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
159 - All About FASD - FASD and Bullying Part 2 With Dr. Jerrod Brown
158 - Breaking the Pipeline - A Conversation with Dr. Deanna Westedt
157 - Bullied, Broken, Redeemed - A Conversation with Candice Dugger
156 - It’s Our Two Year Podversary! With Guest Host Jennifer Wisdahl
155 - Oshays Brain Domain - An Update with Maryelen and Paula McPhail
154 - FASCETS Friday - FASD in Spouses with Suzanne Emery
153 - Embrace Our Journey with Jeremy Elliott and William G.
152 - FASD, 504’s and IEP’s - A Lesson with Shannon Iacobacci
151 - FASD at 50 - A Conversation with Dr. Kenneth Lyons Jones and Andrea Torzon
150 - Let’s Go! - Run FASD 2022 Virtual 5K Finale
149 - MASS FAS - A Conversation with Kristen Eriksen and Laura Bedard
148 - All About FASD Special Edition - A Panel Discussion with Dr. Jerrod Brown
147 - All About FASD - FASD and Bullying - Part 1 with Dr. Jerrod Brown
146 - All About FASD - FASD and Friendship Skills with Dr. Jerrod Brown
145 - It’s OK to Be You: Living Well with FASD or Other Disabilities with Kenny LaJoy
144 - Hope for the FASD Journey Community with Sandra Flach and Natalie Vecchione
143 - Get Set- Run FASD 2022 Virtual 5K Update
142 - Amazing Advocacy - A Conversation with Yvonne Williams
141 - Embraced Film - An Update with Joel Sheagren, Jodee Kulp and Justen Overlander
140 - FASD and Speech Therapy - A Conversation with Christian Hancock
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