Every autism parent has a story about being asked to leave somewhere.
For Rob, it was an indoor playground he won't name. He just wanted his son to be a kid for an hour. His son played differently. He wasn't aware of the social rules. And other parents would stare, or worse, say something.
For Dina Kimmel, that scene happened five times before she decided enough was enough.
This week on The Autism Dad Podcast, Rob sits down with Dina, the CEO and founder of We Rock the Spectrum Kids Gym, and Christopher Reyes, an autism dad and owner of the Clovis, California location. They talk about what an autism family can build when the world tells them no.
This was all inspired from these two children that I have. I had no idea the need. I had no idea there were so many of us. — Dina Kimmel
A Diagnosis Is a Baseline, Not a Prophecy
When Dina's son Gabriel was little, the experts handed her a list of nevers. He'd never drive. He'd never go to a typical school. College wasn't on the table.
Gabriel just earned an academic scholarship to Loyola Marymount University. He drives himself there every day.
That is why Rob keeps saying it on this show: a diagnosis is a baseline, not a prophecy. The trajectory isn't fixed at three or four or seven years old. Kids grow into themselves. Some of them surpass every expectation handed to them.
What "Play With a Purpose" Actually Means
Walk into any We Rock the Spectrum gym and you'll see zip lines, crash pits, sensory tunnels, trampolines, a rock wall, and twelve pieces of occupational therapy equipment that have all been chosen on purpose.
The carpet swing isn't there because it's fun, even though it is. It's there because it provides the vestibular input that helps a dysregulated nervous system find center. The crash pit isn't there for thrills. It's there for the deep proprioceptive input that calms a sensory-seeking kid.
That's what Dina calls play with a purpose. Every single piece of equipment was vetted by occupational therapists, behaviorists, and color specialists. It is what an OT room would look like if a kid got to design it.
Here is what matters for parents: if you can't afford weekly OT — and many families can't — letting your kid play freely on this equipment for an hour delivers a lot of the same benefits. It is regulation disguised as joy.
The Medicaid Waiver News That Changes Everything
Here is the announcement Dina dropped on us mid-conversation: We Rock the Spectrum is now Medicaid waiver and Medi-Cal approved.
That is a decade of fighting to land here.
Translation: families who couldn't afford the $14 to $16 per visit fee can now access these gyms through state coverage. The My Brother Rocks the Spectrum Foundation also offers grants for open play and respite drop-off, so families outside California have a path in too.
Christopher's Story
Christopher Reyes was a nurse for fifteen years.
His son Jacob is six and diagnosed level two. His daughter Roxanne is four and diagnosed level one. After a decade of apologizing for his son's behavior at every indoor playground in Los Angeles, Christopher and his wife found We Rock the Spectrum in Redondo Beach. They walked in. They didn't have to apologize once.
That is the moment that planted the seed for the Clovis location.
The Central Valley needs this. Christopher told Rob that Fresno has only five or six indoor play spaces total, compared to dozens in Southern California — and none are built for the autism community. He is also launching Parents Night Out, a weekly Saturday drop-off so autism parents can have dinner without watching the clock. Two to three hours, autism-trained staff, kids playing on equipment that supports their nervous systems.
That isn't just a date night. That's respite the autism community has been begging for.
What This Episode Is Really About
We Rock the Spectrum isn't a gym. It's a permission slip.
A place autism families walk into and finally get to put their guard down. A place where no one apologizes for who their kid is. A place where parents look around at other parents and realize they're not alone.
That is the part that hits hardest every time.
What You Will Hear in This Episode
How one mom turned daily occupational therapy at home into a global sensory gym franchise
Why Gabriel's scholarship proves a diagnosis is a baseline, not a prophecy
Inside the gym: zip lines, crash pits, sensory tunnels, trampolines, and twelve pieces of OT equipment
The "play with a purpose" philosophy behind every piece of equipment
Christopher's path from nurse to owner of Central Valley's only sensory gym
Parents Night Out drop-off addressing California's childcare shortage
Big news: We Rock the Spectrum is now Medicaid waiver and Medi-Cal approved
The My Brother Rocks the Spectrum Foundation grants for open play and respite
Resources Mentioned
We Rock the Spectrum locations — find a sensory friendly inclusive gym near you. wrtsfranchise.com/locations
We Rock the Spectrum Clovis — Christopher's location serving California's Central Valley. werockthespectrumclovis.com
My Brother Rocks the Spectrum Foundation — grants for open play and respite. Linked from any We Rock the Spectrum location page.
Mightier — biofeedback video games for emotional regulation. Use code theautismdad22 for 10% off. mightier.com
VizyPlan — visual routines built from photos of your actual child. Use code theautismdad for your first month free. vizyplan.com/app
About the Guests
Dina Kimmel is the CEO and founder of We Rock the Spectrum Kids Gym, a sensory friendly inclusive franchise with over 200 locations in eight countries. An autism mom first, Dina launched the first location in 2009 after seeing her son Gabriel thrive on OT equipment.
Christopher Reyes is an autism dad and owner of We Rock the Spectrum Clovis. He is father to Jacob, six, level two, and Roxanne, four, level one. He opened his location to serve the Central Valley community.
About Your Host
Rob Gorski is the founder of The Autism Dad, a blog and podcast dedicated to supporting parents raising kids on the autism spectrum. As a dad of three autistic sons with over 25 years of experience, Rob brings lived experience, honesty, and heart to every conversation.
This Episode Is Brought to You By
This episode is brought to you by Mightier, a clinically proven app that helps kids build emotional regulation skills through biofeedback-based video games. Visit mightier.com and use code theautismdad22 for 10% off.
Also brought to you by VizyPlan. Built by a dad who gets it, VizyPlan uses AI to create visual routines with photos of your actual child. Visit vizyplan.com/app and use code theautismdad for your first month free.
One More Thing
Rob's first book is coming. Your Child Was Just Diagnosed with Autism: Real Talk, Support and Next Steps from a Dad Who Has Been There lands early 2027 from Quarto. It is everything he wishes he had when his sons were first diagnosed. Get updates and preorder information at theautismdad.com/book.
Find the Show
The Autism Dad Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and at listen.theautismdad.com. You can find Rob at theautismdad.com and on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok at The Autism Dad.
