In this episode of Regulated & Relational, hosts Julie Beem and Ginger Healy sit down with two fathers on a mission to transform the way families and schools understand neurodiversity—Carl Young and Joel Sheagren.

Carl and Joel are the co-creators of Embracing Hope: A Caregiver’s Guide to Neurodiversity, a groundbreaking book that bridges lived experience, creative storytelling, and research-based strategies to empower families raising children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and trauma.

👉 Get the book on Amazon: Embracing Hope 👉 Learn more about the project: embracinghopebook.com

This book challenges deficit-focused narratives, instead celebrating the strengths, creativity, and resilience that neurodivergent individuals bring to their families and communities.

Through a blend of:

• Personal stories from caregivers and neurodivergent individuals
  

• Fictional vignettes that illustrate everyday challenges
  

• Evidence-based interventions that can be adapted to each family’s needs
  

…readers are invited to move beyond labels and see the unique gifts of every child.

In our conversation, Carl and Joel share:

• Why they recognized a critical gap in resources for parents raising neurodiverse teens
  

• How storytelling and character-driven vignettes help families engage with complex content
  

• The surprising and transformative insights from Embracing Hope that resonate most with overwhelmed caregivers
  

• How community, creativity, and advocacy can shift families from survival to thriving
  

This book is more than a manual—it’s a companion for families, educators, and allies who are seeking practical tools, renewed confidence, and the reassurance that they are not alone.

Join us for this inspiring conversation about resilience, advocacy, and the future of supporting neurodiverse children and families.