Living the Sky Life - Autism Journey

So glad to be back hosting my podcast after an unexpected multiple month break!! For this first episode of season 4, I'm discussing the lengthy battle many of us face when trying to find a medication that is helpful to our kids, but also one that won't add additional challenges to their day to day behaviors, sleep schedule or appetite.  We've been experiencing what I call the "many seasons of Skyler" with regard to his behaviors over the last several months and it's been down right exhausting and frustrating - for him and for our family. I know I'm not alone and would love to hear about the journey each of you listening has been through when it comes to medications for autism/anxiety/moods/ADHD! ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Kelly resides in FL is mom to 32-year-old Steven who received his autism diagnosis at the age of 2.5. Since that time, he has also been diagnosed with Apraxia, Tourette's, OCD and Anxiety. Steven is a kind, gentle soul. He loves life and everyone he meets. His journey has not been easy but he has persevered through every single obstacle he has faced. Kelly learns from Steven every single day and feels extremely blessed to be his mom. You can connect with Kelly on IG: @growingupsteven  Malinda Dalton-Cook resides in the San Diego area with her husband Chad and their 20-year-old daughter Paige, who is severely impacted by autism.  Malinda is the CEO/Founder of Paige's Pantry which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.  The mission of Paige's Pantry is to help teach and empower teens and adults on the autism spectrum; giving them the opportunity to learn organizational, communication, community & administrative skills.  www.paigespantry.org Malinda is also the host of the Autism Masterminds Podcast: autismmasterminds.com Crystal Sacco resides in CT and is the mother of Keith, her 28- year-old nonverbal son with Autism and ID who lives in a group home. She has worked with individuals or families with disabilities directly or indirectly for 14 years.  She is passionate about supporting families and helping them become the best advocates for their loved ones.  She has a particular place in her heart for helping nonverbal adults with Autism and challenging behaviors. You can connect with Crystal on Mighty Networks through her family support page Elea Village at https://village.getelea.com/feed Dottie Davis resides in Mandeville, LA and is a mother of four children, her youngest, John, age 24 is autistic.  She served on the PTA at her son's school in order to stay involved with administration, teachers and staff.  Dottie also served as Parent Liaison for the Special Education Dept. for St. Tammany Parish School System for three years.  She helped to facilitate communication between parents of special needs and/or gifted students and school administration and teachers.

Alicia Miner (WA) - resides in Washington State and is a single mom to her amazing 18-year-old son, Austin, who is autistic and non-verbal. She has recently started the Spelling to Communicate program and is always advocating for her son's future.  Connect with Alicia via FB: www.facebook.com/alicia.miner.9 Leasa Hoogerwerf (CA) - is the mother of two adult sons, her youngest, Cody is 21-years-old and has nonverbal autism.  Leasa is a very passionate advocate who chose to share her family's journey through autism on social media via the Cody Speaks Facebook page so other families wouldn't feel so alone.   Connect with Leasa via FB or IG: @Codyspeaks Lisa Dempsey (TX) - Lisa Dempsey is a special needs mom & is the founder and CEO of the nonprofit, Forgotten Wishes Foundation, whose mission is to inspire a sense of belonging and be a source of joy for people with disabilities. Lisa also writes a blog about her experiences called Lisa DempseyHQ.com. She and her husband Robert are the parents of four children and reside in Houston. Connect with Lisa via her website: www.forgottenwishesfoundation.org or FB/IG page: @Forgotten Wishes Foundation Sherry Little (CO) - is the mom to four amazing children, two daughters and two sons, all now in their thirties. Her three oldest have blessed her with five beautiful grandchildren. Sherry's  youngest child, Aaron, was born with special needs in 1991. She resides in Colorado and is very passionate about changing the broken system for disabled adults and their caregivers.  Connect with Sherry via her FB page: @Caregivers of Disabled Children Unite

Jess Ronne (MI) - Lives in Grand Rapids, MI and is the author of 'Sunlight Burning at Midnight' and 'Blended With Grit and Grace.' She also founded a non-profit 'The Lucas Project' and initiated & helped produce the recently released documentary 'Unseen' which touches on the challenging lives of caregivers. Jess and her husband Ryan are the parents of 8 children and their almost 18-year-old son Luke has multiple diagnosis resulting in profound special needs. Connect with Jess via: FB: https://www.facebook.com/theofficiallucasproject       IG: @jessplusthemess  Coffee with Caregivers podcast:  https://anchor.fm/jess-ronne Robin LaVoie (AZ) - Robin lives in Fountain Hills, Arizona with her husband Chuck and their almost 23-year-old autistic son, Blake. She feels lucky to live in a state that allows parents to be paid as attendant care providers for their adult children, and to be married to a home builder who recently designed and built a new home for them with an attached “apartment” for Blake, who needs full-time care and supervision. Robin's reflections about life as her son's caregiver and advocate have appeared in print and online. Her latest musings can be found in her monthly-ish email newsletter, “It's Like This.” Connect with Robin via: Newsletter - https://itslikethis.substack.com Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/robin.k.lavoie

