Especially Organized: Sensible Solutions for Special Needs Moms

34 | Storage Wars: A Professional Organizer's Own Struggle With Clutter And What You Can Learn From It

Ready to declutter and find peace amidst the holiday season chaos? I'm exposing my own personal struggle with clutter, as a professional organizer who's held onto a storage unit for the past decade.

Embarrassing, I know, but I'm sharing my journey to inspire and encourage you in your own decluttering challenges. From the guilt and fear associated with letting go of possessions, to my eventual triumph over procrastination, I'm sharing it all.

Now, it's your turn! I'm challenging you to reclaim control over your cluttered spaces. Whether it's a garage, loft, or a dreaded storage unit like mine, I will help you break down the task into bite-sized chunks and celebrate progress after each session. Let's kick off a new year with less clutter, more peace and a dash of calm amidst the holiday frenzy. Share your goals with me, and let's embark on this decluttering journey together.

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33 | Shaping Lives Through Sport: Advocating for Special Needs Athletes

We are taking a break from pantry purging and closet cleaning to talk with the amazing Tony Vlahovic, a man who wears many hats - coach, rehab therapist, author - with an unwavering dedication to advocate for individuals with special needs. As a child, Tony quickly learned to see individuals for who they are, not their conditions. A powerful lesson that stuck with him throughout his life, shaping him into who he is today. Join us as Tony shares his incredible journey from a childhood spent in an inclusive neighborhood, to his work with special needs athletes today.

Tony's story is one of resilience, determination, and love for baseball. A love he utilized to establish a nonprofit organization, BaseABLE, dedicated to uplifting athletes with special needs. Listen to Tony as he recounts the heartwarming reactions his athletes experience when they step out into the public and his ongoing efforts to promote disability awareness and inclusion.

This episode shines a light on the incredible potential we all possess to effect change in our communities, firmly believing that kindness and inclusivity can indeed be a family legacy. Tune in to be inspired by Tony's passion for making a difference in the lives of those with special needs.

Tony Vlahovic, MA. CSCS, is a former professional athlete and experienced entrepreneur in the fields of sports mental conditioning and post rehabilitation therapy. He is the Chairman of the Special Olympics Baseball Development Committee.

Mr. Vlahovic started his professional baseball career in Italy where he was named his team’s Rookie of the Year. Upon returning to the United States he signed with the Boston Red Sox where he played as a left-handed pitcher. His career prematurely ended due to an auto accident, but has since dedicated his life to teaching, coaching and leading his athletes on and off the field. His efforts were rewarded by receiving Coach of the Year five times for his New Hope-Solebury varsity high school baseball team and was nominated as the Special Olympics North American Coach of the Year in 2014.

Special Olympics New Jersey set an unprecedented standard in the initiation of baseball and Vlahovic was the man for the job. His technical knowledge and passion for the sport of baseball makes him a natural leader, but his real motivation was to offer an opportunity for individuals with disabilities to play baseball.

Mr Vlahovic continues his quest to serve others by starting BaseABLE, a recognized non-profit organization that supports and funds organizations wanting to offer baseball to individuals with disabilities. He has worked in the rehabilitation and health fields for over thirty years and continues to learn and grow as a health professional and coach.

How to find Tony and support BaseABLE:

BaseABLE:

Website: https://www.baseable.org/

X: https://twitter.com/Base_able

Instagram: @base_able

Tony:

Instagram: @tonyvlahovic

X: @tvlahovic52

LinkedIn: Tony

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32 | Breaking the Cycle of Dumping and Scattering: Tips for Frazzled Parents

In this solo episode of Especially Organized, I will arm you with tactics and insights to manage this common phenomenon attributed to developmental delays or social and communication challenges.

We'll start by understanding the possible reasons behind this behavior, from simple curiosity to fine motor skills. Then, we'll journey into strategies and tricks to keep the mess to a minimum - decluttering, smart organization techniques, and even the psychology of play. Sure, the aftermath can be frustrating, but together, we can make this phase manageable for you and help your child outgrow it. Listen in to break the cycle and reclaim your floor.

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31 | Preparing for the Holidays with Special Needs Kids

Join me this week as we explore how to navigate the holiday season with special needs children. Let's get prepared to create a calming and inviting environment, making sure your kids have a joyful and stress-free holiday, and that you can take care of yourself during this bustling time of the year.

From setting up a guest room to managing sensory overload, this episode provides practical advice for a memorable holiday season. I’ll also discuss how to make the holidays meaningful through thoughtful gift-giving and creating lasting family memories.

