What is it like to work with a Genetic Counselor?

Laynie Dratch of Penn Medicine comes onto the podcast to answer all of our burning questions about working with a genetic counselor. We loved chatting with her so much that we may need to follow up with a part 2! Let us know what other questions you have for Laynie on our episode art on instagram @remembermepodcast. A list of resources mentioned in this episode are all linked here on our blog. Laynie Dratch, ScM, CGC is a genetic counselor in adult neurology at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA, specializing in Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD) spectrum disorders.  She helps families with adult-onset conditions such as FTD, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), and others, navigate genetic testing options and cope with their diagnoses through research and clinical encounters. Her research interests include the lived experiences of individuals with or at risk of developing FTD, issues in predictive genetic testing, and genetic counseling access and service delivery. She is a co-founder of the annual Penn Familial FTD/ALS Conference, as well as the co-founder and chair of the ALS/FTD Working Group within the National Society of Genetic Counselors. Laynie graduated summa cum laude from Colgate University with a BA in neuroscience and a minor in psychology. She completed her master’s in genetic counseling at the Johns Hopkins University and the National Institutes of Health. --- Thank you to our sponsor of this episode and Season 7, ⁠⁠LearnFTD⁠⁠. LearnFTD is working to raise awareness of gene mutations in FTD and the importance of genetic testing. Visit ⁠⁠LearnFTD.com⁠⁠ for information and resources on FTD, genetics, and a video providing an overview of genetic testing and counseling. You can also follow LearnFTD on ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ @LearnFTD. --- ⁠⁠Remember Me⁠⁠ is a podcast created by two moms who became fast friends on Instagram while caregiving for their parents. It features stories of Frontotemporal Dementia - FTD - with a focus on remembering individuals for who they were before the disease. The stories shared are raw, real, and so full of love. We hope it inspires you to "accept the good." "Always, always, accept the good." ____ The Remember Me Podcast + Community provides resources, connection and understanding for families, caregivers and people affected by Frontotemporal Dementia. For all things RM, join us over on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠PATREON⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, visit our website www.remembermeftd.com or follow us on Instagram!