Meet Michele Gonzales | BCBA

We had the good fortune of connecting with Michele Gonzales and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Michele, as a parent, what have you done for you children that you feel has had the most significant impact?
As the parent of a non-varbal autistic young man and gay daughter, the most important thing I have done, and am continually having to learn to do as my own early experiences did not prepare me adequately, is to increase awareness of the inherent biases limiting the lives of so many people in our communities. The way our society has historically and continually assigns advantage is so limited, value so ill defined and ridgely adhered too, by such arbitrary and cruel criteria that it’s almost invisible to those who continue to benefit from it’s hierarchy. That social blindness is a terrifying place to wake up from, especially when those you love suddenly do not meet the criteria for many things we at least want to take for granted in our larger communities, like basic medical treatment, access to appropriate education, access to our shared resources, parks, stores, public spaces. I have fought for every inch for my son; nothing was guaranteed for him as a result of his disability. Having experienced the very real way our society ices people out for almost any difference and how it increases by degrees in parallel with that diversity has given me a perspective that I’ve shared over and over again, that I continue to come back to, and that once others recognize this, for the most part, they start fighting too. And that has had the greatest impact on my children.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am the co-owner of Swann Clinics for Behavioral Health, Practice Support, and the up and coming Swann Services, three exceptional organizations devoted completely to bridging the gap between what should be basic medical care and treatment for all human beings and the reality of what care looks like once it’s filtered through all the barriers of resources, experience, limited advocacy, perspective, insurance, and countless other hurdles standing between Americans and their physical and emotional health needs every day. At Swann Clinics, we serve at the highest level of competency and compliance to bring early and intensive intervention to autistic children and those with other disabilities. At Practice Support, we work with like minded clinicians to ensure their dreams of providing the highest quality care to those who need it most are carefully shepherded through the often dangerous territory of reimbursement regulations and business challenges. At Swann Services, we will extend our mission to ensure access to quality and protective care for some of the most vulnerable of our community, collaborating with others on the behalf of the intellectually disabled members of this great nation, ensuring their experiences are as valued and prioritized.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My favorite spots in the my city of Grand Junction, CO are actually out of the city! I would suggest visiting the Colorado National Monument, camping on the Grand Mesa and Rabbit Valley, and floating our river from any of the really accessible spots from Palisade to Fruita. Palisade has the fruit and wine byway, with several vineyards and places to stay. Both Fruita and Grand Junction are also renowned for their mountain bike trails and hiking access. We have some of the best dining as well from authentic Mexican food, award winning burgers (Bin 707), fine dining (626 on Rood), cocktail lounges with speakeasy vibes, (Moody’s on Main), and distilleries featuring our world famous Palisade Peaches (Peach Street Distillery).

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My son, Asher, whose autism continues to teach me how beautiful and terrifying our world really is, My daughter, whose courage is a constant inspiration, the people I work with every day in the industry dedicated to people with disabilities who fight right along side me every day to make our communities worthy of the people we serve.

Website: iatricpsychologyservices.com/swann-clinic-for-behavioral-health. www.practicesupport.com

Facebook: Practice Support. Swann Clinic

Image Credits
DentalQore