Behind the Breakthroughs

Latest Episodes:

Grateful For 25 Nov 28, 2018

Show notes

It's Behind the Breakthroughs 25th episode and in this episode Dr. Nunez ad Maylene reflect back on all the guests they have had and reflect upon their inspirational stories.

In this episode Dr. Nunez and Maylene express their gratitude to all the guests that have been on the podcast and all their listeners. This podcast has given them the opportunity to meet so many people and it is giving them a burst of new energy and new ideas to share. It has been a great 25 and the next 25 will be amazing! They thank everyone for being on this journey of Behind the Breakthroughs.

IN THIS EPISODE:

It's Behind the Breakthroughs 25th episode and in this episode Dr. Nunez ad Maylene reflect back on all the guests they have had and their inspirational stories.
It feels overwhelming to think about how many people they have met through this podcast and how far they have come and how many stories they have shared.
Some of their favorite guests have been the Ruth family because you got to hear from a mothers and fathers perspective. Each person's perspective in the family unit is different. It is so amazing to see how they have grown individually and as a family and how they are be able to share those experiences.
They loved the interviews from the parents, Michelle Lewis, Jo Daley, Shannon Sullivan, Jennifer Farren, Stephanie Schiff, and Caz Collins. All of these parents had such great insight.
Christine Devereaux was another favorite from Spectrum Yoga and her knowledge and research around yoga and breath. Her energy was calming and thoughtful.
There's always lessons and re-hearing the stories from the parents that they know. It has been wonderful to be apart of their amazing growth.
For example, with Shannon Sullivan we began talking about the concept of the Autism Community Store in her basement we joked about the idea of having a once stop shop for parents with children with autism. To see it come true is amazing.
Jennifer Farren and her love for martial arts lead he to be co-owner of Tiger Rock.
Caz Collins and her journey led her to open up a Breakthrough Interventions in South Africa because there were no services for her son.
All the parents we interviewed have great insight philosophy.
Michelle Lewis is an inspiration in hearing her talk because she's so confident.
Jo Daley is just so calm and always finds the positive.
Caz Collins is just a force, that no one tells her "no." Her enthusiasm and energy is amazing as well.
Tiffany Fixter was a fun guest. she is doing amazing things in the community with Brewability and Pizzability.
They also loved Shawna Wingert because a lot of parents who were homeschooling contacted us and it was awesome for them to connect. She had so many fun ideas and ways to learn.
They have touched on so many different topics especially with Derricknyms and how quickly Derrick Hayes comes up with words associated with the letters of your name. It really resonates with you and is just an amazing skill.
Nunez and Maylene thank everyone that has come on the podcast.
They are so grateful because they are just scratching the surface and meeting so many people and getting a new burst of energy, new ideas, and it's like a second awakening.
It has been a great 25 and the next 25 will be amazing! They thank everyone for being on this journey of Behind the Breakthroughs.

MINDSHIFT (takeaways)

Be grateful for everything and reflect on the positive in your journey. Focus on the positive because then you start to see more positive happen.
Trust your intuition, if it doesn't feel right move on and find something else. Your intuition is going to lead you to a path. You know your child the best and you are your child's expert. In trusting your intuition there will be bumps because it's taking you to where you need to go.

Remember life isn't linear. There are extreme highs and extreme lows. Just know when you're in that low, it'll only get better. That's why it's good to reflect because when you have hit lows in the past you can see that you bounced back from it, so that should give you hope.

Spectrum Yoga Nov 14, 2018

Show notes

In this episode we have the pleasure of talking with a yoga teacher who has turned her passion for yoga into helping children with autism. She empowers children by teaching them the most important technique of yoga, which is breath. Breath is a simple technique that anyone can use anywhere because it is immediate and non-disruptive. To wake up and know everything will be ok because your calming tools are constantly with you is empowering.

Meet Christine Devereaux the owner of Spectrum Yoga. She has taken her love of yoga and developed specialized classes to help children with autism and their families. She not only works with individuals but teaches yoga to the family unit as well. Yoga does not discriminate, if it works for your child, it will work for you and vise versa. Christine talks about the world as being a reflection of yourself, so if you see the world as chaotic then internally you are chaotic. In her yoga classes she brings this awareness to her students by teaching them to slow down and breathe. Yoga is just not a practice... it is a life skill.

