Good Things in Life podcast: Recent Episodes
Genia Stephen
Join Genia in discussion with other parents, thought leaders and visionaries about helping young children with intellectual disabilities get the good things in life. Want your child to go to school, make friends, play on teams and have a bright future? Join the conversation. Good things in life is for families with vision about what is possible and how to achieve it. Whether your child has cerebral palsy, down syndrome, angelman syndrome, autism or a mild learning disability, Good Things in Life podcast can help you figure out how to take action to protect your child from harm and work towards a good life.
This week on the podcast my guest, Amy Chavez, and I have a fascinating conversation about our central nervous system and how it relates to difficult behaviour.
Amy explains that our nervous system seeks to do only two things. Connect or protect. That’s it. End of story. No other options.
Which begs the question, do we want people with disabilities to connect with us or feel they need to protect themselves from us.
Which then leads us to examine how we try to support people who are labelled as having difficult behaviours to stop behaving in distressing ways and how we respond when a situation arises.
This episode is a must listen if you have ever encountered someone whose behaviour is difficult to cope with or if you have ever reacted in a way that didn’t feel good. I’m definitely in that camp. Are you?
Heather’s Values Of Inclusion are a pattern interrupt that challenge us to stretch and deepen our understanding of what inclusion really means and what it calls on each of us to believe and live out if we want inclusion to exist in our communities.
If you aren’t sure you buy into inclusion for all people then this episode will be thought provoking. If you are sure you do buy into inclusion for all people then this episode will help you reflect and maybe even identify where you need to stretch.
Get to the full shownotes here.
This week on the podcast, Sarah Buffie helps me better understand difficult behaviour.
Our conversation covers trauma, what happens in our bodies when we are triggered by someone else’s behaviour and what we can do about it.
It is a fascinating conversation and one I hope to continue as I deepen my ability to be with people who are struggling and expressing themselves through behaviour that I find difficult to cope with.
My new friend, Yeiter, wrote a book call Lessons In Listening and it challenges the popular behaviour modification approaches to supporting people with behaviours that are labelled as difficult.
In addition to his listening skills, ability to empathize and connect with others who are often villainized and ostracized, Yeiter is a lovely storyteller.
In this episode of the podcast, Yeiter tells the story of Michelle. Yeiter’s first job was to put Michelle in an isolation room - until he figured out that connecting with her worked better than forcing her into seclusion.
Yeiter goes on to tell other stories of connection and support that are troubling, heartwarming and deep lessons for all of us on the power of listening deeply.
You can read the full show notes here and download a free copy of Yeiter's book, Lessons In Listening, here courtesy of Yeiter and Inclusion Press.
Christine Robinson, wife of late author William (Bill) Rush, joins me to talk about Bill’s book, Journey Out Of Silence.
Journey Out Of Silence is an autobiography chronicling Bill’s early life in therapy based segregated programming to his graduation from the University of Nebraska.
Bill, an articulate journalist with cerebral palsy who used a speech generating device, talks about his parents’ efforts and failures, his experience of segregated education, his pursuit of normal intimate relationships and the liberation he experienced when people treated the environment around him as the problem instead of his disability as the problem.
Christine helps bring Bill’s voice to life in this interview.
You won’t want to miss it.
Have you ever had a moment when you just weren’t sure what to say or do in relation to someone who has a disability? Perhaps you were nervous that you would say or do the wrong thing and offend someone?
There are lots of good people out there - you are probably one of them - who want to address ableism in themselves but are frankly too nervous to put themselves out there are risk messing up.
This week on the podcast I interviewed Emily Ladau. Emily is the author of Demystifying Disability.
Emily says, “the goal of demystifying disability was not to be the definitive encyclopedia or Bible on disability. It wasn't to speak for every single disabled person. It wasn't to say that I am the authority and the expert on disability because I'm none of those things, right?
I'm only one person, but it was just my way of offering an overture, offering a way to bridge the gap for so many people who maybe don't know how to talk about disability, the language to use, maybe don't know about some of the history. Maybe they're not sure about media representation or etiquette. And I wanted to say, Hey, here's a safe place to start.”
Emily’s book might just be what you are looking for. If you don’t need a primer on disability, I’m sure you know someone who does.
Not sure? Listen to the episode here.
Han Shan, that great and crazy, wonder-filled Chinese poet of a thousand years ago, said:
We're just like bugs in a bowl. All day going around never leaving their bowl.
I say, That's right! Every day climbing up
the steep sides, sliding back.
Over and over again. Around and around.
Up and back down.
Sit in the bottom of the bowl, head in your hands,
cry, moan, feel sorry for yourself.
Or. Look around. See your fellow bugs.
Walk around.
Say, Hey, how you doin'?
Say, Nice Bowl!
~ David Budbill
This week’s podcast is a conversation with Jack Pearpoint and Lynda Kahn. We talk about Inclusion Press, MAPS and PATH planning tools, storytelling and the importance of coming together.
I struggled to write this because I can’t do justice to the quality of Lynda and Jack’s contributions to this episode.
I just hope you listen and ask yourself what kind of bug in a bowl you choose to be today.
DJ Nicholson runs Inclusiveology - a 12 week program helping schools plan for inclusion.
This week’s podcast episode we hear a little about what kind of planning is important to support the success of inclusion. And, we hear about how terribly far we are from inclusion in some areas. DJ works in Florida and I’m thanking my lucky stars I’m not parenting my son in that school system!
Let me know what it is like in your school system and what questions you think parents can ask that will help improve inclusion in our schools.
“People coming together to celebrate what they have and what they can do - together.” ~Darryl Answer on what is asset based community development.
So often when we have a need, a service or institution is available with a “fix-it solution.” The solution is determined by the service and we can fit in - or not. Take it or leave it.
Asset-based Community Development (ABCD) is different. ABCD starts with the strengths and contributions of community members.
This week on the podcast Darryl Answer, Stephanie Answer, and April Doner talk about ABCD in their lives and the lives of people with disabilities.
“There is nobody that we don’t need.
The greatest need is to be needed.”
This episode includes vulnerability, strength, power and promise.
You don’t want to miss it.
Susan Dunnigan is back on the podcast to talk about her book Warrior Angel - the story of her family’s journey with her son Matt.
The first time we chatted we talked about Matt’s educational experiences. This time we talk about the trials and tribulations of adulthood.
Susan describes the energy required by advocacy as waves. Sometimes you are carried forward and sometimes you are left with nothing.
Yet, the need to advocate doesn’t ebb and flow like a wave. Or at least, one’s energy levels don’t necessarily match the need.
In this episode, Susan talks about taking risks and not over protecting her son - even if it means he is at risk of run-ins with the police and being taken advantage of by criminals.
Join us for the reflections and the important reckoning we all need to do when it comes to the dignity of risk.
Cussing alert in this episode.
Nobody lasts long in this world of supporting people with disabilities without finding themselves in a WTF? situation.
There are few or no options.
The only existing options are segregated.
The expectations are abysmally low.
Even good people are unsure how to move forward.
If I’m wrong, and you’ve never been frustrated with a reality like this then reply to this email and tell me.
But I’m guessing that you can relate in some capacity.
Because this is such a common reality, people like the guests on today’s podcast have developed learning institutes, learning journeys, and person centred planning approaches to explore blue space - new space where creative possibilities can be created.
This week on the podcast, Beth Mount, Hanns Meisner and Pamela Mansell discuss what it takes to create new spaces when what exists just won’t do. It takes bravery, finding your people and being willing to journey together.
David Sharif is a young man in his twenties who has autism and a long list of enviable accomplishments. I am particularly envious of his extensive travel.
David’s journey has not always been easy but he has strong sports hero mentors and a clear vision of the good things in life plus friends and family who are there to support him.
This week on the podcast, David and I discuss his life experiences, aspirations and achievements.
One of David’s goals is to reach a large audience with his story. Check out the podcast so you can be part of his success story.
Christine Robinson joins me on today's podcast to talk about the remarkable journey that she made with her late husband William Rush. William was a journalist, writer and disability rights advocate. Christine is a therapist.
In this podcast, Christine shares her thoughts about life with Bill including what it is like to be a witness to disability rights advocacy. She also speaks of the importance of their communities of support, giving them hope and encouragement as Bill did the hard work of making societal change.
Check out this week’s podcast here.
This week on the podcast we hear from Steve Coulson from the Thistle Foundation in Scotland. For many years, Steve has been facilitating the Big Plan - a group person-centred planning process.
To be honest, I told Steve that “group” and “person centred planning” sounded like an oxymoron.
Yet, after speaking with Steve, I can see that it can be helpful to have the voices of others to inspire our own vision and hope.
Check out this week’s podcast here.
Despite decades of progress, three key myths seem to persist that keep many people from getting involved in disability advocacy at the policy level. But Dave Deuel knows that just about anyone can be an advocate—he’s the parent of an adult with a disability and has a lifetime of successful political advocacy behind him. He joins Genia for this episode to break down these myths and discuss advocacy techniques like storytelling and teamwork, and offers advice on getting past those hard moments when advocating feels like it’s sucking more energy from you than you can take. Advocacy is a lifelong process and it may seem at times like we still have so far to go, but listen now to remind yourself just how far it is we’ve already come—and how much possibility there is for a brighter, more inclusive future.
The education system’s sole purpose is to help students reach their maximum potential and strive to give them the knowledge they need to succeed. Although, they don’t always have the resources on hand needed to help with each student’s individual needs. In this situation, it can feel difficult for parents to speak up on behalf of their children. After all, not all parents are experts on education, and speaking up can feel like they’re being burdensome. However, it can’t be stressed enough that when faced with this, parents should do the exact opposite. It’s important that parents voice their concerns and ask that other alternatives be presented to help their children. Alpacino Beauchamp joins Genia Stephen to discuss the power of parental advocacy in the educational system.
For students, the best part about going to school is feeling like a “part of the group”. Feeling like their thoughts, opinions, and contributions matter. Feeling like they matter. Inclusion is crucial in the classroom. There’s no denying the importance that it holds, and it’s equally important that students with disabilities don’t miss out on the incredible opportunities that it offers. Join Genia, Wendy, and Carrie as they discuss the benefits of inclusion, and how parents and educators can help promote inclusivity in the classroom!
It’s easy for families and service system workers to adopt an “us vs. them” mentality when trying to work alongside each other, or to blame others when things go wrong. However, it takes more effort to look within to find the answers and be willing to make changes. “Turning the beam of inquiry inward” means asking yourselves as parents or service workers if there is anything that you can change about your behaviour to help find solutions. It means swallowing your pride, putting your differences aside, and opening your minds to focus on what really matters: helping the child. This week, New York State’s Systems Advocacy Award winner Chris Liuzzo joins Genia to discuss how turning the beam of inquiry inward can lead to a better working relationship between families and the service system.
The importance of inclusion is a subject that was discussed on this podcast in the pas, as it offers so much to individuals with disabilities. Although making that transition from exclusion to inclusion in the community can be difficult. It can also be hard to find that courage to keep pushing, but it’s important to keep on trying. Keep moving forward and pushing back; when there’s apparently no room for inclusion, then try and make room. It can be hard to persist, and consistently push for that change, but once it happens it’s incredibly rewarding. Join Kim Southern-Paulsen and guest interviewer Katie Bachmeyer as they discuss how to help make the transition from exclusion to inclusion a reality.
Friendships are one of the best things that life has to offer. Having people in your corner that will back you up when seeking out support, comfort you when there’s a no, and celebrate with you when there’s a yes can make life’s challenges easier to manage and overall make life better. Although it can be daunting to take that first step when forming friendships, it’s important to not fall into the trap of waiting for others to act. CEO of KFI Barbara Beaulieu joins Genia to discuss the importance of building friendships that last, and how to gather the courage to make that first connection.
Our journey has twists and turns. It isn’t a straight line. Especially when our kids are young and newly identified, we are open to the advice of those we look to for guidance. This is true whether the advice is good or bad. This week on the podcast, guest host Katie Bachmeyer interviews Lynn Dew, who shares her personal journey from segregation to inclusion as a mindset and as a destination.
Goals. Dreams. Aspirations. Everyone has them; it’s what makes us human. The system places an expectation on students to strive towards their goals, handing them the tools and support they need to work towards them. There is a wide selection of programs and resources in place to help young people achieve their aspirations, because it’s only natural that they should. However, students with disabilities are not given these same opportunities to shape their own futures, which is why it’s important when there are no suitable options to choose from for families to make their own.
Fionn and Jonathan Angus from Fionnathan Productions join Genia this week to discuss how families can help their loved ones pave the way towards their aspirations by creating new paths for them to follow.
As a concept, co-teaching is sometimes difficult to explain, partly because it’s so unstandardized—the way one school district applies co-teaching might be really different from the way another district goes about it. Beth Lakretz is a special education consultant who’s trying to demystify co-teaching and other key principles of inclusive education. She joined Genia for this episode to talk about her take on co-teaching and how she helps parents and educators collaborate effectively according to their unique roles, expertise, and overall belief systems. They also discussed education policy, which is one of the biggest barriers to true inclusion today. Listen now for Beth’s insights on co-teaching, policy, collaboration, and more!
What does “privilege” really mean? Privilege isn’t just a thing some people have and others don’t—like so much else, it comes with layers of complexity. As founders and owners of Rebel Revolution, Alison Gomez and Nikki Haffner consult with individuals and offer training to help people in positions of power learn to combat systems of oppression that privilege the white, male, heterosexist, Christian, able-bodied perspective. Genia welcomed them to the podcast for this episode to talk about how to identify and de-weaponize privilege, and how to pave the way for greater equity in future generations. They also discussed intersectionality and the ways to uplift different social movements without co-opting the voices of marginalized peoples. If you’ve ever been overwhelmed by conversations about privilege or been unsure about how to join them, this podcast is a great place to start!
Organizational Health and Inclusion Specialist Faith Clarke knows all about how to put together a strong team. Faith looks for a collection of personality traits in her teams: archetypes that embody the characteristics of what she’s looking for. Supporting people today has more to do with fostering independence than it does with caregiving, and Faith calls this a “liberation movement role.” This was Faith’s second time on the podcast and Genia was happy to have her back to talk about all the above and more, including how she prepares job ads to attract the right sort of candidates; how to integrate home support workers into the private spaces of family life; and how to help teams pivot in the direction they want to go if their staff members are lacking some important skills.
Beth Gallagher’s supported living service agency Life Works is built on authentic person-centred planning and she knows how to help other agencies incorporate the principle into their own organizational structure. With her principle of “intentional teaming,” teams are built around the person they’re supporting with every team member’s strengths in mind, rather than a top-down barking order that’s built around the manager. By thinking of each team as its own autonomous micro-enterprise, service agencies can help reinforce positive relationships among all stakeholders: clients, their families, friends, and advocates, the rest of the agency staff, and the community at large. And team members are hired by looking more closely at individual characteristics like personality and kind-heartedness than by assessing qualifications like experience or CPR skills, which are more easily trainable. In this week’s podcast, Genia chatted with Beth about her principle of intentional teaming and how to build an organizational culture that prioritizes true person-centred planning. Listen now!
Buddhism teaches the principle of “right relationships”: the moral obligation to be in “correct” relationships with fellow humans. When working with staff or volunteers from disability service organizations, families form relationships, and forming right relationships—based on mutual respect, forgiveness, compassion, and understanding—can be an important component of building trust and ethical partnership with the organization as a whole. With time and baby steps, more and more relationships can become “right,” and eventually even lead to systemic change from the bottom up. This week, international community service consultant Dr. Michael Kendrick returns to the podcast to talk about how the concept of right relationships is at the heart of all successful, effective service organizations.
When it comes to social progress, the “edge” of possibility expands over time. The Centre for Welfare Reform’s John O’Brien John wants to find the edge of what is possible for all people in their communities so that what seems like just a dream today could be an achievable goal tomorrow. He joined Genia Stephen on the podcast this week to talk about his ideas about how to widen this edge, which starts with understanding what the main dimensions of inclusive communities are, and where the edge sits in most communities today (hint: it’s about control and freedom). This was a great conclusion to a two-part series with John O’Brien!
Belonging, respect, sharing spaces, contribution, and choice are the five valued experiences for the good things in life as defined by John O’Brien. The experiences are the same for everybody, but far too often, people with disabilities have more access barriers to these valued experiences. John joined me for the podcast this week to talk about the social foundations that prevent those with disabilities from fully experiencing the five valued experiences—the “diabolically clever” forces of social devaluation and exclusion. We consistently underestimate what’s possible for people with disabilities, and we’ve seen time and again that it’s up to people with disabilities themselves, and their loved ones, to be the drivers of innovation and progressive change. This was the first in a two-part series with John so stay tuned for more on inclusive communities, social progress, and personal autonomy!
Naiomy Ekanayake has two sons with disabilities who both started their education in a segregated program. When she successfully transitioned both boys into the general education classroom, she saw how many ways inclusive education helped them: not only were they doing better academically, but they also other learned important new social skills from the other kids, formed meaningful friendships, and helped their family make wonderful connections with other families in their community. Listen now to Naiomy’s inspiring story of how she made the best choice she could have for her sons’ education.
What can parents and teachers do to help facilitate the sorts of ongoing, mutually reciprocal interactions that lead to true friendship? Dr. Zach Rossetti is a special education professor who says that parents and teachers can help foster better friendship-building opportunities: it starts with enabling a shared space for social engagement, then simply getting out of the way. And of course, inclusive education and teaching social skills (for all kids, not just kids with disabilities) play a big role too. Zach joined Genia for this episode to talk about his research on disability and friendship, and the solutions he envisions to help kids with disabilities build full, rewarding social lives.
Why is it so important to include kids with disabilities in the general education classroom? To Diane Richler, an international disability advocate with fifty years of experience, it boils down to human rights. All people have the right to a quality education, and for kids with intellectual disabilities, inclusive programs are the highest quality programs. Diane’s work with the international disability community is trying to help promote the essential human rights of people with intellectual disabilities, including the right to high-quality inclusive education. Listen now to her chat with Genia Stephen about inclusion, human rights, and advocacy. Listen now!
How can a school psychologist help your child with a disability? Striving for inclusive education is a complex battle and when parents develop a relationship with the school psychologist, that can help to simplify and demystify the process. Aaron Dunham is one such psychologist and he joined Genia for this week’s podcast to talk about the confluence between data, cooperation, and even humility in striving for systemic change, as well as psychoeducational assessments and how parents can decide whether they’re really worth it. Listen now!
The research is clear: inclusion works. But too many programs are still segregating students based on ability. Educator and academic Jacqueline Specht is researching the best ways to implement inclusion into the classroom, and she has identified educator training as a critical period in establishing the individual pedagogical values and self-confidence needed to not just accommodate students with disabilities, but embrace them as worthy participants in the classroom. Listen now to her chat with Genia Stephen about how training teachers early on to expect, accommodate, and embrace students with disabilities is an important first step.
When activists and advocates focus their efforts regionally, but have access to resources and allies that spread across the globe, it’s a potent formula for empowering members of a community and really democratizing the advocacy process. The Citizen Network Coop’s Simon Duffy and Markus Vähälä know that rebellion is at the heart of this empowerment and that cooperation is key to really challenging the status quo. Listen now to their talk with Genia Stephen about the rebelliousness of social progress and the importance of cooperation, both regionally and internationally, in disability advocacy.
Catherine Whitcher's IEP creation methods have helped thousands of parents and schools work together to prepare students for further education, employment, and independent living. Through her Master IEP Coach Mentorship + Network, Catherine teaches parents how to demystify and assume their rights as members of the IEP team and how to ensure their child’s best interests are truly reflected in their IEP. She joined Genia Stephen for a conversation about IEP strategy and making sure parent input is foregrounded in the development and implementation of IEPs.
Special education should not be synonymous with separate education. That’s the position of the MCIE’s Tim Villegas. The MCIE works with educators and school districts to help integrate meaningful inclusive education into the classroom. Moving from full segregation to authentic inclusion is not going to happen overnight. But although the pace of change can be slow, incremental progress still counts as progress. And when children with disabilities don’t have access to inclusive education programs, there is still a lot that advocates, parents, and teachers can do to help support their goals and dreams. Tim joined Genia Stephen for this week’s podcast to talk about the MCIE’s mission and their approach to inclusive education advocacy and curriculum support.
There’s a term too often neglected in conversations about disability: citizen. This is a core guiding principle of the Citizen-Centered Leadership Development (CCLD) Community of Practice, Carol Blessing’s innovative 15-week course for service providers that work with people with disabilities. In this episode, Genia Stephen talks to Carol about her CCLD program and her concept of radicalized citizenship. Carol explains how the social model of disability, which is often held up as the gold standard for disability service delivery, is insufficient because it doesn’t recognize the notion of participatory citizenship for people with disabilities. Systemic change won’t make any difference until service providers start thinking about people with disabilities as social citizens and working to build real relationships with them.
Addie Loerzel is a 15-year-old girl with a disability who has raised nearly $80,000 for the Sunshine Foundation. She’s also the current crown-holder of the Princess of America Miss Minnesota pageant and a regular public speaker and advocate for kids with disabilities. In this week’s episode Genia Stephen welcomes Addie to the podcast to talk about how she has accomplished so much for someone so young, and where she’s looking to take her fundraising efforts next. She’s an inspiring youth leader worth following!
Genia Stephen turns hosting duties over to Pamela Mansell, who interviews Dr. Hanns Meissner, author of Creating Blue Space: Fostering Innovative Support Practices for People with Developmental Disabilities. Hanns talks to Pamela about his innovative concept of “blue space,” the peaceful centre of a storm, and how blue space can be an important factor in achieving real independence and community participation for people with disabilities. By understanding how blue space works and how to wield it, people with disabilities and their advocates can break the boxes they’ve been placed in and assert their right to a meaningful place in their communities.
Dr. Leyton Schnellert is a lifelong inclusive education teacher who believes it doesn’t have to be difficult for teachers to tailor their curriculum to the students taking the course. In fact, Leyton says that students are the curriculum, and that when teachers recognize this, inclusive education becomes a lot easier to attain. He stresses open-ended pedagogy and collaboration as important to inclusivity, as well as decolonizing and indigenizing education. Listen now to his chat with Genia Stephen about how teachers can pull this off.
What, exactly, do parents really need to say to government officials in charge of education? When parents unify their message and demand inclusion over segregation, it’s the best way to move toward real equity for children with disabilities. This week’s podcast is the conclusion to a special two-part series with Gordon Porter and David Towell, two internationally renowned inclusive education advocates who believe that parents have the most powerful voice in the current dialogue around education. Parents’ role in effecting systemic change is an important one and can be harnessed effectively for real progress.
What can the Canadian province of New Brunswick teach us about inclusive education? Gordon Porter and David Towell, two internationally renowned inclusive education advocates, teamed up to write Advancing Inclusive Education, using the New Brunswick system as a case study for how ministries of education can implement progressive policies that meet the needs of all students. For this episode, the first in a two-part series, they talked with Good Things in Life host Genia Stephen about the ten steps education agencies can take to rebuild truly inclusive schools from the ground up.
Inclusion is possible, but it’s hard. For episode 104, Genia was thrilled to chat with Susan Dunnigan, a social worker, mother, and advocate for inclusion. Susan’s memoir, Warrior Angel, documents her family’s ongoing pursuit of normalcy while supporting and advocating for her son Matt. Susan and Genia chatted about the importance of the two As of inclusive education: advocacy and allyship, and how the two work together to carve out a place for children with disabilities within the mainstream education system.
When you’re a parent of a child with a disability, it can be hard to recognize when it’s time to really step back and let your kid take more control of their own life. For this episode, Genia Stephen turned things over to guest host Carrie Ahrens, a member of Inclusion Academy. Carrie interviewed Hope House Foundation executive director Lynne Seagle about the ways that caregivers and professionals in the social service system can empower young adults with disabilities to take control of their own lives and transition away from group home living.
Good Things in Life host Genia Stephen and storyteller Katie Bachmeyer wrap up their three-part discussion on medical safeguarding by identifying the ways that the right mindset really makes a difference in patient advocacy, both on the part of the health care worker and the patient advocate. Genia, who’s been providing medical safeguarding services for her sister in intensive care since November 2020, talks about how any health care worker, regardless of their personality, can truly change the patient experience for the better, and how advocates can recognize that medical staff need understanding too. This was a fascinating wrap-up to a three-part series that’s all about empathy, support, and positivity. If you’ve missed the last three episodes, you may want to listen to those first.
In Part 2 of this special interview series, storyteller Katie Bachmeyer asks Good Things host Genia Stephen about what it’s like when a hospital becomes your home. Genia notes that the some rules and systems in place around the hospital are designed primarily to protect and empower service providers, not patients. When patients in long-term inpatient care get no respite from the system—because they can’t go home, after all—there is a negative impact on the patient.
For this special 100th episode of the podcast, Good Things host Genia Stephen flips the script a bit: this time, someone else is interviewing her! Filmmaker and storyteller Katie Bachmeyer asks Genia about what medical safeguarding really means. Safeguards provide support for their loved ones with disabilities, but they also act as advocates and interpreters for vulnerable people that are too often devalued by the medical system. Sometimes safeguards even make the difference between life and death. This is the first of several episodes in which Katie is going to help Genia tell her powerful story.
Genia Stephen talks about her reflections on her sister’s experience of being an intensive care patient with a disability who needs support to be safe. Medical safeguarding of vulnerable hospital patients can make the difference between life and death.
In Inclusion Academy, Good Things In Life’s monthly membership, we’ll be covering how to be an effective medical advocate. For more information and to join go to goodthingsinlife.org/join.
Choice is the friend of inclusion. Now, more than ever we need to feel ready and inspired to teach all of our students, Pre-K through 12th grade. It's all about creating the most inclusive educational system possible where every person (big and small) not only survives, but thrives. In this podcast (an audio recording of a webinar with inclusive education experts Drs. Julie Causton and Kristie Pretti-Frontczak), Causton and Pretti-Frontczak share the "why's" behind inclusion and share some of their favorite (and most effective) strategies for differentiating and supporting ALL learners.
In this podcast, I chat with Andy Willemsen, a developmental service worker and community living advocate, about four key areas of knowledge that parents can equip themselves with in order to help support their child’s educational needs: knowledge about your own child, knowledge about the way the system functions, knowledge about the different actors within the system, and knowledge about what your options are going forward. We also chat about the importance of equity, empathy, teamwork, and transition planning to reach achievable, flexible goals that will evolve with your child.
This bonus podcast episode is the audio recording of David Lepofsky's YouTube video on tips for parents about school advocacy. If you want to watch the video, you can find that at goodthingsinlife.org/david and that will direct you over to the Osgoode Hall Law School YouTube site, which is where David originally published the video.
In this episode, David shares some practical suggestions and strategies for parents to try out to ensure that your child is fully included and fully benefits from the education that's offered in your school system.
David Lepofsky, lawyer and disability rights activist, discusses how knowledge is power when it comes to advocating for inclusion in school. Understanding the system means parents can better navigate the issues and work with the school to achieve inclusion goals.
A sneak peak into the tragedy and grief, joys, wins, contributions, successes and massive strains of 2020 for host Genia Stephen and Good Things In Life. Plus, a "where we are headed" look into the future.
Join Inclusion Academy here.
Email support@goodthingsinlife.org if you have an idea for a podcast episode or want to be a guest host.
Every parent has dreams for their children. Yet, when our kids have disabilities, we need to make those dreams clear. We need to create a vision and then act to make it happen. Darcy Elks shares the pathway to making our dreams a reality.
Angela Breeden and Julie White tell the story of the On Purpose Project, a community group that brings neighbours with and without disabilities together for civic improvement projects and creates opportunities for meaningful work and a sense of belonging along the way.
Joe Clayton survived years of abuse while institutionalized at the now-closed Rideau Regional Centre. Now an artist who runs Nature Natives Art Gallery, he tells his story with immense courage and strength in order to prevent others from living through what he did. #Triggeralert: this episode contains discussions of sexual assault and physical abuse. It also contains a story of moving through hurt and trauma toward community.
Faith Clarke is an organizational health and teamwork specialist who has developed a structured, principled approach to onboarding, training and supporting support workers.
In this episode, we talk about how to build a home health team that really works for your family.
Institutionalization hurts the person institutionalized, the family, and our community. Marilyn Dolmage, Vici Clarke and Victoria Freeman discuss their experiences of having their sibling with a disability institutionalized as a child. #triggeralert.
Victoria Freeman’s book “A World without Martha: A Memoir of Sisters, Disability and Difference” is fundamentally about what it means to live in a world where only some people are deemed worthy of love. On the podcast, Victoria and I read excerpts from the book and explore the themes of this all-too-real story.
This podcast comes with a #triggeralert. It also comes with the opportunity to use Victoria’s story - and Martha’s story - as motivation, fuel, learning to make life better for those in our community who are othered and excluded.
Access the transcript and full show notes here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review on iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
Just like advocating for your child, sometimes unlearning and relearning how we see the world can be a messy, ongoing exercise. But if we are to move forward together as a society, we have to do the work.
We have to get out of the wading pool and dive into the big pool.
Access the transcript and full show notes here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review on iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
We are talking about F-words on the podcast, but not that one. Better ones. F-words that help us focus on the things our kids are, and the things our kids can do. These F-words are ones we can use to get doctors and therapists to see the whole picture of who our kids are now, and who they are becoming. F-words that lead to the good things in life.
Access the transcript and full show notes here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review on iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
In this episode, I'm talking with Samantha Noyek, Claire Davies, and Nora Fayed about the importance of researching the obvious, the idea of quality of life as it relates to kids with significant disabilities, and building a dictionary of our kids unique communication styles.
In Nora’s words: “We're talking about involving these children in the world when society has not even thought to even consider them.”
Access the transcript and full show notes here, and Sam's research here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review on iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
“Can we realize that even though we're loving our children, we can be doing them so much harm when we don't address those beliefs, those worldviews, and those expectations: the biases that we have?”
La Shanda Sugg joins me on the podcast to unpack the relationships between trauma, bias, and othering and how this plays into all of our interactions with strangers, and with our own kids. This is a podcast you do not want to miss.
Our relationships are key to healing from trauma and fostering resilience. This school year presents all kinds of challenges to social connections and relationships for our kids. But all is not lost. When we understand how we can create opportunities for relationships, support friendships, embed social opportunities into our kids' IEPs and have a few ideas to get us started, we can create and maintain a social connection even during COVID. For a free series on relationship building, go to goodthingsinlife.org/stayconnected.
Access the transcript and full show notes here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
“I very happily describe myself as a lifelong rebel because the system never had any room for me.”
This week on the podcast, Jean-Luc Martel shares his experiences with a broken educational system. Even in programs designed for individuals with disabilities, Jean-Luc found that so often there was not an appropriate understanding of how lived experiences and vulnerabilities shaped how he and his peers encountered the system. Listen as Jean-Luc tells his story and reminds us to continually lend a critical eye to the way services are delivered.
Our relationships are key to healing from trauma and fostering resilience. This school year presents all kinds of challenges to social connections and relationships for our kids. But all is not lost. When we understand how we can create opportunities for relationships, support friendships, embed social opportunities into our kids' IEPs and have a few ideas to get us started, we can create and maintain a social connection even during COVID. For a free series on relationship building, go to goodthingsinlife.org/stayconnected.
Access the transcript and full show notes here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
“It’s not the functional aspect of disability that prevents a good life. It’s the social isolation.” Sarah Buffie gets it, and on this podcast, she unpacks a lot of really great information about how to re-focus caregivers on what really matters to both prevent and to heal trauma. Hint: it’s not more services.
Our relationships are key to healing from trauma and fostering resilience. This school year presents all kinds of challenges to social connections and relationships for our kids. But all is not lost. When we understand how we can create opportunities for relationships, support friendships, embed social opportunities into our kids' IEPs and have a few ideas to get us started, we can create and maintain a social connection even during COVID. For a free series on relationship building, go to goodthingsinlife.org/stayconnected.
Access the transcript and full show notes here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
Mary Vicario adapts current neuroscience into practical interventions for people who have experienced trauma, including people with developmental disabilities.
Mary illustrates how our brains – and bodies – experience trauma and how real inclusion for people with disabilities can build resilience and begin to heal trauma.
When we see people with disabilities excluded, it actually makes us feel unsafe too. Inclusion means connection with safe people, and it means that everyone feels safe together. And when we feel safe, we can learn.
Here’s a great quote from Mary:
“I never like to talk about trauma without talking about the resilience that the person used to survive the trauma, because hidden in that resilience, in those survival skills - which may not work in the current environment, but kept them alive somewhere else - is resilience. And if we can harness the resilience, we can help them take that resilience and create the life they want.”
Our relationships are key to healing from trauma and fostering resilience. This school year presents all kinds of challenges to social connections and relationships for our kids. But all is not lost. When we understand how we can create opportunities for relationships, support friendships, embed social opportunities into our kids' IEPs and have a few ideas to get us started, we can create and maintain a social connection even during COVID. For a free series on relationship building, go to goodthingsinlife.org/stayconnected.
Access the transcript and full show notes here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
Could you make a list of every single thing you are capable of doing? Now cross off the things you hate. Someone on the list that you have left, is a way for you to make money on the internet. Don’t believe me? Chantelle Turner is on the podcast this week to talk about how you can make money on the internet in ways you haven’t thought of yet - and yes, it’s legal! Chantelle is the founder of Stronger Mommy, a positive community for parents of children with special needs, and Not Yet Notable, a business focused on helping coaches and course creators grow engaged communities. Access the transcript and full show notes here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
Have you noticed that being a parent means scheduling things in 25-minute chunks? There’s never more than that before something interrupts you! What if you could use some of those 25-minute chunks to make money for your family? Abbi Perets is on the podcast this week talking about exactly that.
If the thought of a home-based business appeals to you, check out Amy Porterfield’s Course Creation Starter Kit & Abbi's Free Course or join Writing for Money.
Access the transcript and full show notes here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
This week on the podcast, R&A Creative Co. CEO, Mia Francis-Poulin, and I talk about how her family life led her to make the bold jump from the corporate world to a home-based business that allows her to meet her kids (and her financial) needs. If the thought of a home-based business appeals to you, check out Amy Porterfield’s Course Creation Starter Kit. Access the transcript and full show notes here. If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
Marta Spirk, mother of triplets, joins me on the podcast to talk about how we can fill our cups so that we can remain well while caring for our kids, families, work and community.
Access the transcript and full show notes here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
“There's no shortage of people who need whatever it is that you have to offer.” Families who care for kids with disabilities suffer from disproportionate financial insecurity due to extra costs and higher demands on schedules and energy. Add COVID to that mix, and we’re all worried about money. This week on the podcast, Meg Brunson talks about how to monetize skills you already have, how to move past worrying about what people might think, and how to jump in before (you think) you’re ready! ULTIMATE COURSE CREATION STARTER KIT Access the transcript and full show notes here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
Dr. Temple Grandin speaks about the error of limiting the opportunities of children with disabilities and recommends a strengths and interests based approach to stretch their minds, build capacity, make friends and become contributing citizens.
Access the transcript and full show notes here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
“It's a less dangerous assumption that a student isn't learning because we're not actually using the most effective strategies. And it's a very dangerous assumption that the reason a student isn't making progress is purely because of their intellectual disability.”
Students with disabilities will experience two kinds of barriers to learning. One barrier is created by their disability. The other is created by people’s attitudes. Both kinds of barriers need to be addressed in order for kids to learn to their full potential. Erin Sheldon, MEd., teaches us about least dangerous assumptions, presumed competence and removing those barriers to learning so that kids can thrive.
Access the transcript and full show notes here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
What’s the most important thing you want for your kids? Did you think about love and connection and then get worried that it will never happen the way you envision?
In this podcast from October 2019, Dr. Julie Causton and I cover why placement matters, friendships, moving away from one-to-one educational assistants, and the long game of love and connection with students with difficult behaviours.
The long game of love and connection sounds nice, doesn’t it? Nice, but not easy.
You can read the full show notes and transcript here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
Shelley Moore is blowing up special education. Don’t worry. She’s not a bomb threat. But she is pushing for an evolution of inclusive education that puts “special” in its place and focuses on a responsive education system that allows all kids to have their needs met.
You can read the full show notes and transcript here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
I have been talking with a ton of parents since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down schools. Some of us have enjoyed the break from therapy appointments and from all the little demands that pull us away from time with our kids. Some of us have been well supported by their schools.
But most of us experienced poor support, inappropriate support, inaccessible support or no support at all from our schools.
After parents identify their child’s education priorities, MatchUs connects students with teachers that can help. Sophia Johansson and Emma Fialka-Feldman share the story of how their grassroots program has already helped 190 kids connect with teachers.
The first step is identifying your priorities. This brand new, free masterclass can help.
The Special Education Priorities Matrix will help you focus on what matters most without overwhelming your child, yourself or your school team.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
Paula tells her family’s story of pursuing inclusion through segregated placements and unsupportive systems. We don’t live in a perfect world. Many parents will not be able to just register their children in an inclusive school no matter how passionate their convictions. While keeping their positive inclusive vision in front of mind, they may need to work with deeply flawed options, keep advocating and move forward in baby steps.
Whether your child is in a segregated placement or an inclusive school, this upcoming free masterclass will help you set quality goals, reduce overwhelm, and include or exclude recommendations. Register here.
You can read the full show notes and transcript here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
Ask yourself this question. “What would I need to do today if my children with Down Syndrome will be matriculating university students in the future?” This is a question that guest, Dr. Ann Marie Licata has been asking since her kids were little. She’s been embedding this vision into their IEP, their home life and their participation in community.
Dr. Ann Marie Licata is the Director of the Pennsylvania Inclusive Higher Education Consortium located at Millersville University. She has built a community of 29 colleges and universities in Pennsylvania that align with authentic inclusion for students with intellectual disabilities.
She has every reason to be confident that her vision of higher education will be a reality for all of her children.
Links to success stories can be found in the show notes page.
If you want to make decisions today that create opportunities for growth and success in the future, register for my upcoming free masterclass, “The Special Education Priorities Matrix. Focus your efforts on what matters most without overwhelming your child, yourself and your school team.”
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in Apple Podcasts. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
Barb McKenzie’s daughter had Down Syndrome. Sadly, she passed away in her twenties. But not before she made friends, fell in love with Shakespeare, and made the commencement speech at her high school graduation.
Barb’s book, Reflections of Erin, is available for free from Inclusion Press. A video of Erin giving her high school commencement address is also available. Links are available on the show notes page.
Erin went to inclusive schools but Barb and the school team didn’t have all of the answers all of the time. They learned together. I’ve put together a FREE guide to help you ask your child’s school important questions that will help you and the school team assess how well they are doing at being truly inclusive.
Download the FREE guide: “Is This School Inclusive? 14 Questions Every Parent Should Ask.”
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
Inclusive education expert, Marilyn Dolmage, addresses 5 of the most common worries of special needs parents when making school placement decisions.
Safety, access to specialists, one-to-one support, and friendships for students, and whether parents will find help and support or have to fight for everything their child needs.
We’ve created a FREE guide to help parents ask insightful, quality questions to really get to the heart of a school’s inclusive programming so that parents can focus their advocacy on areas that will make the biggest difference for their child with a disability. Get the guide for free here.
Access the full show notes for transcripts.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
Complex care physician, Dr. Eyal Cohen, joins Genia for a discussion about why complex care is so important to the life and happiness of kids with complex medical needs and their families, the evolution of health systems to respond to the needs of our kids and what parents can do when there is no care coordination available in their community.
When people with disabilities are in the hospital, having a parent or other known supporter with them for support and advocacy is essential for reducing errors, improving outcomes, and may even save their life.
Join this FREE, online mini-course on being an effective medical advocate for your loved one with a disability.
You can read the full show notes and transcript here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
This podcast episode was recorded many months ago. It was an obvious oversight that we didn’t talk about the use of restraints and violence against black people.
The recent death of George Floyd is currently in the media and well known.
However, restraints have been killing Black people and people with disabilities and other devalued groups in great numbers every year for decades.
I’ve attached one article in the full show notes (one of many available) that shows that Black people experience restraint use more frequently than white people in services and other articles about restraints in human services.
I encourage each of you to spend some time thinking about your position on the use of restraints. It becomes more complex the deeper you look into the issue. Resist the urge to think that you’ve got this all figured out! ☺
You can read the full show notes and transcript here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
Dr. Lilach Saperstein’s F-I-G Method is a handy and actionable advocacy tool to help us make strategic decisions about how we handle conversations and social interactions.
You can download the F-I-G Method Guide here.
You can read the full show notes and transcript here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
Inclusive recreation expert, Lisa Drennan, talks about what it takes for community recreation programs to evolve towards full inclusion and provides parents with advice on how they can maximize the opportunities for their child to be welcomed and have a positive experience.
If you are struggling to think about recreation and connection during COVID-19 restrictions and feel like inclusion is out of the question then consider joining Lisa and Genia for a free Good Things In Life event.
“Inclusion Is Not Cancelled: Coping strategies for all to stay socially connected while physically distancing” is a free, live, online expert presentation airing on June 17th, 2020 at 7pm EST (Toronto time). Register here.
You can read the full show notes and transcript here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
Genia is awesome! Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Eorum enim est haec querela, qui sibi cari sunt seseque diligunt. Duo Reges: constructio interrete. Cur, nisi quod turpis oratio est? Tum ille: Tu autem cum ipse tantum librorum habeas, quos hic tandem requiris?
Quis animo aequo videt eum, quem inpure ac flagitiose putet vivere? Nihilo beatiorem esse Metellum quam Regulum. Quod autem magnum dolorem brevem, longinquum levem esse dicitis, id non intellego quale sit. Eam tum adesse, cum dolor omnis absit; Negat esse eam, inquit, propter se expetendam. Quae cum essent dicta, discessimus.
Genia is awesome! Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Eorum enim est haec querela, qui sibi cari sunt seseque diligunt. *Duo Reges: constructio interrete.* Cur, nisi quod turpis oratio est? Tum ille: Tu autem cum ipse tantum librorum habeas, quos hic tandem requiris?
Quis animo aequo videt eum, quem inpure ac flagitiose putet vivere? Nihilo beatiorem esse Metellum quam Regulum. Quod autem magnum dolorem brevem, longinquum levem esse dicitis, id non intellego quale sit. Eam tum adesse, cum dolor omnis absit; Negat esse eam, inquit, propter se expetendam. Quae cum essent dicta, discessimus.
There are many things that require our attention right now and I think that we can focus our attention on five basic points for safety during this pandemic.
You can read the full show notes and transcript here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
Amie and Sara from the Gritty nurse podcast give advice on how to make a compelling argument for continued family presence at the bedside of patients with disabilities even as hospitals enforce no visitor and no support person policies due to the pandemic.
Creating a plan before you need one is far more effective than figuring it out in a crisis. Get insider tips and insights into what will likely work and not work in your arguments for continued presence.
If you are interested in digging deeper into the topic of medical advocacy then join Genia for a workshop on the topic here.
You can read the full show notes and transcript here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
Parents of kids with disabilities sometimes don’t take great care of themselves but that is avoidable. Judy Hunsberger talks about how her healthy habits sustained her through the worst and most stressful months of her life.
Link to Plant-Based Resource Academy 5 day plan
You can read the full show notes and transcript here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
The covid-19 pandemic has led to greater isolation and loneliness for people with disabilities – and everyone else. This episode explores ideas for getting and staying connected and supporting people with disabilities to be a light and leader in their community by addressing the isolation and loneliness of others.
During the pandemic, Good Things In Life is offering a series of resources to help. Join the End Loneliness Challenge.
You can read the full show notes and transcript here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
Dr. Roberta Shaler offers advice on dealing with difficult people while advocating for your child with a disability. School advocacy can be hard – downright infuriating – when you are dealing with people who are making it harder than it needs to be by standing between your child and what they need to for successful inclusion and learning. Dr. Shaler offers effective strategies for building rapport, taking care of yourself and moving towards successful teamwork.
You can read the full show notes and transcript here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
“Every Chipmunk is a Horseback Rider” by Jack Yates pretty much sums up the single most important rule you need to follow in you want your son or daughter with a disability to have a fulfilling life. #everykidisready
Download a PDF of “Every Chipmunk is a Horseback Rider” by Jack Yates here.
Get a copy of my free resource, “14 questions to ask a potential school before registering your special needs child” here.
You can read the full show notes and transcript here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
Darcy Elks explains how meaningful social roles lead to fulfilling lives. When you think of all that is good and fulfilling in your life, what comes to mind? Mom, worker, wife, sister, daughter, friend, student, teammate… Our social roles define us. What social roles does your child with a disability have now? What are they working towards?
You can read the full show notes and transcript here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
Join Lisa Lightner, a special education advocate from A Day In Our Shoes, for a discussion on keeping the goal of community life and relationships at the core of your IEP planning.
You can read the full show notes and transcript here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
Karen Hunt has been listening to the Good Things In Life podcast and is a member of Inclusion Academy. Inspired by the idea that her son has potential for growth if barriers are removed, Karen has been thinking about small, important, actions that she can take to support her son to have greater autonomy, choice, and opportunity.
You can read the full show notes and transcript here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
We know that not having the right supports in place can be disastrous in the life of a person with a disability. It is also true that too much support is also dangerous. Just like Goldilocks, we need the type and amount of support to be just right. Keenan Wellar talks about the seven principles that his organization uses to provide just enough support.
You can read the full show notes and transcript here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
Darcy's presenting about the power of mindsets and expectations and it's just hugely powerful in helping us to support our loved ones to create a good positive lives. And it's important that we think about it because if we just wait and kind of ride on the coattails of the mindset and expectations that society has for our sons and daughters with intellectual disabilities, it's not going to lead to the good things in life.
You can read the full show notes and transcript here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
Vision boards are not just for artsy types! Vision boards tell your brain to keep looking for opportunities in the areas of life that you decide are important. Candy Motzek talks about how you can use vision boards to help you make actual progress towards achieving your vision of a good life for your daughter or son with a disability.
You can read the full show notes and transcript here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.
Why is it so hard to support people with disabilities to build good lives? There are powerful forces at play like devaluation and discrimination. Which means that bad things will happen if we don’t have an alternative vision of a good life to focus on and people to help us along the way.
You can read the full show notes and transcript here.
If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.