Heidi Rome

Heidi Rome, MBA, is an internationally recognized expert on the autism journey for mothers. She has just launched her book, You Just Have to Love Me: Mothering Instructions from My Autistic Child, which became the #1 New Release bestseller in multiple categories on Amazon during the pre-order period before it was even released.

The book is based on a profound exchange with her autistic, nonverbal son, Ethan, then eleven years old, in which he described via typing his own experience of his autism as a spiritual journey (“God is in my heart and will always protect me.”) This encounter soothed Heidi’s soul and transformed her attitude out of a suffering state and into peaceful purpose. The book’s title is from the last line of that conversation and conveys a simple (not always easy!) golden rule for all parents who struggle in the face of their children’s challenges—specials need or not. Mom’s only job is to love her child unconditionally—she is no longer on the agonizing hook to “fix” or “change.”

Heidi is the Autism Mom Coach and founder of Moms Spectrum Oasis. As mom to Ethan and his remarkable older brother, Eric, her guidance is for all moms who have children with any difficulty, not only autism.

Whether consulting privately, teaching courses, leading groups, holding retreats, facilitating circles, conducting staff/employee autism sensitivity training or speaking in public forums and in the media, Heidi's key message is for the autism mom who is so focused on being a “good mother” and doing her best for her special child that she neglects her own self-care:

The best way to love and help your autistic child is to love and help yourself. To love and help yourself is to love and help your child. And, Mom, beware: Failure to care for yourself may well hurt your child--the last thing on the planet you want to do--without your even knowing it.

Based on Ethan's wisdom and the building blocks of her own and others' trial and error and research, Heidi has created a 7-step program, The Autism Mom Peace Project, to give extreme parents the inspiration, preparation and practical tools they need to love, honor and protect their amazing sons and daughters by loving, honoring and protecting themselves.

Heidi has been featured in the Huffington Post, Princeton Community Televisions, West Essex Tribune, AM970 The Answer and iHeart Radio, 24/Seven Magazine and NJ Kids on the Go/Special Needs Guide, and other media.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Heidi now lives with her family in New Jersey--the state with the highest rate of autism in the U.S.

www.heidirome.com

heidi@msonj.com