Dance, Disability & Belonging: How Movement Creates Purpose and Community with Telisa Dubasov

In this week’s episode of Forever Home for Our Kids with Disabilities, host Valerie welcomes longtime friend and dance educator Telisa Dubasov for an inspiring conversation about the transformative power of dance, movement, and community for individuals with disabilities.

Telisa shares her journey from volunteering in disability summer camps as a teenager in Saskatchewan to founding Bloom Wellness Collective — a nonprofit dedicated to making dance, movement, and wellness accessible for people of all abilities. With over 30 years of experience in dance and specialized certifications in adaptive movement, yoga, and sensory regulation, Telisa has created spaces where children and adults with disabilities can experience joy, belonging, connection, and purpose.

Valerie reflects on how Telisa first impacted her own family through private dance lessons for her daughter Melody-Anne, sharing the emotional experience of watching her daughter perform on stage for the very first time.

Together, Valerie and Telisa discuss:

• How dance and movement support sensory regulation, physiotherapy goals, communication, and emotional well-being
• Why movement is “therapy in disguise”
• The importance of meaningful activities for adults with disabilities after graduation
• How Bloom Wellness Collective creates community not only for participants, but for parents and caregivers as well
• The challenges Telisa faced during COVID and how she pivoted with driveway dance parties to continue bringing joy and connection
• The importance of creating opportunities for friendship, belonging, and purpose within a “Forever Home” vision

Telisa also shares details about Bloom’s current programs, including:

• Evening mixed-ability dance classes
• An adult expressive arts and movement day program
• The new monthly “Bloom Mixer” — a fun social dance event for teens and adults with disabilities

This episode is a beautiful reminder that a forever home is about far more than housing — it’s about creating a meaningful life filled with movement, connection, friendship, and community.

Memorable Quote

“Connection is key. Find that village, find that community, and remember to applaud yourself every day for showing up.” — Telisa Dubasov

Learn More

To learn more about Bloom Wellness Collective, visit:
Bloom Wellness Collective

Connect with Telisa

https://www.facebook.com/bloomwellnesscollectiveyyc/ https://www.instagram.com/bloomwellnesscollective/ 

Connect with Valerie

info@foreverhomeconsulting.ca

Music Acknowledgement: Audio Coffee - Denys Kyshchuk

Editor: Scott Arbeau

Link for book: The S.H.I.N.E. Principle: The special needs mom's path to strength, hope and happiness by Valerie Arbeau

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0CW18ZXGX (Canada)

https://a.co/d/03hFdZI4 (United States)

About the Podcast

Forever Home for Our Kids with Disabilities with Valerie explores the practical, emotional, and long-term planning aspects of creating meaningful futures for individuals with disabilities and the families who love them.

Remember to Live with Intention and Embrace the Journey.

Learn more about your host at:
https://coachingwithvalerieanne.com/

Transcript

[00:01:27:01 - 00:02:06:08]

Valerie

 Hello and welcome to this episode of Forever Home for our Kids with Disabilities. I'm here with an old friend, which is amazing to have Telisa Dubasov here with me today. Telisa has an innate passion for teaching. Telisa has 30 plus years of dance and facilitation experience, completing the Dance Performance Foundation program at George Brown College in Toronto, Ontario, followed by certifications in a Rhythm Works, Integrative Dancing, Autism Movement Therapy and TACPAC.

Her love for the arts continued to grow as she received yoga certifications in yoga for the special child, yoga for kids and yoga PL3Y.

Is that yoga play? 

Telisa

Yeah. Yeah. Yoga play.

[00:02:22:10 - 00:03:01:03]

Valerie

 Her vast experience led her to begin coaching professionals within the industry on how to use dance as a tool for sensory regulation. Telisa has shared as a keynote speaker at the Southern Alberta Preschool Teachers Convention and Mount Royal University Bachelor of Child Studies degree program. After her years of work following a multidisciplinary approach with children to adults with disabilities, Telisa was thrilled to unite her passions and founded the not-for-profit organization Bloom Wellness Collective, formerly Dubasov Dance and Wellness. So Telisa is on a mission to make dance and yoga accessible to all. So welcome, Telisa.

