How do we go from shock, denial, and overwhelm to being a community leader and a guide for others traveling a similar path?

Meet Candice Hartford, a compassionate NICU nurse who navigated an unexpected personal journey into the world of autism. Not only does Candice work tirelessly to nurture fragile, premature babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, she seamlessly transitioned into advocating for her twin autistic boys, Keaton and Grady. 

The diagnosis of autism can unleash an avalanche of emotions for parents, from shock and denial to fear and uncertainty. Candice  candidly shares her own rollercoaster ride of emotions, shedding light on the anxieties and apprehensions that accompany such a diagnosis.

Drawing strength from her own experiences of managing their unique challenges, and her younger, neurotypical daughter Isla, Candice made it a mission to bridge the gap for families in similar situations. She founded Raising Harts, an organization nurturing families with autistic and neurodiverse children, emphasizing mentorship, workshops and community growth.

 In this episode you'll learn:

• How it's possible to sit in the fear and then go along for the ride
• Why finding others on a similar path can restore joy
• When you need to delegate and tap out
• What it means to shift your entire perspective
• And so much more...

Learn more about Candice and Raising Harts:
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

Music credit: Limitless by Bells

Susan Geoghegan brings a unique blend of personal grit and professional planning skills to the table. She's the kind of mother who loves fiercely and fights hard for her family. Her world was rocked when her children Lorelai and Benji were diagnosed with a rare form of Mitochondrial Disease. However, she quickly transformed an unexpected journey into a platform to support, educate, and inspire others. Susan turned her sorrow into determination and became a crusader for Mitochondrial Disease Awareness.  

I had to actively make a decision early on that we were going to make as much good come from this as possible. - Susan Geoghegan

You can hear Susan weekly in her podcast for medical and special needs mamas, the When Autumn Comes Podcast. In 2022 she founded The Apricity Hope Project, a nonprofit organization that cares for caregivers of medically complex children.

While she has accomplished a lot in her life, Susan is most proud of the amazing adventures, endless love, buckets of hope and epic hair she has given to her perfectly imperfect, brave and beautiful children.

Learn more about Susan;

Apricity Hope Project
Instagram
When Autumn Comes Podcast

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

Music credit: Limitless by Bells

Grief and hope. Courage and vulnerability. Becoming findable and maintaining privacy. Rare disease is full of paradoxes, as guest Adam Johnson explains. 

A man of remarkable fortitude and resilience, Adam faced a Mito diagnosis that led him to abandon a career he loved in education to become a dadvocate for mitochondrial disease. Adam’s resilience bloomed from his experiences with the disease; he knew staying silent was not an option if he could find connections and prevent others from enduring unnecessary periods of uncertainty, desperation, and loneliness. He ventured into unknown territory; creating a supportive community on social media, a platform through his website and blog, and even running a support group for fellow fathers in the Mito community.

This isn't the end of you. It's just moved and evolved to this point where I'm a little more comfortable in this skin that I have now. - Adam Johnson

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why it's worth putting yourself out there and becoming findable
• How a diagnosis is not the end of you
• Why there's no right or wrong way to proceed
• How you might be helping someone you don't even know
• How to make a difference even if you're still in Middle School
• And so much more...

Learn More:

Adam's Website
Twitter
Instagram
Linked In
Emma's fundraising site
Adam's Parents As Rare series on MitoAction’s Energy In Action podcast:
MitoAction
Dalia's Wish
Megan Devine

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

Music credit: Limitless by Bells

What does it mean to be human? Why is comfort not necessarily something to strive for? How is love more than just a feeling or emotion?

These are just a few of the topics covered in this enlightening conversation with New York Times bestselling author, podcast host, and founder of The Lucky Few, Heather Avis.

