The UNspecial Podcast

On The Unspecial Podcast, the host interviews Latrice (@LatriceMomLife), an autism mom who created Spectrum by the Sea to build connection and community while emphasizing that parent wellness is necessary, not selfish. Latrice shares her journey with her 5-year-old son Luca, who was diagnosed with autism and later identified as having 16p13.11 microdeletion syndrome, describing early signs like di...

On the UnSpecial podcast, the host interviews Mercedes Lara (Hooray for the Laras), an adoptive mom, homeschooler, Down syndrome advocate, and co-host of The Lucky Few podcast, about adoption, parenting a child with Down syndrome, homeschooling, advocacy, and building a world where everyone is included and valued. Lara shares how she began homeschooling after trying preschool, dealing with challen...

Connection Is the Intervention: DIR/Floortime, Behavior, and Supporting Parents | Ashley Gillespie (Bloom Developmental Center) On the Unspecial Podcast, host interviews Ashley Gillespie of Bloom Developmental Center about why connection—not just therapies or compliance—is foundational for autistic children’s development. Ashley shares how growing up with her profoundly autistic cousin Haley, who...

In this Us Special podcast, the host interviews Cody Alford, a former Marine recon scout sniper and current farmer, business owner, and jujitsu coach, about resilience, stress, and making meaning when life changes unexpectedly, including for special needs families. Cody describes practicing stillness, reframing fear as excitement, and focusing on what he can control, while the host shares recent s...

On the Us Special podcast, the host talks with Allie Hobson (Ally Hobson Wellness) about raising holistic kids, parenting through autism, and wellness habits for parents. They discuss the host’s child having whooping cough and his decision not to vaccinate, then broaden into pregnancy vaccines, maternal autoimmunity, and the “perfect storm” factors they believe can contribute to autism. Ally share...

On the Unspecial podcast, Christina (“Autism Moms on a Mission”) discusses raising her nearly 4.5-year-old nonverbal son Hunter, including a near-drowning at a lake where he was revived after about three minutes unconscious with no brain damage, reinforcing her emphasis on swim lessons and water regulation. She highlights misconceptions about autism—especially assuming nonverbal children don’t und...

On the Unofficial Podcast, host interviews Jamie Bisant (“The Bisants” on Instagram) about parenting a “unique” family with a 17-year-old daughter Dakota (autism with intellectual disability), a 15-year-old daughter Capri (no diagnosis), and a 12-year-old son Joey (Down syndrome; Jamie believes he also has autism). Jamie discusses navigating IEPs and the reality that “hard is not bad,” sharing how...

Cassandra Jimenez (The Relentless Advocate): Biomedical Autism Hope, MAPS Doctors, and Faith Through the Journey On the Unspecial podcast, host interviews Cassandra Jimenez (The Relentless Advocate), a mom of six whose son Mateo was diagnosed with autism in March. She discusses caregiver stress, recommends The Body Keeps the Score, and shares her shift toward biomedical approaches, encouraging fam...

Host Zach interviews Dr. Dana Johnston, an occupational therapist and co-founder of the Spellers Method, about why silence in autism is often mistaken for absence and why speech is wrongly equated with intelligence. Johnston distinguishes “non-speaking” from “non-verbal,” arguing many non-speakers have intact language and cognition but face a motor planning “brain-body disconnect” she calls whole...

Pregnant With a Down Syndrome Baby Boy: Faith, Family Leadership, and Holistic Health with Shante Gold On the Unspecial podcast, the host interviews Shante Gold ( wild.boys.with.extra.love ), a former BCBA and former online nutrition/fitness coach, now co-host of the Rebuild podcast, who is 23 weeks pregnant with a baby boy diagnosed with Down syndrome. Shante shares how business struggles and mot...

Martin’s Autism Life: Self-Acceptance, Special Olympics, and Training First Responders | Unspecial Podcast In this episode of the Unspecial Podcast, the host interviews Martin Slingstad (Martin’s Autism Life), an autistic author, public speaker, Special Olympics athlete, and founder of Spire Autism. Martin shares early memories of being non-speaking until age three or four, his diagnosis at five,...

On the Us Special podcast, host interviews Claire DePaulis about motherhood, community-building, and self-care while raising three children under five, including her oldest daughter Valentina, who shows signs of autism (minimal speech, low adaptive skills) and is in a specialized autism preschool classroom while awaiting a formal diagnosis due to system delays. Claire discusses shifting mindset fr...

