The Digital Lobotomy: What Will We Regret in 20 Years?
There was a time when lobotomies were considered an acceptable medical practice. Thousands of people—many against their will—were subjected to procedures that removed or damaged parts of their brains. The idea was simple: if someone’s mind was too unruly, too unpredictable, too difficult to control, a simple procedure could fix it. The individual was left […]
How AI Helped My Son Process Grief—And What That Means for Neurodivergent Young Adults and Kids Everywhere
When people talk about AI, the conversation often focuses on automation, productivity, and efficiency. But for my son, AI has been something entirely different. It has been a lifeline—a space for emotional processing, self-expression, and deep personal growth in ways I never could have imagined. My son, Stone, is autistic and non-speaking. He is a […]
Building Bridges: Stone’s Journey from Student to Advocate
Sometimes, life takes you in a direction you never imagined. And in those moments, you realize just how much is possible. This past fall, Stone and I participated in a webinar hosted by the Northwest Augmentative Communication Society titled “Thoughtful Inquiry: Spelling for Communication.” Its purpose was to give SLPs an opportunity to hear directly […]
Competence. Confidence. Communication. They are all connected in ways most of us never imagined
Confidence. It’s knowing that you are capable of doing something – even if you haven’t done it before. Confidence comes from competence. Many times we have the competence do to something but we’re not given the opportunity to show it. How can we have an opportunity if we’re unable to communicate our desire? And how […]