The Special Needs Sibling Podcast 2c712u

#specialneedssiblings #specialneeds In this episode we talk about: Jessica’s family and brother with Autism The current future plan for her brother Jessica’s projects with her non-profit Subgroups within the sibling experience Finding out when your sibling has been diagnosed with special needs The world’s progression towards people and families with special needs Patterns Jessica has observed in their parent trainings  How communication of feelings has changed in culture Accessibility, ive communities, and niche services  The story behind Jessica’s book Similarities in experiences and how siblings can talk about them across mediums and decades How the language about disabilities has evolved over time not everyone feels the same way Jessica’s encouragement to fellow siblings Links: The Center for Siblings of People with Disabilities: https://siblingcenter.org/ Billy's Sister: Life when your sibling has a disability (A Project of The Center for Siblings of People with Disabilities): https://www.amazon.com/Billys-Sister-sibling-disability-Siblings/dp/B0851LYF2V The Sibling Transformation Project: https://www.siblingtransformation.org/ More Info: Check out the blog and Charlene here: https://thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/ Get episode updates directly to your inbox: https://www.thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/newsletter the podcast on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thespecialneedssiblingpodcast Music by: AlexGrohl from Pixabay QubeSounds from Pixabay Edited by: Aiden Binder

Where's episode 27??? Do not fear, episodes are still here! (It'll just be here on 2/24.) We're changing things up and episodes will be releasing every other Saturday instead of every other Tuesday. Stay tuned and thanks for listening! Music by Grand_Project from Pixabay

In this episode we talk about: Molly’s family and brothers and sisters with Cerebral Palsy and Learning Disabilities  Learning from other siblings of siblings with disabilities Being leaders in the family Adaption of our siblings regimented schedules How sibling relationships change as they get older  Anna’s growth through the Take Me Home Film Our sibling’s transition in moving to their new homes Special needs sibling’s changes in personality and cognitive ability Molly’s encouragement to fellow siblings Links: Watch the film on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/channels/staffpicks/878044658 Film Website: http://www.takemehomefilm.com Liz’s bonus episode on the podcast: “BONUS: Take Me Home Film” More Info: Check out the blog and Charlene here: https://thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/ Get episode updates directly to your inbox: https://www.thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/newsletter the podcast on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thespecialneedssiblingpodcast Music by: AlexGrohl from Pixabay QubeSounds from Pixabay Edited by: Aiden Binder

In this episode we talk about: Ashley’s family and brother with autism, schizophrenia and tourettes Guilt and daily fighting growing up Transition of Carter’s disabilities when he got a little older Carter’s group living home Impact of Carter’s relationship with Ashley over the years Carter’s schizophrenia and some crazy stories  Family Vacations Looking back at memories together as a family School systems How we reacted/felt as kids watching the media portray people with disabilities and the people that interact with them Ashley’s encouragement to fellow siblings Links: Ashley’s mentor’s episodes: Episode 22A + 22B More Info: Check out the blog and Charlene here: https://thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/ Get episode updates directly to your inbox: https://www.thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/newsletter the podcast on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thespecialneedssiblingpodcast Music by: AlexGrohl from Pixabay QubeSounds from Pixabay Edited by: Aiden Binder

In this episode we talk about: Kate’s family and older sister with Cerebral Palsy What lead Kate to write her book Meeting other siblings of people with special needs Experiences in therapy How different countries treat/label siblings of people with special needs  Self reflection of one's childhood Kate’s encouragement to fellow siblings Links: Siblings Australia: https://siblingsaustralia.org.au/ Kate’s book (Yes there are multiple versions, but it’s the same book) https://www.amazon.com/Being-Other-One-Growing-Brother-ebook/dp/B078LDXLJV?ref_=ast_author_dp and https://www.amazon.com/Siblings-Brothers-sisters-children-disability/dp/1743052332 Sibs Consulting: https://www.sibsconsulting.com/ More Info: Check out the blog and Charlene here: https://thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/ Get episode updates directly to your inbox: https://www.thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/newsletter the podcast on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thespecialneedssiblingpodcast Music by: AlexGrohl from Pixabay QubeSounds from Pixabay Edited by: Aiden Binder

