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

STORY: Navigating Mental Health after Trauma with Abby Zachritz Nov 20, 2024

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, and the unexpected beauty that can emerge from trauma. In this conversation, Abby Zachritz shares her journey of navigating mental health challenges, particularly PTSD, after her son Wyatt's traumatic brain injury. She emphasizes the importance of processing emotions and seeking help, both for herself and her family. Abby discusses Wyatt's remarkable progress and her transition into advocacy work, where she helps families find resources and support. The conversation highlights the significance of self-care, community support, and the need for parents to prioritize their well-being while caring for children with disabilities.

Find the Advocacy Abby Website here.
Follow Advocacy Abby on IG here.
Check out supportnow.org here.
Find Grants here.
Find this episode and ALL our Season 7 episodes on Youtube here.
Find our first book from We Are Brave Together here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.
JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.
Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.
Donate to keep this podcast going here.
Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?
Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.
Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org
If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.
Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!
Disclaimer

THRIVING DISABLED ADULTS: Cerebral Palsy, Dating, Pregnancy and Parenting with Caroline Cupp Nov 13, 2024

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. Caroline also highlights her recent books that focus on disability representation in parenting and dating, offering valuable insights and advice for parents of children with disabilities.

Find Caroline Cupp’s upcoming books Datable and This is How We Play here.

Find the Dateability website here.

Find this episode and ALL our Season 7 episodes on Youtube here.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

BONUS: The Power of Storytelling in Care with Lydia Storie Nov 07, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! Welcome to today’s BONUS episode in which Jessica Patay, founder of We Are Brave Together and author, Kelley Coleman, join forces to chat with Director of Culture Change at Caring Across Generations, Lydia Storie.

In this conversation, Lydia Storie discusses her journey from the entertainment industry to becoming the Director of Culture Change at Caring Across Generations. She shares her personal experiences with caregiving, the fragility of care infrastructure, and the importance of cultural representation in media. The discussion emphasizes the need for community support, advocacy for policy changes, and the significance of sharing caregiving stories to validate experiences and foster a collective movement for better care solutions.

Thanks so much for listening!

Learn more about Lydia Storie and her work at Caring Across Generations here.

Find Kelley Coleman and her book Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child: Your Guide to the Essential Systems, Services, and Supports here.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together here.

Find this episode and ALL our Season 7 episodes on Youtube here.

Thank you to our BIG, beautiful 5k sponsors!! Our TOP sponsors that we want to acknowledge and appreciate are: RISE Advocacy, GHJ Foundation, Torrance Memorial Medical Center, CMS Creative Management, Inc., the Patay Family and MRM Education Harbor Light Financial Strategies, and PPL. We are so grateful to these generous sponsors and so excited about our 5K, which will be accessible and truly a family friendly event! Learn more about our 5K here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

ASK US ANYTHING: Worst Parenting Moments Nov 06, 2024

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, #195, we are responding to the question, “Will you tell us about some really hard or embarrassing moments you’ve had as a parent?"

In this episode, Jessica Patay, Dr. Zoe Shaw, and Susanna Peace Lovell share their most mortifying parenting moments, exploring the challenges and realities of motherhood. They share personal stories of embarrassment, and reflect on the lessons learned from these experiences. The conversation is full of BIG LAUGHS and levity and emphasizes the understanding that all parents face difficult moments, reminding listeners that they are NOT alone in their struggles.

Keep the questions coming, we’re here to support you! We see you and we love you!

Whether you have questions as a parent to a child with complex medical or mental health needs or you’re someone looking to support a care-giving parent, we would LOVE to hear from you. If you have any topic requests or if you would like to ask a question, leave us a message here.

Find more information about Licensed Psychotherapist, Dr. Zoe Shaw here.
Find more information about Life Coach, Susanna Peace Lovell here.
Find Susanna’s book, Your True Self is Enough here.
Find our first book from We Are Brave Together here.

Thank you to everyone who showed up in person or participated virtually in our 5k fundraiser! It was a BIG success and we cannot thank this community or our sponsors enough. An extra special thank you to our TOP sponsors: RISE Advocacy, GHJ Foundation, Torrance Memorial Medical Center, CMS Creative Management, Inc., the Patay Family and MRM Education Harbor Light Financial Strategies, and PPL. If you or a business you know is looking to help with our next fundraiser, please go to WeAreBraveTogether.org to find more opportunities to donate or get involved.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys. JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here. Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here. Donate to keep this podcast going here. Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast? Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook. Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here. Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance! Disclaimer

STORY: Looking for Signs in the Dark Times with Hannah Zorn Oct 30, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! Welcome to today's story episode, #194. 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 episode of the Brave Together Parenting Podcast, host Jessica Patay interviews Hannah Zorn, who shares her family's journey through medical challenges, including her daughter's diagnosis of interstitial lung disease. Hannah discusses the emotional rollercoaster of navigating the healthcare system, the importance of creating positive memories during difficult times, and the profound moment she experienced with a dragonfly that served as a sign of hope. She emphasizes the significance of finding a supportive community and encourages parents to seek out their tribe during challenging times.

Hannah is a mother of two children who each have a disability. She is a disability professional in her rural community, and lover of all things nature, art, and music. She lives with her beautiful husband and children in the mountains of Colorado. She is currently working on creating a Family Resource Collaborative Guide for local families in partnership with the Arc of SW Colorado.

Connect with Hannah Zorn on Facebook here and on IG here.

Find this episode and ALL our Season 7 episodes on Youtube here.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together here.
Thank you to everyone who showed up in person or participated virtually in our 5k fundraiser! It was a BIG success and we cannot thank this community or our sponsors enough. An extra special thank you to our TOP sponsors: RISE Advocacy, GHJ Foundation, Torrance Memorial Medical Center, CMS Creative Management, Inc., the Patay Family and MRM Education Harbor Light Financial Strategies, and PPL. We are so grateful to these generous sponsors who help make all that we do for this community possible. If you or a business you know is looking to help with our next fundraiser, please go to WeAreBraveTogether.org to find more opportunities to donate or get involved. We welcome your donations and generosity, and we thank you with all of our hearts.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.
Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.
Donate to keep this podcast going here.
Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?
Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.
Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org
If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.
Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

THRIVING DISABLED ADULTS: Changing the Disability Narrative with Tiffany Yu Oct 23, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! On this Thriving Disabled Adults episode, #193, we are speaking to Thriving Disabled Adult, Tiffany Yu, who at age nine, was in a car accident that left her right arm permanently paralyzed, and also took the life of her father.

I think you're going to love this interview. Tiffany is so open about her courageous journey from the accident to finding her voice and community as a disabled person. She also has a lot to say about what it felt like to be in therapies and treatments for her brachial plexus injury. And in contrast to all those therapies, what it felt like when the initial support went away, and she was left, without an IEP, trying her best to fit in as a newly disabled person, in an ableist school system and world.

She is now an incredible disability advocate who started a disability centered community called Diversability. She is also a content creator (check out her Anti-Ableist series on TikTok) and she has a book coming out on disability inclusion called The Anti-Ableist Manifesto. I promise after this interview you are going to be clamoring to check out all of her world-changing content.

Thank you to everyone who showed up in person or participated virtually in our 5k fundraiser! It was a BIG success and we cannot thank this community or our sponsors enough. An extra special thank you to our TOP sponsors: RISE Advocacy, GHJ Foundation, Torrance Memorial Medical Center, CMS Creative Management, Inc., the Patay Family and MRM Education Harbor Light Financial Strategies, and PPL. We are so grateful to these generous sponsors who help make all that we do for this community possible. If you or a business you know is looking to help with our next fundraiser, please go to WeAreBraveTogether.org to find more opportunities to donate or get involved. We welcome your donations and generosity, and we thank you with all of our hearts.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together here.

