Full Spectrum Parent: a Faith-based Autism Podcast

The term PDA stands for Pathological Demand Avoidance and it’s a proposed disorder on the spectrum that involves an extreme resistance to everyday demands.

I had never heard the term before until my friend Karen Dorsey mentioned some struggles with her grandson. As she shared her story, my eyes were opened and I began to understand my youngest daughter’s behaviors in a way I never considered before. 

If you have a child that continually resists demand and you may have chalked it up as defiance, you don’t want to miss this episode. 

Full Spectrum Parent is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual guidance to help you grow into the perfectly imperfect parent you want to be visit www.Christianparenting.org

I’m not a huge movie buff—but when I catch a film that moves me—especially when it centers around autism, I can’t help but recommend it. There is something about a story that causes you to drop your defenses and sneaks into the backdoor of your heart. 

In Episode 85, we share two autism films that everyone should watch and why, whether you’re parenting a child on the spectrum or not. 

Full Spectrum Parent is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual guidance to help you grow into the perfectly imperfect parent you want to be visit www.Christianparenting.org

As parents, it’s so easy to sacrifice our own mental health in order to care for the high needs of our kids on the spectrum.

Our guest, Craig Holbrook, coined this life motto: “Boys live. Men sacrifice” as he cared for his 15-year-old daughter with Level 3 Autism. But that very motto drove him to burnout as he attempted to be everything to everyone. 

Listen in as Craig opens up his heart and shares transparently about the seasons of life autism has dragged him through and how he has learned to care for himself while continuing to be the best dad he can be to his two children.

If you find yourself emotionally and physically exhausted as a parent, you don’t want to miss this episode!

Full Spectrum Parent is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual guidance to help you grow into the perfectly imperfect parent you want to be visit www.Christianparenting.org

As a special needs parent, when I think of the future it scares me. 

Parents of kids on the spectrum often wonder what will happen to their children and fear what transition into adulthood will look like. 

In Episode 83, we interview Carrie Cariello. Carrie is a mother of five and her son Jack is on the autism spectrum. He recently graduated and is now thriving as an adult. 

Being a few steps ahead of many of us on this autism journey, Carrie shares her wisdom on how to navigate this difficult transition. You won’t want to miss this episode! 

Carrie is the author of 3 books on parenting. Her latest is, “Half My Sky: Autism, Marriage, and the Messiness That is Building a Family.” Learn more at www.carriecariello.com 

Full Spectrum Parent is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network.

To find practical and spiritual guidance to help you grow into the perfectly imperfect parent you want to be visit www.Christianparenting.org

In 2012, our daughter received a diagnosis of “classic” autism. We had no idea what that meant. But a year later, the DSM 5—which is the “rulebook” used for diagnosing mental conditions—was published, creating what we know as the autism spectrum and different levels of need. If your child is diagnosed with autism, they will now be categorized as a Level 1, 2, or 3 based upon the amount of support they will need. 

In Episode 82, I invite my friend and fellow autism mom, Kelly Werwie, to join me as we discuss the different levels on the autism spectrum and the unique parenting challenges each level presents.

Click here to order Jessica’s new book, Unlimited Motherhood: Overcome 12 Limits that Overwhelm and Conflict our Hearts: https://a.co/d/4yxk5AG (https://a.co/d/4yxk5AG)

Full Spectrum Parent is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual guidance to help you grow into the perfectly imperfect parent you want to be visit www.Christianparenting.org

Vacations are supposed to be a time to unplug, a time to laugh, and a time to enjoy just being with family. 

But as special needs parents, traveling and vacations can be extremely stressful—to the point you need a vacation AFTER your vacation. 

In Episode 81, we talk about our family’s cross-country RV roadtrip, sharing different tips and tricks we’re implementing as we attempt to travel with our kids on the spectrum for 31 days!

Click here to order Jessica’s new book, Unlimited Motherhood: Overcome 12 Limits that Overwhelm and Conflict our Hearts: https://a.co/d/4yxk5AG (https://a.co/d/4yxk5AG)

Full Spectrum Parent is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network.

To find practical and spiritual guidance to help you grow into the perfectly imperfect parent you want to be visit www.Christianparenting.org

Life with autism can sometimes feel like a roller coaster ride. The ups and down, twists and turns can often make our heads spin and our hearts sick.

In Episode 80, Jessica shares openly about this past week and our struggles with our daughter Mara. Reflecting on a week full of highs and lows, we are reminded how quickly a good day can transition into a bad one. Jessica encourage listeners to remember that life is a paradox: it’s beautiful and terrible all at the same time, but God promises to walk with us through our valleys. 

Click here to order Jessica’s new book, Unlimited Motherhood: Overcome 12 Limits that Overwhelm and Conflict our Hearts: https://a.co/d/4yxk5AG (https://a.co/d/4yxk5AG)

Full Spectrum Parent is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network.

To find practical and spiritual guidance to help you grow into the perfectly imperfect parent you want to be visit www.Christianparenting.org

Glass children are the typical kids in a special needs family who often feel invisible because their parents are consumed with caring for their special needs sibling. If both kids were standing side-by-side, the parents often see right through the typical child, as if they are made of glass. 

In Episode 79, we share the struggles we have had attending to the needs of our three typical children when our two kids on the spectrum demand so much of our time and energy. We offer 4 Tips for Parents to Consider When Addressing the Needs of Their Kids. 

Click here to order Jessica’s new book, Unlimited Motherhood: Overcome 12 Limits that Overwhelm and Conflict our Hearts: https://a.co/d/4yxk5AG (https://a.co/d/4yxk5AG)

Full Spectrum Parent is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network.

To find practical and spiritual guidance to help you grow into the perfectly imperfect parent you want to be visit www.Christianparenting.org

Pregnancy is a an exciting time. Future parents throw the baby shower, study “What to Expect When You’re Expecting”, and dream about their tiny soon-to-be-bundle.

But what happens when things don’t go as expected?

Rachelle Keng is an author, a special needs mom, and a board-certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist. 

As an OBGYN, she has cared for women through normal pregnancies and she has also cared for mothers when they experience reproductive and parenting grief. 

If your pregnancy or parenting journey has taken an unexpected twist, you don’t want to miss this episode! 

Grab Rachelle’s book, “Woven in the Womb” here: https://a.co/d/4gZQ6rN

Full Spectrum Parent is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network.

To find practical and spiritual guidance to help you grow into the perfectly imperfect parent you want to be visit www.Christianparenting.org

As parents, we often develop a savior complex. 

We want to protect our kids from harm, provide for their every need, and teach them everything that they need to know.

But no parent—no matter how great—can be everything to everyone. 

In Episode 77, Becky Beresford joins us to share how, as an autism mom, God has moved her from a place of self reliance to God dependence. 

If you’re tired of trying to be all the things to all the people in your life, this episode is for you! Becky Beresford is a Christian author and speaker. She has a master's certificate in Spiritual Formation and Discipleship from Moody Theological Seminary. Becky encourages women to embrace Christ-centered empowerment through the gospel. She is the author of She Believed HE Could, So She Did. 

Grab her book here: https://www.beckyberesford.com/books

Full Spectrum Parent is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network.

To find practical and spiritual guidance to help you grow into the perfectly imperfect parent you want to be visit www.Christianparenting.org