Dating is difficult. Now add in explaining to your partner about guardianship, conservatorship, and emotional baggage from your childhood. There's no better power than special needs sibling advocacy. about the issues we're facing, educating people, and actively participating in the community to show people that we matter just as much as everyone else in the disability community. Listen to Natalie's story. In this episode we talk about: About Natalie’s family and sister with autism, chiari malformation, and Landau-Kleffner The number of similarities between Charlene and Natalie’s sisters Her sister’s developing independence over time Her sister learning more about herself vs continuing to increasing intensive therapies Experiences of siblings and parents are not equal Dating! → How do you have a conversation with your significant other about all the things that comes with being a sibling? It’s lonely with all the feelings and responsibility of a caretaker Parent - child dynamics and how that affects us as siblings as children and adults Our significant others and connecting to our inner child How much she values her relationship with her sister    Not having typical sibling fights with our sisters Sibling advocacy! Feelings of pain from the past we still have and carry with us as adults You (as a sibling) have the power to choose and do something about it and heal Recognizing our parents tried the best they could Natalie’s encouragement to fellow siblings Links: Special Abilities Network: https://specialabilitiesnetwork.com/ Natalie’s TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HcQFRchSc0 More Info: Check out the blog and Charlene here: https://thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/ Get episode updates directly to your inbox: https://www.thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/newsletter the podcast on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thespecialneedssiblingpodcast Music by: AlexGrohl from Pixabay QubeSounds from Pixabay

It's already tough being a primary caretaker for your sibling, but it's nice to have a caregiver because we still deserve to live our lives too. And also have income. Listen to Susan's scary stories about finding the caregiver right for her situation because it was tough. In this episode we talk about: Check out the previous episode to hear about Susan’s brother and his disability Reference to Cheryl’s episode (check out episode 11) Getting services for her brother and her very long battle with the process You don’t have to take the first caretaker that you’re given, it’s a meet and greet  Going through LOTS of people and horror stories before finding the right caretaker for her brother When the fit is right with the caretaker, there is a family integration “Spyware” is helpful in certain situations Her advice to fellow siblings to be aware of the level of commitment if they’re considering taking their sibling in under the same roof Guardianship and medical insurance Reflecting back on her mom  Laughing about things in retrospect (obviously not funny in real time) “Today is going to be the best day” and also letting go of who are siblings used to be versus who they are now Having a network for us The importance of transition programs Susan’s encouragement to fellow siblings (plus some for parents) More Info: Check out the blog and Charlene here: https://thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/ Get episode updates directly to your inbox: https://www.thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/newsletter the podcast on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thespecialneedssiblingpodcast Music by: AlexGrohl from Pixabay QubeSounds from Pixabay

It's something that every sibling thinks about, consciously or unconsciously, but when it really happens, there's still a lot of unexpected twists and turns no matter how much we think we've thought out. Take a listen to Susan's story about becoming the primary caretaker of her older brother and how that's changed their sibling relationship. Check out episode 22A for part 1 of her story. In this episode we talk about: About Susan’s family and oldest brother with neurofibromatosis (NF type 1), hydrocephalus, and Dandy-Walker syndrome, and a stroke later on in 2015 Very young childhood and some highlights of major milestones of her brother’s disability Her living situation where her brother is living with her after their parents have ed ing when she realized her brother was different when he couldn’t help her with her homework anymore How her mom interacted with her when her brother was in the hospital a lot The emotional toll that comes with becoming the guardian/caretaker of your sibling The role of the sibling changes and how hard it is Taking her brother to get a tattoo, which then became multiple Her brother’s love of sweets and the consequences that come with eating too many Constantly being ready to step in for things at the drop of a dime (and even her dog too) Her advice to consider putting your sibling into a home earlier vs later Her oldest brother is still the oldest brother despite the disabilities  Drinking on vacation (and necessary limits) Her brother’s anxiety about both scary and exciting things The in-house of her partner and the litmus test when she was dating growing up Her circle of friends and their relationship with her brother Stay tuned for part 2 to hear more of Susan’s story in episode 22B! (plus her encouragement for fellow sibs) More Info: Check out the blog and Charlene here: https://thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/ Get episode updates directly to your inbox: https://www.thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/newsletter the podcast on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thespecialneedssiblingpodcast Music by: AlexGrohl from Pixabay QubeSounds from Pixabay

