Kathie Snow: Disability is Natural

Kathie Snow is an author, public speaker, trainer, and consultant. Her interest in disability issues was born in 1987 with the birth of her son, Benjamin, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at four months.

Before that, she had no knowledge or experience in the disability field. Like most parents, she was bewildered and somewhat frightened; and, like most parents, she eagerly entered the world of disability services and interventions. She listened to what doctors recommended, she went along with all of the therapies.

She was convinced that if some was good, then more was better. Home became a therapy clinic. The professionals told her what a great mom she was (presumably because she was doing what they told her to do!!!)… but then, when she started saying "no" to "more therapy," she became a non-compliant parent.

When Benjamin was three, Kathie participated in the Texas Partners in Policymaking program. That experience was life changing. She learned many valuable life lessons, especially from the self advocates. She discovered that families could enjoy regular lives. She didn't want a "special" life anymore for her family; she just wanted an ordinary life. When Benjamin was six, he decided he didn't want his life consumed with therapies anymore and called it quits.

The third edition of Kathie's book, Disability is Natural, Revolutionary Common Sense for Raising Successful Children with Disabilities, has just recently been released.