Take the Next Step with Amy Julia Becker
Take the Next Step is a podcast for families experiencing disability, offering weekly encouragement and practical next steps to help your family thrive. Your family matters. Your child matters. And we need you among us. Each Wednesday, we'll explore how to: - Navigate the challenges of disability parenting - Create moments of delight, joy, and connection at home - Connect with a supportive community where your family belong - Take meaningful, manageable steps toward a flourishing futureTake the Next Step is a resource from the Hope Heals Network, a collective of thought leaders offering honest and hopeful wisdom to help peop...
Communication Skills Every Marriage Needs: Disability + Parenting • Katie Gohde, LPC, and Steve Gohde
Do your conversations end in silence, defensiveness, or words you wish you could take back? Are unhealthy patterns undermining your marriage? How can you communicate with honesty, kindness, and self-control?
For parents of children with disabilities, communicating with each other in the midst of stress can be hard. Therapist Katie Gohde and her husband, Steve Gohde, join Amy Julia Becker to bring helpful skills to hard conversations. (And while this interview focuses on marriage, these communication tools are must-haves for every relationship.)
00:00 Communication and Marriage
05:17 Four Communication Styles
10:00 Emotional Regulation and Communication
12:19...
How to Find a Church That Welcomes Disability • Nakoa Dantzler Merritt
Will your child with a disability truly belong at church—or simply be accommodated? How can you recognize genuine welcome? How could a church rethink accessibility, Sunday school, and worship so your family can fully participate?
Nakoa Dantzler Merritt, the Community Engagement and Partnerships Coordinator for With Ministries, joins Amy Julia Becker to offer practical advice and real-life examples for families and churches. She invites families to approach imperfect churches with grace while still looking for a heart posture of welcome.
00:00 Nakoa's Story and Advocacy
04:14 Questions to Ask About Welcome
07:03 Understanding and Designing for...
Is Your Marriage Just Surviving? Disability, Chronic Stress, and Caregiving • Monica DiCristina, LPC
Are you exhausted from caregiving? Anxious? Burned out? Do you find yourself resenting your spouse or keeping score in your marriage over who does most? Therapist Monica DiCristina joins Amy Julia Becker to help parents of children with disabilities recognize the signs of chronic stress, understand how it can affect marriage and family life, and discover small, meaningful ways to respond differently, even when the circumstances themselves don’t change.
00:00 Introduction to chronic stress and its effect on families & marriages
03:45 Understanding the physical and emotional signs of chronic stress
05:46 How chronic stress affects marriage dynamics
When Grief Has No Words: Helping Kids With Disabilities Process Loss • Sissy Goff, LPC-MHSP
How can we help a child grieve when they may not have the words to tell us they’re hurting?
Therapist Sissy Goff joins Amy Julia Becker to explore how children with disabilities experience and express grief. Grief doesn’t always look like sadness; it can show up through regression, anger, anxiety, changes in behavior, and more.
Sissy shares practical ways parents and caregivers can help children express their emotions, set loving boundaries around difficult behaviors, use play and memory-making to process loss, and move toward hope without leaving grief behind.
00:00 Grief and kids...
Finding Spiritual Rhythms in the Chaos of Caregiving • Jen Pollock Michel
What happens when the rhythms of caregiving make it difficult to establish any rhythms at all?
That’s the question guiding author Jen Pollock Michel as she considers what spiritual practices can look like in the midst of caregiving for a family member with a disability. Drawing on her own experience caring for her mom who has Alzheimer’s, Jen shares with Amy Julia Becker how caregivers can create space for meaning, connection, and faith even when days rarely go according to plan.
00:00 Understanding the Rule of Life
04:09 Caregiving and Its Challenges
10:01 Receiving Our Li...
