Getting an autism diagnosis is often very difficult to process and understand and the goal at Not Your Average Autism Mom is to provide support, training, coaching, and community exclusively for moms as
they travel their autism parenting journey.

Having the support of other moms who are traveling the same road is so beneficial to your emotional well-being along the way. Not Your Average Autism Mom is a safe place for you to connect, share, and never be judged. There is just something special that happens when you share something in the SISTERHOOD and you hear, “me too”.

Please visit the https://www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/ site.

Nellie Akalp is a passionate entrepreneur, small business advocate and mother of four. As CEO of CorpNet.com, a legal document filing service, Nellie helps entrepreneurs start a business, Incorporate, Form an LLC, or set up Sole Proprietorships (DBAs) for a new or existing business. She has formed more than 100,000 corporations and LLCs across the U.S., building a strong passion to assist small business owners in starting, running, and protecting their small businesses the right way.

To learn more about Nellie, view free guides on starting and running a business, and see how she can help your business get off the ground quickly and affordably, please visit the https://www.CorpNet.com site.

Dr. Sharon Wollaston is a board certified pediatrician practicing in Pasadena. She received her medical degree from New York Medical College and completed her residency at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. After her residency, she continued to work at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles as a chief resident. She has been ear piercing for more than 10 years in her medical practice.
She uses the Blomdahl Medical Ear piercing system. To ensure the utmost safety, the Blomdahl system is available only through physicians. The earrings are all in their own sterile cassettes and they are made of titanium which is the most hypoallergenic metal available. She also offers topical numbing to ease the discomfort and make the child’s ear piercing experience much more comfortable. WRTS recommends Dr. Sharon Wollaston for medical ear piercing. What does this mean for your little one…..NO PAIN. Call 818-522-7763 or send an email to swollastonmd@gmail.com to book an appointment with Dr. Wollaston.

Dr. Aggie has been working with children and families within various medical and outpatient therapeutic settings since 2002. She began as a behavioral consultant providing Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and parent training services to children and their families with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), ADHD, as well as other related neurodevelopmental and behavioral concerns.

She received her Bachelors of Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Dr. Aggie earned a Masters of Science and Doctorate degrees in Clinical Psychology from the University of La Verne (ULV). She has successfully and passionately provided individual, group, and family therapy services, as well as diagnostic evaluations to children and adolescents diagnosed with various medical, emotional, and behavioral concerns. She is passionate about her work in the field of ASD and other neurodevelopmental disorders and is always eager to share her knowledge.

A native of Southern California, Dr. Aggie recently moved back to Los Angeles after completing her residency in pediatric psychology at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan and fellowship in individual and family therapy and diagnostic assessments at the Autism Clinic at The Children’s Center in Michigan. She also received pediatric psychology clinical training during her externship at CHOC Children’s Hospital in Orange County, where she worked with children with medical, emotional, and behavioral difficulties.

Dr. Aggie developed the WRTS Kid’s Gym’s comprehensive social skills group, We Rock Social Skills Program (WRSSP), which is designed to develop and strengthen social skill functioning within a structured sensory integrative group setting at the WRTS Kid’s Gym. The WRSSP group members have the opportunity to utilize appropriate sensory equipment at the gym during structured and developmentally appropriate social skill activities. Dr. Aggie is also collaborating with Coach Kee, a certified child fitness specialist, in the development and implementation of Social Fitness Training (SFT), to assist children and adolescents with the mind & body connection in social, emotional, and physical behavioral regulation.

Agnesa can be reached at dr.aggie@werockthespectrumnorthridge.com

Therapy in Action is a nationally recognized premier pediatric occupational and physical therapy facility that has been providing services since it was established in 1978. They are dedicated to providing the highest quality, evidence-based therapy and enrichment services for children.

https://www.therapyinaction.com/

For over a decade, Family Focus Resource Center (FFRC) has been providing parent-to-parent support, education and information to parents and caregivers of children with special needs and the professionals who serve them. They are one of 47 Family Resource Centers and one of 14 Family Empowerment Centers in California. They are a sponsored program of California State University, Northridge.

