Who We Are
We are parents of children and teenagers with autism.
We are rock climbing enthusiasts.
We are therapists.
We are friends.
Yisha Wagner
Advisor, co-founder
Raising three kids with lots of energy, I really enjoy Colorado. I want my children - and all children, really - to be able to experience the same kind of freedom and peace that I took for granted in my own childhood.
Born in Austria, MBA from Vienna University of Business and Economics in Sinology and Commerce, exchange student in Paris - INALCO, lived in China and Sweden with husband and three kids before settling down in Colorado.
AMGA certified Climbing Wall Instructor, President and Co-founder of Autism Climbs
Katherine Weadley (left, Chief Admin) with Annie Vuong (Advisor, star volunteer;)
Advisor, co-founder
After working as climbing instructor and raising kids with ASD, Katherine returned to her passion for books and knowledge.
As Director of Lyons Regional Library she is deeply involved with the community and devoted to the creation of knowledge and advancement of technological literacy.
Katherine's connection to climbing and autism communities puts her into the perfect place to connect the two.
What We Do
Guided support indoors and outdoors along the Colorado Front Range
Workshops and Lessons
We provide families with the basic climbing knowledge they need to safely embark on their own climbing adventures, indoors or outdoors.
Our Story
The journey to find activities that bond.
Rock Climbing benefits children & parents.
When parents of children with special needs meet, they have a lot to talk about. The challenges, the worries, the struggles… but what about enjoying our kids?
Finding activities that benefit both children and parents, building trust, being on a team and having fun together - this is how we thrive!
Caring for children with autism can be challenging and exhausting, and we all have to make our own decisions on treatments and therapies. We learned that there will never be one single answer, what works for one child might not work for another. But enjoying our precious time together will always be the right thing to do.
Having understood the importance of joint activities, we tried out several sports. While every activity is beneficial, our experience with rock climbing stands out.
Without many words, we are literally tied together- into the same rope. Up and down we go, again and again with a single focus. With every ascent, we strengthen our ability to take on whatever challenge comes our way, using our minds together with our whole bodies to figure out how to conquer the wall.
We want to share rock climbing's therapeutic effect with You.
Rock climbing keeps having a therapeutic effect on us. Knowing exactly what to do with minimal instructions provides mental relief, the undisturbed focus on our own movements and the stimulation from strenuous exercise helps us grow and thrive.
Our family has benefited so much from climbing that we want to share this with you and encourage every family on the spectrum to enjoy the journey.
So let’s get out, let’s explore nature, let’s push our own mental and physical limits!
Climb on!
Yisha
Copyright Autism Climbs 2015