How to Navigate IEP Meetings and Disability Services • Meghan Burke, PhD
Do you have to fight everyone around the table to advocate well for your child? Many parents feel intimidated by disability advocacy. They worry they're not doing enough and don't know enough to be a good advocate for their child and a good teammate to the other people in their child's life. Researcher Meghan Burke joins Amy Julia Becker to share what non-adversarial advocacy looks like—from special education and IEPs to the transition into adult disability services—and where to find support along the way.
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00:00:00 Introduction and Meghan Burke background
00:02:56 Defining advocacy and its...
What We Need to Know About Disability and Happiness • Misty Coy Snyder
Overwhelmed, isolated, afraid of the future? You don't have to figure it all out at once. Author Misty Coy Snyder joins Amy Julia Becker to talk about family life and disability. She shares practical encouragement for parents and caregivers, including ways to:
Find community and build meaningful connectionsFocus on what matters right nowMake room for joy00:00 Introduction to Misty and Her Family
03:09 Why "Happiness is Down Syndrome"?
07:17 The Role of Community in Parenting
11:02 Creating Connections and Resources
15:10 Planning for the Future Without Fear
22:45 Take the Next Step: Be Present
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Raising Capable, Confident Kids: Disability + Parenting • David Thomas, LMSW
How can my child with a disability learn and grow? What does it look like to cultivate capability while honoring their limitations? When am I wrongly making life easier for them? When should I let them struggle? And what if I feel incapable as a parent? Therapist David Thomas joins Amy Julia Becker to discuss:
parenting in an anxious agebuilding resiliencehelping children develop coping skills and confidence00:00 Introduction to David Thomas
03:13 Why Now? The Rise of Anxiety and Youth Mental Health Crisis
09:09 The Three C's: Coping, Confidence, and Competence
13:37 Naming and Navigating Emotions in...
Be Unapologetically Impatient: Disability + Parenting • Christina Cipriano, PhD
When your child needs support now, “just wait” isn’t good enough. Chris Cipriano, mom and developmental psychologist, helps parents of children with disabilities move from frustration and apology to confident advocacy. She shares with Amy Julia Becker how to:
navigate waitlistswork with teachers and providers as partners, not opponentssee disability as a different vantage point and a source of valueDiscover how an asset-based mindset can help you advocate for your child and create change that benefits every family.
00:00 Introduction to Chris Cipriano
02:19 The Concept of Being Unapologetically Impatient
06:32 Reframing Disability: A Differe...
Your Family Matters • A New Season of Take the Next Step!
Parenting a child with a disability can feel overwhelming, isolating, and uncertain, but you don’t have to figure it out alone. Take the Next Step offers encouragement and practical guidance for navigating disability parenting, finding connection, advocating for your child, and creating more joy at home. Join Amy Julia Becker and fellow parents, therapists, researchers, and disability advocates for short, hope-filled conversations and meaningful, manageable steps toward a thriving future for your whole family.
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SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's weekly Substack newsletter: amyjuliabecker.substack.com
WATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Ju...
How Disability Changed This Dad’s Idea of “Normal” with Mike Erre
E25—What do you do when the child you imagined isn’t the child you have? Pastor Mike Erre experienced the slow dismantling of achievement-based parenting when his son with Down syndrome was born. If you’re exhausted by comparisons and milestones, this conversation invites a different way forward: noticing, delighting, and being with your child as they are.
00:00 Introduction and Personal Stories
03:06 Connecting with Your Child
06:54 Redefining Success and Celebration
11:40 Navigating Grief and Emotions
16:16 Building Connections and Community
19:01 How Dads Can Help Create a World of Belonging
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From Fear to Future: How Families Plan for a Good Life with Sheli Reynolds, PhD
E24—"I don't know what life can look like for my child." If you've ever felt that, this episode is for you. Sheli Reynolds, PhD, is a leader in disability innovation. She joins Amy Julia Becker to share free, practical tools that support individuals and families experiencing disability in planning for friendship, independence, employment, and joy.
