Inchstones with Sarah | Autism Parenting & Neurodiversity Insights

Sarah Kernion | Profound Autism Mom and Advocate for Neurodiversity
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Autism, neurodiversity, and parenting come together on Inchstones, where we illuminate the real lives of profound autism mothers and caregivers.

  1. Where Autism & Disability Inclusion Meets Belonging: The Story of Wolves Basketball Academy with Founder, Jeff Mayerson

    6D AGO

    Where Autism & Disability Inclusion Meets Belonging: The Story of Wolves Basketball Academy with Founder, Jeff Mayerson

    Autism and disability inclusion don’t begin with policy—they begin with people willing to create spaces where families feel welcome. In this episode, Sarah Kernion speaks with Jeff Mayerson, founder of Wolves Basketball Academy, about how an inclusive basketball program became a powerful source of connection for families navigating parenting autism. Jeff shares how his unexpected path into autism advocacy led to building a community where autistic children and children with special needs are valued for who they are—not asked to conform. Through real caregiver stories, shared joy, and intentional inclusion, Wolves Basketball Academy demonstrates how sports can foster empathy, socialization, and belonging for children of all abilities. This conversation highlights the ripple effect of disability inclusion: when autistic children are supported, caregivers feel seen, families connect, and communities grow stronger. It’s a reminder that meaningful change doesn’t require perfection—just the willingness to show up and say, you belong here. You can also find Wolves Basketball on Instagram @wolvesbballacademy  Chapters (00:00:00) - The Inch Jones Podcast: profoundly autistic people(00:01:30) - Coaching for Autism(00:06:45) - Clinic for Special Needs Kids in the NBA(00:13:08) - A Special Needs Girl's Basketball(00:21:27) - The Help for Kids program(00:27:28) - The support of parents with a special needs child(00:29:33) - Jeff Towns on Impact of His Special Needs Kids(00:35:10) - Jeff Greene on Autism Basketball(00:35:48) - Jeff's One Inch Zone Clinic

    38 min
  2. How Autism Moms Become Advocates: Navigating IEPs, Systems & Small Wins

    DEC 11

    How Autism Moms Become Advocates: Navigating IEPs, Systems & Small Wins

    Parenting a child with autism often requires stepping into roles you never expected—advocate, strategist, negotiator, and sometimes the only person in the room who truly understands your child. In this conversation, Sarah Kernion and fellow autism mom Deisare Rogers unpack the emotional labor and the fierce determination behind advocating for autistic children within an education system that often misses their needs. Deisare shares her lived experience navigating the IEP process, managing behavioral challenges, building community, and trusting the sharp instinct that mothers develop when professionals overlook or minimize their child’s struggles. Together, they reveal how knowledge, persistence, and community support empower parents to claim their place at the table—and rewrite what support should actually look like for autistic children. This episode is a validation of every parent who has ever felt dismissed, overwhelmed, or alone. It’s a reminder that advocacy is not optional—it's survival. And every small win counts. You can find Desiree on Instagram @delawaresavealife  Chapters (00:00:00) - Autism Mom on Social Media(00:01:42) - Autistic moms on IEPs(00:07:30) - On the IEP Meeting(00:09:09) - Sarah on Restraint for Sensory Kids(00:12:46) - Kate Swenson on Autism Advocates(00:18:24) - Autism moms on the autism issues in PA vs Delaware(00:22:41) - Autism and the IEP(00:27:04) - The Real World of Parenting(00:29:35) - What is a Win for You?(00:30:28) - Inch Jones PODCAST

    31 min
  3. The Cost of Being Misunderstood: Caregiving in Severe Autism with Autism Mom, Jaime Hrobar

    DEC 9

    The Cost of Being Misunderstood: Caregiving in Severe Autism with Autism Mom, Jaime Hrobar

    There are parts of profound autism parenting that most people will never witness and many would never believe. In this episode, Autism Mom Sarah Kernion and Jamie Hrobar, a mother navigating one of the most extreme and misunderstood forms of autism, speak openly about her 21-year-old son, whose life is shaped by relentless self-injury, aggression, fragile communication, and complete dependence for every daily living skill. Jamie’s story is one of unimaginable intensity: her son hit himself (once counted at 40,000 times a month),  lives with constant neurological distress, and struggles to communicate even the most basic needs. She shares not just the clinical realities, but the emotional ones—what it feels like to love a child whose body is at risk every day, and to parent in a world that does not understand or support families facing profound autism. This episode is not meant to shock; it is meant to validate, humanize, and bear witness. It honors Jamie’s courage and the countless caregivers who live in crisis-level conditions with little acknowledgment or help. For families walking similar paths, this conversation says: You are not imagining how hard this is. You are not alone. For those outside this reality, it offers a rare chance to understand the truth of profound autism—and why meaningful support must begin with seeing these families clearly. This is Jamie’s story. And it is the story of so many others who deserve to be heard. Jaime Hrobar is a writer, autism mom, and advocate who shares hope, humor, and authenticity, through her Facebook page Homebound and Healing—a blog about autism, family, recovery, and spirituality that explores finding peace, joy, and perspective through life’s hardest moments. A mother of two children on the spectrum, including a twenty-one-year-old son with profound non-speaking autism, Jaime draws on over two decades of firsthand experience with IEPs, disability rights, therapies, and complex behavioral challenges. She uses her experience to guide others through education systems, therapeutic supports, and the emotional realities of parenting, making her a trusted advocate and source of encouragement for families navigating similar journeys. You can find all of her work here: https://www.facebook.com/HomeboundandHealing https://www.jaimehrobar.com https://www.instagram.com/jaimehrobar/   Chapters (00:00:00) - One child's extreme self-injury(00:00:53) - Jamie Robar on the Special Needs Mom Community(00:02:02) - Autistic Moms on Motherhood(00:06:35) - Seeking the Autism Experts(00:10:56) - Sarah on the Battle(00:14:35) - Jamie on her Autism Facebook Page(00:19:55) - Hurricane Florence parallels New Jersey family's life(00:21:02) - Jim's autism mom on the current political climate(00:26:34) - Autism mom on the search for a residential placement(00:31:45) - On the Fear of a Caretaker(00:38:04) - A caregiver's message about her husband's illness