Some of their services include Parent to Parent Mentoring, Parent Education and Training, IEP/IFSP Services, Parent Support Groups (English & Spanish), Referral to Community Agencies, Lending Library (Books and DVDs), Community Outreach and Education, Monthly Newsletter, and Special Events. They offer a variety of workshops and serve families whose children are eligible for Early Start, Family Empowerment, Prevention Resource & Referral Services (PRRS) and Parent Links (a program to empower parents of Deaf and Hard of Hearing infants and toddlers). For more information call Theresa Quary, Coordinator of the FFRC office (CSUN location) at (818) 677-6854 or visit their website at https://www.csun.edu/family-focus-resource-center

Lara earned her Master?s Degree in Communication Disorders from Louisiana State University Medical Center in 1993. She has more than 17 years of experience as a speech-language pathologist working in early intervention, and with school-aged children, adolescents, and adults in a variety of settings. Before starting her private practice, Lara worked as a speech-language pathologist and lead therapist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and as a school-based speech-language pathologist and therapy supervisor at the HELP Group, providing assessment and therapy to children with learning disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and developmental delays. In addition, Lara has worked with the K.I.D.S. program providing comprehensive speech and language assessment and intervention services.

Lara has a passion for helping unintelligible and non-verbal children become verbally competent. She utilizes her talents and research-based best practices to provide the highest level of care possible to all her patients while working collaboratively with other professionals and families. Lara has experience working with a wide range of clients including, but not limited to, children with: articulation delays, phonological disorders, childhood apraxia of speech, expressive and receptive language delays, and pragmatic/social skill delays. Lara is a certified member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and is licensed to practice speech and language therapy with the State of California. She performs speech and language screenings in private schools and provides home based evaluations and therapy to children of all ages.

Tamara is a Licensed Occupational Therapist. She is passionate about helping families and children reach their highest potential in life. She graduated with her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from USC in 2009. Tamara’s undergraduate degree is in Elementary Education, which greatly adds to her practice and understanding of the expectations placed on school aged children and their families. Prior to graduate school, Tamara was a child development specialist working with early intervention aged children (0-3years) in the home environment. As an OT, Tamara has worked in a variety of settings including a multi-disciplinary therapy clinic, home, and school settings. Her past work experience and areas of expertise include working with families with children on the Autism spectrum including, adapting to a Gluten and Casine free diet, feeding challenges and picky eating, life skills training, and sensory processing difficulties. She also has abundant experience working with children with ADD, ADHD, developmental delays, fine motor and handwriting delays, visual processing challenges and sensory processing challenges. She has experience working with all age groups from zero to adulthood. Tamara is in the final stages of completing her specialty certification in feeding and swallowing. Tamara lives in the West Valley with her husband, 18 month old daughter and licensed therapy dog Chester.

Tamara can be reached at Tamara.Seigel@yahoo.com

Linda is a board certified licensed clinical social worker and marriage family therapist. She is a graduate of U.S.C. and has practiced in the San Fernando Valley for 20+ years providing psychotherapy to individuals, couples and families. Linda works to help clients identify and understand the many intense emotions, such as depression and anxiety, that arise in response to issues, such as divorce, addiction, infertility, the effects and impact on the family of children with special needs, illness, etc.

She is dedicated to teaching and maintaining honest and open communication with her clients in a warm, safe, and supportive environment. She works towards helping clients in identifying, understanding, making constructive decisions, learning open communication techniques, etc. She utilizes such techniques as EMDR, hypnotherapy, guided imagery, voice dialogue, and the 12 step program philosophy.

Linda has worked in various agencies that have provided services to individuals, families, children and groups. She currently sees adults in individual, couple and relationship therapy.

Daniella is a longtime child educator in the west San Fernando Valley. She taught kindergarten and elementary school classes in Tarzana and Woodland Hills for over ten years in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Her teaching experience also includes private tutoring, as well as swimming instruction for young children and toddlers.

Mrs. Stark received a B.A. in Liberal Studies and her teaching credential from California State University, Northridge. She lives in Woodland Hills with her husband Derek and their three children, Abigail, Oskar, and Elizabeth.

Andrew has enjoyed working in the entertainment industry as an actor and professional DJ for over 25 years. After numerous off-Broadway appearances and guest spots on daytime soap operas as a well as a variety of commercial and film work, Andrew took a leap of faith and started his own DJ and entertainment company in 2002. Today, with a growing company of over 15 talented performers and wide array of entertainment services, he has had the pleasure of helping 1000?s of Southern California families create a lifetime of memories at their special events.

