As of March, 2023, 1 in 34 children have been diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Minnesota. The CDC states it is 1 in 36, as of 2020 across America. These numbers are important for two reasons.  First with numbers like this, nearly everyone knows someone who has been touched by Autism.  Kelly is one of those people touched by Autism.  Kelly is a compassionate Registered Public Health Nurse and a devoted mother who was inspired by her own young adult son Michael, who lives with Aspergers.  Second, with numbers like 1 in 34, the number of individuals that need services, greatly outweighs the number of providers that are available.  Her quest to find services for her son led her on a journey to create something that did not exist in her area.  Friesen Holistic Services LLC was formed with a heartfelt mission to work with individuals who have Autism, to maximize their potential & independence by improving their Life Skills.  Kelly will share the story of how Michael went from having limited speech and unmanageable behaviors at the time of his diagnosis, to working full time in competitive employment!  Kelly will also share some data about Autism & some resources that have helped her Family & her Son along their Autism journey.  Be prepared to laugh, to be touched & to take away at least one actionable item that you can use or share with someone to make their Autism journey a little more positive.