Find this episode and ALL our Season 7 episodes on Youtube here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

ASK US ANYTHING: Mothering Without a Mother Oct 16, 2024

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, #192, we are responding to the question, What wisdom and encouragement do you have for women who are mothering without a mother?

In this tender conversation, Jessica Patay, Dr. Zoe Shaw, and Susanna Peace Lovell explore the complexities of motherhood, particularly the experience of mothering without a mother. They share personal stories of loss, caregiving, and the cyclical nature of grief, emphasizing the importance of community support and nurturing relationships. The discussion highlights the emotional challenges faced by mothers who have lost their own mothers, whether through death or complicated relationships, and the ways in which they seek connection and support in their parenting journeys.
Keep the vulnerable questions coming. We’re here to support you! We see you and we love you!
Whether you have questions as a parent to a child with complex medical or mental health needs or you’re someone looking to support a care-giving parent, we would LOVE to hear from you.

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to ask a question, leave us a message here.

Find more information about Licensed Psychotherapist, Dr. Zoe Shaw here.
Find more information about Life Coach, Susanna Peace Lovell here.
Find Susanna’s book, Your True Self is Enough here.
Find our first book from We Are Brave Together here.
Find this episode and ALL our Season 7 episodes on Youtube here.

Thank you to our BIG, beautiful 5k sponsors!! Our TOP sponsors that we want to acknowledge and appreciate are: RISE Advocacy, GHJ Foundation, Torrance Memorial Medical Center, CMS Creative Management, Inc., the Patay Family and MRM Education Harbor Light Financial Strategies, and PPL. We are so grateful to these generous sponsors and so excited about our 5K, which will be accessible and truly a family friendly event! Learn more about our 5K here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.
JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.
Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.
Donate to keep this podcast going here.
Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?
Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.
Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org
Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!
Disclaimer

STORY: Battling Depression While Raising an Autistic Child with Sandy and Chris Colter Oct 09, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! Welcome to today's story episode, #191. 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.

Today we actually have TWO guests, Sandy and Chris Colter. They are a couple and they both wrote stories about their struggles with depression while raising their autistic son, Bryce. So we decided to feature both of them to explore this very common topic of depression within the caregiving community.

Chris and Sandy’s son Bryce had a brain hemorrhage that caused seizures when he was just over a day old and just when they'd weaned him off the seizure medication at age two and a half, he got an autism diagnosis. Chris and Sandy wrote a book together called PARENTING AUTISM The Early Years: How We Found Hope and Peace on Our Unexpected Journey, and have been very open about the ups and downs of their caregiving journey to all of our benefits.

Find Sandy and Chris Colter’s book PARENTING AUTISM The Early Years: How We Found Hope and Peace on Our Unexpected Journey here.

Thank you to our BIG, beautiful 5k sponsors!! Our TOP sponsors that we want to acknowledge and appreciate are: RISE Advocacy, GHJ Foundation, Torrance Memorial Medical Center, CMS Creative Management, Inc., the Patay Family and MRM Education Harbor Light Financial Strategies, and PPL. We are so grateful to these generous sponsors and so excited about our 5K, which will be accessible and truly a family friendly event! Learn more about our 5K here.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together here.

Find this episode and ALL our Season 7 episodes on Youtube here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

THRIVING DISABLED ADULTS: Anxiety and Depression to High on Life with Ryanna Hammond Oct 02, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! On this Thriving Disabled Adults episode, #190, we chat with Ryanna Hammond. Once plagued with anxiety, depression and multiple eating disorders, Ryanna used journaling, therapy, nature and exercise to turn her life around.

While anxiety and depression aren’t usually under the umbrella of disability we talk about here, we know more and more of our community, and their children, are struggling with mental health challenges. So this guest is here to inspire everybody!

Life Coach, Susanna Peace Lovell is your host for this episode, you may recognize her from our Ask Us Anything episodes. She interviews Ryanna Hammond, an author, poet and business owner who has a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's degree in creative writing.

Ryanna’s business All With Heart is dedicated to helping people live their lives, all with heart. Her biggest passions are writing, spirituality, nature, solo travel, and mental health awareness.

Find out more about Ryanna Hammond and her business, All With Heart, here.

Find more information about Life Coach, Susanna Peace Lovell here.

Find Susanna’s book, Your True Self is Enough here.

Find this episode and ALL our Season 7 episodes on Youtube here.

Thank you to our BIG, beautiful 5k sponsors!! Our TOP sponsors that we want to acknowledge and appreciate are: RISE Advocacy, GHJ Foundation, Torrance Memorial Medical Center, CMS Creative Management, Inc., the Patay Family and MRM Education Harbor Light Financial Strategies, and PPL. We are so grateful to these generous sponsors and so excited about our 5K, which will be accessible and truly a family friendly event! Learn more about our 5K here.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

ASK US ANYTHING: Co-Parenting after a Divorce with a Disabled Child Sep 25, 2024

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, #189, we are responding to the question, Do you have any tips for navigating life with a disabled child after a divorce?

This is a VERY relevant topic for our community because the added stress of caregiving for disabled children is not known to help marriages last longer. Also two of our three hosts have been through divorce and continue to co-parent with their disabled children’s fathers. So we have A LOT of first hand experience and advice for this caller.

In this episode we offer: important things to consider in the divorce process, ways to break the news to our kids and the realities of what co-parenting with your ex-partner can look like as the primary caregiver.

Keep the vulnerable questions coming. We’re here to support you!

We see you and we love you!

Whether you have questions as a parent to a child with complex medical or mental health needs or you’re someone looking to support a care-giving parent, we would LOVE to hear from you.

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to ask a question, leave us a message here.

Find more information about Licensed Psychotherapist, Dr. Zoe Shaw here.

Find more information about Life Coach, Susanna Peace Lovell here.

Find Susanna’s book, Your True Self is Enough here.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together here.

Thank you to our BIG, beautiful 5k sponsors!! Our TOP sponsors that we want to acknowledge and appreciate are: RISE Advocacy, GHJ Foundation, Torrance Memorial Medical Center, CMS Creative Management, Inc., the Patay Family and MRM Education. We are so grateful to these generous sponsors and so excited about our 5K, which will be accessible and truly a family friendly event! Learn more about our 5K here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

STORY: Moving Through Disability Parenting Like a Dancer with Joanne De Simone Sep 18, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! Welcome to today's story episode, #188. 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.

Today's guest is Joanne De Simone, and she's a graduate of Hunter College in New York with degrees in dance and special education. She has two sons, one with a rare brain malformation and one on the autism spectrum. She’s also an author with a book out now called Fall and Recovery: Raising Children with Disabilities through Lessons Learned in Dance.

The story she shares is about her experience being in public with her child on the autism spectrum. There are so many things that we love about Joanne's story but one big one is that this is a moment so many of us can relate to. We've all been in public and we've seen that stranger scowl. Haven't we? We've all experienced that incredible discomfort when our child starts to melt down, act out, or just act in the way that they act that's different from everyone else.

Our interview goes deep into Joanne's journey, working with the school district to get the right services for her children. She has some really great insights, being a special educator herself about how to talk to educators. She also shares about how the lessons she learned in dance can be applied to her life as a caregiver today. I really think you’re going to get a lot out of our conversation. Please enjoy!

Find Joanne DeSimone’s book Fall and Recovery: Raising Children with Disabilities through Lessons Learned in Dance. here.

