Take Heart

Co-Host Amy J. Brown shares her life and adoption journey in reference to Take Heart hosts’ newly released book, “The Other Side of Special.” She addresses the struggles and challenges that come with being a mother dealing with the invisible disabilities of their children. She shares her journey of adopting children, including one with fetal alcohol syndrome, which led to many emotional and mental difficulties. She shares candidly in the book about her experiences in hopes that it helps other mothers with similar struggles to know that they are not alone and are valued by God.

Ep. 128; May 16, 2023

Key Moments:
[2:06] Amy’s struggle with infertility and adoption decisions
[6:42] Feelings of loneliness
[7:54] When the family doesn’t want to understand
[8:56] Sharing the journey
[9:25] You are not alone in this journey

Resources:
The Other Side of Special

If you enjoyed the show:

• Subscribe to our newsletter on the Take Heart Website
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• Share us with others from wherever you listen to podcasts
• Follow us on Instagram @takeheartspecialmoms
• Find Amy at www.amyjbrown.com/  or on Instagram @amyjbrown_writer
• Find Carrie at www.carriemholt.com or on Instagram @carriemholt
• Find Sara at www.saraclime.com or on Instagram @saraclime

As we celebrate the release of our new book, The Other Side of Special, we share about how we met and what we have learned as we have spent time together collaborating on the book and our podcast. Even though our children have very different diagnoses, we have realized we have so much in common which lends itself to caring for each other! Being vulnerable with each other but more importantly, in writing this book, can be difficult but we have seen God’s redemption in those stories which motivates us to continue. We have been so encouraged by your support of us and want to celebrate with you! 

Ep.127; May 9, 2023

Key Moments:
[0:20] Our book, The Other Side of Special, is here today!
[4:42] Join us at the “Lake House”
[11:30] We learn empathy by hearing others' stories
[20:35] The importance of being honest about emotions
[25:42] Our book is not a ‘how-to’
[26:50] Pay attention to our body and name those emotions

Resources:
Purchase the Other Side of Special
Episode 100: Story Behind Take Heart

If you enjoyed the show:

• Subscribe to our newsletter on the Take Heart Website
• Get our free resource on finding Gratitude, Peace, and Hope
• Review and like us on Apple Podcasts 
• Share us with others from wherever you listen to podcasts
• Follow us on Instagram @takeheartspecialmoms
• Find Amy at www.amyjbrown.com/  or on Instagram @amyjbrown_writer
• Find Carrie at www.carriemholt.com or on Instagram @carriemholt
• Find Sara at www.saraclime.com or on Instagram @saraclime

Take Heart is supported by our listeners. We may earn an affiliate commission when you buy through links on our site.

On this episode of Take Heart Special Mom Podcast, we delve into the importance of self-care for special needs moms. Sara England, a mother of three, shares her experience with burnout and the lessons she's learned about prioritizing her wellness. We discuss the challenges of balancing self-care with the demands of caring for a child with special needs, strategies for setting boundaries and saying no, and the importance of small moments of joy. The episode also covers the speaker's struggles with infertility, miscarriage, and her journey to prioritize self-care to keep her rejuvenated for the long haul.  Join us to learn actionable tips for implementing self-care into your daily routine and how even small actions can lead to personal growth and change. 

Eps. 126; May 2, 2023

Key Moments:
[1:12]  From a nurse to a stay-at-home mom
[7:18] Sara’s infertility journey
[15:07] Hitting a wall & setting up boundaries
[18:46] Taking care of your children is taking care of you
[24:05] Burned out
[28:35] How much is too much for our kids and therapy?
[32:56] Mental assessment…what brings me joy?

 Resources:
Check out Sara’s FREE Special Need Moms Survival Guide! Sara also has a FREE Caregiver Burnout guide to help you begin to heal and prevent burnout!
The Fitness Planner: A 12 Week Health and Fitness Journal to Track Meals, Workouts and Weight Loss for Women - Exercise and Food Journal

If you enjoyed the show:

• One week left to pre order The Other Side of Special
• Subscribe to our newsletter on the Take Heart Website
• Get our free resource on finding Gratitude, Peace, and Hope
• Review and like us on Apple Podcasts 
• Share us with others from wherever you listen to podcasts
• Follow us on Instagram @takeheartspecialmoms
• Find Amy at www.amyjbrown.com/  or on Instagram @amyjbrown_writer
• Find Carrie at www.carriemholt.com or on Instagram @carriemholt
• Find Sara at www.saraclime.com or on Instagram @saraclime
• Take Heart is supported by our listeners. We may earn an affiliate commission when you buy through links on our site.

On this episode of Take Heart Special Mom Podcast, Carrie M Holt welcomes Todd and Kristin Evans, who share their personal struggles in their marriage while navigating their lives as special needs parents. Both Todd and Kristin emphasize the importance of self-care, reflective listening, and validation of emotions between spouses. They stress the need for open communication and finding ways to navigate ongoing grief as a couple. They also reveal practical skills they learned through therapy that can help couples navigate the unique challenges they face. This episode offers valuable insight and support for those struggling with the demands of caring for a special needs child while maintaining a healthy and happy relationship. 

