The Shining Beautiful Series Podcast

Storm clouds are gathering, but that doesn't mean we have to surrender to them.

In this end-of-October episode of The Shining Beautiful Series, Katherine reflects on the growing uncertainty surrounding Medicaid, the upcoming election, and the challenges facing people with disabilities, their families, and the dedicated professionals who support them.

Drawing on lessons from history, including the Great Depression and Franklin D. Roosevelt's leadership through extraordinary adversity, Katherine explores the difference between panic, despair, and the determination to keep moving forward. History reminds us that difficult times demand more than worry. They call for creativity, courage, community, and persistence.

And there's plenty of that happening around Mikelle's kitchen table! From Halloween parties and theater outings to art, laughter, and new adventures, Mikelle and her team are finding ways to celebrate life even as the systems supporting it face increasing pressure. Joy isn't a distraction from the challenges ahead. It is one way we build the resilience to face them.

Katherine also shares the continuing work of Our Back Office, where three determined older women are helping families prepare for the future, build lasting support networks, and take meaningful steps toward succession planning.

As the election approaches and difficult policy decisions loom, this episode reminds us that our voices matter, our communities matter, and our actions matter.

We are not giving in to panic. We are not surrendering to despair. We are coming together, finding new perspectives, and continuing to build a future worth believing in.

Because hope isn't simply something we feel. It's something we do.

Budget cuts may be changing the landscape, but they aren't changing our destination!

This week on The Shining Beautiful Series, Mikelle, Torie, and Katherine gather around the kitchen table to talk about what it means to keep moving forward as the resources we depend on shrink. Some cuts have already arrived, and others are looming. Plenty of questions remain unanswered, but one thing is certain: Our goal of helping Mikelle live a full, meaningful, and connected life in her community hasn't changed.

We're talking about finding new opportunities, strengthening community connections, getting creative with the resources we have, and continuing to show up where we belong. Because being part of a community isn't a luxury, and a meaningful life shouldn't disappear with a budget reduction.

We'll also spend a few minutes talking about the upcoming midterm elections and why voting matters, especially when elected officials' decisions directly affect the lives of people with disabilities, their families, and the people who support them.

This isn't a conversation about giving up or pretending the challenges aren't real. It's about determination, creativity, and remembering that even in uncertain times, we can still shine beautifully.

The budgets may change. Our commitment to living a good life doesn't.

So, start the coffee and join us!

We're back at the kitchen table.

This time, four generations gathered around it for a remarkable conversation with Denver author, poet, and artist Allard Broderick, author of Wallpaper Dogs. And, of course, Reilly the cat was right in the middle of things, making sure no one forgot whose kitchen table it really was.

For this episode of The Shining Beautiful Series Podcast, we talked about mental health, disability, autism, DID, art, poetry, trauma, and the many ways creativity can help us tell stories that aren't always easy to put into words. Allard shared artwork, talked about using poetry to help her followers better understand her lived experience, and read the powerful poem "504."

There is also something very special about the relationship between Allard and Mikelle. This wonderful author adores Mikelle and, just as importantly, has tremendous respect for her. Allard sees Mikelle as a fellow artist and as a woman with her own ideas, presence, humor, and story to tell. That mutual connection was evident throughout our conversation.

And Mikelle, as she so often does, brought her unmistakable warmth and energy to the table. She reminded us once again that communication takes many forms and that some of the richest connections happen when we make room for people to show up exactly as they are.

It was less an interview than a gathering—artists, writers, families, four generations, different lived experiences, one curious cat, and a kitchen table with enough room for all of it.

Maybe that is where understanding begins.

Around a table with coffee in hand.

With enough room for everyone.

Here is where you can find more information on Allard Broderick and find resources for understanding Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID).

Next book signing October 17th 3-5 pm Barnes & noble Glendale. Allard's Instagram is @wallpaper_dogs_ poetry October 13th release of "The Spell Jar- The Rituals We Remember" An anthology -we have two poems in it. Publisher -Indie Earth Publishing House Audiobook release by October 17th, 2026 Gabriella Cavallero audiobook voice actor Thanks to Dillon Gibson ( engineer) DID & trauma resources Aninfinitemind.org (Florida) Healing Together Conference ( international) Beautyafterbruises.org Wings foundation ( Denver) bluebench.org ( Denver)

September feels like one of those months when change is no longer somewhere off in the distance—we can begin to feel it.