Grief can be a pretty tough thing to go through. What happens when that gets compounded with being a sibling to someone with a disability? Listen to Caroline's story and find out how she got involved in the community and hear fun stories about her sister. In this episode we talk about: About Caroline’s family and sister with cerebral palsy, severe intellectual disabilities, epilepsy  Caroline’s sister not really living at home Communication devices Grief for siblings who have lost siblings with special needs  Coming back to the sibling world after her sister had ed  Going through the pandemic Her sister’s relationship with Caroline’s husband Guardianship for her sister after their parents ed Caroline getting involved with sibshops Connecting with other siblings Visiting her sister growing up Where Caroline’s sister lived What it was like with the 3 siblings at home growing up Watching movies and listening to songs Objects in their rooms Caroline’s encouragement to fellow siblings Links: Sibshops: https://sibling.org/sibshops/ Loss of a special needs sibling facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/554229302095590/ More Info: Check out the blog and Charlene here: https://thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/ Get episode updates directly to your inbox: https://www.thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/newsletter the podcast on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thespecialneedssiblingpodcast Music by: AlexGrohl from Pixabay QubeSounds from Pixabay

Helping our siblings in their daily routine comes so naturally to us that we just end up doing it for everyone and forget that we don't have to. Sometimes it's nice to be by yourself, with your own thoughts, or even if not with your own thoughts, with a good movie or TV show. It's a lot of balancing, but it's also who we are as siblings who evolve right along with our sibs with disabilities. Listen to Shireen's story in episode 20. In this episode we talk about: About Shireen’s family and brother with autism Shireen’s transition moving out and into a new one away from her brother  Feeling needed versus feeling “useless” Having more time, space and reevaluating our own thoughts The changing relationships with our siblings after moving out Being alone (and watching movies) Relaxing and family incidents Underestimating our sibling’s abilities and also believing in them simultaneously Boundaries and fight, flight, freeze, and fawn Shireen helping her brother navigate a more “typical” social life” Shireen’s encouragement to fellow siblings More Info: Check out the blog and Charlene here: https://thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/ Get episode updates directly to your inbox: https://www.thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/newsletter the podcast on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thespecialneedssiblingpodcast Music by: AlexGrohl from Pixabay QubeSounds from Pixabay

A bonus episode where we get to talk with fellow special needs sibling Liz, who wrote and directed a film inspired by her sister Anna, who is affected by disability! A brief synopsis of the film: After their mother’s death, a cognitively disabled woman and her estranged sister must learn to communicate in order to move forward.  Extra extra! Another one of Liz and Anna's sisters, Molly, got to be on the podcast too! Listen to her perspective in episode 26. Links: Watch the film on Viemo: https://vimeo.com/channels/staffpicks/878044658 Film Website: http://www.takemehomefilm.com Find Liz on Instagram: @lizziesarge Listen to Molly's full interview: Episode 26 Music by: Music by FASSounds from Pixabay

The power of connection with other siblings is very real!  Even if you're just at work in the break room, you never know who will benefit from hearing you share your story.  Know that there are lots of us special needs siblings out there who feel your pain, sorrow, happiness, and joy.  There's a lot out there to feel, and there's a lot to be shared.  Hear Danica's story in episode 19. In this episode we talk about: How Charlene and Danica got connected through Eddie’s podcast! (Scroll down for a link to his show) About Danica’s family and brother with autism Connecting with other siblings at different stages of life and birth order Being stared at by other people when we talk about sibling topics Watching younger kids who are siblings and ing the feelings Hidden abilities that we have as siblings that only kick in due to our siblings with disabilities Danica’s career trajectory - and figuring out separation  The revolving door of our involvement in our sibling’s lives for as much as we do or don’t want to be involved Being 1 of 2 verses being 1 of more than 2 siblings Conservatorship, when it kicks in and how it is intertwined with our daily lives Moving away from our core family Danica’s experience with her brother moving into his group home About Danica’s parents starting and running their own group home  All sorts of confusing and complicated feelings about our sibling’s housing situations  Everything is a trade off and wanting some sort of normalcy  Feelings towards our typical siblings vs out siblings with disabilities  Different experiences we have due to birth order and meeting other oldest special needs siblings Danica’s encouragement to fellow siblings Links: Doing The Best We Can with Eddie Kaufholz: https://eddiekaufholz.com/ The episode that Charlene got to be on with Eddie: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/doing-the-best-we-can/episodes/Issue-XXX---A-Mind-at-Work-w-Charlene-e23edao/a-a9p85fb Read the issue of the newsletter The Special Needs Sibling Podcast was featured on: https://eddiekaufholz.com/archive/issue-xxx-a-mind-at-work More Info: Check out the blog and Charlene here: https://thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/ Get episode updates directly to your inbox: https://www.thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/newsletter the podcast on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thespecialneedssiblingpodcast Music by: AlexGrohl from Pixabay QubeSounds from Pixabay

