How do you plan for your child’s future when you know you won’t always be there?

Special needs financial planning, ABLE accounts, special needs trusts, and government benefits can feel overwhelming, but getting started can protect your loved one’s future. I talked with Mary McDirmid, CEO of All Needs Planning, certified special needs consultant, co-author of Care, Protect, Grow, and mom to Ruth, her daughter with the rare disease tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC).

We talk about how Ruth’s diagnosis changed Mary’s family and her work as a financial planner, and why families need to think beyond today’s caregiving needs. We also covered protecting Medicaid and Social Security benefits, using ABLE accounts and special needs trusts, preparing for adult housing and care, and recognizing everything parents do as caregivers.

Her message is a reassuring one: you don’t have to figure out the entire future today. You just have to take the next step.

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What happens when an autism diagnosis finally explains years of behaviors, challenges, and differences?

Trauma therapist and mom Danniel Worthen Cullumber shares her family’s experience with late autism diagnosis, neurodivergence, masking, and parenting. Drawing from more than 15 years as a clinician and her own experience raising neurodivergent children, Danniel brings both a professional and personal perspective to understanding brains that work differently.

Danniel opens up about her daughter’s autism diagnosis at age 21, the coping skills that helped her navigate life before a diagnosis, and the surprising way that diagnosis sparked realizations across three generations of their family. She also shares practical lessons about emotional regulation, caregiver self-care, communication, boundaries, and celebrating every milestone. This conversation is a reminder to honor your child’s path, recognize their progress, and make room for a future that may look different than you expected.

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What does life really look like when you’re raising a child with severe autism and lifelong support needs?

Author and full-time caregiver Tracy Envernizzi shares her family’s journey with profound autism, caregiver burnout, respite care, and planning for the future. After more than 15 years of caring for her daughter, Tracy knows the challenges, fears, breakthroughs, and deep love that can come with autism parenting.

Tracy also shares the turning point that changed everything: moving from what she calls “camp cure” to acceptance. She opens up about finding support before burnout took over, rediscovering herself through writing, and creating her book, Walking Through Autism Inspirations. If you’re an autism parent, a professional who supports families, or someone who wants to better understand severe autism and complex support needs, this episode offers a powerful glimpse into this everyday reality.

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How can storytelling help families feel less alone?

In this episode, Cari Noga shares her family’s autism journey, from her son Owen’s diagnosis to navigating special education, caregiving, respite care, and advocacy while finding purpose through storytelling. She explains how parenting a child with autism changed the way she sees the world and inspired her to write.

Cari opens up about raising a young adult with autism, the importance of respite and community support, and her family’s current journey as Owen receives treatment for catatonia. She also shares how her novel, Sparrow Migrations, grew into the short film Pacific Pilgrimage, helping others better understand the autism experience through storytelling. This heartfelt conversation reminds families that even when the road is uncertain, hope, creativity, and perseverance can lead to unexpected opportunities.

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