ABOUT CANDRIE CONNECT

I’m a mom, longtime DSP, and the creator of Candrie Connect. I create practical visual resources to help DPS’s, caregivers, families, and otherssupport meaningful choice. communication and participation.

My Work

I currently work full-time supporting adults with disabilities, and I’ve been in this feild for over 16 years. I really enjoy this work, and I’ve learned so much about peoples needs, strenghs and the real-life challenges that they face.

I’ve learned that communication doesn’t always look the way we expect it to—and supporting someone’s choices can take much more than simply asking a question.

It Started With One Question

I was supporting a person who does not communicate through spoken words, and my coworkers and I were trying to find better ways for her to show us what she wanted for dinner and where she wanted to go for community activities.

I started looking online for visual cards that represented the actual places and activities we were talking about. I couldn’t find quite what I needed. So, I thought: “I can make those.” And I did.

I created visual cards that we could use to present choices in a clearer, more concrete way. But as I began using them, I realized something important:

The cards were only part of it.

The Candrie Connect Approach

From those real experiences, the Candrie Connect Approach grew. It encourages supporters to:

It isn't meant to be a rigid checklist. Communication isn't always linear, and every person and situation is different. Instead, it's a process you can return to when you're wondering: “What did that response mean—and what should I try next?”

My Goal

Today, I create practical visual resources for DSPs, caregivers, families, and others supporting people who communicate in different ways.

My goal isn't to tell supporters what a person's behavior or response means.

It's to give them tools that can help them slow down, notice, stay curious, check their understanding, adapt when needed, and continue learning from the person they support.

Because someone doesn't need to communicate in the way we expect in order for their preferences to matter.

And we don't have to understand every response immediately to keep creating meaningful opportunities for that person to participate.

This Is Just the Beginning

Candrie Connect started with a set of visual cards created for one real need.

Now it's growing into a collection of practical resources designed to work together—supporting meaningful choice, communication, participation, and learning over time.

And there is much more I want to create.