Shows
The Special Needs Mom PodcastShifting from Summer to StableSend us a textIn this episode we delve into the transition from the chaos of summer to the stability of fall. I candidly share my own struggles during the summer, particularly around unmet needs for my disabled son, Levi, and offer hope and practical advice for making this seasonal shift smoother for special needs families like mine.I introduce the concept of “closing the last chapter” before moving forward and emphasize the importance of intentional reflection on the summer season. By assessing what worked, what didn’t, and what can be done differently, I encour...2024-08-1433 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastSummer Sabbath & My Challenge for YouSend us a textIt's the launch of our summer sabbath series! Kara discusses how summer will look different on the pod over the summer months and invites you to join her in her season of rest. The episode ends with some "extra credit" for you to get you through change of pace that having our kiddos out of school creates.Get The Special Needs Mom Survival Pack HEREConnect with Kara, host of The Special Needs Mom Podcast:Instagram...2024-06-1916 min
The Special Needs Mom Podcast200th Episode Celebration: Your Questions AnsweredSend us a textHere we are, we've reached 200 episodes! What an exciting milestone! Let's celebrate by getting deep and taking questions from you, my beloved community and friends. The questions range from deeply personal to practical and logistical. Even my kids weigh in. Thank you to everyone who messaged or commented with your questions. Much, much appreciated!Resources from this episode:Becoming Brave Together - Anthology with contributing author Kara RyskaOur YouTube channel now has video (but not this week)Wild Edge of Sorrow by Francis Weller2024-05-2946 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastThe Shadow Side of Being Strong: A Personal StorySend us a textIn 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 winding road together. Get The Special Needs Mom Survival Pack HEREConnect with Kara, host of The Special Needs Mom Podcast:2024-03-2010 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastCarrying the Heavy Emotional Load of Special Needs Nursing Care with Carrie Holt & Kacie Craig, Part 1 of 2Send us a textEver 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 lives, to the trials and triumphs they experience in their daily lives now. This candid conversation provides an in-depth look at the world of caregiving, including the emotional impact of nursing care, managing family dynamics, and balancing work and caregiving....2023-11-0837 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastRedefining Rest for Special Needs MomsSend us a textHello and welcome to the podcast. Have you ever felt that conventional idea of rest just doesn't recharge you? It's time to redefine rest, especially for us, the special needs moms. This episode unravels the different facets of rest and how it can be uniquely tailored to meet your needs. Full Show NotesConnect with Kara, host of The Special Needs Mom Podcast:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thespecialneedsmompodcast/Website: https://www.kararyska.com/2023-09-0625 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastHolding Onto Your Truths in Tough Times with Amy NeyerSend us a textEver wondered what it's like to be a special needs mom? This episode is a heart-to-heart with Amy Neyer, a physical therapist and a mother to a child with medical complexities. Our conversation touches on the emotional journey that comes with managing a child's medical complexities, from navigating healthcare challenges to finding a suitable diet for her son. Amy candidly shares her experiences, including dealing with feelings of guilt and shame, and the constant advocacy required when interacting with medical professionals.Connect with AmyIG: https://instagram...2023-08-3054 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastI Miss the SoldierSend us a textHello and welcome back to the podcast. This week is a totally different type of episode, but I wanted to share it, regardless. I am reading a piece I wrote about the struggles I have been facing. We are in a time of treatment being over, the recent hospital stays behind us, but also in a time of unknown and uncertainty about how to move forward. I hope this can resonate with you or someone you know. And I want others to know they are not alone in these feelings. It is...2022-06-0207 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastDo You Accept the Responsibility with Cara LewisSend us a textHello listeners. Cara Lewis is our guest with week. Cara has a son with a rare genetic condition, most common to boys, ATR-X syndrome. She speaks about the rocky road they've had with her sons many diagnoses and symptoms, steps she's coined in the special needs mom journey, and the importance of being connected with others. Here are the steps the Cara has mapped out for special needs moms:1) Realizing you are a special needs parent. It will be overwhelming and confusing to figure out what works for your family. 2022-05-2650 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastCreating a Summer That Works for YouSend us a textHello listeners and welcome back. This week on the podcast I’m talking about being proactive to create a summer that works for your children and YOU! 1) it’s about offense, not defense. Take some time now to build and create what you want. Pull back and look at the bigger picture of your summer and what would work for you and your children. 