Refrigerator Moms

Kelley Jensen, Julianna Scott
  • 4.4 (8)
  • Parenting
  • Updated Weekly

Born from 20 years of friendship, during which they navigated the trenches of autism parenting and advocacy, the Refrigerator Moms is Kelley Jensen and Julianna Scott’s way of reaching out to parents waging the same battles they were.  Their purpose with this podcast is to clear the fog, silence the noise, and find a path through neurodivergence for parents that are stuck between bad choices. They tackle parenting topics such as mom guilt, tantrums, pathological demand avoidance, siblings, medication, comorbidities, social media, and much more. 

  1. What "Extreme Caregiving" for Profound Autism Really Means

    6d ago

    What "Extreme Caregiving" for Profound Autism Really Means

    Brittney Crabtree is raising four kids whose needs land at opposite ends of the autism spectrum, and she joins Julianna and Kelley for an honest conversation most autism content skips. Her 19-year-old son is profoundly autistic and nonspeaking, needing the round-the-clock care she calls extreme caregiving, not parenting. They get into daily safety planning, sensory and frustration-driven aggression, and a services system that promises community integration then turns families away. Brittney also opens up about long-term residential care, siblings who become caregivers, California's Self-Determination Program, and the grief of planning for a future she won't always be part of. Key Takeaways Extreme caregiving means 24/7 supervision to keep a profoundly autistic, nonspeaking adult both healthy and physically safe.Aggression tends to fall into two buckets: frustration from being unable to communicate a need, and sensory overload."Fort Knox" home setups (door and pantry locks, shiplap over drywall) become necessary for safety and elopement risk.Caring for a profoundly autistic adult is caregiving, not parenting, and naming that distinction helps mentally.Long-term residential planning carries real grief, and starting the acceptance process early helps.Finding appropriate services can feel like a hide-and-seek game where you already have to know someone.California's Self-Determination Program lets families negotiate a budget and choose their own providers, including caregivers their child clicks with.There's no "test the waters" equivalent for adult disability housing the way a college dorm works for typical kids.Siblings often shift from a brotherly role into a caregiving one.Families worry the broader autism conversation is leaving profoundly affected, nonspeaking people behind.🔗 Learn More:Website: refrigeratormoms.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/refrigeratormoms/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/refrigeratormomsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/refrigeratormoms/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@RefrigeratorMoms Organizations mentioned in this episode:rubycakescookies.commomstalkautism.combrave-together.orgwearebravetogether.org Refrigerator Moms is sponsored by Brain Performance Technologies, a specialty mental health clinic that offers neuromodulation treatments including SAINT (Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Therapy) for treatment-resistant depression and major depressive disorder, as well as MeRT (Magnetic e-resonance therapy) for autistic people aged three or older. Learn more at https://brainperformancetechnologies.com 00:00 Meet Brittney Crabtree of Moms Talk Autism01:14 Four kids, four different paths02:19 What "extreme caregiving" really means04:08 The big three: aggression and safety04:52 Fort Knox: locks, shiplap, and elopement06:09 Frustration aggression vs. sensory aggression08:11 Sponsor: Brain Performance Technologies08:33 The book "Upward Bound" and facilitated communication10:50 A system that's woefully inadequate11:33 No safe place in the community12:42 When community programs won't accommodate13:24 Aging out of the school system14:01 The grief of long-term residential care15:00 The hide-and-seek of finding services16:01 The question: what happens when I'm gone18:39 Resources and the regional center18:51 California's Self-Determination Program20:13 Finding caregivers he clicks with20:15 No way to test the waters on housing22:02 When siblings become caregivers28:16 Sponsor: Brain Performance Technologies28:42 Is profound autism being left behind?30:09 A separate diagnosis for profound autism31:14 Needs versus rights34:24 Speed round40:31 We Are Brave Together and the Tahoe retreat43:52 Closing

    45 min
  2. Autism Dads Open Up: Marriage, Mental Health, and Raising a Child on the Spectrum

    Jun 17

    Autism Dads Open Up: Marriage, Mental Health, and Raising a Child on the Spectrum

