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FASD Hope is a podcast series about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), through the lens of parent advocates with over twenty years of lived experience. The mission of FASD Hope is to bring awareness, information and inspiration to those whose lives have been touched by a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Each week, Podcast Host- Natalie Vecchione- will speak with a variety of guests about different topics related to FASD and other Brain Based Diagnoses.
Episodes

Thursday Nov 03, 2022
163 - Be Still - Our Final Episode
Thursday Nov 03, 2022
Thursday Nov 03, 2022
FASD Hope is a podcast about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), through the lens of parent advocates with over twenty years of lived experience.
Episode 163 is our FINAL episode of FASD Hope. For over two years, we have been blessed to be a voice for giving IMPORTANT guests a platform to share their journeys, experience, research, clinical work, legislative activity, philanthropy and inspiration for the FASD Community! Thank you for listening to our small but mighty family podcast about FASD. We're certainly not experts and we're still on this journey, too. It’s now time for us to focus even more on our family, navigate what lies ahead, and face uncertainty with faith and fortitude.
We're SO thankful to be ending this amazing journey by leaving over 160+ episodes of FASD Hope! Thank you for listening, take care and always have HOPE!
"The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." - Exodus 14:14
Sincerely,
Natalie and John Vecchione
FASD Hope

Tuesday Nov 01, 2022
Tuesday Nov 01, 2022
FASD Hope is a podcast series about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), through the lens of parent advocates with over twenty years of lived experience.
November is National Adoption Month and FASD Hope is honored to highlight Andrew Bridge in Episode 162.
Leaving foster care at eighteen, Andrew Bridge attended Wesleyan University, then graduated from Harvard Law School and he was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship. He began his legal career representing children in mental health facilities across Alabama. His work as an attorney and an advocate enforced children's constitutional rights to be free from staff abuse and to receive meaningful psychiatric care.
Andrew returned home to Los Angeles as the CEO of The Alliance for Children's Rights. He defended children at MacLaren Hall, where he was once confined. He won the right for Los Angeles' 60,000 foster children to speak publicly about their treatment. He investigated the excessive removal of African-American babies from their parents, which led to one of the first government initiatives to stop it. Andrew is the Co-Founder of National Adoption Day. He went on to lead one of California's largest recruiters of foster and adoptive parents.
Called to address the unjustified placement of foster children in mental institutions, Andrew has served as a Senior Advisor to the State of Illinois. His educational work resulted in the creation of New Village Girls Academy, California's first all-girls high school for parenting teens. Andrew serves on Arizona's Foster Care Review Board and he consults with child welfare systems and foundations.
Andrew is also the author of the New York Times AND Los Angeles Times BEST SELLER book, "Hope's Boy: A Memoir". The Washington Post named "Hope's Boy" one of it's Best Books of the Year, with a review that called it "filled with vivid scenes and empathetic description...compulsively readable".
In this THOUGHT-PROVOKING episode, Andrew shares: his personal journey and lived experience as a foster child in the Los Angeles Foster Care System, his journey in becoming an attorney and child rights advocate, insights and discussion points from "Hope's Boy", the punitive nature that was / still exists in child welfare systems, his thoughts on how to educate those in the child welfare system about FASD and other brain-based diagnoses, the beginnings of "National Adoption Day" in 2000 and how it's grown, his current work and initiatives and words of hope and encouragement.
EPISODE RESOURCES -
Andrew Bridge -
Hope’s Boy - https://hopesboy.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-bridge-667860210/
FASD Hope Resources -
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fasdhope/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fasdhope1
Twitter - https://twitter.com/fasdhope
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-vecchione-17212160/
“HOPE FOR THE FASD JOURNEY COMMUNITY”, CO-LEAD BY NATALIE VECCHIONE AND SANDRA FLACH
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT “HOPE FOR THE FASD JOURNEY” COMMUNITY OR TO SIGN UP, VISIT THE BELOW LINK -
https://www.justicefororphansny.org/hope-community
Check out our book “Blazing New Homeschool Trails: Educating and Launching Teens with Developmental Disabilities” by Natalie Vecchione & Cindy LaJoy

