When holiday season rolls around, we all want to be able to sit around the dinner table and experience something reminiscent of a Norman Rockwell painting. Unfortunately, the holidays tend to bring out the worst in some families. Dr. Travis Bradberry, co-author of the bestselling Emotional Intelligence 2.0, shares some insight on how to repair relationships between family members by focusing on the manner in which conflict is handled.  SN: Can you explain the idea of “repair” and how it can be possible to show respect for someone who is not extending you the same courtesy?   Dr. Bradberry: Repair is the single greatest technique that defines the quality of relationships in terms of how they deal with conflict. It’s about working with the other person to resolve the situation, rather than trying to win. People tend to try to win the battle but lose the war because they get mired in trying to prove their point and arguing their side of things. In reality the war that’s lost is the quality of the relationship as a whole. Repair is about trying to resolve things and move forward together.  SN: In a recent article you wrote titled “How to Repair a Damaged Relationship,” you talk about taking your emotions out of the driver’s seat. For most of us, that is a very difficult thing to do.  Dr. Bradberry: In a situation where emotions are running high, you really have to try to find the frame of...

Dr. Bradberry advises using emotional intelligence to repair family relationships during holidays, focusing on conflict resolution.

Holiday Relationship Repair for Families

 Compromise. Commitment. Patience. My 20 years of marriage have taught me many things. One of the most important was how to read. Sure, I knew how to read before I got married. For example, I was a voracious reader of the tabloids in the lines at the supermarket. I could pretty much tell you, which stars were secretly aliens set to take over the world. But it really wasn’t until I married my husband and realized that our TV viewing habits weren’t compatible (For example, I dislike the Rocky channel) that I truly discovered the world of reading. On a good week, I read at least two books a week (some don’t even have pictures).    The books I read vary. As a speaker about special needs parenting, I’ll often read self-help, psychology, or parenting books, though sometimes I need a break. “This depression book made me depressed.” On those occasions, I seek out fiction novels that usually involve suspense or legal dramas. Unlike a lot of women, I’m not usually a big fan of romance or Harlequin novels, as evidenced by my lack of knowledge about them.    “Hey why is the I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter commercial guy on the cover of that book?”   Since I started reading electronically, I find books to read fairly easily. Often this involves just reading the best sellers. A few months ago, I did this when I downloaded a #1 book that I had...

After 20 years of marriage, a woman learns to love reading, mistakenly dives into 'Fifty Shades of Grey,' and shares humorous takeaways.

Fifty Shades of Embarrassment

My name is Xiomara Montes, I am 35 years old, born on the island of Puerto Rico. I have 5 years of marriage, and my husband served in the U.S. Armed Forces. We have 3 beautiful children, two girls and one boy. Our first daughter is 10 years, a very intelligent girl and academically excels in school. Our boy, who is 2 years old, is the baby of the house, happy, always smiling and very active. Our second daughter is 4 years. Her name is Xaymara. She was born on December 28, 2007 at 2:00 a.m. in San Juan, Puerto Rico, only 29 weeks old. She weighed 3 pounds 10 ounces and measured 16 inches. It was unexpected, given the fact that during pregnancy there were no problems. She was quickly taken to the intensive care unit and stayed there 37 days, battling for her life. When discharged from the hospital, we took our home a healthy baby at first, but it was very difficult to handle. She was crying all the time; only me or my husband managed to calm her. At night she slept with me because there was no other way to get to sleep.    In the next six months, we went from appointment to appointment with specialists, pediatricians, but neither said anything. After six months of doubts and questions, we made an appointment with a pediatrician, a specialist in development. She did some tests and decided to send her to do an MRI....

Xiomara Montes, a military wife, shares her journey of raising a child with special needs and the support provided by the military.

On Being a Military Wife and Mother

For years, parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have mistakenly passed along the erroneous statistic that 80% of marriages of such parents will end in divorce. This myth also has been perpetuated by professionals and the media. As described in a recent large scale research study by Hartley and her colleagues (2010), there is a relatively higher rate of divorce when compared to families with typical children; however, the majority of marriages remain intact. Certainly, there is more to strive for in a marriage than simply not getting divorced. That bar is simply set too low. Unfortunately, many couples raising children with autism spectrum disorders reflect this attitude of lower expectations for their marriages. As one couple said, while beginning marital therapy with me, “We had no choice but to throw our marriage overboard.” Actually, I believe in the reverse strategy. That is, when raising children with intensified parenting needs, we need to intentionally take care of our marriages. As will be discussed further, this can be done despite greater levels of parenting stress and extremely busy lives. There are great pressures that other couples don’t necessarily have to deal with as illustrated by the following two comments: “My husband doesn’t understand why I need to spend hours making kale chips for our son’s special diet, why there can’t be tags in his shirt or why the child really must have his meds with the meal-rather than ‘whenever’!” “My wife doesn’t understand that all of life should not...

