Self-Care Is PRIMARY Care

Welcome to Episode 290 of Autism Parenting Secrets.

If you’ve been listening for a while, you already know this truth: how you show up as a parent has a huge impact on your child’s progress.

This week, we go deeper—because when your child struggles, it’s easy to focus on fixing what’s outside of you. 

But the real key often starts within, with your own calm and self-care.

My guest, Dr. Lawrence Rosen, is an integrative pediatrician, author, and founder of the Whole Child Center. 

His wisdom and compassion made a lasting difference in my family’s journey with our son, Ry, and he’s helped countless parents take a more holistic, heart-centered approach to care.

The secret this week is… 

Self-Care Is PRIMARY Care

You'll Discover:

• Why Parents Lose Themselves While Trying To Do Everything Right (2:03)
• How Guilt Quietly Pushes Self-Care Off The Table (4:19)
• Why Isolation Feels Protective—but Often Slows Healing (17:53)
• How To Make Sense Of Conventional, Integrative, And Functional Pediatric Care (22:51)
• A Simple Five-Minute Practice To Support Your Own Well-Being (31:55)

About Our Guest:

Lawrence Rosen, MD, is an integrative pediatrician and founder of the Whole Child Center. He is the co-author of Treatment Alternatives for Children, an evidence-informed guide for parents interested in natural solutions for common childhood ailments.  Dr. Rosen serves as Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Assistant Director of the Human Dimension Course at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. A founding member and former Chair of the AAP Section on Integrative Medicine, he received the AAP’s Pioneer in Integrative Medicine Award in 2015.  He is a certified yoga teacher, teaches mindfulness to medical students, and serves as Senior Advisor and Chair of the Health Advisory Board for WholeHealthED, a nonprofit bringing whole-health learning to U.S. schools.

🔗 https://wholechildcenter.org

References In This Episode:

• Treatment Alternatives for Children by Lawrence Rosen, MD and Jeff Cohen
• Our Family at the Whole Child Center (2009) — see us at the 2:22 mark
• Autism Parenting Secrets Episode 21 - The Power Is In The Partnership w/ Dr. Lawrence Rosen

Additional Resources:

• To learn more about personalized 1:1 support go to www.elevatehowyounavigate.com
• Take The Quiz: What’s YOUR Top Autism Parenting Blindspot?

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends.

Welcome to Episode 289 of Autism Parenting Secrets.

In this conversation, Len sits down with Dr. Anju Usman Singh, Medical Director of True Health Medical Center and a leading faculty member of the Medical Academy of Pediatric Special Needs (MAPS).

Dr. Singh shares why autism, ADHD, and related challenges are best understood as neuroimmune inflammatory conditions — and how toxins, allergens, and persistent infections keep the immune system stuck in overdrive.

She explains why low-level lead exposure is far more common than most parents realize, why there is no safe level of lead, and how even subtle toxic burden can impair attention, behavior, cognition, and emotional regulation.

This episode brings clarity to how environmental toxins drive inflammation, how inflammation creates neurological “excitation,” and why addressing toxic load is often the missing step that unlocks progress.

The secret this week is…

Toxic Load BLOCKS the Breakthrough

You’ll Discover:

• How Chronic Immune Activation Creates Excitation in the Brain and Behavior (8:36)
• Why Low-Level Lead Exposure Is Far More Common Than Most Parents Realize (9:51)
• Why Standard Lab Testing Misses Hidden Metal Burdens (12:55)
• The Most Surprising Everyday Sources Of Lead and Other Toxins (17:27)
• What Signs Suggest Your Child May Be Carrying A Toxic Burden (25:36)

About Our Guest:

Dr. Anju Usman Singh is a globally respected physician with nearly three decades of experience caring for children with autism, PANS/PANDAS, developmental delays, allergies, and complex neuroimmune conditions. She is widely recognized for her deep clinical expertise in environmental toxicity, chronic infections, immune dysregulation, detoxification, and the biomedical factors that drive inflammation in the brain and body.  As a leading faculty member of the Medical Academy of Pediatric Special Needs (MAPS), Dr. Usman Singh trains and mentors clinicians from around the world, helping advance more thoughtful, root-cause–oriented care for this generation of children. Her work bridges rigorous clinical experience with practical guidance for families navigating complex health challenges.

