The Special Needs Parent Podcast

By Marcia Nathai-Balkissoon, Ph.D.

Our efforts for our children can be overwhelming (decimating and fulfilling, heart-warming and heart-breaking, thrilling and scary). Despite all the love and joy we feel with our precious children and... more

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FAQs about The Special Needs Parent Podcast:

How many episodes does The Special Needs Parent Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 113 episodes available.

The Special Needs Parent Podcast episodes:

November 17, 2022 Shifting into Giving Thanks - Mary Ann Hughes, Vicki Smith & Marcia Nathai-Balkissoon
This may be one of my favourite podcast episodes to date, not only because it is my 52nd episode, and therefore marks a year of The Special Needs Patent Podcast, but also because the episode felt so light and loving as we co-created it.
In this season of many celebrations, gatherings and thanksgiving, I talked with two of my past podcast guests, Mary Ann and Vicki, who have faced some big life challenges and work at staying positive even in the midst of difficulties. They shared about how they fit giving thanks into their own lives and we chatted about how we might focus in on our own gratitude as well.
Mary Ann Hughes has developed an introductory course to help Special Needs Parents become aware and do preliminary consideration of key issues to address when going through a divorce, with a focus on your child's wellbeing. The course, specially discounted just for our audience is available at https://maryannhughes.mastermind.com/masterminds/37115
Find her also at www.specialfamilytransitions.com and especially be sure to check out the resources page there.
You can find more resources from Speaker and Hypnotherapist, Vicki Smith on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100080589476103, with much more coming soon!
For support and experience-sharing related to the Special Needs Parenting Journey, including issues like managing overwhelm in the midst of life challenges, and boosting our relationships, it’s the perfect time to pick up a copy of Marcia's book, Lighting the Path, at https://books2read.com/lightingthepath (for a great discount on amazon currently). Plus, come join our Level Up and Thrive community at www.facebook.com/groups/thriveability today.
Leave a message about the episode or your other comments or feedback here: https://anchor.fm/marcia-nathai-balkissoon4/message and we’ll share some in future episodes. And remember, as I mentioned during this episode, if the message you leave is about what you’re grateful for, it just may make it into the special Thanksgiving episode featuring our listeners’ names, voices and messages!
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37min
November 11, 2022 5 Steps to Manage Change Even When It’s Tough - Erin Ramirez
Erin Ramirez is a change management coach and consultant who helps businesses and individuals make shifts more easily. In this episode, she shares a 5-step process and illustrating examples that we can all use to smooth our paths when change is necessary.
Visit Erin’s website www.erinramirez.com/resources for your free ADKAR resource. Also, she’s just launched her Instagram page @the_change_guru so tune in for more insights and resources there. Finally, stay tuned in coming weeks for the follow-up episode to this one, where Erin speaks about recognising and coping with the difficult emotions that come up around change for yourself and for others affected by the process.
For support and experience-sharing related to the Special Needs Parenting Journey, including issues like managing overwhelm in the midst of life challenges, and boosting our relationships, it’s the perfect time to pick up a copy of Marcia's book, Lighting the Path, at https://books2read.com/lightingthepath (for a great discount on amazon currently). Plus, come join our Level Up and Thrive community at www.facebook.com/groups/thriveability today.
Leave a message about the episode or your other comments or feedback here: https://anchor.fm/marcia-nathai-balkissoon4/message and we’ll share some in future episodes.
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31min
November 03, 2022 What's Your Legacy Going to Be? - Yvonne McCoy
When we are constantly chasing so much, we may pause for a moment and realise that many of our choices are being made on automatic. But living so much based on routine living or unconscious choice-making sets us up to not be creating the life - or the impact - we desire.
In this episode, Yvonne McCoy shares her advice and experiences to illustrate why she recommends we pause to consider what we want to leave behind in terms of impact, memory, influence, or simply the way we show love and attention to our children.
Yvonne's free gift is her short course on how you can accelerate productivity and profit with one small change. Access your free copy of this transformational course at productivitycoach.today and use the wisdom she shares to help you to boost efficiencies and get the desired outcomes you want in your life faster and with less frustration.
