Ep. 147 - Dream Rewritten with Wendy

Rashidah sits down with Wendy Ernzen — mom, podcaster, and fierce advocate for families raising loved ones with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Wendy's daughter Nicola (Nic), 23, has profound autism and bipolar disorder. Wendy shares her decades-long journey through early diagnosis confusion, relentless school battles, a family crisis that spilled into the community, and ultimately finding Nic a safe, supported, and joyful home. This episode is raw, honest, and deeply moving — a must-listen for any parent in the thick of it. In this episode, we discuss:0:00 — Intro & Welcome 3:34 — Wendy Joins the Conversation 7:06 — Early Signs & The Road to Diagnosis 11:50 — School Battles & IEPs15:48 — Watching Peers Move On 19:50 — Bipolar Disorder Enters the Picture21:58 — First Crisis at 12: Psychiatric Units 26:40 — Planning for the Future 31:16 — Crisis Before Graduation 34:30 — Behaviors Spill into the Community37:00 — Crisis-Trained Officers 39:54 — Securing Housing: A Two-Month Fight 42:19 — Finding Strength44:59 — PTSD & Therapy47:22 — The Birth of Let's Plant Houses Podcast 50:36 — Advice for the Mom Who Feels Completely Alone 55:46 — What Makes Wendy Badass? 58:11 — How to Connect with Wendy Connect with Wendy: Let's Plant Houses Podcast — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lets-plant-houses/id1724641933https://open.spotify.com/show/2J8JhQUrkKrXaYxs8JF4Zh?si=0dac5a63b4174d46 Website: www.letsplanthouses.comInstagram: www.instagram.com/letsplanthousesLinkedIn: Wendy Ernzen 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 or misunderstood Follow Us: Instagram: www.instagram.com/theabmpodcastFacebook: www.facebook.com/theabmpodcast