What Happens When We Finally Hear It’s Not Your Fault: Rj Formanek's story
Description
We share real, lived experiences from someone navigating life with FASD: the diagnosis, the data, and the dignity that often get lost in the conversation. Together, we unpack the daily struggles and the deep relief that comes from hearing the words, “It’s not your fault.”
What follows is a powerful journey from shame to self-forgiveness, as we explore person-first support, resilience, and practical tools that empower families, educators, and communities to truly understand and uplift those living with FASD.
• global and national prevalence of FASD and underdiagnosis
• RJ’s childhood, system involvement, and late diagnosis
• shame, stigma, and the power of “it’s not your fault”
• behavior as symptom, not choice, in school settings
• person-first frameworks and lived-experience leadership
• memory, executive function, and “manual transmission” brains
• routines, morning ramp-up time, and no-homework advocacy
• how to explain FASD to children in age-appropriate steps
• dismaturity across brain domains and realistic expectations
• caregiver challenges, resilience, and community support
You won't want to miss it. Until then, remember understanding creates connection, and connection creates change.
United States