IN THIS EPISODE:

Christine Devereaux is the owner and founder of Spectrum Yoga located in Littleton, Colorado.
Spectrum Yoga is a therapeutic yoga service specifically for individuals with autism. It's a goal-based service with specialized and private classes.
Classes are offered for children between the ages of 7-18 and she offers family classes so they can learn yoga techniques as a family unit.
Over the last two years Christine has developed several specialized classes based on the needs of families and her students.
The primary needs are helping with anxiety.
A lot of the yoga work focuses on breathing and overall muscle tone.
Breathing affects everything from speech to muscle tone. Breath is more important than poses and works directly with nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system.
Breath is a technique that someone can use and pull out anywhere.
We don't know what triggers kids, so something as simple as a breathing technique is immediate and non-disruptive.
Children can calm in their environment quicker.
Christine sees lots of families come in as yoga being their last resort.
She developed a Sensory Wind Down that helps with sleep. Parents come in looking to do things like yoga to replace or avoid medication.
The tools that they learn in class they can apply every night instead of giving medication.
Sleep is huge! Another thing that affects your body is when you lack sleep. You can see kids unraveling with less sleep.
Sensory Wind own helps with sleep. It also balances the nervous system. In return it helps with rest and digestion.
Parents have said kids have more self-regulation and less anxiety
Christine also does Life Skills Yoga. It is really fun, luxurious, and relaxing.
Life Skills Yoga involves massage and essential oils. It helps with anxiety, communication (verbal or non-verbal) listening, and awareness. These four things bleed into life.
People ask how yoga affects life skills and it's everywhere from managing emotions at a job to communicating with people, etc.
In addition, Christine offers Family Yoga. It is great because sometimes parents stress bleeds into their child's anxiety and they don't see or know that it's happening.
Working on stress as a family and recognizing it is huge to keep things peaceful at home.
Yoga does not discriminate. If it works for your kid it will work for you and vise versa.
There are so many different types of yoga. There is kids yoga, adaptive yoga, and yoga therapy
You can apply yoga techniques to anyone at any age.
Christine also does Hand Yoga in which she teaches her students a technique to do with their hands while saying "sa ta na ma." It's for regulation that they do when things are overwhelming. It's something that kids can do by themselves and it's awesome.
Life is so hustle and bustle and Christine feels people don't think yoga is effective because with yoga you do have to take the time to slow down and pay attention.
Sometimes people don't see the benefits of slowing down your breath.
If we could instill slowing down and breath to kids, it could be life changing. It would change their mindset and show them to see the world in a more calm and positive way.
That is when they can start interacting with the world because it gives them control.
The world is a reflection of you, so if you see the world as chaotic then internally you are chaotic.
So to have the control within you is essentially controlling the world around you. How empowering is that?
To wake up and know everything will be ok. "I have my tools with me and the world is at my fingertips."
That awareness piece is a life skill.
When it comes down to it, it's all breath. Christine teaches it in every class. It's yoga, it's meditation, it's a life skill.

MINDSHIFT (takeaways)

Let go of the expectation of what you think yoga is because it's different for everyone... Forget what you think it is, come with no expectation and try it out.

RESOURCES:

Spectrum Yoga

www.spectrumyoga.co

Derricknym Nov 07, 2018

Show notes

What is a Derricknym? Listen to this episode and you will find out!

Meet Derrick Hayes, an Encouragement Speaker, Author, and an enTIEtainer. Derrick has the unique talent of turning names and words into positive messages within seconds right before someone's eyes. This skill set has enabled Derrick to create the AUTISM Interview that is featured each month in the Autism Parenting Magazine. His philosophy of "people are people" and that you need to treat people with respect empowers people and leads them to their greatness.

IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode Derrick Hayes is our guest.
Derrick is a motivational speaker. He has written books and developed an AUTISM Interview.
Derrick has a certain skill set in which he uses each letter of his name to set up interview questions. The DERRICK Interview has been used to interview different people and even celebrities.
Autism Parenting Magazine began to follow Derrick. He had been working with teens and adult males with autism at the time. He pitched an idea to them.
It was the same concept as the DERRICK Interview except it used the letters in the word AUTISM to set up questions.
He pitched the idea to Autism Parenting Magazine and they liked it.
There is an interview published once a month in the magazine.
A- awareness. Not everyone is aware that something is different or in denial.
U- unique. How has this experience been unique? Every experience is different.
T- tools. What tools are there now, that weren't there before? What tools have worked? More and more we become more innovative and learn from each other.
I- inspire. When you look at your child what inspires you? You need to have and give inspiration. You need to see something in your child.
S- support. What are things you struggle or have struggled with? What support do you still need because there is maybe a reader out there that may have answers or suggestions for you? It is putting info out to receive info.
M- management. What keys to success can you leave with parents so they can better manage their day-to-day efforts? Networking is key with this.
Derrick has worked in many places and seen a lot of different things.
He says it is all the same you just need to treat people with respect and get to know people and build a relationship.
People are people.
Derrick calls what he does Derricknyms.
For example: always network now to empower talents to excel stands for ANNETTE. On the spot he turned Annette's name into a positive message.
MAY mediation assures you or aligns you.
It's a great way to open conversation and open doors.
He personalizes cards and people keep his cards because of the personal message that he gives them using their names.
Derrick's new brand is the enTIEtainer. He empowers people to greatness while putting on a tie.
His friend wanted bow tie Mondays so Derrick began to speak while tying a bow tie.
He turned this skill into teaching people how to tie ties and bow ties and do different tricks with them while he tell stories.
The necktie has been a tool to start a conversation.
It's especially positive for males because when they tie their ties for a job interview or go to work it is paired with a positive message to take with them.

MINDSHIFT (takeaways)

1. Love your children.
There are a lot of resources. You don't need to do everything yourself. Don't be afraid to reach out, even if it is outside your community. Nobody has all the answers, but when people come to the table with love there are more resources.

RESOURCES:

DerrickHayes.com

entietainer.com

Tiger Rock Nov 01, 2018

Show notes

In this episode we take a look at a mother's journey and how she didn't let a diagnosis of autism stop her from living her life. From the initial diagnosis, to different types of therapies, to IEP goals, this mother did not lose herself. Instead she turned her love for Martial Arts into a business venture in which she encourages others to find their mind and body connection to teach calm, focus, and confidence.

Meet Jennifer Farren, mother and co-owner of Tiger Rock. Listen to her journey of how an extra curricular activity meant for her son turned into activity she loved for herself. From a student to co-owner, Jennifer is now giving back to the community by offering martial arts classes to children with needs. These classes are designed to help with self-esteem, confidence, and feeling good about yourself and your accomplishments, which is beneficial to any child or adult.

IN THIS EPISODE:

The special guest in this episode is Jennifer Farren.
Jennifer is a mother who has a son with autism and she will be sharing her journey.
Nunez had the pleasure of working with her son when he was in preschool and he is now 19 years old.
Nunez wanted to bring Jennifer on as a guest to talk about what the journey looks like when a child reaches the adult years of life.
Jennifer received the official diagnosis when her son was 18 months.
She remembers leaving the appointment hearing "developmental delays and autism. " Those words made her very emotional and she felt devastated.
They got started right away with an in-home ABA program.
The biggest change was when he was 3-4 years old he became verbal.
Jennifer remembers thinking that it was so much easier now that he can communicate his needs. It was a turning point.
Her son will be 19 in a few weeks and he is currently in school.
They haven't quite figured out what the transition will look like after he is finished with school but they will sort it out during his next IEP.
At first they focused on academics and now it has transitioned to functional communication, job skills, and vocational training.
Around 8 years old Jennifer and her husband wanted to find some sport or afterschool activity for her son, Drew.
They gave marital arts a try because their other son really benefitted from it.
For her other son, it taught him about focus and discipline and he was physically training his body to move in different ways.
She thought Drew could benefit from this too. The great thing about the martial arts program is that it can be tailored to meet anyone's needs.
It is a repetitive routine, which is great. Lots of peer modeling, listening to instructions, and physical motor movement that helps with processing.
They started Drew with private lessons and then moved him into the group lessons.
Drew doesn't have the intrinsic motivation to want to move up and earn his belt colors, but he likes doing it and that is great.
Jennifer loved it so much that she began to take classes and she is now a black belt.
Her entire family loved it so much that Jennifer and her husband became business partners with the owner of their martial arts facility called Tiger Rock.
The whole family is apart of it.
In the beginning they were students and now they are part owners.
Martial Arts is so beneficial because it connects mind and body and teaches calm and focus. It also increases the motor memory.
Currently, Tiger Rock is trying to partner with other companies and doing a lot of outreach.
Another thing Tiger Rock is doing is branching off and offering classes to children with needs.
There are children that have come in with the visible struggles, but there are a lot of students that have internal struggles.
The classes help with self-esteem, confidence, and feeling good about themselves and their accomplishments.
It is not only great for kids, but adults as well.
Jennifer is so inspirational because she did not let the diagnosis hinder her from living life and doing things to help her entire family.
Jennifer shares that there are definitely challenges that she has had to overcome.
When things look bleak you question, "How are we going to get through this?"
Jennifer says, "You just do and tomorrow comes and you keep pushing along and before you know it you are in a different place."
What Jennifer struggled with early on was comparing herself to another parent and what they are doing and how their child is progressing.
Everyone is on his or her own journey... you're walking your won path.

