In this episode of the Exceptional Girls Podcast, host Julie Withrow sits down with clinical psychologist and author Dr. Gail Post to unpack the complex relationship between neurodivergence and eating disorders.

Drawing from decades of experience, Gail offers professional insights and practical advice for parents and caregivers navigating these challenges.

🔑 Listen in as Gail shares:

• The surprising connections between autism, ADHD, and various eating disorders, and how neurodivergence may contribute to disordered eating patterns.
• The key signs and symptoms parents should look for if they suspect their child is struggling with an eating disorder.
• Actionable strategies for supporting your child, including how to approach difficult conversations and when to seek professional help.

About Dr. Gail Post, PhD
Dr. Gail Post is a Clinical Psychologist, a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and author of the 2022 book The Gifted Parenting Journey: A Guide to Self-discovery and Support for Families of Gifted Children. Gail has worked in the gifted field for over 20 years, has written widely, provided workshops and parenting consultations, and advocates for the needs of the gifted.

Over her 35 year career, Gail has also worked extensively with individuals with eating disorders. Her experience includes serving as the director of psychological services for a hospital-based obesity treatment program, the director of group psychotherapy at a residential eating disorder treatment center, and the president of the Philadelphia chapter of the American Anorexia and Bulimia Association. To learn more:

• Website: www.gailpost.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GiftedChallenges/
• Substack: https://psychologyperspective.substack.com/

About the Exceptional Girls Podcast
If you know and care deeply about a girl who learns, thinks, and experiences the world differently, I invite you to journey with me as we learn how we as parents, adults, and role models can help her understand, self-advocate, accept, and love herself — just as she is. To learn more, visit www.exceptionalgirlspodcast.com.

In this episode of the Exceptional Girls podcast, I’m thrilled to be joined by Dr. Melinda Edwards. As the mother of an autistic daughter and a practicing physician, Dr. Edwards’ views on autism may surprise you.

Listen in as Dr. Edwards shares:

• How her initial feelings of grief and loss about her daughter's diagnosis shifted in a dramatic way
• The profound insights she's learned about being autistic from her daughter Saachi
• How she rectifies the typical medical definition of autism with her own spiritual understanding of it
• Her comforting advice for those who are still coming to terms with an autism diagnosis

About Dr. Melinda Edwards, MD:
Dr. Edwards is a practicing physician in Charleston, South Carolina. She's also mom to Saachi, her autistic daughter, and the founder and president of Living Darshan, a non-profit organization that’s fostering a deeper understanding of autism in the world.

Dr. Edwards attended the Medical University of South Carolina and completed her residency in psychiatry at Stanford Medical Center. Also a writer, Dr. Edwards is a columnist for Autism Parenting Magazine, as well as the author of the Amazon bestselling book PSYCHE & SPIRIT: How a Psychiatrist Found Divinity Through Her Lifelong Quest for Truth and Her Daughter’s Autism.

To learn more about Dr. Edwards, visit www.melindaedwardsmd.com.

About the Exceptional Girls podcast
If you know and care deeply about a girl who learns, thinks, and experiences the world differently, I invite you to journey with me as we learn how we as parents, adults, and role models can help her understand, self-advocate, accept, and love herself — just as she is. To learn more, visit www.exceptionalgirlspodcast.com.

In this episode, you'll hear from Dr. Alexis Bitting, a licensed mental health counselor who holds a Ph.D. in clinical sexology. Dr. Alexis has extensive experience working with neurodivergent young people, as well as those who are questioning their gender identity and sexuality.

Listen in as Dr. Alexis shares her expertise and insights:

• Is this just a phase? How to know if your child's gender questioning is a special interest, if they're being influenced by their friends, or if it's "real."
• Cis and trans and nonbinary — oh my! Understanding gender vocabulary and why it's important.
• Breaking down gender identity: What gender is AND what it isn't.

Dr. Alexis also shared two resources to help understand the differences between gender identity, gender expression, sexual gender, and sexual orientation:

• https://www.itspronouncedmetrosexual.com/2018/10/the-genderbread-person-v4/
• https://www.autisticparentsuk.org/post/understanding-gender-identity-for-autistic-parents

About Dr. Alexis Bitting, Ph.D.:
A licensed mental health counselor and clinical sexologist, Dr. Alexis Bitting works with children, teens, and adults with social and developmental delays, including autism spectrum disorders, Asperger’s, ADHD, non-verbal learning, and other challenges. With extensive experience working with LGBTQ+ clients, as well as supporting young people who are questioning their gender identity and sexuality, she regularly presents on topics including gender diversity and neurodiversity, sexuality across the spectrum, and social skills development. To learn more about Dr. Alexis, visit https://www.southfloridatherapists.com/team/dr-alexis-bitting/.

About the Exceptional Girls podcast
If you know and care deeply about a girl who learns, thinks, and experiences the world differently, I invite you to journey with me as we learn how we as parents, adults, and role models can help her understand, self-advocate, accept, and love herself — just as she is. To learn more, visit www.exceptionalgirlspodcast.com.

**A Special Note about this Episode from the Host**

This episode was especially personal for me. I’ve shared a little about my own child’s gender exploration. I even took some time away from the podcast to contemplate how to proceed since my own "daughter," who inspired this podcast and is now a senior in high school, no longer identifies as female.

Where I landed is that whether my child identifies as a girl or not doesn’t change how I feel about the importance of raising awareness about the female experience of being neurodivergent. I’m also hopeful that by being transparent and sharing our experiences navigating gender identity, it will be helpful to others who are going through a similar experience.

***Some audio errors were found in the original release of this episode. Those errors were fixed, and the episode was updated on April 15, 2024.***