Interview With Joan Celebi, Ed.M., CLC

Kirsten:	Would you tell us a little bit about yourself and why you do what you do?
Joan:	I am a life coach for parents of children with special needs, and I've created a complete system for balanced living for parents who are juggling many roles. I have two children - one of whom has special needs. After my child with special needs was born, I
	went through a period of overwhelm. Even though I like to have my life in order, I felt like I was thrown into a world of chaos. I honestly felt like there was something wrong with me because I was dropping balls right and left, and I realized that I was deficient in my ability to manage things.  I joined a support group for parents of children with special needs and started to search for strategies that would help me navigate all the things I had to go through each day to do. I observed strategies from parents around me who seemed to have things under control and started to make a mental collection and use them in my own life. Now, I work with people all over the world. I am also lucky enough to have clients in Europe, New Zealand, and Australia. I've discovered that, no matter where we live in he world, we all go through the same things in our lives. There are so many similarities among parents. Through my work, I've created a complete system for balanced living for parents who are juggling the many roles they have. Most parents report being overwhelmed or feeling overwhelmed at some point, if not all the time. I've put together a book with strategies and systems work best for parents. I want parents to lead a balanced and joyful life and be able to focus on the things that matter to them.
Kirsten:	Can you tell me why it is so common for parents of children with special needs to feel overwhelmed?
Joan:	When I first started coaching, I kept hearing the word "overwhelmed" - where it feels like things are out of control and you don't have enough time in the day. Parents feel overwhelmed because of the huge juggling act. There is lots of advocating, driving, phone calls, advocating with health insurance companies and not enough time to handle it all. Parents also worry about not doing enough and about their children's future. Parents often ask themselves: "Am I doing enough? Could I be doing more? Is there something else I could have done?" Plus, we want to spend time with all of our children - not just our child with special needs. This is an added layer of things we have to deal with.
Kirsten:	Why is it so essential for special needs moms and dads to find balance in their lives?
Joan:	It is essential to find balance because your life depends on it! The obvious benefit is by making your life more manageable, you'll have a nicer life. When you get used to living at a crazy pace, you forget what it is like to have a normal life, which will take a toll on your health - physically and emotionally. You must get stress under control to preserve yourself for your children. We need to be in mental and physical shape for our families. When parents lead more balanced and less stressful lives, their children do better academically, socially, and emotionally. Think of your kids and their future. Plus, you want to set a good example for them so they realize that life isn't all stressful and unmanageable.
Kirsten:	So, how do you begin going about creating this balanced life?
Joan:	Parents often don't know where to begin, so I start with the basics. We have to meet our own needs before we can take care of our children. Where do you begin? It's not a matter of cramming everything in; it's a matter of stepping back and taking a look at the big picture. (1) First, how much sleep are you getting? Parents live on four to five hours of sleep per night. Try to find 3-4 nights per week to get enough sleep. Although irregular sleep patterns are common, sleep is the foundation of a balanced life. (2) What are you eating and when are you eating? You must eat well and at reasonable times. (3) You must stay hydrated by sipping water throughout the day. If you don't, your energy will sag as well. Go and buy a pretty water bottle and, then, use it. (4) Make sure you are taking time to breathe. There is the physical act of breathing; there is also value in taking two minutes every morning to start your day with some deep breathing. This is an automatic stress reducer. There are physiological things that happen when you do deep breathing. This sets the stage for the day. Stress may cause health issues. Release the stress any way you can. (5) Make exercise a regular part of life - even a five-minute walk is good and will give you a boost of energy.
Kirsten:	In your book, Overwhelmed No More, you talk about a "complete system for balanced living." Can you describe that for us?
Joan:	The basic strategies include simplifying your life, getting help, and banishing perfection. It's not hard to implement this in your own life - it's all small, simple, practical steps that people can start doing right now and see immediate results. Although most parents don't like to ask fro help, get the help you need into your life. Barter if you need help. Contact high schools and see if there is a certain number of community service hours students must meet before they graduate. As a parent of a child with special needs, you qualify for this help. College students are also looking for experience with children with special needs.
Kirsten:	What inspired you to start your website, www.SpecialNeedsParentCoach.com?
Joan:	I feel strongly that everyone should be able to access the benefits of life coaching, so one of my main goals is to help special needs moms and dads implement strategies for balanced living in ways that are simple, affordable, and not time consuming. That's why I offer free resources, including my newsletter and blog. I also have a book and an affordable coaching club. My mission is to get these strategies into the hands of as many parents of children with special needs as possible. Websites are a godsend because they are a great way to get these strategies out there. The book is $24.97 and is sort of a self-paced home study program. You can do a page at a time or a chapter at a time. I wanted to get the book out there as an alternative to working with me individually. I also offer a lunchtime teleconference series. The best thing to do is to get my free newsletter, which comes out every other work. You don'' have to think about it very much. In the Fall, I am going to start a low cost membership program. Once you subscribe to the newsletter, you'll find out about all of these strategies. Look for "Free Resources" on the options sign. You can also sign up for the all purposes seminar in the newsletter.