- 70
- Episodes
- 17
- Ratings
- Weekly
- Cadence
- 2025
- First episode
About Refrigerator Moms
Refrigerator Moms is an autism podcast by and for autism moms, hosted by Kelley Jensen and Julianna Scott. Born from 20 years of friendship, during which they navigated the trenches of autism parenting and advocacy, the Refrigerator Moms is Kelley Jensen and Julianna Scott’s way of reaching out to parents waging the same battles they were. Their purpose with this podcast is to clear the fog, silence the noise, and find a path through neurodivergence for parents that are stuck between bad choices. They tackle parenting topics such as mom guilt, tantrums, pathological demand avoidance, siblings, medication, comorbidities, social media, and much more.
- Publisher
- Kelley Jensen, Julianna Scott
- Category
- health & fitness · kids & family
- Language
- en
- Explicit
- No
- First episode
- 16 Jul 2025
- Latest episode
- 28 Oct 2026
Latest episodes
70 episodes in the feed.
28 Oct 2026
Does PDA Parenting Actually Work Against ABA Therapy?
Pathological demand avoidance (PDA) has become one of the most talked about frameworks in autism parenting, and it is often presented as the opposite of ABA therapy. This episode takes a second look at that assumption. Drawing on years of old therapy binders, home visit notes, and a recent neurodivergence summit, the hosts compare the PANDA framework point by point against classic ABA principles and find far more overlap than the social media narrative admits. The conversation covers low arousal profiles, choice making, functional communication, and why rewards and consequences can backfire for some kids. This is a grounded, personal look at what actually helped one autistic child grow, and why the goal was never compliance, it was comfort and function. Key takeaways: PDA autism and ABA share far more technique overlap than most parenting advice admits The PANDA framework maps closely onto established ABA principles like antecedent interventions Offering real choices, not just preferred choices, is common ground between both approaches Autism parenting should prioritize comfort and function over compliance and appearance Sticker charts and token rewards can backfire and increase anxiety for some autistic kids Natural, close-to-the-event rewards tend to work better than delayed token systems Collaborative and proactive solutions and ABA functional communication training aim at the same goal Progress in autism parenting podcast topics like emotional regulation can take years to show up The real question is not PDA versus ABA, it is what helps your child function and feel safe 🔗 Learn More: Website: refrigeratormoms.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/refrigeratormoms/ (https://www.instagram.com/refrigeratormoms/) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/refrigeratormoms (https://www.linkedin.com/company/refrigeratormoms) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/refrigeratormoms/ (https://www.facebook.com/refrigeratormoms/) TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@RefrigeratorMoms (https://www.tiktok.com/@RefrigeratorMoms) Refrigerator Moms is sponsored by Brain Performance Technologies, a specialty mental health clinic that offers neuromodulation treatments for mental health conditions including depression, PTSD, OCD, anxiety, ADHD and autism. Our treatments utilize TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) protocols including rTMS, aTMS, and MeRT. All of our treatments are drug-free and noninvasive. Call for insurance options or learn more at https://brainperformancetechnologies.com (https://brainperformancetechnologies.com) 00:00 Does PDA count as an ABA technique 00:56 A deep dive into old ABA binders 02:03 PDA parenting versus ABA with new words 04:05 Offering real choices to reduce demands 06:30 About Brain Performance Technologies 07:22 Tracing PDA roots back to B.F. Skinner 08:50 Skinner named counter control in 1953 09:49 Autonomy as a personality trait 13:14 Breaking down the full PANDA framework 14:46 Anxiety management and low arousal 19:04 Negotiation and collaboration in PDA 21:40 Disguise and manage demands explained 24:40 Brain care at Brain Performance Technologies 26:42 Collaborative and proactive solutions explained 27:58 Why sticker charts can backfire 32:04 Years of progress with emotional regulation
21 Oct 2026
Inside the Making of "An Open Door" with John Festervand
