Rockin the Difference

NEW EPISODE: The Friends Who Walk This Journey With Me  When people talk about raising a child with special needs, they often focus on the parents. But what about the friends who choose to stay? In this episode of Rockin’ the Difference, I’m joined by two of my best friends who’ve been in my life since before Ryan was born. Andrea Heuer and Jenn Kiesby. They’ve watched him grow from a baby into th...

No experts. No scripts. No agenda. Just five special needs parents, three incredible individuals with disabilities, a beach house, and some honest conversations about life. This week’s Rockin the Difference episode is a reminder that while our journeys may be different, the understanding we find in one another can be life-changing. Come join us for laughter, stories, and a little beachside wisdom....

Beyond What You See | Featuring Tiffany V. Easterbrook What if everything you thought you understood about someone… was only a fraction of the story? In this special episode, Ryan and I sit down with Tiffany V. Easterbrook for her YouTube interview series to share our journey—one that goes far beyond first impressions. We talk about what it’s really like raising and living as a blind and autistic...

What happens when the traditional path no longer feels like the right one for your child? In this episode, I sit down with my friend Tiffany Henry as she opens up about the deeply personal decision to homeschool her autistic son. From navigating unmet needs in a conventional school setting to trusting her instincts as a mother, Tiffany shares the pivotal moments that led her to choose a different...

This episode wasn’t planned. I found out my mother-in-law passed away just days before I leave on a big trip with my mom. And as a special needs parent, moments like this hit differently. How does your child process grief? What does change feel like in their nervous system? How do you hold space for them while also preparing to step away? In this episode, I share how Ryan responds to unexpected ne...

In this episode of Rockin’ the Difference, I site down with Jennifer Caryn Brown—financial advisor and adoptive mom to a child with special challenges—for an honest and empowering conversation about caregiving, planning ahead, and finding peace of mind. Jennifer shares her personal journey navigating special services, advocacy, and parenting, while also offering practical guidance on how families...

As 2025 comes to a close, this  episode of Rockin the Difference reflects on a year of profound change, challenges, and growth. I share what it meant to navigate major caregiving transitions for my son Ryan, face unexpected delays and emotional strain, and arrive at year’s end feeling both stretched and resilient. As I turn 50 on New Year’s Eve and reflects on shedding old layers to step into a ne...

Today on Rockin the Difference, we’re talking with someone whose story rewrites what resilience can look like. Josh Bridgewater is the oldest skateboarder with spina bifida — a title he never set out to earn, but one he carries with pride. Born with his spine outside his body, Josh has endured more than 46 surgeries just to keep moving through life as normally as possible. Growing up, he faced bul...

💫 What do you get when you mix courage, comedy, two white canes and 3 canines? Meet Brennan (21) and Mina (17) — two siblings who are blind, bold, and breaking barriers every day alongside their amazing mom, Parisa. ❤️ In this week’s Rockin the Difference episode, we dive into what it’s really like navigating a world that’s not always designed for them — the funny moments, the frustrating ones, a...

🎙️ Episode 21: Russel Burke: Finding Purpose after Paralysis In this powerful and deeply moving episode of Rocking the Difference, I sit down with my friend Russ (@russ_on_wheelz), whose life changed forever after a boating accident at Lake Havasu left him quadriplegic. Russ opens up about his life before the accident — the energy, adventure, and freedom — and the life-altering moment that tested...

✨ New Episode of Rockin’ the Difference ✨ Being a special needs parent means carrying an invisible load that most people never see. In this solo episode, I take you behind the scenes of my life as a single mom to my adult son—sharing the scheduling, the driving, the advocacy, and the emotional weight of planning for the future, all while balancing a full-time job and trying to care for myself, t...

In this  episode of Rockin the Difference, host Chandra Neal shares the behind-the-scenes story of preparing for international travel with her adult son, Ryan, who is blind and autistic. From a frustrating passport battle that required the help of her congressman, to packing with intention and securing disability accommodations, Chandra walks listeners through the real challenges — and the powerfu...