[00:03:01:03 - 00:03:05:00]

Telisa

Thank you. Thank you. I'm so excited to be here.

[00:03:05:00 - 00:04:28:12]

Valerie

 Well, we're excited to have you here too. So just a little background with how Telisa and I met. Telisa was teaching at a school, the Emily Follensbee School, if I remember correctly, that's where my oldest daughter, Melody-Anne went to elementary school and Telisa taught all the school-age kids their dance, like, per class, and they performed for their Christmas concert. So that was the first time I'd ever met Telisa. And I'm thinking, wow, just watching all those children, the medically-complex children and the autistic children just involved in dance and participating as groups was just amazing to me. So I remember asking you, Telisa, is it possible for you to come to our home and do some private lessons with Melody-Anne? And to my delight, and to Melody-Anne's delight, Telisa said yes. And so she has taught Melody-Anne for many years. And it's just been amazing to see how dance can just allow these children to come to life. And for me as a parent, I just have to say, to see Melody-Anne perform her first time she performed, I just was brought to tears because I never in a million years thought that Melody-Anne would actually be on a stage performing in front of an audience doing dance. So for me, it's just been amazing. You hold a special place in my heart Telisa, you know that anyway!

[00:04:30:01 - 00:04:54:01]

Telisa

And likewise, likewise, your family and Melody-Anne always a very special place in my heart as well. And it's really cool because Melody-Anne was like my first ever private lesson. You know, I was like, I don't know what I'm getting into here. And she, kind of paved the way for, for lots of other opportunities that opened after that. So she was kind of my guinea pig, which was pretty awesome too.

[00:04:55:02 - 00:05:01:14]

Valerie

 Love it. Thank you. All right. So Telisa, tell us how did you enter into the world of people with disabilities?

[00:05:02:22 - 00:05:11:23]

Telisa

 Oh, goodness, it started really when I was quite young, I've been dancing for a majority of my life. And then I started teaching dance when I was about 15.

And then I was looking for more, I was just looking to give back more. And so I looked for some volunteer opportunities in my small town of Yorkton, Saskatchewan. And, I found this program that worked with children with disabilities. So I went and started volunteering for their summer camps, and instantly fell in love with the children and with the atmosphere and everything that was there. So I volunteered summer after summer, and then eventually I took lead of the summer camps during my high school years, then I went off to dance in Toronto. And then when I came and moved to Calgary, I was looking for a job to kind of get my feet off the ground and start getting some experience and connections in Calgary. And I worked at World Health Club for a bit just as a part time job. And I met a woman there who said, “Hey, you know, I work at this program called Pace Kids” And I said, “Oh my goodness, I would love the opportunity to learn more.” And so she ended up getting me an interview there. And that was, of course, you know, Pace Kids is an early intervention program for children with disabilities. So I had an interview and I got hired and started working with a little girl at that time was four years old, with cerebral palsy. And I worked with her till she was, you know, an adult, I'm still in touch with her, we worked together for 11 years. And then I had to kind of start to move on because I was getting busier with my organization and things like that. And yeah, and the rest is kind of history. But in that time, with this little girl that I was working with, she had a lot of physio goals. And so, of course, with my background in dance and movement and props and things like that, I would incorporate music, and I would bring scarves and things like that to work on her physio goals. And I was like, you know what, there's something here, she's really achieving her goals, and she's engaged, and she's happy, and she's excited to work on them. And so I was like, you know, maybe more kids would like to do this. And so I started one class with as many kids that I knew from Pace Kids and, and the community and from there just kind of continue to evolve. It started with those with physical disabilities, and then it moved to cognitive disabilities like autism, and then it just continued to expand from there. And eventually, we kind of outgrew the little space that we were renting. And we invested in our own studio space that was fully accessible and, and only for those with disabilities, because I thought, you know what, neurotypical kids always get an opportunity to dance or do all these things. And I'm like, this is going to be just a special place for, for those with disabilities. And so we made it very, I guess you can say inclusive, but exclusive to, you know, the neurotypical world, it was just for them. And, and it was a beautiful place. And that's where it started as Dubasov Dance and Wellness. We were running programs almost seven days a week and daytime and evenings, whether that be contractual work or, studio-based programs, and then COVID hit. And of course, all of ourclients are immunocompromised. And so we had to stop and halt really suddenly. And we just couldn't make any revenue, and we couldn't really generate a lot of income. So we had to make the very difficult decision to close the space. And then we tried to innovate ourselves and took a new route and did some driveway dance parties with Melody-Anne and went around the city and just danced outside and tried to bring some joy and some fun during that time and keep dancing their hearts. And then we evolved and kind of rebranded and started again, under the name Bloom Wellness Collective. We became a not-for-profit thinking maybe this is a route that would help us not fall under these same circumstances if something like COVID were to ever hit again, and that kind of thing. And so now we are operating at a much lesser capacity and just renting space throughout the city. But I continue to manage that and teach a little bit. In that time was able to have my own children, which was also kind of a blessing in disguise of the devastation of losing my big dream, but then I got to start over and now my kids get to watch me and see the work that I do and be involved in it. And yeah, that's where we are today.

