This is My Story

I am a licensed speech-language pathologist, wife, and mom of 2 teenagers and our dog, Tyson.

When my son was about 16 months old, I noticed he wasn't responding to his name, his eye contact was low, and he rocked back and forth while watching TV. As a speech-language pathologist, I saw the red flags but was praying that it wasn't what I thought it could be. However, his diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders was confirmed by a psychologist two months later.

My mind wandered aimlessly toward the future in a downward spiral. So many negative thoughts weaved in and out of my head, and tomorrow hadn't even happened. Finally, after going through my grief and self-pity, slapping myself back into reality, and lots of prayers, I decided to focus on what he needed most—his mother. I followed his developmental pediatrician's advice and other therapists (i.e., OT, PT, BCBA).

Currently, he is living life to its fullest. My son has taught me to be a better therapist and to live life one day at a time. I've turned my journey with my son into an opportunity to share different techniques and strategies I have used to teach specific skills. Furthermore, I have learned exponentially from my experience with the clients I serve. They are my colleagues teaching me every single day. They have taught me that every progress looks different from person to person.