Behind The Breakthroughs

In this episode we chat with a sister who wanted to convey a perspective of autism that typically wasn't portrayed in the media. She wanted to show the day-to- day life of an adult living with autism that was easily accessible to the general public. In April of 2018 she started her Instagram entitled @autism_irl, which captures the real and honest relationship between her and her brother and her family. Their IG stories and posts captures them living a normal life and shows that there are adults out there with autism living successfully and happily.   Meet Dana Kelsey the sister who is changing people's views on adults living with autism. Her daily posts on Instagram show that her brother Rob is living his best life. From sleeping in to being a foodie, Rob is so relatable and shows to the public that autism isn't a diagnosis it is a lifestyle. Their Instagram captures Rob's uninhibited raw emotions and beautiful connection and unconditional love between brother and sister. Dana and Rob are changing the defini

In this episode we take a look at father’s journey from his son's diagnosis to becoming Kimock7 Autism Vlogger. Through his vlogs (some have gone viral) this father is changing peoples perceptions of what autism is by promoting Autism Awareness on Facebook and YouTube where he has over 100,000 followers from all over the world.  Meet Chadd Wickert aka Kimock7 Autism Vlogger. Chadd shares how making videos with his son was a great way for him and his son to connect because his son loved the process and watching the videos.   Chadd started his own YouTube channel and Facebook page where one of the videos he posted went viral because it captures the true essence of the bond between father and son. People from all over the world have written letters and have contacted Chadd and his son thanking them for the videos because they provide them with hope and inspiration for their son or daughter. Through these videos Chadd is changing peoples views on autism and serve as an inspiration to many. Listen to this podcast

In this episode Dr. Nunez and Maylene talk about when a child regresses and how consistency plays a roll. Your child maybe doing great and "BAM" all of a sudden your child is having major meltdowns or becoming angry and agitated and you do not why. There is ALWAYS a reason and the majority of the time it is caused by something that is out of your child's routine from changing the schedule slightly, to a change in weather, to your child going through a growth spurt. Regression signifies change and this podcast will help you identify what that change is. When we hear the word regression we often think of the dreaded meltdowns and/or angry and aggressive behaviors. Dr. Nunez and Maylene remind everyone that regression isn't a negative thing it just means that there is change happening and your child is growing. When you really put some thought into it, you can trace what that change is. Your child is human and their emotions and behaviors aren't always going to remain the same. Instead of viewing regression as a

In this episode we chat with a father who took his son's love for making things into a non-profit organization that teaches trade and technical skills to individuals with autism. From restoring cars and welding, to carpentry and instrument making, this non-profit focuses on finding the talents and skills of each individual. The ultimate goal is to provide individuals with autism the opportunities to explore and work with their hands while finding their passion that will lead them to a lucrative career and to live a great and happy life. Meet Danny Combs, the founder and owner of Teaching the Autism Community Trades (T.A.C.T.) The concept came out of need because there were no programs that existed where individuals with autism were being taught how to use their hands by learning different trades. Within three years T.A.C.T. has now grown to serve over 400 families and has become the first program in the country where students get class credit for auto mechanics, carpentry, and computer science. The beauty of

It's Valentine's Week... and this is the sixth vignette that Dr. Nunez shares. In this vignette Dr. Nunez talks about the importance of loving yourself and the true meaning of self-care. Our day-to-day lives keep us busy with parenting, work, and taking care of others, that we often neglect our own needs. It is vital that we take time for ourselves in order for us to be present and to be the best parent, partner, professional, etc. we can be.   In this episode Dr. Nunez talks about the meaning behind self-love and self-care. In order for us to give love we have to understand what it means to unconditionally love ourselves. We are our own worst critiques and we have the tendency to criticize ourselves rather than saying positive statements that uplift us. Give yourself permission to be selfish and take time out of your day, everyday, to do something that makes your soul happy such as eating a piece of chocolate, going for a walk, etc. The love that you have for yourself is the love that you will attract from o

