Empowering Ability Podcast

If you don't have a plan, you're planning to fail. - Benjamin Franklin We need to plan for who will care for our loved one with a developmental disability for when the time comes that we can't. I know this is your #1 fear, and it can be hard to talk about... But, if you don't have a plan in place, your loved one is at greater risk of falling into the 'system' and experiencing harm. This is the tru...

Do you find yourself continually prompting your loved one to take care of their responsibilities around the house?! It gets exhausting. I’ve got a different approach for you to try this week… To start, take a moment to mindfully slow down and breathe and listen to the different ways that your family member is communicating…   Check out this episode to learn more!   very best, Eric  

How do you keep your loved one with a developmental disability safe while enabling them to develop their independence? There is tension between safety and independence that we experience as families. If you want to learn how you can stop overprotecting your loved one and limiting their life experiences I share more in this podcast. Very best, Eric   P.S. If you want to get your FREE copy of the Ul...

Happy 2022! This year, I want to help you to live into the "Awesome Ordinary" life goals that you've got in your mind for your loved one and family. Over the holidays, I read Will Smith's book titled "Will." So it was entertaining, yet profoundly deep and inspirational; I highly recommend it. In the book, Will Smith shares a great story about a Buddhist parable that teaches us that what got us to...

Charlotte wanted to support her son, Jamie, to move out into his own home but wasn’t sure how. I had the pleasure of working with Charlotte and Jamie to build an “Awesome Ordinary” life vision in my coaching programs. And recently, Jamie moved into his own home! I had the opportunity to catch up with Charlotte to learn about Jamie’s progress and how they did it!   CLICK HERE to join the waitlist f...

Are you tired of prompting or telling your loved one to do things, maybe do things around the house?​This is something that many families that I work with keep bumping into, and it becomes exhausting for you and frustrating for your loved one.​In this video/article, I give you my #1 strategy to motivate your loved one! This means less prompting from you, and more choice and control for your loved...

What do we mean by wanting our loved one with a developmental disability to have more independence? And, why is helping your loved one grow their independence so important? In this week's podcast, I tackle these questions and share the story of Sarah's journey to independence. Click the link below for the video and written transcription.   https://www.empoweringability.org/why-independence/  

Sometimes we fail, we fall down... and we get back up, dust ourselves off, and try again. Falling down is a significant way to learn and find meaning in our lives. So why don't you let your loved one with a developmental disability fall down? FEAR! Your loved one might have vulnerabilities, and you do your best to protect them from harm's way. BUT, the protection you provide might be leading to mo...

I'm honored to bring you this conversation I recorded with Joe Clayton. Joe is a survivor of Rideau Regional Center; an institution closed in Smith Falls, Ontario. "We as the people, disabilities, we cry just like everybody else. We laugh like everybody else. We are human beings, just like everybody else. And like I said before, we just want the world to know we are not monsters who got out of ins...

Lorna Sullivan, a global disability leader who is making significant changes inside the New Zealand social system. Lorna is the founder of the International Initiative for Disability Leadership (IIDL) and Director of Mana Whaikaha. I had the pleasure of learning from Lorna when she was part of the faculty in Michael Kendrick's Optimal Individualized Service Design Course.    In this podcast, we co...

Separated from her brother at childhood, Libby shares her journey of supporting her brother to create a great life.    Enjoy this conversation with Libby Ellis, sibling, and founder of  In Charge , a consulting organization in western Australia that is assisting people with disabilities to be the authors and champions of their own lives.   About Libby Ellis: Libby works for a vivid vision of inclu...

In this conversation with Dr. Margaret Newbury Jones, here out referred to as Margaret, of SHADE Consulting and Counselling we dive into the topic of sexuality and disability. We discuss what self-advocates, families, and supporters need to know about sexuality and Intellectual/developmental disability (IDD). She answers the questions; Why is knowing the language of our bodies so important? Where...

