The Brain Coach Mary Turos

Breani Bridges is an employment consultant who helps adults with disabilities prepare for and navigate work and life. Breani provides supportive services for all ages; young adults transitioning from school to adults moving into retirement.

Breani began her career as a peer educator in the Maryland public school systems where she gained experience working with students with disabilities and autism. She is an impassioned expert who helps young adults transition to life outside of school and navigate the reduced resources young adults face after leaving school.

In this episode, Mary and Breani discuss the importance of meeting kids where they are, using positive experiences to encourage growth, and how "safe risks" promote growth and increase capacity to adapt and address their disability.

Breani shares practical advice for where families and individuals can find resources, as well as her plans to build a Maryland-based community center for adults with disabilities.

To contact Breani, email her at: Bbridges@transcen.org

On today's episode of the podcast, Brain Coach Mary Turos speaks with Denise, a mom raising a daughter with Down syndrome. Denise discusses her experiences, from receiving her daughter's initial diagnosis to navigating years of medical programs and everything in between. Mary and Denise talk about myths commonly associated with Down syndrome, how having a disability impacts families, and Denise's personal experience of being a young mother of a child with Down syndrome. 

Denise offers advice for families facing Down syndrome diagnosis, and how social media can provide a supportive network. 



Some topics discussed in the episode: 

Welcome To Holland Poem

https://www.emilyperlkingsley.com/welcome-to-holland

Down Syndrome Creed: 

https://www.gradsa.org/down-syndrome-creed/

Footprints in the Sand:

https://www.ryanhart.org/footprints-in-the-sand/

In this episode, Mary takes a deep dive into adult executive functions and the challenges she commonly sees with her adult clients. Topics covered include: 

         - Feeling overwhelmed

         - Inability to manage time, especially during the workday. Dealing with distractions 

         - How to prioritize and make progress. How much time we can actually be productive daily

         - Why providing true value makes us indispensable at work 

Understanding how the brain works, especially as adults, is critical to changing thinking and behavior. Hope you enjoy this discussion. 

On today's episode of The Brain Coach, Mary speaks with Nikki Wooten, owner of We Rock The Spectrum Kid's Gym in Forest Hill, Maryland.

We Rock is a kid's gym for children of all abilities but caters to kids with autism. The gym provides specialized equipment and a safe environment where kids can act freely while getting the sensory input they need. 

Ropes courses, trampolines, zip lines, and more allow kids to enjoy safe fun where they (and their parents) feel free of judgement. We Rock provides an outlet for parents to connect and share resources and just relax.  

Nikki shares with Mary her family's personal journey with autism and the challenges they've overcome related to diagnosis, school, and finding resources for their neurodiverse son.  

We Rock The Spectrum has locations nationwide. Check out the fun programs offered at the Forest Hill location by following Facebook and Instagram or calling 410-891-4600. 

Today's guest Jori Eidem, a physician assistant from Rochester, MN, discusses her family's personal journey navigating a serious and life-threatening condition called Metachromatic Leukodystrophy or MLD.  

Jori shares the story of her niece Amelia, an 8-year-old who played soccer, dressed up as a princess, and collected unicorns. Amelia was bright, funny and with the right amount of sass. She did well in school, despite her left-handedness. Until she didn’t. In 2021, when Amelia began falling behind academically and began having staring spells, she was screened for ADHD and Autism. 

A few months passed and she started having trouble with coordination and by the end of the school year, she had rapid deterioration of motor and cognitive function. Amelia was evaluated at a major medical center where an MRI revealed a typical pattern for MLD, a diagnosis later confirmed by genetic testing. 

This rare, hereditary condition is passed through a recessive gene and can appear in infancy, childhood, or adulthood. The incidence of MLD ranges, with estimates anywhere from 1 in 40,000 births to 1 is 160,000 births. 

You can learn more about the disease at the MLD Foundation. Jori shares Amelia's journey and the Go Fund Me page the family established to provide updates on Amelia's progress. You can get in touch with Jori here: webelieveinunicorns2022@gmail.com or Eidem.Jori@gmail.com 

And finally, the link to the article mentioned in the show: Staring Spells: When It's More Than Daydreaming | Johns Hopkins Medicine 

Please note: Amelia's parents are fully aware of this podcast. They want to spread the word about MLD since it is so rare and difficult to diagnose. It is so rare, in fact, that it doesn't receive funding for research for therapies, and the family has started a small foundation for those in need of information.



This podcast does not provide medical advice. The information, images and other materials contained are for informational purposes only. No information discussed is a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please seek help from your physician for medical questions or advice.

Meet Mia, our “mom extraordinaire.” Mia shares her experiences successfully parenting a child with learning disabilities. Mia beautifully tells her story of navigating the challenges of school, homeschooling, medication, and social pressures. The conversation touches on fears parents face when first dealing with a diagnosis, how to stay calm while still expressing emotions, and how to move towards acceptance of a situation that may not be what we envisioned.

Mia talks about the ups and downs and the pivotal moment she realized her son will be alright. And why she believes building a team or community to support a child helps avoid feelings of isolation. 

We hope you enjoy this discussion! You can find Mia on Instagram: @city_mom_77