In this powerful episode of Rockin’ the Difference, I sit down with my dear friend Chris Velona — a devoted father, rare disease advocate, and founder of Project Sebastian , a nonprofit inspired by his son Sebastian, who was diagnosed with Batten disease, a rare and terminal neurodegenerative disorder. Chris shares his family’s emotional journey, the heartbreaking diagnosis, and how he chose to tu...

In this episode, I open up about the early years when first learned my son had special needs—and all the emotions that came with it: grief, fear, uncertainty. If I could sit with that younger version of myself, I’d tell her this...

In this heartfelt episode of Rocking the Difference, I sit down with an incredible mom Becky,  and her two adult daughters, Hannah and Nicole,  to honor the life and legacy of Breanna—their daughter and sister who had multiple disabilities, including blindness and mobility challenges, and who passed away three years ago. Together, we explore the deep love, joy, and challenges they experienced as a...

Today we’re talking about something so many special needs parents struggle with—helping our kids learn to advocate for themselves. I’ve personally been dealing with this forever with my son, who is now 21-year-old, who is blind and autistic. He has a hard time voicing his needs—whether it’s letting me know if he’s hungry or not feeling well, asking for help, or even just problem-solving in everyda...

On today’s episode of Rocking the Difference, I am honored to welcome an incredible guest whose story is one of resilience, transformation, and the power of self-belief. Amanda Casarella grew up facing challenges that many of us can relate to—struggling with a learning disability, battling debilitating migraines that kept her out of school, and navigating the stigma of being placed in special educ...

After the busyness of the holidays, I wanted to get back in touch with you all and talk about intention, creating community and upcoming changes and challenges this year.  Here is a quick episode to get reconnected! Some great Podcasts to check out:  The Special Needs Mom Podcast - Episode: Stabilizing After Winter Break and  Moms Talk Autism Podcast You can find me on Instagram @Rockin_the_Differ...

Today I talk with my friend, Nada, on the sacrifices we make as parents of special needs individuals.   We all make sacrifices to ensure our kids are getting the best of what we can give them.  With Nada, this meant moving countries with her kids, while her husband stayed.   It meant giving up what she was familiar with to make sure her son lived a full life and adjusting to a new family dynamic w...

In this episode we discuss how life can just be OVERWHELMING. 

In today's episode I talk with Erin and Bruce Wilson who founded If I Need Help.   They started this non profit which provides a system to help find special needs kids, as well as individuals suffering from dementia or Alzheimers,  that go missing, especially for those who can’t communicate.  It uses modern technologies to help reunite those who might become lost, disoriented or need assistance in...

In this episode I talk about my son, Ryan, reaching a milestone and moving towards that next phase from being in the school years bubble  into adulthood and how that unpredictability and foreverness hit me hard.  If you have comments or ideas you'd like to share on this topic, I'd love to hear them and possibly expand on them in future episodes. You can DM on Instragram: /rockin_the_difference or...

Aubrie Forte has been a special person in our lives for almost 17 years now. She has been a teacher in special education and now works directly with schools to support programs on campus, with students, teachers and families. She was Ryan's teacher throughout elementary school and is lovingly known as Ryan's Forever Teacher because she continues to be a part of his life.  She has a BA in SpED and...

Being a mom of a blind and autistic adult, you have many experiences and learn so many things.  Some of the most valuable things you learn are from your child themselves.  In this episode I share 8 valuable things I have learned from my kid.     If you would like to share your stories please DM on Instagram @rockin_the_difference or email rockinthedifference@gmail.com   Please rate and review this...

This episode I talk with Pat Coskran, a father of 37 year old Sean, who is autistic.   He has been a special education teacher and coach in the Special Olympics.  He is also the author of "Growing up with Sean" found where most books are sold.  He shares his perspective as a dad, finding connection with community in his way as he took over being Sean's primary caregiver; his struggle with his ego...