Life is pretty tough as a sibling because there's a lot to process.  Becoming more self aware and reflecting to see how our past shows up in our day to day can be exhausting.  Sometimes calling out to a higher power (no matter who or what that may be for you) is really important.  This can help give us strength to pick up ourselves and be able to continue to be the caring humans we want to be.  Listen to Sharon's story on episode 18. In this episode we talk about: About Sharon’s family and sister with Mild Intellectual Disability (MID) Family dynamics and how they changed with her youngest sister having a disability Comparing the differences when our siblings were diagnosed versus what life is like for parents now with their children being diagnosed Family gathering experiences Her sister and technology and memory Cognitive abilities of our siblings Charlene’s roller coaster analogy/theory about life being a special needs sibling Sharon shares about looking at the positive perspective of being a sibling The existence of the podcast from both sides The level of love and care that exists in us as people and the world Boundaries are important for both us and our siblings — it helps both parties Unlearning binary thought processes and learning new ways of thinking and choosing positive perspective as “older” adults Figuring out our current season of what caregiving looks like in our families Sharon starting her own business and her personal story about what propelled her Charlene and more about the podcast Being in community and having diversity Sharon and her faith being a big part of her caregiving journey Charlene and her current thoughts on getting help from something greater Looking beyond ourselves Sharon’s encouragement to fellow siblings Links:  Human Library event (hosted by SibsUnite) https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18212051530240062/ Exclusive from Sharon for our listeners: http://possiblenutrition.com/charlene Check out Sharon’s practice: https://possiblenutrition.com/ More Info: Check out the blog and Charlene here: https://thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/ Get episode updates directly to your inbox: https://www.thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/newsletter the podcast on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thespecialneedssiblingpodcast Music by: AlexGrohl from Pixabay QubeSounds from Pixabay

Being a special needs sibling on opposite sides of the globe has more overlap than you might think!  Even though there are cultural differences in our day to day, there are definitely large overlapping feelings and frustrations that we share with each other.  Check out this conversation with Kara to hear her story on episode 17. In this episode we talk about: About Kara’s family and brother with Autism  Our siblings and their inverse relationship with saying and repeating words Sibling groups Check out the one in Singapore https://linktr.ee/sibsunite In the US: SibNet as part of The Sibling Group https://sibling.org/connect/sibnet/ In the US: Sibling Chapters as part of The Sibling Leadership Network https://siblingleadership.org/about-the-sibling-leadership-network/state-chapters/ Going on group outings and retreats with other families affected by disability Early intervention in Singapore and IEPs The school systems and programs that change with age How people use or don’t use the word “autism” Kara moving from engineering to teaching Charlene and her career stories Cultural differences of how people move and where they live How housing generally works in the United States About Charlene’s sister’s housing Housing and elderly housing in Singapore Caregiving scenarios for siblings Charlene and her sister going to school Therapists and reflecting back on our childhood Our anger issues It’s ok for safe spaces to not be at home Kara’s encouragement to fellow siblings More Info: Check out the blog and Charlene here: https://thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/ Get episode updates directly to your inbox: https://www.thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/newsletter the podcast on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thespecialneedssiblingpodcast Music by: AlexGrohl from Pixabay QubeSounds from Pixabay

