Today we’d like to introduce you to Lorraine Looney.
Hi Lorraine, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My youngest son Sam was diagnosed with prenatal hydrocephalus and other health issues when I was 24 weeks pregnant with him. That was when we knew that his path would be different from typical kids and our path as parents would be different as well. He had his brain surgery when he was 5 weeks old and we quickly learned that we had to be his fiercest advocates. When Sam was 3 years old, we noticed that his development was not typical- even for what we had been expecting- but we encountered many bumps in the process of figuring out what he needed, with doctors and with the daycare. No one knew where to send us and I felt extremely discouraged. When we finally were able to get the diagnosis of Autism, I looked back and realized how the people along the way could have helped if they had been knowledgeable, and how we could have had him in the therapies he needed earlier if I had been better informed. We then experienced some bumps in the road in getting Sam what he needed within the school system. After hearing many similar stories from parents with kids with all kinds of different needs, I remembered that as a Social Worker, I am trained to organize people together for the purpose of creating change, and the Sumner County Special Needs Collaborative was born. Its main purpose is to provide information about disability rights and resources, but since its inception, we have branched out into school system advocacy and a Caregiver Connections program as well.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Carrying a child with a life-changing diagnosis where the prognosis is completely uncertain is very difficult, and puts you in a very moment-to-moment space of emotional survival. At the time I was pregnant, our family (including our two older children) were living out of the country. So in addition to everything else, we moved back to the U.S. so that Sam could get the specific surgery he needed. There have been many, many obstacles and challenges along the way. Some (like the blockage in his brain) were unavoidable and required time, patience, and faith to endure them. Other challenges came from completely preventable obstacle of lack of information, which led to delays in obtaining care, which is what we seek to change with the SCSNC.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In my vocation, I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I practice at The Babb Center in Hendersonville. I specialize in Anxiety Disorders, Eating Disorders, and OCD. I have very recently become a Certified Clinical Autism Specialist, which flowed pretty naturally from my personal experience and other areas of interest. I especially love working with neurodivergent people and their families. I occasionally speak about these topics. even though public speaking is a bit out of my comfort zone, I’m passionate about getting information out to the people. Knowledge is power! At work, I’m known for the connection I have with my clients- I consider it a huge blessing and privilege to have a window into their lives and be able to walk alongside them, rejoicing with those who rejoice and mourning with those who mourn.
I founded the Sumner County Special Needs Collaborative in 2020 and it’s like a fourth baby to me! It’s been amazing to see it grow, to work together with other people who want to see change, and to see how far we’ve come and how much we’ve accomplished. It is truly a team effort that is a labor of love for all of us involved. As a small, grassroots nonprofit, we do not have any employees. Our organization is run by a board and volunteers, each of whom are a critical part of our mission. I am so very proud of our Local Resource Directory, which is an online directory of special needs resources in and around Sumner County. We’re about to go to print on the second edition of the print version. We’ve had people actually shed tears when they receive it, having looked for so long for this information. We’ve had really good feedback on our Caregiver Retreats as well, and I think we’re able to make them so meaningful because most of us are caregivers too.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I love running and am a 4-time sprint distance triathlete. Many days, you can find me on the greenway or track getting some miles in. It’s great therapy for this therapist! I’m almost 50 now, so I’m not as fast as I used to be, but it’s not about that anymore- it’s about getting out there, enjoying the freedom of movement, and having as many good years as possible.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sumnercountyspecialneeds.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sumnercountyspecialneeds