Learn more:
https://truehealthmedical.com

References In This Episode:

• Medical Academy of Pediatric & Special Needs (MAPS)
• Boyd Haley Research On Synergistic Heavy Metal Toxicity
• Lead Safe Mama
• XRF Rental Company

Additional Resources:

• To learn more about personalized 1:1 support go to www.elevatehowyounavigate.com
• Take The Quiz: What’s YOUR Top Autism Parenting Blindspot?

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends.

Welcome to Episode 288 of Autism Parenting Secrets.

In this solo episode, Len challenges the idea that progress comes from doing more. Instead, he explains why focus — not effort — is the true bottleneck for most parents raising a child with challenges.

Len breaks focus into four critical areas: how closely you observe your child in the present moment, how clearly you understand the past and key stressors, how accurately you identify root causes, and how consistently you take decisive action.

He shares why many parents work incredibly hard while making little progress — often because they’re reacting to urgency, chasing symptoms, or focusing on the wrong root causes — and how clarity restores momentum.

This episode is about cutting through noise, ending guesswork, and directing your energy toward what actually moves the needle for your child.

The secret this week is…

Start With the Right FOCUS

You'll Discover: 

• Why effort without focus keeps parents stuck (2:10)
• How present-moment focus reveals what your child truly needs (4:05)
• Why understanding the past clarifies the right root causes (6:20)
• How decisive action and follow-through unlock momentum (9:10)

References In This Episode:

• The All In Parent ACCELERATOR - Start Today
  
   

Additional Resources:

• To learn more about personalized 1:1 support go to www.elevatehowyounavigate.com
• Take The Quiz: What’s YOUR Top Autism Parenting Blindspot?

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends.

Welcome to Episode 287 of Autism Parenting Secrets.

This episode was recorded during the holiday season — a time when beauty and connection often exist right alongside pressure, exhaustion, and emotional overload.

In this solo reflection, Len invites parents to consider peace not as a feeling or a personality trait, but as a deliberate objective. 

He shares why peace is something parents generate internally — not something granted by circumstances or behavior — and why learning to return to calm after disruption is one of the most powerful leadership skills a parent can develop.

This episode is not about doing more.

It’s about choosing a steadier place to operate from.

The secret this week is…

Choose PEACE

You’ll Discover:

• Why Peace Is A Choice — Not A Circumstance (1:30)
• How To Respond Without Overreacting Or Shutting Down (4:30)
• Why Wants Create Peace — And Expectations Destroy It (6:55)
• How Returning To Stillness Strengthens Your Leadership (8:45)

References In This Episode:

• Man’s Search for Meaning — Viktor Frankl
  
   

Additional Resources:

• To learn more about personalized 1:1 support go to www.elevatehowyounavigate.com
• Take The Quiz: What’s YOUR Top Autism Parenting Blindspot?

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends.

Welcome to Episode 286 of Autism Parenting Secrets.

This week, we’re diving into one of the most overlooked factors affecting your child’s ability to regulate: the home environment.

Electrical fields, wireless radiation, dirty electricity, and even lighting can create invisible stress that overwhelms the nervous system — especially at night, when the body should be repairing and restoring.

My guest is Brian Hoyer, Founder and CEO of Shielded Healing.

Brian and his team have tested thousands of homes across the U.S., assessing six different types of electromagnetic radiation along with lighting quality and wiring issues. 

Their work helps families understand what’s happening in their home and how to reduce stressors that interfere with sleep, behavior, and healing.

Brian’s approach is practical, grounded, and focused on solutions — not fear.

