Families caring for a child diagnosed with Autism or ADHD often carry both deep love and deep challenges. Lutheran Family Service is here to walk with you. Thanks to new partners supporting families impacted by mental health diagnoses, we are establishing two online support groups designed to strengthen, educate, and encourage caregivers — all through an LCMS theological lens.
These groups will meet online at Noon throughout the year. The start date and subsequent meeting dates will be determined by the preferences and demographics of the participants that sign up.
Parenting a child with Autism or ADHD brings unique joys, frustrations, questions, and uncertainties — especially in a world where self‑diagnosis and misinformation are increasingly common. Our groups offer a space grounded in clinical wisdom, accurate mental health guidance, and Christ-centered hope to help families navigate these realities with confidence.
Each session includes discussion, shared experiences, practical tools, and biblically rooted encouragement.
Led by: Janel Lincoln, LMSW — LFS Mental Health Counselor
This group serves parents and caregivers seeking guidance, clarity, and Christian support as they care for a child with an autism diagnosis.
We will explore topics such as:
Description: Parenting a child with an autism diagnosis can bring deep love, unique joys, and significant challenges that may feel isolating or overwhelming at times. This 6-week parent support group is designed to provide a Christ-centered space where parents can receive care, encouragement, and support alongside others walking a similar path.
Grounded in the assurance of God’s faithfulness, the group will offer opportunities for shared reflection, prayerful support, and honest conversation about the realities of parenting a child with autism. Participants will be encouraged to care for both their children and themselves, remembering that God meets us with grace in our limitations and sustains us in our calling as parents.
While this group is not therapy, it is facilitated by a professional who offers guidance, perspective, and resources within a compassionate, faith-informed environment. This group is intended for parents seeking connection, hope, and reassurance rooted in Christ as they navigate the challenges and blessings of caring for their child.
Led by: Cassie Beltz, LMHC — Director of Counseling Services and Congregational Outreach
This group is designed for families raising a child diagnosed with ADHD and wanting both practical guidance and spiritual grounding.
Topics may include:
Description: Parenting a child with an ADHD diagnosis can be both rewarding and exhausting, often bringing challenges related to behavior, emotions, school, and family life. This 6-week parent support group offers a Christ-centered space where parents can receive encouragement, understanding, and support alongside others facing similar struggles.
Grounded in the assurance of God’s grace, the group will provide a place for honest conversation, shared reflection, and prayerful support. Parents will be encouraged as they navigate daily frustrations, advocacy, and fatigue, while being reminded that God meets us in our limits and faithfully sustains us in our vocation as parents.
While this group is not therapy, it is facilitated by a professional who offers guidance, perspective, and practical resources within a compassionate, faith-informed environment. This group is designed for parents seeking connection, hope, and reassurance in Christ as they care for their child and their family.
Janel Lincoln, LMSW, is a master’s‑level social worker with more than 20 years of experience supporting families and children. She has served in multiple roles within Lutheran Family Service and throughout her career has worked closely with birth mothers, at‑risk moms, teens, special education students, and children with Autism and their parents. Janel has extensive experience coordinating programs that assist families navigating Autism‑related needs and community supports, and she currently serves as the Volunteer Director for Facing Autism, Inc. She brings both professional insight and personal understanding as the mother of a child with Autism, offering families compassionate, informed guidance.
Cassie Beltz, LMHC, is a master’s-level prepared and experienced mental health counselor. She serves clients in-person in Oskaloosa, Iowa, and throughout the state of Iowa via telehealth/distance counseling. She started her counseling career in Missouri in 2007, working with children and adolescents. She began working with Lutheran Family Service in Iowa in 2011. Cassie Beltz works primarily with individuals that are struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, and gender identity concerns.
