Moms Talk Autism Podcast

Mindful Voices: A One-Stop Shop for Therapy?!

April 01, 2024 08:00 - 53 minutes - 49.2 MB

Today we had a great discussion with Rachael Farkas at Mindful Voices about therapies and services available to autistic families in a “one-stop shop” style company. There are places out there that can provide speech, OT, potty training, ABA, etc all from one location and team. Everyone works together and has access to your kids’ data and information…amazing! Honestly, this is how it should be. We love that Rachael and Chrissy are creating such a great resource for parents in the Nashville a...

Tough Times w/ Britt & Shannon

March 25, 2024 08:00 - 52 minutes - 47.7 MB

Life is tough, but so are YOU! Shannon and Britt here to talk about current struggles with our autistic kids. Dentists, ER visits, soccer practice, and the struggle to get on a literal bus. No one says this life is boring, am I right? Things happen to us, that’s life. How we react and process and move forward? Well, that’s where it’s really up to us. The more we practice and learn and stumble and pick ourselves up and try again, the stronger we become. Cliche, but true.

Jonathan Alderson : Receptivity & Communicating With Our Kids

March 18, 2024 08:00 - 1 hour - 90.7 MB

Another amazing conversation with Jonathan Alderson today! We dive into the topic of feeling frustrated when our kids “just won’t listen” to us and how we can find our way back to the joys of parenting again, even with kids who may have more challenging behaviors. How can we adjust our expectations? What are the changes that we can make in our intentions and our attitude that will yield better results for ourselves and our kids? We also discuss the topic of dating our kids and how that ca...

Jonathan Alderson: Why All Therapy May Not Work for All Kids

March 11, 2024 08:00 - 1 hour - 85.8 MB

Today we had the pleasure of talking with Jonathan Alderson. Jonathan has a Master's of Education from Harvard and also completed a three-year intensive certification training in autism treatment at the Autism Treatment Center of America. While we could go on and on about his BIO, what we discuss is even MORE important. After working directly with autistic children, Jonathan started to see that so many of the beliefs that we have been sold were not actually the case. Inspired to debunk thes...

The Moms' Current Fav Book w/ author Kelley Coleman

March 04, 2024 09:00 - 1 hour - 58.7 MB

We can’t wait to dive in with our guest today, Kelley Coleman, author of “Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child”. No joke, this is one of the best books on autism and parenting disabled kids we’ve ever read! We talk about the book and venture into other topics including: The “Go Home, Google, and Cry” method isn’t the only option anymore Invisible vs. NOT visible vs. visible disabilities. Say that three times fast. The cost of “Cognitive Labor”, this is a big one ...

Feeding our Kids: The Feeding Assessment Tool w/ Elizabeth Klein, BCBA, LBA, M.Ed.

February 26, 2024 12:00 - 1 hour - 60.6 MB

It is of no mystery to most of us, or so it seems, that feeding and diets are significant touchstones in having a kid on the spectrum. No matter where they fall, that is the very thing that became apparent in all of her work. Join us for this expert guest, Elizabeth Klein, BCBA, LBA + M.Ed., who shares her professional experience in the field and is currently the clinical supervisor over an ABA program. Proper nutrition is a passion of her and her husband, as they own a nutrition business as...

School Based Speech Therapy w/ Sarah Anzalone, SLP

February 19, 2024 12:00 - 1 hour - 62.4 MB

In today's episode, we had the pleasure of chatting with Sarah Anzalone, Speech Language Pathologist. Sarah works in the Camas School District as an SLP working specifically with elementary-age children. Sarah shares with us about coming from a large district in Las Vegas to a much smaller district in Camas and how different that looks. She also gives some insight on the direction of pre-entering a district to receiving your child's IEP and what that can involve as well as how you, as the pa...

