182: Mental Health & Autism Moms

In this episode of The Autism Mom Coach Podcast, Lisa Candera sits down with therapist and Autism Blueprint host Janine Hershkowitz, LMHC for an honest conversation about the intersection of autism and maternal mental health.

Janine—mom of two autistic young adults and a psychotherapist with over 15 years of experience—shares how constant stress, high-alert living, and unprocessed trauma shape the nervous systems of autism parents. Together, Lisa and Janine discuss what healing can look like, how to create boundaries without guilt, and why sustainable self-maintenance is essential for both parent and child.

This episode is part one of a two-part series on Autism and Mental Health.

In This Episode:

• How chronic high-alert living impacts the body and mind of autism moms
• What trauma looks like in parents of autistic children—and how EMDR can help
• Why guilt often masquerades as responsibility
• How to shift from fixing your child to leading your household with steadiness
• Real-life boundary work that protects both parent and relationship

Key Takeaways:

• Regulation first. You can’t pour from an empty nervous system.
• Behavior is information. Over-functioning hides data about your child’s needs.
• Boundaries are leadership. Clear limits protect your energy and your child’s stability.
• Guilt is a false alarm. Learn to tell the difference between true accountability and internalized pressureot always better. Sustainable support beats constant doing.

🔗 https://autismblueprint.com

About The Autism Mom Coach:

Lisa Candera is a solo mom to a young adult with severe autism and OCD, a practicing attorney, and a certified life coach. Through her coaching programs, she teach moms how to regulate their emotions, reduce anxiety, and parent from steadiness instead of survival.

🔗 Learn more: https://theautismmomcoach.com

🔗 Book a free consultation: https://talkwiththeautismmomcoach.as.me/