Welcome to Our Parent Liaison

January 30, 2014 - cornerstoneac

Welcome to Our Parent Liaison

In November, Cornerstone Autism Center welcomed Sheila Carney as our new Parent Liaison. Sheila was brought on to Cornerstone’s team to help us with our 2nd leg of our mission statement:

“Embrace those who love”

We’ve asked her to introduce herself to all of you. See what Sheila has to say about her background, her personal experiences with Autism, and what she’s excited about in her new role at Cornerstone.

I am excited to join Cornerstone Autism Center as the new Parent Liaison. My background and degree are in the field of Education. I have 12 years of experience teaching classes or leading trainings for both adults and children, in the areas of social studies and technology, and for children with both typical and special needs. I also have two children with special needs. My daughter Rylie is 3 and has Mitochondrial Metabolism Dysfunction (among other things, it means she has trouble growing). My son Hayden was diagnosed with Autism in 2010, at the age of 4.

That same year I started him on Biomedical (nutrition) therapy through a doctor and dietitian, and ABA therapy through Cornerstone’s Greenwood Center. I also started a blog called Hope and Lavender to document his progress. The blog has over 31,000 views from around the world and seeks to provide hope and information for parents of children with Autism. One of my favorite posts is of course Thank you to Cornerstone. Recently I’ve also created a YouTube Channel with a series called “What Autism Looks Like,” to help educate others about Autism.

Hayden ‘graduated’ from Cornerstone in 2012. He is now 7 and in public school. His main barrier at this time is probably his ability to manage his emotions. He also has a great deal of trouble understanding the social cues and rules of children his age, which sometimes leaves him feeling frustrated and lonely. His struggles and my experience with special needs have led me to this position with Cornerstone Autism Center. I’m currently active in the online Autism community through forums, blogs, YouTube, and Facebook. I have attended conferences, hosted parent support groups, and done lots of independent research. And like many Autism Moms, I have been to lots, and LOTS, of doctor appointments!

I’ve been helping parents navigate the world of Autism for a few years on my own time. Now Cornerstone has given me the chance to help so many more, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to help make a difference for our local Cornerstone families!

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January 30, 2014, cornerstoneac

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