    40 min
  4. The Power of Vulnerability: Autism, Motherhood, and Connection with Autism Mom, Jess Caraway

    DEC 4

    The Power of Vulnerability: Autism, Motherhood, and Connection with Autism Mom, Jess Caraway

    Motherhood in the autism community is not about perfection, it’s about connection. Autism Moms Sarah Kernion of INCHSTONES and Jess Carrawa of 'If You Know One', open a deeply honest conversation about the courage it takes to be vulnerable, especially in a world that often misunderstands both parenting autism and autism motherhood. Their exchange moves through discomfort and into understanding, showing how sharing raw experiences builds a bridge between isolation and belonging. Together, they unpack how community, authenticity, and empathy can transform the weight of parenting into something lighter—something shared. At its heart, this conversation is a portrait of modern motherhood in the age of social media: imperfect, interconnected, and beautifully real. Jess Caraway is a mom of two, an ever-evolving advocate for her autistic daughter, a passionate supporter of all forms of communication, gestalt language detective, and founder of the If You Know One Project. She dreams of a world that understands autism, and accepts accessibility, inclusion, and presuming competence as beneficial for everyone. Jess strives to connect with her Instagram community by sharing a glimpse into her family’s journey with an autistic daughter/sister in a way that inspires others to embrace the perspective shift that just because your experiences look different does not mean they are not still good. Instagram: @jess_ifyouknowone Etsy shop: ifyouknowone.etsy.com Sarah is the writer and host of INCHSTONES: The #1 voice of autism mothers & caregivers of children with profound nonspeaking autism. Chapters (00:00:00) - Jess Caraway on Her Autism Project(00:03:30) - "It's Okay to Be Unhappy on Social Media"(00:07:52) - Open Minded: The Importance of Diversity(00:17:00) - The Ripple Effect of Parenting(00:25:23) - Melissa on her son's autism(00:30:48) - Insurance Parlance

    31 min
  5. A Conscious Approach to Autism Parenting & The Myth of "Catching Up" with Kathleen Somers

    DEC 2

    A Conscious Approach to Autism Parenting & The Myth of "Catching Up" with Kathleen Somers

    Autism parenting isn’t a race, it’s a reorientation. Autism Mom Sarah Kernion and fellow Autism Mom and author Kathleen Somers unpack the quiet revolution of slowing down in a world that rewards speed in their autism parenting journeys. Through honest reflection, they question inherited expectations and challenge the myth of “catching up.” Their conversation illuminates what happens when parents stop measuring progress against typical milestones and start witnessing growth on their child’s unique timeline. This dialogue invites autism parents to trade anxiety for awareness, performance for presence, and pressure for patience. It’s about conscious parenting that honors both the child’s nervous system and the parent’s emotional bandwidth. The result is a gentler rhythm—where profound autism, neurodiversity, and deep connection can finally breathe. Kathleen's Book Barely Visible can be purchased here. Kathleen Somers, a debut author, holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Temple University’s Tyler School of Art, and works as a freelance graphic designer. She is a passionate observer of humanity who believes in the power of connection that comes from each of us sharing our individual stories. When Kathleen isn’t busy with her career as a creative, she is out on her bike finding new roads to explore, or spending time with her son, opening his eyes to everything the world has to offer. She lives with her family in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Chapters (00:00:00) - Barely Visible: An Autism Mom's Journey(00:00:59) - On Writing My Autism Memoir(00:05:32) - Looking Back: Learning From Our Elders(00:11:58) - How to Love Your Child's Emotions(00:14:35) - Autistic Parents: Their Differences Are Not the Default(00:21:15) - Autistic Mothers Slow Down Their Child's Development(00:26:13) - My Son's Car Caught on Fire(00:29:50) - Kathleen's Story of Mothering an Autism Child(00:32:53) - A Parent's Love of routine

    34 min
  6. Autism Parent Reset: Reorienting, Healing, and Finding Joy with Writer, Kit Perez

    NOV 25

    Autism Parent Reset: Reorienting, Healing, and Finding Joy with Writer, Kit Perez

