Parent First, Advocate Always: The Heart Behind Connection Therapy Clinic

In this heartfelt episode of Life Stories: People Helping People, Shara speaks with Stephanie Fluger, founder of Connection Therapy Clinic in California, a clinic born from her own experience as a mom raising a son with autism. After years of navigating therapy sessions, missed milestones, and feeling isolated and unheard, Stephanie decided to do something about it.

Stephanie teamed up with her son’s therapists to create a clinic that focuses on connection over checklists — supporting not only the children but also the parents and therapists. Stephanie shares how her clinic’s child-led approach allows every child to be treated as an individual, not a diagnosis.

Together, Shara and Stephanie talk about:
*The lack of support for parents navigating autism
*How Connection Therapy Clinic prioritizes parent involvement and therapist care
*The misconceptions surrounding autism and therapy
*Tips for parents who want to travel with their autistic children
*Stephanie’s newest project — an AI-powered parent resource designed to provide neurodiverse-affirming, scientifically based support.


If you’ve ever felt unseen or overwhelmed as a parent of a child with autism, this conversation will remind you that you’re not alone — and that meaningful change can start with one mom’s heart to help others.

Connect with Stephanie at https://www.connectiontherapyclinic.com/

Want to be a guest on Life Stories Podcast? Send Shara Goswick a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1718977880777072342a16683