The Grit and Grind of Autism- Finding Light Along the Journey

Listen to the Mothers - My story & MAHA w/ Dr. Tiffany Gilbert

Dr. Tiffany Gilbert completed her Undergraduate degree from Elizabethtown College in Social Work and Psychology.  She has a Masters Degree in Health Sciences and a Doctorate degree in Natural Medicine from University of Natural Medicine.  Tiffany is a Certified Family Herbalist from The School of Natural Healing and a Certified Emotion code and Body code practitioner.  Dr. Tiffany Gilbert has a private practice with offices in York, PA and Hanover, PA and also sees patients virtually from all over the world.  Follow me at The MD Autism Project for more content. Instagram [https://instagram.com/md_autism_project?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==] Facebook [https://m.facebook.com/MDautismproject?wtsid=rdr_0HQWsswUyidTQcuf3&mibextid=Zxz2cZ] YouTube [https://youtube.com/@mdautismproject]

The Spellers Documentary w/ Vincent and Honey Rinicella

Honey Rinicella is the Executive Director of the Medical Academy of Pediatrics and Special needs (MAPS), and proud parent of 23 year old twins with autism. Prior to her onboarding with MAPS, Honey spent nearly two decades working leadership roles for Non-Profits, supporting families and parents in the Autism/Special needs community. She has seen the lives of her children transform under the care of a MAPS physician, which in turn has sparked her passion to grow the organization. The MAPS mission is to equip dedicated professionals in delivering the best possible care to children, teens, and young adults with special needs and complex medical conditions. Honey’s commitment is to ensure every child has the chance to achieve their full potential through this enhanced care; She knows first hand that a properly educated practitioner is the true key to unlocking that potential in anyone with Special Needs. Vincent Rinicella is a 23-year-old nonspeaker who had been a prisoner in his mind for 18 years. Fortunately, this changed when he was introduced to a newer communication method, which finally allowed him to break free from his silence. Through hard work and dedication, Vincent can now share his feelings, needs, opinions, and insight, which in turn has brought a whole new meaning and reward to his life, as well as to those he loves. Vincent is a published author of poetry and short stories, creator and writer of a blog (The Unfiltered Mind of Vincent), and has become a passionate advocate for bringing forth change in our community. He believes it’s critically important to help ensure all nonspeakers are given the chance he had, so they too can break free and live a life of their own choosing. Vince’s Blog [https://theunfilteredmindofvincent.wordpress.com/blog/?fbclid=IwAR3yofZ3latLDv7-tCd50J8Hhw8_18HPk2zfdN3zyyxW7Qw-uhcm2cryTr0_aem_AQNVqu4BiudNKFP6r2dX6x4RRyUZz1Gszw9IwE3luZGSancUejt8tl6Fo2kWYk2Syq4] Spellers The Movie [https://spellersthemovie.com/] (Must Watch!!) MAPS [https://www.medmaps.org/education/](Physicians and Practitioners) MAPS [https://www.parentmaps.org/] (Parents and Caregivers) Follow me at The MD Autism Project for more content. Instagram [https://instagram.com/md_autism_project?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==] Facebook [https://m.facebook.com/MDautismproject?wtsid=rdr_0HQWsswUyidTQcuf3&mibextid=Zxz2cZ] YouTube [https://youtube.com/@mdautismproject]

It's Been Six Decades...Listen to Us - w/TJ, Nigh Functioning Autism

Hi, I’m TJ, or Tiffany, creator of the social media platforms, Nigh Functioning Autism. I am a single mother of three neurodivergent teens. I live and work in and around Maryland and Virginia, in the Washington DC area.   I am Autistic, diagnosed in my late teens. However, I was diagnosed with other conditions when I was in elementary school, like central auditory processing disorder and ADHD. I also have had epilepsy and OCD since I was a child. I am hard of hearing as well. As such, I use many ways to communicate like ASL, mouth words, high-tech AAC and other ways depending on how accessible my speech and memory is to me at the moment. I work in special education or more preferred, ‘accessible education’, as a paraeducator for elementary school and a communication teacher/ partner to mostly teen and young adult Autistic nonspeakers. My passion in the disability space is communication and education rights for people of all disabilities. I specifically love teaching how to implement high-tech speech generating devices in schools and homes. I always say, I would have access to my own speech if I had text-based or high-tech speech generating strategies earlier in my life. I proudly sit on the board for Lilly’s Voice, a non-profit organization that provides high-tech speech generating devices for nonspeakers under age 18 in the United States. I am also a member of the Maryland Developmental Disabilities council, which is a federally funded, national organization in every state that sets the disability culture, policy, and laws in that state. Book Recommendations: Miracle at St. Anna [https://a.co/d/eCIx7Mx] Leaders Around Me  [https://a.co/d/fADwVZL] Follow me at The MD Autism Project for more content. Instagram [https://instagram.com/md_autism_project?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==] Facebook [https://m.facebook.com/MDautismproject?wtsid=rdr_0HQWsswUyidTQcuf3&mibextid=Zxz2cZ] YouTube [https://youtube.com/@mdautismproject]

Traveling: The Highs, Lows & Perspective - Part 2

This is the other half of my discussion about our trip to Myrtle Beach. Please listen to part one first if you haven’t already. The spectrum of highs and lows in any single event for our community is real! Book Recommendations Discussed: The Body Keeps the Score [ https://a.co/d/hFWKy8q] Atlas of the Heart [ https://a.co/d/dFobaqz] Danny With Words [https://www.facebook.com/dannywithwords?mibextid=LQQJ4d]  Follow me at The MD Autism Project for more content. Instagram [https://instagram.com/md_autism_project?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==] Facebook [https://m.facebook.com/MDautismproject?wtsid=rdr_0HQWsswUyidTQcuf3&mibextid=Zxz2cZ] YouTube [https://youtube.com/@mdautismproject]

Traveling: The Highs, Lows & Perspective - Part 1

Holy freaking cannoli… the last month has been a mixed bag of all things emotions.  The lows: betrayal, defensiveness, anger, resentment, failure, and forlorn to name a few.  The highs: gratitude, happiness, peace, amusement, pride, enjoyment and love. Then slipping into the black hole our families with complex needs tend to slide back into. Accompanied by anxiety, defeat, depression and overall PTSD.  For continued healing you can’t ignore these feelings. You have to take a seat and join them. Or get in the freaking hole with all the feels. Take care of yourself even if it means sleep, eating, hydrating and showering. These are big accomplishments some days.  Eventually, the clouds move again, perspective comes and you can climb out of the dark hole and proceed with life.  "Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.” THICH NHAT HANH Follow me at The MD Autism Project for more content. Instagram [https://instagram.com/md_autism_project?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==] Facebook [https://m.facebook.com/MDautismproject?wtsid=rdr_0HQWsswUyidTQcuf3&mibextid=Zxz2cZ] YouTube [https://youtube.com/@mdautismproject]