The Autism Mom Coach - podcast cover

The Autism Mom Coach

Lisa Canderatheautismmomcoach.com
Do you sometimes feel like your life has been hijacked by Autism? If so, this is the podcast for you. The Autism Mom Coach is a podcast for moms who feel overwhelmed, afraid, and sometimes powerless as they raise their child with Autism. Join your host, Lisa Candera, Certified Life Coach, lawyer, and (more importantly) full-time single mom to a teenage boy with Autism as she shares cognitive-based tools and trauma-informed strategies you can use to feel better now and transform your relationship with Autism and special needs parenting. The truth is, Autism is not in charge of your life, YOU are, and you have more power than you think. Visit theautismmomcoach.com for more information
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Episodes

84. When Things Suck (MVP)

Tune in this week to rediscover what to do when things suck. Taking deep breaths and drinking water won't make your kid stop screaming or the school stop calling, but when things feel out of control, you can be there to support yourself and bring some calm into your body, and I'm showing you how. Get full show notes and more information here: https://theautismmomcoach.com/84

Oct 11, 202318 min

83. Self-Regulation and Resourcing

Learn what resourcing involves, and how it creates internal safety so you can feel, process, and integrate your emotions in a healthy way. I’m sharing five easily accessible ways to resource yourself, why they’re worth practicing right now, and the power of the tools I’m offering today in understanding and shifting your emotional experience. Get full show notes and more information here: https://theautismmomcoach.com/83

Oct 04, 202313 min

82. Creating Internal Safety: Nervous System 101

Join me this week to learn the basics of polyvagal theory and your nervous system. Hear why creating internal safety is so important, the power that comes with being able to recognize your somatic experience, and how to get familiar with different nervous system responses so you can intentionally shift your experience of Autism parenting. Get full show notes and more information here: https://theautismmomcoach.com/82

Sep 27, 202321 min

81. The Grief Spectrum

Tune in this week to bring curiosity and compassion to the emotions that rise from your experience of grief. I’m discussing why grieving a continuing loss means you’ll encounter a whole spectrum of emotions, where these emotions are coming from, and I’m sharing an experience of my own to demonstrate exactly how the grief spectrum shows up. Get full show notes and more information here: https://theautismmomcoach.com/81

Sep 20, 202318 min

80. Ambiguous Loss

I recently discovered a framework that gives a voice to the nuance of our experience in grieving the loss of a child we expected to have, and it’s called ambiguous loss. Join me today to learn what the theory of ambiguous loss entails and how naming it for yourself will help you move towards acceptance in any given moment. Get full show notes and more information here: https://theautismmomcoach.com/80

Sep 13, 202320 min

79. Grief Myths

Ignoring or resisting grief never feels good long-term. To address your grief intentionally and directly, tune in this week. I’m shining a light on the most important misconceptions about grief, and how to spot where these myths are getting in the way of understanding your own experience of grief in a validating way. Get full show notes and more information here: https://theautismmomcoach.com/79

Sep 06, 202314 min

78. Grieving the Life Not Lived

Tune in this week as I highlight why we often fail to acknowledge parental grief and how you might be grieving the life that was not lived. Hear how this is an experience all parents raising children with Autism go through, whether we realize it or not, and my top tips for getting to radical acceptance, enabling you to live your life with more ease and joy. Get full show notes and more information here: https://theautismmomcoach.com/78

Aug 30, 202313 min

77. Defining Success for Your Child with Autism (MVP)

Discover why it’s important for you to define success for your child with Autism, an exercise that will help you find evidence of all the ways they’re succeeding right now, and a myriad of benefits that come with tailoring uniquely what success means to your neurodivergent child. Get full show notes and more information here: https://theautismmomcoach.com/77

Aug 23, 202316 min

76. Tantrums v Meltdowns

Although tantrums and meltdowns may look similar, they are actually very different. Discover how to think about and respond to the different behaviors your child exhibits, explore some of the thoughts that may come up when your child is having a tantrum or a meltdown, and how to use what I’m teaching you this week to be an ambassador for parents of children with Autism. Get full show notes and more information here: https://theautismmomcoach.com/76...