    Kelley Jensen and Julianna Scott turn the mic over to the other side of the partnership, welcoming their husbands, Eric and Steve, for a candid conversation about what it actually means to be the autism dad. Drawing from their research paper "Fathers as Secondary Caregivers for Autism Families," the four explore the emotional toll fathers absorb quietly, why dad-specific research is nearly nonexistent, how couples navigate disagreements over therapy choices, and why autism fathers often have no outlet for their stress. Honest, funny, and deeply relatable for any parent who has felt like the outside player in a two-person caregiving team. Key Takeaways Research on autism fathers is sparse, and nearly every study ends with "more research is needed" -- a telling sign dads are still an afterthought.In autism support groups, women outnumber men roughly 4 to 1, leaving fathers with almost no peer community.Mothers tend to report stress tied to caregiving demands; fathers report stress tied to uncertainty about their role and conflicting feelings about their child.Fathers often withhold their own emotional struggles to avoid adding to an already-stretched partner -- deepening their isolation in silence.Financial strain in autism fathers correlates with depression, substance abuse, and elevated suicide risk, yet rarely gets named.Giving dads a defined, owned task -- music therapy, park runs, bike riding -- creates a meaningful role that does not require mirroring the primary caregiver's approach.Maternal gatekeeping, even when well-intentioned, can erode a dad's confidence and cut him off from forming his own relationship with the child.Proposing a timeline ("let's revisit in two weeks") is a more effective strategy than digging in when parents disagree on a therapeutic approach.The team mentality -- even when never said out loud -- is one of the strongest predictors of a couple staying together through the long haul of autism parenting.For single parents and two-parent households alike: county respite programs exist, and using them is not optional -- it is essential.00:00 Teaser01:00 Welcoming the husbands02:13 Intro to the research paper04:11 How fathers experience stress differently05:38 The quinoa wars and reality checks07:40 Maternal gatekeeping and dad confidence09:17 Letting dads own their role without criticism10:21 Wanting to know everything after diagnosis12:54 Sponsor: Brain Performance Technologies14:03 The financial burden that falls on dads15:03 Finding quiet time: sneaking home early16:54 Jealousy over work life17:30 The emotional burden21:34 Fathers and the long game23:17 "When we're gone"27:29 Why fathers struggle to find support29:08 Friends, empathy, and action31:06 Moms must recognize dads lack of outlets33:49 Isolation from friends and family37:17 Scenario: professional ignores the secondary caregiver38:23 IEP meetings: strong cop, crying cop39:29 Sponsor: Brain Performance Technologies (MeRT read)40:22 Scenario: parents can't agree on a therapy41:12 Dads need their own relationship with the child44:11 Highlights from the paper's to-do list45:29 Building a team when you are doing it alone46:10 Division-of-labor appendix from the paper48:28 What to say to a dad who doesn't know where to start49:42 Patience grows if you commit to it50:13 Speed round: superpowers, deplore, and love53:07 Closing and origin of the name Refrigerator Moms54:03 Happy Father's Day; go read the paper

    56 min
  3. Is Accommodating Your Autistic Child's Anxiety Making Things Worse?

    Jun 10

    Is Accommodating Your Autistic Child's Anxiety Making Things Worse?