80% divorce rate for parents of ASD kids is a myth; focused effort is crucial for marital health despite heightened parenting stress.

Protecting Marriage When Your Child Has ASD

Picture this with me: A dad. A mom. Two daughters — one who is thirteen years old and one who is ten years old. A nice little family that remembers the baby days with fondness but is content for them to be just that; memories.  This is a family that has finally reached the time where the girls can be left alone at home during the day. A family that can catch a movie or go out to eat at the drop of a hat. A family who can travel without having to lug strollers and diaper bags and car seats and baby monitors and bottles and…a mom and dad that are starting to think just a little bit about those empty nest days that don’t seem so far off in the future. Add one very late night, a hasty look at the calendar, a husband’s panicky trip to the drugstore, and utter disbelief at the results of a pregnancy test. And then there were five. Little did I know, but adjusting to an unexpected pregnancy and a late addition to our family was the easy part.  Our precious baby girl was born with a host of medical issues that were discovered on her fifth day of life, the most serious of which was a hole in heart, requiring open heart surgery when she was just four months old. After recovering from all the physical ailments, Lily seemed to be doing fine, meeting milestones just slightly behind her...

A family transitions from four to five when a new baby with medical issues and autism arrives, teaching them about adaptability and support.

A Family Picture

 In the world of special needs, there is a great amount of statistics flying around, and one of the most shocking numbers is that an estimated 80-90 percent of marriages involving special needs children end in divorce. Rachel Bernstein, a licensed marriage and family therapist from California, gives parents of special needs kids some advice to avoid becoming a part of this statistic.   “It is really very true that being a parent and also sustaining a healthy marriage is challenging enough on its own, and so when you add having a child with special needs into the mix, it does impact the relationship in a very powerful way,” says Bernstein. Though unsure if anyone has an exact number, she does say the number is disproportionately high for parents of children with special needs.    Bernstein does have a few tips to help “beat the odds”:     Make a plan for your marriage. “I find that parents who are very successful in helping their children with their own needs are very mindful of putting together an educational, medical, and therapeutic plan for their child, but I think it’s equally important to sit down with your spouse and make a plan for your marriage,” Bernstein suggests. “The plan includes first remembering why you fell in love with this person, and making sure to notice and acknowledge those qualities in each other at least once a day — this is actually true of any healthy...

Therapist gives tips to save marriages with special needs kids, like daily couple time and teamwork.

Protecting a Special Marriage

 If you are angry, frustrated, or just plain feeling hopeless about your relationship with your ADHD partner, you would not be alone. Many couples get married not realizing that one or both of them has ADHD. The undiagnosed symptoms encourage very specific, and often very destructive, patterns in their relationship. These patterns can lead to intense anger and frustration. It’s not that it’s the “fault” of the person with the ADHD — both spouses contribute to the degradation of their relationship. Typically there is an ADHD symptom such as distraction, then there is a spousal response to that symptom (such as anger at being ignored) and, finally, a response to the response (such as defensiveness in response to a non-ADHD partner’s anger). Interactions become a reinforcing cycle of negatives and you both become quicker and quicker to explode and more and more hopeless. Often, the ADHD partner begins to avoid the non-ADHD partner to distance himself (or herself) from the conflict. This only makes things harder.   Unfortunately, if ADHD is a problem at all, then anger is almost inevitable for as long as ADHD is not addressed in the relationship. Harriet Lerner, an expert on anger, notes that anger is inevitable as long as you are “giving in and going along” and don’t feel in control of your own life. This is just what both partners are doing when they don’t know what to do about ADHD symptoms in the relationship. The ADHD — and responses to...

Frustration in ADHD-affected marriages is common but can be managed with treatment, better communication, empathy, and positivity.

Angry and Frustrated with Your ADHD Spouse?

