In this milestone 75th episode, host Jessica Fein reflects on the journey of her podcast and announces a summer hiatus. As a special bonus for listeners, Jessica shares an excerpt from her memoir Breath Taking, reading a poignant piece about a memorable Fourth of July.

Is it possible to find a taste of normalcy in the midst of parenting on the precipice? Jessica wants to give it a try. But what starts as a simple outing to see fireworks turns into a night of unexpected challenges - from getting lost in the woods and temporarily misplacing her son, to an emergency surgery for her daughter.

Through this deeply personal anecdote, Jessica explores the complexities of parenting a child with serious medical needs while trying to maintain a semblance of typical family life. She touches on themes of guilt, fear, resilience, and the struggle to bridge the gap between her family's reality and the outside world.

This episode offers listeners an intimate glimpse into Jessica's experiences and writing, perfectly encapsulating the podcast's mission of diving into lives that seem unimaginable from the outside. It's a fitting bookend to the season, leaving audiences with much to reflect on until the show's return in September.

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"This is my go-to podcast for inspiration and to discover new approaches to embrace the challenges in my life." If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me reach more people -- just like you -- find strategies and insights to do the things that feel undoable. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

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Sign up for my newsletter and learn more about these remarkable stories at www.jessicafeinstories.com

Order Jessica's memoir, Breath Taking: A Memoir of Family, Dreams, and Broken Genes

Watch Jessica's TedX Talk

Music credit: Limitless by Bells

Does your life have a clear before and after? A single moment that changed everything irrevocably?

That's what happened for Heather Straughter.

In this deeply moving episode, Heather shares her journey of love, loss, and finding meaning after her son Jake's unexpected medical crisis and tragic passing. Heather's story begins when Jake was just eight months old and had his first seizure. From that moment, their lives were forever changed as they navigated the challenges of caring for a medically complex child.

Heather takes us through the 117 days they spent in the hospital, the search for a diagnosis, and the profound shift in her identity as a mother. She shares the joys and struggles of parenting a child with special needs, the incredible bond she shared with Jake, and the devastating loss her family experienced when he passed away at just four years old.

Through it all, Heather found strength, purpose, and a new perspective on life. She turned her pain into promise by founding Jake's Help From Heaven, a non-profit organization that has provided more than $1.7 million in grants to families with medically complex children.

Heather's story is a testament to the power of a mother's love, the resilience of the human spirit, and the possibility of finding light in even the darkest of times.

You'll learn:

• Why you should listen to the pit in your stomach
• How it's your right to question doctors and share what's best for your family
• The beauty of focusing on what someone can do, rather than what they can't
• Why the comments that make us mad and make us hate the person who said them can be exactly what we need to hear
• The value in sharing your journey, even -- and maybe especially -- in your darkest times 

Learn more about Heather:
Jake's Help From Heaven
Jake's Help From Heaven IG
Heather on IG
Jake's Help From Heaven FB
Heather on FB

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"This is my go-to podcast for inspiration and to discover new approaches to embrace the challenges in my life." If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me reach more people -- just like you -- find strategies and insights to do the things that feel undoable. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. Follow now!

Sign up for my newsletter and learn more about these remarkable stories at www.jessicafeinstories.com

Order Jessica's memoir, Breath Taking: A Memoir of Family, Dreams, and Broken Genes

Watch Jessica's TedX Talk

Music credit: Limitless by Bells

How many times in life do we completely reinvent ourselves? How different can our life look five years from now by making 2 percent changes?

In this inspiring episode, bestselling author Jean Meltzer shares her unique journey from Emmy-winning TV producer to rabbinical student to bestselling romance author. 

After becoming disabled by myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), Jean had to reimagine her life and find new ways to create meaning and joy, even from her bed.

Jean discusses how she shifted from chasing external goals to living her values, and how focusing on small incremental improvements transformed her life over time. She opens up about the challenges of being a disabled author and the importance of disability representation in fiction.

Through her bestselling novels like The Matzo Ball and Mr. Perfect on Paper, Jean brings a much-needed perspective to the romance genre as both a Jewish and chronically ill writer. 

