A pioneer in novel therapies for children with disabilities, Casey Diskin has developed a reputation for intense dedication to her clients and creates opportunities for their families to connect with people in similar circumstances and find relief. To help parents and families of children with autism, she created support groups in Michigan that meet each month and provide support to one another.
For over a decade now, Casey Diskin has studied autism and searched for new ways to approach therapy and care of children with disabilities. She’s also studied the effect that autism has on not just the child, but their parents and families as well. Today, in addition to actively
working with children with disabilities, Diskin runs two support groups for parents of children with autism in Brighton and Troy, Michigan.
Diskin earned an undergraduate degree from Wayne State University where she focused on solutions for children suffering from life-altering disabilities. She later studied at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia and enrolled in a program that taught to develop functional life skills through naturalistic teaching. Casey Diskin has been a vital asset to facilities focusing on alleviating and resolving autism through modern therapies and procedures ever since. She’s one of the first in her field to apply hyperbaric oxygen therapy to treat autism, and has uncovered significant results with her clients.
“Through hyperbaric therapy and behavior therapy, we’re helping children suffering from autism and other disabilities succeed and achieve real personal growth,” says Casey Diskin. “However, it’s important that we also give the parents of these children a place to meet and uplift one another. To help, I run a pair of support groups that meet each month in Michigan, either in Troy or in Brighton.”
While all parents of children facing a disability ultimately experience more stress than most, parents of children with autism have been statistically shown to experience even more stress than those with other disabilities. These parents will likely have to keep up with their kids constantly to avoid meltdowns and prevent them from overloading their senses and acting out. They also must make regular visits to medical facilities with their children, which can prove to be a major struggle.
Casey Diskin coaches her clients’ parents during her group meetings to be more mindful and reinforces positive adult development to help them achieve peace at home. During the group therapy sessions, parents and family members learn techniques to relax like meditation and various breathing exercises. They also participate in enlightening discussions with other families, gaining perspective and insight beyond their individual situations. Diskin helps them reduce their worry and learn to better accept present conditions as well as look towards future growth with more faith.
“Parents of children with autism face a unique challenge that is often underrepresented and
underappreciated by many in the medical field,” says Casey Diskin. “Support groups like ours
boost their morale and show them first-hand that they’re not in this fight alone.”