2) After you have a general idea what you want, make your ideal schedule. This can be by months, weeks or days or all the above. Write i...2022-05-1928 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastWho am I Now with Rachel AlvesSend us a textHello listeners and welcome back to the podcast. This week, I have Rachel Alves as a guest. Rachel is mom to a daughter, Audrey, who has a rare gene mutation called CASK. Rachel is involved in her daughter’s diagnosis and that community, she’s fond of therapy and is working on who she can become now. Her daughters diagnosis is very rare and they quickly volunteered to be part of research study on her daughters cask mutation. That really set things into motion for Rachel to dig into her role as a spe...2022-05-121h 00The Special Needs Mom PodcastWhen Your Story Gets DisruptedSend us a textHello listeners and welcome back to the podcast. This week I’m talking about what happens when our story gets disrupted. Likely, we all feel this way about diagnosis, a relationship ending or some other trauma in our lives. What narrative do you tell yourself in this special needs mom life when story you thought you were going to have gets disrupted. “I’m going to be tied down forever. ““I can’t bring more children into this life.” “I won’t ever be happy again.”“I can’t do this.” “Go...2022-05-0519 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastStronger One Day at a Time with Courtnay SchadtleSend us a textWelcome back listeners. This week, I am here with guest Courtnay Schadtle who is a mom of one. Courtnay is still new in the special needs mom journey, but she has a great way of taking things as they come and staying positive.Courtnay shares about her early days after her daughters birth and how she still carries some guilt and shame about how she feels her body let her down in regards to carrying her daughter to term and keeping her safe and healthy. Courtnay tells us that...2022-04-2841 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastBest of 2020: Easy Self Compassion with Kaitlyn McCartySend us a textThis week I am taking a step back to deal with what life is throwing at us. I am bringing back an episode from the early weeks of the podcast. It’s the episode with Kaitlyn McCarty. Her daughter has challenges because of severe ADHD and learning disabilities. Kaitlyn and I discuss the need to expand and grow ourselves as we parent our children and talk about changing the expectation we had for our children and our own lives as an opening to accept the life we have. It’s so powerful!Kait...2022-04-211h 05The Special Needs Mom PodcastThe Mother's Day Card ProjectSend us a textHello listeners! This week’s episode, I am introducing a project I am so excited about. I had an epiphany last year on Mother’s Day, when one of my children gave me an empty card. I feel like I give so much for this child and it can be so challenging. I wanted some acknowledgment and I’m not afraid to say that aloud. So this year, I am doing a project with moms. Any mom: new mom, veteran mom, bereaved mom, is welcome to participate! What will...2022-04-1421 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastNew Home, New Energy with Jennifer DeisSend us a textHello and welcome back to the podcast. This week, I am joined by Jennifer Deis. She is mom to three, one of her sons has educational disabilities. Jennifer and I are old friends who have rekindled over the last year, so this episode is extra fun and special for both of us.Jennifer explains her story about becoming a special-needs mom and it was a bumpy road. She says that her son was actually an overachiever before going into kindergarten and after a rocky first year and into his second, the...2022-04-0747 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastTrade in Those Fears for the New PossibilitiesSend us a textThis weeks episode is all about tapping into the way your brain thinks about new things. New is inherently scary and let’s face it, it may seem easier to stay in the comfort zone. However, that is our brains way of tricking us! Our brains are using the technique of prediction, what it knows to force us into feeling certain ways about the future. Even if these conclusions are false. When it comes to new things, we actually do not have all the information to know what will happen, even thou...2022-03-3122 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastDone Being a Hidden Community with Angela ToddSend us a textHello listeners! This week I have guest, Angela Todd in the show. Angela describes herself as a person who’s done at all, but not in a good way. She’s been through fertility treatments, a spousal separation, two pre-term births and child loss; just to list a few. During this conversation, Angela and I talk about how we as special needs moms cannot be the only ones talking about the struggles we’re having and how we need more of a place and a voice in today’s world. We also t...2022-03-2449 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastWorld Down Syndrome Day and Sharing Hope for Everyone with Crystal AndersonSend us a textHello listeners, this week I have guest Crystal Anderson. She is a mom of 3, one of her sons has Down Syndrome. Crystal shares her story from the beginning, when they found out from genetic testing, that their in-utero baby was a son and had down syndrome. She also shares how the news wasn’t as tough because she had worked with the down syndrome community from many years and knew the possibilities for people that had down syndrome. Crystal and I both agree that service to others and to our...2022-03-1741 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastBook Club: Recommended Reading for All SeasonsSend us a textHello Listeners! Welcome back to the podcast. This week, I want to share some of my favorite books with you. I’ve split these books into categories: -Hospital Reads-Personal Growth-Trauma +Recovery - Processing EmotionsI also have created a beautiful document with the complete lists and I’d love to send it to you! Click here so I can email you the book list!Get The Special Needs Mom Survival Pack HERE...2022-03-1022 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastToxic PositivitySend us a textThis weeks episode is shedding some light on toxic positivity. I think we all have experienced this in one way or another although we may not realize it. It looks like someone saying, “Everything will be okay” or “You need to focus on the positive!” While I will never underestimate the power of hope and positive thinking, it becomes toxic when others (or even you) are using positivity to cover up negative emotions or events in our lives. We have to have a balance and be able to feel the wide range