    Kelley Jensen and Julianna Scott break down SPACE — Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions — a therapeutic approach originally developed in the 1980s that is now being studied for autistic children and teens. Kelley noticed a growing shift in parenting communities away from radical accommodation and toward setting boundaries, and the hosts explore why that matters. Using co-sleeping as a central example, they discuss how accommodating fear-based anxiety in the short term can reinforce it over time, and how SPACE offers a research-backed alternative that builds distress tolerance while still honoring genuine sensory and processing needs. Key Takeaways SPACE stands for Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions and was originally developed in the 1980s for general parenting, not specifically for autism.Research shows that family accommodation alleviates anxiety in the short term but is linked to increased symptom severity, greater functional impairment, and higher caregiver burden over time.SPACE has shown preliminary evidence of effectiveness: parents rated it highly satisfactory, and both anxiety severity and family accommodation were significantly reduced following treatment.The key distinction for autistic kids: accommodate sensory needs, processing differences, and communication needs — do NOT accommodate fear-based anxiety.Co-sleeping is a classic example of an accommodation that starts as a short-term fix but can become deeply ingrained by adolescence if not addressed early.Anxiety that is not addressed tends to grow — children are unlikely to simply "grow out of it" if the fear has been repeatedly reinforced.SPACE uses gradual scaffolding, not cold turkey — slowly introduce coping strategies and mitigating measures to build tolerance without creating more anxiety.The approach overlaps with ABA principles: identify the function of the behavior, avoid reinforcing avoidance, and build skills incrementally.Prioritize by function: address sleep, health, and daily functioning first, and tackle one behavior at a time rather than everything at once.Waiting until a child is older to address entrenched anxiety habits means undoing years of reinforcement on top of the original fear — early intervention matters.🔗 Learn More: Website: refrigeratormoms.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/refrigeratormoms/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/refrigeratormoms Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/refrigeratormoms/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@RefrigeratorMoms Refrigerator Moms is sponsored by Brain Performance Technologies, a specialty mental health clinic that offers neuromodulation treatments including SAINT (Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Therapy) for treatment-resistant depression and major depressive disorder, as well as MeRT (Magnetic e-resonance therapy) for autistic people aged three or older. Learn more at https://brainperformancetechnologies.com Timestamps 00:00 Intro & what is SPACE?01:00 Radical acceptance vs. setting limits02:00 Kicking the can down the road02:03 Sponsor: Brain Performance Technologies03:00 SPACE sounds like solid parenting03:09 Research background on SPACE04:24 Co-sleeping case study walkthrough05:13 Sponsor: Brain Performance Technologies / MeRT05:43 Is the anxiety fear-based or sensory?06:07 CBT, nightlights & scaffolding06:18 Mapping SPACE onto autistic kids07:03 Accommodate sensory needs, not fear07:29 Scaffolding, routines & no cold turkey07:57 SPACE and ABA overlap08:03 Persistence, patience & positivity08:47 Reinforcement is the real problem09:54 Prioritize by function, one at a time10:36 Undo years of reinforcement10:48 Closing thoughts10:50 Outro & disclaimer

    12 min
  4. Is Autism Therapy Actually Worth It? Here's How to Know

    Jun 3

    Is Autism Therapy Actually Worth It? Here's How to Know

    How do you sort real help from snake oil when you're researching autism interventions? In this episode of Refrigerator Moms, Julianna Scott and Kelley Jensen share a practical checklist for evaluating any autism therapy whether you're looking at evidence-based treatments like ABA and speech therapy, or exploring options further off the beaten path like TMS, dietary protocols, or supplement. They talk about why waiting for full FDA approval isn't realistic when your kid's childhood has an expiration date, and how to make smart, informed decisions in the meantime. Kelley and Julianna cover everything from vetting peer-reviewed research and checking provider qualifications to tracking your child's measurable progress and knowing when to pivot. They remind parents to account for comorbid diagnoses like anxiety, depression, and OCD, and they close with a pointed reminder to keep political noise out of your treatment decisions: you're raising a child, not joining a movement. Whether you're newly navigating an autism diagnosis or a seasoned parent looking to refine your approach, this episode offers a grounded, experience-backed framework for cutting through the overwhelm. 🔗 Learn More: Website: refrigeratormoms.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/refrigeratormoms/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/refrigeratormoms Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/refrigeratormoms/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@RefrigeratorMoms Refrigerator Moms is sponsored by Brain Performance Technologies, a specialty mental health clinic that offers neuromodulation treatments including SAINT (Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Therapy) for treatment-resistant depression and major depressive disorder, as well as MeRT (Magnetic e-resonance therapy) for autistic people aged three or older. Learn more at https://brainperformancetechnologies.com 00:00 Introduction & episode overview00:54 Evidence-based treatments for autism01:05 ABA is still worth it despite its issues01:37 Sponsor: Brain Performance Technologies02:04 Medications on-label for autism02:57 The checklist: how to research interventions03:09 Why parents have to try03:31 Step 1: Find independent research03:55 Exhaust insurance and school district first04:05 Peer-reviewed journals vs. anecdotal claims04:39 Reading summary studies and weighing evidence05:31 Consider all comorbid diagnoses06:20 Advocating for depression/mood diagnoses07:18 Sponsor: Brain Performance Technologies (mid-roll)07:45 Step 2: Check provider qualifications08:29 Step 3: Evaluate claims critically08:55 No cure, only better symptom management09:10 Step 4: Cross-check multiple sources09:45 Weigh the risk of harm before trying anything10:10 Step 5: Consider international research10:39 TMS research worldwide; MeRT Facebook group11:28 Step 6: Track your child's progress12:19 Adjust approach based on results12:30 Step 7: Use community and professional support13:07 Clinical trials as an option13:28 Step 8: Maintain a critical, practical mindset13:38 Keep politics out of treatment decisions14:13 Combine sources for informed decisions14:32 Closing & where to find resources

