Beneath Behaviour is a podcast for parents who want to understand what’s really going on — in themselves and their kids. Hosted by Jackie Hall, each episode explores the emotional stories behind stress, reactivity, and relationship struggles. Unlike typical parenting podcasts, we’re not here to manage behaviour — we’re here to make sense of it. This is a no-judgment space where insight comes first — before solutions.
Publisher
Jackie Hall - Founder of The Parental Stress Centre
Ep 17: Supporting Your Autistic Child: Navigating Social Communication & Conflict
Jackie Hall explores the hidden beliefs that shape our responses to autistic children, focusing on social communication challenges and conflict resolution, in order to adjust expectations.
22 Jun 2025
Ep 16 - Inside the Meltdown: How to Support Your Child in the Moment
Jackie Hall explores the stages of a child's meltdown, offering practical co-regulation techniques to avoid conflict and promote reconnection, which supports parents in navigating intense emotional moments.
15 Jun 2025
Ep 15 - Before the meltdown, there’s always a story
This episode explores the underlying stories and nervous system pressures that precede a child's emotional meltdown, focusing on understanding and prevention rather than control.
7 Jun 2025
Letting Go of Parental Guilt, Perfectionism & the Pressure to Get Parenting "Right"
Host Jackie Hall and Amanda explore parental guilt and perfectionism, revealing how pressure impacts the nervous system and offering compassionate ways to shift negative patterns in parenting; this is not an interview.
1 Jun 2025
Ep 13 - Autism Parenting: Mum of Netflix's Love on the Spectrum Star Tanner Shares Her Story
Host Jackie Hall interviews Nicci Smith, mother of Tanner Smith from Netflix's *Love on the Spectrum*, about her experiences raising an autistic child and embracing neurodiversity.
25 May 2025
Ep12 - School Refusal - What's really going on
Jackie Hall explores the emotional and physiological reasons behind school refusal, highlighting the overwhelming stress factors impacting children and offering supportive strategies for parents and educators.
18 May 2025
Ep 11 - Understanding Your Autistic Child Starts Here
What if autism wasn’t the problem — but how we’ve been taught to see it, was?
In this episode, Jackie shares a heartfelt and honest conversation about parenting autistic children through the first two lenses of her SUPER Framework: Self-Awareness and Understanding.
We explore:
What you believe about autism — and how it can shape your approach to autism
Why behaviour is communication
How to shift from the “deficit” model to a neuro-affirming approach to Autism
How executive functioning, sensory overload, and social differences show up in everyday life
Why your child’s identity doesn’t need to be reshaped — but their environment might
Whether you’re navigating meltdowns, overwhelm, or just trying to find your feet — this episode is a gentle reset.
It's not teaching you 'another new strategy.' It's giving you a new lens.
🎧 Listen now — and let’s begin with you.
Learn more about our Autism Parenting Program here. (https://www.parentalstresscentre.com/course/autism-parental-stress-relief-program/)
11 May 2025
Ep 10 - Raising Four Neurodivergent Teenagers: A Mother's Honest Story
Ever felt like you’re the only family not following the script?
In this episode, Jackie chats with Sarah — a mum of four neurodivergent teens — about what happens when you stop trying to parent “right” and start parenting real.
They explore the early missteps, the power of self-diagnosis, and how burnout became the wake-up call Sarah didn’t know she needed. From ADHD to autism, perfectionism to self-worth, this is one of our most honest episodes yet.
We talk about:
- Recognising your own neurodivergence through your kids
- The chaos of trying to parent like everyone else
- Why flexibility, humour, and self-compassion are essential
- Letting go of who you thought you should be
This is for every parent trying to do it differently — and wondering if they’re doing it wrong.
#BeneathBehaviour #ParentingOutsideTheBox #NeurodivergentParenting #ParentingPodcast #ADHDParent #AutismParent #RealTalkParenting #SelfCompassion #BurnoutSupport #JackieHall #GentleParentingJourney
4 May 2025
Ep 9 - Before you correct your child's behaviour, listen to this
You keep trying to manage the behaviour.
But what if the real change starts beneath it?