In this mid-month episode of The Shining Beautiful Series Podcast, Katherine talks about what that looks like in real life: growing concerns about Medicaid and HCBS funding, changes within Mikelle's support team, and the increasing importance of additional protocols as Colorado's Medicaid agency, the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF), more closely scrutinizes the services people with significant disabilities need to live in their homes and communities.

Sometimes preparing for change isn't about having all the answers. It is about paying attention, building on the strengths around us, and continuing to create possibilities even when the path ahead is uncertain.

So, start the coffee and join Katherine. There is a lot to talk about.

Labor Day is upon us, summer is beginning its slow turn toward fall, and after two longtime members of Mikelle's team moved on to new opportunities, I find myself, at seventy-three, back in the caregiving saddle again.

In this episode of the Shining Beautiful Series Podcast, I reflect on an unexpected friendship from years ago that has me thinking differently about caregiving, community and the people we sometimes overlook when searching for support.

Maybe preparing for an uncertain future isn't only about finding more services or filling the next vacancy. Maybe it is also about noticing where our lives intersect with others—and what we might have to offer one another.

I can keep building Mikelle's team. But I can also keep building her world.

Join me as I explore what that might look like—and offer a simple challenge for building your own intersections.

What happens when an artist keeps showing up—and people keep taking her art home?

For the fourth year in a row, Mikelle has a piece in Access Gallery's $99 Art Show in Denver this September. And, just like the last three years, we're hoping someone will fall in love with her work enough to give it a new home!

In this episode of The Shining Beautiful Series, Mikelle, Torie, and I talk about art, creativity, inclusion, and what it means to be recognized as an artist.

For Mikelle, creating art isn't just about making something pretty. It's another way she communicates, connects with people, and shares a piece of herself with the world. Being part of the $99 Art Show gives her something else, too: a place on the gallery wall alongside other artists.

We talk about what it feels like to see Mikelle's work displayed, why Access Gallery has become such a meaningful part of her creative journey, and why having opportunities to participate in the arts matters so much for people with disabilities.

And, of course, we have to talk about the fun part: Mikelle has sold her artwork every year she has participated!

Four years. Four shows. Four opportunities to be seen—not simply as a person with a disability, but as an artist.

Join Mikelle, Torie, and me as we celebrate another year of creativity, possibility, and a little bit of beautiful art.

Because sometimes a $99 piece of art is worth so much more than $99.

The $99 Art Show takes place at Access Gallery in September. 18th. Come see the art, support local artists, and maybe take a little piece of somebody's story home with you.

#TheShiningBeautifulSeries #MikelleLearned #AccessGallery #99ArtShow #DenverArt #ColoradoArtists #ArtistsWithDisabilities #DisabilityArts #InclusiveArts #ArtAndInclusion #DisabilityInclusion #CreativeExpression #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs #DisabilityVisibility #SupportLocalArtists #DenverArts #ArtForEveryone #ShiningBeautiful

The Architect of Hope

What does it mean to stay hopeful when the world feels divided and uncertain?

In this mid-month update of The Shining Beautiful Series Podcast, Katherine reflects on the quiet work of becoming an architect of hope. Through stories from nature, mentorship, caregiving, and community, she explores the difference between hope and despair, the powerful role of both nature and nurture in shaping our lives, and how mentors plant possibilities that continue to grow long after they are gone.

She also shares why building authentic relationships with people who may see the world differently—even those with whom we may have voted differently—is one of the most important acts of leadership and citizenship today. Hope, she suggests, is not a passive emotion but a daily discipline rooted in curiosity, compassion, and connection.

Finally, Katherine reflects on the often-overlooked relationship between hope and self-care. Caring for ourselves is not an act of selfishness; it is what allows us to continue showing up for the people, causes, and communities we love.