 Marriage by itself can be a hard thing to maintain — when you add a special needs child to the family, the stress placed on the system and the marriage can cause friction. Follow some tips from licensed marriage and family therapist Rachel Bernstein to work as a team and help you maintain a healthy marriage.      Help each other get what you need. Bernstein says, “What I have found is that when parents have children with special needs, they often are so used to putting themselves last, that they don’t voice their own needs or they don’t know what their own needs are.” Whether it’s a night out with friends or a full night’s sleep, each partner should allow for these things, and it’s important that your partner “won’t question those needs, won’t put them down, won’t judge them.”    Complement and compliment each other. “It will complement the relationship to give compliments. Because this is a challenge, you learn new things about yourself as a human being and as a parent, your abilities to have certain strengths that you didn’t know, and you want to compliment each other on that,” says Bernstein. Also consider the superficial — give compliments on how nice your partner looks or notice a new haircut.    Work as a team. Bernstein comments, “It doesn’t have it be that it’s just one person’s job to go to the doctor’s appointments or IT meetings. It’s important...

Families with special needs children can strengthen marriages by sharing responsibilities, giving compliments, and effective communication.

Your Marriage and Family as a Team

You're already logged in! If you've forgotten your password and would like to reset it, <a href="/logout/?redirect=/forgot-password/" alt="Logout page link" title="Logout page link">log out</a> first.

Forgot Password

Login

Zippedy Zap, You're Out!

Poof! You're Logged Out!

Logged Out and Ready to Go!

See You Later, Friend!

Bye for Now!

Farewell, Buddy!

Adios, Amigo!

Until Next Time!

So Long, Friend!

Ciao, Buddy!

Bon Voyage, Friend!

Goodbye for Now!

Hasta Luego, Amigo!

Catch You Later!

See You Soon!

Farewell for Now!

Bye-Bye, Friend!

Until We Meet Again!

Logout

Let's give you a brand new password. Please fill in the boxes below with your details. 📋✏️

The reset ID you provided is invalid. Please check the link you used to get here and try again. To request a new reset link, please visit the <a href="/forgot-password/">forgot password page</a>. 🔄

Let's get your password reset. Please fill in the boxes below with your details. 📋✏️

Reset Password 🔑

Your password has been reset! You can now <a href="/login/" alt="Login page link" title="Login page link">log in</a> with your new password. 🔒

Aw, shucks! We're not quite ready for more friends to join in just yet. 😿But here's the good news! We have a special, sparkly waitlist made just for you! 🥳🎉All you have to do is hop over to <a href='/waitlist/' alt='Waitlist Page' title='Waitlist Page'>the waitlist</a> and sign up. We'll get everything ready and before you know it, you'll be part of our SpecialNeeds.com family!🌟🤗💕 We can't wait to see you soon, 😃

Let's get you signed up so you can join our family. Please fill in the boxes below with your details. 📋✏️

Sign Up

The link you clicked appears to have embarked on its own adventure. Double-check it and let's try again, explorer! 🧭

Just a few more details and your fantastic journey begins! 😊 Rest assured, your data is as safe as a treasure in a dragon's den! 🐉🔒

Checkout

Title

Contact Listing Owner 🗣️

Looks like you need to join our fantastic community to contact the owner. Sign up now and dive into the adventure! 🎉

Whoa, There! 🖐️

This magical form lets you send an initial message to the listing owner. Just jot down a snappy topic (50 characters or less) and your message. Let's get the conversation rolling! 💌

Step right up! 🎪

Find local special needs events near you.

Events

Frequently Asked Questions

Discover the inspiring stories and experiences of our users who have found invaluable resources, support, and connections through SpecialNeeds.com.

Feedback

John Luthor

SpecialNeeds.com has been instrumental in helping me find the right resources for my child. The wealth of information and supportive community is invaluable.

Sarah Taylor

As a teacher, SpecialNeeds.com is my go-to website for understanding my students' diverse needs. The strategies and tips shared have been very helpful.

Alex Hales

The user interface of SpecialNeeds.com is very friendly and easy to navigate. It's a great platform with a lot of useful features for individuals with special needs.

David Warner

SpecialNeeds.com is a beacon of hope for parents like us. The online resources are fantastic and the supportive community is heartwarming.

Jessica Brown

The speech therapy resources on SpecialNeeds.com are top-notch. They've been incredibly helpful in my practice.