Friday Oct 28, 2022
161 - FASCETS Friday - A Family’s Transformation with Lynn and Clare Alsup
Friday Oct 28, 2022
Friday Oct 28, 2022
FASD Hope is a podcast series about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), through the lens of parent advocates with over twenty years of lived experience.
Episode 161 is the FINAL FASCETS Friday Episode in which Episode 81 Guest, Lynn Alsup of FASCETS and her daughter, Clare, share how their family was transformed by the FASCETS Neurobehavioral Model. Lynn was our first "FASCETS Friday" guest in Episode 81 - airdate September 14, 2021.
In this ENLIGHTENING episode, Lynn and Clare share the following: Lynn's work in FASCETS and the progress of her upcoming memoir, their family's FASD journey / life before Clare's FASD diagnosis, learning about the FASCETS Neurobehavioral Model and how it TRANSFORMED their family, how their family is doing now, Clare's accomplishments / important insight and words of hope and encouragement.
FASCETS RESOURCES -
FASCETS Website - https://fascets.org/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/FASCETS
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fascets_inc/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/FASCETS2
FASD Hope Resources -
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fasdhope/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fasdhope1
Twitter - https://twitter.com/fasdhope
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-vecchione-17212160/
“HOPE FOR THE FASD JOURNEY COMMUNITY”, CO-LEAD BY NATALIE VECCHIONE AND SANDRA FLACH
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT “HOPE FOR THE FASD JOURNEY” COMMUNITY OR TO SIGN UP, VISIT THE BELOW LINK -
https://www.justicefororphansny.org/hope-community
Check out our book “Blazing New Homeschool Trails: Educating and Launching Teens with Developmental Disabilities” by Natalie Vecchione & Cindy LaJoy

Tuesday Oct 25, 2022
160 - The Fellowship of Rural FASD - A Conversation with Rob More
Tuesday Oct 25, 2022
Tuesday Oct 25, 2022
FASD Hope is a podcast series about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), through the lens of parent advocates with over twenty years of lived experience.
Episode 160 celebrates the AMAZING advocacy, work and fellowship of the Rural FASD Support Network (Ontario, CA). The Rural FASD Support Network was founded by a small group of volunteers with personal knowledge of & lived experience with FASD in rural Ontario (Canada). Today's conversation is with Rob More, Secretary of Rural FASD. Rob and his wife Shelley are proud parents of three amazing young adult children impacted by FASD. Rob, Shelley and four other dedicated volunteers are the co-founders of the Rural FASD Support Network of Eastern Ontario, which is currently the largest, nonprofit, lived disability experience in Canada following "Nothing For Us Without Us".
In this HOPE-FILLED EPISODE, Rob shares the following: the history of the Rural FASD Support Network, the exponential growth & key developments of Rural FASD, the diversity & representation of Rural FASD, the exciting legislative update of the National FASD Framework Legislation in Canada (and how Rural FASD and others advocated on Parliament Hill on October 20th), the blessings (and challenges) of living in a rural area as a family of those with FASD and words of hope and encouragement.
"As you have therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving."
- Colossians 2: 6-7
EPISODE RESOURCES -
Rural FASD -
email - ruralfasd@gmail.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ruralfasd/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/FasdRural
FASD Hope Resources -
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fasdhope/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fasdhope1
Twitter - https://twitter.com/fasdhope
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-vecchione-17212160/
“HOPE FOR THE FASD JOURNEY COMMUNITY”, CO-LEAD BY NATALIE VECCHIONE AND SANDRA FLACH
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT “HOPE FOR THE FASD JOURNEY” COMMUNITY OR TO SIGN UP, VISIT THE BELOW LINK -
https://www.justicefororphansny.org/hope-community
Check out our book “Blazing New Homeschool Trails: Educating and Launching Teens with Developmental Disabilities” by Natalie Vecchione & Cindy LaJoy

