The Autism Dad

IEP or individualized education plan are oftentimes considered a four-letter word in the autism and special needs community. In this episode, I briefly explain what an IEP is and why they're important, before hearing from my guest today. Dennis Procopio is back and this time he's sharing stories from the recent IEP meeting for his son. Sometimes it's helpful to listen to people's real-life experiences because there's much that can be learned.

Dennis talks about how he used his experience as a life coach to better navigate what can be a very emotionally charged, and contentious situation. Check out his story and let me know if you'd like to share yours. ☺

I have learned so much from my conversations with Dennis and he’s helping me become a better version of myself. If you would like to talk to Dennis, you can connect with him and schedule a FREE strategy session at manuplifecoaching.com

Submit your topic suggestions for Dennis and me to [email protected]

Find Dennis:

MAN-UP! Life Coaching

About Rob Gorski:

All my information and relevant links are here

Support this podcast: venmo.com/theautismdad

Sponsors

This episode is brought to you by Vitals. The Vitals app automatically provides police, EMS, and other first responders with information on how to better help or interact with our autistic loved ones. Vitals is saving lives by preventing misunderstandings during interactions with police. Download the Vitals app and sign up today by clicking here.

This episode is sponsored by Mightier. Mightier is an amazing program out of Harvard Medical and Boston Children’s. It uses video games to teach kids to emotionally self-regulate. Visit theautismdad.com/mightier and find out more information, including how to get a free 30-day trial.

This episode is also brought to you by Hero Health. HERO is a smart automatic pill dispenser that dramatically improves medication management and compliance. Learn more at theautismdad.com/hero and use code “theautismdad50” to save $50.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mentioned in this episode:

Happy Ladders

Happy Ladders is Parent-Led Early Autism Therapy that empowers you, the parent, to teach your toddler essential developmental skills through play. Studies have shown that the parent-led model is highly effective while eliminating frustration over long wait lists, or the worry about losing precious developmental time. All without the disruption of people coming into your home Happy Ladders includes activities that target 150+ essential developmental skills every toddler needs as well as assessments in 4 different developmental areas. There’s also an exclusive community of parents just like you, and professional coaching to ensure success for both you and your toddler. To learn more, get a free trial, and take advantage of an exclusive, limited-time offer for my listeners, visit happyladders.com. Use the code "theautismdad" at checkout to save 50% off the monthly membership. Plus get a free one-on-one session as well as access to the Tantrums and Meltdowns mini-course. This is a limited-time offer so act now.

Visit Happy Ladders

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How many special needs parents worry about their child having interactions with first responders (police/EMS) and being misunderstood, or worse, seriously injured. The answer is far too many. Far too many parents worry about their autistic kids having encounters with police, EMS, or other first responders, that don't go well.

My guest this week is Janeé Harteau, President and CEO of Vital Aware Services. She has over 30 years of law enforcement experience and is very aware of the potential safety issues that can arise due to police or EMS misunderstanding the behaviors of our loved ones with disabilities.

The Vitals app automatically provides police, EMS, and other first responders with information on how to better help or interact with our autistic loved ones. Vitals is saving lives and we should talk about what it is, why we need it, and how it works.

About Janeé Harteau:

Chief Janeé Harteau (retired) was Minneapolis’ 52nd Police Chief and the first female chief in the city’s history. She initiated MPD 2.0 immediately after becoming chief, systematically changing accountability and transparency within the Department, while maximizing officer performance and advancement opportunities within the organization. This is one of the reasons Fortune Magazine named her one of the world’s top 50 leaders in April 2017.

For more information and to download the Vitals app, click here.

Find me at theautismdad.com or listen.theautismdad.com

Sponsors

This episode is brought to you by PeerKnect. PeerKnect is a free to download app that helps parents of special needs kids find playdates, social activities, and sensory friendly outings. Click here to download the FREE app.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mentioned in this episode:

BrainyAct

BrainyAct® provides tech-enabled, patent-pending therapy programs delivered via gamification for neurological disorders such as Autism, Asperger’s, Dyslexia, and ADHD. BrainyAct activates the underdeveloped areas of the brain through exercises that strategically target a child’s balance, gravity, gross/fine motor, rhythm and timing, visual motor perception, and memory.