of...2022-03-0326 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastLearning to Listen to Your Own Desires with Bonnie O'NeilSend us a text077: Welcome back to the Special Needs Mom podcast. Today I have guest, Bonnie O’Neil. Bonnie is a mom to 3, one if her children having type 1 diabetes. She also has an intense background with her own childhood and the disease. Bonnie is also an author and a spiritual director. Bonnie was born into a family that had previously lost a son to the sudden, undiagnosed, onset of diabetes. She lives in fear of this disease her whole childhood and into early adulthood. After finally moving forward without fear, she was blindsided by h...2022-02-2447 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastHaving Impermissible Thoughts About Your Special Needs ChildSend us a text076: Welcome back, listeners. Today i want to talk about all those taboo thoughts we just ignore or push to the back of our mind. Have you ever thought or said things you'd consider impermissible about your special needs child? Chances are you have and so have many other moms.The first thing I want to explain is, there are no bad feelings or thoughts. Just bad actions. It's okay to think a certain thing and neveract on those thoughts. Then I want you to notice if you're judging yourself or feeling g...2022-02-1723 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastParenting Differently When You Expect a Shorter Life with Daniel DeFabioSend us a text075: Welcome back to the Special Needs Mom podcast. Today I’m doing something totally different and I have a dad on the show with us. Daniel comes to us with the unique circumstances of losing his special needs son 18 months ago. Daniel is very involved in the film industry and has started a channel (to download on streaming devices) to raise awareness for rare disorders! In this episode, we talk about how to cope with internal conflicts and personal relationships after receiving such a tough diagnosis and a short life expectancy. Dan...2022-02-1056 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastPart III: The Recovery --The Real, the Raw and the Relatable Behind the Scenes of Our Surgery and RecoverySend us a textHello listeners and welcome to part three of the series I have been doing about our experience with Levi’s recent surgery and the recovery process. This week I am focusing on my personal recovery process. I want to emphasize that I feel like I was in survival mode and I reference the Polyvagal theory which talks about fight/flight and freeze when you’re in extreme physical or emotional circumstances. I recognize in hindsight that I was coming out of the freeze phase of this and it is not a smoot...2022-02-0331 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastPart II: Self Evaluation--The Real, the Raw and the Relatable Behind the Scenes of Our Surgery and RecoverySend us a text073: Hello moms and listeners! I’m back this week with part 2 in the series where I reflect on our recent experiences with Levi’s surgery and recovery. This episode, I’m focusing on what worked, what didn’t work and what I would do differently. Check back next week for part 3 of this series. Sign up link for The Special Needs Mom Podcast COMMUNITY.Get The Special Needs Mom Survival Pack HEREConnec...2022-01-2730 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastPart I: The Emotional Process and Surgery Prep--The Real, the Raw and the Relatable Behind the Scenes of Our Surgery and RecoverySend us a text072: Hey there, listeners! His week's episode is part one in a series all about preparing for, living in, and moving last Levi’s most recent surgery. I wanted to give some real and relatable content for moms out there who may be going through similar circumstances. I want to start by sharing how we felt like everyone, including the doctors and ourselves, where minimizing the situation. I was especially felt the huge loss of control over the whole situation and I was taking control in any way I could during this tim...2022-01-2037 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastIs Together Really Always Better with Courtney HightowerSend us a textHello listeners and welcome back to the podcast. This week, I have special guest Courtney Hightower. She is a mom to 6 ranging in ages 4-16. Courtney and I started talking in the comments on one of my posts and just knew this could be a conversation to benefit all special needs moms. Is it okay if being together isn’t actually better? As families that have children with special needs, sometimes they can’t or don’t want to do the same adventures and activities as the rest of the family. Courtney and I d...2022-01-1350 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastStaying on the Same Team as your Spouse with Dan RyskaSend us a text070: Hello Listeners and Happy New Year. This is my first episode of 2022 and it’s a special one. This week was our 18th wedding anniversary and I wanted to finally bring my husband, Dan on as a guest! Dan and I talk about how important it is to be vocal with each other as well as carrying to load together. We like to think we are doing a good job in our marriage and it does help us parent our special needs child better. I hope you enjoy this sp...2022-01-0642 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastGiving Yourself the Gift of RestSend us a textHi listeners and happy holidays! I wanted to check in with you this week and encourage you to listen to yourself and be sure to give yourself rest, if you can! I’ll be taking off a week from the podcast and I will be back on January 6th. I couldn’t preach to mamas to take care of themselves and not stop to take some time for me and my family. I truly wish you peace and joy for your holidays! Chat in the new year! 2021-12-2307 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastSetting Boundaries During the HolidaysSend us a textHey listeners, this episode I want to help you set yourself up for success. During the holiday season, there are so many activities, plans and gatherings with family and friends. It is really easy to get overwhelmed and feel triggered. Boundaries are a way to create