Lisa Donaghy, BSc

I am Lisa Donaghy, a mom to two wonderful boys who have brought more love, challenge and growth into my life than I ever could have imagined. My son was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, as well as a communication disorder, at age two and I have been managing his intervention program since 2013. This has been by far the hardest but also most rewarding part of my life. Raising two boys, one with special needs, has changed my perspective and compassion for people in countless ways. It has pushed me to become a more informed and mindful person. We have been an RDI family since 2013 and RDI has taught us the power of connection. Mindfully connecting in our relationship with our children is the pathway to developing the neural connections that allows us to raise thinkers with respect, love and compassion. Autism is a very complex disorder but RDI has empowered me to better understand my child’s complex needs and become a responsive parent instead of a reactive parent. The RDI framework supports custom conscious parenting for our exceptional children.

Prior to motherhood I obtained my Bachelors of Science in Computer Science and an extended minor in Psychology from Simon Fraser University. I have worked for over 15 years in healthcare systems performing project management and business analysis work. My analysis and requirements gathering background has been a great asset to my RDI work, which requires strong analysis to understand the complex needs of children and their families to create a custom program. My business skills support my work in providing professional services that maintain focus on the goal to transfer knowledge and empowerment to parents, so that they can be the captains of their own ship and not have to feel reliant on outside support. I will keep our attention on the task of raising a thinker in your child so that they can feel their own agency in their life and become growth seeking and resilient.

I am so thankful that my life has provided me a path to meaningful work which strengthens families and supports them to thrive in the face of the challenges of autism. I see my work as guiding relationship connections which are the building blocks to resiliency, flexibility, and mental growth. Our minds, bodies and souls grow best when we are in connection with others. Together we can work to reach a new level of understanding of your child and deepen your connection; improving quality of life for your child and your family. You are the expert on your child and family, I will provide the framework and tools to empower you to get more out of that knowledge. One of the beautiful things about this program is that parents are in the forefront, collaborating every step of the way with their consultant in this process.

The more I learn about and live RDI, the more excited I am about working with families to help them fully understand this robust program which is based on scientific research and really looks to our children’s future quality of life in our dynamic changing world. This program really seeks to understand your individual child and family, in depth, and ensure that you are on a path that addresses your individual needs.