Visit BrainyAct

Happy Ladders

Happy Ladders is Parent-Led Early Autism Therapy that empowers you, the parent, to teach your toddler essential developmental skills through play. Studies have shown that the parent-led model is highly effective while eliminating frustration over long wait lists, or the worry about losing precious developmental time. All without the disruption of people coming into your home

Visit Happy Ladders

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest today is Emily Bruce. Mother, as well as, Board Certified and Licensed Behavior Analyst (BCBA, LBA) in the State of Tennessee with an M.S., in Psychology. She’s also the CEO and Founder of Determinism, LLC, and the creator of PeerKnect. Emily has seen firsthand the struggles special needs families face when trying to find playdates and other social activities for our kids. I cannot stress how important this is for our kids.

I speak with Emily about the PeerKnect app. She shares how it works, how they protect your privacy and the many usage cases for this android and iOS. Most importantly, we talk about how PeerKnect is helping special needs kids make friends and engage in social activities. Please listen, share, and check out the PeerKnect app by clicking the link below from your mobile device.

Click here from your mobile device to download the app for free and get more information.

If you have a show idea, want to be a guest, or would like to sponsor an episode, contact me here, I’d love to hear from you.

As always, you can find my award-winning blog at theautismdad.com. All my social links are at the top of the page.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mentioned in this episode:

Happy Ladders

Happy Ladders is Parent-Led Early Autism Therapy that empowers you, the parent, to teach your toddler essential developmental skills through play. Studies have shown that the parent-led model is highly effective while eliminating frustration over long wait lists, or the worry about losing precious developmental time. All without the disruption of people coming into your home

Visit Happy Ladders

BrainyAct

BrainyAct® provides tech-enabled, patent-pending therapy programs delivered via gamification for neurological disorders such as Autism, Asperger’s, Dyslexia, and ADHD. BrainyAct activates the underdeveloped areas of the brain through exercises that strategically target a child’s balance, gravity, gross/fine motor, rhythm and timing, visual motor perception, and memory.

Visit BrainyAct

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Slight format change beginning today because I’m moving to a different server. My good friend Dennis Procopio is here today. Dennis is the founder of Man-UP! Life Coaching (MULC) and has been on the show a few times to talk about various topics. Dennis is also a special needs Dad and he’s here today to share a situation he recently had to deal with in regards to his son being seriously injured while at school. This could happen to anyone but it can be more complicated when it comes to our special needs kiddos. There are a lot of emotions parents experience when something like this happens.

Dennis talks about how he navigated this difficult and scary situation. He also dives into his experience as a life coach to help us better navigate these emotional situations in a positive and productive way.

I have learned so much from my conversations with Dennis and he’s helping me become a better version of myself. If you would like to talk to Dennis, you can connect with him and schedule a FREE strategy session at manuplifecoaching.com

Submit your topic suggestions for Dennis and me to [email protected]

Find Dennis:

MAN-UP! Life Coaching

About Rob Gorski:

All my information and relevant links are here

Support this podcast: venmo.com/theautismdad

Sponsors

This episode is sponsored by Mightier. Mightier is an amazing program out of Harvard Medical and Boston Children’s. It uses video games to teach kids to emotionally self-regulate. Visit theautismdad.com/mightier and find out more information, including how to get a free 30-day trial.

