Challenge Accepted

In this episode we talk to Hailey Adkisson about her daughter Juniper who has infantile spasms, a rare and catastrophic form of epilepsy. We discuss the process of making medical decisions, holding onto and losing hope, and carving out a different view of the future for your child. Check out her instagram @growing_juniper Raising awareness during Epilepsy Awareness Month, she is also hosting a fundraiser for Juniper's intensive treatments this summer. Check out the link here: https://www.bonfire.com/growing-juniper/ More Links: https://www.epilepsy.com https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/types-epilepsy-syndromes/infantile-spasms-west-syndrome https://www.cureepilepsy.org/ https://www.brainrecoveryproject.org/

In this episode Stephanie discusses the process of deciding to enroll Riley in a drug trial for CMV. She explores the emotions related to the cost and the systemic pressures it puts on a family when decisions that could forever alter their child's future are on the line.

In this episode Stephanie interviews her husband, Grant, about his experience with their daughter's hearing loss diagnosis. They explore together his take on the impact it had on him and their marriage. We discuss the topics of paternal post partum depression, learning to find balance and how to know when things just aren't right. Grant shares about how as a male, he processed his emotions through actions instead of words and learning to be comfortable with reaching out and sharing about his experience. Stephanie recommends the book FedUP by Gemma Hartley to start discussing the topic of emotional labor between a male/female partnerships. Stephanie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephanielucas.mft/ For a transcript of this podcast please visit https://stephanielucasmft.wordpress.com Stephanie's email newsletter sign up: https://www.subscribepage.com/f8d8e6

Stephanie talks about her experience with a cascade of stressors when Riley was 6 months old. Returning to work, severe sleep deprivation, weaning, enrollment in an intensive research study, receiving Riley's first hearing aid, postpartum depression and a distant marriage all combined to create a period of difficulty. She talks about the small - and big - steps she took to find her way out, and offers encouragement for others in a dark time as well.

Stephanie interviews author Krystal Wallick about her experience with her son staying in the NICU with high risk lung complications. She also interviews her husband Andrew Wallick about his experience separately. Both interviews touch on finding ways to care for yourself in difficult moments, encountering bravery and leaning on your partner for support. Krystal discusses how the experience inspired her to write her first book - a lifelong dream - and inspired her daughter to do the same. They do an excellent job expressing the NICU experience during a global pandemic, and how this experience has brought them together as a couple. Find Krystal on instagram @krystal_wallick_author or on her website www.arithebrave.com Stephanie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephanielucas.mft/ For a transcript of this podcast please visit https://stephanielucasmft.wordpress.com Stephanie's email newsletter sign up: https://www.subscribepage.com/f8d8e6

In this minisode Stephanie recaps the different topics and interviews she's covered in the first half of season one, as well as sharing some updates from our guests. Take a listen to make sure you're catching up with the whole team and get excited for what's to come with the Challenge Accepted podcast!

Valli Gideons is a writer, military wife and mom to two teens with hearing loss. She shares about her story raising two young kids with hearing loss, the hard work and high expectations it took to see them thriving now as teens, and finding her own voice as a writer with a story to tell. She has cultivated a community of support on facebook for parents like her, and writes about their hearing loss journey and more on her website www.mybattlecall.com as well as through a children's book co-authored with her daughter, "Now Hear This: Harper Soars With Her Magic Ears". Take a listen to her inspiring journey! Valli's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mybattlecall/ Baby Signing Time Affiliate Link: https://bit.ly/3fmKmg1 Stephanie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephanielucas.mft/ For a transcript of this podcast please visit https://stephanielucasmft.wordpress.com Stephanie's email newsletter sign up: https://www.subscribepage.com/f8d8e6

In this minisode Stephanie explores discovering Deaf culture and realizing her identity had shifted. She discusses coming across differing opinions and how it feels to try and work out what's best for your child. She offers encouragement to parents feeling awash in how to know what's "right". Baby Signing Time Affiliate Link: https://bit.ly/3fmKmg1 Stephanie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephanielucas.mft/ For a transcript of this podcast please visit https://stephanielucasmft.wordpress.com Stephanie's email newsletter sign up: https://www.subscribepage.com/f8d8e6