In this episode we chat with a mother from England whose son was diagnosed with autism at the age of 6 and what makes her story fascinating is that she was recently diagnosed at the age of 38. She is well researched and is able to articulate what it is like to have autism and uses her experiences to help parents, children, and adults understand aspects of it. Based on her experiences she developed The Meltdown Tracker in which she offers free visuals to help parents understand what maybe causing their child's meltdowns and gives them simple strategies to use to prevent or deescalate them quickly. Her Meltdown Tracker is based on things she has observed with her son and is designed to help others understand aspects of meltdowns and what do. Meet Morgan Salisbury as she talks about her life journey as always feeling different and there was something lacking or not matching up to standards. She describes that it was a relief getting a diagnosis as it helped her understand so much of what she was going on with he

In this episode we take a look at a young man's journey who is diagnosed with autism. He shares with us his experiences of living with his family, going to school, friendships, driving, and his thoughts about his future of going to college and living independently. When schools questioned his abilities his parents advocated for him and he explains he would not be where he is today without the support of his parents. His story is so inspirational that 9 News did a story on him. This is an episode you don't want to miss! Meet Jacob Ruth and for the first time we hear from an individual autism about what it is like growing up. From his earliest memories of screaming to the point of where he felt like he had damaged his voice box to his current experiences of going to high school and playing football we hear from Jacob's perspective. Jacob explains how many people siienced him for many years but now that he is grown up he has a lot to say! If you would like to hear the entire families view on autism, his mom was

In this episode we take a look at a sister’s journey with her brother diagnosed with autism. She shares her perspective of what it is like growing up with her brother as she navigates through her thoughts and emotions about her internal struggles of feeling like a shadow. She also shares her amazing realization and understanding of her role as a sister and how it has allowed her to blossom into her own individual.   Meet Piper Ruth, a sister of an individual with autism. For the first time we hear from a siblings perspective of what it is like growing up with a brother with autism. She shares her memories of seeing her brother go to various therapies and experiencing his meltdowns and how her parents handled challenging situtaions. Piper talks about how her relationship with her brother has changed and grown over the years and how they connect over movies and scripts. If you would like to hear the entire families view on autism, her mom was interviewed in podcast 2, her dad in podcast 10, and her brother in p

In this Episode we share a single mothers journey of how she took the diagnosis of her severely impacted son with autism and used it to advocate and educate families who are uniformed about the resources that are available to them. Meet Betty Lehman owner of Lehman Disability Planning in Denver, Colorado. She has been a pioneer for helping families and is responsible for passing 14 statutes for families to receive insurance funding for interventions and lifetime care. With a CPA background, Betty is passionate about financial planning for families especially those with exhausted resources. As a Disability Advisor she educates parents on how to extend the quality of life for their child after they age out of funding or are out of the school system. She lets parents know what available funding is out there and different financial options. She has developed special tools for parents so they can learn how to utilize, blend, and preserve their resources so they feel secure about their child’s quality of life for t

Welcome 2019! With a new year comes a fresh start and setting new goals. However, goal setting can often have an opposite effect when you don't reach your goals leaving you to feel guilty and discouraged. Sound familiar? In this Episode Dr. Nunez and Maylene share their thoughts on New Year's Resolutions and how to make them positive and inspiring by doing small things daily, weekly, or even monthly. A resolution can be as simple as reminding yourself daily to take care of YOU!  For many women, especially mothers who have children on the autism spectrum, life can detour you from your New Year's Resolutions. Remember that a child's growth isn't linear and it is constantly shifting and changing, and so will your resolutions. We often focus on the goal rather than our accomplishments. So keep in mind that you are not failing when you set new resolutions because it is a way of moving forward in the same direction that your life course has shifted to. Learn to adjust, reassess, and make resolutions a lifestyle. Th

