Interview with Mary Ann Hughes who turned a major life event into a career path

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Mary Ann Hughes shares that she is the only certified divorce coach exclusively focused on helping families with children with special needs.

• Discusses her unique journey and how she transitioned into this role, emphasizing her passion and mission to assist families facing divorce with children with disabilities.
• Shares that she has two children on opposite ends of the autism spectrum, discussing her experience with their diagnoses and early interventions.
• Her children are now young adults in their early twenties, and she reflects on her journey as a special needs parent, from coping with the initial diagnosis to transitioning to adulthood.
• She talks about her unexpected divorce several years ago and how it impacted her family, including her children with special needs.
• Emphasizes the importance of taking care of children's emotional well-being during divorce and preparing them for changes.
• Discusses the use of "social stories" to help children understand and cope with transitions.
• Shares the need for parents to focus on self-care and take time to recharge, especially during challenging times like divorce.
• Describes how her role as a special needs mom influenced her aspirations and goals, emphasizing the importance of teaching her children to become advocates for themselves.
• Discusses the confidence her children have developed through her guidance and role modeling.
• Shares that she enjoys learning and engaging in personal development.
• Highlights the value of outdoor activities and time alone for relaxation and recharging.
• Emphasizes the importance of scheduling self-care activities and making time for socializing with friends.

Mary Ann's Role as a Divorce Coach:

• Mary Ann talks about how she helps individuals contemplating divorce, going through divorce, or dealing with the aftermath.
• She discusses her coaching approach, which includes understanding the client's needs, offering advice and resources, and assisting with decision-making, communication, and emotional support.
• Mary Ann mentions her course, "Special Family Transitions," which focuses on helping parents navigate divorce while prioritizing their children's needs.
• Mary Ann explains the "RISE" framework, which stands for Remember who you are, Investigate options, Secure a team, and Embrace the future.
• Each component of the framework plays a crucial role in guiding parents through the divorce process and planning for the child's future.
• Mary Ann encourages special needs moms to take care of themselves and grant themselves grace during challenging times like divorce.
• She emphasizes the importance of considering the long-term well-being of both children and parents when going through a divorce.
• Mary Ann reflects on the potential for collaborative divorce resolutions that prioritize the child's needs and future.

https://www.specialfamilytransitions.com/
https://www.facebook.com/specialfamilytransitions
https://www.instagram.com/specialfamilytransitions/
https://youtube.com/@specialfamilytransitions
RISE course: Ask for SFT discount code
https://bit.ly/DivorceTipsForMoms

Music Acknowledgement: Audio Coffee - Denys Kyshchuk

Learn more about your host at:
https://coachingwithvalerieanne.com/