Ep. 130 - On the Road to Acceptance with Kelley

In this episode, Rashidah sits down with Kelley Jensen, a mother of two from San Jose, California, whose son Beau, now 26, was diagnosed with severe autism at the age of three.Kelley opens up about the overwhelming emotions she experienced after the diagnosis and how moving through the stages of grief helped shape her journey. One of the philosophies that has guided her — and many other moms — is what she calls “Speed to Acceptance.”Today, Kelley serves as the Marketing Director at Brain Performance Technologies, where she advocates for individuals facing challenges such as depression, anxiety, OCD, autism, and traumatic brain injury.Kelley is also the co-host of the podcast Refrigerator Moms alongside her longtime friend Julianna. Together, they provide research, resources, and honest conversations about parenting and neurodivergence.In this episode, Kelley shares her family’s journey of acceptance, advocacy, resilience, and community.In this episode, we discuss:00:00 The Journey Begins: Understanding Autism Diagnosis03:00 Navigating the Stages of Grief06:06 Finding Community and Support08:47 The Role of Acceptance in Parenting12:07 Independence and Growth in Adulthood14:58 The Ongoing Process of Acceptance17:56 Tools for Coping and Moving Forward20:48 Empowerment Through Advocacy and Community28:22 Personal Growth Through Parenting Challenges32:36 Finding Purpose and Community34:44 Navigating Acceptance and Grief40:54 Advice for New Moms Facing Diagnosis44:50 The Power of Acceptance47:21 Future Conversations and CollaborationsConnect with KelleyMarketing Director – Brain Performance Technologies ~ Podcast Co-Host – Refrigerator Moms Podcast• Website – https://www.refrigeratormoms.com• Instagram – www.instagram.com/refrigeratormoms• Facebook – Refrigerator Moms• Tik Tok - refrigeratormoms Be sure to catch a listen:Refrigerator Moms Podcast: https://refrigeratormoms.transistor.fm/If this episode resonated with you:• Follow the Autism for Badass Moms Podcast on your favorite podcast platform• Leave a review to help other autism moms find this communityInstagram: www.instagram.com/theabmpodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/theabmpodcastYouTube: autismforbadassmoms