This episode of Refridgerator Moms goes behind the scenes of An Open Door: Temple Grandin, the documentary that picked up where the HBO film left off. John Festervand, executive producer of the film and longtime colleague of Dr. Temple Grandin at Colorado State University, joins Julianna Scott and Kelley Jensen to talk about how the project came together, what it took to tell the rest of Temple's story, and what he has learned about autism parenting and the autism community from years working alongside her. He shares how he met the film's director a year before he met Temple, how ten students helped build the film from the ground up, and what Temple herself asked to see included. The conversation also touches on her work with the Temple Grandin Equine Center, her devotion to her students, and the side conversations that reveal what has actually helped her over a lifetime. Key takeaways: John Festervand explains how a chance meeting at the Temple Grandin Equine Center groundbreaking led to a documentary The film took nine months and ten student crew members to produce Temple Grandin personally asked that her drawings and collaborators be included in the film Her legacy goal is simple: keep her website and books available after she is gone Side conversations after events reveal what has genuinely helped her, including diet and past medications Temple Grandin's work with equine therapy research and organizations teaching autistic adults trades reflects her hands on approach to autism parenting and advocacy The documentary aims to show the full arc of her career, not just the part the HBO movie covered Her students and the ag community describe her as deeply generous with her time and attention Resources Mentioned in This Episode An Open Door: Temple Grandin — the documentary discussed throughout the episode, covering Temple Grandin's life, career and impact beyond the 2010 HBO film. https://templegrandindocumentary.com (https://templegrandindocumentary.com) Temple Grandin (2010 HBO movie) — the earlier biographical film starring Claire Danes the guest references as the inspiration for telling "the rest of the story." The Temple Grandin Equine Center — the Colorado State University program in Fort Collins named in her honor, researching equine therapy. https://agsci.colostate.edu/tgec/ (https://agsci.colostate.edu/tgec/) Surfers Healing — an organization mentioned as the group the film's director, John Barnhart, was working with prior to the documentary, taking autistic kids surfing around the country. https://www.surfershealing.org/ (https://www.surfershealing.org/) The Creative Act (Rick Rubin) — referenced as the book the guest and the director listened to while editing the film down to its final length. https://sites.prh.com/thecreativeact (https://sites.prh.com/thecreativeact) TACT (Teaching Autistic Community Trades) — an organization mentioned as providing trade certifications and job placement for autistic adults, led by Danny Combs. https://www.buildwithtact.org/ (https://www.buildwithtact.org/) 🔗 Learn More: Website: refrigeratormoms.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/refrigeratormoms/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/refrigeratormoms Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/refrigeratormoms/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@RefrigeratorMoms Refrigerator Moms is sponsored by Brain Performance Technologies, a specialty mental health clinic that offers neuromodulation treatments for mental health conditions including depression, PTSD, OCD, anxiety, ADHD and autism. Our treatments utilize TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) protocols including rTMS, aTMS, and MeRT. All of our treatments are drug-free and noninvasive. Call for insurance options or learn more at https://brainperformancetechnologies.com (https://brainperformancetechnologies.com) 00:00 Intro to John Festervand and the documentary 01:18 How he met Temple Grandin at Colorado State 03:23 Deciding to tell the rest of her story 06:06 His philanthropy role and building the film team 09:47 Pitching the documentary idea to Temple 11:25 Biggest lessons learned making the film 13:12 Her legacy and giving back to students 19:00 Her impact on the agricultural community 20:10 What got left on the cutting room floor 22:19 Temple's notes and directives for the film 26:16 Side conversations about medication and diet 29:13 The Temple Grandin Equine Center and TACT 35:41 Where to watch the documentary 37:12 The most memorable compliment they received
14 Oct 2026
Temple Grandin: Why High Expectations Beat Overprotection in Autism Parenting
Dr. Temple Grandin joins Julianna Scott and Kelley Jensen to talk about the refrigerator mother theory this show is named for, and what her own mother's book actually says about it. Temple, a distinguished professor of animal science at Colorado State University and one of the most influential voices in autism parenting, walks through her early speech therapy, why her mother pushed her toward independence instead of stepping in, and how that balance of high expectations and smart accommodations shaped her childhood. The conversation moves through screen time, nutritional deficiencies in restrictive eaters, the overprescribing of medication, the DSM's autism levels, pathological demand avoidance, and how different thinking styles (visual, pattern, and word-fact) point toward different careers. Temple also talks about her mother Eustacia Cutler, who turned 100 last month, and about building a life around a special interest instead of around a diagnosis. Key takeaways: Temple's mother avoided the refrigerator mother theory's worst damage because it hadn't caught on yet when Temple was young Early speech therapy centered on three things: learning to talk, taking turns, and basic daily skills High expectations paired