<p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1190612/fan_mail/new">Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!)</a></p><p>Transformation guide and stroke survivor Joy Shaw joins me to talk about healing through the lens of the hero’s journey and what it means to become the author of your own story. In this thoughtful conversation, we explore grief, witnessing pain, and the shift that happens when we stop trying to return to the life we expected and begin living the one we have.</p><p><br/></p><p><a href='https://www.kararyska.com/2026/03/11/293joywalsh/'><b>read the full show notes here. </b></a></p><p><br/></p><p><b>Connect with Joy Shaw:</b></p><p><a href='https://www.instagram.com/alchemizewithjoy/'>Instagram</a></p><p><a href='https://www.tiktok.com/@alchemizewithjoy?_r=1&_t=ZT-94YqcERPHbh'>TikTok</a></p><p><a href='https://www.youtube.com/@alchemizewithjoy'>YouTube</a></p><p><a href='https://www.joyshaw.com'>Website</a></p><p><br/></p><p><b>Connect with Kara, host of The Special Needs Mom Podcast:<br/></b>Instagram: <a href='https://www.instagram.com/Kararyska/'>https://www.instagram.com/thespecialneedsmompodcast/</a><br/>Website: <a href='https://www.kararyska.com/contact/'>https://www.kararyska.com/</a></p><p><br/></p>

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!) Transformation guide and stroke survivor Joy Shaw joins me to talk about healing through the lens of the hero’s journey and what it means to become the author of your own story. In this thoughtful conversation, we explore grief, witnessing pain, and the shift that happens when we stop trying to return to the life we expected and begin living the one we have. read the full show notes here. Connect with Joy Shaw: Instagram TikTok YouTube Website Connect with Kara, host of The Special Needs Mom Podcast: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thespecialneedsmompodcast/ Website: https://www.kararyska.com/

<p><a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/1190612/fan_mail/new" rel="noopener noreferrer">Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!)</a></p><p>Transformation guide and stroke survivor Joy Shaw joins me to talk about healing through the lens of the hero’s journey and what it means to become the author of your own story. In this thoughtful conversation, we explore grief, witnessing pain, and the shift that happens when we stop trying to return to the life we expected and begin living the one we have.</p><p><br></p><p><a href="https://www.kararyska.com/2026/03/11/293joywalsh/" rel="noopener noreferrer"><b>read the full show notes here.&nbsp;</b></a></p><p><br></p><p><b>Connect with Joy Shaw:</b></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/alchemizewithjoy/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Instagram</a></p><p><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@alchemizewithjoy?_r=1&amp;_t=ZT-94YqcERPHbh" rel="noopener noreferrer">TikTok</a></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@alchemizewithjoy" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a></p><p><a href="https://www.joyshaw.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">Website</a></p><p><br></p><p><b>Connect with Kara, host of The Special Needs Mom Podcast:<br></b>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/Kararyska/" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.instagram.com/thespecialneedsmompodcast/</a><br>Website: <a href="https://www.kararyska.com/contact/" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.kararyska.com/</a></p><p><br></p>

Learning to  Live Inside the Life You Didn’t Choose with Joy Shaw

<div>Think of this podcast as your very own special needs mom support group--except it's helpful and fun! You will leave with the hope that you can have a super happy life even when your life includes parenting a medically complex child or a child with something like autism and ADHD.</div><div>You likely didn't ask to be the parent of a disabled child or to live portions of your life in the hospital NICU or PICU. Your story is unique; it’s hard to find a place where you belong or where you don't feel so isolated and alone. Your child might have a rare disease, be undiagnosed or experience something that almost everybody has heard of like Downs syndrome yet the weird thing is that whether your child has an intellectual disability or physical disability, the experience as a mother is so similar. So regardless of your child’s disability, we can all find a home in this community.</div><div>You find yourself managing everybody else's needs; your child, their siblings, and all the guilt that you have about that. All this has you feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and dizzy---not knowing who to turn to or what to do next for help. This podcast is your lifeline, you’ll find encouragement and inspiration as we connect to other moms’ journeys. We’ll get practical and look at what it takes to stop feeling so stuck in your life.</div><div><strong>You know this podcast is for you if you find yourself googling:</strong></div><div>Overwhelmed special needs mom help</div><div>How to do self care as a special needs mom?</div><div>Dealing with anger as a special needs mom</div><div>How to manage special needs mom burnout and stress?</div><div>How do I deal with mom's guilt?</div><div>Help for myself as a special needs mom</div><div>How do I cope with a disabled child?</div><div>How do I manage the grief of my medically complex child?</div><div>How to keep from drowning as a caregiver</div><div>Support group for special needs mom or community for caregivers</div><div>I'm tired of taking care of my special needs child</div><div>Finding balance between my child’s needs and my own mamas needs</div><div>Respite and rest for special needs moms</div>