    16 min
  5. Real Parent Questions: Autism Accommodations, PDA, Team Sports & Young Adults Who've Checked Out

    May 27

    Real Parent Questions: Autism Accommodations, PDA, Team Sports & Young Adults Who've Checked Out

    Julianna Scott and Kelley Jensen open up the social media mailbag for one of their most popular episode formats — real questions from parents, answered with the candor and hard-won experience that Refrigerator Moms is known for. This week's questions span the full arc of the parenting journey: a parent of a nine-year-old convinced they already know the diagnosis before the psychiatrist has said a word; a family watching their child struggle with what looks like panic attacks; a mom navigating conflicting advice about PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance); and a volunteer baseball coach at a complete loss while an unsupported autistic child disrupts every practice. They talk about the problem with self- and parent-diagnosis, why depression is so often missed in high-functioning young adults, and why "he's autistic, deal with it" isn't a plan. They also revisit SPACE therapy, the limits of radical acceptance, and how to think about matching a child's actual skill level to the activities and environments you put them in. Whether you're new to this journey or deep in it, this episode delivers the kind of straight talk that helps you take the next step — whatever that looks like for your family. 🔗 Learn More:Website: refrigeratormoms.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/refrigeratormoms/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/refrigeratormomsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/refrigeratormoms/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@RefrigeratorMoms Refrigerator Moms is sponsored by Brain Performance Technologies, a specialty mental health clinic that offers neuromodulation treatments including SAINT (Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Therapy) for treatment-resistant depression and major depressive disorder, as well as MeRT (Magnetic e-resonance therapy) for autistic people aged three or older. Learn more at https://brainperformancetechnologies.com 00:00 Intro: social media Q&A episode00:17 Julianna's nerves about the format00:36 Q1: Seeing a psychiatrist for first time02:27 Intake process explained04:04 Takeaway: don't parent-diagnose05:12 HIPAA & adult child context06:04 Sponsor: Brain Performance Technologies06:31 Q2: Meltdowns escalating to panic attacks06:47 Panic attacks need professional help07:08 Q3: High-functioning, unmotivated young adult08:54 Screen for depression first09:19 Small steps & realistic expectations10:23 Sponsor: SAINT treatment overview11:09 Q4: Conflicting PDA advice12:04 Know your child's specific circumstances12:23 SPACE therapy reference13:08 Be willing to pivot strategies13:23 Q5: Autistic child on baseball team14:01 Coach's role & league support14:38 Parents need to be involved15:30 Group sports vs. solo sports for autism16:09 Parents can't just say "deal with it"17:04 What does the child actually learn?17:24 Lack of post-diagnosis support for parents17:42 Outro & disclaimer

    19 min
  6. Why Your Autistic Child's Doctor Just Prescribes More Meds (And What Parents Can Do About It)

    May 20

    Why Your Autistic Child's Doctor Just Prescribes More Meds (And What Parents Can Do About It)

    America has a psychiatric care crisis — and most families are living it without knowing why. Kelley Jensen and Julianna Scott dig into their new Refrigerator Paper, Psyched Out: No Appointments Available, to answer one of the most common questions they hear: "Why haven't I heard of TMS?" The answer, it turns out, starts long before a patient ever walks into a clinic. With only about 60,000 practicing psychiatrists in the country — and nearly half of Americans living in officially designated mental health shortage areas — access to care is shrinking just as demand explodes. Half of all lifetime mental illnesses begin by age 14, millions are entering the system earlier than ever, and a retirement wave is projected to remove tens of thousands more psychiatrists from the workforce by 2030. Meanwhile, only 5–10% of psychiatrists prescribe TMS, even though it's covered by insurance and backed by clinical evidence. The result? Medication becomes the default — including for autistic children — simply because it's the only tool most practitioners are trained to use. Kelley and Julianna aren't just naming the problem — they're making the case for real solutions: expanding GP accreditation for TMS, loosening restrictions on psychiatric nurse practitioners, and recruiting the next generation of psychiatrists. Most importantly, they're calling on families and consumers to demand more. If you've ever been handed a prescription and wondered whether there was another option, this one's for you. 🔗 Learn More:Website: refrigeratormoms.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/refrigeratormoms/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/refrigeratormomsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/refrigeratormoms/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@RefrigeratorMoms Refrigerator Moms is sponsored by Brain Performance Technologies, a specialty mental health clinic that offers neuromodulation treatments including SAINT (Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Therapy) for treatment-resistant depression and major depressive disorder, as well as MeRT (Magnetic e-resonance therapy) for autistic people aged three or older. Learn more at https://brainperformancetechnologies.com (00:00) - Introduction & episode overview (00:29) - What is "Psyched Out" paper about? (01:17) - Scale of the mental health crisis (02:06) - Sponsor: Brain Performance Technologies (02:33) - How few psychiatrists are there? (03:39) - Psychiatrists retiring & the funding gap (04:16) - How to become a psychiatrist (05:15) - Psychiatric nurse practitioners (05:38) - The coming retirement wave by 2030 (06:00) - Mental health shortage areas (06:37) - Sponsor: SAINT protocol explained (07:19) - Medication as the default for autism (08:12) - GPs filling the prescription gap (08:41) - 42% of antidepressants from GPs (09:33) - Why TMS remains underutilized (10:23) - What you can do about it (11:22) - Closing thoughts (11:24) - Subscribe & find resources (11:46) - Disclaimer

