Samantha Foote — Music, Meltdowns & the Magic of Neurodivergent Parenting

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In this conversation, Michelle sits down with Samantha Foote—music therapist, mom of three autistic children, and host of the Every Brain Is Different Summit—to explore how sound, structure, and self-compassion can transform the neurodivergent parenting journey.

Samantha shares:

🎹 How a piano prodigy became a therapy trailblazer. When Samantha realized she didn’t want to perform or teach music—she wanted to use it to heal—she became a board-certified music therapist and built her Boise-based clinic from the ground up.

👶 From therapist to mom: the plot twist that changed everything. After a decade of helping autistic kids, Samantha became the mother of three neurodivergent children herself. Suddenly, the theories became lived experience—and the gaps in the system felt personal.

💡 The behavior-behind-the-behavior. Why “bad” behavior is often just communication in disguise—and how understanding sensory overload, motor challenges, and unmet needs can de-escalate 90% of home meltdowns.

🎵 How music works when nothing else does. Whether it’s tapping a beat to improve coordination or singing pre-written social scripts, Samantha explains how music accesses more of the brain than any other stimulus—and can unlock speech, memory, and movement when traditional therapy stalls.

🧠 The Summit that started a movement. Samantha’s Every Brain Is Different Summit gathers dozens of neurodivergent experts, advocates, and therapists to help parents cut through the confusion and get real-time answers—without the overwhelm.

Quote to tape on the fridge:
“All behavior is communication. The question is: are we listening?”

Whether you’re managing IEPs, music playlists, or meltdowns on a Tuesday morning, Samantha’s message is a balm for the burnout: You are not alone—and your child’s brain is different, not broken.

👤 About Samantha Foote
Samantha Foote is a neurodivergent, board-certified music therapist, positive discipline parent consultant, and mother of three autistic children. Through her work at Every Brain Is Different, she helps parents feel confident, supported, and informed while celebrating neurodiversity and empowering their families to thrive.

🔗 Connect with Samantha & Every Brain Is Different
📘 Instagram: @everybrainisdifferent
🎵 TikTok: @everybrainisdifferent
📺 YouTube: Every Brain Is Different
📖 Download her free parenting guide: everybrainisdifferent.com
#ComplexKidsSimpleSolutions #EveryBrainIsDifferent #NeurodivergentParenting #MusicTherapyMatters #PositiveDiscipline #SensorySupport #MichelleChoairy #

Listen to this episode and more at
https://wisdom4complexkids.com/complexkidssimplesolutions

🎧 Connect with Michelle:
Website: www.wisdom4complexkids.com
Instagram: @michellechoairy
Join the community: Wisdom 4 Complex Kids Facebook Group

💌 Have a question or want to share your story? Email Michelle at [email protected]

🧠 Want simple tools that actually work?
Download the free advocacy toolkit: wisdom4complexkids.com/the-ultimate-advocacy-toolkit-pdf