Health & Fitness

Mental Health

Education

Self-Improvement

Parenting

Kids & Family

Think of this podcast as your very own special needs mom support group--except it's helpful and fun! You will leave with the hope that you can have a super happy life even when your life includes parenting a medically complex child or a child with something like autism and ADHD.You likely didn't ask to be the parent of a disabled child or to live portions of your life in the hospital NICU or PICU. Your story is unique; it’s hard to find a place where you belong or where you don't feel so isolated and alone. Your child might have a rare disease, be undiagnosed or experience something that almost everybody has heard of like Downs syndrome yet the weird thing is that whether your child has an intellectual disability or physical disability, the experience as a mother is so similar. So regardless of your child’s disability, we can all find a home in this community.You find yourself managing everybody else's needs; your child, their siblings, and all the guilt that you have about that. All this has you feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and dizzy---not knowing who to turn to or what to do next for help. This podcast is your lifeline, you’ll find encouragement and inspiration as we connect to other moms’ journeys. We’ll get practical and look at what it takes to stop feeling so stuck in your life.You know this podcast is for you if you find yourself googling:Overwhelmed special needs mom helpHow to do self care as a special needs mom?Dealing with anger as a special needs momHow to manage special needs mom burnout and stress?How do I deal with mom's guilt?Help for myself as a special needs momHow do I cope with a disabled child?How do I manage the grief of my medically complex child?How to keep from drowning as a caregiverSupport group for special needs mom or community for caregiversI'm tired of taking care of my special needs childFinding balance between my child’s needs and my own mamas needsRespite and rest for special needs moms

Think of this podcast as your very own special needs mom support group--except it's helpful and fun! You will leave with the hope that you can have a super happy life even when your life includes parenting a medically complex child or a child with something like autism and ADHD.You likely didn't ask to be the parent of a disabled child or to live portions of your life in the hospital NICU or PICU. Your story is unique; it’s hard to find a place where you belong or where you don't feel so isolated and alone. Your child might have a rare disease, be undiagnosed or experience something that almost everybody has heard of like Downs syndrome yet the weird thing is that whether your child has an intellectual disability or physical disability, the experience as a mother is so similar. So regardless of your child’s disability, we can all find a home in this community.You find yourself managing everybody else's needs; your child, their siblings, and all the guilt that you have about that. All this has you feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and dizzy---not knowing who to turn to or what to do next for help. This podcast is your lifeline, you’ll find encouragement and inspiration as we connect to other moms’ journeys. We’ll get practical and look at what it takes to stop feeling so stuck in your life.<strong>You know this podcast is for you if you find yourself googling:</strong>Overwhelmed special needs mom helpHow to do self care as a special needs mom?Dealing with anger as a special needs momHow to manage special needs mom burnout and stress?How do I deal with mom's guilt?Help for myself as a special needs momHow do I cope with a disabled child?How do I manage the grief of my medically complex child?How to keep from drowning as a caregiverSupport group for special needs mom or community for caregiversI'm tired of taking care of my special needs childFinding balance between my child’s needs and my own mamas needsRespite and rest for special needs moms

Share Learning to Live Inside the Life You Didn’t Choose with Joy Shaw

Sign up to save your podcasts

Learning to Live Inside the Life You Didn’t Choose with Joy Shaw

Learning to Live Inside the Life You Didn’t Choose with Joy Shaw

More shows like The Special Needs Mom Podcast

10% Happier with Dan Harris

Thanks For Asking

The Lazy Genius Podcast

For The Love With Jen Hatmaker Podcast

Everything Happens with Kate Bowler

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

The Jennie Allen Podcast

Give It To Me Straight

We Can Do Hard Things

Overcome the Overwhelm for Special Needs Moms

All There Is with Anderson Cooper

The Mel Robbins Podcast

The Dr. Josh Axe Show

The Oprah Podcast

Good Hang with Amy Poehler