It has been a little over one year since my sister, Sarah has come onto the podcast – and a lot has changed for Sarah. The most significant change has been Sarah moving out of mom and dad’s and into a home of her own. This single decision to move out of mom and dad’s made 1000 decisions for Sarah and our family. This one decision for Sarah to have a home of her own has allowed her to grow into the...

... If I am not there to care and look out for my son or daughter, then who will be? It is a big question, but it is also something we avoid talking about because we have to realize our own death. BUT, if we don't have these conversations - what are we leaving behind?!  From the hundreds of families I have spoken with I've learned that it is a massive hole. If you are the go-to person for your lov...

Over the past few years, I’ve been thinking deeply about how to best support families with a loved one with a disability to create a happy and full life for their loved one - and a good life that isn’t dependent on parents (forever)… I know this is possible because I have friends with disabilities who have created this life - my family is going through this transformation, and the families I work...

As families, we have the question of who will care for our loved one with a disability when we no longer can? People with intellectual and developmental disabilities have less than 20% of the number of relationships compared to a typical person.  This leads to loneliness, which is more harmful to our health than smoking a pack of cigarettes every day.   In this video, I explain how to build relati...

How to create a life worth living? … am I implying that there are lives that aren’t worth living? This a big question that I ask you to consider for yourself.   People with developmental disabilities are devalued and suppressed (largely unconsciously) by society, our families and even ourselves (I am guilty too).   When a person is devalued, it is very difficult to access the opportunities that ev...

Here is the secret.... it is to start with developing valued roles. What is a valued role? A valued roles is the answer you give to the question 'What do you do?' when you meet someone new. [more on valued roles below] Guest Genia Sthphen also shares her story as a sibling, a mother to two sons, and how she has helped to create the good life for her son Will.   Professionally, Genia is a midwife t...

Yvonne defines grief, how to support others that are grieving, and shares her 7 takeaways to navigate through life, grief, and end of life.   In this episode of the Empowering Ability podcast, we have an in-depth conversation on grief with nurse and author,  Yvonne Health . In this conversation, Yvonne defines grief, how to support others that are grieving, the difference between quality and quant...

Learn about the Open Future Learning training resource for supporters of people that have an IDD, & how Ben Drew is fighting the oppression of people with IDDs.   In this podcast/ blog I had a pleasure of speaking with Ben Drew, Founder of Open Future Learning. Ben has over 20 years of experience working with people with an intellectual or developmental disability starting as learning disability n...

In this episode, you will learn all about Personal Support Networks! You might have heard of support circles, circles, microboards, or aroha's (there are probably names I'm missing), but theses are all forms of Personal Support Networks. Rebecca Pauls, Director of  Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network (PLAN) , shares with us with us what a Personal Support Network is, how they can benefit you, and ho...

Joe Dale and I explore the untapped labour pool of people with disabilities, uncover the benefits of employing people with disabilities, and discuss approaches people with disabilities can take to gain employment.   Today businesses are asking, ‘Where do we find good people?’, and people with disabilities are asking ‘Where do I get a job?’. This podcast/ blog with Joe Dale, Executive Director of t...

Learn from world class experts on housing for people with developmental disability.   I’m excited to bring you this podcast/ blog episode on the best of creating a home for people with intellectual/ developmental disabilities (IDD). In this episode, I have compiled audio clips that provide insights from 9 interviews I’ve completed with guests on creating a home for people with disabilities, along...

Author and speaker, Donna Thomson, takes us on the journey of a caregiver.   In Episode #050, I had the pleasure of interviewing Donna Thomson and we dove into the topic of caregiving. Donna is an author and speaker on issues relating to family caregiving, disability and aging. She is a patient and family advisor on health research and policy. Donna teaches family caregivers how to advocate for ca...

Dr. Yona Lunsky discusses state of mental health and developmental disability, how to notice mental health challenges, and different treatments.   In this episode, I welcome Dr. Yona Lunsky on to the podcast to talk about developmental disability (DD) and Mental Health. Dr. Yona Lunsky is Director of the Azriei Centre for Adult Neurodevelopmental Disabilities and Mental Health, and Director of the...