Get ready to have your heart touched and your perspective shifted as Heather Avis shares her extraordinary journey of love. In a life she never planned, Heather takes us through the unexpected twists and turns and the divine nudge that led her to becoming the mother of two children with Down Syndrome and a biracial daughter.  Heather's life and work is a celebration of diversity. She believes in a fully inclusive world where our differences are not just accepted but are celebrated, embraced, and encouraged ... a world where everyone knows an actual living person with Down Syndrome and understands what it means to be part of "the lucky few."

In this episode you'll learn:

• Why a divine nudge can set us on a path that changes us forever
• How storytelling can shift societal narratives
• When we'll know that media truly embraces diversity
• Why love is an action
• How two opposing things can be true at the same time
• What it means to be part of "The Lucky Few"
• And so much more

Learn more about Heather:
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

Music credit: Limitless by Bells

From gut-wrenching loss to newfound purpose, hear how ski champion Jamie MoCrazy as defied expectations, harnessed her resilience, and embarked on a daring journey to sculpt a triumphant new identity after a traumatic brain injury shattered her skiing career.

As a professional athlete, Jamie MoCrazy has always been known for her astonishing tenacity and resilience. After surviving a near-fatal skiing accident in 2015, she was forced to recalibrate her ambitions. She utilized her competitive drive to fuel her recovery and find new peaks to climb. Jamie's mother, Grace, used her experience with early childhood development to inform the care Jamie received after her injury, creating new protocols for the treatment of patients suffering from TBIs.

Now Jamie shares her story on stages across the country, in a new documentary, and in her own podcast.

In this episode you'll learn:

• The power of striving for your own personal best
• How to set manageable goals to get you to your ultimate growth goal
• Why collaboration with medical professionals makes such a huge difference in medical recovery
• What it's like to be forced to create a new identity when your dreams are shattered
• And much more

Learn more about Jamie:

Instagram
Website
Facebook
LinkedIn
YouTube

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

Music credit: Limitless by Bells

What happens when your personal and professional lives collide in the most powerful way? 

That's what happened to Geri Landman. A mother of three and a practicing pediatrician, Geri has taken on the fight against ultra-rare genetic disorders head-on. Her world was changed when her youngest daughter Lucy, was diagnosed with PGAP3 CDG, a rare genetic disorder. Turning tragedy into a mission, Geri, and her husband, who's also a doctor, established Moonshots for Unicorns, a nonprofit to facilitate research and find cures for similar single gene disorders. Their expertise and personal journey blend seamlessly to spearhead a path for rare disease treatment.

"We are two physicians living in the Bay Area who trained at some of the top institutions in the country. If anyone can do something to change the life story of Lucy and other kids with single gene disorders, it's us." 

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The remarkable implications of genetic testing and early detection in managing the impact of rare diseases.
• Why finding partners who will search with you is so important when you're on a diagnostic odyssey. 
• Why finding treatments and cures for rare diseases is so complicated.
• What to do when you have too many tabs open in your brain.
• What it means to take the hot shot challenge
• And so much more

Find out more about Geri:
Website
Facebook
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

Music credit: Limitless by Bells

Have you followed the conventional path -- school, marriage, kids, job (maybe not in that order) and found that you life doesn't really align with your dreams? Have you been told that following the conventional path is the only way to find fulfillment, only to be left feeling unsatisfied? Maybe you look at other people and wonder how they're able to throw expectations to the wind and set off on grand adventures.

My special guest is Tanya Hackney

Tanya  went from living a life built around societal expectations to taking the path less traveled. Tanya, with her husband and five young children, decided to break free from the constraints of suburbia. They traded their conventional life in the city for an adventure at sea, living aboard a boat for a decade. Tanya's expertise as a former elementary school educator came in handy as she successfully homeschooled her five children amidst the rhythm of tides and sails. Returning to 'normal life' a decade later, she has encapsulated her unique journey in her book "Leaving the Safe Harbor."

