"My Mighty Quinn" - From Tics, Turbulence, Distraction and Disconnection to Calm, Confident and Connected"

Welcome to My Mighty Quinn
This special episode is a little different.
Released for PANS/PANDAS Awareness Day, it brings together two mothers who know this journey from the inside.
I’m joined by Lucy from Parenting PANDAS, who turns the tables and asks me the questions as we talk openly, mum to mum, about what it is really like to watch your child change in front of you, to know instinctively that something is wrong, and then find yourself fighting for answers in a system that so often looks at each symptom in isolation.
Lucy has lived PANS/PANDAS within her own family and created Parenting PANDAS to give families the community, understanding and connection she needed herself.
My own son Quinn’s journey took me in a different but complementary direction, into the science of nervous system health, neurodevelopment, immunity, inflammation and whole child healing, and ultimately to the world-leading doctors and experts who now form The Brain Health Movement.
So this is not simply a conversation about raising awareness of PANS and PANDAS.
It is a deeply personal conversation about what happens next.
What do you do when you finally have a diagnosis but still have no roadmap?
Where do you start when one practitioner is talking about infection, another the gut, another primitive reflexes, another the nervous system, and you are left trying to coordinate it all while your child is struggling and you are running on empty?
Together, Lucy and I explore why healing has a sequence, why the nervous system matters so much, why seemingly disconnected symptoms may be telling us something about the same child, and why supporting the parent and wider family cannot be separated from supporting the child.
We also talk candidly about the exhaustion, fear, gaslighting and trauma so many parents experience, and the enormous power that comes when we begin to understand what may be happening biologically and become informed advocates for our children.
Key takeaways
The early signs of Quinn’s PANS journey and the dramatic changes that followed
Why a PANS/PANDAS diagnosis may answer one question but immediately create another: what do we actually do now?
Why symptoms across the brain, gut, immune system, behaviour, sleep and development should not always be viewed in isolation
Why calming and supporting the nervous system can be such an important early part of the journey
The role of stress, infection, environment, mould and cumulative biological load
Why primitive reflex work and other therapies may sometimes make a child worse when introduced at the wrong time
Why development has a sequence, and why healing does too
The importance of movement, sleep, natural light, nutrition and everyday environmental inputs
Why the parent’s nervous system matters, and why healing often needs to become a whole family journey
How parents can move from overwhelm and endless rabbit holes towards education, clarity and a more manageable roadmap
Why understanding the biology behind your child’s symptoms can transform the way you advocate at school and within the medical system
And most importantly, why there is hope
Today, Quinn is thriving.
And perhaps that is the most important message in this episode.
When you are in the darkest part of this journey, it can feel impossible to imagine life beyond it. But a diagnosis does not have to be the end of the story.
It can be the beginning of understanding.
You do not need another 15 Google tabs.
You need clarity. You need the right sequence. You need support.
And you need to know that there can be a way forward.
Resources
Lucy's Parenting PANDAS Instagram
Free Quick Start Guide to PANS PANDAS
Save your seat on the next "Live with Lucia" Masterclass - Find clarity in the chaos. A Roadmap for root cause healing, for your child and for you.
Enrol on The Whole Child Healing Course and Roadmap
Support the show
Resource Links: 
Free Masterclass for Overwhelmed Parents
Enrol in the Complete Course - "A Whole Child, Multi-Disciplinary Roadmap to Healing": Complete Course Enrolment
Enrol in The Taster Course - "Discover the Root Cause of your Child’s Attention, Behaviour and Learning Difficulties": Taster Course Enrolment 
Download your FREE Guides now: www.thebrainhealthmovement.com/free-guides
Take a look at our other Resources: www.thebrainhealthmovement.com/resources
Join our Private Community on Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/thebrainhealthmovement 
Follow Us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/thebrainhealthmovement
The Brain Health Movement's Website: www.thebrainhealthmovement.com

Welcome to My Mighty Quinn
In this powerful episode, I’m joined by Dr Jill Crista — naturopathic doctor, bestselling author of Break the Mould, and one of the world’s leading experts in mould-related illness, PANS and PANDAS.