Tuesday Oct 18, 2022
159 - All About FASD - FASD and Bullying Part 2 With Dr. Jerrod Brown
Tuesday Oct 18, 2022
Tuesday Oct 18, 2022
FASD Hope is a podcast series about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), through the lens of parent advocates with over twenty years of lived experience.
Returning to FASD Hope is regular guest and friend in FASD advocacy, Dr. Jerrod Brown in Episode 159 - "All About FASD - FASD and Bullying Part 2". Jerrod Brown, Ph.D., M.A., M.S., M.S., M.S. is a professor, trainer, researcher and consultant with multiple years of experience teaching collegiate courses. Jerrod is also the founder and CEO of the American Institute for the Advancement of Forensic Studies (AIAFS) and the Editor in Chief of Forensic Scholar Today (FST).
In this second episode about FASD and Bullying, Jerrod further explores the following topics: why it's critical to have a good knowledge of FASD / bullying, the links between bullying and self-destructive actions, cyberbullying, how bullying erodes mental health in individuals with FASD (and why they are already susceptible with mental health diagnoses), the further implications of bullying to already existing trauma and attachment issues, where to look for resources and words of encouragement and hope.
EPISODE 159 RESOURCES -
Dr. Jerrod Brown - jerrod01234brown@live.com
American Institute for the Advancement of Forensic Studies (AIAFS) - https://aiafs.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AIAFSAssoc
Twitter - https://twitter.com/AIAFS2011
FASD Hope Resources -
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fasdhope/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fasdhope1
Twitter - https://twitter.com/fasdhope
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-vecchione-17212160/
Check out our book “Blazing New Homeschool Trails: Educating and Launching Teens with Developmental Disabilities” by Natalie Vecchione & Cindy LaJoy BUY IT NOW!

Tuesday Oct 11, 2022
158 - Breaking the Pipeline - A Conversation with Dr. Deanna Westedt
Tuesday Oct 11, 2022
Tuesday Oct 11, 2022
FASD Hope is a podcast series about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), through the lens of parent advocates with over twenty years of lived experience.
Episode 158 of FASD Hope explores a controversial topic: the School to Prison Pipeline (STPP). The STPP or SPP is the significantly increased tendency of students from disadvantaged backgrounds, students with brain-based diagnoses, developmental disabilities and BIPOC students to become involved in the juvenile justice system. In today's episode, discussing the STPP and it's implications for students with brain-based diagnoses (including FASD, Autism, ADHD, etc.) is Dr. Deanna Westedt.
Dr. Deanna Westedt received a doctorate in curriculum and instruction and spent 22 years in education. Currently, she homeschools and provides guidance for families, both homeschooled and traditionally schooled. She has a special passion for twice-exceptional students and providing learning that goes outside of a classroom box. Her insights into twice-exceptionality have been featured in publications and venues such as Psychology Today, Future First Education, and CABE. Dr. Westedt’s research was featured in AERA 2020. However, her best accomplishment is that of the growth her boys made during their time in homeschooling so far, where her ideas on how to accommodate their special combination of giftedness and learning disabilities paid off. She currently provides coaching and writing sessions, as well as specializes in early literacy that can be blended into any type of setting. Additionally, she provides parent sessions, diagnostics, and flexible differentiation training for homeschool/ educational organizations.
In this highly informative and thought-provoking episode, Dr. Westedt shares the following: her professional background, her family's journey, her passion for creating academic equity for all students, how she became aware of the STPP, how students with brain-based diagnoses (including FASD) become even more susceptible to getting involved in the STPP, addressing how the traditional cycle of discipline reinforces the STPP (especially for students with developmental disabilities & brain-based diagnoses), how a systemic shift is required to break this cycle, how to better support those students involved in the STPP / JJ systems and her words of hope for listeners.
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." - Proverbs: 5-6
EPISODE RESOURCES -
Dr. Deanna Westedt - https://deannawestedt.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/drwestedt
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dr.deannawestedt/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanna-westedt-ed-d-64a2741b1/
FASD Hope Resources -
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fasdhope/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fasdhope1
Twitter - https://twitter.com/fasdhope
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-vecchione-17212160/
HOPE FOR THE FASD JOURNEY ONLINE COMMUNITY - Co-Lead By Natalie Vecchione and Sandra Flach -
Hope for the FASD Journey is a faith-based, membership support community for parents and caregivers of individuals prenatally exposed to alcohol and other substances. Led by Natalie Vecchione of the FASD Hope Podcast and Sandra Flach of the Adoption & Foster Care Journey Podcast— 2 moms living the FASD experience. With more than 20 years of adoptive parenting each, Natalie & Sandra offer abundant knowledge and resources to provide hope to families on this journey. “
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE “HOPE FOR THE FASD JOURNEY COMMUNITY” OR TO SIGN UP, VISIT THE BELOW LINK -
https://www.justicefororphansny.org/hope-community
Check out our book “Blazing New Homeschool Trails: Educating and Launching Teens with Developmental Disabilities” by Natalie Vecchione & Cindy LaJoy BUY IT NOW!

