Cindy Hartman, Family Peer Mentor, Your Support Services Network
Cindy is a Family Peer Mentor at York Support Services Network who supports family caregivers of individuals with a developmental disability through one-to-one support, resources, workshops and support groups.
Cindy has lived experience as a proud mother of a 25 years old son with Autism, Tourette’s, OCD, ADHD and anxiety disorders. Despite her son’s disabilities, he is pursuing a master’s degree in cognitive neuroscience and is working on the neurology of autism.
For the past 19 years, Cindy has been supporting and advocating for families and individuals in the areas of education, medical, law enforcement and social services. She has also served in several ASD committees and charitable organizations.
In 2016, Cindy developed the world’s first ASD suicide prevention curriculum with the York ASD Partnership and Mental Health Collaborative. In conjunction with this initiative she also developed workshops, training video and a wallet-sized ASD in Crisis Do’s and Don’ts.
Currently, Cindy is passionate in facilitating Acceptance and Commitment Training workshops for caregivers with a loved one with a developmental disability in helping them live a more meaningful life. Caregivers will learn to accept their thoughts and emotions without judgement and align their responses to their values and what matters most to them. As well, Cindy also enjoys facilitating Transitioning into Adulthood for ASD teens and caregivers to help better prepare them for the next phase in life.
