Autism Parenting Secrets: "A Regulated Nervous System Starts at HOME"

Podcast Hosts: Len Arcuri, Cass Arcuri
Guest: Brian Hoyer, Founder & CEO of Shielded Healing
Date: December 18, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode delves into how a family's home environment—often overlooked—can profoundly impact the health and behavior of children with autism and other chronic conditions. The conversation focuses on the influence of environmental stressors such as electromagnetic fields (EMFs), lighting, and household chemicals on the nervous system, and how addressing these can significantly improve sleep, behavior, and overall wellness. Guest Brian Hoyer shares practical strategies to create healthier, more supportive home spaces.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Foundation: Environment and Health

• The home environment is the starting line.
  • Brian emphasizes that no matter the interventions, healing is limited if your home has mold, toxic chemicals, or excessive EMFs.
  • “You can't get healthy in a moldy home. You can't get healthy in a home that's full of chemicals... and you can't get healthy in an environment where you're constantly pulsed by WiFi, radiation, cell phone radiation... Some people are sleeping right on the other side of their electrical box, and there's a huge magnetic field that's pulsing back and forth 120 times per second.” —Brian (00:00 & 08:45)
• The nervous system is electrically sensitive.
  • External electrical and EMF interference can muddy the body’s natural signals, necessary for healing, sleep, and regulation.
  • “The nervous system, it's electrical...when you have an external environment that's not conducive...those signals are not getting through.” —Brian (04:28)
  • He likens it to static on a radio or TV, which can be cleared by fixing the antenna; similarly, our environment can either enhance or block the body’s healing signals (04:28–06:40).

2. Cumulative Impact of Environmental Stressors

• Toxic load theory: Chronic exposure to multiple small stressors adds up, potentially inhibiting healing and increasing challenging behaviors (03:00–04:28; 11:56).
• EMFs and lighting: Modern homes have normalized high EMF exposure and artificial lighting (“smart” devices, constant connectivity).
  • Brian calls for “technology that respects our biology,” noting that most innovations focus on convenience rather than health (13:16).
  • “We've advanced technology...but it's not technology that respects our biology.” —Brian (13:16)
• Electrical devices and sleep:
  • Bedrooms often have outlets, power strips, or electronic devices near beds, unknowingly exposing children to electrical and magnetic fields throughout the night (17:01).
  • “I've got one that’s plugged in right under their crib or right under their bed. And it does. It brings in voltage measurably onto their body… which can deplete your magnesium and your calcium and other minerals while you’re sleeping.” —Brian (13:16–16:56)

3. Assessment and Practical Steps

• Professional home assessment:
  • Brian’s team at Shielded Healing conducts diagnostic home visits, testing for six types of EMFs, lighting spectrum and flicker, air quality, and more—especially focusing on the sleeping environment (18:07–22:13).
  • “If your child is spending eight hours there every night, that’s a third of your life…and that location is supposed to be your body's number one healing time.” —Brian (18:07)
• Layers of solutions:
  • Assess, identify, and prioritize. Even reducing EMFs or other stressors by 40% (not 100%) can make a significant difference (23:12).
  • “If we can get that down to 40-something, then that’s a win...percentages that you can get off of that stress is a huge win.” —Brian (23:12)
• Cumulative improvement:
  • Each positive environmental adjustment compounds over time, either aiding or harming health (25:04).
  • “The key word is cumulative… If you play better defense, you'll be getting benefits day after day after day.” —Len (25:04)

4. Practical Tips for Parents

• Holiday-specific caution:
  • Be mindful of decorative lighting, especially Christmas lights. Many flicker at unhealthy frequencies and create electric fields in bedrooms.
  • “You might decorate your kid’s room and you’ve got the flicker issue, but also because it’s plugged into the wall, you’re bringing that electricity into the room…you’re electrifying an entire room just by having like string lights around the bedroom.” —Brian (26:43)
• Solutions:
  • Use grounded, low-EMF chargers (such as the Safe Charger from the Shielding Shop) for any device that needs overnight charging (27:01–29:31).
  • Simple steps: unplug devices near beds, move beds a few feet from outlets/walls, and turn off WiFi at night (31:52).
  • “Just unplugging things that are close to the bed, moving the bed away from the wall is helpful, even a few feet…making sure your WiFi is off at night. That's a huge thing.” —Brian (29:31)

5. Principles and Mindset

• Not about zero EMF—about lowering exposure:
  • The ALARA principle: “as low as reasonably achievable”
  • “You’re not going to ever get…down to an ancestral level of like, no EMF. But we always try to make that the goal: as low as reasonably achievable.” —Brian (32:33)
• Don’t panic—support is available:
  • Parents don’t have to carry the burden alone; companies like Shielded Healing are mission-driven and care deeply about outcomes, not just profits (36:23).
  • “Don’t stress out too much about it…We are here to help you along on this journey. And you don’t have to take the whole burden on yourself…Keep it up. Don’t feel like you’re alone.” —Brian (36:23)

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• On the importance of home environment:

  • “You can't get healthy in a moldy home. You can't get healthy in a home that's full of chemicals... and you can't get healthy in an environment where you're constantly pulsed by WiFi, radiation...” —Brian (00:00; 08:45)

• On electrical interference in the body:

  • “The nervous system, it's electrical…and so when you have an external environment that's not conducive…the signals aren’t clear because you’ve got interference.” —Brian (04:28)

• On cumulative effects:

  • “Whatever the situation is, it’s going to compound every day. So if you're taking measures or if you're not taking measures, then the problem's going to get worse cumulatively adding to that toxic load.” —Len (25:04)

• On realistic solutions:

  • “You’re not going to ever get…down to an ancestral level of like, no emf. But we always try to make that the goal as low as reasonably achievable.” —Brian (32:33)

• On compassionate support:

  • “Don’t stress out too much about it…We exist in this space for a reason and we are here to help you along on this journey…Don’t feel like you’re alone. You have people like Len and me…we’re rooting for you.” —Brian (36:23)

Key Timestamps

• 00:00–04:28: The critical influence of home environment and the concept of EMF as a hidden stressor
• 04:28–08:45: How EMFs and artificial light can create “noise” in the nervous system
• 13:00–17:00: The modern “smart” home and the need for technology that respects biology
• 18:07–22:13: Brian’s assessment process—how homes are tested and evaluated
• 23:12–25:04: Realistic goals for mitigation; cumulative versus zero risk
• 26:43–29:31: Holiday lights and simple, practical mitigation strategies
• 32:33–36:23: Mindset, ALARA principle, and supportive resources for parents
• 36:23–38:02: Final words of encouragement and mission-driven support

Resources Mentioned

• Shielded Healing (Assessments & Solutions): shieldedhealing.com
• The Shielding Shop (Products): theshieldingshop.com

Takeaway

The home environment is a foundational piece of the health puzzle—especially for children with autism. Thoughtful, practical changes to reduce EMF, improve lighting, and minimize chemical exposures can unlock new levels of healing and behavior regulation. While the challenge can seem daunting, effective help and realistic, science-based solutions are available. Small, cumulative improvements to your environment can yield lasting, transformative results for your child and family.