Ep.125; April 25, 2023

Key Moments:
[5:49] Todd and Kristen’s different experiences with grief
[12:40] Sharing feelings and being vulnerable is important in dealing with grief 
[17:49] Spouses react differently to grief 
[20:20] Support is key
[21:23] Practice reflective listening in your marriage. 
[25:56]Managing the stress together

Resources:
Disability Parenting
Kristin & Todd on Instagram
Kristin’s Facebook Group

If you enjoyed the show:

• Preorder The Other Side of Special
• Subscribe to our newsletter on the Take Heart Website
• Get our free resource on finding Gratitude, Peace, and Hope
• Review and like us on Apple Podcasts 
• Share us with others from wherever you listen to podcasts
• Follow us on Instagram @takeheartspecialmoms
• Find Amy at www.amyjbrown.com/  or on Instagram @amyjbrown_writer
• Find Carrie at www.carriemholt.com or on Instagram @carriemholt
• Find Sara at www.saraclime.com or on Instagram @saraclime

Take Heart is supported by our listeners. We may earn an affiliate commission when you buy through links on our site.

Jodie Pine shares her experience and insight from adopting two boys with special needs, one with clubbed feet and the other with Spina Bifida. Through the challenges of raising a child with significant special needs, she was led to look at her kids through the lens of wholeness instead of deficits. She emphasizes the importance of accepting children for who they are rather than focusing on their progress or appearance and her perspective from feeling like she had to fix everything to allowing her sons to be her teacher.

Ep. 124; April 18, 2023

Key Moments:
[3:56] Jodie’s adoption and diagnosis story
[9:27] Allowing her child to be her teacher
[13:22] What is living life to its fullest?
[14:45] Learning to pay attention
[21:39] Not looking to the medical community for breakthrough
[28:59] Joni Erickson-Tada Beyond Suffering

Resources:
Radical Acceptance
This Here Flesh
Joni and Friends: Beyond Suffering
Joni and Friends Family Camp
Soul Care Institute
Jodie’s Blog
Unfinished

If you enjoyed the show:

• Join our Book Launch Team Here
• Preorder The Other Side of Special
• Goodreads Giveaway
• Subscribe to our newsletter on the Take Heart Website
• Review and like us on Apple Podcasts 
• Follow us on Instagram @takeheartspecialmoms
• Find Amy at www.amyjbrown.com/  or on Instagram @amyjbrown_writer
• Find Carrie at www.carriemholt.com or on Instagram @carriemholt
• Find Sara at www.saraclime.com or on Instagram @saraclime

Sara interviews author and former journalist/news anchor, Jillian Benfield as she shares her unexpected journey of having a child with Down Syndrome and the societal pressure to "overcome" grief quickly. Jillian emphasizes the importance of allowing yourself to fully grieve and unlearn negative beliefs about worth and disability. She also discusses her book, "The Gift of the Unexpected," which talks about laying down her thoughts and leaning into what God was showing her.  

Ep. 123; April 11, 2023

Key Moments:
[3:39] Jillian’s diagnosis story
[10:25] Undergoing grief, not overcoming it
[13:17] Life after diagnosis is transformative
[15:27] Worth attached to my resume
[22:12] How to handle the seasons when there is no bright side
[26:22] Asking ‘why’ is a worthwhile question

Resources:

Jillian Benfield’s Website
The Gift of the Unexpected: Discovering Who You Were Meant to Be When Life Goes Off Plan
Working Through Weariness: 6 Tools to Reclaim Goodness 
5 Spiritual Comforts for Parents of Kids with Disabilities
Goodreads Giveaway
Join our Book Launch Team

If you enjoyed the show:

• Join our Book Launch Team Here
• Preorder The Other Side of Special
• Subscribe to our newsletter on the Take Heart Website
• Review and like us on Apple Podcasts 
• Follow us on Instagram @takeheartspecialmoms
• Find Amy at www.amyjbrown.com/  or on Instagram @amyjbrown_writer
• Find Carrie at www.carriemholt.com or on Instagram @carriemholt
• Find Sara at www.saraclime.com or on Instagram @saraclime
  
  Take Heart is supported by our listeners. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Carrie and Jenna Erlandson of Bridge of the Faithful Podcast sit down to talk about Jenna’s expectations on motherhood and how trying to control her circumstances played out in her life played out. She discusses the hard work of breaking the habit of control, and gives several practical tips on how she has grown in her walk with the Lord and her perspective as a special needs mom. 