00:00 Dr. Sheli Reynolds and Disability Advocacy
03:40 Understanding the Lifecourse Framework
09:15 Tools for Envisioning a Good Future
12:29 Person-Centered Planning Explained
16:04 The Importance of Life Experiences
21:36 Taking the First Step: Practical Advice for Parents
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How to Find Your People When You Feel Invisible with Katherine Wolf
E23—The meals stop coming. The texts slow down. And suddenly you feel like you’re navigating disability alone. Friends can be great at showing up in a crisis, but how do you find community for your family when life stays hard day after month after year? Katherine Wolf, stroke survivor, mother, and disability advocate, shares her story with Amy Julia Becker. They consider:
GriefLimits of toxic positivityFinding community that helps families survive and flourish00:00 Introduction and Connection
03:37 Is a Good Future Possible?
08:45 The Role of Community in Healing
13:01 Sustaining Community Connections
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Disability + Siblings: What the Research Says with Meghan Burke, PhD
E22—Is having a sibling with a disability hard on kids? Researcher Meghan Burke has spent years studying (and living) this question. Her findings might surprise you. In this episode, she joins Amy Julia Becker to share:
what siblings actually say about growing up alongside disabilitywhy the "burden" narrative is mostly a myththe one conversation every family needs to have before a crisis hits00:00 Introduction to Sibling Relationships in Disability
02:48 Research Insights on Sibling Dynamics
05:57 Understanding the Myths and Realities
09:34 The Experience of Being Overlooked as a Sibling
10:59 Common Strengths Among Si...
After Diagnosis: Grief Isn’t the End of the Story with Dr. Curt Thompson
E21—As the mom of a daughter with Down syndrome, I have felt my fair share of complicated emotions over these past twenty years. And sometimes, I haven't known what to do with those emotions, especially the ones that seem negative, like grief or fear. I'm talking today with psychiatrist, speaker, and author Curt Thompson about all these things—how we can name our emotions in safe and trusted communities, and the way receiving comfort in the midst of those emotions can also open us up to hope and joy.
00:00 Introduction to Grief
06:15 The Impor...
Disability + Family: What Is Good? What Is Hard? with Renee Dollenmayer
E20—Does your child struggle to understand who they are in a world that sees disability as a deficit? Renee Dollenmayer, founder of Even If Ministries, shares how living with cerebral palsy shapes her joy, sorrow, and purpose—and why every person with a disability needs to know their presence matters.
00:00 Introduction to Renee's Story and Disability
03:15 Joy and Sorrow in the Context of Disability
05:56 Creating Space for Lament and Joy
11:49 Disability and Identity
19:50 Loving and Supporting People with Disabilities
22:23 Practical Next Steps
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Disability and Simple Faith Practices for Exhausted Parents with Pam Harmon
E19—Many parents of children with disabilities carry deep spiritual questions and have very little space to process them. Amy Julia Becker talks with Pam Harmon about spiritual direction and why it can be a lifeline for parents navigating caregiving, uncertainty, and burnout. Together they explore practical ways to slow down, notice God in everyday life, and find renewed hope in the middle of disability parenting.
00:00 Introduction to Spiritual Direction
03:48 Experiencing Spiritual Direction in Real Time
05:20 The Hummingbird's Lesson: A Reflection on Action
07:17 Spiritual Needs of Parents of Kids with Disabilities
10:30 Fi...
Your Child’s Behavior Is Communication with Emily Longino
E18—Your child isn’t “misbehaving.” They’re trying to be understood. Many children with disabilities communicate through behavior, especially when spoken words aren’t available in the moment. Behavior analyst Emily Longino shares practical tools for recognizing communication signals before they escalate and helping parents build connection with their kids. Amy Julia Becker and Emily explore:
How to look beyond behavior to understand the “why”How parents can recognize communication signals earlierWays to support alternative communication skillsHow understanding behavior can reduce crises and build connection00:00 Introduction to Behavior Analysis
03:31 Understanding the Functions of Behavior
08...
