Raising Kellan

Cynthia Slomowitz is an experienced Pediatric Physical Therapist and an expert in the treatment of autism including generalizing skills during gross motor play. She graduated from Temple University with Doctorate in Physical Therapy and is presently a Ph.D. student working with mentors Dr. Briano Di Rezze & Dr. Melissa Tovin on an independent study on ASD. Cyndi is also a mom to 5 wonderful adults! 

She has an amazing course offering written from a parent<>physical therapist perspective titled: Setting the Stage for Success in the Treatment of Children with Autism. Follow along on our chat.

2:00 Cyndi's background and course offering.

3:00 How did you come to pediatrics?

5:30 What is Autism and how does it manifest? (RRBs, speech and motor delay, sensory processing, socialization)

9:30 Treatment Strategies for parents <> therapist collaboration {antecedent, redirecting (first and next), blocking}

17:08 Foundations to therapy for children on the spectrum {play, generalization of skills, prompting and scripting}

21:48 How much is too much?

24:44 Sensory Processing( upregulation/downregulation), Sensory Diets and the Challenge of obesity with adults on the spectrum.

28:00 Parent takeaways

Check out the following Raising Kellan Podcasts related to Autism. 

https://anchor.fm/marsh-naidoo/episodes/Episode-3-Parents-open-fast-food-restaurant-to-give-daughter-with-Autism-purpose-e9gajp

https://anchor.fm/marsh-naidoo/episodes/Episode-54--Steven-Komarnitsky-Owner-of-We-Rock-The-Spectrum-Gym-in-Franklin--Tennessee-e1arerc

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In this episode, we chat with Julie Jones. Julie is mom to Braeden, a 26-year-old young man who lives with cerebral palsy and is a wheelchair user. Julie loves sharing her family's travels with Braeden on her blog Have Wheelchair Will Travel and is the co-founder of the world's first disability-specific travel magazine, Travel Without Limits. To find out more about Julie and her family you can also hop over to https://www.raisingkellan.org/

In today's episode we discuss:

2:30 Introduction to the blog

4:13  Julie'scareer as a travel agent

5:13 Tell us about BJ

6:33 Standout travel destination

10:00 Beach Trips

11:34 Travel Tips

13:50 Air Travel and Luggage Allowances

15:00 Fear of damaged mobility devices with travel

17:00 Accessible air travel and "All Wheels Up"

18:47 Travel Without Limits: The World's first disability-specific travel magazine

21:45 Call to Action: Mini Steps to Travel and Start Local

25:00 Contact Julie

Transcript

In today's episode, I chat with Cathlyn Smith and Emma Shouse of the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disability about the work done at the Council as well as the free upcoming leadership program "Partners in Policymaking". 

The deadline for the application to join the program is March 31 and the goal of the program is to educate and empower persons with disabilities and their families on how to advocate for their needs and community. Learn more and apply at https://www.tn.gov/cdd/engage-with-us/partners-in-policymaking.html

2:30 What is the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disability

4:40 How is the Council different from other State agencies

6:35 What is the "Partners in Policy Making Program" 

11:32 Details of the program

13:34 TABS ( Tennessee Adult Brothers and Sisters) A Chapter of the Sibling Leadership Network

15:00 Resources for the parents raising children with disabilities(TN): Tennessee Disability Pathfinder, Transitions Tennessee and ARC

18:00 Cathlyn (Cat) and Emma's Story

24:00 Closing Remarks

Bios:

Cathlyn Smith lives in Clarksville (since 2018). She lives in Nashville but grew up in a rural farming community in Arkansas.  She went to undergraduate school in AR and graduate school in TN.  She is the mother of a daughter who has a congenital and degenerative eye disease and is legally blind.  Her daughter is a graduate of the Metro Nashville School System and a college graduate - she lives independently and is employed.  She is also a classically trained vocalist.

Emma Shouse lives in Nashville, TN, and works for the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities as their Public Information Specialist. She has been with the Council since 2011 and supports the Council’s communications and outreach efforts. She also leads the Tennessee Adult Brothers and Sisters (TABS) statewide sibling support network (and the State chapter of the Sibling Leadership Network), launched by the Council and Vanderbilt Kennedy Center over a decade ago. She is passionate about this work because she has two younger brothers, one of whom has autism and other disabilities.

