ABOUT US
We define Minaolek as "to make good." We remember this simple word in everything we do.
How it started . . .
Jude and Rachel Lizama
Parents of 4 beautifully different kids.
It was 2016 and after nearly a year of paperwork, evaluations, persistence, and waiting we finally received confirmation . . . our son E is autistic.
This was one of those "life as you know it has changed forever" moments.
My ADHD brain kicked into gear and dove head first down the autism (and neurodiversity, parenting, child psychology, special education, Speech, OT, GLP, . . . . . ) rabbit hole!
I LOVE research, but my joy quickly turned to overwhelm and confusion. There was SO much conflicting information. But I pressed on. It was critical that I figure out how to navigate this in a way that was best for my family.
Learning about neurodiversity flipped everything I thought I knew on its head. I knew nothing about this world. My lack of understanding of learning disabilities was going to be problematic if I didn't change.
I started to question everything. I reflected on how I was raised, and adjusted my views on how I was going to raise my kids. I triggered my very own existential crisis!
I had to re-evaluate my philosophies on to the way we approach education, the way we define success, and the way society sees our disabled children, the way I see disabled children.
What became a priority for me, as a mom, was ensuring that my kids never grew up thinking there was something wrong with them. I knew that feeling too well. They need to know they are valued and loved exactly as they are.
Watching my kids parallel play, E happily lining up his super heroes and L dancing around the room, I made a silent promise to them that I got them, no matter what. If I could help it, they would never feel like they needed to become something they were not.
Living on Guam, useful resources are hard to come by. People would tell me, “There are services available,” but no one could tell me what they were or where to find them. The internet gave me access to information, but too often I would get the sense that we were either behind the times or my philosophies didn’t line up with the schools.
For nearly a decade, I’ve been consuming research, books, podcasts, blogs, trainings, you name it – basically living in this rabbit hole. I'll admit to you that some days I'm fired up, others I feel so downtrodden.
Mindsets don’t change overnight so how can I help other families like mine? I decided I would share the information I have collected. If I cannot find local resources or information hubs that are helpful to me … I’ll build one myself.
Where can I make some impact? I can help overwhelmed parents gain their footing in special education and the IEP process.
This is why I started Minaolek IEP Support.
IEP meetings can feel overwhelming, isolating, and frustrating. Parents are often left with more questions than answers, unsure if they’re making the right choices. I know that feeling well. But I also know that when parents are informed and equipped with the right knowledge, they step into those meetings with confidence—and that changes everything.
This is not about fighting a broken system. (I don't have that kind of energy right now). This is about doing the best we can right now.
I want to help parents make informed decisions about their child’s education. I want them to ask the right questions, push back when necessary, and know that they don’t have to accept “because that’s just how it’s done” as an answer.
We don’t have to agree on everything to work toward better IEPs, in fact I’d prefer it if we didn’t. We can agree to work together for the sake of the children who need us.
I truly believe that when we are informed, we make better decisions. And when parents take an active role in the IEP process, schools start to listen. Better IEPs mean better outcomes.
This is about equipping you with the tools to advocate for your child with confidence.
Because if we don’t speak up, who will?
Welcome to Minaolek. You’re not alone in this.
Our Philosophy
Every child deserves to be understood and supported in a way that honors who they are. Parenting a neurodivergent child can feel overwhelming. It doesn't help when you’re navigating a school system that wasn’t built with them in mind.
You don’t have to do it alone. We’re here to help you make sense of the IEP process, connect with the right resources, and shift the conversation from “fixing” kids to supporting them in ways that promote progress – however that looks for your kid.
Our approach: meet kids where they are, build upon their strengths, and create environments where they feel safe and can thrive.
We help families think beyond "quick fixes" and focus on long-term growth, self-advocacy, and meaningful support. Keeping in mind that every child deserves to be seen, heard, and valued—not just for who they might become, but for who they are today.
WE ARE . . .
- Neurodiversity-Affirming – We celebrate different ways of thinking and learning. Your child isn’t broken, and we don’t believe in forcing them to fit a mold.
- Guides, Not Gatekeepers – We help parents navigate the special education system with confidence, offering practical support and connecting them to helpful resources.
- Strengths-Based – We focus on what children do well and how to build on those strengths, rather than just “fixing” what they struggle with.
- Flexible and Evolving – We stay open to new research and ideas, always prioritizing what truly benefits children and families.
- Collaborative, But Clear on Boundaries – We welcome all who are curious and open-minded. We’re happy to share what we know, but we don’t debate our core values.
WE ARE NOT . . .
- Behavior-Focused – We don’t believe in making kids comply for the sake of adult convenience. Instead, we focus on understanding what’s beneath the behavior.
- Cure-Seeking – Autism and ADHD are not conditions to be “fixed.” We support kids as they are, not as the world thinks they should be.
- One-Size-Fits-All – Every child is different. There’s no single “right” way to parent or educate a neurodivergent child, and we help families explore what works best for them.
- A Crisis or Therapy Service – While we offer guidance and support, we’re not interventionists. If your family needs specialized services, we’ll help you find the right fit.
- A Space for Everyone – If you believe kids should be trained to act like their peers at any cost, we’re probably not the right fit for you—and that’s okay.
From the Desk of Rachel Lizama
Dear Friend,
I see you.
I see you gathering those papers scattered across the kitchen table at midnight. I see you rehearsing what you'll say at tomorrow's IEP meeting, wondering if they'll actually listen this time. I see you fighting back tears after another phone call where someone who's spent maybe 30 minutes with your child tries to tell you who they are.
I know that hollow feeling when you're handed another form, another process, another hoop to jump through—while your child struggles one more day in a system that wasn't built for their beautiful, complex brain.
Because I've been there. I am there. With four neurodivergent children of my own, I live in this same world of acronyms and evaluations and well-meaning professionals who sometimes just don't get it.
Some days, I know you wonder if it's worth it. If the fights and the emails and the meetings and the advocacy are making any difference at all. If anyone is actually listening.
I'm writing to tell you: Don't Give Up.
Your voice matters. Your persistence matters. Your expertise in your own child matters more than any checklist or standardized assessment ever will.
Yes, navigating the IEP system can feel like trying to find your way through a maze where someone keeps moving the walls. Yes, it's exhausting to constantly translate between your child's needs and a bureaucracy that speaks an entirely different language.
But you can do this.
Not because you're superhuman or because you need to "power through"—but because you already have everything you need. You know your child. You love your child. And that knowledge and that love are the most powerful tools in any meeting room.
I created this space because I needed a map for this journey, and I couldn't find one that made sense for my family. So I started drawing my own. Every resource here comes from something that helped me, every guide born from a lesson learned the hard way.
When you work with me, you're not getting some distant expert. You're getting another parent who's sitting at their own kitchen table, with their own stack of papers, fighting their own battles and finding ways forward.
The system should be better. It needs to be better. And it will only change when enough of us refuse to be silenced or sidelined in decisions about our children's education.
So stay the course. Speak up. Trust your instincts. You are your child's best advocate, and your child is worth every effort, every email, every uncomfortable conversation.
You're not alone on this path. I'm walking it too, rooting for you along the way.
With solidarity and hope,
Rachel
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