The idea for my “Break & Breathe” events came to me after years of talking to numerous parents like myself about the stress, worry, frustrations, and isolation often felt by parents of special needs or neurodiverse children.
I discovered the importance of self-care and taking time to catch a breath when I was suddenly diagnosed with colon cancer at the age of 49. Only then did I realize that running on the constant hamster wheel of worrying about and caring for my autistic child for the past two decades had taken an extremely negative toll on my life.
As parents, we often put our own needs for balance, health, and happiness last because we are so busy focusing on doing the best we can for our children, especially children who need the extra help and nurturing.