Transcript

I chat with Carol Westlake and Jeff Strand of the Tennessee Disability Coalition. TDC is a group of 40+ organizations that come together to support the full and equal participation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of life. The 4 domains that make up TDC are public policy, brain links, family voices, and small grants. 

Bio of Carol Westlake:

"I am the founding director of the Tennessee Disability Coalition, a position I have held for 32 years. My background and training are in special education, disability and public policy.  I have helped start a number of not-for-profit advocacy organizations and enjoy serving the community through volunteer work. I hope that listeners learn that disability is a natural part of the human experience. My call to action is to inclusion - to make sure that everything we do is accessible, inclusive, and supportive of people with disabilities."

Bio of Jeff Strand:

Jeff is the Coordinator of Government and External Affairs at the Tennessee Disability Coalition. In that role, he is responsible for monitoring state policy, developing content related to TDC policy efforts and working with advocates and self-advocates to support their policy and advocacy work. Jeff received a Bachelor's in History from the University of Minnesota, a Master's in Special Education from Augsburg University, and a Master's in Community Development from Vanderbilt University. He lives in East Nashville with his wife, recently turned-one-year-old daughter, and dog, where they enjoy going for walks, cooking and gardening." I want listeners to develop and feel a sense of power as an advocate for their given and chosen communities. I hope they can walk away with some tangible steps they can take toward envisioning and moving toward the type of world they want to live in."

Timeline

1:00 What is the Tennessee Disability Coalition?

2:37 What is Advocacy?

3:40 Reform for Public School Funding in Tennessee.

9:50 TEIS

12:30 Tennessee Disability Virtual Day on the Hill #DDH2022

15:45 Message from Carol/Jeff. In this segment, a reference is made to Chrissy's Story. Here is the link https://youtu.be/HCSHn50_JV0

18:41 Closing remarks

Transcript

"Ten years ago, I established Therapeutic Focus (TF). TF is my heart: a passionate, outpatient pediatric therapy clinic located in West Memphis, Arkansas. TF provides occupational, physical, and speech therapy services to predominantly impoverished children with disabilities while focusing on improving their overall functional performance in the areas of fine and gross motor skills and speech" - LaTeasha Gaither Davis, OT/Owner of TF

LaTeasha grew up in rural Arkansas and as a child received speech therapy services. Years later she returned as a qualified occupational therapist to provide much-needed therapy services in her hometown and then COVID - 19 happened. Listen to how LaTeasha pivoted...

01:15 What does Therapeutic Focus do?

02:00 What put you on the trajectory of being an occupational therapist?

05:00 How did the evolution to OT school happen?

07:25 What are some of the services offered by Therapeutic Focus? How do you encourage parent engagement? Pivoting during COVID-19?

10:00 Parent Support Group

12:30 School-based vs Outpatient based Therapy

14:25 Future plans for TF

16:00 Summer Camp

17:00 Closing Remarks

Transcripts

The podcast focus for 2022 will be TECHNOLOGY. This episode with Bradley Metrock, CEO of Project Voice highlights how we can utilize voice to access technology. Metrock heads Project Voice and his mission is to accelerate the growth of voice tech across all domains. An unbelievable conversation that leads me to think: The Future is NOW! 

1:30 What is Project Voice?

3:00 Application of Voice Tech in everyday life?

7:20 Universal Design Evolution

8:00  Voice in Education

9:30  Voice in Healthcare

15:30 Audiobooks and Synthetic Voice

18:40 Gatekeepers to StoryTelling (https://www.ivow.ai/)

23:00 Bradleys book: More than just the Weather and Music: 200 ways to use Alexa is currently being updated and will be available Christmas 2022

26:00 WHat is Bradley excited about? The Future of AI. Future of Work. 

29:00 Project Voice #1 Voice Tech Event in Chattanooga, TN 25-28 April 2022.

Transcript

Briefing: Knowledge has power and controls access to opportunity and advancement. During this time, Liz Persaud will explore and share the collective role each of us plays in promoting successful independent living beyond the everyday “typical” environments for individuals with disabilities by recognizing and adapting to diversity, inclusion, awareness, and the powerful role of Assistive Technology (AT). 

