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Parenting a neurodivergent or special needs child already takes constant coordination and advocacy. When divorce enters the picture, Karen McMahon believes those needs don't get simpler, they become the center of every decision.
In this episode, Karen sits down with Mary Ann Hughes, founder of Special Family Transitions and a certified special needs divorce coach, mediator, and co-parenting specialist. As the mother of sons on the autism spectrum, Mary Ann brings both lived experience and deep expertise to a conversation most divorce professionals aren't equipped to have.
Together they cover five critical considerations for parents of autistic or special needs children going through divorce: managing the emotional overwhelm, understanding the language around autism and neurodiversity, hiring an attorney who truly understands your child's needs, protecting government benefits through first-party and third-party special needs trusts, and navigating high-conflict negotiations without losing sight of what your child actually needs.
Mary Ann also shares how she helped her own kids process her divorce, and how that experience led her to co-author My Parents' Divorce Through My Eyes: Helping Children With Autism Understand Divorce.
If you're parenting a neurodivergent child through divorce, this episode offers the strategy, language, and reassurance to help you protect your child's future, and your own.
Connect with Mary Ann- Free Gift: Chapter on Special Needs Divorce in bestselling book, "The Other Side of Divorce" email maryann@specialfamilytransitions.com for your copy
- TedTalk: https://youtu.be/BW6RWN-k65s?si=d4GO7rLKzjZKB7GQ
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/specialfamilytransitions
- YouTube: https://youtube.com/@specialfamilytransitions
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@SpecialFamilyTransitions
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-ann-hughes-special-family-transitions/
Resources Mentioned in this Episode:
- Book a Free Rapid Relief Call: http://rapidreliefcall.com
- Free Divorce Support Network Gift: https://divorcesupportnetwork.com/jbdpod
- Previous Special Needs episode - from the attorney's perspective: Journey Beyond Divorce Podcast: Divorce Roadmap: Children and Divorce: When Special Needs Kids Are Involved on Apple Podcasts
