Living the Sky Life - Our Autism Journey
Kids & Family
About
This podcast comes to you from a very tired and eternally hopefully autism mom of an adult son with profound needs. My intention is to bring together caregivers of special needs children and those who may want to gain a better understanding of our challenges and triumphs. Through the sharing of our stories and experience, I hope to build a larger, more inclusive community of support. Living the Sky Life offers a personal connection from someone who walks daily in caregiver shoes.
Episodes
- S6: Episode 185 - Mother's Day and Keeping the Faith
Mother's Day can amplify comparison. Let's try to release the idea of what motherhood 'should' look like and embrace our version of motherhood as valid, meaningful and enough! Similarly, caregiving often forces us into a place where contro…
- S6: Episode 184 - Ashley Gillespie owner/director of Bloom Developmental Center
Ashley Gillespie, M.A., is a child development specialist and the owner and clinical director of Bloom Developmental Center in League City, Texas. She specializes in working exclusively with autistic children, using a relational, play-base…
- S6: Ep. 183 - I'm BACK!!
After a longer than expected hiatus, Living the Sky Life podcast is BACK!! I'm looking forward to an impactful Season 6 filled with phenomenal guests, more solo episodes and frequent 'couples' episodes with my husband, Josh!
- S5: Episode 182 - Through his new book, this autism dad shares practical advice & hopes to be a voice for other fathers who may be struggling.
A devoted family man, Harry Psaros has been happily married to his wife Michelle for 24 years and is a proud father of two sons, Costa "Gus" and Maximos "Max." With a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from the University of Pit…
- S5: Episode 181 - Preparing but not stressing for adulthood & never losing hope that our kids will determine their own incredible future
Jo-Ann Turning also known as "Mrs. Bacon" is one half of the married, blogging couple from Bacon and Juice Boxes: Our Life with Autism. She's mom to Eric (age 19 on the autism spectrum) and Anna Kate (age 22, recent college graduate who is…
- S5: Episode 180 - Uncovering GI issues with a nonverbal teen and beginning to plan for adulthood
Kentucky mom & former ICU nurse, Rachel Moldoveanu shares her experience navigating through the world of Autism with her almost 15-year-old son Frankie while also parenting her two neurotypical daughters, Livi age 16 and Ellie age 6. Rache…
- S5: Episode 179 - Keeping hope alive... and the power of 'yet'
On this solo episode, I outline our 20 year journey to uncovering and resolving Skyler's GI issues. It finally feels like we are making significant progress! Through his smiles, laughter and decreased frustration (and subsequent hitting),…
- S5: Episode 178 - Turning those labeled as "low functioning" into higher functioning individuals through a successful life & job skills training program
Mike Stuart is a 74 year old retired educator who lives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He and his wife Harriet and their 32 year old autistic son, Aaron, moved from Florida 16 months ago to be closer to their daughter and her family. In 201…
- S5: Episode 177 - The importance of improving GI health to eliminate additional neurological effects caused by IBD/Crohn's/ Colitis
Josh Dech is an ex-paramedic and Holistic Nutritionist, specializing in Crohn's and Colitis, and other related gut issues. It was the successes his clients have had with complex digestive diseases, previously thought to be impossible to fi…
- S5: Episode 176 - Diving deep into the methods of toilet training
Dr. Mary Barbera "fell" into the autism world in 1999 when her first-born son, Lucas was diagnosed with autism. Since then, Mary transformed from a confused and overwhelmed parent to a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst and best-selling auth…
- S5: Episode 175 - Chatting with an OG of the Spelling Method for Communication and why it's important to always presume competence
Dawnmarie Gaivin is the Founder & Executive Director at Spellers Center San Diego, located in Oceanside, CA. Before her career moved into the world of nonspeaking autism, Dawnmarie worked for over 11 years as a trauma & transplant RN. In 2…
- S5: Episode 174 - Sharing a love of the outdoors & spending quality time with each other has created an unbreakable bond between these sisters
Claire Thomas is 15-years-old and has a 12-year-old sister named Leah, who was diagnosed with autism as a toddler. Claire enjoys spending time outside whether it's hunting with her dad or fulfilling her passion for photography by capturing…
- S5: Episode 173 - Appreciating her brother for his authenticity, ability to find enjoyment in the little things and naivety to negativity in the world