Why “Special Needs Ministry” Isn’t Enough with Rebecca Wall
E17—Is your family welcome at church? If Sunday mornings leave you more exhausted than encouraged, you’re not alone. Rebecca Wall, Executive Director of With Ministries, joins Amy Julia Becker to explore why so many disability families are leaving church—and the small, practical changes that can create real belonging. Find (or help build) a community where people with disabilities aren’t just accommodated, but welcomed.
Ask Me Anything: Record (or email) your question for our upcoming Ask Me Anything episode: amyjuliabecker.com/qr/
00:00 Creating Welcoming Church Communities
04:43 Models of Disab...
Parent + Caregiver: How to Do Both Without Burning Out with Juli Henderson
E16 — Parent and medical caregiver. Many parents of children with disabilities know the complexity of these two full-time roles. Juli Henderson, founder of In Our Arms, was the caregiver for her son Robert, who passed away at eighteen from a rare mitochondrial disease. She joins Amy Julia Becker to explore:
Caregiver burnout, guilt, and isolationHow to pace yourselfCreating community (even when you’re exhausted)Practicing small, sustainable acts of self-careNavigating griefAsk Me Anything: Record (or email) your question for our upcoming Ask Me Anything episode: amyjuliabecker.com/qr/
00:00 Caregiving, Disability, and...
Disability: Tragedy, Inspiration… or Something Else? with Matthew Mooney
E15 — Tired of feeling like you have to “fix” your child—or turn their life into an inspiration story? Parents of kids with disabilities are often pushed toward two extremes: tragedy or triumph. But what if both miss the point? In this conversation, Amy Julia Becker and Matthew Mooney (co-founder of 99 Balloons) offer a healthier way to understand disability—rooted in shared humanity, vulnerability, and real relationships.
Plus: simple language shifts you can use at home and with friends starting today.
Ask Me Anything: Record (or email) your question for our up...
How Disability Parents Can Get Organized Without Burning Out with Angela O’Brien
Ep 14 — If paperwork and clutter are exhausting you, you’re not alone. Professional organizer Angela O’Brien, mom to a young adult daughter with Down syndrome, talks with Amy Julia Becker about the unique organizing challenges of disability parenting. From managing medical appointments and IEP paperwork to creating a home that works for everyone, Angela shares simple, realistic steps to help you move toward greater peace and presence.
00:00 Organizing for Disability Caregivers
06:22 Challenges Faced by Disability Caregivers
10:39 Starting Small: Practical Steps to Organize Spaces
15:27 Managing Time Effectively
16:49 Organizing Paperwork
21:53 Organizing Tips<...
Thriving in Marriage as Disability Parents with Todd and Kristin Evans
Ep 13 — There's a myth out there that raising a child with disabilities will doom a marriage. But the data tells a different story. In our conversation, authors Todd and Kristin Faith Evans join Amy Julia Becker to offer simple ways for couples to connect in the midst of both the ordinary and the most intense family circumstances. There's a lot of hope in this episode!
00:00 Intro: Marriage and parenting a child with a disability
05:52 Challenges and possibilities parents face
09:28 The power of vulnerability in relationships
12:02 Marriage Triage: What to do when your ma...
When Special Education Works with Adrian Wood
Ep 12 — What if inclusion in schools didn’t have to be a constant fight? Adrian Wood, PhD, shares what actually helped her son with autism thrive in their public school system. Adrian and Amy Julia Becker explore:
Building trust with educatorsCollaboration and creativityNavigating IEPs and transitionsSmall changes that make a big difference03:36 Navigating Public School for Children with Disabilities
05:59 Creative Thinking and Working Together as a Team
15:01 Strategies for Success
22:01 Preparing for Transitions in Education
Ask Me Anything: Record (or email) your ques...