[00:09:55:18 - 00:10:09:11]

Valerie

 Wow. Wow. I just remember those driveway parties and Melody-Anne, I'm just so looking forward to you and your crew just coming and I'm not sure what the rest of the neighbours thought but we didn't care. We were having fun.

[00:10:11:05 - 00:10:25:13]

Telisa

 It's true. A lot of times when we were going around, lots of the neighbors would come out and start to dance too, because like, how could you not feed off that infectious energy and especially in that such a dreary time? So it was light, you know?

[00:10:25:13 - 00:11:12:16]

Valerie

 Yes, yes. And I felt my heart broke for you during that time. And I just want to commend you to Telisa, that you were able to pivot, right? And I'm sure a lot of people can relate and a lot of businesses had to do something similar, but you were able to take what was a devastating thing that happened, I don't even have words for it, but be able to turn it around so that you did bring joy to people. And we were the recipients of that. And it's just been so lovely to see you continue to grow and to build the brand that you've built. So we'll talk more about that in a minute. But do share with us the journey too and why you created Bloom, because obviously you'd been through COVID and now you've got your own family. A lot of people would have been like, I'm just going to focus on my family. But nope, that wasn't your story and your journey. So tell us, how did that happen?

[00:11:12:16 - 00:13:07:20]

Telisa

 You know there was many times that I was like, you know what, I think that is the end for us. You know, I lived out this beautiful dream that I had aspired to do. And we impacted so many lives. And then I was just like, you know what, this can't be over. This can't be all, this is what fuels me, what drives me as a human. Certainly I had this new direction being a mother and, you know, raising children and things like that and all the busyness and demands that takes. But I just couldn't let go of this passion that I had to share dance and to share movement and to continue to keep our clients moving. Like even during COVID, we tried to find as many ways virtually and outdoors and things until we could get back into our space. And so we just kind of kept trying to find our way, find our path. It was super discouraging much of the time, just because you'd get started and then restrictions would happen and all that kind of thing. So again and again, you'd be like, is this really, you know. I'm a big believer in God and in fate and all the things, you know, and looking for messages and things like that. And, and I was like, you know, it just tell me what direction to go, tell me where to go. The doors kept kind of opening and the clients kept kind of knocking on the door and things like that. And so I was like, you know what, I'll find a way to do this, maybe not at the same capacity as I used to do. But this is something that's in me. And there's this light in me that gets ignited when I'm dancing and moving and being with these amazing people. And they bring so much light and keep me grounded and present. And so, yeah, so I was like, you know what, we have to find another way. And so we kind of found our way. And now it might not be the same, but we certainly find our way, you know, to bring dance and movement to as many individuals or groups as we can. Yeah.

