Thomas' Way with Nicola Irvine

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.

Find Nicola’s book here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys. 

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

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Brave Together Podcast is a resource produced by We Are Brave Together, a global nonprofit that creates community for moms raising children with disabilities, neurodivergence, or complex medical and mental health conditions. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to preserve and protect the mental health of caregiving moms everywhere.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

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Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: [email protected]

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