Two and a half years ago something really special happened to me. After a couple months of private messaging on Facebook, I got to meet Ana and “Brettsmom” for breakfast. We had no idea what we were doing or what we were starting but we shared a common goal - to heal our children as gently as possible - and it felt like cannabis and each other were part of how to do that. I was there for epilepsy, Ana was there for autism, and Brettsmom was there for both. (Autism and epilepsy are frequent comorbidities.)

We still are. What started as 3 women is now over 40, and growing. We keep showing up, just about every meeting, almost very month, for our kids and for each other. Building my relationship with them and the other brilliant mothers who have joined us has been instrumental in building my son’s relationship with cannabis and more. We’ve created a safe place to talk about all the healing traditions we use. The ones that we don’t tell our doctors about, but that are making huge impacts (because why else would we be doing them). I remember when Ana and I hesitantly came out to each other that we are both into some of the more nontraditional (aka mystical even magical) sides of healing. I was relieved and delighted to be able to relax and be myself among another like-minded, heart-opened, soul driven woman. I don’t need research to teach me how to heal. I need another mother’s story.

Art by San Diego original
Rafael Reyes

So it is with great excitement (and a touch of undeniable sadness) that I invite you to tonight’s meeting. Our co-founder, friend and sister Ana is leaving San Diego and we are saying good bye (for now). I completely intend to put her on the spot tonight to share all that she has learned about healing with heart. Cannabis is just one of the tricks up her sleeve and I encourage you to visit her website to learn more about what she knows to be beneficial. You can also learn more about her in this beautiful interview she did with my friend Elizabeth Aquino over at Marijuana.com that has been shared on Facebook over a thousand times. Because Ana’s story is that important.

So please join us tonight! This is an important opportunity to learn more from a true pioneer about supporting our autism kids with cannabis. If not tonight, I hope you’ll consider joining us next month! Speaking of Elizabeth, she will be hostessing another opportunity in June to connect with those of us in Los Angeles County using pediatric cannabis. And if Los Angeles is too far, don’t worry because our sisters in Orange County have already started a group too!

**UPCOMING SO-CAL PEDIATRIC CANNABIS SUPPORT GROUPS**

Saturday May 21 at 6:00 in San Diego (North County) TONIGHT E-mail Allison Benavides at [email protected] for details.

Saturday June 11 at 1:00 in Santa Ana - contact our soul sister Catherine Louie at [email protected] for details.

Friday June 17 in Los Angeles - details TBD - contact Elizabeth at [email protected] for details.

Families new and experienced are welcome. We need your wisdom! Together we learn how to trust cannabis, ourselves and the support of our community. As sad as I am to say adios to Ana (for now), I am so excited for everyone she will undoubtably touch on her next adventure.

And I am super excited to see what’s coming next. Us mother/healers are brewing up something strong. Stay tuned in!