Caryn Culver is a life long Tennessean and currently resides in Knoxville with her husband Chad and 3 children. Caryn's middle child, Peyton, was diagnosed with autism in 2010 at the age of two. Since this time, their family has been on a journey to help Peyton reach his best potential. After visiting doctors and specialists around the country and trying numerous therapies, Peyton has finally found his voice with Spelling to Communicate (S2C). Peyton, now 14 years old, has made it his mission to help other non-speakers have access to communication programs like S2C. Please visit ThePeytonproject.com for more details. *To hear my first discussion with Caryn back in 2020 where we discuss parenting and how they found the S2C program, listen to podcast episode 44. ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Lisa Dempsey is a special needs mom & is the founder and CEO of the nonprofit, Forgotten Wishes Foundation, whose mission is to inspire a sense of belonging and be a source of joy for people with disabilities. Lisa also writes a blog about her experiences called Cluck Howl Crow. Lisa is happiest when spending time with her husband Robert and family. To refuel her mind and body, Lisa travels in her trailer named Rosemary von Wunder, takes walks on the beach or binge-watches Broadway Musicals in New York City. Lisa and Robert have been married for 18 years, have 4 children and live in Houston, TX. Connect with Lisa on FB: @dempseylisa or @forgottenwishesfoundation or IG: @cluck_howl_crow or @forgotten_wishes_foundation ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Peri, better known to her FB followers as Not Raingirl is a 24-year-old autistic adult. Peri's honesty, understanding and deep desire to educate parents and caregivers about living with autism - as a nonverbal child and now an outspoken advocate, is greatly appreciated and admired. *I can assure you this Autism mom not only values Peri's willingness to help explain and guide me but that she does it from a place of kindness, love and truly to be helpful rather than confrontational* You can connect with Peri on FB: @notraingirl ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Johanne is a writer, autism advocate and mother of an adult son with severe autism. Her memoir, CHOICES - One mother's determined search for the supports to meet the needs of her aging autistic son, details her journey from her son's infancy to adulthood. Today, Johanne continues to work with special needs students in the public school system and lives in her Habitat for Humanity home on Cape Cod. Connect with Johanne via FB: @autisminsights or her website: jmcrawfordwrites.com ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Kate Swenson, the founder of Finding Cooper's Voice and nonprofit, The More Than Project, is a mother to four kids, a wife, and a proud Minnesotan. She writes and creates videos regularly about her life as a mother and an autism advocate for Facebook, Instagram, and her website, Finding Cooper's Voice. Her book, Forever Boy, A Mother's Memoir of Autism and Finding Joy, is available now and highlights the transformation that she went through after her son's diagnosis.  You can purchase Kate's book, Forever Boy on Amazon via this link  https://amzn.to/3691swl ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

To kick start all things Autism Education month, I'm taking to the podcast solo to discuss my thoughts on Skyler turning 19 next week and my evolving perspective on future living arrangements.   I reference a few prior guests in this episode as well - Dottie Davis (Episode 78) 7 Michelle O'Reily (Episode 88) so be sure and listen to those! ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!  

Kim Albrecht is a southerner transplanted to California via the Midwest along with her husband and 2 teenage daughters, the oldest of which has level 3 non-speaking autism. She hosts the award winning LOMAH Disability Podcast, where over 100 expert guests have been interviewed on topics relevant to planning the future for teens and young adults with disabilities.  The show deep dives into a single issue for 12 episodes and has covered disability housing, transitioning from school to adult services, financial planning, safety, technology, health, and more.  When not in the trenches of parenting, you can find her hunting sea glass, hiking a trail, or on instagram as @journey2lomah. ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!    