MINDSHIFT (takeaways)

You know yourself... you know your child... find support in all areas of life. For example, if your family isn't supportive, there are a lot of other families out there to share stories and vent to and not be judged.
Find your Tribe!

RESOURCES:

Tiger Rock web: tigerrockacademy.com

Rising Above Oct 24, 2018

Show notes

In this episode Dr. Nunez and Maylene talk about the dreaded IEP and how to make this process successful. When going through this process it is important to keep an open mind, think outside the box, and to work collaboratively with one another because everyone has the same goal in mind... which is the child's best interest.

It is IEP season and the top three things that make an IEP successful are setting the goals high, having both home and school environments collaborate and work on the same goals, and most importantly parents need to be involved. This is a time when parents need to become their child's expert and advocate for their needs.

IN THIS EPISODE:

It is October and parents start getting anxious as behaviors start arising with their child.
The honeymoon stage from the transition of summer to school has ended as kids get comfortable and old behaviors start to arise.
It is also IEP season and Dr. Nunez and Maylene have been going to a lot of IEPs.
A lot of times they see that the expectations are set low for their clients because they have a diagnosis of autism.
It's frustrating when professionals think so low of their clients because they work hard with their clients in the summer to prepare them for the school year.
They always get the excuse that working 1:1 is different than a school environment.
It feels like schools use that as an excuse. They need to take some responsibility in the equation. If a child has a skill in a 1:1 setting, it is the schools responsibility to figure out how to get that child to generalize skills.
It can be frustrating for outside professionals when schools aren't willing to work with you and you sense there's an ego involved.
Professionals should let the egos go and work collaboratively. Learning form each other is key to success.
Think outside the box and be open and collaborative because at the end of the day we all want what's best for the child.
It is not about who can do what or who is right or wrong. Let that ego go and think about what is in the best interest of the child.
What is going to make the child most successful in school? What is going to get that child to graduate and not be passed along? What skills does this child need to become independent?
People need to understand that when you set the expectations low for a child, they will meet those low expectations.
Both home and school environments should have the same expectations for the child.
It is unfortunate because Dr. Nunez and Maylene have observed that once a school knows the diagnosis of a child they immediately set the expectations low.
You don't know how a child will respond, so set the goals high.
If the child meets and exceeds a goal, set a new one. If they aren't meeting the goal, then revisit it and see if there's another way to get the child to meet that goal.
Parents have the right to go in and change goals on the IEP at anytime
Nunez and Maylene highly recommend for parents to be involved and to go into the school every other month to observe and get an understanding what is going on at school.
See if the IEP goals are being worked.
It is important to know that your child is not being passed along from grade to grade.

MINDSHIFTS (takeaways)

Set the expectations high for your child.
Parents go in and observe your child at school. Be involved and check in to make sure the school is working on IEP goals.
Become your child's expert. Walk into the IEP knowing what your child can or can't do. You direct the IEP, not the professionals and advocate for your child.
Create a pamphlet about who your child is. What your child likes, dislikes, how to engage your child, what they are reinforced by, triggers, strengths, etc.

Annette's Vignettes V Oct 17, 2018

Show notes

This is the fifth vignette that Dr. Nunez shares. In this vignette Dr. Nunez talks about a client she has seen for over 14 years and how he went from being non-verbal to driving himself to school. She recently watched him drive away after a session and she expresses how it was a poignant moment for her to watch him become independent and know that she had a part in his independence.

