How do we support the siblings of kids with special needs in our families? In this episode, I’m bringing you the two unicorn therapists who lead the sibling group my daughter has attended since age five, Selene Gisholt and Olivia von Ferstel. Soak in their insight, wisdom, encouragement, and tips with me. And listen closely, because they share what they believe is the single most important thing we can do to support all of the kids in our special families.

In an Instagram-perfect social media culture, these two sisters and authors of the book Shut Up About Your Perfect Kid! have started a movement of imperfection. During this episode, they made me laugh and then they made me cry as we talked about celebrating kids’ resilience and success, about the inspiration and support we’ve found in the special needs community, and about the gifts and personal growth that come with imperfectly parenting our amazing and special children.

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Lauren Bellon is a writer, speaker, coach, entrepreneur, and special needs mama. Find show notes for this episode, along with links to any resources mentioned, at LaurenBellon.com.

Do you have an idea for a show topic? Someone you'd love to hear interviewed? A question or just a thought you'd like to share? Interested in sponsoring an upcoming episode?

I'd love to hear from you. Email me at [email protected], or leave a comment at www.facebook.com/MamaRisingShow/.

How can we maintain our own identity and creative outlets despite the intense demands of special needs parenting? And how the heck do we keep a marriage strong at the same time? Photographer Kristin Chalmers and I talk about how she has preserved her own creativity and self-expression while parenting two sons with special needs. She shares the strategies she and her husband have used to create an amazing marriage, plus she offers some excellent advice about how families of kids with special needs can capture images ourselves and our children that honor all of our unique needs and differences.

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Lauren Bellon is a writer, speaker, coach, entrepreneur, and special needs mama. Find show notes for this episode, along with links to any resources mentioned, at LaurenBellon.com.

Do you have an idea for a show topic? Someone you'd love to hear interviewed? A question or just a thought you'd like to share? Interested in sponsoring an upcoming episode?

I'd love to hear from you. Email me at [email protected], or leave a comment at www.facebook.com/MamaRisingShow/.

Up, down, and all around. That’s how I used to feel as I navigated the tasks of motherhood, advocacy, and running a small business. Just as I’d start to get into a groove, my hormones would shift, and I’d feel derailed, frustrated, tired, and burned out. But over the years I’ve learned some special secrets from wise women about how to use the energy of each phase of my menstrual cycle to invite more ease, peace, and productivity into my life. This episode talks mothering and menstruation. Periods and parenting. I explore the ways we can use each part of our cycle to enhance our advocacy, self-care, and momming. Yes, even those two weeks before our period arrives have great value to offer if we know how to listen!

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Lauren Bellon is a writer, speaker, coach, entrepreneur, and special needs mama. Find show notes for this episode, along with links to any resources mentioned, at LaurenBellon.com.

Do you have an idea for a show topic? Someone you'd love to hear interviewed? A question or just a thought you'd like to share? Interested in sponsoring an upcoming episode?

I'd love to hear from you. Email me at [email protected], or leave a comment at www.facebook.com/MamaRisingShow/.

It’s a milestone that all special needs parents experience at some point. Repeatedly. Someone makes an insensitive comment and you have to decide how to respond. They’ve remarked about your child’s diagnosis or your parenting. They’ve implied that you’re doing it all wrong or declared you to be a superhero. And they've given you unsolicited advice that comes across exactly the wrong way. A listener’s question inspired this episode all about strategies for handling these super uncomfortable moments. I'm happy to share a few actionable tips and ideas for handling whatever nonsense might come your way from a well-meaning (or even a not-so-well-meaning) friend, family member, or stranger.

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Lauren Bellon is a writer, speaker, coach, entrepreneur, and special needs mama. Find show notes for this episode, along with links to any resources mentioned, at LaurenBellon.com.

Do you have an idea for a show topic? Someone you'd love to hear interviewed? A question or just a thought you'd like to share? Interested in sponsoring an upcoming episode?

I'd love to hear from you. Email me at [email protected], or leave a comment at www.facebook.com/MamaRisingShow/.

Sometimes anxiety, racing thoughts, or silliness can keep our kids awake at night. In this episode, I share the bedtime meditation my son has used every night since he was a year old, and my daughter has been listening to since birth, to help them fall asleep.

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Lauren Bellon is a writer, speaker, coach, entrepreneur, and special needs mama. Find show notes for this episode, along with links to any resources mentioned, at LaurenBellon.com.

Do you have an idea for a show topic? Someone you'd love to hear interviewed? A question or just a thought you'd like to share? Interested in sponsoring an upcoming episode?

I'd love to hear from you. Email me at [email protected], or leave a comment at www.facebook.com/MamaRisingShow/.

How do we balance being a fierce mama warrior advocate with diplomacy and tact? Is there a way to keep fighting the good fight without becoming bitter, angry, and oppositional? Can we be kind and compassionate and still make sure our child’s needs will be met? In this episode, I share 13 actionable ways to be a fierce advocate with a gentle heart.

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Lauren Bellon is a writer, speaker, coach, entrepreneur, and special needs mama. Find show notes for this episode, along with links to any resources mentioned, at LaurenBellon.com.

Do you have an idea for a show topic? Someone you'd love to hear interviewed? A question or just a thought you'd like to share? Interested in sponsoring an upcoming episode?

I'd love to hear from you. Email me at [email protected], or leave a comment at www.facebook.com/MamaRisingShow/.

What do you do when it feels like there's never enough time to get everything done? Never enough of you to go around? Every mama's cup empties and needs a refill from time to time. But for parents of kids with special needs, refills can feel extra hard to find. I'm super psyched to kick off the first episode of Mama Rising with 8 specific ideas and tips you can use right now to triage your self-care, even during a chaos or crisis.

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Lauren Bellon is a writer, speaker, coach, entrepreneur, and special needs mama. She is also the founder of Essential Oils How To. Find show notes for this episode, along with links to any resources mentioned, at LaurenBellon.com.

Do you have an idea for a show topic? Someone you'd love to hear interviewed? A question or just a thought you'd like to share? Interested in sponsoring an upcoming episode?

I'd love to hear from you. Email me at [email protected], or leave a comment at https://www.facebook.com/MamaRisingShow/.