Looking Up From Here

What's obvious to us may not be so obvious to others. In this episode, we continue our conversation about the disparities between how we see ourselves and how others see us. The gaps in those perceptions often create misunderstandings and unmet needs and has an impact on our lives in ways that surprise even us. We get into some of the nuances of the disabilities that others can see and the ones they can't--like chronic pain...

This episode takes a candid look at disability as an endurance sport—where identity, resilience, and community reshape what care and compassion mean.

We explore the emotional and physical endurance of living with a disability, framing daily life as a constant act of adaptation. Our conversation delves into how identity evolves through loss and uncertainty—especially within medical systems that often lack answers. We reflect on how w...

Needing to use a cane or wheelchair can throw a person into an identity crisis because of the stigma they carry. Accepting the use of an aid can be a difficult transition and one that many people resist or reject even when an aid is important for their safety and independence.

This conversation delves into how our sense of self is impacted by our needs and how we can reframe our thinking on aids to get the most out of the technology...

In this conversation, Laura shares her journey of living with spina bifida. She discusses the challenges she faced growing up with disability and the innovative therapies her family sought out to help her thrive. She shares her experiences trying to fit in at school, the isolation she felt, and how she finally gave up her mission to make other people comfortable with her limitations. Laura also reflects on her discovery of the Mind...

"It's that they make lemonade out of lemons. Instead of looking at what's hard about it, they look at how to transform your disability into something beautiful, something intimate, something fun, something other than what it is...(because it's not any of those things)... but it can be experienced differently if you have the right person with you...

Ever have someone look at you in a way that just deflates you and breaks your heart? What story have they overlaid on your experience and is it something you need to carry? In this episode, we talk about the different ways strangers relate to us--from sad looks to inappropriate comments to outrageous questions. And we talk a bit about both how those things land and how we have learned to cope with and move beyond them.

- Experiencin...

"The choice that you make to live is the most important choice you make every day." -- In this episode, we get honest about the frustrations and fears that challenge us daily and how we struggle to cope and overcome them. With a little humor and a lot of candor, we share how our relationship with our bodies have evolved over time as we've learned to be kinder to ourselves and more patient with the set backs.

- The Choice to Live: Em...

"I feel like there's this sort of tantalizing closeness to things, the almost there of a lot of experience." In this episode, we discuss how our limitations affect our relationships and our sense of what is possible in social settings. Our conversation touches on setting boundaries when something doesn't feel right and how wonderful it feels when our needs are understood.

- The Choice to Live: Embracing Life's Value

- Choosing Your B...

This is us making a good go of it and learning the ropes. We get into some of the issues around the misunderstandings people have--even those closest to us--about what it's like to live with a disability.

- Understanding Disability Beyond the Surface

- The Emotional Journey of Living with Disability

- The Pressure to Maintain Positivity

- Navigating Relationships and Expectations

- The Challenge of Sharing Personal Struggles

- The Comple...