Forever Home for our kids with disabilities.

Send us Fan Mail Meet Natalie Karras, who is a passionate advocate for children on the spectrum and their families. With 24 years of experience across industries like travel, recruitment, and marketing, she holds a Master Practitioner of Coaching and is the CEO and founder of You Are Seen . Natalie’s personal journey began when her son was diagnosed with autism at age 2, and she now dedicates hers...

Send us Fan Mail Carolyn Gardner is a solo mom by choice through adoption. She's been parenting her amazing son with chronic medical issues for ten years. Five years ago she left her teaching career to create a life that works better for her and her son. Carolyn is a digital product expert and it’s Carolyn’s passion to support other women - especially special needs moms - who need to create l...

Send us Fan Mail Episode Summary: Jenn Fredericks, a Pro-sillience Coach and Personal Resilience Practitioner shares her deeply personal journey as a special needs mom. Jenn talks about navigating the challenges of raising a child with a brain tumor diagnosis, how it impacted her mental, emotional, and physical health, and how she found her way to life coaching. She offers insights on how special...

Send us Fan Mail Your host Valerie, shares an exciting announcement about an upcoming seminar that’s tailored just for parents of children with disabilities. If you're looking for actionable steps and hands-on tools to plan for your child’s future, you won’t want to miss this episode - or the seminar!!! Key Takeaways: Save the date! On September 9th at 4 PM MST, Valerie will be hosting a spec...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I chat with Wendy Andersen, a passionate advocate for special needs families. Wendy, a mother of three, shares her journey that began with her son's rare diagnosis at six months old and how it shaped her life into one of resilience, advocacy, and redefining what "normal" means for her family. Key Takeaways: 1. Embracing Unique Challenges: Wendy talk...

Send us Fan Mail Introduction: Hi there, and welcome to today's episode. We are looking at busting some myths about making time for your goals as a special needs mom. Let's get to it! Episode Overview: As special needs moms, caregiving is rewarding but also exhausting. It's easy to feel like there's no time left for our own goals and dreams. However, the idea that you must sacr...

Send us Fan Mail Dr. Lisa Campbell is the author of Grow With Me, a book in which she shares her journey of resilience and perseverance, and introduces her daughter Jasmine in chapter 3. Dr. Campbell intimately understands the power of resilience firsthand. Dr. Campbell's first public discussion on being a special needs mom beyond her book. Jasmine was born prematurely in 1992 with profound h...

Send us Fan Mail Title: Strategies for Raising Independent Children Episode Description: In this episode, Valerie sits down with Cheryll, a dedicated mother of two sons with Joubert syndrome. They dive deep into the challenges and triumphs of raising children with special needs, discussing the importance of focusing on abilities rather than limitations. Cheryll passionately shares her philosophy t...

Send us Fan Mail Creating a Future with Intention Episode Summary: Welcome to today’s episode where we delve into the power of quotes and personal stories. Your host Valerie shares five impactful quotes, each followed by reflections and personal anecdotes that illustrate their significance. Quotes Shared: "You can't pour from an empty cup." - Anonymous Emphasis on the importance of...

Send us Fan Mail Show Notes: Shelley Guess is a Licensed Professional Counselor and PhD-Candidate in Las Colinas, TX. She has been working as a therapist for over a decade, and is the owner and founder of Hope Connects Counseling, PLLC, a mental health group private practice. She is also the owner of Hope Connects Consulting, a mental health consulting firm. Shelley is the younger sister of Brian...

Send us Fan Mail Episode Title: Emotions and mom guilt with Dr. Yameika Head Episode Number: 38 Episode Summary:   This week’s special guest, Dr. Yameika Head shares her special needs journey with her deaf daughter, mom guilt and the den of despair. From embracing vulnerability to balancing professional and personal roles, Dr. Head shares her personal experiences and professional insights to provi...

Send us Fan Mail Rebecca Vitsmun is an autistic author living with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) and Congenital Stationary Night Blindness. (CSNB from a mutation at my SLC24a1). In 2015 Rebecca was awarded the Humanist Visionary award. In 2016 she was awarded the Atheist Impact Award recipient. Rebecca is the Secretary of the Board of LymeTV and volunteers through many local organizati...

Send us Fan Mail In today's episode we'll delve into the importance of being fully present in our daily lives.  Understanding Presence: Being present means consciously directing our attention to the here and now, immersing ourselves fully without judgment. Benefits include reducing stress, improving relationships, enhancing happiness, and improving physical health. Overcoming Distraction...

