Learning to love your life even when it’s completely different than what you originally thought it might be like can be tricky, but is incredibly worth working through. This week, Dr. Whitney looks at how the idea of radical acceptance can change not only how you feel about your circumstances, but also room to manage those feelings as well.
Key takeaways:
- Radical acceptance is a scientifically researched component of dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) that psychologists use all the time. It means recognizing your emotional or physical stress (could be really small issues ranging to something major) and wholeheartedly practicing acceptance. It’s different than just deciding the things in our lives are bad and “living with it.” When we accept the things going on, it actually helps us to manage and deal with our emotions about the circumstances so that we can move forward and NOT feel bad all the time.
- Radical acceptance surrounding my daughter’s diagnosis of autism is one of the most fundamental shifts in my thinking that I made about 3 years ago that really allowed me a lot of freedom and made it so I wasn’t so miserable all the time.
- Real life example: my family had the opportunity to go to Hamilton and things totally went awry as getting ready to go. My oldest was hesitant on whether or not she wanted to go and my daughter had a (non-COVID) cough that I knew was going to get us all the stares in the theater. I could see my husband starting to get anxious about the whole situation, but we had to decide on something together: no matter what happened, we were gonna be okay. We knew it was not going to be perfect, and that was okay.
- How many times have things not gone the way you want them to on a family vacation? How many times has your kid not acted the way you want them to on a playdate? That you’re not able to have as much free time that you want? That you were wistful for how you wish life could be–instead of really leaning into the reality of what your life can be? Instead of constantly trying to make things “better” or “normal” you can use mindful self-compassion to get real with your feelings surrounding the situation.
- The more you fight your actual circumstances, the harder you make it on yourself. On the flip side, the more you lean into accepting the circumstances of your life and asking yourself what you need in reaction to that, the happier and more at peace you’ll be on the other side.
If you can get to a place where you can say, “Okay, this is my life. This is what’s happening. Now what?” you’re going to be much less reactive and more responsive to your kiddos’, family’s, and your own needs. You’ll be more effective at recognizing moments where you need to take a step back and tag someone else in.
Stop fighting against the reality of your life and start accepting that it’s amazing and beautiful, even if it looks entirely different than what you originally thought.
About the Episode: In this episode, Dr. Whitney sits down with Dr. Jay Gargus and Dave Justus from NeuroQure to discuss the power of early clarity when it comes to autism detection and why earlier intervention can fundamentally change outcomes for childre n and families. Dr. Gargus explains the science behind early behavioral therapies and why their impact goes far beyond short-term skill-building. Research shows that early, evidence-based interventions can lead to measurable, lifelong improvements in IQ, so cial skills, independence, and educational placement, often determining whether a child can thrive in mainstream education or requires ongoing specialized support. The conversation also tackles a critical and often overlooked issue: access. Dave Justus shares the personal motivation behind NeuroQure’s work and explains why the test is being launched at cost, with installment plans and employer subsidies, while the team works toward insurance coverage. The goal is to prevent families from losing precious years waiting for answers. Together, they emphasize a hopeful message for parents: families don’t need to wait for a future “silver bullet.” We already have therapies that work and getting kids connected to them earlier can change the course of a lifetime. In this episode, we discuss: Why early autism detection leads to lifelong changes—not just short-term gains What a 17-point IQ difference actually means for education, independence, and quality of life How early intervention can shift developmental trajectories as early as 6 months The science and validation behind current autism therapies Why NeuroQure is pricing testing at cost while pursuing insurance coverage How early clarity can reduce long-term strain on families, schools, and healthcare systems This episode is a powerful reminder that timing matters and that early access to answers can make an extraordinary difference for children and the families who love them. About Our Guest: Dr. Jay Gargus, MD, PhD is a physician-scientist and nationally recognized expert in neurodevelopmental disorders, with decades of experience researching the biological underpinnings of autism. His work has focused on translating well-established science into meaningful, real-world interventions that can improve lifelong outcomes for children. Dr. Gargus emphasizes that early, evidence-based therapies are already available—and that connecting families to them sooner can fundamentally change developmental trajectories. Dave Justus is a parent and the founder of NeuroQure, whose work is driven by personal experience navigating delayed autism diagnosis and intervention. Motivated by the belief that early clarity can spare families years of uncertainty, Dave is focused on expanding access to early testing through cost-based pricing and ongoing efforts to secure insurance coverage. His mission is simple but powerful: ensure families don’t have to wait for answers that could change everything. Want to Start Raising Body-Confident Kids Today? 📘 Order the Book Order your copy of My One-of-a-Kind Body 👉 www.raisingbodyconfidentkids.com/books 🎁 Claim Your Free Bonus When you order on our site, you’ll also get access to a FREE video mini-course with five bite-sized lessons for parents. In just 25 minutes, you’ll walk away with: Simple, script-style ways to respond when your kid says, “I hate my thighs” How to talk about health without weight talk What to do when your own inner critic shows up How to interrupt diet culture at home The first step to raising a body-confident kid, even if you didn’t grow up as one 📩 Subscribe to The Modern Mommy Doc Podcast for more episodes on parenting with confidence and clarity. Leave a review using the hashtag #ModernMommyDoc.
Stop being so busy, and start being more present.
Starting out right with solids doesn't have to be so scary.
What if YOU are the one who needs to calm down first?
