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In this 2nd half of a 2 part episode I continue to talk with Brianna TenBrink, an eloquent, wise and compassionate 23 year old big sister to 16 year old Myah and 15 year old Leah, her younger siblings who are on opposite ends of the Autism spectrum.  Brianna shares her perspective on how her experiences as the only neurotypical  child in the family shaped the person she is today.   From a young age Brianna took it upon herself to become the ‘glue’ that helped hold the family together.   Her sisters made her a better person and influenced and directed Brianna’s purpose and passion in life.  Service and Teaching are at the heart of who she is and Brianna has aspirations to make lasting positive changes for all people with disabilities.

  • Brianna is the eldest sibling to two younger sisters with Autism on vastly different sides of the spectrum
  • For the past 13 years, Brianna has been a tireless advocate for individuals, much like her siblings, winning the Sibling Scholarship from Knapps and Roberts law firm, the Rose Award from disAbility Connections, Inc., and Advocate of the Year award from the Arc of the Gulf Coast which granted her the opportunity to speak on the experiences of being a sibling at district-wide conferences.
  • Brianna is a Partner in the Texas Partners in Policymaking Program, a Marketing Advisor & Sensitivity Panelist for Disability Book Week, and the Director of Marketing and Sales for Neural Divergence, LLC.
  • Brianna is the co-founder of Project LEAH (Leaders Ending Abuse and Harm), which is 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.

If you haven’t heard the first half of Brianna’s interview,  be sure to listen to it in its entirety.  You won’t want to miss any of this awe-inspiring conversation.

Connect with Brianna:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebriannashley/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/briashten
Project LEAH Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/4127855043987645/

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/

Drumroll Please!

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You guys are awesome!  In a very short time, 54 entries from 28 people came POURING in.  Thank you for your thoughtfulness and creativity in helping Josiah name his budding new business.   It was extremely difficult to narrow down the list but Josiah’s amazing caregivers were up to the challenge.  I may have sent a few too many text messages to them with lists of names that were continually needing to be tweaked.  Everyone liked different ones so identifying the 3 favorites for Josiah to choose from was a bit of a challenge.

When the finalists were decided, the whisper guided Josiah through the selection process.  It was just after an evening shower, when Josiah usually prefers to head straight to his room.  He had just 4 hours of sleep the night before and walked a few miles that afternoon. Though he was tired, he complied.  Josiah was called over to the counter where he promptly sat down on a stool.   Three index cards were placed in front of him and the names read to him in order.

Read more…

We Need Your Creativity!

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While that may very well be true, we are powerless to come up with THE name for Josiah’s new business.  After many months creating behind the scenes, this new business venture remains unveiled, all due to lack of a name. 

Josiah and one of his amazing caregivers embarked on this new enterprise about 6 months ago.

The Josiah whisperer shared this business idea with me when Josiah was still in the midst of difficult challenges.  I’m well aware he works miracles with Josiah but from my perspective, this seemed like a stretch, even for him.   We were struggling to get through the days with no painful episodes of aggression/self-injury.   Contemplating a business endeavor at that point was not on my radar.

I should know better than to doubt the whisperer’s wisdom.  He and Josiah have a special connection that defies description.  He speaks and Josiah complies.  Truly remarkable. Read more…