What if the hardest things happening in your life aren’t happening TO you—but FOR you?On this episode of Autism Life Today, Ryker sits down with Zack Ponder, a former special education teacher, author, podcaster, husband, father, and passionate advocate for special needs families.Zack spent years teaching students with profound autism and discovered firsthand the realities that special education teachers and families face every day—from IEP meetings and classroom challenges to helping students experience life beyond the classroom.But Zack’s journey took an unexpected turn when his wife was diagnosed with cancer while pregnant with their fourth child. Their son was born prematurely at just 29 weeks and spent nine weeks in the NICU, while Zack simultaneously walked alongside his wife through cancer treatment.In the middle of one of the most difficult seasons of his life, Zack began his podcast, Unspecial, and finished writing his book Special Days—using stories from his classroom to explore faith, perspective, hardship, and finding purpose.In this powerful conversation, Zack and Ryker talk about:• The realities of teaching students with profound autism• Why special needs families are some of the most resilient people he knows• Faith during seasons of suffering and uncertainty• His wife’s ongoing cancer journey• Raising children through grief and hardship• Why changing “Why is this happening to me?” to “Why is this happening FOR me?” can change your perspective• His books Special Days and Happy Days• The meaning behind his podcast, Unspecial• How parents can feel more confident during IEP meetings• His Parents Are the Experts IEP course• The importance of finding joy even when life doesn’t look the way you expectedThis is a conversation about autism, faith, family, resilience, grief, hope, and learning to recognize the good—even in the middle of difficult seasons.🙏 If this episode speaks to you, be sure to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE Autism Life Today with another family who could use some encouragement.#AutismLifeToday #Autism #SpecialNeeds #SpecialEducation #IEP #AutismParent #Faith #SpecialNeedsFamily #AutismAwareness #ParentAdvocacy #ZachPonder

What if we stopped focusing only on what isn’t going right—and started celebrating every little win?In this powerful episode of Autism Life Today, Ryker sits down with Setarae, a passionate speech therapist whose personal connection to autism began with her own brother.Setarae shares how watching her mother advocate for her brother shaped the way she approaches speech therapy today—and why she believes families and professionals need to celebrate progress, even when the victories seem small.From communication and feeding therapy to friendships, IEP meetings, and the emotional challenges families face, Setarae offers an honest perspective on what it means to support someone with autism.One of the biggest takeaways from the conversation? Adopt a “winning streak” mindset.Maybe today there was one less meltdown.Maybe a new food stayed on the table.Maybe a child communicated something they couldn’t before.Maybe a difficult session ended with one tiny breakthrough.Those moments matter. ❤️Setarae also talks about the importance of understanding each family’s culture, communicating with caregivers, recognizing individual strengths, and remembering that every person’s journey is different.Most importantly, this episode is a reminder to parents and professionals who may feel overwhelmed or alone: you don’t have to do this by yourself.Watch the full conversation and hear why sometimes the smallest victories can be the biggest reasons to keep going.🎙️ Autism Life TodayReal conversations. Real families. Real experiences.Helping the special needs community feel seen, heard, and supported.👍 Like, subscribe, and share this episode with someone who needs a little reminder to celebrate the wins.#AutismLifeToday #Autism #SpeechTherapy #AutismAwareness #SpecialNeeds #AutismParenting #SpeechTherapist #AutismFamily #IEP #AutismSupport

What happens when your child’s autism journey completely changes the way you see healthcare?In this episode of Autism Life Today, we sit down with Greer McInnis of Biomedical Healing for Kids to hear the deeply personal story that led her from working as a registered dietitian to exploring nutrition, gut health, research, and biomedical approaches for children with autism.After her son experienced significant changes in development as a toddler, Greer began asking questions that challenged what she thought she knew about autism and healthcare. Her journey eventually led her back to graduate school, deeper into research, and toward a passion for helping families better understand the many factors that can impact a child’s health and development. In this conversation, we talk about:🧩 Greer’s personal autism journey🥗 Nutrition and autism🧠 The connection between the gut and brain🔬 Research and looking deeper into individual needs🧪 Understanding laboratory testing👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Helping families navigate the autism journey🙏 Faith, family, and finding purpose through difficult seasonsGreer also shares why she believes parents should become informed advocates for their children and why understanding the whole child can be an important part of the conversation.This is Autism Life Today — real stories, real families, and conversations designed to help the special needs community learn, connect, and thrive.👍 Like, subscribe, and follow Autism Life Today for more conversations with parents, professionals, advocates, and leaders from across the autism community.This podcast is for educational and informational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice.#AutismLifeToday #Autism #AutismAwareness #AutismParenting #AutismJourney #Nutrition #GutHealth #SpecialNeeds #AutismSupport

