What if independence is not the finish line we should be chasing for individuals with FASD?
In this episode of The FASD Success Show, Jeff Noble sits down with Chris Fillion, an adult on the FASD spectrum, foster parent, and national advocate, to talk honestly about what adulthood with FASD really looks like when support is done right.
Chris shares his lived experience navigating mental health challenges, the justice system, social services, and burnout, and how everything changed when the focus shifted from doing life alone to building the right team around him. Today, Chris is the Vice President of the Manitoba FASD Coalition and the Executive Director of FASD Mentors of Change, helping reshape how systems understand success for adults with FASD.
This conversation challenges one of the most exhausting myths caregivers carry, the belief that success means total independence. Instead, Jeff and Chris explore why interdependence, regulation, and community support are the real foundations for long term stability and growth.
In This Episode You’ll Hear
• Why independence is often the wrong goal for adults with FASD
• What adulthood with FASD actually looks like beyond the labels
• How anxiety treatment and mental health support can unlock capacity
• Why having a support team is a strategy, not a failure
• How lived experience advocacy is changing systems from the inside
• What caregivers can learn about planning for the long game
Why It Matters
So many caregivers lie awake worrying about the future, wondering if their loved one will ever be okay on their own. This episode offers a powerful reframe.
Success is not about doing everything alone. It is about building a life that works with the brain you have, supported by people who understand it.
Chris’s story is proof that progress is real, timelines are different, and with the right scaffolding, adults with FASD can build meaningful, connected lives.
Resources and Links
FASD Mentors of Change
https://fasdmentorsofchange.ca
Chris Fillion
https://chrisfillion.ca
Manitoba FASD Coalition
https://www.fasdcoalition.ca
New Directions
https://newdirections.mb.ca
Join our free FASD Success Facebook Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/fasdforever
Watch full episodes on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@FASDSuccess
Follow Jeff on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/FASDSuccess
Full show notes and resources
https://www.fasdsuccess.com/podcast
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