Hello, I'm Devina King, B.A. Psy, MSOTR/L, ASDCS, ADHD-RSP

Parenting Coach, Author, Educator, Neurodiversity Advocate

I help parents, educators, and clinicians move beyond behavior management and into connection-based, brain-informed support that honors every child’s neurological wiring. My mission is to equip adults with trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming tools that build emotional regulation, resilience, and authentic relationships so children can thrive without being forced to mask, blindly comply, or suppress who they are.

I blend lived experience with clinical expertise to help caregivers and professionals decode behavior and rebuild regulation from the nervous system up.Through my courses, writing, and consulting, I continue to build a movement of professionals and parents who are trauma-informed, neurodivergent-affirming, and deeply committed to helping children thrive.

From Compliance and Conflict to Connection and Collaboration 

Whether you’re a parent, educator, or therapist, I’m here to help you stop managing behaviors and start growing resilience, flexibility, and confidence in every child and in yourself.

I help parents and professionals move beyond surface-level behavior fixes and into brain-based parenting tools that build emotional regulation, impulse control, and resilience. Whether you're dealing with toddler tantrums, bedtime battles, or a strong-willed child who refuses to listen, I offer calm parenting strategies that actually work. My approach supports both neurodivergent children with ADHD, autism, or PDA, and neurotypical kids who are spirited, stubborn, or struggling with anxiety and frustration. I teach emotional intelligence for kids and practical anger management for kids so they can learn to cope, and you can stop yelling and start connecting. If you’re searching for alternatives to ABA that focus on connection, capacity, and collaboration, you’re in the right place.

Instead of chasing compliance or relying on punishment, I guide parents through co-regulation parenting strategies that help children manage frustration and develop self-control in the moment. You’ll learn how to reduce power struggles, teach replacement behaviors for defiance, and support your child’s emotional development through interoception activities and trauma-informed techniques. Whether your child is facing school refusal, sensory meltdowns, or rejection sensitivity, I help you build a child behavior toolbox filled with practical skills and real-life solutions. This approach creates lasting change by aligning your child’s neurological capacity with the tools they need to thrive at home, in school, and beyond. 

I Lived It. I Got It Wrong. I Learned It. I Got It Right

I don’t just regurgitate research (although I am a research nerd!) and I never blame the child or their caregivers. In my three roles (as a parent, pediatric OT, and autistic adult), I moved from surface-level, compliance based, behavior fixes to a deep brain based, co-regulation, skills building, and collaboration approach:

As a Parent

My child’s “behavioral disorder” once put her on a path to be dead or in jail; learning to meet her neurological needs turned everything around.

I’m writing this advice because it is the advice I wish I had when my daughter was young. It is the advice I wish any of the professionals who I turned to for help had read. It is what I needed as a young mother raising a daughter who struggled with bipolar disorder starting at an unprecedentedly young age, leading her into extreme behaviors.

I had to learn how to support and guide her and meet the needs of my other daughter simultaneously, with very little guidance myself. Today, she is a testament to the transformative power of understanding, empathy, and unwavering support coupled with systematic, explicit teaching of behavioral regulation. 

As a Clinician (Pediatric Occupational Therapist)(Licensed as Devina Robinson)

I replaced compliance chasing with curiosity and capacity building, transforming how therapy actually works.

I’m an AOTA-approved CEU provider. I am available as a speaker. I’m known for delivering engaging, heart-centered presentations that blend clinical insight with real-world application. 

Credentials

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (B.A. Psy) My first academic love. I began my career as a qualified mental health professional in a behavioral day treatment program, specializing in psychosocial rehabilitation.

Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOTR/L) I am a licensed pediatric occupational therapist with nearly eleven years of experience across schools, homes, hospitals, and outpatient clinics.

Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist (ASDCS) I have completed formal training in autism intervention. More importantly, I am autistic. Nothing about us, without us.

ADHD Certified Rehabilitation Service Provider (ADHD-RSP) I have pursued specialized training in ADHD care. I also live it daily as a spouse and parent in an ADHD household. My autistic profile also has a lot of overlapping executive functioning difficulties associated with ADHD. 

Safe and Sound Protocol–Trained Provider  Learning how to use this specialized tool was the beginning of my specializing in felt safety interventions 

ILS Focus System–Trained Provider Learning how to use this specialized tool was the beginning of my specializing in ways to build the neurological foundations for executive functions by combining movement, auditory, and visual input.

Curriculum Designer And Adjunct Faculty, Master’s OT Program

As an Autistic Adult

I have had to learn first-hand how to work with the brain I was born in instead of against it.

My experience as an autistic person gives me a deeply personal and compassionate perspective that directly shapes how I approach pediatric occupational therapy. Unlike traditional models that often view autistic traits as problems to be fixed, I integrate my lived experience into my professional practice to create a neurodiversity-affirming framework that honors each child’s unique wiring.

I understand sensory needs on a visceral level. I know how sensory experiences can impact behavior and regulation, and I bring that intimate knowledge into my work. I see behavior as communication, not defiance, and I prioritize regulation over compliance. My focus is on guiding children toward self-regulation through strategies and accommodations rather than forcing them to meet neurotypical behavioral expectations. In my book, From Surviving to Thriving, I offer a roadmap for supporting children's behavioral regulation, informed by both my personal journey and clinical expertise.

Because I’ve lived it, I offer guidance that is both empathetic and practical. I advocate for neurodiversity-affirming practices that address the mental health crisis affecting many autistic individuals, focusing on autism acceptance and quality support instead of pathologizing traits. I also challenge the traditional medical model that often seeks to eliminate autistic traits. Instead, I reframe autism in a positive and empowering light, helping children thrive by creating environments that support their authentic selves.

This unique blend of lived and professional expertise shapes every strategy I share.