Aug 16, 202320 min

75. Meltdown Mistakes & Solutions

Discover the three biggest mistakes Autism parents make during meltdowns, and what you can start doing right now to either prevent these mistakes from happening or reduce the possibility of these mistakes exacerbating future meltdowns. Get full show notes and more information here: https://theautismmomcoach.com/75

Aug 09, 202312 min

74. Powerful Questions (MVP)

Listen in to hear five powerful questions I ask myself to redirect my brain when it wants to dwell in the negative. I’m sharing the reasons we often default to dead-end questions, how we argue with reality, and why the more you open yourself up to other possibilities, the more they will become your reality. Get full show notes and more information here: https://theautismmomcoach.com/74

Aug 02, 202316 min

73. Potty Talk and All Things Autism with Michelle B. Rogers

Discover how to help your child with Autism live a more independent life from my fellow Autism mom and life coach for parents of children with Autism, Michelle B. Rogers. We're discussing the three most important life skills you can help your child develop, why nobody is coming to save you, and Michelle’s diving into how to better understand your child’s behavior with passion and compassion. Get full show notes and more information here: https://theautismmomcoach.com/73...

Jul 26, 202340 min

72. Your Child’s Behavior Is Not Personal (MVP)

When we take our child's behaviors personally, we make them about us, about our child, and about our parenting. However, taking these behaviors personally makes them even harder to handle. Discover how to regulate yourself when your child is melting down and avoid falling into the quicksand of taking your child's behaviors personally. Get full show notes and more information here: https://theautismmomcoach.com/72

Jul 19, 202317 min

71. Being Your Child’s “Person”

I show you how to create separation between where your child ends and you begin. I’m urging you to start identifying where you might be able to pull back from being your child’s “person,” what this looked like for me on my Autism parenting journey, and my top tips for allowing your child to step up. Get full show notes and more information here: https://theautismmomcoach.com/71

Jul 12, 20239 min

70. I’ll Be OK Once My Child is OK

Discover what’s wrong with the thought, “I will be OK once my child is OK.” I’m discussing how this statement is outsourcing your emotions, why your child is not responsible for your happiness, and how to stop neglecting yourself while telling yourself you’re doing it for your child. Get full show notes and more information here: https://theautismmomcoach.com/70

Jul 05, 202310 min

69. Have I Done Everything?

One question that most, if not all, Autism moms have at some point is this: Have I done everything I can for my child? This week, I offer my answer to this burning question. You’ll hear why the notion of doing everything is frankly absurd and not goal-worthy, and what you can do instead to move forward. Get full show notes and more information here: https://theautismmomcoach.com/69

Jun 28, 202320 min

68. Mental Health Hospitalizations

I’m talking about mental health hospitalizations for children with Autism, specifically ER visits, in-patient hospitalizations, and partial hospitalization programs. The first time my son was hospitalized, I knew absolutely nothing about mental health hospitalizations for children with Autism. However, hearing stories and experiences from other people really helped me, so my hopes are that what I’m sharing today will be useful for you if you ever have to deal with your own child being hospitaliz...

Jun 21, 202322 min

67. Failing Forward

Failing forward is one of the most important skills we need to develop as parents of children with Autism, but it is not for the faint of heart. This week, hear why the skill of failing forward is a muscle you have to build, three important questions that will help you practice failing forward, and my top tips for beginning to befriend failure. Get full show notes and more information here: https://theautismmomcoach.com/67

Jun 14, 202311 min

66. Managing Summer Break Anxiety (Replay)

Are you experiencing summer break anxiety? I know that many of you are worried about how to keep your child with Autism occupied. You might be lamenting over the fact that you can’t send your child to any old camp or hire any old sitter. I’m offering some of the most common worries I hear from parents of children with Autism about this time of year, and three things you can do to ease your summer break anxiety. Get full show notes and more information here: https://theautismmomcoach.com/66...

Jun 07, 202315 min

65. On the Hard Days

Listen in for an interview I did over on Megan Champion’s podcast, On The Hard Days. I'm diving into the early years following my son’s Autism diagnosis, and how, like so many of you, I was constantly pushing down my emotions. You’ll hear the realizations I had about needing to practice real self-care, and how I began resetting the default thought patterns and nervous system responses that weren’t serving me. Get full show notes and more information here: https://theautismmomcoach.com/65...