This episode is also brought to you by Hero Health. HERO is a smart automatic pill dispenser that dramatically improves medication management and compliance. Learn more at theautismdad.com/hero and use code “theautismdad50” to save $50. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mentioned in this episode:

Happy Ladders

Happy Ladders is Parent-Led Early Autism Therapy that empowers you, the parent, to teach your toddler essential developmental skills through play. Studies have shown that the parent-led model is highly effective while eliminating frustration over long wait lists, or the worry about losing precious developmental time. All without the disruption of people coming into your home

Visit Happy Ladders

BrainyAct

BrainyAct® provides tech-enabled, patent-pending therapy programs delivered via gamification for neurological disorders such as Autism, Asperger’s, Dyslexia, and ADHD. BrainyAct activates the underdeveloped areas of the brain through exercises that strategically target a child’s balance, gravity, gross/fine motor, rhythm and timing, visual motor perception, and memory.

Visit BrainyAct

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest today is Heather Brandt, Ph.D. Heather is the Director, HPV Cancer Prevention Program, Co-associate Director for Outreach, St. Jude Comprehensive Cancer Center, Member, Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control - St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Vaccines are a hot topic once again because of COVID. There is so much misinformation floating around about vaccines and Heather is the perfect guest to answer the tough questions surrounding the safety and efficacy of vaccines. We also talk about the importance of the HPV vaccine and how it protects our kids from numerous different HPV related cancers in the future. This is so important, so please pay attention, and share this with your family and friends.

Vaccine related information and resources:

The CDC vaccination information for parents is excellent.

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/index.html

If someone wants other resources:

And, last but not least, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has accurate information on the safety and efficacy of vaccines. Right now, we have an excellent resource – Vaccines Bring Us Closer – that offers accurate information about vaccines, specifically COVID-19 vaccines. https://www.stjude.org/media-resources/special-announcements/get-vaccinated.html

Here is how to contact Heather Brandt, Ph.D, or the HPV program:

Web: stjude.org/hpv

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn – Heather Brandt

Twitter @BlondeScientist

All my information and relevant links are here

Support this podcast: venmo.com/theautismdad

Sponsors

This episode is sponsored by Mightier. Mightier is an amazing program out of Harvard Medical and Boston Children’s. It uses video games to teach kids to emotionally self-regulate. Visit theautismdad.com/mightier and find out more information, including how to get a free 30-day trial.

This episode is also brought to you by Hero Health. HERO is a smart automatic pill dispenser that dramatically improves medication management and compliance. Learn more at theautismdad.com/hero and use code "theautismdad50" to save $50. 

CONTACT ME

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mentioned in this episode:

Happy Ladders

Happy Ladders is Parent-Led Early Autism Therapy that empowers you, the parent, to teach your toddler essential developmental skills through play. Studies have shown that the parent-led model is highly effective while eliminating frustration over long wait lists, or the worry about losing precious developmental time. All without the disruption of people coming into your home Happy Ladders includes activities that target 150+ essential developmental skills every toddler needs as well as assessments in 4 different developmental areas. There’s also an exclusive community of parents just like you, and professional coaching to ensure success for both you and your toddler. To learn more, get a free trial, and take advantage of an exclusive, limited-time offer for my listeners, visit happyladders.com. Use the code "theautismdad" at checkout to save 50% off the monthly membership. Plus get a free one-on-one session as well as access to the Tantrums and Meltdowns mini-course. This is a limited-time offer so act now.

Visit Happy Ladders

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My good friend and male life coach, Dennis Procopio is back. Dennis is the man behind MAN-UP! Life Coaching and over the last decade, he's helped hundreds and hundreds of guys get unstuck and become better versions of themselves. He's here today to discuss how men and women communicate, experience emotions, and approach relationships in different ways. This will not only help the guys out there but also their partners who are trying to better understand them. As someone who's recently re-entered the world of dating after over 20 years, I can definitely use the insight and advice. I know there are so many guys out there struggling to navigate some of these things and we're here to help.

