Let’s Plant Houses

Wendy Ernzen
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Parenting
  • Updated Daily

Let’s Plant Houses shares heartfelt stories from families living with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy and other intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Host Wendy Ernzen brings families together for warm conversations about daily challenges, parenting, inclusive living and special needs parenting. The families who join the show are powerful advocates who build smart and practical solutions for employment, housing, services and long term support for their loved ones with IDD. Their ideas often ripple through the disability community and support many other families along the way. Join us every other week as we celebrate a new family story. Learn more about the show at www.letsplanthouses.com or email Wendy at letsplanthouses@gmail.com.

  1. 5d ago

    LPH66: Jessica Patay on Hope for Caregiving Moms

    What if the strongest caregiver is the one who asks for support? In this episode, Jessica Patay shares her family’s journey with Prader-Willi syndrome, caregiving, disability parenting, and caregiver support. She opens up about raising her son Ryan, building food security into everyday life, and creating hope for families through the nonprofit We Are Brave Together. Jessica explains the unique challenges of Prader-Willi syndrome, from constant food insecurity and anxiety to planning for adulthood and independent living. She also shares how her own caregiving journey inspired her to found We Are Brave Together, a nonprofit that connects moms through support groups, retreats, books, and community. Whether you’re raising a child with a disability, supporting a caregiver, or looking for encouragement on your own journey, this heartfelt conversation reminds us that no family should have to walk this road alone. Learn more about Jessica Patay and the We Are Brave Together Community: https://www.wearebravetogether.org/ Find more information about LPH host, Wendy Ernzen https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendyernzen. Real stories. Real insights. Real life. Join the LPH newsletter: https://www.letsplanthouses.com/newsletter/ Follow LPH on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/letsplanthouses/ Follow LPH on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/letsplanthouses/ Feel free to contact Wendy Ernzen via email: letsplanthouses.com. Thank you f

  2. Aug 10

    LPH65: Dr. Eric Weiss on Brain Inflammation, Stem Cells, and Autism

    Could autism be more than a behavioral condition? This is what Dr. Eric Weiss is challenging with this work. Dr. Weiss spent decades as a surgeon and is the father to a son diagnosed with autism at age two. After years of trying every therapy he could find, a 2019 Duke University study on umbilical cord blood and stem cells changed everything for him. Today, his son lives independently, drives a car, and holds a job. Dr. Weiss left surgery behind to treat autistic children full time, and he shares what he believes families should know about brain inflammation, gut health and the emerging research shaping his work. His story is a powerful reminder that caregiving sparks ingenuity, and that parents are often the first to push medicine into new territory. If you are raising a child with autism, supporting a family who is, or simply want to understand the science shaping the future of care, this episode will give you a lot to think about. More about the show… Learn more about Dr. Weiss’ work and research: https://northfloridastemcells.com/ Find more information about LPH host, Wendy Ernzen https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendyernzen. Real stories. Real insights. Real life. Join the LPH newsletter: https://www.letsplanthouses.com/newsletter/ Follow LPH on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/letsplanthouses/ Follow LPH on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/letsplanthouses/ Feel free to contact Wendy Ernzen via email: letsplanthouses.com. Thank you for leaving a review and rating for LPH today!

  3. Aug 3

    LPH64: Linda Galarreta on Becoming the Resource She Never Had

    What happens when a mom of two autistic sons becomes the resource she never had? Linda Galarreta is raising three boys, two of whom are on the autism spectrum, and she has learned to navigate a system that rarely hands parents a map. From her son’s early speech regression and diagnosis at age two, to the meltdowns that came later, Linda has lived the daily reality of autism parenting. She talks honestly about the support that was missing when her son was first diagnosed, and how other parents became her greatest source of information, advocacy, and hope. Today, Linda is a Student Integration and Community Engagement Strategist at Inroads to Opportunities and serves as President of the Special Education Parent Advocacy Group of the Roselle Board of Education. Linda has become the very resource she once needed, and her story shows what is possible when lived experience is turned into leadership for other families finding their way.   More about the show… Learn more about Inroads to Opportunities: https://www.inroadsto.org/ Find more information about LPH host, Wendy Ernzen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendyernzen. Real stories. Real insights. Real life. Join the LPH newsletter: https://www.letsplanthouses.com/newsletter/ Follow LPH on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/letsplanthouses/ Follow LPH on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/letsplanthouses/ Feel free to contact Wendy Ernzen via email: letsplanthouses.com. Thank you for leaving a review and rating for LPH today!

  4. Jul 27

    LPH63: Nancy Burrows on Music, Autism, and Connection

    What if the path to connecting with your child runs through a song instead of a script? Nancy Burrows joins Let’s Plant Houses to share her family’s journey raising her son James, who received an autism diagnosis at two and a half. A former Nickelodeon writer and producer, Nancy discovered that music and early intervention were the keys that unlocked engagement, learning, and joy in their home. She talks openly about advocacy, wait lists, the well-meaning advice that did not sit right, and the slow shift from chasing “normal” to celebrating who James actually is. This conversation moves through grief, ingenuity, and the quiet victories that come from leading with a child’s strengths. Nancy also shares what life looks like now that James is a young adult living independently, and offers honest advice for parents and caregivers just starting this path. More about the show… Real stories. Real insights. Real life. Join the LPH newsletter: https://www.letsplanthouses.com/newsletter/ Follow LPH on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/letsplanthouses/ Follow LPH on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/letsplanthouses/ Feel free to contact Wendy Ernzen via email: letsplanthouses.com. Thank you for leaving a review and rating for the show today!