[00:13:07:20 - 00:13:12:17]

Valerie

 Love it. And you're doing an amazing job. I just want to say, amazing job.

[00:13:14:14 - 00:13:18:02]

Telisa

 You're really tooting my whistle today. That's amazing. Thank you.

[00:13:18:02 - 00:13:50:00]

Valerie

 You're welcome. And rightly so, Telisa, rightly so. You've done an amazing job. And just the fact that you focus in on people with disabilities that have challenges with movement, understanding the importance of movement. So with that, my background is as physical therapist for my American listeners, but in Canada and England, I'm a physiotherapist. So I understand the importance of movement. So from your perspective, why is dance/movement so important for not just children, but for people of all ages?

[00:13:51:24 - 00:14:11:19]

Telisa

 I mean, first and foremost, it brings joy, right? It just brings so much joy and light to their lives. And it's a way to kind of form connections, right? You don't always need to speak as you're moving and you don't always need to have conversation and things like that for lots of our guys that are maybe non-speaking, nonverbal.

And so it's just a way of creating that catalyst for connection type thing. And then when you're in this space and you're moving and you feel the energy from those around you, it's just so uplifting. And it brings so much joy. And you can forget about all the things, you know, in the external world in that moment, maybe you go back to it. But of course, in that moment, you can forget all that and just be present.

[00:14:36:09 - 00:15:38:19]

Telisa

 And of course, for those with disabilities that have those physio goals and things like that, I always say it's like physio in disguise, right? We target all those things, fine motor, gross motor, even speech at times, but it's done in a way that's super fun and engaging and with other people and in that sort of group environment that helps create that belonging. And again, connection. I always say it's like joy and connection. You know, that's kind of, I think, the most important thing about moving and dancing. And of course, there is no right or wrong way to dance, or to move your body. And so for those with disabilities, they can come and just move to their capacities and to their abilities and feel success and accomplishment in that. And of course, we celebrate every single thing and cheer them on. And we all work so hard together to be a team and to encourage each other. And so I think it's a no brainer that you got to have dance and movement of some sort of music and that connection in your life, honestly, with or without disabilities.

[00:15:38:19 - 00:16:08:23]

Valerie

 Yeah, yeah. And I love how movement/dance is actually therapy. And I love the fact that it doesn't seem like work, even though it's work. And like you mentioned, you're achieving movement goals, you're achieving physiotherapy goals, it doesn't feel like work because you're having so much fun. And I just have so many little video clips of my daughters, because Melody-Anne and our youngest used to dance together initially. And then we just made it sort of Melody-Anne's thing. And so we have so many clips, and we still revisit those clips even today.

All right, so, Telisa, I love what you've created at Bloom, especially for our children who have graduated from school and need meaningful activities to engage in. So tell us about what kids can do at Bloom, how can they get involved?

[00:16:29:08 - 00:16:50:04]

Telisa

 So we run an evening dance program, we don't have a lot of options at the moment, like I said, we've scaled back quite a bit. And we're a lot more in the community in schools and in programs and things. But we do have an evening dance program that is 10 plus. And it's for mixed abilities. And that's just come and dance and be a part of that.

And then we also have an expressive arts and movement adult day program. So that runs once a week on Tuesdays. Our dream would be to expand it. But for now, and at the capacity that we're running, it's just on Tuesdays, but it runs from 10 to two on a Tuesday. And it's for adults 18 and up with disabilities. And some come with a support worker, some come independently. And the morning is spent doing a dance and movement class and program. Then we have our lunch and sort of social time. And then the afternoon is what we call our variety afternoon. One week it might be a life skill activity, the next week group games, the next week might be an art project, we switch the afternoon all the time. But making sure that the entire day feels purposeful and meaningful. And we really, again, focus on connection and connection building and just bringing out the best in all of them and making sure that they feel that they have purpose and that they have that belonging in that village. So yeah, that's kind of where we're at at this point for options for people. Oh, and we just started this monthly, we call it our Bloom Mixer. So we wanted to bring together the community in sort of a dance, school dance or nightclub sort of vibe.