In this episode, I introduce the SUPER Framework — a 5-part lens that helps parents understand what’s really going on when their child is struggling.
We talk about:
The stress stories behind your reactions
Why behaviour is never random
How to support your child with insight, not just strategies
If you’ve ever thought, “Why do they keep doing this?” or “Why do I keep snapping?” — this episode is for you.
Behaviour always makes sense. You just have to know how to look.
For more information about our Autism program or other Parenting Programs please go to: www.parentalstresscentre.com (https://www.parentalstresscentre.com)
27 Apr 2025
"I Just Can't Go" - A Real Story of School Avoidance
If you’ve ever had a child who struggles to get to school — or stay there — you’re not alone. In this episode, Jackie talks with Melissa, a parent of two neurodivergent kids, about what it really means when school becomes too much.
We explore the emotional and practical layers of school can’t — from sensory overwhelm and academic pressure to masking, social stress, and nervous system fatigue.
This isn’t a story of defiance. It’s a story of survival — and what happens when we meet our kids with understanding instead of urgency.
Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or support person, this conversation offers clarity, compassion, and a new way to see what's really going on beneath the behaviour.
For more ways to connect with Beneath Behaviour:
https://www.parentalstresscentre.com/beneath-behaviour-podcasts-with-jackie-hall/
20 Apr 2025
Ep 7 - The Silent Signs of Depression - You don't have to fall apart to be falling apart
Whether you're quietly struggling yourself, or supporting someone who is, this episode of the Beneath Behaviour Podcast helps you understand what depression can really look and feel like beneath the surface. Because not everyone with depression looks sad.Some keep functioning.Some keep smiling.Some just go quiet.Jackie Hall takes you beyond the surface — into the hidden inner world of depression. This conversation will help you understand what's really happening beneath the behaviour, and what to do next with clarity and compassion.We’ll explore:- The four stress lenses and how “missing out” and “worthless” shape depressive thoughts- Why people often don’t realise they’re stuck in a depression loop- The top-down and bottom-up connection (how your thoughts and body feed each other)- What subtle signs to look and listen for — in yourself or someone else- Why withdrawal makes sense — and how to gently interrupt the cycle- And how, for some people — often men — depression can show up as anger rather than sadnessThis is not about diagnosing. It’s about compassion, awareness, and practical insight.🎧 Listen to the podcast on your favourite platform:Apple: https://apple.co/3E0WH7ISpotify: https://spoti.fi/3Rn39XMAmazon: https://amzn.to/3ru2r3bGoogle: https://bit.ly/3E4LSdW🌿 Explore more at: https://www.parentalstresscentre.com💬 Follow for more daily support + insights:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parentalstresscentreFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/parentalstresscentre🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe, like, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. You never know who might be quietly struggling.#parentingwithdepression #depression #parentingwithmentalillness #mentalhealthsupport #parentingstruggles #parentingmindset #mentalhealthformoms #postnatnaldepression #how to cope with parenting stress
13 Apr 2025
Ep 6 - She asked for independence...then panicked. When teens want more than they're ready for.
In this heartfelt episode, Jackie sits down with Francesca, a mum navigating life after her 12-year-old daughter’s recent autism diagnosis. As her daughter begins to seek more independence, Francesca finds herself caught between supporting that need and managing the emotional meltdowns that sometimes follow.Together, they explore the challenges of growing independence during the teenage years, why this push-pull dynamic makes sense for many anxious teenage children, and how parents can support these big transitions with empathy and clarity.You’ll hear five practical strategies for building confidence and autonomy in a way that respects your child’s emotional needs and unique pace.If you've ever wondered why your child both craves and resists independence, or you're looking for ways to support that journey without overwhelm, this episode of Beneath Behaviour is for you.Tags#autismfamily #independence #Supportingautisticteens, #teenagers #meltdowns #autismparenting #autisticgirl #Autismparentingstrategies #Independenceandautism #Autismtransitions #Autisticteenagers #supportingchildren #teenagers
8 Apr 2025
Ep 5 - Parenting Through the Mud: Finding Meaning in the Hard Moments
What do you do when life doesn’t go to plan—when parenting feels overwhelming, messy, or like you’re just not measuring up?
