When It’s Personal: Education, Epilepsy, and a Mother’s Voice with Yvette Barrera-Molina

In this episode, we sit down with Yvette Barrera-Molina, an educational diagnostician with over 20 years of experience supporting students with disabilities and their families. Yvette began her career as a special education teacher and has since dedicated her work to evaluation, eligibility, and developing meaningful instructional plans that truly support student success.We take a deep dive into the critical role diagnosticians play within the education system—helping identify student needs, guiding families, and collaborating with educators to create pathways for growth. Yvette also breaks down key insights on dyslexia and ADHD, offering clarity on how these challenges present in the classroom and why early identification matters.A big part of our conversation focuses on the role teachers play in recognizing early signs of developmental and learning differences, and how those observations can change the trajectory of a child’s education.What makes this conversation especially powerful is Yvette’s personal journey. As a mother, she shares the story of her son Ethan, who was diagnosed with epilepsy as an infant and has undergone multiple brain surgeries due to severe seizures. Through that experience, Yvette brings a deeply personal perspective to her work—one that goes beyond professional expertise and into true advocacy.She also discusses her involvement with the Epilepsy Foundation of Central South Texas and how she continues to be a voice for families here in the Rio Grande Valley.This is a conversation about education, advocacy, resilience, and the power of understanding every child’s unique journey.Yvette, thank you for being here and for sharing your story with us.IG: @youniquediagFacebook: Yvette Barrerra-MolinaTikTok: Yvette B. MolinaYvetteBMolina@gmail.com