    13 min
  7. Should You Avoid ABA? | Autism Parents Confront the $600M Fraud

    May 13

    Should You Avoid ABA? | Autism Parents Confront the $600M Fraud

    ABA therapy is under fire — and autism families deserve the full story. Kelley Jensen and Julianna Scott dig into the federal fraud audits targeting ABA providers, with up to $600 million in improper Medicaid payments identified by the Department of Health and Human Services. They walk through how ABA earned its status as a covered benefit, how private equity exploited that coverage, and what fraudulent billing actually looks like in practice. This episode is paired with the Refrigerator Moms paper "ABA: As Easy as ABC," which gives families a comprehensive resource for understanding and navigating ABA therapy. Kelley and Julianna share their own experiences navigating the ABA world as autism parents and give concrete steps families can take right now to vet providers, monitor therapy delivery, and protect themselves from fraud without walking away from a therapy that — done right — can still make a real difference. Bottom line: don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. The fraud is real and it's serious, but so is the value of quality, evidence-based ABA. Your job as a parent is to be an informed, engaged consumer — and this episode tells you exactly how. 🔗 Learn More: Website: refrigeratormoms.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/refrigeratormoms/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/refrigeratormoms Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/refrigeratormoms/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@RefrigeratorMoms Refrigerator Moms is sponsored by Brain Performance Technologies, a specialty mental health clinic that offers neuromodulation treatments including SAINT (Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Therapy) for treatment-resistant depression and major depressive disorder, as well as MeRT (Magnetic e-resonance therapy) for autistic people aged three or older. Learn more at https://brainperformancetechnologies.com 00:00 Fraud and disabled people 00:33 ABA fraud audits overview 01:12 ABA history and insurance coverage 02:00 Parents fought for ABA benefits 03:02 Sponsor: Brain Performance Technologies 03:40 Private equity enters the ABA space 04:57 Bankruptcies and billing fraud 05:34 Federal audit findings: $600M 06:36 Industry credibility takes a hit 07:08 Types of fraud: billing, credentials 08:02 Should you still pursue ABA? 08:53 Step 1: Decide if ABA fits your family 09:07 What ABA actually looks like 09:53 Range of ABA applications 10:18 Step 2: Verify provider credentials 10:47 Filing complaints with insurers 11:53 Sponsor: SAINT protocol 12:35 Step 3: Understand the therapy plan 13:19 Step 4: Research provider reputation 13:42 University programs as a resource 14:32 High therapist turnover — what to do 15:40 Step 5: Monitor therapy delivery 15:58 In-home vs. center-based therapy 16:39 Step 6: Review billing and claims 16:57 Step 7: Stay informed and advocate 17:10 Consumer power and whistleblowing 17:40 Step 8: Balance caution with access 17:54 Most ABA providers are ethical 18:03 Closing thoughts

    20 min
  8. Autism Moms Across Generations: Waiting Rooms, Waitlists & the Fight for Services

    May 6

    Autism Moms Across Generations: Waiting Rooms, Waitlists & the Fight for Services