Christy Pickrell is a wife, mother, author and advocate for individuals with disabilities or health concerns.  Christy has been in the caregiving field for 30 plus years, starting with family members as well as a respite provider for the ARC of Maryland. She is the mother of a 22-year-old disabled son and wife of 29 years.  Christy has been published in Autism Parenting Magazine, as well as 50 plus Lifestyle magazine and writes a regular column for Giversguide magazine out of Honolulu, HA called “Ask Christy.”  Christy is the Founder and President of Our Little Peace of Mind, where she creates solutions for care coordination for individuals and families. Connect with Christy here:  FB: @OurLittlePeaceofMind,Inc or her website: Ourlittlepeaceofmind.com ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!  

Lindsay is the founder and owner of The Pampered Parent, a monthly self-care subscription box and supportive online community for moms of children with special needs. In addition to The Pampered Parent, Lindsay is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). As a BCBA, she works with individuals with a variety of developmental disabilities, as well as with their caregivers and families, to improve communication and social skills, foster independence, and reduce challenging behaviors. In Lindsay's free time, she enjoys exercising, traveling, watching TV with her husband, and playing with her dog, Shockey!   You can connect with Lindsay here: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepamperedparent/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepamperedparent LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-san-24b00578 **10% Discount Code for your first subscription box: https://account.thepamperedparent.com?r=574115&s=13754 ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Kelley Howe is a Spelling to Communicate practitioner, occupational therapist, and owner of Adroit Therapy Services in Knoxville, Tennessee. In her practice she strives to help nonspeaking, minimally speaking, and unreliably speaking individuals gain access to reliable communication. Kelley has been using Spelling to Communicate with her clients since 2016 and is currently helping to train new practitioners through the International Association for Spelling as Communication (I-ASC).   You can connect with Kelley here: Website: https://www.adroittherapyservices.com/ facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adroittherapyservices instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adroittherapyservices/   Resources mentioned in the episode: i-asc.org - email info@i-asc.org   adroittherapyservices.com - email info@adroitthearpyservices.com ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Malinda Dalton-Cook resides in the San Diego area with her husband Chad and their almost 20-year-old daughter Paige, who is severely impacted by autism.   Malinda is the CEO/Founder of Paige's Pantry which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.  The mission of Paige's Pantry is to help teach and empower teens and adults on the autism spectrum.  Giving them the opportunity to learn organizational, communication, community & administrative skills.  www.paigespantry.org Malinda is also the host of the Autism Masterminds Podcast: autismmasterminds.com ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!  

Silvia Abeloe is a Mom to a 19-year-old young man who is severely impacted by autism.  She has been married for 26 years to her husband Ken and they live in Carlsbad, CA (North San Diego County).   Silvia was a Service Director for United Airlines at Washington Dulles International Airport in Northern Virginia when she decided to leave the workforce, start a family, and move back to her home state of California to raise their son. The travel bug has never escaped her. Traveling the world and scuba diving are her two favorite hobbies and pastimes.   Silvia's goal for her son's future is that he lead a productive and independent life with a support team in place in his own home. They want him to live his best life and are currently on a path to have Supportive Living Services aid him with that goal.    If you have questions about her journey or Supportive Living Services, you can contact Silvia via email at smakaa69@yahoo.com ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!  

