Usually, Caleb counts down the days leading up to his birthday with excitment. This year, he woke up on his 15th birthday with debilitating anxiety about the prospect of getting one year closer to adulthood. In this podcast, Caleb talks about his anxieties related to all the elements of becoming an adult and strategies we can utilize to overcome some of his stressors.
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We took the summer off juggling lots of new things. Learn what’s coming your way on Isaac’s Autism in the Wild Podcast.
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In this episode of ISAAC’S Autism in the Wild Holly is joined by the Executive Director of the Arc of Spokane, Sima Thorpe. Sima is here to tell us all about The Arc of Spokane and introduces us to two of her most recent hires, Jennifer and Maria. Together this group discusses the different programs available to families in our area and how we plan to work together to help meet the needs of the developmentally disabled populations in Spokane and extending into our rural areas.
Questions on resources and services:
For Spokane Parent to Parent Resources:
Maria Jennings
509-789-8797
Facebook: Parent to Parent of Spokane County | Facebook
For Pend Orielle and Stevens County Parent to Parent Resources:
Micaela Herman
509-789-8782
Parent to Parent of Stevens and Pend Oreille Counties | Facebook
Sexual Abuse Prevention Training
Jim Lane
509-789-8325
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On this very special episode of ISAAC’S Autism in the Wild Podcast we are joined by two of our favorite self-advocates, Tracey Cohen & John Lemus. Tracey is an author of three books, two about autism and one about her passion for running. We had featured Tracey in an episode earlier this year and were so excited to meet her in person when she came to Spokane to visit at the end of the summer. While Tracey was visiting we introduced her to John Lemus, a Spokane based disabilities professional who advocates for the disability community through his various positions in local and state leadership.
Please take a listen and excuse the background noise as we are recording LIVE on the stage at Pitotti Coffee as we discuss several topics regarding advocacy.
References:
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In this episode of ISAAC’S Autism in the Wild we are joined again by our friend Becky Gardner of “A Life of My Own” Executive Function Coaching. Several parents have also joined us to ask her questions about executive function as it relates to their own children. Listen in and learn along with our parents, some strategies to help launch our children successfully!
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In this episode we are joined by Desiree Kameka Galloway of The Autism Housing Network. Holly had first learned of their work as well as the Madison House Autism Foundation a few years back while attending a conference about “Life After High School.” Holly was so impressed with Desiree’s presentation and has used their site as a reference to our families for years. The ISAAC Foundation has been receiving more and more calls from parents regarding concerns for long term living situations for their adult children in recent years so we reached out to Desiree to see if she could explain some of the housing options that exist and what the Autism Housing Network can do to help families as they determine the long term plans for their loved ones.
Contact Info:
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This week on ISAAC’S Autism in the Wild our host Holly is joined by Sydney. Sydney is a 27 year old self advocate that just relocated to Spokane from Alaska. We cover it all in this episode: from her diagnosis as a child, to her career in Alaska, and now how she is settling in to life in Spokane. Sydney is an ambitious young woman with a strong sense of self and will be a great ambassador for self advocates in Spokane, we are happy to have met with her and look forward to collaborating with her again soon!
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Welcome to another episode of ISAAC’s Autism in the Wild. This week we are discussing therapy interventions. While we have discussed many of these interventions at length in the past we have a unique viewpoint we would love to share. Gillis Williams, aka “GW” is joining Holly again to discuss his view of the therapy interventions he received as a child. They discuss which interventions his family sought out and which were the most beneficial and enjoyable from his viewpoint.
Follow GW on social media at: Autism Chose Me, info@autismchoseme.com
autismchoseme.com
FB/Insta/Youtube/Twitter/TikTok @autismchoseme
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In this episode of ISAAC’s Autism in the Wild, we are joined again by Becky Gardner, Executive Function Coach at: A Life of My Own to discuss motivation. Finding and maintaining motivation is a tricky task in a nuerotypical brain–so for our loved ones on the autism spectrum we have to really dial in to determine which means of motivation will be successful. It is a process and can be discouraging, however the benefits to finding a sustainable intrinsic motivation can be life changing.
References:
Self-Determination Theory of Motivation: Why Intrinsic Motivation Matters
Courtney E. Ackerman, MA., 2-15-2021 (Synopsis of Ryan and Deci’s work on Self-Determination Theory and Intrinsic Motivation)
Drive. By Daniel Pink (book)
Key Concepts-
– Autonomy: “Control leads to compliance; autonomy leads to engagement.” Control is by others, from outside (extrinsic motivators) – in some situations this leads to compliance but does not lead to desire. Autonomy is from within (intrinsic) – by definition it leads to a true desire to engage with the activity.
– Mastery: “One source of frustration … is the frequent mismatch between what people must do and what people can do. When what they must do exceeds their capabilities, the result is anxiety. When what they must do falls short of their capabilities, the result is boredom. But when the match is just right, the results can be glorious.”
– Purpose: “Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self‐determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve more and live richer lives.”
TED Talk: “The Puzzle of Motivation” By Dan Pink
Although used in a different context, the science is valid and the research applies.
Executive Functioning –
> Smarts: Are We Hardwired for Success? (Book) by Chuck Martin , Peg Dawson, Richard Guare
> Smart but Scattered: The Revolutionary “Executive Skills” Approach to Helping Kids Reach Their Potential (Book) by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare
Collaborative Problem Solving –
> Rethinking Challenging Kids: Where There’s a Skill There’s a Way, Stuart Ablon https://youtu.be/wgNpGThLl2U
> Changeable: How Collaborative Problem Solving Changes Lives at Home, at School, and at Work (Book) by J. Stuart Ablon
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Join us as we talk with a fellow autism mama that has made her way through the sometimes disheartening game of waitlist navigation. We discuss strategies for getting therapy while waiting for the “perfect” therapy regimen to fall in to place. We also cover ways to work your way up the list, how COVID-19 has affected the local wait lists, share stories of our experiences, and find the humor in our missteps.
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