Jean's story is a powerful reminder that we can face incredible hardship and still find ways to lead joyful, purposeful lives. Her insights on resilience, career pivots, and redefining success will resonate with anyone who has confronted unexpected roadblocks. Jean's message is ultimately one of hope - that no matter where you are today, embracing your authentic self and taking small steps forward can lead to a life beyond your wildest dreams.

You'll learn:

• How 2 percent increments of better can get you where you want to go. 
• Why living your values is a better formula than setting dream goals
• How it's possible to create joy without even leaving your room for the long-term
• The power of the question "where are you?"
• And so much more...

Learn more about Jean:
Jean's Website
Facebook
Instagram
Substack: JeanMeltzer 
TikTok: JeanMeltzer
Threads: JeanMeltzer 

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

"This is my go-to podcast for inspiration and to discover new approaches to embrace the challenges in my life." If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me reach more people -- just like you -- find strategies and insights to do the things that feel undoable. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. Follow now!

Sign up for my newsletter and learn more about these remarkable stories at www.jessicafeinstories.com

Order Jessica's memoir, Breath Taking: A Memoir of Family, Dreams, and Broken Genes

Watch Jessica's TedX Talk

Music credit: Limitless by Bells

How can we use ritual to create a life of joy and meaning when our world is turned upside down? What's a no-bullshit zone, and how can we dress ourselves in psychological teflon?

Tune in to this conversation with Myra Sack, author of 57 Fridays, and find out. 

When Myra's daughter Havi was diagnosed with a fatal neurodegenerative disease in 2019, Myra knew nothing would ever be the same. In this deeply moving conversation, Myra shares the sacred family rituals and "shabirthdays" that brought joy and holiness into their devastation.

With candor and wisdom, Myra opens up about creating a "no bullshit zone" to shield her family, building "psychological teflon" to navigate the outside world, and the profound lesson that grieving is a way to keep expressing love. Myra also shares why she founded E-Motion, a nonprofit ensuring community, movement and ritual as rights for the grieving.

Whether you're walking a path of loss or want to meaningfully support someone who is, Myra provides indispensable insights on:

• Inhabiting the "both/and" of grief and joy
• How our loved ones can tell us what they need without words
• The power of yearning over fear in grief
• Integrating loss through small, manageable ritual acts
• Why community is crucial, but so often lacking, for grievers
• How workplaces can become grief-literate to better help employees
• And so much more

Learn more about Myra:
57 Fridays
Instagram
E-Motion

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

"This is my go-to podcast for inspiration and to discover new approaches to embrace the challenges in my life." If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me reach more people -- just like you -- find strategies and insights to do the things that feel undoable. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. Follow now!

Sign up for my newsletter and learn more about these remarkable stories at www.jessicafeinstories.com

Order Jessica's memoir, Breath Taking: A Memoir of Family, Dreams, and Broken Genes

Watch Jessica's TedX Talk

Music credit: Limitless by Bells

With a book and top-rated podcast that are both titled "Grief is a Sneaky Bitch," you might get a sense of Lisa Keefauver's irreverent humor and area of expertise. 

In this episode, we get all that and more. 

Lisa has been faced with repeated profound loss and grief and is a powerful voice showing us how to confront grief head-on and move forward rather than "move on." In this conversation, Lisa opens up about her late husband's  death, her own battle with cancer, and how she found light by becoming a "grief activist" who helps reimagine our narratives around loss.

With her trademark warmth and humor, Lisa demonstrates how we can hold both sorrow and wonder at the same time, not as a Pollyanna illusion but as a way to turn towards our darkest experiences. She shares profound insights on speaking up for our grief, finding community and ritual to make it suck less, and tools we can use to nourish our mind and spirit for the road ahead. Whether you're personally grieving or want to support someone who is,  Lisa provides actionable advice  on how we can all hold space for the bereaved and bear witness to the profound experience of loss.

You'll learn:

• The power of both/and
• How to spot a grief thief
• Why our grief beliefs are set early on and how we can Marie Kondo them to serve us better
• Why grief is so sneaky
• Why time is so confusing for grievers
• The best ways to show up meaningfully for the people you care about
• How to respond when someone says something hurtful
• And so much more...