Geege Taylor is an autism advocate and writer who produces and stars in LEAVE IT TO GEEGE, a reality series on The Lifetime Network (Wed 10/9c). The show celebrates autism and follows the zany adventures of her family, including her 19 year old non-speaking son, “Pootie,” along with a lively cast, which features three other young adults with autism.  She makes her home in Athens, GA with her children and describes herself as a “happy hermit” who loves to get under blankets, eat junk food and watch TV! You can connect with Geege on IG: @geegetaylor or FB: @angiegeegedudley ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Betsy Hicks-Russ is a leading autism expert with over 20 years of experience in holistic health.  Betsy is the former CEO of Green Health Wellness & author of Picky Eating Solutions (2010), a unique guidebook on the life-changing power of healthy eating habits. She has delivered lectures around the world about meal planning, special diets, and holistic health for individuals living with autism. Her experiences with her son Joey, have driven her to become an impassioned expert on the relationship between nutrition, movement, and fresh air being vital for the mind and body. Betsy strives to give those who may not have a voice the chance to express themselves and seek freedom from prejudice and social barriers. Her dedication to health and wellness translates directly to her passion for caregiving and the mission to create space for people living on the autistic spectrum to be heard, understood, and embraced. Betsy is also the creator of The Joey Bar, a delicious, organic & nutrient dense snack.  You can connect with Betsy on IG & TikTok: @betsyonthego or via her website: autismodyssey.org ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Cindy was born in Monterrey, Mexico and moved to Houston, TX with her parents and 6 siblings when she was 7. Cindy's dad was an oil & gas executive and her mom a homemaker. Cindy graduated from the University of Houston with a Hotel Management degree and met her husband Josh the year after graduation. They married in 1999 and moved to San Antonio for 1 year prior to moving to Chicago in 2000. She had 2 boys, Ethan (now 20) and Owen (now 17) in Chicago and then moved back to Houston due to job transfer. She spent 20 years working for Marriott then held positions with two other hotel companies before securing the role of VP, Market Strategy for Houston First Corporation. In 2012 she was delighted to welcome her 3rd son, Liam. At the age of 4, Liam was diagnosed with Autism, ADHD & Language processing disorder. Connect with Cindy at IG or FB: @autismwithyourshirtoff ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Alex Filstein is an award-winning inventor in Canada's energy sector whose innovations focus on emission-reducing technologies to achieve net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Alex is the recipient of the 2018 Oilweek/JWN Magazine Rising Star Award and the recipient of the prestige 2019 Technical Achievement Alumni Award from University of Calgary Schulich School of Engineering. He lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, with his wife and two young sons who are both on the autistic spectrum. After his son's diagnosis, Alex was diagnosed ASD-Level 1 /Asperger's. He is an active volunteer in the autism community, administrator for the “Autism Stories ” group on Facebook and passionate about sharing data related to the autism community to advance happier Autism families. Connect with Alex on FB: @autismstories and @alexfilstein ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Vaish [/vIEsh/] Sarathy [/sAH rUH thEE/], Ph.D. is a Functional Nutrition Practitioner and Science Educator, and the founder of Functional Nutrition for Kids - a Functional Nutrition Practice for children, and Plum Pudding Chemistry - a science and math education practice for kids of all abilities. Her TEDx talk "Who decides how smart you are" talks about the value of Assuming Intelligence and has been called mind-blowing and perspective-shifting by practitioners and parents. Vaish believes that Sound Nutrition, an Equal Education, and a Rested Mind are the birthright of every child, and no functional practice is possible without truly Assuming Competence. Her perspective is shaped by her son, Sid, a non-speaking 14-year-old poet with Down Syndrome and Autism, who has a sharp mind and a quick wit. Connect with Vaish on IG: www.instagram.com/drvaishsarathy or FB: www.facebook.com/functionalnutritionforkids ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Octavia Walker is the mother of two children, her son is on the autism spectrum. Octavia left her media sales career to become the founder of Getting By Is Not Enough. Moms of children with disabilities rely on her first hand experience and strategic solutions to learn how to become the best advocate for their child, develop a strong support team, and live out their own heartfelt dreams and purpose.    Octavia offers personal coaching to help Moms create a roadmap that focuses on their strengths so they can have the confidence and peace of mind to take care of their family and themselves by building a life they truly deserve and desire.    Visit www.gettingbyisnotenough.com to schedule a complementary 30 minute strategy session to get started.    Connect with Octavia on IG: @gettingbyisnotenough   ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Dr. Mary Barbera “fell” into the autism world in 1999 when her first-born son, Lucas was diagnosed with autism. Since then, Mary transformed from a confused and overwhelmed parent to a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst and best-selling author.  After earning a PhD, Mary launched her first online course in early 2015 and later built additional courses and a membership program to help both parents and autism professionals.  In her vlogs, podcasts, books, webinars, and online courses, Mary teaches her unique step-by-step system and method to help children with autism (or signs of autism) talk more while reducing tantrums and other problem behaviors.  Mary's latest book Turn Autism Around was published in 2021 by Hay House and is helping parents and professionals start turning things around for young children with early signs of autism and older children with an autism diagnosis who are still struggling with talking, tantrums, eating, sleeping and potty training.    For more information go to marybarbera.com to access her FB, IG & YouTube pages.   ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

My 16-year-old daughter, Kendall, is back for another sit down chat with me!  She agreed to answer some questions sent in to us by the listeners about growing up with a severely autistic older brother.  Kendall continues to amaze me daily with her maturity, honesty and selflessness.  I'm extremely proud of her for a multitude of reasons and respect how much time she's invested in working through her feelings, anxiety & overall outlook on growing up in a dramatically different way than her peers.