Thank you to our BIG, beautiful 5k sponsors!! Our TOP sponsors that we want to acknowledge and appreciate are: RISE Advocacy, GHJ Foundation, Torrance Memorial Medical Center, CMS Creative Management, Inc., the Patay Family and MRM Education. We are so grateful to these generous sponsors and so excited about our 5K, which will be accessible and truly a family friendly event! Learn more about our 5K here.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together here.

Find WABT 5K Fundraiser here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message.

THRIVING DISABLED ADULTS: How to Live an Awesome Life with Cam Coelken Sep 11, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! I'm so excited for our very first Thriving Disabled Adults episode, #187. This is a new episode that we are doing for Season 7 of Brave Together Parenting Podcast, and our first guest is a radiant soul. I could feel his energy and his vibrance, just reading about him. So I cannot wait for you to hear this conversation with Cam Coelken.

Cam Coelken is from New Zealand and he says that his life, defined by cerebral palsy, ambition and service above self, embodies resilience and determination. He defied expectations by mastering running and speaking, achievements once deemed impossible for him. Cam is thrilled to share his journey on Brave Together Parenting, celebrating his parents nurturing and his own mindset as he prepares for parenthood himself.

Cam's story reflects values of courage and limitless potential as a full professional, inspirational speaker. He delivers a powerful message worldwide, inspiring others to surpass perceived limits and embrace their unique abilities. Please enjoy my conversation with Cam Coelken.

Find out more about Cam Coelken here.

Find this episode on YouTube here.

Thank you to our BIG, beautiful 5k sponsors!! Our TOP sponsors that we want to acknowledge and appreciate are: RISE Advocacy, GHJ Foundation, Torrance Memorial Medical Center, CMS Creative Management, Inc., the Patay Family and MRM Education. We are so grateful to these generous sponsors and so excited about our 5K, which will be accessible and truly a family friendly event! Learn more about our 5K here.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together here.

Find our Becoming Brave Together book trailer here.

Find WABT 5K Fundraiser here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

BONUS: Why We Should Care about Care with Elissa Strauss Sep 05, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! Welcome to today's BONUS episode. Our guest is care advocate and author, Elissa Strauss, who has a fantastic new book called When You Care, The Unexpected Magic of Caring for Others.

This conversation was about such an important topic that I invited author, activist and fellow caregiving mom, Kelley Coleman to co-host with me. And together we explore the powerful role caring for others plays in our individual and communal lives with Elissa Strauss who in her book weaves together research about care and stories from parents and caregivers with a feminist bent.

Elissa Strauss has been writing about the politics and culture of parenting and caregiving for more than 15 years. Her work appears in publications like The Atlantic, The New York Times, Glamour, Elle, and elsewhere. And she was a former contributing writer at CNN.com and Slate, where her cultural criticism about motherhood appeared on XX. Her book, When You Care, The Unexpected Magic of Caring for Others, is out now from Gallery Bugs.

Please enjoy this critical and important conversation.

Thanks so much for listening!

Find Elissa Strauss and her book, When You Care: The Unexpected Magic of Caring for Others here.

Find Kelley Coleman and her book Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child: Your Guide to the Essential Systems, Services, and Supports here.

Find this episode on Youtube here.

Thank you to our BIG, beautiful 5k sponsors!! Our TOP sponsors that we want to acknowledge and appreciate are: RISE Advocacy, GHJ Foundation, Torrance Memorial Medical Center, CMS Creative Management, Inc., the Patay Family and MRM Education. We are so grateful to these generous sponsors and so excited about our 5K, which will be accessible and truly a family friendly event! Learn more about our 5K here.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

ASK US ANYTHING: The 5 Things I Wish I Were Told Right After My Child Was Given a Diagnosis Sep 04, 2024

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!

Welcome to the first episode of Season 7! In this Ask Us Anything ep, #186, we are responding to the question, What Do I Do Right After My Kid's Diagnosis?

Many of us on this altered motherhood journey, especially those of us acting as mentors to newer brave moms, get asked this question a lot. So we each supplied our top 5 things we love to tell people when they’re freshly reeling from their child’s diagnosis. Our answers come from our three personal journeys, some overlap and some diverge. We hope you can find at least one thing that resonates or is helpful.
One important thing we didn’t address in this episode is how to get services for your child, which is another thing that every parent to a disabled child will need to tackle. Every state and/or country has their own social services agencies but some great resources we know of include: Undivided and Kelley Coleman's Book Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child: Your Guide to The Essential Systems, Services and Supports, which you can find here.

Keep the vulnerable questions coming. We’re here to support you! We see you and we love you!

Find this episode on Youtube here.

Whether you have questions as a parent to a child with complex medical or mental health needs or you’re someone looking to support a care-giving parent, we would LOVE to hear from you.

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to ask a question, leave us a message here.

Find more information about Licensed Psychotherapist, Dr. Zoe Shaw here.
Find more information about Life Coach, Susanna Peace Lovell here.
Find Susanna’s book, Your True Self is Enough here.
Find our first book from We Are Brave Together here.

Thank you to our BIG, beautiful 5k sponsors!! Our TOP sponsors that we want to acknowledge and appreciate are: RISE Advocacy, GHJ Foundation, Torrance Memorial Medical Center, CMS Creative Management, Inc., the Patay Family and MRM Education. We are so grateful to these generous sponsors and so excited about our 5K, which will be accessible and truly a family friendly event! Learn more about our 5K here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here

Welcome to Season 7! Sep 03, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! Welcome to Season 7 of Brave Together Parenting, an empowering and truly helpful podcast for the parents of children, all ages, with all types of disabilities or unique needs.
Our mission is to provide you, the caregiving parent, with resources to help answer your questions. Stories from other caregiving parents to help you feel less alone and starting the season, something NEW, interviews with thriving disabled adults to give you hope!

I am Jessica Patay, your host and a parent to a son who is 21 with Prader Willi Syndrome. And I'm joined for Ask Us Anything episodes, as well as a few other episodes this season by two other brave moms, clinical psychologist, Dr. Zoe Shaw and life coach, Susanna Peace Lovell. Together, we tackle all your nitty gritty questions from the trenches and share what wisdom we have gathered on our collective journeys.

This season is full of delicious newness, new podcast art, new title, new co-hosting opportunities, and new videos on our We Are Brave Together YouTube channel for each episode.

We make this podcast as a lifeline for you. So please give us feedback, call into speakpipe and leave us messages with your questions or topic requests.

We are here to offer you community and remind you that you are brave, you are beautiful and most definitely NOT ALONE. Welcome to Season 7! We thank you for tuning in every Wednesday and sharing our episodes with all your friends. We see you and we love you!

Whether you have questions as a parent to a child with complex medical or mental health needs or you’re someone looking to support a care-giving parent, we would LOVE to hear from you.

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to ask a question, leave us a message here.

Find more information about Licensed Psychotherapist, Dr. Zoe Shaw here.
Find more information about Life Coach, Susanna Peace Lovell here.
Find Susanna’s book, Your True Self is Enough here.
Find our first book from We Are Brave Together here.