with specific accommodations, like a corridor to run in or a cabin away from a ferry horn, built resilience Food selectivity should be addressed in the kitchen with sensory play, not at the dinner table Undiagnosed vitamin deficiencies, including scurvy, are showing up in kids with very restricted diets Medication can help, but too many kids are prescribed multiple drugs at once with little thought Autism levels don't work well for young children, since severity can look very different later Visual thinkers, pattern thinkers, and word-fact thinkers need different paths into careers Pathological demand avoidance as a separate profile struck Temple as a poor fit for how her generation was simply expected to do hard things Shared interests, not forced socializing, are what actually build friendships for autistic kids and adults Resources Mentioned in This Episode Thinking in Pictures by Temple Grandin, the book where she discusses her antidepressant use and includes the chapter "A Believer in Biochemistry" https://www.templegrandin.com (https://www.templegrandin.com/) The Autistic Brain by Temple Grandin, referenced as part of her body of work on autism and the brain https://www.templegrandin.com (https://www.templegrandin.com/) Animals in Translation by Temple Grandin, referenced as part of her body of work https://www.templegrandin.com (https://www.templegrandin.com/) Visual Thinking by Temple Grandin, discussed in relation to object visualizers, pattern thinkers, and word-fact thinkers https://www.templegrandin.com (https://www.templegrandin.com/) Animals Make Us Human by Temple Grandin, discussed for its breakdown of the core emotional systems in mammals https://www.templegrandin.com (https://www.templegrandin.com/) An Open Door: Temple Grandin, a documentary presented by Colorado State University, reflecting on her life and legacy in humane livestock handling, autism rights, and neurodiversity https://www.templegrandindocumentary.com/ (https://www.templegrandindocumentary.com/) The HBO movie Temple Grandin, referenced for its portrayal of the refrigerator mother theory and a scene with a magazine editor https://www.hbomax.com/movie/670fcfdd-b70b-4826-8966-66370ee59e7d (https://www.hbomax.com/movie/670fcfdd-b70b-4826-8966-66370ee59e7d) Westernaires, a self-funded volunteer horse program in Colorado for kids including precision riding drill teams https://www.westernaires.org/ (https://www.westernaires.org/) The Temple Grandin and Eustacia Cutler Autism Fund, which offers free webinars and papers for parents https://www.tgecautismfund.org/ (https://www.tgecautismfund.org/) The Temple Grandin plush toy from Future Horizons, a toy company that partnered with Temple on the design https://www.futurehorizons.com (https://www.futurehorizons.com) Source Code by Bill Gates, mentioned as his explanation of being raised to give back https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/742811/source-code-by-bill-gates/ (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/742811/source-code-by-bill-gates/) 🔗 Learn More: Website: refrigeratormoms.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/refrigeratormoms/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/refrigeratormoms Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/refrigeratormoms/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@RefrigeratorMoms Refrigerator Moms is sponsored by Brain Performance Technologies, a specialty mental health clinic that offers neuromodulation treatments for mental health conditions including depression, PTSD, OCD, anxiety, ADHD and autism. Our treatments utilize TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) protocols including rTMS, aTMS, and MeRT. All of our treatments are drug-free and noninvasive. Call for insurance options or learn more at https://brainperformancetechnologies.com Timestamps: 00:00 Intro, the refrigerator mother theory origin 00:35 Welcoming Dr. Temple Grandin 01:36 Early speech therapy and talking school 04:39 How teachers motivated a young autistic child 05:06 Early intervention wait lists today 06:19 The rise of screens in childhood 08:43 Does screen time actually regulate kids 11:05 Eustacia Cutler turns 100, pushing with accommodations 12:41 Food selectivity and sensory play in the kitchen 13:04 Vitamin deficiencies and scurvy in restrictive diets 14:15 Medication, overprescribing, and starting doses 18:46 DSM autism levels and profound autism 20:43 Visual, pattern, and word fact thinking styles 23:35 Advice for bullied autistic teens 25:58 Building external memory with checklists 29:23 The self funded Western Heirs horse program 36:13 Eustacia Cutler's isolation and her push to speak 39:07 Self-diagnosis and pathological demand avoidance 43:16 Making friends through shared interests 48:10 The Temple Grandin and Eustacia Cutler Autism Fund 52:04 Still doing 100 push ups a day 56:44 Not letting a diagnosis define you
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Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
- Apple Podcasts (US)
- 4.5 / 5
- 10 ratings
- Spotify
- 4.9 / 5
- 7 ratings
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