Becca Cordes shares her intimate story of baby loss and trisomy 18. Listeners are encouraged to take care of themselves around this sensitive subject. Theirs is a powerful story of emotion, hope and Valor. Becca shares about carrying her son after the diagnosis, how she supported her husband and children through the process and what she needed from others. She is an amazing example of a woman who has continued forward through pure heartbreak and held onto her faith and family through it all. She also shares her experience of having another baby shortly after her loss. If you are able, sit with us as we share the story of Valor Emmanuel. Resources shared by Becca: For moms: "Saying Goodbye" and "The Baby Loss Guide" by Zoe Clark Coates, also her foundation Saying Goodbye Foundation & The Mariposa Trust; "Empty Arms" Pam Vredevelt; "They Were Still Born" Janel C. Atlas; "I will Carry You" Angie Smith; "Carrying To Term" Jane Lebak; "Grieving The Child I Never Knew" Kathe Wunnenberg For Kids: "We Had to Say Goodbye Before We Even Met" Irene Teague; "Something Happened" Cathy Blanford; "There Was A Baby" Laura Camerona; "The Invisible String" Patrice Karst; "We Were Gonna Have a Baby But We Had an Angel Instead" Pat Schwiebert; "My Sibling Still" Megan Lacourrege; For Dads: "Men and Miscarriage" Aaron and MJ Gouveia; "From Father to Father" Emily R. Long; Pregnancy After Loss: "Happy Tears to Rainbow Babies"(kids) Natasha Melissa Carlow; "A rainbow baby story" (kids) Crystal Falk and Kim Roman; "Pregnancy after loss" Zoe Clark Coates; Stephanie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephanielucas.mft/ For a transcript of this podcast please visit https://stephanielucasmft.wordpress.com/

In this episode Stephanie shares about her discovery of a clinical trial for CMV babies and the decision to enroll. She reflects on how medical days at specialty hospitals can be full of twists and turns, and how the speed of progress in the world of special needs can be lightning fast or glacially slow...all in the same week. Baby Signing Time Affiliate Link: https://bit.ly/3fmKmg1 Stephanie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephanielucas.mft/ For a transcript of this podcast please visit https://stephanielucasmft.wordpress.com/

Janna Cowper shares her story as a mom who is hard of hearing, raising two hard of hearing girls. She shares about her journey growing up hard of hearing and how this differs from learning to parent hard of hearing children. We discuss the value of having support people along the way, even if you thought you had it all covered! She discusses teaching her children to be confident in their hearing loss, and how the pandemic opened her eyes to the therapeutic process with their educational goals. She has a fabulous instagram account which educates, advocates and normalizes hearing loss is a beautiful way and I'm thankful to be able to share about her family a bit more here today. Take a listen! Find Janna on Instagram @HardofHearingmama Why'd They Do That: www.whydtheydothatgame.com Stephanie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephanielucas.mft/ For a transcript of this podcast please visit https://wordpress.com/post/stephanielucasmft.wordpress.com/82

In this minisode Stephanie explores finding out about CMV (Cytomegalovirus) and their family's experience with education, treatment and potential outcomes. She discusses the emotions that can come with being at 'fault' for your child's disability, and the beliefs about self she holds tightly to in the harder moments. For more information on CMV please visit www.nationalcmv.org Why'd They Do That Game: www.whydtheydothatgame.com Smotherhood Untangled: www.stephanielucasmft.com Stephanie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephanielucas.mft/ For a transcript of this podcast please visit https://wordpress.com/post/stephanielucasmft.wordpress.com/72