Thank you to our BIG, beautiful 5k sponsors!! Our TOP sponsors that we want to acknowledge and appreciate are: RISE Advocacy, GHJ Foundation, Torrance Memorial Medical Center, CMS Creative Management, Inc., the Patay Family and MRM Education. We are so grateful to these generous sponsors and so excited about our 5K, which will be accessible and truly a family friendly event! Learn more about our 5K here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on

Summer Re-Run: How to Support my Neuro-Divergent Kid as They Blossom into a Teen Aug 21, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! This is a Summer Re-Run of one of our favorite Ask Us Anything episodes from Seasons 5 and 6. Call in to our SpeakPipe to ask YOUR questions and tune in next season, starting in September 2024, for many more.
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 episode, #174, we are responding to the question, How do I Support my Neuro-Divergent Kid as They Blossom into a Teen? It’s a bittersweet transition from childhood to young adulthood that we all experience in different ways. And with neuro-divergent kids the transition and experience can pose very real logistical and emotional challenges. We have to stay on our toes as parents to handle this intense growth period with grace.

Hopefully this episode can give you some comfort, as our co-hosts share anecdotes from their own experience, and remind you, as always, that you’re not alone. You’ll also find a helpful resource for sex-ed for the intellectually disabled and their support systems, mentioned in this episode, linked below.

Thank you so much for listening and calling in with your questions. Keep them coming!

Find the Mad Hatter Wellness Website here.

Whether you have questions as a parent to a child with complex medical or mental health needs or you’re someone looking to support a care-giving parent, we would LOVE to hear from you.

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to ask a question, leave us a message here.

Find more information about Licensed Psychotherapist, Dr. Zoe Shaw here.

Find more information about Life Coach, Susanna Peace Lovell here.

Find Susanna’s book, Your True Self is Enough here.

Thank you to our BIG, beautiful 5k sponsors!! Our TOP sponsors that we want to acknowledge and appreciate are: RISE Advocacy, GHJ Foundation, Torrance Memorial Medical Center, CMS Creative Management, Inc., the Patay Family and MRM Education. We are so grateful to these generous sponsors and so excited about our 5K, which will be accessible and truly a family friendly event! Learn more about our 5K here.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together coming May 1st here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook

Summer Re-Run: What Do I Do When My Kid is Being Bullied? Aug 14, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! This is a Summer Re-Run of one of our favorite Ask Us Anything episodes from Seasons 5 and 6. Call in to our SpeakPipe to ask YOUR questions and tune in next season, starting in September 2024, for many more.
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 episode, #171, we are responding to the question, what do I do when my kid is being bullied? It’s so heart wrenching to imagine our vulnerable kiddos being bullied but kids can be mean and it does happen. On this episode we discuss methods of dealing with bullying ranging from reporting the issue at our next IEP meeting to practicing daily affirmations with our kids at home.

Thank you so much for listening and calling in with your questions. Keep them coming!

Whether you have questions as a parent to a child with complex medical or mental health needs or you’re someone looking to support a care-giving parent, we would LOVE to hear from you.

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to ask a question, leave us a message here.

Find more information about Licensed Psychotherapist, Dr. Zoe Shaw here.

Find more information about Life Coach, Susanna Peace Lovell here.

Find Susanna’s book, Your True Self is Enough here.

Find Information about CA Disability Rights in regards to Bullying and Harassment here.

Thank you to our BIG, beautiful 5k sponsors!! Our TOP sponsors that we want to acknowledge and appreciate are: RISE Advocacy, GHJ Foundation, Torrance Memorial Medical Center, CMS Creative Management, Inc., the Patay Family and MRM Education. We are so grateful to these generous sponsors and so excited about our 5K, which will be accessible and truly a family friendly event! Learn more about our 5K here.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together coming May 1st here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here<

Summer Re-Run: When Your Spouse is Not Very Involved in Disability Caregiving Aug 07, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! This is a Summer Re-Run of one of our favorite Ask Us Anything episodes from Seasons 5 and 6. Call in to our SpeakPipe to ask YOUR questions and tune in next season, starting in September 2024, for many more.
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 episode, #168, we are tackling the HIGHLY relatable question, what do we do when our spouse is not very involved in our disability caregiving? This is such a common question, especially in our community. Relationships are ALREADY full of murky divisions of labor and then throw in all the extra tasks that come with a disabled child and it doesn’t usually get easier to negotiate. Luckily, we have a well qualified team to handle this question. As always we pour compassion on our questioner and offer strategies to tackle the problem.

Thank you so much for listening and calling in with your questions. Keep them coming!

Whether you have questions as a parent to a child with complex medical or mental health needs or you’re someone looking to support a care-giving parent, we would LOVE to hear from you.

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to ask a question, leave us a message here.

Find more information about Licensed Psychotherapist, Dr. Zoe Shaw here.

Find more information about Life Coach, Susanna Peace Lovell here.

Find Susanna’s book, Your True Self is Enough here.

Thank you to our BIG, beautiful 5k sponsors!! Our TOP sponsors that we want to acknowledge and appreciate are: RISE Advocacy, GHJ Foundation, Torrance Memorial Medical Center, CMS Creative Management, Inc., the Patay Family and MRM Education. We are so grateful to these generous sponsors and so excited about our 5K, which will be accessible and truly a family friendly event! Learn more about our 5K here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

Summer Re-Run: Will A Caregiver Support Group Make Me More Depressed? Jul 31, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! This is a Summer Re-Run of one of our favorite Ask Us Anything episodes from Seasons 5 and 6. Call in to our SpeakPipe to ask YOUR questions and tune in next season, starting in September 2024, for many more.
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 episode, #165, we are discussing how to get the most out of connection circles and in general, support groups, without taking on other attendee’s pain.

In this community we are ALREADY dealing with our own tough feelings when we step into a group sharing environment and as Dr. Zoe Shaw says, in this episode, “we’re wired for protection not connection” so dealing with other people’s emotions on top of our own can feel daunting. BUT it doesn't have to feel that way and the community and sisterhood that comes with sharing and holding space for those emotions is so worth facing your own.

There are so many wisdom gems, AHA moments and tools in this episode for helping us deconstruct the emotions we feel when in the presence of other people’s pain. Please enjoy this important episode of Ask Us Anything.

Whether you have questions as a parent to a child with complex medical or mental health needs or you’re someone looking to support a care-giving parent, we would LOVE to hear from you.

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to ask a question, leave us a message here.

Find more information about Licensed Psychotherapist, Dr. Zoe Shaw here.

Find more information about Life Coach, Susanna Peace Lovell here.

Find Susanna’s book, Your True Self is Enough here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

Summer Re-Run: Comparison within the Disability Community Jul 24, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! This is a Summer Re-Run of one of our favorite Ask Us Anything episodes from Seasons 5 and 6. Call in to our SpeakPipe to ask YOUR questions and tune in next season, starting in September 2024, for many more.
This is another Ask Us Anything episode in which YOU, the listener, get to write or call in and, you guessed it, ASK US ANYTHING!

Today we’re discussing the topic of comparing. Whether it’s our stories, our parenting styles or our child’s outcomes, comparing, it seems, is just human nature. It’s a tool we use to identify and connect with others who are like us but can also turn competitive and ugly. How do we support and honor each other’s journey’s without feeling better or worse off than our sisters?

Whether you have questions as a parent to a child with complex medical or mental health needs or you’re someone looking to support a care-giving parent, we would LOVE to hear from you.

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to ask a question, leave us a message here.

Find more information about Life Coach, Susanna Peace Lovell here.

Find more information about Kimberly Kooy, LMFT here.

Find the UNSEEN list of ways you can support care-givers here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

Summer Re-Run: My Child is Aggressive and I Feel So Alone Jul 17, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! This is a Summer ReRun of one of our favorite Ask Us Anything episodes from Seasons 5 and 6. Call in to our SpeakPipe to ask YOUR questions and tune in next season, starting in September 2024, for many more.
This is another Ask Us Anything episode in which YOU, the listener, get to write or call in and, you guessed it, ASK US ANYTHING!