Send us Fan Mail I ntroduction:  Lisa Tschudi is the host of "Love Doesn't Pay the Bills", where she explores the role of family caregivers in the modern United States through personal stories and interviews with leaders. Lisa is a parent of a young adult with disabilities and direct support professional. She co-founded a podcast production company in order to work from home flexibl...

Send us Fan Mail Introduction:  Susanna Peace Lovell is an advocate for disability families, dedicated to the health and wellness of special needs families everywhere. She is a speaker, autism expert, author, certified professional life coach, and Reiki practitioner. Susanna received her BA from UC Berkeley and is a certified professional life coach and advocate, committed to helping others find j...

Send us Fan Mail Introduction: Lisa Arbeau is a dedicated mother to her son with autism and her daughter with ADHD, passionately helping her children navigate life's challenges, balancing her roles as a loving parent and a skilled dental hygienist.  Lisa resides in Nova Scotia, Canada, with her husband Kelly, her two children and their retired service dog, Earl. Aside from her roles as a devo...

Send us Fan Mail Join us for an inspiring conversation with Jessica Patay, founder of "We Are Brave Together," as she discusses her upcoming book highlighting the stories of caregiving moms. Jessica shares her passion for elevating the voices of caregivers and the importance of validation and support in the caregiving journey.  Introduction to Jessica and her organization, "We Are B...

Send us Fan Mail Title: Mom guilt is real Summary: In this solo episode, Valerie, the host of Special Needs Moms Circle of Strength outlines five key steps to break the chains of guilt by acknowledging it, reframing perspective, setting boundaries, releasing perfectionism, and practicing self-compassion. Key Points: Introduction: Valerie introduces the episode, emphasizing the importance of acknow...

Send us Fan Mail Introduction: Jorunn Liland, lives in Norway with her two kids, husband and their dog. As an occupational therapist specializing in mental health for the past two decades, Jorunn embarked on a new journey twelve years ago when her child was born profoundly deaf. This unexpected turn prompted Jorunn to navigate through shock and unfamiliar territory. Over the years, Jorunn's f...

Send us Fan Mail Introduction: Angela O’Brien is a mom of 2, professional organizer, Enneagram coach, and host of the podcast, 'Especially Organized: Sensible Solutions for Special Needs Moms.'  After spending 18 years raising her kids and advocating for her daughter, who has Down Syndrome, Angela took her love of home organizing and turned it into a business where she speaks to, and coa...

Send us Fan Mail Could you leave a review on Apple? I would so appreciate it! Dr. Katia Fredriksen 's graduate research focused on health behaviors, including sleep and substance use. Dr. Fredriksen completed her post-doctoral training at a private practice in the Boston area, where she focused on autism, genetic disorders, learning disorders, and attention and executive functioning in a pedi...

Send us Fan Mail Introduction: ●      Topic: Handling Teenage Outbursts  - I didn't do so well!   Incident at Home: ●      Valerie shoveling snow due to husband's back injury. ●      Neighbor interruption while rushing to church. ●      Teenager at home unnoticed. ●      Valerie asks teen to finish shoveling. ●      Teen has emotional outburst.   Understanding Teenage Behavior: ●      Te...

Send us Fan Mail SHOW NOTES Special guest introduction:  Daffany Nance, a motivational speaker and coach, is introduced. Daffany has dedicated her life to serving individuals with special needs and is the founder of Loving Life Today. Daffany's Background: Daffany's experience and passion for supporting families with special needs are highlighted. She is recognized as an award-winning sp...

Send us Fan Mail Kelley's Unique Trait: - Kelley shares her love for spelling bees and drinking tea, highlighting her occasional fun side. Kelley's Special Needs Mom Journey: - Kelley discusses her journey as a mother of two boys, one of whom, Aaron, has multiple disabilities. - Details Aaron's various diagnoses, including cerebral palsy, autism, epilepsy, cortical vision impairment...

Send us Fan Mail SHOW NOTES I ntroduction: ●      Ghada introduces herself as a mom of two kids with special needs: one with Asperger's and the other with autism ●      Expresses gratitude for her children and how they've changed her for the better  Ghada's Children: ●      Daughter is 22 and in college, daughter with Asperger's ●      Son is 20, son with autism, always going t...