He explains why parents shouldn’t assume their home is “fine,” how cumulative exposure slows progress, and what small changes create meaningful improvements.

The secret this week is… 

A Regulated Nervous System Starts at HOME

You'll Discover:

• How Electrical Interference Scrambles Nervous System Signals (3:14)
• Why EMF Stress Builds Daily and Slows Healing (7:36)
• What a Home Assessment Reveals About Hidden Stressors (16:53)
• Why the Bedroom Matters Most for Nighttime Repair (19:24)
• Simple Fixes That Make Your Child’s Sleep Environment Calmer (30:35)

About Our Guest:

Brian Hoyer is one of the world’s leading EMF mitigation specialists and the Founder of Shielded Healing. His journey into environmental health began as a father seeking to create the healthiest possible home for his family, leading him to train as a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, study with The Klinghardt Academy, and become a certified Geobiologist. Through Shielded Healing, Brian and his team help families, businesses, and healthcare practitioners reduce EMF and environmental stressors by designing living and working spaces that better support human biology. His work is trusted by functional medicine doctors and well-known leaders in the wellness and biohacking community, and he is passionate about innovation, healthier environments, and family life as a husband and father of four.

Learn more at:
https://shieldedhealing.com
Explore products at: https://theshieldingshop.com

References In This Episode:

• Autism Parenting Secrets - Episode 55: Shielding Is Healing with Brian Hoyer
• Building Biology Institute

Additional Resources:

• To learn more about personalized 1:1 support, go to www.elevatehowyounavigate.com
• Take The Quiz: What’s YOUR Top Autism Parenting Blindspot?

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends.

Welcome to Episode 285 of Autism Parenting Secrets.

Today, we’re taking a closer look at one of the most overlooked environmental stressors affecting our kids: wireless technology. 

From Wi-Fi to Bluetooth to cell phones, these exposures are everywhere — and for sensitive children, they can make a significant difference.

My guest is Cece Doucette, a leading advocate, educator, and speaker on wireless safety. 

She helps schools, towns, and families understand the science and practical actions available right now. 

Her work empowers communities to reduce exposure and create safer environments where kids can thrive.

The secret this week is…

Wireless Safety Starts at Home

You'll Discover:

• Why Wireless Exposure Overwhelms Sensitive Kids Quickly (1:23)
• What A Meter Instantly Shows About Your Child’s Environment (13:53)
• What To Ask Your Local Library To Do (14:40)
• Practical Tweaks To Dramatically Reduce Exposure in Your Home (18:00)
• Why Protecting Sleep From Wireless Signals Makes Such a Big Impact (24:55)
• Why Smart Meters, Cars, and Earbuds Can Be Major Hidden Sources (30:50)
• Why A Nightly Digital Detox Can Unlock New Breakthroughs (40:40)

About Our Guest:

Cece Doucette is the Director of Massachusetts for Safe Technology and an advisor to schools, municipalities, medical professionals, and industry leaders on wireless safety practices. She is also a frequent speaker and collaborator with Children’s Health Defense. Cece has helped introduce best-practice policies for safer technology use, supported legislation, and collaborated on educational initiatives including the award-winning film Generation Zapped.

Learn more at:
https://MA4SafeTech.org

References In This Episode:

• The Bioinitiative Report
• 704NoMore
• Zapped: Why Your Cell Phone Shouldn't Be Your Alarm Clock and 1,268 Ways to Outsmart the Hazards of Electronic Pollution by Ann Louise Gittleman
• Film: Generation Zapped
• APS Episode 145: TECH Is The Great DYSREGULATOR with Peter Sullivan
• APS Episode 23: Autism Is NOT Hardwired with Dr. Martha Herbert
• Safe and Sound Pro II RF Meter — Safe Living Technologies
• APS Episode 101: Make The Invisible VISIBLE with Rob Metzinger
• APS Episode 56: Simple Tech Changes Make Summer Travel Safer with Mary Anne Tierney
• Safe Tech NC
• The EMF Medical Conference 2021
• Environmental Health Trust
• Safer Screentime Course

Additional Resources:

• To learn more about personalized 1:1 support, go to www.elevatehowyounavigate.com
• Take The Quiz: What’s YOUR Top Autism Parenting Blindspot?