Tuesday Oct 04, 2022
157 - Bullied, Broken, Redeemed - A Conversation with Candice Dugger
Tuesday Oct 04, 2022
Tuesday Oct 04, 2022
FASD Hope is a podcast about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), through the lens of parent advocates with over twenty years of lived experience.
October is National Bullying Prevention Month. Episode 157 welcomes back Candice Dugger (Season 1, Episode 39, Feb. 25, 2021) to highlight her CRITICAL work in bullying awareness / prevention / education through "Bullied, Broken, Redeemed". Candice is a nationally-recognized anti-bullying expert, author, speaker and trainer. Candice and her team at Bullied, Broken, Redeemed specialize in equipping leaders, parents and youth on all aspects of Gen-Z Bullying. Candice also is the co-founder of "Reimagine Education Conference", which specializes in helping families transition to homeschool. Finally, Candice is the founder of Kids Business Academy, an organization that comes alongside parents to teach the essentials of entrepreneurship.
In this INFORMATIONAL and INSPIRATIONAL episode, Candice explores the following: Candice's family's journey with bullying / starting BBR, statistics, facts about bullying & kids / teens with neurodiversity, myths about bullying, how bullying is a cultural epidemic, key points about bullying, how BBR and her other initiatives support and help heal children / teens who have been through bullying and her words of hope and inspiration for listeners.
"Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing." - 1 Thessalonians 5:11
EPISODE RESOURCES -
Candice Dugger - https://candicedugger.com/index.html
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cedugger/
Bullied, Broken and Redeemed Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/bulliedbrokenredeemed
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/candice-dugger-1a606952/
FASD Hope -
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fasdhope/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fasdhope1
Twitter - https://twitter.com/fasdhope
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-vecchione-17212160/
Racket - @fasdhope
Clubhouse - @natalievecc
Check out our book “Blazing New Homeschool Trails: Educating and Launching Teens with Developmental Disabilities” by Natalie Vecchione & Cindy LaJoy BUY IT NOW!

Friday Sep 30, 2022
156 - It’s Our Two Year Podversary! With Guest Host Jennifer Wisdahl
Friday Sep 30, 2022
Friday Sep 30, 2022
FASD Hope is a podcast about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), through the lens of parent advocates with over twenty years of lived experience.
FASD Hope Podcast is celebrating it's 2 year anniversary ( aka "Podversary")! FASD Hope launched on October 1, 2020. We are airing this milestone episode (a day early) on Friday, September 30th - International Podcasting Day. FASD Hope is thrilled to be active and embraced in both the FASD and Podcasting Communities! Episode 156 is also a first for FASD Hope, in that our "Most Frequent Guest", Jennifer Wisdahl of FASD United is this episode's GUEST HOST. Jennifer and Natalie have a heart to heart conversation with much warmth, hope and joy!
EPISODE RESOURCES -
FASD United -
Jennifer Wisdahl of FASD United -
FASD Hope -
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fasdhope/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fasdhope1
Twitter - https://twitter.com/fasdhope
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-vecchione-17212160/
Racket - @fasdhope
Clubhouse - @natalievecc
Check out our book “Blazing New Homeschool Trails: Educating and Launching Teens with Developmental Disabilities” by Natalie Vecchione & Cindy LaJoy BUY IT NOW!