Today we’re discussing the topic of raising a child who is aggressive or has bouts of violence towards others. We speak from experience about how it can feel, what it brings up for us as caregivers and how we deal with it. Most of all, this episode is a compassion fest. If you are out there feeling the isolation, fear and shame that can come with this kind of caregiving, know that you are NOT alone and we at Brave Together Podcast are here to support you.

Whether you have questions as a parent to a child with complex medical or mental health needs or you’re someone looking to support a care-giving parent, we would LOVE to hear from you.

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to ask a question, leave us a message here.

Find more information about Life Coach, Susanna Peace Lovell here.

Find more information about Kimberly Kooy, LMFT here.

Find the UNSEEN list of ways you can support care-givers here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

Summer Re-Run: Our Family Needs a Break and I Feel So Guilty Jul 10, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! This is a Summer ReRun of one of our favorite Ask Us Anything episodes from Seasons 5 and 6. Call in to our SpeakPipe to ask YOUR questions and tune in next season, starting in September 2024, for many more.
This is another Ask Us Anything episode in which YOU, the listener, get to write or call in and, you guessed it, ASK US ANYTHING!

Today we’re discussing the question, is it okay to take a vacation with the typical members of the family while leaving my child with complex needs behind and if so, how do I deal with the guilt I feel about planning that trip and how do I tell my child that I’m leaving them behind?

Whether you have questions as a parent to a child with complex medical or mental health needs or you’re someone looking to support a care-giving parent, we would LOVE to hear from you.

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to ask a question, leave us a message here.

Find more information about Life Coach, Susanna Peace Lovell here.

Find more information about Kimberly Kooy, LMFT here.

Find the UNSEEN list of ways you can support care-givers here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

Summer Re-Run: When Friends Wear the Disability Swag (and Don't Offer Real Help) Jul 03, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! This is a Summer Re-Run of one of our favorite Ask Us Anything episodes from Seasons 5 and 6. Call in to our SpeakPipe to ask YOUR questions and tune in next season, starting in September 2024, for many more.
This is our inaugural Ask Us Anything episode in which YOU, the listener, get to write or call in and, you guessed it, ASK US ANYTHING!

Today we’re discussing the question, “Is it strange to feel frustrated when I see friends and family support and volunteer with programs that support people with disabilities and yet, do not volunteer to help my child or other children outside of those events?”

Whether you have questions as a parent to a child with complex medical or mental health needs or you’re someone looking to support a care-giving parent, we would LOVE to hear from you.

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to ask a question, leave us a message here.

Find more information about Life Coach, Susanna Peace Lovell here.

Find more information about Kimberly Kooy, LMFT here.

Find the UNSEEN list of ways you can support care-givers here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Disclaimer

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Can Caregiving Dads be Accepted into Mom Groups? Jun 26, 2024

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 episode, #185, we are responding to the question, Can Caregiving Dads be Accepted into Mom Groups?

Another amazing question to close out Season 6! First off, thank you to this Dad for calling in and posing this vulnerable question. I know a lot of parents are going to benefit from this conversation.

It seems that because mom’s historically outnumber dad’s in the role of primary caregiver and are socialized to be more open to support, among a host of other reasons, most of the parenting groups are geared towards moms. And when dads try to join them, they may not always feel welcomed. For example, this caller expressed being turned away from some groups because they were “only for moms”.

In this episode we discuss: the reasons men may not be welcomed into these groups, ways men can approach these groups to more readily be accepted and we offer links to fathering groups and resources below.

Thank you so much for listening and calling in with your questions this season. We are taking a Summer Break but will be releasing Ask Us Anything “ReRuns” to keep you supported. We will be back, BETTER THAN EVER, in September for Season 7, so keep those questions coming! We see you and we love you!

Find Just Two Dad’s Podcast here.

Find Fathering Together organization here.

Find Project Fatherhood here.

Whether you have questions as a parent to a child with complex medical or mental health needs or you’re someone looking to support a care-giving parent, we would LOVE to hear from you.

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to ask a question, leave us a message here.

Find more information about Licensed Psychotherapist, Dr. Zoe Shaw here.

Find more information about Life Coach, Susanna Peace Lovell here.

Find Susanna’s book, Your True Self is Enough here.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together here.

Find our Becoming Brave Together book trailer here.

Find WABT 5K Fundraiser here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholar

How a Stay-at-Home Dad Created a Digital Assistant for Caregivers with Ryan Sheedy Jun 19, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! Welcome to today's practical episode, #184. Our guest today is a dad! Ryan Sheedy is a dad, a rare disease caregiver and a founder. He lives in Bentonville, Arkansas with his wife and three sons. In 2018, after 15 plus years in business development and fundraising, he paused his career to become a stay-at-home dad caregiver for his twin sons.

One of his sons, Reynolds, was diagnosed with Costello syndrome in 2018. Since birth, Ryan has been Reynolds’ primary caregiver. 100 plus days in the NICU, countless surgeries, and managing a 25 plus person care team. He and his son's rare journey and the countless families they have met along the way inspired him to create Mejo.

As a caregiver, he knows, first hand, that being a caregiver is an everyday job, there's no days off. And Mejo is a web app built for caregivers to help save you time so that you can have more joy with those that you love and care for.

I can't wait for you to meet Ryan. He is a great guy, great dad, entrepreneur, and he created something that all of us need! So please, run to your computers and look this up because it's going to save you a lot of time. Thanks for listening to my conversation with Ryan Sheedy.

Find the my mejo website here.

Contact Ryan Sheedy about my mejo here.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together here.

Find our Becoming Brave Together book trailer here.

Donate to our Mother's Day Fundraiser here.

Find WABT 5K Fundraiser here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

What You Wish You Could Ask ParaEducators with Anjillene O'Connor Jun 12, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! Welcome to today's practical episode, #183. Our guest is Anjillene O’Connor. She came to my family well over a decade ago. She was working in our school district, as an interventionist, and wanted a little work on the side. She loved my kids, understood them, would cook for them and was just the best. Everybody in my family loved Miss Jill, (we still call her Miss Jill).

Today she has been working in education for 20 years, continuing on to the completion of her special education mod severe credential with a master's degree and has been teaching in special education for the last eight years. She's a lovely human being with so much perspective because she’s worked in, or managed others in, like every position at this point.

We asked the secret Brave Together Facebook group for what questions they wished they could ask a Paraeducator or a BI or a BT at school? And we sure got A LOT of questions. So I hope you’ll get so much out of my candid conversation with the supreme educator Anjillene O’Connor.

Thanks so much for listening!

Find Anjillene O’Connor’s personal IG here.

Find Anjillene O’Connor’s behavioral resources IG here.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together here.

Find our Becoming Brave Together book trailer here.

Donate to our Mother's Day Fundraiser here.

Find WABT 5K Fundraiser here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

How Spelling Revealed A Non-Verbal Teen’s Brilliance with Jason Hague Jun 05, 2024

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 autism on his blog for years and years now. He also has a fabulous book called “Aching Joy: Following God through the Land of Unanswered Prayer” which chronicles his own spiritual and emotional journey with his son Jack and the link to find it can be found below.

Find Jason Hague’s Website, Blog and Book here.

Find the video about Jack’s spelling breakthrough here.

Find the Spellers Website here.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together here.

Find our Becoming Brave Together book trailer here.

Donate to our Mother's Day Fundraiser here.

