You're Damaging Your Child By Doing This | Asif Soharwardy | Child Psychologist | The Dialectic Arc

Pakistani parents are unknowingly causing psychological harm to their children — not through neglect or abuse, but through everyday habits so normalized we do not question them. Comparing siblings. Demanding obedience. Labeling difficult behavior as laziness or defiance. In this episode, we sit down with Asif Soharwardy — Director of Learning Hands Rehabilitation Centre and Associate Clinical Psychologist — to examine what children's most misunderstood behaviors are actually communicating, and what parents can unlearn before it is too late. ───────────────────────────── What this episode covers: → Why comparing your child to others causes measurable psychological damage → How ADHD gets misread as bad parenting or weak character → Why girls with ADHD are chronically underdiagnosed in Pakistan → What autistic children experience during sensory overload → How demanding obedience silences a child's real distress signal → What emotional safety actually looks like in a Pakistani household → When to seek professional help — and what real progress looks like ───────────────────────────── Who this episode is for: Parents of children showing behavioral or emotional difficulties Teachers and school counselors working with neurodiverse students Anyone interested in child psychology and mental health in Pakistan Educators navigating ADHD and autism in classroom settings ───────────────────────────── Timestamps: 00:00 — Introduction 01:51 — Why he chose to work with children 04:10 — Starting young in clinical psychology 07:45 — The unexpected side of his life 10:30 — How therapists regulate themselves 13:00 — The problem with demanding obedience 15:20 — How to identify concerning behaviors early 19:00 — ADHD — what it actually is 21:00 — Autism spectrum — explained plainly 22:45 — Helping neurodiverse children build friendships 28:05 — What happens during sensory overload 30:39 — The psychological damage of comparing your child 32:40 — Building emotional safety at home 36:30 — When are you pushing too hard 39:40 — Raising a successful adult 43:25 — Awareness and early intervention 47:07 — Rapid fire round ───────────────────────────── The Dialectic Arc: Instagram →   / dialecticarc   Facebook →   / 1be4wn   LinkedIn → linkedin.com/108617428 ───────────────────────────── #childpsychology #adhd #autismawareness #mentalhealthpakistan #childdevelopment #neurodiversity #pakistanpodcast #TheDialecticArc #positiveparenting #childtrauma #learningdifficulties #parentingtips #emotionalhealth