Inchstones with Sarah | Autism Advocacy & Caregiver Stories

A must-listen new episode coming to you with host Sarah Kernion, who sits down with Dr. Delia McCabe , neuroscientist and nutrition expert, to explore how food profoundly shapes emotional regulation, sensory processing, and well-being in neurodiverse children—especially those with autism. Together, they unpack the gut-brain connection, the role of healthy fats, and how probiotics influence behavio...

Discover the transformative power of storytelling in Autism advocacy with Sarah Kernion as she sits down with documentary filmmaker Chelsea Casabona for a powerful conversation about the role of storytelling in shifting how we see autism and neurodiversity.  Chelsea filmed Sarah and her family for a 5-min glimpse into the lives of neurodiverse families for Beacon College's A World of Difference Se...

Explore Neurodiversity and Synesthesia in this episode on Inchstones, host and autism Mom Sarah Kernion, profound autism mom of two nonspeaking autistic children and advocate, sits down with director Nicola Rose of Magnetosphere to discuss her groundbreaking film exploring neurodiversity and the lived experiences of children with synesthesia which is a fascinating neurological condition where the...

Motherhood doesn’t come with a manual—but if it did, autism parenting would be filed under “plot twist.” In this candid episode of the Inchstones podcast, host Sarah Kernion welcomes Marie Watkinson, a successful NYC entrepreneur and owner of Spa Chicks on the Go and devoted autism mom, for a raw, unfiltered look at what it means to raise a profoundly autistic child in a world that wasn’t built wi...

Parenting autistic kids isn’t a straight line—it’s a zigzag through school meetings, medication trials, sleepless nights, and unexpected joy. In this episode of Inchstones, host Sarah Kernion joins Gena Mann for a no-holds-barred conversation about what it truly feels like to raise neurodivergent kids in a world built around milestones. They cover everything from early intervention to IEPs, pubert...

Forget the clichés, this is where autism, neurodiversity, and inchstones collide to challenge every assumption about what parenting a profoundly autistic, nonspeaking child actually means. Sarah Kernion and The OG Autism Dad, Rob Gorski go far beyond surface-level conversations, exposing the unseen emotional labor, systemic failures, and community blind spots families face every day. This discussi...

Families raising children with profound autism often face overwhelming challenges in navigating healthcare, education, and daily life. On the Inchstones podcast, Sarah Kernion and Brandy Burch Thompson , CEO & Founder of benefitbay® unpack these realities with honesty and clarity, highlighting why individualized care plans matter and how employers can better support neurodiverse families. Thei...

Kyle Shepard, writer of The Resilient Mental State Substack , joins the Inchstones podcast for a powerful conversation about resilience, caregiving, and communication in the world of autism and neurodiversity. Together, we explore how parenting children with profound autism reshaped my understanding of growth, emotional regulation, and adaptability. Kyle shares deeply personal insights from his ow...

On the Inchstones Podcast, host Sarah Kernion sits down with Kate Lynch to unpack the realities of neurodiversity and the often-overlooked struggles of parents raising profoundly autistic children. Their conversation sheds light on the systemic gaps in caregiving, the urgent need for inclusive education, and the power of community in navigating the challenges of autism. Through honest reflection a...

Navy SEAL veteran Sam Alaimo joins Inchstones host Sarah Kernion for a conversation that bridges two worlds: combat and caregiving. Together, they explore how the endurance, intuition, and community forged in military life parallel the realities of raising children with profound autism. Their dialogue dives into the power of choice in the face of adversity, the way grief reshapes identity, and the...

Autism Mom Sarah Kernion sits down with mother-son duo Valerie Buccino and her son Philip for a conversation within the broader neurodiversity spectrum (while also addressing autism, apraxia, and the journey of profound autism.)  Together, they explore the power of self-advocacy for individuals with learning differences, the importance of building true collaboration with educators, and the everyda...

What if your child’s first dental visit was about more than teeth? In this episode of Inchstones, Sarah Kernion sits down with Special Needs Dentist, Dr. Sydnee Chavis, for a raw and real conversation about raising children with profound autism and apraxia. Together, they explore how personal experience with neurodiversity has shaped their work—one through dentistry, the other through financial st...