I will specifically cover 4 areas:

I'll also be sharing useful tips on how to ask for help, maintain your sanity during the holiday rush, and how to ensure that the holiday season goes as smooth as possible, considering that it is in fact, the holidays! :)

I hope this episode proves to be a valuable resource for parents who want to create a memorable holiday experience for the kids but also, not go over the top and lose your sanity in the process.

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30 | Make Way For Your Entry Way: How to Set it Up for Success

As part of my Clutter Buster Series on these busy and special holiday weeks, I want to bring you content that is quick, applicable and easy to digest. So this short episode will hopefully give you some ideas to declutter, organize, and transform your entryway into the epitome of warm welcome and function!

This episode is all about understanding your family's use of this first impression space and how to maximize it. I kick things off with clutter-busting tips for your entryway, delving into the nitty gritty of what items earn their keep by your door. From essential grab-and-go items like keys and sunglasses to accessories like hats and gloves, I talk strategies on how to decide what stays, what goes, and what would serve best at the door.

If you have ever walked into your own home and felt overwhelmed by the clutter and chaos in your entryway, then you won't want to miss this. Let me help you make your entryway a space that embodies the essence of your home, offering a warm welcome to you and your guests.

Happy Thanksgiving from our home to yours!

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29 | Overcoming Challenges: An Insightful Approach to Special Needs Parenting with Kara Ryska

Ever wonder how the lens through which we view time impacts our daily lives, decisions, and sense of self? We explore this intriguing subject with our guest, Kara Ryska, a special needs mom, professional coach, and podcast host who shares invaluable insights from her personal and professional experiences. Get ready to see time in a whole new light!

As a mother to four children, one of whom struggles with recurring brain tumors and a condition called pan hypopituitarism, Kara has a unique perspective on the trials and tribulations of being a special needs parent. She openly shares her journey, from her son Levi's diagnosis to the impact it's had on their family life. She also talks about her podcast, the Special Needs Mom Podcast, designed to be a beacon of support for parents in similar situations.

We expand the conversation to cover other vital topics, such as the age-old battle with clutter in our homes. I offer her some tips on how to create a 'drop-zone' to manage clutter and the importance of scheduling time to sort through mail and papers. Finally, we discuss the importance of reclaiming our evenings despite the whirlwind of family responsibilities. So, buckle in for a conversation that blends personal stories with expert advice, ultimately helping you navigate life's challenges more effectively.

Kara Ryska is the host and creator of The Special Needs Mom Podcast, a show exclusively focused on supporting mothers who parent children with disabilities and/or medical complexities. Her podcast has created a watering well for moms who often feel alone and in desperate need of support and connection.  The podcast uses a combination of parent interviews and solo episodes to bring a coaching conversation to the world of special needs parenting.

As a professional Life Coach, Kara brings a unique perspective to her coaching work as she pulls from both her ontological coach training and her lived experience as a special needs mom.  Kara is a wife and mother to four children aged six to sixteen, including a child who has survived multiple brain tumors.  These tumors, surgeries, and treatments resulted in multiple rare conditions and lifelong diagnoses. 

Kara’s podcast, coaching program, and community creates a space for moms who often feel alone, overwhelmed, and stuck. Through coaching and community, Kara’s clients experience life-altering transformations and gain access to confidence, power, and peace. You can find more information and connect with Kara at www.kararyska.com or @KaraRyska on Instagram.

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28 | Empowering Healthier Eating Strategies in our Kids

27 | Managing Healthcare for Adults with Down Syndrome: A Special Interview with Dr. Tara Goodwin

Happy Down Syndrome Awareness Month!

To finish out this awesome month, I am delighted to share this enlightening interview with you!

Imagine a world where every health issue faced by an individual with Down syndrome is not simply attributed to their condition. Meet Dr. Tara Goodwin, a medical professional who saw this 'diagnostic overshadowing' firsthand with her son, Patrick, and decided to make a change. Tara's inspiring journey led her from hospital medicine to working with the geriatric community, eventually founding an Adult Down Syndrome Clinic, right here in Dallas. Tara's clinic is one of only a handful of adult clinics in the United States.