Get the Mould Free Guide >> Signs, Checklist and First Steps for Parents
Dr Jill’s work sits at the intersection of environment, immunity and brain health — helping families understand how hidden mould and mycotoxin exposure can affect a child’s behaviour, nervous system, development and overall health.
Together, we explore a concept that changes everything: That mould is not simply an allergy problem.
It can be a powerful biological stressor affecting the brain, immune system, gut, hormones and nervous system — sometimes sitting beneath symptoms that appear neurological, behavioural or psychiatric.
This conversation takes us beyond visible mould and musty smells — into the hidden world of water-damaged buildings, mycotoxins, neuroinflammation and the body’s growing toxic load.
It is both confronting and deeply hopeful, because when we understand what is driving a child’s symptoms, we can stop chasing each one individually — and begin supporting the body in the right order.
Key takeaways
Why mould illness is so much more than an allergy or respiratory issue
How hidden mould and mycotoxins can affect the brain, immune system and nervous system
Why mould exposure may show up as anxiety, rage, tics, OCD, fatigue, sensory issues or poor sleep
Why children can react very differently from adults living in the same environment
Why symptoms can seem to appear suddenly when the body’s toxic load becomes too great
The connection between mould, neuroinflammation, PANS and PANDAS
The importance of looking at the home, school and wider environment
Why removing or reducing exposure must come before detoxification
How aggressive detox protocols can overwhelm an already struggling child
Why healing must follow a careful sequence of avoidance, nourishment, protection, repair and recovery
This episode is about asking a different question.
Not simply what condition does my child have?
But what is their body being exposed to?
Because children do not all respond to mould in the same way.
And when we recognise mould as part of the wider biological picture, we uncover a hidden piece of the puzzle — one that may be keeping a child’s brain and body stuck in survival.
Resources
Mould Free Guide: Signs, Checklist and First Steps for Parents
Dr Jill's Website
Support the show
Resource Links: 
Free Masterclass for Overwhelmed Parents
Enrol in the Complete Course - "A Whole Child, Multi-Disciplinary Roadmap to Healing": Complete Course Enrolment
Enrol in The Taster Course - "Discover the Root Cause of your Child’s Attention, Behaviour and Learning Difficulties": Taster Course Enrolment 
Download your FREE Guides now: www.thebrainhealthmovement.com/free-guides
Take a look at our other Resources: www.thebrainhealthmovement.com/resources
Join our Private Community on Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/thebrainhealthmovement 
Follow Us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/thebrainhealthmovement
The Brain Health Movement's Website: www.thebrainhealthmovement.com

Welcome to My Mighty Quinn
In this powerful episode, I’m joined by Dr Bryce Appelbaum — neuro-optometrist, founder of My Vision First, and creator of ScreenFit Vision Foundations.
Dr Bryce’s work sits at the intersection of the eyes, brain, body and nervous system — helping families understand why a child may pass a standard eye test, yet still struggle with reading, learning, attention, coordination, behaviour and confidence.
Together, we explore a concept that may change the way parents understand their child’s struggles:
Eyesight is not the same as vision.
A child may be able to see clearly, read the letters on the chart, and be told their eyesight is “fine” — while still struggling to track across a page, coordinate both eyes, shift focus from the board to their book, process visual information, or integrate vision with balance, posture and movement.
This conversation takes us beyond 20/20 eyesight and into the hidden world of functional vision — the eye-brain-body connection that underpins so much of how a child learns, moves, attends, regulates and feels safe in the world.
It is both confronting and deeply hopeful, because when vision is understood as a learned, developmental and trainable brain-body skill, we begin to see that many children are not lazy, difficult or simply “not trying.”
They may be working far harder than anyone realises.
Key takeaways
Why passing a routine eye test does not mean a child’s visual system is working efficiently
The crucial difference between eyesight and functional vision
How hidden vision difficulties can affect reading, writing, copying, attention and classroom stamina
Why visual stress may show up as behaviour, avoidance, frustration, fatigue or dysregulation
The connection between vision, balance, posture, movement and primitive reflexes
Why some children labelled with ADHD, dyslexia or poor motivation may have an overlooked visual processing difficulty
How screens, reduced movement and lack of outdoor time are affecting visual development
Why crawling, early movement and developmental sequencing matter for the eye-brain-body connection
How functional vision challenges can impact confidence, sport, coordination and social engagement
Why the right visual exercises and training can help children build stronger, more efficient visual skills
This episode is about asking a different question.