Chelsea Waxler lives in Columbus, Indiana with her fiancé, Chris. She is the older sister to brother, Braxton who is 20-years-old and on the autism spectrum. After being able to witness firsthand the success her brother has had with his th…
- S5: Episode 172 - Declaring that her brother is amazing, this little sister loves that he constantly tries to make everyone laugh
Lee is 13 years old and in the 7th grade. She lives at home with her mom, dad, brother, grandmother and two beloved cats, Leo and Max. Her older brother Jack (age 16) has autism, cerebral palsy and developmental delay. Lee enjoys creating…
- S5: Episode 171 - A tremendous bond between brothers within a loving and supportive large family
Charlie Cariello is a senior at Bedford High School in New Hampshire. He resides with his parents, three brothers, one sister, and a dog named Wolfie. An avid sports aficionado, Charlie is captain of the varsity baseball team, as well as t…
- S5: Episode 170 - Now an adult, this younger sister reflects on the many ways her relationship with her autistic brother has grown and become stronger
Madison Urquiola is 25-years-old and currently works as the assistant athletics director for external operations/ sports communications at her alma matter Young Harris College. Her brother, Jordan Urquiola is 27-year-old brother and has au…
- S5: Episode 169 - Today's guest takes her role as big sister & protector seriously as she shares with me all the ways she appreciates her autistic brother
Natalie is in the 8th grade and loves the theater. She has been in several performances at her school and in local community theater. She loves animals, especially her cat, Willie and dog, Yogi. Natalie attends numerous Special Olympics ev…
- S5: Episode 168 - Two brothers join me for a discussion about life as an autism sibling
Aaron Long is a 15-year-old sophomore who enjoys soccer, lacrosse, and ice skating. He also loves Christmas! According to his family, he consumes copious amounts of Kit Kats; would have a house full of cats and dogs if he could and when he…
- S5: Episode 167 - My daughter shares her honest feelings about growing up with an autistic brother who has profound needs
Kendall is an 18-year-old college freshman majoring in BioChemistry with her career goal set on being either a veterinarian or pathologist. Kendall has always assumed the role of 'little, big sister' to her brother Skyler who is 20-years-o…
- S5: Episode 166 - Both a sibling and a mom to loved ones on the autism spectrum, Kylie has spent her life advocating for less ignorance & bullying and more inclusion & resources
Kylie and her husband Ray live in rural west central Minnesota close to Hutchinson, MN. Together they are the parents of their 12-year- old son Griffin and 5-year-old identical twin girls Greta and Ganessa. Kylie's younger brother Dwayne i…
- S5: Episode 165 - Chatting with a special education teacher, who is also on the autism spectrum, about her new children's book 'Call Me Mosely'
Shelby Jones is 31 years old and lives in Kentucky. She has been a special educator in moderate to severe disabilities for the last three years and was an ECE assistant for 4 years prior. She also has experience as a mental health professi…
- S5: Episode 164 - The importance of identifying the good moments in each day and finding happiness within yourself. Choose your hard!
Shannon is the proud mom of two children, now young adults. Her son Jordan is 27 and her daughter Madison is 25 years old. Jordan was diagnosed with autism when he was 5 years old. She is his primary caregiver and guardian. Shannon founded…
- S5: Episode 163 - Choosing to put yourself first and having the strength to end an unhealthy relationship
Rachel Flanagan lives in Minnesota with her daughter Seeley. Rachel is creative, motivated and is more than willing to learn – she is sleepless, funny and is always found with a cup of coffee. Rachel explores her own strengths and struggle…
- S5: Episode 162 - Learning to communicate more clearly and overcome our natural instinct as autism parents to live in 'fight or flight' mode in our marriage
Kate Swenson, founder of Finding Cooper's Voice and the nonprofit, The More Than Project, is a mother to four kids, a wife, and a proud Minnesotan. She writes and creates videos about her life as a mother and an autism advocate for Faceboo…
- S5: Episode 161 - The importance of prioritizing your spouse and many other things a 33 year marriage has taught them
Corey and Andrea Landreth are the parents of 4 grown children, and their 3rd born son, Trent is 25 years old and on the autism spectrum. They moved to El Dorado, Kansas to begin Real Life Christian Church in 2006 where Corey is the lead pa…
- S5: Episode 160 - Keeping laughter, communication and teamwork at the forefront of our marriage
At long last... my husband Josh sits down with me for a discussion about parenting and keeping the foundation of our marriage strong even through the most stressful and challenging times.
