Sometimes the best-laid plans… fall flat. And when you’re raising a neurodivergent young adult, those pivots can feel like earthquakes.

In this episode, Gwen and Kristen get honest about something big: Rylan is back home from college and the beautiful, carefully supported experience that seemed guaranteed… wasn’t.

This isn’t a story of failure. It’s a story of real parenting: the kind that requires grit, grief, and the courage to start again.

If you’ve ever tasted disappointment after believing things were finally turning a corner… this episode is for you.

In this episode, you’ll learn…

[00:04:00] The shift from excitement to concern at Beacon College
[00:05:00] Red flags around how staff responded to Rylan’s Tourette syndrome
[00:08:00] When supports promised didn’t match supports delivered
[00:10:00] The reality of still needing to be the executive functioning engine
[00:13:00] Why bringing Rylan home became the right decision
[00:17:00] The intense grief spiral that happened afterward
[00:22:00] The brain dump whiteboard + learning to not fix everything at once
[00:25:00] Rylan’s self-initiated job applications
[00:27:00] Recognizing that the real pivot is the parents

Get full show notes and the episode transcript: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/post/ep-31

If you can’t get enough of us, and want stay up to date with our other projects and ways you can connect, join our newsletter: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/

TW: This episode discusses suicide. Please listen with care.

It's suicide prevention month and we know that our population of neurodiverse youth and adults are impacted greatly by suicide, by suicidal ideation, and mental health issues because of bullying and other social challenges. It’s a vital topic, and one that’s hard to discuss, but we really have to do it because it’s so important.

In today’s episode, we have our very first guest. We’re so excited to talk to Anne Moss Rogers, a suicide prevention trainer, author, and advocate. Anne Moss tells the story of losing her son to suicide and why she’s become to passionate about suicide prevention and bringing awareness to parents and schools. We also discuss why parents are afraid to ask their kids about suicidal thoughts, how social challenges can lead to suicidality for neurodiverse kids, and the importance of having a safety plan in place.

In this episode, you’ll learn…

[01:44] An introduction to our very first guest on the podcast, Anne Moss Rogers, and how she became so passionate about suicide prevention

[21:31] Why parents are afraid to ask their kids about suicidal ideation

[30:01] How the research shows that social challenges can lead to suicidality for neurodiverse children, and why we need to be able to talk about it

[39:19] The importance of having a safety plan for instances of suicidal thoughts

[45:02] How parents of neurodiverse children who experience suicidal ideation can take care of themselves

[52:34] The Last Word

Get full show notes and the episode transcript: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/post/12-suicide-prevention-for-the-neurodiverse-population-with-anne-moss-rogers

If you can’t get enough of us, and want stay up to date with our other projects and ways you can connect, join our newsletter: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/

We didn’t mean to disappear for seven months… okay, maybe we did. But we’re back! Turns out, living through existential dread and trying to raise neurodivergent kids is a full-time gig (with no PTO). But we’ve surfaced—with stories, updates, and an entire dragon-themed Zoom backdrop Gwen can’t figure out how to remove.

In this catch-up episode, Gwen and Kristen are dishing out all the highs, lows, awkward award nights, top hat choices, and job transitions their neurodivergent kids have been navigating. From AmeriCorps fallout and grocery store burnout to college acceptances and Target cashier wins—we’re celebrating the inchstones (and laughing so we don’t cry).

In this episode, you’ll learn…

• [00:01:00] The fire-breathing Zoom background Gwen can’t figure out
• [00:04:00] Why we really took a break (hint: life was A LOT)
• [00:05:00] Kristen’s son Hayden goes from wildland fires to CSU
• [00:09:00] Jamison gets straight A’s—and learns asking for help is strength
• [00:11:00] Autism Elevated, Target jobs, and inchstones with Graham
• [00:15:00] Gwen’s daughter is officially becoming a Vogelzang!
• [00:18:00] Why guests are banned from Gwen’s house (for now)
• [00:19:00] Graduation night disasters, missed awards, and screaming moms
• [00:23:00] The next chapter: Beacon College + working at a lettuce farm

Get full show notes and the episode transcript: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/post/ep-29

If you can’t get enough of us, and want stay up to date with our other projects and ways you can connect, join our newsletter: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/