Being the "perfect child" is no easy task, but it shouldn't be a task at all!  It's so easy for special needs siblings to end up in the category of "a good child" to compensate for our sibling or just to take the burden off of our parents.  But we are so much more than that.  We have our own identity and that is enough.  Take a listen to this conversation with Emma and hear her story on episode 16. In this episode we talk about: About Emma’s family and brother with Autism and intellectual disabilities How Emma’s brother communicates and how they spend time together Growth vs limitations of our siblings Feeling like a 3rd parent subconsciously  Going to therapy and learning more about ourselves as individuals and how being a sibling colors that The internal pressure/obligation as a sibling and “being a good sister” Being with our siblings by ourselves vs our parents, care giving staff, logistics, etc Taking the time now to make the most of our “free-er” time  The sibling to sibling and parent to child relationships are separate and important Plug for The Sibling Leadership Network  We’re not the biggest fans of family gatherings Emma exercising her boundaries while still caring when it comes to her brother Suppressing our feelings while growing up Needing to feel like we need to help when it really wasn’t necessary Going to therapy!  And normalizing feelings Resources for the next generation of younger siblings Emma’s encouragement to fellow siblings Links: Sibling Leadership Network (SLN) https://siblingleadership.org/ Find out if there’s a state chapter where you live https://siblingleadership.org/about-the-sibling-leadership-network/state-chapters/ More Info: Check out the blog and Charlene here: https://thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/ Get episode updates directly to your inbox: https://www.thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/newsletter the podcast on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thespecialneedssiblingpodcast Music by: AlexGrohl from Pixabay QubeSounds from Pixabay

Here's some info about The Sibling Leadership Network from one of our siblings who's involved in ing fellow siblings. Check out her full story in episode 16! https://siblingleadership.org Music by FASSounds from Pixabay

Conversations about what it's like being a sibling are starting to gain more traction.  And sometimes we don't feel like talking about our feelings, but we want to hear about other people's experiences.  As we continue to venture into the world of siblings, the more conversations we start having around emotional are just as important.  Take a listen to Ali's story in episode 15.  In this episode we talk about: About Ali’s family and 3 brothers with autism, and how they’re a good representation across the autism spectrum like “high functioning”, “low functioning”, “high needs”, etc How people respond to our families Stress levels and experiences we didn’t have growing up Threshold when it comes to asking for help Silence in the house and how that affects us Ali’s book that she wrote (https://www.amazon.com/What-Are-You-Looking-At-ebook/dp/B0C1HPNH3D) to start a dialogue and glass children Picking your battles and being reached out to Generations of sibs and how they need in different ways Sibshops and hope for the future of how siblings are ed Wanting to feel connected and validated What can lead up to an identity crisis in a sibling Messages that we internalize Caregiving and our individual stories about how we feel about our siblings being in group homes so we can “have our own lives” Going to therapy and how our feelings are evolving about our siblings and parents and ourselves What it’s like to be in a time machine when we go back and visit our families Charlene talks about her life time line starting with therapy till when she moved Ali being in a full house of people all the time but yet nobody there just for her Questioning if we just exist to help and serve other people There is hope for us!  It just might take some time with the right people Relationships, anger, frustration, loneliness, and other feelings Internal and external battles  Identifying feelings and therapy and hard work We matter and deserve to be cared for Having refreshing and real conversations Ali’s encouragement to fellow siblings Links feelings wheel: https://cdn.gottman.com/wp-content/s/2020/12/The-Gottman-Institute_The-Feeling-Wheel_v2.pdf Check out the blog and Charlene here: https://thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/ Get episode updates directly to your inbox: https://www.thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/newsletter Music by: AlexGrohl from Pixabay QubeSounds from Pixabay

Sometimes expectations are meant to be shattered, and other times expectations can make us feel worse in a situation than it really is. Feeling seen, heard, and understood is so important to siblings and yet we forget that, or maybe don't learn it until much later on in life. Going through adversity has up sides, but there are also downsides too that can have long lasting effects. Talking to someone, whether in therapy or not, can be so helpful in just learning how to process information. Check out this conversation with Meghan to hear her story. In this episode we talk about: About Meghan’s family and brother with autism Changing relationships over time A little more back story with Meghan’s brother when he was younger Making the adjustment from going to a more “normal” sibling relationship to more of a caretaking relationship Meghan’s mom and how she interacted with Meghan and her brother Meghan’s relationship with her brother now and how he inspired her current research and work Expectations, diagnosis, and how our siblings interact now The sneakiness of special needs kids Charlene’s non verbal communication with her sister Eye over video calls and talking over phones Being the oldest sibling and what Meghan has learned in her research about it Parentification and resentment Charlene being involved in disability  Siblings sharing their experiences and normalization of feelings A conversation Meghan had with another sibling that changed her perspective Feeling truly seen, heard, and understood Feeling validated with other siblings because it’s lonely when people don’t understand Resilience due to our siblings It can be a negative experience for siblings and there could be trauma As siblings we had (and continue to have) an adverse life experience, and it’s hard Talking about it can be healing — go to therapy (wink wink nudge nudge) Having things to share with your sibling and your family Laughing at our siblings — if you know you know Meghan’s encouragement to fellow siblings - Check out the blog and Charlene here: https://thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/ - Get episode updates directly to your inbox: https://www.thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/newsletter - the podcast on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thespecialneedssiblingpodcast Music by: AlexGrohl from Pixabay QubeSounds from Pixabay