[00:18:15:13 - 00:19:06:07]

Telisa

 So it's for people 15 and up, or 15 to 30, we said, where it's just once a month, we're going to do it once a month, and it's just a big dance party. So yeah, we're really excited about that. We're hosting our first one actually next weekend. And we're really excited. And we hope that it can just bring the community together in a way that maybe especially adults that may have went to school with different people now can kind of bring them back together if they don't do the same programs now and that kind of thing. And just a place to come and meet people and make connections again and have a night out like any other adult would and no alcohol or anything like that, of course, but just dance and lights and, you know, good vibes and good energy and good people and yeah, a big community outing.

[00:19:06:07 - 00:19:22:14]

Valerie

 Yes, I love that. And this is what I love about Telisa audience, is that she is always thinking ahead, creating, how can we get community involvement? How can we get these kids together? So I love that you're starting a new program. And I am taking notes because I think I will get Melody-Anne signed up.

[00:19:22:14 - 00:19:55:24]

Telisa

 So fun. And there's no expectations, right? It's not like following a structured class. It's just come out. We actually have our DJ, he is on the autism spectrum as well. We wanted to give him some purpose. He shows us all these things he does with, you know, with songs and mixing and things like that. And we're like, why don't you come out and do this for us? And so and we'll take, you know, all the requests of the guests and things like that. So yeah, just a really fun way to get everybody connected. Yeah, I love it.

[00:19:55:24 - 00:20:02:16]

Valerie

 Love it. So Telisa, tell us why is Bloom program impactful for long term for families?

[00:20:03:22 - 00:20:12:01]

Telisa

 I think, you know, our goal is to really help create community and belonging. And so we found that all through the years, that parents would always give us feedback and say, you know, this feels so safe for our children, our kids go in and dance, all of us moms and dads sit out in the lobby or wherever and just chit chat and share resources and, you know, share highs and lows of their lives and things like that. And so it was just as much for the parents and the families as it was for the children or the adults.

And you know, in fact when kids were younger, sometimes parents would say to us all the time, our dance friends are the people we invite to our birthday parties. They're the ones we invite to these special occasions in their lives. They don't necessarily have a lot of friends in school. And so it was so important to me that there be this place where they can create their community. Many of those guys now are in our adult program and, you know, still staying connected in that way. And maybe their parents aren't quite as involved, but they've referred each other to the program and they found their way back to each other as friends.

[00:21:14:16 - 00:21:54:13]

Telisa

 So the long term of it is really to help create that community and again, offer those meaningful, purposeful experiences. We work tirelessly behind the scenes in so many hoursplanning really thoughtful programs and content to our program so that it's not just a quote unquote babysitting service, there's real purpose behind it. We are fostering, again, the connections and how do you make friends and how do you keep those friends outside of the program. And then also how do you find your purpose within the day-to-day things that we do even if it's a, you know, a simple game type thing, but how do you work as a group on this and how do you ensure that you're paying attention to the nonverbal cues and things like that of people around you. So I think the biggest things in terms of the long term are, are that community connection and making sure that that there's a place for these individuals to find purpose and meaning in their days.

[00:22:21:16 - 00:23:04:10]

Valerie

 Yeah. Love it. Love it. Telisa, I love what you're doing. And just to tie that into what I'm doing with regards to creating or having families think about creating that forever home. It's not just the bricks and mortar. It's not just that the house, what we're looking at; when we're thinking about creating a forever home is how are we going to occupy our child's time? So that's one of the reasons, Telisa, that I brought you onto the program, because you have an option for our children to be able to have meaningful connection, create friendships, have community. And that's just so important. We don't, as adults just sit in our homes. Well, some of us may, but it's not healthy. So we want to make sure that our children, when we're thinking about creating that forever home, that they have something meaningful, purposeful, and validating for them to do. And whether it just be going and dancing and meeting other people, having that opportunity.