Grab Bag #10

February 12, 2024 12:00 - 52 minutes - 48 MB

It’s another Grab Bag today! We polled you guys this week on Instagram to get your questions! (Another reason to chat with us on IG, wink wink…) Here’s what we tackle: Spreading awareness vs being protective of our children’s diagnosis, how do we handle this? How do you handle punishment in your home with your kids? How do we personally handle aggressive behaviors directed towards you? Come and chat with us! We love hanging out with you!

Mean Jean the Legislative Machine

February 05, 2024 12:00 - 1 hour - 102 MB

What!? Wait?! We are talking about one of our very own. It’s a long story but it’s all about the journey, in this case, Jean’s Journey to advocacy, and blossoming into the public education advocate, specifically at the cause of reimagining Special Education. You might want to listen to this in sections. Understandably, Jean, while compelling in facts and passions she shares, distilling it down to simpler form, is a real weakness. However, weak she is not, the hope is you see yourself in he...

Sister, Advocate, and Psychologist : Dr. Taylor Day

January 29, 2024 12:00 - 1 hour - 64.1 MB

Today we have an amazing conversation with Dr. Taylor Day. She is a child psychologist and parent coach specializing in autism and neurodivergent care and today joins Jean & Shannon for a special episode. In this episode we cover a lot and it may even double as an actual therapy session for all three ladies, as we have a very powerful discussion. Join us as we discuss: Some comorbidities of autism in the DSM-V Being a sibling growing up in the home, Naming PTSD + CPTSD in parents of ch...

School Based Occupational Therapy w/ Sharon Peddie, OT

January 22, 2024 12:00 - 1 hour - 59.8 MB

Sharon Peddie is an occupational therapist that works in her local school district and private practice. Her experience in both of these fields offers her a unique perspective on the importance of OT in all aspects of a person’s life. Different strategies and techniques are used depending on the environment. Seems obvious, but not everyone views therapy that way. Favorite takeaway from this episode: You are a co-regulator with your child! Some links that Sharon mentions in this episode:...

HomeSchooling: A Discussion with Manisha Snoyer

January 15, 2024 12:00 - 1 hour - 56.6 MB

Today’s show is all about homeschooling! We chat with Manisha Snoyer of Teach your Kids about the different ways that you can educate your children while thinking outside of the box. We discuss curriculum, what a day in the life of homeschool can look like, and where you can find more support and information if it’s something that you are considering for your kiddos! While the four of us don’t homeschool, we know that a chunk of our community does and this was a great conversation as frien...

Siblings: A Lifetime Dedication w/ Mollie Garre and Maya LaBate

January 08, 2024 12:00 - 1 hour - 67.2 MB

We have an AMAZING one for you today! Little warning.. the tears start early, at the 6 minute mark! It’s not sad, it's heartwarming. Its emotion evoking. And so thoughtful. Today we talk about what it's like to be a sibling to an autistic individual. We had the pleasure of speaking with Mollie Garre, who is the daughter of previous guest, Monica Meyers (amongst many other things, she’s also an incredibly talented artist, mother and wife to name only a few!) She discusses growing up wit...

2024 Vision

January 01, 2024 12:00 - 40 minutes - 37.5 MB

Can you believe it?! We are officially in 2024. Today we got together to discuss our vision for the upcoming year, personal, professional, and podcast! 2023 was quite the year for the 4 of us; many lessons learned. We are taking those lessons into this year and want to share with you what that means for us! From growing in our advocacy, to growing through a divorce, to learning to SLOW DOWN.. we talk about it all with YOU! Join us on the pod and IG, and let us know what your vision for 2024 ...

2023 Year In Review

December 25, 2023 12:00 - 45 minutes - 41.7 MB

Another year has come and gone… 2023 has had many ups and downs for each of us personally. We touch on the highs and lows, as well as talk about our favorite podcast memories over the last 12 months. Most importantly of all, we are so grateful to have YOU here with us this year. We hope this podcast continues to be an avenue to feel connected, maybe learn a thing or two, and laugh at our ridiculous banter and lame jokes. What can we say…we’re in our Mom Era. Merry Christmas! Love, ...

