Episode #93: Pamela Hunter
Sheltered Co. is the innovation of Pamela Hunter, a mother of 3, born altruist, and general celebrator of human goodness.
When her daughter, Ransom Fae, was diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder, Pamela was inspired to develop a calming tool that would promote sleep while also helping to stimulate body regulation. When Pam draped her first-ever hand-crocheted blanket prototype over Ransom, she saw her daughter’s entire body relax. From that day forward, with the help of the “hug” Ransom was able to self-sooth, and even sleep through the night.
Inspired not only to give her daughter the tools to navigate her unique circumstances but to extend that gift across the globe, Pam started a little company. A little company with a big mission. A little company striving to give the world big #hugslikeamother every single day.
As a veteran of fashion and design, Pamela knew these blankets couldn’t just be therapeutic and functional; they had to be beautiful, too. Sheltered Co. blankets are soft and sturdy, breathable yet thick — a tool to envelop and shelter without overwhelming the senses.
Sheltered Co. is a tiny but mighty company that has grown from Pam’s garage to a beautiful blanket factory in Downtown Los Angeles, where each “hug” is lovingly handcrafted from deadstock fabric by a close-knit group of female-makers. Pam and her team are honored to do the work that they do, forever inspired by Ransom, a magical little girl who brings so much love, light, and comfort into this world. It is Sheltered Co.’s mission to follow her lead.
Since Pamela Hunter’s middle daughter, Ransom, was diagnosed with sensory processing disorder at age two-and-a-half, Pamela has done everything she can to get her daughter the help she needs. As Pamela explains, there’s so much about Ransom’s situation that’s tricky, from figuring out the right treatment options (it’s a lot of trial and error) to navigating insurance (which could be a full-time job). There’s also the fact that Ransom’s disorder doesn’t present in the same way in clinical and classroom settings as it does at home, which means that sometimes, people don’t see the very challenging reality that Pamela and Ransom are facing. On today’s episode, we talk about what sensory processing disorder is, and what it means to be a parent to a child with this condition. We also talk about the incredibly hard moments they’ve faced (from Ransom’s hospitalization to the three months of the pandemic where Ransom didn’t have access to her therapists), and how one difficult moment in particular gave Pamela even more conviction to stick with her gut when it came to Ransom. Finally, we talk about the beautiful origin story of Pamela’s weighted blanket business, Sheltered.Co, and what Ransom has to say about her role in all of it.
“I’m not an expert. I’m a mom who has been going through a lot with her child. I love my child so much and so fiercely and I would do anything for her, and I just want her to get whatever help and therapy she needs so that she will have the tools she’ll need to go through life.”
Here are some of the things Pamela and I chatted about:
What sensory processing disorder is, and how it manifested when Ransom was a baby
What she used to do to calm Ransom--taking 12-15 baths a day, breastfeeding for hours
Using “trial and error” to see which therapies worked, and how insurance made that difficult
How, when Ransom had challenges, it was Pamela’s instinct to try to rise to the occasion
The in-home evaluations Ransom received, and the value of early intervention for children
How what she called tantrums were actually “meltdowns,” and why the difference is important
The analogy of the bucket: most people start their day with an empty one, but Ransom’s is full
Learning that Ransom had difficulty self-regulating, and what kind of treatment that led to
Why Ransom does really well in school/clinical settings--and why home can be more difficult
The guilt she felt about putting Ransom on medication--and then gratitude for the impact it had
The difficulty of explaining Ransom’s reality to those who have only seen her in a positive light
How Ransom’s hospitalization, though traumatic, gave Pamela confidence to fight even harder for her
What getting help for Ransom looks like: taking out loans and paying cash out of pocket
Recently stumbling on a Facebook post that made her feels so seen, and her reaction to that
How weighted vests (and bracelets and blankets) help kids with sensory processing disorder
Why conventional weighted blankets didn’t work for Ransom, who has sound sensitivity
Crocheting a rag rug, and the moment she realized it could be Ransom’s weighted blanket
How word spread about her blankets, and she eventually formed a business, Sheltered.Co
What Ransom, who is the company’s reason for being, understands about the role she plays
“When things are so difficult, especially with a child with a mood disorder, you almost don’t have a choice. You just have to try whatever you can.”
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