Accept, Adapt, Rebuild, Live, with Michael Foglietta

What if the key to reducing stress isn't simply learning how to manage it, but identifying exactly what's causing it?

In Season 2, Episode 10 of *Accept, Adapt, Rebuild, Live*, Michael Foglietta introduces his Stress Equation, a personal framework designed to identify individual sources of stress and explore ways to address them one problem at a time.

Stress can come from relationships, children, careers, finances, housing, and everyday responsibilities. But these are broad categories. What specific problems within those areas are creating stress?

Drawing on his experiences with disability, employment challenges, and financial difficulties, Michael explains how problems in different areas of life can overlap and why identifying their underlying causes matters.

He also shares practical examples of reducing household expenses, addressing financial concerns, and making changes to circumstances within our control.

The Stress Equation isn't a clinical measurement of stress. It's a practical approach to examining life's challenges, recognizing what can be changed, and identifying possible solutions.

**You may not be able to eliminate every source of stress, but understanding the problems behind it can help you determine what to do next.**

Learn more at www.mfoglietta.com

http://www.mfoglietta.com.

Accept. Adapt. Rebuild. Live.

What makes something easier: a device, an adaptation, or a skill that already comes naturally? This week’s journal prompt explores both perspectives. I discuss cerebral palsy and assistive devices, the trade-offs of mobility and communication tools, and my own everyday adaptations for balance, dressing, and learning. The goal isn’t to compare who has it easier. It’s to recognize what works for you.

Cerebral palsy can influence everyday activities, relationships, independence, and personal identity. But how much of someone's identity should be defined by their disability?

In this episode of Accept, Adapt, Rebuild, Live, Michael Foglietta continues the conversation from Episode 7 by exploring how cerebral palsy fits into a person's life.

The discussion examines how children develop their identities, how disability influences relationships and independence, and why recognizing someone's interests and abilities is just as important as understanding their disability.

Michael also shares personal experiences with acquired disability, adapting daily activities, and maintaining independence.

Whether you're living with cerebral palsy, raising a child with a disability, or supporting someone through their experiences, this episode offers perspectives on identity, inclusion, and personal choice.

Cerebral palsy may influence how someone lives, but it doesn't tell us everything about who they are.

Learn more: www.mfoglietta.com

#CerebralPalsy #DisabilityIdentity #DisabilityAwareness #DisabilityInclusion#AcceptAdaptRebuildLive

How would a child describe cerebral palsy without using medical terminology?

In this episode of *Accept, Adapt, Rebuild, Live*, Michael Foglietta explores a journal prompt encouraging children with cerebral palsy to explain their disabilities through their own experiences.

A diagnosis may describe a medical condition, but it doesn't necessarily explain how someone experiences everyday life.

Michael discusses how children may describe cerebral palsy differently depending on their abilities, interests, and age. He also explores why children should have opportunities to express their perspectives rather than relying entirely on explanations from parents or medical professionals.

The conversation examines how journaling can help children document their experiences and revisit their understanding of cerebral palsy as they grow older.

**Journal Prompt:** Describe cerebral palsy in your own words.

Learn more at [www.mfoglietta.com](http://www.mfoglietta.com).

Receiving accessibility equipment is only the first step. In this episode, we discuss the experience of actually using devices day to day, from comfort and maintenance to inaccessible environments and changing needs.

We also consider how the person using the device should participate in deciding whether it works.

Personal examples include using a smartphone as a memory aid after brain injury. Learn more at www.mfoglietta.com.

Should children personalize their wheelchairs, leg braces, walkers, and other accessibility devices?

For children with cerebral palsy and other disabilities, accessibility devices serve important practical purposes. But they can also provide opportunities for personal expression.

In Season 2, Episode 5 of *Accept, Adapt, Rebuild, Live*, Michael Foglietta explores how children can express their personalities through the equipment they use every day.

Drawing from his own experience using a wheelchair, walker, and cane following a ruptured brain AVM in 2003, Michael discusses how accessibility devices can become part of everyday life without defining the person using them.

This episode explores questions from the *All About Me* section of the Cerebral Palsy Journal for Ages 7–11.

Topics include:

• Personalizing wheelchairs, leg braces, and mobility aids.

• Helping children express their individuality.

• How favorite colors, characters, and clothing can create opportunities for social connections.

• Why children should have a voice in decisions about their accessibility equipment.

• Recognizing the person beyond the disability.

Personalization isn't necessary for everyone. Some children enjoy colorful equipment, while others prefer something less noticeable. The important thing is respecting individual preferences while maintaining safety and functionality.

**What do you think?** Should children have more opportunities to personalize their accessibility devices?

Learn more about the podcast, journals, coaching, and speaking at [www.mfoglietta.com](http://www.mfoglietta.com).

🎙️ Accept, Adapt, Rebuild, Live

Season 2, Episode 5

#CerebralPalsy #Accessibility #DisabilityInclusion #AssistiveTechnology

A diagnosis gives doctors a clinical roadmap, but it has no right to define a child's life, passions, or personality. In this episode of Accept, Adapt, Rebuild, and Live, host Michael Foglietta clears up common misconceptions around developmental timelines, guided journaling for kids with cerebral palsy, and the crucial distinction between clinical limitations and functional adaptations. Catch Episode 4 now on YouTube and Spotify!

#CerebralPalsy#MoreThanADiagnosis #AcceptAdaptRebuildLive #ParentingTips #SpecialNeedsCare#Resilience

What does your child enjoy doing, and what makes them proud? In Season 2, Episode 3, Michael Foglietta shares two All About Me prompts from his cerebral palsy journal for ages 7–11. He discusses listening to a child’s answers, supporting their hobbies, adapting activities around individual limits, and celebrating accomplishments without making every success about disability.
Michael speaks from his experience with disability and brain injury; he does not have cerebral palsy.
Journals: https://www.mfoglietta.comWebsite and coaching information: https://www.mfoglietta.com

What does identity beyond disability look like for a child who has grown up with cerebral palsy—and for the parent raising them?

In this episode, I talk about children having room for interests, friendships, privacy, and independence, while parents and caregivers navigate their own responsibilities. I explain why my CP journals use different prompts for different ages, and why “build a life” can fit an early-life disability better than “rebuild.”

My experience is with acquired brain injury, not CP. This is a conversation about identity, family life, and reflection.

Explore the journals, coaching, and speaking: https://mfoglietta.com

Companion blog: https://mfoglietta.com/blog

Clarification: IEP means Individualized Education Program.

Accept, Adapt, Rebuild, Live with Michael Foglietta | Season 2, Episode 2

Welcome to Season 2 of Accept, Adapt, Rebuild, Live with Michael Foglietta. Michael introduces his cerebral palsy journals for different age groups and caregivers. He describes the “all about me” pages and a prompt that lets a young person reflect on bullying and what they might want to say in the future. Michael does not have cerebral palsy; he speaks from his own experience of brain injury and disability while encouraging readers to tell their own stories. A closer look at the journals is coming in Friday’s episode. Explore the journals: [insert journal link]. Visit https://www.mfoglietta.com for more.