Find WABT 5K Fundraiser here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

How Do I Access Playfulness When My Life is So Serious May 29, 2024

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 episode, #181, we are responding to the question, How do I Access Playfulness When My Life is So Serious?

This is such a great question, and as you will hear, all three of your hosts grapple, themselves, with how to find “the fun” in the midst of chronic hardship. It’s not everyone’s natural gift to make light of the dark stuff or to find humor in the struggle. Juggling all the roles we have to inhabit for our children with unique needs can leave us feeling exhausted and in no mood to “play”.

In this episode, we explore lots of ways we can embrace the kind of fun that comes naturally to us. Igniting that spark of fun in ourselves, for ourselves, in our own way. We also acknowledge that for some people this may feel impossible. So, if that’s you, we see you, hang in there, take it one day at a time and remember that nothing stays the same forever.

Thank you so much for listening and calling in with your questions. Keep them coming!

Find The Power of Fun here.

Whether you have questions as a parent to a child with complex medical or mental health needs or you’re someone looking to support a care-giving parent, we would LOVE to hear from you.

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to ask a question, leave us a message here.

Find more information about Licensed Psychotherapist, Dr. Zoe Shaw here.

Find more information about Life Coach, Susanna Peace Lovell here.

Find Susanna’s book, Your True Self is Enough here.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together here.

Find our Becoming Brave Together book trailer here.

Donate to our Mother's Day Fundraiser here.

Find WABT 5K Fundraiser here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message

Welcoming Big Emotions with Cheerful Helpers Dr. Jaclyn Zeccola May 22, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! Welcome to today's practical episode, #180. Our guest today is Dr. Jaclyn Zeccola, the clinical director of Cheerful Helpers, which is a well established therapeutic school and early intervention program dedicated to supporting children who are experiencing developmental challenges.

As you will hear in the episode, what makes their programs successful and unique to them is their collaboration with parents, their use of narration to help investigate the reasons behind behaviors and their welcoming attitude toward BIG EMOTIONS.

Dr. Jaclyn Zeccola is a psychologist and the clinical director of Cheerful Helpers Child and Family Study Center. Research for her doctoral dissertation focused on the parallel process of early childhood and early parenthood. She is a first 36 fellow and has spent most of her career with young people and their families. She is also the mother of a five year old, an adventure for which all of her book learning and study really didn't prepare her at all.

I hope you learn something from this episode and enjoy my conversation with Dr. Zeccola.

Find the Cheerful Helpers website here.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together here.

Find our Becoming Brave Together book trailer here.

Donate to our Mother's Day Fundraiser here.

Find WABT 5K Fundraiser here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

Parenting Children with Invisible Disabilities with Lora DeMello May 15, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! This is story episode #179. And it features one of the many powerful stories we showcase in our first ever Brave Together book! It’s an anthology of stories shared courageously by our community of moms and it’s called Becoming Brave Together: heroic, extraordinary caregiving stories from mothers hidden in plain sight. It is available now and the link to find it is in the show notes, so go get yourself a copy!

Today we hear a story from Lora DeMello about her experience parenting a neurodivergent daughter. Sometimes called “invisible disabilities” neurodivergence can be particularly stressful because of how often it is misunderstood, misdiagnosed or completely disregarded as a real disability.

Welcome to today's story episode: What You Don’t See

Lora DeMello is the President of the We Are Brave Together board. Her WABT journey began when her daughter was diagnosed at age seven with several ‘hidden’ unique needs, including OCD, ADD, GAD, and Cyclothymia, and her son was diagnosed with ADHD at age six. Additionally, Lora is now also stepmom to her two stepsons, who, combined, carry a variety of diagnoses including: Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, PDA, depression, anxiety, and a rare blood disorder. Lora has a passion for empowering people through connection, art, the written word, and interactive experiences and she is truly honored to be a part of this WABT community.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together here.

Find our Becoming Brave Together book trailer here.

Donate to our Mother's Day Fundraiser here.

Find WABT 5K Fundraiser here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

Making Friends from Behind the Window with Claire McMurray May 08, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! This is story episode #178. And it features one of the many powerful stories we showcase in our first ever Brave Together book! It’s an anthology of stories shared courageously by our community of moms and it’s called Becoming Brave Together: heroic, extraordinary caregiving stories from mothers hidden in plain sight. It is available now and the link to find it is in the show notes, so go get yourself and everybody you know a copy!

Today’s story is from Claire McMurray whose daughter was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called Rett Syndrome. The story she tells is a beautiful articulation of the ache we feel as parents when our not so typical kids struggle to make friends.

Welcome to today's story episode: Behind the Window

Claire McMurray Ph.D. holds a doctorate from Yale and worked as an academic before she left the workforce to care for her youngest daughter. She has degrees in French and German and lived in both France and Germany. She loves to read, write, run, and hunt for treasures in thrift stores. She runs a blog called I Don't Know How You Do It, has had articles published on parenting sites and in literary magazines, and has won several writing contests for her creative nonfiction.

Find Claire’s Website with her blog for parents of children with differences, disabilities, and diagnoses here.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together here.

Find our Becoming Brave Together book trailer here.

Find WABT 5K Fundraiser here.
Donate to our Mother's Day Fundraiser here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

A Down Syndrome Diagnosis in South Africa 30 Years Ago with Jessica Baer May 01, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! This is story episode #177. And it features one of the many powerful stories we feature in our first ever Brave Together book! It’s an anthology of stories shared courageously by our community of moms and it’s called Becoming Brave Together: heroic, extraordinary caregiving stories from mothers hidden in plain sight. It is out as of today! So go get yourself a copy!!! The link to find it is in the show notes.

Today’s story is from the Becoming Brave Together anthology. It’s a story excerpt from Jessica Baer who brings us into the raw emotions she felt the day she gave birth in South Africa, to a son with Down Syndrome. Welcome to today's story episode: A Down Syndrome Diagnosis in South Africa 30 Years Ago

Jessica Baer was born and raised in South Africa and immigrated to the USA in 1995. She’s been a speech language pathologist for 36 years and is passionate about helping children to communicate. She is a certified Auditory Verbal Therapist and enjoys working with young deaf and hard of hearing children and their parents to facilitate listening and spoken language at home. Jessica loves to cook and eat healthy food, garden, bird watch and travel. She has a love for family, fashion and reality TV.

Jessica has been a member of We are Brave Together for 4 years and wrote weekly Facebook posts titled Wesley Wednesday for 2 years for the group. Jessica was recently honored to take on the role of leader for the We are Brave Together South Bay Connection Circle. Jessica lives with her wife Toni and son Wesley in Lomita, Los Angeles, where they have a vegetable garden and an outdoor pond with four fish.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together out TODAY May 1st here.
Find Becoming Brave Together Book Trailer here.

Find WABT 5K Fundraiser here.
Donate to our Mother's Day Fundraiser here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

We All Deserve a Dignified Place to Toilet with Jayme Betts Apr 24, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! Welcome to today's practical episode, #176. Our guest today is Jayme Betts, and she founded the Changing Spaces Advocacy Campaign in Massachusetts after experiencing, along with her daughter, Sophia, the challenges that traditional public restrooms present for disabled individuals who require assistance with their daily care.

With rare exceptions, the only options that caretakers have for changing their loved one’s undergarments is on the dirty floor of a public restroom. When the facilities offered do not even allow for this, many caretakers resort to setting up a changing station in the car, exposed to the elements and with no privacy.

As the individual ages and the situation becomes ever more challenging and unsafe, difficult decisions are made to stay home and begin a spiral toward social isolation. Universal changing tables are needed. They are powered, height adjustable tables that are large enough to support an adult weighing up to 300 pounds.