Ep. 122; April 4, 2023

Key Moments:
[2:08] Pride and Control
[11:58] Living in the world of “What If”
[15:50] Strategies to combat control and guilt
[21:22] Conceiving again, after the special needs child 
[27:26} Ways to work on forgiving
{32:26} Tension isn’t a bad thing

Resources
Bridge of the Faithful Website
Bridge of the Faithful Podcast
Jenna’s e-mail
Goodreads Giveaway
Join our Book Launch Team

If you enjoyed the show:

• Join our Book Launch Team Here
• Enter the Goodreads Giveaway
• Subscribe to our newsletter on the Take Heart Website
• Get our free resource on finding Gratitude, Peace, and Hope
• Review and like us on Apple Podcasts 
• Share us with others from wherever you listen to podcasts
• Follow us on Instagram @takeheartspecialmoms
• Find Amy at www.amyjbrown.com/  or on Instagram @amyjbrown_writer
• Find Carrie at www.carriemholt.com or on Instagram @carriemholt
• Find Sara at www.saraclime.com or on Instagram @saraclime

Amy sits down with Jennie Owens, who has parented over 100 kids and has trained thousands of families in trauma-informed care, therapeutic parenting, and caregiver self-care.  The episode delves deep into the concept of trauma and explains how the nervous system perceives it. Jennie shares how trauma can cause one to feel overwhelmed and how rejection can activate the same part of the brain as physical pain.  This episode will help you give yourself permission to prioritize self-care and understand that it's not selfish but just as important as caring for your child. 

Ep. 121: March 28, 2023

Key Moments:
[7:43] Nervous system needs time off to relax
[8:42] Allow for self-care and respite to reduce guilt and anxiety
[14:31] Moms can have PTSD; Understanding the nervous system
[21:49] What you should do when you feel the trauma response
[25:51] Defining trauma

Resources

• Thriving Family
• JennieLynnOwens Facebook 
• Karen Purvis 
• Dancing with a Porcupine
• The Mystery of Risk
• Healing Trauma
• The Body Keeps Score
• Lisa Qualls 

If you enjoyed the show:

• Enter the Goodreads Giveaway
• Subscribe to our newsletter on the Take Heart Website
• Get our free resource on finding Gratitude, Peace, and Hope
• Review and like us on Apple Podcasts 
• Follow us on Instagram @takeheartspecialmoms
• Find Amy at www.amyjbrown.com/  or on Instagram @amyjbrown_writer
• Find Carrie at www.carriemholt.com or on Instagram @carriemholt
• Find Sara at www.saraclime.com or on Instagram @saraclime

In the final part of this three-part series, Amy, Sara, and Carrie dive into what we thought therapy would be like versus the reality of therapy. We share our experiences dealing with past traumas and how they affect our present reactions. We discuss managing expectations and self-care after a session. We also touch on vulnerability and how it's not  weakness, but rather a courageous way to understand our past experiences. If you're interested in learning more, listen to all three parts of this series.  

Ep. 120; March 21, 2023

Key Moments:
[2:18] Procrastinating going to therapy for years
[6:05] Apologizing to your kids
[8:34} Carrying around baggage without knowing it
[13:52] The story behind the story
[18:47] Therapy is not exhausting every time

Resources:
Parenting: How Your Story Is Affecting Your Relationship With Your Children Part 1
Parenting: How Your Story Is Affecting Your Relationship With Your Children Part 2 
The Allender Center Podcast
Healing Care Ministries

If you enjoyed the show:

• Subscribe to our newsletter on the Take Heart Website
• Get our free resource on finding Gratitude, Peace, and Hope
• Review and like us on Apple Podcasts 
• Share us with others from wherever you listen to podcasts
• Follow us on Instagram @takeheartspecialmoms
• Find Amy at www.amyjbrown.com/  or on Instagram @amyjbrown_writer
• Find Carrie at www.carriemholt.com or on Instagram @carriemholt
• Find Sara at www.saraclime.com or on Instagram @saraclime

Support the show

In part two of this three-part series, Amy, Sara and Carrie share about the barriers to therapy and why special needs moms are reluctant to see counselors. There are legitimate reasons, such as cost, lack of knowledge and awareness, and a stigma associated with mental health. Working to break down these barriers, Amy, Sara, and Carrie give practical advice, so moms will pursue the help they need. 

Ep. 119; March 14, 2023

Key Moments:
[1:31] Therapy For Kids With Behavioral Issues
[3:23] Overcoming the Lie of Failure
[5:14] Biggest Barrier to Counseling Was Me!
[10:45] Trying DifferentTtherapists
[12:02] The Necessity of Taking Care of Your Mental Health As a Special Needs Parent

Resources:
The Allender Center
The Allender Center Podcast
The Place We Find Ourselves by Adam Young
Redeeming Heartache by Dan Allender & Cathay Loerzel

If you enjoyed the show:

• Subscribe to our newsletter on the Take Heart Website
• Get our free resource on finding Gratitude, Peace, and Hope
• Review and like us on Apple Podcasts 
• Share us with others from wherever you listen to podcasts
• Follow us on Instagram @takeheartspecialmoms
• Find Amy at www.amyjbrown.com/  or on Instagram @amyjbrown_writer
• Find Carrie at www.carriemholt.com or on Instagram @carriemholt
• Find Sara at www.saraclime.com or on Instagram @saraclime

Support the show