Learn more about Lisa:
Order the book
Listen to the podcast
Subscribe to the newsletter
Instagram

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

"This is my go-to podcast for inspiration and to discover new approaches to embrace the challenges in my life." If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me reach more people -- just like you -- find strategies and insights to do the things that feel undoable. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. Follow now!

Sign up for my newsletter and learn more about these remarkable stories at www.jessicafeinstories.com

Order Jessica's memoir, Breath Taking: A Memoir of Family, Dreams, and Broken Genes

Watch Jessica's TedX Talk

Music credit: Limitless by Bells

If something looks wrong, feels wrong, or smells wrong...it's probably wrong.

Meet Dawn Oates, a disability rights advocate, educator, and entrepreneur who has made it her mission to challenge disability discrimination and redefine what true inclusion looks like. Through her journey fighting for her daughter's rights, she's sparked ripples of change that are reshaping entire communities.

Listen in as Dawn shares her playbook for turning obstacles into opportunities and refusing to stay small when faced with exclusion. From insisting on accessible playgrounds to taking on elite private schools, her story underscores the impact one person can have by persistently advocating their truth.

You'll feel inspired by her unwavering optimism and creative approach to educating others about disability differences. Whether speaking up for your child or becoming an upstander for others, this episode will embolden you to create the inclusive world you wish to see.

You'll learn:

• How to challenge discrimination with courage and strategic persistence
• Why it's important to educate from a place of optimism to open minds and hearts
• What to do when things feel a little too easy
• How one person's actions can create ripples of change
• And so much more...

Learn more about Dawn:

The Play Brigade Website
Instagram

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

"This is my go-to podcast for inspiration and to discover new approaches to embrace the challenges in my life." If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me reach more people -- just like you -- find strategies and insights to do the things that feel undoable. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. Follow now!

Sign up for my newsletter and learn more about these remarkable stories at www.jessicafeinstories.com

Order Jessica's memoir, Breath Taking: A Memoir of Family, Dreams, and Broken Genes

Watch Jessica's TedX Talk

Music credit: Limitless by Bells

When not one, but two of her children were diagnosed with devastating rare genetic disorders, Parvathy Krishnan's world was turned upside down. Her daughter battled multiple conditions for years before passing away just after her fourth birthday. And her teenage son is a five-time cancer survivor.

In this profoundly moving and insightful episode, Parvathy pulls back the curtain on what it means to be a parent in constant crisis mode - the relentless anxiety, the hospital stays across multiple cities, and having to parent two children with rare diseases simultaneously.

Yet Parvathy's story is ultimately one of incredible perseverance, radical hope, and unconditional love. With wisdom and candor, she discusses brutal concepts like "ambiguous living," and shares hard-won strategies for staying present and techniques like visualizing being "stuck in tar" to center yourself amid the unimaginable.

Parvathy's journey has also sparked a new purpose - founding an advocacy organization to build support systems for other families facing ultra-rare diseases and catalyzing patient-centered care revolutions like insisting full medical teams round inside patient rooms.

You'll learn:

• Why you should admit that things suck
• How to start fixing things, even if you're still in your PJs
• How to advocate for your care or the care of your child
• Why being stuck in tar can be a good thing
• The immense value that comes from sharing
• And so much more...

Learn more about Parvathy:
Instagram
Krishnan Family Foundation

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

"This is my go-to podcast for inspiration and to discover new approaches to embrace the challenges in my life." If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me reach more people -- just like you -- find strategies and insights to do the things that feel undoable. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. Follow now!

Sign up for my newsletter and learn more about these remarkable stories at www.jessicafeinstories.com

Order Jessica's memoir, Breath Taking: A Memoir of Family, Dreams, and Broken Genes

Watch Jessica's TedX Talk

Music credit: Limitless by Bells

Can an extraordinary life of adventure and pushing boundaries lead someone to find fulfillment in the ordinary? In this riveting episode, we speak with Beth Rodden, a pioneering rock climber who has scaled some of the world's most challenging peaks. Beth takes us on her trailblazing journey, from shattering climbing records as one of the best female climbers of all time, to a terrifying kidnapping by armed militants in Kyrgyzstan that forced her to grapple with trauma, mental health struggles, and her very identity.

