The Different Ability® Podcast

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In this episode of The Different Ability® Podcast, Katey, her mom Lynn, and a special guest appearance by her dad dive into Chapter 4 of Embracing Your Different Ability®. They explore the transformative power of the phrase “I just learn differently,” how it shaped Katey’s identity through middle school and beyond, and the critical role of parental support in embracing her diagnosis rather than feeling shame. The conversation also tackles society’s fixation on “normal,” moments of self-doubt, and how Katey leverages her visual thinking and creative strengths in her work, life, and advocacy today. This episode offers encouragement for anyone redefining what success and learning look like on their own terms.

📖 Buy the book, Embracing Your Different Ability®:
[Book link]

🎥 Watch additional chapter questions on YouTube HERE!

🌐 Learn more about the book and bonus resources:
[Website link]

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Places you can reach me at:
Website:
https://kateyfortun.com/
https://kateyfortun.com/podcast

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/kateyfortun/
https://www.instagram.com/differentabilitypodcast/ 

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In this episode of The Different Ability® Podcast, Katey and her mom, Lynn, explore Chapter 3 of Embracing Your Different Ability®. They discuss the long journey of recognizing hidden struggles, the emotional impact of feeling “dumb” or “stupid,” and the importance of advocacy when schools don’t always listen. Together, they share insights for parents and children navigating dyslexia, address the guilt and helplessness parents may feel, and offer encouragement for kids who are scared to speak up about their challenges. This conversation highlights resilience, self-advocacy, and finding your voice in the face of unseen learning difficulties.

📖 Buy the book, Embracing Your Different Ability®:
[Book link]

🎥 Watch additional chapter questions on YouTube HERE! 

🌐 Learn more about the book and bonus resources:
[Website link]

Stay in the loop with the new Different Ability® product I'll be launching!
Sign Up Here!

Shop new products here!

Places you can reach me at:
Website:
https://kateyfortun.com/
https://kateyfortun.com/podcast

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/kateyfortun/
https://www.instagram.com/differentabilitypodcast/ 

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In this episode of The Different Ability® Podcast, Katey and her mom, Lynn, dive into Chapter 2 of Embracing Your Different Ability®. They explore the challenges of recognizing a child’s hidden struggles, the impact of teacher feedback, and the ways a shy personality can mask underlying needs. Together, they discuss how trust, intuition, and resilience play a role in parenting children who don’t always fit the typical learning mold. This conversation offers encouragement, insight, and practical wisdom for parents, caregivers, and educators navigating similar journeys.

📖 Buy the book, Embracing Your Different Ability®:
[Book link]

🎥 Watch additional chapter questions on YouTube HERE!

🌐 Learn more about the book and bonus resources:
[Website link]

Stay in the loop with the new Different Ability® product I'll be launching!
Sign Up Here!

Shop new products here!

Places you can reach me at:
Website:
https://kateyfortun.com/
https://kateyfortun.com/podcast

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/kateyfortun/
https://www.instagram.com/differentabilitypodcast/ 

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In this episode of The Different Ability® Podcast, Katey dives deeper into Chapter 1 of Embracing Your Different Ability®. This conversation reflects on early moments of self-doubt, the long-lasting impact of being misunderstood, and the quiet signs that often get missed when a child is struggling. Together, Katey and her mom unpack a story that stayed hidden for decades, explore how adult responses shape confidence and trust, and offer insight for parents and educators who want to better support children who feel like they’re falling through the cracks.

📖 Buy the book, Embracing Your Different Ability®:
[Book link]

🎥 Watch additional chapter questions on YouTube HERE!

🌐 Learn more about the book and bonus resources:
 [Website link]

Stay in the loop with the new Different Ability® product I'll be launching!
Sign Up Here!

Shop new products here!

Places you can reach me at:
Website:
https://kateyfortun.com/
https://kateyfortun.com/podcast

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/kateyfortun/
https://www.instagram.com/differentabilitypodcast/ 

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This week, I’m bringing back a powerful conversation from the archive: Dyslexia Struggles.

As I prepare for the release of my book Embracing Your Different Ability®, it felt like the perfect time to revisit this episode where I open up about the real, everyday challenges I face living with dyslexia. From the frustrations to the behind-the-scenes moments people don’t always see, I share honestly about what it’s like and the tools and strategies that have helped me navigate it all.

If you or someone you love has dyslexia, this episode is a reminder that you are not alone—and that your different ability is something to embrace.

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Places you can reach me at:
Website:
https://kateyfortun.com/
https://kateyfortun.com/podcast

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/kateyfortun/
https://www.instagram.com/differentabilitypodcast/ 

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Re-releasing this episode because the message still matters. If you’ve ever been made to feel “less than,” this is your reminder: you are not alone!

Let’s stand up to our bullies, grow in confidence, and embrace what makes us uniquely us - differences and all! 