Changing Spaces in Massachusetts was organized just last year, but there was already work being done by a handful of individuals around the state. You'll hear all about it in my conversation with the inspirational, Jayme Betts.

Find the Changing Spaces Campaign website here.

Find the Momentum Refresh website here.

Find WABT 5K Fundraiser here.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together coming May 1st here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

Diagnosis Isn't a Choice, My Martyrdom Is with Margaret Webb Apr 17, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! This is story episode #175. When our child gets diagnosed it can feel like the snow globe of our life gets shaken really hard, and that everything is suddenly up in the air. But as the flakes slowly settle, we get the chance to reevaluate our relationships with everything, including ourselves.

When Margaret Webb’s son was diagnosed with Autism she became a warrior for him, fighting day in and day out for his comfort, development and care. But as you might guess, in the heat of battle, she lost touch with herself. Until one day, she saw a magazine cover that reminded her to reconnect.

Welcome to today's story episode: Diagnosis Isn't a Choice, My Martyrdom Is.

Margaret Webb is a parent coach and a Master Certified Martha Beck Life Coach. She has trained, apprenticed, mentored and taught as a Nature-Based Coach. She has a son who is on the autism spectrum, had apraxia of speech, didn't speak until he was 5, has anxiety and ADHD. He LOVES the work she does and takes great pride in the fact that she gets to help other parents with their children. Margaret loves connecting with people through Facebook, tele-classes and in-person workshops and retreats. Knowing that she is helping others to find ease and joy in their lives makes her heart very happy!! She has written a beautiful book called "A Hero's Journey in Parenting: Parenting the Child You Didn't Expect While You Were Expecting" and it is linked below.

Find Margaret Webb’s Book here.

Find Margaret Webb’s Parent Coaching Website here.

Find WABT 5K Fundraiser here.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together coming May 1st here.
Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

How to Support my Neuro-Divergent Kid as They Blossom into a Teen Apr 10, 2024

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 episode, #174, we are responding to the question, How do I Support my Neuro-Divergent Kid as They Blossom into a Teen? It’s a bittersweet transition from childhood to young adulthood that we all experience in different ways. And with neuro-divergent kids the transition and experience can pose very real logistical and emotional challenges. We have to stay on our toes as parents to handle this intense growth period with grace.

Hopefully this episode can give you some comfort, as our co-hosts share anecdotes from their own experience, and remind you, as always, that you’re not alone. You’ll also find a helpful resource for sex-ed for the intellectually disabled and their support systems, mentioned in this episode, linked below.

Thank you so much for listening and calling in with your questions. Keep them coming!

Find the Mad Hatter Wellness Website here.

Whether you have questions as a parent to a child with complex medical or mental health needs or you’re someone looking to support a care-giving parent, we would LOVE to hear from you.

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to ask a question, leave us a message here.

Find more information about Licensed Psychotherapist, Dr. Zoe Shaw here.

Find more information about Life Coach, Susanna Peace Lovell here.

Find Susanna’s book, Your True Self is Enough here.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together coming May 1st here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

How a Caregiving Parent Became an Entrepreneur with Marna Pacheco Apr 03, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! Welcome to practical episode #173. Our guest is a fellow caregiving mama and creator of CapeAble Weighted Products, Marna Pacheco.

Marna created CapeAble, originally for her daughter Millie, who needed help regulating her nervous system. CapeAble is unique from all other weighted blanket manufacturers, because its patented SmartWeight technology provides an even weight distribution resulting in precise, deep touch pressure. What does this mean for parent caregivers? The deep touch pressure of SmartWeight helps provide a sense of safety, connection, and nervous system regulation.

I can't wait for you to hear this conversation which is both touching and informative. And I hope that you will try the products. It's such a nice option and comes from someone who is truly passionate about what they do. Please, enjoy this conversation and make sure that you check out CapeAble Weighted Products.

Thanks for listening!

Find Marna Pacheco’s CapeAble Weighted Products here.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together coming May 1st here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

Walking on Eggshells with Epilepsy with Erin Rusling Mar 27, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! In this story episode, #172, we enter the world of a parent living on unstable ground. An emotional state riddled with fault lines, shifting plates and the possibility that even a fun outing could cause an earthquake of a seizure in her child’s body.

Erin Rusling’s daughter was born with Dravet Syndrome, a rare and severe form of Epilepsy that causes prolonged seizures. Almost two, at the time of this story, Erin’s daughter had already had many seizures and had come out of them with minimal measures, but the BIG ONE was never impossible and always lurking.

Welcome to today's story episode: Walking on Eggshells with Epilepsy.

Erin is a wife, mom of 2 human children and 3 fur children. She loves making pancakes on Sunday mornings, planning family vacations and listening to true crime podcasts. She stays busy balancing work, family, Dravet medical research and looking for her cold cup of coffee that she knows is around here somewhere. She believes that research and advocacy is the most important part of being a rare parent.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together coming May 1st here.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

What Do I Do When My Kid is Being Bullied? Mar 20, 2024

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 episode, #171, we are responding to the question, what do I do when my kid is being bullied? It’s so heart wrenching to imagine our vulnerable kiddos being bullied but kids can be mean and it does happen. On this episode we discuss methods of dealing with bullying ranging from reporting the issue at our next IEP meeting to practicing daily affirmations with our kids at home.

Thank you so much for listening and calling in with your questions. Keep them coming!

Whether you have questions as a parent to a child with complex medical or mental health needs or you’re someone looking to support a care-giving parent, we would LOVE to hear from you.

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to ask a question, leave us a message here.

Find more information about Licensed Psychotherapist, Dr. Zoe Shaw here.

Find more information about Life Coach, Susanna Peace Lovell here.

Find Susanna’s book, Your True Self is Enough here.

Find Information about CA Disability Rights in regards to Bullying and Harassment here.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together coming May 1st here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

The Importance and Responsibility of Adopting Children Who Have Experienced Trauma with Jenell Jones Mar 13, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! Welcome to practical episode #170, in which we are discussing the importance and responsibility of adopting older children who have experienced trauma. We cover what you need to think about before adopting, ways to prepare for adopting, the systemic problems that need changing and how enormous the need is.

Our guest is Jenell Jones, mother of six, who adopted a seventh child, “because what’s one more when you have six!?”, an eight year-old girl, who she fell in love with and would later learn needed extensive services and support.

Jenell is an early education entrepreneur, currently operating multiple early learning centers, which specialize in providing high quality learning experiences to children who experienced trauma in low income areas.

Her education background includes earning a bachelor's degree in business management and a master's in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis on autism spectrum disorders from Arizona State University. A native of Phoenix, Arizona, Jenelle has provided her expertise to families for the last decade and currently hosts private discussions with other foster and adoptive parents on current issues affecting the nontraditional home.

Find links to her website and book below and thanks for listening to today's worthwhile conversation.

Find Jenell Jones’ website here.

Find Jenell Jones’ book, Shattered, here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

When Severe Allergies Join the Family with Susanna Peace Lovell Mar 06, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! This is story episode, #169, in which we talk about the underrated difficulty level of being a parent to a child with extreme allergies. When we bring home a newborn, all we want to do is feed them, nourish them and help them to grow. But what if everything we’re feeding them seems to make them irritable, gassy, rashy and miserable; and then we’re miserable.

Susanna Peace Lovell knew something serious was going on with her child, but was assured by doctors that her daughter would grow out of her allergies. In the meantime, she became an expert burper, wind remover and whittled away at her own diet to help protect her child. Yet things kept getting worse. Already exhausted at every turn, eventually her daughter was also diagnosed with Autism. Welcome to today's story episode: When severe allergies join the family.

