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Silence can sound like “I’m fine,” but for many autism parents and special needs caregivers, it’s actually anxiety, depression, grief, and burnout stacking up day after day. We sit down for a Mental Health Awareness Month Ed Talk to say the quiet part out loud: mental health deserves the same urgency and compassion as physical health, and getting support is not a weakness.

We’re joined by Ed Asner Family Center clinicians Chrisa Sadd, LMFT and Michelle Tapia, LMFT, plus autism moms and advocates Shannon Penrod (Autism Live) and Nancy Alspaugh-Jackson. Nancy shares a raw, hopeful recovery story, from overwhelming grief and overmedication to detox, treatment, counseling, and the tools that help her stay present for her son. Shannon adds what it’s like to love someone through that fire and why the bravest move is often simply asking for help again and again.

We also get practical about what blocks families from care: insurance hoops, referrals, long waitlists, and the stress of trying to find the right therapist fit. We talk about how telehealth expanded access, why group therapy can be powerful, how small acts of kindness like meal trains can keep a caregiver afloat, and what to watch for if you’re worried about a depressed teen or a partner who shuts down emotionally. If you’re planning for your child’s future and the fear feels relentless, you’re not alone, and you don’t have to carry it in secret.

Subscribe for more family-centered autism conversations, share this with a parent who needs it, and leave a review to help more caregivers find mental health support when it matters most.

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