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Places you can reach me at:
Website:
https://kateyfortun.com/
https://kateyfortun.com/podcast

Instagram:
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https://www.instagram.com/differentabilitypodcast/ 

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In this heartfelt episode, I sit down with Patty Laushman — coach, educator, and neurodiversity advocate — to talk about her journey as a mom navigating years of uncertainty before learning her son is autistic. She shares what those first 8½ years were like, the challenges her family faced, and how one doctor’s words changed everything for the better.

We also talk about her path through college, becoming a mom later in life, and how her personal experiences led her to support neurodivergent teens, adults, and their families today. 

Patty's Bio

Patty Laushman is an author, speaker, educator, and coach specializing in neurodiversity and the transition to adulthood for autistic and neurodivergent individuals. She is the creator of the SBN™ parenting framework, a practical approach that helps parents learn when to provide support, set boundaries, and give strategic nudges to activate intrinsic motivation so their emerging adults can build confidence and real-life skills.

Patty is the author of Parenting for Independence: Overcoming Failure to Launch in Emerging Autistic Adults (November 2025) and the founder of Thrive Autism Coaching, where she leads the Parenting for Independence group coaching program for parents of autistic teens and adults. Her coaching is grounded in both lived experience—parenting and homeschooling a profoundly gifted, multi-exceptional, autistic teen—and professional expertise, having worked with hundreds of families across the United States and beyond.

She is a Certified Autism Life Coach through the Association for Autism and Neurodiversity (AANE), whose LifeMAP program has supported more than 3,000 autistic teens and adults, and she also holds certification in employment services for people with disabilities through the Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators (ACRE). Patty’s professional background includes founding, growing, and selling a technology services company, as well as nearly a decade as a self-employed sales development consultant.

Connect with Patty

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Stay in the loop with the new Different Ability® product I'll be launching!
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Places you can reach me at:
Website:
https://kateyfortun.com/
https://kateyfortun.com/podcast

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/kateyfortun/
https://www.instagram.com/differentabilitypodcast/ 

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In this powerful episode, I sit down with Kelly Berger and Avery Roberts, hosts of the Wheel Talk with Kelly & Avery Podcast, for an honest and uplifting conversation about living fully with congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD).

Together, we talk about what it really means to grow up learning your body, your needs, and your voice — and how self-advocacy becomes a life-changing skill. Kelly and Avery share their personal journeys navigating life in power wheelchairs, embracing disability identity, and building confidence in a world that often underestimates disabled individuals.

This episode is filled with real talk, humor, wisdom, and empowering perspective as we discuss breaking barriers, finding community, and choosing to thrive — not just survive. Whether you live with a disability, love someone who does, or want to become a better ally, this conversation will leave you inspired, informed, and ready to see ability through a new lens.

Their Bio

Wheel Talk with Kelly & Avery Podcast is a show hosted by two rare ladies, Kelly Berger & Avery Roberts, who live with congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD). It gives a front row seat to bold conversations about the thriving disability community. The show amplifies voices, breaks down barriers, and celebrates the power of disability identity. It’s where wit, wisdom, and wheels are all part of the party.

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Places you can reach me at:
Website:
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https://kateyfortun.com/podcast

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/kateyfortun/
https://www.instagram.com/differentabilitypodcast/ 

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In this powerful conversation, Kimberly Hendrix shares her journey through life’s hardest seasons — from marriage struggles and motherhood to building a decades-long business, raising a child with Down syndrome, and facing breast cancer. Through it all, she’s leaned on faith, resilience, and courage to rise stronger and advocate fiercely for her children, women, and families everywhere. This episode is a heartfelt reminder that adversity doesn’t define you — it can refine you.

Kimberly's Bio:

Motivational Speaker & Advocate for Resilience
I help women, families, and advocates rise through adversity, reclaim their identity, and lead with courage—through a message grounded in faith, resilience, and inclusion.

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Places you can reach me at:
Website:
https://kateyfortun.com/
https://kateyfortun.com/podcast

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/kateyfortun/
https://www.instagram.com/differentabilitypodcast/ 

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In this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes of recording my audio book Embracing Your Different Ability®!

I share how the process has been going, what’s surprised me, what’s been harder than expected, and what I’ve loved most about bringing my book to life in my own voice. And because real life (and real recording) isn’t always perfect, I’m also sharing some bloopers from the studio that will definitely make you laugh.

Whether you’re an author, a speaker, or someone who just loves a good behind-the-scenes story, this episode is a fun, honest look at what it’s really like to record an audio book and why this project means so much to me.

Stay in the loop with the new Different Ability® product I'll be launching!
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Places you can reach me at:
Website:
https://kateyfortun.com/
https://kateyfortun.com/podcast

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/kateyfortun/
https://www.instagram.com/differentabilitypodcast/