We’ve spent a lot of time talking about the mechanics of an IEP and advocacy strategies, but we haven’t spent much time talking about parents’ and other team member’s emotions.  The ability of each team member to be present and available for discussions and to actively participate is of extreme import.  Parents can’t be fully present when they’re feeling overwhelmed. 

Whether parents are facing new diagnoses or are overwhelmed by managing the day-to-day stresses of raising a child with a disability, the same strategies work.   In this week’s podcast I suggest three strategies to manage the overwhelm so that parents can effectively participate in school meetings and advocacy. 

The three steps have worked for me in my personal life, and they’ve also worked for lots of clients in my special education advocacy practice.  They’re simple, easy to implement, and effective!  Do you do something else to manage the overwhelm?  Reach out to tell me what works for you.