A Lifeline for Disability Parents: Your Feedback, Our Future
Feeling alone in the hard parts of parenting a child with a disability? Hear how other families are finding support, encouragement, and practical ways to navigate the challenges while celebrating the joys. Plus, a quick review is the perfect Christmas gift to help more families discover Take the Next Step!
Mentioned:
Niro Feliciano's Take the Next Step episode00:00 Intro
00:31 Your Feedback
03:33 Backstory and Future Reimagining
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SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.com
JOIN the conversation on...
From Chaos to Calm-ish: Holiday Survival for Disability Parents with Niro Feliciano, LCSW
E11 — Feeling the holiday overwhelm creep in already? Psychotherapist Niro Feliciano, author of All is CALMish, unpacks why disability families carry extra emotional weight this time of year—and how small, doable shifts can bring more peace. We explore:
realistic expectationsmicro-moments of delightasking for helpbuilding a holiday season that fits your family, not InstagramMENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
All is CALMish: How to Feel Less Frantic and More Festive During the Holidays by Niro FelicianoSubscribe to Amy Julia’s Substack newsletter: amyjuliabecker.com/subscribe__
WATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Ju...
The Power of Proximity in Disability Parenting with Sho Baraka
E10 — From Frustration to Connection: If your home feels tense or chaotic, connection might be a missing piece. Recording artist Sho Baraka joins Amy Julia Becker to share how his family moved from daily breakdowns and aggression to a home marked by peace. Sho reflects on his story of parenting two sons with autism and the surprising power of proximity—how simply being with our kids can open doors to communication, trust, and calm.
00:00 Introduction to Sho Baraka
03:07 Navigating Communication with Nonspeaking Children
11:14 The Power of Proximity
How to Handle Awkward Questions About Disability with Carrie Hahn
E9 — Awkward questions about disability happen. Here’s how parents can respond. Carrie Hahn, a pediatric speech-language pathologist and mother, joins Amy Julia Becker to share actionable strategies to:
navigate conversations and correct misconceptionsmake disability normal in playhelp kids feel seen and respected without feeling singled out00:00 Intro
03:14 Myths About Disability
05:33 Talking About Disability in Public
09:05 Challenging Assumptions of Incompetence
14:32 Making Disability Normal in Play
19:08 Turning Conversation Mistakes into Learning
23:38 Practical Tools for Caregivers
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Beyond Inclusion: Raising Anti-Ableist Kids by Carrie Hahn_<...
The Help Disability Parents Actually Need (But Rarely Ask For) with Jordan Arogeti
E8 — Asking for help shouldn’t feel impossible. In this episode, Jordan Arogeti, CEO of SupportNow, joins Amy Julia Becker to talk about why asking for help can feel so hard, especially for disability families. They explore how SupportNow offers a simple path toward connection and lasting support.
Connect to Community download: A one-page guide to help families experiencing disability map out the connections that matter most within their communities. Get the guide: amyjuliabecker.com/connect-to-community-guide-free-download/
00:00 Introduction to Support Now
05:11 Barriers to Connection and Asking for Help
10:07 How to Ask for Help...
What If I’m Just Exhausted? {Questions from Disability Parents} with Matt Mooney
E7 — Q+R: How do I take care of myself and avoid burnout? How do I make sure siblings aren't overlooked? Is it okay to grieve? Where can my child build lifelong friendships? How do I stop feeling guilty? In this episode, Amy Julia Becker and Matt Mooney, co-founder of 99 Balloons, respond to your questions. Thank you to our audience for your thoughtful contributions!
Chapter List
00:00 Introduction
04:30 I’m so tired as a parent. How do I avoid burnout?
06:13 How do I make sure siblings aren't overlooked?
10:35 Is it o...
From Deficit to Delight: Changing the Disability Narrative with Heather Avis
E6 — What if one powerful way to advocate for your child is simply to delight in who they are? Author and advocate Heather Avis talks with Amy Julia about learning to find joy in family life, even when the world isn’t built for disability. They explore:
Why delight can rewrite the disability narrativeWhat it takes to move from deficit to delightThe ripple effect of delight in our relationships and communitiesHow to lean into love and delight instead of anxiety and fear__
UPCOMING Q+R EPISODE: Record your question for our upcoming Question & Resp...