a safe environment, physically or emotionally for ourselves and as special needs mom, also our children. The idea of these boundaries is to control yourself and not other people. Make the requests about you and honor your feelings and desires this year. 2021-12-1619 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastHope as a Way of BeingSend us a textHey there! This week I am bringing you a conversation about hope. I want to be clear that the kind of hope I’m talking about refers to things that have a reasonable chance of happening. It’s hard as special needs moms to let ourselves have hope for things, but living in that hope can make us take actions towards the outcome. When we hope we connect to our desire and we believe it is possible. Whether this leads us to doing therapies or having positive attitudes or encouraging our child...2021-12-0926 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastChoose Your Hard with Francesca CollinsSend us a text066: Hello listeners. This week I am having a conversation with Francesca Collins. She’s a homesteader who lives in a 400 sq ft home with her special needs daughter, Emery and husband. Francesca shares how she’s been listening to the podcast from the beginning and I’m so glad she reached out to be to be on it. Her favorite saying is “choose your hard” and I love that. Sometimes as special needs moms, all the options are hard and you just have to choose which one you’d rather do. Franc...2021-12-0254 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastIf the Gratitude Isn't ComingSend us a text065: Hello listeners, and Happy Thanksgiving. This week, I want to chat about gratitude and finding the beauty in life. I’m in that place where I’m trying to recover from our recent tumor return and hospitalization. After listening to a favorite podcast and reflecting on it, I was reminded again that we can find the beauty in anything. Our children, nature, the little things… this beauty reminds us that good can exist in any circumstance and good prevails over evil. This can help us find gratitude when we may be lacking. F...2021-11-2417 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastCaring for Yourself During a CrisisSend us a textHello listeners! This episode I am taking about how to take care of yourself during a crisis! Yes, I know you often feel like you’re last on the list during tough times, especially as a special needs mom. Just hear me out!A crisis can be many things, medical, marital, financial or even spiritual. It’s some situation or event that puts us operating in a “business NOT as usual” mentality. In order to help yourself during these times, it’s important to declare a state of crisis and then co...2021-11-1835 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastResisting What Is and A Funny Coffee StorySend us a textEp 63: Hello and welcome to the podcast. This week is a quick episode addressing some of our family updates. I also touch on resisting what is happening in your life and how to move past these feelings, while still addressing them. Episode 55 for more back story. Ryska CaringBridge PageGet The Special Needs Mom Survival Pack HEREConnect with Kara, host of The Special Needs Mom Podcast:Instagram: https://www.i...2021-11-1128 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastFinding Comfort in Journaling and Art with Kelli McIntoshSend us a text062: Hello listeners and welcome back to the Podcast. In today’s episode, Kelli McIntosh shares about how she’s coped with being a special needs mom; through many years without an actual diagnosis. Kelli is a mom of two, very close in age, children. She had normal fears of welcoming another baby so soon, but also those fears were compounded with her sons challenges. She shares that for 14(!) years they didn’t have a diagnosis for her son and she was hesitant to even get that final diagnosis. Kelli shares that it has b...2021-11-0445 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastHaving Your Own Back with Charmaine FullerSend us a text061: Hello listeners. This week I have guest, Charmaine Fuller, to talk with me about her experiences and advice for special needs moms. She calls herself an OG special needs mom, as her oldest child is 20. We have some laughs and insights in our conversation. Charmaine is a fellow coach and shares what works for her when it comes to trying to balance her life. She wants to emphasize that balance doesn’t mean all things have to be done or done equally. Charmaine says to think of your structure or schedule as...2021-10-2853 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastInvisible Parenting with Nicole HolcombSend us a text060: Hey there listeners. This week I have guest Nicole Holcomb from Dyslexia Mom Life. She shares with us how she has been helping her daughter and other families through their dyslexia challenges. Nicole explains about invisible parenting. This concept involves all the things mom (or dads) do that no one realizes. It can be easy to get overwhelmed and feel lonely in these moments. Nicole shares about her daughters journey through finding her diagnosis of dyslexia and the adjustments they’ve made along the way. She also tells me ho...2021-10-211h 05The Special Needs Mom PodcastSilly Chats with the Star of the Show (Surgery Day)Send us a text059: Hi listeners. This episode was a fun way to bring my son, Levi, on the show. Levi interviews me and I ask him a couple questions too. I hope you enjoy the laughs and sunshine that is our boy! If you want to follow along with our newest health journey, click here. Get The Special Needs Mom Survival Pack HEREConnect with Kara, host of The Special Needs Mom Podcast:Instagram...2021-10-1415 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastShifting Out of the Victim MindsetSend us a text058: Hello and welcome back to the podcast. This week is a little more of an update with how my life is going, but it’s also a good example of how you can shift your focus. I want to highlight how you can go from being the victim in life’s situations and taking responsibility back! I don’t have it all figured out, but I have some tools to help! I hope you can relate to this and find some perspective for yourself. 