It's Behind the Breakthroughs 25th episode and in this episode Dr. Nunez ad Maylene reflect back on all the guests they have had and reflect upon their inspirational stories.   In this episode Dr. Nunez and Maylene express their gratitude to all the guests that have been on the podcast and all their listeners. This podcast has given them the opportunity to meet so many people and it is giving them a burst of new energy and new ideas to share. It has been a great 25 and the next 25 will be amazing! They thank everyone for being on this journey of Behind the Breakthroughs. IN THIS EPISODE:  It's Behind the Breakthroughs 25th episode and in this episode Dr. Nunez ad Maylene reflect back on all the guests they have had and their inspirational stories. It feels overwhelming to think about how many people they have met through this podcast and how far they have come and how many stories they have shared. Some of their favorite guests have been the Ruth family because you got to hear from a mothers and fathers pers

In this episode we have the pleasure of talking with a yoga teacher who has turned her passion for yoga into helping children with autism. She empowers children by teaching them the most important technique of yoga, which is breath. Breath is a simple technique that anyone can use anywhere because it is immediate and non-disruptive. To wake up and know everything will be ok because your calming tools are constantly with you is empowering. Meet Christine Devereaux the owner of Spectrum Yoga. She has taken her love of yoga and developed specialized classes to help children with autism and their families. She not only works with individuals but teaches yoga to the family unit as well. Yoga does not discriminate, if it works for your child, it will work for you and vise versa. Christine talks about the world as being a reflection of yourself, so if you see the world as chaotic then internally you are chaotic. In her yoga classes she brings this awareness to her students by teaching them to slow down and breathe.

What is a Derricknym? Listen to this episode and you will find out!   Meet Derrick Hayes, an Encouragement Speaker, Author, and an enTIEtainer. Derrick has the unique talent of turning names and words into positive messages within seconds right before someone's eyes. This skill set has enabled Derrick to create the AUTISM Interview that is featured each month in the Autism Parenting Magazine. His philosophy of "people are people" and that you need to treat people with respect empowers people and leads them to their greatness. IN THIS EPISODE: In this episode Derrick Hayes is our guest. Derrick is a motivational speaker. He has written books and developed an AUTISM Interview. Derrick has a certain skill set in which he uses each letter of his name to set up interview questions. The DERRICK Interview has been used to interview different people and even celebrities. Autism Parenting Magazine began to follow Derrick. He had been working with teens and adult males with autism at the time. He pitched an idea to th

In this episode we take a look at a mother’s journey and how she didn't let a diagnosis of autism stop her from living her life. From the initial diagnosis, to different types of therapies, to IEP goals, this mother did not lose herself. Instead she turned her love for Martial Arts into a business venture in which she encourages others to find their mind and body connection to teach calm, focus, and confidence. Meet Jennifer Farren, mother and co-owner of Tiger Rock. Listen to her journey of how an extra curricular activity meant for her son turned into activity she loved for herself. From a student to co-owner, Jennifer is now giving back to the community by offering martial arts classes to children with needs. These classes are designed to help with self-esteem, confidence, and feeling good about yourself and your accomplishments, which is beneficial to any child or adult. IN THIS EPISODE: The special guest in this episode is Jennifer Farren. Jennifer is a mother who has a son with autism and she will be s

In this episode Dr. Nunez and Maylene talk about the dreaded IEP and how to make this process successful. When going through this process it is important to keep an open mind, think outside the box, and to work collaboratively with one another because everyone has the same goal in mind... which is the child's best interest. It is IEP season and the top three things that make an IEP successful are setting the goals high, having both home and school environments collaborate and work on the same goals, and most importantly parents need to be involved. This is a time when parents need to become their child's expert and advocate for their needs.  IN THIS EPISODE: It is October and parents start getting anxious as behaviors start arising with their child. The honeymoon stage from the transition of summer to school has ended as kids get comfortable and old behaviors start to arise. It is also IEP season and Dr. Nunez and Maylene have been going to a lot of IEPs. A lot of times they see that the expectations are set

