Motherhood, Surrender & Spelling: Monika’s Journey
Episode 4: Motherhood, Surrender & Spelling with Monika Pysnakova Sessions
What’s Inside This Episode
In this episode, I’m chatting with Monika, a mother, advocate, and co-founder of the Ohana Consortium. We cover her family’s journey with spelling to communicate, the emotional layers of motherhood, and the role of surrender, stillness, and strength in raising two non-speaking autistic sons. This one’s for you if you’ve ever questioned how to hold space for growth—yours and others’.
Episode Highlights
This week we talk about:
Monika’s background as a Czech-born daughter of political dissidents and how that legacy shaped her
Her sons, Sterling and Oliver, ’s path to communication through spelling
The creation of the Ohana Consortium—built for and by non-speakers
A powerful moment of silence in nature that revealed a deeper understanding of her sons’ experience
Why Monika views “surrender” as the defining word of motherhood
How yoga, barefoot walking, and grounding practices support her own regulation as a CRP
The moment Sterling, after years of silence, spelled the word “determined”—and how it changed everything
Monika shares how stepping back allowed her sons to step forward, and we dig into how caregivers and allies can better support non-speakers through presence, regulation, and trust.
Mentioned in this episode:
🔗Transcending Apraxia → now Speller’s Center San Diego
Connect with Monika
Guest Links
🔗 Follow Monika on Instagram → Monika Pysnakova Sessions
🔗 Spellers Freedom Foundation → Spellers Ohana
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