For support and insights related to the Special Needs Parenting Journey, including issues like managing overwhelm in the midst of life challenges, and boosting our relationships it’s the perfect time to pick up a copy of Marcia's book, Lighting the Path, at https://books2read.com/lightingthepath (for a great discount on amazon currently). Plus, come join our Level Up and Thrive community at www.facebook.com/groups/thriveability today. Leave a message about the episode or your other comments or feedback here: https://anchor.fm/marcia-nathai-balkissoon4/message and we’ll share some in future episodes.
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19min
October 27, 2022 Being the Squeaky Wheel is Not Enough - Mary Scott
As a Business Coach for Start-ups, Mary Scott is accustomed to helping communicators find the clearest way to express the value of their offers to potential funders. In this episode, she applies her experience and clarity to exploring how special needs parents could shift the way they communicate in order to get buy in from those to whom they are appealing for consideration and resource provision for their special needs children. She puts her premise across with the claim that the squeaky wheel is not the most effective way to get what we want. Instead, she discusses how changing perspective to make a pitch that shows the value that will accrue to the decision-maker is likely to pay better dividends.
Mary is also making herself available to offer free 15-minute synergy sessions with any listeners who may want to bounce ideas off her and use her expertise to help generate some out of the box ideas to seek out solutions. It is not something you should miss out on! Claim your free synergy session at maryscott.com today.
For support and insights related to the Special Needs Parenting Journey, including issues like managing overwhelm in the midst of life challenges, and boosting our relationships it’s the perfect time to pick up a copy of Marcia's book, Lighting the Path, at https://books2read.com/lightingthepath (for a great discount on amazon currently). Plus, come join our Level Up and Thrive community at www.facebook.com/groups/thriveability today. Leave a message about the episode or your other comments or feedback here: https://anchor.fm/marcia-nathai-balkissoon4/message and we’ll share some in future episodes.
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18min
October 20, 2022 3 Hacks to Overturn Your Burnout - Victoria Hepburn
Coming from a corporate background as a chemical engineer, remote work strategist and certified business transitions coach, Victoria Hepburn understands that when the demands on a skilled and experienced person never end, they run a high risk of burnout. Add in her experience as a best-selling author with a new series on the way, and we can see she's also aware of all the pressures of the publishing world, and she has even more perspective on how unending demands and stresses make burnout an insidious issue for far too many people.
Victoria brings her expertise to the table to support special needs parents and others who may be overwhelmed by the myriad demands of life. As we focus on caring for the physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and developmental needs of our children, managing the rest of our family, handle work demands, seeing to social duties, and more, the window to look after our own wellbeing shrinks. Thus, the likelihood of us becoming burned out increases by leaps and bounds.
In this episode, Victoria shares her best 3 hacks to overturn our burnout. What makes her insights extra special is that we can fit each recommended approach into a little as a few minutes a day, and fit them around everything else that MUST get done.
An amazing bonus from Victoria - shared especially for our podcast listeners - is a FREE copy of her latest book, "Unlock Productivity and Wellbeing at Work". Be sure to pick up your copy at https://victoriahepburn.com/giveaway/ while this gift is still available.
Want to check out even more resources and wisdom from Victoria? She's available at Website: https://victoriahepburn.com and on many social media platforms including here on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VHepburnAuthor/
For support and insights related to the Special Needs Parenting Journey, including issues like managing overwhelm in the midst of life challenges, and boosting our relationships it’s the perfect time to pick up a copy of Marcia's book, Lighting the Path, at https://books2read.com/lightingthepath (for a great discount on amazon currently). Plus, come join our Level Up and Thrive community at www.facebook.com/groups/thriveability today. Leave a message about the episode or your other comments or feedback here: https://anchor.fm/marcia-nathai-balkissoon4/message and we’ll share some in future episodes.
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20min
October 14, 2022 Trusting God - Melissa Whiting
It is a demanding thing, to navigate the ups and downs of special needs parenting. Many a parent speaks of how difficult it can be to manage a life where they are constantly on the watch and on the go, trying to predict and control variables in their lives that cannot be predicted or controlled. The effects can be considerable on your mental, emotional, and physical well-being, for sure. In this episode, Melissa Whiting speaks of what she has found to be the grounding pin in her life - her ability to trust God to take control, and to take care of her and her child. Tune in to learn about her views and her 3 tips to find spiritual comfort on the special needs parenting journey.

