Our Goals for this Journey

Ideally, I want to serve as an illustration of “this is an example of a brain with SPD”, and how certain aspects of that have been incredibly influential in allowing me to think the way that I do.  I might not have been able to do the unusual combination of things that were necessary to get me to the place where I was able to basically solve a complex problem that led to the creation of this foundation if my brain wasn’t wired the way it is. So, I write this in the hope that it provides some context and perspective. If you’re reading this, you likely have some suspicions that your child has SPD, and I am living proof that it is by no means a horrible, devastating diagnosis. I am not saying that it’s an easy job to raise a child with any special needs, and it requires a tremendous amount of time and commitment to ensuring that your child has the right team and supports available. This is where I hope to be making your life go much more smoothly than this journey has been for many other parents. I will help you figure out who is best suited for your child’s specific needs. I also am offering ways to support parents and other family members, because your amazing kiddo is not going to make the same level of progress if you are struggling to meet your own needs, which impairs your ability to meet your child’s needs.   

I also hope I am able to provide you with enough evidence that there is absolutely no reason to feel shame or stigma or like you have been handed a terminal diagnosis and six months to live if your child is one of many who is going to require extra levels of support in certain areas. I have never received any form of specific treatment for any of my SPD related symptoms, and while arguably, that was the least of my problems in some ways, I feel like I can say “hi, I survived. I flourished in fact. Your child can and likely will”. If we’re all being honest here, there is not a single human person who has not at some point in their life needed a little extra support in some areas. That’s not something to be ashamed of or embarrassed by. It doesn’t make someone weak. From my personal experience, what was once a struggle can transform into all sorts of strengths. Reaching out for help is one of the bravest things that someone can do.

While I do not have children of my own, I have friends and family who have had children with various different needs, and one thing that I am painfully aware of is how many individuals, be they professionals or the nosy neighbor historically have felt that it was perfectly acceptable to immediately want to blame/shame the parents, particularly the mother. Many of psychology’s different approaches or in psychobabble “modalities” are notorious for blaming mothers for things that many times are absolutely no one’s fault. There is no denying that abusive and or neglectful parents inevitably harm children, however, parenting style does not remotely cause neurodevelopmental disorders. The individual is born with them, despite the fact that they are not always immediately present at birth.  No one is to blame, this is not a reflection of your family, your parenting, anything you did or didn’t do during pregnancy.  There are some known potential factors that could have led to your child being predisposed to the potential of being born with SPD, however, many are likely genetic and I’m willing to bet that you didn’t consult any form of crystal ball prior to conception. 

Knowing that this is a very unfortunate and very common thing, it is one area that I both see a tremendous need for support as well as an area that I am capable of providing in possibly a few different ways. Again, I try to cater to as many individuals as possible in as many different ways as possible. There are support groups that are essentially parent/driven and internet based which are the least structured and also least expensive option that I can provide links to. When I reach the place where I have enough clients and individuals to offer one that is a bit more structured with at this point in time, myself as the officiator, those would be smaller and allow for more customized topics as well as allow for an even distribution of time allocated for those who would like to speak. I also want to provide the opportunity for individual support for those who would prefer that. I also would like to offer some parenting-focused approaches via either group or individually. At this stage in the development of the foundation, things are really going to be determined by what clients are both wanting and needing. I’m working for you, so that means you are most entitled to and encouraged to tell me what those things might be (within reason, however I have a pretty broad spectrum of what constitutes “reasonable”).