E8: Unmasking Back-to-School with Kathy Riojas, MS, LPC: Honesty, Advocacy, and Support for Parents of Neurodivergent Children

Summary In this episode, Cindy Payne sits down with her friend Kathy Riojas, a parent of both neurodivergent and neurotypical children. Kathy shares her experience as a mom and a licensed professional counselor, discussing the joys and challenges of parenting in the autism community. She talks about her background in public education and her transition to becoming a school counselor and later an LPC. Kathy also opens up about her complicated relationship with autism and the importance of being honest about the challenges and emotions that come with it. In this conversation, Kathy Riojas, a licensed professional counselor and mother of a neurodivergent child, discusses the challenges and joys of parenting a child with special needs. She emphasizes the importance of finding a community of support and being vulnerable about the difficulties of parenting. Kathy also shares her principles for staying motivated and caring for oneself as a parent. She highlights the benefits of It's a Sensory World, a specialized private school and nonprofit organization that provides sensory-based education and support for neurodivergent children. Kathy encourages parents to trust themselves and seek out resources and information to navigate the educational system and plan for their child's future.