Meet Mary Ann Hughes | Special Needs Divorce Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mary Ann Hughes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mary Ann, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
When I was faced with divorce several years ago, as a mom of two children on the autism spectrum, I was overwhelmed and didn’t know where to turn or what to do. I eventually found the resources I needed and got a great result for my family, but it was a long, hard road getting there. I spent so much time, money and emotional energy trying to figure out how to navigate the process and advocate for my kids’ needs, and I didn’t want my hard-earned learnings to go to waste and not benefit other families facing similar challenges. So I started Special Family Transitions and became a Certified Life, Divorce and Transition Coach, to help other families facing the overwhelm and complexities of special needs divorce.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
You may have heard the divorce rate among families with children with autism or other disabilities is as high as 80%. There is debate about the actual number, but this is true: there are not many professionals who focus on or fully understand the implications of divorce on the children and families facing such challenges. I am proud and honored to now be viewed as a leader in the field of special needs divorce, through my own experiences, the certifications I have received, my commitment to raise awareness and knowledge in this field, and my efforts to help families advocate for their needs and those of their differently-abled children, before, during, and after divorce.

Some of the lessons I’ve learned along the way, and values that have been reinforced in my journey, are that the needs and well-being of the children come first, but to do so, we need to take care of ourselves, and treat all involved with professionalism and respect. Rather than seeing divorce as a win/lose experience, it’s important to try to work in such a way that all parties feel heard and appreciated, and working towards the goal of best supporting the children, in the short and long term.

I’m committed to help parents get the best result for themselves and their children in divorce, by understanding the specific challenges they are facing, and helping them find ways to address the issues and work towards a bright future.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My sons love Mexican, Barbeque, and Mediterranean food, so we often order from those restaurants and enjoy meals at home, since eating out in loud establishments can be overwhelming for individuals with autism or sensory issues. When we do eat out, we try to find more quiet restaurants, or go at off-peak times.

But we do enjoy dressing up and enjoying meals and other fun activities when we take cruises out of Galveston. We have found that cruises are less stressful than other vacations with lots of moving parts, since cruise travel offers enough routine and predictability for those on the autism spectrum, while still providing opportunities for new adventures and experiences.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to recognize my kids as my inspiration and guiding light in my divorce journey and in working to build my business, so that other children with special abilities and their families can survive and thrive, during and after a divorce.

Website: https://www.specialfamilytransitions.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/specialfamilytransitions/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-ann-hughes-602020183/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/specialfamilytransitions

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@specialfamilytransitions