Join us for a thoughtful conversation about resilience, belonging, and the quiet architecture of hope—one relationship, one act of kindness, and one intentional choice at a time.

Because hope isn't something we wait for. It's something we build.

What makes a great support team?

It isn't the agenda, the meeting notes, or the action items. It's the relationships built around the table.

In this heartfelt episode of The Shining Beautiful Series Podcast, Mikelle, Katherine, and team member Torie explore why team meetings are about so much more than logistics. They share how open communication, mutual respect, and shared purpose create a support system where everyone has a voice—and where Mikelle feels seen, heard, and deeply supported.

Together they discuss:

• Why trust is the foundation of every successful support team
• Creating meaningful opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in decisions about their own lives
• How different forms of communication strengthen a team
• The invisible work that allows people to live independently and confidently
• Why the greatest outcome of any meeting is knowing you belong

Whether you're a family member, direct support professional, case manager, self-advocate, or simply someone who believes in building stronger communities, this conversation offers a thoughtful reminder that the best support plans aren't created through paperwork—they're created through relationships.

Because when people come together with kindness, respect, and a shared purpose, they're not just building a plan.

They're building a community.

As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, Katherine reflects on the complicated emotions of this Fourth of July.

As the mother of an adult daughter with significant disabilities and someone who has spent more than four decades advocating for community living, employment, and self-determination, she celebrates the extraordinary progress our nation has made while also sharing her growing concern about recent policy shifts affecting disability rights.

This deeply personal episode explores what freedom has meant for Mikelle's life—from becoming a homeowner and entrepreneur to building a life surrounded by friends, neighbors, and a dedicated support team. It also considers how current discussions surrounding disability policy, community living, and civil rights invite us to ask an important question:

How do we protect the freedoms that generations before us worked so hard to achieve?

Rather than choosing between patriotism and advocacy, Katherine reflects on how the two belong together. Loving our country means celebrating its accomplishments while continuing the work of ensuring that every person, including people with disabilities, has the opportunity to live, work, belong, and determine the course of their own lives.

Join us for a thoughtful Fourth of July conversation about freedom, belonging, responsibility, and the promise we carry into America's next 250 years.

What happens when a tattoo artist with social anxiety joins the support team of one of the world's first nonverbal podcasters? You pull up a chair, pour a cup of coffee, and discover that community grows one conversation at a time.

In this heartfelt episode, Mikelle introduces listeners to Rachael, one of the newest members of the Shining Beautiful team. Together, they share stories about friendship, finding confidence, and the unexpected ways people change one another.

What begins as a conversation about supporting Mikelle quickly becomes a story about mutual growth. Through neighborhood coffee dates, sharing laughter, selling Mikelle's handmade bracelets, and meeting new people together, Rachael discovered that support is not simply about helping someone else. It is about becoming part of a community where everyone learns, contributes, and grows.

Mikelle has always had a gift for bringing people together. Whether she's giving away one of her bracelets, introducing a new friend, or simply inviting someone to sit and share a cup of coffee, she reminds us that belonging is built through everyday moments of generosity and connection. Along the way, Rachael found her confidence growing, while Mikelle welcomed another friend into the circle that surrounds her life.

As Katherine guides the conversation, the three reflect on the beautiful reciprocity at the heart of authentic support. The people who come to support someone with a disability often discover that they, too, are changed. They become better listeners, stronger advocates, more confident in themselves, and more connected to the communities around them.

Whether you're a family member, direct support professional, educator, advocate, or someone who simply believes in the power of human connection, this episode is a reminder that the strongest communities are built through relationships—not transactions. True support isn't measured only by the care we provide, but by the friendships we create and the ways we grow together.

Sometimes all it takes is a cup of coffee, a handmade bracelet, and someone willing to say, "Tell me your story."

A Closing Thought

This episode celebrates something we don't talk about enough: the reciprocal nature of support. We often describe direct support professionals as people who give. But in reality, the best support relationships become partnerships. Each person brings gifts. Each person teaches. Each person leaves the relationship changed.

At The Shining Beautiful Series, we believe that belonging isn't something one person gives another. It's something we build together, one relationship at a time.