I have learned so much from my conversations with Dennis and he's helping me become a better version of myself. He can do the same for you or the man in your life. You can connect with Dennis and schedule a FREE strategy session at manuplifecoaching.com

Submit your topic suggestions for Dennis and me to [email protected]

About Dennis:

MAN-UP! Life Coaching

As the founder of Man-UP! Life Coaching (MULC), I’m often asked about my background and how I got into the profession of coaching men.That’s a long story that I will begin to answer below, but the one quick thing I can say about myself as a coach is this:After 30-some-odd years of experience, there's no work that I would rather do. There's no greater reward for me than helping another man to become their best self.

All my information and relevant links are here

Support this podcast: venmo.com/theautismdad

Sponsors

This episode is sponsored by Mightier. Mightier is an amazing program out of Harvard Medical and Boston Children’s. It uses video games to teach kids to emotionally self-regulate. Visit theautismdad.com/mightier and find out more information, including how to get a free 30-day trial.

This episode is also brought to you by Hero Health. HERO is a smart automatic pill dispenser that dramatically improves medication management and compliance. Learn more at theautismdad.com/hero and use code "theautismdad50" to save $50. 

CONTACT ME

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mentioned in this episode:

Happy Ladders

Happy Ladders is Parent-Led Early Autism Therapy that empowers you, the parent, to teach your toddler essential developmental skills through play. Studies have shown that the parent-led model is highly effective while eliminating frustration over long wait lists, or the worry about losing precious developmental time. All without the disruption of people coming into your home Happy Ladders includes activities that target 150+ essential developmental skills every toddler needs as well as assessments in 4 different developmental areas. There’s also an exclusive community of parents just like you, and professional coaching to ensure success for both you and your toddler. To learn more, get a free trial, and take advantage of an exclusive, limited-time offer for my listeners, visit happyladders.com. Use the code "theautismdad" at checkout to save 50% off the monthly membership. Plus get a free one-on-one session as well as access to the Tantrums and Meltdowns mini-course. This is a limited-time offer so act now.

Visit Happy Ladders

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest today is Corrie Duryee. Corrie is an autism mom, an amazing human being, and a filmmaker. Corrie is here to talk about her latest film, Language Arts, as well as women and representation in film. The topic of equality is really important and we're going to talk about some of the many obstacles that women face in the film industry. Corrie is an absolute pleasure to speak with and you can't help but smile when listening to her.

About Corrie:

"Corrie has had a long and prosperous career in the arts. It was her relationship with Madeleine L'Engle that led the former playwright and stage director into the world of film. L'Engle (well-known writer of works such as A Wrinkle in Time and the Austin Family series), Cornelia's Godmother and mentor, invited her to adapt several of her novels and plays for the screen."

About Language Arts:

"When a student proposes a project involving autistic youth and senior dementia patients, high school English teacher Charles Marlow must confront the indelible mark that autism has made on his life. Based on the novel by Stephanie Kallos."

https://youtu.be/UkSikr0fD8U

Kairos Productions

You can stream Language Arts today at the links below:

iTunes

https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/language-arts/id1583683173

Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B09FC7KSTK/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

Vimeo:

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/languagearts 

VUDU

https://www.vudu.com/content/movies/details/Language-Arts/1877210

Microsoft/Xbox

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/language-arts/8d6kgwxn9101?ct=movie&activetab=pivot%3aoverviewtab

Spectrum

https://ondemand.spectrum.net/movies/18041277/language-arts/

All my information and relevant links are here

Support this podcast: venmo.com/theautismdad

Sponsors

This episode is sponsored by Mightier. Mightier is an amazing program out of Harvard Medical and Boston Children’s. It uses video games to teach kids to emotionally self-regulate. Visit theautismdad.com/mightier and find out more information, including how to get a free 30-day trial.

This episode is also brought to you by Hero Health. HERO is a smart automatic pill dispenser that dramatically improves medication management and compliance. Learn more at theautismdad.com/hero and use code "theautismdad50" to save $50. 

