My Story
In my upbringing, my parents faced an overwhelming challenge — dividing their attention between my brother Mario, who had severe cognitive disabilities and violent behavioral issues, and my other brother David, who was born with a rare terminal disease. David’s five years of life were marked by surgeries and hospital stays, while my parents struggled to balance care for both siblings. Left alone physically, emotionally and psychologically to grapple with the pervasive traumas, I, like many adult glass children, lacked support and intervention. As a result, my childhood coping skills evolved into maladaptive behaviors, leading me down paths of persistent suicidal ideation, addictive behaviors, and unhealthy relationship choices.
After giving my TEDx Talk in 2010, I have collected hundreds of stories from adult glass children around the world. Today, I speak to the Glass Child Experience: the common shared experiences which are universal across generations, cultures and countries.
Let’s Spread the Healing
Bring the speaker to your conference who made the term “glass children” go viral around the world and is changing the landscape of mental health for this unseen population.
Alicia Meneses Maples gave a gripping TEDx talk where she shared her inspirational story of trauma and survival, having lost her parent’s time and attention to the care of one brother with profound Autism and another brother to a terminal illness.
In addition to “glass child” going viral on TikTok, Alicia has been quoted in over 40 articles for her expertise in glass children and travels the world speaking and facilitating conferences for mental health professionals, diagnosis specific organizations and the medical community.
What do I talk about?
Raising Awareness - What is a Glass Child?
The Challenges of Being an Adult Glass Child
Guiding the Parents of Siblings with High Needs
Taking Back Your Life - Adult Glass Children
My Approach
My approach is to improve awareness and provide education and support for parents, adult glass children, and the families.
Guilt, Blame and Shame are not useful in this space. From a place of compassion, I shine a light on the difficult truths of the glass child experience to enable glass children of all ages to thrive.
Here are some of my assumptions:
- Adult Glass Child: You love your high-needs sibling and help to live to healthiest life possible
- Parents: You are doing your best and you want all your children to thrive
- Professionals: You want to support the mental and emotional health of EVERY member of the families you serve
Workshops
I work with mental health, diagnosis-specific and government organizations who want to want to:
– Understand the complexities and trauma associated with the Glass Child Experience,
– Allow Glass Children to be seen, heard, and begin their healing journey,
– Help parents who are already overwhelmed with a high-needs child determine how to nurture their Glass Child.
Glass Child Keynote Speaking
Join the many conference organizers who have brought Alicia Meneses Maples to their audiences to inspire and discover how to influence the trajectory of mental health glass children around the world.
Facilitated Workshops re Glass Children
Are you looking to serve the needs of the siblings of high-needs children? I can help you by creating a custom interactive workshop. We can target families, your staff, health professionals and especially even Adult Glass Children.
Glass Child Consulting
Are you an organization that serves high-needs children, or the families of high-needs children? It’s time to take the next step and create resources, processes, and programs for the Glass Children your organizations interacts with. Don’t risk further traumatizing the siblings. I can give you the tools, processes and policies that will help your organization be a leader in this space.
Glass Child Interviews
I popularized the term Glass Child in my 2011 TEDx talk and I’m an expert in the topic. I will share riveting stories of how the siblings of high-needs children are overlooked and parentified. My mission is to raise awareness of Glass Children, and to help the families and organization better meet their needs so every member of the family can thrive.
Is a Workshop Right For My Organization?
I work with many organizations associated with high-needs children that are facing challenges both physical and mental in nature. While there is enormous support for the high-needs child, the Glass Child is overlooked. My role is to bring awareness to this imbalance and to provide the education, resources, and support for organizations wanting to serve the whole family of high needs children.
How It Works
Contact Me
Fill out the contact form and let’s schedule a time to talk.
Needs Assesment
We will work together to determine your needs. It may be resources, or a workshop, a keynote talk, or an intimate life-changing retreat.
Create The Change
My goal is to positively impact the lives of millions of glass children. Are you going to play a role in moving toward this change? Let’s do it together!