In this episode Dr. Nunez commends a clients parents for setting the expectations high for their son and never treating him differently. Their sink or swim approach to parenting have allowed their son to self-discovery in which he is living and loving his life to the fullest. Dr. Nunez also reminds professionals that you may not see immediate progress when working with a client, but to remember that over time you are making a huge impact many lives.

IN THIS EPISODE:

Today's Vignette is about a client that have both Dr. Nunez and Maylene have been working with for years.
They started working with him at 2 years old when he was non-verbal.
He is now 16 years old and driving.
Jonny attends a mainstream private high school and runs cross country, is bright, sweet, and he is driving now.
Nunez was recently tutoring him at school where there was a football game and a ton of activities happening at the school.
Since Jonny drives himself to school now, he is afraid of hitting a parked car.
So he parks really far away from the school entrance away from all the parked cars.
On this particular day since there was a lot happening at the school there were many parked cars near him.
To make sure he got out of the parking lot safely, Dr. Nunez said she would hang out after their session to make sure Jonny could get his car out without hitting a parked car.
Nunez watched Jonny pull out of the parking lot and as she was driving behind him, she couldn't believe he was driving.
The kid that she started with when he was 2 years old was driving.
It was a really poignant moment for her to watch him drive away and being independent.
It was like letting go of her baby. Dr. Nunez does not have kids of her own so she explains that at that moment it was like having a child of her own that she didn't want to grow up.
She rarely gets emotional but this moment bought a tear to her eye, and it is moments like these that reminds her how truly rewarding this job is.
Parents have done a great job raising Jonny. They are consistent and never treated him as being different.
This summer he visited colleges, took an ACT tutoring course, received his driver's license, and had fun like any teen his age.
It is amazing to hear him talk about his life. This kid was non-verbal and Dr. Nunez would spend hours with him trying to get him to say his favorite toy "Mickey."
Now Jonny is telling her about his whole summer, comparing colleges, and all his teenage experiences.
It is great to see him flourish and be a part of his journey.
He went to a public school but Dr. Nunez suggested to his parents to pull him out because he was not being challenged.
When Jonny attended the private school he was pushed, the school set the expectations high, and never treated him differently.
Parents redirected all the things that he struggled with to things that he loved.
He loved motor cross and now he is into drones and paintballing.
Nunez commends his parents because they have always set the expectations high and never looked at him with a diagnosis.
Their motto was really a "sink or swim" one. However, they coached him along the way and did everything that they needed to do to be proactive and help him to swim and keep afloat.
It has been rewarding for Dr. Nunez to watch him grow up.
That is what this vignette is all about. Sometimes all the hard work you put in isn't immediate. It takes a long time and you may not see progress right away. But over time when you start seeing the progress you have that moment where you're like, "Wow I was a part of seeing this kid live and love his life and I had something to do with that."
For therapists out there we hope you get to see this type of progress with your clients.
It is so nice to stick with a client and see them get to that point of independence and self-discovery.
It is a great feeling knowing that you made a difference in a portion of their life.

MINDSHIFTS (takeaways)

Set the standards high for your child and believe that they can accomplish any goal you set for them.
Parents, go in and check on your child at school and make sure they are progressing.
Reframe and don't feel sorry your child when they cannot do something. Instead think of all their strengths as a special skill that you can help foster into finding something that your child loves and is good at.

Not The Former Things Oct 10, 2018

Show notes

What do you do when your child is verbal but not communicative? Who can function but still struggles with self-help skills? In this episode we chat with a mother who asked these very same questions and when she did not find the answers she created a successful blog entitled, "Not the Former Things."

Meet Shawna Wingert an author, homeschool teacher, wife, but most importantly a "real" mom who shares her realness in her blogs. Join us as Shawna opens up about her journey of what it is like to raise and homeschool her two sons diagnosed with autism. Her honest and relatable blogs have allowed her to create a community not only for her self, but have encouraged and connected other moms who share similar journeys.

