Not Your Average Autism Mom

Not Your Average Autism Mom

Shannon Urquiola

Episodes 292
Avg. Duration 20m
Activity Highly Active
Apple Rating 4.8 (48)
Since Apr 2020
Latest Episode Jun 2026

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Open to Sponsors

Publishing Details

Schedule
Weekly
Format
Episodic
Consistency
100%
Hosting
anchor.fm

Contact & Outreach

About This Podcast

This podcast was started for parents and caregivers raising autistic children, but has evolved, and we have listeners across the world who are relatives of someone with autism, special education teachers, and other professionals. My son Jordan was diagnosed with autism when he was 5 years old, now 29. I have been where you are. Jordan will likely never live independently. I am in the trenches every day, just like you. Each week, for 20 minutes or less (most episodes), I discuss topics that directly impact your life on this unique parenting journey. [email protected]

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Recent Episodes

S1E234 BEST of Summer Series: Stop Chasing Calm: The Truth About Regulation

Jun 04, 2026 17m

☀️ BEST of Summer SeriesThis episode is part of our BEST of Summer Series, where I'm revisiting some of the most impactful, most downloaded, and most shared episodes from the Not Your Average Autism…

S1E272 272. Summer is Coming... And I Know You're Already Tired

May 28, 2026 17m

Summer is coming... and if you're already feeling overwhelmed thinking about it, you're not alone.In this episode, Shannon talks about the unique challenges summer brings for families raising…

S1E271 271. Planning Exit Routes Since 2001: When "Easy" Isn't Easy

May 21, 2026 20m

Why do autism moms feel exhausted before we even leave the house?In this deeply relatable episode, Shannon talks about the invisible mental load so many autism moms carry every single day —…

S1E270 270. When There is No Pause Button: Riding Out the Storm

May 14, 2026 30m

Parenting an autistic child often feels like navigating a storm without a pause button. You may find yourself overwhelmed, trying to manage behaviors that seem chaotic and unpredictable.This…

S1E269 269. Public Meltdowns and Private Shame

May 07, 2026 34m

If you’ve ever left a store in tears, replayed a public meltdown in your head for days, or avoided going places because it just feels easier than risking another scene… this episode is for you.In…

S1E268 268. Why Autism Parents Don’t “Just Get a Babysitter”: The Truth About Trust

Apr 30, 2026 24m

One of the things autism parents hear all the time is, “You should just get a babysitter and take a break.” But what most people don’t understand is—it’s not that…

S1E247 267. Autism Parenting and Marriage: Why Couples Struggle (And How They Reconnect)

Apr 23, 2026 31m

Raising a child with autism can bring incredible love and purpose into a family’s life—but it can also put enormous pressure on a marriage.This episode is sponsored by Neuro-Free, a provider focused…

S1E266 266. Autism Changes Siblings Too: The Story Nobody Talks About

Apr 16, 2026 11m

Behind every autistic child is often a brother or sister quietly growing up differently too — and in this episode, Shannon Urquiola shares the honest, complicated, and deeply meaningful side of…

S1E265 265. The Hard Lessons Autism Parenting Eventually Teaches Every Mom

Apr 09, 2026 21m

There are some lessons you only learn after years of raising a child with autism.The kind of lessons no one tells you when your child is first diagnosed. The kind that comes from experience,…

S1E264 264. The Invisible Communication Gap (And Why It Causes So Much Frustration)

Apr 02, 2026 27m

Why does your autistic child take things so literally? Why do they sometimes focus on details that seem completely unrelated to the situation? And why can conversations with them sometimes feel like…

S1E263 263. ABA Therapy: Helpful, Harmful, or Misunderstood? What Parents Need to Know

Mar 26, 2026 27m

ABA therapy is one of the most talked about — and often misunderstood — therapies in the autism world. Some families swear by it. Others strongly oppose it. And many parents are left wondering what…

S1E262 262. When "Helpful" Advice Isn't Helpful: Navigating Advice From People Who Don't Understand

Mar 19, 2026 27m

“Just make him go.”“They’ll eat when they’re hungry.”“He’ll catch up.”If you’re raising a child on the autism spectrum, chances are you’ve heard some version of these “helpful” suggestions more times…

S1E261 261. Biomedical Testing and Autism: Understanding a Complex Topic

Mar 12, 2026 27m

In this episode of the Not Your Average Autism Mom podcast, Shannon Urquiola explores a topic many parents quietly wonder about but don’t always know how to navigate: biomedical testing and…

S1E260 260. The Most Important Page in the IEP (That Many Parents Forget to Use)

Mar 05, 2026 47m

In this episode of the Not Your Average Autism Mom podcast, Shannon Urquiola dives deep into one of the most overlooked — yet powerful — tools in special education: the Parent Input Statement.If…

S1E259 259. Is This Autism ... or Something Else? How to Know When to Look Deeper

Feb 26, 2026 29m

“Is this autism… or are we missing something?”It’s a question so many autism moms quietly wrestle with — especially when behaviors shift, anxiety increases, focus drops, or school becomes harder than…

S1E258 258. The Loneliest Seat in the Room: When You’re the Only One Who Sees the Struggle

Feb 19, 2026 19m

Have you ever sat in an IEP meeting, a doctor’s appointment, or even a family gathering and thought… You’re not seeing what I’m seeing?In this episode of the Not Your Average Autism Mom podcast,…

S1E257 257. Rules Need Context — Why “Because I Said So” Doesn’t Work in Autism Parenting

Feb 12, 2026 26m

Rules can feel like constant battles in autism parenting— especially when you’re repeating yourself, feeling frustrated, and wondering why things that should be simple just aren’t clicking.In this…

S1E256 256. The Long Game of Advocacy —and How to Keep Going

Feb 05, 2026 26m

Advocacy isn’t a phase of autism parenting—it’s a long-term role that evolves from diagnosis through adulthood. And for many moms, it can feel exhausting, overwhelming, and never-ending.In this…

S1E255 255. Autism Parenting Changes You: And That Isn’t the End of Your Story

Jan 29, 2026 18m

Autism parenting changes you.Not just how you parent — but how you think, how you feel, and how you move through the world.In this episode of the Not Your Average Autism Mom podcast, Shannon Urquiola…

S1E254 254. Why All-or-Nothing Thinking Gets So Loud in Autism Parenting

Jan 22, 2026 19m

All-or-nothing thinking is one of the most common — and most damaging — thought patterns I see in autism parenting.If today is hard, it suddenly feels like everything is hard. If your child is…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Not Your Average Autism Mom have?

Not Your Average Autism Mom has published 292 episodes since April 2020, covering topics in Kids & Family, Parenting.

Is Not Your Average Autism Mom still active?

Not Your Average Autism Mom is currently highly active with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 20m.

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