"In order to describe the bridge Aram’s work with our family has created, let me paint a picture of where we were when we found his services. My kid had been in PDA/autistic burnout for 2 years, and I am a solo parent. My child's need for 24/7 co-regulation with a safe nervous system meant we had to move back in with my parents and uproot our home setting.

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When we moved back to our own home, it was good to have space away from being perceived by others. But it also became very obvious that without co-regulating support from someone besides myself, we were sliding back toward burnout. The main mismatch was between what my kid wanted to do and what we realistically could access. We were stuck in a loop: he needed a safe nervous system to access spaces outside the home, but I had personal and physical limitations that made it hard for me to consistently be that co-regulator.

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This is when we started working with Aram. The relief of having another person who understands and centers my kid’s felt safety has been immense. We started with him joining us at home, and he would meet my kid exactly where he was at, no matter the day. Some days looked like watching a favorite show and swinging around. Other days, it meant bringing excitement and lighting firecrackers in the yard. Over time, his visits became a highlight of the week and expanded our adventures outside the home.

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Having an adult who could match his energy while also bringing authentic enthusiasm for his special interests, and a safe nervous system without expectations, helped build my kid’s self-confidence with every visit. After two years of being afraid to make friends because of rejection or misunderstanding, he started talking to other kids at playgrounds. We were able to attend a few homeschool courses this past spring, and he has even chosen to attend a part-time school this fall.

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Two years ago, even mentioning the word “school” or “class” could lead to hissing, screaming, or eloping. Aram’s compassion and understanding of what my kid was experiencing have been immensely valuable in bridging the safety of home accommodations with access to the wider world—friends, community spaces, and school settings. He feels safe and seen with Aram, and that has allowed him to share his special interests again while also reigniting his curiosity about the wider world.

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One moment stands out as especially important in building trust between my kid and Aram. It happened the week I had surgery. The recovery was particularly hard on my kid. Leading up to the visit, he was hesitant to talk about a possible outing. When Aram arrived, my kid jumped up, said, “No! I am not going anywhere, go away!” and shut the door on him. Aram didn’t miss a beat. He simply replied, “Alright, looks like this is a short day, see you another time!” Later, he messaged me and said, “I am so so so happy that he felt comfortable communicating his need to me! Please tell him I appreciate him letting me know today won’t work.” The immediate honoring of his “no” as a full sentence, and the understanding that it wasn’t personal, but instead a reflection of his level of activation, turned a very hard day into another layer of trust and safety in their relationship.

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This is what it means to work with someone who understands the whole picture for your kid in burnout and can hold space for them to move through their experiences without judgment or demands. Additionally, as a solo parent, it has been priceless to have someone create opportunities for engagement in life. Aram is a uniquely skilled provider who understands the constraints, is great at recentering to the present, and accurately assesses what is within our ability—instead of incongruently escalating and returning to undercurrents of expectations that set off the burnout cycle in the first place. His ability to match the moment and bridge to safe touch points for engagement has led us out of burnout, and we couldn’t be more grateful." - Juniper