Hope Anew Disability Podcast

In this episode, Jonathan & Sarah interview David Hirsch, the founder of the Special Needs Father's Network.

Each of our children is made in God's image and has been given a gift. In this interview, Andrea Moriarty shares how in leveraging her son Reid's passions, he has changed the world around him.

Brenda Jank, founder of Run Hard Rest Well, shares the importance of rest and practical tips for incorporating rest into your life, even when it seems impossible.

Jamie Sumner​ has written for the “New York Times” and the “Washington Post,” among many other publications. She is the author of the nonfiction book on motherhood, “Unbound,” and the middle-grade novel, “Roll with It.” She is also a mom to a son with cerebral palsy, and she writes and speaks about disability in literature. She loves stories that celebrate the grit and beauty in all kids. She and her family live in Nashville, Tennessee.

PTSD doesn’t just happen to soldiers and first responders. Children are also at risk for experiencing PTSD. In this interview, Jolene walks us through the causes and symptoms of PTSD in children and adolescents. She then provides practical steps that we as parents can take if we recognize these symptoms in our children.

Jolene Philo is the mother of a son born with life-threatening special needs and the daughter of a father severely affected by multiple sclerosis. In her 25 years as an educator, she integrated children with special needs into her classroom. She’s written 5 books about caregiving, special needs parenting, and childhood PTSD. She recently co-authored a book with Dr. Gary Chapman about how parents of kids with special needs can use the 5 love languages in their families. Jolene speaks at conferences around the country and internationally, facilitates classes about childhood trauma for educators, and trains special needs ministry leaders and volunteers. She blogs at www.DifferentDream.com. She and her husband live in Iowa.

In this conversation, Jonathan & Sarah interview Jenn Soehnlin. Jenn is the mother of two young boys who are precious blessings and who both have special needs. She is the author of Embrace This Special Life: Learning to flourish as a mother of a child with special needs.

Gillian Marchenko shares her real, raw story that living with depression is still life.

Cleveland, OH – Caring for a family member with special needs often leaves couples with little free time, energy, money, sex, or fun. In Love All-Ways: Embracing Marriage Together on the Special Needs Journey, Dr. Joe and Cindi Ferrini encourage husbands and wives to embrace this unexpected special needs journey with grace and faithfulness that will strengthen their marriage to go the distance.

“Our journey of decades is testimony that we can strive for and thrive in an alive and exciting marriage amidst the challenges, chaos, and crisis of doctors, surgeries, therapies, medical, mental, physical and emotional conditions, stress, (to name a few) etc. Our vows are the glue that keeps us going as we learn to rely on God on this one step at a time journey. We desire to encourage all marriages and families (mended, blended, splendid, and extended) on this journey with the hope that it is possible to have a vibrant marriage that will go the distance,” share Joe and Cindi.

In this interview, Diane Dokko Kim shares how she went from ministry to wrestling with God and the healing that took place.

As parents of children with special needs, it can be difficult finding those people who understand and get it. Sarah Broady shares about her journey in connecting with others.