Corey and Andrea Landreth are the parents of 4 grown children. They moved to El Dorado, Kansas to begin Real Life Christian Church in 2006 where Corey is the lead pastor. Andrea is a school psychologist in the public school system. They began the Drawings by Trent business in 2015 for their son with the goals of encouraging families, educating communities and inspiring everyone through Trent's art and their story.  There were many difficult years, but seeing Trent's raw joy and incredible ability brings hope to families going through the struggles of raising a child on the spectrum.  You can connect with the Landreth family in the following ways: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpWxUJiR8QP1AXDX-jWWwgA (just under Drawings by Trent) Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/drawingsbytrent Website: drawingsbytrent.com. (you will find information about Trent, our family, the business, and be able to visit our store!)   ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!  

Ryan LeFevers is coming up on 14 years of marriage and has been together with his wife Kristin for 20 years. They are parents to two handsome autistic boys - Parker age 5 and Dustin age 3. Ryan recently started social media pages to share a Dad's view of raising autistic children. You can follow their journey on FB: @MyHeroesRaisingBoysontheSpectrum and on IG:  @myheroesonthespectrum ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Although you've seen & heard much less from me the last few months with my lack of blog writing and social media posts... that doesn't mean I've slowed down my advocacy for autism families!  I've been a busy bee initiating some pretty incredible projects that will have a positive impact on communities both locally and across the country, while at the same time, I remain focused on Skyler's GI health which is starting to show sustained improvement. Tune in for today's episode and I'll catch you up on all the things!  

Rebecca Robbins is a speech language pathologist who has spent the bulk of her career helping children, young adults, and families impacted by autism. She has worked in various settings over the course of her 16 year career including a private school for children with autism, Early Intervention & Preschool agency work, as well as a public school. She is now the proud owner of Mind ShaperSLP, LLC where she provides 1:1 speech therapy, executive functioning and life skills coaching for individuals and social skills groups. In addition, Rebecca provides parent online training programs and consultation services. Rebecca is trained in ABA, VBA, relationship development techniques, and is a certified Hanen Centre More Than Words® practitioner. She has extensive knowledge and experience in the areas of autism, apraxia, executive functioning skills, feeding therapy, mindfulness, augmentative communication, assistive technology, and parent training. Rebecca currently lives in Pennsylvania with her fiancé Mark, is passionate about theatre arts, and performs in and directs various productions each year.  You can connect with Rebecca on IG & FB : @mindshaperslp and her website mindshaperslp.com Nonverbal No More 10% Discount Link: bit.ly/nonverbalnomore10 ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Vidya Banerjee is the mom of a teenager on the autism spectrum with an additional diagnosis of Landau Kleffner syndrome. He is also nonverbal and uses an AAC device to communicate.   Vidya started a blog www.autismfamilystory.com in 2019 to help fellow parents with tips and strategies she learned over the years in raising her son.  Vidya also recently started the autismfamilystory podcast to as a way to connect with even more families.   It's Vidya's mission to build a community for parents of children with autism as she knows firsthand raising a child with ASD can be very overwhelming and isolating.   You can connect with Vidya on IG & FB: @autismfamilystory or via her blog at blogapot.com  ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

JC Ellinger brings life stories and experience as an autism mom to publications such as Autism Parenting Magazine and Exceptional Needs Today. She was also recently awarded Top General Advice Writer of 2020 honored by APM.  While currently working on her first children's book geared at bringing relatability and support to other ASD children just like her amazing son, she has returned to school attending Northwestern State University pursuing a Master's of Arts in English with the goal of teaching young minds in a discipline she loves. JC, additionally, carries a Master's Degree in Business Administration and BA in Communication Studies. Connect with JC via IG: @jc.ellinger or FB: @jc.ellinger.writer ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Shelly Henley is not unlike other special needs parents who want their children to grow up to be happy, fulfilled people - living the life they want while enjoying their work & feeling validated.  So, with a lot of hope and hustle, Shelly & her husband decided to make their son's dream of becoming a chef a reality while also giving other people's children an opportunity for meaningful work as well.  In 2018, No Label at the Table Food Co. was founded in Carmel, IN and Shelly's autistic adult son, Jacob became Chef J! www.nolabelatthetable.com FB: @No Label at the Table Food Company ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Tabitha Cabrera, lives in Arizona, amongst mostly year round sunshine and cactus. She works as an Attorney and enjoys spending her time in a public service role. She shares her life with her husband Nick, five year old son Nixon, and two year old daughter Nora. Both Nixon and Nora were diagnosed with autism in 2020. She had found a passion in advocacy and paired this passion with her bother Mike Barnett to publish two children's books. "Do You Talk the Way I Talk?" and "Me and My AAC." She also speaks about family, mothering, and their autism journey on Table for Five, No Reservations podcast. She believes that each day you have the opportunity to spread a message and extend a hand to those who are needing it the most. Connect with Tabitha & purchase her books via this link: https://linktr.ee/peaceofautism ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Lia McCabe has a Master's specialized in Human Factors Psychology and is a User Experience Researcher by trade. Inspired by her autistic children, Lia and her husband founded AutismWish, a charity initiative granting wishes to children on the spectrum. Both neurodiverse themselves, the McCabes also launched the Embracing Autism Podcast to provide parents of autistic children with tips, guidance, resources, and a newfound perspective. Her life's passion is to destigmatize autism while spreading awareness and compassionate acceptance. ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