CONTACT ME

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mentioned in this episode:

Happy Ladders

Happy Ladders is Parent-Led Early Autism Therapy that empowers you, the parent, to teach your toddler essential developmental skills through play. Studies have shown that the parent-led model is highly effective while eliminating frustration over long wait lists, or the worry about losing precious developmental time. All without the disruption of people coming into your home Happy Ladders includes activities that target 150+ essential developmental skills every toddler needs as well as assessments in 4 different developmental areas. There’s also an exclusive community of parents just like you, and professional coaching to ensure success for both you and your toddler. To learn more, get a free trial, and take advantage of an exclusive, limited-time offer for my listeners, visit happyladders.com. Use the code "theautismdad" at checkout to save 50% off the monthly membership. Plus get a free one-on-one session as well as access to the Tantrums and Meltdowns mini-course. This is a limited-time offer so act now.

Visit Happy Ladders

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This was a really challenging episode for me to edit for a couple of reasons and I’ll explain in a minute. My guest is Dennis Procopio, founder of Man-Up! Life Coaching, and fellow autism Dad. He’s here as a resource for men and helps them to become the best version of themselves.

This episode didn’t go as planned but that’s okay. The whole point was to highlight what Dennis is doing because whether or not we like to admit it, men need help sometimes.

What ended up happening is that Dennis turned the interview around on me and we sorta dug into my life. It was a rather profound experience for me on a personal level. The struggle with editing this was that I shared a bit more than I have before, at least publically. It made me feel incredibly vulnerable, which is okay, but I wasn’t sure what I was comfortable leaving in. As embarrassing as some of these things were to admit, I left everything in because I feel like I shouldn’t be ashamed and Dennis really helped me to reframe some of these things. My hope is that someone out there benefits from this.

Bottom line is that guys have feelings too. Our feelings matter and we need to become more comfortable talking about them. There’s no shame in being human guys.

About Dennis Procopio:

https://manuplifecoaching.com/

All my information and relevant links are here

Support this podcast: venmo.com/theautismdad

Additional resources: 

-Exploring healthy meals? Use the Sunbasket Promo Code 

-Why food choices matter when it comes to autism

-The science is in! Healthy food can make you happy

Sponsors

This episode is sponsored by Mightier. Mightier is an amazing program out of Harvard Medical and Boston Children’s. It uses video games to teach kids to emotionally self-regulate. Visit theautismdad.com/mightier and find out more information.

This episode is also brought to you by Hero Health. HERO is a smart automatic pill dispenser that dramatically improves medication management and compliance. Learn more at theautismdad.com/hero and use code “theautismdad50” to save $50. 

CONTACT ME

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mentioned in this episode:

Happy Ladders

Happy Ladders is Parent-Led Early Autism Therapy that empowers you, the parent, to teach your toddler essential developmental skills through play. Studies have shown that the parent-led model is highly effective while eliminating frustration over long wait lists, or the worry about losing precious developmental time. All without the disruption of people coming into your home Happy Ladders includes activities that target 150+ essential developmental skills every toddler needs as well as assessments in 4 different developmental areas. There’s also an exclusive community of parents just like you, and professional coaching to ensure success for both you and your toddler. To learn more, get a free trial, and take advantage of an exclusive, limited-time offer for my listeners, visit happyladders.com. Use the code "theautismdad" at checkout to save 50% off the monthly membership. Plus get a free one-on-one session as well as access to the Tantrums and Meltdowns mini-course. This is a limited-time offer so act now.

Visit Happy Ladders

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All my information and relevant links are here

Support this podcast: venmo.com/theautismdad

My guest today is Whitney Casares, MD, MPH, FAAP, pediatrician, special needs Mom, and author of The Working Mom Blueprint: Winning at Parenting without Losing Yourself (American Academy of Pediatrics; May 11, 2021). We’re having a very important discussion about finding a balance between work, kids, relationships, home, and yourself. We’re also going to talk about burnout and the importance of self-care. Stick around because this is a really important episode. 

Buy her book: The Working Mom Blueprint: Winning at Parenting without Losing Yourself (American Academy of Pediatrics; May 11, 2021).