Not simply can my child see?
But is their visual system helping them learn, move, focus and regulate?
Because a child may have perfect eyesight and still be visually overwhelmed.
And when we understand the difference between eyesight and vision, we uncover a hidden piece of the developmental puzzle — one that may be sitting behind many of the struggles parents are seeing every day.
Resources
Free Guide: A Parent's Guide to Functional Vision - Including vision checklist!
Dr Bryce Appelbaum's Website
Get $200 off ScreenFit the digital eye strain relief online vision therapy tool from Dr Bryce Abbelbaum, using code MYMIGHTYQUINN
PLUS 10% off Digital Performance Lenses using code MYMIGHTYQUINN at shop.myvisionfirst.com
Support the show
Resource Links: 
Free Masterclass for Overwhelmed Parents
Enrol in the Complete Course - "A Whole Child, Multi-Disciplinary Roadmap to Healing": Complete Course Enrolment
Enrol in The Taster Course - "Discover the Root Cause of your Child’s Attention, Behaviour and Learning Difficulties": Taster Course Enrolment 
Download your FREE Guides now: www.thebrainhealthmovement.com/free-guides
Take a look at our other Resources: www.thebrainhealthmovement.com/resources
Join our Private Community on Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/thebrainhealthmovement 
Follow Us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/thebrainhealthmovement
The Brain Health Movement's Website: www.thebrainhealthmovement.com

Welcome back to My Mighty Quinn
In this deeply compassionate and eye-opening episode, I’m joined by BG Mancini — neurodevelopmental specialist, functional medicine practitioner and educator, whose work has spent almost three decades connecting the dots between the nervous system, sensory processing, movement, the gut and the emotional wellbeing of the entire family.
This conversation feels more urgent than ever.
Because children today appear increasingly overwhelmed.
More anxious.
More sensory-sensitive.
More emotionally reactive.
More exhausted.
And, in many cases, less able to adapt to the relentless demands and stimulation of modern life.
But this episode is not simply about what is happening to our children.
It is about what is happening to all of us.
Together, BG and I explore the concept of the family nervous system — and why healing can never happen by looking at the child in isolation.
Because when a child is struggling, the parent is often struggling too.
When a mother has spent years holding everyone else above the water, her own body may eventually begin to shut down.
And when an entire family is living in survival mode, everybody’s physiology, behaviour, emotions and capacity for connection can be affected.
BG helps us understand how stress is not always one enormous, identifiable event. Often, it is the accumulation of hundreds of smaller experiences — sensory overload, disrupted sleep, inflammation, digital stimulation, environmental stress, emotional strain and the constant pressure of trying to hold everything together.
These “micro-traumas” can gradually drain the body’s reserves until even an ordinary demand begins to feel like a threat.
But this is also a conversation filled with hope.
Because healing does not require us to change everything overnight.
Sometimes the smallest intervention — a moment of movement, touch, silence, visual rest, nourishment or connection — can begin to shift the nervous system towards greater safety and resilience.
Key takeaways
What the “family nervous system” means — and why healing is never just about the child
How the accumulation of small, everyday stresses can gradually overwhelm the nervous system
Why the goal is not to eliminate all stress, but to build the resilience and flexibility to recover from it
How neuroception shapes whether the brain and body perceive the world as safe or threatening
Why the gut and microbiome can influence inflammation, anxiety, emotional regulation and neurological function
How vestibular, proprioceptive and interoceptive input help children feel safer within their bodies
What shutdown, numbness and “the lights are on but nobody is home” can reveal about prolonged survival stress
The biological importance of co-regulation — and why parental self-care is not selfish or optional
BG’s powerful 5% rule — and why small, accessible changes are often more effective than overwhelming protocols
Simple micro-resets families can use through movement, touch, rhythm, visual exercises, nourishment and connection
Why play, joy, hope and community are not luxuries, but physiological resources for healing
If you have ever wondered why your child appears unable to cope with things other children seem to manage…
If you have tried countless protocols and felt increasingly overwhelmed by everything you are “supposed” to be doing…
If your child has started to improve, only for your own body to begin falling apart…
Or if you recognise yourself as the mother beneath the water, holding everybody else above the surface…
This episode is for you.
