Candid, Vulnerable, Informative, Inspirational
From Laurie L. Hellmann — an autism warrior mom and rising star in the world of special-needs advocacy — comes a book that gives voice to the voiceless. When her son, Skyler, was three years old, he was diagnosed with severe, non-verbal autism. Welcome to My Life: A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism is a courageous memoir written with the intent that others might finally understand what families face when raising a child who relies on parental assistance for every need.
From page one, Welcome to My Life delivers on its promise to place you squarely in Skyler’s life, surrounded by mom and dad, Laurie and Josh, and superstar sister, Kendall. Detailed sensory descriptions take you to doctors’ appointments and trick-or-treating, to Qdoba and the kitchen table, to the bathroom for another “pull-ups” change, to family gatherings, to the Autism Center, and to conversations and internal dialogue so authentic that you’ll feel like you’re part of the family too.
For people who have wondered how “other families live” and for those who have traveled a similar autism journey and need to know they are not alone, this brutally honest and heartwarming account welcomes you to the family and offers insights and perspectives that will change you for the better.
Heralded by autism advocate Temple Grandin as “an honest memoir about perseverance and hope.”
Candid, Vulnerable, Informative, Inspirational
From Laurie L. Hellmann — an autism warrior mom and rising star in the world of special-needs advocacy — comes a book that gives voice to the voiceless. When her son, Skyler, was three years old, he was diagnosed with severe, non-verbal autism. Welcome to My Life: A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism is a courageous memoir written with the intent that others might finally understand what families face when raising a child who relies on parental assistance for every need.
From page one, Welcome to My Life delivers on its promise to place you squarely in Skyler’s life, surrounded by mom and dad, Laurie and Josh, and superstar sister, Kendall. Detailed sensory descriptions take you to doctors’ appointments and trick-or-treating, to Qdoba and the kitchen table, to the bathroom for another “pull-ups” change, to family gatherings, to the Autism Center, and to conversations and internal dialogue so authentic that you’ll feel like you’re part of the family too.
For people who have wondered how “other families live” and for those who have traveled a similar autism journey and need to know they are not alone, this brutally honest and heartwarming account welcomes you to the family and offers insights and perspectives that will change you for the better.
As Featured In …
Laurie Hellmann
Author | Speaker | Podcast Host | Voice Talent
Laurie Hellmann has always been an advocate of people. From her first job out of college as a litigation paralegal for a large medical malpractice defense team to navigating the confusing world of insurance coverage and treatments for her teenage son with autism, her career and life path has always been connected to the healthcare industry and to the lives of those most impacted by it.
Laurie is a self-professed “autism warrior mom” whose honesty, humor and wit have connected her to families, physicians, therapists and other advocates in ways that have opened minds and soothed souls. Through her podcast (“Living the Sky Life — Our Autism Journey”), her book (Welcome to My Life: A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism), and through her advocacy work, volunteerism, and speaking, Laurie is continually making a difference in the autism community.
Professionally, Laurie has more than 20 years of experience in leadership and sales. She speaks to audiences of all sizes on topics including perspective, resilience, self-advocacy and belief in a higher purpose. She’s also a fitness enthusiast and a natural-born empowerment coach.
Hire Laurie as a speaker for live and virtual audiences comprising students, medical providers, church groups, counselors, caregivers or the community at large. Or book Laurie as an audiobook narrator or voiceover talent for radio or television.
The Truth About Autism
Welcome to My Life shares the 14-year journey of a true warrior mom advocating for her non-verbal, severely autistic son from diagnosis through his teenage years. This brutally honest and heartwarming account details the daily struggles and often lack of social understanding that families face when raising a child who relies on parental assistance for every need.
This book is a memoir like no other — truthful and raw, hilarious and unexpected, heartbreaking and uplifting. Laurie L. Hellmann’s Welcome to My Life is a love letter to her son Skyler and a welcome letter to the masses. It is a dose of reassurance to us all, and a reminder that the world — even when it’s unpredictable and frightening — is still shimmering with silver linings and powerful lessons.
Experience the laughter and love, unspoken bonds and unflagging devotion of one very special family on their day-to-day journey … living in a world that will look all too familiar to other autism families and altogether foreign to outsiders hoping to learn more.
Be changed forever by the knowledge that a mother’s love knows no bounds, and that autism — though it presents various challenges — does not define who a person is nor does it devalue or diminish their contributions to this world.
The Truth About Autism
Welcome to My Life shares the 14-year journey of a true warrior mom advocating for her non-verbal, severely autistic son from diagnosis through his teenage years. This brutally honest and heartwarming account details the daily struggles and often lack of social understanding that families face when raising a child who relies on parental assistance for every need.
This book is a memoir like no other — truthful and raw, hilarious and unexpected, heartbreaking and uplifting. Laurie L. Hellmann’s Welcome to My Life is a love letter to her son Skyler and a welcome letter to the masses. It is a dose of reassurance to us all, and a reminder that the world — even when it’s unpredictable and frightening — is still shimmering with silver linings and powerful lessons.
Experience the laughter and love, unspoken bonds and unflagging devotion of one very special family on their day-to-day journey … living in a world that will look all too familiar to other autism families and altogether foreign to outsiders hoping to learn more.
Be changed forever by the knowledge that a mother’s love knows no bounds, and that autism — though it presents various challenges — does not define who a person is nor does it devalue or diminish their contributions to this world.
Experience the Book
Get the First Chapter for Free!
Eager to get started reading the book … to discover the truth about severe autism and to feel inspired by one family among millions in the autism community?
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Take a Journey with Laurie
Laurie Hellmann’s son, Skyler, has no words and yet so much to say. Through her book, her podcast, her speaking and her advocacy work, Laurie gives voice to Skyler’s story and visibility to other children and adults on the autism spectrum.
Take a journey with Laurie and explore:
- How Skyler’s Autism diagnosis shook and then restored her faith
- The realities of navigating divorce, co-parenting and new love when your child has special needs
- The emotional and physical toll (on Skyler and his family) of countless medical and behavioral treatments
- The difference between hope, false hope, acceptance and gratitude in the face of disappointment, uncertainty and fear
- The effects of Autism on sibling relationships
- How Autism can challenge and strengthen a marriage
- Why laughter is good medicine for us all
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