This is the fifth vignette that Dr. Nunez shares. In this vignette Dr. Nunez talks about a client she has seen for over 14 years and how he went from being non-verbal to driving himself to school. She recently watched him drive away after a session and she expresses how it was a poignant moment for her to watch him become independent and know that she had a part in his independence. In this episode Dr. Nunez commends a clients parents for setting the expectations high for their son and never treating him differently. Their sink or swim approach to parenting have allowed their son to self-discovery in which he is living and loving his life to the fullest. Dr. Nunez also reminds professionals that you may not see immediate progress when working with a client, but to remember that over time you are making a huge impact many lives.  IN THIS EPISODE:  Today’s Vignette is about a client that have both Dr. Nunez and Maylene have been working with for years. They started working with him at 2 years old when he was n

What do you do when your child is verbal but not communicative? Who can function but still struggles with self-help skills? In this episode we chat with a mother who asked these very same questions and when she did not find the answers she created a successful blog entitled, "Not the Former Things."   Meet Shawna Wingert an author, homeschool teacher, wife, but most importantly a "real" mom who shares her realness in her blogs. Join us as Shawna opens up about her journey of what it is like to raise and homeschool her two sons diagnosed with autism. Her honest and relatable blogs have allowed her to create a community not only for her self, but have encouraged and connected other moms who share similar journeys.   IN THIS EPISODE:  Our guest today is Shawna Wingert who writes a blog entitled, "Not the Former Things." Her blog focuses on the "realness" of raising and homeschool her two sons who are diagnosed with autism. When Shawna received the first diagnosis she went on the internet to find another mom who

In this episode we take a look at a mother’s journey when her daughter says her first word, "Mama." This moment was captured on video and quickly went viral on many social media outlets. Taylor's video touched the hearts of many as they feel her happiness and pure joy in saying her first word. Meet Briana Blankenship as she shares her experiences with her daughter Taylor. After going to many doctor's who told her Taylor, "Was fine." and that, "She would grow out of it," Briana knew something was not right. She trusted her intuition and demanded that her daughter receive an official diagnosis of autism. Her journey is similar to many parents who struggle to get services for their child. Despite it all, Briana focused on the positive and was rewarded with hearing her daughters first word be Mama. This is an episode you don't want to miss!   IN THIS EPISODE: Our special guest is Briana Blankenship. Earlier this year she posted a video of her daughter on social media saying her first word, “Mama" and it went vir

Dr. Nunez shares her personal health journey and how she came to the realization that mind, body, and soul truly work as one. When it was recommended that Dr. Nunez have an invasive surgery she decided to trust her intuition and find alternative methods of curing herself. Listen to this episode to find out how she cured herself and how her alternative approach to health can help others. In this episode Dr. Nunez talks about her 90 day health journey. She discusses the importance of diet, alternative medicines, and the power of positive thoughts. Despite what Doctors have to say, she encourages you to trust your intuition because ultimately you are your own expert.. and it is her intuition that led her become healthy. IN THIS EPISODE:  This podcast is a personal one about Dr. Nunez’s inner journey with her mind, body, and soul. She talks about what she did to make herself as healthy as she could be within the past 90 days. Eight years ago she had precancerous cells in her body. She had a procedure done that g

This is the fourth vignette that Dr. Nunez shares. In this vignette Dr. Nunez talks about the beauty of first words and the rewards of teaching children with autism how to communicate. She encourages parents to trust the process and always push for more. In this episode Dr. Nunez gives many examples of how to teach language to a child with autism. She encourages parents to ALWAYS expect more from their child. If your child is saying sounds get them to say words, if they are saying words get them to talk in sentences, if your child is talking in sentences then get them to converse and engage in reciprocal conversations. It takes a lot of patience and belief. The reward is being able hear your child’s beautiful voice. IN THIS EPISODE: In this episode Dr. Nunez talks about first words and getting children to talk and communicate. Nunez and Maylene start each show with a quote and they look up inspirational quotes that fit each episode. This week was hard to find a quote to fit the episode of a child’s first wor