On today's solo episode, I'm breaking down the outcome of Skyler's trip to Austin and what we've identified as the culprit of the last 6-8 months of increased aggression and weight loss! ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Valerie Gilpeer is an attorney who has been practicing law for forty years. She shifted her civil law practice twenty years ago in favor of representing families of disabled children trying to obtain educational services from local school districts. She has continued to focus on disability rights law through her volunteer work with several nonprofit organizations in the Los Angeles area. Emily Grodin is a college student studying journalism, psychology, and creative writing and has been recognized for her academic achievement. She has been featured in Leaders Around Me and published in Amuse-Bouche. Emily is an advocate for herself and members of her community in an effort to dispel the misconceptions and nonacceptance of those with autism. Valerie and Emily live with Tom Grodin, her husband and Emily's dad, in Encino, California. You can purchase their memoir "I Have Been Buried Under Years of Dust" on Amazon. ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Crystal Jordan is the proud mother of two children.  Her 13-year-old son is on the autism spectrum.  Through her experiences with him, Crystal learned how specific foods and overall nutrition can have a dramatic impact on individuals with autism, ADHD and autoimmune disorders.  She worked tirelessly on getting the information to the masses - first through an eCourse and now into a book she authored entitled "Foods Four Thought Diet," which is available on Amazon.  Crystal is thrilled with the incredible and positive impact the diet has had on her son and hopes it could provide some helpful tips and answers for other families. ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Siraya Gloudemans is a mom of three with her oldest, Nolan being diagnosed with autism. Siraya runs a blog 'Stay at home zookeeper' in which she shares the true messiness of being a parent. It includes everything from autism parenting, neurotypical parenting, home updates, favorite products & life/mom hacks. She is a former early childhood teacher & is married to her high school sweetheart who works as a pharmacist. Together, they are navigating the many approaches to raising a child on the spectrum with siblings who are neurotypical. ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Jose Rodriguez Jr. is the founder and CEO of Tasium. Jose started this business venture in his junior year of high school at the age of 16. Taking all the newly found knowledge in entrepreneurship from the NFTE (Network For Teaching Entrepreneurship) course he took, he was able to win the 2020 NFTE national business plan competition. Becoming the first person from not only Rhode Island but the entire New England region to win this prestigious award. As the big brother to an autistic person, Jose has experienced first hand the difficulties his brother faces.  Joel Rodriguez is the inspiration for Tasium. Being autistic, Joel faces many day to day challenges. Although Joel has some unique barriers, he doesn't let that define him. Joel appreciates that his older brother has dedicated his life to creating a business in honor of Joel.  Joel works hard everyday and is an aspiring coder, taking advanced computer science classes taught at his high school. In Joel's spare time he likes to play video games and go to the park with his family, where he and his brother practice their trick shots on the basketball court.  ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Michelle O'Reilly is a native of Toronto, Canada & is a graduate of Oakwood University and Clark Atlanta University.  She enjoys living & basking in the Orlando, FL sunshine with her teenage daughter, Maya.  In addition to her past 24 years as an elementary teacher, Michelle has found herself increasingly involved in all things autism and special needs due to her precious 18-year-old son, Justin.  She loves speaking to others who are also on their journey to acceptance. You can connect with Michelle via IG: @michelleo13 ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Stephanie Hanrahan was just your seemingly average housewife until she grew tired of pretending and decided to make her private journal public.  