Resilience is the ability to withstand or recover quickly from difficult challenges. Many special needs parents may struggle with this throughout their child’s journey. The many challenges and difficulties with everyday life, doctors, and getting the proper supports they need can be overwhelming. In this episode, Annette speaks with Dr. Marcia Nathai-Balkissoon, who goes by Marcia NB. Marcia NB has a PhD in industrial engineering and is the author of the new book “Lighting the Path: Leaning into a Hopeful Future as a Special Needs Parent” . Marcia NB quickly faced her challenges with her own daughter Emma and became an advocate to help other families work through their own challenges.
Marcia NB’s daughter Emma was born in 2012 with heart issues and as the result of a heart surgery mistake, became severely brain damaged at only 8 months old. While at a rehabilitation facility with Emma, Marcia NB saw many special needs children and families. After a conversation with one mother that knew nothing about her own son’s disability, Marcia NB decided she needed to advocate for other families that were not getting the information they needed regarding their own children. Marcia NB became a Parent Skills Master Trainer through the World Health Organization and Autism Speaks.
Marcia NB also has a YouTube Channel called The Changemaker Series where she interviews people who are making a difference just by being themselves. Marcia NB also features her own talks where she hopes to help people step out of their “overwhelm” state and start taking back joy and fulfillment.
Marcia NB says, “We all have to come to our own understanding and create our own meaning out of what we are going through as special needs parents.” To release her own personal tension and stress, Marcia NB wrote. Marcia NB says the name of the book “Lighting the Path” came to be due to her feeling she was in darkness when the accident happened to Emma. Marcia NB felt she needed to know this darkness, to become resilient and to help others in similar situations through their own darkness. Lighting the Path’s final chapter “Celebrating Your Resilience” offers the wish that her expe
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