The Special Needs Mom Podcast

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!) This week's guest, Shelley Frappier, is a friend, single mother and former Pathway to Peace member. We talk all about her experience in Pathway to Peace, how she learned to connect with her feelings and how that one tool changed the trajectory of her life. She decided that she no longer wanted to be "unhappily...

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!) Here we are, talking about anxiety again, because fear and worry are a regular part of our lives as special needs moms. I have to say, I feel like a bit of an imposter, because this is an area I still work on all of the time. On this solo episode, I am going to share a tool that I've created for us, to make managing...

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!) Are the endless tasks of motherhood, career & relationships leaving you buried under a pile of planners and post-it notes? Megan Sumrell, a life planning expert, CEO & founder of Pink Bee, joins me to talk about productivity and how we need to plan differently in order to live balanced and fulfilled lives. She br...

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!) We all have a giant stack of papers that are taunting us. The physical and mental to do's posted everywhere. The phone calls to make and the errands to run. It all piles up and we are left feeling anxious and frenetic. I had a morning this week where it all hit me at once, and I had to get myself back to center befo...

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!) I am honored to share today's episode with Donna Letier, co-founder and CEO of Gardenuity. Donna is a business woman, mother of two, advocate and caregiver for one of her daughter's and a genuinely kind human. She lives and breathes helping others through the power of nature and aims to make gardening accessibl...

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!) In this episode, Kara gets vulnerable and shares about how she is reintegrating into her life after her son's unexpected ten day hospital stay. Her hope as you listen is that you will remember that you are not alone in the balancing act of survival mode and living a whole hearted life. We are all walking this windin...

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!) As a fellow traveler on the path of special needs motherhood, I found a kindred spirit in Effie Parks, a standout voice in the rare disease community who sat down with me for an honest, empowering conversation. Effie and I explore the sensitive topic of language and how it is used in our caregiving and advocacy. We chall...

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!) In this episode, we wrap up our series dedicated to trauma and how to cope with life's uncertainty. Learn how to harness the power of sensory grounding, strategic breath work, and even the right expression of anger to guide your nervous system back to a state of calm and presence. Each strategy we discuss is a step...

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!) As a parent raising a child with special needs, we experience unusual amounts of chronic trauma. Trauma therapist Meghann Crane-Russ, LCSW, PMH-C, is back this week, guiding us through the science and mechanisms behind our primal response to trauma. Strap in as we explore the complex terrain of the human brain, and prepa...

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!) Discover the hidden & evident impacts of trauma, and the pathways to healing with Meghann Crane-Russ. Meghann is a therapist who specializes in supporting parents navigating medical complexity, medical trauma, traumatic loss and grief. Prior to private practice, she was an inpatient medical social worker in pediatric...

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!) Our brains are seeking to understand the traumatic experiences of our lives in an effort to keep us safe, both now and in the future. I can almost guarantee, if you are a special needs mom, you have experienced trauma. This trauma shakes our identity, creates false narratives about our role in it all, and disconnects us...

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!) When life hands you a narrative you never expected, where do you find the script to follow? This question lingered in my mind as Kelley Coleman, the insightful author of "Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child," joined me to share her journey and the wisdom she's encapsulated in her g...

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!) Words like 'disability', 'differently abled', and 'identity-first language' might seem interchangeable, but as we peel back the layers, the significance of each term emerges, shaped by personal experiences and societal perceptions. The episode casts a light on the journey of understanding an...

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!) When the weight of perfectionism feels like a lead cloak, it's the raw, honest stories that can lift it off our shoulders. That's exactly what Kristin Faith Evans brings to our table this week, as we navigate the deeply personal terrain of motherhood to children with special needs. Her voice, a blend of vulnera...

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!) Hello and welcome to the podcast.  Transitioning back to work after a break can feel like an uphill battle, even when you love what you do. My personal strategy to overcome this, involves a trio of 'C's; method I delve into with heartfelt honesty. Join me as we navigate these waters together, finding strength i...

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!) When you're balancing the world on your shoulders as a special needs mom, finding time and space for yourself can feel like an impossible puzzle. But Angela O'Brien, mother, professional organizer, and podcast host with a heart as big as her expertise, joins me to piece together the jigsaw of life, proving that...

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!) Hello and welcome to the podcast. As the dawn of a new year breaks, I'm filled with renewed hope and the pleasure of revisiting an episode that remains close to my heart, featuring the indomitable Anna Brown. Through the lens of raising a nonverbal child, we discuss the profound lesson of releasing control and the i...

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!) Feeling the holiday rush? Let me pull you aside for a moment of candid reflection; because, let's face it, the festive season can be equal parts enchanting and exhausting. In this heart-to-heart, I bare my soul about the upcoming winter break, sharing the joy and the jittery nerves as my husband and I put a new spin...

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!) Hello and welcome to the podcast. As the twinkle of holiday lights begins to shimmer, the weight of coordinating a festive season that embraces the needs of our special children can feel like a tangled string of bulbs. This heartfelt episode invites you into our circle of mothers, including the candid voices of Brooke, E...

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!) Hello and welcome to the podcast. In this episode, I'm sharing 5 things that have been game-changers in my life recently! Listen in as I talk practical strategies from meal planning, and therapy support, to even mindset shifts that can help you reclaim your peace during this busy period. Lastly, I share five transfo...

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!) Experience a journey that navigates the thin line between despair and hope.  We open our hearts to you, sharing the intimate moments of fear and struggle, and the glimmers of hope that served as our lifeline. Feel the terror of entrusting our precious Ryan to a stranger's care, and the relief washing over us as we r...

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!) Are you losing sleep over your child's restless nights? You're not alone. I'm thrilled to share with you a conversation brimming with wisdom, insights, and practical tips from pediatric sleep consultant, Alison Egidi. She's not just an expert in her field, but also a mother who's walked the path...

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!) Hello and welcome to the podcast. Feeling overwhelmed and struggling to find gratitude in the midst of managing life as a special needs mom? Let's unpack those feelings together. In this special Thanksgiving episode, we're taking a deep-dive into the concept of "defending gratitude." We'll explor...

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!) Do you ever feel unprepared to manage nursing care at home? Picture yourself juggling conflict, setting clear communication, and ensuring your child's safety without losing your peace of mind. Well, you're not alone. Join us as we dive deep into the world of home nursing care with our guests, the remarkable Car...

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!) Ever thought about the life of a mom navigating the world of special needs nursing care? Here, we bring you a heartwarming and enlightening conversation with two incredible women, Kara and Kasey, who are living this reality every day. We journey with them from the moment their children's diagnosis altered their live...