Jillian Curwin, an advocate for dwarfism and disability awareness, is the host of the podcast, “Always Looking Up." She was born with achondroplasia—a form of dwarfism. On the previous episode of Wisdom Shared, I spoke with her mother, Audrey. You can listen to that episode here: https://wisdom-shared.simplecast.com/episodes/audrey. In this episode, Jillian talks about what it’s like navigating this world that is primarily designed for average height people when she herself is a little...

Audrey Curwin is the mother of two adult children, Jillian and Benjamin. Audrey was the Assistant Prosecutor in Gloucester County, New Jersey, supervising the domestic violence and sexual assault unit until her retirement in 2006. She was married for 23 years to Michael Curwin, and together, they were the only husband and wife team of first assistant prosecutors in New Jersey. Audrey does not shy away from calling out what she considers unacceptable attitudes and common preconceptions. She...

In this 14th episode of Wisdom Shared, Dr. Carole Blueweiss shares her own wisdom in an interview by Kathy Cocks for her podcast, Knowledge for Caregivers. In the episode, Carole brings her expertise as a Doctor of Physical Therapy to offer thoughts on movement, exercise, and wellness for older patients discharged from the hospital who are being cared for by family or home health aides. Carole also shares about life with her mother who has experienced challenges as she ages. As her daughter,...

Dr. Blueweiss speaks with Nafiz Cekirge, a father in central New Jersey who speaks candidly about the impact that anorexia has had on his oldest daughter and on the family. There are a lot of unknowns to do with eating disorders and Nafiz helps us to understand the complexity of anorexia and the importance of listening to your instincts if you suspect your child is struggling.

Ivana Gadient is a poet, activist, and mother of three grown daughters: Makena, Raven, and Jewel. She is an Anat Baniel NeuroMovement®(ABM) practitioner who lives in Hawaii. In this episode, Dr. Carole Blueweiss is joined by Ivana and her eldest daughter Makena. Together, they share about life in Maui with Julianna, now 20 years old, who was born 3 months early, diagnosed with cerebral palsy, and lives a full life with her mother despite her challenges. Jewel's ABM Practitioner, Verena...

In this Anniversary Mini-Episode, Dr. Carole Blueweiss reflects on her first year of producing her podcast, Wisdom Shared. Thanks for being with us on this ride. Thank you to all guests, and listeners and to those of you who have helped to make it possible .

In this anniversary "minisode," Dr. Carole Blueweiss reflects on lessons she has learned while creating and producing the first year of Wisdom Shared. Thanks for being with us for the ride.

JoAnne Robb is a psychotherapist from Oakland, California, who councils adults and parents of children with Type 1 Diabetes. She is a mother of three. Her oldest and youngest have diabetes and her middle child does not, although as you'll learn through our conversation, he is still very much impacted by the disease. In this episode, JoAnne shares first-hand knowledge and personal stories. We learn why managing Type 1 Diabetes is as much an art as a science; why children and teenagers have...

Ariana Speyer is an experienced editor, writer, and copywriter turned Anat Baniel Method NeuroMovement® (ABMN®) practitioner. She lives in New York City with her husband Pat and their nine-year old daughter, Calliope. In this episode, Ariana shares about life with Calliope, who has a rare genetic syndrome called Sturge Weber Syndrome, and how ABMN® has made a difference in their health and well-being. Ariana underscores that people are more multidimensional than their diagnosis, and reminds...

In this episode, I had the privilege of speaking with Simon Ratcliffe—a former advertising executive, husband, father, and podcaster who lives in the UK with his wife and their three children. His podcast, “Turning the Tables,” offers candid and inspiring stories from people who have turned adversity into advantage. It was born out of Simon’s own life experiences, including a severely debilitating bout of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and his desire to help listeners find new purpose and...

In Episode 8 of Wisdom Shared, I sit down with my friend, Rosemary Bushey, and her 15-year-old daughter Lauren who was diagnosed with a mental illness in 2018. Signs and symptoms appeared much earlier but Rosemary and her husband assumed it was typical teenage defiance. It was only after witnessing a decline in grades, unusual behaviors and what they refer to as The Crisis that led to Lauren’s hospitalization, that they finally received a diagnosis of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). A...

Beril Tokcan was a designer in Italy before moving back to Turkey to raise her family. Sooner than expected, she gave birth to twins, Emre and Denise. They spent the first five weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit while Beril, a single mother, traveled back and forth from her home multiple times a day to be with them. And when at 13 months Emre was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and she told by two doctors that he would never walk or talk, Beril decided to take matters into her own...

Jill Bolte Taylor, a Harvard trained neuroanatomist, experienced a major left sided stroke in 1996. In this episode, she tells her story of resilience, perseverance, and the power of the connection and attention her mother bestowed on her. She gives us insight into her eight years of being differently abled, her inability to communicate like everyone else around her, and her feelings of vulnerability and vitality. Jill asks us to question the concept of "normal" and believes that to look at...

“What does it mean to ‘Man Up’? It actually means to stand down, take a good look at the situation, and stand from a platform of humbleness. Stand from a platform where strength comes from saying, I actually don't know it all. Maybe I had to have a special needs daughter to understand all of that.” —Damas Manderson In this fifth episode of Wisdom Shared, we hear from a New Zealand father, husband and entrepreneur who gave up his career, country, and everything he knew for the opportunity to...

Paria Hassouri admits to being blindsided when the child she gave birth to and called her son announced at 13 1/2 years old that she identified as a girl and wanted to be recognized and acknowledged as her mother’s daughter. In this episode, we explore the topic of gender identity and a parent's journey from doubt to acceptance. Paria opens up about her personal transformation and how she learned who her daughter is from the inside out, realizing that the way forward is not to judge, but to...

Eleven years ago Mara Yale’s daughter, Mia, had a stroke at birth. In this episode, we hear how Mara’s research, advocacy, self-education, and curiosity informed her approach to parenting and contributed to her daughter’s remarkable recovery. Mara shares considerations that apply across the board for all kids, regardless of age, diagnosis, severity of injury, or track in development as well as information on both the unconventional and conventional therapies she chose for Mia.

In this episode, Claude Winn shares her journey raising her twenty-year-old daughter, Maya, who was diagnosed at an early age as being on the autism spectrum. Claude talks about learning how best to support her extraordinary child; her explorations into alternative therapies; the advocacy needed to ensure Maya’s right to participate in activities available to so-called typical students; and the importance of trusting and caring for herself all throughout the process.

Parents of special needs children share their stories

Anne Pratt, from Indianapolis, IN, is an ABM practitioner and scientist whose 4 year-old son Charlie was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when he was 7 months old. Anne describes her experience with traditional and non-traditional approaches to Charlie’s individual needs, the challenges that her family faced, and how they found their current team of doctors, therapists, and support network. Anne also talks about her ongoing advocacy for Charlie, her own self-care, and offers wisdom to families...