"Let go and let God." 

For years, Laurie Hellmann has fiercely navigated therapies, medications and countless medical and personal challenges with her 17-year-old, autistic son, Skyler. While continuing to fight for her son’s ongoing needs, she has become the voice for other families with a loved one on the autism spectrum. From sharing insights on how autism impacts an entire family – its influence on a marriage, neurotypical siblings, and life as a whole – Laurie invites others into her whirlwind life with the hopes of raising awareness about a cause near and dear to her heart. She is the author of Welcome to My Life: A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism and also host of the podcast Living the Sky Life – Our Autism Journey both of which empower individuals faced with an autism diagnosis as well as those who are open to learning more with insights, tools and resources to do so. Learn more about Laurie Hellmann by visiting www.lauriehellmann.com.

To purchase my book Sunlight Burning at Midnight https://amzn.to/37oRyop To stay connected with Jess head to www.jessplusthemess.com. I'd love to hear what you think, so please rate and review! If you are interested in being a guest please contact me at [email protected]

"Pity is the worst feeling for me as a caregiver." 

Jess chats with Sarah Blunkosky, M.A., an integrative education consultant, certified peer-breastfeeding counselor, and registered Accessible yoga instructor specializing in family, children’s, special-needs, and prenatal/postpartum movement/embodiment. Her learning life spanned teaching high school social studies at Open High School in Richmond, Virginia to studying slavery and social history on a graduate school path that pivoted when her eldest daughter's intellectual disabilities and medical needs required an intensive lifestyle shift.  She started Learning Heroine LLC in 2015. You can find her on Instagram and Facebook sharing her dharma/mission: Set learning free.  When she isn’t homeschooling her kids or teaching yoga, you can find her writing articles and working on a book.  A forever student of yoga, she is also studying to become a certified yoga therapist.  Then one day, she hopes to open a group home for her eldest daughter to live in. Website: http://learningheroine.com/ To purchase my book Sunlight Burning at Midnight https://amzn.to/37oRyop To stay connected with Jess head to www.jessplusthemess.com. I'd love to hear what you think, so please rate and review! If you are interested in being a guest please contact me at [email protected]

"I held on to that word "normal" and waited for it to happen." 

Jess sits down to chat with her friend Rachel Kang, a New York native, born and raised just outside of New York City. Rachel is a mixed woman of African American, Native American, Dutch, and Irish descent, she writes prose, poems, and other pieces that whisper into the thin tension between faith and life. She is a graduate of Nyack College in New York where she obtained a degree in English with Creative Writing, and she is the creator of Indelible Ink Writers. Jess and Rachel talk about how a vaccine injury led to Rachel's brother's profound special needs, how the experience as a sibling caregiver has shaped Rachel's life, and the impact of the KETO diet on her brother's symptoms.  To continue to connect with Rachel, find her at www.rachelmariekang.com and follow her on Twitter & Instagram @rachelmariekang.   To purchase my book Sunlight Burning at Midnight https://amzn.to/37oRyop To stay connected with Jess head to www.jessplusthemess.com. I'd love to hear what you think, so please rate and review! If you are interested in being a guest please contact me at [email protected]

"You matter just as much as your child." 

Jess chats with Annie, aka “blessedforthismess” a mom to two kids, Ava & Brody. Her daughter Ava was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome in 2014 which led to Annie’s belief that we need to teach our kids that they are undefined by their circumstances.  Annie is also passionate about advocating for the advocators & sharing the depths of her heart through her own journey as a mother to a child with a disability. Her motto is that “you are more than the circumstances that surround you.” To learn more, find Annie at www.blessedforthismess.com. To purchase my book Sunlight Burning at Midnight https://amzn.to/37oRyop To stay connected with Jess head to www.jessplusthemess.com. I'd love to hear what you think, so please rate and review! If you are interested in being a guest please contact me at [email protected]

“When caregivers say they’re fine, they’re not telling the truth.” Jolene

Jess sits down in this episode and chats with Jolene Philo, the parent and daughter of loved ones with special needs and disabilities. Jolene is a former educator who created inclusive classrooms for all learners for 25 years. She’s also the author of several books about caregiving, special needs parenting, and childhood PTSD, including Sharing Love Abundantly with Special Needs Families: The 5 Love Languages® for Parents Raising Children with Disabilities, which she co-authored with Dr. Gary Chapman. Her award winning blog, www.DifferentDream.com, provides encouragement and resources for caregiving families. Jolene and her husband live in central Iowa. #caregiver #specialneeds 

To purchase my book Sunlight Burning at Midnight https://amzn.to/37oRyop

“Everyone deserves to use the restroom with dignity.”   

Carrie In this episode, Jess chats with Carrie Prater, a mother of 4 children ages 12 to 25 years old and special needs advocate. Her son Gibson was born with Mowat-Wilson syndrome with a secondary diagnosis of Autism.  This syndrome includes impairments ranging from mild to severe with Gibson falling in the moderate to severe range. Jess and Carrie talk about how important community is for the caregiver, some of the more challenging behaviors they’ve both experienced with their sons and Carrie’s groundbreaking initiative throughout superstores in the Midwest. To purchase my book Sunlight Burning at Midnight https://amzn.to/37oRyop To stay connected with Jess head to www.jessplusthemess.com. I'd love to hear what you think, so please rate and review! If you are interested in being a guest please contact me at [email protected]