“Your dreams don’t expire when your child gets diagnosed... Design a happier life as an autism mom.”
You can listen to my Welcome Message below:
Preface:
This is the page that I didn't want to write... and kept putting off week after week after week for months.
I didn't ever want to write about this terribly exposing part of my story so badly, yet I find that the words come to me easier than anything else that I have ever penned. Perhaps I needed to write this for someone other than myself, then. And if that person happens to be you, here it is:
Hi friend, I’m Cheniece, and I’m so glad you’re here.
Motherhood changes you. Autism motherhood transforms you.
For years, I’ve poured myself into learning, advocating, and adapting for my two incredible toddlers on the spectrum. But in the process, I found myself searching for something more: more connection, more space to breathe, more honesty about what this life really looks like beyond the highlight reels.
I know I’m not alone in this.
I'm a solopreneur service provider, hobbyist podcaster, Tarot-certified attuned Reiki Master, wife, and proud Mother to three cats and my two amazingly pretty ASD toddlers. At my core, I’m a feeler, a storyteller, a deep thinker, and a mom just trying to figure out what it means to embrace this uncommon path with joy, grace, and a sense of identity that extends beyond just "Mom." And this space? It can be about helping you do the same.
What is UnCommon Design?
This is the official email newsletter for the UnCommon Momma micro-membership community.
UnCommon Design is my honest personal, blog-like writing within a real community-first email newsletter for moms who are reclaiming their innate ability to decide how they show up in this life while embracing the beauty (and challenges) of neurodivergent parenting.
This is a space where we can be real about the big things:
🩶 Learning to trust your instincts when the parenting books don’t apply
🩶 Navigating the emotional ups and downs of diagnosis, therapy, and advocacy
🩶 Holding space for yourself, beyond just being the rock for your family
And the smaller, but just as meaningful things:
🩶 The sensory-friendly toys and tools that actually help
🩶 The little moments of magic in our day-to-day routines
🩶 The self-care rituals that don’t require hours of alone time (because, let’s be real…)
What to Expect as a Subscriber
ALL email subscribers get to experience:
✔️ A free download of The Survival Mode Exit Strategy Workbook - A gentle, practical guide to help you start stepping out of survival mode and into a life that feels more like your own.
Download the FREE "Survival Mode Exit Strategy" Workbook
CREATE YOUR CUSTOM STEP-BY-STEP STRATEGY TO STOP JUST GETTING BY
✔️ Deep Soul-Work Essays - I write from the heart, and I write for both of us. You’ll receive my bi-weekly-ish essays filled with raw reflections, gentle encouragement, and the kind of honest conversations that remind you you’re not alone. You’ll go beyond the surface with my intimate reflections on finding meaning in a life reshaped by special needs parenting. They are in-depth writings covering identity shifts, mental health, resilience, and finding joy in unexpected places.
✔️ Audio Diaries - Podcast-style episodes where I share the unfiltered highs, lows, and revelations of autism motherhood. Think: raw, honest, and deeply personal. Listen to my unfiltered audio diaries capturing the 2AM doubts, the guilt-ridden confessions, and the unexpected breakthroughs worth celebrating.
✔️ Direct Support Line - Feel free to send a message to ask me anything about Motherhood, burnout, identity, and self-care, and I’ll answer in an exclusive post or chat reply.
✔️ Chat + Direct Messaging – Engage in a private (non-social media) community space for deeper conversations.
✔️ Your People - An invite to our no-cost sacred space for real talk, deep support, and genuine friendships with fellow autism moms who get it—without judgment, just realness and encouragement. No toxic positivity, just real connection.
Ready to go deeper?…
Join the UnCommon Momma micro-membership community—a supportive space for mothers who truly understand this journey.
Our Forever Free tier gives you immediate access to meaningful conversations, practical encouragement, and a community that values your story as much as your child's.
Join the UnCommon Momma Community for free
Looking forward to seeing you there.
With an upgrade to the paid UnCommon Momma membership community, you unlock:
✔️ Regular “Your Pulse” Check-ins - A ritual space to process your daily life, celebrate small wins, release what’s heavy, and reconnect with your inner wisdom.
✔️ Private Audio Content - Access guided audio resource content and the private podcast series: your source on-the-go for calm, clarity, and connection during the moments of chaos.
✔️ Real-time support – A safe place to share the hard days and celebrate the good ones within the quiet, deep spaces of the community for your most vulnerable shares and profound connections.
✔️ Self-Care & Mindfulness for Moms – Simple but powerful practices designed for our reality—quick grounding techniques, energy resets, and nervous system support.
✔️ Exclusive Resources Collection - Downloadable workbooks, planning templates, and resources designed specifically for reclaiming peace and rediscovering yourself.
✔️ Virtual Live Gatherings - Intimate co-regulation/care sessions, support circles, and guided self-care practices in a safe, judgment-free space.
✔️ Guest Conversations & Chats – Thoughtful, heart-centered discussions with other special needs moms, therapists, and advocates. Because we shouldn’t have to figure this out alone.
Whether you’re here for the free stories or ready to dive into the deeper conversations within the paid community, I’m so grateful you’re here. UnCommon Design is more than a newsletter: it’s a reminder that your story, your needs, and your identity still matter.
Cheniece ♡
The Philosophy
You shouldn’t have to choose between being a good mother and being a whole woman. You can create a life that honors your own sacred humanity. Here, I get to walk beside you as you create a life that truly feels like your own, one gentle and powerful step at a time.
Through the ecosystem of support here:
You will transition from depletion to deep nourishment.
You will move from feeling lost in the role of "autism mom" to being rooted in your identity.
You will shift from guilt-ridden self-abandonment to grounded self-advocacy.
You will transform from burned out to lit-up, as moments of genuine joy, rest, and ease become woven into the fabric of your daily life.
Reader Appreciation
Never miss an update; every new post is sent directly to your email inbox.
(For a spam-free, ad-free reading experience, plus more audio and community features, get the Substack app.) Be part of a community of people who share your interests. Participate in the comments section, or support this work with a subscription.
(To learn more about the tech platform that powers this publication, visit Substack.com.)