Katie Park is a work at home mom of 3, small business owner and #cleftstrong mama. She shares with us about her experiences receiving the diagnosis, going through surgery and what it was like to have a baby born with cleft lip. We hear about how she and her husband processed their grief separately and together, how she found community to get her through the tough moments and the impact that the experience has had on her entire family culture. Find her on instagram @kpark812 Why'd They Do That Game: www.whydtheydothatgame.com Smotherhood Untangled: www.stephanielucasmft.com Stephanie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephanielucas.mft/ For a transcript of this podcast please visit https://wordpress.com/post/stephanielucasmft.wordpress.com/67

In this episode Stephanie explores some of the key factors that have impacted both her personal mistrust and broader patterns of mistrust in the medical community. She shares a piece of Riley's story, getting her first hearing aid, and discusses how her personal work in therapy has helped her to become a better advocate for herself and her kiddos with medical providers. Thanks for listening! Why'd They Do That Game: www.whydtheydothatgame.com Smotherhood Untangled: www.stephanielucasmft.com Stephanie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephanielucas.mft/ For a transcript of this podcast please visit https://wordpress.com/post/stephanielucasmft.wordpress.com/63

Krista Haller is a therapist and parent coach who is the mom to two young daughters. She talks with us today about her experience with identifying each of her children's sensory needs, speech development and anxieties. She shares about struggling with mistrust in the medical community and learning to become an advocate for her child as a young mom. She explores the role of the ‘mom gut' intuition, approaching situations with humility and curiosity, and how to balance the strengths of each parent. Check her out https://www.amaewellness.com/ or https://www.instagram.com/krista.haller/ Whyd They Do That Game: www.whydtheydothatgame.com Smotherhood Untangled: www.stephanielucasmft.com Stephanie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephanielucas.mft/ For a transcript of this podcast please visit https://wordpress.com/post/stephanielucasmft.wordpress.com/58

In this minisode Stephanie shares the age-old story "Welcome To Holland" and discuss the process of grief, doubt and self-judgments that can happen upon learning that your child has a disability. Transcript: https://wordpress.com/post/stephanielucasmft.wordpress.com/50 Why'd They Do That Game: www.whydtheydothatgame.com Smotherhood Untangled: www.stephanielucasmft.com

Duane and Becky talk about their experience as a family with Treacher Collins Syndrome. TCS is a rare genetic disorder that affects facial structure and hearing. Duane was born with TCS as was their youngest daughter. They share their experience of becoming parents, the differences between growing up with TCS then and now, and the emotions they've encountered on the way. Find them at OurWonderFamily on Instagram, thebahamama.com, the bahabowtique on etsy and the Born Different Show on Youtube. Transcript: https://wordpress.com/post/stephanielucasmft.wordpress.com/41 Why'd They Do That Game: www.whydtheydothatgame.com Smotherhood Untangled: www.stephanielucasmft.com

Stephanie shares about her experience finding out that her daughter had hearing loss. She discusses her own and her husband's emotional process, and normalizes that there is no ‘right way' to learn hard news. Transcript: https://wordpress.com/post/stephanielucasmft.wordpress.com/38 Why'd They Do That Game: www.whydtheydothatgame.com Smotherhood Untangled: www.stephanielucasmft.com

Fiona West lives in the Pacific Northwest, and is a mom to two elementary aged kids, each with their own unique challenges. She talks with us today about how she identified her son's neurodiversity initially, learned to value her own needs along with the unique needs of her family, and measures success in the everyday ‘wins'. Take a listen as she shares her own story with us today. Find out more about Fiona at http://www.fionawest.net or FionaWestAuthor on Twitter, IG, FB and KindleUnlimited Transcript: https://wordpress.com/post/stephanielucasmft.wordpress.com/35 Why'd They Do That Game: www.whydtheydothatgame.com Smotherhood Untangled: www.stephanielucasmft.com

In this introduction to the podcast, you'll hear from the host Stephanie Lucas regarding her work as a marriage and family therapist, her family's journey of becoming a hearing loss family, and the goals of the podcast to build a community of support for parents and caregivers of children with special needs. Transcripts: https://wordpress.com/post/stephanielucasmft.wordpress.com/38 Why'd They Do That: www.whydtheydothatgame.com Smotherhood Untangled: www.stephanielucasmft.com