FASD Hope is a podcast series about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), through the lens of parent advocates with over eighteen years of lived experience.
On this 20th episode of FASD Hope, Natalie Vecchione (Podcast Host) speaks with Josh Bechtel, an author and President of Lighthouse Publications, LLC and founder of FMV Publishing Services. Josh has written several books, including his memoir "Finding My Voice: A Journey into Faith". Josh was born in November of 1977 in Pendleton, Oregon. He was placed in foster care at the age of one and a half. After a series of foster placements, he was eventually adopted by a conservative, Mennonite family in Estacada, Oregon. He later learned that he had a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and his family (and fellow members of their Mennonite Community) received a consultation from Diane Malbin, author of "Trying Differently Rather Than Harder" and founder of FASCETS. Josh credits speaking with Diane Malbin and reading her book as extremely helpful in learning about how his brain functioned and learning to make accommodations for himself. In this twenties and early thirties, Josh worked at a children's home in Virginia and a men's rehabilitation center in Indiana. During that time, Josh reconnected with his biological parents and family. He lives in Akron, OH and he divides his time between odd jobs and expending his creative energies in a small business he founded in 2015, called "Finding My Voice Publishing and Services", inspired by the title of his memoir "Finding My Voice: A Journey into Faith".
During this open and insightful conversation, Josh and Natalie discuss the following topics: Josh's story and adoption journey, how he learned about his FASD diagnosis (from Diane Malbin), the many accommodations he developed throughout his lifetime, how his writing saved him (and became a tremendous strength for him), his additional strengths and his advice to teens and young adults living with an FASD (and their parents / caregivers / loved ones). Josh's story is one of determination, accommodation and hope.
"Jesus answered and said to him, 'What I am doing you do not understand now. but you will know after this.' " - John 13:7
RESOURCES-
Josh Bechtel, President, Lighthouse Publications, LLC
FMV Publishing and Services
www.findingmyvoice.us
jaypeebee77@gmail.com
"Trying Differently Rather Than Harder" by Diane Malbin, MSW (1999/2002/2017)
FASCETS - https://fascets.org/
FASD Hope -
http://www.fasdhope.com/
info@fasdhope.com
Instagram - @fasdhope
Facebook - @fasdhope1
Pinterest - @fasdhope1
179 - Three Years Later and a Plot Twist with John and Natalie Vecchione
178 - Tinderbox - A Conversation with Lynn Alsup
177 - Sip By Sip - A Candid Conversation with Patti Kasper
176 - FASD Legislative Update and Run FASD 2023 with Jenn Wisdahl and Rebecca Tillou
175 - All About FASD - FASD and Neurocounseling with Dr. Jerrod Brown
174 - An Update from the UK and Scotland with Jessica Rutherford, Ph.D. and Ailsa Clarke
173 - Dream Acres FASD Community - A Conversation with Kathryn Meinhardt
172 - FASD North Dakota - A Conversation with Carl Young
171 - A Journey of Faith and Strength - A Conversation with Liz Kulp
170 - All About FASD - Energy Drinks and FASD with Dr. Jerrod Brown
169 - FASD Legislative Update and Upcoming FASD United Events with Jennifer Wisdahl
168 - CAMP FASD - A Conversation with Nicholas Tassone and Emma Melendez-Scherer
167 - FASD Legislative Update AND Run FASD 2023 with Jennifer Wisdahl and Rebecca Tillou
166 - All About FASD - Excessive Sugar Consumption and FASD with Dr. Jerrod Brown
165 - Mom, Author and Navigator - A Conversation with Laura Bedard
164 - Welcome Back - We Need More Hope! A Conversation with Jennifer Wisdahl and Natalie Vecchione
163 - Be Still - Our Final Episode
162 - The Families and The Kids That We’ve Left Behind - A Conversation with Best Selling Author, Andrew Bridge
161 - FASCETS Friday - A Family’s Transformation with Lynn and Clare Alsup
160 - The Fellowship of Rural FASD - A Conversation with Rob More
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