- S5: Episode 159 - Navigating the minimal options available when our loved ones age out of traditional services
Malinda Dalton-Cook resides in the San Diego area with her husband Chad and their 21-year-old daughter Paige, who is on the autism spectrum. Malinda is the CEO/Founder of Paige's Pantry, which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and is a…
- S5: Episode 158 - Empowering your vision of 'home' and helping families coordinate future housing options for their loved ones
Pam founded Partners4Housing to provide a better way for families of people with IDD to find roommates and set up shared housing solutions. Her career has spanned 30 years in special needs housing, and she is an acknowledged expert in her…
- S5: Episode 157 - Living by the motto 'what is standing in your way might just become the way' while enjoying and learning to navigate adulthood with her sons one day at a time
Molly is the mom to adult quadruplet men (they turned 21 this year). Her son, Benjamin is impacted greatly by Autism and Epilepsy and her son, Issaac is also impacted by Autism but it presents differently than with his brother Ben. The 'ty…
- S5: Episode 156 - An overview of the various housing alternatives for autistic adults
Betsy Hicks-Russ is a leading expert with over 25 years of experience in holistic health as the former CEO of Green Health Wellness as well author of Picky Eating Solutions (2010) that evolved into an online course. Betsy is also the Direc…
- S5: Episode 155 - Chatting with a Kentucky mom who decided to create a solution for adults with disabilities who have no options due to aging out
Karen South has worked in healthcare her entire life, starting with her first job in the kitchen of a nursing home at age 15 to being a dental tech while she was serving in the Navy, to being an EMT, nursing assistant and a radiation thera…
- S4: Episode 154 (Solo Episode) - Neurotypical milestones and managing emotions
I will be taking a summer break from the podcast to enjoy the few months I'll have with my daughter before she heads off to college. When I return for Season 5, I'd like to discuss a few key topics that come up often and would love for you…
- S4: Episode 153 - Sparked by a desire to encourage valuable conversations around kindness & inclusion, this incredible mom created a company to assist with her mission of Raising Rebels
Lauren Emmett is a proud mom of two adorable kids, her son Wilson and daughter Charlie. Her oldest, Wilson, was diagnosed with autism when he was three years old. After those first few years of motherhood, especially the long, isolating ro…
- S4: Episode 152 - Catching up with the Educated Debutante
Adrian H. Wood, PhD, is a rural Eastern NC mother of four, one with extra special needs. Past preschool teacher, nanny, children's ski instructor, early interventionist, college professor, early childhood researcher, wife and full-time mam…
- S4: Episode 151 - Preparing for their adult son's future & dedicated to support the special needs community, these business savvy parents founded Sammy Socks to accomplish both of those goals
Sally and Mark Lyons live in Hutto, TX with their 25-year-old son, Samuel who is on the autism spectrum. Sally and Mark are both retired teachers. Worried about the uncertain future for their son, due to limited employment opportunities an…
- S4: Episode 150 - This outspoken dad and his autistic adult son have made it their mission to ensure every non-speaker in the world has access to Spelling to Communicate (S2C)... the revolution has begun
J.B. Handley is the best-selling author of How to End the Autism Epidemic and the co-author of Underestimated: An Autism Miracle which he wrote with his now 21-year-old autistic son, Jaime. Their book, Underestimated inspired the new full…
- S4: Episode 149 - Frustrated by the lack of clean, supplement options on the market, a passionate mom set out to change that and partnered with a medical professional to create Simple Spectrum Supplements
Heather Grimaldi, MS is the Founder of Proof Positive ABA Therapies. As a behavior analyst and Clinical Director, Heather's focus was on supporting families and team members tasked with implementing behavior-analytic interventions. In late…
- S4: Episode 148 - Assuming the role of full-time caregiver & homeschool teacher to her 12-year-old autistic son can be overwhelming, so this mom makes her own health & wellness a priority
Christine De Gregorio is a mom to two wonderful boys Gianni (1.5 years old), and Abryn (13 years old). Abryn, who is on the autism spectrum, came into her life when he was 8 months old when she met her now husband and she feels so blessed…
- S4: Episode 147 - After suffering much heartbreak & loss, this loving mom focuses on the joy, happiness & growth found in the journey raising her nonspeaking, autistic son
Nicole Gottesmann has not had the easiest road into parenting and adult life. After suffering the sudden loss of her first born child, she was elated to learn she was pregnant again. Not soon after that, her husband unexpectedly passed awa…
- S4: Episode 146 (solo episode) - HAPPY 20TH BIRTHDAY SKYLER!!
