Thomas' Way with Nicola Irvine - Episode #109
When your child experiences the world through the altered lens of disability it can be difficult to stay on the same road, let alone understand each other. Social norms and the invisible pressure to fit into our society can cause us to miss the perfection of our children just as they are. It takes awareness and bravery to let go of control and allow them to be who they are and communicate to us in “their way”.
In this loving story from Nicola Irvine, she shares an experience with her adult son, Thomas, who is non-verbal, profoundly deaf and has a brain injury. On one of their drives together he begins to strip off his clothes. Nicola feels she needs to correct this behavior but knows doing so runs the risk of escalating the situation and causing him to become aggressive. Instead she chooses to breathe and finds profound beauty in what otherwise could be a very awkward or even dangerous situation.
Nicola Irvine works professionally with parents who struggle with fear, exhaustion, and feeling like they’re on a hamster wheel, to finally experience calm, clarity and peace so they can have a happy, joyful home life. She is an adventure-loving ex-accountant who enjoys time with family and inspiring parents through writing, coaching and speaking. She’s lived in multiple countries, written 3 books and has recently co-written a song.
When Nicola’s son, Thomas contracted bacterial meningitis leaving him with lifelong challenges, she was initially shattered. She searched the world for solutions to ‘fix’ her son and in the process discovered the perfection in the un-fixed, the beauty in “what is” and the gift within each challenge. She is a proud mother of 4, mentor and international speaker.
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