Life can get messy: dogs like Einstein, pictured below, play in the black mulch, demand a bath, and children get into mischief and trouble at the most inconvenient moments! Sometimes, the phone rings, and we get dreaded news. At such times, we need to pause, tap to calm our nervous system, and seek support and resources.
You Are Not Alone — Resources for Every Stage of the Journey
This page was built from 29 chapters of research, advocacy, and lived experience. Every resource here has been chosen because it made a difference — for my family, for the families I have coached, and for the mothers whose stories are woven through my book.
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EARLY INTERVENTION AND DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS
CDC's Learn the Signs. Act Early. — cdc.gov/ActEarly
Virginia Early Intervention Program — dbhds.virginia.gov
M-CHAT-R/F — Free autism screening — mchatscreen.com
ZERO TO THREE — zerotothree.org
PACER Center — pacer.org
IEP AND SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVOCACY
Wrightslaw — wrightslaw.com
PEATC — Virginia parent advocacy — peatc.orgUnderstood.org
Child Find — Contact your local school district
Claude AI — claude.ai — prepare for IEP meetings
SELF-CARE AND EMPOWERMENT FOR MOM 🌿
The Tapping Solution App is available for free on App Store or Google Play — over 3 million downloads and 20 million completed tapping sessions. Guided tapping for stress, anxiety, sleep, and caregiving overwhelm. Tony Robbins personally recorded tapping scripts for this app. thetappingsolution.com
Rewired — Nick, Jessica, and Alex Ortner — New York Times Bestseller. The essential tapping guide for caregiving mothers. In this new book, they introduce the recognize-interrupt-rewire framework for nervous system healing. Tony Robbins wrote the foreword. The Audible version includes 17 guided tapping sessions with music — perfect for your car before IEP meetings. Order on Amazon: amazon.com/dp/B0FWR7TRJF Order on Audible: audible.com/pd/Rewired-Audiobook/B0FX1BM3S2
Brad Yates — EFT Tapping on YouTube — FREE Over 20 years of free tapping videos on every challenge — anxiety, guilt, procrastination, grief, overwhelm, and more. Search Brad Yates plus whatever you are feeling right now. Hundreds of videos. Always free. Always accessible. YouTube channel: youtube.com/@tapwithbrad Website: tapwithbrad.com
The Tapping Solution Planner — Alex Ortner A daily planner integrating morning tapping, journaling, and gratitude with an evening tapping practice for restful sleep. Doreen has filled multiple copies and gifted them to people she loves. thetappingsolution.com
Louise Hay — Morning Meditation — FREE on YouTube Start here every single morning. Louise's voice before the day begins. Before the phone. Before the demands. Morning meditation: youtube.com/watch?v=4jNV1FV-_Os
Listen to Louise’s Evening meditation using this link -https://www.discover.hayhouse.com/audio-hay-eveningmeditation/
You Can Heal Your Life — Louise Hay. Over 50 million copies sold worldwide. The foundational text on affirmations, self-love, and healing. Read it. Keep it beside your bed. Order on Amazon: amazon.com/dp/0937611018 Also at: hayhouse.com
Talking on Eggshells — Sam Horn — Silver Winner 2023 Foreword INDIES Award Essential reading for caregiving mothers navigating difficult conversations — with school administrators, medical professionals, and family members who do not understand your child's needs. Order on Amazon: amazon.com/dp/1608688496 Order on Audible: amazon.com/dp/B0C9V9BHTV
The Artist's Way — Julia Cameron. The foundational text on Morning Pages — three pages of longhand journaling every morning that process emotion, release anxiety, and restore creativity. Doreen has been doing Morning Pages since reading this book in the 1990s. It carried her through thirty years of federal service and caregiving. juliacameronlive.com Order on Amazon: amazon.com/dp/1585421464
The Daily Artist's Way — Julia Cameron 366 daily journal prompts and minute meditations — a gentle daily invitation back to yourself. juliacameronlive.com
Insight Timer — Free Meditation App: Thousands of free guided meditations on your phone. Search gratitude meditation, anxiety relief, sleep meditation, or caregiver support. insighttimer.com — free download on App Store and Google Play
ARCH National Respite Network: Find respite care in your state. Every caregiving mother needs and deserves time away. This is not a luxury — it is a necessity. archrespite.org
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