2021-10-0730 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastDesperate for Peace with Dafne WiswellSend us a text057: Hello listeners. This week I have Dafne Wiswell. She is a mother to three children with individual chronic illnesses and is a coach to others and families who face these struggles. Dafne gives us insight on how she has been able to find peace, despite often feeling out of control of her children’s circumstances and conditions. She relies heavily on her faith and says that healing can come in many forms, even if it’s not the way we’re expecting it. Dafne shares her views on the import...2021-09-3057 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastWorry and AnxietySend us a textHello fellow moms and listeners! This week I’m talking about a subject that is in the forefront of my life right now, worry and anxiety! I find that these two emotions/actions go hand in hand. Very often, we are worrying about something we have no control over. The list is long for special needs moms. How do you experience the feeling of worry? The feeling of anxiety? If we sit in these feelings and this place, we tend to spin ourselves even deeper into these feelings. T...2021-09-2330 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastA Personal Update and When to Seek CounselingSend us a textEp. 55: Hello listeners. This week on the podcast, I’m taking a little detour from our Back to School series to talk about some life updates. As a special needs moms, we are constantly growing and evolving. However, the news I was given a few weeks ago, had me feeling just like that mom I was 10 years ago. It scared me and I wanted to run! Right then, I knew it was time to focus and actually find that therapist I’ve been thinking about for months. Life coaches, therapi...2021-09-1619 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastSpecial Anniversary Episode: Stories, Celebration and What is to Come!Send us a text054: Happy Birthday....or is it Happy Anniversary? Either way, this episode marks the very special one-year mark of The Special Needs Mom Podcast.Today's episode is one that will surely leave you more connected to yourself, your stories, and the community of special needs moms around you. Enjoy the stories of three lovely and courageous women as they share their stories. Don't forget to send me a note and share what you connected with most on this episode AND tell me what you want to hear more of...2021-09-0917 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastBack to School: Creating Your TeamSend us a text053: Hello and welcome back to the Special Needs Mom podcast. This week I am joined by our family’s nanny, Alex. I wanted to talk about creating your support team and who better to weigh in than someone from our support team! Alex has been with our family for over three years. This year, our needs have changed and roles have shifted. Alex shares some of her recent medical journey and how she had to suddenly become on the receiving end of support. We talk about what types of people and per...2021-09-0242 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastBack to School: Transitioning Like a BossSend us a text052: Welcome back to the podcast. This week I’m starting a series about Back to School! For many of us, this is an extra stressful and somewhat unusual new school year. I encourage you to give yourself some grace as a mom and remember that this transition is allowed to be hard for you too. There are a few tricks to making this go more smoothly such as asking for help, big or small. Another way to help yourself is to keep your cup filled during this time so you have more w...2021-08-2627 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastBecoming Unstoppable Through a Tiny Cape and True Thoughts with Robyn RosenbergerSend us a textHey listeners! This week I am sharing part 2 of my conversation with Robyn Rosenberger, mom of 3 and founder & CEO of TinySuperheroes. Robyn explains that Tiny Superheroes was actually started by accident. She wanted to make a special needs child feel beautiful and special, so she made her a cape. That’s how it began and now the organization sends capes to kids all over the world. Robyn says any diagnosis because part of the mission is to bring together families and show they have a commonality. Finding this connection, big or small...2021-08-1945 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastCultivating Joy in the Nontypical Life with Robyn RosenbergerSend us a text050: Hey listeners! This week I am sharing part 1 of my conversation with Robyn Rosenberger, mom of 3 and founder & CEO of TinySuperheroes. TinySuperheroes is a company seeking to empower kids and families as they overcome illness or disability. Robyn actually isn’t a special needs mom but she clearly has a servant heart and followed her calling to helping these families and inserting herself into the special needs world. Robyn shares such a similar passion to help these special needs families. We talk about choosing joy even in life circumstances that are fille...2021-08-1234 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastDo You Have a Case of the Ya, Buts? (Taking In Compliments)Send us a text049: Welcome back to the podcast. This week let’s talk about accepting compliments this week. We often have such a hard time accepting compliments, especially when it comes to our children, because we see the REAL and the HARD and its so conflicting!We are often so hard on ourselves about what else we could be doing that we cant stop and take a step back to see that we are doing just fine and we are deserving of compliments! 