This episode of the Purpose Driven Person originally aired on Matthew’s Las Vegas Radio Show, The Never Give Up Show.

Stanley Klein, PHD is expert on teaching health-care professionals about working with parents of children with disabilities, with a focus on the challenge of delivering difficult diagnostic news.  He has co-edited three books with the intent of inspiring parents to not lose hope when faced with a diagnosis of a special needs child.

About the Guest:

In 1954, as a college freshman, Stanley D. Klein got a summer job as a counselor at a Camp Jawonio, a camp for children with cerebral palsy in Rockland County, New York. He worked at Camp Jawonio for three more summers (through 1957) serving as head counselor for the boys. At camp, he learned about what it is like to be a parent — 24 hours/day.

While at camp, he observed and got to know the consulting psychologist. As a result, he decided to become a clinical psychologist. Dr. Klein received his Ph.D. in psychology from Clark University in 1963.He has been a clinical psychologist and a college educator. In 1971, he co-founded Exceptional Parent magazine and served as editor-in-chief until 1997. During that time, he was the author or co-author of over 200 articles and editorials and three books.In 1993, his article on communicating with parents, including the challenge of delivering difficult diagnostic news, appeared in a pediatric journal. He has spoken on this important topic to health and education professionals at many teaching hospitals and many other clinical and educational settings throughout the United States as well as in Greece, United Kingdom, Israel, and Germany.*

Dr. Klein also does presentations and workshops on a range of topics for parents organizations, health care and special education students, and groups including parents, professionals, and/or people with disabilities.* He has also discussed children with disabilities and their parents on radio and television.In the late 1990s, he helped Merrill Lynch establish its Families of Children with Disabilities Program and served as “Special Needs Expert” at Parents.com (Parents magazine Web site). He also served as Education Director for Abilities Expo for several years.

In 2002, he created DisABILITIESBOOKS to publish books by parents and people with disabilities. From 2002 through 2008, he was a regular contributor to InSight, the national newsletter of The Arc.

In September, 2012, Dr. Klein became a consultant at the Viscardi Center in Albertson, NY.

Dr. Klein has received numerous national awards for his work from organizations such as the National Parents Network, American Psychological Association, National Down Syndrome Congress, American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine, Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services, National Easter Seals Society, and The President’s Committee on the Employment of  People with Disabilities and the American Association of Disability Communicators.

Active in politics for many years, from May, 2007 to November, 2008, he served as co-chair of the Obama Disability Policy Committee.

The father of two adult children, Dr. Klein lives in Brookline, Massachusetts.

disABILITIESBOOKS: https://disabilitiesbookspress.com/

https://www.familyeducation.com/

About the Host:

Matthew Cox spent his elementary and middle school years thinking there was something wrong with his brain. For him, schoolwork was a daunting, frustrating,