[00:23:20:13 - 00:23:54:16]

Valerie

 Melody-Anne is part of some programs that she engages in on a weekly basis. Some of them not as often, but she loves to go. She loves that bus ride. She likes to get out. And so these are some of the important things. And Melody-Anne's non-verbal. She often doesn't take a communication device with her. She just wants to experience the ambiance and the, you know, the atmosphere of what it is that she's going to do. So dance is one of her big things. There's always been a love and continues to be. So as I mentioned earlier, I think I will be signing her up for your new program that's coming.

[00:23:55:16 - 00:24:23:23]

Valerie

 So audience, I want you to think about what kind of meaningful activities can your child be involved in even if they're still living with you, just making sure that's a part of their day. And I love the fact that you brought up that connection for the parents. Huge, huge, because there's not a lot of opportunity for parents to actually connect in person one-on-one. So I love that you have been able to do that for parents as well.

[00:24:24:24 - 00:25:07:02]

Telisa

 And I think it's also that exercise component as we all age and get older. We have less energy to move our bodies and to work out. It's a way like, I said, it's in disguise, right? So they're coming, they're dancing, they're not realizing that they're burning calories, they're helping their hearts, the cardio systems, all that kind of thing. It's important that we keep these guys moving because it's also easy to get staying behind an iPad or, you know, a device of some sort. So being with a bunch of people that are cheering you on and getting you moving in whatever way your body does is also good for the physical body as well.

[00:25:07:02 - 00:25:24:19]

Valerie

 Yeah. And just to be a cheerleader for your peers that are with you as well. I think that's something that a lot of our children don't necessarily get an opportunity to cheer for someone else. So, I would imagine in your environment where you have your kids and your adults, they get a chance to do that.

[00:25:25:20 - 00:26:24:23]

Telisa

 Yeah. And it's fun. It's fun to see them, you know, feed off of each other's enthusiasm or, you know, somebody comes in in a really blue mood or we had someone in our program that their father just passed. And the amount of like, oh my gosh, I get goosebumps because all of a sudden they all just like had this sense of empathy and understanding and encouragement. And I was like, “Oh my goodness.” I was worried. I was like, Oh, is this going to be too much for them to understand it, to take in. But in fact, it was like a huge connecting factor, right? All of a sudden it's like, well, I knew somebody that passed away and it was like this beautiful moment of connection. And you know, I think this participant didn't feel so alone in that journey in that process. So yeah, it's really neat to see them mature and to jump in and help each other out and cheer each other on and uplift each other on those bad days and, celebrate each other through the good times. It's really, really cool.

[00:26:26:14 - 00:27:16:11]

Valerie

 And I love too, how you brought out earlier, Telisa, that the opportunity to have community and have people to invite to your birthday parties. And I'm sure other parents can relate to me with this as well. It's hard when our kids have their birthdays, because who do you invite? And this is something that we have as a family had to navigate as well with Melody-Anne. And it tends to be sort of people that she either went to school with, and Melody-Anne did go to a school with for children with the disabilities. So it was a little bit easier. But you know what I ended up starting to do, because it was hard to have a lot of wheelchairs in our home, because our home's not that big. And so what we started to do then was have parties at school. So we would have other kids from other classrooms come and we had an opportunity to have real live chickens at this birthday party that was happening at school. We had to ask special permission for it. And the reason being Melody-Anne, as you remember, loves the chicken dance, still loves the chicken dance. So that was the theme of the party. And we were able to have some live chickens come, which was amazing and just a cool experience for these kids to actually get up close and personal to a real live chicken. Tiny little things they were, they were so cute.

