About Limitless Pathways

Building What Didn’t Exist

From this need, Launch Lodge emerged—a coastal Delaware retreat program offering individualized support, emotional regulation, functional skill-building, and meaningful recreational experiences. These retreats provide the structure and nurturing participants need to strengthen skills and launch toward greater independence.

The Search for Answers

Despite countless evaluations, we still had no diagnosis for many years. We knew something significant was happening, and medical providers were often perplexed by her symptoms. Noone could identify an underlying cause. At age 18, we finally received clarity: Sienna was diagnosed with a CAMK2-related neurodevelopmental disorder—a rare, single-gene mutation affecting calcium signaling in the brain and impacting emotional regulation, development, behavior, and complex medical systems. This diagnosis reframed everything. It provided answers, but it also revealed another truth: there were no established treatment pathways.

Turning Understanding Into Action

Determined to accelerate progress, I partnered with the Milken Institute, a global health-policy think tank that identifies the highest-impact opportunities in research, clinical development, and philanthropy. Together, we created the Giving Smarter Guide, which highlights where support is needed most to propel CAMK2 research forward and strengthen the clinics working to serve this community. I also came to see how many families remain in the dark simply because rare neurodevelopmental disorders are not widely recognized and access to testing is limited. Increasing awareness and expanding opportunities for diagnosis have become central to my mission—so families can gain answers sooner, find community, and avoid the years of uncertainty we endured. This commitment is reflected in our advocacy efforts and in the “Rare Is Everywhere” Gala, dedicated to raising awareness and ensuring that 100% of funds raised go directly to CAMK2 research and the development of clinics that support this community.

Identifying the Most Urgent Need

Through conversations with CAMK2 families and information gathered from clinical andcommunity sources, a clear pattern began to emerge. Emotional regulation consistently surfaced as one of the most urgent and impactful needs—for both individuals and their families. With no direct treatment currently available, emotional dysregulation affects safety, learning, behavior, relationships, and overall quality of life. This realization led to the development of CAMKalm, an individualized emotional-regulation tool currently under development, designed to help individuals manage fight-or-flight responses in the absence of targeted medical treatments.

Supporting the Caregivers

As I continued this work, I could not ignore the emotional and physical toll on caretakers. For

years, I had supported caregivers through my clinical practice, and I saw firsthand how manywere managing chronic stress, isolation, and the ongoing demands of caring for individuals with neurodevelopmental needs. To expand this support, we began developing a Well-Being Yoga and Wellness Retreat for Caregivers, held in coastal Delaware. This retreat is designed to provide restoration, community, and emotional support for caretakers who rarely have opportunities for rest or renewal.

United in Purpose

Each initiative—caretaker support, independent-living retreats, advocacy work, and support for research and clinical care—grew from a need that had gone unanswered for too long. What began as one family’s journey has become a broader mission: to bring clarity, connection, and compassionate guidance to individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders and the families who support them. By closing these long-standing gaps, we can help create a future marked by greater peace, meaningful support, and expanded possibility. This is the heart of Limitless Pathways.

Limitless Pathways began long before it had a name. It grew out of my personal journey as both a mother and a clinical psychologist. For more than 25 years, I supported individuals with their emotional challenges, yet nothing fully prepared me for raising my daughter, Sienna. From early childhood, it was clear she faced a neurodevelopmental condition—one that didn’t fit neatly into any category. As her symptoms grew more intricate, finding answers became my full-time job. I spent years navigating medical systems, coordinating therapies, and searching for professionals who could understand the scope of her needs. Even with my clinical background, I often felt overwhelmed and alone. What I learned during that time was painful but important: families like mine were slipping through the cracks.

Seeing the Gaps

As Sienna grew, it became clear how overwhelming the emotional, behavioral, and medical challenges were for both of us—and how few professionals understood the full picture. I met many caretakers who felt the same way: isolated, exhausted, and unsure where to turn for guidance. Because I could not find a psychologist who understood both the clinical landscape and the lived experience of raising a child with significant needs, I stepped into that role for others. I turned the emotional weight of navigating this alone into a commitment to support families facing similar challenges. At the same time, options for individualized respite or enrichment outside her daily environment were limited. It became clear how essential it was to create a place where she could regulate, feel safe, and continue to grow.

Dina Friedman