The FASD Success Show

Episode 180: Sophie Harrington The CEO Birth Mom: From FASD Diagnosis to National Leadership

Jeff Noble

In this episode of The FASD Success Show, Jeff Noble sits down with Sophie Harrington, CEO of NOFASD Australia, to talk about what happens when caregivers stop chasing perfection and start building holidays  and lives that actually fit their families’ nervous systems.

Sophie is a mom, advocate, and birth parent who’s turned her personal story into national leadership. Together, Jeff and Sophie dig into the power of reframing guilt, setting boundaries, and parenting differently without apology.

They unpack how shame and expectations weigh on caregivers, and how understanding the brain  not just behavior  can lift that load for good.

In This Episode You’ll Learn

  • Why the holidays feel so emotionally heavy — and how neuroscience explains it
  • What happens in the brain when guilt turns chronic and how to stop the cycle
  • The difference between connection and performance in caregiving
  • Why “doing less” is not giving up — it’s giving your brain a chance to recover
  • How Sophie’s journey from birth mom to CEO became a model of what advocacy can really look like

Why It Matters

Caregivers often measure success by what they do, not how they feel — but the brain science says the opposite.
 A regulated caregiver leads to a regulated child.
 When we stop apologizing for doing things differently, we stop surviving the holidays and start shaping them to work for us.

Watch or Listen to the Full Episode

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEko0ghA4iw

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-fasd-success-show/id1492499195

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ntB51glqYnRPmXCh6lOGq?si=f006bfa2966d4972

Resources and Links

Join our Free Caregiver Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FASDFOREVER

Follow Jeff on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/FASDSuccess

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@FASDSUCCESS

Full Show Notes and Resources: https://www.fasdsuccess.com/podcast

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