[00:27:43:23 - 00:28:14:14]

Telisa

 That is so cool. And that is the piece, right? It's like, you want to make sure also like putting on any kind of party or any kind of event of any sort is exhausting for a parent. And so let alone when you're, you know, trying to make sure that everybody is catering to your child's needs or the needs of all the other kids, or you're worried about all that aspect as well. I feel like going into the school or having those people that get you and get this environment, it just makes it so much more enjoyable for everybody all around.

Yeah. And on that note, we do do birthday parties, wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

[00:28:20:06 - 00:28:23:07]

Valerie

 I know that's why I brought it up because you've done some for us.

Yeah, no, I love it. I love that you have comprehensively thought about each aspect of a child with a disability and their life and how you can impact that and help it to be even more fulfilling and enriched. So I just love what you do, Telisa. We just thank you so much. And all that you've done for our family forever and eternally grateful. Thank you so much.

[00:28:47:20 - 00:29:19:16]

Telisa

 Oh, it's impacted me just the same. Hence why I could not let it go, right? The impact for me was just as deep as it was for everyone else. And knowing that, you know, all these kids and all these adults are teaching me just the same in their families, I've learned so much. And I think I've become a better or I'm being a better parent, I had the foundation to be a better parent because of everything I've witnessed and everything I've been a part of. So it's definitely a likewise journey for me, my team and our clients as well. Love it.

[00:29:19:16 - 00:29:23:07]

Valerie

 All right, so where can our audience go to find out more about you, Telisa?

[00:29:24:15 - 00:29:49:08]

Telisa

 You can find our website. It's www.bloomwell.ca. We're on social media on Instagram and Facebook. We're not super, super connected all over the web in that way. But we're on those platforms and anyone can always give us a shout out and or come and observe, or see or try a class at any point.

[00:29:49:08 - 00:30:10:05]

Valerie

 Okay, thank you so much. So audience, take note and do take Telisa up on this. She is amazing. What she stands for, what she does will definitely make a difference in your life and your child's life. So before we conclude, Telisa, I'd love to hear some words of encouragement from you to our parents who are raising kids with disabilities. What message would you like to share with them?

[00:30:10:05 - 00:30:21:19]

Telisa

 That's a tough one. Honestly, I think if I can say anything, I'm just in complete awe. I'm in complete awe of every parent I meet. I'm probably going to get emotional, my goodness.

But I'm just in complete awe, especially now that I am a parent. I see how hard being a parent is and raising children is, let alone, you know, adding that layer of them now having a disability. It's a challenge every day, but also so fulfilling. And I'm just so proud of the parents that raise children with disabilities. And I think if I can say anything, it's to give yourself a pat on the back and applaud yourself every day just for showing up, right? Showing up, being there, cheering your own child on, that kind of thing. I think you should be so proud.

And then I would say find that village, find that community, find those connections for yourself, for your child and find the safe place that you can always land during the hard times, during the celebrations. And remember, that connection is key. I have to remind myself of this too, with my own children on the tough days when things are just out of control, or they're driving you crazy, we just have to stop and look at them and remember that, you know, we're their safest place. And they just need us to see them and hear them. And, that kind of starts everything anew from there. So, commend yourself, find that village and keep focusing on that connection. That's my words of wisdom and encouragement.

[00:31:56:19 - 00:32:06:20]

Valerie

 Thank you so much, Telisa. Telisa, it's been a joy to reconnect with you again. And thank you so much for coming and sharing on the podcast. And I know that our audience will be blessed for having you here.

[00:32:06:20 - 00:32:15:16]

Telisa

 Thank you. And thank you for the invitation. This was such a pleasure, such an honor. I feel so honored to be a part of this. And yeah, thank you, Valerie. Thank you.

[00:32:15:16 - 00:32:21:15]

Valerie

 Thank you. You're so very welcome. Audience, I want you to remember to Live with Intention and Embrace the Journey.