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The Gift of an Exceptional Child

Debra Snyder, M.S., Ph.D., and Helen Smalley-Bower, dual Ph.D. candidate, share a bond and a blessing that neither would trade for anything.

As mothers of children with special needs, both have developed “love teams” through which family members accept the full emotional range of caring for a young person with significant health challenges. Parents learn the tireless dedication of disability advocacy, while older siblings learn to see and experience life radically differently than their peers.

Debra and Helen are both multi-degree students of metaphysics, and each has reinvented her professional life in response to the gift of raising an exceptional child. Vibrations is honored to share their stories of truly unconditional love. Herein, a daughter named Raegan Aria and a son named Joshua Isaac each reveal the miracle of true Spirit personified.

Deb and Raegan

	Learn more about Rae and her mom in the January 2008 edition of Exceptional Parent magazine and at: www.eparent.com

Raegan Aria is almost eight years old. Although unable to talk or swallow food, her heart wisdom resonates with such a clear vibration that she and her mom are truly clairsentient—able to accurately sense or intuit important information from each other, without words and even without eye contact. The proof of their powerful communication is that Raegan survived a post-surgery crisis by conveying danger wordlessly to her mother, just in time, although she was too young to cognitively perceive anything.

This miraculous experience inspired Debra to create outreach networks to teach other exceptional families how to recognize their own God-given “heart wisdom.” She is founder of both The Maine Center for Spiritual Enrichment and of HeartGlow Therapy, a sixth-sensory counseling practice that empowers families to grow together in times of crisis—reclaiming dignity, trust, love and joy.

“Raegan is truly a sage,” Deb explains. “Her bold presence shows us that such a tiny bundle of pure spirit can form a mighty connection, to help open minds and open hearts. The light in her soul is bright enough to cast away shadows of fear and pain, guilt or victim-hood. It’s empowering for families in transition to regain their courage and fall back in love with life.”

For more information: www.heartglowtherapy.com

Helen and Joshie

On a flight home to Honolulu in 1981, as Helen Smalley-Bower glimpsed a listless Korean infant who was literally fighting for his life, she remembers feeling a calm, gentle and unmistakable stirring. The tiny orphan’s surgery for spina bifida had resulted in brain damage, and somehow Helen knew she wanted to help ease this child’s suffering. After adopting and renaming him Joshua Isaac—Joshua for strength and courage, and Isaac for laughter—Helen and “Joshie” did much of their early bonding within clinical and rehab settings.

Celebrating the life of Joshua Isaac

Through numerous therapies and an ever-resilient spirit, year by year Joshie grew physically stronger and emotionally more confident. During this time their family at first lauded the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, but gradually became disillusioned by its gaps and delays. Through passionate advocacy, Helen and others helped initiate “Real Choices Hawaii.” She now serves on its governing council.

While earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in metaphysics—and now as a dual-doctoral candidate, in metaphysics and holistic ministries—Helen founded a spiritually-based coaching company called Fine Tune You. Its mission is to help open people’s hearts to their full human potential. “Throughout the day, in moments of prayer and meditation we can embrace and uplift our gifts of spirit,” she says. “If ever I feel sad or dismayed, it just means I’ve downshifted into ego—and Spirit is waiting for me to come back. When we get still and quiet, we know that our soul’s wisdom is always there to comfort and revitalize us.”

For more information: www.finetuneyou.com