IN THIS EPISODE:

Our guest today is Shawna Wingert who writes a blog entitled, "Not the Former Things."
Her blog focuses on the "realness" of raising and homeschool her two sons who are diagnosed with autism.
When Shawna received the first diagnosis she went on the internet to find another mom who knew what she was going through.
She was looking to connect with a mom who had a child who was verbal but not communicative, who could function but still struggled with self-help skills, and who had minimal coping mechanisms.
She couldn't find anyone to connect with... All she wanted was a real mom to say I love this kid he is amazing, but he is hard and here is what we are doing and it is working.
Her husband said, "If it's not out there, maybe you are the one to create it."
It took Shawna a few years before she started to write about her experiences.
It has become a blessing more to herself than anyone else reading. Her blog has allowed her to create a community.
Shawna's real and only objective is to connect with moms and be as real as possible, but also encouraging.
She started homeschooling her son before they got the diagnosis.
She made that decision because her oldest was struggling with the traditional school environment.
Her son went under the radar and he hated school. It was a struggle to get him to school and in and out of car.
However, he had straight A's and was the 90th percentile on standardized tests.
His inability to communicate things put him in a difficult situation with teachers and kids.
Shawna felt like she didn't have options with school so she made the decision to pull him out.
Once she had the diagnosis it was easier for her to put the pieces together.
It became easier for her to know the right questions to ask him and the journey of getting to the bottom of what was difficult and what are her boys their natural strengths.
Homeschooling has been excellent, but it also has been complicated. It is a full- time job!
In addition to homeschooling, Shawna has a therapeutic dog for one of her sons.
Her youngest son struggles with sensory processing and significant anxiety.
He loves animals and his dog has had a calming influence on him.
As he gets older, Shawna wants him to become more independent with things.
She found a dog that makes him feel more confident and comfortable as he gains his independence.
The service dog is also giving her son the confidence to do things when Shawna isn't around.
Shawna explained that it has been one of the greatest additions to his therapy plan.

Mindshift (takeaways)

You do have time! Take the time to tell yourself it's really going to be ok. This process is not all or nothing and doesn't all have to be done today.

The second takeaway is don't' be afraid to focus on what your child is naturally good at. The more you focus on your child's natural inclinations and support and encourage that you help them develop self-confidence which makes it easier across the board for everyone.

First Word Oct 03, 2018

Show notes

In this episode we take a look at a mother's journey when her daughter says her first word, "Mama." This moment was captured on video and quickly went viral on many social media outlets. Taylor's video touched the hearts of many as they feel her happiness and pure joy in saying her first word.

Meet Briana Blankenship as she shares her experiences with her daughter Taylor. After going to many doctor's who told her Taylor, "Was fine." and that, "She would grow out of it," Briana knew something was not right. She trusted her intuition and demanded that her daughter receive an official diagnosis of autism. Her journey is similar to many parents who struggle to get services for their child. Despite it all, Briana focused on the positive and was rewarded with hearing her daughters first word be Mama. This is an episode you don't want to miss!

IN THIS EPISODE:

Our special guest is Briana Blankenship.
Earlier this year she posted a video of her daughter on social media saying her first word, "Mama" and it went viral touching many hearts.
She explains how she got started on the autism journey later than others.
Her daughter Taylor was an only child and Briana didn't have any friends or family members with children to compare Taylor to.
Her doctor believed there was not anything to be concerned about.
However, her daycare had concerns and expressed them to Briana.
She got a second opinion from a doctor who believed Taylor was fine and she would, "Grow out of it. Every child is different."
Taylor met all the developmental milestones. Taylor was loving, she made eye contact, the only thing she was not doing was speaking.
Briana went to a speech therapist who showed Briana and her husband all the things Taylor should be doing.
It was an eye opener for Briana and she felt like such an awful parent. Taylor was 3 when she started speech therapy and she started late based on what several pediatricians told her.
Fortunately, Taylor has a great program in her public school system. Evaluations were done at school.
However, no official diagnosis was made because doctors were still resistant.
Briana and her husband decided to take matters into their own hands.
There were no resources until Briana demanded to transfer doctors or to refer her to a doctor that could officially diagnosis her daughter.
It's amazing to hear that so many places and professionals are still unaware of autism. Hearing things like boys develop later, he will talk later, or walk later. It's disheartening to hear pediatricians specifically are not open.
Taylor has limited language and cannot converse. She can answer a direct question or make a request on the ipad.
On April 30, 2018 Taylor was headed gymnastics. Before class they went through a McDonalds Drive Thru.
Taylor was excited for her french fries. While sitting in the long line of drive thru, Taylor said, "Mama." She said it again and again.
Briana grabbed the phone because she wanted her husband and mom to see her saying mama so they would believe it.
At the drive thru window Briana was crying and the workers didn't know what was wrong.
She parked in the parking lot, called her husband so he could hear her, then called her mom and left a voicemail. She was blubbering the whole time.
She wanted more people to hear Taylor say, "Mama," so she uploaded it to Facebook and tagged her family members and went to gymnastics class.
After class it already had 200 likes and many comments within 45 minutes. The next morning it had 900 likes and the likes continued to increase.
Videos like that resonate with people especially when a child with autism speaks.
Taylor was so happy saying Mama and that is what people were really drawn to because they felt her happiness and pure joy.
The video lights your heart in which people can connect with and is very inspirational.

