Living the Brooklyn way

17/08/2025

🚨 NEW EPISODE ALERT 🚨

🎙️ *Living the Brooklyn Way* is BACK!

This episode is raw, real, and straight from the heart. I’m opening up about Brooklyn’s self-injurious behaviors, my journey through heartbreak and depression, and the surprising good news that changed everything.

✨ If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, unseen, or like life just keeps throwing plot twists—this one’s for you.

📲 Listen now on your favorite podcast app!

🔗 Or listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2399119/episodes/17681560-episode-6-life-has-been-life-ing

Let me know your thoughts, share with a friend who might need it, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next 💜

16/08/2025

Podcast/Back to School wishlist 🫶🏼

16/08/2025

"Professionals and caregivers might overlook giving a diagnosis of OCD when Autistic features are prominent and an autism label is long-standing. Conversely, they may mistakenly attribute behavioral indicators of autism to an existing diagnosis of OCD. The reality of misdiagnosis, as well as underdiagnosis of each condition often results in delayed access to appropriate care." Read more. (IG: link in bio) https://aane.org/autism-info-faqs/library/understanding-the-intersection-of-autism-and-ocd/

16/08/2025

Where have I been? Hospital visits. Heartbreak. Depression. Financial stress. And then—two incredible opportunities that reminded me I’m still moving forward.
This episode is my life update—raw, messy, and honest. Because sometimes life doesn’t just throw curveballs… it pitches the whole machine at you.

🎧 New episode of Living the Brooklyn Way is coming out shortly!

12/08/2025

Do you have a child with a disability that might mean you’d need to call the police one day?
For example, if your child elopes, wanders, or might need urgent help in a public space?
I just learned that our local police department has a program called "Just In Case" — you fill out a form and provide a photo, so if your child ever needs help, law enforcement already has their information on file.

It’s a huge peace of mind and could save precious time in an emergency.

Check with your city (and nearby towns) to see if they offer something similar!

Shout out to Manchester Police (NH) for making this an easy process, and for giving this mom a little peace of mind! 🫶🏼

09/08/2025

I don’t even know where to start. My heart is breaking watching my 5-year-old daughter—nonverbal and autistic—start hurting herself excessively and dangerously out of nowhere. She’s banging her head to the point of blood & injury, biting herself, slamming her feet and hands into anything she can find. She’s also manic and whining all day.

I’ve been to urgent care, her primary care doctor, and even the ER… and no one can tell me why this is happening. No answers. No solutions. Just more questions. They’ve done minimal testing (urine and a viral super test, all which came back negative).

As a single mom, I’m exhausted. I’m trying to be everything for both my kids, work full-time, and somehow hold it all together without any physical support. Right now, I’m running on fumes. I’m literally chasing her around all day trying to block the behaviors. I cannot get errands done. I cannot do simple things like even pay bills online or cook dinner. I’m typing this holding the back of her pajamas.

I’m just a mom who’s tired, scared, angry, and heartbroken. And if one more person tells me I’m strong and I will get through this, I will just scream!

Please, just keep us in your thoughts. 💔

And please don’t recommend things if you haven’t been through this. We’ve tried a lot and I don’t need judgment or random recommendations right now. 🫶🏼

29/07/2025

Hi all! It’s been a while since I’ve shared a new podcast episode or updated everyone on life. A new episode is in the works, I promise!

Life got in the way for a bit, but I’m working on owning moments and letting go of the moments that don’t benefit me or my kids.

So some quick life updates:
💜 My journal is published and is out there to be shared and purchased! Can’t wait to get feedback on it!

💜 We are volunteering at a local barbershop (Manchester , NH) in August for their back to school free haircut event! Stop by to say hi, visit the other vendors and even get a haircut! I will have fun things at my table, including a raffle!

💜 Brooklyn has had some struggling behaviors, including rage, self-injurious behaviors, etc. we are waiting on a referral for a neuropsych and working with our amazing ABA team to get us through this. My patience have been thin, my emotions have been high and my body feels like I’ve been through an actual war BUT I’m still alive and my kids are overall healthy and happy so trying to stay focused on our blessings.

💜 I got accepted into the LEND program at UMass Medical and I’m so proud of myself for it! It was a competitive process but this program will be amazing for both my personal and professional life! It will be a lot of work but I’m ready (and my sanity is already gone so what does it matter?!? 🫠😂)

💜 I have stopped focusing on not having a village because at the end of the day I am my kids number 1 supporter and advocate and that won’t change regardless of the size of our village. I’m learning to lean on the supports I do have and work with what I’ve been given. We’ve got this!

Happy Monday everyone! 💜 Remember: “Spread love, it’s the Brooklyn way!”

28/07/2025

Guess who is going back to school?! 🥳🫣 UMass Medical, here I come! It was a tough rollercoaster ride to get here, but I secured one of the 10 slots for 2025-2026 and this WILL be the year for me and my kids to make moves! 🫶🏼 Soaking up all of the knowledge I can for the neurodivergent community, so I can give back even more!

23/07/2025

https://www.amazon.com/Living-Your-Way-caregivers-overwhelming/dp/B0FFGGDKFC

Purchase a journal for yourself or a loved one! 🫶🏼

15/07/2025

Excited for this event! 💕🙌🏻

We are excited to announce Living the Brooklyn way will be attending our event!!!

14/07/2025

🌿 Now Available: The Living Your Way! Journal 🌿

A guided journal created just for caregivers of children with autism.
Because your journey is unique.
Because your love, strength, and resilience deserve space.
Because your well-being matters, too.

🖊️ Inside you’ll find:
💕 Gentle reflection prompts for emotional check-ins
💕 Daily space to release stress + celebrate small wins
💕 Tools to help you prioritize your mental health
💕 Encouraging reminders: You are not alone

This journal was designed to support YOU — the caregivers, the advocates, the tireless champions showing up every day.

📘 Start journaling today: https://www.amazon.com/Living-Your-Way-caregivers-overwhelming/dp/B0FFGGDKFC

📸 Share your moments with us using

Your story matters. Your care matters. You matter.
Let this be your space to breathe. 💙

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

03/07/2025

😔

While our state budget has been approved and fully funds the waitlist, ongoing DD services, and Room and Board, we are also closely watching the federal budget. With proposed cuts to Medicaid currently standing at $1 trillion nationally, Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) funds - including funding for all Developmental Disability, Acquired Brain Injury, In-Home Support, and Choices for Independence waiver services in NH - will be impacted. Learn more about the estimated Medicaid spending reductions in the Federal Senate Reconciliation bill, approved yesterday, at https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/allocating-cbos-estimates-of-federal-medicaid-spending-reductions-across-the-states-senate-reconciliation-bill/