Live Well. Love Strong.

What does it truly mean to be an ally in the disability community? In this episode of the Live Well, Love Strong podcast, Sarah sits down with Tim “Dash Gordon” Glover, founder of the Dash Gordon Foundation, to talk about how a simple idea while DoorDashing unexpectedly turned into a powerful movement supporting individuals with disabilities and their families. Dash shares the story of how putting...

What is it like to grow up knowing you may one day become your sibling’s caregiver? In this episode of the  Live Well. Love Strong. Podcast , Sarah sits down with author, advocate, and nonprofit director  Amanda Owen  to talk about the sibling perspective in disability families. Amanda shares her experience growing up with her brother Nick, who has a rare chromosomal disability, and the emotional...

Caregivers often experience a kind of grief that few people talk about. In this episode, therapist and mom  Amanda Griffith-Atkins  joins us to discuss  ambiguous grief , the kind of grief that happens when someone you love is still here, but life looks very different than you imagined. Amanda shares her journey raising her son with  Prader-Willi Syndrome  and explains why caregivers often feel gu...

In this episode of Live Well. Love Strong., Sarah sits down with Tammy and Teri from Special Strong and Special Strong West Houston, an adaptive fitness program designed to support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. After years of working in education and serving families in the special needs community, they recognized a gap. Traditional gyms are often not designed with...

Navigating disability services in Texas can be confusing, exhausting, and far more complex than families expect. In this episode, Sarah Washington is joined by advocates and autism moms  Tenika Combs (Got Advocacy)  and  Angela Kimble for a practical and honest conversation about Medicaid waivers, Social Security Disability, LIDDA intake, and what supports are available as children transition into...

Caregiving can train your nervous system to live on high alert, even on a “routine” Tuesday. In this episode of Live Well, Love Strong, Sarah sits down with  Keri Aschoff, LPC , a trauma-informed therapist and fellow mom, to talk about what caregiver anxiety and burnout really look like in the body and what actually helps. Keri shares her family’s story of her daughter collapsing at a homecoming d...

This episode is heavy. And it is real. We talk openly about aggressive behaviors, self-injury, and property destruction. We also talk about the moment many caregivers quietly reach, when love, patience, and grit are no longer enough on their own. Our guest,  Jaime Hrobar , shares her journey navigating neuro-behavioral centers, advocating fiercely for her child, and finding a plan that finally bro...

When Sarah first met family nurse practitioner and homeopath Peggy Chipkin, she was a young mom in New Orleans with a baby in distress, a lot of tears, and not many answers. In this episode, Peggy joins Live Well. Love Strong. to share what homeopathy is, how it works, and why it has been such a powerful tool for families like Sarah’s. Peggy explains how homeopathy looks at the whole person, inclu...

In this conversation, Sarah sits down with Garia Moore, a mom whose strength and honesty have inspired countless families in the disability community. Garia shares her journey raising her son Sebastian, who was born early and later diagnosed with cerebral palsy. She talks about navigating early intervention, fighting for the right educational placements, and trusting her intuition even when the sy...

In this episode, Sarah talks with Rachel Worden, founder of Little Dandelion Press and mom to Moira, about the journey that reshaped the way she sees childhood, vision, and learning. Rachel shares how her daughter’s CVI and rare genetic condition set her on a path she never expected, from searching for answers to creating books that finally made sense for her child. Rachel opens up about the early...

Sarah sits down with her longtime mentor, Paige Siemers, for a candid and heartfelt conversation about caregiving, friendship, and finding yourself again in the middle of a life you never planned for. Paige talks about the early days of raising her daughter, the moms who helped her, and how she learned to listen, guide, and show up for others. Sarah shares how their relationship helped her move th...

Carol Keefe joins us to talk about the  Anat Baniel Method®  and how movement, awareness, and neuroplasticity can transform lives. She shares her journey into this work and how parents can use these simple, effective tools to support children with special needs. Explore how small, mindful movements can rewire the brain and create real, lasting change. Learn more:  anatbanielmethod.com Parent Child...

