Ep. 147 - Dream Rewritten with Wendy

<p>Rashidah sits down with Wendy Ernzen — mom, podcaster, and fierce advocate for families raising loved ones with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Wendy&#39;s daughter Nicola (Nic), 23, has profound autism and bipolar disorder. Wendy shares her decades-long journey through early diagnosis confusion, relentless school battles, a family crisis that spilled into the community, and ultimately finding Nic a safe, supported, and joyful home. This episode is raw, honest, and deeply moving — a must-listen for any parent in the thick of it.</p><p> </p><p>In this episode, we discuss:</p><p>0:00 — Intro &amp; Welcome </p><p>3:34 — Wendy Joins the Conversation </p><p>7:06 — Early Signs &amp; The Road to Diagnosis </p><p>11:50 — School Battles &amp; IEPs</p><p>15:48 — Watching Peers Move On </p><p>19:50 — Bipolar Disorder Enters the Picture</p><p>21:58 — First Crisis at 12: Psychiatric Units </p><p>26:40 — Planning for the Future </p><p>31:16 — Crisis Before Graduation </p><p>34:30 — Behaviors Spill into the Community</p><p>37:00 — Crisis-Trained Officers </p><p>39:54 — Securing Housing: A Two-Month Fight </p><p>42:19 — Finding Strength</p><p>44:59 — PTSD &amp; Therapy</p><p>47:22 — The Birth of Let&#39;s Plant Houses Podcast </p><p>50:36 — Advice for the Mom Who Feels Completely Alone </p><p>55:46 — What Makes Wendy Badass? </p><p>58:11 — How to Connect with Wendy</p><p> </p><p><strong>Connect with Wendy:</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Let&#39;s Plant Houses Podcast</strong> — </p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lets-plant-houses/id1724641933">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lets-plant-houses/id1724641933</a></p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2J8JhQUrkKrXaYxs8JF4Zh?si=0dac5a63b4174d46">https://open.spotify.com/show/2J8JhQUrkKrXaYxs8JF4Zh?si=0dac5a63b4174d46</a></p><p> </p><p><strong>Website:</strong> <a href="http://www.letsplanthouses.com/" target="_blank">www.letsplanthouses.com</a></p><p><strong>Instagram: </strong><a href="http://www.instagram.com/letsplanthouses">www.instagram.com/letsplanthouses</a><strong></strong></p><p><strong>LinkedIn:</strong> Wendy Ernzen</p><p> </p><p>If this episode resonated with you:</p><p>-Follow the Autism for Badass Moms Podcast</p><p>-Leave a review to help other autism moms find thiscommunity</p><p>-Share this episode with a parent who may feel unseen or misunderstood</p><p> </p><p>Follow Us:</p><p> </p><p>Instagram: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/theabmpodcast">www.instagram.com/theabmpodcast</a></p><p>Facebook: www.facebook.com/theabmpodcast</p><p></p>