I’m so glad Susanna is here and shared this story, which is actually from her fantastic book Your True Self is Enough: Lessons Learned on My Journey Parenting a Child with Autism. Which I highly recommend. She is a former highly dedicated connection circle leader for We Are Brave Together in LA for 3 plus years, and is now a co-host for our Ask Us Anything episodes. She’s just a joy to be around and has so much to share. I think you’re really going to love my conversation with the warrior woman, Susanna Peace Lovell.

Find more information about Life Coach, Susanna Peace Lovell here.

Find Susanna’s book, Your True Self is Enough: Lessons Learned on My Journey Parenting a Child with Autism here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

When Your Spouse is Not Very Involved in Disability Caregiving Feb 28, 2024

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 episode, #168, we are tackling the HIGHLY relatable question, what do we do when our spouse is not very involved in our disability caregiving? This is such a common question, especially in our community. Relationships are ALREADY full of murky divisions of labor and then throw in all the extra tasks that come with a disabled child and it doesn’t usually get easier to negotiate. Luckily, we have a well qualified team to handle this question. As always we pour compassion on our questioner and offer strategies to tackle the problem.

Thank you so much for listening and calling in with your questions. Keep them coming!

Whether you have questions as a parent to a child with complex medical or mental health needs or you’re someone looking to support a care-giving parent, we would LOVE to hear from you.

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to ask a question, leave us a message here.

Find more information about Licensed Psychotherapist, Dr. Zoe Shaw here.

Find more information about Life Coach, Susanna Peace Lovell here.

Find Susanna’s book, Your True Self is Enough here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

Accessing Mental Health Benefits with Natalie Elliott Handy (Part 2) Feb 21, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! Welcome to practical episode #167, a TWO PARTER, in which we are diving into the nitty gritty around accessing mental health benefits and services. In Part 1 we focus on what services are available and how to find them and ways to approach starting the process. In Part 2 we focus on how the process works once you’re on the road to receiving services and the important things to consider and questions to ask your providers.

Our guest is Natalie Elliott Handy. And, oh my gosh, is she a wealth of information. She is a seasoned, healthcare executive with 24+ years in the health and human services industry. Currently, she serves as the Vice President of Government Affairs and Advocacy at Health Connect America, a behavioral and mental health company offering services throughout Virginia and eight states in the southeastern United States.

Prior to coming to Health Connect America, Natalie served as CEO of Intercept Health, CEO of four psychiatric residential treatment facilities in Virginia, VP of Utilization Review and Clinical Audit and CSA coordinator for the City of Roanoke, department of Social Services. A servant at heart, Natalie takes pride in being seen as a mental health concierge, helping families and agencies navigate the system to find the most appropriate service.

In September twenty-Twenty-two Natalie alongside sisters J.J. Elliott Hill and Emily Elliott founded Sisterhood of Care, an organization offering caregivers a safe place to relate, learn, be inspired, find hope, and obtain the critical resources needed to support their loved one while also maintaining their sense of self. The Sisters launched their website and blog Confessions of a Reluctant Caregiver in October, 2022, followed by their Confessions podcast in January, 2023.

Welcome to today's VERY helpful conversation; we hope you get a lot out of it and please utilize all the resources linked below.

Resources

More about Health Connect America here.

Natalie and her sister’s Blog and Podcast, Confessions of a Reluctant Caregiver, here.

Find information about IEPs and 504 plans here.

Find information about the EAP Program here.

Link to FindHelp.org here.

Link to 211.org here.

Link to uniteus.com here.

And… if you still have questions here is Natalie Elliott Handy’s email that she so generously provided for any further questions or assistance: natalie.handy@healthconnectamerica.com

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

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Accessing Mental Health Benefits with Natalie Elliott Handy (Part 1) Feb 21, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! Welcome to practical episode #167, a TWO PARTER, in which we are diving into the nitty gritty around accessing mental health benefits and services. In Part 1 we focus on what services are available and how to find them and ways to approach starting the process. In Part 2 we focus on how the process works once you’re on the road to receiving services and the important things to consider and questions to ask your providers.

Our guest is Natalie Elliott Handy. And, oh my gosh, is she a wealth of information. She is a seasoned, healthcare executive with 24+ years in the health and human services industry. Currently, she serves as the Vice President of Government Affairs and Advocacy at Health Connect America, a behavioral and mental health company offering services throughout Virginia and eight states in the southeastern United States.

Prior to coming to Health Connect America, Natalie served as CEO of Intercept Health, CEO of four psychiatric residential treatment facilities in Virginia, VP of Utilization Review and Clinical Audit and CSA coordinator for the City of Roanoke, department of Social Services. A servant at heart, Natalie takes pride in being seen as a mental health concierge, helping families and agencies navigate the system to find the most appropriate service.

In September twenty-Twenty-two Natalie alongside sisters J.J. Elliott Hill and Emily Elliott founded Sisterhood of Care, an organization offering caregivers a safe place to relate, learn, be inspired, find hope, and obtain the critical resources needed to support their loved one while also maintaining their sense of self. The Sisters launched their website and blog Confessions of a Reluctant Caregiver in October, 2022, followed by their Confessions podcast in January, 2023.

Welcome to today's VERY helpful conversation; we hope you get a lot out of it and please utilize all the resources linked below.

Resources

More about Health Connect America here.

Natalie and her sister’s Blog and Podcast, Confessions of a Reluctant Caregiver, here.

Find information about IEPs and 504 plans here.

Find information about the EAP Program here.

Link to FindHelp.org here.

Link to 211.org here.

Link to uniteus.com here.

And… if you still have questions here is Natalie Elliott Handy’s email that she so generously provided for any further questions or assistance: natalie.handy@healthconnectamerica.com

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow&

Crying on the Steps of the Regional Center with Kelley Coleman Feb 14, 2024

Hello Brave Friends! On this story episode, #166, we are stepping into the shoes of a brand new care-giving parent, who, like so many of us, left the hospital and was immediately faced with piles of paperwork, prescriptions to administer, insurance issues, medical supplies to order and the endless phone calls, transfers and holds that become our JOB to navigate.

Kelley Coleman had a new baby with multiple disabilities, a toddler, and was getting no calls back from the Regional Center. So, on one particularly rainy day, she took matters into her own hands and started her journey towards figuring it out, for all of us!

Welcome to today's story episode: Crying on the Steps of the Regional Center

Author and advocate Kelley Coleman is the parent of two amazing boys, one of whom has multiple disabilities. Her book Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child draws upon over a decade of advocacy, with the candor, humor, and relatability earned in her prior career of writing and developing talking animal movies. She was recently named Best Mom Ever by her two discerning children and received a congratulatory mug.

Find Kelley Coleman’s Website here.

Find Kelley Coleman’s Book here.

Brave Together is the podcast for We are Brave Together, a not-for-profit organization based in the USA. The heart of We Are Brave Together is to strengthen, encourage, inspire and validate all moms of children with disabilities and other needs in their unique journeys.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to our Retreats and Respite Scholarships here.

Donate to keep this podcast going here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast?

Follow our Instagram Page @wearebravetogether or on Facebook.

Feel free to contact Jessica Patay via email: jpatay@wearebravetogether.org

If you have any topic requests or if you would like to share a story, leave us a message here.

Please leave a review and rating today! We thank you in advance!

Disclaimer

Will A Caregiver Support Group Make Me More Depressed? Feb 07, 2024