Parent Journey Episodes

Diana Toronto joins the conversation to share her lived experience raising a child on the autism spectrum while also navigating her own ADHD. This episode focuses on what it actually looks like when parent and child are both working through regulation in real time. Diana talks through her son’s diagnosis journey, the challenges of raising a child who often “looks fine” to others, and the emotional reality that doesn’t always get acknowledged outside the home. We discuss how dysregulation c...

When Michael Vassar’s daughter was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder and later autism, his family’s journey took an unexpected turn. In this candid conversation, Michael shares how “Welcome to Holland,” Emily Perl Kingsley’s well-known poem, became a touchstone for reframing expectations — and finding unexpected beauty on a different path. We talk about the early shock of diagnosis, the long waits for services, the power of parent-to-parent connection, and the little victories that make ...