May 31, 202333 min

64. Anger

Discover the difference between feeling angry and staying angry, and the power of learning to process difficult emotions. I’m sharing my preferred way of processing anger, and 25 things that get me angry about parenting in Autism to show you how voicing the things we experience that other people might not understand can be extremely cathartic. Get full show notes and more information here: https://theautismmomcoach.com/64

May 24, 202319 min

63. Moms Like Us: An Interview with Cindy Decker

Hear my conversation with my former client and now lifelong friend, Cindy Decker. Cindy shares her journey from her child’s diagnosis to where she is today, how she freed up more time and space to advocate for her child and other children through an advocacy program, and all the changes she made in her day-to-day that have enabled her to shift the way she shows up as a mom. Get full show notes and more information here: https://theautismmomcoach.com/63...

May 17, 202340 min

62. How to Stop Second Guessing Yourself (Part 2)

Discover how to stop second guessing yourself and your decisions. I’m sharing the two types of second guessing we do as the parents of children with Autism, the difference between second guessing and due diligence, and giving you my step-by-step process to stop second guessing the decisions you make and your abilities as a parent. Get full show notes and more information here: https://theautismmomcoach.com/62

May 10, 202328 min

61. Stop Second Guessing Yourself (Part 1)

How often do you question whether you’re doing enough or the right things for your child with Autism? Do you have the urge to ruminate on and review every decision, or wonder if there’s anything you could have or should be doing differently? I'm exploring what second guessing is, why we do it, and how this habit might be showing up in your life. You’ll hear how we’re socialized to believe we can’t be trusted, and next week, I’ll give you specific steps to begin unwinding this habit. Get full sho...

May 03, 202313 min

Mother’s Day Giveaway

For my Mother's Day Giveaway, I am giving away hand-crafted soaps from Trev's Trades Where Autism Meets Potential . Trev is a young adult with autism and other disabilities, and a soap maker. I have 10 lovely soaps to give away. To enter the Mother's Day Giveaway, rate and review the podcast by May 14th, and email me the title of your review. For those of you who have already rated and reviewed the podcast, you can get a soap by sharing the podcast on your social media feeds and tagging me and T...

Apr 26, 20233 min

60. Turning Autism Around with Dr. Mary Barbera

While I teach mothers raising kids with autism how to regulate their emotions when their child is dysregulated, I get a ton of questions about how parents can teach self-regulation skills to their kids. That is why, in this week's episode of the podcast, I am interviewing Dr. Mary Barbera. Dr. Barbera is the mother of a young adult with Autism, a registered nurse, board certified behavior analyst and a best selling author. Dr. Barbera's latest book Turn Autism Around, her online courses, weekly ...

Apr 26, 202351 min

59. Parental Burnout Awareness

In this episode, discover why Autism parent burnout is a problem and what you can do to interrupt it. Get full show notes and more information here: https://theautismmomcoach.com/59

Apr 19, 20236 min

58. The IEP Table with Julie Swanson, The Life Skills Lady

Join me this week to continue our discussions about Individualized Education Plans, this time with Julie Swanson, AKA The Life Skills Lady. Julie is an IEP advocate based in Connecticut. She’s one of the OGs of education advocacy, and she’s also a mentor to many other IEP advocates that have followed in her footsteps. Julie shares the problems she’s encountered at the IEP table as an advocate, and why she helps families focus on the development of life skills in creating better outcomes for chil...

Apr 12, 202350 min

57. The IEP Table with Amanda DeLuca and Kirby Morgan

Amanda DeLuca and Kirby Morgan have created an online community to help support parents of Neurodiverse Children, and the work they’re doing is amazing. They’re certified IEP coaches, and they help their clients better understand their role at the IEP table. Find out how an advocate can help make sure your child is getting the service they need without creating a divide at the table, and what to consider if you’re currently having a difficult time advocating for your child. Get full show notes a...

Apr 05, 20231 hr 1 min

Webinar: Overcoming Burnout in 5 Simple Steps

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/4016803130699/WN_xCv_Z2VKSYS1_0W30Y06mQ Behind every child with autism, are parents who are feeling afraid and overwhelmed by the dizzying amount of responsibility and uncertainty that comes with raising a child without a road map. That is why, for Autism Awareness month, I am shining a light on parental burnout with my free webinar for autism parents: “Overcoming Burnout in 5 Simple Steps." In this webinar, you will learn the real reason you are burnt ou...

Apr 03, 20232 min
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