We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Erin Schneider a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Erin thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So, let’s start with trends – what are some of the largest or more impactful trends you are seeing in the industry?

Since launching my business, I have been working with families of children with disabilities. My mission from the start has been to help support parents and work with them to find the very best services for their child.

As the mother of an autistic son, I know firsthand how difficult and overwhelming it can be to raise children on the spectrum. Parents are faced with endless choices for different therapies and other interventions, and often there can be competing ideas about which are the most effective and supportive. And even when you find the right providers and services, it’s a roller coaster as you try to stay on top of everything, help your child and also give the proper attention to your other children—nevermind maintaining your own personal life, career and sanity.

The more I worked with parents, the more I saw that helping them identify the best providers and services was extremely important, but it’s just one part of the larger equation. Being the parent of an autistic child can feel lonely, stressful and exhausting. It’s easy to lose oneself along the way. Parents need help and support, too.

I see a trend of parents taking on too much, feeling as if they must find all the answers on their own and ultimately burning out along the way. It causes stress on individuals, families and marriages. More and more in broader society, people are recognizing the need for self care, and parents should be no different.

Parents as a whole, and certainly parents of children with disabilities, often feel a great deal of pressure to sacrifice their own wellbeing in service to their children. Not only does it not have to be that way, it shouldn’t be that way. Supported, healthy parents will ultimately be better caregivers and happier individuals.

As a mom, I know it’s easy to ask for help for our kids, but sometimes it can be difficult to ask for help for ourselves. That attitude needs to change, and parents should feel more comfortable seeking out help. In response to this, I have launched a new parent coaching service for parents of autistic children to help guide them and support them on their journey forward.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My son was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in 2020. I spent the next several months going over endless lists of providers, doing a great deal of research and spending hours and hours on the phone in an effort to find the best services and providers for him. It is a full time job, and I thought no parent should have to find their way through all of this alone.

I launched Mountain Summit Consulting to help families of children with disabilities find providers and services that are the best match for their child. I assembled an enormous network of providers and have worked with numerous families to line them up with the best help possible.

When a family signs up for my navigation services, I take the time to learn all about their child and what their needs are. I gather information about insurance and location and assemble a list of no more than three highly vetted, qualified provider options for each service. I do all that initial research so families can more easily line up with the help they need.

While working with families I realized that parents also need and deserve additional support, too. There is confusion and overwhelm because parents are dealing with so many different challenges on many competing fronts. It’s not easy. No matter where they are in their journey, it can feel lonely and exhausting.

In response to that need, I decided to launch a parent coaching service that can offer that extra help to parents of autistic children. Whether the parents have just gotten their child’s diagnosis or are several years down the path, everyone can use a guide, a helping hand, and the perspective of someone who has been where they are.

Mountain Summit Consulting & Parent Coaching works with families in increments of at least three months, meeting either weekly or every other week. We concentrate on topics and issues that are important to the parent to help them have a better relationship with themselves, their child, and the world around them. I bring in my experience as a navigator, health coach and parent of an autistic child to give parents the help they need.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Since the beginning, I have made it my business to reach out to and get to know as many providers as possible. I take the time to understand their businesses, how they engage with their clients, and who they are best suited to serve.

I am naturally a people person, and have a real flair for networking. And with my own personal experience seeking out services for my son, I came in with a passion to learn and absorb as much as possible. When I meet with providers, I ask lots of questions so I can understand which providers fit best with which families.

My reputation in the industry comes from my being very outgoing, reaching out to as many firms and professionals as possible, and working hard to build and maintain those professional relationships. My goal is not just to connect families with the best services, it’s also to connect excellent providers with the best clients.

I take part in industry events, am always interested in learning more and am also happy to share my knowledge when appropriate. I’ve spoken at numerous industry events and am always happy to support organizations and causes looking to help families with disabilities.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I got into this business to help parents and families. At the start, I thought the help most needed was navigation services. Having gone through that difficult path myself, I knew there was an immense need for parents just looking for the right services for their child.

But the more I worked with families, the more I began to see there were deeper needs at play. Navigation is so important, and will always be a vital component of what I do, but I also saw the need for that kind of additional help and support that a parent coach can provide.

As the mother of an autistic son, and also as a trained health coach, I knew I could help parents like me find their way to a better tomorrow, as I have. It can be a tough, confusing and lonely road, but it doesn’t have to be. I want parents to know that it’s not only OK to ask for help, it’s important. As parents, we need to be at our best so we can give our all to our children and ourselves.

The pivot to parent coaching felt very natural and exciting. My mission has always been to help families, and making that move gives me all new avenues to guide parents on their journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mountainsummitconsulting.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mountainsummitconsulting/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mountainsummitconsulting
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mountain-summit-consulting/

Image Credits
Jim Schneider