Michael Johnson

I've found so much support and understanding in the SpecialNeeds.com community. It has made all the difference for my family.

Emily Davis

SpecialNeeds.com is an invaluable tool in my classroom. The educational resources and community support are amazing.

Oliver Smith

SpecialNeeds.com offers practical and actionable occupational therapy strategies. It's a resource I use daily in my practice.

Sophia Miller

Navigating the world of special needs parenting can be challenging, but SpecialNeeds.com provides resources and a community that truly help.

User’s Feedback About SpecialNeeds.com

Guide your special needs-related business to reach its full potential. Here's the straightforward path to success

Begin by signing up for an account to join our community and initiate your journey.

Join Our Community

With your account set up, it's time to create your business listing. A well-crafted and engaging listing can attract more visitors.

Create Your Listing

Choose from our range of packages for your listing, including various features to suit your needs. We offer multiple options, including a free package.

Select Your Package

Once you submit your listing, our team will review it. Upon approval, your listing will be published on the site for public viewing.

Await Approval

Congratulations! Your listing is now live. You can view it on our site and begin attracting new visitors.

Your Listing is Live

How It Works

Discover our extensive directory featuring a wide range of special needs-related listings. Add your listing to join our growing community.

Explore Our Directory

Engage directly with users through our messaging feature. Manage all your conversations efficiently from your dashboard.

Connect and Communicate

Draw more visitors and grow your business. You have full control over your listing and can update or modify it as needed from your dashboard.

Enhance Your Listing

Supporting Your Business Growth

New Chat Received! 🎉

Enter your name

Pricing

Privacy Policy

Hi there! At SpecialNeeds.com, we care a lot about keeping your information private. We promise to do our best to keep your information safe and sound. This means we collect only the necessary information to provide you with the best possible experience on our site, and we take all the necessary steps to protect your information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure.

1. Our Promise

When you join our site, we collect your email, display name, and password. We don't ever collect your location unless you tell us it's okay. Additionally, we use various analytics tools, which may collect other information like which pages you visit on our site, your IP address, and other data related to your use of our site. These tools help us understand how our site is used and enable us to improve your experience.

2. What We Collect

We collect information from you when you fill out forms on our site, like when you sign up. We also use cookies and Google Analytics to learn more about how you use our site. If you choose to enable the distance search feature, we'll collect your location information after getting your consent by clicking a button.

3. How We Collect It

We use your information to help you use our site and to make our site better for you. We also use it to see how people use our site, so we can make it better for everyone. Your location information, if you choose to share it, is used to help you find resources and services near you.

4. How We Use It

The majority of your information is kept confidential and is not shared with any third parties outside of SpecialNeeds.com. However, for users interacting with our directory listings (such as camps, schools, etc.), we may share aggregated and anonymized analytics data with the owners of these listings. This data may include metrics like the number of page views, time spent on the site, and other related usage statistics. It's important to note that this shared data will not include any personally identifiable information and is solely used to provide insights to our paid listing owners.

5. Who We Share It With

We use some fancy tech stuff to keep your information safe, like HTTPS for secure browsing, bcrypt to keep your password safe, and encryption to keep your location safe if you choose to share it with us. We also store your encrypted location information (if provided) in your browser's local storage and not on our servers, to add an extra layer of security.

6. How We Keep It Safe

You can change your email and password whenever you want. You can't change your display name once it's set, though. If you want to delete your account, you can do that, too. And remember, you can always tell us to stop using your location info by revoking your consent.

7. Changing or Deleting Your Info

Our site isn't made for kids under 13. We don't collect information from anyone under 13, and if we become aware of any such information, we will take steps to delete it.

8. Kids Under 13

Our site is made for people in the U.S. Even though we collect some information from people outside the U.S. through Google Analytics, our website is not targeted at them, and we do not use their information for anything other than Google Analytics.

9. People Outside the U.S.

Sometimes we might need to change this policy. If we do, we'll send you an email, and we'll put a notice on our site and on our social media accounts, if we have any. Please keep checking so you always know our latest policy.

10. Changes to This Policy

Remember, we're here to help. If you have any questions about this privacy policy, just ask!

Privacy Policy for SpecialNeeds.com

Terms and Conditions

Terms and Conditions for SpecialNeeds.com

Hi there! Welcome to SpecialNeeds.com. We're a website that helps people learn about special needs resources, like camps, schools, and therapists. We also share articles and news about special needs topics. But before you start exploring, we need you to understand and agree to our rules.

