Beyond Expectations: Parenting Autism

In Episode 21 of Beyond Expectations: Parenting Autism , Michelle Chabolla and Sean Dobson are joined by Gregory's former teacher and coach, Clark Stukey, to discuss the life-changing impact of Unified Sports and inclusive education. Clark shares how creating opportunities for students with and without disabilities transformed not only Gregory's high school experience, but also the lives...

In Episode 20 of Beyond Expectations: Parenting Autism , Michelle Chabolla and Sean Dobson are joined by Mario and Courtney Lopez for a heartfelt conversation about friendship, acceptance, and the lasting impact Gregory has had on their lives. Together, they share personal stories about their relationship with Gregory, the importance of inclusion, and how genuine friendships can create confidence,...

In this episode, Michelle Chabolla and Sean Dobson sit down with Lawrence Harris—author, speaker, and entrepreneur—to hear what autism is really like from the inside. Lawrence shares his journey, the challenges of communication and social connection, and practical advice for parents raising children on the spectrum. His perspective is insightful, inspiring, and full of hope. Learn more about Lawre...

In Episode 18 of Beyond Expectations: Parenting Autism, Michelle Chabolla and Sean Dobson are joined by Gregory’s former teacher, Jill Brazil, to discuss inclusion, IEPs, parent advocacy, and the powerful role teachers play in a child’s success. Together, they share practical advice for building strong parent-teacher partnerships, creating supportive classrooms, and helping children with autism th...

In Episode 17 of Beyond Expectations: Parenting Autism , Michelle Chabolla and Sean Dobson discuss special interests, hyperfixations, and why change and disappointment can be especially challenging for autistic individuals. Through personal stories about Gregory, they explore how passions can bring joy and comfort while sharing practical insights on setting boundaries, managing expectations, and b...

In Episode 16 of Beyond Expectations: Parenting Autism , Michelle Chabolla and Sean Dobson talk about the everyday life skills that can make a big difference for a child with autism—from getting dressed and brushing teeth to haircuts, dentist visits, sensory challenges, and building independence over time. Michelle shares honest stories from raising Gregory, including what worked, what was hard, a...

In Episode 15 of Beyond Expectations: Parenting Autism , Michelle Chabolla and Sean Dobson are joined by Mike Walther, founder of Oak Wealth Advisors, for an eye-opening conversation about special needs trusts, government benefits, financial planning, and preparing for the future of a loved one with disabilities. Mike shares how his own family’s experience inspired him to help families navigate th...

In Episode 14 of Beyond Expectations: Parenting Autism , Michelle Chabolla and Sean Dobson are joined by Randy Gillespie of Oak Wealth Advisors to discuss care guides, letters of intent, and planning for the future of a loved one with special needs. Randy shares why documenting routines, preferences, medical needs, behaviors, and daily life details can make a critical difference for future caregiv...

In Episode 13 of Beyond Expectations: Parenting Autism , Michelle Chabolla and Sean Dobson sit down with Sharon Vehrs, a former special education teacher who worked with Gregory, to talk about what really helps kids succeed in school—and beyond. From individualized education plans (IEPs)  and inclusion to real-world life skills, Sharon shares powerful insights from 17 years in the classroom, inclu...

In Episode 12 of Beyond Expectations: Parenting Autism , Michelle Chabolla and Sean Dobson are joined by Michelle’s best friend of over 20 years, Jane Claxton, for a heartfelt conversation about friendship, support systems, and raising children side by side. With their kids growing up around the same time, Michelle and Jane share what it has looked like to walk through life together while navigati...

In Episode 11 of Beyond Expectations: Parenting Autism , Michelle Chabolla and Sean Dobson explore the often misunderstood topic of masking in autism, when individuals suppress natural behaviors in public in order to fit in socially. They discuss how many autistic individuals become deeply aware of being different and work hard to hide stimming, sounds, movements, or coping behaviors in public set...

In Episode 10 of Beyond Expectations: Parenting Autism, Michelle Chabolla and Sean Dobson welcome one of Gregory’s favorite high school teachers, Bradd Markusch, for an inspiring conversation about helping students with autism succeed in school and beyond. With decades of experience in special education, Bradd shares practical guidance for parents navigating high school services, IEPs, 504 plans,...

In Episode 9 of Beyond Expectations: Parenting Autism , Michelle Chabolla and Sean Dobson explore one of the most emotional and misunderstood topics for families raising a child with autism: friendship. They discuss what friendship can look like for individuals on the spectrum, how social connection changes through childhood and adulthood, and why meaningful relationships may not always fit tradit...

In Episode 8 of Beyond Expectations: Parenting Autism , Michelle Chabolla and Sean Dobson sit down with Trudy Bauer Martinez, an experienced occupational therapist and Greg’s first paraprofessional during his first year of school, to explore what school support for children with autism really looks like.  Trudy shares her unique perspective, combining her professional background in occupational th...

In Episode 7 of Beyond Expectations: Parenting Autism, Michelle Chabolla and Sean Dobson share how Michelle created a structured learning environment at home to support Greg’s development, both before he started school and alongside his formal education. Michelle explains why she chose not to fully homeschool, but instead built a home-based classroom to reinforce learning, communication, and life...

In Episode 6 of Beyond Expectations: Parenting Autism , Michelle Chabolla and Sean Dobson sit down with Suzy Hites, a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) , to explore how speech therapy for autism helps children and adults develop communication skills. Suzy shares her professional experience working with individuals who face speech, language, and social communication challenges, and explain...

In Episode 5 of Beyond Expectations: Parenting Autism , Michelle Chabolla and Sean Dobson sit down with Sylvia Panzer, Greg’s former middle school special education teacher , to gain a professional perspective on supporting students with autism and other learning differences. Sylvia shares insights from her years of experience in special education, including what effective support looks like in th...

In Episode 4 of Beyond Expectations: Parenting Autism , Michelle Chabolla and her brother Sean Dobson reflect on Greg’s powerful story from the previous episode and share their perspective on his journey and growth over time. They talk about how raising a child with autism shaped their family’s life, the challenges they faced along the way, and the sacrifices that were made. Michelle opens up abou...

In Episode 3 of Beyond Expectations: Parenting Autism , Greg takes the mic to share his personal journey toward independent living as an autistic adult . Greg opens up about what independence means to him, the challenges he has faced, and the life skills he has developed along the way, from daily routines to building confidence and self-reliance. His story offers a real and inspiring look at what...

In Episode 2 of Beyond Expectations: Parenting Autism , Michelle Chabolla and her brother Sean Dobson share their real life experience exploring autism therapies after Greg’s diagnosis. Michelle walks through the different types of therapy they pursued, what influenced their decisions, and the challenges of figuring out what truly helps a child with autism. Sean adds his perspective as a supportiv...

In this first episode of Beyond Expectations: Parenting Autism Podcast , Michelle Chabolla and her brother Sean Dobson share their personal autism diagnosis story and what it really feels like to find out your child is autistic. Michelle opens up about her initial reactions as a parent, the fears and unknowns she faced, and how her faith carried her through those early moments. Sean offers his per...