We baby stepped our way out of suburbia and into a little house in Florida and onto a little boat that we could practice on. And my husband baby stepped out of a brick and mortar career into working from home, which eventually led to him becoming a digital nomad. I had quit teaching so that I could stay home with the kids, but my natural next baby step was to homeschool. - Tanya Hackney

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What it means to baby step into your dreams
• How to coach yourself through audacious goals
• Why you need to find alone time, and how to do it
• Why you shouldn't postpone your dreams
• How to collect verbs instead of nouns

Learn more about Tanya:
Blog
Book
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest

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

Music credit: Limitless by Bells

Being a working parent is challenging under "conventional" circumstances. Amp that about by about a billion when you're a working mom of two young children, one of whom has a rare and life-threatening illness.

Meet today's guest, Claire Audibert, who shines in her demanding role at Google while balancing family life with her two sons, Elliot and Oscar. Living in Normandy and working from Paris a few days a week, Claire has a profound understanding and commitment to navigating the challenges of managing work, home, and special needs in a family. Accepting and embracing the changing reality is just one way Claire succeeds at home and at work.

Believe what you know. Trust your instincts. When something feels wrong, it usually is. - Claire Audibert

In this episode, you'll learn

• What it means to live with intention.
• Why the mantra "adjust, adapt, pivot," can be a saving grace.
• How to honor your parental intuition and champion for your family's needs.
• Why filling your own cup changes things for you and for those who depend on you.
• What you need to do before you can find your tribe.
• And much more...

Learn more about Claire:
Instagram
Website
Claire's Book 

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

Music credit: Limitless by Bells

A determined and introspective hiker defies societal norms, embraces the unknown, and faces the terrifying challenge of forest fires while pursuing her dream of completing the Pacific Crest Trail.

My special guest is Christina Spinazola, who dared to listen to the quiet voice within her and embarked on a remarkable journey across the Pacific Crest Trail. Covering over 2650 miles from Mexico to Canada, she proved to herself and others that courage knows no boundaries. Compelled by her firsthand experiences of traversing the rocky terrains, today she passionately guides entrepreneurs to follow their instincts fearlessly. Her fiery spirit and empathetic coaching have inspired many to step out of their comfort zones and embrace the thrill of their unique adventures.

"Wisdom whispers. It's very quiet. You have to get really still to hear it. And it's usually terrifying when it says, like, 'Go hike across the state of Vermont.'"
 - Christina Spinazola

In this episode, you'll be able to:

• Learn how to create the conditions. to hear wisdom whisper
• Understand the crucial role of mindfulness in harnessing inner wisdom.
• Garner tactics to convert fears into initiators for taking purposeful action.
• Unravel the hidden benefits of slowing down to catalyze your career and personal life.
• Expand your comfort zone for fostering boldness and increased self-reliance.

Learn more about Christina here.

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

Music credit: Limitless by Bells

Meet Lara Love Hardin, a true embodiment of resilience. Lara is a four-times New York Times bestselling writer, memoirist, mother, literary agent extraordinaire, and former drug addict and convicted felon. 

From a seemingly perfect suburban life to a journey through addiction and incarceration, Lara's story is one of enduring hardship and incredible redemption. With an uncanny ability to rebound from life’s most formidable challenges, she climbed the social ladder in jail, earning the endearing nickname Mama Love for the way she nurtured and helped fellow inmates. Now a prolific author and empathetic literary agent, Lara works on projects with the likes of Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu. Her Oprah Book Club selection, The Sun Does Shine, which she coauthored with Anthony Ray Hinton, depicts a powerful narrative of strength and defiance against all odds.

Lara's memoir, The Many Lives of Mama Love, takes us through her incredible journey from the picture-perfect soccer-mom life through her time in jail to rebuilding her life and claiming her voice.

In this episode you'll learn:

• What it means to live in the power of now
• Why real power is quiet power
• What can happen when we own our story
• Why we need to look beyond a single season of someone's life
• And so much more

Learn more about Lara:

Personal Website
Business Website
The Gemma Project Nonprofit
TedX Talk
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

Music credit: Limitless by Bells