2021-08-0520 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastRunning on Coffee and Hope with Kayla MonvilleSend us a text048: Welcome back to the podcast. Today I have Kayla Monville sharing about her two children with autism and how she’s working to educate others as an author. Kayla tells us that it’s never an easy or normal day in her house with two children who have autism. She is also a special education teacher and as we dive into her story she shares that not even that prepared her for being the parent she is today. We talk about how much to share about our children, mom guil...2021-07-2957 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastBONUS: My StorySend us a textYou are invited to come to the Own Your Story Workshop, Sat July 31st. This is a bonus episode where I tell my story. It's not that I don't have other stories, this is just the one I am proud of and allowed me to make a transformational shift in my life.To sign up CLICK HEREGet The Special Needs Mom Survival Pack HEREConnect with Kara, host of The Sp...2021-07-2607 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastPlaying Like a WinnerSend us a text047: Hello listeners. This week, I want you to think about the possibilities. It can be so easy to train our brains to think that something isn’t possible and then all we have is that picture of impossibility! I want you to play like a winner. Think about your favorite board game. How is your mindset when you know that it’s possible to win? You see the options. You are positive and motivated and ready to achieve your goal! This is how we should be attacking the situations thrown at us as spe...2021-07-2227 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastTaking the Power Back with Robyn GrogitskySend us a text046: Hello Listeners. Today I have Robyn Grogitsky with me. She is sharing her story about how she found answers for her daughter’s end of life diagnosis and used energy work to turn their family around. When her daughter turned 3 months old, they got many diagnosis, and were told their daughter would likely die very soon. Robyn describes how little support they had and that they didn’t choose to believe their daughter would die. She fought for second and third opinions and was looking for any surgeon who would operate and ev...2021-07-1559 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastLoosening the Comforting Grips of Control, A LIVE Coaching Call with KaylaSend us a text045: Welcome back to the Special Needs Mom Podcast. This week is a really special and different episode. I am sharing an actual coaching call with you guys. We’re just referring to her as Kayla, to keep some privacy. She reached out to me about being on the podcast and I’m so glad I had the opportunity for her to step out of her comfort zone and share this unique episode experience with you. This is a real coaching call, awkward silences, hard questions and all! I hope this gives you b...2021-07-081h 09
The Special Needs Mom PodcastIt’s as Simple as Providing Opportunities with Leylani CardosoSend us a text044: Hello and welcome back. This week I am speaking with Leylani Cardoso. She is a mom of two and her 18 year old has Down Syndrome. Leylani shares her positive outlook on this diagnosis and she’s had years of experience to go off of. She starts by sharing with me how devastated they were when Sophia was born and diagnosed. She said she wished they had spent less time worried about milestones and what would be stereotypical and had spent more time just being with Sophia and making memories. Leyl...2021-07-0149 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastMaking DecisionsSend us a text043: Hey listeners, this week is a solo episode to give you some guts when it comes to making decisions! We all have our own ways and reasons for avoiding it, but I want to uncomplicate making decisions. When we are avoiding making decisions we are usually avoiding some sort of fear or feeling. We don’t want to make a mistake. There is no right way, only the way you choose.And on that same note, sometimes you have to give yourself permission to change your mind. If you like...2021-06-2428 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastWriting as an Invitation to Healing and Empowerment with Anne FrickeSend us a textHello! This week I am talking with Anne Fricke. Anne is an author, poet, podcaster and mom. She is all about people sharing their stories and I’m glad she gets to share hers with us! Anne’s daughter, Frey’s has Prader-Willi Syndrome and she describes how the rare disorder impacted her life and her story. We discuss the stark contrast between the worlds we grew up in and the world we want to see now for our children, especially the special needs ones. Her words about others being called and crea...2021-06-1746 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastThe Birthday EpisodeSend us a text041. This is my 41st Episode and Friday is my 41st birthday! This episode I’ve taken some input from other special needs moms and my own experiences to bring to the conversation about birthdays! How has being a special needs mom changed your outlook on your child’s birthday? Do you have cake? Is it hard to find friends to invite? How do these decisions make you feel? Get The Special Needs Mom Survival Pack HERE2021-06-1034 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastBONUS: Create Your Summer Recovery PlanSend us a textA special BONUS episode & super exciting announcement!Weekly 4 in 4 Email SignGet The Special Needs Mom Survival Pack HEREConnect with Kara, host of The Special Needs Mom Podcast:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thespecialneedsmompodcast/Website: https://www.kararyska.com/2021-06-0422 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastA Viral Reel & Being Enough with Casey WaughSend us a text040: I am so excited to have Casey Waugh on the podcast today. She’s an Occupational Therapist and known in my special needs mom circle for her inspiring reel from a couple months ago. It has made so many of us feel seen and recognized during these hardships we endure with our children.Casey has been a foster mom to a special needs child and grew up with a special needs brother. We discuss the details and often complications with IEP meetings. She shares how she uses these experiences along with her...2021-06-0354 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastHabits Series #3: Easy and SatisfyingSend us a text039: Hi listeners. This week I have Part 3 of my habit series based on the book, Atomic Habits by James Clear. Today, I want to focus on two things when it comes to making habits- making is easy and making it satisfying.Making it easy: I love this quote from the book, “walk slowly, but never backward”. Baby steps are still steps! Let me introduce the Law of Least Effort. Creating an environment that requires the least amount of work. Make it really easy to make the choices we want...2021-05-2736 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastHabits Series #2: More Obvious, More Attractive, Yes Please!Send us a text038: Hi listeners. This week I am back with Part 2 of my habit series based on the book, Atomic Habits by James Clear. How do we make habits? A lot of the time, self control is not your biggest issue. I also want to emphasize, habits are not about accomplishing a goal they’re about who you are becoming. Your identify influences your habits; identity is who you believe yourself to be.Simple decide who you want to be and prove it to yourself with small wins. I will prac...2021-05-2036 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastYour Child's Diagnosis is Better than Mine with Madeline CheneySend us a textWelcome to a new episode of the Special Needs Mom Podcast. Today I am speaking with Madeline Cheney. Madeline has two children, one with some pretty severe birth defects. She also has started a podcast geared towards helping special needs mom find a community. We talk about the difficulty in the beginning of a diagnosis and how hard and lonely it really can be. Madeline shares that she had to be her sons biggest advocate and shares for others that moms really are a key role in the team surrounding your c...2021-05-131h 01
The Special Needs Mom PodcastHabits Series #1: I am a Mom Who...Send us a textHello listeners. This week I am starting part 1 in a series based on my takeaways from James Clear’s book called Atomic Habits. I’d like to put an emphasis in this episode on the idea of habits shaping our identity. You need to first decide the person you want to be. Then, you can decide what small habits/steps you can make towards being that person! Atomic HabitsGet The Special Needs Mom S...2021-05-0635 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastBehind the Scenes at an IEP with Laurie MorrisSend us a text035: Hello listeners! This week I am back with part two of Laurie Moore’s story. We had such a great conversation and it was packed with so much that I knew I needed to split it into two episodes.Laurie and I get to talking about IEP meetings in this episode. And if you have ever been to an IEP meeting you can share our sentiments. She explains how the first IEP meeting she went to was a horrible experience and this actually pushed her into becoming a teacher so that sh...2021-04-2927 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastComing Out of Hiding with Laurie MorrisSend us a text034: Welcome back listeners! This week is part one of an episode with Laurie Morris. Laurie is a mom to three, her son was diagnosed with Autism diagnosis 4 years ago. She is also a special education teacher. Laurie begins by sharing about her love of making things look beautiful and out together. She actually started a ballon decorating business in the middle of the pandemic last year! This need to have the perfect picture also carries into her personal life and really made it difficult for her to come to terms with he...2021-04-2243 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastBreaking the Generational Curse with Michelle WengerSend us a text033: Hello listeners. This week I am speaking Michelle Wenger. She is a special needs mom and a fellow coach! We had no problem ping-ponging this conversation and even got a little off track at times because we both feel so passionate about the same ideals. If there’s a big takeaway Michelle wants special needs mom to grasp it’s this- everyone should work towards more self-awareness. She explains that this is the basis for controlling your thoughts, owning your emotions and cultivating a mindset to grow yourself. She also...2021-04-1546 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastSpring Break Re-Cap: Hives, Naughty-Potty and FriendsSend us a text032: Hello and welcome back. This week I’m giving you a very real-life look into our Spring Break family trip. I’ll be the first to admit we probably didn’t plan the best vacation based on our special needs son. We always seem to work it out but this trip definitely had its struggles too. I hope this brings you some humor and also a perspective on how we have to face life differently sometimes, even if we are resistant. ...2021-04-0819 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastIncrease Your Capacity for Resiliency with Robyn CorteseSend us a text031 Welcome back to the podcast! This week I have Robyn Cortese sharing her amazing perspective. She’s an Air Force veteran, Navy wife, Clinical Pharmacist and mom to two boys. Her youngest son has a very rare genetic disorder that they’re still learning about every day. Robyn is different from a lot of our guests because she is pretty new to the special needs mom world, but uses her past training and experiences to bring a fresh and encouraging light to our world. Being a military veteran has given her so m...2021-04-0156 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastThe Rule of ReciprocitySend us a textWelcome back listeners. This week it's me talking about the unwritten rule of reciprocity. Wikipedia says this rule of reciprocity requires that we repay in kind what another has done for us. However, we shouldn’t find ourselves trapped in this obligation to repay the gift or service another bestowed upon us. I’m having a real conversation about this and shaking up the norm! Full Show NotesGet The Special Needs Mom Survival Pack HERE2021-03-2524 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastMessy Faith and Being a Special Needs Mom with Joya Van Der LaanSend us a text029: This week was such a packed conversation with Joya Van Der Laan. Two of her three children have special needs including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Intermittent Explosive Disoder (IED). We quickly got into a deep conversation centered around guilt/grief, faith, and alternative