Let’s shift and shake up the traditional family narrative.
This session is led by two loving (and unrelated) siblings who have spent a lifetime navigating what it means to support a family member with an intellectual/developmental disability (IDD) and neurodivergent experience, and who continue to evolve those roles in adulthood.
Spoiler alert: the typical story of family support can sometimes include hidden challenges, such as power imbalances, over-protection, and unintentionally limiting autonomy. While rooted in care, these dynamics can narrow down what’s possible.
But true support looks different.
It centers a person’s voice, honors their dreams and preferences, and embraces something deeper: radical interdependence, a model where support is mutual, evolving, and grounded in respect rather than control.
Through honest storytelling, lived experience, and practical strategies, this session invites participants to rethink how support shows up within families. We’ll explore how siblings and the broader circle of support can move from default roles into intentional relationships that expand opportunity, build confidence, and foster meaningful, self-directed lives.
Participants will leave with tools and perspectives to:
- Recognize and unpack assumptions about family roles
- Navigate the balance between care and autonomy
- Engage siblings as collaborators rather than caretakers
- Apply person-centered tools to real-life relationships and decision-making
Together, we’ll explore what it means to show up for one another, not out of obligation, but from a place of connection, respect, and shared care. Because with the right support, a meaningful life isn’t just possible; it becomes expected.