Avsnitt
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Kindness. Empathy. Love.
Snovalley Pride Founder Greg Jamiel points to these basic tenets as 'building blocks of humanity'. Along with connection, they are at the core of Snovalley Pride's mission and Greg's recent book, "Uni's Quest for Kindness."
We invite you to tune in to our latest Radio Encompass Podcast as our host, Caley George, talks with Greg about the work of Snovalley Pride, the message of his book, and the importance of building a community where every individual feels safe, seen, and celebrated. -
Earlier this week, we began part one of a discussion on The Essential Role of Advocacy and why it's not a sideline project, but in fact, core to our purpose for families.
Today, we invite you to join us for part two. Our host, Caley George, is once again joined by Encompass Executive Director Nela Cumming, along with Akin President and Chief Executive Officer Dave Newell, and Birth to Three Executive Director Maryanne Barnes. These powerhouse leaders from Washington nonprofits share their challenges, the necessity of collaboration, and the power of voice and relationships to drive systemic change.
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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At Encompass, we believe every child deserves the support and opportunities they need to thrive. But belief isn’t enough. To truly support our children and families, we must work to shape the systems that affect them every day. In part one of a two-part discussion, Encompass Executive Director Nela Cumming breaks down why advocacy isn't a sideline project—it is core to our purpose for families.
Be sure to subscribe to the channel for part two of this podcast. We'll be joined by Dave Newell of Akin and Maryanne Barnes from Birth to Three. Along with Nela, these three powerhouse leaders from Washington nonprofits share their challenges and how we can drive systemic change for families.
We invite you to listen and discover how advocacy can turn compassion into lasting change.
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Recognizing April as National Volunteer Month, Encompass celebrates amazing people who give their time and talents to help us build a community where ALL children thrive. We recently sat down with our 2025 Volunteer of the Year, Madison Chess, to talk about her journey with Encompass. What started as a student seeking service hours quickly evolved into a deep-rooted devotion to our mission. Madison shares about her journey, some of her favorite memories, and her own perspective on the value of volunteer service.
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Connection is central to our core values at Encompass. We recognize the deep need we, as humans, have to feel seen, known, and valued. In this episode of our Parent Talks podcast, we sit down with Encompass Early Literacy Specialist Ana Malloy. Ana shares how our ParentChild+ program helps caregivers and children connect over the joy of shared discovery through books, toys, and intentional time together. It’s the ‘aha’ moment when caregivers realize even simple activities can be meaningful and create lasting impact.
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We’ve all heard the phrase “Put your own oxygen mask on first.” While that might seem counterintuitive, this important safety instruction is a powerful metaphor for self-care: You must secure your own well-being before you can effectively help others. Too often, parents and caregivers put their own needs on the back burner as they care for their children and families, leaving them stressed and burned out.
In the latest episode of our Parent Talks podcast, we chat with Encompass Pediatric Therapy Director Megan Walsh. We discuss how we can recognize our body’s signals for help, and tips for finding relief and support so we can be our best selves for the people we love.
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Parenting is full of questions, especially when it comes to those big milestones with kids and the myths that often surround them.
In the latest episode of our Parent Talks podcast, we sit down with Encompass Developmental Specialist Emily Arkus. As a member of our Early Support for Infants and Toddlers team, Emily discusses the most common developmental milestones, the misconceptions that often surround them, and provides guidance on when caregivers should seek help if they have concerns.
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Our Encompass It All Series takes a closer look at Encompass Pediatric Therapy Services. Providing over 2000 visits each month, our therapies are tailored to meet the unique needs of each child to help them reach their developmental milestones in a supportive environment.
In this episode of our Parent Talks podcast, we take a deeper dive with members of our Pediatric Therapy team: Occupational Therapy Supervisor Lisa Krejci, Speech-Language Supervisor Jim Engracia, and Child and Family Therapist Amber Eckert. Together, they provide a closer look at their work – challenges kids might be facing when they seek services, what therapy sessions look like, the benefits of multidisciplinary collaboration, the importance of family partnership, and more.
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Resources:
Learn more about Encompass Community-Based Services
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Encompass recently introduced a meaningful change as the Behavioral Health program shifts to a new name: Mental Health.
In this episode of our Parent Talks Podcast, we sit down with Encompass Mental Health Director Megan Walsh to learn more about the change, why it’s important, and what it means for the children and families we serve.
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Resources:
King Country Library System Park and Museum Passes: https://kcls.org/news/kcls-offers-parks-and-museum-passes/
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Serving children and families from birth to age 3, Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT) is the Washington State program designed to be the first point of contact for families concerned about their child’s development. Whether it’s speech, motor, feeding, sleep, behavioral, social, or other developmental concerns, our ESIT team employs a collaborative caregiver-coaching model to support families in helping their children reach milestones.
