Beyond the Label Podcast

In this episode, we’re looking back on Milo’s 2.5 years of preschool—how it began, what we learned, and how it shaped the next phase of our journey.

From that first January morning drop-off to his final days in the preschool classroom, we share the highs and lows: navigating classroom changes, speech therapy, behavioral supports, and the big moments in between. We talk about what it looked like to pursue early intervention services without an autism diagnosis, how we found providers who could work with us, and what we didn’t expect from the public school system.

If you’re in the early stages of your child's early intervention preschool or therapy journey—or know someone who is—we hope this episode brings some clarity, encouragement, and solidarity.

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Email us at [email protected]

Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify. 

Thank you for being here!

In the summer of 2021, just weeks after moving into our new home, we sat down with a service coordinator from Ohio’s Help Me Grow Early Intervention program.

It was the first time we fully acknowledged Milo’s developmental delays—and the first time we reached out for help. In this episode, we walk through what that process looked like for our family, what we learned, and how it shaped the next steps in our journey.

Plus, stay tuned until the end for our very first listener-submitted Glimmer. Thank you to Cameron in Defiance, Ohio, for sharing with us.

Follow us on Instagram @beyondthelabel440.

Email us at [email protected]

Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify. 

Thank you for being here!

Days after moving into our new home, Milo — just 2 years old — pushed over a heavy wooden chair, and something in us shifted. In this episode, we reflect on the early signs that something deeper was going on, the stress that surrounded that season, and the moment we finally reached out for help.

Over the next several episodes, we’ll continue unpacking the stretch of time leading up to Milo’s autism diagnosis — the part of the story we briefly touched on in Episode 11: Diagnosis.

Follow us on Instagram @beyondthelabel440.

Email us at [email protected]

Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify. 

Thank you for being here!

Do you remember your earliest friend? One of the hardest things for us as parents is to witness how hard it can be for Milo to connect with other kids his age. He's increasingly eager and friendly and aware, but the communication gap is always there. What will friendship look like for Milo? Will it ever get easier? Spoiler alert - we don't know - but we're talking about it.

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Follow us on Instagram @beyondthelabel440.

Email us at [email protected]

Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify. 

Thank you for being here!

Milo is getting ready to say goodbye to the early learning center where he began school-based services in 2022—and it’s bringing up a lot of emotions. In this episode, we’re sharing the highs and lows of his kindergarten year, and how we're feeling going into the summer.

Follow us on Instagram @beyondthelabel440.

Email us at [email protected]

Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify. 

Thank you for being here!

Here’s something we’ve often wished was easier with our kids: just going outside.

In this episode, we go back to a beautiful March evening when Milo couldn’t make sense of what we were doing—or what his sisters were doing—and we couldn’t figure out why everything felt so hard. We also share a few moments since then that have really surprised us.

Follow us on Instagram @beyondthelabel440.

Email us at [email protected]

Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify. 

Thank you for being here!

Let's talk about the awkward, emotional, and often unspoken moments that can come with raising a neurodivergent child. Lisa shares a story she still replays years later and together we unpack the weight of apology, public perception, and the struggle between explaining and simply existing. If you've ever wrestled with whether to say "I'm sorry" or stood frozen in a moment you couldn't quite fix, this one’s for you. 

Follow us on Instagram @beyondthelabel440.

Email us at [email protected]

Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify. 

Thank you for being here!

We’re talking about those rare moments when you meet people who just get it. From a chance connection at a splash pad to an unexpected friendship formed after a cookie decorating class, we share a few times when we felt truly seen as parents of a neurodivergent kiddo. Finding new friendships as adults just in general isn’t easy — it takes effort, trust, and a little bit of luck — but those real connections are worth it. 

Follow us on Instagram @beyondthelabel440.

Email us at [email protected]

Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify. 

Thank you for being here!

Not all milestones are big and flashy. In this episode, we reflect on 9 recent glimmers—small moments that brought us peace and reminded us how far Milo has come.

From getting excited about dinner to thoughtfully picking out gifts for his sisters, each glimmer offers a glimpse into Milo’s world and the quiet, powerful progress he’s making.

In honor of Autism Acceptance Month, we’re celebrating Milo, the joy he brings to our family, and the way his personality continues to shine.

Follow us on Instagram @beyondthelabel440.

Email us at [email protected]

Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify. 

Thank you for being here!

Milo was diagnosed with autism the month after his fourth birthday.

As the parents of a young neurodivergent child, we will make it to the "other side" of challenges over and over again - just like we made it to the other side of the autism diagnostic process. Now, 2+ years removed from receiving Milo's diagnosis, we're sharing how we got there.

• What compelled us to pursue the diagnosis 
• What the process looked like, from the screening phase to the team evaluation
• How we felt when we received the diagnosis
• What surprised us about what came next
• What we did immediately following the diagnosis

Follow us on Instagram @beyondthelabel440.

Email us at [email protected]

Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify. 

Thank you for being here!