What happens when a child with special needs becomes an adult?For many families, turning 18 or 21 doesn’t mean the journey gets easier—it means entering an entirely new world of services, guardianship, SSI, employment, day programs, financial planning, and lifelong caregiving. And for many parents, it can feel like they’re starting all over again.On this episode of Autism Life Today, we sit down with Jeff Tebolt, an advocate, father, and founder of Parenting Special Kids Network, a nonprofit created to help families navigate the complicated journey of raising a child with a disability.Jeff shares his family’s personal journey with his daughter Claire, including the challenges they faced navigating services and the transition into adulthood. What began with conversations between parents in a parking lot eventually grew into a nonprofit that has helped nearly 1,000 families—and provides its services completely free of charge.We talk about:• The challenges families face when their child transitions into adulthood• Navigating SSI, DDD, AHCCCS, guardianship, and other services• Why so many special-needs families feel isolated and alone• The unique challenges faced by aging parents and grandparents who are caregivers• How parents can support their marriages while carrying the weight of special-needs caregiving• Why dads need to step up and share the caregiving load• The importance of community and parent support groups• Jeff’s personal journey from decades in ministry to serving special-needs families• How his daughter Claire became an important part of his mission• A powerful story of a family who went from having no idea where to turn to finding services, financial support, employment, and hope• Jeff’s vision for bringing this kind of support to families across the countryOne of the biggest messages from this conversation is simple:No family should have to navigate the special-needs journey alone.If you’re a parent, grandparent, caregiver, friend, or professional supporting someone with a disability, we hope this conversation gives you encouragement, practical direction, and a reminder that there are people willing to walk alongside you.👉 Learn more about Parenting Special Kids Network: psknetwork.org👉 Subscribe to Autism Life Today for more conversations with parents, advocates, professionals, and leaders working to make life better for the special-needs community.👍 Like this episode💬 Share your story in the comments🔔 Subscribe and turn on notifications for future episodes

What happens when you combine special-needs education, fitness, movement, and a passion for helping kids reach their potential?In this episode of Autism Life Today, Ryker sits down with Dallas and Mackenzie from Kenzie’s Kids, a unique mobile fitness program designed to help children and families with special needs through movement, exercise, confidence-building, and individualized support.Dallas and Mackenzie were both educators before starting Kenzie’s Kids. While working in specialized classrooms, they began seeing firsthand how powerful movement could be for helping children with behavioral regulation, social-emotional development, confidence, and physical skills. That experience eventually inspired them to create a mobile fitness model that brings the gym directly to families.In this conversation, they share:• How Kenzie’s Kids got started• Why movement can be such an important tool for emotional regulation• How fitness can help children build confidence and independence• Why their approach starts by meeting each child where they are• How they make fitness fun and individualized• Why their mobile model can be such a benefit for busy special-needs families• The incredible progress they’ve seen in their clients• How siblings and parents can participate together• Their growing team of specialized trainers• Their new adaptive swim fitness program• Their vision for bringing Kenzie’s Kids to families across the country• The importance of never underestimating what a child is capable ofOne of the most powerful messages from this episode is simple: your child may be capable of far more than you ever thought possible.For Dallas and Mackenzie, fitness isn’t just about getting stronger. It’s about giving kids another tool in their toolbox, helping families thrive, and creating opportunities for children to discover what they can do.If you’re a parent, caregiver, educator, therapist, or someone who works with individuals with special needs, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.Learn more about Kenzie’s Kids at KenzysKids.com.And if you enjoyed this episode, make sure to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE Autism Life Today with another family who could benefit from these conversations.#AutismLifeToday #KenziesKids #Autism #SpecialNeeds #AdaptiveFitness #AutismFitness #SpecialNeedsFamilies

What happens when a mother is told she has to wait nearly a year to get answers for her son?In this powerful episode of Autism Life Today, we sit down with Lyndsy Moffatt, whose own journey with her son Dominic completely changed the way she looked at autism, nutrition, gut health, environmental factors, and the search for answers.Lyndsy shares the story of Dominic’s early years, the challenges her family faced, and why she refused to simply sit back and wait for answers. She takes us through her experiences exploring nutrition, the GAPS diet, food sensitivities, environmental toxins, testing, mindset, homeschooling, and other approaches that became part of her family’s journey.We also talk about the realities many autism families face when trying to identify underlying health concerns, the financial challenges of accessing specialized testing and care, and Lyndsy’s work with the Autism Biomedical Research Foundation, which she founded to help families gain greater access to functional lab testing and support.Most importantly, this conversation is about never giving up, continuing to ask questions, and advocating for your child.Whether you’re a parent who is just beginning your autism journey or you’ve been walking this road for years, Lyndsy’s story offers a deeply personal look at one family’s search for answers.🎙️ Watch the full episode and let us know in the comments: What part of Lyndsy’s story connected with you the most?Learn more about Lyndsy:The Gut Healing GuideLyndsyMoffatt.comLearn more about the Autism Biomedical Research Foundation:Autism Biomedical Research FoundationSubscribe to Autism Life Today for more real conversations, real stories, and real resources from the special needs community.