Keeping our Kids Safe at Home w/ Jay Korza

December 18, 2023 12:00 - 56 minutes - 51.7 MB

It can feel like keeping our kids safe is a moving target. Just when we think we have it figured out, something new pops up that we have to problem-solve. If you’re anything like us, it’s one of your biggest worries. Today, Jay and Shannon discuss all of the safety precautions they have taken in and around their home to keep Gracie safe and help limit the stress that we feel on a daily basis. Take some notes. What works for us may not work for everyone, but you’re bound to hear something ...

Breaking Barriers: Diagnosis to IronMan Athlete

December 11, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 63.6 MB

In today's episode, we bring you another incredible community member. We had the pleasure of sitting down and chatting with June Bunn or as I've been calling her, “Mama June”! June shares all about her journey in raising Adrienne, her daughter who is on the autism spectrum. With a diagnosis that was given or more “fought for” in the year 2008 a time where there truly was no support medically or educationally through a public school district. With the barriers overcome and a mom who would not...

"Are You Sure?" : Colleen Johnson's Story

December 04, 2023 12:35 - 1 hour - 59.1 MB

From meeting her husband on the Fiddler on the Roof national tour to starting their family together and having two amazing boys, Colleen discusses her journey through Autism and Down Syndrome diagnoses. We talk about the feeling of being blindsided by multiple health issues with her sons Eli and Luke. Colleen walks us through their journey and discusses all that she’s learning, including the seemingly difficult skill of learning to be okay with asking for help. You can find Colleen on ...

Suicide and the Signs: AnneMoss Rogers' Story

November 27, 2023 11:00 - 1 hour - 63.4 MB

This episode is about suicide and suicide prevention. We feel strongly this is a topic we all need to be aware of and educated about, particularly as it relates to parenting neurodivergent children. If you or someone you love needs to seek help, the US Suicide Hotline for calling and texting is 988, available 24/7. A quick Google Search will bring up any other country’s hotline as well as multiple language preferences and options. AnneMoss Rogers is a mental health and suicide education ex...

Adulting with Mama Fry

November 20, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 56.6 MB

All of us girls on the pod follow Mama Fry! This was such a great conversation about the ins and outs of raising an adult son with autism. We talked a little about her journey with her son as he grew up, but really focused on what the transition to adulthood looks like. What does it look like when our kiddos turn 18? If you’re concerned about what adulthood looks like, conservatorship, etc., tune in this week and listen to this convo! It’s a serious topic, but it comes along with a good deal...

Grab Bag #9

November 13, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 60.2 MB

Lots of great questions from our listeners this week. These are some of our favorite episodes to record, we love hearing from and talking about the subjects that are most important to you. This week, we touched on a wide variety of topics: Puberty and Hygiene Medical-grade strollers and equipment Chiropractic care Aggression Friendships with Typical Families Potty Training Supporting Friends Emotionally As always, you can reach out to us anytime if you have any grab-bag...

Raising My Son Before Services: Monica Meyers Part 2

November 06, 2023 11:00 - 49 minutes - 45.6 MB

In this episode, we continue with part two of Monica’s story. This episode details a little more of what the future planning for Michael looks like along with Monica and what she is moving into career-wise.

Raising My Son Before Services: Monica Meyers Part 1

October 30, 2023 11:00 - 49 minutes - 45.4 MB

Today's episode starts us with part one of this two-part series. We sat down to chat with the lovely Monica Meyers, a community member, advocate, and trailblazer to this community in the state of Washington. Monica shares her experience not only with her son's diagnosis that came in a time of no internet but also the courageous amount of advocacy she's done for not only her son but the autistic community as a whole. You can find Monica on her website HERE!

We Holiday OUR Way!

October 23, 2023 11:00 - 1 hour - 58.6 MB

We holiday OUR way. Join us for a discussion on the many ways the holidays can look, but mostly feel, and how we have navigated that. There is a build-up of hyperintense emotions and activities around these times, no matter the holiday or culture; nuances that don’t become apparent until you are faced with the realities of having an autistic or neurodivergent child. We talk about the different sets of expectations and the comparison trap! This episode is brought to you by Fun and Function...

