What if the thing you’ve been trying to fix wasn’t broken to begin with?
In this emotional and eye-opening episode, Jennifer Celeste Briggs shares her journey of parenting a child with special needs – and the moment she gave herself permission to stop striving and start loving. From early diagnoses to launching her own Son-Rise Program at home, Jennifer’s story is one of resilience, connection, and letting go of guilt.
📌 What you’ll hear in this episode:
- What it’s like to parent a child with autism from infancy through young adulthood
- The emotional toll of carrying invisible guilt as a mother
- How Jennifer created a therapeutic home-based program
- Why connection matters more than fixing
- What she learned about self-worth by seeing her daughter thrive
Jennifer Celeste Briggs is a writer, mother, and advocate for emotionally connected parenting. She has a BA in English Literature from Swarthmore College and lives in Pittsburgh, PA with her husband and two daughters. Her daughter Sarah has a genetic anomaly and autism, which led Jenny to create and lead a home-based Son-Rise Program called *Sarah-Rise*. After training at the Autism Treatment Center of America, she coordinated hundreds of hours of therapeutic play with the help of volunteers. Her blog, Watching Sarah Rise, has become a source of comfort and inspiration to others navigating life’s unexpected paths. Jenny’s mission is to help parents feel seen and to spread the word about the power of presence, joy, and connection.
🔗 Connect with Jennifer Celeste Briggs:
Website: https://www.watchingsarahrise.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenniferbriggsauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifercelestebriggsauthor
🔔 Subscribe for more stories of pivotal moments that change lives:
https://www.youtube.com/@thelifeshiftpodcast
🖥️ Listen to all episodes at: https://www.thelifeshiftpodcast.com
📣 Support ad-free & early release episodes:
https://www.patreon.com/thelifeshiftpodcast
🕓 Timestamps
0:00 Intro
2:45 Becoming a mom and early expectations
10:50 Receiving Sarah’s diagnosis
17:05 Guilt, blame, and the weight of perfection
25:20 The Son-Rise training and breakthrough
36:10 Building a volunteer team and the Sarah-Rise program
45:30 How this journey changed Jennifer
56:00 Final reflections on motherhood and self-worth
✨ Keywords: autism parenting, Son-Rise Program, special needs mom story, Jennifer Celeste Briggs, Life Shift Podcast, parenting through connection, child with autism, emotional motherhood, special needs family
💬 What did this story bring up for you?
Share your thoughts in the comments — your story might help someone else feel less alone.