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends.

Welcome to Episode 284 of Autism Parenting Secrets.

If you’ve been listening for a while, you know I talk a lot about personalized support — not as a slogan, but because it truly changes outcomes for parents.

I used to believe I had to figure everything out alone. I thought muscling through was strength.

But that approach made everything heavier, slower, and far more painful than it needed to be.

In this episode, I break down why going it alone holds parents back — and why expanding your vision and getting supported helps you move forward faster and with far less weight on your shoulders.

The secret this week is…

You DON’T Have To Carry It All

You'll Discover:

• Why Lowering Your Expectations Quietly Slows Progress (1:05)
• The Hidden Trap Of “Lesser Goals” And How It Shows Up (2:10)
• How The Caddy Analogy Reveals What Parents Are Missing (3:45)
• The Hypocrisy Trap And Why Alignment Changes Everything (5:00)
• What Happened In The Twins Study And Why It Matters For Your Family (9:45)

References In This Episode:

• Start Today
• Autism Parenting Secrets: Episode 220 - Parent Coaching Is the Catalyst
• Reversal of Autism Symptoms among Dizygotic Twins through a Personalized Lifestyle and Environmental Modification Approach: A Case Report and Review of the Literature, The Journal of Personalized Medicine, Volume 14, Issue 6

Additional Resources:

• To learn more about personalized 1:1 support, go to www.elevatehowyounavigate.com
• Take The Quiz: What’s YOUR Top Autism Parenting Blindspot?

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends.

Welcome to Episode 283 of Autism Parenting Secrets.

This week’s guest is someone I admire deeply. Few people have shaped the autism world more than Patricia Lemer.

She’s a counselor, diagnostician, longtime host of Autism Detectives, and the author of the essential books Outsmarting Autism and now Total Load Theory: Transforming Lives in Autism, ADHD, LD, SPD, and Mental Health.

Patty helps parents understand root causes and the stressors that overload the body. 

The secret this week is…

Stop Guessing, Start UNLOADING

You'll Discover:

• Why Patty Returned With A New Book (3:24)
• Why Nervous-System Regulation Must Come First (6:45)
• The Lifestyle Basics That Still Move the Needle Most (11:20)
• What “Total Load Theory” Reveals About Hidden Stressors (17:41)
• How One Family Made Big Gains By Going Back To Nature (25:30)
• How Patty’s New AI Tool Helps — And Why Source Matters (29:13)

About Our Guest:

Patricia S. Lemer, M.S., M.Ed., LPC is a licensed professional counselor, educational diagnostician, and co-founder of Developmental Delay Resources. She hosts The Autism Detectives and is the author of Envisioning a Bright Future, Outsmarting Autism, and her newest book Total Load Theory, which integrates functional medicine, sensory processing, developmental vision, and lifestyle foundations.

www.patricialemer.com

Book: Total Load Theory (Skyhorse Publishing) or on Amazon

References In This Episode:

• Total Load Theory by Patricia Lemer
• Outsmarting Autism by Patricia Lemer
• The Sensitive Patient’s Healing Guide — Dr. Neil Nathan
• APS Episode 212: You Can’t Heal If You Don’t Feel Safe with Dr. Neil Nathan
• APS Episode 280: We CAN Change The Neurodevelopmental Trajectory with Dr. Larry Palevsky
• BRMI – Bioregulatory Medicine Institute
• Dr. Christian Bogner & Autism Is Biomedical
• The Optimal Parent Facebook Page
• Peter Sullivan
  
   

Additional Resources:

• To learn more about personalized 1:1 support go to www.elevatehowyounavigate.com
• Take The Quiz: What’s YOUR Top Autism Parenting Blindspot?

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends.