In this month’s Parent Talks podcast, we sit down with ESIT Director Jessie Scanzon and Family Resource Coordinator Brooke Boevers to take a deep dive into understanding the ins and outs of the ESIT program and how it partners with families to build healthy foundations for children.
All children under 3 are entitled to a free developmental screening at no cost to the family. If you have questions about your child’s development, reach out to the Encompass ESIT team at 425-888-3347.
If you are outside the Encompass service area of the Issaquah, Riverview, Skykomish, or Snoqualmie Valley School Districts, contact the Washington State ESIT program at (800) 322-2588.
Don’t struggle. Call. -
When the podcast team brainstorms a “Holiday Food” episode, it ‘might’ trigger some unresolved feelings for the host of our program. In this fun episode of our Parent Talks Podcast, Encompass Marketing and Communications Manager Caley George shares unpleasant memories about broccoli casserole and wonders if it's time to start doing better by our kids. Then he sits down with Encompass Speech-Language Therapist/Feeding Specialist Autumn Howard to cover a variety of topics related to the holiday dinner table including involving the kids with food prep and table setting, food presentation, serving sizes, trying new foods, the kids' table, and more!
Warning and apologies to all broccoli casserole fans: It takes a bit of a beating here. 😊
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As kids get settled into a new school year, it’s not uncommon for some parents to notice their child is struggling in the classroom. While there may be a variety of reasons for this struggle, it’s important for parents to understand the resources available if they suspect their child needs extra support. In this month’s episode of our Parent Talks podcast, we explore IEPs, more commonly known as Individualized Education Plans, and 504 Plans. Sarah Lichtenberg from the Snoqualmie Valley PTSA Special Education and Disability Committee explains what they are, how they differ, and how parents might navigate the process if they feel their child needs additional support in the classroom.
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Every year, the start of school brings an inevitable rush of e-flyers promoting a wide array of extracurricular activities for kids of all ages. The sheer quantity of options can be overwhelming for parents trying to decide what and how many activities their kids should be engaged in.
We tackle that very topic in this episode of our Parent Talks podcast. Our host and parent of two Caley George sits down with Encompass Speech-Language Pathologist and parent of two Missy Budworth to discuss “Extracurricular Activities and Your Family”. They will explore the balancing act for families and kids as well as the challenges and benefits that factor into the decision-making process when considering outside activities.
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“When we shift the lens and start to look at [behaviors] as the signal rather than the target . . . we get so many more answers, and we really start to build connection and relationships.” Dr. Mona Delahooke
Encompass is honored to have Pediatric Psychologist Dr. Mona Delahooke on our Parent Talks podcast. As a speaker, trainer, and consultant, Dr. Delahooke has dedicated her career to promoting compassionate, relationship-based neurodevelopmental interventions for children with developmental, behavioral, emotional, and learning differences. Dr. Delahooke has provided collaborative workshops for Encompass and our Snoqualmie Valley partners around her books Beyond Behaviors: Using Brain Science and Compassion to Understand and Solve Children’s Behavioral Challenges, and Brain-Body Parenting: How to Stop Managing Behaviors and Start Raising Joyful, Resilient Kids.
Encompass Behavioral Health Director Megan Walsh is a frequent guest on our podcast, but this month, she switched roles as she sat down to talk with Dr. Delahooke about “The Power of Connection – A Conversation with Mona Delahooke”.
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Transitions. We all know them and we all experience them. Whether it's moving, having children, returning to the workforce, or any number of possibilities, these moments can be unsettling. In our latest Parent Talks podcast, we sit down with Encompass parent, writer, and speaker April Bennett, as well as Encompass Behavioral Health Director Megan Walsh, to discuss practical tips for navigating both the big and small transitions of life.
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This spring, thousands of kids will register to begin kindergarten in the fall. While it’s an exciting time for both parents and students, it can also bring up many feelings of uncertainty. "Is my child ready?" "What can I do to help prepare them?" "How will kindergarten be different from preschool?"
To help answer these questions, we are throwing it back to our "Ready for Kindergarten" Parent Talks Podcast where Encompass Lead Preschool Teacher Sarah Holmes and veteran Kindergarten Teacher Deona Kim answer these questions and more! -
We hear a lot of talk about Company Culture – beliefs and values that define an organization. Over the years, Encompass has spent many hours working with James and Kristen Whitfield of BeCulture - talking about our own company culture, the idea of Beloved Community, and the concept of ‘being the culture we wish to see.’
It got us asking - can we take these same ideas and apply them in our homes? James and Kristen say yes.
In this special edition of our Parent Talks podcast, Encompass Executive Director Nela Cumming sat down with James, Kristen, and their daughter Kat, to discuss what it looks like to establish Culture and Beloved Community at home including the concept of intentionality right from the beginning and the importance of modeling. - Visa fler