1. Welcome to Our Site!

Our site is primarily made for people who are 13 years or older. However, individuals under the age of 13 may access the content on our site under the supervision of a parent or legal guardian. While they cannot register for an account, they are welcome to read and learn from the information available with appropriate guidance.

2. Who Can Use Our Site

We want everyone to have a good time here, so we have some rules. You can't use our site to do anything illegal, to bother other people, to share spam, or to post mean or offensive things. And please, don't share anything that belongs to someone else without their permission.

3. Our Rules

Users can add items to our directory, but we'll need to say okay first. We use a smart computer program to check if anything mean or offensive gets posted. And we'll take down anything that's not okay right away.

4. Adding to Our Directory

If you break any of our rules, we might have to stop your account. This means you won't be able to use our site anymore. We don't want to do this, but sometimes we have to.

5. Accounts and What Can Happen

We do our best to share good, helpful information. But we can't promise that everything is perfect or right for you. We're not doctors, and we don't give medical advice. Always check with your own doctor or do your own research.

6. What We Can Promise

If we have a disagreement, we'd like to work it out with you. But if we can't, then we'll have to ask a neutral person or group (this is called an arbitrator) to help us solve it.

7. What Happens If We Disagree

Sometimes we might need to change these rules. If we do, we'll send you an email, and post on our social media accounts, if we have any. Please keep checking so you always know our latest rules.

8. Changes to These Rules

Remember, we're here to help. If you have any questions about these terms and conditions, just ask!

At SpecialNeeds.com, we strive to foster a community of trust and reliability. One significant way we ensure this trust is through our Verified Badge. You may have spotted this little checkmark symbol on our platform. But do you know what it signifies? Allow us to pull back the curtain on this important aspect of our platform. The Verified Badge isn't merely decorative - it's a symbol of authenticity, accuracy, and connection. When you see this badge associated with a company, you can rest assured that the company has been thoroughly vetted and is confirmed to be genuine. But how do we ascertain this genuineness? The process is both rigorous and meticulous. To earn the Verified Badge, a company representative or a SpecialNeeds.com staff member must first register with us and provide evidence of their affiliation with the company. This is typically in the form of a business email address. However, the badge doesn't just signify affiliation. It's also a testament to accuracy. The representative or our staff member is responsible for verifying all information associated with the company - from contact details to rates and features. Only when every piece of information has been scrutinized and confirmed do we award the coveted Verified Badge. Maintaining the Verified Badge isn't a one-time effort - it requires an annual renewal. Each year, company representatives are required to reaffirm their details and reverify their information. This ensures that the data associated with Verified Badge holders remains up-to-date and accurate. If the information isn't refreshed yearly, the Verified Badge status lapses. This renewal requirement serves as an ongoing commitment to accuracy, reinforcing our dedication to providing reliable, current information for our community. But why is this badge important? Why should you, as a user of our platform, trust it? The answer is simple. The Verified Badge is your compass on SpecialNeeds.com, guiding you with the assurance of truth and reliability. This badge is our commitment to you. It's our guarantee that the information you're viewing has been checked for accuracy and confirmed for authenticity. Whenever you see this badge, you know you're looking at a company that has been meticulously verified. That's our promise to you. So, as you explore the vibrant world of special needs-related businesses on SpecialNeeds.com, remember to look out for our Verified Badge. It's more than a symbol - it's the mark of trust you can rely on.

Verified Badge

Verified Listing: Last verified <lastVerified>. Click to learn more.

Special Needs
Articles

Holiday Relationship Repair for Families

Fifty Shades of Embarrassment

On Being a Military Wife and Mother

Protecting Marriage When Your Child Has ASD

A Family Picture

Protecting a Special Marriage

Angry and Frustrated with Your ADHD Spouse?

Your Marriage and Family as a Team

Find Providers Near You

Special Needs Articles

Holiday Relationship Repair for Families

Fifty Shades of Embarrassment

On Being a Military Wife and Mother

Protecting Marriage When Your Child Has ASD

A Family Picture

Protecting a Special Marriage

Angry and Frustrated with Your ADHD Spouse?

Your Marriage and Family as a Team

Find Providers Near You

Special Needs
Articles