Parenthood rarely looks the way we imagine it will. For Jennifer Celeste Briggs, that realization came when her daughter Sarah began missing developmental milestones and was later diagnosed with autism. What followed was a journey filled with uncertainty, grief, resilience, and ultimately deep transformation.
In this honest and hopeful conversation, Jennifer shares how she discovered the Son-Rise approach (now called Do Autism Differently) and built a unique home-based program centered on connection, play, and following her daughter's lead. Through years of dedication, volunteering, creativity, and plenty of messy moments along the way, Jennifer found not only ways to support Sarah’s growth but also powerful lessons about letting go of expectations, trusting intuition, and learning to love without conditions.
Jennifer is the author of Watching Sarah Rise, a deeply personal memoir that chronicles her family's experience raising a child with autism while discovering unexpected strength and joy along the way.
This episode is for any parent who has faced uncertainty, felt overwhelmed, or wondered if they are doing enough. Jennifer’s story is a reminder that progress often happens slowly, love shows up in imperfect ways, and hope can grow even in the hardest seasons.
2:30 – Meet Jennifer Celeste Briggs and her journey into autism advocacy
3:40 – Early signs something was different with Sarah
5:00 – Discovering the Son-Rise program and choosing a new path
6:30 – What the program actually looks like in daily life
8:00 – The role volunteers played in Sarah’s development
9:30 – Sarah today: school, piano, swimming, and growing independence
11:20 – Processing the emotional shock of an autism diagnosis
13:30 – Letting go of expectations and learning to accept reality
16:00 – Parenting through frustration, guilt, and emotional burnout
18:30 – Support systems and the importance of community
20:10 – Navigating worries about the future
22:30 – Sleep struggles and sensory tools that sometimes help
24:50 – The parenting beliefs Jennifer had to unlearn
26:45 – What this journey ultimately taught her about resilience
29:10 – Why caring for yourself matters as a parent
31:00 – Writing the memoir Watching Sarah Rise
34:20 – Feedback from readers and the autism community
37:30 – Advice for parents feeling isolated or overwhelmed
48:30 – Where to find Jennifer and her book
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