All About You- Episode 38

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Welcome to the All About Audiology podcast. I’m your host, Dr. Lilach Saperstein and this is the All About YOU! episode, and today we’re going to be talking about advocating. You guys know that this is a really important part of my message and of the mission of the All About Audiology podcast. And everything that I do is to help empower families, who are navigating this whole world of audiology and of having a child who has specific communication needs, specific health challenges and educational needs. A really big part of that is learning how to advocate. Knowing what it is that you need and what you want for your child to have, knowing what their rights are, what accessibility you want them to have and then fighting for it so that they get it. That big, big piece of the journey is often left to the side, and left to when we are able to think about it, when we are not in this super rush of everything else going on.
So, I mentioned this before on an earlier podcast about how with everything that’s changed in the world, in our new post-corona era, we maybe had time to take stock of what are the big things that matter. What do we really want for our kids, for ourselves, for our family, for our home, and for how we want our life to look. Of course, it’s been a very difficult time for many people and if you are struggling or grieving, then be there and I’m really with you in that. Maybe, you can also make room for more connection and being even more connected to your child and being involved in their journey. Not only their journey, but yours as well.
If you have been following me on Instagram, or you are in the All About Audiology Facebook group, then you know we are in the middle of the 5 day “Know What To Say” challenge. I’ve been sending emails and also going live every day on both Facebook and Instagram to talk about how to know what to say in those really difficult situations where you are hit with someone else’s comments. So, I really encourage you to come and join the group and check on those videos. You can always watch them, they are all recorded.
The big and exciting thing that I’m finally sharing with you guys is the FIG Method of Advocating Course. This is a framework that I came up with after working with many, many families. It helps you understand what is the process and it really breaks it all down. How am I supposed to know what to say? Am I really just supposed to swallow it and move on? Or do I fight back? Do I explain or educate?
All these times when you are in that place, someone is either attacking you or they are being super ignorant. I think we can all relate to this with any time in your life where you felt that someone has said exactly the thing that you didn’t need to hear. Something that was really hurtful to you, made you very angry or confused, uncertain, insecure or shocked, how could they say such a thing, right? With the FIG Method, I break down what are the elements that you can go through in order to know on the spot and in the moment what to say. What’s the right thing? What do you need out of this situation?
This is a training that I have given to groups of parents and non-profit organizations. It has been such an excellent workshop with a lot of back and forth and interaction, with the participants. I really tried to capture that to make it so that it’s available to you so that you can learn the FIG Method. It’s F-I-G! You can learn what that stands for and how to apply the FIG Method of Advocating to any situation that you’re in. Then you can find the words that you’re looking for and you will be on your way to being an advocating pro.
Included in the course are several videos to explain the FIG Method and how it can be applied. And there is a workbook so you can follow along and really apply it to your situation. Of course, I can’t wait to get comments and feedback in there so that is going to be interactive, even though it won’t be in real time.
I’ve also added some incredible resources into the course so that you can have access to the journal prompts and meditation library, plus there is a bonus interview that I added in there with an experienced teacher. She shares what it’s like to be on the “other side” of advocacy. She’s coming from the teacher’s perspective and how parents have interacted with her around the accessibility in the classroom and what it’s like to have a partnership with the parent when she’s in the classroom. I think you will really enjoy that bonus!
Get access to the FIG Method course, which is launching this week. We’re in the middle of May, 2020. This is the first time that I put it together like this and I’m making it available to you guys for $97. That is the lowest price it is ever going to be because I’m going to continue to add resources to it and build it up. Once you’re in it, you will be able to have access to anything new that is added, but you were able to get it in at this introductory price. When you really go through it, you will see that there is tons of information and also action steps that you can come away with. Journal prompts and the meditations, make it really an integrative experience.
For almost a year and a half since I launched the podcast, I’ve had the privilege of connecting with so many of you wonderful listeners. All of your DMs on Instagram and the emails and connecting with you on the Facebook group, you guys have made this journey so meaningful to me. Putting together this course feels like this big gift with a big bow on top that I just want to give to all of you, so that you can do this. You can learn the tools and get the resources so that you can be so connected to your child, so connected to yourself.
When that happens it’s much harder for people to access and trigger those places in you where you feel insecure because you’ll be even more aligned. The parents that I work with one-on-one go through a real transformation. Not only in their understanding of audiograms and all the technical things of having a child who has hearing loss, and how to care for their devices and what to bring to appointments and how to prepare for surgeries. All of that is of course important but I really want to add on this incredible element which is, this is your life, this is your family, this is your child and they really, really need you.
I’m so looking forward to seeing you inside the course. If you have a friend who really can benefit from this, you can consider gifting this to them or sending them the link and telling them to listen to this course, because it might be what you’re looking for. For my professionals out there who are listening, or my fellow audiologists, and all of you guys, incredible SLPs, teachers of the deaf, interpreters, pediatricians and parenting coaches and all of you, every single one of you who is listening, I thank you so much for tuning in and contributing to the All About Audiology community. It would mean so much to me if you shared about the FIG Method with your patients, with your students, with the parents that you work with. If you are on organization anywhere around the world and would like to give a workshop about the FIG Method or about advocating, about anything related to empowering parents and audiology, I would be so happy to be in touch. I’ve worked with chapters of Hands and Voices in Nebraska and Delaware. If you are looking for an interesting and interactive, really heart centered workshop for your members, please be in touch.
We are soon going to be wrapping up Season 3! I can’t believe it! This is episode 38 and in episode 39, which is actually all ready to go, and I’ll be publishing that within the next couple of days, it’s a really fun conversation with Michelle Riddle, an occupational therapist. We talked about balance and how our hearing and our balance, and also our awareness in space. Stay tuned for episode 39 coming soon!
I’m sending you my biggest hugs and well wishes. I can’t wait to see you inside the FIG course with this special introductory price of just $97 with the FIG method and the bonus interview and the resources in there, the guides and the meditations and everything that’s in there, I cannot wait for you guys to see it!
I’m Dr. Lilach Saperstein and this is the All About Audiology podcast.
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