Encore Speech & Wellness

02/08/2026

The gift of communication is the greatest gift of all.

Good morning, dear family. My heart overflows with gratitude today. Yesterday I celebrated my twentieth birthday with my nonspeaking friends. It was my first birthday celebrated with friends, and I was unspeakably blessed by their presence and joy at participating in this historic event. You cannot imagine how rapturous it felt to have a previously dread-filled, anxiety-riddled event be such a deeply soul nourishing experience. I felt so seen, known, and loved.

In the past I would have anticipated my birthday for weeks, trying to prepare myself for the inevitable barrage of excruciating sensory overload, dysregulation, and weighty hopeful expectations of my loving but misguided family members who did their best to guess at appreciated gifts for me. Unfortunately they didn’t yet understand my body language was not a reliable form of communication, and they confused OCD compulsions for interest. So when I opened a gift that was really an OCD trigger, I was engulfed with despair knowing what was intended to bless was really an entrapping, isolating curse. I totally knew their heart of love toward me, but it was incredibly hard to feel it.

In the moment I only felt very alone, unseen, and unknown. Combine that with a mortifyingly uncontrollable body that may betray me and throw the giver’s gift and gesture of love on the ground, and balloons that might explode at any moment and trigger a fight or flight response, and the almost painful sense of my family holding their breaths against my disappointing response was more unintended pressure than I could bear.

But yesterday was an altogether different experience. Now that I have communication, connection, and friends and family who truly love me and know me, I felt deeply cared for in a safe place with zero pressure to respond a certain way, and I found myself totally and even easily able to enjoy each spot-on and thoughtful gift and freely express my appreciation and gratitude.

This is indeed the power of being seen, known and loved into wholeness and freedom. Instead of feeling fearful and trapped, I am experiencing an unending wellspring of thankfulness and joy. I know what has held me captive all of my life. By naming it and walking into it rather than hiding from it or avoiding it, I can overcome it and walk through it with God, friends, and family cheering me onward. I am experiencing real abundant life as God intended this side of eternity.

What about you? This same wellspring is available for you. Take my hand, and we will walk bravely forward together. Now see, know, and experience such deep and abiding love and belonging. Look above the frantic weight of expectation as it crashes into you. Reach out your hand and grasp his warm firm hand as he pulls you up to walk above the waves, and teaches you to dance and laugh upon the waters with your heart open to freedom.

Be brave, dear ones, today.
Love,

Jack

02/07/2026

Dr. Sears has a great book called Dirty Genes. He teaches in an easy to understand for all way the SNPs that make detoxing difficult. He goes into great length about MTHFR gene, (which most people on the autism spectrum have), and helps readers understand how to clean up their environment, their diet, and provide much important supplementation, for health and healing.

It’s vital parents who have a child with autism understand the methylation cycle and the problems with folic acid. YOU MUST AVOID FOLIC ACID and TOXINS!

Read labels- get informed. You will see a difference in your child.

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1KNBsqVb9b/?mibextid=wwXIfrllwli

02/07/2026

We have seen significant improvements in communication when kids detox. Using the right zeolites however is important. Some zeolites are mined and can contain contaminants. Be sure you’re choosing a brand that is lab controlled and well tested and trusted.

We use these Zeolites to detox heavy metals and toxins in the brain and gut. This is what she is using too: https://thegoodinside.com/

You can find other detox strategies on our website: https://encorespeech.com/shop/

 https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1GMZ3CsHQd/?mibextid=wwXIfr

01/24/2026

01/20/2026

Winter Park, FL.

Link here: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07304440?cond=adia%20med%20Autism%20Spectrum%20Disorder&rank=1&page=1&limit=10&sort=&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQKNjYyODU2ODM3OQABHl-jELnNpRZCu3k0OADNSYyv-AtzxvLwW_YmJFX3HYK1X6TGVaXqpm88WhVa_aem_aVrmKjFEOJv3Wlux3G1vnA?fbclid=IwVERFWAPbvZ9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeX6MQuc2lFkK7eTQ4AM1JjK_4C3PG8vBb9iYkVfcdgrVfpMZVpeqmbzxaFVo_aem_aVrmKjFEOJv3Wlux3G1vnA

01/14/2026

Never give up. It’s never too late to learn new motor sequences. Communication is key. Motor training for Spelling is #1 but once that is mastered and open communication is achieved- Spellers can then share what their goals and aspirations are. If its speech- GO FOR IT! There are systematic motor planning training methods that could be successful in achieving your goals!

01/05/2026

🧠 Autism, the Immune System & a Whole-Body Perspective

A recent scientific review highlights autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as a condition that may emerge when neurological and immunological systems pass critical “tipping points” during vulnerable stages of development. Rather than viewing ASD as genetic brain-based disorder, the authors explore how immune system dysregulation may contribute to the diverse and complex ways autism presents.

The review raises an important question: are immune abnormalities a root cause of ASD for some individuals, or are they secondary effects? And is the brain biochemically obstructed by systemic imbalances?

Supporting this latter possibility, the authors reference a compelling case report in which autism symptoms were reversed in one of two twins — with improvement occurring only in the child who received personalized lifestyle and environmental modifications.

These findings, along with other published cases, are encouraging and reinforce the importance of looking beyond genetics but into environmental triggers and considerations into detoxing, functional medicine to assess imbalances and immune system dysregulation, gut biodiversity, and supplementation.

At Encore Speech and Wellness, we believe in supporting the whole person — recognizing the interconnected roles of the brain, body, gut, immune health, and environment in communication and development. 💙

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41420751d

Alterations and maladaptations of the immune system remain some of the most controversial concepts in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Nonetheless, intensifying evidence confirms that much of what ASD involves is related not to a static encephalopathy-based model of autism but rather to the consequen...

10/05/2025

A beautiful message from Jack.

Today I want to address people in autism squares, who make decisions for us. These are people who have good intentions and want the world to be more accepting and safe for people like me. I see that their hearts are in the right place, but they are making wrong assumptions about us and what we want and need. “Always presume competence” is our mantra for good reason.

Most of us have experienced the opposite. Most of us have felt the constant sting of being seen, treated, and given no opportunity to prove something other than incompetence. This has defined our existence in an extremely harmful way. Our fight to survive is not one to thrive, and we often see ourselves through this lens of being unworthy of what we need. This is profoundly detrimental to our mental health, and sense of well-being, and worth.

I can’t imagine what this existence feels like without a sense of God‘s love and belonging in his family. My heart feels so heavy for those who live outside of this reality.

Selah. Pause to reflect on this.

Imagine the individuals you know that are in the place of this torturous existence and unaware of their incredible worth. Now imagine the thousands more who have no one to imagine for them or see their worth. The devastation they must feel is almost unimaginable.

I have felt this devastation at times, but been buoyed by the love of God at just the right time in the labyrinth of life. Often this encounter with his love has come in human form. This is why Christ came, not just to die, but to show us how to live as breathing experiences of his encompassing love.

So my challenge to you today is be someone’s encounter with God‘s love today. Stay in the Light.
Love,
Jack