On “The Unspecial Podcast,” host Zach interviews Amber Aarons, an Arizona mom of six (four autistic children) and advocate for PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance/Persistent Drive for Autonomy). Amber shares her family’s diagnostic journey, including a son diagnosed medically at 12, two younger IVF children diagnosed as toddlers (one a “PDA girl”), and a late autism level-one diagnosis for a daught...

Zach interviews Sarah of Inch Stones by Sarah, a mom, advocate, and educator supporting families navigating autism, IEPs, and celebrating “inches” of progress. In rapid-fire questions, Sarah shares self-care practices, challenges the myth that a diagnosis defines a child’s humanity, and offers hope that things will be “more than okay.” She describes shifting from trying to “fix” her daughter Milli...

On the Us Special podcast, the host interviews Erica Daverio, a mom to Gabriella (6), who has Down syndrome and autism, amid social-media controversy over an influencer who aborted a baby after a Down syndrome diagnosis and shared what Erica calls false, harmful claims about suffering and quality of life. Erica describes learning her daughter’s diagnosis at 12 weeks, the fear and medical framing s...

The host and Olivia Rojo (“Praying Through Autism”) discuss the unseen burdens of profound autism—seizures, sleeplessness, isolation, grief, and constant medical battles—arguing autism is often deeply medical and worsened by untreated co-occurring conditions. They share takeaways from the Autism Health Inc. conference, including claims that 88% of autism is regressive and concerns about how pediat...

On the Unspecial Podcast, the host interviews Jessi Mansfield about disabilities and the church, focusing on whether inclusion is a slogan or a lifestyle and how faith, autism, and families collide. Jessi shares her background (Marine Corps, primary care, nonprofit work with adults with developmental/intellectual disabilities) and how her stepson’s autism diagnosis brought uncertainty, mourning, a...

The host interviews Tommy Rhyne of Spectrum and Camouflage about the unseen mental battle parents—especially dads—face in the autism journey, emphasizing real mindset over “toxic positivity.” They discuss exhaustion, grief, and staying grounded when life doesn’t match expectations, with both men sharing personal contexts: Tommy’s non-speaking autistic son and the host’s wife’s two-year cancer figh...

The speaker describes apraxia as a major misconception in autism, noting that during five years teaching profound autism it was never discussed, and says recent experiences have exceeded what they thought possible. They express faith that God can do more than expected, including the possibility of verbal speech even though he currently communicates by spelling on a letterboard. He shares that when...

Zach interviews Megan Vondrak, founder of the Unlonely Moms Club, about motherhood, loneliness, and caring for her son Miller, diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age three after symptoms on a Costa Rica trip led to a pediatrician visit and a week at Rady’s. Megan describes the relentless management of Dexcom and Omnipod data, alarm fatigue, fear of highs and dangerous lows, and how diabetes can dis...

Two dads, Zach and Tyler, troubleshoot audio on an Instagram Live, swap dad jokes, then discuss autism: what it is, misconceptions from the DSM-5, and how the broadened label can dilute understanding of profound autism and lifelong care needs. Tyler shares his son Lyric’s “acquired/regressive” autism experience, challenges the idea that autism is solely genetic, and describes grief, acceptance, an...

On the Unspecial Podcast, Zach interviews Brittany Brooks of “The Lemonade Family,” who describes raising five children (12 and under) all diagnosed with autism and reframing daily challenges—meltdowns, elopement, heavy therapy schedules, and poop smearing—as “making lemonade.” A former special education teacher with a master’s degree and 15 years’ experience, Brittany contrasts school masking and...

On the Unspecial podcast, the host interviews J. Brad Britton about his book Real Words with Sam and themes of potential, autism, and daily life with his nonspeaking son Sam (turning 25). Britton describes a “Day in the Life” section written backward from Sam’s bedtime prayer, and heavier chapters about his wife Paulette’s caregiving. They discuss dad support in marriage, with Britton saying he wo...

On the Unspecial Podcast, Zach interviews Joe and Kaylee (Parents Unheard) about their five-year-old son Ronnie and their recent five-day PX Docs intensive, which they say immediately improved his sleep, reduced aggression, and helped him stay calmer at night, alongside changes to how they dose melatonin after researching UK prescribing guidelines. They describe the intensive’s light spinal touch,...

The speaker recalls reaching a breaking point, screaming in anger and calling out to God after learning her 42-year-old husband, a third grade teacher, had cancer while their kids played downstairs. In the middle of her rage and disbelief, she felt unexpectedly close to God and describes how faith tethered her to life and carried her through the storm. She reflects that she doesn’t know how people...