    If you’re an autism parent, you already know autism doesn’t come with a tidy instruction manual—it comes with plot twists, hard truths, and surprising joy. In this episode, Autism Mom, Sarah Kernion, and Kit Perez  (writer, intelligence analyst, therapist, behavior analyst!) delve into orientation and the beautifully complicated reality of raising autistic kids and how it completely rewires your sense of “normal.” They unpack what happens when you stop chasing the imaginary perfect family and start orienting yourself to the world you actually live in where meltdowns, breakthroughs, and quiet victories all share the same calendar. With equal parts humor and honesty, Sarah and Kit talk about the friction between old expectations and new realities, and why dismantling outdated beliefs isn’t failure—it’s growth. They explore how healing your own past pain changes the way you show up as a parent, why joy is a deliberate choice (not a lucky accident), and how asking, “What is true today?” can keep you grounded when everything feels like too much. Above all, this conversation reminds you that your situation doesn’t define you, your child is not a project to “fix,” and some of the deepest bonding moments are found in the small, weird, wonderfully simple joys of everyday life. Chapters (00:00:01) - Substack: The Hierarchy of Autism and the Autism Spectrum(00:01:23) - Reorienting the System for Autism(00:08:59) - How Having a Child Will Change Your Life(00:12:14) - The Process of Healing From Trauma(00:19:40) - How to Talk About Your Autistic Child(00:24:28) - What do you think creates the fear of doing the work(00:29:35) - Autism and the Power of Running

    30 min
  7. Autism and Parenting Performance with Avela Health's Dr. Cynthia Anderson on Expectations and Well-Being

    NOV 20

    Autism and Parenting Performance with Avela Health's Dr. Cynthia Anderson on Expectations and Well-Being

    Autism and parenting performance are at the heart of this conversation between Profound Autism Mom Sarah Kernion and Dr. Cynthia Anderson, Chief Clinical Officer at Avela Health. Together, we unpack what performance really looks like in everyday parenting, for us and for our kids. Together, we explore how context, expectations, skills, and capacities interact, and what happens when there’s a mismatch between what’s being asked and what’s truly possible in the moment. Dr. Anderson offers a compassionate, autism-informed lens on behavior and performance, reminding us that people do well when they can. We talk about why it’s not only okay—but often essential—to step back, drop certain expectations, and honor real limits so that both caregivers and autistic children can thrive.   ✨ Find your stride with strength-based autism care. Visit Avela Health to get started and see how personalized, compassionate support can help your child and your family thrive. Chapters (00:00:00) - In the Know: The Inch Zones Podcast(00:01:00) - An autism parent's personal connection(00:06:40) - On the Fear of Autism(00:10:31) - Autism and the Aviela Health Community(00:16:02) - What does my involvement in my child's care look like?(00:22:21) - What do you think the impact of emotional growth and regulation is on(00:29:18) - Autism and the pause(00:29:56) - One mom's battle for early intervention for her child's autism(00:34:04) - The Least Restrictive School for Kids

    35 min
  8. Autism, Consciousness, and The Love Revolution with Dr. Julia Mossbridge

    NOV 18

    Autism, Consciousness, and The Love Revolution with Dr. Julia Mossbridge

    Autism parenting and consciousness intersect in this incredible Inchstones episode!  Cognitive neuroscientist and consciousness researcher Dr. Julia Mossbridge joins us to explore her new book "have a nice disclosure" which invites you on a journey that unites science, spirit, and wonder into one life-changing exploration of who you truly are. Autism Mom Sarah and Dr. Mossbridge share the deeper currents of love, connection, and ethical education especially for non-speaking people. We talk about unconditional love as a practical healing force, how truth-telling shaped her writing process, and why anomalous cognition deserves careful attention rather than dismissal. Julia highlights the ethical responsibilities researchers and educators hold when working with non-speakers, and she shares concrete steps toward curricula that support meaningful communication. We also discuss advocacy often led by mothers, gendered patterns in emotional expression, and the reminder that trauma does not set a ceiling on growth. Throughout, Julia returns to a simple, radical invitation: participate in a love revolution grounded in empathy, relationship, and respect. Dr. Mossbridge's new book "have a nice disclosure" can be purchased here on Amazon! Click here to find all of Dr. Mossbridge's work. Chapters (00:00:01) - Julia Mossbridge on Her Book(00:01:09) - What it's Like to Work With Non-Speakers(00:05:06) - Book Launch: What Are We Ethically Required to Do(00:08:58) - When I Was in the gifted IQ Program(00:14:10) - Autistic Non-Speakers in the Intelligence Community(00:19:34) - Mixed emotions on the issue of mothers(00:23:40) - What Non-Speakers Have to Offer Us(00:26:18) - On Autism and Daughter's Development(00:33:09) - Right hemisphere gifted: A Parent(00:37:18) - How to Win at Life(00:38:33) - The Work I Plan to Do on Telepathy(00:44:58) - Anxiety and the Right Place for Kids(00:50:04) - Unlimited Love

    52 min
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Autism, neurodiversity, and parenting come together on Inchstones, where we illuminate the real lives of profound autism mothers and caregivers.

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