Despite the difficulties in funding and operating an adult Down Syndrome Clinic, each week, Dr. Goodwin offers personalized, value-based care to her patients. We discuss what information she needs from the caregiver to do her job in providing the best care, and why it is so much more involved than for a pediatrician. The conversation doesn't stop there as we spotlight the importance of education for providers and caregivers in the Down syndrome community. Standout topics include the recently introduced Adult Down Syndrome guidelines, focusing on nine key areas that require annual evaluation such as dementia screening. We also discuss how certain conditions like sleep apnea and anemia can affect individuals with Down syndrome. Tune in for this enlightening conversation and join us in our mission to bring about better care for the Down syndrome community.

Tara Goodwin, DO grew up in El Paso, Texas before completing her undergraduate studies at Texas Women’s University.  She received her medical degree from the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth, Texas in 2001 and completed her residency training at Methodist Hospital of Dallas.  She has been board certified in Internal Medicine since 2004.  Dr.

She and her husband, a fellow physician, have three wonderful children including a son with Down Syndrome.  As a mother of a child with Down Syndrome she remains passionate about the quality of medical care for this community.  She has served on the Board of Directors for the Down Syndrome Guild of Dallas , the Special Education Parent Advisory Committee for the Highland Park Independent School District, and is currently serving on and My Possibilities board as well as the board for Park Cities Learning Difference Association.  She is a member of the Down Syndrome Medical Interest Group as well as the Global Down Syndrome Foundation.  She is committed to ensuring that all people with Down Syndrome have access to quality healthcare that meets their specific needs and goals.

How to reach Dr. Goodwin's clinic:

https://questcaremedicalclinic.com/location/dallas/

Questcare Clinics Adult Down Syndrome Clinic

12200 Park Central, Suite 100, Dallas, TX 75251

(469) 804-8323

Book Recommendation:

Stress Less, Accomplish More by Emily Fletcher

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25 | Banishing Burnout In Special Needs Moms

Life can sometimes feel like a never-ending tightrope walk, especially for mothers with special needs children. Stress, exhaustion, and anger have an uncanny way of creeping up when we least expect it. If you ever find yourself numbing out, doom-scrolling on social media, or staying up too late binge-watching the latest season of Yellowstone, you might be experiencing symptoms of burnout. Burnout is something we are all likely to experience at some point in our journey of raising special needs kids. It can keep us from doing what we want and need to do, especially when it comes to getting organized.

That's why I invited the wise and inspiring Lena Suarez Angelino, a licensed clinical social worker and a fellow special needs mom, to join me in a conversation about preventing burnout. Lena paints a clear picture of burnout; the unruly, more hazardous bigger sibling of stress, and how the physical and emotional labor we carry every day can push us closer to the edge.

Lena doesn't simply focus on the problem, she brings to light practical and efficient ways to manage everyday stressors. The key is patience - Rome wasn't built in a day and neither will your stress management system. It's a process and Lena gently holds our hand through it, helping us understand that it's okay to take our time. We also discuss that old familiar emotion of anger, characterizing it as a warning sign that we're in need of care and attention. This conversation with Lena was more than enlightening; it was a reminder that you are not alone, that it's okay to struggle and that there are strategies we can adopt to navigate life with more grace and ease. This episode is guaranteed to leave you feeling more empowered and less overwhelmed.

Her book: https://amzn.to/3DGELN0

Her Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/604576831757200

Her website: https://lightcollectiveandco.com/

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24 | How Past Trauma Affects Our Organizing Habits Now -- with Tonya Schrougham

Join us for this enlightening story of how one woman's experience in a religious cult and being raised by a mother with a hoarding disorder affected the way she looks at organizing today.

As a wife and mother of 2 young girls with ADHD, Tonya has had to come to terms with her past by acknowledging the beliefs that she grew up with and learning to let those go in favor of new, more open-minded thoughts and beliefs that guide how she organizes her home and raises her two neurodivergent daughters. Specifically, we discuss:

Tonya lives in Indiana just south of Indianapolis with her husband of 10 years, Dustin, daughters, Myka & Eden, 3 rescue pups and 1 rescue cat.  To say life can be chaotic at times is an understatement, but her past prepared her.  After completing an associate degree in nursing, she worked as a nurse for about 12 years before moving to ministry positions in churches.  She completed her Bachelors in Biblical studies which led to an interest in a masters program.  This year finds her completing the final semester of a dual degree program which includes a Masters of Divinity and a Masters of Mental Health Counseling. She is now in the process of applying for a doctoral program which she hopes to begin in the spring.  She loves learning, reading, travel, coffee, and chocolates. She especially values the community that learning about others creates and the way it makes her world (and ours) richer. 

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