Many Gen X and Millenial women are reaching perimenopause and finding themselves asking a question they never expected: Why does everything feel harder now? For years—decades even, things may have looked “fine” on the outside. You were described as mature for your age. Maybe you were deeply focused, had strong interests, or were known for being organized and responsible. If challenges showed up, they were often labeled as anxiety. That was me. Perimenopause has a way of shifting things. As...

Girls are diagnosed with autism years after white boys show the same signs. Not occasionally. Not in isolated cases. Consistently, and across the research. That is not a coincidence. It is what happens when a system is built to find one kind of child and overlooks everyone else. As a speech-language pathologist, I have sat across from families who spent years being told their daughter was difficult, dramatic, or socially immature — only to learn much later that she was autistic. The signs...

I love using toys in therapy—almost as much as I love playing with them. What may look like “just playing” is actually children learning, communicating, and making sense of their environment. When you select toys that support language and play, children develop language, practice social skills, and connect meaningfully with others. As a speech-language pathologist, I shop for toys with intention. Yes, they should be fun—but they should also support learning. The toys I choose help children...