Today we’d like to introduce you to Gayle Y. Fisher.
Hi Gayle, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My younger son got his diagnosis at 24 months: Pervasive Developmental Delay, Not Otherwise Specified.
Those of us “old school” will remember the previous version of the DSM, with PDD-NOS. Basically, it meant, “Your kid is in great trouble, and we don’t exactly know what to tell you to do.”
Compounding, perhaps causing this was his first anaphylactic reaction to fire ants at 20 months of age.
We went on to re-calibrate his body’s antibodies and immune system, so the first triage learning hole I fell into was the medical model.
Free fall of vertical learning curve. No time for denial or wasting time. My hair’s been on fire since, looking under nearly every rock for info on the immune system, early childhood interventions of learning inefficiencies, developmental and social delays. Climbing up on the shoulders of giants and documenting all the ideas for you, in case you want to fast-track without a huge research project.
So, we come to today, with my two sons becoming the people they are meant to be, with Mom doing all she can to support, and at the same time, fade those supports to help them on their versions of a successful launch.
When I was pregnant, I prayed to be relevant. Probably a dumb thing to pray for. I have tried my best to honor all that by leaving a wide trail of breadcrumbs for any parent, educator, caregiver to consider.
Why that intervention?
Where does it lead?
How do you intrinsically motivate your loved ones, not ever making it about you personally?
I have not always succeeded, but I have done a brilliant thing: build a fantastic village of the best interventions in all directions.
That is our story. I hope it helps you and your loved ones.
Don’t waste a day. Early. Early means today. Even if it seems inconsequential, it will make a difference to their neural pathways and, hopefully, every ounce of “want to” they can muster.
Far more info on GettingSorted.com, with many links out from there.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No parent in crisis knows “smooth.” Read “Welcome to Holland” for it all in a nutshell. For me, two nutshells, 2 sons.
Our expectations, fears, worries, egos, medical and financial planning, over-achiever selfs… it all goes upside down.
You find yourself in a long dark tunnel, with nowhere to go but toward the light.
This is a short answer.
(A longer answer would include loss, grief, trauma, death, and social and medical challenges; you know how that all goes for you in your lives.)
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
From mother-hen, farm girl to valedictorian (pretty small high school) to 18-year-old navigating the Houston, TX public bus system and corporate America. My short explanation. I loved my years in enterprise, sales, marketing, and on.
My second career came 17 years later, from my mid-life crisis of wanting kids, and I have loved Universal Design Education ever since.
My art form is photography, video, graphic arts. Don’t expect much from my colored pencils. My older son is the artist (and chemist) in the family. One day, I am a parent overwhelmed in interventions research for my sons, working on my M.Ed., Ed.Tech. and boom… consumed with the next passion: Education.
How do we design, create, and communicate best practices to help those in need: Neurodiversity, developmental delay, learning challenges, behavioral and mental health, and all the ally issues?
Lucky me, educational technology comes easy. I am also blessed to be a risk-taker and funnel nearly all my creative juices to that mission. Leader, follower, magnifier, whatever it takes.
I will let my website, social media, and all links from there speak for themselves. I am not here to toot my own horn.
But here’s my toot — We need to intervene early to help our young people toward their best lives, their purposes, with interventions and holding boundaries. Not ever easy. It is doable.
You are not alone.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Hair on fire.
There is not a waking hour I don’t think about my mission, and then it also becomes all about all the other kids (of all ages) coming up, needing help.
The rest is in the doing, always with humor, joy, and laughter.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://gettingsorted.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gaylefisher/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GayleYessFisher
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gayleyfisher/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq9ZRR7XSOGnp5qZ5YwVanQ
- Other: https://gettingsorted.com/first-responder-supports
Image Credits
Gayle
Dawn Candy
Christina Tervay
Angela Campos
