Ep. 146 - Built Stronger by Autism with Christina

In this powerful episode, host Rashidah sits down withChristina Bell, a mom, special education graduate student, and fierce advocate for her 5-year-old son Joshie, who was diagnosed with autism at 3.5 years old.From the moment Christina suspected something was different, she didn't hesitate — she Googled, she asked questions, and when the diagnosis came, she met it with clarity and courage instead of fear.Christina takes us through her family's journey from thatfirst pediatrician conversation to starting ABA therapy, enrolling Joshie in preschool with full services, and watching him flourish within months. She opens up about the emotional layers of the process: the isolation of not having a local community, the learning curve of understanding sensory needs, and the mindset work required to stay grounded when the road gets hard. Connect with Christina:Instagram: www.instagram.com/christeenaeveFacebook: Christina Araujo In this episode, we discuss:Timestamps:0:00 — Show intro0:39 — "Build Stronger by Autism"3:55 — Meet Christina Bell4:26 — Noticing the signs & path to diagnosis8:53 — Early intervention11:14 — Shifting the stigma 13:01 — Finding community 14:49 — How Joshie changed Christina as a person16:30 — A career pivot into special education20:27 — Staying positive on hard days22:14 — Celebrating milestones & holding onto progress26:27 — Vision for a local autism moms’ group29:49 — Manifesting & retraining the brain35:25 — Advice for the mom who just got the diagnosis37:07 — Peaceful mind, peaceful heart, peaceful soul40:33 — Learning through your child's lens44:08 — What makes Christina a badass?45:19 — Where to find Christina If this episode resonated with you:-Follow the Autism for Badass Moms Podcast-Leave a review to help other autism moms find thiscommunity-Share this episode with a parent who may feel unseen ormisunderstood Instagram: www.instagram.com/theabmpodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/theabmpodcast Join us every Tuesday for more inspiring stories andinsightful discussions that empower and uplift.