When parenting meets profound autism, support needs to evolve—fast. On this episode of Inchstones, Sarah Kernion sits down with Jordan Arogeti, founder of Support Now , for a raw and honest conversation about what modern families actually need. From the realities of raising neurodivergent children—including those with apraxia or profound autism—to the deep loneliness many parents face, this discus...

When your child is autistic—especially when they have profound autism or neurodiversity, routine medical visits can feel anything but routine. On this episode of Inchstones, Dr. Chelsea Willie, a pediatric anesthesiologist and mom to a neurodivergent child, joins Sarah to break down how hospitals and clinics can better serve kids with autism. From sensory overwhelm to communication challenges, Dr....

A reminder that even in our hardest seasons, we still have the power to choose how we show up, Sarah Kernion sits down with Traci Kovacic for a conversation about what happens when life throws you into the unimaginable—and how you keep going anyway. Traci opens up about the back-to-back tragedies that changed everything for her: losing her husband and nearly losing her daughter. She talks honestly...

In this inspiring conversation, Sarah Kernion is joined by Julie Kratz—an acclaimed inclusive leadership trainer, TEDx speaker, and author of The Allyship Advantage: A Guide to Championing Inclusion in the Workplace. Together, they unpack what true allyship looks like, especially in the context of autism, neurodiversity, and workplace inclusion. Julie brings both professional expertise and persona...

Sarah Kernion is thrilled to welcome Jill Escher , President of the National Council on Severe Autism, to the Inchstones Podcast.  Sarah & Jill open up about the rarely spoken realities of raising children with profound autism. They reflect on their parallel journeys—their grief, grit, and the relentless love that comes with raising children who may never speak or live independently. Together,...

In this moving conversation, Donna Ross-Jones joins Inchstones host Sarah Kernion to talk about the deep, often unspoken realities of parenting children with disabilities—especially autism. Together, they open up about the long arc of grief that can come with a diagnosis, the resilience required to keep going, and the unexpected ways siblings are shaped by these experiences. They talk candidly abo...

This week’s conversation takes us deep into the heart of caregiving and the layered beauty of loving someone with autism. Dr. Kerry Burnight—gerontologist and author of JOYSPAN: The Art and Science of Thriving in Life's Second Half (coming out August 5!)—joins Inchstones host Sarah Kernion for an open, honest, and uplifting dialogue about what it really means to care. Together, they unpack the raw...

Grab your drink - coffee or something that packs a bigger punch! In this heartfelt episode, Sarah Kernion sits down with fellow autism Mom and friend, KC Artemenko to talk honestly about what it's really like to raise children with autism. Together, they open up about the deep emotional shifts that happen inside families, how hard (and beautiful) sibling relationships can be, and the power of foll...

In this heart-to-heart episode of Inchstones, Sarah Kernion sits down with writer and fellow mom Jenna Jonaitis to talk about something we all need more of—but rarely give ourselves permission to embrace: realistic self-care. Together, they unpack the messy beauty of motherhood, laugh at the myth of bubble baths fixing everything, and explore how tiny moments of joy can ripple out to create calmer...

In this episode of the Inchstones podcast, host Sarah Kernion sits down with fellow autism moms Kat and Erica for a real, honest talk about what life is really like raising neurodivergent kids. Kat and Erica both have substantial Instagram followings and have formed community through sharing of their individual family's stories. Together, they open up about the beautiful, messy, and often overwhel...

In this powerful episode of Inchstones, Sarah Kernion sits down with Laurie Dove and her teenage daughter Lyla to talk about something often overlooked in the autism parenting conversation - the experience of siblings. What unfolds is an honest, emotional, and deeply thoughtful reflection on what it means to grow up alongside a sibling with autism. Lyla shares how being the oldest has shaped her i...

In this powerful episode of Inchstones, host Sarah Kernion talks with Michelle Dempsey-Multack, a co-parenting expert and fellow mom who deeply understands the emotional weight of divorce - especially when raising children with disabilities like nonspeaking autism and apraxia. Together, they dive into what it really feels like to co-parent when your child needs more. From navigating different pare...

Sarah chats with Andrea Li, Senior Director of Global HR at Malin+Goetz, about how workplaces can better support neurodivergent employees. They dive into how company culture is shifting, the growing importance of empathy in HR, and what it really takes to create an environment where everyone feels seen and supported. Andrea shares her perspective on leading with curiosity, the values that shape in...