also realized they had a lot of  anxiety about Noah’s grades which was adding pressure on Noah.

By learning to let go and allow for some failure, Noah actually felt more empowered and became more motivated to do his homework. Instead of pushing back with homework, he started asking for help when he couldn’t figure it out on his own.

There were still challenges but he was no longer in constant fight or flight mode. He showed more interest in spending time with his parents.

3 Key Steps In This Case:

1. Understanding what was contributing to Noah’s dysregulation.

2. Empowering him by including him in problem-solving.

3. Guiding his parents to regulate their anxiety and shift some of their strategies.

‍

The approach I used was family-centered, relationship-based, and neuro-affirming. It created no shame and it focused on building lifelong skills. It empowered both Noah and his parents.

‍

Christian Vinceneux
Raising a child with ADHD and/or Autism can be complex

If you’re feeling stuck and this approach resonates with you, I’d love to talk with you about how we can support your child in a way that honors their unique needs while giving you confidence in your parenting.

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Other Success Stories

More Stories
From melting down to calmly asking for help. A success story about Sophia.
From melting down to calmly asking for help. A success story about Sophia.
In this story, Julie discovers that her daughter Sophia's overwhelming excitement during activities leads to dysregulation, prompting her to implement strategies that foster self-awareness and emotional regulation for both of them.
How Emily and her parents overcame homework drama.
How Emily and her parents overcame homework drama.
How introducing movement breaks, adjusting her workspace, and shifting expectations, helped Emily to stay regulated and finish homework faster and without tears.
From Rainy Recess to Grocery Store Meltdown: How can we help Lucas?
From Rainy Recess to Grocery Store Meltdown: How can we help Lucas?
This story explores how Lucas's meltdown at the grocery store was triggered by several sensory factors, highlighting how understanding the root cause of behavior can help parents support better regulation in children with ADHD and/or Autism.
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