As a professional in the AT community with personal experiences that have structured and informed everyday living, Liz will spend this time to reflect back, look forward, and share her incredible life journey along with some valuable lessons learned. Diagnosed at the age of 9 months old with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 2, Liz was not expected to live beyond the age of 2. 

Medical advice focused on institutionalization and stated that survival would not include access to education, socialization, and employment. Using hope as a catalyst for survival, Liz has and continues to defy all medical expectations. Now at the age of 42, Liz is a college graduate, married, and recognized on an international level for her work to promote independence and disability awareness through assistive technology. She is a nationally recognized public speaker and advocates for addressing the need to build bridges and solidify the gaps between individuals living with and without disabilities.

 Liz currently serves as the Program and Outreach Manager for Tools for Life, Georgia’s Assistive Technology Act Program, at the Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation within the College of Design at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Liz also serves on the Board of Directors at NMD United, Inc., a non-profit organization composed of adults living with neuromuscular disabilities and provides outreach and raises disability awareness to numerous groups and organizations across the globe. 

Her passion lies within education about generations of adults growing up and living independently and successfully with childhood neuromuscular diseases. Liz is sought-after for her influential storytelling, shedding light on the power of assistive technology and its impact on the lives of individuals living with disabilities and their support circles and by educating on self-determination and advocacy with a focus on technology and disabilities. 

During Liz's time with you she will shed more light on disability culture, share information about attitudinal barriers faced by people living with disabilities, along with helpful tips, strategies, and solutions on how to overcome these barriers using tools like education, understanding and moving beyond tolerance towards acceptance. Join Liz as she shares positive outcomes that can occur when thoughtful communication, inclusion and awareness are integrated into the lives of each and every one of us in a collective community.

Transcript

Commissioner Brad Turner is head of the Department of Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities (DIDD) and part of the executive branch of government that oversees the administration, operation, and policy in the State of Tennessee. In today's episode, I chat with Commissioner Turner and Cara Kumari, Communications Director at DIDD.

0:46 What is DIDD?

2:29 What is the passion that drives you to serve this community?

4:30 What is the Katie Beckett Waiver in terms of the Tennessee context?

9:30 Eligibility Criteria to apply for the Waiver

11:30 Why is financial disclosure needed to apply for the waiver if a parent's income is not a criterion for eligibility?

14:20 Tennessee Early Intervention Service (TEIS)

18:00 Person First Language

21:00 Healthcare equity for persons with disability through the continuum of care

27:00 Tennessee Beliefs and the post-secondary education program

31:00 Closing Remarks

Resources: Local Katie Beckett Regional offices

West Tennessee Regional Office: (866) 372-5709

To learn more about Commissioner Turner pop over to www.raisingkellan.org

Thank you Jessica Harrison of Shelter Insurance Dyersburg for sponsoring this podcast episode.

Transcript

Dr. Karen Bowyer is indeed a Legend! She will retire on December 31, 2021, after 50 years of devoted service to Leadership in Education. She holds many honors including: 

 In today's episode, we chat about her past, present, and future. So grab your cup of coffee and join us for an enlightening conversation.

1:00 The Early Years 

3:00 Sport of Choice 

4:00 Teacher Role Model: Mr. Taylor 

8:00 Trajectory of your Career: Love of Mathematics, The Russians and Sputnik...  

16:08 The Columbian Adventure  

18:31 Marriage and Memphis  

19:13 Move to Dyersburg  

29:00 Understanding People  

32:00 Innovation and the Future of Education  

41:00 Advice for Emerging Leaders  

43:00 Core Values  

43:00 Future Plans  

53:00 Reflection

In this episode, we chat with Steven Komarnitsky, gym owner of We Rock The Spectrum Gym that is slated to open in Franklin, Tennessee in 2022.

02:30  An Introduction of the concept behind "We Rock The Spectrum".

06:18  Steven's Story.

10:00 Timeline for the Gym to Open

10:47  Layout of the Gym

11:09  Staffing at the Gym

15:00  Accessibility

!6:31  Continuum of Care/Service Approach

18:25  My Brother Rocks the Spectrum Foundation

20:00 Conclusion

For more information about the gym check out https://werockthespectrumfranklintn.com/ and Steven can be contacted at [email protected]

This episode is brought to you by Jessica Harrison Shelter Insurance in Dyersburg, TN

Transcript