Special Needs Chapter Meeting | Helping Autistic Children Understand Divorce
Presentation Summary:
Children’s divorce book author, Jennifer Junghans and Certified Special Needs Divorce Coach, Mary Ann Hughes, have collaborated to adapt Jennifer’s book, “My Parents’ Divorce Through My Eyes: Gentle Conversation Starters for Young Children”, specifically to support children on autism spectrum when their parents divorce. The book includes engaging visuals and thoughtful conversation prompts that help parents introduce divorce-related concepts to their children and provide reassurance during times of transition. This presentation will highlight why Jennifer and Mary Ann developed this book, how it’s designed to help, and how professionals and family members can use it to gently guide communication about divorce with children who have autism, or other intellectual or developmental disabilities.
Speakers Bio:
Mary Ann Hughes
Mary Ann Hughes, MBA, mother of sons on the autism spectrum and founder of Special Family Transitions LLC and co-founder of Divorce With Special Needs Children, is committed to helping families through the overwhelm and complexities of divorce involving children with disabilities.
Mary Ann is a Certified Special Needs Divorce Coach, Co-Parenting Specialist, CDC Certified Divorce Coach and Transition & Recovery Coach, Pre-Mediation Divorce Coach, Mosten-Guthrie Disability-Informed Professional, Mediator and Parenting Coordinator. Mary Ann enjoys learning from and supporting other professionals as Co-Director of the Special Needs Chapter of the National Association of Divorce Professionals, Board Member of Association for Conflict Resolution-Houston, and member of Texas Association of Mediators. In addition to coaching and supporting parents of children with complex needs across the United States, Mary Ann shares her insights on podcasts, virtual and live events, books, magazines, and as an instructor for Divorce Coaching and Mediation training programs.
Mary Ann is giving her first TEDx Talk on January 10, 2026, sharing how her journey as a special needs mom overcoming divorce challenges led to her mission of inspiring and supporting others as a special needs divorce coach. Keep a lookout for the recording to be available to watch soon.
Mary Ann can be reached via her website https://www.specialfamilytransitions.com/ or via email at [email protected]
Jennifer Junghans
Jennifer Junghans is a former journalist and editor with a background in biological and environmental sciences. Her work has appeared in numerous publications and outlets for audiences of all ages across print, web and radio. She still writes for a living, focusing her work on creative, historical, environmental and educational projects that promote compassion and well-being for people, animals and the planet. She lives in Northern California and loves to spend time in nature amongst wild creatures great and small.
Jennifer’s divorce books for children of various ages can be found at https://jenniferjunghans.com/workbooks, and she can be reached at [email protected]