MINDSHIFT (takeaways)

Trust your gut... your instinct. When something does not feel right to you get a second opinion. Don't' take what your doctors says as truth.

Don't take for granted the small successes you have because there is always someone else that wishes their child is doing something that your child is doing.

Mirror Images Sep 26, 2018

Show notes

Dr. Nunez shares her personal health journey and how she came to the realization that mind, body, and soul truly work as one. When it was recommended that Dr. Nunez have an invasive surgery she decided to trust her intuition and find alternative methods of curing herself. Listen to this episode to find out how she cured herself and how her alternative approach to health can help others.

In this episode Dr. Nunez talks about her 90 day health journey. She discusses the importance of diet, alternative medicines, and the power of positive thoughts. Despite what Doctors have to say, she encourages you to trust your intuition because ultimately you are your own expert.. and it is her intuition that led her become healthy.

IN THIS EPISODE:

This podcast is a personal one about Dr. Nunez's inner journey with her mind, body, and soul.
She talks about what she did to make herself as healthy as she could be within the past 90 days.
Eight years ago she had precancerous cells in her body. She had a procedure done that got rid of the cells. Fast forward 8 years and she found out that the precancerous cells came back.
The cells were stage 3, which is the last stage before the cells turn into cancer.
Her doctors recommended that she get hysterectomy.
This is where Dr. Nunez's journey began…
She began to research cancer, the causes of cancer, how cancerous cells feed off each other, alternative medicine, diets, top homeopathic doctors, oncologists, etc.
She made appointments with a homeopathic doctor, an oncologist, and a Reiki Master.
The homeopath had her follow a protocol of starting an alkaline diet for 90 days, getting B12 shots once a month, taking a probiotic and herbal remedies.
She explains how the diet was the hardest because she loves food, but she was determined to stick to it.
During this 90 day period she re-read the book, You Can Heal Your Life, started meditating, and began to turn her negative thoughts into positive ones.
Nunez also saw an oncologist that specialized in the type of cancer she may have. She expresses how it was one of the most amazing and positive experiences she ever had with a Doctor. The staff had a good bedside manner, they were tender, and they really cared about people.
The oncologist assured her she was in a good place and sat down with her and explained what was going on.
After 30 days Dr. Nunez went back to her original Doctor and explained to her about the 90 day protocol. Her Doctor's response was, "You know that isn't going to work, but at least you will be healthy. The Doctor also rolled her eyes when Dr. Nunez told her that the oncologist said she was in a good place.
Nunez left the office soooo angry and upset. Later that day she began looking for another Doctor.
She explained how she was more determined than ever to stick to the alkaline diet and proceed with the 90 day protocol to prove this Doctor wrong.
In addition to the protocol, Dr. Nunez started to see a chiropractor, got massages, started practicing yoga 6-7 days a week, starting seeing a Reiki Master, and cut back on her work hours.
She also really worked on getting in a routine of taking her dogs to this beautiful park near my house in order to immerse herself in nature and see all the beauty in the trees, sky, etc.
Throughout this process she was really cautious about who she shared her situation with. She only shared this journey with certain people who were positive. She did not share it with people who would worry and put their negative energy towards her situation.
After 90 days she had the procedure to remove the precancerous cells. The procedure was performed by her new Doctor that approved of the protocol.
This Friday she was in Miami visiting friends and she received a phone from her Doctor telling her that she would not need to get hysterectomy. The stages of the precancerous cells decreased and the margins of where the cells had spread had decreased as well.
The Doctor also said, "Whatever you did worked!" and to continue with what she was doing.
Nunez relates this story to her clients and their journey. Many Doctors in the beginning will tell parents what their kids won't or can't do instead of focusing on what their kids can do.
It's important to find Doctors that believe in your child and focus on the cans instead of the cant's.
She is also sharing this story because of the power of positivity, power of diet, and letting everyone know to trust their instinct.
For parents... trust your instinct... If your not comfortable with what Doctor's have to say, do your research. Look for alternative methods, diets, acupuncture, etc.
Do no accept no as your answer.
For professionals Dr. Nunez shares her journey to remind professionals the importance of self care.
Professionals need to know their limits, take breaks, etc. It is not being selfish, it is being honest.
It is important to take care of yourself so you can be healthy and available for others.

