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Forever Home for our kids with disabilities.
Formerly Special Needs Moms - Circle of Strength.
This podcast has begun a shift in focus...
Hey, I’m Valerie, mom to two with disabilities (one visible, one invisible). We came up with housing solutions for our children.
This space has been created to help you navigate the journey of creating a secure, sustainable forever home for your child.
We’ll chat with parents on this path, realtors, financial planners, and other experts who can make the process easier. We'll be dropping an episode twice a month.
Seeing my eldest thrive living independent of us was a gift I didn’t always know I could give. I'm excited for you to have the opportunity to explore giving that gift to your child.
Keep building your child’s future!
Music acknowledgement: Audio Coffee - Denys Kyshchuk
Forever Home for our kids with disabilities.
Interview with Kate Lynch, a yoga teacher and mindful parent coach utilizing the RAIN framework, who is raising a son with autism.
SHOW NOTES
- Kate shares her nomadic childhood and love for travel.
- Backpacking through Southeast Asia at 30, exploring the uniqueness of her experiences.
Favorite Place in South Asia:
- Kate's favorite place: Angkor Wat in Cambodia.
- Reflecting on the spiritual and cathartic experience while immersed in the ruins.
Guest's Special Needs Mom Journey:
- Settling down after travels, meeting her current husband in Brooklyn.
- Challenges and joys of parenthood, trying for a child, and the difficulties faced in the first year.
Recognition of Special Needs:
- Concerns about her son, Ocean, emerging around six months.
- Seeking early intervention due to developmental delays and unique behaviors.
Diagnosis and Support:
- Autism diagnosis through a neuropsychological evaluation.
- Kate's efforts to provide the necessary support for Ocean's development.
- Challenges faced and the importance of community and support for parents.
Guest's Reflections:
- Sharing personal experiences about her son's challenges and achievements.
- The impact of societal ableism on the special needs parenting journey.
Lesson Learned: Self-Compassion:
- Self-compassion as a vital lesson in navigating the challenges of life.
- The RAIN framework by Tara Brach: Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture.
Guest's Self-Care Activities:
- Balancing self-care with being a parent of a child with special needs.
- Engaging in activities like yoga, mindfulness, nature walks, reading, and mindful breathing.
Encouragement to Other Special Needs Parents:
- You're not alone.
- Encouraging parents to reach out, connect, and build a supportive community.
- Emphasizing the importance of self-compassion and acknowledging personal worthiness.
Conclusion:
- Expressing gratitude to Kate for sharing her insights and experiences.
- Encouraging the audience to live with intention and embrace their unique journey.
Connect with Kate:
- Visit Kate's blog: https://katelynch.substack.com/
- Free Mindful Meltdown Cheat Sheet: https://www.healthyhappyyoga.com/meltdown
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/selfregulatedparent/
Kate Lynch (she/her) is a yoga teacher and mindful parenting coach who helps highly sensitive parents self-regulate so they can feel more joy and calm. Kate is the parent of an amazing atypical kid, and author of the upcoming book, Atypical Kids, Mindful Parents: The joys and struggles of raising neurodivergent kids. She has been supporting parents since 2002.
Her little neurodiverse family lives in a magical land called Brooklyn, USA.
Music Acknowledgement: Audio Coffee - Denys Kyshchuk
Learn more about your host here:
https://coachingwithvalerieanne.com/
Learn more about your host at:
https://coachingwithvalerieanne.com/