EP 9: Self-Care and Healing for Parents with Special Needs, with Sara Intonato

Join Heather Boyd in her interview with Sara Intonato, master coach to parents of children with special needs, as they explore parenting, self-regulation, and how Sara used yoga and self-care to heal emotionally after her son was diagnosed with autism.    

With over 20 years of coaching experience that includes an extensive background in the ancient science of yoga, Sara Intonato brings a unique combination of skills and insight to her clients.

Sara’s disciplined self care has allowed her to boldly advocate for her own child with autism successfully, even when experts told her it was impossible. Using her Full Potential Method, Sara teaches parents the skills they need to heal themselves, lead with confidence, and live a life so joyful, they thought was only a pipe dream, simply by showing up and taking action every day. Sara's insights are valuable whether you are a parent of a child with special needs or high needs, highly sensitive or neurotypical. If you find yourself questioning how to parent the child in front of you while not burning out, come listen to Sara's perspectives and supportive insights.

In this interview, Sara and Heather discuss:

• the importance of tools for coping with parenting challenges

• self-regulation

• how to put your self-care in the context of better supporting your child emotionally

• the value of having a plan of simple actions to support co-regulation, including breathwork and yoga

• the role yoga played in Sara's 20s to cope with debilitating panic attacks

• how to take your own healing seriously

• the value of going inward, instead of to social media, for the answer to the question "What do I need?"

• how silence can help one heal

• how to release guilt around taking care of yourself

• the importance of acknowledging the reality of intense, 24/7 parenting