Mindshift (takeaways)

Read the book, You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay.
Practice trusting your intuition. Begin by asking yourself a yes or no question about simple life decisions. The first answer that comes to you is your intuition talking to you… Trust it!
Recognize negative thoughts that you have. When you have a negative thought reframe it and change it into something positive and say that positive thought out loud.

Annette's Vignettes IV Sep 19, 2018

Show notes

This is the fourth vignette that Dr. Nunez shares. In this vignette Dr. Nunez talks about the beauty of first words and the rewards of teaching children with autism how to communicate. She encourages parents to trust the process and always push for more.

In this episode Dr. Nunez gives many examples of how to teach language to a child with autism. She encourages parents to ALWAYS expect more from their child. If your child is saying sounds get them to say words, if they are saying words get them to talk in sentences, if your child is talking in sentences then get them to converse and engage in reciprocal conversations. It takes a lot of patience and belief. The reward is being able hear your child's beautiful voice.

IN THIS EPISODE:

In this episode Dr. Nunez talks about first words and getting children to talk and communicate.
Nunez and Maylene start each show with a quote and they look up inspirational quotes that fit each episode.
This week was hard to find a quote to fit the episode of a child's first words.
Usually a child with autisms first word is not mama or dada. Some children say the thing they like the most such as Mickey, bubble, car, etc.
However, with our clientele it doesn't matter what their first word is, when a non-verbal child begins to talk your heart swells with love and you can see tears in parent's eyes.
Our client's first words are an extremely rewarding experience.
The number one reason Dr. Nunez is in this profession is hearing a client's first word and knowing that she had a part in making language "click" for a child.
It makes her heart happy and is one of the best feelings in the world. It is a natural high.
Language is very important and when getting a child to communicate the standards must be set high for him/her.
Recently Dr. Nunez and Maylene have been getting several clients to say their first words.
For whatever reason, many children who are non-verbal are resistant to language and will cry when encouraging him/her to communicate.
Continue to push through the cries and resistance until you reach that "aha" moment. Your child will push through it and get there.
Parents should know it takes a lot of patience and BELIEF!
Parents need to trust the process and always push for more.
If your child is saying sounds get them to say words. If they are saying words get them to talk in sentences. If your child is saying sentences get them to converse in reciprocal conversations.
We often take for granted the things that we naturally pick up on like what a fire hydrant is and its function, what a curb on the street is, etc.
Whatever level your child is at with language just TALK. Use simple language and talk about EVERYTHING. Your child is a sponge and is taking in everything.
Children with autism like repetition and eventually they will start repeating the language you model for them.
Work on imitation with your child, especially imitation of sounds.
Imitate the sounds that your child says the most (i.e. baba, gaga, etc.)
Give that sound meaning like baba is for bubbles.
The beauty is hearing your child's voice and knowing that their sounds begin to have some meaning.

MINDSHIFTS (takeaways)

Never stop talking to your child. Immerse them in a world of language. Think of life as a movie script. Kids with autism like to script movies so you become that movie script. Script routines in the morning at mealtime or chores and label everything!
If your child is highly verbal DO NOT talk for your child. You are doing them a disservice. Allow your child to struggle through and process through, allow them to stumble, allow them to problem solve. Give them the time to speak because this will allow for fluency in language as well as allowing them to express their thoughts and feelings.

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