When Julie Bombacino’s son AJ was placed on a feeding tube at just six months old, she found herself in an unfamiliar world of formulas, fear, and frustration. What began as one mom’s search for a better way to nourish her child turned into Real Food Blends, a movement that redefined what feeding tube nutrition could look like. In this heartfelt conversation, Sarah and Julie talk about motherhood,...

In this inspiring episode, Sarah sits down with health coaches and wellness leaders Allie Mazzapica and Catherine Slaydon to talk about what it really takes to create lasting healthy habits. From losing over 40 to 50 pounds to keeping the weight off for years, these women share their stories of transformation, discipline, and grace. Allie reveals the simple systems that keep her consistent, from p...

In this episode of  Live Well, Love Strong , Sarah sits down with friend and fellow mama Kendall Knight, for a heartfelt conversation about embodiment, yoga, and creating space to truly come home to yourself. Kendall shares her journey into yoga, why she founded  Home Yoga , and how slowing down allowed her to reconnect with her body and spirit. Together, Sarah and Kendall reflect on motherhood, s...

In this episode, Sarah is joined by her friend Candace to reflect on the poem  Welcome to Holland  and the ways it speaks to the journey of parenting children with disabilities. Together, they share personal insights, moments of honesty, and encouragement for families learning to embrace a path that looks different than expected. Through their conversation, Sarah and Candace show how this poem con...

In this episode of  Live Well. Love Strong. , Sarah sits down with Dr. Sarat Susarla, a pediatric pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist at Houston Specialty Clinic. For more than a decade, Dr. Susarla has cared for children like Sarah’s daughter, Mary Elizabeth, with both medical expertise and uncommon compassion. They talk about his journey into pediatric pulmonology, the importance of comm...

In this episode of the  Live Well, Love Strong  podcast, Sarah welcomes back Kelley Coleman, author of  Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child: Your Guide to the Essential Systems, Services, and Supports . Kelley shares her journey from working in Hollywood to navigating life as a mom raising children, including a son with disabilities. Together, Sarah and Kelley explore the...

In this week’s episode of the  Live Well, Love Strong  podcast, Sarah welcomes Lori and Rooster Rossiter, proud parents and leaders with  Ainsley’s Angels of America . Together, they share the powerful story of their daughter Ainsley, how her life and joy inspired a nationwide movement, and the ways families and communities can experience true inclusion through running. The Rossiters open up about...

Meet Kelley Coleman, your new BFF who shows up with a labelmaker, a mission, and really good snacks. Kelley is a feature film development executive turned author and advocate for parent caregivers and individuals with disabilities. Her book  Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child  is a practical guide to the essential systems, services, and supports families need. In this epi...

In this episode of  Live Well, Love Strong , Sarah welcomes Paige Siemers, a wife, mom, counselor in training, and former teacher with a heart for serving the disability community. As the parent of a child with a disability, Paige shares openly about both the overwhelming challenges and the beauty of the caregiving journey. After 27 years in education, she now focuses on helping families build emo...

n this episode of  Live Well Love Strong , Sarah Washington sits down with  Mary Ann Hughes , certified special needs divorce coach, mediator, parenting coordinator, and founder of  Special Family Transitions . Drawing from her own experience as a mother to two sons on the autism spectrum, Mary Ann shares how an unexpected divorce led her to create a service dedicated to helping parents navigate t...

In this episode of  Live Well Love Strong , we sit down with Dr. Paul Harch, a leading expert in  Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) , to explore how this life-changing treatment is giving hope to families facing neurological disorders, traumatic brain injuries, autism, and more. Dr. Harch explains the concept of  idling neurons  — brain cells that are alive but not functioning — and how HBOT can he...

In this episode, we sit down with Allison Hill, a disability advocate, writer, and founder of Harvesting Hope Acres. With a master’s in special and elementary education, Allison brings years of experience in both professional and volunteer disability ministry. She is the author of  Jacob’s Special Power  and a regular contributor to Autism Speaks, Autism Parenting Magazine, and her heartfelt blog,...

I had the privilege of speaking with Dr. Lisa Graham-Garza, a remarkable mother and advocate, for my podcast recently. Lisa's journey as a mother to Tyler, an adult son with autism, is nothing short of inspiring. We delved into the complexities of special needs parenting, particularly the constant demands of therapies and the relentless race to “heal.” But, perhaps what struck me most during our c...