Find Melissa under the name Melissa Kate on Facebook and Instagram for a dose or reality and positivity. https://www.facebook.com/melissa.whiting.54

For support and insights related to the Special Needs Parenting Journey, including issues like managing overwhelm in the midst of life challenges, and boosting our relationships check out Marcia's book, Lighting the Path, at https://books2read.com/lightingthepath and come join our Level Up and Thrive community at www.facebook.com/groups/thriveability today.

Leave a message about the episode or your other comments or feedback here: https://anchor.fm/marcia-nathai-balkissoon4/message and we’ll share or comment in future episodes.
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46min
October 07, 2022 Navigating Divorce as a Special Needs Parent - Mary Ann Hughes
In modern times, there so much pressure on all areas of people’s lives that divorce rates are surprisingly high. In special needs families, demands and challenges are ramped up, time and energy are even scarcer, and divorce rates can get to as high as 70 to even 85%. That’s according to the research mentioned by Mary Ann Hughes, a certified divorce coach and divorced special needs parent.
Mary Ann has found her passion has grown out of her personal experience across many years navigating divorce with a focus on putting her children’s well-being first. Tune in to this episode to hear her insights and tips to help you navigate divorce and put things in perspective if you’re a special needs parent and divorce is coming up for you and your spouse.
Mary Ann has developed an introductory course to help Special Needs Parents become aware and do preliminary consideration of key issues to address when going through a divorce, with a focus on your child's wellbeing. The course, specially discounted just for our audience is available at https://maryannhughes.mastermind.com/masterminds/37115
Find her also at www.specialfamilytransitions.com and especially be sure to check out the resources page there.
Mary Ann’s You Tube Channel “Supporting Neurodiverse Kids in Divorce” is here as well: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCcdrC6mfN3cA45Ysvh9Vcpg
For support and insights related to the Special Needs Parenting Journey, including issues like managing overwhelm in the midst of life challenges, and boosting our relationships check out Marcia's book, Lighting the Path, at https://books2read.com/lightingthepath and come join our Level Up and Thrive community at www.facebook.com/groups/thriveability today.
Leave a message about the episode or your other comments or feedback here: https://anchor.fm/marcia-nathai-balkissoon4/message and we’ll share or comment in future episodes.
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37min
September 30, 2022 When You’re at Rock Bottom - Tova Redmo
Sometimes, the challenges we face in life can really knock us down so much that we reach our lowest point, emotionally, mentally, financially, physically, and/or spiritually. While we may tell others to open up and talk about it, when we ourselves get to that place, opening up and showing our brokenness and self-doubt, asking for help, or crying to a friend may be just about the hardest course of action to take.
In this episode, I speak with Life Coach and single special needs mom, Tova Redmo, someone who released herself from the pressure of appearing to have things always in control and who reached out on social media to say where things really were in her life.
In our conversation, Tova opened up about how she’s felt, her experiences as she reached her lowest point, and some of the things she’s been doing to help her get her feet under her and start moving slowly upward again.
Connect with Tova on YouTube at https://youtube.com/c/TovaRedmoLifeCoach where you’ll find plenty of useful videos, and feel free to reach out to her to book a call at https://calendly.com/parentxp1/30minuteconsultationcall She’s also active on LinkedIn under her name.
For more support related to the special needs parenting journey as well as thriving past overwhelm, pick up a copy of Marcia’s book, Lighting the Path, today. It is available on Amazon in kindle and traditional book formats at Lighting the Path (available in printed and electronic formats) here: https://books2read.com/lightingthepath both on Amazon and at a host of other bookstores in the USA, UK, and Australia.
Leave a message about the episode or your other comments or feedback here: https://anchor.fm/marcia-nathai-balkissoon4/message and we’ll share or comment in future episodes.
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51min
September 22, 2022 Some Issues That Arise As Your Special Needs Child Grows - Cassie Miller
Cassandra Miller is a stay-at-home mom and army wife who speaks, in this episode, of challenges faces as her special needs daughter grew physically bigger - and some of the ways she coped with them.
As Cassie shares some of her experiences, she highlights how resilience, adaptability, and positivity have become her constant companions is creating the enablement she needs to provide from her growing daughter.
For more support related to the special needs parenting journey as well as thriving past overwhelm, pick up a copy of Marcia’s book, Lighting the Path, today. It is available on Amazon in kindle and traditional book formats at Lighting the Path (available in printed and electronic formats) here: https://books2read.com/lightingthepath both on Amazon and at a host of other bookstores in the USA, UK, and Australia.
For support and encouragement to get through overwhelm in various aspects of your life, come join host Marcia’s Facebook group, The Thrive Collective, at www.bit.ly/thriveability today. Uoull connect with a supportive community and access additional resources to support you to thrive despite the challenges you may be facing.
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40min
September 16, 2022 It’s Time to Give Yourself Permission
Some habits die hard, like looking to others to direct what you should be working on, filling your days with, stressing over. Life should be more than a never-ending to-do list, and you deserve to have space set aside on your list to put energy and effort into the things that really matter to you.
This episode gives the reminder of the power you have to create the life you want and deserve. So tune in today!
To reach out to Marcia, email [email protected] or book a complimentary call with her here: https://calendly.com/bookmarcianb/level-up-call
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14min

FAQs about The Special Needs Parent Podcast:

How many episodes does The Special Needs Parent Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 113 episodes available.