You do not have to do everything.
You do not have to do it perfectly.
And you do not have to heal alone.
Sometimes healing begins with one small moment of safety, repeated gently over time.
Because when we support the family nervous system, we create more regulation, more resilience, more connection — and more possibility for everyone.
Resources
The MicroResets™ List - Gentle Nervous System Resets for Parents and Children
BG Mancini's Website
Support the show
Resource Links: 
Free Masterclass for Overwhelmed Parents
Enrol in the Complete Course - "A Whole Child, Multi-Disciplinary Roadmap to Healing": Complete Course Enrolment
Enrol in The Taster Course - "Discover the Root Cause of your Child’s Attention, Behaviour and Learning Difficulties": Taster Course Enrolment 
Download your FREE Guides now: www.thebrainhealthmovement.com/free-guides
Take a look at our other Resources: www.thebrainhealthmovement.com/resources
Join our Private Community on Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/thebrainhealthmovement 
Follow Us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/thebrainhealthmovement
The Brain Health Movement's Website: www.thebrainhealthmovement.com

Welcome back to My Mighty Quinn
In this deeply personal episode, I’m joined by Dr Kylie Foster — neurologically focused chiropractor, founder of Organic Family Chiropractic, and someone who has become an incredibly important part of both mine and Quinn’s healing journey.
This conversation is different.
Because one of the questions I’m asked again and again by parents is:
“What did you actually do?”
“Who helped you?”
“What has your journey really looked like behind the scenes?”
And the truth is, one of the most foundational pieces of our healing journey has been nervous system work.
Together, Dr Kylie and I explore why nervous system regulation is not a “nice extra” in healing — but the foundation upon which everything else rests.
Because when the body is stuck in survival mode…
When a child’s nervous system is overwhelmed…
When a mother’s body has been living in chronic stress for years…
Healing becomes much harder.
This episode is an honest, compassionate and eye-opening conversation about what nervous system dysregulation actually looks like in babies, children and parents — and how neurologically focused chiropractic care can help restore safety, regulation and resilience to the entire family system.
Key takeaways
What neurologically focused chiropractic care actually is — and how it differs from traditional chiropractic approaches
Why nervous system regulation is foundational for digestion, immunity, emotional regulation, behaviour and healing
How chronic stress and “fight or flight” impact both children and parents
Why babies may struggle with latching, feeding, reflux, tension, sleep and regulation after stressful pregnancies or births
The early signs of nervous system stress parents can look out for in newborns and young children
How nervous system dysregulation can evolve into anxiety, sensory issues, emotional dysregulation, attention difficulties and behavioural challenges later in childhood
The importance of co-regulation and why children borrow safety from the nervous systems around them
How nervous system work can help increase resilience, adaptability and emotional capacity for the whole family
Why healing is not about “fixing” children — but helping their nervous systems feel safe enough to heal
This episode is both deeply educational and profoundly emotional.
It’s a conversation about motherhood.
About survival.
About the body keeping score.
And about the possibility of healing when we finally understand that nervous system support is not optional — it is foundational.
If you’ve ever felt like your child’s struggles are deeper than “just behaviour”…
If you’ve been holding everything together while quietly falling apart yourself…
Or if you’ve sensed there’s a missing piece nobody has properly explained…
This episode is for you.
Resources
The Nervous System Toolkit for Parents and Carers
FREE Masterclass "From Burnout to Breakthrough" with Dr Kylie Foster
Dr Kylie's Website - Organic Family Chiropractic
Support the show
Resource Links: 
Free Masterclass for Overwhelmed Parents
Enrol in the Complete Course - "A Whole Child, Multi-Disciplinary Roadmap to Healing": Complete Course Enrolment
Enrol in The Taster Course - "Discover the Root Cause of your Child’s Attention, Behaviour and Learning Difficulties": Taster Course Enrolment 
Download your FREE Guides now: www.thebrainhealthmovement.com/free-guides
Take a look at our other Resources: www.thebrainhealthmovement.com/resources
Join our Private Community on Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/thebrainhealthmovement 
Follow Us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/thebrainhealthmovement
The Brain Health Movement's Website: www.thebrainhealthmovement.com