Welcome to Episode 282 of Autism Parenting Secrets.

Every parent wants transformation for their child. But it doesn’t come from guesswork. Real change happens when the right support is identified and applied with precision.

That’s why I’m excited to welcome back Dr. Jerry Kartzinel. He last joined us in Episode 199, “Autism is Treatable.” Dr. Jerry is a trusted leader in functional medicine and pediatrics with decades of experience helping children on the spectrum.

This conversation is about why doing less, but with focus, can work better than trying everything — and how targeted nutrition and supplements can bring results that may surprise you.

If you’ve felt overwhelmed by too many options or stuck in trial-and-error, this conversation will bring clarity.

The secret this week is…

TARGETED Support Transforms
 

You'll Discover:

• Why Less Can Be More With Targeted Support (7:49)
• How Parents Can Avoid Trial-And-Error Burnout (13:05)
• The First Steps Dr. Jerry Recommends For Families (19:36)
• Why Generic Protocols Rarely Deliver Transformation (25:15)
• A Story Of Transformation Through Precision Support (32:54)
• How Coaching Helps Parents Maximize Practitioner Guidance (39:04)

About Our Guest:

Dr. Jerry Kartzinel is a Board-Certified pediatrician and a Fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics who specializes in the recovery of neurodevelopmental, chronic neuro-inflammatory diseases, and hormonal dysfunctions. He is the author of the best-selling book Healing and Preventing Autism (co-authored with Jenny McCarthy). Dr. Jerry has helped thousands of children on the autism spectrum through targeted, individualized medical care. 

https://drjerryk.com/

https://www.mendingnaturally.com/

References In This Episode:

• APS Episode 199 “Autism IS Treatable” w/ Dr. Jerry Kartzinel
  
   

Additional Resources:

• To learn more about personalized 1:1 support, go to www.elevatehowyounavigate.com
• Take The Quiz: What’s YOUR Top Autism Parenting Blindspot?
   

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends.

Welcome to Episode 281 of Autism Parenting Secrets.

If you're a parent who’s heard about Leucovorin, folinic acid, or calcium folinate—and you're confused—you’re not alone. There's a lot of conflicting information right now, especially in the wake of the Leucovorin case and increased media attention.

This week’s guest returns to the podcast to help clarify what really matters. Nicole Rincon is a board-certified Physician Assistant, a microbiologist by training, and a deeply committed parent who’s been supporting children with autism—including her own triplets—for over a decade.

She brings both clinical and lived experience to this topic—and today, we dig into the nuances of folate metabolism, pharma vs supplement forms, and the specific use cases for Leucovorin and related supports.

The secret this week is…

Clarify The Leucovorin Confusion

You'll Discover:

• Why Leucovorin Is Suddenly Getting National Attention (4:23)
• Signs of Cerebral Folate Deficiency (8:11)
• How To Know If Pharma Or Supplement-Based Support Is Right For Your Child (12:15)
• Why Supporting The Folate Pathway Can Improve Speech, Focus, and Behavior (18:28)
• What Parents Should Ask Before Starting Leucovorin (24:17)
• Whether Leucovorin Is A Short-Term Fix Or Long-Term Support (33:13)

About Our Guest:

Nicole Rincon, MS, PA-C, is a board-certified Physician Assistant with a background in microbiology and genetics. She received her Master’s Degree from Western University of Health Sciences and has been working with children with autism—including her own triplets—for over a decade. Nicole offers functional and integrative care, combining deep clinical knowledge with personal insight.

🔗 More about Nicole at Rossignol Medical Center

References In This Episode:

• The Folate Fix: Exploring the Role of Folate in Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders by Dr. Richard Frye
• APS Episode 245: “Evidence-Based Treatments FIRST” w/ Dr. Richard Frye

Additional Resources:

• To learn more about personalized 1:1 support, go to www.elevatehowyounavigate.com
• Take The Quiz: What’s YOUR Top Autism Parenting Blindspot?

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends.