When we think about oral health, most of us think about brushing, flossing, and fresh breath. But what if we’ve been missing the bigger picture?

In this episode of Kitchen Table Conversations, Angela Geddes reflects on her early work with the West Elgin Community Health Centre, where she participated in research and community consultations exploring access to dental care and the real-life impact of oral health challenges.

Through powerful stories of young mothers, grandparents, and families navigating poverty, stigma, and complex needs, Angela highlights how oral health is deeply connected to dignity, relationships, and mental wellness.

She also brings forward emerging research showing that oral health is linked to:

• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Dementia
• Stroke risk
• Hospital-acquired infections

We now understand that the mouth is not separate from the body—it is a gateway to it.

This episode also explores the added challenges for individuals with sensory sensitivities, trauma histories, and neurodevelopmental differences such as FASD, ADHD, and ASD—where daily oral care is not simply a routine, but a complex, supported task.

This conversation invites us to shift from blame to understanding, and from routine care to whole-person support.

👉 Because oral health is not about vanity.
👉 It is about safety, dignity, and lifelong health.

Recommended Resources:

• NHS Borders | Meeting Your Child’s Sensory Needs – Toothbrushing
• Toronto Kids Dental | Is Your Child Avoiding Brushing? It Might Be Sensory Overload

Please share this podcast with those in your circle and community who would benefit from these important Kitchen Table Conversations. Your support means the world to us.

In this episode of Kitchen Table Conversations, Angela Geddes shares insights from her clinical work supporting veterans, OPP personnel, and individuals and families navigating complex mental health and neurodevelopmental challenges.

With a focus on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), this episode highlights a critical system gap: most individuals affected remain unrecognized and unsupported, with fewer than 1% receiving a diagnosis.

Angela shares a clear call to action and the need for a collaborative approach for professionals and communities of all kinds to :

• Move beyond diagnosis-dependent systems
• Build capacity across all sectors
• Support individuals based on functional needs
• Prioritize safety, dignity, and understanding

Blending lived experience, research, and policy advocacy, this episode challenges listeners to rethink how we respond when traditional approaches fail.

Recommended Resources:

• Training for Social Workers & Allied Health Practitioners
• 10th International Conference on Adolescents and Adults with FASD
• National FASD Program (Australian Prevention Efforts)

Please share this podcast with those in your circle and community who would benefit from these important Kitchen Table Conversations. Your support means the world to us.

In this episode, Angela Geddes invites listeners into a gentle, grounding conversation about her latest resource, which highlights what happens when we stop fighting our neurodivergent wiring — and begin to understand it.

This episode is especially for people who have grown up feeling “out of step,” misunderstood, or blamed for struggles that are actually rooted in how their brain works - and for the people who love and support them. This episode speaks directly to those living with ADHD, FASD, trauma, substance use impacts, learning differences, and complicated mental health profiles — particularly when life feels overwhelming, uncertain, or high-stakes.

Through a compassionate, brain-based lens, this "Deep Dive" explores:

• Why fear and misinformation often surround assessment, diagnosis, and systems
• How increased stress, substance use, prenatal alcohol/substance exposure and trauma can change how our brain functions
• Why understanding your brain is not about labels or punishment — but about safety, advocacy, and better outcomes
• How slowing down and getting curious can open the door to relief and self-compassion

This episode is not about fixing people or telling them what to do.

It’s about offering clarity, reassurance, and a reminder that you are not broken — you are wired differently.

This conversation provides an overview of Angela’s book, Not Your Typical Growing Up & Adulting Guide, and companion workbook which offers further language, tools, and validation for navigating growing up and adulting with a complicated and beautiful brain.

Listeners are encouraged to listen at their own pace, return to it when needed, and share it with someone who might finally feel seen.

🌸 Rising up through muddy waters.

This episode features a rich, brain-based conversation with Lisa Riegel, a school transformation specialist who uses brain science as a foundation for building culture and practices that align to the way our brain works. This conversation explores how schools and families can better support students by understanding behaviour as the intersection of biology and context.

A central theme is the widespread misunderstanding of “manipulation.” For individuals with FASD and other neurodevelopmental profiles related to prenatal alcohol or substance exposure, behaviour can appear manipulative because they often know expectations but lack the executive functioning, emotional regulation, and problem-solving skills needed to consistently meet them or repair mistakes. When situations unravel, they may keep talking, reacting, or shifting direction — not to deceive, but because they are overwhelmed and don’t yet have the tools to navigate the moment effectively.

The conversation also explores why stress is normal, but how modern pressures — including social media, changing family routines, fewer shared meals, reduced idle time, and less opportunity to observe and practice nonverbal communication in safe settings — can amplify regulation challenges for vulnerable learners.

Rather than pathologizing behaviour or blaming parents, this discussion emphasizes the importance of:

• Focusing on brain and context
• Teaching skills instead of assuming intent
• Using “when–then” strategies and clear structure
• Helping students link skill development with positive outcomes
• Supporting self-understanding and self-advocacy, especially for those with hidden disabilities

The episode ultimately invites educators, caregivers, and systems to shift from reactive responses to proactive skill-building environments that help students learn how to manage their symptoms and thrive.

Educators looking to apply these concepts in real classrooms can explore Not Your Typical Teaching Guide, which offers practical, brain-based strategies.

Not Your Typical Growing Up and Adulting Guide (coming soon) continues this work by supporting teens and young adults to understand their brains, advocate for support, and build meaningful, capable lives. Books can be found here.

To learn more about Lisa Riegel’s work, speaking, and books on improving school climates through neuroscience, visit lisariegel.com.

Please share this podcast with those in your circle and community who would benefit from these important Kitchen Table Conversations. Your support means the world to us.

This episode originally aired as Episode 95 on December 5, 2024.

The most wonderful time of the year for some… yet not for others.

In this episode, Angela talks about ways to reduce both the impact of and the incidents of prenatal alcohol/substance exposed pregnancies. She encourages consideration for more broad and informal prevention efforts regarding healthy pregnancies now that we have just learned that prevalence rates of FASD in North America have increased to a still conservative estimate of 8%!

Angela also shares some thought provoking ideas around ensuring the holidays are the best they can be for you and your circle. This may mean re-evaluating traditions and creating new ones, and also creating some compassionate boundaries.

🎙️ BONUS | Listen into this episode in French

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Soutenir les élèves ayant un TSAF ou des différences neurocognitives : Pourquoi une mise à jour des connaissances est essentielle

Cet épisode explore le travail crucial — et souvent invisible — que les éducateur·trices accomplissent pour soutenir des élèves ayant des « cerveaux compliqués et merveilleux ». En Ontario, de nombreux·euses enseignant·es doivent composer avec des profils d’apprentissage complexes tout en s’appuyant sur une information dépassée ou inexacte, particulièrement en ce qui concerne le Trouble du spectre de l’alcoolisation fœtale (TSAF).

Nous expliquons :

• Pourquoi des termes comme « SAF » ne sont plus utilisés
• Pourquoi le TSAF est beaucoup plus fréquent qu’on le croit
• Comment l’invisibilité et le sous-diagnostic mènent à des malentendus
• Pourquoi les approches comportementales traditionnelles échouent souvent
• Et comment les mises à jour du curriculum permettront aux enseignant·es d’intervenir avec clarté et compassion

Cette conversation met en lumière la résilience des éducateur·trices, l’importance d’outils fiables basés sur les neurosciences, ainsi que la bonne nouvelle que des changements sont déjà en cours. En comprenant les racines neurologiques du comportement, nous pouvons remplacer le jugement par l’observation éclairée et créer des environnements scolaires fondés sur la sécurité, la dignité et l’apprentissage.

📚 Découvrez le livre >>

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Supporting Students with FASD and Neurocognitive Differences: Why Updated Knowledge Matters

This episode explores the essential, often invisible work educators do to support students with “complicated and beautiful brains.” Many Ontario teachers are navigating complex learning profiles with outdated or incorrect information—especially regarding Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).

In this episode, we break down:

• Why older terms like “FAS” are no longer used
• Why FASD is far more common than most educators realize
• How invisibility and underdiagnosis lead to misunderstanding
• Why traditional behavioural approaches often fail these learners
• And how updated curriculum guidance will better equip teachers to respond with clarity and compassion

The conversation highlights the resilience of educators, the importance of accurate neuroscience-informed tools, and the encouraging reality that change is already underway. By understanding the neurological roots of behaviour, we can replace judgment with insight and create classroom environments grounded in safety, dignity, and learning.

📚 Explore the book >>

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Pour certains, c’est la période la plus merveilleuse de l’année… mais pas pour tout le monde.
Dans cet épisode, Angela parle de façons de réduire à la fois l’impact et l’incidence des grossesses exposées à l’alcool ou à d’autres substances. Elle encourage à envisager des efforts de prévention plus larges et informels pour soutenir des grossesses en santé, surtout depuis que nous avons appris que les taux de prévalence du TSAF en Amérique du Nord ont augmenté pour atteindre une estimation encore conservatrice de 8 %!

Angela partage également des idées qui portent à réflexion sur la manière de faire en sorte que le temps des Fêtes soit le meilleur possible pour vous et votre entourage. Cela peut vouloir dire réévaluer certaines traditions et en créer de nouvelles, ainsi qu’établir des limites empreintes de compassion.

RESSOURCES POUR EN SAVOIR PLUS :

• CANFASD | La prévalence du trouble du spectre de l’alcoolisation fœtale (PDF)
• Angela Geddes Website | Annonce d’intérêt public sur le TSAF 60 secondes (à partager) (link to https://www.angelageddes.ca/resources/mip-2025-60sec)
  • Angela Geddes Website | Annonce d’intérêt public sur le TSAF 30 secondes (à partager) (link to https://www.angelageddes.ca/resources/mip-2025-30sec)

N’hésitez pas à partager ce balado avec votre communauté et les personnes dans votre entourage qui pourraient bénéficier de ces importantes conversations de table de cuisine. Votre soutien compte énormément pour nous.