Disability & Belonging: “We Aren’t Us Without You” with Erik Carter
E5 — We all long to belong. But for many families experiencing disability, true belonging can feel out of reach. In this episode, researcher and advocate Erik Carter joins Amy Julia Becker to unpack how small steps toward inclusion and belonging can transform entire communities. They explore:
How families can foster communities of belongingCommon barriers that block belongingThe benefits for everyone when communities embrace belonging__
UPCOMING Q+R EPISODE: Record your question for our upcoming Question & Response episode: amyjuliabecker.com/qr/
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MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
10 Dimensions of Be...Disability & Family: The Yes/No Filter Every Parent Needs with Jillian Benfield
E4 — Overwhelmed by therapies, appointments, and never-ending “to-dos”? Author Jillian Benfield shares practical tools for families experiencing disability—offering parents guidance on setting limits, saying yes to what matters, and finding beauty in everyday life. Jillian and Amy Julia Becker explore:
Parenting and caregiving without burning outDeveloping a yes/no filterTurning routines into lasting habitsCreating a clear vision for your familyHonest gratitude as a tool for resilienceUPCOMING Q+R EPISODE: Record your question for our upcoming Question & Response episode: amyjuliabecker.com/qr/
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FREE DOWNLOAD: 30 Next Steps for Parents availabl...
The Hospitality of Need: Disability and Interdependence with Kevan Chandler
E3 — Many of us don't want to ask for help, but what if being needful isn’t weakness but a doorway to connection, friendship, and belonging? Kevan Chandler, coauthor of The Hospitality of Need, shares his personal story with Amy Julia Becker, reflecting on his experiences with spinal muscular atrophy, neediness, and the ways mutual care shapes his life. They explore:
What peer-to-peer caregiving looks likeHow disability opens doors to friendshipWays to start supportive friendshipsHow your view of need shapes connectionWhy vulnerability and care are worth the riskConnect to Community download: A one-page guide to h...
Parenting Kids with Disabilities: The Power of Delight with Sissy Goff
E2 — What if delight is one of the greatest gifts you can give your child? In this episode, Amy Julia Becker talks with therapist and author Sissy Goff, LPC-MHSP, about how parents—especially those raising children with disabilities—can bring delight into everyday family life. Together, they explore:
What gets in the way of delighting in our childrenHow to shift focus from deficits to strengthsWhy a parent’s own sense of being delightful mattersHow honesty about both joy and sorrow helps children build resilienceSimple, practical ways to start delighting in your kids today__
UPCOMI...
Don’t Wait to Celebrate: Disability and Delight with Katherine Wolf
E1 — "How could there be a good future in the midst of so much loss?" If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the challenges of disability—or if you know a family walking that road—you won’t want to miss this conversation with Katherine Wolf. She is an author, advocate, and co-founder of Hope Heals. Together, Katherine and Amy Julia Becker explore how families can reimagine disability, build connection, and celebrate life—even when it doesn’t look the way they once imagined.
From the dinner table to the slow work of recovery, learn how to find delight i...
Introducing: Take the Next Step
Welcome to Take the Next Step, a weekly podcast for families experiencing disability, offering practical guidance, encouragement, and hope.
I’m Amy Julia Becker, writer, speaker, and mom to Penny, my 19-year-old daughter with Down syndrome. Each Wednesday, I’ll bring you short, hope-filled conversations with fellow parents, therapists, and disability advocates. We'll explore how to:
Navigate the challenges of disability parentingCreate moments of delight, joy, and connection at homeConnect with a supportive community where your family belongsTake small, doable steps toward a flourishing futureOur first season features Katherine Wolf, stro...
