Then I became pregnant with my first son, and felt confident I was beyond prepared. The plan was to name him Nolan, after the great baseball player Nolan Ryan. But our Nolan threw us a curveball. He entered this world with 47 chromosomes and 6 holes in his heart. He spent most of his first five months of life at Riley Children’s Hospital before undergoing open-heart surgery. Assuming that I was prepared for parenthood before actually meeting Nolan was absurd. Never before had I talked with doctors about tests and diagnoses for my own child, advocated for services in the schools with teachers and administrators, or carried the weight of the resulting stress on my own family and relationships. Now I’m able look at each child, adolescent, adult, parent, and family through a lens of mutual understanding, as the mother of a child who doesn’t follow any sort of playbook and as an experienced professional helping families harness developmental, emotional, and behavioral approaches to feel more in control and connected to one another.

 

During Nolan’s time at Riley, I delved back into my education with a new perspective. I completed my fellowship at Indiana University in Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental & Related Disabilities (LEND). I became the Founding President of the Indianapolis location of GiGi’s Playhouse Down Syndrome Achievement Center, where I assembled and led a team of 15 from idea to the grand opening.

​

When I created One Mind, I wanted ALL individuals to have a place to engage in a transformative relationship to discover deep insights about their brains, what they need to be successful, and how best to foster development to reach full potential, with the help of leading brain experts and therapists. I am a big proponent of skill-building and providing a foundation in basic social, emotional, and executive functioning skills – what EVERY person needs and will use from now through life. At One Mind, we emphasize a growth mindset and work on critical thinking and problem-solving. We use yoga and other kinesthetic learning to provide the brain with more feedback and create more neural pathways for better retention. We teach emotional and behavioral regulation to help our families live happier, healthier lives.