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In this episode I talk with Mary Ann Hughes, mother of 2 young adults with Autism  as she shares her special needs divorce story.   Mary Ann went from being completely blindsided and overwhelmed, unsure of what next steps were needed, to assembling a support team  of professionals who helped her successfully navigate a lengthly 2 year divorce process which culminated in a trial.

Some have estimated the divorce rate among families with children with autism or other disabilities to be as high as 70-80%.

Mary Ann used the wisdom she gained through her own experience in addition to ongoing work in the field to make a difference for others.  She created a company, Special Family Transitions, to guide special needs families through divorce with the best possible outcome and as little stress, time, and expense as possible.

Connect with Mary Ann:
Email address: Maryann@specialfamilytransitions.com

Website: https://www.specialfamilytransitions.com/

Special Family Transitions YouTube channel (would love for people to subscribe )
https://youtube.com/channel/UChI4BaUMGf50O2yPE_YnjFA

Special Family Transitions Facebook Page:
https://m.facebook.com/specialfamilytransitions

Private Facebook group:
Divorce Journey Support for Moms of Children with Autism & Special Needs:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/309739357366936/

Special Family Transitions on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/specialfamilytransitions/

For Information on LoneStar LEND, or  to apply for the program:
https://med.uth.edu/pediatrics/neurology/pediatric-neurology-fellowship-programs/lonestar-lend-fellowship/

Connect with Sandy:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sandydeppisch
Embrace the Blessing Facebook Group: http://bit.ly/ETB4ME
Website: http://www.embracetheblessing.com/

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In this episode I talk with Mary Jane Williams, Executive Director of Family to Family Network.   Family to Family Network helps individuals with disabilities and their family members define and achieve success for themselves and their loved ones.

As a mother of 2 young adults with disabilities, Mary Jane discusses first hand the positive impact connecting with other families had made for family.  She encourages parents to learn everything possible about their child’s diagnosis by attending training events offered through school districts and local organizations.   Mary Jane firmly believes it is important for families to see possibilities in their kids with disabilities.

ALL children should be included and supported in our schools and community in order to ensure the future success of children with disabilities.

Connect with Family to Family Network:
https://f2fn.org/

Email Address:
info@familytofamilynetwork.org

Phone Number:
713-466-6304

Texas Partners in Policy Making :
https://txpartners.org/

Partners in Policy Making Online Courses:
https://partnersonlinecourses.com/

Connect with Sandy:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sandydeppisch
Embrace the Blessing Facebook Group: http://bit.ly/ETB4ME
Website: http://www.embracetheblessing.com/https://uniquelyhuman.com/

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In this episode I talk with Kim Lindquist about life with Cowboy,  her 23 year old son who has Autism.  Kim shares how her faith helped her through early dark days of behavior challenges, anxiety and discouragement.  She encourages parents to seek help if they begin to notice signs of anxiety or depression.  Kim recommends Biomedical intervention and proposes it can work in conjunction with traditional medicine to bring about positive outcomes.  She believes that taking care of ourselves better equips us to care for others. Kim is a gifted writer, who injects humor into her stories of life with Autism.  Her desire is to help others have joy and most of all hope.

Connect with Kim:
https://www.kimlindquistauthor.com/

Autism Support: autismsocietytxgulfcoast@gmail.com

Connect with a Bible Study for Caregivers:
https://www.sagemontchurch.org/women/#/

Connect with Imagine Enterprises:
https://www.imagine-enterprises.org/

Medicaid Waivers Website:
http://texasmedicaidwaivers.com

HIPP – Texas Medicaid program that helps families pay for employer-sponsored health insurance premiums:
https://www.hhs.texas.gov/services/financial/health-insurance-premium-payment-hipp-program

Connect with Sandy:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sandydeppisch
Embrace the Blessing Facebook Group: http://bit.ly/ETB4ME
Website: http://www.embracetheblessing.com/

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In this episode I talk with Jeanna TenBrink about the joys and challenges that go along with having  2 of her 3 daughters on the Autism spectrum.  Initially overwhelmed because she had no idea how to help them,  Jeanna didn’t stay in that space for long.  After diving in to learn everything possible about autism and after reaching out to connect with a group of caring moms on a similar journey, Jeanna became an amazing advocate not only for her own family but for many other families as well.