Talking Our Kids: Back To School Updates

October 16, 2023 11:00 - 1 hour - 64.2 MB

We are halfway through school this semester and wanted to do a little check-in. We discuss each of our kids’ progress and the challenges that we are facing this year in school. Overall, we are all doing pretty well, but that doesn’t negate the fact that we still worry. It’s a lot and we know you get it too. We mentioned a book and documentary that has come out recently and is available in the US and internationally, go check it out. The Reason I Jump

Employing Autistic Adults w/ Eileen Youngberg

October 09, 2023 11:00 - 58 minutes - 53.6 MB

Today Tash & Shannon sit down with Eileen Youngberg, an Assistant Program Manager from Trillium Employment Services. Trillium is a non-profit organization based in Washington State. We dive deep into not only the work Eileen does but also the importance of why we need to be advocating and pushing for our kids as they are leaving the transition programs from high school to finding a place in the workforce, however that may look for them. Also, we discuss why it's important as a society to see...

The Importance of Peer-to-Peer Support

October 02, 2023 11:00 - 1 hour - 66.5 MB

Come join us! Today we are talking about our community and defining the very pillar of why we exist as a podcast and community. Peer-to-Peer support can be defined as a person who belongs to the same group or shares the same lived experience. In contrast to mentorship where help is provided by an expert, in peer-to-peer support ALL peers are equally qualified. 3 Key Principles of Peer Support: respect, shared responsibility, and mutual agreement on what is helpful. Much evidence support...

How to Achieve Inclusive Education w/ Bre Gastaldi (Part 2)

September 25, 2023 11:00 - 53 minutes - 49.4 MB

In this next installment with Bre Gastaldi, Inclusive Education Consultant & Educator, we learn about the actionable steps that need to be taken at large as well as day-to-day. The goal is to make huge systemic shifts in education and it takes all of us adopting a core set of beliefs and values.

What Inclusive Education REALLY Is w/ Bre Gastaldi (Part 1)

September 18, 2023 11:00 - 1 hour - 74.9 MB

Today we learn and discuss how people and institutions hold their own definition of what real inclusion means. We brought on Bre Gestaldi, an Inclusion Education Consultant & Educator, to break down the “What” + “Why” of what inclusive education REALLY is. Facts + links provided in the episode: Research reasons - No studies conducted since the late 1970s have shown an academic advantage for students with intellectual and other developmental disabilities educated in separate settings (Fal...

Creating Your Community with Sarah Watkins from AUsomesauce

September 11, 2023 10:00 - 52 minutes - 47.8 MB

Making connections with others can be very daunting, especially for special needs families. Where do you even start? We are so pleased to share our chat with Sarah Watkins, from AUsome Sauce, a non-profit organization based in Southern California, who saw a problem in her area and decided to do something about it. Sarah shares about her own family, what AUsome Sauce is all about, and ways that you can find or create a similar community where you live. Do it for your kids and do it for yourse...

Talking Tics

September 04, 2023 10:00 - 56 minutes - 51.7 MB

Today, we’re talking tics, involuntary movements, stimming, and other repetitive behaviors. What are they and how do we experience them in our own households, it’s quite the ride. Tics and other stimming behaviors are very common among autistic individuals. Sometimes they are very self-soothing and can really help someone feel grounded and regulated. We fully support this for our kids and others. Other times, it can be very disruptive and unsafe, or the person can get stuck in a loop, una...

Moms Talk Moms #4

August 28, 2023 10:00 - 42 minutes - 39.4 MB

This episode is all about us ladies and some random facts! We love to have these episodes to not only share some personal stuff about us crazy girls but to also bring some fun lighthearted laughter to your week once in a while!

Can Grief and Joy Coexist?

