Brave Together Podcast: Support and Community for Caregiving Moms

Latest Episodes:

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

Show notes

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

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to support all of We Are Brave Together's programs and offerings here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast? Follow us on Instagram , Facebook and Youtube.

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

Show notes

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.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together here.

Find WABT 5K Fundraiser 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.

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.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to support all of We Are Brave Together's programs and offerings here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast? Follow us on Instagram , Facebook and Youtube.

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

Show notes

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.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together here.

Find our Becoming Brave Together book trailer here.

Find WABT 5K Fundraiser 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

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to support all of We Are Brave Together's programs and offerings here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast? Follow us on Instagram , Facebook and Youtube.

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

Show notes

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.

Find our first book from We Are Brave Together 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

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to support all of We Are Brave Together's programs and offerings here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast? Follow us on Instagram , Facebook and Youtube.

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

Show notes

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.

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to support all of We Are Brave Together's programs and offerings here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast? Follow us on Instagram , Facebook and Youtube.

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

Welcome to Season 7! Sep 03, 2024

Show notes

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.

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

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to support all of We Are Brave Together's programs and offerings here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast? Follow us on Instagram , Facebook and Youtube.

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

Show notes

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.

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

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to support all of We Are Brave Together's programs and offerings here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast? Follow us on Instagram , Facebook and Youtube.

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: What Do I Do When My Kid is Being Bullied? Aug 14, 2024

Show notes

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.

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<

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to support all of We Are Brave Together's programs and offerings here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast? Follow us on Instagram , Facebook and Youtube.

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 Your Spouse is Not Very Involved in Disability Caregiving Aug 07, 2024

Show notes

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.

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

JOIN the international community of We Are Brave Together here.

Donate to support all of We Are Brave Together's programs and offerings here.

Can’t get enough of the Brave Together Podcast? Follow us on Instagram , Facebook and Youtube.

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

Show notes

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.

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!