Healing the Tigress Ep. 40 - Neurodivergent Moms Raising Autistic Kids with Jenny Lai & Bettina Lopez-Lam from Not A Tiger Mom Podcast
On our final episode of the season, we were thrilled to interview another AAPI mom duo, who host a podcast named "Not a Tiger Mom Podcast." We have been wanting to bring on AAPI moms who identify as neurodivergent or are raising neurodivergent children, and both of these moms identify as neurodivergent themselves AND are raising autistic children AND work with neurodivergent children in their careers (behavioral analyst and speech therapist)!
Jenny Lai, MA, BCBA and Bettina Lopez-Lam, MS, CCC-SLP, IBCLC, are the amazing duo behind Not a Tiger Mom Podcast. Jenny is Chinese-Cambodian American, and Bettina is Filipino American and they met on Instagram in 2023 through their shared experiences of raising autistic sons. Bettina is a late-diagnosed autistic and ADHD (AuDHD) individual, a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and birth trauma, and has navigated postpartum depression and anxiety. Jenny is self-diagnosed with ADHD, identifies with highly sensitive person (HSP) traits, and has a clinical history of anxiety and depression.
In 2024, they launched the Not a Tiger Mom Podcast, where they speak candidly about their lives as neurodivergent AAPI mothers raising autistic children. Through heartfelt and relatable conversations, they aim to break cultural stigma and encourage others in the community to find connection, healing, and acceptance.
On our podcast episode today, we discuss:
- The journey of how Jenny and Bettina discovered they were neurodivergent themselves (both found out later in life)
- How being neurodivergent may have impacted Jenny and Bettina's postpartum experience
- The experience of getting autism diagnoses for their kids and how it affected their mental healths
- The importance of using neurodivergent-affirming language
- How being AAPI adds another layer to being neurodivergent and raising neurodivergent children
- The importance of having neurodivergent-identifying providers such as Jenny and Bettina in the space of support for neurodivergent kids
- The controversy behind traditional ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) therapy versus neuro-affirming ABA therapy.
- Addressing the harmful comments and misrepresentation of the autistic community
We encourage those who want to learn more about Jenny and Bettina's journeys to check out their pages and podcast!
Find more of Jenny and Bettina:
- Not a Tiger Mom Podcast
- Jenny's Instagram: @msjennybx
- Bettina's Instagram: @beeingaudhd
- NATM Instagram: @notatigermompodcast
Note: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speakers' own. This podcast is not a replacement for therapy or professional/medical advice. If you need more support or advice, please reach out to your own medical professional who can answer your questions with your individual medical history and background in context.
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