August 21, 2023 11:00 - 1 hour - 64.4 MB

It is thought that experiencing joy and experiencing grief are two mutually exclusive emotions or houses of emotions. In this episode, through an authentic conversation, we debunk that isn’t the case and prove the two can coexist and WHY it's important to embrace joy with grief.

Coming Together In Camas

August 14, 2023 10:00 - 36 minutes - 33.3 MB

This episode is ALL about our recent trip to visit Tash in Washington! We reflect on the trip and how meeting on Instagram has changed our lives so much. Come chat with us!

Grab Bag #8

August 07, 2023 10:00 - 1 hour - 61.3 MB

Some great questions from our listeners today, focusing on speech therapy and communication. We deep dive into our kids’ speech and language development over the years and also discuss some of our favorite therapies. Not every therapy is available or appropriate for every child, so do your research and see what’s best for your family. Want to learn more about one of our favorite speech therapists? Go check out Katja from @bohospeechie and listen to our interview with here HERE Have a gr...

How Distrust Can Affect the Way You Advocate

July 31, 2023 10:00 - 1 hour - 64.9 MB

Join us today as we discuss how our perception of trust and distrust in medical professionals has shaped our behavior as both a parent and advocate for our exceptional children.

Adaptive Diving : Discover Diveheart w/ Jim Elliot and Tinamarie Hernandez

July 24, 2023 10:00 - 51 minutes - 47.2 MB

You don’t want to miss this one! Such an amazing chat today with Jim Elliot and Tinamarie Hernandez of Diveheart. Diveheart is a non-profit organization that specializes in adaptive scuba diving to any child, adult, or veteran with a disability, in hopes of providing physical and psychological therapeutic value to that person. In their words, “Diveheart works with individuals who have a variety of disabilities, including physical and developmental disabilities, vision and hearing impairme...

Finding the Right Caregiver with Dr. Alisa Elliot

July 17, 2023 10:00 - 1 hour - 56.4 MB

Today we talk with Dr. Alisa Elliot, who is the owner and creator of Chrysalis Spectrum in Houston, Texas. Her company provides in-home care for a variety of people in need, including those with disabilities. Today we’re chatting about why it’s important to have respite and in-home care. We also discuss what to look for in a provider, what to expect, and what to do if it doesn’t work out. Dr. Elliot has over 25 years of experience in direct one-on-one care with individuals and is a special n...

Mom Guilt 2.0

July 10, 2023 10:50 - 57 minutes - 52.5 MB

Step inside our brains for the second installment of Mom Guilt. Why because Mom Guilt is inevitable and provides endless amounts of opportunities to discuss. This time it is about the actual inner dialogue that takes place. “I am a failure.” “I am the worst mom.” Why are we like this?!

Halfway There : A Summer Break Update

July 03, 2023 10:00 - 48 minutes - 44.2 MB

Insert Bon Jovi song lyrics... Today we sat down and recapped the summer so far. The good, the bad and the ugly. Come hang with us as we chat summer. And then hop on IG and let us know how it's going for YOU!

Let's Get Physical : Movement & Our Kids

June 26, 2023 10:00 - 1 hour - 56.2 MB

Today’s episode we sat down with guest and author ,Sheena Leedham, to talk all about movement and the benefits it provides for our exceptional needs children. We do a dive into how this movement can not only help on a physical level but also bring confidence and inclusion with their Neurotypical peers. Links: Follow this link to learn more about The Power of a Note, and I Can Jump Rope! Both books can be found on Amazon, Bookbaby, and elitefts.com. She's even providing four weeks of ...

The Different Parenting Styles

June 19, 2023 12:37 - 1 hour - 57.4 MB

On this episode we identify, breakdown and apply the four traditional styles of parenting: Authoritative, Authoritarian, Permissive and Uninvolved/Neglectful. We dive into the newer developed parenting styles such as Tiger, Attachment, Positive/Gentle, Outsource and Helicopter. Why we may operate mainly with only one or two of these styles, at any point in our lifetime as parents, we can presume any of these styles depending on the season or situation. Additionally the rub comes when ...

