Sometimes our life experiences are preparing us for what comes next in ways we'd never imagine.

That's what happened to Joanne De Simone, a former professional dancer who used lessons from her dance training to help her navigate the challenges of raising two children with complex needs -- one with a rare, life-limiting brain malformation and one with autism. Joanne is a graduate of Hunter College with degrees in dance and special education. After dancing professionally with companies including José Limón and Dianne McIntyre, she dedicated her life to teaching children with disabilities and supporting families.

Joanne also became an advocate. She and her son, Sebastian, were instrumental in a legislative change allowing students with intellectual disabilities to participate in NCAA D3 intercollegiate sports.

Joanne writes about all of it in her memoir, Fall and Recovery. Her writing has appeared in the Washington Post, Exceptional Parent Magazine, and the Rumpus, among other publications. She is a contributing author to “Barriers and Belonging: Personal Narratives of Disabilities.” Joanne has been featured in the Philadelphia Inquirer, on HuffPost Live, CNN, and GMA3. 

You'll learn:

1. How your life experiences might intertwine in unexpected ways
2. The biggest lifeline in times of challenge
3. Strategies for maintaining your identity beyond just being a caregiver
4. Advice for advocating relentlessly and not taking "no" for a final answer.
5. Why unvarnished truth is way more useful -- and interesting -- than hearing from someone who's got it all figured out.

Learn more about Joanne:
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Website

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Music credit: Limitless by Bells