Skip to main content

Tag: disabilities

Connecting with Nature and Your Authentic Self with Mandy Casteel-Denney

Written by Gilda Evans on . No Comments on Connecting with Nature and Your Authentic Self with Mandy Casteel-Denney

Mandy Casteel-Denney is the founder of Blue Tulip Inclusive Education and a parenting coach who helps neurodivergent families reconnect with calm, confidence, and joy through nature. With a background in environmental education and a lifetime of love for the outdoors, Mandy blends science, lived experience, and play to support emotional regulation, social connection, and authentic self-expression. As a neurodivergent parent raising neurodivergent children, she understands firsthand how powerful the natural world can be as a place to reset, unmask, and belong. Through family coaching, youth programs, and speaking, Mandy helps families step outside—and discover new ways to thrive together.

IEPs and Special Education Advocacy with Vick Christensen

Written by Gilda Evans on . No Comments on IEPs and Special Education Advocacy with Vick Christensen

Founder of Blue Glasses Advocacy and mother of a 21-year-old with global developmental delays who proudly wears blue glasses, Vicki Christensen empowers parents with the knowledge and tools to navigate disability rights and is passionate about advocating for families through the Individualized Education Program, or IEP, process.Vicki supports parents and guardians of students in special education by providing effective advocacy strategies to foster positive, collaborative relationships at school. Her work, both in advocacy and in parenting, combines expertise, empathy, and firsthand insight, making her uniquely qualified to guide and inspire families navigating the challenges and triumphs of raising a neurodivergent child.

Navigating AWEtism with Dr. Theresa Lyons

Written by Gilda Evans on . No Comments on Navigating AWEtism with Dr. Theresa Lyons

Dr. Theresa Lyons is the founder and CEO of Navigating AWEtism, a groundbreaking platform dedicated to turning autism complexity into clarity. With a Ph.D. in Computational Chemistry from Yale University and a deep personal connection as a parent to a daughter with autism, she combines rigorous science with real-world experience to empower families navigating autism.

Creating Healthy Technology Habits with Jim Festante

Written by Gilda Evans on . No Comments on Creating Healthy Technology Habits with Jim Festante

Jim Festante is a former executive turned digital safety architect. For over 20 years, he built content for media corporations, social media companies, and video game studios, mastering the engagement loops and attention mechanics that keep audiences hooked. Now, he uses that insider knowledge to help families break the spell. As the Executive Director of Health-e-Habits, Jim moves beyond generic “screen time” advice to provide tactical digital defense strategies. He pulls back the curtain on the Black Box of technology, teaching parents, students, and educators how to distinguish between creative tools and predatory design, and how to navigate the social minefield of algorithmic feeds.

 Improving Executive Function Skills with Dr. Alissa Ellis

Written by Gilda Evans on .

Dr. Alissa Ellis is a clinical neuropsychologist, researcher, and the founder and director of Ellis Effect Psychological Group, a practice dedicated to evidence-based assessment and treatment for children, adolescents, and adults experiencing mood, anxiety, and attention difficulties. As the creator of the thinkSMART® program, she developed the first transdiagnostic group intervention for teens and their parents specifically designed to strengthen executive functioning skills. This innovative, research-based program helps families build practical strategies for organization, time management, planning, and goal setting—skills that support academic success and emotional well-being across diagnoses. A true scientist-practitioner, she bridges cutting-edge research and clinical innovation to create groundbreaking interventions that empower youth and families toward lasting change.

 Autism and Technology with Lois Brady

Written by Gilda Evans on .

Lois Brady is a speech-language pathologist, assistive technology specialist, and Certified Autism Specialist with over 25 years of experience. Her accomplishments include winning three Autism Hackathons, the Benjamin Franklin Award for Apps for Autism, and an Ursula Award. She co-authored Apps for Autism and Speech in Action, authored professional courses on technology and animal-assisted therapy, and presents internationally on autism and technology. Lois develops multi-sensory products to enhance communication and quality of life for individuals with autism.

IEPs, diagnoses and more with Paula Yost

Written by Gilda Evans on .

Paula Yost is a seasoned attorney and mental health clinician who brings a multidimensional perspective that blends legal precision with human compassion. She is deeply committed to what she called “legal social work,” advocating for individuals at the intersection of law and mental health.

Late Diagnosis, Masking, and Survival in a Neurotypical World with Chris Carazas

Written by Gilda Evans on .

Chris is an author and late-diagnosed autistic adult. For decades, he believed he was broken. Productive, capable, outwardly successful, yet constantly exhausted and quietly unraveling, he learned to survive by masking, performing, and pushing through systems that were never built for the way his mind works. He suffered through burnout, psychological trauma, and a near-total collapse. His memoir, Now That I’m Still Here: A Memoir of Ruin and Resurrection, traces his reckoning with unflinching honesty. Alongside his writing, Christopher has spent years working in international development and social impact, helping organizations measure human value, dignity, and outcomes in places where lives are often reduced to numbers. Today, he writes and speaks about autism, masking, grief, faith, and belonging, offering language for experiences that are often misunderstood or ignored. 

ABA and the Power of Play with Theresa Inman

Written by Gilda Evans on .

Theresa Inman is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst, Infant Toddler Developmental Specialist, and parent coach with over a decade of experience supporting neurodivergent children and their families. She is the author of the book Pathways to Early Communication. As host of the Parenting on the Spectrum podcast, Theresa shares practical, compassionate strategies rooted in ABA, play-based learning, and mindful parenting to help families thrive.

The Autism Care Revolution with Richard Schreiber

Written by Gilda Evans on .

Richard Schreiber is an IT and AI expert with over twenty-five years of experience working for some of the largest Fortune 500 companies and mega law firms. As an autism advocate, his deepest passions as the father of an autistic daughter pushed him to found the Autism Community Group in New York to help parents with children on the spectrum navigate the day-to-day challenges, and the Autism Innovation Community Foundation to promote more homeopathic, innovative and tech-based autism solutions. He is also the author of the best-selling book, Autism Care Revolution.