As an advocacy coordinator, she helps build bridges between home and school.  So it came as a devastating blow to learn one of her own daughters was being horribly mistreated in the classroom.  Jeanna shares her heart-wrenching story to remind parents of the importance of trusting your gut when you begin to sense something isn’t right.  If you start seeing red flags, start asking questions.

Today, Jeanna’s family is using that distressing experience as a springboard towards making positive changes at the legislative level.   They are looking for parents who want to share their stories, collaborate and advocate for systemic change in policies.

Connect with Project LEAH (Leaders Ending Abuse & Harm): an organization that armors parents, families, and allies of loved ones of students in the Texas Public School System who have endured abuse with educational, legislative advocacy training to foster macro-level change

Contact email:
projectleahtx@gmail.com

Connect with Chara Dance Academy:
https://www.charadance.com/

Connect with Sandy:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sandydeppisch
Embrace the Blessing Facebook Group: http://bit.ly/ETB4ME
Website: http://www.embracetheblessing.com/https://uniquelyhuman.com/

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In this episode I talk with Jacquelyn Stephanou about her 20 year old son Will who has a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and Autism.  Will’s diagnosis brought challenges, especially regarding communication.   By constantly reading, researching and connecting with others, Jacquelyn learned about Spelling to Communicate, a technique that teaches individuals with Autism & Apraxia the purposeful motor skills needed to communicate by spelling.   Students are taught to point accurately to letters on a letter board to spell out words and eventually create sentences.   For the first time in many years Will is now able to express his thoughts and feelings and even share his dreams for the future!  Jacquelyn believes in presuming competence and continually pushing boundaries to raise the bar.  The potential is there.  You just have to figure out how to tap into it to give your child every opportunity for success.

Books:
Prizant, Barry: Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism. NY: Simon and Schuster, 2016
https://www.amazon.com/Uniquely-Human-Different-Seeing-Autism/dp/1476776245

Podcasts:
Uniquely Human, Barry Prizant and Dave Finch, cohosts
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uniquely-human-the-podcast/id1532460901
https://uniquelyhuman.com/

The Heumann Perspective, with Judy Heumann
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-heumann-perspective/id1558688277

Movies:
Crip Camp
https://youtu.be/OFS8SpwioZ4

Spelling2Communicate:
International Association for Spelling to Communicate (I-asc).
The best place to learn about the basics of S2C and to find practitioners around the globe.
Spelling to Communicate | S2C | I-ASC
https://i-asc.org/

Rapid Promoting Method/HALO
https://www.halo-soma.org/what-is-rpm

Communication Choice as a Human Right:
Communication First
https://communicationfirst.orghttps://i-asc.org

Books By and About Spellers:
Handley, JB, Handley, J. Underestimated: An Autism Miracle, 2020.
https://www.amazon.com/Underestimated-Autism-Miracle-Childrens-Defense/dp/1510766367

Tino, Gregory. The Autistic Mind Finally Speaks: Letterboard Thoughts, 2020.
https://www.amazon.com/Autistic-Mind-Finally-Speaks-Letterboard/dp/B08LJN18BY

Pena EV, Editor. Leaders Around Me: Autobiographies of Autistics Who Type, Point, & Spell to Communicate, 2019.
https://www.amazon.com/Leaders-Around-Autobiographies-Autistics-Communicate/dp/1791505953

Connect with Sandy:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sandydeppisch
Embrace the Blessing Facebook Group: http://bit.ly/ETB4ME
Website: http://www.embracetheblessing.com/https://uniquelyhuman.com/