Participating in Therapy While Allowing Our Kids to be Their Authentic Selves with Dr. Kristin Wegner

June 12, 2023 10:00 - 56 minutes - 51.5 MB

We are thrilled to have Dr. Kristin Wegner on today, discussing ABA and other behavioral therapies. Kristin talks about her background working with neurodivergent children and the educational and professional journey that has brought her where she is today. We dive into the history of ABA and how it has evolved over time. We discuss both the positive and negative sides of behavior therapies and always want to emphasize the importance of finding what is best for your child- it’s not going to ...

Grab Bag #7

June 05, 2023 10:00 - 1 hour - 58.1 MB

It’s a grab bag of your most asked questions this week! Here's what you've been asking about: 1. Eating habits and sensory-related food aversions @8theplate SOS Approach to Feeding 2. Driving and riding in the car: safety and car seat alternatives Buckle Up For Life 3. Making friends: peer support and maintaining friendships Special Olympics

Life with my Boys, One Autistic and the other Deaf : Jen Haase's Story

May 29, 2023 10:00 - 56 minutes - 51.4 MB

Today Jen shares her story with our community. From having two boys in 13 months to having her youngest diagnosed as deaf shortly after birth, to then having her oldest diagnosed as autistic, Jen shares how this has changed the dynamic in her family. She shares how they have to balance the wants, needs, and sensitivities of both children as well as how they approach life adapting to both of their kids sometimes opposing needs. Thank you Jen for sharing your story and giving us perspective...

Slipping & Sliding Into Summer: Handling the Transition

May 22, 2023 10:00 - 1 hour - 57.1 MB

It’s summertime, aren’t you excited? Or are you wondering how to fill all of those hours of unstructured time at home? We go into depth on each of our summer plans and talk about camps and programs that are offered in our areas. We also touch on sports and vacations. Camping with autistic kids, it’s possible as long as you're flexible…and know where the nearest fast food drive-thru is located. Have a great summer, we’ll still be publishing episodes, so put on some headphones to drown out...

They Said It Would Get Easier...

May 15, 2023 10:30 - 1 hour - 58.3 MB

"They" said it would get easier.. but does it really? Let's have some real talk about this. There isn't this magical, easy place that we are searching for or journeying to. If that's what you're looking for you had better pack some serious bags. Lots of clean undies. But what we can say is that while it doesn't get easier, we DO get stronger. We learn new tools to deal with each new challenge. Meet us on the pod today and let's talk about it all.

Profound Autism : A Day With Austin

May 08, 2023 10:00 - 1 hour - 66.4 MB

We started this episode with a certain goal and topic in mind. Like so many things in life, it quickly pivoted in an unexpected direction, turning into an interview of Brittney and her perspective as a caregiver of Austin and his profound needs. We always intended to have an episode like this on Moms Talk Autism. Some of the extremes of Austin’s life are not often spoken of or even acknowledged, even within the autistic community. It’s not a desired place to be: the outlier of the outliers...

Moms Talk Moms #3

May 01, 2023 10:00 - 50 minutes - 46 MB

Time for another Moms Talk Moms episode! This week we have Tash, Brittney, and Shannon on the mics. We have some fun ones but tossed in a few deeper ones for you too. Let’s get to know one another better! Today we talked about anything from our first celebrity crushes and favorite concerts to things like tasks that we secretly despise and some of our greatest regrets. Join us! And because we don’t want to forget… here’s the deep Hair Conditioner link that Brittney talked about: https...

Living Apart From My Son: Emely Zavala's Story

April 24, 2023 10:00 - 1 hour - 59 MB

We want to start by giving you a trigger warning; this episode could be hard to listen to and may evoke some big emotions. We ask that you listen to this episode with an open heart and mind. There is a percentage of our community who have children with what may be considered more profound autism. In this journey, these parents may have to make decisions for the safety of not only themselves but also their child, in order for them to flourish in this life. Today we get personal with a beaut...

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