Since sharing her story, Stephanie has achieved viral success with her website, Tinkles Her Pants, which chronicles her journey as wife to a husband with chronic illness, mother to special needs children, and a woman who often unravels then finds her footing again. She can be found leaking nothing but the truth on the Today Show, CNN, Yahoo! News, Google, The Daily Mail, and most recently her TEDx Talk: The Problem with Being Perfect. Stephanie is also a founding board member of the 501(c)(3) non-profit, Labeled and Loved, which provides online resources and connective in-person experiences for special needs families, as well as the host of the Labeled and Loved Podcast. ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Lisa Candera is a single mother to a teenage son with autism, lawyer, parent advocate, and certified life coach for moms raising kids with autism.   To learn more about Lisa's coaching services and book a free consultation, visit her website at www.theautismmomcoach.com.  Follow Lisa on FB and IG: @theautismmomcoach. ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Tania van Bree is mom to Elli and Willem, ages 11 and 7 & wife to Marc. They live Buda, Texas. Her career background is in Music Administration & Education and she owns an Early Childhood Music Education business while pursuing a degree to become a certified Music Therapist. Willem was diagnosed with Autism at only 16 months of age. He is now considered a Level 3 Autistic with pre-verbal Apraxia. Big sister Elli has been around therapists in the home all of her life. In previous years, for Autism Awareness Month, Elli & Tania visited classrooms at Elli's school to spread understanding about Willem's diagnosis. Since this was not possible in 2020 due to the pandemic, they decided to make a short video to share with her school. It was especially important in 2021, because Willem was in his very first year at a regular public elementary school along with Elli who will move on to middle school next year. The video was shared on Tania's Facebook profile (viewed over 10k times) & shared by radio stations & news outlets. Since Elli is very shy & struggles with anxiety, this was a huge accomplishment. When she is in high school, Elli plans to devote her Girl Scout Gold award toward Autism Acceptance.   Connect with Tania on FB or IG: @taniavanbree ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Kourtney Bryan is a proud wife, stay-at-home mom, former accountant and science nerd. After 12 years in corporate accounting and finance, Kourtney began her new career as a stay-at-home mom with her four children. Shortly after, her then three-year-old son, began to struggle with a multitude of health issues. At the age of five, he was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder yet his physical and mental health continued to decline. With the help of her husband Glen, Kourtney sought out opinions from the country's top geneticists, metabolic specialists, neurologists and immunologists who over the past six years have been able to piece together treatments to help her son's health improve.   Kourtney lives in Lake Elmo, Minnesota with her husband and four children, Katherine, Sydney, David and Madelyn. ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Peggy Earnest is a pediatric speech/language pathologist.  She received her PhD from the University of Connecticut and has over 18 years of experience working in her own private practice called ‘Columbia Motor Speech Therapy'. Peggy especially enjoys working with children with complex speech disorders, such as apraxia and dysarthria. Over the years, she has been inspired by many aspects of her job, but especially by the determination, strength and creativity of the kids she is fortunate enough to work with. Peggy is also the author of an eclectic mix of books, ranging from professional books and poetry to books that raise awareness of food allergies. Her most recent venture is a novel, entitled ‘Nonverbal'. Peggy took all of the inspiring characteristics that she observes in the many children she has worked with over the years in order to create a fun and inspirational character named Jake Prescott, who changes attitudes using his own unique form of communication. Nonverbal is written for young adult readers and touches on current topics including cyber bullying, kindness, inclusion and the value of true friendship. Above all, the book is about the life-altering lessons Jake is able to teach to those in his world, even without words. It is the winner of the 2020 preteen and teen Human Relations Indie award, the 2020 winner of the special needs Human Relations Indie Award and a 2020 Finalist in the Inspirational Fiction category of the Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Connect with Peggy on IG: @nonverbal_the_novel or on FB: @Nonverbal the novel and @Pieces of ME ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!  