Tuesday Sep 27, 2022
155 - Oshays Brain Domain - An Update with Maryelen and Paula McPhail
Tuesday Sep 27, 2022
Tuesday Sep 27, 2022
FASD Hope is a podcast series about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), through the lens of parent advocates with over twenty years of lived experience.
Episode 155 welcomes back the AMAZING mother / daughter team of Maryelen and Paula McPhail of Oshays Brain Domain (formerly Oshays FASD). Maryelen is a FASD parent advocate and Paula is an FASD Self-Advocate. Together, they are the leadership behind Oshays Brain Domain - a Social Enterprise based in Ayr, Scotland with a mission of supporting families / children with FASD. Since their previous episode (#66 - airdate July 13, 2021), Maryelen and Paula have wonderful updates about: their global expansion, supports, programs and FASD advocacy initiatives through Oshays Brain Domain!
EPISODE RESOURCES -
Oshays Brain Domain / FASD - https://www.oshaysfasd.org/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/oshaysbraindomain
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/oshays_fasd/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/OshaysFASD
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryelen-mcphail-fasd-969663165/
Email - info@oshays.org
Phone - +44 (0) 01292 261094 (Scotland)
The FASD Article that Paula wrote / shared -
https://metro.co.uk/2022/09/09/my-mums-pregnancy-drinking-caused-me-lasting-damage-17307228/
FASD Hope -
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fasdhope/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fasdhope1
Twitter - https://twitter.com/fasdhope
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-vecchione-17212160/
Racket - @fasdhope
Clubhouse - @natalievecc
Check out our book “Blazing New Homeschool Trails: Educating and Launching Teens with Developmental Disabilities” by Natalie Vecchione & Cindy LaJoy BUY IT NOW!

Friday Sep 23, 2022
154 - FASCETS Friday - FASD in Spouses with Suzanne Emery
Friday Sep 23, 2022
Friday Sep 23, 2022
FASD Hope is a podcast series about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), through the lens of parent advocates with over twenty years of lived experience.
September is FASD Awareness Month! FASD Hope is thrilled to welcome back previous guest (Episodes 89, 112) and FASCETS Facilitator, Suzanne Emery for FASCETS Friday! Suzanne Emery has a Master in Leadership Nursing and she is a Family Nurse Practitioner. She is a Certified Facilitator of the FASCETS Neurobehavioral Model and she is a FASCETS Program Director.
Today's FASCETS Friday episode topic is "FASD in Spouses". Suzanne has experience working with couples where one of the spouses or partners has a Fetal Alcohol or Neurobehavioral Diagnosis. Given the prevalence of FASD and Other Brain Based Diagnoses, Suzanne shares how determining a suspected FASD or other Neurobehavioral Diagnosis is critical with couples who are encountering tension and unresolvable challenges in their relationships.
Suzanne also discusses the following topics: exploring FASD/NB as the root if there are difficulties in a marriage / relationship, how to know if a spouse were on the FASD spectrum, why seeking a diagnosis (or ruling out an FASD) would be critical in a marriage / relationship, what to do if you suspect your spouse has an FASD, support or training that can help and stories of hope.
NOTE - If you are interested in learning more about an online support group for spouses of those adults with FASD, email Suzanne at suzemery28@gmail.com
EPISODE RESOURCES-
FASCETS - https://fascets.org/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/FASCETS
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fascets_inc/
Twitter -https://twitter.com/FASCETS2
To learn more about the online workshop opportunities given by FASCETS, click on the below link for more information or to register.
https://fascets.org/workshops/
Note - If you decide to sign up for a FASCETS training, please let FASCETS know that you were referred by FASD Hope (as this helps in supporting FASD Hope as an organization).
FASD Hope -
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fasdhope/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fasdhope1
Twitter - https://twitter.com/fasdhope
LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-vecchione-17212160/
Racket - @fasdhope
Clubhouse - @natalievecc
Check out our book “Blazing New Homeschool Trails: Educating and Launching Teens with Developmental Disabilities” by Natalie Vecchione & Cindy LaJoy BUY IT NOW!