In this heartfelt episode, Jackie Hall gently unpacks how we can shift our mindset in those hard moments—not by pretending they’re easy, but by learning how to meet them differently. With warmth, humor, and real-life examples, Jackie introduces the “upgrades”—simple but powerful mindset shifts that help you move from self-criticism to self-compassion, from frustration to clarity.
You’ll walk away with practical language you can use in your own mind (and with your kids), and a gentle reminder that even in the mud, there’s meaning.
This episode is for any parent—or any human—who’s ever wondered, “What now?” after life throws them off course. There’s no pressure here, just perspective... and maybe even peace.
30 Mar 2025
Ep 3 - Snapping, Guilt & the Parenting Rollercoaster: What’s Really Going On
You promise yourself you’ll stay calm. You’ll be patient. You won’t yell this time. But then something sets you off. The chaos, the resistance, the backtalk. And before you know it, you’ve snapped again. The guilt creeps in. The shame follows. And you’re left wondering why it feels impossible to break the cycle.
In this episode, we take a deeper look at what’s really going on beneath those intense emotional reactions. You’ll learn how your thought patterns and emotional habits have been wired over time, and why your reactions are not just about willpower. We explore how stress builds through specific thought lenses, how your body and brain are reinforcing those reactions, and what it actually takes to shift them.
This is about understanding, not judging. It’s about compassion over criticism. And it’s about giving yourself the tools to step off the emotional rollercoaster and respond with more calm, clarity and control, even in the chaos.
Listen now to begin changing the way you experience parenting from the inside out.
30 Mar 2025
Ep 4 - Rebuilding a difficult relationship with your child
In this heartfelt episode, Jackie sits down with Emma, a mum who’s navigating the emotional distance in her relationship with her 21-year-old daughter. Over the years, their connection has become strained, and Emma is searching for a way to repair the rupture and rebuild trust.
Together, they explore the layers that often sit beneath relationship breakdowns — the stories we tell ourselves, the guilt we carry, and the need to feel heard. This is a raw and compassionate conversation about taking ownership, listening without defence, and showing up differently, even when it feels hard.
If you’ve ever wondered how to reconnect after conflict, whether it's with your adult child, teenager or younger child, or how to be seen for the parent you are now, not who you used to be, this one will speak to you. Because healing is possible, and it starts with understanding what’s really going on beneath behaviour.
30 Mar 2025
Ep 2 - The Parenting Lens you didn't know you were using
What if your parenting stress is coming from the lenses you’re looking through?
Ever found yourself snapping, spiralling or stuck in guilt — and not really sure why? It might not be about what’s happening, but how your mind is seeing what’s happening.
In this episode, we unpack the four hidden thought lenses that shape how you experience parenting — the ones quietly fuelling your reactions, your stress, and the story you tell yourself when things don’t go to plan. These lenses are deeply ingrained, often running in the background, distorting how you see your child’s behaviour… and your own.
But once you can see them, you can start to shift them.
You’ll walk away with a new awareness of what’s really happening beneath the surface — and the first steps to changing the way you think, feel and show up as a parent.
Because when behaviour starts to make sense, so does everything else.
30 Mar 2025
Ep 1 - The story behind Beneath Behaviour: Where it all began
In this deeply personal first episode, Jackie Hall opens up about the moment that changed everything — a breaking point that would eventually lead to the work she’s known for today.
Joined by long-time friend and colleague Kristy, Jacqui shares the raw, emotional beginnings of her parenting journey, the spiral of stress, guilt and anger she found herself in, and the powerful shift that helped her take back control. Together, they reflect on the early days of this work, how the Parental Stress Centre was born, and the values that continue to shape Beneath Behaviour.
This episode is honest, vulnerable and real — the perfect introduction to why this podcast exists and how it can help you understand what’s going on beneath the surface of your own parenting experience.
Because when behaviour makes sense, everything starts to change.
26 Mar 2025
About the Beneath Behaviour Podcast
A quick two minute video highlighting what the beneath behaviour podcast is about.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
11,702
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Spotify
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 53 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
62
Social presence
0
YouTube
76
Engagement
32
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