Listen to episode 23 on YouTube
Leanne Tran
Leanne is a registered psychologist who began her career working with children and families, and has loved it ever since. Families see Leanne for assessments to understand Autism, ADHD, Specific Learning Disorders among other things. She has found that there are always people waiting to access support, especially in rural areas. As a result Leanne provides online information for parents about what children need for development, how this can be adapted for kids developing differently, and practical implementation strategies.
Show notes
Stage 1: Pre-Diagnosis Worry and Anxiety
We start with that period before you have any answers, where you know something is not right but can’t name it yet. We talk about how dismissive responses from teachers and others can leave parents doubting themselves, and why trusting your gut and gathering information early is so important. Leanne also reassures parents that you don’t need to have everything figured out before seeing someone — and that you don’t need a formal diagnosis to start getting support.
Stage 2: The Diagnosis Reaction and Mindset
We talk about the shock and guilt that often comes with receiving a diagnosis, and why both are completely normal reactions. Leanne explains how reframing the way you think about the past can shift how you feel, and introduces the glasses analogy as a way to normalise learning difficulties for both parents and kids. Her key message is to treat it as an adjustment rather than a disaster.
Stage 3: Advocacy and Support (How to Not Get Exhausted)
We discuss what happens once you have the report and become your child’s advocate at school. Leanne talks about framing requests around curriculum access, picking your battles, and using the circle of control to focus your energy where it counts. We also talk about why what your kids overhear about their teachers and school matters more than parents often realise.
Stage 4: School Results and Expectations
We talk about how to handle report cards that don’t reflect your child’s effort. Leanne’s view is that grades predict how you go in school but not how you go in life, and that too much pressure on results is its own mental health risk. We discuss focusing on effort and attitude instead, and why there are always alternative pathways.
Stage 5: How to Start Letting Go
We finish with the transition to independence — what it looks like to move from advocate to coach, and how to hand things over gradually. Leanne talks about involving kids in their own advocacy earlier, teaching them to ask for support themselves, and why letting them make mistakes is part of the process. She references the book The Gardener and the Carpenter on why our job is to nurture what is already there, not engineer a specific outcome.
Resources Mentioned
- SPELD Queensland — free resources and support for families navigating learning difficulties
- Leanne’s website — free school advocacy guide with scripts and questions for meetings with schools
- Leanne’s online courses — support for parents on understanding their child’s needs, delivered online with one-on-one and group options
- The Gardener and the Carpenter — book on parenting philosophy mentioned by Leanne
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