Our Lionheart Journey

Since Matthew is 'graduating' from Lionheart and moving to a new school next year, we are all celebrating the successes he has had. His time at Lionheart -- OUR TIME at Lionheart -- has been life changing for all of us, and as we leave, it with happy memories, sadness at what we're leaving behind but gratitude and full hearts from all that God has given us through this part of our journey. The relationships we have built, the people that have invested their hearts, energy and time into Matthew (and me) are priceless and will always be a part of us. As our time comes to a close, the Executive Team asked me to write up Matthew's story in 700 words or less (yes, I laughed, too... those who know me know that I can barely spell my name in 700 words or less). Nevertheless, I gave it my best. I was honored to be asked to tell our story, and I knew it would be good for me, but what I didn't know was how hard it would be! There's so very much to tell! Here's what I ended up with... at some point I'll write another - unabridged version... but here's the newsletter edition: In 2003, while we were living in Virginia, my son Matthew was diagnosed with autism. Although we essentially got “a diagnosis and a handshake” from the neurologist, our first speech pathologist turned us onto Floortime and the DIR model, and we quickly realized that it was the best way to serve Matthew. Upon returning home to Georgia, we immediately began seeing Lionheart professional board members Dr. Barbara Dunbar and Dr. Mili Cordero and speech pathologist Mary Beth Stark. When it was time to start Kindergarten, we all agreed that Matthew’s lack of regulation, extreme passions and mixed bag of challenges and strengths made homeschooling the best option for him. In a homeschool situation, I could help Matthew leverage his strengths to address his challenges as well as have him immersed in Floortime and DIR. In September of that year, Lionheart was written up in the AJC. I read the article and showed it to Jeff, saying, “If Matthew were ever going to be in a school, THIS is where I’d want him.” At the time, however, I was a stay-at-home mom, we lived two hours away, and it just wasn’t part of our reality. Four years later, we were living in Peachtree Corners. Neil Freeman, a board member at Lionheart, asked Jeff if we had looked into the school for Matthew, and suddenly Lionheart was much more of a possibility. Matthew had grown so much during our years of homeschooling but was still struggling with other children. We knew that’s where the work was: social and emotional growth with peers and people outside of family. We just knew Lionheart was the place for this. Matthew entered Lionheart as a 7 year old boy with the diagnosis of high functioning autism. We had no doubts after visiting that Lionheart was the perfect fit for our family and especially for Matthew, and after his visit that was confirmed. We knew that they would use his strengths and his passions to engage him and help him grow. Matthew’s weaknesses were in the area of relating and communicating effectively rather than in learning. We knew that Lionheart professionals had a way to reach him and a heart to love him, and we knew in our hearts this is where he needed to be. Lionheart, with its individualized, developmental approach, was the perfect place to address Matthew’s needs. When they accepted him after HIS visit, I really knew we were in the right place -- he ran out of the first room they took him in with his fingers in his ears saying, "I really hate tornadoes!!" (they were watching a weather video on the whiteboard), and then the next room they took him to check out was doing something else he didn't like, and he told them he needed to leave that room as well. Yet he was IN!! I love this place!!! He spent his time at open house (in August) UNDER NEATH the teacher's computer desk because he got frustrated with the whiteboard... and yet he was still IN!!! GOD IS GOOD. While we were excited about Lionheart, we weren’t quite prepared for the transition that was ahead. Matthew had to adjust to more demands on his energy and his time, and he had to learn to trust other adults to help him when he felt overwhelmed. I volunteered at Lionheart his first year, and I could often hear his meltdowns… stemming from anything from a computer not working correctly to not wanting to transition from floortime or O.T. I went home so many days in tears; Jeff and I were sure that any day we would be asked not to bring him back. Instead, I witnessed the staff at Lionheart accept and appreciate my son just as he was. They met him where he was at any given moment, whether that meant giving him space under cushions in the floortime room or sitting in a tent with Elizabeth or Victoria to talk through what he was feeling. They quickly figured out that he had to calm down before talking, but once calm he was very reflective, and they capitalized on that. By the end of the year, the boy who ran to the office asking someone to call Empire because the computer was broken, or call 911 because somebody made him mad, or ripped every paper off the wall in his classroom because he was overwhelmed had transformed. That transformation has continued in ways that have exceeded our hopes and dreams. Each year, he has become more and more attuned to and interested in the world around him. His flexibility has improved as has his ability to reflect on his feelings, and on how his actions and words impact others. He is caring and compassionate and a blessing to so many. Meltdowns went from hitting, kicking and throwing, to running off to crying and yelling to… non-existent. Amazing. All of this because of the caring staff, the team approach and overall philosophy at Lionheart. Lionheart has prepared him and equipped him to face so much more of life’s challenges and demands. He loves who he is, he loves life, and he is ready to step forward and experience even more of what life has to offer. Matthew’s time at Lionheart is ending this year. He is moving on to a school where he can earn a high school diploma and perhaps attend college. It’s bittersweet. We are celebrating all that has been accomplished, but we are going to miss our Lionheart family. Lionheart will forever be a part of who we are and who Matthew becomes.