Jenna Kapes works for her local intermediate unit, assisting in both the Desktop Publishing and Behavioral Health Departments. She is a graduate of Susquehanna University with a dual major in Creative Writing and Publishing and Editing. She has recently finished drafting the manuscript to her debut memoir, titled, Flipping the Behavioral Plan: A Sibling's Perspective on Asperger's, where she unpacks the realities of life with Lauren, her older sister who has Asperger's Syndrome. She also runs her own blog titled The Sibling Diary, where she continues her passion of bringing awareness to the realities of having a family member on the autism spectrum. Connect with Jenna via her FB page:  @The Sibling Diary ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

DeAndra Perry is a young mother from New York whose son was diagnosed with autism at two years old. She wrote the children's book "Cam's World" to show the world the very few things that go on in her son Cameron's daily life.  She wanted to create a fun but educational way to help other children understand autism.  DeAndra's goal is to spread awareness and to make a difference in this world as an autism mom. Connect with DeAndra on IG @welcometo_camsworld or purchase her book on www.welcometocamsworld.com ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Temple Grandin is a renowned American author, animal behavior expert and an advocate for autistic people. With support from her mother and guiding mentors at school, she completed her education successfully and made a flourishing career as an animal expert and a parenting guru for autistic children. Her inventions of a ‘hug machine’ to pacify autistic population and ‘curved corrals’ to reduce panic and injury in animals during slaughter have brought her considerable popularity across the world. Besides, she has written numerous books on autism and animal welfare and has been providing consultation to slaughter plants and livestock farms to improve the quality of life of the cattle. Her fascinating life has been transformed into an inspiring film ‘Temple Grandin’ which won accolades from the industry and audience alike and was honored with several awards. Some of her best-selling books include ‘Animals in Translation’, ‘Animals Make Us Human’, ‘The Autistic Brain’, ‘Emergence: Labeled Autistic’, and ‘Thinking in Pictures’. She has received various awards towards her contribution to animal science and welfare and has made appearances on numerous television shows and international magazines. The most accomplished and well-known adult with autism in the world, she has been a source of encouragement for other children with autism.

Leasa Hoogerwerf is the mother of two adult sons, one of which has nonverbal autism.  Leasa is a very passionate advocate who chose to share her family's journey through autism on social media via the Cody Speaks Facebook page so other families wouldn't feel so alone.   Leasa hopes that by sharing their life, they will inspire others that being nonverbal may not be forever. Cody now has words, many words in fact, and her mission is to help the world understand that autism is a spectrum and we all should be more accepting of differences. Connect with Leasa via FB: @codyspeaks or IG: @codyspeaks **************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Dottie Davis lives in Mandeville, LA and is a mother of four children, with her youngest, John diagnosed with autism.  She served on the PTA at her son's school in order to stay involved with administration, teachers and staff.  Dottie also served as Parent Liaison for the Special Education Dept. for St. Tammany Parish School System for three years.  She helped to facilitate communication between parents of special needs and/or gifted students and school administration and teachers. STARC of Louisiana, represented on the podcast by Mark Baham, provides a lifetime of Services, Training, Advocacy, Resources and Community connections.  Their programs include early intervention, daycare, respite care, work training, vocational employment, home care and residential living to help move individuals toward greater independence. You can connect with Dottie via email: 8016liz@gmail.com and the STARC organization via FB: @STARC of Louisiana, Inc. or Mark directly via email: Mbaham@starcla.org ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Krista is the mother to Alex, age 19, diagnosed on the autism spectrum and Anna, age 17 who is neurotypical.  In her previous life before kids, she earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in accounting from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and worked in public accounting for 11 years. Since then, she has spent her time raising two wonderful kids and enjoys sharing all types of information about her family’s autism journey with others while also learning from the many parents in the world of special needs. Connect with Krista via FB: @KristaGold ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!

Maisie has been working with neurodivergent children, teens and adults since her undergraduate study at the University of California, Los Angeles in 1991. She moved away from the behavioral approach because she realized that supporting each one of her client's authenticity as an autistic individual needed to be the center of any therapeutic goals. Her role as a family coach is to foster a meaningful understanding and acceptance of an autism diagnosis as a unique pathway to self advocacy and fulfilling lives. She believes that every autistic person has a story to share to the world, and it is her passion to prepare the world to embrace and take part in his/her/their story. As a parent and professional coach, she has learned that every neurodivergent person is unique. Working with parents at home and empowering them to be in the driver's seat as competent parents who are willing learners themselves is an important foundation for each family. After her own autism and SPD diagnoses, she now shares her lived experiences to help parents and professionals focus on autism positivity in each individual.  With her Masters degree in Curriculum and Instructional Design, she aspires to develop vocational and adaptive living curriculum for teens and adults with neurological differences. Her goal is to create resources for educators, professionals, job coaches and business owners from all over the world to hire and support ND individuals in a variety of workplaces.    Connect with Maisie on IG: @autismcareerpathways or her website @autismcareerpathways.com ***************************************** To purchase my book “Welcome to My Life – A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism” click HERE or visit Amazon.com! You can easily stay connected to the Living the Sky Life podcast and me in various ways.  Please visit my website www.lauriehellmann.com for all the links. I'd love to hear what you think, so if listening on the Apple platform, please leave a written review and rating of the podcast!  If you are interested in being a guest on an episode of Living the Sky Life, please contact me!