When Tiffany Snow welcomed her first son into the world, she never imagined their lives were about to change forever.After a difficult birth, unexpected medical complications, and countless doctor visits, Tiffany and her husband learned their son Mason had Lowe syndrome, an incredibly rare genetic disorder that would require a lifetime of advocacy, faith, and perseverance.In this heartfelt episode of Autism Life Today, Tiffany shares:

• Her family’s journey through a life-changing diagnosis
• The emotional realities of raising a child with complex medical needs
• The challenges—and victories—of parenting in the special needs community
• How faith gave her hope through uncertainty
• The inspiration behind her book, Seek the Goodness

Whether you’re a parent, caregiver, educator, healthcare professional, or simply someone looking for a story of resilience and hope, this conversation is filled with powerful moments that remind us we’re never alone.📖 Learn more about Tiffany’s book Seek the Goodness (link below).👍 If this episode encouraged you, please Like, Subscribe, and Share to help us continue bringing stories that inspire, educate, and support the autism and special needs community.#AutismLifeToday #SpecialNeedsParenting #LoweSyndrome #Autism #DisabilityAwareness #Faith #Parenting #Hope #RareDisease #SpecialNeeds

What if autism care looked beyond symptoms and focused on the whole child?In this episode of Autism Life Today, Dr. April Lam shares her experience as both an autism mom and functional medicine practitioner helping families navigate the challenges of autism spectrum disorder. From early diagnosis and therapies to inflammation, gut health, folinic acid, CBD, and PANDAS/PANS, this episode dives into the growing world of integrative autism care.More importantly, this conversation reminds parents they are not alone.If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, unheard, or unsure where to turn next — this episode is for you.💙 Topics Covered:✔️ Autism diagnosis & advocacy✔️ Functional medicine for autism✔️ Gut health & inflammation✔️ CBD and autism support✔️ ESA funding & therapies✔️ Supporting overwhelmed parents✔️ Why community mattersWant to connect with Dr. April Lam? Check out her websites at:FunctionalAutism.comedentelehealth.comSubscribe for more conversations supporting the autism and special needs community.#Autism #AutismParenting #FunctionalMedicine #AutismSupport #AutismLifeToday #SpecialNeedsParenting #AutismAwareness

In this powerful episode of Autism Life Today, we sit down with Nicole — autism advocate, podcast host of Pieces For My Puzzle, and proud mom to her son Dracen.Nicole opens up about the emotional moment her son first called her “Mom” after being told he may never speak, the battles she faced navigating the school system and IEP process, and the lessons she’s learned raising a child on the autism spectrum.Together, we dive into:

• Autism diagnosis and early intervention
• Advocacy in schools and IEP meetings
• Dyslexia, dysgraphia, and educational challenges
• Autism parenting burnout and mental health
• Why intuition matters as a parent
• Building a support system that truly cares
• Preparing neurodivergent kids for adulthood
• Hope, resilience, and “Moments of Belief”

This episode is raw, honest, emotional, and encouraging for any parent navigating the autism journey.If you’re a parent, caregiver, educator, or someone who loves a neurodivergent child — this conversation is for you.Be sure to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE to help spread awareness and support for the autism community.#Autism #AutismParenting #SpecialNeedsParenting #AutismAwareness #Neurodiversity #IEP #AutismLifeToday #AutismPodcast #SpecialNeeds #AutismSupport

In this powerful episode of Autism Life Today, we sit down with Laura Muller and Sarah Dowglish from Christ Church of the Valley to talk about something deeply important—special needs, faith, and true inclusion.What started as one question—“Where are these kids in the church?”—turned into a life-changing mission that has impacted thousands of families.From building a special needs ministry from scratch…To creating adaptive sports programs…To launching life-changing work in Kenya…This conversation is filled with real stories, raw emotion, and a powerful reminder that every child belongs.You’ll hear:

• How special needs ministry began (and why it matters)
• The impact of inclusion on families
• The reality many parents face after a diagnosis
• How one moment in Africa sparked a global movement
• The truth about faith, purpose, and special needs

Whether you’re a parent, pastor, caregiver, or just someone looking to understand more—this episode will challenge and inspire you.🙏 Want to get involved or support the mission?Check out the links below to learn more, connect, and make an impact:https://mohiafrica.orghttps://ccvstars.com/exceptionalstarshttps://mohiafrica.org/💬 If this episode moved you, share it with someone who needs to hear it.👍 Like, subscribe, and follow for more real stories from the autism community.