Lessons about Parenting a Neurodiverse Child Ft. Jamiel Owens w/Anita Nowak - Purposeful Empathy

Autism is widespread; but widely misunderstood. In this special series devoted to widening our circle of empathy for people who often feel marginalized or misunderstood, watch this inspiring episode featuring Jamiel Owens, an autism advocate and founder of the Autism Father’s Conference.With courage and vulnerability, Jamiel shares his personal journey: from growing up with family instability and a physical disability, to abandoning his family after his son was diagnosed with autism, and ultimately finding purpose and service through fatherhood. Through stories from his own life, he challenges myths about autism and neurodiversity, and reshapes how we think about masculinity and love.Together, we discuss:Common misconceptions about autismWhat parents experience after an autism diagnosis and why many struggle in silenceWhat neurodiverse children can teach us about love, authenticity, and connectionNavigating school systems and advocacy with grace and accountabilityThis conversation explores the unexpected gifts that come with raising a neurodivergent child.00:00 Preview00:49 Introduction 02:43 About Jamiel Owens05:33 Jamiel’s backstory10:47 Story behind Jamiel’s commitment to service16:23 Misconceptions about Autism19:13 Early signs of Autism23:05 The emotional impact of an Autism diagnosis26:13 Recognizing and breaking the cycle of absent fatherhood29:57 How unhealed trauma destroys families34:17 What can we learn from neurodiverse children?39:10 How to help your Autistic child flourish at school43:14 How families can best support their Autistic child46:46 Jamiel Owens’s Purposeful Empathy storyCONNECT WITH ANITA✩ Email [email protected] ✩ Website https://www.anitanowak.com✩ Buy a copy of Purposeful Empathy http://tiny.cc/PurposefulEmpathyCA✩ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/anitanowak/✩ Instagram https://tinyurl.com/anitanowakinstagram✩ Podcast Audio https://tinyurl.com/PurposefulEmpathyPodcast✩ Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/anitanowak.bsky.socialCONNECT WITH JAMIEL✩ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamiel-owens-75a985213/✩ Podcast www.ausomenessinc.com✩ The Autism Fathers’ Conference https://tinyurl.com/35rac86j✩ Book "Life is a puzzle; God gave you a cheat sheet": A 15 day devotional for "Ausome" fathers Video edited by Jad Misri, Green Horizon Studio