I'm Elaine Bredl, and I work as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist at El Dorado Community Health Center in Placerville, CA. We are a Federally Qualified Healthcare Center whose mission is to serve anyone and everyone who needs healthcare.

Two of my patients have recently learned as adults that they are autistic. When I work with a person who is learning this about themselves, I often offer them an opportunity to try out a pair of advanced headphones that have the technology to reduce sound levels coming into the ears. For both of these patients, they broke into tears at the relief they felt—in a quiet office—upon putting on these headphones. For folks with autism, the thalamus (air-traffic-control of the brain) is often hyperactive, letting in too much sound, touch, or light, which overwhelms the brain. Headphones provide a huge, huge relief and help the person better regulate their emotions and feel a sense of peace.

One of my patients is homeless and living in a shelter that is shared with several dozen other people. She has no source of income and is hoping to be granted disability. The other patient lives alone and her only source of income is her disability. She has recently been struggling with thoughts of whether to end her life due to how much sensory and social overwhelm she feels. This patient also has chronic pain and a litany of autoimmune disorders. She is seeking any relief she can find.

The purchase of one of these sets of headphones would offer a massive improvement in quality of life. Please consider donating even just $5 or $10 to give someone less fortunate an opportunity at relief and hope for a better quality of life.