Where has the time gone... I can't believe my favorite son Skyler is 20-years-old today!! My greatest hope for you Skyman, as you celebrate this special birthday and enter a new decade of life is that you never lose that spark in your eyes…
- S4: Episode 145 (Re-Release) - At 25, Emily typed her first words "I have been buried under years of dust." Those words would become the title of her memoir co-written with her mom
Valerie Gilpeer is an attorney who has been practicing law for forty years. She shifted her civil law practice twenty years ago in favor of representing families of disabled children trying to obtain educational services from local school…
- S4: Episode 144 - (Re-Release) "Be Kind To Everyone" and provide all children with opportunities to learn job skills & find joy in everything they do
Jackie Moore received a Bachelors degree in Rehabilitation Psychology from the University of Central Missouri. Less than three years ago she launched Jordyn's Summer Shirt Project to teach Jordyn, her daughter with autism, job skills. Jord…
- S4: Episode 143 - (Re-release from 12/2021) Spreading joy throughout the world with their adult son's love of drawing, these parents share how they managed their expectations while navigating the tough side of autism
Corey and Andrea Landreth are the parents of 4 grown children. They moved to El Dorado, Kansas to begin Real Life Christian Church in 2006 where Corey is the lead pastor. Andrea is a school psychologist in the public school system. They be…
- S4: Episode 142 - After years of observing therapy sessions with his son, this proud autism dad turned his passion for marketing into a mission to create therapy toys for all those with developmental challenges
Luis, is the Autism Dad behind MEAVIA, a brand inspired to design and develop toys and learning aids for kids with Autism and other developmental challenges. When he's not sketching toy ideas on napkins, Luis is spending time with his daug…
- S4: Episode 141 - Letting go of personal guilt & control to allow your child to thrive, become independent and enjoy life in a group home
Gina Schaal and her husband Dan have been married for 21 years & live in Chaska, a SW suburb of Minneapolis. They have two sons, 18-year-old Carter & 16-year-old Casey. Gina holds a BS degree in Medical Laboratory Science & works for a lar…
- S4: Episode 140 - Choosing to live in the present and not sweat the small stuff, this UK mom learned from her son that joy can be found in the smallest things
Kelly and her husband Rob live in Kent, UK and have two children, Carson (14) and Kendra (11). Carson is nonverbal and autistic with severe learning disabilities. Kendra is also on the autism spectrum. Kelly started her FB blog "This is Ca…
- S4: Episode 139 - Chatting with an autistic mom who is also raising two sons also on the autism spectrum about her family & soon to be released children's book
Tiffany Hammond is the voice behind Fidgets and Fries. She is an Autistic mother and advocate. Tiffany is a storyteller, using her own personal experiences with Autism and parenting two Autistic boys to guide others on their journey. Her a…
- S4: Episode 138 - A strong believer in finding joy along your journey, this triathlon loving mom has helped her adult sons uncover their love of running while advocating about inclusion for the masses.
Julie Bockey is a Veteran, a registered nurse, a Type 1 diabetic and a dedicated triathlon competitor. She and her husband Shawn, who is also a triathlete, are the parents of two adult sons, Christian (26) and Jake (23) who were both diagn…
- S4: Episode 137 - Helping her son turn his passion for drawing into a fun family business, this NJ mom advocates and educates on the vast autism spectrum
Jodi is a New Yorker currently residing in Northern New Jersey with her Gaffer husband Frank and two incredibly kind and creative children, Emily (21) and Liam (15). At the age of 14 months, Liam was diagnosed with ASD and began early inte…
- S4: Episode 136 - Aging out of a broken system with no options leaves adult 'kids' & parents endlessly searching for support & opportunities throughout adulthood
Feeling the stress of a broken system, parents like me are constantly searching for ideas, resources and a supportive community to help us ensure our autistic adult children aren't dismissed and forgotten about after reaching the age where…