  5. Jul 20

    LPH62: Jennifer VanSkiver on Helping Her Daughter Shine

    What happens when a child finds a community that truly believes in them? In this episode of Let’s Plant Houses, Jennifer VanSkiver shares her family’s journey raising her daughter CJ, who has an intellectual disability. Jen talks about early therapy appointments, navigating school systems, building friendships, and learning to trust her instincts as a mom. She also shares how programs like Special Olympics opened doors to confidence, connection, work, and independence. From a packed gym cheering for CJ during her first basketball game to seeing her thrive in a career she loves, this episode is about trusting the journey, building support that truly works, and never underestimating what is possible. More about the show… Learn more about the Special Olympics: https://www.specialolympics.org/ Find more information about LPH host, Wendy Ernzen https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendyernzen. Real stories. Real insights. Real life. Join the LPH newsletter: https://www.letsplanthouses.com/newsletter/ Follow LPH on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/letsplanthouses/ Follow LPH on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/letsplanthouses/ Feel free to contact Wendy Ernzen via email: letsplanthouses.com. Thank you for leaving a review and rating for LPH today!

  6. Jul 13

    LPH61: Liz Fiordalisi on Unlocking Her Son’s Hidden Voice

    What if your child understood far more than the world ever realized? Autism, non-speaking communication, spelling to communicate, apraxia, and caregiving are all part of this powerful conversation with Liz Fiordalisi. Liz shares the story of raising triplets, navigating a high-risk pregnancy, and watching her son Christopher slowly lose spoken language after meeting early developmental milestones. For years, their family searched for ways to better understand him while balancing therapies, school supports, and everyday life. Everything changed when Christopher began using Spelling to Communicate recently. Through letter boards, he started sharing thoughts, memories, humor, and insight that had been hidden beneath the challenges of autism and apraxia. Liz’s story is a powerful reminder to never give up, to always presume competence, and that every person deserves the chance to be understood. More about the show… Real stories. Real insights. Real life. Join the LPH newsletter: https://www.letsplanthouses.com/newsletter/ Follow LPH on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/letsplanthouses/ Follow LPH on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/letsplanthouses/ Feel free to contact Wendy Ernzen via email: letsplanthouses.com. Thank you for leaving a review and rating for the show today!

  7. Jul 7

    LPH60: Bill Cushing Never Accepted “No” for Gabriel

    What does it take to raise a child with multiple rare genetic conditions while fighting systems that constantly underestimate what your child needs? In this episode of Let’s Plant Houses, Bill Cushing shares his family’s journey raising his son Gabriel, who was born with rare genetic disorders, developmental disabilities, strokes before birth, and physical challenges that required years of therapy and support. This conversation explores disability parenting, caregiving, medical advocacy, accessibility, and life after aging out of the school system. Bill opens up about adapting their home, navigating insurance battles, planning for Gabriel’s future, and learning how to push back when systems say no. But this story is also about joy, resilience, and seeing the whole person beyond a diagnosis. Bill shares Gabriel’s love of music, art museums, the symphony, and volunteering in the community. It’s a powerful reminder that caregiving requires creativity, persistence, and a willingness to keep showing up, even when the path forward is uncertain. More about the show… Find Bill Cushing’s book of poems, A Former Life: https://finishinglinepress.com/product/a-former-life-by-bill-cushing/ Find more information about LPH host, Wendy Ernzen https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendyernzen. Real stories. Real insights. Real life. Join the LPH newsletter: https://www.letsplanthouses.com/newsletter/ Follow LPH on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/letsplanthouses/ Follow LPH on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/letsplanthouses/ Feel free to contact Wendy Ernzen via email: letsplanthouses.com. Thank you for leaving a review and rating for the show today!

  8. Jun 29

    LPH59: Rachel Gonyea Learned Caregiving as a Sister

    What happens when a sibling grows up in a home filled with foster children, routines, and nonstop caregiving, and then realizes those experiences shaped who they were meant to become? In this episode of Let’s Plant Houses, Rachel Gonyea shares what it was like growing up with a brother with autism while her family welcomed nearly 200 foster children into their home over the years. This conversation explores autism, foster care, caregiving, developmental disabilities, inclusion, sibling experiences, and the real-life challenges families navigate every day. Rachel opens up about routines, bullying, emotional overload, and the invisible work that happens inside families trying to meet many different needs at once. But this story is also full of hope. Rachel reflects on how caregiving shaped her compassion, patience, and sense of purpose. She shares why lived experience matters, why children need support that truly works, and how her family’s journey inspired her to help foster children and people with disabilities in the future.   More about the show… Real stories. Real insights. Real life. Join the LPH newsletter: https://www.letsplanthouses.com/newsletter/ Follow LPH on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/letsplanthouses/ Follow LPH on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/letsplanthouses/ Feel free to contact Wendy Ernzen via email: letsplanthouses.com. Thank you for leaving a review and rating for the show today!

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Let’s Plant Houses shares heartfelt stories from families living with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy and other intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Host Wendy Ernzen brings families together for warm conversations about daily challenges, parenting, inclusive living and special needs parenting. The families who join the show are powerful advocates who build smart and practical solutions for employment, housing, services and long term support for their loved ones with IDD. Their ideas often ripple through the disability community and support many other families along the way. Join us every other week as we celebrate a new family story. Learn more about the show at www.letsplanthouses.com or email Wendy at letsplanthouses@gmail.com.

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