Our Story
About Us
Our son Kaydan, was born with Down syndrome on January 27, 2013. His birth was quite dramatic as he was born in the car on the way to the hospital. Little did we know or were we ready for the journey on which that diagnosis would take us. Kaydan would later be diagnosed with autism in 2020 bringing another level of complexity to our lives as well. Along this journey I began to have a growing burden to connect and help other special needs famlies that shared the challenges of our experience. My first book, Walking with Kaydan, chronicled our journey of faith, struggle and hope, which still continues. I also began to develop an academic interest in learning about couples with special needs children and how they cope and overcome the challenges they face. As a result, I developed the concept of the special needs marriage that has driven the bulk of my academic and clinical work. Later this year (2026), I will complete my dissertation for the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree focused on that very topic.
After retiring as an Army Chaplain in 2024, our family moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where I formed an immediate partnership with Grace Church of the Nazarene, launching their first special needs ministry. In 2025, my ultimate dream became a reality as the Special Needs Family Institute (SNFI) was formally launched as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Through the incredible partnership with Grace Church of the Nazarene, the SNFI found its home on the campus of Grace Church where it serves couples and families on their journey of help, hope and healing.
The mission of the SNFI is to Empower families, Equip churches, and Enable communities in two domains. The first domain is that of equipping churches helping them to begin or bolster their special needs ministry as well as empowering couples and families on the special needs journey. The second domain encompasses the clinical realm where I have a myriad of opportunities to train clinicians and counselors enabling them to provide specialized care for special needs families. The SNFI is recognized by the American Association of Marital and Family Therapy as well as the American Association of Christian Counselors, for its cutting edge work and research focused on the special needs marriage.
These are exciting days as the SNFI continues to grow and expand as opportunities continue to emerge. More importantly, we are already seeing the positive impact of the SNFI on the lives of the special needs families that we serve and support in both domains. Thanks to those of you who have supported and encouraged my family and I along this journey. And thanks to those that are and will support the SNFI as we work to bring awareness and direct support to special needs families.
Brad Lee is the Founder and Director of the Special Needs Family Institute in Nashville, Tennessee. Brad retired at the rank of Colonel as an Army Chaplain for more than 25 years of service to our nation. His Army career included a variety of assignments to include multiple combat tours as well. He and his wife, Lori, have been married for nearly 35 years and have six children; three adult daughters and three sons, and two grandchildren.
Brad is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Certified Professional Coach. He knows firsthand the challenges and struggles of not only parenting a child with special needs, but also navigating the marital struggles that accompany the demands of being a special needs family as well. His personal experience coupled with his professional and academic background offer a distinctive and powerful approach to helping marriages and families.