Check out her website: https://modernmommydoc.com/

Sponsors

The presenting sponsor of this episode of The Autism Dad Podcast is Afluencer. Afluencer was created to help influencers and merchants find each other. If you’re someone who’s looking to monetize your social media presence, look no further. Afluencer can help connect you with merchants looking for people, just like you to partner with. This is a great way to bring in extra money and grow your brand.

If you’re a merchant or business, looking to connect with a-list influencers to help you grow your business, Afluencer is where you belong.

If you’re interested in learning more, visit afluencer.com for more information. That’s a-f-l-u-e-n-c-e-r.com. Link in the show notes.

This episode is brought to you by Mightier. Mightier is an amazing program out of Harvard Medical and Boston Children’s. It uses video games to teach kids to emotionally self-regulate. Visit theautismdad.com/mightier and find out more information, including how to get a free 30-day trial.

This episode is also brought to you by Hero Health. HERO is a smart automatic pill dispenser that dramatically improves medication management and compliance. Learn more at theautismdad.com/hero and use code “theautismdad50” to save $50. 

CONTACT ME

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mentioned in this episode:

Happy Ladders

Happy Ladders is Parent-Led Early Autism Therapy that empowers you, the parent, to teach your toddler essential developmental skills through play. Studies have shown that the parent-led model is highly effective while eliminating frustration over long wait lists, or the worry about losing precious developmental time. All without the disruption of people coming into your home Happy Ladders includes activities that target 150+ essential developmental skills every toddler needs as well as assessments in 4 different developmental areas. There’s also an exclusive community of parents just like you, and professional coaching to ensure success for both you and your toddler. To learn more, get a free trial, and take advantage of an exclusive, limited-time offer for my listeners, visit happyladders.com. Use the code "theautismdad" at checkout to save 50% off the monthly membership. Plus get a free one-on-one session as well as access to the Tantrums and Meltdowns mini-course. This is a limited-time offer so act now.

Visit Happy Ladders

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I get so many questions about Mightier and today I’m talking to Angela Gotz, a Mom to 2 autistic kiddos, who’s been using Mightier for a couple of years. I talk about her life and experience as an autism parent and how Mightier has impacted their lives. Then I speak with Jessie Ragnio, the Associate Clinical Director at MIghiter. We talk about the science behind Mightier and why it works so well. This is a great resource for anyone interested in trying Mightier out in their home.

About Mightier: Mightier is a video game platform based on the science of biofeedback. It’s tested and proven by Harvard Medical and Boston Children’s Hospital to help kids learn to emotionally self-regulate. In other words, kids learn to recognize and manage their emotions while playing really fun video games.

Currently, Mightier is giving away a FREE android tablet with each subscription.

You can read my full review of Mightier here

You can purchase Mightier for yourself by clicking here

All my information and relevant links are here

Support this podcast: venmo.com/theautismdad

Additional resources:

–Looking for natural methods? Explore the calming effect of turquoise

–5 simple ways to lift your spirits naturally 

–Healing crystals 101 

This episode is also brought to you by Hero Health. HERO is a smart automatic pill dispenser that dramatically improves medication management and compliance. Learn more at theautismdad.com/hero and use code “theautismdad50” to save $50. 

CONTACT ME

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mentioned in this episode:

Happy Ladders

Happy Ladders is Parent-Led Early Autism Therapy that empowers you, the parent, to teach your toddler essential developmental skills through play. Studies have shown that the parent-led model is highly effective while eliminating frustration over long wait lists, or the worry about losing precious developmental time. All without the disruption of people coming into your home

Visit Happy Ladders

BrainyAct

BrainyAct® provides tech-enabled, patent-pending therapy programs delivered via gamification for neurological disorders such as Autism, Asperger’s, Dyslexia, and ADHD. BrainyAct activates the underdeveloped areas of the brain through exercises that strategically target a child’s balance, gravity, gross/fine motor, rhythm and timing, visual motor perception, and memory.

Visit BrainyAct

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices