Brave Together Parenting: a podcast for parenting disabilities and unique needs.

Hello Brave Friends! Welcome to today's practical episode, #205. These are conversations with experts in fields relevant to caregiving parents. In this episode, Susanna Peace Lovell interviews Dr. Laura Froyen, who shares her journey as a parent and expert in human development. They discuss the challenges of parenting neurodiverse children, the importance of understanding different neurotypes, and the need for new parenting skills. Dr. Froyen introduces the Collaborative and Proactive S...

02-12

38:46

Hello Brave Friends! This is an Ask Us Anything episode in which YOU, the listener, get to write or call in and, you guessed it, ASK US ANYTHING! In this Ask Us Anything episode, #204, we are responding to the question, How do I Talk to My Kids about Natural Disasters? In this conversation, our hosts discuss the emotional impact of natural disasters and how to communicate effectively with children during these times. They emphasize the importance of choosing truth over comfort, v...

02-05

30:22

Hello Brave Friends! Welcome to today's practical episode, #203. These are conversations with experts in fields relevant to caregiving parents. In this episode of the Brave Together Parenting Podcast, host Jessica Patay interviews Hilarie Geurink, a registered dietitian specializing in blended tube feeding. Hilarie shares her journey into this niche area of nutrition, discussing the challenges families face with traditional tube feeding methods and the empowering benefits of incorporati...

01-29

28:43

Hello Brave Friends! Welcome to today's story episode, #202. These are true stories from a moment in the life of a caregiving parent. We hear a crafted story, and then have a conversation with our guests that goes deeper into their experience. In this conversation, Kari Baker shares her transformative journey from a successful career in financial services to becoming a dedicated advocate for families with children who have invisible neurological differences. She discusses the challenges of pa...

01-22

35:00

Hello Brave Friends! This is an Ask Us Anything episode in which YOU, the listener, get to write or call in and, you guessed it, ASK US ANYTHING! In this Ask Us Anything episode, #201, we are responding to the question, Am I alone in feeling like there is extra pressure on us caregiving mothers to be saint-like in our parenting? In this episode, the hosts celebrate the New Year and the start of Season 8 by reflecting on their experiences of motherhood. They discuss the unexpected gifts ...

01-15

31:09

Hello, Brave Friends! Welcome to Season 8 of Brave Together Parenting, a helpful podcast for the parents of children all ages with all types of disabilities and diagnoses. Our mission is to provide you, the caregiving parent, with as many resources, relatable stories, and perspectives as possible so you can stop surviving and start thriving, or maybe a little bit of both. This season we are offering Ask Us Anything episodes to answer your burning questions, Story episodes, hearing from...

01-14

02:26

Hello Brave Friends! This is story episode #182, about what can happen when parents presume competence in their non-verbal, autistic son. Today we hear from Jason Hague about his experience accepting his autistic son Jack’s presumed intellectual disability, making peace with it, and then seeing a documentary that changed everything. Welcome to today's story episode: How Spelling Revealed a Non-Verbal Teen’s Brilliance. Jason Hague has been telling his story of faith, fatherhood, and au...

01-08

39:30

You have to PRUNE to create room for real GROWTH, this is a sentiment gardeners understand but often busy parent caregivers forget. Are you making space in your life to experience peace? To exhale? To hear your own thoughts? In our busy world and even busier caregiving lives, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and out of touch with what we really require to thrive as human beings. On this episode, host Jessica Patay, speaks with our story teller, Jess Ronne, about getting in touch with oursel...

01-01

30:54

Did you know grief can be disenfranchised? Have you ever caught yourself welling up or feeling angry when parents of neurotypical, undisabled, healthy kids talk about the different milestones they’re experiencing with them? Do you judge yourself, feeling you should have accepted your child’s unique path by now? Well, you are NOT alone! In this practical episode, Jessica interviews Meghann Crane-Russ, a therapist and licensed clinical social worker about ALL THINGS GRIEF. They discuss where gr...

12-25

26:53

The holidays can be tough for everybody! We all get this extra large serving of commitments and expectations that can make enjoying anything feel off the table. Add the element of unique needs to this feast and now even the most organized and flexible person can feel downright defeated. Is there a fresh way to approach this? On today’s episode, Jessica interviews life coach, Margaret Webb, about strategies going into this most stressful of seasons. They discuss getting clear about your family...

12-18

29:19

Hello Brave Friends! Welcome to today's episode, #200! Can you believe it?! In this celebratory 200th episode, host Jessica Patay, with co-hosts Dr. Zoe Shaw and Susanna Peace Lovell chat with Clayton Frech and Bahar Soomekh, parents of Paralympic Gold-Medalist, Ezra Frech. They share their journey of parenting a child with a disability, discussing the importance of proactive parenting, soliciting advice from the disabled community and the power of intuition, especially when making big medica...

12-11

53:25

Hello Brave Friends! On this Thriving Disabled Adults episode, #199, we are speaking to Thriving Disabled Adult, Jacob Pacheco, who shares his inspiring journey as an adaptive elite athlete and professional speaker. He discusses the challenges he faced growing up with cerebral palsy and how he transformed his struggles into a purpose-driven life. In this fantastic interview, our guest Jacob emphasizes the role of support systems in recovery, the healing power of the ocean, and his path ...

12-04

40:42

Hello Brave Friends! This is an Ask Us Anything episode in which YOU, the listener, get to write or call in and, you guessed it, ASK US ANYTHING! In this Ask Us Anything episode, #198, we are responding to the question, How do I outsource help so I’m not doing everything for myself, my Family and my neurodivergent child? In this conversation, we discuss the challenges of parenting, particularly for those with neurodivergent children, and explore various strategies for outsourcing tasks ...

11-27

32:45

Hello Brave Friends! Welcome to today's story episode, #197, in which we hear a story from brave mom and advocate, Abby Zachritz. In this conversation, Abby Zachritz shares her harrowing journey following a near-fatal accident involving her son, Wyatt. The discussion covers the emotional and medical challenges faced by Abby and her family, the miraculous recovery of Wyatt, and the profound impact of the experience on their lives. Abby emphasizes the importance of resilience, support systems, ...

Hello Brave Friends! On this Thriving Disabled Adults episode, #196, we are speaking to Thriving Disabled Adult, Presbyterian minister and author, Caroline Cupp. In this conversation, Caroline Cupp shares her experiences growing up with cerebral palsy, the support she received from her parents, and her journey through life as a disabled individual. She discusses the importance of belonging, her career as a Presbyterian minister, and her experiences with pregnancy and the medical field. Caroli...