Everyone's sibling experience is unique and individual and at the same time can be a great bonding experience with other siblings. There are so many pros and cons to living life as a sibling that we don't know how to vocalize our needs sometimes. It's definitely a process and a balance trying to hold everything together, but it takes time! And even then, it's still a unique experience to YOU. Don't let anyone else tell you otherwise. Do what's best for you and when you do that, there's so much empowerment that comes with it. Take a listen to this conversation with Jasmine to hear her story. In this episode we talk about: About Jasmine’s family with multiple siblings with a variety of disabilities AND her very own family with a daughter who has down syndrome Jasmine being involved in disability ministry Going from being a sibling to someone with special needs to a mom to someone of special needs Being a parent to your children who are also special needs siblings Advocating for your kids with disabilities and teaching them to advocate for themselves How hard it is to vocalize the feelings we have as children and also voice our needs as adults The enneagram (just for a little bit) Not wanting to be told no when we ask or even realizing that we have needs that we need to have met The parental grieving process when a child is diagnosed with a disability Siblings also mourn or grieve things that have been impacted by disability The longest lasting relationship for a person with a disability is most likely going to be their sibling Siblings are a core component of families affected by disability  Talking openly about how your experience is changing as you, your sibling, and parents age Counseling is important to help you work through feelings and acknowledge the hard things Diversity of the sibling experience, that may even have things that are not related to disability Being able to connect with other sibs even when our individual experiences can be very different Feeling safe with other sibs and laughing at jokes How we feel when we’re connected to other siblings Being able to hold both the good and the bad parts of the process and both things can be true Taking action on prioritizing yourself Sibnet on Facebook (https://sibling.org/connect/sibnet/), instagram, and a community of varied experiences might can even help us identify things in our own journey Empathy and feeling lonely as a sibling Taking the time to be alone to feel our feelings when they’re hard How we communicate with our partners when navigating our feelings when we share them Third-culture-kids and typical siblings in Jasmine’s family It’s complicated Jasmine’s encouragement to fellow siblings - Check out the blog and Charlene here: https://thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/ - Get episode updates directly to your inbox: ⁠https://www.thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/newsletter⁠ - the podcast on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thespecialneedssiblingpodcast Music by: AlexGrohl from Pixabay QubeSounds from Pixabay

Going through the healing process is so helpful for all of the family, whether they're affected by disability or they're typical. Having the tools to help Recognize what we're scared of and how we view our situation is so important because that is a choice we can make.  Check out this conversation with Louloua to see how she chose happiness and how that changed her life forever. In this episode we talk about: About Louloua’s family and brother with autism Louloua’s experience vs her younger sibling’s experience Having multiple neurotypical siblings vs just being by yourself as the neurotypical one The fear and feeling of being alone when growing up Putting ourselves first as adults because growing up we didn’t do it Steps to start the process of healing Individual and collective healing and recognizing every person in the family needs to work on themselves Intentional mentality shifts  How people react/respond to our siblings having autism Educating people and our siblings Educating ourselves and our siblings because both we and the world are changing The scenarios in our head in interacting with people are worse than what happens in real life How we interact with fear in relationship to our siblings, other people, and ourselves Choosing to be happy and be more accepting of change Learning to love Louloua’s encouragement to fellow siblings Links: Louloua’s book From Client to Clinician: The Transformative Power of Neuro Therapy for Families Living with Autism and Other Special Needs (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094YK35KN/) The program Louloua started for parents of children with special needs, Heavenly Home, which offers a holistic approach to parenting in a therapeutic way: http://allbrainsgrow.com/the-course/ - Check out the blog and Charlene here: https://thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/ - Get episode updates directly to your inbox: ⁠https://www.thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/newsletter⁠ - the podcast on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thespecialneedssiblingpodcast Music by: AlexGrohl from Pixabay QubeSounds from Pixabay