medicine. Joya initially describes her feelings of guilt and grief that have riddled her motherhood journey. She goes on to say, its okay to feel how you feel, especially when we aren’t expecting the struggles that are thrown our way. Having a spec...2021-03-1859 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastThe Vicious Overwhelm CycleSend us a text028: Hello, this week I am here to talk to you about a very relevant topic in my life - feeling overwhelmed!It is really easy in today’s current reality to feel overwhelmed. I have started actively trying to get to the root of my overwhelming emotions and I hope you do the same. These feeling won’t just go away and life isn’t getting any simpler. I want you to dive in deeper.Find a quiet, safe place. Get away from your children, if you can. Sit or lay d...2021-03-1124 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastHolding all the Unanswerable Questions with Ginger McGeeSend us a text027 Hello listeners. This week I am talking to Ginger McGee. She’s an author and mom to two boys, one who lives daily with Tourette’s and OCD. I’m in the middle of reading her autobiography about her life and struggles surrounding her older son. It has been such a resonating story and we had a lot to discuss in this episode.Ginger says becoming a mom to a child that has special needs brings something out of her she didn’t know she even had. She has poured her heart and...2021-03-0459 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastWhen They Don't Believe YouSend us a text026: Hello listeners! It’s me this week talking about that uncomfortable moment when people don’t believe (or rather understand) what is happening in the homes and lives of special needs families! I’ve had this happen to me recently and it’s just one of those things I will always encounter. The human brain is made to made predictions and go off of the knowledge it has. And a lot of people just don’t have the knowledge base of the crazy things we go through as parents with special needs childr...2021-02-2525 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastNever Off Shift with Jessica PataySend us a textThis week, I am speaking with Jessica Patay. I have actually had the privilege to meet Jessica in person and I am so excited to share our conversation with you this week. Jessica is a mom to three, one having the rare Prader-Willi syndrome. She is very passionate about helping other special needs moms feel connected, supported, and inspired! We discuss our son's similar struggles and how they change with age. We also dive into sibling relationships surrounding the difficulties of having a special needs child in the family. Je...2021-02-1856 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastSelf LovedSend us a textClick here to schedule a Pathway to Peace ConsultationHello listeners! This week, I’m talking about a topic that I feel very passionate about, self love.Often people (especially in the Christian faith) look down on self love because it’s considered conceited and we’re putting God below ourselves. I’m taking this idea of self love to be more practical in ways like regulating our emotions and maintaining a good relationship with your body. Get...2021-02-1120 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastWelcome Back to the Pack with Christina LeiterSend us a text023: Welcome back to the podcast! This week, I am happy to have Christina Leitner on the show with me. She’s a mom to two, hosts a YouTube channel and major advocate for mental health! Christina is a few years into her journey as a special needs mom. She does have an actual diagnosis for her daughter, although it is rare. She explains how she tries hard not to dwell on what should have been but is looking forward to the future with her children. Quickly into our conversation, Chri...2021-02-0448 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastThe Day I Almost Lost HimSend us a text022: This week I found myself thinking about a year ago, when I almost lost Levi. My husband and I were hours away, for a wedding. We received the scariest phone call and that drive back home was so long! What was going to happen to our boy?-Scariest Day-Familiar and TraumaticGet The Special Needs Mom Survival Pack HEREConnect with Kara, host of The Special Needs Mom Podcast:...2021-01-2823 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastWhy Are We All Yelling About the Raisin Toast with Andrea JonesSend us a text021: Hello! I’m talking with Andrea Jones this week and her journey with her daughters PANDAS diagnosis. She’s a listener of the podcast and wanted to share her story and insights with other moms. She loves the network that social media and podcast have created and even her daughter encouraged her to share their story for others to benefit from!Andrea and I discuss how important a parent’s insight and intuition is when it comes to our children and especially special needs children. We have to be their best advocate...2021-01-2154 min
The Special Needs Mom PodcastAre You Resisting Failure?Send us a textLearn about the Special Education Conference with Ashley BarlowSign up for the Pathway to Peace Process ConsultationHello listeners, it’s Episode 20! This week I’m here talking about failure resistance. At first you make think, DUH, of course I am resisting failure. That’s not exactly the full idea I’m discussing this week. Failure resistance is working or showing up in a way that avoids failure --as the primary driver. It is making any other goal or objective come in second place by default. I’m definin...2021-01-1430 minThe Special Needs Mom PodcastNo Name, No Limits with Robin MacMillanSend us a text019 Hey guys, I’m back this week with another guest episode. I’m talking with Robin MacMillan. She was such a joy and I’m glad I helped share her story. Robin has two older children and her son Robbie who is 17. She didn’t think anything was different about her son when he was a baby, but was urged by a home nurse to have him checked out. Turns out, he was only the second recorded case of complete deletion of chromosome 9. He also suffers from a couple other prognosis, including...2021-01-0735 min