Self Care

Things are not normal right now. And like many Americans, I'm not okay. I’ve written before about the devastation happening to education and disability rights, but it’s only part of a much bigger picture. Every day, I hesitate to even open social media or glance at the news. It feels like an endless cycle of loss and uncertainty, and it's taking a collective toll on our mental health. We're all feeling it, and acknowledging that is so important. In the beginning, I was mostly

If someone had told me 30 years ago that I’d be sitting in a room with our Senator, advocating for education and civil rights, I would have laughed. Back then, I was quiet, reserved, careful with my words. I avoided conflict, didn’t want to ruffle feathers, and kept my opinions to myself. I was a numbers person—someone who saw the world in black and white, preferring a math problem with a clear, set answer. But life had other plans for me. Twenty-five years ago, my world chan

Dear younger Lane, Looking ahead at the unknown, you will find that this journey is filled with challenges, emotions, and growth. At times, you will feel angry—wondering why it has to be your children who are deafblind and not you. At times, you will feel sad and alone. Other times, you will feel strong and surprise yourself with the resilience you never knew you had. As a specialist in special education research focused on families, I’ve had the privilege of hearing from so

There’s a reason why Inside Out resonated with so many people when it first hit theaters in 2015. The film portrays emotions as living characters—Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust—showing how they interact to shape our experiences. Watching it as a parent of children who are deafblind, an advocate, and someone who has weathered personal storms, I see even more layers of wisdom in its message. Especially in times like today, when uncertainty, fear, and anxiety seem to dom

Valentine’s Day is often associated with red roses, heart-shaped chocolates, and romantic gestures. But at its core, this day is about something much deeper—love. And love is far more expansive than just the romantic kind we often celebrate on February 14th. Right now, we need love more than ever before. The Love of SelfFor many of us, the greatest love story we will ever experience is the one we have with ourselves. Self-love is the foundation of every other relationship in

For years, I hesitated to talk about my work. I minimized my accomplishments, avoided deep conversations about my purpose, and felt like my career journey didn’t fit into the neat boxes society recognizes. But that was last year. Now, I no longer shrink in conversations. I no longer hesitate. My story is worth telling, and so is yours. I found out early on that a traditional career path wasn’t in my cards. My kids needed me in ways that made a structured, linear career imposs

I've noticed something: when someone is sad, people instinctively try to make them feel better. It’s a natural reaction—our loved ones don’t want to see us hurting. But what if sadness isn’t actually something to be “fixed”? What if, instead, it’s something we need to embrace? One of my favorite movies, Inside Out, beautifully captures this idea. While Joy gets most of the attention, my favorite character has always been Sadness. Even as a kid, I felt that sadness was a neces

I’m currently taking a coaching class on how to use intuition to help myself and others, and last night, during the self-care module, we were asked to list five things we love about ourselves—on the spot. Without hesitation, I rattled them off: ✨ I am a great mom. ✨ I am smart. ✨ I help people by telling my story. ✨ I am resilient and strong. ✨ I am kind and empathetic. Honestly, I could have kept going. And that realization filled me with pride. Because a year ago? I would h

In the midst of our fast-paced lives, finding time to slow down and reconnect with ourselves can feel impossible. We rush from one obligation to the next, often neglecting our mental and emotional well-being. Yet, even in the busiest of schedules, there is a simple, accessible, and profoundly healing tool: guided meditation. Guided meditation is more than just sitting in silence; it’s a purposeful practice where a guide—often in the form of an audio recording, video, or live

I’m just going to put it out there…October and November have been hard for me. The last few weeks have been a journey of trying to make sense of what’s been going on. To process this, I’ve focused on finding ways to regulate my nervous system and sought support from both my spiritual development coach and my therapist. In this blog, I want to share my journey with you.   In October, I began noticing a strange, heavy energy around me. As November rolled in, it became more inte

A few years ago, I began a simple yet profound practice: keeping a gratitude journal. At first, it was a quiet space for me to record things that made me feel thankful—a place where positivity could bloom despite the challenges I faced. When I was going through divorce, that journal became a lifeline. Every day, I’d focus on moments of light, no matter how small, and I discovered that even amidst pain and uncertainty, gratitude had the power to heal and transform. Today, this

Silence and Light, my memoir, comes out on September 3, 2024 and I hope you’ll pick up a copy. Words can not describe how excited yet nervous I am.  In this blog I share how the idea for this book came about, what the writing experience was like for me, and how writing is part of my healing journey. I also share some of my favorite excerpts from the book.  How did my book come about? A few years ago I began thinking about writing my story but it felt overwhelming. My ex-husba

Some days I’m not ok. Yesterday was one of those days. I found that multiple things going on in my life right now activated a trauma response - my PTSD. I’m ok today but I am sharing because I want others to know that it’s ok to say you aren’t ok. It’s ok to not be ok all the time.  Some of you may know - I was bulimic 30 years ago, in college. After a lot of therapy, I recovered and I haven’t had an episode for 30 years. But yesterday, life swept me up and my life felt out o

Last night I was finally ready - ready to get back on my horse - literally and figuratively. I moved out of my ranch back in December to my own apartment and I haven’t been brave enough to ride my horse ever since. In this blog I will share my experience and journey with having horses in my life, what I learned about myself through the process, the fears I had, and how I overcame them.  Three years ago Todd and I bought a ranch in Washington state, just outside of Seattle. I

Last week was the 15th Usher Syndrome Connections Conference in Rochester, NY. I always look forward to this time. This year was full of a lot of extra emotions after all the changes in my life. In this blog, I share my emotions and experiences surrounding the conference, and my appreciation for a community that means so much to our family.  This year’s USH Connections conference had over 500 attendees - the largest conference we’ve ever held by far. But the statistic that su

I'm learning every day how choosing self-care and life balance isn't selfish. Here my journey and advice on how to prioritize yourself.

This past year has brought dramatic changes to my life. I'm sharing the latest chapter in my story.