    Julianna Scott and Kelley Jensen sit down with Jean Mayer — Texas-based disability advocate, school board trustee, co-host of Moms Talk Autism, and mother of a 12-year-old autistic son — for a candid cross-generational conversation about what has and hasn't changed in the autism parenting journey. From the early days of dial-up internet and therapy waiting rooms to today's social media overwhelm and policy battles, the three moms compare experiences, swap hard-won wisdom, and get real about guilt, grief, advocacy, and the long game of raising a child with complex needs. Key Takeaways: The nucleus of the autism parenting experience — love, fear, guilt, and responsibility — remains constant across generations, even as systems, language, and access points shift.Therapy waiting rooms once served as an unplanned but vital community hub for autism families; that informal peer connection has largely disappeared.Information overload today can be as harmful as the information dearth of the early 2000s; discernment and curating a small, trusted circle matters more than volume.Navigating a fragmented medical and educational system often turns parents into "reluctant experts" — managing treatment plans, insurance denials, and IEP meetings without a roadmap.Policy is the upstream driver of access: understanding the difference between school practice and actual written policy is a powerful tool for parents.Lived experience is inherently subjective and should not be the sole basis for policy decisions, even though it is an essential voice in advocacy.Transition planning for autistic young adults should remain flexible and evolving, not fixed — and parents building themselves as trusted resources (not just caretakers) is underrated advice.Loneliness in disability housing is a growing and underaddressed crisis; intentional community models deserve more attention.The coming DSM-6 changes are already creating fatigue among behavioral health professionals and uncertainty for families still building identity around shifting diagnostic criteria.Finding your people — even just a very small circle — is more protective and actionable than scrolling social media for answers.🔗 Learn More: Website: refrigeratormoms.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/refrigeratormoms/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/refrigeratormoms Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/refrigeratormoms/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@RefrigeratorMoms Refrigerator Moms is sponsored by Brain Performance Technologies, a specialty mental health clinic that offers neuromodulation treatments including SAINT (Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Therapy) for treatment-resistant depression and major depressive disorder, as well as MeRT (Magnetic e-resonance therapy) for autistic people aged three or older. Learn more at https://brainperformancetechnologies.com 00:00 Introduction & guest welcome00:53 Jean introduces her family01:50 From hospitality career to autism mom04:13 Who told you to pivot careers?06:43 The acute vs. forever reality of autism07:23 Comparing generations of autism parents08:34 The guilt that never erodes08:58 Then vs. now: information dearth vs. glut09:55 The early internet & dial-up days10:40 The value of therapy waiting rooms11:19 How waiting rooms built community14:22 When connection was hard even in person15:02 The phone problem in waiting rooms today16:54 Safe spaces where everyone understands17:33 Navigating today's information overload18:03 Leaving toxic Facebook groups for Instagram20:08 Finding your people online21:24 Drowning in information & needing a lifeline21:49 Lived experience vs. policy22:34 How advocacy began with insurance denials24:55 Policy gaps & IEP meetings in Texas26:31 Walking in the dark: the early autism era27:14 Autism as emerging industry27:37 The DSM shifts & changing diagnosis29:27 What will DSM-6 change?30:35 How Jean's advocacy evolved step by step33:57 The looming fear: what happens after I'm gone?35:57 School board, lobbying & statewide impact40:27 What the next generation of autism parents faces41:18 Transition planning for autistic adults42:13 Kelley's son: evolving transition & loneliness in housing43:33 Julianna's son: independent living & losing control45:42 Being a trusted resource vs. caretaker47:08 Speed round begins47:19 Greatest extravagance47:54 When do you cry?49:03 What do you deplore most about autism?49:44 What have you learned to love?50:10 What are you reading right now?51:31 Upward Bound & Moms Talk Autism shoutout53:31 Closing & thank you55:27 Legal disclaimer & outro

    58 min
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4.4
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Born from 20 years of friendship, during which they navigated the trenches of autism parenting and advocacy, the Refrigerator Moms is Kelley Jensen and Julianna Scott’s way of reaching out to parents waging the same battles they were.  Their purpose with this podcast is to clear the fog, silence the noise, and find a path through neurodivergence for parents that are stuck between bad choices. They tackle parenting topics such as mom guilt, tantrums, pathological demand avoidance, siblings, medication, comorbidities, social media, and much more. 

Information

  • Creator
    Kelley Jensen, Julianna Scott
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    52
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Refrigerator Moms
  • Show Website
    Refrigerator Moms

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