My Story
Within both my immediate and extended family, Autistic Spectrum Disorder has come in many shapes and forms. I have been privileged enough to have had a glimpse into minds captivated by the beauty and details in this world that many of us miss. I have seen extraordinary talents. But I have also seen individuals with ASD experience immense frustration and social isolation. Sometimes, there is an unwillingness of those in the community to step into the world of those with ASD, losing the valuable opportunity to develop a relationship, and to appreciate (rather than fear) the differences they see.
For those of us living with loved ones with ASD, harnessing the potential of our child/loved one is always our goal. We want them to be able to communicate and function in this world, and to be able to regulate their emotions, but we also want them to know some of the joys of life and relationships.
We want to give them the tools to help them enjoy and use their unique strengths and talents. We want to give them the skills to cope with and make sense of their lives with neurotypicals - and even form enduring relationships with them.
The reality is that this goal takes time to work on, it takes support from family, schools and the wider community, and it takes careful management of our finances. Here is where I come in. Over many years, I have personally witnessed and experienced the challenges of those with ASD, and at a point during that process, I started to dream. I dreamed of using my twenty two years of experience as a Financial Strategist to help families sharing a similar journey to our own – or should I say, running a similar marathon!
Our purpose is to help relieve the burden upon families dealing with a child on the autistic spectrum, or with other special needs. Often families find themselves snowed under with conflicting information and a myriad of different therapy options. They feel an urgency to get started on early intervention, yet they have to spend time navigating their way through the funding options provided by Centrelink, the Department of Social Services and Medicare, as well as their own private health fund.
My goal is to use my first-hand experience, along with my professional knowledge and skills, to reduce the stress of other families and to help them to regain a sense of control in the journey with their child and ASD, which we know can be unpredictable in so many ways. I believe every person’s situation can be improved with the right resources and careful life planning and financial planning.