Let’s Plant Houses

In this episode of Let’s Plant Houses we talk about special needs fitness, inclusive sports, and family advocacy as I sit down with Todd Turner, the founder of Team GUTS. Todd shares his family’s journey raising his daughter, who has both Down syndrome and autism, and how their experiences shaped his mission. He explains why fitness, movement, and community support can make a powerful difference f...

In this episode of Let’s Plant Houses we talk about special needs parenting, caregiver support, and resilience as I sit down with Jess Ronne to hear her powerful story. Jess is an author, podcaster, nonprofit executive, and longtime advocate for families raising children with complex needs. She shares her journey raising her son Lucas, who has special needs including profound autism, and the emoti...

In this episode of Let’s Plant Houses we talk about neurodiversity, parenting support, and mental health as I sit down with Sarah Raphael, a mom of two young children. Sarah shares her family’s journey raising what she lovingly calls her neurospicy kids and how she learned to advocate for them in school. She also talks about the importance of self care, caring for her own mental health, and findin...

In this episode of Let’s Plant Houses we talk about sibling caregiving, developmental disabilities, and future planning as Lee Ackerman shares his honest experience growing up with his sister Gretchen. Lee reflects on their childhood and his role now as her lifelong guardian. He also explains the work he does as the leader of an advocacy, planning, and guardianship nonprofit, offering clear insigh...

In this episode of Let’s Plant Houses we talk about autism parenting, early intervention, and special education as Lauren Christilaw shares her story about her young son Henry. Lauren reflects on the challenges of welcoming a new baby during the pandemic while noticing developmental delays and pushing for evaluation, diagnosis, and services. She explains what she learned while advocating for autis...

In this heartwarming episode of Let’s Plant Houses, Theresa Gutierrez shares the beautiful story of growing up with her brother, Peter, who has Down syndrome. With a perfect mix of humor and love, Theresa reflects on the brave choice her parents made to embrace Peter’s life, defying the expert advice of the time. But that’s just the beginning—Theresa takes us on a tour of their i...

In this episode of Let’s Plant Houses we talk about autism friendly travel, special needs vacation planning, and Disney trips as I sit down with Christa Andrews from Practically Perfect Vacations. Christa is a Certified Autism Travel Professional and a specialist in Disney and Universal resorts. She explains how she helps families plan the vacations they dream about, even when special needs make t...

In this episode of Let’s Plant Houses we talk about autism support, special needs community building, and family advocacy as I sit down with Mireya Martinez, a single mother raising two children, including her daughter Bianca who has autism. Mireya shares how she turned her love and dedication into a mission to help others. Her nonprofit, Just 4 Me, was created to make sure no young adult with spe...

In this episode of Let’s Plant Houses we talk about special needs parenting, medical challenges in children, and family support as Kim Cascardo shares her son Enzo’s story. Enzo has faced serious health issues since infancy, and although he does not have a formal diagnosis, his symptoms are similar to Leigh Syndrome. Kim explains how their family has learned to face each new challenge with courage...

In this episode of Let’s Plant Houses we talk about Down syndrome support, family advocacy, and community inclusion as David Buckley joins us to share his family’s story. David opens up about his son Jack’s Down syndrome diagnosis and the new world it brought into their lives. He explains how their family learned, grew, and found strong support through groups like the Miracle League, Gigi’s Playho...

In this episode of Let’s Plant Houses we talk about special needs planning, autism support, and caregiver tools as we sit down with Joel and Debbie Pearlman, the creators of the Dani Plan. Their idea grew from the needs of their eldest daughter, Dani, who has autism. The Dani Plan gives families a secure and organized way to store all the important information needed to care for a loved one with s...

In this episode of Let’s Plant Houses, we talk about autism support, autism resources, disability services, and community inclusion as I sit down with Rachelle Vartanian, the founder of the Living and Learning Center in Northville, Michigan. Rachelle shares how her journey began when her son received an autism diagnosis and she saw the lack of strong autism programs and family support. Using her t...

In this episode of Let’s Plant Houses, we talk about disability advocacy, full inclusion, and family support as I sit down with Janice Fialka, a nationally recognized lecturer and author. Janice shares her family’s origin story and the early dreams of her son Micah, who was born with a cognitive impairment. She explains how Micah followed a pioneering path toward complete inclusion through school,...

Join me on Let’s Plant Houses for a heartfelt conversation with Benji and Sarah as they reflect on their family’s extraordinary journey with their daughter, Ellah. Born with Coffin-Siris Syndrome (CSS) as well as a rare defect, Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum (ACC), Ellah faces unique health and developmental hurdles. Yet her resilience and push to be understood has created remarkable...

We covered a lot of ground with the first nine episodes of Let’s Plant Houses. On this 10th episode, I am a sharing a Top 10 List of resources mentioned in our stories in just 15 minutes. This episode is perfect for parents, caregivers, and professionals who are looking to learn about what’s available in our local area and why they might want to reach out to learn more.

Join us on Let’s Plant Houses when I sit down with Tracie Kelly, a savvy and resourceful mother and entrepreneur. Tracie discusses pivotal moments including her son’s diagnosis of autism to the creation of his thriving business Expedition Soaps, the completion of his college degree, his well traveled passport, and his future just beginning. In turn, Tracie has used her own lived experi...

In this episode of Let’s Plant Houses, we talk about autism employment, disability entrepreneurship, and family resilience as we sit down with Rhonda Gelstein to hear her powerful story. After her son Tyler finished high school and a trade program, he still could not find a job, even with his advanced degree. Instead of giving up, Rhonda helped Tyler turn his simple chore of returning bottles into...

Join us on this episode of Let’s Plant Houses when we sit down with Lisa. Lisa talks about Shay, her daughter with complex special needs who passed away and the amazing legacy she has left. Come learn about Shay’s extraordinary life, the remarkable imprint she left on others, and the inspiring work Lisa is now doing in our communities.

In this episode of Let’s Plant Houses, we talk about special needs and higher education as we sit down with Julie, a remarkable parent walking through a unique journey. She shares how her family faced a special needs diagnosis while her son was working toward his college degree. Julie explains the challenges, the learning curve, and the push to make sure her son had the support he needed for a suc...

In this episode of Let’s Plant Houses, we talk about inclusion, IDD employment, and disability advocacy as we sit down with Kelly Rockwell, a passionate parent and community leader. She shares how her journey with her daughter who has Down syndrome inspired her to use creativity and ingenuity to build a coffee shop that hires people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Kelly explains...

Join us on this episode of Let’s Plant Houses as we sit down with Star, an amazing parent who shares her deeply personal journey of navigating a special needs diagnosis and the pursuit of finding the right special education environment for her daughter. Through an honest conversation about her daughter’s needs, Star’s advocacy, special education and IEPs, she illuminates the challenges...

Join us on this episode of Let’s Plant Houses as we sit down with Jenni, an extraordinary parent who shares the inspiring story of their autistic son’s employment journey in securing a job. Through candid and uplifting conversation, her family exemplifies the powerful impact of perseverance.

Join us on this episode of Let’s Plant Houses as we sit down with Tom, a remarkable parent who shares his family’s journey of raising his son with special needs. Listen in as our guest opens up about the strength, resilience, and unwavering love that has shaped their family’s story. He also offers invaluable advice for other parents navigating similar paths.

In this first episode of Let’s Plant Houses, my husband Bill and I talk about autism, autism parenting, and the mental health crises our daughter Nicola faced. These challenges with meltdowns, crisis care, IDD support, and special needs housing pushed us deep into the healthcare system and the mental health system. We share how we tried to help Nicola while feeling like we were drowning in t...