With raw honesty, Beth opens up about her disordered eating, the challenges of motherhood for a professional athlete, and pushing past society's expectations of what a woman can or should do. Her story is one of resilience, growth, and redefining what it means to embrace a "softer strength." From the dizzying heights of climbing success to the depths of personal darkness after a difficult divorce, Beth's path reveals profound truths about finding purpose, joy and wonder in the ordinary moments of life.

Key Takeaways:

• If your current strategies aren't working, look to your loved ones - their approach may inspire new solutions.
• The things you're passionate about don't have to be pursued in one narrow way. Find freedom in new perspectives.
• Listen closely to your body's signals before your mind catches up - it can prevent you from exceeding limits.
• Don't self-censor based on assumptions. Ask anyway - you may be surprised by people's supportive reactions.
• An extraordinary life can prepare you to deeply appreciate the beauty found in the ordinary.

Learn more about Beth:
Website
Instagram

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

"This is my go-to podcast for inspiration and to discover new approaches to embrace the challenges in my life." If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me reach more people -- just like you -- find strategies and insights to do the things that feel undoable. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. Follow now!

Sign up for my newsletter and learn more about these remarkable stories at www.jessicafeinstories.com

Order Jessica's memoir, Breath Taking: A Memoir of Family, Dreams, and Broken Genes

Watch Jessica's TedX Talk

Music credit: Limitless by Bells

What happens when your child's life depends on you parenting perfectly? How do you reconcile what it's like to live on the precipice all the time, with wanting to be a present and joyful person for your children, your partner, and your friends?

On this episode, we sit down with Jessica Patay, author of the powerful new book "Becoming Brave Together." Jessica opens up about the constant vigilance required in caring for her son Ryan, who has Prader-Willi syndrome and shares why and how she formed a community for other moms with intense caregiving needs.

Jessica's new book is an anthology amplifying 21 other caregiving mothers' stories as well. By elevating these diverse voices, she provides an invaluable perspective into the unseen battles and exceptional bravery of parents raising children with disabilities and chronic illnesses. Whether this is your world or not, Jessica's wisdom and the community she's cultivated offers insights and understanding that can change the world we live in.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to find or form community
• What you deserve as your birthright
• Why self-care isn't a curse word
• How to stay connected with the people who matter to you
• And so much more...

Learn more about Jessica:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
The Book
Brave Together Podcas

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

"This is my go-to podcast for inspiration and to discover new approaches to embrace the challenges in my life." If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me reach more people -- just like you -- find strategies and insights to do the things that feel undoable. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. Follow now!

Sign up for my newsletter and learn more about these remarkable stories at www.jessicafeinstories.com

Order Jessica's memoir, Breath Taking: A Memoir of Family, Dreams, and Broken Genes

Watch Jessica's TedX Talk

Music credit: Limitless by Bells

Have you ever wished you had a guidebook to be by your side as you navigate the complexities of life? One that was written by a best friend, told you what to expect, and gave practical advice to help you through?

That's exactly what Kelley Coleman has written in her book, "Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child." 

In this episode, Kelly shares her personal journey of raising a son with multiple disabilities and offers invaluable advice not only for parents navigating similar paths, but for every human who wants to understand how to interact with empathy and show up in meaningful ways for others.

You'll learn:

•  Why we should all be following people whose life experience is different from our own. 
•  Who to turn to when you want to learn something about another community.
• What's a better strategy than  filling the air with words when you don't know what to say.  
• How and why to encourage self-advocacy in children.
• Why it's important to acknowledge the hard.
• And so much more...

Learn more about Kelley:
Website
Instagram
Facebook

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

"This is my go-to podcast for inspiration and to discover new approaches to embrace the challenges in my life." If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me reach more people -- just like you -- find strategies and insights to do the things that feel undoable. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. Follow now!

Sign up for my newsletter and learn more about these remarkable stories at www.jessicafeinstories.com

Order Jessica's memoir, Breath Taking: A Memoir of Family, Dreams, and Broken Genes

Watch Jessica's TedX Talk

Music credit: Limitless by Bells