#41 | Melanie Donus | Meditation, Journaling and Autism In The Pandemic

Melanie Donus is the proud mother of three school-aged children, Dimitri, Michael, and Maxx, who all have Autism Spectrum Disorder and three very different profiles of abilities and challenges. 

We talk about her new book called Leaning on Mom, a compilation of letters written during the first four months of the coronavirus pandemic. These letters to her own mother, Roberta, share an honest look into her family and the coronavirus impacted their daily living. It’s raw, funny, and takes the reader on a roller coaster of emotions, while Melanie leans on Roberta for support and interaction during a period of unplanned survival and isolation.

Leaning on Mom gives a snapshot of a family living through an unexpected pandemic, but more-so, opens the door to educating the reader about how school-age children with disabilities, who mostly learn through face-to-face interaction, were suddenly expected to learn virtually and accept an oncoming “new normal” for their education. 

Melanie also delves into her own personal health challenges. A true story of how she found the necessary inner strength and resilience during a “sink or swim” time that provided little to no emotional support, Melanie takes the reader through her struggle with alcohol during the quarantine.

But don’t expect all “doom and gloom.” There are miracles, heroes, surprising acts of kindness that leaves the reader full of hope, motivation, and a call for change.

About Melanie 

Throughout the course of parenthood, Melanie has held various philanthropic leadership roles including Co-President of Special Education PTA, Vice President of Parents Association, Founder of the Long Island Special Needs Facebook Group with over 2,000 members, and Parent Mentor/Volunteer at Parent-to-Parent. In addition, she frequently speaks at various local colleges and universities regarding the day-to-day impact of Autism on families and the new trends of neurodiversity inclusion in the workplace.

Outside of being the CEO of her boy's busy lives, Melanie is a Vice President at Right Executive Search where she directs the Diversity Talent Acquisition division with a focus on career empowerment for women returning to the workforce and supporting diverse and minority candidates in the workplace. She is the co-author of their eBook series on job search strategies for "Returners" and college students seeking an internship.

Melanie received her Bachelor of Science degree from West Virginia State University and holds various professional certifications.