Andrew currently resides in the West Valley with his wife Susie and daughter Emma. He continues to have a love of the arts and enjoys sports and outdoor activities with the family!

A unity of humility and an entrepreneurial spirit characterize Rafi, a business owner in the West San Fernando Valley. Rafi studied Liberal Arts at CSUN and went on briefly to teach before opening several children’s resale boutiques. Having truly served his local community for 10 years, Rafi went on to create a successful internet based business that serves the entire nation including Puerto Rico.

Rafi’s Traveling Baby Company accommodates those traveling with children by delivering baby gear (cribs, strollers, car seats, high chairs, and much more) to their temporary location, be it a hotel or Grandma’s. Not just a businessman, Rafi is a loving father to 2 girls and a boy, as well as a devoted husband. His rental services are available by visiting www.travelingbaby.com.

Vanaman German LLP is a California-based law firm specializing in the educational rights of children with disabilities. Since 1981, they’ve provided expert legal support for IEPs, regional center services, and school-related injury cases – advocating for equitable education across the state.

CARD is a leading provider of Applied Behavior Analysis therapy for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Since 1990, CARD has significantly impacted thousands of lives nationwide and they offer individualized ABA services, including early intervention programs for young children and tailored support for school-aged children and adolescents.

Grow ABA is a woman-owned organization dedicated to providing high-quality Applied Behavior Analysis therapy to neurodivergent children and their families. Their Board Certified Behavior Analysts develop individualized programs aimed at teaching children to communicate their needs and enhancing socially appropriate behaviors.

SLEA Therapies is an employee-owned practice providing personalized care for individuals with speech, behavior, and learning challenges. Since 1983, their team has offered services like. behavioral health, speech therapy, and educational support across the Los Angeles area – in homes, schools, and clinics.

365 Home Care offers in-home respite care and personal assistance for individuals with intellectual disabilities over age three, as well as private pay childcare and senior care services. Serving San Diego, Imperial, Los Angeles, and Orange Counties, their caregivers are thoroughly vetted and trained to provide compassionate, personalized support.

The Caring Connection, Inc. is a home healthcare agency that has been providing in-home personal care and skilled nursing services to individuals with chronic illnesses, disabilities, and personal care needs throughout Southern California since 1996. Their services include assistance with daily living activities, medical care, and companionship, aiming to enhance the well-being and independence of their clients.

Inspira Behavior specializes in Applied Behavior Analysis therapy, offering in-home and school-based services to clients across Southern California. Founded in 2014, they provide early intervention, parent training, functional behavioral assessment, and one-on-one support, tailoring treatment plans to each individual’s needs.

Mindbody is a cloud-based business management platform serving the fitness, beauty, and wellness industries. Found in 2001, it helps businesses with scheduling, payments, and client management. With over 40,000 businesses worldwide and 2.4 million active users, Mindbody acquired ClassPass in 2021 to expand its services.

The Ed Asner Family Center, founded in 2017, offers programs for neurodivergent individuals and their families in Van Nuys, California. Their services include a full-day Academy for adults, an inclusive summer camp (CampED), year-round classes in arts, dance, robotics, and cooking, as well as mental health services like therapy and support groups. The Center is dedicated to empowering individuals and families providing creative, educational, and therapeutic support.

Positive Development is a healthcare company specializing in developmental therapy for children with autism. They offer speech, occupational, and mental health therapy under a Developmental Relationship-Based Intervention model, aiming to treat the whole person in an engaging manner. Their family-centered, play-based approach focuses on fostering children’s intellectual and emotional development, personal confidence, and lifelong success.

Kidz Kingdom PDHC is a Pediatric Day Health Care center in North Hollywood, California, dedicated to providing skilled nursing care and therapeutic services to children with complex medical needs. They offer a nurturing environment where children can thrive, with services including socialization, therapy, and activities tailored to each child’s unique abilities and goals.

Understanding Needed Integration (U.N.I) is an organization dedicated to empowering individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities by facilitating meaningful community integration. Located in Carson, California, U.N.I offers services such as career assessments, skill development, resume building, and job coaching to support clients in achieving sustainable employment.

This support group was created by two attorneys and independent facilitators with the regional centers, both of whom have children with IEPs in place. Their goal is to help parents navigating the complex world of IEPs and special education by providing valuable resources and a sense of community.