#028 Rebecca Tillou: Perseverance Pays Off

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In today’s podcast we meet author, advocate, mom, wife, and adoptee Rebecca Tillou, who is also an individual on the Spectrum. 

Adopted at birth, Rebecca grew up with a loving family, graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communicative Sciences and Disorders (Speech Pathology) and now works as a Claims Adjuster - a job she loves and excels in. She knew she was adopted, but it wasn’t until she was married and had her second child she started to wonder about her origin story.

Rebecca detailed her search for her birth mother in her book Tenacity, which we discuss, along with:

• How a fight with her adopted mom about her birth mother became a catalyst for her diagnosis;
• The importance of being transparent and truthful, whether about adoption or diagnosis;
• The power that comes from using your primary characteristics of FASD as a strength; and
• What it’s like to accept help and the difference a supportive environment makes.

“Accepting help is still hard. I do feel inadequate. I’m not going to lie. But my husband will tell me, you do a lot. And I do, but I’m more a kid, which my kids love. I’m more a kid then a parent. So, it’s hard, but I just keep telling myself, I’m doing the best I can. My kids love me. My husband loves me.”

Rebecca is doing more than okay. She is amazing and articulate, and successful. I am so thankful she was so open to sharing her experiences to help and inspire others – not only caregivers but more importantly to show other individuals with FASD how to use who they are to become the best version of themselves they can be.

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